In Good Faith by Flourish and Blott
Summary: Rose and Scorpius have overcome much family disapproval to be together. But when the unexpected happens, how much family history will surface between them? Will they be able to create a hopeful future in spite of the grim past?
Categories: Next Generation Characters: None
Warnings: Mild Profanity, Sexual Situations
Challenges:
Series: None
Chapters: 7 Completed: Yes Word count: 16839 Read: 20249 Published: 11/05/13 Updated: 01/05/14
Story Notes:
Special thanks to my beta, WrenWinterSong for her helpful suggestions. The Wizarding World and the characters are J.K. Rowling's. I'm just having fun with them--no profit involved!

1. Chapter 1 by Flourish and Blott

2. Chapter 2 by Flourish and Blott

3. Chapter 3 by Flourish and Blott

4. Chapter 4 by Flourish and Blott

5. Chapter 5 by Flourish and Blott

6. Chapter 6 by Flourish and Blott

7. Epilogue: One Year Later by Flourish and Blott

Chapter 1 by Flourish and Blott
Rose Weasley, 22 years and 6 months old, was an intelligent, confident, capable young woman. She had landed a job with Gringotts Bank straight out of Hogwarts, and she leased and regularly paid rent and utilities for a flat near Diagon Alley. She had even convinced her disbelieving father to welcome (or at least accept) her live-in boyfriend of 5 years, Scorpius Malfoy, who happened to be the son of her parents’ school enemy. She was known at the bank for being cool-headed during a crisis, executing brilliantly speedy translations, and mediating tense situations between goblins and wizards while maintaining respect for both species.

But, at the moment, Rose Weasley looked anything but calm, capable, or confident. She was red-eyed, pacing nervously, and trying to keep her eyes from looking at the small plastic strip in front of her before the clock ticked to 9:52.

She had taken the morning off work, having not been feeling well for several weeks. After kissing her good-bye, Scorpius had already left for his job as a Ministry potions tester, regulator, and researcher. When she had heard the crack from outside the flat’s front door that signified Scorpius’ Apparition, Rose had thrown the covers off and jammed her feet into her trainers, not bothering to change out of the sweats she had slept in.

Leaving the flat, she had rounded the corner to enter the Muggle apothecary in the next street over. Over the last few days, her suspicions—and dread—becoming stronger and stronger, she had planned this research excursion carefully. There were, of course, magical methods to obtain the information she required, but she couldn’t exactly be seen by anyone in the Wizarding World purchasing that particular potion. If it didn’t get reported directly to her parents, it would almost certainly be leaked to the press, which was already far too enthralled at the idea of a Malfoy and a Weasley shacking up. She had briefly considered brewing the potion herself, but at this point, she didn’t really trust herself not to bungle the job.

Instead, she had purchased the Muggle version of the potion, which turned out to be small, flat strips that came with extensive instructions. She had read the directions all the way through three times. Then she had immersed the strip in her urine (the things Muggles thought of!), as directed, and was now pacing obsessively between the bathroom and bedroom. 9:52. She forced herself to look….and promptly collapsed on the bed in hysterical sobs.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. She had several more years of career work to do—she wanted to have the title of Manager, at least, before this point. And shouldn’t she have been married? Yes, she felt fairly certain that that was supposed to happen first, and she was also very certain that the entire Weasley family would say the same. And, shouldn’t she and Scorpius have discussed having children? Or at least wanting to have children? Yet, that was a conversation that had never actually occurred.

After taking the other two tests in the package, she was forced to concede that there wasn’t any mistake. She was pregnant. And there were a few people who probably needed to know that fact.
Scorpius came home at lunchtime, expecting to find Rose in bed reading (which was her second-favorite activity to do in that particular location). Instead, she was waiting for him at the kitchen table, her hands clenched around a half-empty mug of tea.

She had heard the noise of Apparition and the key turning in the lock but hadn’t been able to bring herself to face him. When Scorpius leaned down and kissed her tumbled auburn curls, she looked up at him to gauge his mood. He smiled down at her, greyish-blue eyes warm. –How are you feeling?”

–I’ve felt better,” Rose returned.

–I brought home some soup for lunch in the hopes that it would help,” Scorpius offered.

Automatically, Rose responded. –That’s sweet.”

–Are you hungry at all?”

–Umm,” Rose hesitated, –umm, I don’t think I’ll be hungry until I tell you this.”

–Tell me what?” Scorpius asked, rummaging in the drawer for spoons.

–Scorpius, I need you to sit down and listen to me.”

Scorpius cautiously set the silverware on the counter and sat down across from her. –Rose, you’re scaring me. What’s wrong? Wait…” A look of horror crossed his face. –Oh, no. You’re not doing this, are you? Is this the ‘I think we’re better off as friends’ speech?”

–NO! No.”

–Sweet Merlin, you had me going there. Don’t scare me like that.”

–Well, this probably will scare you. I’m pregnant.”

There was abrupt silence as Scorpius digested this information. He began chewing on his lower lip, a sign, as Rose knew, that meant he was uncertain and worried. It was such a non-Malfoy trait, this manifestation of self-doubt, that it rarely failed to bring a smile to Rose’s face. Today, however, a smile was the furthest thing from her mind.

–Okay…” Scorpius breathed at last. –Okay. How did that happen? I mean, I know how. Obviously. I was there. But I thought you were taking the potion.”

–Yeah. I was. I took it every day. But two months ago I ran out, and when I brewed it, I had run out of fresh feverfew, and I was running late from work on your birthday, and you were coming home soon…”

Scorpius smirked. –I do seem to remember that day. You looked particularly fetching wrapped up in that blue and silver ribbon. Best birthday present I ever got.”

Rose didn’t smile. –I was in a rush to brew the potion before you got home, so I substituted the dried feverfew for the fresh…”

The smile completely disappeared from Scorpius’s face. –Ah,” he said. –That would do it.”

–Well, the potions book said it would weaken the potion to use dried ingredients, but I didn’t think that would matter too much. It would still work, and I’ve been taking it a long time, so I thought I had plenty in my system. And I replaced it a few days later with a fresh potion.”

Scorpius got up and searched in his bag for a quill and scrap parchment to start a diagram. Rose remembered the many study sessions when he had done this very thing in the Ravenclaw common room, creating visual diagrams to help them both understand the complexities of the material they were learning. It had been the accumulation of hundreds of study hours, hundreds of conversations and debates, hundreds of playful pokes with quills that had all added up to love. In seventh year, she had finally seen that, if she could spend this much time with him and never run out of things to say, she wanted a whole lifetime of more hours together.

When Scorpius had finished his diagram, he pushed it across to her. –See, this is the chemical structure of dried feverfew versus fresh feverfew. The drying alters the way that the molecules bond with other potion ingredients. Normally, the slight difference doesn’t matter. But you happened to also be using rosemary instead of lavender.”

–I know. Because I’m allergic to lavender.”

–Right. So we figured out that we could substitute rosemary instead. But that was dependent on you using fresh feverfew.” –What’s the difference?”

–Well, rosemary combines differently with dried feverfew than it does with fresh. Essentially, what it comes down to is that, in combination with rosemary, dried feverfew would have the effect of making a fertility potion instead of a contraceptive potion.”

–WHAT?” shrieked Rose, knocking over the cup of tea. Scorpius snatched his sketch out of the spreading brown pool, muttered a quick Scourgify, and gently took the mug from Rose’s hands.

–Well, I could diagram it out for you to show you exactly why it works that way,” Scorpius began. He had, in spite of his father’s feeble protests and his grandfather’s vehement objections, taken a few chemistry classes at the Muggle University of London after finishing at Hogwarts so that he would have more knowledge about the chemical processes involved in potion-making. It had made him so adept at his job that he had been promoted within one year to a Senior Researcher position for the Potions Department of the Ministry. It had also made him impossibly long-winded when it came to explanations about potions, so Rose waved his offer aside.

–No, no, it’s okay. I believe you. But this…this is really not good. Combined with the Weasley genes, a fertility potion could actually mean…” She gestured helplessly at her abdomen.

–Twins,” nodded Scorpius. –Or triplets,” he added thoughtfully. –But I would have to research more about how the two ingredients combine to change—”

He was cut off by Rose’s howl of frustration. –Scorpius! This is our LIFE we’re talking about. This is my JOB being put on hold if we have kids now. We can’t have kids now!”

–Why not?”

–Why not? Why not? We haven’t even talked about having kids! What about that? And now we are faced with the distinct possibility of having one, no, maybe two, maybe three of them, and you’re going on about chemical structures and asking why not!” Rose’s tirade ended with an indignant snort.

–Rose.” Scorpius looked as calm as he usually did, which Rose found particularly maddening when she was upset about something. –I admit it was a shock when you first told me, but this is not really a tragedy. I mean we’re in our twenties. It’s not like we’re still at Hogwarts or anything. We have jobs. We have a good relationship. I mean,” he said, warming to his theme, –there’s really no good time to have kids, right? We’re never going to be one hundred percent prepared. It’s always going to be a sacrifice of some sort, whether you have to work fewer hours or I have to pass up a promotion that means traveling, or we have to spend more money for a larger flat. It’ll never be perfect. So it might as well be now.”

Rose stared at him across the table, hope blossoming in her chest for the first time that morning. –But,” she whispered, –I don’t even know if you want kids.”

–I do,” Scorpius reassured her. –I mean, I’ve always wanted kids. Several, in fact, because growing up as an only child was pretty shitty. But I always thought about it in a hazy, far-off kind of way.”

–But now it’s here. And…” Rose rushed to get the rest of the sentence out before she lost her courage, –I’m afraid you won’t want to be with me any more.”

–What?” Scorpius recoiled in shock.

–Well, it wasn’t something you chose. It’s something that’s been pushed on you.”

–It wasn’t something you chose either,” Scorpius pointed out.

–Yeah, but it was my fault, my mistake with the potion.”

–Eh,” Scorpius ran his hand through his blond hair so that it stood on end. –I could have double-checked the potion. I could have made the potion for you last month when I saw you were low. I could have been more clear a few years ago when we discussed substituting rosemary for lavender. Is it my fault?”

–No!” Rose asserted.

–Then it isn’t really yours either. We both made choices that added up to an unexpected consequence. So we deal with it.”

If Rose had not loved Scorpius before that moment, she certainly would have fallen for him right then and there. She threw herself at him across the table, sobbing into his shoulder.

– Hey, hey, it’s all right. Look, I’m…I’m still processing things and it’ll probably take some time to get used to the idea of being a dad…” Scorpius gulped at the thought, his Adam’s apple sliding up and down against Rose’s ear. Then he recovered and continued. –…But we’ll figure it out together, one moment at a time. That’s all there is to it.”

