How To Make An Announcement

A smile tugged at Hermione’s lips as she looked around the yard at her friends. They were gathered at the edge of the vast gardens Malfoy Manor proudly boasted. Five short years after her graduation and she was in a place she had never before considered. It was so odd the way life ushered you down one path just to up and dump you on another.

Ron was sitting on a red-and-white-checkered blanket, continuing to nibble on the remains of their earlier picnic. His head was thrown back to the summer’s setting sun in laughter. Harry lounged to Ron’s right on the blanket, a happy smile gracing his face, taking years off his age in joy.

Luna was sitting amidst a gathering of posies, using the delicate petals of a purple tinged flower to tickle her daughter’s chubby cheeks. Her hair glowed a light tinge of orange and yellow with reflections of the sinking sun. She wore a happy flush of red across her cheeks. The baby, Kit Elizabeth, gurgled and clutched at the air, pleased with her mother’s affections. A soft breeze stirred the downy soft red curls that framed the baby’s face and coaxed a sigh of contentment from Luna. She glanced up at her husband and shared a look of happiness. Ron climbed to his feet and went to his family, sinking into the flowers to wrap his arms around Luna and tickle his daughter’s chin.

Ginny was running down a row that led into the maze of flowers, chasing her son James as he wobbled away on sturdy toddler’s legs. Harry propped himself up on an elbow to watch the chase and soon stood, pursuing his wife and son with a yelp of excitement. He passed Ginny, playfully tugging a strand of her hair along the way, before scooping James up and tossing him in the air. The little boy shrieked with laughter and wrapped his arms around his father’s neck upon being caught. Ginny greeted them after having slowed to a walk with a kiss for both father and son. Harry draped his arm around Ginny’s shoulders and they walked back towards the group.

Draco walked out from the house and onto the patio where Hermione was watching, leaned against the railing. He wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. She relaxed back into his body and rested her arms over his. He kissed her neck before nuzzling the soft spot just beneath her ear.

“Should we tell them yet?” he whispered. Hermione’s smile grew ten fold. Draco’s arms pulled back just a fraction so that his hands could lie flat across Hermione’s stomach. Hermione turned her head and kissed him. She sighed against his lips.

“The question is how to tell them, not when. I was thinking something along the lines of volunteering to baby sit and then tell them we were going to need the practice.”

Draco shook his head.

“No, that’s beating around the bush. This news is too big. We just need to…” He lifted his head and looked out over the yard before pulling in a deep breath and bellowing. “Oi! I’m going to be a father!”

His grin was wide and he looked like a child himself in his moment of glory. Their friends whooped with glee and hurried to join the couple on the patio as Hermione laughed. Things didn’t get better than this.