Hermione had no idea how to find the two children in the large house, at home she'd just have shouted but here- with multiple floors and wings. it may as well have been Hogwarts for as many rooms as there were. She couldn't imagine having to keep it all clean and cared for. The only things she could do were wander the house shouting like some imbecile or ask one of the house elves. What had they called the one who had been tending the kitchen- Maude? She seemed kind. House elf names almost always ended with the long ee sound. "Maudey?" She hazarded, wondering if the house elf would respond to her. Technically, house elf's magic was tied to the family of the house alone, though she imagined there were probably caveats for house guests- which she was of course. The older female elf popped up next to her, the grey smocked dress and apron she wore was clean and crisp, "ma'am called Maudsley?" the elf said, sketching a small curtsy.
"Maudsley. I'm so sorry- yes, um, Malfoy has gone to fetch dinner– can you send the children back down to me?" She had screwed up the wonderful creature's name. She swore she'd learn the name of every single elf in the house as soon as humanly possible- she didn't care if Malfoy employed a hundred of them.
"Of course, ma'am." And she was gone with another pop. Within a minute she heard the thundering footsteps of the two children dashing down a staircase behind her, laughter echoing off the walls.
"Mum! This place is amazing!" Rose said, gasping as they stumbled into the kitchen.
"Mauds said you needed us?" Scorpius giggled as Rose flopped across a barstool. Hermione smiled, "It's been the Malfoy's home for many generations so it ought to be amazing." she said to her daughter before she turned to Scorpius, "your father asked that you get the table set so we can eat when he gets back. Rose can help."
"Yes ma'am." He flashed that joyful smile up at her and turned to Rose
"I haven't shown you the dining room yet! Come on!" The two of them dashed off and Hermione stayed put. She wasn't ready for the grand tour yet, and definitely not at the hands of an innocent child who had no idea of the history she'd been through in the house. She'd feel safer with Draco. Hermione sighed and took the last drink of her coffee like a shot. Safe with Draco. She never thought that sentence would ever cross her mind. Draco Malfoy, her school yard bully had grown into himself. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't interested in getting to know this new version of him.
She'd met Astoria Malfoy at the midwife's office during their pregnancies, Rose and Scorpius had been due about a week apart, and Astoria had invited her out to lunch after her first appointment. They'd ended up meeting after appointments regularly and they'd talk for hours often about books and their pregnancy symptoms, occasionally about their hopes for their unborn children, and rarely about their husbands outside of the 'how'd he react when you told him?' Hermione knew how excited Draco had been to learn that Scorpius was coming- and how worried they'd lose the baby after the loss of their first at ten weeks. "He cried Mione." Astoria had told her with tears glistening in her eyes, "absolutely bawled and I couldn't help but laugh. I was so excited. I don't think I've seen him that happy since our wedding." Hermione cried her eyes out when she heard of Astoria's passing nine months after Scorpius and Rose were born mere hours apart. She had held baby Rose more tightly and cried for a week. She'd sent a condolence letter when she'd finally been able to find the words.
Hermione took a deep breath, stilling her mind for a moment she felt peace swell up and wash over her. It was so strange. Since beginning her pursuit of wandless magic she'd felt more attune to her own magic and the magic of the things and people around her. What she felt there in the kitchen was a lot like the magic she felt at Harry's house the last time she watched her niece and nephews. But that had felt cold and hostile, this was warm and welcoming. Instead of a voiceless hiss of Get out Mudblood. It whispered Welcome! We've been waiting for you. Before she could dig deeper into the magic surrounding her, Draco reappeared with the food and she jumped slightly. "Did you find the kids?" He asked as he set the things down on the counter beside her,
"Yes, they ran off to the dining room to get the table set."
"Ah." He looked down at the bags of food, "Granger– I know this house holds a lot of painful memories for you-"
"It's fine. Really Malfoy." She laid her hand on his arm stopping him. And surprisingly it was. The softly undulating magic from the house itself made her feel accepted and welcome.
Draco's reaction to her touch was visceral and confusing for him, though he hid it well. She'd laid her hand across the scars on his arm and his skin had turned to gooseflesh. He had tried to literally cut the mark from his skin one time when he'd gotten really drunk and would have bled out if Blaise Zabini hadn't found him. Astoria was the one to suggest attempting the muggle tattoo removal process, and that had done what no magic could.
He didn't know if the tingling warmth that flooded him was from Granger's magic or from the simple fact that he found her attractive. She and Astoria both had dark curly hair and brown eyes. Though Stori's curls had been more relaxed and an earthy brown. Hermione's- Granger's he corrected himself, were more auburn. Their faces were very different as well, Granger was older now of course and the stress of the past years was etched on her face when she wasn't smiling.
It had been eight years since he lost Stori and he hadn't looked at another woman twice.
Until tonight.
He'd always thought Granger was beautiful. He definitely had a weakness for intelligent curly haired witches. Stori had been a brazen little thing when he'd first met her again after the war, sharp and witty. He felt the familiar hollowness fill his chest- even eight years later, he still sometimes felt like she'd be just in the next room. Thinking about his wife sobered him and he felt Granger squeeze his arm gently before she let go.
"I'm sorry for your loss, Malfoy." She said softly, "it's not easy losing someone you love." He met her eyes, wondering how she'd known for a second, then remembering. Of course she knew grief at least as well as he did. She'd lost plenty in the war. He took a deep breath, recentering himself as Scorpius and Rose came looking for them.
