In-Laws

Epilogue

Eight Years Later

“DRACO!!!” Hermione screamed at the top of her lungs.

Seconds later, Draco dashed into their bedroom. “What’s wrong?” he asked, alarmed.

She glanced down at the bodily fluids on the floor. “I think it’s time,” was all she had to say.

Draco called for the house elves before Flooing St. Mungo’s. They needed a Healer fast. Once he was able to grab one, he beckoned them to the manor. The med witch helped Hermione onto the bed, careful to conjure some protection for the sheets. As the Healer busied herself getting Hermione comfortable, Draco ran downstairs.

“Mother! Mother!” he called out, frantically opening and closing doors. “Mother!”

Lucius peeked his head out of the drawing room. “She’s in here, Draco,” he told the young man.

Draco burst into the drawing room where his parents had been sitting quite calmly. They were no longer calm at their son’s look of distress. Narcissa stood up and looked at her son. “What…” she started.

“Hermione’s in labour!” he practically shouted at the before going to the fireplace. He Flooed Harry and Ginny and asked them to bring Hermione’s parents.

Alarmed by her son’s outburst, Narcissa hasted out of the drawing room and up the stairs. Lucius continued to drink his tea casually.

Draco waited impatiently. Shortly after the honeymoon, Lucius had given the manor to Draco and his new wife. The older Malfoys had moved out to the Malfoy summer home in France. About two years ago, the home had burned to the ground, almost killing the older couple. Hermione had offered them a place to live until the home had been rebuilt. Lucius and Narcissa had been there since.

Hermione and Lucius had found a way to co-exist. They simply ignored one another. On the occasions when they did speak to one another, they were civil and polite. Neither ever initiated a conversation with the other, however, so they rarely spoke to one another. It worked out perfectly for them.

Ginny arrived followed by Harry, Ron, Luna, Blaise, and Padma. Lucius wrinkled his nose. “How many did you tell?” he asked the red-headed Potter.

Ginny just smiled. “Mum and Dad are arriving by car with the Grangers. And my brothers, save Ron, are coming as soon as they get off work,” she answered.

Hermione wasn’t the only one expecting. Both Ginny and Luna were seven months pregnant. Padma was three.

“Where is she?” Padma asked Draco.

He was frazzled. “In our bedroom,” he answered.

The women hurried out of the room as Draco continued to pace. Blaise smirked, “Planning on putting a hole in that carpet? It would give Hermione an excuse to paint the room red.”

Draco glared at his best friend. “Just wait until Padma gives birth,” he threatened.

“Come now, Draco,” his father chided. “Have a drink and relax. It’s nerve-wracking, but really. She’ll be fine.”

For once, Harry agreed with the older Slytherin. “Hermione’s a strong person. She’ll get through this,” he assured the younger Malfoy.

“Yeah,” Ron agreed. “If she can survive being married to you, she can survive anything.”

Four pairs of eyes glared at him, but Ron just shrugged. Though he had come to accept the marriage, it had taken Ron quite some time to get used to it. Luna had helped him a lot and eventually, he married the odd girl. Ron was happy with Luna. He loved her and she loved him. However, the bond between Ron, Hermione, and Harry was something that could never be broken.

Blaise took a seat in Narcissa’s vacant armchair. “So, Lucius, are you ready to be a grandfather?” he questioned, taking a sip of fire whiskey.

Lucius cradled his own drink. He took his time before answering, careful to sip and swallow first. Finally, he responded, “I don’t see what choice I have.”

Harry frowned. He didn’t like that response at all. Perhaps it was the indifferent look in the man’s eyes or the fact that Lucius was so casual about it. “Yes, there’s no reason for you to be excited about the birth of your first grandchild,” he commented, sarcastically.

“You sound like Snape,” Lucius sneered. “I never said I wasn’t ‘excited’ about it. I just don’t see the point in running around like a hippogriff with it’s head cut off. She’s having a baby, not a blood letting.”

Harry and Ron were a bit shocked by Lucius’ callous remark. Though, Blaise and Draco didn’t seem affected by it. The dark Italian had heard remarks like it several times from Lucius as had Draco. And, had Draco really been paying attention to the topic, he would’ve given his father a nasty comeback as he was wont to do. Instead, he kept pacing, glancing at the door every few seconds.

Draco couldn’t keep still. She was in labour. He could hear the faintest sounds of her screams over the crackling of the fireplace and the conversations. He wanted to be with her, but was too frightened to ask. Men weren’t really allowed in the birthing room.

Kobby entered the room and bowed to the wizards. “Masters, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley are here with Mr. and Mrs, Granger,” he announced, stepping aside to allow the four into the room.

Draco stopped pacing long enough to give Mrs. Granger a hug and shake hands with Mr. Granger and Mr. Weasley. He started to return to his pacing, when Mrs. Weasley pulled him into a hug as well. “It’ll be alright, dear,” she offered to him as she patted his cheeks.

