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Dataset card Data Studio Files
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After Draco finished scrubbing her back, he moved aside her damp hair and washed and rinsed her neck and shoulders. She tilted her head back to look up at him as she reclined back against the tub. The sadness in her eyes was starting to ebb a little. He hated seeing that anguish on her face. Hated hearing her blame herself for protecting her parents.
"I know you're right," she said finally. She heaved a deep sigh. "It's just hard. We knew that Ron took away my memories to hide his affair with Lavender and cover up Minerva's fall off the broom. I don't think I wanted to contemplate that there could be more."
Draco leaned down and kissed her forehead. "It's okay if you don't want to know the rest," he said gently. "He's gone, never coming back. You're safe. The girls are safe. I daresay Lavender and her children are better off too."
Hermione sighed again. This one seemed more of relief and relaxation than the others. She sunk deeper into the water. He settled back onto the stool and let her float in the tub. Only her face, the tops of her breasts, and her toes peeked above the waterline.
After a while, her face started to relax visibly. Draco was probably being fanciful, but he thought that he could actually see her shedding the specter of Ronald Weasley. Her eyes opened and he found himself looking into calm chocolate depths. She looked more at ease than she had in days, weeks maybe.
"Feel better?" he asked, shattering the silence in the bathroom.
Hermione moved to sit up. Water sloshed onto the floor as she moved back into her seated position in the tub. Her curly hair was plastered to her head. Her hands clung to the sides of the tub.
"He's gone," Hermione said in a quiet voice. "That's what matters right now. He can never hurt us again."
Draco thought that maybe she would be reminding herself of that fact many times in the coming days and weeks.
"We need to tell the children," Hermione said. "I don't want them finding out Ron's in jail through the papers."
Draco helped Hermione out of the bathtub and pulled the plug to let the water drain away. He wished her pain at Weasley's actions would drain away as easily. While she dressed, he went downstairs to Floo the headmistress and let her know that they'd like to visit with the children. She told them to come through before dinnertime.
The time came for Draco and Hermione to go to Hogwarts to talk to the children. They stepped into the headmistress" office and weren't that surprised to find Lavender Brown already there. They were, however, surprised to find Charlie and George Weasley flanking her on the sofa.
Hermione greeted the three warmly. She and Lavender hugged one another for a long time before they let go. Draco shook the hands of the Weasley brothers and settled himself down on the couch across from them. Hermione sat down beside him after she finished hugging Lavender.
Hermione looked between George and Charlie and finally asked, "I'm not surprised to see Lavender here, but why are you two here?"
The brothers both wore comical expressions of disbelief. George seemed to regain himself quicker and pointed a finger between Hermione and Lavender, "Are you two friends now?"
"We've come to an understanding," Lavender answered with a quiet smile.
"Don't dodge the question," Hermione said, leaning back and threading her fingers through Draco's.
Charlie settled back on the sofa and propped an ankle on his knee. The chain decorating his dragon hide boots chinked. "Well, after you two made your dramatic escape, Harry was getting Mom and Dad out of the courtroom. Lavender, here," Charlie said, gesturing with his thumb at Lavender, "didn't escape quickly enough and got mobbed by the press."
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Lavender," Hermione said, her voice sounding contrite.
"Don't worry about it," Lavender said, waving Hermione's apology away, "They would've been worse to you. I'm glad you didn't have to put up with that."
"Anyway," George interrupted, "Charlie and Bill managed to shove their way to Lavender and got her behind the rest of us."
"My glamours failed," Lavender whispered, looking down at her hands. "There was too much going on, and I couldn't focus."
Nobody said anything for a moment. Each seemed to contemplate the horrors they'd gone through in that courtroom. Draco wondered if pictures of Lavender's werewolf scarred face would grace the pages of tomorrow's Prophet.
Charlie cleared his throat and broke the silence. "There's nothing wrong with how you look," he said gruffly, then continued the story in a lighter tone, "So I took Lavender home and stayed with her to help her tell the kids about Ron."
Lavender looked at Charlie with an interesting mixture of gratitude and testiness. He held her gaze, his face unreadable. Lavender finally looked away and back down at her hands. Tension seemed to fill the room.
The headmistress came through the door then and broke up the tense moment. Fred Brown was on one side of her, and Minerva and Scorpius were on the other side.
Lavender gasped audibly at Minerva's appearance, "She's..."
"A Malfoy," Hermione finished.
Draco thanked the headmistress for letting them invade her office once again before Lavender could say much else about Minerva's appearance. Hermione rose from the sofa and guided Draco, Minerva, and Scorpius over to the windowed alcove away from Lavender, Fred, Charlie, and George.
Hermione drew both children into her embrace. Draco watched them as Hermione kissed the top of Minerva's head, then Scorpius. Minerva turned her head to cast him a worried glance as Hermione continued to embrace the children.
Draco came forward and cupped a pale blond head in each hand. Minerva's hair was longer now. Her curls were starting to emerge as the ends of her hair brushed the tops of her shoulders. Scorpius needed a haircut. His straight blond hair was almost the same length as his sister's.