"CHICKEN!" Scorpius shouted ambushing Draco as the two children snatched the bags from the counter and made a strategic retreat to the dining room. Hermione laughed and Draco couldn't help but smile as well. "We had better follow them." he said, offering her his arm as he put on his best high society manners, "if you'll allow me to escort you madam" she snorted in a rather unladylike fashion, but stood up and gathering her beaded bag and the flute case, took his arm as they left the kitchen.
Draco pointed out a few necessary sights along the way to the informal dining room where he and Scorpius usually ate. "The place can be a little confusing at first, but I'm sure you'll find your way about fairly quickly."
"Mmm" she hummed, observing the general low key grandeur. Still finer than any house she'd stayed in, but tastefully understated. Draco explained how he and Astoria had renovated and redecorated in preparation for Scorpius' birth. Hermione smiled, the house definitely came across as a home rather than a mausoleum as it had the first time she'd been there. But then, it no longer housed the dark lord and his pack of death eaters either. She glanced up at Draco as he fell silent.
"Your home is very beautiful." she offered, realizing that she'd been rather quiet. "And quite welcoming." She felt a light wash of joy at her words, though whether from the house or from Draco himself she couldn't tell right away. Draco's magic felt distant and that was fine with her.
"Thank you, and I'm glad. It will be nice to have other people around. It gets terribly quiet here at night."
"What? no ghosts to keep things lively in a house as old as this?" She quipped laughing,
He smirked a sour half smile, "we had a couple, but I had them professionally exorcized after the war. It was either that or burn the whole place to the ground. I couldn't deal with having my dead aunt screaming at me every time I walked past the conservatory." He pushed open a door and waved her in ahead of him.
Rose and Scorpius had set the small 4 seater table up neatly and were waiting for them mostly patiently.
"Dad, are we going to take Rose and her mum on a tour after dinner?" Scorpius asked as Draco pulled out the chair for Hermione.
"Roses mum has a name, Scorpius." Draco said,
"Mrs. Rose's mum?" He hazarded, Hermione smiled and laughed a little as Draco facepalmed, "We never were introduced properly. My name is Hermione, but you may call me aunt 'Mione if you like." It was what most of the children she knew called her.
"What should Rose call you, Dad?" Scorpius asked, Draco blinked at his son for a long moment. The only other child that called him anything other than Mr. Malfoy or Dad was his cousin Teddy. Mr. Malfoy seemed rather unnecessarily formal for someone who lived under his roof, however temporarily.
"Drake is fine." He said falling back on what Teddy called him. 'Uncle' seemed a bit overly familiar.
"Mr. Drake?" Rose asked,
"If you like. Simply Drake is fine as well, that's what Teddy Lupin calls me."
"Teddy is your cousin, Malfoy." Hermione pointed out, and he shrugged.
"Either Drake or Mr. Drake is fine with me, whichever you prefer Granger, it's just a nickname not my given name." He left the decision up to her.
"You're Teddy's Drake?" Rose asked excited,
"Yes." Suddenly Draco was a little concerned about what she may have heard from his young cousin.
"You're his favorite! He talks about you all the time when we're both at uncle Harry's." Hermione looked at Rose,
"I am his only cousin, so I'm not surprised." Draco said dryly
"No! You took him up on your broom- not the little brooms that Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry have for us kids. Aunt Ginny won't take me up yet till I'm older and mum told uncle George to not even think about it." Rose obviously had her aunt's penchant for flying. He'd have to get the kids out in the garden to fly together at some point.
Scorpius looked at his dad, mouth open to protest but Draco cut him off "when you're older. Teddy is nearly 12. You are 8. Until then, you practice on the short brooms." Scorpius sat back with a huff and Rose looked to Hermione. "Consider yourself lucky I allow you on a short broom young lady. Those things terrify me." Her mother said firmly.
"Maybe Drake could teach you how to ride a broom mum." Rose suggested before stuffing a handful of chips in her mouth and Hermione flushed as Draco nearly spat his drink across the table at the innocent innuendo. She smoothed her napkin across her lap, "yes, well your father was the last person to try that and look where it got me." Draco actually choked on his drink this time. The children looked at each other confused by the adults.
"Merlin Granger, are you trying to kill me?" He coughed, laughing. She glanced across the table at him, before returning to her own glass.
"There are much more efficient ways to do that than by drowning, Malfoy. Even without my wand." She grinned into her cup. Draco decided to change the subject before the conversation got any more charged. He had forgotten how they'd banter in school when he wasn't being a total ass.
Once dinner was finished, and a house elf dispatched to take Rose's flute to her room so Hermione didn't have to carry it around with her constantly, the four of them took the grand tour walk. Rose and Scorpius would wander off and back again as they made their way over the house. It was strange feeling emotions from a house as strongly as she did. The library was as she expected, large and beautifully organized. She didn't feel the need to go through any of the shelves at the moment, but spied a cozy sitting area not far from the door to Draco's office which he pointed out as they passed with a comment about that being the floo they usually used to get to and from school.
Draco glossed over the old parlor turned conservatory and formal dining room. Hermione felt the voiceless murmur of the house almost echo through her.
So sorry
sorry
sorry.