–Okay,” Rose sniffled, retreating to her own chair and wrinkling her nose at the wet splotches on Scorpius’s robes. –Sorry,” she said, rubbing her sleeve across her face. –Hormones.” Scorpius laughed grimly as he thought of one other thing. –Of course, now we have to tell our fathers.” –You had to say that now?”
End Notes:
Hehe! Sorry. I couldn't resist the irony of Ron's daughter being allergic to lavender...
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Chapter 2 by Flourish and Blott

–You’re WHAT?” bellowed Ron Weasley, standing up so suddenly that he knocked his chair over. Rose distinctly heard her mother muttering, –Oh, Ron,” from the other side of the table. –I knew you moving in with him was a bad idea. You’re not even married! And now look at what he’s done.”

–I’m sorry, Daddy. It was an accident.”

–Accident? I’ll give YOU an accident. No, better yet, I’ll give HIM an accident,” Ron exploded, pointing accusingly at Scorpius.

–Dad,” Rose said in exasperation, –it wasn’t his fault. It was mine. I…”

Scorpius cut in smoothly, putting a restraining hand on her knee. –Mr. Weasley, I know you don’t really trust me, but I promise we were trying to be safe. We were on the potion; Rose took it regularly. But sometimes things go awry.”

Rose saw her mum frown at this statement, but fortunately she didn’t comment. Her dad righted his chair and sat down again, thumping his hands on the table and breathing heavily. –Well?” Ron asked belligerently. –What will you do?”

–What do you mean?” asked Scorpius in confusion. –We’ll have a baby. Well,” he amended, –actually we’ll have twins.”

Rose’s mum and dad were stunned into silence.

Rose was quiet, remembering her own shock after they had enlisted her cousin, Lily, to help with the diagnostic spells. Lily was a trainee Healer and a lot more discreet than they could count on anyone else being if they went to St. Mungo’s. As Harry Potter’s daughter, Lily had been dealing with the press and the effects of famous parents for her whole life and knew when to keep her mouth shut.

Lily had taken Rose and Scorpius’ little announcement with great composure and promptly had Rose lie down on the bed and lift up her shirt. After a few muttered incantations with her wand gently poking different parts of Rose’s belly, Lily had straightened up, frowning. –That’s strange,” she had said. –I would swear it’s twins, but I don’t know how that could have happened on the potion. You are on the potion, right?” She raised her eyebrows at Rose.

–Yes, yes. But we think some of the ingredients must have been bad.” Rose had given Lily the line that she and Scorpius had decided upon the night before, knowing that Lily would ask. Rose had splayed her hand over her belly button. –Twins,” she said.

When Lily left, Rose and Scorpius had sat in silence on the living room sofa.

–Well,” Scorpius said after an interminable silence, –it could have been triplets.”

Their hysterical laughter had relieved some of the tension they had been carrying for days.

Now at Rose’s parents’ house, the silence following Rose and Scorpius’ announcement stretched on and on. At last, just as Rose was considering jumping out the window, the reminder clock that her dad had always hated chimed, –Don’t just sit around. It’s time to start tea!” All of them jumped.

As if the clock had also reminded her to speak, Hermione said, –Congratulations. This…this wasn’t necessarily how we had envisioned having grandchildren, but you two have proven your self-sufficiency, and,” with a stern glance at Rose’s dad, –we firmly believe you’ll rise to the occasion of being parents.”

–Thanks,” said Scorpius, obviously surprised. –We’re a little bit stunned about all this ourselves, but…we’re just going to do the best we can.”

Ron not-so-subtly asked Rose to come to the kitchen to help him get the tea things. When the two were alone in the kitchen, he took Rose by both shoulders and looked at her searchingly.

–Rosie, are you sure this is what you want?”

Rose sighed. She knew that she had options, but what Scorpius had said about this not being a tragedy had been churning around and around in her brain. –I’m sure that it’s the best thing I can choose at the moment, even if it’s not what I would originally have chosen to happen.”

–I just thought…I can’t believe this is happening with him,” Ron said, gesturing towards the door.

Rose drew back. –Dad, not again! I thought you were over your hatred of Scorpius.”

Ron shook his head. –This has nothing to do with hate.”

–No? Then why are you so prejudiced against him?”

–I know I haven’t been convinced about Scorpius in the past—too much history with the Malfoys—but this isn’t prejudice. It’s common sense.”

Rose was exasperated. –Dad, I love Scorpius. That’s final. There’s nothing else to say about it.”

Her father responded, –Rosie, I know you love Scorpius. But raising kids requires more than love.” He thought for a moment and then continued. –It’s a partnership. It’s working together every day. It’s agreeing about money and time and so many other things.”

–Like you and Mum ever agree.”

Grinning briefly, her father corrected her. –Your mother and I fought about hundreds of tiny details every day. But,” here his face sobered, –we agreed on the values behind things. We agreed about the important things. Like equality. And bravery. And standing up for what’s right.”

–Scorpius and I do, too!”

–Do you really? How was Scorpius raised, Rosie? How will he want to raise his children? Do you really think that half-Weasley grandchildren are going to be invited to spend time at Malfoy Manor?”

–Yes!” Rose flashed defiantly, but inwardly she felt flickering of doubt. It was true that Scorpius had been given every material advantage as a child while Rose and Hugo had learned to save and to wait. It was also true that Scorpius’s grandparents wouldn’t even speak to Rose, so visits to the Manor were painful and brief. And it was true that Scorpius’s grandparents, at least, had continually talked about the superiority of magical blood, even though his parents had tried to balance this out with respect for Muggles.

Her father finished softly, –You marry the whole family, you know, not just the person you’re dating. And it’s even more complicated when you’re raising children. I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”

–Excuse me,” Rose gasped as she fled to the loo to throw up for the sixth time that morning.

Meanwhile, in the living room, Scorpius was trying to pretend he wasn’t aware of the conversation happening in the kitchen. He couldn’t hear the words that were being said, but he was pretty sure it wouldn’t be anything favorable about him. He was wondering if he should go in and interrupt when Hermione broke the silence between them.

–Scorpius,” she said, –help me out here. I’ve taken that potion, still do, in fact.”

Two bright red spots appeared on Scorpius’s pale cheeks. He did not want to think about Rose’s parents needing the potion now or at any other time in their lives.

–Er,” he muttered awkwardly, but Mrs. Weasley was already carrying on. –I did a lot of research on it, you know, before using it.”

He smiled feebly, knowing what the next question would be. Sure enough, Mrs. Weasley continued. –And what I’m wondering is how, when the potion is 100% accurate when brewed and ingested according to direction, it is possible that you and Rose conceived not one but two babies?”

Scorpius had a sudden flash of sympathy for all the defendants that Hermione Weasley had questioned or sentenced throughout her career in Magical Law.

–Umm,” he mumbled, wondering how it was that Rose’s parents reduced him to a stammering twelve-year-old. –Well, some of the ingredients in the cupboard were out of date, and…”

He trailed off, pinned by her skeptical gaze. –Scorpius, you’re a potions master. You’re not seriously telling me you keep bad ingredients in the cupboard.”

–Fine,” he sighed –Now mind you, what Rose and I agreed to say in case anyone asked was that we were trying to be careful but that there were some potions ingredients that had gone bad without us realizing.”

–But?” prompted Hermione.

–But the truth is that with certain substitutions, a contraceptive potion can easily become a fertility potion.” Mrs. Weasley’s eyes narrowed. Scorpius hastened to explain about the rosemary and the feverfew. When he was finished, Hermione was nodding thoughtfully.

–Thank you, Scorpius. I appreciate your honesty.” She hesitated, looking as if she were weighing her next words. Finally, she said, –You have to understand that, in the past, your father and grandfather have acted in bad faith. There hasn’t been a lot of honesty between our families in the past, and I knew you and Rose were hiding something, so I assumed the worst.”

–I’ve spent my whole life trying to make different choices than my grandfather’s. And my father has spent the rest of his life trying to make up for choices he made in the past.”

–This is probably a case of me judging you based on past experience rather than on what is in front of me,” Hermione admitted.

–We really weren’t trying to be dishonest,” Scorpius protested. –Rose was just embarrassed about the mix-up, even though it was an innocent mistake. She tries so hard to get everything right, and she didn’t want to tell anyone she had brewed it wrong. You know how vicious the press is, how Rita Skeeter would twist the situation to make us look foolish. Better to blame it on bad ingredients.”

–I’m glad to know that it really was an innocent mix-up.”

Relieved, Scorpius leaned forward. –Mrs. Weasley, I want you to know that I really will take care of Rose and that I want to have children and that it’s really okay, I mean, I’m okay, and we’re okay, I think, that all this is happening.” As the words tumbled out of his mouth, Scorpius was aware that he sounded absolutely inane, but he was relieved that Rose’s mum was being so reasonable, and he wanted to reassure her somehow.

His relief ended abruptly when she responded, –I just hope this doesn’t cause major upheaval in your family. It’s going to be hard enough on Rose to feel like she let us down without having to face accusation and anger from the Malfoy side.”

Scorpius and Hermione's conversation ended as Ron appeared with a tray of tea things, followed by Rose, who still looked a bit pale.

After an awkward and rather hasty tea punctuated by conversation about the weather, the Ministry, anything but the babies, Scorpius and Rose Floo-ed home. Scorpius flopped down on the couch. –It could’ve been a lot worse,” he said, rubbing a hand over tired eyes. Neither of them had slept well the night before.

–I think I’m going to be sick,” said Rose as she headed for the loo again.

Draco’s reaction was as icy and quiet as Ron’s had been loud and heated. –Excuse me,” he murmured, eyebrows raised. –I’m quite certain I didn’t hear you properly.”

Draco, Astoria, Rose, and Scorpius were seated on the silken sofas and lounges of the elegantly-furnished drawing room in Malfoy Manor. After having visited at Malfoy Manor for a few weeks, Lucius and Narcissa had gone back to the Paris flat that they owned and lived in most of the time. Draco and Astoria were always in much more buoyant spirits after the elder Malfoys had left, so the moment for Scorpius and Rose’s visit and revelation was as favorable as possible.

Unfortunately, Draco’s good mood seemed to have evaporated with Scorpius’s announcement.

–Oh, please, Father. You heard just fine. You just would rather not deal with what I said,” challenged Scorpius immediately. His father’s disdain always made him want to engage in direct confrontation.

–That is correct,” Draco affirmed. –I would rather what you said not be true at all.”

–Well, interestingly enough,” said Scorpius, matching Draco’s haughtiness, –it’s doubly true. Rose is having twins. We’re having twins,” he added quickly after catching an elbow from Rose who was sitting next to him.

