Chapter Text
"I'm surprised the Floo didn't wake him," Hermione observed as Draco exited the fireplace.
"He didn't even flinch. He's too exhausted." Draco kissed the top of his son's head and smoothed his hand across his back.
"He's had a big day," Hermione said quietly. "Turning three is a big deal."
"It certainly is with the grandparents he has." Draco rolled his eyes and Hermione chuckled. "They spoil him worse than they did me."
"We really shouldn't have expected anything less." Hermione headed for the stairs. "I'm glad they offered to host, though. It was a lot less strenuous."
Draco followed her slowly up the stairs, his son a dead weight in his arms, sleeping soundly. His parents had gladly offered the Manor for his birthday — his mother far exceeding what was necessary — but it was late. And the excitement of his birthday and a day racing around the Manor gardens with James Potter and Lucy Weasley had worn Scorpius out completely. The three children had been born within months of each other and were thick as thieves. Draco already felt sympathy for the Hogwarts professors who would have to deal with them.
He laid Scorpius down gently in his bed, removing his son's shoes and grass-stained jeans, deciding it was easier to simply let Scorpius sleep in his t-shirt and shorts rather than wake him for pyjamas and have to deal with a tired tantrum. He pulled the covers over his son and stared at him for the millionth time since his birth. He was so much like his mother — with the exception of the dark-blond colour of his mop of curls — he was calm and inquisitive, curious, and intelligent beyond his young age.
And for the millionth time Draco gave thanks to whomever it was in the universe who saved his son from having the burden of being an Alpha. The relief both he and Hermione had felt when the healer announced that their son was simply a Beta — just a regular wizard — had been enormous.
He kissed his son's forehead then headed down the hallway to the master bedroom. Hermione was at the window, their daughter curled in a tiny ball against her shoulder. Hermione's hand rubbed gentle circles over the baby's back and she was humming quietly.
His daughter. His tiny, fragile daughter.
The next female Alpha.
She had no idea what her life would become and it terrified him.
"Stop worrying," Hermione said quietly.
Draco crossed the room, kissing Hermione and gently covering her hand on the baby's back. "I will worry about her until I'm dead and buried. I mean, what if she picks James Potter as her mate?"
"She'll pull him into line and he'll be a much better person for it."
He sighed and leaned in to press a soft kiss to the baby's head. She was just three weeks old and, every day of those three weeks, he had not stopped panicking. "It's just... how will she cope?"
"Better than I did," Hermione told him. "Fortunately for her, she will know and be prepared."
"But—"
"Draco, let's just enjoy her, okay? She won't be this tiny for long and worrying won't change anything." She carefully handed the baby to him. "Do you think you can stop panicking long enough for me to shower?"
Draco scowled at her, making her laugh. They'd had the same conversation almost every day since her birth, and every time Hermione told him the same thing — stop worrying.
But he couldn't.
This was his little girl. He'd watched Hermione deal with the effects of becoming an Alpha and he didn't want his daughter to have to go through the same.
And his guilt was the biggest part.
He'd been reluctant to have another child after Scorpius had been declared non-Alpha, but Hermione had been insistent that their son not be an only child. They both had been and she didn't want that for Scorpius. But when the charm had been performed in the minutes after her birth, and their newborn daughter declared an Alpha, his heart dropped.
It was his fault.
He was to blame for the life ahead of her.
Him.
He should have said no. Should have been more insistent in telling Hermione his fears for another child.
But...
Shifting the baby in his arms, he looked down at her and smiled. The heart-dropping moment in the minutes after her birth paled in comparison to seeing this beautiful angel every day.
She had his sharp features and the fine strands of blonde hair that covered her tiny head were dead straight — not a Granger curl in sight. And with the exception of her hating being swaddled tightly, she was an absolute dream.
He kicked off his shoes and sat on the bed, resting against the headboard. The baby hiccuped and her head jerked as Draco shifted her to lay on his bent legs. Her eyes blinked open and she peered around, her focus landing on him. He knew he was still probably just a blurred shape to her, but he liked to tell himself she knew what that shape was — her daddy.
Her little arm flailed in the air and Draco held his finger out, smiling as she gripped him tightly with her tiny fingers.
"You're so strong already, baby girl," he cooed at her. "And you need to stay strong and keep those nasty boys away from you."
She made an adorable little squeak, as if agreeing with him and he chuckled.
"That's right, Sabrina. Boys are nasty and when you grow up and you're an Alpha, you tell them all to sod off."