She wanted to pat a side table and tell the house it was alright. She decided she'd take the time to visit those rooms on her own the next day and settle things with the house itself as she ran a hand along a random hall table and the house felt to her as if it almost shifted like an animal reacting to a loving touch. It made her miss her cat Crookshanks who had passed when Rose was still a baby and she wondered if Draco and Scorpius had any pets.
Crap.
She'd forgotten about Styx! She pulled her phone from her pocket, she had a pretty good signal where they were, "Hold on Malfoy, I need to call Ginny."
He stopped, concern written on his face as he looked about, trying to think why she'd be stopping in the middle of the stairs; they hadn't even made it up to the point of the split between the guest wing and the family wing. "Everything alright?" he asked, stepping back down a couple steps to be eye level with her.
"It's fine, I just forgot about Styx, she was out hunting."
"Granger, owls are nocturnal." He pointed out as Hermione hit dial and then speakerphone, holding the phone between the two of them, implicitly inviting Draco into the conversation.
"Styx is a crow." She said as Ginny picked up, "Gin! Thank goodness, I forgot about Styx!"
"You have a crow?" Draco half whispered, surprised. Corvids weren't unheard of as pets among the wizarding community, it was just not what he expected.
"No worries 'Mione, I've got her with me. She came home and nearly took Ron's eyes out. How are things going? Are you alright? Ron's still snotting out bats by the way and he's damn lucky I didn't decide to aim lower or he'd be pissing out bats instead." Draco hissed between his teeth, that sounded painful. He'd never been on the receiving end of Ginevra Weasley Potter's famous Bat Boogie hex- but he'd seen it in action before, and having bats drip their way out of your sinuses would be uncomfortable for anyone.
"Bless you Ginny. Things are fine here, Rose and Scorpius have seen every corner of the house at this point I think, we're starting to settle in for the evening."
"You want me to bring Styx by tomorrow?" Ginny asked, Hermione glanced up at Draco who shrugged,
"MacReynolds said he would be out to meet with you about 10, but otherwise you're free to do as you please, Granger." he said not bothering to lower his voice.
"It's your house, Malfoy." she replied.
Draco leaned over to the phone in her hand,
"You're welcome to bring the bird to the Manor anytime before 10 or after lunch tomorrow, Mrs. Potter."
Hermione could hear Ginny's eyebrows meet her hairline,
"I'll be by as soon as I drop the kids off at school then, Malfoy. See you tomorrow, Mione."
"Thank you Ginny, See you tomorrow." Hermione hung up and dropped the phone back in her apron pocket where it'd been living all day.
"Thanks Malfoy. Rose is particularly fond of Styx."
"No trouble Granger. Let Gadsby know what sort of accommodations the bird will need and he'll take care of it for you." They began climbing the stairs again, and Draco directed them up the right hand flight as they made the landing, the life size still painting of Draco, Astoria, and three month old Scorpius staring at them.
"How'd you end up with a crow?" he asked walking a step behind Hermione,
"Rose found her last year when she was a baby and we raised her. She's tame, but I tried to make sure she learned to hunt on her own. Crows aren't good messenger birds, but they make excellent bodyguards. She'll attack anyone who dares look sideways at Rose."
Finally they made it to the family wing where Rose had put her things in the room across from Scorpius's. Draco looked to his son, "did you show her the playroom?" He asked,
"Not yet! Come on Rose!" Scorpius grabbed Rose by the hand and the two ran to a large playroom down the hall. Draco smiled after the two of them. He and Astoria had wanted a large family, but fate had chosen to only give them one and then stole her away from him far too soon. He sobered slightly, Narcissa had texted him which rooms she had set up for his guests to choose from while he'd been out picking up dinner.
Rose of course had already chosen the one in the family wing, leaving Hermione to accept the other or force her daughter to the guest wing when she figured out which room his mother had set aside for her. He also didn't put it past her to simply walk out entirely.
"I ought to warn you Granger- My mother selected a rather odd room for you."
"How so?" she asked as they walked increasingly slowly down the corridor.
"It shares a common room with mine." Narcissa had also suggested he send the house elves up to tidy said common room. He chose to ignore that recommendation. His rooms and Scorpius room were the two spaces in the house he specifically requested the house elves leave be. And it was tidy. Cluttered maybe. But tidy. He opened the door for Hermione and allowed her to enter ahead of him.
Hermione wasn't sure what she thought of sharing a common room with him. But her gut reaction wasn't negative. She'd shared the heads common room with Justin Finch-Fletchley her last year of Hogwarts, and that boy was constitutionally incapable of cleaning up after himself. Ronald had expected her to be the perfect little housekeeper wife.
"Will it bother you to share a common room with me?" she asked as she looked around. She stopped, breath stolen from her lungs as she took in the room. It was lined with shelves stuffed with books. She wasn't sure whether this was his private library or the common room he was talking about. Tears sprung unbidden to her eyes, her reaction to the main library hadn't been as visceral. It just felt like the library at Hogwarts or the public library in town, large and impersonal. This one, this private space, these books that Malfoy held dear enough to keep close, reminded her of her own library and of the shelves now stripped bare. Her books, her mothers journals, her father's annotated Dickens collection, grandfather's first edition Keats. All gone forever. Every tie to her history, destroyed. She'd come home from the shopping to find Ronald throwing the last few volumes out into a fire that was burning dangerously close to the house. She still didn't know what exactly had made him so angry. Her vision blurred, and she took a deep deep breath.
