A Family Affair

September 2nd, 2008 - Six Years Later

Hermione stumbled through the front door of Malfoy Manor exhausted but with a feeling of accomplishment. For the last several weeks, she had been putting in overtime at the research facility where she was employed, spending many hours documenting the clinical trials of the newest version of the Wolfsbane potion; the trials were now complete, and - though it was still too early to tell for certain - the results seemed to be all that the developers had hoped for. After weeks of intense work, Hermione was looking forward to a long, hot soak and some well-deserved rest and relaxation.

She passed through the foyer and entered the study, placing the large stack of books and parchments she carried on a high shelf just inside the door. She was startled by a deafening shriek that broke the stillness. A moment later, a very small, very naked girl ran into the room as fast as her small legs would carry her, threw her arms around Hermione's legs, and held on as tightly as her tiny arms would allow. Draco followed slightly behind the girl, slowed greatly by the two wiggly boys he carried on either hip.

"I wish you'd let you me get some help with these hellions," Draco said lightly, half-teasing, as he leaned forward carefully to kiss Hermione on the cheek.

Hermione shook her head. "You may have all the help you like, as long as it isn't slave labour. I just don't approve of...." she began, but he cut her off with a chaste kiss.

"I know. We've had this discussion once a week since the twins were born. If I don't know by now how you feel about house elves, I never will," he teased, handing one of the squirming boys over to her. "How did it go?"

Hermione beamed. "Very well. If the second round of trials goes as well as the first, then there will be reason to celebrate," she told him, her eyes sparkling in the way they always did when something pleased her especially. Managing to pry her daughter off of her legs with her free hand, she knelt down to hug the naked child. "Where are your clothes?" she asked with a grin.

"No bath," the toddler replied, her grey eyes wide and frightened.

"But you like baths," Hermione said, her brow furrowing in confusion.

"Monster," Seraphine whispered.

"She's apparently gotten the notion that some sort of monster lives in the bathroom," Draco said. "Something she saw in one of those Muggle films Alex bought for her."

With a sigh, Hermione stood again, handing her youngest son back to his father. Adrian immediately began to whimper, holding his tiny hands out to her. She leaned forward and kissed her son's forehead. "I can't hold you right now, Adrian. I've got to go and give your sister a bath," she explained.

That was apparently the wrong thing to say, as both Adrian and his twin brother, Damien, began to chant 'bath' to let Mum and Dad know they wanted one as well. Hermione and Draco exchanged a look - the look that said 'what were we thinking, having three children?'

"We've had a few letters today," Draco said as he struggled to keep a firm grip on his sons. "Remind me to show you when we're done with baths." Hermione nodded, and they went their separate ways to see to their children.

Much later, when the toddlers had all settled down for the night - only half an hour past their scheduled bedtime - Draco and Hermione curled up together in bed. Draco shared the owl post with his wife, reading bits aloud to her as she lay with her head pillowed on his thigh, her eyes closed.

"'Hermione,'" he read. "'My condolences on having put up with that silly Slytherin git for four whole years...' Three guesses as to who this one is from," Draco teased.

"Hmmm...." Hermione said, pretending to think about it. "Couldn't be Ron Weasley, could it?"

Draco chuckled softly and continued reading. "'Penelope sends her love and congratulations.'"

"I still can't believe Ron married his brother's widow. It's so..."

"Old-fashioned," Draco put in. "It was a common practice once, you know. He goes on to say something about 'having something to tell you' that he doesn't want to put into a letter. Either he's finally confessing his undying love for Potter, or he's about to become a father. I'm not sure..."

"Which is more disturbing," Hermione finished, grinning up at him.

"Exactly. He also said Ginny is doing quite well, and that she and Terry very much enjoyed their honeymoon in Greece." He folded the letter and put it aside. There were other congratulatory notes from Harry, the other Weasleys, Blaise, and Remus. "Severus wishes us many more years of happiness, and says our gift will arrive tomorrow, since that's our actual anniversary. Sean sends his congratulations and goes on to tell me of his latest disastrous relationship. He's coming to visit sooner than he planned because he needs to 'get away'; he says he'll get a hotel room if we're not prepared for his visit."