He nodded solemnly before returning to his pacing. Amy gave him a concerned look. “How is my daughter?” she asked.

“We don’t know,” Harry replied. “The women are upstairs in the room with her, but we’ve not heard a thing.”

“She keeps screaming,” Draco said, suddenly. His throat was dry from lack of use and his voice rose in a rasp.

Ron looked at him curiously. “How do you know that?”

Draco growled at the red-head. “If you’d shut that trap of yours, Weasel, you’d hear her. She’s been on and off screaming since I came down here.”

Molly and Amy glanced at one another knowingly. Amy turned her gaze to the distraught Malfoy. “Why don’t you go to her, Draco?” she suggested. “She could probably use your support.”

Everyone, save Henry, looked at Amy as though she had suddenly sprouted a second head. Draco stopped his pacing. “Men do not enter into a birthing room!” Molly exclaimed, appalled.

This had both Henry and Amy confused. Then, Henry’s nose wrinkled. “How medieval,” he commented. “This is the twenty-first century, not the twelfth. Most women like the idea of their husbands being present. Gives them someone to blame in between contractions.”

“Not to mention, it helps ease the anxiety of the parents and the child,” Amy added. “Studies also show that by the father being in the birthing room, he’s also able to build a stronger connection to both the mother and the child. Especially the child.”

Henry smirked, proudly. “I even got to cut the umbilical cord when Hermione was born. And, I was one of the first people to hold her. I was the one who carried her to Amy. It was a moment I’ll never forget.”

Amy held her hand out to Draco. “Come. Show me the way to this room. Who knows? Hermione may be screaming… for you,” he said to him.

Mystified, Draco led his mother-in-law up the stairs and to his chambers. Hermione’s painful screams kept getting louder and louder with each step. When they reached the door, Draco hesitated.

Seeing his reluctance, Amy smiled. “Wait here. I’ll go in and see if she wants you,” she offered.

Hermione’s mother slipped into the room. Draco didn’t wait more than a few seconds before he heard Hermione shouting, “DRACO MALFOY, YOU GET YOUR ARSE IN HERE BEFORE I HEX YOUR BALLS OFF THROUGH THE DOOR!”

That was all the prompting he needed. He walked past the three girls he considered his friends, past his mother and mother-in-law, and past the Healer. He found Hermione laying propped up on a transfigured bed. Apparently, their bed had been too large for the Healer’s liking, so it was changed into a smaller one with stirrups.

Hermione glared at her husband. “How dare you leave me in here when I’m like this!” she chastised. “You did this to me! You get your bloody arse over here and help me!”

Thankfully, Draco knew better than to balk at being ordered in such a manner. He simply did as he as told, glancing at the Healer for instruction. But, the Healer was new at this part: Never had a wizard been present during a birthing.

Amy appeared behind Draco and whispered into his ear. He nodded as he approached the bed. He leaned down and kissed his wife softly on her lips. Then, he took her hand into his and, conjuring up a chair, nuzzled up beside her.

She went into another contraction. As she screamed, Draco jumped. She had squeezed his hand so tightly, he feared she was going to break it. With his other hand, he conjured a clean towel and wiped the sweat beading on her forehead. He then began whispering a soft Latin lullaby. It was a song his mother used to sing to him when he was hurt and he silently prayed it would sooth his wife.

As the lullaby began working its’ magic on Hermione, the Healer began urging her to push. Draco did not mind the tightening of Hermione’s hand, the screaming, the crying. He cried as well. His misty grey eyes filled with tears as his parental instincts began to kick in. Soon, he, too, was urging his wife on. She needed to push.

One final scream, one final squeeze, and a different scream altogether filled the air. This scream was immensely different from his wife’s. In fact, Hermione was no longer screaming, but breathing heavy. This new scream was… higher pitched.

Draco gazed down his wife’s body to see the Healer sitting between Hermione’s legs. “Wait,” Amy said, softly through the cries of a baby Draco could not yet see.

The Muggle woman stayed the Healer’s hand and glanced at Draco. She smiled as she beckoned him to approach. Draco kissed his wife and stood up. As he approached the two women, Amy handed him a pair of slim sheers. “You should have the honour,” she told him.

Draco gazed down at the small pink babe in the Healer’s arms. He couldn’t help but glance at the child’s sex and was almost overcome. A boy. They had had a boy. With Amy’s guidance, Draco cut the umbilical cord. The Healer wrapped the baby in a sea green blanket and stood up. Smiling, she handed the baby to his father. “Congratulations, Mr. Malfoy,” she said.

An overwhelming sense of pride filled Draco’s every core as he gazed down at his son. His eyes filled with tears of joy and love and he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. All he could do was stare in amazement. The boy was so beautiful.

He felt himself move closer to his wife, but he never took his eyes off of his son. He had never seen anything so beautiful. But, as he placed his son into his wife’s arms, he knew he was wrong. This, mother and child together, his family. This was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. A sense of complete happiness crashed upon Draco as he smiled, tears falling unchecked from his eyes. This was his family.

