Eight Months Later
"Can't say I'm surprised really," Seamus frowned, "she was in Slytherin after all."
"Seamus," Harry admonished with a subtle nod in Draco's direction.
Both glanced as the tall blonde who was sitting in his meeting chair, knees bouncing up and down uncontrollably. He'd been like that for over a week now. Every day, all day. He'd barely gotten any work down and he'd refused to leave the Ministry on assignment.
"Merlin, Malfoy, calm down. You're going to make us all have one of those panic attacks the muggles go on about all the time."
Draco's grey eyes flashed when he snapped his head towards the mouthy Gryffindor. He glanced at Harry who'd been watching him as well. "I don't give two shits about Finnegan, Potter. I have more important things to worry about right now."
Harry sighed and shuffled the papers in front of him. He glanced around the half empty meeting table and gave up. Ron was out for the day helping Luna with their newborn daughter. It had been a surprise to learn that all three of their wives plus Neville's had been pregnant at the same time.
Cormac was meeting with the Marriage Law office as he and his wife had never consummated their marriage, not for lack of the Gryffindor trying, and was in the process of being reassigned. Angelina was the only one out on assignment.
Ginny would be stopping by later with their son and Seamus would be leaving early to meet Parvati at St. Mungo's for her checkup as she was now five months pregnant with their first. Needless to say, the day was lost.
"Seriously, Malfoy, you look like you're going to have an aneurysm," Harry noted.
Draco sneered at the two and threw his quill down. "Hermione's due date was two weeks ago and we have that stupid Marriage Law check-in meeting this afternoon. The bloody woman could go into labor at any moment but she insists on working until she does. Why is she so damned infuriating, Potter?"
Harry bit his lip to keep from laughing. He was fairly sure he'd hex him if he did.
"She's Hermione. What do you expect? She doesn't know how to stop. I don't think the word is even in her vocabularly."
The three men's attention snapped to the open doorway when they heard the familiar sound of heels clicking. Hermione held her swollen belly with one hand, the other braced on the doorjamb.
"Draco, we're supposed to be upstairs for that meeting in ten minutes."
Draco nodded wordlessly and gathered his paperwork.
"Alright there, Hermione," Harry asked gently.
She sighed and nodded. "I swear she doesn't want to come out. Must be rather nice in there. Would figure his child would want to stay in the luxury resort as long as possible."
Seamus chuckled at her joke, ignoring the slight glare from his co-worker as he rounded the table to meet his wife.
"Keep me posted," Harry nodded.
Draco placed his paperwork under one arm and placed a hand on her lower back as he guided her out of the office and to the lifts.
"Are you ok? She hasn't been kicking too hard, has she," he asked softly. He was a bleeding wreck and had been for at least the last month of her pregnancy. She'd threatened to hex him more times than he could count if he didn't relax but he'd ignored her for once.
Hermione shook her head and leaned closer as they passed curious onlookers. It seemed that people only became more and more curious about them every day. Not only were Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger married but they'd procreated. The wizarding world, while expecting it after their marriage, just had a hard time accepting this reality. The Daily Prophet had hailed their unborn daughter a symbol of wizarding peace.
Once reaching the fifth floor, an older wizard quickly guided them into the meeting room where a middle-aged witch was waiting calmly for them.
"Ah, good afternoon. You're right on time," she greeted from her chair. "I'm Seraphina and I'll be interviewing you today." She motioned to the small beige sofa for the couple to take a seat across from her.
Hermione glanced at it then smirked up at her husband. "You realize if I sit there that it's going to be on you to get me back up again."
She was one of those women that other women loved to hate in regards to pregnancy. Outside of the obvious changes to her stomach growing to accommodate their child, she'd not gained more than the recommended amount of weight otherwise. Still, getting up from couches and their bed had become more difficult late in her pregnancy.
Draco rolled his eyes and nodded silently. He helped guide her to sit and then took a seat right next to her and crossed an ankle over his knee, his free hand resting on Hermione's closest thigh.
"Well, I think it's safe to say you two will be staying together," the witch smiled as she eyed Hermione's stomach. "How far along are you?"
Hermione snorted and laid a hand on her swollen stomach, "Nearly two weeks late."
