September 2044

Severus

Spinner's End

Cokeworth, Midlands

"I don't know what you're up to, but I already know that I will not like it."

I looked over the top of my reading glasses at the man in front of me. I almost thought young man out of habit. Neither of us are young anymore, but somehow as we get older the age difference doesn't seem so far.

"What makes you think I'm up to something?" He looked at me innocently.

"I don't know who you think you're fooling, but it isn't me." I crossed my arms at him and prepared myself for the worst.

"We need help with the blood replenishment potion," he admitted.

"And?"

"And I got some." He winced as if he expected a tirade, but at this point our advisor was dead and our problems were growing.

"We agreed no outsiders." I frowned. I hoped he was discreet, at least.

"She's just a consult," he said quickly.

"She?" I felt my hackles rising.

"Not like that," he blustered. "But… she has been a great deal of help since Harry… passed on."

"Hermione Granger-Weasley?!" I thundered.

"Oh, shut up, Severus. She's the best. And you know she'll tell no one." He threw me a dirty look.

I growled at him, but he was right. I hadn't seen the girl in years, but… well, she's hardly a girl now, is she? It's been nearly forty years since the Battle of Hogwarts. She had been Minister of Magic long enough to retire for Merlin's sake!

"I would disagree, but I'm just too tired." I closed the black journal I had been writing in and threw my quill down on the desk. I glared at the small bottle of blue potion. It was supposed to be red. "We need a new set of eyes. Tell her to meet me at the Three Broomsticks tomorrow at seven. I'll bring the journal."

He laughed at me. "She might have things to do. She has a life."

I blinked my dry eyes in the hopes to rejuvenate them, but it made me realize how tired I really was. "Glad to hear someone does."

Severus

Three Broomsticks

London

"I didn't know if you'd come." I didn't expect to be so unbalanced by her arrival."

"To tell you the truth, neither did I." She examined me. "Let's have a see."

I held out the journal for her, but she looked at it and snorted.

"Sit."

I can't tell you why I did.

She was older, but her eyes were the same. Her hair had gone silver, but it was still a mass of curls. She had a grim, determined air of authority around her.

She had gone up against far more than a strict teacher and won, and the look of disdain on her face showed it.

I unbuttoned my collar for her. I pulled it aside, and she sucked in a breath. I expected her to be shocked, but she was angry.

"You stupid boy!" she growled.

I knew I still looked young, but that was uncalled for.

She leapt to her feet and grabbed my hand, pulling me over to the fireplace. I had just enough time to grab the journal before she was in the hearth and throwing Floo powder. I didn't even hear her say our destination before we spiralled through the unknown.

Severus

Draco and Harry's House

Burford, Oxfordshire

"DRACO LUCIUS MALFOY!" Her voice thundered in my ears as we halted. She pulled me out and looked around at the empty room.

The cottage that Draco and Harry had shared until Harry's demise was littered with boxes, half-packed with pictures and knickknacks. It was apparent that Draco was throwing himself into reorganizing the house and I felt a pang of sympathy.

There was a crash and the sound of water stopping from somewhere down a hallway. "Mum?!"

"You'll wish it was your mother when I'm done with you!" she bellowed.

A muffled swear and some shuffling happened before Draco appeared with a towel wrapped around his waist and his wet hair dripping onto his shoulders. "What is wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me?! He's infected, you idiot! No wonder your potions aren't working! The base is tainted! What were you thinking?!" Her voice was at full volume now. At least Draco had the decency to wince.

"I didn't know undead got infections." He flinched as if he'd expected her to throw something at him. She didn't disappoint.

"He's! Not! Undead!" she scolded him as she beat at him with a pillow she had picked up from an armchair. "He's just got a magical injury that's effecting his biology, you nit!"

"Well, that's what you're here for, isn't it?" he protested as he lost the towel with one last boff with the pillow. He screeched in surprise and snatched it off the floor before wrapping it around his middle again. He stood up and scowled at her. "No one's seen damage like this before, except maybe you."

"And everyone that knows Harry," she said exasperatedly. "It's like his scar, but on an enormous level!"

"Are you serious?" Draco was flabbergasted. He scuttled over and poked at my collar. I slapped his hand away.

"—and it's not like it's just a scratch on his forehead, it's a pair of great bloody holes in his neck — " she continued as if Draco had never spoken.

"There are more," I interrupted.

"There are. Why not?" She was irritated. "Well then. Let's see."

I put a hand on my chest and turned a shoulder to her in response. She snorted at my scowl.

"It's not the time to play the shy maiden. We've already seen Draco's bits. Let's see you with your shirt off," she ordered.

"When did you get this bossy?" I groused.

"I assure you, she's always been this bossy," Draco grumbled as he retreated down the hall. "I'm finding a pair of trousers."

"You do that," Hermione said absently as she crossed her arms at me. "Either you do it or I do it, and you won't like it if I do it."

"I will not be treated like an animal!" I thundered.

She didn't so much as flinch. She raised one eyebrow. Of all the nerve.

I grumbled and turned around. I threw my outer robes off and unbuttoned my vest. To her credit, she poked around in the boxes and didn't watch as I stripped to the waist.

When she turned around her face was stricken. Her eyes roamed over me and I tried not to react. "Dear Merlin, you're a mess."

"Oh, well. Thank you for that," I said irritated. "I would have never known without your expertise."

"I did not understand it was this extensive. How are you still alive?" She reached out a hand to touch my shoulder and goose pimples rose when she did.

"Luck."

"Had to have been more than that."

"A decent amount of help from Horace."

"Ah. Poor Horace. I didn't see you at the funeral." She straightened up and pursed her lips at my wounds.

"I'm surprised you picked out anyone at his funeral. Half of bloody wizardkind was there."

"You're right. Took me twenty minutes to find my name on the seating chart." She blinked away tears.

"I found my name, but never found my seat. Ended up standing in the back," I admitted.

"You should have sat with us."

"I should have." I tried to shake off the feeling that was creeping up from my stomach. "I'll remember at the next one. Thank you."

She turned around to glare at me.

"Get as mad as you want. We're not getting any younger and I'd like to hope the next to go isn't presently in this house." I wasn't in the mood, either.

"How did we get this old?" I don't think she expected me to answer.

I barked out a laugh. "We spent our lives trying to solve other people's problems, and by the time we sorted them out we looked around and the world had shuffled by."

