Sunday mornings are one of Scorpius' favourite times of the week. He doesn't have to go to nursery, and his parents are off work, so they can give him all their attention. Breakfast is usually eggy bread or pancakes with fruit in the garden, then they play for hours until bath time before lunch. This Sunday starts off just like any other. They've enjoyed their breakfast on a picnic blanket. His mum pushed him on the swings for ages. Then Scorpius and his dad dug a hole in the vegetable bed and planted some sweat pea seeds. However, far too soon, his dad kissed the top of his head and left them.
In confusion, Scorpius walks over to where his mum is reading a book on their bench and climbs beside her.
"Da da?" He asks.
"Daddy's going out for lunch with Alarte," his mum explains, closing her book.
"Me?"
"Oh," she pulls him onto her lap. "No, we're not going with Daddy. We're going out with Nana Granger and the kids."
Scorpius tilts his head to one side as he comprehends what 'the kids' means. Then he realises where he's heard that before. When his Grampa Granger picks him up from nursery, he asks for 'the kids'.
"E'lyn an' 'Ian?" He asks for confirmation.
His mother chuckles at his response. Scorpius doesn't know why, but his mummy's laugh is funny, so he laughs along, too.
"Yes, Evelyn and Vivian and Lauren and Craig will be there," she explains.
Scorpius nods. "Go now?" He asks excitedly.
"Soon, it's bath time first. Look at those fingers." His mummy points out.
When Scorpius looks down, he's surprised to find his hands are covered in mud.
"Baf," he agrees, climbing off his mother's lap and heading inside.
Scorpius loves bath times because he gets to play with all his toys and throw water about without getting told off by Mary, his nursery teacher. His mother follows him inside and holds his dirty hand as they climb the stairs together. While the warm water fills the bath, Scorpius chooses the toys he wants from the cupboard. It's a difficult decision, but he finally settles on the watermill, two plastic jugs and his rubber duck. He throws them in and sits on the bath mat, struggling to undress.
Once the bath is full, his mummy helps him take his clothes off, and then he jumps up and down with his arms up, wanting to be picked up. When his toes touch the warm, soapy water, he kicks his little legs, accidentally splashing his mummy.
"Thank you, Scorpius," she tells him. She must love getting splashed, so he slaps his hands against the water, spraying her with more.
His mother laughs, confirming his belief, so he continues until she asks him to stop.
"That's enough, Scorpius. Play with your toys."
He'd forgotten about his toys. Searching around, he finds his watermill, which he sticks to the wall. Grabbing the smallest jug, Scorpius fills it to the brim, then pours it through, squealing as the mill spins around, splashing water in his face. At the nursery, he has to wear an apron if he wants to play in the water tray so he doesn't get wet, but Scorpius likes getting wet, and Mary doesn't understand him when he tries to explain this to her.
While he plays, his mummy sits on a footstool beside the bath, watching him. Scorpius keeps looking back to make sure she's still there, and she's smiling every time.
"Scorpius?" Mummy calls his name, so he turns to face her. "Do you like playing in the water with your friends at nursery?" She asks.
Scorpius likes nursery because he gets to play with Evelyn and Vivian. They want all the same toys, so they do it together.
"E'lyn an' 'Ian," he agrees, nodding.
Mummy frowns, which he doesn't like, but he also doesn't know why she's upset.
"Do you play with anyone else?" She asks him, squeezing shampoo into her hands.
This is the one part of bath time that Scorpius does not like, but he's talking with Mummy, so he doesn't mind too much.
"Dona," Scorpius says as his mother lathers up his curls.
"Who's Dona?" She asks him.
Scorpius shrugs. He doesn't know who Jonah is; it's just that they play together sometimes, usually in the garden, since Evelyn and Vivian don't like mud.
"Well, soon, you'll have someone to play with at home, too," Mummy reminds him.
"Baby?" Scorpius asks. Mummy and Daddy keep talking about the baby that will live with them, but Scorpius isn't convinced.
"Yeah, once they're older, they'll be able to play with you all the time. Won't that be nice? Having a friend at home," Mummy continues.
Scorpius shakes his head. "No, mama, dada, sorpus an' mi'y."
Mummy sighs as she cups her hand around his eyes and rinses the shampoo from his hair. "Mummy, Daddy and Mitty will always love you, and we'll always be a family. The baby's just going to make our family a little bigger."
Scorpius shakes his head again, splashing water on his mother again, but she doesn't laugh. Instead, she moves on, conditioning his hair and washing him with a soft cloth. Even though Mummy's smile is now sad, they still have their cuddle time in the rocking chair while he dries in a large, fluffy towel. Scorpius snuggles against his mummy's chest, enjoying the contact and warmth.
After five minutes, Mummy gets Scorpius dressed in trousers and a cosy jumper, then carries him to her and Daddy's bedroom. Scorpius enjoys rolling around on his parents' massive bed while his mummy gets dressed.
"Oh, we're going to be late, Scorpius," Mummy tells him as she rushes around her bedroom, collecting her boots and coat. "I still need to pack your bag."
Scorpius slides off the bed, wanting to help his mummy. In his bedroom, he grabs his bag and starts shoving clean nappies inside. Then he finds his favourite pair of boots and tries to get his feet inside correctly, but they just won't fit. That's how Mummy finds him when she enters his bedroom: Scorpius sits on the rug, his feet half inside his boots and his open bag, which is overstuffed with nappies.
Mummy's smile returns as she scoops him onto her lap on the rocking horse.
"You're such a clever boy, Scorpius," she tells him as she twists the boots onto his feet. "Go get your coat."
Scorpius does as he's told while Mummy repacks his bag with a few things he had forgotten. Once again, he holds his mummy's hand as they walk downstairs together and into the floo room. However, Scorpius pulls his arm free when she picks up his shrunken pushchair.
"No, pus'tair," he orders, crossing his arms angrily.