Her eyes widened considerably. "Oh dear. That happened to me with my first child, too." She gripped her quill and flipped her notepad over. "Well, we'll make this quick then. I'm sure this is the last place either of you wish to be right now. The questions will be brief but personal. Please answer honestly. Your answers are all confidential."
Draco and Hermione shared a look, the same silent communication that they'd perfected over the last year, and both nodded in agreement.
"Ok, obviously you've consummated your marriage so we'll skip that one. Would you say your marriage resulted in love or mere companionship?"
"Love," they answered together.
She smiled and scribbled with her quill. "Very good. And how long before the marriage was consummated?"
"About three months," Hermione answered. When Draco gripped her thigh nervously, she slipped her hand in his. She knew this was becoming too personal for him.
"Good, good. And how often do you have sex now, on average?"
"How is that relevant," Draco burst out.
Hermione laced her fingers through his silently and gave him a gentle squeeze.
The witch paused and smiled kindly. "The Ministry wants to gain as much information as possible to know how successful their matches have been. Obviously we know that answers will vary even within successful couples but it's useful to be able to compare notes with my initial predictions."
"Your predictions," he asked more calmly.
"Yes, I'm the one who matched you two. In fact, you were the first couple I matched on my list. You weren't supposed to be but your desire for her on an emotional, mental, and physical level was actually what made me start with you, Mr. Malfoy. It was a bit overwhelming really. I was aware of the history between you and that she likely wouldn't reciprocate at first but you had many qualities that she found attractive in a man. I found no better match for her than you."
Hermione bit her lip as she glanced in his direction to find him looking mildly surprised.
"I suppose I owe you my gratitude then," he responded quietly.
"I'm glad to see things have worked out. Just a few more questions and I won't keep you much longer. Do you feel comfortable answering the previous question now?"
Hermione nodded, "Usually four to five times a week. It's varied a bit during the latter half of my pregnancy."
"Very good," Seraphina smiled. "You both had good physical chemistry from the start."
She continued on with a few more boring questions before finally closing her notebook with a smile.
"Well then, without revealing anything specific, I do believe you two have the most successful marriage of all our matches. Wonderful!"
Draco snorted as he tried not to burst into full blown laughter. He could name a few matches he thought were fairly horrible for sure.
After shaking hands, he practically lifted Hermione into his arms as he put her back on her feet. He held a hand to her back as they left the office. He fought the urge to comment on the adorable way she had been waddling lately, knowing she likely wouldn't find it as endearing as he did.
They were very close to her office when she stopped suddenly, her hand fisting into his shirt sleeve.
"What," he asked quickly. "What is it?"
Hermione held her other hand to her stomach and glanced up at him. "I may or may not have been having contractions all morning." She cringed at the furious expression that overtook his features. "I've done all the reading. There was no point in rushing me off to the hospital just to sit in a stupid bed for hours while they were so far apart. I had work that needed to be done."
Draco rolled his eyes before he stooped to lift her into his arms with one around her shoulders and the other under her knees. He started speed walking down the corridor, not bothering to stop as many onlookers stopped to watch.
"I swear, Hermione Granger-Malfoy, if you think you're doing this with our next child, you're madder than a Hufflepuff!"
He didn't even flinch when she twisted his ear in retaliation. "Just get us to the bloody floos!"
As soon as they reached St. Mungo's floo network, a healer spotted them and immediately took her back to prepare a room. Draco was left to pace nervously through the waiting area until they had her sorted. In the healer's words, "husbands just get in the way at first".
"Bloody fool," he muttered to himself. He didn't even notice the few people in the waiting area gawking at him.
"Malfoy!"
He lifted his head suddenly and saw the Potters and Weasley's stepping into the lobby, their own children with them.
"Is the baby finally coming," Harry asked quickly.
Draco nodded urgently and turned a pleading look towards them. "Will someone get her parents?" He shook his head quickly though and thought better of it. "No, I should do it probably."
Ron held out an arm to stop him before he could pass them. "No, mate, we'll take care of it. She's your wife but she's our best friend." He glanced at Luna who gave him an approving smile. "I'll go. You stay here. They'll probably be out to get you for her soon anyway."
Draco swallowed against his suddenly dry throat which felt like he'd swallowed a mouthful of sand from the Great Lake. Maybe they weren't best friends but he'd take whatever amiable relationship he'd developed with Ron Weasley at this point.