Minerva extracted herself a little from Hermione's embrace. Scorpius stayed snuggled into Hermione's side since Hermione hadn't loosened her hold on him. Draco and Hermione each kept a hand on Minerva, keeping her within the family circle.
"Mum, what's going on?" Minerva asked, looking worried. She tried to cover up her fear by trying teasing tone as she said, "I don't think Headmistress McGonagall let you come up here for a hug."
"Ron's trial was today," Hermione said, touching Minerva's cheek.
"Is he...." Minerva started to ask, looking between Draco and Hermione in alarm and seeking reassurance.
"He's in prison," Hermione said quickly, reassuringly.
Minerva rushed back into Hermione's embrace. A cry of anguish coming from the couches resounded throughout the room. Draco looked over and saw Fred in Lavender's arms as she tried to calm her distraught son. Charlie and George both had a hand on Fred's back.
Draco felt sorry for Fred. He knew what it was like to lose a father. He'd seen his own sent to prison twice. Lucius Malfoy hadn't been perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but there was never a doubt that he had loved Draco.
"I'm glad he's gone," Minerva whispered vehemently. "He deserved it for hurting you."
Minerva didn't elaborate on which "you" she meant, probably both Hermione and Draco.
"Ron said some things. I don't know if the papers will report on it," Hermione said.
Minerva and Scorpius both looked up at her. "What kinds of things?" Minerva asked.
Hermione shook her head, "You don't need to know all the details." She hesitated then spoke again, "I don't think he was right in the head at the end."
George approached them and called out, "Draco, Hermione, we'd like to talk to you all before Minerva kicks us out."
Scorpius let go of Hermione and moved to stand beside Draco. He looked unsure. He also looked like he was trying to mask his uneasiness with an air of confidence. Ever the Malfoy. Draco smiled down at his son and placed a hand on his shoulder.
He heard Minerva hiss to Hermione, "I don't want to be anywhere near Fred Brown."
Hermione hissed back, "Be nice. The boy just lost his father."
"He's better off without him," Minerva said, crossing her arms and coming to stand beside him.
"He doesn't see it that way," Draco said, looking down at her with a stern expression, "so show a little compassion."
Minerva harrumphed with ill-grace and kept her arms crossed over her chest. Scorpius looked mutinous at the thought of being nice to Fred Brown.
Draco called to George, "We'll be right there." Draco crouched down to face both children with their twin white-blond hair and steel gray eyes and matching expressions of self-righteous indignation. "You are Malfoys, and I expect you both to act like it. That boy over there is hurting. I know you don't like him. I know he said some horrid things to you when you first met, but you need to let that go." Draco looked at the aggrieved expressions of his children and added, "At least for now.
"But Dad," Scorpius protested, drawing the words out in a long whine.
Draco grasped both of their shoulders and shook them a little to get their attention. "None of that," he spoke harshly, "I was that boy at many times in my life. I was the conceited prat and the son who only wanted to make his father proud. I saw my father go to prison twice. I never got to see my father again after he was taken from the courtroom after his trial. The last time I hugged him was when we were in a holding cell awaiting our trials, none of us knowing what would happen, and I was so mad at him for getting us all into that mess. I said things that I regret to this day." Draco choked a little on his words and cleared his throat. He continued with a hoarse voice, "So show a little compassion for Fred Brown because he just lost his father."
Tears rolled down both children's cheeks. Minerva fiddled with the crest on her necklace.
Hermione wrapped an arm around each child. She rubbed her hand up each child's arm in comfort. "Let's go over there."
Hermione guided each child back over to the sitting area, leaving Draco to follow behind. She sat the children between her and Draco on the sofa.
Draco looked at the occupants of the opposite sofa. Lavender still had her arms around Fred, who was still consumed by his grief over the loss of his father. Fred wept openly and loudly onto his mother's chest. Charlie, who was sitting beside the boy, kept a consoling hand Fred's back and shot a warning glance at the two children.
George looked over at them, and he cleared his throat uncomfortably, "I know this has been a trying day for everyone. Hermione, how are you holding up? You were looking a little pale when you left the courtroom."
Hermione answered with a measured tone, "As you said, it was a very stressful day."
"You're fine, health-wise, at least?" George asked.
Hermione smiled, the first genuine smile Draco had seen all day, "We're fine, George."
Lavender shot a questioning look at Hermione.
Hermione answered the look by saying, "Draco and I are expecting twins."
"Oh, that's wonderful," Lavender said, "Congratulations. When are you due?"
"The end of September, most likely."
George looked over to Minerva. Tears were still streaming down the girl's face. Draco thought that it might be as a result of Fred's crying than because she would miss Weasley. Draco felt himself tearing up a little just listening to the boy. His wailing had settled into a gentle sob but was still heart wrenching to hear.
"How are you holding up, Peanut?" George asked.
Minerva shrugged. She hiccupped then answered, "I'm fine."
"It's okay to be sad that he's gone," Hermione said, tucking a lock of Minerva's hair behind her ear.
"I'm glad he's in prison," Minerva said with vehemence.
Fred lifted his tear-stained face from his mother's chest and glared at Minerva. "I hate you," he spat at her, "It's all your fault."
