Draco smiled as Scorpius pressed his hands against the glass of the display case. His young son's anxiety was clearly visible in the crackling magic running through his hair. Greg Goyle grinned down at the littlest Malfoy before sharing a moment of silent communication with him.

"They aren't here." Scorpius wailed. "It has to be perfect and they aren't here."

"Do you need something special, Pye?" Greg bent down and looked into the boy's silvery eyes.

"I need the rummy rolls that My likes." The boy looked back at the display case. "Do you have some, Uncle Greg?"

"Your very special order is behind the counter. I wouldn't let you down." The big wizard grinned and tousled Scorpius, hair. "I know this is important."

"Thanks, Greg." Draco grinned at his friend. "He's rather desperate to make sure everything is perfect."

"Well, Beltane is important." Greg looked around his bakery. "She helped me. I wouldn't have been able to do this without those culinary classes. I owe her. May the magic of the season bless you."

Draco swallowed past the lump in his throat and nodded. He fingered the box in his pocket and thought about his elaborate plans. He didn't have a back up plan. This had to work.

Narcissa braided in the stems of the flowers and smiled at the wild crown resting in her lap. She knew Draco was fretting and Pye was fussing, but she wasn't worried. When Astoria's magic failed during Pye's birth, she had prayed to the goddess for help. She hadn't expected it to arrive beside Hannah Longbottom.

"She's strong enough." Healer Longbottom looked to Draco. "We can save the baby."

Draco had looked into the pale face of Hermione Granger and felt real fear. Narcissa had seen it in his eyes. Hermione has stood there as his son's last chance.

"Do you know what they're going to do?" Draco looked into the muggleborn's eyes. "This is for life."

"I know what I'm doing. He deserves a chance." The young witch had squared her shoulders and the healers began the chant.

Two months early, with his mother's magic collapsing around him like a stone tower under siege, Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy emerged into the world and was placed directly into the arms of his godmother. Hermione Granger delivered to them by the hands of fate had let the child be bound to her. Her magical core had stabilized his. Her arms had comforted him.

Narcissa pulled herself out of the memory. It wasn't seemly to dwell on the past when the future was at hand. She set the crown down next to her own and looked out into the garden. The Dawn was still a ways off, but it was time. Luna Potter and Hannah Longbottom would be arriving at any moment.

The women of Hermione Granger's magical family were frequent visitors to the manor now, but this day was special. She arrived in the library as Luna and Hannah stepped out of the fireplace. Both women were already crowned with flowers and robed in the finest lawn shifts.

"Blessings on your House." Luna inclines her head slightly. "It should be a fine day for a bit of magic."

"May the Goddess bless both of you." Narcissa smiled at both of the lovely, younger witches. "Hermione should be joining us in a moment."

"I'm here." Hermione smiled as she joined them. "Shall we go for our walk?"

"It's more than a walk." Luna linked her arm with Hermione's and propelled them toward the gardens, leaving Hannah and Narcissa to follow on. "We greet the dawn and celebrate the return of life to the land. It helps strengthen our bonds with our land and our families."

"So you say every year." Hermione rolled her eyes. "And I wind up shivering with dirty feet."

"Traditions are important." Narcissa plucked the crowns from their table by the door and set the one of simple daffodils upon her own head. She felt the magic settle into her as the flowers anchored themselves in her hair. "Let me place your crown."

Hermione stepped closer to her and smiled up at her. The mirth dancing in her amber eyes belied all her grumbling. The elaborate crown tingled against her fingers as she settled it onto the witch's brindled curls.

"Our family is truly blessed to have you." Narcissa pressed her lips to Hermione's forehead as the crown bloomed into vibrant life. "May magic guide you."

Draco looked around the glade and took a deep breath. Ropes of flowers draped from tree branch to tree branch. The small circle was consecrated. Offerings to various goddesses perfumed the air.

"Will she be here soon?" Pye pulled around his linen shirt. "I want her to be my real mummy."

"She will always be your mummy. She chose to stand in for your mother because you are too precious to be lost to this world." Draco crouched down and stared into his son's eyes. "She chose you. Today is about letting her make another choice."

"What choice?" Pye looked around the glade.

"She chose you, but she didn't chose life as a Malfoy." Draco pressed a hand to the ground. "She never chose to be part of our magic."

"But she chose me." Pye put his hand on top of Draco's. "So, she chose it."

"It doesn't work like that." Draco pulled on the magic in the land and lifted it up into the air to swirl under his palm. "Your mother was from an old family like ours. Her magic was tuned like an instrument to it. She took part in her family rituals and she shared in some of ours. It helps create bonds between witches and wizards. Hermione doesn't have that."

"My does. She has us." Pye slammed his free hand over his other hand and the swirling orb exploded out into flickering lights that settled into the flowers.

"She has you, Son. She loves you. She chose you." Draco reassured Pye and pulled him into a gentle embrace. "If her magic leads her here, I'm going to offer her something else."

"Rummy buns?" Pye looked over at the small table filled with assorted foods. "Make sure to wipe your hands on the napkin or those pillows will be sticky."

Draco choked down the urge to laugh and stroked his fingers through his son's hair. Hermione had saved Pye, given the boy an awful nickname, and swept through the manor like a zephyr. The dark miasma that had hovered over them all fled from her. The loving bond she had used to hold Scorpius to this world had saved them all. Even Lucius, still residing in Azkaban, was different.

"If her magic brings her here, I'm going to offer her my life." Draco looked around the space again. He knew the matrons were following her around the grounds. As the only resident maid, she had to lead them through the reawakening. "Please the goddesses, May her magic lead the way."

"It seems like a lot of work for some rummy buns." Pye looked longingly at the treats. "Uncle Greg always keeps some for her. Is he trying to give her his life, too?"

Draco fought back the urge to laugh again. He tickled Scorpius and let the boy's laughter ease some of his nerves. He looked up at the lightening sky and felt his hope rising with the sun.