"Mr. Malfoy?"
A young wizard dressed in stark white healer robes smiled from the doorway leading into the maternity ward of St. Mungo's.
"Yes? Is she ok?"
"Your wife is fine," he smiled. "She's just settled into her room. While her contractions are getting closer, we believe there are still a few hours before your baby is here. She's asking for you. Your friends and family are welcome to come back now as well."
Draco nodded and with an expectant glance behind him, he followed the healer to her room.
Every step he took seemed to stretch out further and further. Finally they reached a room down the far end of the hall. When the healer opened the door, he found his wife settled into bed looking oddly peaceful all things considered.
She held out a hand for him and he went to her without question, their friends filing in behind him.
"Are you alright," was the first question that came out of his mouth.
Hermione nodded and pulled him closer. "I know I said we could have two children and you want three," she started out calmly, "but Draco Malfoy, if I survive my next contraction I might maim you!"
Harry snickered in the corner and turned away from everyone as his shoulders shook with concealed laughter.
"Shut it, Harry," Ginny admonished. She'd threatened him in a similar fashion during her labor.
Draco glared at him over his shoulder but turned back to his wife quickly. "Whatever you want, sweetheart," he told her in a calm, quiet voice.
It was a rare term of endearment he'd begun using during her pregnancy when she seemed to need a little extra comfort. Certainly not something he wanted everyone to hear him say aloud.
It was an hour before Ron arrived with her parents in tow. According to the redhead, they refused to apparate, despite that he'd received special permission from Kingsley. Thus, they'd driven and had Ron get them through the muggle entrance of the wizarding hospital.
Draco mouthed a polite 'thank you' to him when they rushed over to their daughter.
"No problem, mate," he clapped him on the back roughly. "I was a fairly big idiot to Hermione when I returned. It's the least I could do." Ron waved to her when she spotted him and excused himself to the waiting room with everyone else, the rest of the Weasley clan having already arrived as well to await the first Malfoy baby.
Draco paced the room for over an hour, ignoring his wife's glowering from her bed. He'd never felt so useless in all his life and that included during the war when he'd been unable to stop her torture. Every scream from her contractions had him running back to her and allowing her to squeeze the life out of his hands. Her father kept trying to get him to take a break and get some coffee but he refused to leave her.
Around midnight she smacked him when he laughed after her irritated question as to why labor wasn't any easier if the wizarding community was so superior to muggles. Being so exhausted, he merely fell into delusional spin of laughter.
It was 2:34am when their daughter finally came screaming into the world.
After the baby was cleaned and swaddled, Draco turned with her in his arms and moved to sit next to an exhausted Hermione on the hospital bed. He breathed shakily as he turned her over to his wife, watching with indescribable adoration as the two most important people in his life met face to face for the first time.
"She has your nose…your mouth, too," he whispered, clearly in awe. He reached a gentle hand out and rans his fingers over the girl's full head of hair. "And your curls."
A slow smile grew on her mouth and she glanced up at him as he watched them both over her shoulder. "Maybe, but she's blonde like you."
Draco nearly lost himself in his wife's eyes before succumbing to the temptation to kiss her. "Thank you," he whispered.
"Whatever for, Draco?"
"You saved me. If it hadn't been for you, I'd have ended up just like the rest of them."
Hermione kissed him softly and glanced back down at the squirming bundle in her arms. "You saved yourself, Draco. The minute you realized that you cared, you saved yourself."
Draco watched as their friends and family filtered through the hospital room to see his child for the first time. The Grangers were all teary-eyed smiles as they held their first grandchild. He'd become quite close to them since he'd brought them back into Hermione's life, regularly seeking them out for advice, especially when he pissed off his wife.
Six months into her pregnancy he'd done just that and shocked the hell out of his in-laws when he burst out of their fireplace which had finally been linked to the floo system.
"I've royally blundered this one," he groaned pitifully as he stepped out of their fireplace.
Mr. and Mrs. Granger sat on their sofa staring in utter surprise as their son-in-law began pacing in their living room, muttering to himself.
"Uh…Draco, what is it you've done exactly," Mrs. Granger finally asked after sharing a curious look with her husband.
"It was just a sweater!" He pulled at his blonde hair as he faced them before quickly smoothly the locks back into place. "It wasn't meant as a comment on her size." He waved his hands around wildly as the two stared at him. "Hell! The bloody healer has me secretly watching her because she's barely gained the recommended weight with the damn baby!"