No crying Granger. Keep it together. She could cry herself to sleep later.
"If it did I'd have made other arrangements. The room my mother chose has been uninhabited for ten years." His parents had retired to France shortly after he and Astoria had married. Giving him a living inheritance, the house, grounds, and accounts, as well as his father's share in the family business and seat on the board.
He and Astoria had always shared a room, preferring that over the traditional separated bedrooms. He turned back when he realized she'd stopped following him, and saw her standing with tears in her eyes as she stared at the books. "Granger?"
She sniffed, and he watched her pull herself together. "I'm fine." She shook herself and looked around the room, taking in the odds and ends of his life. "I never pegged you as a clutterbug Malfoy."
"Books are hardly clutter, Granger." He drawled.
She laughed in a breathless half desperate way,
"I have to agree with you there. But the knickknacks?" She waved to a shelf that held a miniature broomstick the size of a quill pen, a well tended bonsai Hawthorn tree, and a small coin collection. Draco snorted a laugh,
"I believe the term is 'Curios'." His tone was a bit lofty and Hermione rolled her eyes at him and noticed the pointed display of a Quaffle, a snitch, and a pair of small worn quidditch bracers.
"The snitch I understand, but why the Quaffle?" she asked, drifting toward that particular shelf. Draco leaned against the back of the sofa that sat before the fireplace. The built in she was perusing sat on the window side of the room, closest to his bedroom door. "Blaise convinced me to try and play chaser. The Corvies went from last in the local league to winning the regional title with that Quaffle."
"Impressive" she ran a finger along the bracers that she guessed were from his first year playing for Slytherin at school.
He shrugged negligently as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Blaise is a killer chaser."
"Are you keeping these for Scorpius?"
"Yeah, it's good luck to have something from a winning game the first one you play. Those belonged to my father."
Hermione briefly wondered what his relationship with his father was these days. He hadn't said anything about Lucius, and she had noted that Narcissa was visiting by herself.
"You expect him to be on the quidditch team for Slytherin?" she half turned toward him,
"Or Hufflepuff. They'd probably win the quidditch cup with a Malfoy on the team."
"A Malfoy in Hufflepuff?" She raised an eyebrow,
"Have you met my son? His mother ought to have been in Hufflepuff. But she wanted to be with her sister." he shook his head, "Why I have no idea, Daphne is an absolute pain in the arse."
Hermione couldn't help but laugh at that. She looked through the room again, besides the books and various knicknacks (Curios!), the room held a workbench with a short broom in the process of being repaired or rebuilt, a sitting area consisting of two armchairs, a sofa and coffee table arranged in front of a large fireplace flanked by floor to ceiling bookshelves with doors on either side of that. A writing desk sat on one wall near a window with an empty owl perch beside it. It wasn't empty for long, as the largest owl she'd ever seen flew to the window, landing almost silently on the frame before hopping up to the perch with a low quick "oohu-oohu-oohu." It had to be at least as large as Crookshanks had been and the huge wings sent a strong breeze through the room.
"And this is Athena." Draco said, moving to the desk and stroking the obscenely large bird. The deep orange eyes of the owl followed her as she moved from the shelves to the desk, but kept her distance as the owl shrieked a warning. "Theenie," Draco admonished the bird lovingly, "Granger is a friend." the owl snapped her beak at him and made a few clicking noises before beginning to purr. "Hungry eh?" she snapped her beak again as he pulled a mouse from a box on the desk and released the stasis charm from it. It squeaked once as the owl snatched it from his hand. She bumped her head against his hand then took off back out the window to eat the mouse in peace. Hermione watched the owl from the window for a moment, "how is she with Scorpius?"
"I'm pretty sure she thinks he's her owlet. We'll need to supervise the introduction of Rose though. Athena didn't do well with Stori until after Scorpius was born."
"Of course. Rose knows to keep her distance with the postal owls so I don't see it being a major issue." Draco's smartphone went off, and he pulled it out of his pocket and turned the alarm off. "That's Scorpius' bedtime reminder. I think we can let the kids play a bit longer since they don't have to get up early for school in the morning."
"That sounds reasonable. Rose usually starts for bed about now as well, I probably ought to warn her it's coming soon though." Hermione turned back to the door to the hall and before she got three steps toward it Scorpius and Rose came wandering in,
"it's got this giant bee that spells pretty much everything it says, and a conductor that directs an orchestra of Colors!" He said excitedly,
"And the dog is a clock?"
"Yeah, Tock is my favorite." Scorpius reached Draco's side and leaned against his father in half a hug, "Dad, can we start our book over from the beginning so Rose can listen too?"
"Of course." Draco dropped an arm about him, "Hey, change of plans buddy, you and Rose are going to stay home from school for a few days, just until things are settled so everyone's safe."
"No school? But what about the project fair on Friday?" Scorpius looked up at his father,
"We'll do our best to make sure you two can still participate with that."
Rose looked at Hermione worried, "I left my project at home!"
"I made sure all of your school things were packed up before we left. It's in my bag." Rose breathed a sigh of relief, but then her eyes went wide again "mom! Styx!"