She wiped her eyes, sniffed, shook her curls and composed herself.

Draco walked back into the parlor wearing a pair of baggy grey trousers and buttoning up a wrinkled white shirt.

"Oh, honestly!" Hermione waved a wand at him and the shirt was crisp and starched, and the trousers tailored. "You'd think you could dress yourself by now."

He shrugged. "Not any point anymore."

I snapped at him. "Yes, you are hurt. It hurts. This isn't your first time, Draco. You can't just stop being."

"At least last time we had warning. Scorpius had time to say goodbye to his mother. I had time…" He looked into the distance and snapped back to himself. "She was sick. She didn't blow herself up trying to show off for the young Aurors like a great bloody idiot."

"You know it's how he'd have wanted to go." Hermione assured him. "Quick and going 'oops.'"

Draco inclined his head in agreement. "We should all be so lucky."

"Why are you packing?" I asked as I peered into a box. "You can't be moving again."

"Oh, the kids wanted things so I'm sending them out. Made copies of the pictures for an album, but some of these knickknacks will never be missed, I assure you." Draco considered a box and sniffed. "Also, it was enormous trouble to install the hot spring in the backyard. I'm not going anywhere."

I choked back a laugh. Once a Malfoy, always a Malfoy.

Hermione peered into a box. "Hey, I gave you those candlesticks for your wedding!"

"They're hideous!"

"That was the point!" She looked far too amused at his dismay.

I choked back a laugh.

"Well, Rose loves them and they go with that new chandelier they put in," Draco pointed out.

"Hmmm. I suppose they do." She seemed to reconsider.

"Can I put my shirt back on?" I asked.

"Absolutely not!" Hermione said firmly. "Draco, come look at this. And start a fire, the poor man is shivering."

"It's a side effect of the poison." I hated giving out information to anyone. Knowledge is weakness.

"No, it's not." She shook her head. "You're producing adrenaline. I'm surprised you haven't had a heart attack. Unless…"

Her whole face changed. She looked at Draco and then back at me. "It's impossible…"

She took a step back. Her eyes dotted over my entire body.

"She did it. She did it to you, too. But he wasn't there, was he? So, you were just dormant and waiting… Lily's magic didn't touch just Harry. It went to family. It's why Harry had to live with the Dursleys-" Hermione muttered to herself.

"We weren't family," I said coldly.

"Her soul seemed to think so."

She reached out to touch me and I dodged.

"I will not believe she died for me to live!" I felt anger rising, but it didn't take the edge off the guilt that was flooding through me.

"She didn't mean to," Hermione said flatly. "Don't flatter yourself."

"What's going on?" Draco demanded.

"He's a horcrux. He's his own horcrux." She looked baffled. "He's always teetering between life and death because he's frozen in time-ish. It's why he isn't aging right."

"That's impossible."

"After Voldemort knew his other horcruxes were gone he tried to make more." Draco swore.

"Tried and failed," Hermione reminded him. "It's why he died. He must have known something had gone wrong."

"Well, it went right for you." Draco nodded in my direction.

"Did it?" I felt my lip twitch. "My whole bloody life laid bare for the public to dissect— "

"Poor you," Hermione snapped. "If it wasn't for you Harry wouldn't have had his whole life laid bare and his children would have two sets of grandparents. He'd be able to go outside like a normal person and not be mobbed by fans. He wouldn't have had to grow up with those terrible people."

Her eyes were flashing. I winced.

"But, let's get back to you."

I knew this would hurt.

She took a deep breath and folded her hands under her chin. "Oh, you poor wee thing. England was reminded of a high school crush that everyone that went to Hogwarts in the 70's knew about, anyway. How awful for you."

I knew words could knock the thoughts out of your head. It hadn't happened in decades, and not without the use of magic. I had nothing to say.

I walked to the fireplace and threw in a handful of Floo powder before they knew what was happening and I was gone.

Hermione

Draco and Harry's House

Burford, Oxfordshire

"Well, now you've done it." Draco folded his arms at me.

"I know, I know," I said irritated.

"What were you thinking?"

"If I heard him whine about how hard his life was one more time, I would punch him in the nose." I wasn't proud.

"You think his life was easy?" Draco was incredulous.

"He only had his own skin to think about! And who's fault it he was in that position to begin with?" I rounded on Draco. "I sent my parents to Australia and erased their memories! Harry lost his family! Ron—" I choked.

"I know." He came over and put his arms around me. "It was rough for everyone. I killed Dumbledore."

"No, you didn't," I protested.

"Yes, I did. I could have taken his offer and hidden us all— "

"And Snape would have broken his vow and would be dead," I finished for him. "And Dumbledore would have died from the curse damage, anyway."

"How do you know?"

"I was studying the ring—well, what's left of it, anyway— "

"Are you insane?!" His eyes bugged out at me.

"I work at the Ministry, you know, even if it's in an unofficial capacity they give me what I want," I said irritated. "I have a team in the Department of Mysteries. It's not like I'm down in my cellar poking it with a stick— "

"Well, that's a relief. Can't you ever keep still?" he interrupted.

"Not since Ron died. Better to keep busy." I steeled myself for the prickle I felt when I thought about him going.

He grinned weakly. "I know what you mean."

"This place hasn't ever been this clean." I waved a hand at the surrounding chaos.

"And he isn't here to see it," Draco said bitterly.

I looked at him incredulously. "Who says he isn't seeing it?"

His face crumbled, and the pain grew in my chest. "Oh, darling, I'm so sorry. Let it all out."

He let out a feral wail and sobbed.

Severus

Spinner's End

Cokeworth, Midlands

I stormed through the Floo and growled.

It wouldn't be so bad if she wasn't right. Irritating cow.

I grumbled under my breath as I put a kettle on, banging it against the cast iron stove. I pushed wood into the small door beneath and waved a wand to light it before I kicked it shut. Also, a satisfying sound.

I leaned against the wall and seethed as the stove warmed up. Then I felt pressure against one leg and a sweet murmuring sound.

I looked down and allowed myself a small smile. "Hello, Sasha."

The small cat meeped at me and put her paws on my leg, digging her claws in as a warning. I bent over and picked her up and she nuzzled her head under my chin.

"Yes, I missed you, too."

She pulled away from me and meeped again.