Needless to say, they calmed him down and sent him home after her mother had baked her favorite pie to take with him. Just as predicted, it had calmed Hermione. It did have the unfortunate side effect of sending her into another emotional tizzy but in the opposite direction when she started apologizing and crying over a forkful of pie.
A year ago, he'd never have imagined he would be married, let alone to Hermione Granger or start a family with her. Now he knew he'd fight tooth and nail should anyone ever try to take it all away from him.
Hermione leaned her head against his shoulder as he held their sleeping daughter. She watched through hooded eyes as he ducked his head to kiss the baby's head. Her eyes drifted shut when she heard him whisper, "I love you."
~o~O~o~
Eleven Years and One Month Later
September 1st
Draco made sure to lock the car door with the funny clicker thing. He still didn't quite understand how the contraption worked. Odd muggle magic he liked to call it. Especially since she still didn't trust him to drive without her in the car.
They had already gone ahead without him and were likely inside the station already.
"Daddy," his four year old daughter tugged on his collar as he hurried them inside Kings Cross Station. "Where's mummy?"
"Inside the station, Madeline. We'll catch up in a minute."
They passed through the throngs of muggles bustling through King's Cross Station and finally reached the brick archway between platforms 9 and 10. With a quick glance around them, Draco rushed through the archway and passed into platform 9 3/4.
Madeline hugged his neck as she fidgeted in his arms, desperately trying to see over the heads of all the witches and wizards buzzing about with their children.
"There, Daddy," she squealed, pointing with one hand and tugging on his hair with the other.
Draco rolled his eyes and reached to brush his hair back from his forehead. He made a mental note that it was time for another trim. He spotted the back of his wife's head, her honey curls escaping her casual up-do as she rushed along behind their other two children and the trolley.
He rushed through the masses, nodding politely as he greeted many people he knew, co-workers and friends. He finally caught up with Hermione when she stopped on the platform.
"Now you have your bag. I packed extra parchment and quills in your trunk," Hermione spoke as she brushed her eldest daughter's hair back.
At eleven year's old, she was the spitting image of Hermione at that age, only without the buck teeth or the unruly hair. All three of the Granger-Malfoy children had been born with curls a shade darker than their father's pale blonde hair and Hermione's chocolate brown eyes—brains all like their mother it seemed. It was likely going to be a battle between the three as to who could potentially outdo their mother's academic records.
"Be on the lookout for mail. Grandma and Grandpa Granger said they'll write you. Grandma Malfoy, too."
It hadn't been long after their first was born that Draco's mother had begun to make amends. Things weren't perfect but she made it clear that seeing her grandchildren was more important that any stupid ideology. Draco was particularly pleased with how often his mother complimented Hermione's skills as a mother. (She'd even voted for Hermione in the recent elections for Minister of Magic.)
Hermione turned a sharp look on her eight year-old son when he snickered over how she was obsessing over his sister.
"Laugh all you want, Leo. This will be you in three years."
"Be nice and I won't throw you in the Great Lake when you get to Hogwarts," Rose, their oldest smirked.
Hermione stood up straight as Draco approached, Madeline now riding on his shoulders as if she belonged there.
"Merlin, I swear all three have your smirk," she scowled.
Draco tipped his lips into his signature smirk in response and leaned down to press a kiss to her mouth.
"Eww," Leo groaned.
Rose frowned at her parents when they separated. "Dad, please try not to snog mum in front of everyone." She lowered her voice to an almost whisper, "It's embarrassing!"
"Keep talking, Rose, and it will get worse," he teased.
Hermione swatted his arm even though she laughed. "Your dad's only joking."
Madeline began to wriggle in his arms, reaching for her mother so he relinquished her to Hermione and turned his attention to his eldest.
Draco loved all three of his children equally. He woke up each morning thankful first for his brilliant, gorgeous wife and next for each of his children. They were his everything and he didn't for one second forget just how lucky he was.
He had a special relationship with Rose though. She was the oldest and he'd learned what it meant to love at first sight. Love for a child was instantaneous and despite how deeply he loved Hermione even twelve years into their marriage, he had no idea the feeling would overwhelm him so wholly.