"Aunt Ginny is bringing Styx over tomorrow after breakfast." Hermione said, interrupting the oncoming storm. Rose threw her arms about her mother and just about burst into tears. Hermione rubbed her back. It had been a long and emotionally exhausting day, "how about a bath and then pajamas?" Hermione suggested,
"Then dad can read to us before bed, Rose." Scorpius added, Rose nodded and sniffed a little.
"How about you show me your room, darling?" Hermione suggested and Rose wiped the tears from her face with the back of her hand.
"Alright" they walked back out to the corridor and into the first room on the right, "Scorp's room is over there." Rose pointed to the room opposite hers as she opened her door and walked in. The room was larger than her room at Terriers court, which was not surprising. The desk, bed, wardrobe, and bookshelf all matched and were obviously built for an elementary grade child. The twin sized four poster bed had light purple gauzy hangings and a deep plum quilt. Rose's stuffed animals were piled neatly against the pillows and along the top of the bookshelf. Rose went to the intricately carved wardrobe and opened it, pulling out her favorite pajamas. "Did you hang your things up already?" Hermione asked, mildly impressed.
"No, they were like this when we came up after dinner. Scorpius said Tonley probably put them away for me." Rose dug through the closet a moment longer, "ooo! Look at this mum!" She pulled out a warm looking purple housecoat and slippers, and Hermione stepped to the wardrobe. There were several other items just Rose's size in a variety of colors, all that would suit Rose's complexion beautifully. A bright yellow rose was embroidered on the lapel of the house coat. There was a knock at the open door and Hermione turned to see Draco standing in the doorway, "yes, Malfoy?"
"Just coming to make sure you knew where to find the bathroom and the towels." He spotted the house coat in Rose's hands,
"That's lovely, Rose." He said
"It's not mine, but it's got a rose on it." Rose held it up for him to see. Draco entered the room and looked more closely at the embroidery and glanced into the wardrobe as well, shaking his head with a slight smile. "Mother." He sighed half under his breath.
"What?" Hermione asked,
"Nothing. My mother is simply having the time of her life having a girl in the house." He turned to Rose, "that is for you, as are any of the other things you find in this room."
"Really?" Rose asked excitedly,
"Malfoy, that's not-" Hermione started,
"Please, Granger. It's nothing extravagant, and I'm sure my mother enjoyed choosing things to fill out a wardrobe for your daughter. I haven't checked the room my mother set up for you, but don't be surprised if she's stocked your closet as well, you don't have to wear any of it of course if you'd rather not. But it's there if you like or need anything." He turned to her, hands in his pockets.
"You've already done so much, just allowing us to stay here."
"Granger. I'm not allowing you to stay here, I've invited you to stay.'' He realized Rose and Scorpius were listening to the conversation with rapt attention, Rose standing by his elbow and Scorpius across the room in the doorway and remembered why he'd come in there in the first place. "Now, the children's bath is two doors down on this side of the hall, there will be clean towels on the rack and knowing my mother probably rose scented soaps by the bath. We can meet back up in my common room in half an hour, Scorpius and I generally sit by the fire and read a chapter before bed. We'd love to have you join us." Hermione took all this in quietly. It felt strange accepting such hospitality from a family that traditionally had been against her very existence, but she could feel a sense of yearning from all parties. Rose and Scorpius most strongly.
"Rose and I will be there. Thank you." she said finally, and Rose sighed happily, too tired to squeal.
"Alright then. We'll see you in half an hour. Come on, Scorp." Draco ushered his son out of the room and across to his own. "Grab your things, you can have a bath in my room tonight." Scorpius snatched his pajamas and was back out and heading toward the master suite as Hermione and Rose were going in the opposite direction to the children's bath. "See you Rose!" Scorpius called, waving enthusiastically down the hall. "Watch out" Draco called as Scorpius nearly ran face first into the wall beside the door. He sighed and caught Hermione's eye. "Kids." Hermione laughed. Draco cracked a grin and lifted a hand in acknowledgment before following Scorpius. The boy was already in the shower when Draco got there. "Make sure you wash ALL of your body." he said, picking up the discarded clothing items off the bathroom floor and dropping them into the hamper.
"Awww. even my hair?" Scorpius called
"Especially your hair."
"Can I use your shampoo?"
"Sure. remember you only need a tiny bit." Draco stepped out to the common area and tidied up the coffee table and called for Maudsley to let her know they'd have Rose and Hermione joining them for their evening routine. He knew the conscientious elf had probably already made those adjustments, but he wanted to be sure and not embarrass himself.
"DAD!" Scorpius shouted and Draco stepped back into the steaming bathroom. "I'm done. Can you check that I got all the soap out of my hair?"
Draco checked and then applied the leave-in-conditioner to the mop of unruly curls. Once dressed the two of them went out to wait for the girls.
Rose's shower went about the same, though Hermione was more hands on with the hair washing as Rose had significantly more of it than Scorpius did. Rose sat sniffing the shampoo bottle the entire time Hermione worked the conditioner into her hair. "Mum. Scorpius told me you and his dad went to school together." Hermione shifted to a different section of Rose's hair.
"We did."
"He said his dad wasn't very nice to you at school."
"He wasn't." Hermione wondered where Rose was going with this conversation.
"Weren't you worried he wouldn't be nice to you now?" Rose asked, turning to look at her mother.
"Not really. It's been a long time since then, and I knew Scorpius' mother before you two were born. Besides, if Mr. Malfoy was still the sort of person he was at school; he wouldn't have invited us to stay."