"I did!" I snuggled her closer, and she turned over in my arms as I tried to keep hold of her. The kettle whistled.

"All right, all right." I put her down as she squirmed at the noise and padded over to the icebox to remind me we needed cream for our tea.

I dressed a tray and took it into my study, the cat padding behind me. I made a cup for me and a dish of cream for her, and we settled into our usual spot on the couch.

After she had finished her cream she jumped onto my lap and pushed on my chest with one paw. I gulped down the rest of my tea, laid down, and sighed in resignation as she climbed up to my chest, tucked her head under my chin, and purred.

I sighed and scratched her chest. She wrapped her paws around my wrist and held me there. I relaxed and reached for the book I had been reading. It was just out of reach.

Oh, why not? I was resigned to bad luck at this point.

I rolled my eyes and sunk back into the cushions. Sasha sighed, sealing my entrapment on the couch.

My eyes must have gotten heavy because I woke an hour later to movement in my kitchen.

"Honestly, Severus! The water boiled off, and the kettle is burnt!"

Draco. Of course, it was.

Sasha leapt to her feet and ran out of the room meeping the whole way.

"There's my girl—OW!"

"She's in a climbing mood." I called out a late warning with a pleased smile on my face.

"She is!" a woman's voice exclaimed in delight. "Who's a good girl, then?"

There was a triumphant 'meep' and I knew I was doomed.

My smile turned into a scowl. He had to bring her here?

"Are you decent?" Draco called out.

"No. I'm naked on a horse. Do not disturb." My mood wasn't improving.

"Well, this I've got to see," I heard her say as there was shuffling towards my study.

"What if I had been indecent?!" I demanded as they walked into the room.

"I've seen a naked man before. I've even seen one on a dragon," she said as she wrinkled her nose unimpressed. "But on a horse in a living room? Molly would never forgive me for missing it. I bet she'd even use the Pensive for a replay."

I grumbled. The incident involving Charlie and Hugo Weasley, a bottle of firewhiskey, and a Hungarian Short-Snout during a coming of age party had become infamous.

You can't phase women after motherhood. Or 60. Whichever came first.

I was dealing with a woman who had experienced both.

"As long as you don't make me strip again," I grumbled as I got to my feet.

She snorted. "I don't think so. Take it off."

"Are you always so forward, or is it just with me?" I attempted a sneer.

"Just you." She folded her arms. "Get on with it."

Her ability to brush me off was unnerving.

I pulled out my wand and waved it, leaving myself disrobed except for a short pair of new white pants. I didn't know if Potter gossiped, but I wasn't taking any chances. It was important she knew I had learned how to do laundry.

She reached into a bag she had slung over her shoulder and drew out a scroll. She unrolled it and held it up so Draco could see. "Do you see what I mean?"

"Are you sure?" He looked skeptical. "It could just be the ink bleeding through the parchment after all these years."

"I'm telling you, it's shading," she said hotly. She walked over and the parchment stayed in the air where she had displayed it. She ran a hand over my back and I broke out in gooseflesh. "But look here when I press at the tissue around the wound. It's the same puckering."

He nodded. "I'll agree with that."

"Are you ever going to tell me what you think is wrong?" I asked as unpleasantly as I could.

"I think the venom is showing symptoms. I think you've slowed the process of dying down, but I think you're still dying of the bite. I think you're dying in slow-motion and the horcrux in you is fighting it." She turned to face me. "There's no pain?"

"I take a combination of potions," I said.

She nodded. "The good news is that you will live hundreds of years. The bad news is that your pain will continue growing more excruciating until you expire."

"No, it's not," I said flatly.

"Yes, it is." She looked insulted.

"Not if I damage my pain receptors."

"That's insane."

"It's been done before," Draco interjected. "In France. They kept the whole thing well documented—"

"Who?" she demanded. "Who documented it?"

"Well, the Council of Legion—" Draco had the decency to turn red.

"Dark magic?" she asked hotly.

"No." He crossed his arms back at her. "They were a horrible lot, but this is all above board. Muggle science… sort of."

"Are you sure?" She looked suspicious.

"They don't just give those files to anyone," Draco said defensively. "I met a member of the French Council at the symposium for Cursed Wounds and Dark Items last summer and he mentioned a discovery in the Legion files. I petitioned for the file and it was approved by both France and the Ministry—"

"How much did that cost you?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

He hesitated. "I may have traded some… questionable items I found around the Manor that are better off in Ministry hands."

She rolled her eyes. "Just as long as you don't mix the boxes up and send cursed candlesticks to Rose and Scorpius."

"Of course not," he said defensively. She turned around and he mumbled: "Who do you think helped pack everything up?"

"Just as long as it's someone that can read a label," she said sweetly.

He scowled.

"Either way, it will be years until I get to that point and Muggle innovation may mean we won't have to take it that far." I pointed out.

"That's true," she said uncomfortably. She turned on Draco. "If you'd bothered to do a little reading on neuroscience you wouldn't have had to go through all that."

"I was looking for a reason to get rid of some of father's things." Draco shrugged. "Either way, the papers still have historical significance and are worth something. It was a fair trade, collection-wise."

"You're right." She sighed. "Get it all out of the house, but there's no reason to give up the farm."

I was shocked.

She saw my raised eyebrows. "Well, you have to play nice with the older relatives. Children are always getting into hidden areas and there's bound to be little ones eventually. It's a good enough excuse."

"You're growing soft," I observed.

"We went for a ride on grandfather's flying carpet." Draco grinned.

"It's an antique," she reasoned. "And it was retrofitted. The dark charms were removed, and it has modern spells."

"Muggle children died for that carpet," I said as stonily as I could muster standing there in nothing but my pants. She had grown softer on the Dark Arts indeed.

"My aunt died for that carpet. If anyone has a right to a joyride, I do," she said.

I was quiet. That was unexpected. "How did you discover it?"

"Genealogy. I help my mum. She's trying to figure out where our magic came from and it looks like one of my many times great grandmother and her sister were squibs. Draco was helping us cross reference with wizarding archives when we realized the timelines."

"But I don't—" I started.

"They were a Malfoy squibs," Draco said embarrassedly.

"So, they would have seen them as property if they needed potion ingredients." I was disgusted.

"Yes. So, when they needed them—" she began.

