Epilogue
Twenty-Six years later: Hogwarts 1998- Quidditch finals
One of the students in the stands was covering her face in embarrassment. Only would her family be so crazy to converge en mass at the last Quidditch match for the two seekers on opposing teams. Slytherin vs. Gryffindor. Rosalind and Theo Nott Jr. smiled and waved at their parents despite their groaning sibling. Their blue and silver scarfs were yanked by their sister, Lola Malfoy, whose green and silver scarf hung perfectly straight under her long curly blond hair.
"Do not draw attention to us. They will want to sit here!" Lola said desperately.
"Nah, they will sit with the Headmaster like usual. You are just worried that they will find out about Ron." Rosalind said sweeping her dark brown hair over her shoulder in annoyance.
"Find out about who, Darling? I hope you two are keeping Lola out of trouble." Lucius Malfoy said.
Theo snickered as Lola went white a sheet.
"As if anyone can control Lola, Dad." Rosalind said rolling her eyes.
"No one, Daddy. They are just teasing me." Lola stammered. Lucius narrowed his eyes, not believing his daughter for a moment. She was just like her mother.
"Lucius, we will be in the staff box. Join us when you are ready. I'll see you kids after!" Hermione yelled over the heads of several students.
"Okay, Pet." He shouted back. "If you are hiding anything from me Lola, I suggest you come clean before your mother finds out."
Lola gulped as Theo and Rosalind waved at their mother.
"There's nothing." She whispered.
He left the three of them to find their friends and their seats. On his way to the staff box, his eye was caught by a flash of bright blond Malfoy hair next to the locker rooms. Lucius made his way over to his son, Draco to wish him luck on the match but stopped dead in his tracks when he noticed Draco wasn't alone any longer. His son's tongue was trying to taste what Genevieve Potter had for lunch earlier that day. He supposed it wasn't like they hadn't seen this development coming. Shaking his head Lucius decided to just meet Hermione in the teacher's box. His heart couldn't take any more surprises.
"Headmaster Riddle." He said in greeting, sitting between Hermione and Avery.
"Lucius, see the kids?"
"Most of them."
"You will never guess where I found young Hermione yesterday." Tom said conversationally. "I was under the impression that you were a studious child who didn't look at boys."
"She had a completely different upbringing than me." Hermione said as she searched the crowd to find Sirius who was supposed to come and support his Nephews and Godson in their last ever Hogwarts match. Well, it wasn't Richard's last. He had another year until it was his turn. With Avery's legacy as chaser for Slytherin, it didn't surprise anyone one when his son joined the Slytherin team for the same position.
It didn't faze Hermione that three out of five of her children ended up in Slytherin, but she thought at least one out of the brood would have been a Gryffindor. Nope.
"Well, I found Potter with his filthy hands all over her. He had his damn hands up under her skirt. I nearly killed him."
Hermione chuckled. Tom was like a strict father to the poor girl. Young Hermione would die alone and unmarried at the ripe age of one hundred and fifty if he had any say.
"Were his hands really up her skirt?" Theo asked skeptically. It was more likely that Harry wouldn't dare do anything inappropriate with her. His hands were probably on the hem of her skirt or on her waist. Tom was having none of it.
"I'll chop his damn hands off."
"Now, Tom. It could be worse. I hear Rabastian Lestrange has been sending her gifts." Hermione realized that wasn't the best argument as Tom's eyes bulged. His face turned red as his blood pressure went through the roof.
"He is thirty-three years old!"
"Like I said, it could be a whole lot worse than Harry Potter."
"I think she would make an excellent muggle nun."
"I've no doubt that is your opinion. Not for a moment. Oh, there's Sirius. Finally!" Hermione huffed, waving like mad to catch his eye. She stopped waving and wrinkled her brow. Who was he talking to? Her jaw dropped as she saw young Ginevera Weasley plant an interesting looking kiss on his shocked lips.
Hermione shook her head and chuckled. Every one of the adults knew of Draco and Genevieve. This, however, was a complete surprise. Sirius sure looked like he had been hit over the head with a frying pan.
