Last night's dinner had gone about as smooth as Hermione could have expected.  Ginny, Neville, Ron, and all her other friends had asked her a hundred questions about France and her baby (who she did not tell them the name of; that would be too suspicious for the first night back).  Luna had just smiled sweetly then asked about her research projects, distracting her friends from Scorpius.  Harry had been a godsend as well.  After several visits to the French and Italian Ministries on Auror business, he knew very well about her relationship with Draco but had never met Scorpius.  The last time he'd visited, she hadn't even been pregnant.

McGonagall had converted the classrooms into temporary guest rooms as well as the greenhouses.  As soon as Hermione had found the room she and Draco were staying in, she got to work pulling out Scorpius's crib and diaper bag.  He'd woken up moments before she'd left the Great Hall for the night, so she'd used it as an excuse to leave early.  He had whimpered, but nothing any louder than small cries that were muffled by her chest.  Once she'd arrived in the room, it hadn't taken long to calm his fussing.  She'd changed his diaper first, wrinkling her nose at the smell before vanishing it.  After he was changed and in his pyjamas, she settled in the rocking chair she'd insisted on bringing and pulled off her shirt.

Scorpius was nearly finished eating when Draco walked into the room.  Hermione looked up just in time for him to press his lips to hers and gently run a hand over Scorpius's light hair.  When Scorpius's eyes started drooping and his latch became weaker, Hermione pulled him off her chest and handed him up to Draco to burp.

While Hermione got dressed for bed, Draco put Scorpius to sleep.  She watched them from the bed, smiling as Draco held their baby close and gently swayed.  When the healers had first told them they would likely never had children, it had been a hard few weeks.  They hadn't had the chance to ever talk about the possibility, but after having it torn away from them like that, it was hard to process.  Draco had spent several nights promising her it was alright, that they didn't need a baby, but she had known how much he'd wanted at least one kid that was theirs.  When she'd told him she was pregnant five years later, he'd sobbed in the restaurant and couldn't be consoled.  Aside from other customers at the time, no one had been told about his reaction though she was sure Blaise had his suspicions.  When Scorpius had finally been born after a long and hard pregnancy and labour, Draco had been the first to hold him and very shyly asked if they could name him after a constellation.

Now, watching Draco and Scorpius, Hermione wondered how she ever would have lived without either one of them.  When Draco was with Scorpius, he was a whole different person.  Much more gentle and fragile himself, almost as if he would break, not Scorpius.  One time, Blaise had made an offhanded comment about how Draco was obsessed with Scorpius and if he didn't watch out, he'd ruin the kid's social life in the future.  Draco had brushed it off at the time ("Fuck off, Zabini."), but Hermione had spent the rest of the evening promising him he hadn't ruined anything for Scorpius.

As soon as Scorpius was asleep in his crib, Hermione cast a silencing charm over his crib so no noise would wake him up.  They'd still be able to hear if he woke up, of course, but he wouldn't hear them while he slept.  It had worked miracles for Blaise and Daphne and Hermione was pretty sure it did the same for them.

"How was your evening?"  Draco asked, climbing onto the bed beside her.  The lamp on the nightstand was the only light in the room and the way it shined from behind Draco made him glow.

"It was good,"  she replied, throwing her arm over his torso and smiling when he pulled her to his chest.  "Ginny wouldn't let up about Scorpius, but I think Harry convinced her to let it go."

"She'll know by tomorrow."

"I know,"  she answered.  The room fell into a short silence before Draco glanced at the lamp and shut it off, covering them in darkness.  She blinked to adjust to the lack of light, but her eyes were closing quickly.  It had been a draining evening.  Scorpius had been a gem, sleeping the whole time, but the stress of it all in the beginning had her energy draining fast.  Now that she was safely tucked in Draco's arms with Scorpius sleeping in the corner, she could relax and try not to worry about tomorrow.  They had made a promise to each other that their friends (at least, those who didn't already know) would know about their relationship before they returned to France.  Unfortunately, that was easier said than done as Hermione had a fitful sleep and couldn't stop worrying about the inevitable reactions.