The rose and the scorpion

The very beginning

December 11th, 2006

Ron and Hermione couldn't believe it.

Well, especially Ron. How was it possible that, out of all the people he could see in a hospital, on the date of birth of his firstborn, he was in front of Malfoy? And, not only that, but for some kind of twisted joke (Merlin knows why he was doing this to him), his wife was sharing a recovery room with Astoria Greengrass, now Malfoy. St Mungos must be in desperate need of money, because it was just unacceptable.

They both stood there, looking at each other and waiting for their babies to arrive since they had to be cleaned, hos wife didn't seem to notice his annoyance as she was happily chatting with Astoria, Ron had never taken them for friends but after all they worked together at the Ministry he thought, oh his twisted luck.

So, another Weasley to the collection?- Ron realized that he no longer had that look of constant annoyance and superiority on his face, he looked curious and scared almost, as if he had to carefully choose his next words- Congratulations, is this your first?

Ron then realized that he needed to say something, and as much as he wanted to punch him in the face for all of the years of accumulated hatred, Hermione had told him about Astoria's pregnancy, and warned him to not put the kids in any of their past problems. It's true that Draco had apologized a few years prior, but it was hard for him to let it go. Next thing he heard before he realized that Draco was holding out his hand in order to shake it with him, were the nurses entering the room, so he quickly shook it and muttered a 'congrats as well' as he hurriedly went to check on his baby girl.

Oh man, she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, she was all tiny and pink, with the curliest red hair he had ever seen in a newborn, and some deep brown eyes, he didn't know if babies were able to have freckles, but he could swear she had them, to say that he was mesmerized was an understatement. How could something so small have him in such a chokehold.

He looked over to the other couple in the room and caught a glimpse of the baby, a true Malfoy, the baby had silver but messy hair and the most penetrating gray eyes. Draco was starting to tear up and after a while of both couples staring lovingly at their children, both of the wifes engaged in a conversation.

Yes, as I told you we had been thinking of Rose for girl and Hugo for boy, playing with our initials, so I guess this is Rose Nymphadora Weasley-Granger. I actually find her name quite fitting.- Hermione seemed as happy as she had ever been, she was glowing and when she held his little Rosie, it looked like she had been doing it for a lifetime, like it was meant to be.

We have settled for Scorpius, it was hard finding a common ground, he proposed the ugliest names.- Ron chuckled, he didn't love that name either but it was much better than Lucius or Andromedon- but I had to give in with the second name, he wouldn't have it any other way.

Astoria rolled her eyes. He later looked at the name plaque on the babies crib and saw it, Hyperion, of course, he had to have the most made-up name in history, just like a true Malfoy would.

Then a bunch of redheads and black haired people came running into the room, they all stopped in their tracks when they saw the new Malfoys, but soon got out of their surprise and started congratulating them and looking at the baby, when he saw the relief on Draco's face, Ron felt saddened, he was a father as well now, and he wouldn't have liked his daughter to grow up hating her because of what he might have done wrong in his life, his heart softened for him and offered him a warm smile without saying anything, but that had a message, all is forgotten.

They spent the rest of the afternoon with the whole bunch of Weasleys and Rose's new cousin's, Ginny, Hermione and Astoria fantasizing about how their kids would go at Hogwarts at the same time and how they would be 'the odd trio'. They chatted animatedly for hours.