"Did you just see that?" Hermione whispered to Theo.
"Molly is going to kill him." He whispered back.
Lucius and Tom were both laughing like crazy at the gob smacked look on Sirius' face.
"And if that was Hermione or Lola instead of Ginny?"
"That would be incestuous, it would never happen." They both said.
"Impossible, the both of you. As if the purebloods care about incest." She muttered.
"We don't marry our brothers or uncles." Lucius stated, trying to keep his face neutral as Sirius made his way to where they were sitting.
"Keep telling yourself that." Hermione said.
"When can we expect the wedding?" Avery teased. As Sirius took his seat by Regulus directly behind Hermione.
Sirius turned green. "Molly would kill me." He whispered.
"Yes, she would, but if you both really loved each other, they would accept it eventually. You are a good man Sirius." Hermione said.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence but I've been seeing someone."
"Anyone I know."
"Probably."
"Are you going to tell me who?"
"Not yet."
Hermione pouted, she didn't like to be kept out of the loop. She looked up suddenly as if it just hit her. She smirked and gave Sirius a look.
"How is Severus doing?"
"Pretty good. Still tweaking the Wolfsbane potion."
"Is he your boyfriend?"
"Oh my God, Hermione. You cannot just ask him that. He wasn't ready to come out of the closet yet." Regulus said from the seat behind them. His wife, Amy Bell Black snickering behind her hand. Sirius was glaring at his brother, hard. Their snickering got interrupted when Albus took the seat next to Sirius.
"Albus! I am so glad you came." Hermione beamed.
"How did you know where we were?" Theo asked curiously.
Dumbledore had retired from his Headmaster duties the year Grindelwald died. Poor Albus' heart was broken that night. He never did recover. Hermione wasn't one to let him waste away as a hermit however and often brought the kids over to tug his beard and listen about knitting patterns when they were young. More recently she had been trying to set him up with a nice wizard. He had blocked every attempt. He was old and sad, not stupid.
"My father's portrait was yelling about Hermione's abuse again. He insists that she is the devil reincarnate. He has suggested a purge of Malfoy Manor." He twinkled. "When I asked where the she-devil was he replied that she was here at Hogwarts. He wishes the boys good luck and wanted me to tell Lola that Ron Weasley would make a fine match."
"Ron Weasley?!" Lucius choked.
"It's not nearly as funny when it's our daughter is it?" Hermione asked.
"She shouldn't have a match! Lola is only fourteen!"
"Three years is hardly a big gap." She said.
"You are okay with this?!"
"Ron is a wonderful young man."
"He needs to keep his filthy hands off of my daughter!"
Hermione snorted. "Fathers!"
"It's starting!" Amy Black said.
"The Gryffindor team kicks off the pitch." The crowd erupted into loud cheers and catcalls. "And the Slytherin's!" The crowd went wild as Dean Thomas commentated.
Hermione watched as Richard winked at no less then twelve girls. Merlin, they were in trouble! She spied Genevieve Potter going crazy when Draco mounted his broom. She didn't miss that his Slytherin scarf was gracing the Gryffindor's girls neck. She shook her head. It was inevitable that Draco in any timeline would become obsessed with a Potter.
"And they're off. Avery has the quaffle. His flying is superb today, looks like he got a few pointers from his father, and they score. 10-0 Slytherin takes the lead." Dean said.
Hermione watched as Draco and Harry searched for the elusive snitch. Those two boys have been fierce competitors ever since they were in nappies. When they began playing for their house teams, they started keeping score on who was the better seeker. Virtually every other year, either Slytherin or Gryffindor took the cup. This year was their tie breaker. She heard that they had some embarrassing punishments laid out for whoever lost.
"Another goal for Slytherin! 50-20 Slytherin." Dean announced.