"Were the parents confounded?" I asked. "Measures are taken during a harvesting."

"Yes, but not everyone was, which is why it was written in a diary. The parents just forgot they'd had a daughter. Everyone thought they'd gone insane with grief."

"And you're a Malfoy," I said as I looked her up and down.

"We haven't been Malfoys for centuries." Hermione's cheeks colored. "My grandmother stopped being a Malfoy the minute she became a Miller."

"Still counts!" Draco said cheerfully. "And there's no record of illegitimate birth anywhere! Father nearly had a stroke."

"Until he realized the top two students at Hogwarts were both from the same bloodline during our time there," Hermione snorted.

"Yeah, then he tried to take personal responsibility," Draco laughed.

"Now he wants us to get married—" she grumbled.

"You're not!" I frowned darkly.

"Well, I like men and women, you know." Draco had the decency to look embarrassed. "It could happen."

"Don't you look at me like that. I'm not doing it!" Hermione's eyebrows drew together as she glared at me.

"Well, not as long as father's alive," Draco reasoned. "I'm not giving him the satisfaction."

"I'm never doing it!" Hermione insisted.

I was irritated, and I didn't know why. "Why would you even consider doing such a thing?"

"To give Hugo and Rose a legitimate claim to the estate, no matter what. Scorpius is the sole heir and there's no guarantee he and Rose will have children, even though they want them." Draco shrugged. "Or what if they separate and he doesn't ever have children?

"You'd go to these lengths for two spares?" I asked coldly.

"I want no Black interference in the estate. Ever," Draco said firmly. "I don't care how many bloody children I have to adopt. I'll take James, Albus, and Lily, if they'll let me. I don't know how you do that with adults when both of their parents are gone—"

"Delphi's never getting out of Azkaban, Draco," Hermione said firmly.

"That's what they said about Aunt Bellatrix last time and it wasn't true, and she had enough time to pop out a baby," Draco said scornfully.

"The whole idea is absurd." I snorted.

"Thank you," she said huffily.

"You say 'no' now, but wait until you're a hundred and twelve and want to be in a tiny chateau on a tropical island fighting monkeys for your breakfast," Draco said dryly.

"I'll take the rain and no monkeys, thank you very much." She looked at me. "You can put your shirt back on… if you can get it back."

I turned around to see the small black cat curled into a ball on my white shirt. I pulled on my trousers and shook my head as I left the room to look for another shirt. The intrusion was bad enough, but this new information was disturbing.

I knew why Lucius was backing this stupid idea. The Greengrass Blood Curse would taint the entire House forevermore if Scorpius was the last leaf on the family tree. It was an unfortunate problem.

Bringing distant relatives back into the fold would make their House stronger, especially with how progressive the children were. The Malfoys would become philanthropists again instead of just political engineers.

It was a brilliant match. Especially considering the dragon riding experience had shot Hugo Weasley to the top of the social columns.

Still, I didn't like it.

Hermione

Spinner's End

Cokeworth, Midlands

"I can see why you thought he was undead."

"I told you!" Draco sniped back at me.

"Well, if we get the infection cleared up the wounds might be less gruesome." I sighed heavily. "He should go through a lot more poking and prodding, though."

"Oh, I'm sure he will love that. I can't wait to see his face when you tell him."

"When I tell him?"

"Well, I don't even know what we're doing. You're the lead on this project." Draco held his hands out in innocence. "I can't answer questions."

I grumbled at him before sitting on the couch beside the cat who leapt to her feet and butted me with her head.

"How did you get so sweet with such a grouchy daddy?" I asked her and she let out a charming little squeak. "Because he is a big softie? I never would have guessed."

Draco shushed me as Snape stalked back into the room and glared at me.

"What are you going to do? Owl Hogwarts and tell Dennis Creevy to take 10 points from Gryffindor?" I asked challengingly.

Draco groaned.

"I should throw you out," Snape said in a low, dangerous tone.

"Well, that would be pointless because we'd have to come back for research and treatment later when we can make initial plans now." I smiled sweetly.

"Very well," he said bitterly.

I outlined lab supplies and a timeframe and saw his upper lip curl in irritation. "I believe my work room here has everything we need."

"Good," I said truthfully. "I hoped we wouldn't have to Floo into the Department of Mysteries every day. Interns are so nosy."

"They have to be, given their line of work." Draco pointed out.

"About their own projects, not mine," I said firmly.

He snorted. "It's their Department and their equipment."

I waved him off. "Half of which I helped invent and they wouldn't have without me. We're even."

"Is they why you wouldn't let them pay you?" Draco asked.

"Yup."

"You really are a Malfoy, aren't you?" He looked far too amused for his own good. I smacked him.

"If you struck a legacy deal with the Ministry and married that would mean Lucius would get access." Snape pointed out casually.

"It was not a legacy arrangement," I snorted. "You think I want Hugo bumbling around in there? He'd get strangled by a brain like his father, trying to impress some girl."

Snape snorted. I glared at him.

"So, when should we start?" Draco asked.

"Tomorrow," I said firmly. "We need to stop this as fast as we can, but we need to be at the top of our games, not wanting supper and falling asleep."

"I agree," Snape said. "Now will you all kindly get out."

Sasha sat on the couch and reached out a paw to touched my hand. When I looked down, she cocked her head to one side.

I sighed in resignation. "I'll see you both in the morning."

Draco

Draco and Harry's House

Burford, Oxfordshire

I woke up and felt the space near me. It would take getting used to. Again.

I pulled myself out of bed and smelled coffee and bacon. I heard a dull thud and Hermione swear and I snorted. I knew she couldn't leave it alone.

I'd have had oatmeal if she hadn't shown up and the bacon smelled delicious. I groaned and stretched and swung my legs out of bed. I heard a squeaky bark near my feet.

A small white dog stood near my feet wagging the rear half of its body. Its hair was so long you couldn't see where body stopped and legs began. I patted her on the head.

"Hello Goliath. Tell mummy I'm coming."

He yipped and sprang off, bouncing his way to the kitchen, leaving a trail of fine white dog fur across the carpet as he went.

I shook my head. Every single time. I reached for my wand and cleaned the carpet, used the chamber pot and cleaned it, then found clothes to put on. I waved my wand over them so she wouldn't redress me and I made my way to the kitchen.