"What was Scorpius' mother like?" Rose asked, turning back to the shampoo bottle as Hermione began rinsing her hair.
"She was lovely, and sweet, and kind. She was a little younger than me with brown hair that curled like Scorpius' does. She liked a lot of the same books as I do and she hoped that you and Scorpius would be friends when you were old enough."
"And we are! What else?" Rose was out of the bath and drying off now.
"She had brown eyes like you and Scorpius and she was in Slytherin house like Mr. Malfoy."
"Is that why he wasn't nice to you in school? Cause you were in Gryffindor?"
"That was one of the reasons I'm sure." One day- prayerfully not soon- they'd have to talk about the racism Hermione had faced as a child, if for no other reason than that she was sure her daughter would come in contact with people who would bring it up. Things were better these days, but it was still there. The word Mudblood was still carved into society like it was into her flesh. But that was a conversation to have another day.
"What was her name?" Rose asked as Hermione draped a large towel about her shoulders and squeezed the water from her hair,
"Who's name?"
"Scorpius' mum"
"Astoria."
Rose repeated the name slowly and then the questions stopped for a time as they got her hair managed.
Hermione patted Rose on the shoulder once she was dressed and the mass of curls were properly plopped. "Come on love, let's not keep the guys waiting too long." With a comb, towel, and the moisturizer in hand they headed back to the common room. The door stood open and Draco was just thanking Maudsley for the tea tray as they came in. Scorpius was curled up on the couch with a book bound in blue linen in his hands flipping through the pages as his father fussed with the tea service.
"Would you like a cup of chamomile tea Rose? Granger?" he asked as Hermione settled on one end of the couch, Rose sitting on the floor at her feet. "Perhaps later." Hermione replied as she laid the dry towel across her knees. "Oo, yes please." Rose said. Draco poured her a cup and handed it to the young girl who set the saucer on the ground and cradled the delicate silver rimmed bone china cup in her hands reverently after testing to make sure it wasn't too hot. Scorpius traded the book for his own cup and Hermione noted that he handled the cup and saucer with the same highborn grace his father did. Draco settled on the other side of the couch, Scorpius between them and opened the book.
"From the beginning?" he asked Scorpius,
"Yeah."
Hermione pulled Rose's hair down and began combing through it, twisting each curl neatly so they wouldn't frizz as Draco read out loud
"There once was a boy named Milo who didn't know what to do with himself – not just sometimes, but always."
By the end of the chapter Rose's hair was dry and wrapped in a purple silk sleeping bonnet that they'd found set out with the towels in the bathroom. Narcissa thought of everything. Hermione found herself between Rose and Scorpius. Her arm wrapped around the boy, just brushing Draco's shoulder, and Rose's head in her lap, all three of them listening intently to the reading.
"I do hope this is an interesting game, otherwise the afternoon will be so terribly dull." Draco read in the voice he'd given the boy Milo. he closed the book slowly as Scorpius sighed and Rose sat up and stretched "but what happens when he goes through the tollbooth?" she asked
"He's goes to a whole new world." Scorpius said with a yawn, snuggling closer to Hermione who had wrapped her arm about him about two pages ago.
"Like Narnia? Or Wonderland?"
"kind of like Wonderland, but not quite so strange. Milo doesn't change sizes or anything. He has to rescue the princesses Rhyme and Reason." Draco looked over Scorpius' head at Granger as she shifted, running one hand along the boy's arm and taking Rose's hand in her other.
"All right, bed time my son." he said, patting Scorpius on the knee. Scorpius sighed and slid off the sofa into the floor like a limp snake.
"Aww, dad. My bones are all gone." he said plaintively and Rose giggled as she leaned against Hermione's shoulder.
"You too missy." Hermione bounced her shoulder under Rose's head as the girl started fake snoring. "Oh so that's how we're playing this?" she turned and began tickling Rose who howled with laughter and skittered off the sofa nearly tripping over Scorpius who still sprawled on the floor. Draco hauled himself off the couch and catching his 8 year old son up, threw him over his shoulder making him giggle then snagged Rose about the waist as she attempted to escape Hermione's continued attempts to tickle her. A quick heft and she was pinned to his side under his arm, arms and legs dangling "Drake!" she shrieked, cackling with laughter as her slippers fell off.
"I've got them, Granger. If you get the doors we can get them tucked away before their bones grow back."
"NOOO!" Scorpius said dramatically, "I don't want my bones anymore." Draco just grinned. Their silly bedtime routine was significantly more fun with others to share the laughter. Hermione was smiling so hard her whole face lit up. She didn't answer, only snagged Rose's slippers from the ground and opened the door to the corridor.
"We'll drop Scorpius off first." he said, heading toward his son's door. Hermione walked ahead and opened Scorpius bedroom door, the room was 100% boy, just like Ginny's sons, James and Albus, he had books and toys strewn about and Hermione toed a couple of items out of the main path to the bed so Draco wouldn't trip. Draco dumped Scorpius onto his bed and turned to the door, Rose still pinned under his arm. "Put me down!" She giggled, swinging arms and legs. He obliged and she climbed up on Scorpius's bed. "Night Scorp!" she said, throwing her arms about him in a quick hug.
"Night Rose. I'm glad you're here and not at your house anymore." He hugged her back.
