Chapter Text
"I just don't understand why I can't have a time turner! Mummy had one, and look at how many classes she was able to take!"
It was an old argument that had come up every year before the first day of term ever since Ursa had read about the magical item.
"And mummy told you it nearly killed her! It's final, Ursa. We're not having this argument every year on this godforsaken platform. You're already the top of your class, try to relax this year, will you? Draco attempted to quell his daughter's ambition a bit, but like her father, she was a true Slytherin.
"But daddy! I --"
"Now, now, Ursa. Listen to your father." Hermione provided backup for her husband before offering a conspiratorial wink to her eldest daughter, much like the children's grandmother would do. "Plus, you'll have more time for Rory this year."
Ursa blushed, but attempted to keep her composure. Draco on the other hand groaned loudly.
"I know we're family friends and all, but I didn't expect that they'd someday be in-laws. I should have known from the start too...Rory has been following your every word since you could talk."
"Daddy! We're only fourteen, really now, you're being very dramatic." Ursa crossed her arms and huffed, feeling a bit defensive of her not-exactly-boyfriend-but-not-exactly-platonic-best-friend.
"All I am saying is that I better receive an owl with the proper courting documents from him and the Longbottoms before things get out of hand while you're both at Hogwarts. You're a prime example of that, you know, Ursie."
"Daddy!"
"Oh, Draco, stop that." Hermione beckoned the arguing duo towards the edge of the platform where she stood holding her two youngest children's hands.
After the birth of Ursa and their very small Ministry wedding, much to Lucius and Pansy’s great dismay, Draco and Hermione spent the next few years working on establishing their careers. Draco, with his affinity for Potions as well as a stellar N.E.W.T.s results, quickly found an apprenticeship and received his mastery all while managing the Malfoy Family Foundation and the Malfoy-Longbottom Corporation. Neville, his best friend and cofounder, started out working jointly on creating potions for pregnant witches and selling them at Apothecary in Diagon Alley. Since then they have turned their pet project into a successful business venture, and were currently working on various low-cost herbal treatments for mental disorders in conjunction with St. Mungo’s outpatient clinic.
Hermione, her N.E.W.T.s results coming back practically perfect as well, despite the delay in taking them once again due to the surprise birth of Ursa, had landed a Ministry job and quickly worked her way up the political ladder. She was planning on announcing her run for Minister the following spring, having heard from Kingsley himself that he would be retiring next year.
They were an ambitious couple all around, and that certainly didn't stop in the bedroom. They welcomed their first son Scorpius Hyperion three years after Ursa, and he was soon followed by their second son, Eridanus Helios a year later.
"Mummy, I don't want Scorpius to go with Ursa. Why can't I go to Hogwarts too!" Eri complained, tugging on his mother's arm.
"Next year, my little light. I'll need you at home this year to help me anyways, with your little sister due so soon."
Eri nodded, excited to finally have a baby sister and to finally be the older brother he had always wished to be. He had been begging for a younger sibling for years as he was tired of being babied as the youngest Malfoy.
In all honesty, having a fourth child came at a surprise for the entire Malfoy family, despite having joked previously about having a child in every leadership role in the wizarding world. Secretly, Hemione was grateful at another chance at having a child resemble her. Ursa and Scorpius were the spitting images of their father, minus their curls. Eri favored her in coloring, and was the only Malfoy child with dark brown hair, though it was as straight as could be. Overall, the only downside was once again having to find a constellation to continue the Black/Malfoy naming convention.
“Mummy, who is that man? He keeps staring at us.” Scorpius asked his mother as the rest of the Malfoy bunch came together to wait for the train.
Hermione and Draco both looked up, only to see Harry Potter staring back at them.
Oh.
Oh.
They hadn’t seen Harry in years, having left his auror position two years after he started at the Ministry, not that they interacted much. He had done everything to keep his distance, most likely due to Ginny’s influence. Hermione had read in the Prophet that he and Ginny had a son born a few months after Scorpius, so she supposed that’s why they would cross paths today.
Hermione and Draco eyed each other, before deciding to leave it alone.
“Just an old acquaintance, darlings. Don’t let it worry you. Oh, is that the train I hear..--” Hermione tried to redirect their attention, but then to their great shock, Harry actually approached them.
Harry was obviously nervous, clenching and unclenching his fist as he greeted them.
“Uh, hello, Hermione…Malfoy.”
“Potter.” Draco spoke evenly, if not a bit coldly.
Hermione simply nodded. “It’s been awhile, Harry.”
Harry released a deep breath. “Yes, it’s been a long time.”
“Are you dropping off your child? It’s Scorpius’ first year as well. Ursa is a seasoned veteran at this point, with it being her fourth year and all.” Hermione attempted to lighten the conversation, despite the shift in Draco’s body language screaming abort, abort, abort.
“Ah, yes. It’s Jamie’s first year.”
“Is he…nearby?” Hermione craned her next to look for a miniature version of Harry.
“No, not yet. It was Ginny’s weekend, so she’s bringing him here from her flat. I’m just here for the send off.” Harry paused, examining the surprised looks on both Draco and Hermione. “We got divorced about six months ago. It’s all…a bit new.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, Harry.”