"Scorpius, we've got a lot of walking this afternoon, and your legs are only small. You'll get tired, and I can't carry you anymore," Mummy explains, but he's not having it. He stomps his foot. Mummy gasps, "That's enough of that. I know you're frustrated, but sometimes you have to use your pushchair. Okay?"
Scorpius' face is still scrunched up. "No, tay."
Mummy shakes her head as she takes his hand. "We need to go. I'm not arguing with you, Scorpius."
Knowing they're about to floo somewhere, Scorpius grips his mummy's hand tightly and wraps his other hand around her leg. He's used the floo many times with Mummy and Daddy but still finds it scary. Thankfully, it's quick, and before he knows it, they're in The Leaky Cauldron. His mother quickly enlarges his pushchair and places him in the seat. Scorpius huffs with disapproval as his mummy fastens him inside. However, his mood is quickly fixed when Mummy passes him one of his toddler books.
After spending a leisurely morning in the garden with his wife and son, Draco is quite reluctant to leave the comfort of his home. However, he had made plans to meet Alarte for lunch, and it had been a while since they'd spent time together. Also, Hermione and Scorpius were going out for lunch and shopping with Sarah and the kids, so he would've been alone anyway,
Upon arriving outside Alarte's university flat, Draco knocks on the front door and waits. Alice - the girl with pink hair - answers, looking irate. Before Draco could greet her, he heard someone shouting from further up the house.
"You're Al's cousin, right?"
"Yeah."
"Could you sort him out?" She beckons him inside.
"That's him shouting?" Draco asks, glancing up the stairs.
"Yeah, we're sick of it. It's been a week of this, and he won't talk to any of us," Alice sighs.
"I'll talk to him," he assures her, going upstairs.
The closer he gets to the top floor, the louder Alarte's shouting becomes. It doesn't help that his bedroom door is ajar.
"Will you just do me this one fucking thing, Abe?" Alarte shouts, presumably down his phone.
Draco knocks on his cousin's bedroom door, letting him know he's arrived. Alarte whips around, ready to dismiss whichever housemate interrupts him, but his expression softens upon seeing Draco.
"Doesn't matter, Abe. It's too late." Alarte hangs up on his brother with a deep sigh. "Sorry about the mess, Draco. Let me grab a jumper, and we'll leave."
Alarte rummages through a pile of clothes on his bed, pulling out a black jumper that needs ironing. Flopping down on his bed, Alarte huffs, "I'm not really in the mood to go out anywhere. Can we reschedule?"
Draco perches on the end of Alarte's bed. "What's going on, Alarte?"
"Did Alice ask you to talk to me?" Alarte asks, staring at the ceiling, avoiding eye contact with Draco.
"No, I have ears, Alarte. I heard the way you were shouting at Abe on the phone." Draco crosses his arms before realising he's acting like a concerned father rather than a concerned friend. "I'm just worried. I've never seen you like this."
"I'm fine," Alarte complains, rolling over.
"Well, I don't believe that for a moment, but I'm not going to push you to talk," Draco informs him, walking back over to the door.
"Are you leaving?" Alarte asks, glancing over his shoulder.
"No, I'm shutting the door."
"Why?"
"This room is a mess. I'm going to clean it for you," he claims, removing his wand from his pocket.
"Whoa!" Alarte sits up, ready to watch the magic being performed.
After three quick flicks of his wand, Alarte's clothes dance back into his wardrobe and drawers, his carpet appears drastically brighter, and his bed kicks him out so it can make itself.
"That is wicked!"
"Thanks. Now, about that jumper. I can iron it."
Alarte holds the jumper out at arm's length. Draco taps the fabric with the tip of his wand, wordlessly casting the spell. As the material flutters, ironing itself, Alarte drops the jumper in surprise. Once it stops moving, Alarte hesitantly pokes it with his finger before pulling it on.
"I guess we are going out then," Alarte sighs, collecting his leather jacket, boots and wallet.
"I think it'll do you good to get out of the house for a few hours," Draco says, following his cousin downstairs and onto the street. No matter what Alarte tells himself, Draco knows he's not okay, and he's determined to get his cousin to open up to him so he can find a way to help him.
Sarah Granger watches as Londoners, tourists and business people all stream past the bonnet of her car. When Hermione had asked Sarah to meet her in London for a shopping and lunch date, she'd jumped at the opportunity to spend the day with her eldest daughter and grandson. However, getting four children ready for a day out in London took a lot of mental and physical stress, especially when the oldest child refused to get dressed unless she was allowed to be a cheerleader for Halloween. In the end, Sarah threatened not to take her and to have her Grandad Tom pick her up and take her to the allotment for the day. The threat had worked, but now her daughter sits in the passenger seat, her arms crossed and sulking.
When twelve o'clock comes and goes with no sight of Hermione and Scorpius, Sarah takes out her phone and dials Hermione's number. Her daughter picks up on the fifth ring.
"Hi, mum. I'm on my way, I promise. We got stuck talking to Tom at The Leaky Cauldron," Hermione breathlessly informs her as soon as she answers.
"Okay, no rush." Sarah holds back her sigh. "We're waiting at Wellsford Car Park."
"We'll see you in five minutes," Hermione promises, then hangs up.
"Hermione and Scorpius will be here in five minutes," Sarah informs the car.
Lauren huffs in response.
"Can we get out now?" Craig asks.
Sarah turned to face her son, who sat in the middle of the backseats, squished between the twins' car seats.
"Not yet; it's safer for us to wait in the car. There's a lot of people and cars about," Sarah explains.
Craig nods his head sadly, leaning back into his seat.
"Why don't you climb through here? Come sit with us," Sarah offers.
"Okay!" Craig's face lights up as he unbuckles his seat belt and throws himself between the two front seats onto Sarah's lap.
"Wow, you're certainly growing," Sarah states, lifting Craig up to sit on her lap.
