17 YEARS LATER..

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The sun shone in through the window and the last of the summer breeze blew the white curtains gently. The air kissed the bare and scarred skin of her arm as she peeled her eyes open slowly. Her long black waves were strewn everywhere behind her, fanned out across the white covers of the four-poster bed.

London was beautiful to wake up to on a morning and it made it all the more when the sun rise spilled bright orange and blue hues across the skyline. That had been her life now for almost fifteen years. A life living in freedom on the outskirts of London.

Slowly Olivia pushed herself up from lying on her stomach and sat back on her knees, yawning while stretching her arms above her head. She noticed the absence of two bodies when she came to her senses and furrowed her brows, she was always the first awake on a morning. With a confused frown on her face she pulled her white silk dressing gown over her pyjamas and tied it off in a knot while walking across the wooden floor of her bedroom.

The cold floored texture under her feet was replaced with a soft furry feeling when she stepped on to the landing of her home. She could hear movement from downstairs and passed the stairs leading to the third floor before taking the spiralling stairs down.

When she reached the bottom floor of her house the smell of breakfast hit her nose. The walk to find the kitchen was never difficult as she passed through the double open frame with a brow raised curiously. There, stood behind the white marbled island they had flipping pancakes in a pan, was her saving grace.

Her youngest child slipped off the chair she had been seated at with ease and ran towards her with her arms extending out with a squeal. The only one of the bunch to be born with black hair, she had been dressed and was ready for the day as she jumped up to her mother. Olivia opened her arms quickly and caught her daughter, who had been running at some speed. She lifted her up with a groan before setting her down on her hip, "Merlin, have you put on weight over night? You're about as heavy as a troll."

The smile that radiated her daughters young face was contagious and brought one to Olivia's face.

"She's inhaled five pancakes already, dads not long made the first batch." Her only son told her, seated next to the now empty seat on the breakfast bar.

Olivia looked to her daughter with a raised brow, "Is that true?" She asked the seven year old, "You've had five pancakes already?"

She covered her smile with her hands and giggled, "No mum, Scorpious is lying."

"What?" The boy exclaimed, "Ara's lying!"

"What've I told you about lying Scorpious?" Olivia rose a questioning brow and looked to her son while he grumbled in his seat, "What was that?"

"That it's rude to lie."

"Oh, so you do remember." Olivia said smugly before turning to her youngest and kissing her nose lightly, "but if you did eat five pancakes it's okay. I don't blame you, your fathers pancakes are bloody wonderful."

The man being discussed cleared his throat while glancing pointedly at his wife as he mounted more of the breakfast food onto a plate, "Language around the kids."

"Mum has to put a galleon in the swear jar!" The eldest of the three exclaimed.

Olivia stuck her tongue out to her first born and moved to put Ara on to the ground as she squirmed about to reach the second helping of pancakes, "I could've said much worse."

Draco Malfoy eyed his wife again as she walked over greet to him, "Don't even go there Olivia, they don't need to hear the extent of language that comes from your mouth."

Olivia rolled her eyes as she reached up on her tiptoes wrapped her arms around Draco's neck from behind to plant a kiss to his cheek. She moved her lips to his ear, "Some good, some bad, either way you absolutely adore it."

Married for coming on sixteen years, Draco's reaction was predictable as gave her a side eye before smirking discreetly. She smirked triumphantly before looking to her first born again and leaving her husband to walk to the coffee machine, "Lyra's out of bed early during the holidays? What is going on?"

Ara giggled while chewing on a mouthful of pancakes, "It's not the holidays anymore mum! They go to Hogwarts today."

Olivia's eyes widened while she gulped the caffeine, "That's today?" She spluttered out after forcing the drink down.

Draco snorted and turned to look at her, "Like you could forget."

Olivia narrowed her eyes at him, "I've been enjoying my holidays, thank you very much, you ar—"

Draco cleated his throat loudly, "Ahem."

She rolled her eyes, sipping the coffee again as she looked to the black clock mounted to the wall. Her eyes widened and she spat the coffee back into the cup, "Bloody hell Draco!" She cried, "It's almost quarter past ten! The Hogwarts Express leaves in forty-five minuets, why didn't you wake me up?!"

Draco abandoned his tasks and turned to his wife, he started by taking the cup from her hands before he grasped them in his own, "Lyra, Scrop go and get ready, take Ara with you please."

The middle child groaned loudly and dropped his fork on his plate with a clatter, "I'm eating, it doesn't take me—"

Olivia peered over Draco's large frame to raise her brow at her son, "Scorpious Siriu—"

Scorpious left the table immediately and his quick paced footsteps echoed through kitchen as he ran up the stairs. Draco could barely conceal his laughter as he rested his forehead on his wife's shoulder, "You just had to use his middle name, scare the poor kid into doing what he's told."

"He was told, he shouldn't have to be told twice." Olivia counted.

Draco rolled his eyes, "He's eleven and I'm willing to bet you were told more than once to do what you were told when you were his age."

Her brow raised, "And you weren't?"