The table had flowers on it and light streamed through the window making the yellow petals brighter.

A plate was waiting for me and as I sat down she slid the eggs from the pan onto a piece of toast covered in beans.

"Ooo, that's nice," I said as I picked my fork up. "Thanks Hermione."

"Don't think about it. You both took such good care of me when Ron passed away."

"It was nothing." I waved her off. "And we just sent Dibbles over. We never showed up to make breakfast ourselves. How is he?"

"He's taking the pay I'm giving him to restart S.P.E.W," she giggled.

"He isn't!"

"He is!" She sat down with her own food and shook her head.

"You're a legend," I pointed out.

"Ron's the one that saved them all," she admitted.

"But you gave them hope when their homes were crumbling and their masters had all gone." I took a bite of food and closed my eyes.

"It was nothing." Hermione's cheeks pinked.

"It was a lot to Molly. She always wanted a house-elf and she ended up with four!"

"Well, Dinky and Chessie didn't know they were expecting when she fostered them and you know Molly around babies…"

"Didn't help that the twins liked to tinker in the garage with Arthur."

"A magical zeppelin. I ask you—"

I giggled despite myself.

"I keep telling them they should be lucky they weren't free elves. This way Arthur takes complete blame. What would they do them if they were just making magical machinery? The Ministry would have a fit." Hermione shook her head.

"Well, you've changed your tune."

"A lot of them are just choosing families and not bothering to protect themselves. Just because they live in a house and serve a family doesn't mean they aren't free elves anymore. They need contracts outlining employee liability," she pointed out. "Things are different now."

There was a whooshing sound, and I looked at the door to the kitchen. "Hello?"

"I stopped by Borgan and—" Severus stopped as he spotted Hermione. His eyes narrowed.

"Someone has to fed him." She shrugged and Severus gave a look of resignation. "Get a plate. There's plenty."

"What were you doing at Borgan and Burkes?" I asked him.

"Asking Dexter Borgan about a symbol I found on a sarcophagus in Israel. He's an expert in ancient symbology. Thought I'd pass the time before starting the experiment."

"So you went to Israel?" Hermione asked. "And found a sarcophagus?"

"Last summer," he corrected. "I took pictures. It was very unusual."

"How much did you have to pay him?" I snorted.

There was a loud 'yip' from the floor and Severus looked down.

"What is that?" he asked as if he were offended by the little dog's presence.

"Goliath," Hermione and I both said.

"Who's David? Do you have a pet mouse?" he snorted.

"Hamster," she muttered under her breath.

"Why is he sniffing at me so much?" Severus asked.

"Because you smell like Sasha." I pointed out the obvious. "He likes cats. He's smaller than most of them."

"Will he be joining us?"

"He should. He'd keep Sasha off the workbench for once," I grumbled.

"Cats are supposed to chase beetles," he grumbled back.

"You could just try closing the door," Hermione suggested.

We both looked at her incredulously.

"She howls her head off doesn't she?"

"Like she's got a paw caught in a bear trap." Severus frowned.

Hermione giggled. "She really runs that house, doesn't she?"

"Since the day some fool threw her out into a coal bin." Severus shook his head. "Some people are cruel."

"You tried to poison Neville's toad once!" Hermione accused.

"I did?" He looked as if he were trying to find the memory and failed. "I don't remember."

"You don't remember!?" She cried out.

"It's an old potion master trick. Put pressure on them." He shrugged. "It's a Hogwarts tradition. I did it to dozens of students."

"Trevor could have died!"

"Do you think Dumbledore would have actually let me go around poisoning pets?" He gave her a patronizing look. "He was a political engineer, not a madman."

Hermione's jaw was working. "Then you made that crack about my teeth!"

"Well, that was funny." He snickered.

"It was not!" she yelled.

"Then maybe you shouldn't be calling people greasy gits behind their back because one day they'll have enough of your crap!" he hissed.

"Well, this has turned out to be an entertaining morning," I said cheerfully.

"Shut up," they both snapped at me.

I should have done this years ago. I imagined Harry's look of delight and I hid my grin as I took a sip of tea.

Severus

Spinner's End

Cokeworth, Midlands

I looked around my home for any last-minute things out of place. I don't know why. They had no issues barging in on poor unsuspecting napping persons and demanding they disrobe.

I put a kettle on and as usual, Sasha did her little dance for her saucer of cream. I was watching her and sighing as they came through the Floo.

"What is she doing?" Hermione asked as her cotton ball of a dog bounded up to Sasha and sniffed furiously.

To Sasha's credit, she puffed up twice her size and hissed. To the dogs' credit, he ignored the cat and gave her a mighty lick up one side of her face. The cat swiped at the dog and they bounded out of the kitchen giving merry chase. There was a crash from the next room.

"I'll fix it." Draco bustled out of the room.

"What was she doing?" Hermione asked me as if Armageddon wasn't happening in the parlour.

"Reminding me to get her saucer of cream," I said. "She comes running whenever she hears me put a kettle on."

"I didn't realize you were trainable," she remarked.

"You'd be surprised," I said without thinking. Then I flushed. I was glad my face was over the hot stove.

She wandered to the doorway and lifted her eyebrows at whatever she had seen. She hurried off and I let out the breath I had been holding.

I began overthinking things. I meant nothing filthy. She didn't take it that way. Still the idea that it was improper swam its way into my head. Why?

Because she wasn't taking any of my crap and there had only been two other people like that in my life and she didn't remind me of Dumbledore.

Much.

The other I had been thinking of since discovering I was my own horcrux, but Hermione didn't remind me of her either, besides her attitude.

The kettle whistled, and I started out of my reverie. The last fleeting thought was an embarrassing one about training.

And what would she train me to do?

I allowed myself a cocky smile before composing myself. I set up my small wheeled cart and we descended the hidden passageway to the cellar I used for a workshop.

"Why is it a ramp?" Hermione asked. "Not that I mind. I don't do stairs as well as I used to."

"Dad liked his wine and when he couldn't walk he had the ramp installed," I grunted.

"Oh," she said. "I'm sorry."

"He died in a lorry accident wheeling himself home after a few too many," I said. "He was singing away before it happened. Some filthy thing about milkmaids and a travelling salesman. I'm sure it was the way he'd have wanted to go."

She choked out a laugh.

"Where did you put the animals?" I asked Draco.