"That's what Mr Clarke said the other day. He said I might be the tallest in the class by year six," Craig proudly exclaims.
Hermione doesn't think her mum notices as she approaches the car, so she knocks on her window, making her jump in surprise. Laughing, Mum climbs out of the car, placing Criag in the driver's seat, and hugs Hermione tightly.
"Thank goodness you're here," she mutters. "I'm at my wit's end. Do you want to swap?" Mum jokes, leaning down to kiss the top of Scorpius' head.
Hermione peers into the car, seeing Lauren sitting with her arms crossed and glaring out of the front window. Craig seems happy enough, waving at her through the driver's window.
"What's the matter with Lauren?" Hermione asks her mum, who's pulling the twins' double pushchair out of the boot.
"I wouldn't let her get her own way," Mum says with a heave as she puts the pushchair up and clips everything into place. "Can you grab one of the twins?"
Hermione opens the nearest passenger door to find Vivian smiling happily from her toddler seat.
"Hi, Vivian, how are you?" Hermione asks, unbuckling her seat belt and lifting her out.
"'Iya!" Vivian greets her sweetly.
Hermione holds Vivian on her hip and bends down so she can greet Scorpius.
"'Ian!" Scorpius cheers, reaching out with his hands.
"'Iya Sorpus," Vivian says, reaching out and holding his hand.
Beaming, Hermione takes Vivian to the double pushchair, strapping her in while her mum collects Evelyn. Hermione and her mum are glad the three toddlers get on well. However, when the twins turn two in the New Year, they will be moved from the baby room into the two-year-old room at nursery, leaving Scorpius behind. Hermione's concerned her son won't enjoy nursery as much since he seems stuck to the twins' side. She'll have to ask the nursery staff about this 'Dona' Scorpius spoke of this morning and try to cement that friendship.
"Sorry, love," her mum says, resting a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You shouldn't be lifting anything too heavy while pregnant."
"Mum, it's fine. I've got Scorpius at home?"
"Well, you shouldn't be lifting him," she chastises. "That's' Draco's job for the next few months."
"Draco's not always around when Scorpius needs to be lifted into the bath or out of his highchair," Hermione points out.
"You mean you don't spend every waking moment of every day together," Mum jokes.
Hermione laughs, "And every sleeping moment."
Her mum's eyes crease as she smiles, opening the driver's door. "Come on, you two," she beckons Lauren and Craig.
Craig immediately scrambles out of the car and wraps his arms around Hermione's midriff but quickly jumps back when his face pushes into the small bump of her pregnant belly.
"Don't worry, Craig. You won't hurt the baby." Hermione kneels down and opens her arms wide for him.
Beaming wide, he wraps his arms around her neck and whispers, "Hello," into her hair.
"Hi, Craig."
Hermione knows Craig has always been shy, and once Louise's parenting techniques became apparent, she assumed it was due to the lack of attention he had been given. Now, it seems his shyness is part of his personality, which Hermione can understand completely at that age.
"Lauren, are you coming?" Hermione calls through the door.
The seven year old girl rolls her eyes as she climbs out of the car and slams the door behind her. Lauren walks around the car, stopping beside the twins's pram with a scowl and her arms crossed firmly.
"Mum, would you push Scorpius for me? I'll take the twins," Hermione suggests.
"Of course," her mum agrees immediately.
"Craig, do you think you could help Mum with Scorpius? He doesn't like being in his pram, so make sure he's happy," Hermione asks.
Craig nods once and rushes over to their mum and Scorpius with purpose.
"Come on, Lauren; you're stuck with the twins and me," Hermione jokes, gesturing her to follow her as they set off into the centre of London.
Mum, Craig and Scorpius take the lead, knowing their way around London better than Hermione, who has spent most of the past ten years in Scotland. Lauren doesn't open up as they walk towards the soft play area, where they're heading for lunch, and with only ten minutes before they arrive, Hermione decides to just ask.
"What's going on, Lauren?"
"Nothing," she huffs.
Hermione hums thoughtfully. "I know what Mum can be like sometimes. Don't forget I grew up in that house too."
Lauren looks up at her, seeming to have forgotten that Hermione was once a child raised by Sarah and Chris Granger. Hermione doesn't blame her for not realising. After all, when Lauren was born, Hermione was in the fifth year of Hogwarts, and life only got more hectic after that, so she rarely went home for the holidays. In fact, she only really got to know Lauren the summer before her eighth year, when Hermione was an adult aged by the war.
"Did she always just say no to everything you said?" Lauren asks.
"I'm going to need more context."
"We're having a Halloween disco at school the first day back after half-term, and my friends and I all decided to be cheerleaders. We've spent weeks making up a dance and practising at lunch time. Then Mum asked yesterday what I wanted to be for Halloween, and I thought, instead of asking for two costumes, one for your party and one for the school disco, I'd just ask for the cheerleader outfit. But mum said no because it's not appropriate. What does that even mean?" Lauren complains.
"Well, I assume this cheerleader outfit is just a tank top and a short skirt. Mum's probably worried that you'll be too cold. We're going out trick-or-treating around my village in the middle of autumn. It's going to be cold," Hermione suggests.
"Oh." Lauren looks down at her feet. "Why didn't she say that then?"
"Sometimes Mums have a lot going on in their head, and they think their children will understand what they're talking about. Next time, instead of getting upset immediately, just ask Mum to clarify?" Hermione explains.
"Okay," Lauren agrees, seeming happier from understanding her Mum's dismissal.
"Now, that doesn't solve the problem of your planned costume," Hermione reminds her, and Lauren's face falls. "We can come up with a compromise, though. If we get you a pair of white tights and a white turtleneck jumper to wear underneath, I'm sure Mum won't argue that you'll be warm enough," she suggests.
Lauren's face scrunches up as she thinks. "I suppose that'll be okay for your party, but we'll be inside for the school disco, so I won't need to wear them then."
