A/N: Everything except the stuff you don’t recognize belongs to JK Rowling and her utter genius. Many of these characters, however, are of my own creation.
Recompense
The doorbell at Malfoy Manor resounded through the house at a quarter past nine in the morning. Patrick and Medea sat in the library with her parents, reading through the Daily Prophet after breakfast. It had been three days since the disastrous party and they had yet to hear anything from his family. Even his cousins had been curiously silent since they’d gone home.
“Is Aunt Zofia coming over?” Medea asked in confusion. The doorbell at Malfoy Manor didn’t sound often.
“You know she doesn’t ring the bell,” Draco replied slowly.
“Then who…?”
The four of them stood in unison and walked to the front door, all of them secretly hoping they knew who was on the other side. Draco was silently selected to open the impressive door.
Seconds after it opened, a flash of red hair flew into the house and nearly tackled Hermione. “Merlin, I’ve missed you!”
Patrick stared at the scene with wide eyes. “Mum?”
“Ginny!” Hermione cried and held onto her old friend. “I’ve missed you, too!”
Another figure appeared in the doorway; a noble figure with a shock of black hair that looked like it hadn’t been combed in years.
“Dad?”
Harry looked over at his son and smiled but before he said a word, Ginny was at his side, pulling him over to Hermione. “What do you have to say for yourself?”
He reached out a hand to Hermione. There were tears in her eyes but instead of shaking his hand, she pulled him into a hug. Then he broke. “I’m so sorry,” he cried into her shoulder. “Can you forgive me?”
“It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do,” she whispered.
They all heard three consecutive pops! A second later Odile walked into the foyer with a wide smile at her Uncle. She immediately joined her cousins. “Dad’s outside,” she whispered. “Though I fear he is slightly under duress.”
As if to prove her point, the beautiful Gabrielle stepped through the doorway, pulling Ron in her wake. “Honestly, Ronald,” she mumbled in her thick accent.
“Apparently he is very ashamed of his behavior,” Odile explained.
“What? The past twenty years?”
She only smiled and shrugged.
“Ron?” Hermione whispered when she relinquished Harry.
Gabrielle pushed him forward and he received a firm look from his sister. “I”I’m sorry,” he stuttered.
“I’m sorry, too,” she whispered. “Will you shake my hand?”
He nodded and took the hand she offered; two seconds later he was crying on her shoulder just like Harry. Even though there were tears in her eyes, Hermione was happy to have her friends back in her life after so many years.
“This is my wife, Gabrielle,” Ron said when they parted.
Gabrielle kissed Hermione’s cheeks and smiled brightly. “It is wonderful to meet you under these better circumstances.”
Hermione’s smile consumed her face. “I heartily agree.”
Draco looked on the scene from the sidelines until Harry approached him and held out his hand. “Harry,” he said, taking it.
“Draco, this is long overdue.”
“It is,” he agreed. “Welcome to Malfoy Manor.”
Harry’s lips turned into an ironic smile. “I must admit it’s odd to be welcomed into this house.”
“I imagine it is. Hermione refused to move in here until we had Medea.”
Ron moved next to his brother-in-law and held out his hand. “Malfoy,” he said, still refusing to call him by his first name. “Sorry ‘bout what I said.”
“Consider it forgotten,” he said sincerely.
“How about we all go into the library?” Hermione suggested to the group, a beaming smile on her face.
Medea and Patrick moved to follow until she caught sight of her very still father.
“Dad, you’re crying,” she whispered when he didn’t follow the crowd into the library. “Aren’t you happy?”
He forced a smile but another tear rolled down his cheek. “It’s just”I have to share her now.”
Medea shed a tear of her own. “Oh, dad.”
“Don’t misunderstand me; I want nothing more than her happiness. It’s just”I’ve had her to myself all these years and I selfishly liked it that way.”
Patrick’s arm slid around his wife’s waist as he considered his father-in-law. Despite what he had been told growing up, he had greatly respected Draco since he’d met him. At that moment though, he felt a genuine affection grow for him. It was hard for people with easy love to fathom the strength of a love that had overcome as many obstacles as theirs had. Whatever could be said about Draco’s past, he loved his wife more than anything in the world and it clearly showed on his face that very moment.
“She is happy though, isn’t she?”
Medea got a slightly wicked grin on her face. “She is, yeah, but not quite as happy as she is in the mornings when she floats around the house.”
The smallest of smirks came to Draco lips. “You think so?”
“No comparison.”
He planted a quick kiss on his daughter’s cheek. “Cheers, love.”
Hermione had stopped just outside of the library and a smile parted her lips when Draco joined her. It quickly morphed into a grin when he snaked an arm around her waist, pulled her tightly against him and kissed her soundly.
“What was that for?” she whispered, leaning her forehead against his.
“After all these years do I really need a reason?” he teased.
She kissed him again, slowly. “I suppose not, but I do so enjoy hearing your reasons.”
He pushed an unruly lock of hair behind her ear. “Because you looked so happy and beautiful and I could no longer resist you.”
“Good reason.”
“I thought so as well.” Another, more gentle kiss. “Shall we?”
With his arm firmly at her waist, Draco escorted his wife through the doorway to their room full of guests.
“Well that answers that question,” Patrick mumbled as he watched his in-laws disappear.
“Answers what question?” Medea asked with a smile.
He started toward to the library, pulling her along. “I was going to ask why your mum was so happy in the mornings and I have a feeling I know why know.” He smiled. “Your parents are…”
She smiled and nodded. “They’re in love.”