Eighteen Years Later
"Babe, we need to get up," Nic chuckled, but Tyriq merely groaned, tightening his grip around her waist.
"Mum!" a small voice called from outside the door.
"Come in!" Nic called back. She let out a happy laugh as a small boy jumped up on the bed.
"Daddy!" he cried, hugging his father tightly.
"Daddy's still sleepy," Nic whispered teasingly.
"Sod off," Tyriq retorted.
"That's not a nice thing to say, Daddy," the little boy scorned.
"That's right, Zeph," Nic replied, pulling him to sit on her lap as she sat up.
"Mummy," a small girl called running into the room. "I can't find my sweater."
"It's probably in the washer," Nic replied. "Come on, Hadassah." She crawled up on the bed and sat next to Nic. Tyriq let out another groan before sitting up.
"All right, so Daddy's heading back to Hogwarts today, but you'll both see him once you start in a week. "Your dad just needs to set up his classroom."
"Will we see you at all?" Zeph asked sadly.
"Maybe," Nic replied, smirking slightly at Tyriq. "Now, Uncle Draco should be here soon so you can go over to hang out with Scorpius, okay?"
"All right," they replied, jumping off the bed and rushing off. Once they had left the house, Nic started cleaning up the house. A smile crossed her face as Tyriq snaked his arms around her waist.
"The kids are gone," Tyriq said, pressing his lips to her neck.
"Ty, really, now?" Nic hummed as he continued to kiss at her neck. He didn't reply, merely kissed her cheek before moving back to her neck. Nic turned and pressed her lips against his. His grip on her waist tightened as she hummed against his lips. "I love you," Nic mumbled against his lips. "All of you."
"I know," he replied, laying his forehead against hers. "I love you too." Nic wrapped her hand around his wrist and kissed him again.
"I know you regret a lot," Nic said quietly. Instantly his eyes shifted down to the Dark Mark on his wrist. "But I want you to promise me that you're going to finally stop looking at that and seeing the things you had to do and finally look at who you are."
"You make it sound so easy," Tyriq said, his voice cracking.
"I know it's not," Nic replied, wrapping her arms around his neck. "But you are an amazing father, a loving husband, a brilliant teacher...you are so much more than who you think you are."
"I don't deserve you," Tyriq said.
"Don't say that," Nic countered, kissing him softly. "Now, you need to go."
"Not yet," he countered, kissing her softly.
.............................................
"Come on," Nic called, helping Hadassah and Zeph onto the platform. "Let's find the others."
"Scorpius!" Zeph called, rushing to his best friend.
"Hey Zeph," he replied meekly as Draco and Astoria noticed Nic.
"Hey," Nic greeted, hugging them both. "How are you?"
"Good," Draco replied. "Busy, but good."
"That's good," Nic chuckled. "How about you, Scorpius? You ready for Hogwarts?" He shrugged. "Hey, you'll know one person there. Uncle Tyriq will be your Charms teacher."
"He'll be all right," Draco assured, ruffling his son's hair slightly. Turning to the two twins, Draco asked, "What house do you want to get in?"
"I don't know," Zeph said, shrugging. "Mum says that she and Dad were in Hufflepuff, but that all houses are cool."
"That's right," Nic said. "It doesn't matter what house you get in. It doesn't define who you are."
"Hey, Nic," Harry greeted.
"Uncle Harry," Hadassah called, hugging him tightly.
"Hey, Dassah," he replied, hugging her back. "Hey, Zeph." Looking up at the pale man before him, Harry added stiffly, "Malfoy." Nic rolled her eyes in annoyance and glared at him.
"You are a child," Nic huffed, still glaring at him. Lowering her voice, she snapped, "Why can't you set aside the past between you two? It was like twenty years ago, he's changed." Rolling her eyes a final time, Nic said, "All right, Zeph, Dassah, why don't you go put your stuff on the train." They nodded and headed off. Ginny approached next and Nic embraced her with a smile. "Hey, Ginny."
"Hey, Nic," she replied. "Hey Draco, Astoria." Nic smiled at Ginny, glad she was so much warmer than her husband towards one of Nic's best friends. The kids reappeared and Nic kissed them goodbye.
"I love you both," she said. "Be safe and be smart. I'll see you soon." Once the kids, Harry, and Ginny had left, Draco pulled her aside.
"Nic, I know you're working at Hogwarts now," he said. "Please, look after Scorpius for me."
"Of course," Nic replied. "I know things have been hard for him, but trust me, Zeph will look out for him and so will Tyriq and I."
"But the rumors," Draco began.
"Don't matter," Nic interrupted firmly. "He'll be okay, Draco. I'll make sure of it. Don't forget, he has Zeph and you know that he'd never let anything happen to Scorpius."
On the train, Albus, Scorpius, and Zeph were all laughing, eating their sweets and joking around happily.