Taming

Scorpius stepped into the waiting area carrying his baby daughter carefully. Everyone swarmed around, exclaiming how beautiful she was. “May I present our daughter, Margot Lily Potter-Malfoy,” he announced proudly.

Albus had tears on his cheeks. “Can I hold her?”

“Of course.” Scorpius carefully transferred her to his husband’s waiting arms.

The look on Albus’s face caused tears to start rolling down Scorpius’s cheeks as well. “Hiya, Margot-bunny,” Albus crooned. “I’m your daddy. Do you know that? I love you so much already. I was so excited to meet you.”

Both grandmothers were crying as well. Scorpius took a step back and watched as Albus handed his precious daughter, obviously very reluctantly, to his mother for her to hold.

“Happy, Sweetheart?”

Scorpius turned around and embraced Rose. “You have no idea. How’s Lil?”

“Sleeping. I gave her a potion. She’s in fine shape, but she was exhausted.”

“I don’t doubt that.”

“Margot is absolutely beautiful, Sweetie. I’m so happy for you guys.”

“You should have seen Albus’s face when he held her. I almost died.”

“He’s going to be wonderful with her. You are, too.”

“Thanks, love. I’m so happy right now.” He moved back so he could face his family again, wrapping his arm around Rose’s waist. She rested her head against his shoulder.

“So was Lily really serious about another baby?”

“I don’t know. But Albus wants a houseful. I think Christopher might have something to say about it, though. Those two seem pretty serious these days.”

“True. As serious as Lily is about any guy. But you know her. If she decides that she wants to have another baby, she’ll just tell him to deal with it or move on. No man will ever control Lily, I can tell you that.”

“Says the woman who just broke another heart.”

“Oh, please. Stephen and I weren’t serious. And he was too dull. You admitted it yourself.”

“True. But not until after you broke it off with him. I do have some tact.”

“A little,” she admitted with a grin.

“So do you have your eye on another guy yet?”

“Nope. I’m just going to see what happens. Play the field a little.”

“That’s my girl.”

“Besides, I should probably keep my options open. I don’t know if I like Lily getting to have all of your babies.”

He snapped around to look at her. “What does that mean?”

“That maybe I’d like to have a turn.”

“Are you serious?”

“What? You don’t want me to have your baby? I’m truly shocked,” she joked.

He was touched beyond words, and he felt tears in his eyes again. “Rosie,” he started, but his voice cracked.

“Oh, Sweetie! I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you all sad,” she said softly, wiping a tear away from his face with her thumb.

“I’m not sad. I just love you so much.”

“I love you, too. I would have offered before, but Lily was so adamant, and I couldn’t really take the time off work. But in a couple of years when you’re ready, I’ll be established enough to do what I want.”

“You could also be married to some bloke who wouldn’t like the idea.”

“Yes, but I’m like Lily. I wouldn’t care. I want to do it, and any future husband I might acquire can deal with it. Ever since Lily got pregnant, I’ve been thinking about what a child of ours would be like.”

He wrapped her in his arms again. “He’d be a genius, I’m sure.”

“Or she would be.”

“Or she. She’d be beautiful, too.”

“So what do you think? Do you want me to have your baby?”

He kissed her, a little bit too romantically for Albus, who had apparently been watching them, since he cleared his throat pointedly.

“What are you two doing over there?” he asked, slightly suspiciously.

“Nothing, Baby,” Scorpius placated him. “Just accepting congratulations.”

Albus shook his head. “No kissing girls in front of the baby. You’ll corrupt her.”

Everyone laughed and went back to cooing at Margot.

Rose smiled at him and kissed him again. “So can we do it the old fashioned way?”

Scorpius laughed so loudly that he startled Margot and Albus and Astoria gave him matching dirty looks.

***************

“Careful! Don’t fold her arm like that!”

“I’m not folding her arm!” Scorpius defended himself.

“Is she going to be warm enough?” Albus fretted.

“Your father is picking us up at the curb in a nice, warm car. She’ll only be outside for a minute. And I’m going to put this blanket over the car seat.”

“You two are so overprotective already,” Lily complained. “When she gets a little older, I’m going to have to be the one to teach her how to climb trees and throw a Quaffle around, aren’t I?”

“Probably,” Scorpius said with a smile. “Now, are you sure you’re all right?”

“Yes, Christopher is going to be here any minute and he’s going to take me home. Just take good care of Margot until I feel up to visiting.”

Albus went over and kissed his sister’s cheeks. “You can come over any time. As much as you want.”

“I know. I’m not worried.”

“Okay, Gorgeous. We’re going to go meet your father, then. Tell Christopher we said hello. And take it easy. Make him wait on you hand and foot until you feel better, or I’ll come over and trounce him for you.”

“Thanks.”

“No, thank you,” Scorpius said, meaning many things at once. She smiled at him, and he kissed her.

They said their goodbyes and Albus carried the car seat to the lobby, moving at a snail’s pace so as not to jostle Margot.

Harry was waiting for them, and they buckled her carefully into the car. Albus got in the back with her, leaving Scorpius the front seat.

“Now, drive slowly, Dad!” Albus warned.

“I know.”

“No sudden turns!”

“I know.”

“Are you sure this is really the safest way to transport a newborn baby?” Albus fretted.

“Albus,” Scorpius warned. “Do you want to walk home?”

“Oh, stuff it,” Albus complained.

“I was the same way bringing all of ours home,” Harry admitted.

Scorpius smiled. He felt the same way, too, but someone had to keep Albus together. At least a bit.

******************

Albus rolled into bed next to Scorpius. “Margot’s asleep.”

“I noticed by the blissful lack of crying,” Scorpius joked.

“Oh, hush. She’s a perfect angel,” Albus defended.

“That she is. We’re so lucky.”

“Yes, we are.”

“So how did you like your first day as a daddy?”

“I think it was the best day of my life.”

“Mine, too,” Scorpius said, grinning at Albus, who grinned back. “So when do you want to have another one?”

“Soon,” Albus said eagerly. “Well, not too soon. But do you think Lily will go through this again?”

“She doesn’t want us to say anything yet, but Rose has already offered to have the next one.”

“Really?” Albus nearly squealed. He flopped on his back and stared at the ceiling. “We’re so incredibly lucky. We have each other. We have an amazing family and a perfect daughter. And we’re going to have more babies. I never thought I’d be so lucky.”

“We are. It’s rather hard to believe, isn’t it?” Scorpius leaned over and kissed his husband. “I want every day to end like this. You and me. Together. With our babies sleeping peacefully in the next room. Every day should end like this.”

“Yes,” Albus breathed against his mouth. “Every day for the rest of our lives.”

“Every single day for eternity.”

And they did.


The End