"In your bedroom. They'll be fine."

He was right. A bed, two side tables, a dresser, and ceiling fixtures insured they couldn't get up too much.

"You never told me what you found in Borgan and Burkes," Draco reminded me.

"Oh! I Picked up a little brass vial said to have belonged to Hirum II Vampire Prince of Upper Spain and France. It's on the workbench."

Draco picked it up and examined it. "Is it cursed?"

"Shouldn't you have asked that before you picked it up?" Hermione asked.

"Dangerous objects are always placed on a fixed pedestal with a sticking charm on it and a glass dome," I told her.

"Sasha?"

"Turned herself into a snake and slithered around for fun. Took me an hour to catch her," I grumbled.

"Could have been worse," Draco reminded me.

"I know. That's why it was corrected," I growled.

There was a thump from upstairs.

"Ignore them," Draco ordered. "Now take your shirt off."

"How romantic," I remarked. "I can see now how you reel them in—"

"Can we all just agree that none of us are morning people and just down a cup of tea for Merlin's sake?" Hermione blurted out.

"We've all been up for hours," Draco said.

"I don't think that matters if it's not noon yet," I said as I watched her load her cup with sugar before putting in a splash of tea and downing it. "Would you like some tea with your sugar?" I asked, somewhat alarmed.

"I have a great bloody headache and I'm trying to knock it out."

"You're going to knock yourself out you keep doing that at your age." I pointed out.

"And aging!" Hermione said as if she had just remembered. "How are you aging? How is your body repairing itself? Has anyone looked at your white cell count?"

"No," I said firmly. I would not be shamed for not having a multi-million galleon workshop.

"Maybe there are a few things we need to do at the Ministry." She was thinking aloud.

"And what would that involve?" I asked.

"Nothing too invasive," she assured me. "Just some basic health tests. We can do them by this afternoon."

Draco

Spinner's End

Cokeworth, Midlands

"He's going to murder me," Hermione moaned into her hands as I put Sasha's saucer of cream on the floor.

"Well, you didn't know," I said reassuringly.

"He will never believe that."

I chuckled despite myself.

Just then there was a sound in the fireplace and she groaned. Snape stalked into the kitchen with an expression of outrage on his face.

"Nothing too invasive?" His voice was verging on a screech.

"Oh, come on. You're long past the age where you should have had a prostate exam. You're lucky she didn't do it herself." I wasn't in the mood to have them going at it again.

The look on his face was priceless, but it shut him up.

"I'm guessing everything is ship shape, just like the other tests," Hermione said tactfully.

"It appears so," he said, grinding his teeth. I pushed a cup of tea into his hands and he downed it in one gulp.

"Feel better?" I asked.

"No." He sulked.

Hermione handed him a piece of jellied fruit and chewed it grouchily. They were his favorite. This mood would pass.

"So, did we get the blood samples?" Hermione asked as we made our way to the subterranean workshop.

"I have them in my coat. I hope five vials is sufficient," he told her hotly.

"More than enough," she assured him. "We only need one, but we can preserve the others."

We fed the fire and setting out ingredients before the chopping and grinding began.

It took several hours before the moment of truth. We dripped the new serum into the vial of blood before adding it to the cauldron full of the rest of the blood replenishment potion.

For a moment, it bubbled and turned the proper red color. We scribbled down notes, but within a minute, it churned and changed to blue.

"We need to stabilize it," Hermione said firmly. "We have a great start."

"I must agree," Severus said, to my surprise. "This was a far better result than I had expected."

"Maybe when we get your health files compiled something will stand out," I said, trying to sound reassuring.

"I hope so. I'd hate to think it was a waste of time," he sneered.

I tried not to laugh. He going to let this one go.

Hermione

Spinner's End

Cokeworth, Midlands

"Well, that was simple enough," I said primly, closing the folder. "There was nothing wrong with our attempt. It was fine until your antibodies attacked the perfect replenishment potion."

"Well, it's not like I told them to do it," Snape said testily. "You can stop acting like it's my fault."

"It isn't your fault. It's everyone else's fault for not doing a complete diagnostic on you after the Battle of Hogwarts. We could have been in development for years." I slapped it down on his workbench in frustration. "The whole process took fourteen hours!"

"Didn't help that he hid himself away in a cave for twenty-five effing years," Draco grumbled.

"My portrait caught me up to date with events." Snape sniffed.

"Oh, well, good. Then you can tell us what happened when it disappeared for three days and Scorpius and Albus swore up and down they had no idea where it was." Draco snapped. "Years, Severus! Of all the bloody irresponsible-"

"Are you really going to lecture me on responsibility?" Severus asked incredulously.

"I was sixteen, not thirty-eight!" Draco squawked. 'Twenty-five years!"

"All right, that's enough." I rubbed my forehead. "If I wanted this, I'd have had more children. You'll just have to get transfusions the old-fashioned way for the time being. St. Mungo's should consider it a unique learning experience. If we'd gotten to it sooner—"

"And if I refuse?" he asked stiffly.

"I hit you in the face and it happens anyway," I said grouchily.

"She'll do it," Draco blurted.

"It will be the same team that's been doing your physicals," I assured him. "Muggle-born with medical backgrounds. They know how to find a vein."

"How reassuring."

"Well, it's better than you two floundering around in the basement," I snapped. "You didn't even know it was an infection! You thought your brewing was off!"

"My brewing wasn't off!" Snape howled in outrage.

"That's not what I heard!" I bellowed back.

Our eyes snapped to Draco.

Draco, to his credit, took this opportunity to Disapparate, giving the teacup he was holding the opportunity to crash to the ground and shatter.

"Of all the nerve!" Snape was furious. "My brewing off? Not in this lifetime, it's not!"

He stalked around his workbench to tidy up and I laughed.

"What?" he snapped.

"He just up and Disapparated off!"

"I'm certain he's just gone upstairs," Snape said irritated.

"Who does that?" I giggled.

"A filthy little liar!" Snape said loud enough for the whole house to hear, then he rounded on me. "And what kind of idiot would believe him?"

"Well, he is family," I said sarcastically.

"He may well be, but don't you trust his father for a moment. He may be old and soft, but he's still got a few tricks up his sleeve," Snape said in a warning tone. "Keep family ties untied until he's buried and turned to dust."