"Do you want me to tell Mum when we're at the soft play?" Hermione asks.
"Would you?"
"Of course, I'm sure she'll agree," she assures her.
"Thanks, Hermione. You're the best." Lauren hugs her side as they continue to walk, then begins to skip beside her.
Hermione chuckles, pleased to have the happy and cheerful Lauren back, although they might have just had some insight into Lauren's teenage years, and from the looks of it, they're going to have a tough time.
An awkward silence follows Draco and Alarte as they walk into the city. However, the fresh, cold air must do his cousin some good as his shoulders appear less tense, and his forehead unfurls.
"How are Hermione and Scorpius?"
"They're great. Scorpius has grown a lot since the summer. He's walking and talking more than ever." Draco beams, proud to be talking about his family.
"I miss the little guy. I've been looking forward to your Halloween party for a month. I wish I didn't have a lecture at ten o'clock the next morning so I could stay longer," Alarte vents.
"If I'm already apparating you back, why don't I take you first thing Thursday morning rather than Wednesday night? We've got more than enough bedrooms for everyone," Draco offers.
Alarte's face lights up, happier than Draco's seen him all day. "Are you serious?"
"Of course, the more the merrier. We've missed you too," Draco assures him. "I'll even give you and Damion a bedroom away from your dad, so it's not awkward the next morning," he jokes.
Alarte's joyful expression falls at the mention of his boyfriend. "Damion won't be coming."
"Oh," Draco mutters, realisation slowly dawning on him. "Is he busy?" He asks, giving Alarte the option of an out if he doesn't want to talk about whatever's happening between them.
"Something like that, yeah." Alarte shrugs, taking the out.
Draco nods, leaving it at that. "Is this your final year at university?" He asks, already knowing the answer but wanting to change their conversation.
"Yeah," his cousin sighs. "It's fucking me right up. I have this ten-thousand-word dissertation to write by May and a few other essays over three thousand words. There's so much more reading for the seminars, essays and my dissertation. I keep reminding myself that this is what I want, and it's only a year; then I can relax and chill over the summer," Alarte animatedly explains.
"What are your summer plans?"
"I want to go away somewhere. I've never been on holiday without my parents," Alarte states.
Draco wonders whether he and Damion had made plans together before whatever is causing Alarte's current mood.
"Where's the top of your list?"
"Probably Rome, for the history and the architecture."
"You'll love Rome. You should try to visit a few nearby cities too. I think you'd also enjoy Florence and Naples," Draco suggests.
"I'll send you postcards from wherever I end up." Alarte smiles softly.
"Why don't you address it to Scorpius?" Draco suggests. "I'll read them to him until he's old enough."
"That's cute."
As they arrive in the city, Alarte guides Draco towards the restaurant he had booked for them. It was nothing too fancy, something he could afford on his student budget without relying on Draco to pay for his share. After taking Alarte's name, the waiter shows them to their table in the middle of the restaurant, passing them a menu.
Upon arriving at the soft play area, they each pay for their children to play for a full hour, and then they find themselves a table beside the toddler's play section. Hermione lifts Scorpius out of his pram and helps him remove his shoes while her mum does the same with Evelyn and Vivian. Lauren and Craig have already kicked their boots under the table and have run off into the massive soft play area. The two mothers walk their toddlers into the play section, showing them a few toys and furniture they can play with before returning to their table.
Mum sits down with a heavy sigh. Hermione removes her coat, hanging it off her chair before sitting. She takes in her mother's face: the dark circles under her eyes, the fine lines across her forehead, her mousy hair pulled back into a claw grip. Somehow, her parents had aged over the ten years that Hermione had been busy at Hogwarts.
"What are you looking at?" Her mum self-consciously brushes her fringe out of her face.
Hermione smiles. "My pretty mother."
"Oh, stop it." She blushes. "Look at you, anyway. My beautiful daughter, glowing. How far along are you now?"
Hermione chuckles, accepting her mother's compliments. "We're nearly twenty-one weeks."
Mum's eyes widen with excitement. "You didn't tell me you'd been for your twenty-week scan."
"We haven't yet. We booked it for next week, as we're off work for half-term," Hermione explains.
"Are you going to find out the sex?" Mum asks.
"We're not sure. We didn't for Scorpius because we knew people would be asking about if we were having an heir, but it'll be different this time round," Hermione says.
"These posh folks are strange. As long as the baby is healthy, it doesn't really matter. I just want to know what clothes to buy," her mum states.
"We'll just be using Scorpius' old babygrows and bodysuits for the first few months, so don't buy any newborn clothes," Hermione warns her mum, knowing what she's like.
Mum shakes her head. "The new darling needs their own outfit for coming home from the hospital."
"Fine." Hermione rolls her eyes. "You may buy one outfit."
Her mum beams, happy to be getting her own way.
"About Lauren, Mum?"
"Did you have a good chat with her on the way here?"
"Yes, she told me about this cheerleader costume."
"Did she tell you how short the skirt is? You can almost see her underwear, Hermione."
"Lauren's seven years old, Mum. Get her a pair of white tights and maybe a white jumper to wear underneath, and she'll be fine. School aren't going to say anything if she's covered up," Hermione suggests.
"There's more to it, Hermione. Lauren's getting into trouble at school. We're having meetings with her teacher nearly every week. It's nothing terrible, just constant low level disruptions, but I don't want them to have another thing to complain about," her mum sighs.
"How is she at home?"
"She's starting to push our boundaries. We're still in contact with their social worker, and she thinks Lauren has fully settled into her life with us if she's comfortable going against us," Mum explains.
"Well, that's an upside."
"It's hurting Craig, though. He's still nervous and gets overwhelmed when Lauren's in trouble."