"I hope you've already written him back to tell him he's welcome here."

Draco fixed her with a glare that did nothing except make her giggle. "Of course I did. I'm not entirely incompetent, you know. I saved the best letter for last. I think you should read this one."

Hermione took the letter from Draco's hand and began to read.

Draco and Hermione,

I want to begin by extending my congratulations to you both on four years of marriage and three beautiful children. I can hardly wait to come and visit again so that I may continue to spoil the babies terribly.

It is very strange to once again live outside of Hogwarts, which had been my home for over a decade. And though I would never admit it to him, it is also strange to be living apart from Severus. I never would have believed we could become such good friends as we have. We've Alex to thank for that. Living with Remus and Harry has been a pleasant change, however, and I'm enjoying it greatly. The cottage in Hogsmeade is coming along nicely, and it puts me in close proximity to both Alex and to Sherilyn Lynch. Sherilyn, as you might know, is the proprietor of the Quidditch shop in Hogsmeade. We've known each other for ages, but lately our friendship has been taking on more of a romantic bent. I think there is really something there, but only time will tell.

Now, on to what you really want to hear.

Severus and I were both allowed to be present at the Sorting Ceremony last night. Minerva pretended to make a fuss about how not every parent could be allowed to see their child sorted, but we both saw right through her. She wanted us there as much as we wanted to be there. I think she was hoping for a lively duel should one of us lose our temper over Alex being sorted into the rival house. Of course no such thing happened, but likely only because the Hat placed Alex into Ravenclaw. Severus and I are both very proud of her. After the Sorting, Alex confessed to us that she had to threaten to incinerate the hat before it finally gave up trying to place her in one of our Houses - she refuses to say which one. Severus says that threatening the Hat was Gryffindor recklessness, but I maintain that it was very Slytherin of her to resort to threats.

Snape does not approve of the new Potions Master - Potions Mistress, actually. He is certain that she is incompetent just because she happened to wear very expensive designer robes to the Sorting - and look very good in them. Severus says that Minerva should never have hired such an attractive woman to teach potions as all the boys - and some of the girls - will be so busy goggling at her that they'll all blow themselves up. I think he may have a valid point. The last time I saw him before I left Hogwarts, he had accepted her invitation to join her in the dungeons for a cup of tea and a bit of conversation about his research. She was fairly in awe of meeting 'The' Severus Snape face-to-face, which I'm certain will go a long way toward redeeming her in his eyes.

Oh, and Hermione, I finally solved the puzzle. I now know how it is that Harry manages to get away with not working - and yet always has more than enough money - long after his inheritance should have been depleted. It seems that he made an investment in Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes at a critical stage in its development, and now that Fred and George have gone international with their business, Harry is making enough of a return on the investment to live comfortably. Someone whom he refuses to name gave him some sound advice on further investments, and as a result he'll remain quite comfortable for the rest of his days. He'll even have enough to provide for his family, should he actually decide to do us all a favour and stop agonising over whether to marry again or remain faithful to Isabella's memory. I am fairly certain that Marietta Zabini will do everything in her power to persuade him to make another trip to the altar; she's been waiting for almost a year for his proposal, and she is most certainly not a patient woman

By the by, Remus says that if you do not stop trying to set him up with 'nice young men' he shall have to do something drastic.

Also, Harry, who is reading this over my shoulder as I write, asks me to plead on his behalf that you destroy those incriminating photos of him and Ron. He is also insisting quite vehemently that he does not, has never, and will never 'like boys like that'. I know he doesn't, but it is rather funny to see him all riled up about it. I think I rather understand now why Draco was such a prat to Harry back at school, if Harry always worked himself into such a state over things.

I will close now by saying 'congratulations' once again and wishing you many more years filled with happiness and love (at the risk of sounding completely soppy). My best wishes to the lot of you.

Sirius