Fractured

Packing

These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna miss this

- You're Gonna Miss This - Trace Adkins

Chapter Nine
Packing

Before they knew it, the summer was halfway over. Rose, Hugo and Albus had been ungrounded, and then grounded a few more times. Sometimes Scorpius was caught up in their mischief, sometimes he escaped punishment.

As the weeks passed, the reality of the move was starting to sink in. Each day Draco and Hermione tried to pack at least one box, ready for storing or taking with them.

'Alright guys, after lunch it's time to tackle your rooms,' Draco announced. 'Don't give me that look, Rose. It needs to be done and it's raining too much to go out. Plus, that's how the Potters are spending their weekend so they're not free anyway.'

Nova shoved the last of the food in her mouth and ran to put her plate away.

'I'm ready!'

'Nova, your mouth's still full!' Hugo said.

'So?'

'So, finish chewing, muppet!'

Nova got up close to Hugo's face, chewing noisily.

'Ew! Gross!'

'Nova! Stop that at once!' Hermione scolded. 'Go on up to your room and finish sorting out the things you absolutely, definitely need to take with you.'

'Ok!'

Scorpius cleared his plate and trudged upstairs, followed by Hugo. Rose pushed her food around, chewing as slowly as she could. Hermione and Draco shared a look.

'Rose...' Hermione began, gently.

'I'm going, I'm going,' she muttered. Grabbing her half-finished plate, Rose stood up.

'Rose, wait,' Draco said. 'Look, if it's making you this unhappy, you can go to Hogwarts instead...'

'By myself? No way!'

'The Three Musketeers have to stick together, eh?' Hermione smiled.

'All for one, and one for all.' Rose said, dully. 'I'm sure it'll be fine once I get there.'

Rose put her plate in the dishwasher and jogged up to her room, away from their worried glances.

'Merlin help us when she's a teenager,' Draco sighed, running his hand through his hair.

'God, don't even go there,' Hermione shuddered. 'Let's just survive the pre-teen years first!'

'Good plan. Ok, where are we starting today?'

*****

Draco was pulling clothes out of the wardrobe, dumping them into piles. Hermione sat cross-legged on the bed. She had a shoe-box open in front of her and was going through the contents.

'Aww, come look at this!'

Draco sat next to her, leaning his head on her shoulder. He looked at the black and white photograph in her hand. He could see the shape of a head with a miniature nose. As he watched, tiny fingers wriggled and stretched.

'Oh, look at her little legs kick!' Draco said, pointing. 'How far along were you in this one?'

Hermione flipped the ultrasound picture over. On the back, in her neat writing, it read: Third trimester. 14th February 2013. Nova Seren Granger-Malfoy.