"Me too." She said, then climbed down and walked toward her room.
"'Mione, can I have a hug before you go?" Scorpius asked softly as he crawled under his blankets.
"Of course, darling." Hermione sat on the edge of his bed and wrapped her arms around Astoria's little boy. Scorpius wrapped his arms tight around Hermione as well, and she felt his magic grow a little stronger. Like some part of him needed this mother's touch to bloom.
Tears filled her eyes but didn't fall as Scorpius finally let her go and laid back on his pillows. Draco leaned over and ruffled his hair, "I'll be back in a minute to say goodnight and turn your light off Scorp." He said as Hermione got up and followed Rose across the hall. "I'm just going to say goodnight to Rose."
"Alright dad."
Hermione brushed the tears away in the two steps between the bedrooms and then entered Rose's room to find her girl already curled up in bed, her lamp on and a book from the bookshelf in her hands. "Now Rosie. No reading until midnight." Hermione said, sitting down on the edge of the bed and tugging the book from her daughter's hands. "Muuum!" Rose complained.
"You have all day tomorrow to explore the books, tonight you sleep." Hermione closed the book and laid it on the far side of the nightstand.
"Drake!" Rose called as she saw Draco step into the open doorway,
"I've just come to say goodnight to the lovely Miss Rose if I may." He said,
"Of course." Hermione stood up and allowed Draco the space at Rose's side. Rose sat up,
"Can I have a hug too?" She asked looking up at Draco who stood beside her bed, he sat down and gave her a hug as Hermione had given to Scorpius. "Now, listen to your mother Rosamund and don't stay up all night reading and we'll go out to Flourish and Blotts tomorrow after lunch." He said.
"Promise?" Rose asked, excited.
"Promise." He replied.
"Night Drake." She said snuggling down under the blankets,
"Goodnight Rose." He got up and as he passed Hermione on his way out she reached out and took his hand, squeezing it briefly before letting go. "Thank you." She whispered. He nodded and went back to Scorpius' room.
"Dad, I'm glad that 'Mione and Rose are safe." Scorpius said as Draco sat down beside him, pulling his boy into his arms for a long hug.
"Me too. You did a really hard thing today. I'm proud of you, and I hope you're proud of yourself."
"I am. It scared me for a minute when I got home. I wasn't sure you'd call, but I'm really glad you did."
"I am too." He kissed the top of Scorpius' head and then got up, tucking the blankets around his son.
"Night dad."
"Goodnight, buddy. Sleep well." Draco turned the light off and picked his way carefully across the room, stepping out into the hall and pulling Scorpius' door shut as Hermione did the same with Roses. She leaned against the wall beside it and sighed. She looked absolutely dead on her feet.
"Let me show you your room so you can get some rest, Granger. Tomorrow is a new day."
She hefted herself from the wall as if that was all that was holding her up and followed him back to the common room.
He opened the door to the room on the right of the fireplace and flicked the lights on. His mother hadn't made many changes to the room itself. The queen sized bed with its quilt in Gryffindor red and gold made him huff a laugh and shake his head. The bed sat against the right hand wall, mirroring his own. There was no dresser or wardrobe in this room, instead a desk and bookshelf, each respectively stocked with stationary and a selection of books, sat tucked under a bank of windows that overlooked part of the garden. A comfy reading chair sat within arms reach of the bookshelves and the opposite corner closest to the walkthrough closet held a full length mirror and a large vanity. "The bath is through the closet." He said, gesturing toward the door on the right. There was one other door in the room and he walked over to it. "This one leads to my room. The wards on this portion of the house are the oldest..." he said, turning toward her. She stood in the middle of the room looking around her mechanically. "This was your wife's room." She said finally, "Astoria's room." She didn't look at him, instead tilting her head back to gaze at the ceiling, constellations winked at her in all their glittering glory.
"No. This was never her room." He replied carefully, "It was my mother's room when I was a child though." She finally dropped her chin back down and met his eyes
"Why would she put me in here?" She sounded absolutely baffled, he had wondered that himself briefly.
"I think it's because of the wards actually. They're generally tied much more closely to the inhabitants' magic, allowing them to be both infinitely flexible yet stronger than typically possible. It's simply a matter of intent. If you want to allow someone entrance, they're allowed. If you wish to deny it- they're denied. Up to and including the master of the house." She blinked at him. He was the master of the house, he owned it- the magic was tied to him. "If you'd like- it only takes a moment to key the wards to your magic." Draco felt like he was rambling as she watched him silently. She'd read about the old magic that protected the pureblood lines and she could feel it filling the room, she could feel it centered around Draco. She nodded, "yes, I think I'd sleep better with that extra protection."
"Alright." He pulled his wand from his pocket "Just take your wand-"
"I don't– I don't have a wand anymore." She interrupted him, and he stared at her in shock. He'd forgotten about that. "My wandless magic is decent though."
"Well then." He tucked his own wand back in his pocket. "Give me your hand." She held out her hand and he took it, hands clasping forearms, palms covering scars, wrists touching. She felt the spark of his magic sting her fingertips where she touched him and she let her eyes close as it flowed through her hand and up her arm, making her blood turn to fire. The house almost purred. The feeling in the back of her head that had just been a quiet knowledge of the wards woven through the magic of the house, burst to life as she felt them come into focus. She shivered involuntarily and felt Draco's grip tighten for a second. She could visualize it so clearly, the threads that made up the protections wove like warp through the weft of the ley lines deep in the earth, the foundations of the house, and Draco himself. A few strands of the tapestry of magic wrapping about her, warming her to the core. She took a deep breath, the magic flowing around and through her. He released her, and she opened her eyes.