"Nervous, sweetheart," he asked Rose quietly.
He half expected some drivel about being the daughter of a war hero and current Minister of Magic as too much pressure. Or having an ex-Death Eater turned Muggle Affairs Advocate for a father as too much attention.
She chewed her lower lip, her brown eyes lifting to meet his slowly and she nodded. "I'm nervous about being sorted tonight."
Well, that he could handle. Without much thought, Draco dropped down on one knee and put himself eye to eye with his daughter. "Sweetheart, we've been over this. I highly doubt the sorting hat will put you in Slytherin. You're far too much like your mother."
"And even if it does," Hermione interrupted with a gentle smile at her husband before turning to her daughter, "it will be because you represent the best qualities of that house."
"I bet she gets sorted into Hufflepuff," Leo grinned, earning him a glare from his older sister.
Rose moved forward to hug her father around the neck and he savored the embrace, knowing for the next seven years he would only see her on holidays. He didn't truly understand how wizarding parents did it now that he was one.
"Oi, you lot!"
Draco stood with an annoyed scowl when he heard that voice. He and Hermione turned to find the Weasley's and Potter's approaching with their own children.
Harry and Ginny's oldest son, James, and Ron and Luna's oldest daughter, Sophie, were also starting their first year at Hogwarts. The three had all grown up together nearly like family. Though Draco had a sneaky suspicion that Harry's son had eyes for his daughter—just as he'd predicted.
"Merlin, Weasley, how many kids do you have now," Draco quipped.
Ron narrowed his eyes at the blonde as his cheeks turned red. "We only have one more than you do, Malfoy. You bloody prat!"
Draco eyed Luna's swollen belly and quirked an arrogant eyebrow. "For now! Did you forget the bun in the oven there, mate?"
Ron's face turned a shade redder if that were even possible but stayed silent when his wife laid a calm hand on his shoulder. His anger dissolved a few degrees causing a few smirks amongst the group of friends.
"Some things never change," Ginny laughed.
Hermione elbowed her husband with a reproachful look. "Do you have to rile him up all the time?"
He shrugged nonchalantly. "But it's fun. Would you really deny me such simple pleasures in life?" He glanced at the couple in question to find them cooing over their red and blonde haired brood. "Though I must admit I'm a little jealous of him right now. I do miss the pregnant sex."
She looked up at him, completely baffled. "What are you on about?" She surely didn't miss her pregnant body. It was hard work getting the weight off and back to her normal size but she'd done it each time.
"Your body was so sensitive to touch and your sex drive was even higher than normal, which is saying something." He leaned a bit closer to her ear. "You stay turned on as it is. If people only knew…"
Hermione gasped and whirled around to smack his shoulder roughly. "Well don't even get your hopes up, Malfoy. I gave you three children like you wanted." She dropped her voice lower and hissed, "If I wanted more I'd have married Ron."
Draco cringed but leaned down to kiss her cheek. "I'm not complaining. I still get it at least five times a week. You don't want to know what I know about those gits' love lives. Poor nutters."
She glanced away from watching their children's excitement to meet his eyes, a mischievous glint in her own brown eyes. "You think I don't know?" She shared his smirk when he lifted an arrogant eyebrow and leaned closer. "Luna doesn't want to be touched when she's pregnant so Ron's surely suffering and Ginny shared with me, much to my absolute horror because I really didn't want to know, that she and Harry are lucky to have sex once a week lately as they've both been so busy with work."
Draco's eyes widened considerably in horror. "Once a week? That git said it was three times. I'd die if I only had you once a week!"
"Exactly," she smiled demurely, "So remember that the next time you give me grief for not getting in the shower with you in the morning."
"I bet you five sickles I'll best Rose this year in every class," James announced confidently, gaining everyone's attention.
Rose snorted and rolled her eyes, looking much like her mother. "As if, James."
"Don't believe me? Just watch me!"
"You don't stand a chance. Do remember who I am," she scoffed and folded her arms over her chest.
Draco watched with amusement as the two bantered, meeting Harry's gaze over their heads who was sporting a similar look.
"So what," James argued.
"I'm a Granger and a Malfoy, you dolt." She sniffed and walked away to load her trunk.
"Merlin," Ron muttered, wide-eyed. "It's like watching a mini-Hermione but with Malfoy's hair."