Hermione shook her head out of her musings about Draco and Harry to focus on the game. She would miss the whole thing at this rate. She would probably never stop comparing them to the counterparts in her original timeline. Nature vs. Nurture. From the experience that she gained from living her life as a time traveler, she learned that nurture has more to do with the shape of a person's life than anything else. Look at what she was able to accomplish just because of a few small and sometimes accidental changes. She looked at Tom, her greatest achievement. She took a man who was the greatest dark wizard of all time and turned him into the magnificent man before her. His contribution to the magical world is lauded as much as Dumbledore had been. She was proud of him.
"And Gryffindor takes the lead! 80-60!"
Hermione turned back to the game and watched as Richard took the quaffle and with the help of his team mates zoomed down the pitch to the Gryffindor hoops, scoring once more. Draco and Harry still circling and searching from above.
"80-70 Gryffindor." Dean announced.
Ginny had taken the quaffle and blew a flirty kiss at Zabini who completely lost his mind and ran into his own teams' beater. She was able to score while the two boys tried to untangle themselves and stay flying.
"90-70 Gryffindor. I'm not sure if there are any penalties for flirting but it seems like a dirty move. If you know what I mean."
"Mr. Thomas!" Professor McGonagall admonished. Hermione wasn't sure why Minerva still oversaw the commentating. Between the Jordan's and Dean among several other dubious candidates over the years, she figured the Scottish professor would wash her hands of it. Nope.
One of the Gryffindor beaters sent a well-aimed bludger to take out Richard. He was without a doubt the best chaser in Slytherin. Richard was too well trained to get taken down by one bludger, employing the use of the sloth grip roll and catching the quaffle simultaneously. His fangirls screamed out their approval.
He raced down the pitch flanked by Zabini and Greengrass, both clearing the way for Richard to score.
"90-80 Gryffindor! You are going to have to work harder than that Avery!" Dean smugly announced into the magical microphone.
Ginny took the quaffle and zoomed back down the pitch. Zabini, obviously trying not to look at her face, blocked her causing her to drop the quaffle into Daphne's waiting hands below. Bole and Flint cleared the way of bludgers and hit them towards Ginny and Mclaggen.
The crowd hushed as Draco seemingly spotted the snitch and was off at break neck speed.
Lucius, Avery and Theo were yelling encouragement to their son. Hermione rolled her eyes. Her husbands had a bet of their own with Sirius and James. It was where Draco and Harry got the idea of punishments from in the first place.
Harry had noticed his rival had seen something and bolted off after him. Draco was just a bit faster and as his hand closed around the snitch he pumped his fist triumphantly. He took a lap around the pitch before stopping at Genevieve Potter and handed her the game winning snitch. She blushed prettily as Harry sullenly landed. He was usually a decent winner, but he disliked that his sister and Malfoy were together. On top of that he had to pay the piper. He shuddered, knowing what Draco was going to make him do.
Lucius and Avery had turned around in their seats to openly gloat at Sirius who turned a nasty shade of puce.
"Where is Potter anyway?" Theo asked.
"Petunia was having a thing for Dudley and you know Lily, she always goes and makes James go with her. I don't know why she bothers." Hermione said offhandedly as she cheered and clapped for her son.
"I am still uncertain why you dislike her so much. You like Tom and he used to be a Dark Lord. What did she do? You never elaborate." Albus asked.
"I have my reasons." Hermione sniffed. What they didn't know is that she went over to the Evans' once when Petunia wrote to Dumbledore asking to be included in the wizarding world. It hadn't helped. If anything, it made the woman more bitter. She still ended up marrying Vernon Dursley.
"How are things going at the Ministry, Dearest?" Tom asked. He was watching as the students filed from the stands and made their way back to the castle and common rooms.
"The same as ever unfortunately. I am afraid I never got the catalyst for change that I wanted. Even with the amount of seats our family commands, I still have to toe the red tape. It's bloody painful at times. It's a good thing Scabior came on board, he has been an absolute godsend!" Hermione claimed.
"It makes us feel better too, Kitten." Avery said.
"What does?" Hermione asked.
"Having Scabior there, he watches out for you."