"Fred, that's not true," Lavender admonished. "Apologize right now."
Fred looked mutinously up at his mother, "No. She's not even sad that he's gone. She's got a new dad now, and she doesn't even care that her old one is gone."
The Granger temper flared, and Minerva lunged for Fred before Draco could reach across and grab her. She crashed into Lavender and Fred, screeching like a banshee. Charlie, like a good dragon wrangler, wrapped a scarred and tattooed arm around Minerva's waist and hauled her off Lavender and Fred.
"You're right. I don't miss him," Minerva screeched as she flailed in Charlie's hold, "I hate him. He hurt my mum, and I hate him."
Charlie set Minerva down, and she rushed back over to Hermione and buried her face in her mother's neck. Hermione wrapped her arms around Minerva and spoke quietly to the distraught girl.
Charlie sat back down and made Fred turn and face him. His expression was thunderous. "I want you to listen to me and listen hard, boy. The only person responsible for your dad being gone is him. Ron made his choices, and he's paying for them. I understand you miss him and I understand you being upset that he's gone, but that doesn't mean you can go around blaming people for it. Minerva is a part of this family, same as you."
"She's not my family. She's a Malfoy now," Fred replied sullenly. "Death Eater scum just like them," Fred spat nastily and gestured at Draco and Scorpius.
The boy was smacked upside the head quicker than anyone could react to his words. Lavender Brown bristled in fury. Her eyes took on a feral glint as she looked at her son. In her anger, Lavender lost control of her glamour, and it shimmered away leaving the real Lavender exposed. Minerva and Scorpius gasped in shock at the scars on her face and neck.
Four long lines of pink, puckered scar tissue ran from Lavender's left cheekbone to her mouth. She had a deep round scar above her right jawbone where Fenrir Greyback dug his thumb into her flesh to keep her from moving. Just visible beneath her hair were the scars of where he'd bitten her neck and the pitting of muscles that hadn't regrown fully. Draco didn't want to think about what her shoulder probably looked like. He and Hermione didn't recoil though. Everyone bore scars from the war.
"I did not fight and almost die in a war for my own son to be spouting bullshit prejudicial ideas," Lavender growled at her son. The noise rumbling low in her throat, more wolf-like than Draco had ever heard the previously subdued woman. "You're not better than them because their family was on a different side. People make mistakes. People grow up not knowing any better."
Fred looked shamefaced at the floor, "I'm sorry, mum."
Lavender's face gentled, and she stroked her son's face, "I know you are, son. Your father was wrong to teach you those things, and I wasn't strong enough to stop him. It stops now though."
Fred nodded, still looking at the floor, "Yes, mum."
"You should apologize," Lavender said in a no-nonsense voice.
Fred's head snapped up. Whatever protest he was about to make died as he took in his mother's expression. He turned to Draco and Scorpius. "I'm sorry for calling you Death Eater scum," he said sullenly.
"We accept your apology," Draco said to the boy. He reached over and tapped Minerva on the shoulder, "Apologize for attacking Lavender and Fred."
Minerva shot him a reproachful glare. He met her glare with a raised eyebrow and a frown. Finally, she dropped her gaze and looked over to Lavender and Fred. She heaved a sigh of great reluctance and said quickly, "I'm sorry I attacked you, even though..."
"Enough," Draco interrupted sharply. He hated apologies with excuses or recriminations tacked on to them.
Headmistress McGonagall bustled back into the room surveying the group beneath her round glasses. "I'm afraid it's time for the children to take their dinner."
Everyone stood at the headmistress" entrance. The three children snapped to attention and started making their goodbyes. When Minerva came to hug him, he whispered for her to be nice and opened his palm to give her a green bead with an "M" on it for her bracelet. She hugged him again with a little more force this time. Scorpius got his hair ruffled by Draco, much to his annoyance, then smoothed back down by Hermione. Somehow in the confusion of hugs, Draco found himself being hugged by Fred, which left them both feeling a bit awkward.
"See yourselves out," the headmistress said, not unkindly, over her shoulder as she ushered the children back down to the Great Hall.
"You mean you're trusting us in here all by ourselves," George called mischievously after her.
McGonagall narrowed her gaze at George, reconsidered leaving the notorious prankster alone in her inner sanctum, and pointed at the fireplace. "Out now, Mr. Weasley," she said sharply.
Draco chuckled behind his hand, turning away from the headmistress. Hermione kept her expression serious, but he could see her struggling not to laugh.
George Weasley bowed with a flourish, "A pleasure as always, Headmistress," and stepped into the fireplace.
When George was gone, Hermione turned to Charlie, "So, Charlie, how long are you in England for?"
Charlie smiled mysteriously, "A few weeks; then I've got to head back to Romania to wrap some things up there before I can move back."
"You're moving back?" Hermione asked, looking pleased, "I'm sure your mother will be happy to have you back."
Draco could tell Hermione was fishing. Lavender was looking to him for help, clearly begging him to take Hermione through the Floo. Draco just smirked at her and let Hermione continue her interrogation. Lavender huffed in irritation and put her glamours back in place. Charlie sent her an exasperated look when he saw that she'd replaced the charms.