With final hugs and kisses, the three children boarded the Hogwarts Express for the first time. Their year was the largest Hogwarts had seen in at least a decade. They joined Neville and Hannah's son, Jonah, in the nearest car, waving from the windows with wide smiles as the train began its takeoff.
Hermione balanced Madeline on one hip, the young girl's head snuggled close to her mother's chin. Draco put a hand on his son's shoulder as they watched their first born take off for the greatest journey of her life.
"I swear to God if our daughter ends up with that Potter boy in seven years I'll pull my hair out," Draco muttered.
"What's Hogwarts without a little danger, Draco," Hermione smirked up at him.
She fought the urge to laugh at the resulting look he gave her and sighed happily as he wrapped his free arm around her.
This man was her everything. He held her heart and was her fiercest warrior. He was the husband and lover she'd always wanted, the father of her children, and all in the neat package of Draco Malfoy—someone she never imagined herself with growing up. And there was the beauty in it.
Later that evening, Hermione was sitting in her favorite chair near the fireplace and instead of a book in her lap, she had her youngest child gathered close, her head pressed against her breasts as she slept.
A forgotten cup of hot chocolate was steaming on the end table next to her as she ran her fingers through her daughter's curls. Leo was in bed but Madeline had snuck down after being tucked in and crawled sleepily into her lap. She shouldn't have been indulging the girl but after sending her oldest off for her first year at Hogwarts, she found herself feeling sentimental and unable to deny her. These moments were precious and wouldn't last forever.
She looked up when she heard Draco's bare feet shuffling along the hardwood floors before he plopped down on the sofa adjacent to her, fresh from his shower.
"Feel better," she asked quietly with a small smile.
Draco rolled his head towards her and frowned when he spotted their youngest cuddled against her chest. So much for the elaborate ritual of reading three bedtime stories before tucking her in.
"I think her magic is going to be just as strong as yours. I saw the soup begin to boil in her bowl before it flew across the table."
Hermione tried to hide her laughter behind one hand so as not to disturb Madeline. The young girl whimpered in her sleep as she hugged her mother tighter in her small hands.
"We're going to have to speak to Leo about egging her on when it bursts like that. Sorry you were caught in the crossfire."
He shrugged and rested his head on the back of the sofa, closing his eyes tiredly. "It could be worse. I've been pooped on, peed on, and even vomited on—something I know neither of my parents ever experienced with me growing up."
She openly scoffed at that. "Because you were so perfect, I'm sure."
Draco didn't bother opening his eyes and laughed. "Not what I meant, Miss Know-it-All. I merely meant that they weren't active parents in that regard. The house elves were responsible for that kind of menialtask."
"Surely you don't regret our not letting Bitsy help with those kinds of things?"
He finally lifted his head to look at her. "Of course not. I'd cut off my left arm before I'd let anyone take my place in taking care of our children. Though I am thankful that Bitsy is here to help watch them while we're at work. She's the only who can get Madeline to practice her letters. I know how badly you want her to go to the same muggle school before Hogwarts."
A pecking at the living room window interrupted any further conversation and Draco stood to open it. A small snowy owl flew inside and landed on the arm of Hermione's chair.
"Isn't that Potter's kid's owl," Draco asked while she untied the letter from the bird's leg.
Hermione nodded as she stroked the bird's head. "I still think you should have gotten Rose an owl instead of telling her she could take Mittigens."
He shrugged and gave the owl a treat before it took off out the window again. "I actually tried to, thank you very much. She insisted on taking the cat. Said she was too attached to bring any other animal." He resumed his seat and waited as she finished reading. "Well?"
Hermione's eyes glanced over the last lines and lifted her head, an exuberant grin gracing her lips.
"Gryffindor."
Draco just shook his head. "I tried telling her. I assume you're happy?"
He watched as she bit her lip and beckoned him to her with a finger curling towards her. He approached and leaned closer when she grasped a handful of his shirt and pulled him to lean over her. She pressed a languid kiss to his lips, nibbling his lower lip before she let go.
"Very, very happy," she smiled.
He smirked. "If this is how you react then I hope they all end up in Gryffindor."
Hermione cupped his face in both hands as she met his eyes. She never tired of them. "I love you."
Draco reached up and brushed a few curls behind her ear. "I love you, too."erHermione