Rose and Scorpius were becoming resigned to the long silences that punctuated this announcement.

–You have options,” Draco said at last.

Rose felt Scorpius stiffen beside her. –That is not something we are going to discuss,” he said firmly. –We are having twins.”

–That’s wonderful, love!” exclaimed his mother, merrily recovering her composure as Draco glowered from the other end of the drawing room sofa. –I’m so pleased. I’ve been looking forward to grandchildren for ages!”

–You have not,” Draco contradicted. –Just the other day you said it made you feel old to have a son who had graduated from Hogwarts five years ago.”

–Well, yes,” Astoria admitted, shrugging her shoulders, –but I’ve had at least four minutes now to think about the idea of grandchildren, and the more I think about it, the more I like it."

When Draco didn't respond, Astoria chattered on, "I plan to spoil them rotten, fill them full of sweets, and send them home to you.” She waved her hand grandly. –It is, above all else, what grandmothers should do to avenge all the trouble their children caused.”

Rose and Scorpius sagged against each other in relief. Winning over Astoria was halfway to winning over Draco.

–You do realize that you are not married?” Draco attacked again, ignoring his wife’s humor.

–Obviously we are not,” Scorpius said through gritted teeth.

–Well, that is hardly a problem,” Draco continued. –After all, though it certainly hasn’t been the case in the Malfoy family, I do believe numerous people settle down happily in marriage even after having children with someone else.”

It took Rose and Scorpius a moment to digest this, but when they had, Scorpius leapt to his feet, Rose restraining him with a hand on his shoulder. –It’s okay,” she murmured.

–No it is not!” Scorpius burst out indignantly. –Rose and I are planning to settle down happily in marriage. Right, Rose? Will you marry me?”

–Not exactly how I had imagined the proposal,” Rose said, frowning and collapsing back onto the beige chaise lounge. She intercepted a look from Astoria that clearly communicated Mrs. Malfoy’s frustration with the behavior of her son and husband.

–Son, I just don’t want you marrying—or proposing—hastily because of an accident,” Scorpius’s father said flatly, –especially if you’re not well-suited.”

–Bullshit,” Scorpius said flatly, ignoring his mother’s look of disapproval. –Bullshit. We are well-suited. I don’t want to marry anyone but Rose, no matter how many pure-bloods Grandmother has introduced to me.”

–That will hardly be acceptable to your grandparents,” Draco threw in the closer.

–Frankly, Father, I don’t give a damn.”

Rose giggled suddenly, drawing everyone’s eyes. She blushed. –Sorry. Muggle reference.”

Draco raised his eyebrows at Scorpius as if to say, ‘You see?’ –Scorpius, this is about culture, family culture. For us this isn’t about blood status.”

–No?” Scorpius asked, disbelieving.

–No. I realize it might be that for your grandparents, but that’s not how your mother and I raised you.” Astoria was nodding gently.

–For us, it’s about family history,” Draco finished.

–Well,” Astoria corrected, –your family history. The Greengrasses never really came out for or against Potter.”

–It’s not just about Potter!” Draco’s volume increased. –It’s about Weasley and his family never trusting us. It’s about things that happened in the past not being forgotten.”

–So we’re to just let our children grow up in two different homes because of something that happened in the past?” asked Scorpius sarcastically. –Sorry, Father. That’s not an option.”

Draco threw his hands up in defeat. –I’m just asking you to think through this decision carefully.”

–And I just think you’re blinded by what Grandfather and Grandmother have said about the Weasleys all these years.” Scorpius sat back down.

–If only that were it,” Draco muttered darkly.

–So when is the wedding to be?” asked Astoria in a blatant attempt to redirect the conversation.

Rose and Scorpius glanced at each other, suddenly aware that they were in for yet another ordeal. –We’ll get back to you, Mother,” Scorpius said in a strangled voice.

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Chapter 3 by Flourish and Blott

One month later, Rose and Scorpius eloped. Scorpius had reasoned it all out. The complications of inviting Lucius Malfoy to a wedding attended by an entire clan of blood-traitors were just too overwhelming. However, the complications of not inviting Lucius Malfoy to the wedding of his only grandson were also overwhelming. It was better to avoid the issue entirely.

Rose didn’t admit to herself that she was relieved not be paraded in front of people when her abdomen was already noticeably protruding.

The Saturday they had chosen to have the wedding dawned clear and bright, a perfect June day. She and Scorpius had finally agreed the night before to send Patronus messages to their parents and Hugo last-minute, inviting them to Ministry Courtroom 4 at 10:00 a.m. They had reasoned that the invitation might at least lessen the anger that was bound to ensue.

Lily had come to help Rose dress, and Albus had taken Scorpius out for breakfast. These were the only two cousins who knew about the wedding and would serve as best man and best woman (Lily considered –Maiden of Honor” to be an insulting title).

As Rose pulled on the knee-length ivory sundress that she and Lily had purchased a few weeks before, Rose was shocked to find that it was already quite tight.

Lily collapsed in giggles when she came into the room. –You look like a German barmaid.” Rose’s chest had undeniably grown several sizes in the intervening time.

–Fix it,” Rose pleaded. –You know I’m hopeless with fashion spells.”

–I know. It never ceases to amaze me that someone as brilliant as you with translations can’t do a simple re-sizing charm. See? Not a problem,” Lily reassured her, putting the finishing touches on the dress adjustments.

In the end, the dress hung perfectly, its empire waist mostly hiding Rose’s slightly swollen stomach. The two girls worked to neatly pin Rose’s auburn hair, leaving a few loose curls lying against her shoulders. –Gorgeous,” Lily pronounced. With a little makeup and some light perfume, Rose was ready to go.

–Half-an-hour early, too!” Lily exclaimed. –You might have just made history as the first bride to be ready for her wedding early.” Then she sighed. –Normally, I would suggest morning mimosas to pass the time, but you’ve got two good reasons not to drink.”

–We could still drink orange juice out of champagne flutes,” Rose suggested. –And if you happen to tip a little champagne into yours, I’ll pretend not to notice.”

–Hmm. Well, maybe I will. But only in honor of your nuptials, of course,” Lily giggled.

When they arrived outside Courtroom 4 at 9:59 a.m., it was to find Ron glaring from one side of the corridor and Draco glaring from the other. Rose would not have been shocked if a duel had broken out suddenly between them. Astoria and Hermione were desperately trying to fill the hallway with pleasantries: –Oh, why thank you! Yes, I got this necklace from Draco a few years ago,” and –I heard that you got those reforms for centaur rights passed. Quite impressive.”

Scorpius was nowhere to be seen, though Rose noticed Hugo and Albus lounging in the doorway at the other end of the hallway next to the loos. –Mum, Dad, Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy,” Rose said nodding at everyone and accepting hugs and kisses from her parents.

Scorpius finally appeared in the doorway, walking with Albus and Hugo down the hall to meet them. –Rose,” he said, his face lighting up, –you look lovely.” He leaned toward her as if to kiss her, but at the throat-clearing that erupted from both sides of the corridor, he pulled back and settled for taking her hand instead.

They all proceeded into the courtroom when the judge appeared, Draco and Ron taking up positions on opposite sides of the room.

They had signed all the papers ahead of time but had arranged with the judge to have a very short ceremony so that they could exchange vows. The ceremony in the courtroom passed in a blur.

Rose was aware of her shoes pinching her feet, of the tiny crack in Scorpius’s lip that said he had chewed worriedly on it all morning, of her father’s barely-contained distress, of Lily’s smile beside her. Then came the moment when she, Rose Hermione Weasley, had to pledge her faithful love to Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy. As she slowly repeated the vow, Scorpius’s eyes darkened to the color of slate that she saw only during especially intimate moments. And then it was her turn to listen to and accept his vow as she squeezed his hands in encouragement.

The ceremony itself had been surprisingly brief considering all it symbolized, Rose thought, as they walked down the aisle of the courtroom. Then again, her commitment to Scorpius had been made years ago when she had moved in with him knowing that she would do everything in her power to work out their relationship.

As everyone straggled back into the hallway, they looked awkwardly at each other. –We could go out to eat,” Hermione suggested. –It seems like we should have some kind of celebration now.”

Scorpius looked at Rose for her thoughts. She said, –Umm, that’s lovely of you all, but I’m not really feeling so well this morning. I think maybe a reception at a later date…”

Knowing how bad the morning sickness had been, everyone nodded and began to trickle away after offering their congratulations. When it was just Rose and Scorpius, he said, –I’m sorry you’re sick, this morning of all times!”

–Actually, I’m fine. Really. I just couldn’t face a painfully polite lunch,” Rose replied.

–Or a volatile one,” Scorpius agreed. –What a diplomatic avoidance of potential disaster!”

–We could still celebrate, though,” Rose suggested. –I’m feeling great now and we have lots of…er…celebrating to catch up on.” She raised one eyebrow suggestively.

–Hmm. Who needs lunch, after all?” Scorpius asked rhetorically.

They took a taxi back to their flat; Apparition was not a good idea when pregnant, Rose had learned when she had finally gone to see her regular Healer. Splinching was more of a danger when a witch was carrying a fetus in her body, apparently, and Flooing made her queasy. Rose had never appreciated the smoothness of Muggle travel more.

As soon as the door closed behind them, Scorpius reached up under Rose’s dress, slowly caressing her recently-enhanced curves. –I’ve been dying to do that all morning,” he breathed.

–Easy access. Could you wear dresses more often?”

–Scorpius.” She stopped him before he could pull the sundress over her head.

–What?”

–I’m…I’m going to get a lot bigger than this.”

–Yeah,” he said absently, running his hands up and down her back.

–Do you…do you mind?”

–Mind?” His hands stilled, and he looked at her incredulously. –Merlin, Rose, I’d be concerned if you didn’t get any bigger. And,” he winked mischievously, –I can’t complain when you get bigger in some very exciting areas, if you catch my drift.”

–Just wanted to…be sure,” Rose gasped as he pulled off her dress and began thoroughly kissing some of those areas.

–Rose.” He lifted her up, carried her into the kitchen, and set her on the counter so that they were at eye level. –I’m sure. I’m sure about this. All of it.”

Rose decided not to think about whether he was trying to convince her or himself with those words. Instead, she let the passion of the moment wash away all doubts.

–Happy marriage,” she murmured as she wrapped her legs around him.

–A boy and a girl,” Rose said wonderingly as they left St. Mungo’s two months later.

–Right,” Scorpius grinned. –Should I get a cab?”

–It’s not too far. And Merlin knows I need to get some exercise,” Rose replied, looking down at her bulging front. –Walking is good. Or maybe I should say waddling is good.”