"Lauren was Craig's protector with Louise. She put herself in harm's way for him. That's got to have a lasting effect on him," Hermione suggests. "Maybe Lauren's feeling lost. She knew her place with Louise, but now they have you and Dad to protect them; she doesn't know her role in the family."
"That's-" Her mum pauses. "That actually makes a lot of sense." She turns to watch Lauren helping Craig climb up a frame leading to the slides. "She's such a good big sister. She loves Craig and the girls so much."
"Give her some responsibilities with the girls and Craig, and I'm sure you'll see an improvement in her behaviour," Hermione adds.
"How did I end up with such a clever daughter?" Her mum ponders.
"You and Dad raised me," she points out.
At that moment, Lauren runs up to their table.
"Can we have a drink, please?"
"Sure, do you want to come help me carry everything over?" Hermione asks.
"Okay," Lauren agrees.
"I'll watch the toddlers," her mum assures. "Here, take my purse."
"Mum, I'll ge-"
"It's my treat, Hermione," her mum pushes.
Rolling her eyes, Hermione stands with her mum's purse in hand. "Do you want a tea or a coffee?"
"I'll have a latte, please."
Hermione and Lauren walk over to the cafe counter to order. Along with the coffee for her mum and tea for herself, Hermione orders two cheese scones with butter for them both. Lauren asks for a Capri Sun and a gingerbread biscuit, which Hermione orders for all five children. When it's time to pay, Hermione takes the money out of her jean's pockets and hands it over, sending Lauren a wink not to tell their mum.
Once served, Lauren carries the tray for the children since all the items are wrapped up. Hermione has a tray of hot drinks and cakes. Craig sits at one of the seats, patiently waiting for his snack. Before serving herself, Lauren passes her brother a Capri Sun and biscuit, then turns to their mum.
"Should I get the twins?" She asks Mum.
"Aw, thank you, Lauren." Mum kisses the top of her head.
Standing tall with responsibility, Lauren enters the toddler section of the soft play area and calls for Evelyn and Vivian. The twins rush over to their big sister, taking one hand each. Scorpius follows the girls, holding Evelyn's hand as they waddle together.
The five children get situated at the table, the twins in a highchair each while Scorpius sits on his mother's lap. After consuming their juices and gingerbread biscuits, Lauren and Craig run back off to make the most of the remaining play time. Having lost interest, Scorpius crawls off his mother's lap, finds one of his books inside his change bag, and sits in his pram to look at the pictures. Evelyn and Vivian hold hands as they toddle back into their play area.
"What have you and Dad got planned for Halloween?" Hermione asks her mum, sipping at her tea.
"You know it's a surprise," Mum reminds her.
"Well, Draco and I are going as mummies this year," Hermione informs her.
Mum's eyes light up. "That's actually kind of perfect."
"Okay, I'm intrigued."
Once the waiter returns, they each order their drinks and meals. Quite quickly, their drinks are brought to their table, and their conversations turn to stories of the past few months since they last saw each other.
"Scorpius has started his life of crime," Draco mentions.
"Does he need me to bail him out?" Alarte jokes.
"I'm serious; he stole a book from the nursery."
"Oh no!" Alarte rolls his eyes sarcastically. "What ever will you do?" He laughs. "It's typical, though, that your son stole a book. I've seen your office; the walls are lined with books."
Draco snickers, "That's true, but we must stop it."
"I doubt he did it on purpose. He probably liked the book and didn't understand the difference between home and nursery toys. I wouldn't worry," Alarte assures him.
"You're probably right," Draco sighs. "We just need to buy him more books."
Alarte shakes his head. "What do you even read? Do you have fiction books in your world?"
"Yeah, of course. We have the same genres, but our fantasy books are about muggles and your world. Although, I don't think we have any science fiction books. We don't have science in our world. Well, it's not the same science as you do. I tried to read one of Hermione's uncle's books, and I just didn't enjoy it," Draco admits.
Alarte laughs, "Which book did you read?"
"The Invisible Man."
"And you didn't like it?"
"He was entirely unlikable as a main character." Draco shrugs.
"That's kind of the whole point, but I understand. I wouldn't write off a whole genre because of H. G. Wells. I've got a few books at my flat you might enjoy," Alarte mentions as their waiter brings them their drinks.
"Maybe I've got a lot going on right now. I haven't really been reading much," Draco sighs.
"Ah, yes, you're still trying to take down the government then?" Alarte asks.
"Shh!" Draco glances around, checking no one was listening.
"What? You think some of your guys are around," he asks, scanning the restaurant.
"I'm sure your government doesn't take too kindly to people threatening to take them down either."
"They did not. We have a whole night dedicated to the failed attempt," Alarte chuckles, but upon seeing Draco's confusion, he clarifies, "Bonfire night? To celebrate Guy Fawkes' failed gunpowder plot? He wanted to blow up the house of parliament."
"Right, I think I've heard of that before."
"Well, anyway, how's your plot going?"
"There's a lot of different organisations and people involved, and it was becoming too much for us, so Hermione and I decided to take a step back. We've got a lot going on at work too, with these Ministerial inspections," Draco explains, not wanting to get too into it as this lunch was supposed to be an excuse to relax. "And... I was going to wait until Halloween to tell you. Hermione's pregnant."
"Whoa!" Alarte leans back in his chair. "Congratulations, man. How are you feeling?"
Draco laughs, "Your reaction is on par with Hermione's family. We know it's a bit soon and a complete surprise, but we're happy and excited to have another baby in the house. Although Scorpius isn't too happy," he sighs.
"He'll get used to it once the baby has arrived," Alarte assures him.
"I can only hope."
Finally, the waiter brings them their food, so they dig in.