"As if I need protecting."
"No, but it is nice that he does it when we can't." Theo elaborated.
"I didn't think you trusted anyone else enough to do that."
"He has been protecting you ever since you stepped foot in Hogwarts in 1971. I trust him." Tom bragged.
Hermione rolled her eyes. She was so done with this conversation.
"What are you three going to make Sirius and James do this time?" Hermione asked slyly, looking at Sirius from the corner of her eye.
"Streak across the atrium in the ministry." Avery grinned.
"Don't you think that is a little juvenile?" She asked.
"It wouldn't be a punishment if it wasn't embarrassing and painful. Plus, it was all prearranged." Lucius announced, picking a speck of dirt off of the shoulder of his robe.
"Whatever."
**HGHGHGHG**
Hermione was sitting in her silk robe in the rose garden at Nott Manor with a cup of tea and the Daily Prophet. She chose the secluded spot specifically. She didn't want her husbands to find out just how hilarious she thought the punishment actually was. After all, it did make the front page.
Bare Naked Lords
It was to the great shock of the ministry workers today when Lord's Black and Potter stripped down in the middle of the atrium and ran naked, the length of the room. Many ladies swooned and were in need of immediate medical attention from the shock of two finely muscled men prancing about in the ministry without a stich on. The ladies were positively scandalized. For a moment, many stared in shock, the silence only broken by the loud guffaws of Lord's Malfoy, Avery, Nott, and Gaunt. Unbefitting behavior for the leaders of our school and government.
When asked about the different Lord's behavior, the Minister of Magic only had this to say: "Go away I am trying to drink my tea in peace for Merlin's sake."
There you have it ladies and gentlemen, the downfall of our political system. Next, we will be asking unicorns to run for office.
The article was followed by a 5x8 picture of Sirius and James in all of their naked glory, running the length of the room. It was a good thing Hermione put up silencing wards. After all, she had told them off and ordered the lot of them to grow up. It wouldn't do for them to see her laughing so uproariously.
"Good morning Kitten, I thought I would find you here." Avery said.
"Morning Cadeus!" She smiled as he leaned down and gave her a sweet kiss on the lips.
"I got a very entertaining letter from Lola this morning. Would you like me to read it to you?"
"Go on then." Hermione smiled as Avery cleared his throat.
"Dad, you will never guess what happened this morning right before breakfast! Harry was chased by Filch into the Great Hall while everyone was eating breakfast. The mad part was, Harry was completely naked! Draco was laughing so hard and covered my eyes. He said Harry wasn't supposed to come into the Great Hall. Hermione didn't seem to mind but when he saw that she was there he turned beet red, all over. I didn't even know anyone could blush that hard. I know what you are thinking, if Draco covered my eyes how did I see? Well, Draco couldn't stop laughing, he ended up on the floor, the prat. Richard thought it was just as funny. The best part though was when Professor McGonagall had walked in when Harry tried to go back out as he was chased closely by Filch. Harry ran right into her! You know Dad, I think Draco had something to do with Harry's stunt. He keeps denying it though and once Harry got some clothes on and about a million detentions from McGonagall, He wouldn't say either. Stupid boys. Anyway, Professor Lupin taught us about boggarts today and you will never guess what Dennis' turned into. The giant squid. I thought it was terribly cute. I can't wait for the summer hols. Love you all, Lola Malfoy. P.S. Say hi to Da, Daddy, and Mummy!"
Hermione shook her head. Boys were the same no matter the age.
"Mistress, you have a visitor." Poppy, Nott Manor's head house elf said.
"Thank you Poppy." Hermione said before taking Avery's hand and apparating them into their bedroom.
Lucius and Theo were still in bed sprawled out sleeping. She smirked as she looked around the room. They had celebrated Draco's win privately. There may or may not have been body shots, kinky sex, and blow jobs last night. It surely explained her sore jaw and satisfied body. Their clothes were still scattered around the room, left exactly where they were flung in their haste to de-robe. She leaned down and kissed the bare shoulders of her sleeping husbands and lightly rubbed their backs. She didn't even get a grunt in reply. It wasn't that surprising really, they had gotten quite inebriated.