–Rose!” Scorpius sounded indignant. –You never waddle.”

–Well, I did break a chair the other day,” Rose said as they both dissolved into laughter. It had been a bit rickety to begin with, and Rose was getting too big to lower herself gracefully into any seat. The sudden weight of her collapsing onto it had been too much for the chair. Fortunately, Scorpius had been at home and alert enough to cast a cushioning charm.

–So, thoughts about names?” Rose asked when they had stopped laughing.

–Whatever we name them, could we please make sure there’s a good way to shorten it? My parents were shortsighted in that regard. I’ve always hated ‘Scorpy,’ and ‘Scor’ isn’t much better.”

Rose stifled giggles at the distaste in Scorpius’s voice, saying, –Names with obvious nicknames. Check.”

–I’ve always liked Gemini for a boy. Jim or Jemmy, you know, for short,” Scorpius mused.

–Gemini!” Rose clapped her hand to her mouth in horror.

–What?”

–I can’t believe you want to inflict constellations on your children, considering the teasing you endured in childhood!”

–Not just any constellation names,” Scorpius protested. –Constellation names are fine as long as they’re somewhat normal. I mean, okay, my parents should have put a little more thought into Scorpius. But it’s nice to have names that have a story, don’t you think?”

–A story?”

–Well, at least a heritage. Something that connects them with other generations of their family.” They had stopped at a red light and were waiting for the crosswalk signal.

–Your family, you mean.”

Scorpius stared at her in confusion. –Rose,” he said carefully, –it will be their family, too. And it’s your family now.”

–Oh. Right. Excuse me for forgetting,” Rose fumed. –It’s my family now, a family that is trying to pretend that I’m not part of it.”

–Look, I know that my grandparents have refused to let us visit at Malfoy Manor when they’re there…” Scorpius began, but Rose interrupted.

–You mean they’ve refused to let me visit at Malfoy Manor. You have an open invitation so long as you don’t bring ‘that Weasley girl.’”

–Let me finish!” Scorpius exclaimed. –I know my grandparents haven’t been friendly to you. But no matter what my grandparents think, our children will still be part of the Malfoy family. They’ll have the Malfoy name. They’ll inherit Malfoy money.”

–And I would be just fine if they had nothing to do with the house of Malfoy!” Rose snapped. The crosswalk had gone from –Walk” back to –Don’t Walk,” but Rose and Scorpius had stopped on the sidewalk and were now facing each other angrily.

–Do you really mean that?” Scorpius asked softly, his shoulders slumping.

Rose blew out an exasperated breath. –Ugh. No, I guess not. But kind of.”

–Rose, I’m part of the Malfoy family, whether I like it all the time or not. I’ve had to come to terms with that.”

–Oh, I know,” Rose put a hand to her aching back. –Look, this is silly. We’re standing in the middle of the sidewalk having a row.”

Scorpius glanced around. –Let’s go to that café across the street,” he suggested.

Scorpius offered to order for both of them and steered Rose to a table where she sank thankfully into a chair. It was getting harder to stand or walk for extended periods of time. The weight from her front made her back hurt. She glared at the woman at the next table who was staring at Rose’s belly.

Rose had discovered that people looked at her stomach instead of her face now, and it infuriated her. –Like I’m just a walking womb!” she had exclaimed to Scorpius in frustration more than once. Wizarding robes were better because they offered a little more concealment, but they were not practical for August weather…or for walking about Muggle London, for that matter. Today she had on a long, loose grey top and stretchy, comfortable black capri leggings.

When Scorpius returned, balancing two scones, a black coffee, and some herbal tea, she eagerly reached for the food. –I thought you might be hungry,” he grinned as he nudged the chair across from her out with his foot and sat down.

–Mmmm,” she replied, breaking off a corner of the scone. –Malfoy, you might know how to get me riled up, but you also know how to be endearing.”

–It’s not so hard these days,” Scorpius smirked boyishly. –Food and…” He broke off as he noticed the woman at the next table staring at them again. –Hmm,” he cleared his throat, changing his comment. –Food and back rubs.”

Rose glared possessively at the woman who was looking appreciatively at Scorpius’s tall frame and tousled hair. Usually she didn’t care when women noticed Scorpius—he was handsome, after all, and she was proud that he was with her—but today she felt unsure of herself and their relationship.

–Okay,” Scorpius sighed, completely unaware of the interchange. Rose turned her attention back to her husband as he said, –I think the break was good, but we really should go back to our discussion. We were talking about you not wanting our children to have anything to do with the Malfoys.”

–It’s not that,” Rose protested. –It’s just that your family has money.”

–You never seemed bothered by that before.”

As she intercepted another glance from the woman beside them, Rose lowered her voice. –I wasn’t. But now I’m realizing that your grandparents have money and are willing to use it manipulatively against me. They might try to buy the twins’ affection. And our poor babies will constantly be judged by what your grandparents did in the war.”

–I know,” Scorpius conceded, –but the Malfoy name isn’t all bad. The Malfoys built a potions import business. They funded lots of research at St. Mungo’s, and they gave money to Hogwarts for repairs.”

The woman beside them finally got up to leave, and Rose let out a breath of relief. It was a strain to argue in whispers so that they wouldn’t violate the Statute of Secrecy.

–I know,” Rose reassured Scorpius. –It’s not that I think the Malfoy family is all bad. I’m just angry right now. And I feel protective, I guess.”

Scorpius nodded. –Totally understandable. But I want my children to have a connection to my family, to have history and heritage, even if it’s not all something to be proud of.”

–You mean you want our children to have a connection to your family?” Rose emphasized.

–Rose. You know I know they’re our children. But I know that they will have a connection to your family. You’ve got so bloody many relatives that they can’t help but hear stories and feel a bond with the Weasleys. I guess,” Scorpius admitted, –I guess I’m afraid that they might feel less proud to be Malfoys. Merlin knows that I’ve felt that way at times.”

Rose acknowledged the possibility of Scorpius’s worry. –I see.”

Scorpius stretched slightly and then leaned towards her. His eyes had shadows beneath them, and Rose remembered that he had worked quite late last night in order to take time to be with her for the Healer’s appointment this morning.

–I’m sorry,” she whispered, lacing her fingers through his.

–We knew this would come up again and again,” Scorpius said, –family and all. We just work it out one moment at a time.”

–Yeah,” Rose responded, –but could we work it out some way other than Gemini?”

–All right. I will nobly sacrifice my dream of a son named Gemini.” Smirking at her, he asked, –So how would you feel about Columba for the girl?”
Back to index
Chapter 4 by Flourish and Blott

Eight weeks later, Rose was staring up from the examining table at her Healer in dismay. –You mean I can’t go to work.”

–Mrs. Malfoy,” Healer Hazelwood articulated carefully, –I mean that you cannot get out of bed.”

Scorpius interjected over Rose’s fuming, –What about the sofa? Or a chair?”

The Healer helped Rose sit up, propping a pillow behind her. –One week in bed. Then you can try the sofa or chair. And most definitely no Flooing or Portkey travel. Too much jostling might bring on premature labor.”

–I can’t do it,” wailed Rose.

–If you don’t, then these babies will be born sooner than they should be.” Healer Hazelwood held Rose’s eyes with hers. –I know it isn’t easy,” she said compassionately, –but you came in because you were having regular contractions. You’re only 34 weeks along, and the babies are quite small—twins often are smaller than singles. It would be better if the babies have time to do more growing—especially some lung development—before they come out into the world.”

Tears trickled down Rose’s cheeks. She was exhausted. The twins were now kicking her all night, every night, and it was impossible to sleep for any great length of time. She just wanted her life back to normal again, but it would never go back to the way it had been. They were going to have to make a new normal, Scorpius had pointed out just the day before, but saying something and doing something were two different things, as her Grandma Weasley liked to declare.

Scorpius was already making plans. That was his method of coping: logic and reason.

Back in his first year at Hogwarts, when he had been getting picked on by the Slytherins for being in Ravenclaw, he had reasonably informed them that Ravenclaw was likely to help neutralize the stigma attached to his name. Then, he had created a detailed schedule of every class he had and every Ravenclaw in his year who had that class with him. Systematically, he had made sure he walked to class taking a slightly different route with a different Ravenclaw every day, being predictably unpredictable. By keeping a friend with him at all times and taking unusual routes, he had circumvented his would-be tormentors. After a year of never being able to find him, the Slytherins had given up in disgust. By second year, he was too tall and too talented for the other second-years to take on anyway.

Rose had admired the quiet way he had handled the situation. It had not at all been what her dad had led her to expect from a Malfoy, and it had been the start of their friendship.

Today, Rose did not find Scorpius’s tendencies toward logic and reason to be impressive or lovable. As Scorpius prated on about inviting different family members to stay with her at the flat on different days, she came undone. –I will NOT be treated like I’m helpless, like an invalid. I don’t need a baby-sitter!” she yelled, causing a Healer’s assistant to peek in the doorway in concern.

–I wasn’t saying—– Scorpius began reasonably, but Rose was in full steam now. –I’m sick and tired of this. You can stop now. I don’t need you and your concern.”

Healer Hazelwood discreetly slipped out of the room. Scorpius stared at Rose in shock, hurt registering on his face. The two of them hardly ever yelled at each other. Rose had watched too many painful fights from her own parents, and Scorpius had hated his father’s icy anger. They had agreed to take time to calm down and to work things out without unkindness.

At the moment, though, Rose didn’t care what they had agreed upon. She realized she was stabbing at Scorpius with every word she spoke, but in the heat of the moment, she was taking a savage pleasure in doing so. –Just leave. Leave now. Don’t come back. I don’t want you.”

–But…” Scorpius tried one more time.

–No!” Rose screamed. –I hate that I’m in this mess. And you helped get me here. I hate you! And your family. So get out. Now!”

Scorpius turned on his heel, squaring his shoulders proudly as he walked out the door.

Rose felt viciously relieved for a moment after venting her frustration. Then she slumped down against the pillows in a storm of tears.

She roused slightly to drink a cup of tea that a Trainee Healer brought and then broke down sobbing again. She was a mean, evil person. She didn’t deserve Scorpius in the first place, and now she had driven him off. She deserved to be alone for the rest of her life.

A few minutes later, Healer Hazelwood returned to the room to find Rose asleep. Nodding in satisfaction, she walked down the hall to send an owl.

At the Ministry, Scorpius sat at his desk, head in his hands. He and Rose rarely shouted at each other, Rose having grown up hearing far too many shouting matches between her parents to want to argue that way. Rose’s words echoed in his ears. –I hate you!” It was the one thing they had promised never to say to each other. There had been too much hatred between their families.