“I should have done it years ago…or maybe never have married her at all, I don’t know. I’m grateful for Jamie, I am, but…you were right, Hermione. I just couldn’t see it then.”
“Harry…–”
“No, no, please, let me apologize. I really made a mess of things. I was just so tired; so over the war. And you were a constant reminder of that, and I just couldn’t cope so I pushed you away. And when you and Malfoy got together, well, it was easy to just tow the line for Ginny. She was so angry at you, Hermione. She’s still angry, actually, which was a big part of divorce. I thought it was because she thought you were a traitor, but I think really she was just jealous. She didn’t want to see you succeed, especially when the Weasley’s still struggled so much after the war.”
Harry was full on ranting now, and Hermione couldn’t help but feel a small chuckle emerge from the back of her throat as she watched him flail about.
“Ron hasn’t spoken to her in years, they had a big row when he and Parvati got married. Apparently Parvati slighted her in some small, petty way. I thought it would be the end for Ron and Parvati, but Ron finally grew a pair and stood up for her. Ginny could never forgive him for taking the side of another outsider. It worked out fine for them, anyways, as Ron got a Quidditch deal in America and they’ve been there ever since.”
That was news to the couple, as they hadn’t heard a peep out of Ron or Parvati in years. Being in America explained quite a lot. Ginny…that was unfortunate. Hermione wasn’t surprised to hear of her developments. She had long suspected her unresolved anger would be the end of anything joyous in her life and would ultimately destroy her.
But she couldn’t destroy Harry, no. Here he was, worse for wear, no doubt, with dark circles and some gray peaking through his dark hair, and he apologized. And Hermione didn’t realize just how desperately she had needed to hear that.
He finally understood her, where she was coming from, and why she made the decisions she did all those years ago.
“It’s okay, Harry. We –, I forgive you.” Nearly fifteen years of unresolved feelings fell off her shoulder.
“I suppose if she’s forgiven you, I can as well.” Draco said, as if he was simply ordering the same as her at a restaurant. The little prat.
Harry looked relieved as well, before tentatively stepping forward to shake Draco’s hand and give Hermione a chaste hug.
“And these are…?” Harry asked, gesturing to their children. They were well trained by Narcissa, and hadn’t so much as let out a peep as the emotional display took place before them.
“Ah, yes – this is Ursa, our oldest and the next brightest witch of her age. Scorpius, our future Quidditch star, is the same age as your Jamie. Our youngest at the moment, Eri, a potioneer in the making, is ten and will be heading to Hogwarts next year.” Draco rattled off proudly. Being a father had been his greatest joy, and with children as brilliant and well behaved as his, he couldn’t help but brag.
“And this little one,” Draco wrapped his arm around Hermione’s shoulders as he lay a hand on her stomach, “is Vela Astraea, or at least, will be as soon as she’s born. I’m counting on her to be the business minded one of the bunch, my future star.”
“It’s lovely to meet you all.” Harry smiled genuinely, pleased to see that Draco and Hermione had built a loving, strong and powerful family despite their struggles in the beginning.
“Harry!” Ginny Potter called from across the platform, with Jamie standing by her side. The poor child looked miserable.
“Ah, well, that’s me I guess. I should be off now.”
“Potter, if you’re interested, we go down to the pub on Fridays with the Notts, the Zabinis and the Longbottoms. There’s plenty of space, if you want to join us sometime.” Draco offered at the last second.
“I’d like that, thanks…Draco. I’ll see you both soon.” And then he was off.
Hermione smiled, pleased with the interaction, before bending down to face Scorpius.
“Scorp, love, when you get on the train, will you sit with Jamie? He looks like he could use a friend.”
“I suppose…though, what if he isn’t a Slytherin?” Scorpius tentatively asked.
“It doesn’t matter what house he’s sorted in, and you know there’s no guarantee you’ll be a Slytherin no matter what your father says.” Hermione laughed a little as Draco scowled.
Scorpius digested this information, before coming to his final conclusion. “Just not a Hufflepuff.”
“Right you are, son!” Draco beamed proudly.
Hermione shoved Draco, to which he just rolled his eyes.
“I mean, Hufflepuffs are fine friends as well, and if you happen to be sorted there they’ll just be gaining an incredible mind.” He bit out in a monotone, as if he was reading it off a script.
The train sounded, signaling for the students to prepare for boarding.
“Alright loves, we’ll see you at Christmas, alright? We love you both so much.”
Ursa and Scorpius nodded in between hugs.
“Protect him, okay Ursa? You know the family motto, Familia super omnia.” Draco whispered into Ursa’s head of curly blonde hair.
“I will, daddy. I promise.”
Ursa held out her hand for Scorpius to grab hold of as they walked onto the train, finding the closest open window to wave goodbye.
“We did okay, didn’t we love?” Hermione leaned her head against Draco’s shoulder as they waved goodbye to their two eldest children.
“It’s thanks to them, really. They saved us. You saved me. Everything I am is because of you and our little family.”
“Salvation…we found it.”