Hermione shook them and still not getting any response, a devilish look came into her eye. She grinned and flung the curtains open, much to the aggravation and groaning of her two husbands. It's not as if they didn't do the same thing to her millions of times. In fact, it was usually her. She just would never be a morning person.
Hermione showered and dressed quickly wondering who came to see her. It wouldn't be any family. They would rather battle a hundred nesting Hungarian Horntails before waking her up in the morning.
When Hermione finally walked into the drawing room, she froze, stunned at the scene before her. Narcissa Black was holding Damion Scabior's hand. Narcissa, the prim and fashion conscious society lady was holding hands with Scabior, Hernione's assistant and former street rat.
Narcissa and Scabior stood as she entered the room.
"Tea?"
"No thank you. We only came to ask your blessing." Narcissa chattered nervously.
"Blessing? Are you getting married?"
Narcissa colored prettily and held out her left hand, showing off her modest diamond ring. Hermione's eyebrows rose. This was not what she expected when she woke up that morning.
"Of course you have my blessing. I am very happy for you both. You didn't need to ask me for it."
"Technically I have to ask the head of the family for permission."
"But this isn't your first marriage. That can't still hold you. And Sirius is the head now."
"I already asked him and he gave his warmest of blessings. It means a lot to me to know that you support us."
"You have it, of course you do!"
Hermione stood and hugged her cousin and whispered in her ear. "How does it feel to be a cougar?" Hermione teased.
"What's a cougar?" Narcissa asked confusedly.
Hermione and Scabior looked at one another before laughing loudly, drawing the attention of a grumpy Lucius.
"What's going on in here?" He asked moodily.
"Narcissa and Scabior are getting married." Hermione smiled at the couple.
"It's about bloody time! He has been sending you longing stares for years. I never thought you were going to notice." He winked at Narcissa as she narrowed her eyes. "Well, it's been lovely. Congratulations. I think I hear Theo calling me." Lucius said getting a tad worried that Narcissa's wand hand disappeared into her robes.
"Nope. I didn't call you." Theo grinned from the other side of the room munching on toast and handed a plate to Hermione.
"Traitor." Lucius murmured, his ears going pink from being caught in his lie. "Must have been Avery then." He said a bit louder, backing out of the room slowly as Narcissa's lips thinned.
"Wasn't me either." Avery said clapping a hand on Lucius' shoulder. He walked into the room and sat next to Hermione.
"Cissy, forgive Lucius. He is a bit grumpy this morning." Hermione said trying to repress a smile.
"Of course." she said, looking pained as if unclenching her hand from around her wand was a physical blow.
Lucius mumbled something about breakfast and disappeared to the amusement of the rooms occupants.
Once their guests left, Avery turned to Hermione and smirked. He watched her for a moment as she devoured the toast before clearing his throat.
"To be honest I thought I was going to be Tom to fly in here. I heard from a very reliable source that the Potter boy asked Hermione to marry him. James told me yesterday that Harry had asked to go into the vaults and choose a ring during break. He decided to let me know that Harry was going to ask after the match yesterday. So, Lucius and Theo decided it was time to clear out Avery Castle. After all we have been neglecting it for a while now."
"Your father died six months ago how bad could it be."
"Probably not too bad but to be honest we don't want to be here for Tom's temper tantrum."
"You are abandoning me?"
"Ha! You are a capable witch. You will be fine."
"Unbelievable!" Hermione muttered murderously.
"Well, we will leave you to it." Avery said as she heard the faint sounds of hurrying feet leaving the Manor. Hermione sent her finished plate back to the kitchens and settled in, waiting for the tempest to arrive.
It wasn't Tom who entered panicked however. It was James.
"Do you know what your son did to my daughter?!" James yelled as Lily hurried in, smirking, behind him.
"No. Am I supposed to?"
"You are his mother. You should take better notice of your children!" James shrieked.