Scorpius had been staring at the same list of potion ingredients for twenty minutes and had yet to actually go find any of them in the storeroom. Archie McMillan roused him from this stupor with a loud –Oy!”

Scorpius looked up listlessly to see Archie lounging in the door of his office.

–Malfoy, get off your lazy arse,” Archie prodded. –You’re just sitting there without moving.” He paused. –Hey, you look like hell.”

–Thanks a lot, McMillan.”

–No, really. What’s wrong? Is Rose okay?” Archie asked in concern. The former-Hufflepuff had fancied Rose in their third year at Hogwarts, but Scorpius knew that Archie had moved on from his crush years ago. He and Scorpius were now amiable colleagues, maybe even nominal friends.

–No,” Scorpius replied, chewing his lower lip.

–Yeah, Dorothea was sick and tired and moody when she was pregnant,” Archie said, referring to his wife of four years.

–She told me to get out. To leave and not come back.” Scorpius was horrified to find that his eyes were pricking with tears. He shook his head, went to the sink in the corner of the office usually used for dumping potions ingredients, and splashed water on his face.

Archie looked on in concern. Finally, he said, –Sometimes you can’t win.”

–Yeah, don’t I know it,” Scorpius grunted from behind the towel he was using.

–Hey, I came down because this just arrived for you by owl post,” Archie said, tossing a folded piece of parchment on Scorpius’s desk.

–Thanks,” Scorpius responded, picking it up as Archie left. The letterhead was St. Mungo’s, and Scorpius frantically tore it open to read:

Mr. Malfoy, Don’t worry. Your wife is asleep now. I gave her a calming draught in a cup of tea about twenty minutes ago. I wouldn’t dwell too much on what Mrs. Malfoy said. If you want some advice from someone who’s dealt with many pregnant witches, my suggestion would be to come back in an hour or so after she’s slept it off. Sincerely, Healer Hespira Hazelwood

Scorpius dashed off a quick thank you note, which he sent with a clerk to the Ministry Owlery. Then he popped his head into the Potions Department Head’s office. –Lisa?” Lisa Turpin looked up from the memo she was frowning over.

–Hello, Scorpius!” she said.

–Hey, Rose isn’t doing so well. Early contractions and all. They put her on bed rest. I think I need to go to St. Mungo’s and get her home,” Scorpius said, mendaciously leaving out a few pertinent facts.

–Oh, no!” Lisa stood, stretching out her hand to grasp Scorpius’s in concern. –Please tell her that we wish her the best. And of course you should be with her. Get out of here.”

Grateful for Lisa’s understanding, Scorpius took the lift away from the Potions offices. He had one more stop to make before St. Mungo’s.

At the entrance to the Auror Department, he handed over his wand to be weighed, gave his name, and sat down to wait for a clerk to come and usher him back to the Assistant Head Auror’s office. He stood abruptly in shock when Ron Weasley himself came out instead.

–Scorpius,” Ron said, nodding stiffly.

–Mr. Weasley,” Scorpius hesitated, looking at the security guard who was eying the two with unabashed curiosity. –Look, could we go back to your office for a moment? I wanted to talk with you.”

Ron turned wordlessly and led the way to the back. Scorpius returned Harry’s greeting as they passed him in the hall but didn’t linger to talk. When they reached the Assistant Head Auror office, Ron stepped aside to allow Scorpius in.

–Now,” he growled, closing the door, –what did you want to discuss?”

Scorpius wondered for the tenth time that minute whether this had been a good idea. –I wanted you to hear this as soon as possible because I think Rose is going to need you.”

–Are you breaking up with her?” Ron raged, jumping up from the chair he’d just sat down in.

–No!” Scorpius replied hurriedly. –I’m not!”

Ron stayed standing, arms crossed across his broad chest. His bright red hair might have some flecks of white in it, but he was in excellent physical condition and taller than Scorpius. –What, then?”

Self-consciously, Scorpius raised himself to his full height. –The healer just put her on bed rest. She’s been having contractions, and today they got worse. She sent me a Patronus just before I left for lunch, so I went straight over to St. Mungo’s.”

Ron’s angry frown relaxed as he leaned urgently toward Scorpius. –Is she okay? Is she safe? What about the babies?”

–She’s not in any danger right now,” Scorpius responded, –and the babies should be fine, too, if she stays off her feet. I just wanted to let you know. I don’t think Rose is going to enjoy being in bed all day. She might need you and Mrs. Weasley…” Scorpius trailed off uncertainly.

–What aren’t you telling me?” asked Ron.

Scorpius didn’t know what to do. He hadn’t planned to tell Mr. Weasley about his fight with Rose at all. He had planned to go to St. Mungo’s immediately and try to work things out with Rose, but he had thought that at least one person in Rose’s family should know what was going on. Now Ron had sensed that Scorpius wasn’t saying everything.

Under Mr. Weasley’s questioning gaze, Scorpius finally mumbled, –We had a fight. I was trying to figure out how to make the bed rest situation better, and she threw me out of the hospital room. She’s still there.”

Ron guffawed, appreciating the mental picture of Scorpius being driven out of the hospital by his enraged daughter. Scorpius tried to conceal the irritation and hurt that swept over him. He was having the worst day he could remember in a long time, and here Mr. Weasley was, laughing at him. Ron hadn’t been interrogating suspects for years without learning to read emotions on the faces of those he questioned, though, so he sobered at Scorpius’s obvious distress.

–Malfoy,” Ron said, putting his hand on Scorpius’s shoulder. –Scorpius.” He tried not to grimace at the name as he said it. –Look, Rose is like her mother. She bottles things up until she explodes.” He held up a hand. –It’s not pretty, mind you, but that’s how it is. I’ve survived many years of marriage by learning when to ignore the jabs Hermione gives.”

–Huh,” said Scorpius wonderingly, –I would’ve thought you were the one with the temper.”

–Well,” Ron admitted, –yes. But mine is right away. I get mad, yell a bit, and then calm down and think things through. Hermione is the more level-headed one usually. But when she gets upset, she’s smart enough to know exactly which things to say to hurt the most. And she doesn’t hold back.”

–Yeah,” Scorpius sighed, –I know what you mean.”

–I can’t believe I’m going to tell you this, but here’s my advice. Wait a bit to let her calm down. Then go back to the hospital and give Rose a chance to apologize. She’ll probably come around.”

Scorpius stared at Mr. Weasley in shock. Had he just heard correctly? Mr. Weasley was advising him to go back and try again with Rose?

–I know, I know,” Ron joked weakly. –Please don’t tell anyone what I just said. It’ll ruin my reputation as a hard-ass forever. To maintain my image, I should tell you that I still don’t like your father, you know.”

–Well, I’d say he doesn’t really like you either,” Scorpius returned defensively, family pride hurt, –so I guess you’re even.”

Ron laughed. –Git,” he said. Scorpius wasn’t sure if Ron was referring to him or Draco, but he decided not to inquire further. After saying his good-byes, he rushed off to St.Mungo’s.

When he got to St. Mungo’s labor and delivery ward, he found Healer Hazelwood standing outside of the door to the room Rose had been in earlier.

–She’s still in there,” whispered the Healer, –but she’ll probably be waking up soon. Do you want to go in?”

–Um, I think so?” Scorpius wavered.

–All right. I’ll leave you to it then,” she smiled as she clapped him encouragingly on the back.

Scorpius leaned against the wall, his stomach clenching. –Not a Gryffindor,” he muttered. He stayed that way for a few moments until he realized he was drawing the pitying gazes of all the Medi-witches and wizards who passed by. The insult to his Malfoy pride was enough to drive him through the doorway when courage failed.

Once inside, he stared at Rose. Lying on her side, she was breathing deeply, regularly, but her face looked puffy and red. Her long braid had come loose against the pillow, and she had one hand twisted in the pillowcase. Deciding it was better to be on the offensive than the defensive, Scorpius walked over stroked her hair. –Rose? Hey, Rosie?”

She blinked, disoriented, as she woke up, and then the memory of the previous events crashed down on her. –Oh,” she groaned, starting to cry again.

Scorpius looked at her anxiously. –It’s okay, Rose. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Rose sobbed harder.

–Rosie,” he repeated frantically.

–No, no,” she gulped, –I’m sorry.”

–You don’t want to leave me, then?” Scorpius sagged in relief.

–I can’t believe you don’t want to leave me. I was horrible,” Rose gulped.

–Yes,” Scorpius conceded, –you were. But I probably shouldn’t have jumped in with planning just then. I know you needed time to process.”

–Scorpius, everything just feels out of control. I feel out of control. Half the time I feel like I can’t control what I’m saying or doing.”

–And you like to be in control,” Scorpius finished, suddenly understanding. The twins, the contractions, the bed rest, all these things had been out of her control, and Rose had lashed out at something she could exert control over: her relationship with him.

–Yes,” Rose sniffled, trying to reach the tissues on the table by the bed. Scorpius handed them to her and then sat down next to her. –I panicked,” Scorpius admitted to her. –I thought you didn’t want to be with me anymore. I tried to draw up a financial plan for how much you and the babies would need each month to stay in the flat if I weren’t there, but I couldn’t do it.”

Rose gave a watery chuckle. –Not even able to plan, huh, Scorpius? You’ve got it bad,” she teased.

He took her face between his hands. –Yes. And please don’t ever throw me out again. You can yell, you can scream, hell, you can even throw things at me. But don’t tell me you hate me. And please don’t tell me to leave. I can’t take it.”

–No ejecting husband from flat. Check,” Rose said.

–By the way,” Scorpius disclosed, –I went to see your father on the way to the hospital.”

–Scorpius!” Rose squeaked. –Why would you do such a thing?”

–Well, I thought at least one of your family members should know about the bed rest. But he realized I wasn’t telling him everything, and so I sort of had to mention that we had a fight,” Scorpius finished.

–Oh, great.”

–No, it was okay, actually. He told me to wait a bit for you to calm down and then try to make it up.”

–What?” Rose asked blankly.

–Yeah. Odd, huh?”

–Maybe he’s coming around.”

–Well, he ended the conversation by reiterating that he doesn’t like my father, so I’m not sure that this is a dramatic change.”

–My dad getting along with your dad is probably too much to ask for,” Rose shrugged. –Hey, how am I going to get home?”

–You want to go home?”

–Git.” Somehow, the word sounded much less threatening coming from Rose than it did from her father.

By dint of a stretcher, a cab, and then a levitation spell that Scorpius performed at the steps of the flat after the cabbie had driven off, they managed to get Rose to the bed. –I guess I’ll make dinner,” Scorpius remarked uncertainly. Thinking of several blackened messes, Rose grimaced. She was usually the one to do the cooking.