Once their hour ends, Hermione and her mum collect their children from the play area and set off for Selfridges on Oxford Road. Hermione and her mum would have mother-daughter dates at Selfridges as a child. They'd dress in their fanciest clothes and dine on tiny sandwiches, scones, colourful macarons and slices of cake. It was an infrequent affair but one Hermione always treasured. It's well known throughout Britain and the wider world that Selfridges are famous for their window displays, and Halloween is no different. The family of six walks along Oxford Street, admiring the twenty-seven different displays, before entering the massive shopping department. After following the signs for the Halloween section, Lauren immediately darts off searching for the cheerleader costume she's desperate for, and Craig follows quickly behind.
"Don't lose each other!" Mum calls after them, receiving a wave of agreement.
Hermione and her mum venture towards the toddler section, amazed by the fast selection. Filtering through the racks, Hermione eventually finds a cute spider costume. She holds it out of Scorpius, who takes one look and beams excitedly as he claps his hands together and chants, "Pida, pida, pida."
"Well, that was easy enough," Hermione chuckles, handing the costume to her son, who hugs it to his chest.
"You can help me with the girls then," Mum says, still searching the racks.
After ten minutes of showing each girl a costume and having them shake their head in disapproval, Evelyn eventually reaches out and grabs hold of a blue princess dress.
"Pincess, peas?" She politely asks, gripping hold of the fabric.
"You want to be Cinderella?" Mum asks, pulling the dress out and showing Evelyn the silver tiara that comes with the costume.
"Yeah," Evelyn agrees happily.
"Okay," Mum sighs, shaking her head as she hands the dress to her daughter. "It's kind of an obvious choice, but if it's what she wants."
Hermione smiles, pulling out a princess Snow White dress. "Do you want to be a princess too, Vivian?"
"No," the girl shakes her head. "A bawina." She points to a pale pink dress.
"Oh, a ballerina?" Hermione picks the outfit.
"Yeah, bawina." Vivian holds her hands out for the outfit.
Mum shrugs as they head off to find Lauren and Craig. "This was considerably easier than I expected."
When they find them, Lauren holds her cheerleader costume and a pair of white trainers to match. As soon as she catches sight of her mum, her eyes turn soft as she pleads, "Please can I get these too? I don't have any white shoes, and it won't look right without them."
"Of course, you're going to look great," Mum agrees. Then, following Hermione's advice, she asks, "Have you helped Craig find anything?"
"Yeah, he wants to go as a skeleton. This one glows in the dark, but it's a lot of money, so he's looking between them," Lauren explains.
Their mum's heart breaks at the thought of her children worrying about whether or not they can afford the things they want. Of course, Sarah and Chris are still getting accustomed to being a six-person household instead of one of two or three when Hermione lived with them. However, they were master budgeters and could afford to treat their children every once in a while.
"If you want the glow-in-the-dark costume, you can have it, Craig?" Mum kneels before them. "You don't need to be worried about money; your dad and I have everything covered."
"Thank you." Craig hugs his mum tightly before grabbing the costume he wanted.
As Draco and Alarte eat, conversation tapers off as they enjoy their food. Their waiter offers to replace their empty glasses, to which they both agree. After they've finished, the waiter removes their dirty plates and leaves them the dessert menu.
"Do you want any dessert?" Draco asks, scanning the menu.
"Sure, I could go for something. I would definitely recommend the banoffee pie. Although it's more of a sharing size than an individual serving," Alarte explains.
"Good to know. Have you brought Damion here before?" Draco asks, broaching the topic at the back of his mind the entire meal.
Immediately, Alarte's brows furrow. He picks up his drink and drains a third of it.
Pretending not to notice, as he continues to read the menu, Draco mentions, "I was surprised he wasn't here. I though he came to yours every weekend." He finally glances across at his cousin to find his face pale white as he glares down at the table.
"I guess that would be awkward since he broke up with me," Alarte admits, then breaks into sobs of tears.
Draco ignores the awkward glances from the other dinners as he pulls Alarte up into a hug. "Come on, let's pay and leave."
Despite not finishing their drinks, Draco guides Alarte towards the bar, where he passes Alarte a handful of napkins to dry his face while he pays for both their bills and leaves a tip for their waiter. Once outside on the streets of Birmingham, Alarte stumbles to the nearest bench and collapses, his head in his hands.
"Tell me what happened?" Draco sits softly beside him.
"I don't even know," Alarte starts crying again. "He went home last weekend to visit his parents. Then he calls me from the train telling me how he's sorry, but he doesn't see us working out in the long run because 'we want different things'," he mocks his ex-boyfriend. "Which is absolute bullshit; by the way, we've been together for six years; I thought we were already in the long run. We had plans. We talked about what we wanted in life. After graduation, we were going to move to a new city, get a job, rent a flat and travel the world," he explains.
"Did he tell you what he wants now?"
Alarte scoffs, "Before I hung up, he told me he had to think about his future family, but he's always been adamant that he never wants children. How could he change his mind so quickly?" Alarte sighs, calming himself down. "It hurts so much, like physically, right here." His hand rests on his chest. "I know it's stupid, but it feels like my heart has literally broken."
"It's not stupid at all, Alarte." Draco rests a comforting hand on his cousin's shoulder. "Have you spoken to him since?"
"No, I never want to speak to him again."
Draco scoffs, "That's not true at all. He was your best friend long before he was your boyfriend. You still care about him. You need to talk to him and understand his reasoning behind breaking up with you."
Alarte sniffs, "I deleted his number and can't remember it."
"You're quite dramatic, you know," Draco laughs, grabbing his cousin's wrist and dragging him towards a darkened alleyway.
From there, Draco apparates into an equally dark alleyway in Nottingham. As a child, he'd visited the city once before with his father, so he knew where to go.
"Where does Damion live?" Draco asks, walking over to an information map of the city at a bus stop.
Hand on his stomach as the apparition causes a bout of nausea, Alarte stumbles after him. "Where are we?"
"Nottingham," Draco states, glancing over the map.
"What?" Alarte glances around, recognising the spire of the Cathedral in the distance. "I don't want to talk to him, never mind see him."