Hermione's eyes narrowed.
"Watch very carefully what you say to me, James Potter!" Hermione said dangerously.
James stopped and gulped realizing just who he was talking to. Sirius' scary older sister.
"Oh good, you are conveniently here so I don't have to run around the country to kill you!" Tom raged as he stormed into the room, taking James' neck in his hands. In a surprisingly short amount of time, James face turned purple.
"Tom! Let him go!" Hermione's displeasure evident.
"Do you know what his son just did to Hermione?!" He yelled.
"Okay this is getting old." Hermione said. "Let me guess. Harry just asked Hermione to marry him."
"You knew?!" He looked like she had slapped him across the face. "Betrayer!" He yelled.
Hermione rolled her eyes at his theatrics and narrowed them once more as she focused on James. "And what are you accusing my son of? I am assuming you mean Draco?"
"He was caught snogging her in the hallways! My baby girl."
"This is ridiculous!" Hermione muttered. She sat contemplating things for a moment.
"OUT!" She yelled. Molly Weasley would have been proud. "Except you Lily dear, the only reasonable one of the lot."
Lily giggled at the look of terror on James face and the mutinous one of Tom's. Neither man moved. Hermione's angry face formed.
"Poppy!" Hermione called.
"Yes, Mistress." Poppy bowed.
"Take Lord's Potter and Gaunt into the kitchen for a time out. Once they are ready to apologize and talk like reasonable human beings you may let them out."
Poppy and Lily giggled at the look of shear disbelief on both of their faces.
"You can't put me in time out, I am the Headmaster of Hogwarts and I am older than you." Tom said as if that settled matters.
"Fine, then leave." She said uncaring.
James had walked over to Poppy and grabbed her hand, already accepting the inevitable.
"I am a grown ass man." Tom grumbled.
"Then act like it next time." Hermione shrugged.
"You are making this, a thousand times worse." James grouched to Tom.
"This is all your fault, Potter."
"And to think, you used to be my favorite Professor." James said.
Poppy nodded at Hermione and with a pop the three left Lily and Hermione alone in the sitting room.
"Poor James! The first time he stands up to you and he ends up in time out." Lily laughed. "I don't feel bad for him, I told him not to do it."
"I am actually quite impressed." Hermione said with a fond smile.
"How long will they be in time out?"
"Well, since they obviously need to talk about Harry and Hermione alone, to deal with things, Twenty minutes or so. Tea?"
"That would be lovely!" Lily said happily.
"Why is Tom so attached to Hermione anyway? I was not aware that he had any family other than you, Sirius, and Regulus."
"It's a long story but I've saved his life many times. Also, I am from a future timeline that no longer exists. She is who I would be if I was raised and lived in this world. He decided to became her protector in the wizarding world. My biological mother, Jean couldn't stand him at first. She thought it was really creepy for a grown man to show such interest in a little girl. I had to sit her down and explain my story to her. He needed to be in her life so that he could repay me for everything I did for him."
"He owes you a life debt?" Lily asked a little scandalized.
"No. Don't get me wrong, I am not sorry I changed his life, actually I am very pleased with the outcome but it was an unintentional thing. Taking care of young Hermione was a task that he set for himself. She is like the daughter he never had but always wanted."
"That is very sweet."
"It is, usually, except for when he tries to convince her to become a muggle nun for when she graduates Hogwarts. He really isn't going to take her marriage to Harry well at all."
"I can see that."
Poppy came in with a tray loaded with assorted goodies.
"The Misters are still fighting; do you want me to break them up?"
"No, let them fight it out."
"We will be here forever, Mistress."
The three of them nodded solemnly.
"Fancy a game of exploding snap?" Hermione asked Lily and Poppy.
"Sounds like fun!" Lily exclaimed.
"Of course, Mistress." Poppy climbed up on the couch next to Hermione and snapped her fingers, summoning a small table and the deck of cards.
"Thank you, Poppy." Hermione said, shuffling the cards and beginning to deal.