–Or you could order takeout?” she compromised. Looking relieved, Scorpius headed off to complete the task. Rose shifted on the bed, trying to get comfortable. It was going to be a long week.

End Notes:
One of my favorite HP fanfic writers is St. Margaret's who posts at PhoenixSong.net. She has a lovely fic called "Roger and Lisa: A Romance" that I really loved. The Lisa Turpin in my story is a little shout-out to St. Margaret's.
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Chapter 5 by Flourish and Blott

After the Healer pronounced Rose okay to rest on the sofa or in a chair, things improved a bit. She was able to do some translations for Gringotts from home, which helped to keep her occupied. There were also frequent visitors to the flat, and Rose decided not to inquire if Scorpius had scheduled them or not.

On a Saturday morning two-and-a-half weeks later, Scorpius rolled out of bed to intercept the owl tapping madly at the glass of the bedroom window. –It’s Sinclair,” he said, recognizing his mother’s owl. He handed Rose the letter while he hastened to the kitchen cupboard to find the owl treats.

When he came back, she read him the short missive:

Dear Scorpius and Rose, It was lovely to spend the morning with you last week, Rose. Thank you for having me over.

Rose snorted. –As if I were doing her the favor instead of her coming to relieve my boredom.”

–Mother is ever polite. But she was probably smiling as she wrote that,” Scorpius interjected.

Rose continued reading:

Your father and I find ourselves with a whole Saturday free. Your grandparents went off to the Continent. Their Portkey got moved up, so they ended up leaving today instead of Monday. I know that Rose isn’t able to Apparate, Floo, or Portkey right now, which does make visiting difficult, but I thought she might want to get out of the house anyway.

–That would be nice,” Rose muttered before finishing the letter:

We still have the magic carpet that my grandparents brought back from Arabia many years ago. I can send Tally over with it if you would care to fly out for a visit. I’ll await your Floo call. Love, Mother

Rose and Scorpius stared at each other for a moment. –Aren’t flying carpets illegal?” Rose finally inquired.

–Technically, yes, but only because they are large and easier for Muggles to see. And because the broom companies conspired to pass legislation against them,” Scorpius informed her, –not because they’re actually dangerous. When I was little, we used the flying carpet sometimes. Father just put strong invisibility and Muggle-repelling charms on it.”

–So I could lie down on the carpet,” Rose mused, –and even bring pillows. It would be like I’m still in bed! Oh, please, let’s go! I have got to get out of this room. I swear it gets smaller every day. I think the walls are moving closer.”

–Well,” Scorpius paused thoughtfully, –I guess there’s no real harm, is there? You won’t be under any strain. If Father is rude, we can leave right away.”

–Even if he’s rude, he’s better company than my own thoughts, which are really what I’ve been spending most of my time with,” Rose asserted wryly.

–All right,” Scorpius said as he headed towards the fireplace, –let’s do it. It’s a beautiful fall day.”

Rose did some cleaning spells on herself and stood to get dressed, grimacing at a strong cramp in her back. After it passed, she pulled on one of Scorpius’s old school jumpers since none of hers would fit anymore. Then she put on robes, reflecting that even these were getting a bit tight around the middle.

After she had finished getting ready, she sat down in the chair, ignoring another twinge in her back and watching Scorpius as he raced around the apartment, setting it to rights and gathering pillows. Tally the house elf appeared a moment later with her tiny arms stretched around a large rolled carpet. She curtsied bashfully and disappeared again, leaving Scorpius to unroll the carpet in the living room, carefully cover it with spells, and then escort Rose out.

–I feel a little like a princess being born on a litter,” she giggled as Scorpius got on, pulled up both sides, and urged the carpet out the doorway.

As they flew over London, Rose snuggled beneath the blankets that Scorpius had piled on her. He was wrapped in his cloak, eagerly pointing out different sights. Rose reveled in the feeling of the sun on her face and shifted to find a more comfortable position. She hoped her back wasn’t going to hurt like this all day. She really wanted to enjoy the time away from London.

A few hours later, the carpet touched down just in front of the front porch of Malfoy Manor, and Scorpius reversed the charms that had been hiding it. Tally appeared at the door and waved them around the house to the back garden where, she squeaked, the Master and Missus could be found drinking lemonade. Scorpius flew the carpet around and landed them gently next to the burbling fountain. His parents had already set out a cushioned chaise lounge for Rose, he noticed in appreciation.

After he had helped her settle in, he turned to kiss his mother and hug his father. –Thank you so much for sending the carpet!” he grinned.

Rose agreed, –I really, really appreciate it. I was starting to go crazy in the flat.”

–I suspected as much when I visited last week,” Astoria responded.

They chatted a bit about Scorpius’s job, some of Rose’s recent translating work, and a particularly valuable shipment of unicorn hair that Draco was expecting from South America that week. As Scorpius and Draco launched into a complicated discussion of the most effective use of unicorn hair in brewing protective potions, Rose stood, stretching her back, and excused herself to go to the loo.

–Do you want to take the carpet? Or I could help you in?” Scorpius broke off his discussion long enough to ask.

–No, no.” Rose waved her hand. –I’ll go slowly. It’s just a few steps and down the hall.”

–Would you like some food?” Astoria called after her as Rose climbed the stairs. –I’m going to request some lunch from Tally.”

–Maybe just a little something. And some tea,” Rose called back.

Just as she entered the hallway inside, a contraction almost doubled her over. She clutched the doorframe to keep from falling. Breathing heavily, she straightened slowly. That was strange. She hadn’t really had any contractions since the day she had gone to St. Mungo’s, and she had taken potions regularly each morning to prevent early labor.

Except that she hadn’t this morning, she realized. She had been too busy getting ready for the carpet ride. Maybe it wasn’t labor, just a pesky cramp, she reasoned as she made her way to the loo. Once inside, though, she clutched at the counter as another one rolled through her body. Gasping, she stood, trying to collect her thoughts.

She was in labor. She was several hours’ drive from St. Mungo’s, not supposed to Floo, Apparate, or Portkey, and she was pretty sure flying an illegal carpet into the heart of London would be frowned upon.

–Thank you, Tally,” Astoria said, gracefully relieving the elf of the lunch tray. She set everything out on the table, enjoying listening to her husband and son partake in such an animated and mutually engaging discussion. She had been right to invite Scorpius and Rose out today, she thought with satisfaction. Draco had gradually been softening towards Rose, even mentioning last week something he wanted to be sure to do –when the grandchildren are here.”

Astoria had seized the opportunity to make things better in their relationship with Scorpius and Rose. Lucius and Narcissa had left town at just the right time, and now Draco could get to know Rose a little better without being influenced by their dark comments.

As she finished pouring out the tea, it occurred to her that Rose had been gone quite a while. Perhaps fifteen minutes? Twenty?

–I’ll be right back,” she interjected softly, and Draco nodded.

When she entered the house, she was startled to hear a whimper from down the hallway. Rose was sitting in a straight-backed chair next to the drawing room doorway with both hands pressed against her swollen belly.

–Rose?” Astoria called.

–Yes,” Rose gasped.

–Are you in labor?”

–Yes.”

–Oh dear.”

–My thoughts exactly,” panted Rose as the contraction eased and she was able to relax again. –And the worst part is that I really don’t think I can get out of this chair without some help.”

Their eyes met, and suddenly they both started laughing, stopping only when Rose stiffened in pain again. Astoria put a hand against Rose’s stomach, looking at her watch. When the contraction ended, Astoria stated calmly, –That was about thirty seconds. Has your water broken?”

–I think so,” Rose responded, sounding a bit dazed, –I think it did while I was in the loo.”

–Tally?” Astoria called out.

–Missus wanted Tally?” the elf squeaked, appearing in the hallway.

–Yes, thank you, Tally,” Astoria replied. –Rose is in labor. Would you go out and inform Draco and Scorpius?”

–Of course, Missus. Missus should have called Tally sooner,” Tally scolded.

–Yes, well, Missus just realized what was going on,” Astoria muttered, slipping an arm under Rose’s and helping lift her to her feet. –You’ve been in here for a while, but it only just occurred to me that you might need help.”

Rose clutched at Astoria through another contraction while Astoria checked her watch. –And they’re about three-and-a-half minutes apart. That came on fast.”

–Well,” Rose gasped, –my back’s been cramping all morning.”

–Ah,” Astoria nodded in understanding. –You’ve probably been in the early stages of labor since this morning then. It just now got bad enough to notice.”

–Rose!” Scorpius was yelling from down the hallway, skidding toward them. –Rose, Tally just said…”

Astoria cut him off, saying succinctly, –Rose is in labor. She’s okay right now, but we’ll probably need a Healer here because I don’t think there will be time to make it back to London.”

Draco had followed Scorpius at a slightly more sedate pace. –I’ll Floo St. Mungo’s,” he offered. –What’s her Healer’s name?”

–Hazelwood,” Scorpius replied, chewing on his lip as Rose bent under the onslaught of another contraction. Astoria swayed slightly, her small frame struggling to hold Rose up. Scorpius finally realized he should probably be helping to support his wife and put an arm around her. –Should we take her to a bedroom?” he asked doubtfully.

Nodding, Astoria said gently, –Rose, sweetheart?”

–I’m okay,” Rose responded.

–We need to get you down the hall to the bedroom. Scorpius is going to carry you.”

At Rose’s nod, Scorpius gently lifted and carried her into the first floor guest room, opulently decorated in blue. –Ravenclaw!” Rose exclaimed as Scorpius laid her on the bed, helping her settle comfortably against the pillows.

–What?” Scorpius looked confused.

–The babies can be born in the Ravenclaw room,” Rose stated.

–Right.” Scorpius’s mind was on other things. –Mother, can you stay here with Rose? I think I should Floo her parents.”

–Is that all right, Rose? I’ll be right here with you, and Scorpius will be back as soon as possible.”

–Fine,” Rose ground out as she focused on the next contraction. She gripped Astoria’s hand.

Scorpius fled the room, listening to his wife’s moans and berating himself for agreeing to this trip.

After Scorpius left and the contraction ended, Rose asked Astoria, –Why does Mr. Malfoy hate me if he doesn’t care about blood purity?”

Astoria was taken aback. She had thought Rose would be too focused on labor to think about anything else. Then again, perhaps this conversation would help distract her daughter-in-law from the pain, so Astoria responded slowly, –It’s not hatred, sweetheart. It’s guilt.”

–Guilt?”

–He wishes he had made different decisions during the war.”