(II) (II)

It was Harry’s turn to pace in front of the fireplace. The other Weasleys had finally arrived and everyone was sitting in the drawing room. “What’s taking so long?” asked the Boy-Who-Lived.

“Harry, please calm down,” Molly begged. “Have a cup of tea.”

“You really should,” Arthur prodded. “These things can take hours. I remember Molly being in labour for at least nine hours with Ron.”

Ron blanched. “There are some things no one should ever know,” he commented.

“And Percy had been a breach,” Molly said as though she hadn’t heard her son.

“Well, that explains a lot,” George commented, throwing Percy a wink. Percy rolled his eyes.

“Father? Mr. Granger?” Draco called from the doorway.

All eyes turned to the exhausted man. Both Blaise and Lucius stood up. Harry had stopped pacing. Percy and George abandoned their game of wizard chess and Henry glanced up from the piano. Henry removed himself from the piano to stand next to Arthur Weasley.

Draco entered the room carrying a sea green blanket. When he spoke, it was to the two men he had addressed, “Would you like to meet your grandson?”

Molly pressed a hand to her mouth in surprise. Slowly, Mr. Granger approached Draco. With a gentle ease, Draco handed his son to the Muggle. Henry held the baby lovingly. He cooed at the child and tickled the baby’s nose with his fingertip.

Draco took a step back and felt, rather than saw, Blaise stand next to him. “You look like hell,” the Italian whispered.

Draco just smiled goofily. He may look like hell, but he felt he was in heaven. There was only one last thing that needed to be done to make everything perfect.

Henry kissed his grandson’s forehead before handing the baby back to Draco. Then, Draco watched as his own father approached him. No one spoke as the young man placed the babe into Lucius Malfoy’s arms. A tentative moment was held in complete silence as grandfather and grandson met for the first time.

Lucius gazed into the child’s perfect grey eyes. The last baby he had held had been Draco, over twenty-seven years ago. Now, he held Draco’s son. Draco’s beautiful baby boy. Lucius knew the child’s mother was a Mudblood… no.

How long had it been since the pureblood had stopped referring to Hermione as a Mudblood? Was it after the fire when she had opened her home to him and his wife? No. He had stopped long before then. It must have been some time after the wedding. They had their fights, their disagreements. He hadn’t spoken to her in quite a few weeks now, save the occasional “Hello.” He wasn’t sure when he had actually grown fond of her. But, then, looking at the baby, he found the answer to that question as well. The moment she announced her pregnancy.

Lucius felt his throat constrict. He could only think of one child that had ever been as beautiful as this child. And that was Draco. Like when he became a father, Lucius had no idea how to approach being a grandfather.

“Whe…” he swallowed past the lump and tried again. “Where is my daughter?” he asked.

Those who were not puzzled by his question were surprised. It was true that Narcissa had often referred to Hermione as a daughter. Just as it was true that Henry and Amy often referred to Draco as their son. But, to here Lucius as for his “daughter” was something no one was prepared for. It made Draco’s chest tighten.

Draco knew something had changed in his father. And he knew things were only going to get better from here on out. He answered, “She’s in our bedroom. The Healer asked her to stay in bed for twenty-four hours.”

Lucius simply nodded as he proceeded up the stairs with the baby in his arms. Draco walked beside the older man as Lucius walked into his son’s bedroom. Everyone else followed behind.

When the men entered the room, the women looked at them curiously. Husbands went to their wives, save Lucius. He walked up to Hermione. His silver eyes looking down upon her.

At first, the two just stared at one another. Then, a slow smile began to creep upon Hermione’s face. Lucius gave the baby back to the bed-ridden mother and took a step back. He felt his wife touch his arm. He turned his head ever so slightly and kissed her gently on the forehead.

Lucius watched as his son interacted with the baby and mother. Then, he queried, “Have you decided upon a name?”

It was Hermione who answered. “We have. Scorpius Julius Malfoy. Scorpius, if you remember, Lucius, was the name you had given him. And Julius is the name of the first Malfoy.”

Lucius tilted his head slightly. “I remember. I had been jesting at the time. Surely you didn’t take me seriously?”

Draco and Hermione smiled at one another before Hermione turned back to her father-in-law. “That’s why I chose it,” she replied. “It was the first time you had ever jested with me.”

"Wise men say only fools rush in
but I can't help falling in love with you
Shall I stay
would it be a sin
If I can't help falling in love with you

Like a river flows surely to the sea
Darling so it goes
some things are meant to be
take my hand, take my whole life too
for I can't help falling in love with you

Like a river flows surely to the sea
Darling so it goes
some things are meant to be
take my hand, take my whole life too
for I can't help falling in love with you
for I can't help falling in love with you"

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Author's Note: Well, guys, after about three years, this story is finally finished. I had a ton of fun writing it, and I really hope all of you have enjoyed it as well.

Song: "Can't Help Falling In Love With You" ~Elvis Presley