"Why, Severus. I didn't know you cared." I batted my eyelashes at him.

He stared at me for a moment before going back to cleaning the workbench and muttering to himself.

"If Lucius was that serious about marriage alliances he'd be going after me himself and not shoving Draco at me," I said reasonably. "At this point it's practically incest. Any marriage would have to be a marriage in the traditional sense. The shield charms can tell if it's just a paper arrangement. If Lucius has a mind to marry me that silly old man has a death wish."

He cocked an eyebrow at me. "Why, Hermione, if you were anyone else I'd think you were bragging."

I stood there choking for air and turning red and he laughed and went back to tidying his work area.

He didn't need to know it was because he had called me by my first name and I had liked it.

Severus

Spinner's End

Cokeworth, Midlands

It was clear the cat and dog had given merry chase, opened the dresser and destroyed one of my shirts, knocked a book off the nightstand, and had settled down on my comforter for a nap per the damage and two puddles of fur.

I sighed as Sasha chased a shadow on the wall. "Did you have fun?"

'Meep!' She replied.

I shook my head and repaired the book binding with a wave of my wand. "Well, I'm glad. You may be seeing each other from now on."

She purred and abandoned the wall for the pillow beside mine, her little paws kneading the fabric.

I undressed and looked at myself in the mirror above my dresser. I waved a wand and clean bandages wound themselves around my wounds so I could keep them and my sheets clean. I hoped that after all of this we could get them to at least close. I didn't mind scars, but the seepage problem was just disgusting.

I turned out the lights and lay there letting the amber light from the streetlamps spill into the room.

I couldn't stop thinking about Lucius Malfoy. I'm sure he sounded like he was joking. He always did until he wasn't anymore.

Still, he could have waited for the spot in his son's bed to cool down before he tried to warm it up again.

Unless he was using it as an excuse to get closer to her.

He was charming and handsome; age aside, he was still a Malfoy. He was old money and he could restore total faith in the line by marrying a war hero.

I frowned.

Maybe that wasn't his plan. Maybe he had another one. One thing was certain: Draco marrying Hermione was not his goal.

I tossed and turned for hours, Sasha jumping up to chase the shadows on the wall as I shifted positions.

Something about this wasn't right, but I did not understand what it was.

I drifted off to sleep, remembering what it was like when people were pairing off for the first time—

I started so bad I shook the bed and sent Sasha scrambling.

It was so simple. It was so obvious.

It was so stupid.

Draco

Malfoy Manor

Wiltshire, England

I was in my father's rose garden instructing the elves on how to shape the blossoming buds when I heard Severus thundering for my father somewhere inside the house.

I looked at the watch Harry had given me for our anniversary. "It's barely seven in the morning."

I glanced at a house-elf who shrugged in innocence. "Carry on, Minnie. I'll go investigate."

She bowed her head in subservience and went back to instructing the others as I made my way up to the house.

"You know, I never would have figured it out, but last night I was thinking about when everyone was pairing off and getting married the first time—"

"Always the bridesmaid, never the bride, Severus?" Father snapped, standing taller. His bottom lip poked out defensively.

"What have you done?" I cocked an eyebrow and pursed my lips at my father.

"You don't even know what I'm accused of!" He glared at me angrily.

"No, but I know that look and mother's ghost would come to visit and murder me if I let you get away with it." I pulled my gardening gloves off and slapped them into the palm of my hand. "You might as well tell me. I can slip Veritaserum in your tea if you don't."

"You wouldn't dare." He furrowed his brows at me.

"Yes, I would. I'm too old and too tired to be cleaning up your messes." I said firmly. "Out with it."

"He wants to marry Hermione himself. You're just a red herring," Severus accused. "And it's nothing to do with the Ministry."

Father looked as if he wasn't expecting that at all. "What about the Ministry?"

"Merlin's beard, he doesn't even know." Severus was more irritated than I'd ever seen him. He pinched the skin between his eyes. "You really have lost your touch, haven't you?"

"What did you think he was accusing you of?" I demanded as I glared at my father.

"Bribing the council for a monopoly on fishing rights in the county." He mumbled embarrassedly.

"Dad!" I exclaimed exasperatedly.

"You leave her alone," Severus said in a low, dangerous tone.

"Or what?" Father snorted at Severus.

"Or I'll tell her and Molly what you're up to," Severus said simply. He crossed his arms.

"You wouldn't dare."

"I would."

"You always were a tattle-tale."

"And you were always coming up with shitty little plans that never worked—"

"All right, that's enough!" I exploded. I rubbed my temples. "Anyone want to tell me what this is about?"

"He doesn't want to exploit her connections, he wants to bang her!" Severus accused.

Lucius shrugged. "She's matured well—"

"I can't believe I'm, hearing this," I muttered. I fought back the urge to cover my ears.

"You never got over Molly Prewett dumping you, did you?" Severus asked cuttingly.

"What?!" I blustered.

"Why do you think him and Arthur have been at it since the beginning of time?" Severus snorted.

"Hermione's her own woman." Lucius sniffed. "And she has a rather impressive backside."

"I've noticed," Severus snapped. "Leave it alone!"

"You noticed?" I blurted out.

Severus blustered a moment before levelling a finger at my father. "I'm warning you. You stay away from her."

He swept his robes around him and disappeared in a flurry of Floo powder.

I stared at the fireplace for a moment before turning to Father. "Do you mind telling me what all that was about?"

His face screwed up awkwardly.

"Now, Dad."

Draco

Hermione's Cottage

Hawkshead, Cumbria

"NO!" Her face was priceless. I was sad I didn't bring a camera.

"It's true!" I howled with laughter. Goliath yipped around my feet in excitement.

"I don't believe it!"

"They were fighting over you!"

"You're lying!" she accused.

"We can go straight to Hogwarts and borrow the pensive if you want. I'm sure Dennis could use a laugh." I threatened.

"Dear Merlin…" She buried her face in her hands. "What am I going to do?"

"Quite honestly, they've been getting along well enough without you," I pointed out as I reached down to calm the little dog.

She choked out a laugh. "They have been, haven't they?"

"Wonder when one of them was going to ask you out. At the rate they're going we'll be mummified corpses." I snickered.

"I am too old for this!" Hermione smacked me with a tea towel which made it worse.

"Well, your backside isn't! They fought over that, too!" I crowed in delight.