–But his parents and his whole family pushed him into helping Voldemort, right?” Rose protested.

–True. But he never liked the torture or the killing that happened. He was not a murderer, unlike some of the Dark Lord’s followers who were doing it for pleasure. And yet he never stood up against any of it, never followed his true convictions, always let others dictate how he would act. He regrets it.”

–Doesn’t make sense,” Rose panted through another contraction, squeezing Astoria’s hand hard. –Why would that set him against Scorpius marrying me?”

Astoria sighed. –It’s probably your parents you should hear this from.”

–Just tell me!” Rose demanded. –I know there are secrets being kept.”

–Rose, you look very like your mother, even though your hair is a different color.”

–What does that have to do with anything?”

Astoria paused for a moment and then explained. –Your mother and father and Harry were held here during the war as prisoners.”

–Here?”

–Yes. The Dark Lord used this house as one of his bases of operation. They were captured and held here. And tortured.”

Rose gasped. Astoria touched Rose’s stomach to time the length of the contraction, but then she realized Rose wasn’t in pain; she was just shocked.

–And Mr. Malfoy feels guilty that his house and family were involved?” Rose asked at last, ending with a gasp that did indicate a contraction this time. Rose groaned as the pain intensified from tight cramping to a grinding ache deep in her pelvic bone.

When the pain was over, Astoria brushed the hair off Rose’s forehead and returned to their conversation. –Draco feels guilty that he was there watching it happen and never stood up against it.”

–Oh,” Rose whispered, wrung out by the pain of the contractions and the shock of what Astoria had told her.

–He still has nightmares about it,” Astoria confided, –though he would be furious if he knew I had told you that.”

–So he doesn’t hate me?” Rose asked, sounding hopeful. –I’ve thought a lot about our children being part of our families. I want them to know both of their granddads.”

–And you thought that Draco might not want to accept grandchildren from a family he hated?”

–Yes,” Rose acknowledged.

–Family is of utmost importance to Draco, which was a curse when his parents sided with the Dark Lord but a blessing when it came to Scorpius and me. And,” Astoria added, smiling, –it will be a blessing in the case of his grandchildren too. He would never reject his own blood.”
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Chapter 6 by Flourish and Blott
As Scorpius rushed down the hallway, he almost rammed headlong into his father. –Fortunately, Healer Hazelwood was at St. Mungo’s,” his father informed him, –and she’s on her way.”

–Good,” Scorpius breathed, relieved. –Now I’m going to Floo Rose’s parents, let them know they can come if they want to.”

–Son,” Draco protested, –you cannot invite them here.”

–Father, this is no time for your ridiculous grudge against the Weasleys,” Scorpius bellowed, continuing on to the drawing room. The dark green walls glowed with the light filtering in through the windows.

–It’s not a grudge. You don’t understand.” Draco gestured frantically around the room. –You cannot invite them here!” Galvanized by an audible groan from Rose down the hall, Scorpius grabbed a handful of Floo powder. Before Draco could stop him, Scorpius had dropped to his knees and thrown the powder in the fireplace.

When he pulled his head back out of the fire, he was shocked to see his father sitting on the sofa, head on his knees.

–Father?” he pleaded. –Rose is close to her family. They need to be here.”

–It’s not that. It’s…Hermione Granger was tortured, horribly tortured. In this very room. Aunt Bellatrix used the Cruciatus curse on her,” Draco divulged tonelessly. –That is why I said you couldn’t invite them.”

Scorpius backed up until his knees hit a chair and he fell into it. Tense seconds ticked by as father and son stared at one another.

The fireplace flared suddenly, and Hermione Weasley stepped out, brushing soot from her robes. –Scorpius,” she cried, –how’s Rose?” Ron’s figure sprawled out of the fireplace behind her.

When Draco stood up from his place on the sofa, Hermione suddenly realized where she was. Scorpius could see it on her face, in the way her lips compressed and her hand clenched around her wand. Ron drew in a sharp breath.

Hermione and Ron both glanced up at the ceiling. Draco stepped forward. –We didn’t replace it,” he said, spreading his hands. –Astoria and I didn’t want any reminders here.”

The four were silent a moment, grouped unmoving in front of the hearth.

Suddenly, the quiet was pierced by Rose’s scream from down the hall.

Ron’s face went dead white. –Excuse me,” he said, through clenched teeth, stumbling out the front hallway that was lined with portraits. In his haste, he left the front door open, and Scorpius could hear him retching into the flower bushes.

–Hermione,” Draco whispered. –I’m sorry. I never meant…”

She stepped forward and placed a hand deliberately on his left forearm. Scorpius saw his father flinch and was reminded once again that his father never wore short sleeves. –Draco, you were just a boy.”

He laughed bitterly. –That didn’t stop Potter from being a hero.”

–Harry had no choice in the matter,” Hermione continued softly. –Voldemort was coming for him whether he stood and fought or gave in. You were in a different position.”

Draco’s face twisted into a mask of derision. –I was in the position of watching while she tortured you.”

–But you didn’t like it.”

–I didn’t like it,” his father repeated, –but I didn’t try to stop it.”

–Draco,” Hermione said very deliberately, –I forgive you.”

For the first time he could remember, Scorpius saw tears in his father’s eyes as he turned his face away.

Hermione released his arm and pulled back her wildly wavy hair. –We all have scars, you know.” Scorpius could see a thin, white line trailing down Mrs. Weasley’s neck. She touched his father’s arm again, tapping just above the wrist. –On the outside and the inside. I think yours are worse than mine, but they wouldn’t be so bad if you could forgive yourself. Now go after him,” she ordered, gesturing towards the door.

Draco straightened, looking as if he were gathering his courage, and moved towards the front hall. –Still bossy as ever,” he tossed over his shoulder as he started out. –You’ve always been a know-it-all, Granger…er, Weasley.”

Hermione laughed. –Oh, Malfoy?” she called after him.

He paused, turned back slightly.

–Don’t listen to the first thing he says. He always regrets the first thing he says later. Just stick with him until you’ve finished it.”

Draco’s shoulders squared, and he nodded. Hermione and Scorpius listened to his footsteps recede down the front hall.

–So …” Scorpius began, but he was stopped by another whoosh of flames as Healer Hazelwood shot out of the fireplace. –Thank goodness you’re here!” he exclaimed, as he pointed her down the hall to the bedroom where Rose and Astoria were.

Before Hermione could follow her in, Scorpius cleared his throat. –Mrs. Weasley?”

–Yes?”

–I’m sorry,” Scorpius burst out, shamefaced. –I’ve thought that the past history you and my parents all talk about was a stupid grudge, them siding differently in the war than you did. I should have known that there was more to it.”

–We instinctively protect our children,” Hermione admitted, –from the bad things that happen to us and the bad things that we have done. Nobody knows what happened that night at the Manor other than those who were there. Though Harry probably told Ginny,” she added.

–Maybe we don’t need to be protected.”

–But look at how it’s turned out! And if you had known, all the good that’s come out of you being with Rose might never have happened.”

Scorpius tried to sort this out in his head. Hiding the past had kept his father in bondage for years, never forgiving himself. But not knowing about the past had freed Scorpius and Rose to move forward. Was it best to tell the truth? Should some things be hidden?

Hermione watched him compassionately. She, Harry, and Ron had spent enough time coming to terms with explosive information that had been concealed by the adults in their lives; she could sympathize with the young man standing in front of her.

–Now you know,” Hermione told him, her voice soft, –and now you have to decide what to do with the knowledge. Do you choose to despise your father and reject your family because of what he did? Or do you choose to admire him for being able to offer you and your mum a wealth of love in spite of what his parents made him do and see?”

–I think I want to do the latter,” Scorpius whispered, –but I don’t know if I can.”

–It’s not easy,” Hermione touched his shoulder. –It’s a matter of working it out, one moment at a time.”

Nodding, Scorpius followed her into the bedroom and set aside his nagging doubts to focus completely on his laboring wife.

Outside the front door, Ron leaned against the wall of the Manor. He hadn’t recognized the drawing room at first; it had been redecorated. But that had only made the realization more distressing. Looking for the huge crystal chandelier overhead had only reminded him more strongly of that night.

Then Rose had screamed.

Ron could feel the stone of the cellar walls against his fists, smell the stench, could hear Hermione’s long, anguished screams from overhead, could hear his own voice begging, –No! You can have me, keep me!”`*

The memory was overwhelming, and his body rebelled, which was how he had ended up here, leaning weakly against Malfoy’s house, with his lunch scattered over Malfoy’s rose hydrangeas.

Malfoy stepped out of the doorway, squinting in the sunlight.

–Malfoy,” Ron snarled, straightening up, –you absolute prick! You brought us into that room. Took pleasure in reminding us about that night, did you?”

–Actually,” Draco responded quietly, –I told Scorpius he couldn’t bring you here.”

Ron latched onto this and continued his rant. –Weren’t good enough to be here, were we? You always looked down on me for being poor. You always looked down on Hermione for being a Muggle.” Ron spat the words as if they tasted foul. –Well guess what? Your own son has turned your world upside down, hasn’t he? He married the poor, blood-traitor Muggle-born in spite of you.”

Draco breathed deeply, counting to twenty in his head and trying to remember what Hermione had told him. Finally, he responded, –Weasley, is it too much to ask for you to just hear me out? I didn’t want Scorpius to marry your daughter because I was afraid of this. I was afraid that we wouldn’t be able to move beyond the past. And it’s not just Rose that Scorpius married, is it? It’s her whole family, too.”

Ron recoiled at his own words being echoed by his childhood enemy.

Draco continued. –I told Scorpius he couldn’t bring you here, but he had already Flooed you. When he finished, I told him that Hermione had been tortured here.” Ron, face red with suppressed emotion, had actually stopped trying to interrupt him and was listening. Hearing Hermione’s name from Draco - rather than –Mudblood” or –Granger” - was such a shock that Ron gave Draco his full attention.

–I would have had Scorpius Floo again and direct you to the kitchen fire, but you arrived before I could. I’m sorry.”

–You’re sorry? I don’t think I’ve ever heard you say those words before.”

–Well, Astoria’s heard them from me numerous times, or we would not still be married,” Draco said stiffly.

–So you’re capable of saying them,” Ron pondered, his voice revealing more skepticism than malice, –but not to those you tortured and nearly killed?”

Draco didn’t try to defend himself against the accusation of torture. He had, after all, not been above firing an Unforgivable or two. He said, at last, –I have said them to Harry.”

Ron stared at him.

–It’s why Harry and I have been able to have a courteous relationship all these years. Well,” Draco amended, –that and Harry is more forgiving than pretty much anyone else in the Wizarding World has been, though it is painful to admit it.”