Sabrina. Her name had started as a joke between Hermione and Harry. But Draco had fallen in love with the name the instant Harry first mentioned it. It was so pretty, perfect for his angel, and it went well with Scorpius.
Hermione had thought him mad, explaining that Sabrina was a witch, not a real witch, a made up one. And a comedic one at that. But he didn't care. Hermione had chosen Scorpius for their son — he'd wanted him to be named Leo, which Draco had reminded her of often — and in the end, she had agreed. When the tiny, squirming baby had been placed on her chest just seconds after her birth, Hermione had nodded and whispered, 'Sabrina.'
"And just remember, James Potter is only a friend. He's not someone you should ever think of as more."
"What are you telling her?" Hermione asked and shook her head.
"I'm just teaching her to be strong. And not listen to anyone named Potter."
"Don't listen to your daddy, Sabrina. He thinks just because he's an Alpha, he's in charge. You make your own choices."
"Shows how much you know." Draco lifted Sabrina's feet and kissed her sock-covered toes. "The littlest Alpha has been in charge since she was born."
"This is true." Hermione pulled the covers back and sat beside him, smiling at the baby. Sabrina turned her head towards Hermione's voice and instantly began to cry. Hermione took her from Draco, "You'd think I never feed her."
"Must be because you're so tasty." Draco winked at her and she slapped his arm.
"Inappropriate."
"But you are." Draco rolled off the bed with a laugh. "She's almost worse than Scorp was."
"No, she's not that bad… yet."
Their son, as a newborn, had the ability to know exactly where his mother was from the other side of the house. Scorpius would always refuse to take a bottle from anyone if Hermione was anywhere close by. And Sabrina looked to be inheriting her brother's skill set
"And get changed in the bathroom," Hermione eyed him closely as he draped his shirt over the arm of the chair by the window.
"Why's that?" He smirked at her, ignoring her demand and dropping his jeans to the floor. "You don't usually protest me undressing."
She glanced down at Sabrina, shifting uncomfortably, causing Draco to laugh.
"You seem to have forgotten I'm an Alpha. I scented you the second you stepped out the bathroom." Draco pulled his socks off and climbed under the covers. "And do I need to remind you it's only been three weeks and it's too soon?"
"No," she grumped. "But my stupid Alpha hormones are starting to go crazy."
"Well, your stupid Alpha hormones need to realise your body needs to heal." Draco kissed her cheek. "But in the meantime, you can do what you like to me."
"Yeah, dream on, buddy. I'm not blow—" she glanced down at Sabrina, whose eyes were closed, concentrating on the task at hand. She placed her hand over the baby's ear and hissed, "I'm not doing that when I get nothing in return."
"She has no idea what we're talking about."
"Maybe not, but I'm still not doing that until you can do it to me. You can suffer along with me."
"I've got hands," he smiled smugly. "I won't suffer."
"You're an—"
Scorpius appeared in the doorway, his eyes staring widely at them.
"Baby?" Hermione was surprised to see him standing there. He rarely woke once he was down for the night. She touched Draco's arm. "Draco—"
"I think he's still asleep," Draco said, watching his son carefully. "I think…"
Scorpius walked sleepily towards the bed, climbing slowly onto the padded bench at the foot, then crawling up to lay between them. His eyes closed the second his head hit Draco's pillow, a tiny snore sounding as he relaxed.
"That's new," Hermione laughed quietly, brushing his curls from his face.
Draco shifted him carefully and pulled the covers over him. "Looks like we're all in here tonight."
"It doesn't happen very often. We should enjoy it."
"Because he'll be eleven in no time and off to school?"
Hermione pressed her finger to his mouth. "Shh, don't say that. I'm not ready to even think about it."
"Hmm, kind of like me with her?" He nodded at their daughter.
"It's nothing like that. You're just ridiculous. I'm their mother."
Draco shook his head and lay down beside Scorpius. "Yeah, I'm the ridiculous one."
"You really are." She brushed her hand gently down Scorpius' back. "You're the most ridiculous man I've ever met."
"And yet, you still chose me."
"Like I had a choice." Hermione grinned down at him.
"And look at everything that choice brought you." He reached for her hand. "You got the family you wanted, and not just these two. You built a family to rival the Weasleys. A family who also chose you."
Hermione smiled at him, the golden hue in her eyes shining brightly. "I guess I made the right choice then."
He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her palm. "And you've no idea how grateful I am that you chose me."