She let out a small squeaky scream that sent me over the edge. Tears rolled down my face as I howled with laughter.

"It's not funny!"

"LIAR!" I choked out.

"You start from the beginning and tell me what happened from the moment he got there!" Her eyes narrowed at me as I wiped my eyes with the tea towel.

"All right," I choked out as I composed myself. "But it isn't any less funny."

Severus

Spinner's End

Cokeworth, Midlands

"I'm sorry this has to be done now," Hermione apologized as she swabbed the wound on my back. "But if I owl it off before two it will be there for them to start in the morning. Otherwise we'll have to wait the weekend."

"It doesn't matter," I said, trying not to sound suspicious. "I had a transfusion last night. I should be fine until next week."

"Still. It would nice to have the results so we could work on the weekend," she said lamely.

"We're all retired. It doesn't matter what day of the week it is," I pointed out.

She squirmed.

"Thank you. For calling out Lucius," she muttered.

Oh.

I turned red.

Oh, Merlin, I couldn't even hide it. I was sitting there with no shirt glowing like a tomato in the sun.

"Well, he wasn't acting properly," I stammered. "If one is interested in another person they should be clear. Not come up with some giant social manipulation to attain your goals."

"Should they?"

"They should."

"Interesting."

She swabbed my neck, and I was extremely aware of how close she was. I smelled her shampoo and lotion. It was heady, and she was there and I don't know what came over me except if I did nothing Lucius might.

I leaned down and kissed her neck where it met her shoulder. She gasped and leaned into it.

"Should I stop?" I asked as cloyingly as I could.

"Don't you dare," she whispered,

"Should I be making my intentions clear?" I brushed my lips over her shoulder.

She pulled herself back and looked at me. "I'm a senior citizen and you're a randy thirty-something year old war hero and I'm telling you not to stop. I'm sure all intentions are out there, dear."

"Are you matronizing me?"

"I am."

"I think I like it."

Hermione

Hermione's Cottege

Hawkshead, Cumbria

"You what?!"

I winced.

"When did this happen?!" Draco was yelling.

"When I went to take the test swabs to send off to the lab. We're not getting them until next week."

"Gee, I wonder why," he said sarcastically.

I groaned.

"Mum!" I heard a call from the next room.

"Don't you dare!" I warned Draco. He snickered at me. "In here!" I called out.

"Hi, Mum. I brought over those candlesticks—oh! Hi, Pop!"

"Hello, Darling." Draco kissed her on the cheek. "What brings you by this morning?"

"Mum was saying how you loved these and hated to see them go." She pulled one of the hideous candlesticks out of a box and he narrowed his eyes at me.

"Your mother made out with Severus Snape!" He blurted out before stepping behind Rose and trying to make himself as small as possible.

"Draco!" I screeched.

"Mum!" Rose was scandalized.

"And if I ever see those candlesticks again someone is going to eat them!" he threatened as he peered around Rose.

"What?" Rose tried to look at him over her shoulder. "What is going on?!"

"Nothing is going on!" I insisted.

"Except some hot up against the workbench action!" Draco crowed from behind my daughter who screamed in shock and delight.

"That's it," I said firmly. "I'm preforming a memory charm."

"No, you're not!" Draco dove at me, practically knocking Rose over.

"I wish I'd never told you, you big mouth—" We were wrestling over my wand and Rose laughed.

"Am I interrupting anything?"

I felt the blood drain from my face as I looked up to see Severus Snape in my doorway.

"Not at all," I tried to squeak out.

"Yeah. This is completely normal," Rose said sarcastically. "I'm leaving the candlesticks. Figure out what you're going to do with them. I'll see you lot later." She set the box down and left, shaking her head.

"I'm going, too," Draco said. He always was good at making a quick escape.

He dashed from the room and to the fireplace. I shook my head and opened my mouth to say something.

"Try not to make out too much when I'm gone!" he yelled before I heard the -whoosh- of the Floo network.

I opened and closed my mouth like a fish. I made eye contact with Severus. "I'm so sorry."

"Are you ashamed?" he asked.

"What? No!" I exclaimed. "Why would I be?"

"Well, I don't know. What on earth was that about?"

"Draco being an idiot." I mumbled.

"That's nothing new," he snorted. He reached under his cloak and pulled out a bunch of wildflowers.

"Oh, they're beautiful!" I felt my heart flutter in my chest. I smiled and bit my bottom lip.

"I wanted to make sure my intentions were still clear."

I looked up from the flowers and saw an unfamiliar twinkle in his eye.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Well, I am in my eighties. It's now or never."

He had a point.

I stood on tiptoe to kiss him.

Draco

Spinner's End

Cokeworth, Midlands

I arrived in the quiet kitchen and got to work fixing breakfast. I hated when it was my turn and wish I'd thought of borrowing one of father's house-elves.

I put a kettle on and went to go wake up Severus so he could help me. I was walking through the parlor when I heard a 'meep!'

I turned to see the small cat getting up from her position on the couch and stretching her back.

"Sasha? What are you doing out here?" I asked as she hopped on the floor and padded over. She butted my leg before walking over to a pair of shoes and sitting near them.

They weren't men's shoes.

"Oh?" I chuckled as I went to the front door to check for Hermione's cloak, which was hung up on a wooden peg near Severus'.

I smiled to myself and went back to the kitchen to pour Sasha a saucer of cream.

"Ah, Harry, I'm sorry you're missing this." I grinned and wiped away a tear.

There was a flutter at the kitchen window and an official looking owl tapped at the glass. I opened the window and took the parcel from the owl before handing it a treat from a jar. It took off almost immediately as I tore open the brown paper.

Dear Researchers,

I believe we found the root of the problem you've been having. It was a simple miscalculation in the original formula that didn't account for a minute variable that isn't so minute anymore. This was our fault of course, having done the initial examination, and we apologize for any distress this may have caused…

I skimmed the rest of the letter until I found the key to clearing up the infection and nodded to myself.

The kettle whistled, and I dressed myself a cup and poured the hot water into a pot.

I sat down and Sasha hopped up on the table to steal my cream. I saved it from her whiskery face and scratched her behind her ears.

I heard stirrings upstairs, and I got ready to give them the good news.

Harry might not be here, but not all hope was lost.

Things would be fine.

We would be fine.

I would be fine.