–Why haven’t you apologized to me before?” Ron asked, this time out of curiosity.

–I’ve wondered that myself,” Draco replied honestly, surprised at himself for being willing to let down his guard with Ron. Then again, Draco had just heard Ron losing his lunch in the bushes and thought Ron was more vulnerable than he let on. –I can identify two reasons. First, I wasn’t sure you wanted to hear them. I thought you might want to go on hating me undisturbed.”

Ron laughed in surprise at Draco’s honesty. –That is actually true, Malfoy. I’ll admit it. Go on.”

–And the second is that I was here that night. I watched Aunt Bellatrix…” Draco paused, swallowing.

–You watched her torture Hermione,” Ron prompted.

–Yes. And I didn’t try to stop it. And I knew, even then, that you loved her, not that I understood,” Draco added with a familiar sneer.

This time, though, Ron could see the look had double meaning. Draco was sneering at himself not understanding love as much as he was sneering at Ron or Hermione. Ron could understand his look not as one of disdain but as an expression of Draco’s bizarre sense of humor.

–But how would that keep you from apologizing?”

Draco threw up his hands in exasperation. –Weasley, if you were to be standing idly by while there were people torturing Astoria, I can guarantee that I would never want to see or speak to you again.”

–Ah,” said Ron, understanding dawning.

The two men stood in the sunlight, looking out at the brilliantly coloured fall leaves.

Finally, Ron sighed. –It’s a bit different, though,” he offered. –I’m an Auror, an adult, sworn to protect others. You were seventeen, Malfoy, forced by your family. I’m not excusing what you did,” Ron held up a hand to still Draco’s protest. –You were still an arrogant, slimy, git. For that matter, I think you still are. But I’m just saying that the situation isn’t really the same.”

–In that case,” Draco, returned, proffering his hand and speaking simply, –I’m sorry. I wish I had acted differently.”

Ron stared at Draco’s hand for a moment before accepting the handshake. They let go quickly, avoiding each other’s gaze.

–So,” Draco drawled, –Rose almost certainly doesn’t want us in her room right now, and we have some waiting to do. I suppose, Weasley, that you would be too intimidated to join me for a game of chess?”

Ron’s eyebrows rose –Malfoy, if you were the one who taught your son to play, I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t stand a chance against me. He hasn’t won one yet, and we play every time he visits us.”

–Amateur!” Draco denigrated his son’s abilities. –He is, I will grant you, a fair hand at potions, but he lacks strategic thinking. He is all logic, no finesse, no subtlety.”

–Well, in that case, I accept your offer. But I’m going to go ahead and apologize now for kicking your arse.”

It was in the middle of the third chess match, each of them having won once, that they were both startled by several especially loud, drawn out cries from down the hall. They both stood up at the same time, and were rewarded by the sound of infant squalls.

–Congratulations, Grandpa,” Ron said grinning widely.

–You can be Grandpa,” Draco remarked disdainfully. –I would prefer Grandfather.”

Ron laughed. –I was going to encourage the twins to call you Gramps.”

–Over my dead body,” Draco returned.

–That can be arranged.”

–Idiot.”

–Git.”

Inside the bedroom, Scorpius was looking down at his tiny son in awe while Rose sleepily cuddled her daughter against her chest.

–They’re small,” Healer Hazelwood was saying as she finished examining Rose, –but they’ll be just fine. Those extra weeks really helped, even though I know they weren’t easy on Mum.”

–I’m glad that’s done,” remarked Rose wearily, drawing laughter from everyone in the room.

–What are their names?” asked Hermione when everyone had quieted.

Scorpius looked anxiously at Rose. They hadn’t ever returned to the volatile topic of names since their fight a few months before.

Rose said, –Scorpius and I haven’t had a chance to talk about this really, but I was thinking that Cassiopeia Rowena and Gryffin Eltanin might be the perfect names for Weasley-Malfoy babies.”

Scorpius gaped at her, recognizing –Eltanin” as one of the stars in the Dragon constellation and a word meaning –snake.” His wife was brilliant. With those two names, she had managed to reconcile both their differing family histories and their unique Ravenclaw identity…and both names fulfilled Scorpius’s one other requirement.

–Hello, Gryff. Hello, Cassi. Welcome to our family,” he beamed before handing Gryffin to Astoria and leaning down to fervently kiss his wife.
End Notes:

* Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Simon and Schuster, New York: 463. Print.
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Epilogue: One Year Later by Flourish and Blott
Author's Notes:
What a lovely experience this has been! Thank you all for reading and reviewing, and, again, thank you to Wren Winter Song for beta'ing. Happy 2014, everyone!
–Scorpius! Gryff’s escaped the bathroom. He’s probably headed towards the study!” Rose cried out as she struggled to dry Cassi with a large bath towel. Cassi giggled and squirmed. Rose picked her up, cooing, –Mummy’s got you now! Let’s find your brother, okay?”

Before leaving the bathroom, Rose swished her wand towards the bathtub to drain the water. The two-storey house she and Scorpius had purchased nearly a year ago was not enormous, but it was more than enough room for a family of four. It was a few miles beyond the Muggle village of High Wycombe outside of London.

Scorpius and Rose had talked extensively about their living situation after the babies were born. They knew the flat, though convenient for both of their jobs, was not exactly conducive to raising two rambunctious children. They could, of course, have purchased a property almost anywhere they wanted: Scorpius had inherited a small fortune of Galleons when he had come of age at 17, and both had saved out of the paychecks they had been earning.

They could also have lived with family. In accordance with Malfoy family tradition, Draco and Astoria had offered space at Malfoy Manor, but Scorpius had turned them down. –We can’t do that to Grandfather and Grandmother,” he had pointed out. –Where would they stay when they came to visit?” His father had grudgingly conceded, and Scorpius pretended not to hear Draco’s muttered assertion that he would far prefer to live with his son than be visited by his father.

The real reason for Scorpius’s refusal, though, was that he and Rose had agreed to start their family out in a place that had no associations from the war, one that both sets of grandparents could visit comfortably.

Rose and Scorpius were aware that the tenuous peace between their parents would hold only with a lot of work and carefully-enforced neutrality. Being fairly close to London was both a practical and unarguable choice—they were not choosing to live nearer to one family than the other; they were choosing a house with some land that was nevertheless close to their jobs. Of course, wizards and witches were always only a Floo-call or an Apparition away from loved ones, so the location was more important metaphorically than it was in actuality.

Today, as Rose emerged from the bathroom with her squealing daughter, she was struck by a sense of absolute contentment. She had finished a complex translation for Gringotts that morning before the twins had woken up; the bank had agreed to retain her for contract work. The mid-morning sun was slanting through the front windows, warmly lighting the hardwood floors of their new home. The bread that she had set to baking before wrangling the twins into the tub was sending smells of yeasty goodness throughout the house, and she could hear Gryff’s sputters of indignation as Scorpius scolded him from the study for the thirtieth time or so, –Gryff, no eating Daddy’s beetles!” Rose giggled in amusement, realizing that Gryff must have, once again, climbed partway up the bookcase to pull down Scorpius’s potions ingredients.

When the front knocker sounded, Rose started, realizing that her children weren’t dressed yet for their own birthday party. –Hi, everyone!” she heard her mum call as the front door opened a crack.

–Hi, Mum! Hi, Dad!” she responded cheerfully, hauling a towel-wrapped baby with her into the front hallway.

–The birthday girl in her birthday suit?” her grinning father inquired, gesturing at Cassi.

–Can we help out?” her mum asked, elbowing Ron in the ribs.

–If you could dress her, I’ll see to finishing in the kitchen,” Rose responded gratefully. –And Dad? Perhaps you could see if Scorpius and Gryff are all right. There was an incident with dung beetles a few moments ago…” She trailed off as Ron’s grin lit his face.

–In the potion stocks again?” he asked, fondly, heading down the hallway to find his son-in-law.

–My mum tells me I was at least this much trouble,” Scorpius replied, emerging from the study, still brushing dried plant bits out of his son’s hair.

–I’m sure you were. And you’re still trouble today,” Ron laughed as he plucked his grandson from Scorpius’s arms to toss the baby in the air.

–At least I don’t require nappy changes,” Scorpius retorted with an ease that would have been unimaginable a year before. Cassi and Gryff had improved his relationship with his father-in-law immeasurably. Rose left them to it and went to check on lunch.

She was just putting the last of the icing on the cake when her mum called her out into the hallway. –Astoria and Draco want to see you and Scorpius outside,” Hermione said, nudging Gryff away from the fireplace with her foot. –Your father and I can watch these two hooligans.”

Draco and Astoria were standing on the front porch in the sunlight, Astoria’s deep red robes matching the colourful fall foliage of the trees on the lawn. Draco held two identical packages that looked suspiciously long and thin. –Father,” Scorpius protested warningly, –you know we’re trying to raise the twins without a lot of expensive toys.”

–I know, son. These are toy broomsticks, as you noticed. Your grandmother and grandfather sent them. But,” he held up a hand to stifle their protests, –you don’t have to give them to Cassi and Gryff yet.”

When Scorpius’s frown didn’t disappear, his father added, –Look, I know you worry about my parents buying the twins’ affection. Merlin knows that your mother and I worried about the same thing when you were little. But sometimes you can’t reject a gift without hurting the giver, so either put these away until you’re ready to let them have the toys or use them as a reward for good behavior or something.”

Rose stepped forward. –Please thank Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy for us. It was very thoughtful of them to remember the twins’ birthday. And it was very thoughtful of you to bring them to us first instead of giving them to the kids,” she acknowledged.

Rose took the gifts, adding to Scorpius, –We can discuss this later, love. For now, this is a celebration!”

–Thank you for inviting us,” Astoria said, and Draco nodded agreement.

–Well, we can’t very well have a birthday celebration without those who were there on the actual day of birth!” Rose exclaimed, leading them inside.

Inside the door, they were met by Hermione, who passed Gryff off to his other eager grandmother. Then Ron appeared from the living room, leaning over to hold the hands of Cassi, who was toddling towards them. –Gwamt, Gwamt,” Cassi squealed loudly when she saw Draco. Draco looked torn between delight at his granddaughter and a desire to murder the man holding her up.

–Gramps?” he asked drily at last. –You had to teach her that now?”

–Well, look on the bright side,” Ron said cheerfully. –This way, she’ll never mix your title up with Lucius’s.”

Rose laughed with everyone else. It was a strange family that she had, but it was hers and Scorpius’s, and they were making it work, minute-by-minute, tantrum-by-tantrum, family gathering-by-family gathering. It would never be perfect, but, then again, it was better than anything she could have imagined.
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