"Your wandless magic is more than decent, Granger." he said flexing his hand. "That stung."
She rubbed her hand,
"It stung me too. Your magic isn't anything to sneeze at either, Malfoy."
He gave her a crooked grin.
"Well I'll let you get settled in for the night. If you need anything, I'll be up for a couple of hours yet, and then I'm just next door, or a triple knock on any flat surface will summon one of the house elves." he turned toward the door to the common area.
"Thank you again." she said once more as he reached the doorway, he looked back, hand resting on the doorframe as he reached back to pull the door shut behind him,
"Thank you for trusting me enough to come." he gave her a small smile, "Goodnight, Granger."
"Goodnight." and he was gone.
Hermione wrapped her arms about herself and took a deep deep breath. She was completely exhausted. She did one more slow spin taking in the room. She'd enjoy going through the bookshelf another time. The Gryffindor themed bedspread made her smile. Narcissa Malfoy was a singular woman. Rose themed soaps in the children's bath, the housecoat and slippers, she'd gone through the little wardrobe in Rose's room briefly, there'd been three dresses, a day to day wear, one reasonably nice, and one nearly formal. A small selection of pajamas, muggle jeans, leggings, dress slacks, and a couple of skirts. Then both T Shirts and blouses, a cardigan and blazer. It was a tidy little capsule wardrobe. Everything matched everything else and all in all less than 20 items, including the three pairs of shoes and the slippers. Socks, stockings and underthings had been present as well though Hermione hadn't taken the time to do more than see that they were there. It was a blessing, she'd been able to pack Rose's favorite clothing items and the things she and Molly had made for her, but by and large Hermione had left 90% of their clothes at home, choosing to bring other more important mementos from Rose's baby years... what was left of them after the destruction of her library. She sighed and decided to hit the shower before collapsing into bed. After going through Rose's wardrobe, Hermione was not surprised to find that the closet in her room was equally stocked. Malfoy had told her it would be of course. Not over done, just enough to serve her quite well even if she hadn't brought more than the clothes on her back. Continuing on into the bath she was surprised to find it had a large almost pool sized sunken tub on one end, already filled and steaming. She wasted no time stripping down and after a quick shower to wash the sweat and grime from her hair and body she sank into the tub to soak away the stress. A small shelf beside the tub held a collection of oils and perfumes. She opened each carefully and breathed in the scents. Lavender, eucalyptus, sandalwood, patchouli, bergamot... and a handful of others she didn't recognize right away. She passed over the patchouli with a slight grimace, instead choosing the sandalwood and bergamot. The scents soothed her as she floated in the perfectly hot water. After fifteen or twenty minutes she caught herself dozing off and decided it was time to get out. Gravity was a bitch after floating in the luxurious bath. But she dried off and managed her hair with a muttered charm and the flick of her wrist. She could have done the same to Rose's, but they both enjoyed the time together on wash days. Walking back through the closet with her beat up purple bag— the same bag she had carried all through the last year of the war, it's undetectable (illegal) extension charm and featherlight charms allowing her to carry basically her entire life in a small evening bag— she decided that she'd try on Narcissa's hospitality rather than dig through the seemingly endless depths that held everything she could claim as her own for her pajamas. Clean underthings and a long silk nightgown slid delightfully over her skin, a red and gold quilted housecoat draped over her arm, the matching slippers in hand she looking around trying to figure out how the lights worked in the closet, in the end she pronounced a simple "nox" and the lights went dark. She stepped out into the light of the bedroom and depositing the housecoat and her bag on the nightstand, the slippers beside the bed, she flung the blankets back and crawled onto the soft tall mattress. Her head hit the pillow and she sighed. "Nox" she whispered once more as she dragged the red and gold quilt and linen sheets up to her shoulders. She was asleep within minutes.
Draco stayed up reading in the common room till about ten, then caught a quick shower and rolled into bed. Scorpius was likely to be up at dawn as usual, especially with Rose here to play with. After he doused the lights, Draco laid in bed staring at the constellations that twinkled above him, the ceilings in the family wing were all charmed to show the unclouded night sky. His eye followed the familiar lines of his name sake constellation. The one he'd named his son for was only visible three months out of the year- and then only partially. He could just see the four main stars that made up the head and pincers of that one on the edge of the 'sky' tonight. His eyes traced the other constellations he knew so well... Andromeda, Cassiopeia, Hercules, the Lynx, Cygnus, Lacerta, Aquila, only the tail of Leo showed on the horizon.
He hoped Hermione and Rose slept well. Tomorrow- after the crow, Styx, was safely settled in the aviary, and they'd met with his solicitor, he was taking the four of them straight to Ollivanders. Hermione Granger needed a new wand and a proper wand holster. He planned lunch at Scorpius' favorite bistro, and then Flourish and Blotts. After that- who knew. His mother was supposed to head home sometime the next day as well. He took a deep breath, willing his mind to slow down, he went back to counting the constellations. Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Pegasus, Cephus, Lyra, Sagittarius, Libra, Bootes, Serpens...