"You need to get to the bottom of this. Unless you want to wallow in your own sadness forever, wondering what went wrong, if there was anything you could've done to fix it," Draco explains. "If you want to ever move on one day, you need to find closure with him."
Alarte just stares back at him. "Isn't Hermione your first relationship?"
Draco blushes. "I've read many books, some of them were romance, and I can identify where those couples go wrong."
"They're fictional couples, Draco. Real life isn't so simple."
"I'm fully aware, but trust me on this one." Draco returns to the map. "Do you know where he lives?"
"His flat is by the university," Alarte answers reluctantly.
Draco quickly finds the university on the map and grabs Alarte's arm as he sets off in the general direction of Damion's flat.
"Start thinking about what you're going to say to him because I'm not going to let you back out on this," Draco warns.
Alarte sighs deeply, knowing there was no escape from this, and deep down, he knows he needs to have this conversation. He knows he's not been the most pleasant person to be around.
As the flat comes into view, Alarte slows down, dragging his feet, but Draco doesn't have any of it and pushes on. Draco is the one who opens the gate after awkward standing before it, waiting for Alarte to do so. Thankfully, Draco leaves the knocking on the door to Alarte when he's ready. Although Alarte doesn't think he'll ever be ready, and while considering making a run for it over the gate, his hand subconsciously reaches out and knocks on the door.
"Shit, what did I do that for?" Alarte turns to Draco. "We need to leave now. I can't do this."
However, the front door opens before Alarte reaches the gate, and it's too late to flee.
"Can I help you?" A male voice he doesn't recognise asks.
"Is Damion in?" Draco questions politely.
The man's face shifts into an expression of disgust. "Are you one of his gay friends?"
"Excuse me?" Draco frowns, having not expected that response.
The man rolls his eyes, turns back into the house and shouts, "Damion! Your boyfriends are here!" He cackles at his own joke before slamming the door in their faces.
"Well, that was rude."
"That's Johnny, his dickhead flatmate," Alarte sighs.
"Ah, I seem to recall Damion mentioning his roommates were dicks."
The next time the door opens, Damion stands before them dressed in joggers and a sweatshirt. His face is stained red, and his hair is up on all ends.
"You look like shit," Alarte tells him.
Damion takes a deep breath. "What are you doing here?"
"Apparently, we need to talk."
"I've got nothing more to say."
"You didn't exactly say much to begin with. The least you can give me after six years is a proper explanation," Alarte says, finding the confidence to speak.
"I'm not doing this here," Damion informs them, nervously glancing at the nearest door.
"Then get your shoes and grab a jacket; we'll go to that park," Alarte tells him, turning and walking away.
Draco awkwardly stands on the doorstep, staring between the two men. Since he was introduced to Damion, he's thought he was a good fit for Alarte, so he doesn't want to dismiss whatever the man's going through. However, that doesn't change the fact that he's hurt Alarte, and Draco doesn't take too kindly to those who hurt his family.
"I would recommend you hurry up. He's not exactly feeling patient at the moment," Draco suggests, remaining in position by the door to ensure the man actually does follow.
With a heaved sigh, Damion pulls on a pair of trainers and grabs a winter coat from the hooks behind the door.
"Is he... doing alright?" Damion asks as he and Draco catch up with Alarte halfway down the street.
"No, he's not," Draco answers truthfully. "But I can see you aren't either," he adds.
"It's complicated," Damion mutters.
"Don't tell me that."
Alarte slumps down on a bench at the park, hidden behind a tree's low branches and surrounding bushes. Draco stands back, giving them the space to talk to each other. Although he could still hear their conversation, he didn't let on so as not to make the situation any more awkward.
"So, what happened last weekend?" Alarte asks, getting straight to the point.
"I went home to visit Mum and Dad."
"How are they?"
"Fine." Damion shrugs. "They're angry at each other, but that's to be expected."
"Did you break up with me because you're still under the impression that because your parents got divorced, all relationships are doomed to fail?" Alarte questions, having thought about this all week.
Damion frowns, staring down at his fingers in his lap. "It's not exactly that."
"Then what exactly is it?" Alarte asks, raising his voice. "I've been wrecking my brain all week, and that's the only legitimate reason you'd break up with me after six years of promising to be together forever."
"Forever's a long time, Alarte. Be serious. Did you really think we'd be together for the rest of our lives?"
"Yes. You said we want different things, but up until last weekend, we've been open with what we want out of life and up until last weekend, we've wanted the same things. So, what happened? What went wrong? Did I do something?" His voice breaks at the end.
"No, you did nothing wrong," Damion immediately responds, not wanting to cause Alarte any more pain. "My dad spoke to me."
"Well, that's never good," Alarte mutters.
"He expressed his concerns with how I'm living my life," Damion vaguely tells him.
"He doesn't know anything about your life. He doesn't care enough."
"Look, my dad's going through a lot right now with the divorce, having to find a new place to live, and then he lost his job in the summer. He's just worried I'm making the same mistakes he made."
"And what mistakes would they be?"
"When he was at university, he told me he dicked around a lot and didn't take life seriously. He was thirty when he met my mum and thirty-five when he decided to settle down with him. He thinks he wasted his twenties, and if he'd settled down with a girl from university, he wouldn't have to start his life again at sixty," Damion explains.
"What's any of this going to do with us?"
"I'm his only child, Alarte. He won't have any more at this point in his life. He's worried if I don't settle down soon, I might end up like him, and he'll never get to meet his grandchildren," Damion explains.
"You don't want kids," Alarte reminds him.
Damion sighs, "I'm the only one who can pass on the family name. My Dad was an only child, and so was my grandfather. There's no one else to ensure the Sutton name continues. Think about it. Centuries of Suttons wiped out because I selfishly decided I didn't want children."
"I don't know what the fuck your dad's put in your head, but it makes no sense. Your decision not to have children doesn't wipe your ancestors from history. I doubt they'd give a shit, to be honest; they've long been dead and buried." Alarte stands up with a sharp laugh. "Honestly, Damion, you can be really fucking stupid sometimes. Why are you thinking about the feelings of dead people?"
"I'm thinking about my dad," Damion shouts, standing to face his ex-boyfriend.
"You're a grown man, Damion. You don't have to listen to what your daddy tells you to do. He doesn't have your best interests at heart. He doesn't care about your feelings. All he cares about is his own selfish beliefs," Alarte tells him.
"Who has my best interest at heart, you?"
"Yes," Alarte shouts with sincerity. "I love you, and all I've ever wanted is for you to be happy. And I thought you loved me and wanted me to be happy."
"I do love you. I do want you to be happy. Why do you think I broke up with you? I want you to move on and find happiness in life. I didn't want to lead you on."
"You weren't leading me on. We both fully understood where our relationship was going and what we wanted out of life. Then your dad went and fucked it all up. Do you tell him about us?"
"Of course not; he would disown me on the spot."
"Maybe you should've," Alarte claims. "I would rather be disowned and lose every one in my family than lose you. I chose you that first day in the nursery, and I've continued to choose you every day since," he admits.
Damion stares at Alarte, his bottom lip wobbling as he holds back tears.
"They're still my parents; I don't want to lose them."
"I'm not asking you to tell them anything, ever. I can lie to my dad and my family for the rest of my life if it means I get to spend the rest of my life with you." Alarte takes Damion's hand in his. "We'll follow our own dreams. We'll move to a new city, away from everyone we know and be free. We'll visit every country on the map, collecting tacky souvenirs and filling our house with them until we can barely move, but we won't care because, in our dying days, they'll be our evidence of a long, happy and loving life together," he promises.
"I can't ask you to hide yourself from your family forever, Alarte." Damion takes his hand back.
"You're not asking me to do anything. I'm telling you what I'm willing to give you," Alarte clarifies.
"You would give me anything I asked for. I won't take advantage of that," Damion tells him.
Alarte shakes his head. "I trust you not to take advantage of me. I trust our love will keep us honest, and I will start now." He takes a deep breath. "You hurt me more than anyone else ever has or ever could. I loved you with all my heart, yet you still broke it. More than anything, I want us to put this behind us and go back to before, but I will be harsh. I want you for the long run or not at all because I can never go through this again. So you need to decide what you truly want out of your life?"
Damion remains stood before Alarte, his brain working faster than the speed of light as he tries to comprehend Alarte's ultimatum. Before he can utter a word, Alarte turns to face Draco, who's been awkwardly staring off across the park for the duration of their conversation.
"Draco, I'm ready to leave," Alarte calls over to his cousin.
Draco nods and walks towards them. He lingers for a moment, giving Damion a chance to say anything, but when he continues to stare in surprised shock at his ex-boyfriend, Draco takes his cousin's arm and apparates them back to the doorstep of his flat in Birmingham.
"Thank you for pushing me to do that, Draco," Alarte tells him sincerely. "I did need to have that conversation, even if it hurt. Now, it's all up to him to decide. I've laid my heart on the table."
"If he knows what's good for him, he'll call you by the end of the day," Draco tries to assure him.
"I don't exactly trust him to know what's good for him at the moment," Alarte mentions with a sigh. "You know, you really are amazing. I'm so glad you came into our lives," He says, wrapping his arms around Draco in a tight hug.
"Me too," Draco mutters, hugging back just as tight. "I've always wanted a family that would accept me for who I am, and your family has done that without question," he says, taking a step back. "I know your father would accept Damion, too, if his father disowned him for loving you."
"I don't see Damion ever telling his parents," Alarte admits. "They're the only family he has, and he doesn't want to lose that, but if he ever does, my dad would probably adopt him into the family," he chuckles, then scrunches his face. "That would be weird, actually."
"It's the sentiment that counts," Draco laughs.
"Anyway, I need a hot bath and a glass of wine," Alarte half-jokes, hugging Draco one last time.
"We'll see you in a few days anyway. I hope all goes well between you and Damion. If you can, let me know if he's coming to the party," Draco requests.
"Of course," Alarte agrees.
The two men go their separate ways, Alarte heading inside his house while Draco apparates to the gates of his home. Walking down the driveway, Draco wonders if Hermione's day with her mother and the kids was as eventful as his.
After paying for their costumes, Hermione and her mum call it a day. Returning to the car park, Hermione helps to buckle the twins into their car seats while Mum struggles to put down the pushchair. Lauren, being in higher spirits than the last time she was sitting in the car, chooses a CD to play during their journey home. Mum gives Scorpius another kiss on the forehead before hugging her eldest daughter.
"Everyone's really looking forward to Wednesday night. It'll be nice to see Draco's family again, too."
"We'll have the attic set up for you all. We've even got travel cots set up for the girls," Hermione claims.
"Perfect, see you then." Her mum climbs into the car and immediately complains, "Not the Sugarbabes again, Lauren."
"Please, they're my favourite," Lauren begs.
"What about the rest of us?"
"Craig likes them too."
Hermione glances in the back of the car to see Craig shaking his head defiantly.
"Good luck," Hermione says before leaving.
After a leisurely walk back to The Leaky Cauldron, Hermione floos home with Scorpius to find Draco in the kitchen, finishing putting a lasagne together.
"It's nice to return to a home-cooked meal," she says, kissing her husband's cheek.
Draco rolls his eyes, sliding the dish into the oven to slow cook for a few hours. "We've got time to watch that film you rented if you want."
Hermione eyes light up. "Get into your pyjamas and meet us on the couch with the blanket."
The remainder of the afternoon is spent in each other's embrace, introducing Scorpius to another Disney film and eating Draco's famous lasagne. After putting their son to bed, they spend an hour or so going over the day's events and planning the goings-on of their Halloween Party.