He rolled his eyes, "We could stand here and argue about this all day and go nowhere with it." He said, leaning forwards, "So why don't we just let it go?"

Olivia didn't bother replying, instead she replied in the form of responding to the kiss he planted on her mouth. She wove her arms around his neck, pulling him down to her height. They pulled away and Olivia hummed while smiling, "Good morning, Dr. Malfoy."

Draco pressed a chaste kiss to her lips, "Good morning to you too, Mrs. Malfoy."

They kissed again, "Hmm, it is a good morning."

The loud yelling of their eldest daughter interrupted them, "Mum! Where's my tie?!"

Olivia groaned and pulled away, "Fourteen." She muttered, "Fourteen years old, going into her Forth year, and she doesn't know where her bloody tie is."

Draco pulled her back to him and kissed her again, "Just leave her, she'll find it eventually."

"Mum!"

Olivia pulled away fully and looked at the clock, "Thirty-five minutes." She said incredulously, "Like we'll be at Kings Cross in thirty-five minutes, it's fucking impossible."

Draco crossed his arms over his chest and leaned on the counter, "Nearly twenty years together and you language is still unacceptable."

Olivia gave him a pointed look, picking up the coffee cup, "Like you can talk you little shit."

She sipped the coffee and Draco rose a brow, "You just spat into that."

Olivia screwed her eyes shut and spat back into the cup again, "Oh Merlin." She complained, holding it out for Draco to take, "Take it away from me."

"MUM!"

By the doorway Olivia rolled her eyes while exiting the kitchen for the stairs. Draco walked over to the sink and poured Olivia's coffee out while listening to his wife and daughter converse, "I'm coming woman, don't get you wand into a knot!"

It was silent for a while until he heard Lyra shout again, "MY WAND! SCORPIOUS WHERE DID YOU PUT MY WAND?!"

He sighed while checking the time again, "Merlin help us."

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With more minutes to spare than what they anticipated the Malfoy family arrived on platform nine and three-quarters. Olivia glanced over at her husband as he readjusted Ara on his hip and shook her head, "That was too close."

"Look at the time, we've got.." Draco checked his watch, "Nine minutes to spare."

Olivia blinked at Draco, "I haven't brushed my hair, I threw my clothes on and I'm not even sure if Lyra's Quidditch uniform is packed."

Draco put is hand on his wife's shoulder, "Stop doing this."

Olivia's eyes darted around, "Doing what?"

Draco put his youngest daughter on the floor as she started fidgeting in his arms, he watched her run off before diving into the arms of Fred Weasley. The Weasley twin caught her effortlessly, picking her up and spinning her around. He gave Draco a small smile that the man returned before looking back to his wife, "You did this before Lyra's first year, went a little crazy—"

"—I am not crazy."

"Yeah, you kind of are love." Draco told her, "It's weird, I know. Scorpious is heading off for his first year but it's okay because he's going to make friends and he's going to have a good time."

Olivia sighed, "I know, it's just going to be weird only having Ara in the house."

"Mum! Come on."

Both Draco and Olivia turned their heads to see Ara sat on Fred Weasely's shoulders while his family gathered around him.

Olivia smiled and took Draco's hand in hers, "I'm coming, you!" She called over to her daughter, walking over towards the ever growing crowd of people.

Fred Weasley wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulder while holding on to his Goddaughter as Olivia approached him. George whistled loudly while stood next to his wife, Angelina Johnson, and looked at Olivia, "Some tan you've got there Black!" He called, "How was Brazil?"

Olivia smiled lazily while thinking of the recent holiday she and her family had not long returned from, "Brazil was amazing."

"I'm jealous." Fred said, "I didn't even get an invite."

Ara giggled sat on her Godfathers shoulders, "Neither did Uncle Leo!"

Olivia groaned, "Oh my god, Ara please don't even mention it."

Just then another male voice joined the conversation as he approached the growing group on the platform, "I wouldn't mention it." Teddy Lupin said, a small smirk on his face, "He's not impressed."

"I would know." His mother complained, following behind him with her husband and their younger daughter, "He's been in our ears complaining all bloody week."

Olivia's brow arched and she looked to Tonks, "If I'm not allowed to say that around my children you aren't."

Remus sighed, "None of you should be saying it around them anyways."

"Dads right." Hope Lupin said matter-of-factly while crossing her arms over her chest, "Even though I'm almost sixteen, none of you should be saying it."

As she went to reply, Olivia felt an abnormal weight pulling her backwards as a pair of arms wrapped around her neck. She chocked in surprise while reaching behind her to grab the culprit and pulled him into a choke hold, "Leo I swear to god."

"What?" The boy laughed defensively, "Can't a man hug his sister?"

Olivia ruffled her brothers hair with her knuckles, "Your hardly a man you little sh—"

"—Olivia." A voice called from a different direction. The two siblings recognised it immediately and turned to the woman as she and her husband approached the group.

"Mum." Olivia smiled, still holding her brother in a head-lock, "Hi."

"Come on, let go of your brother."

Olivia grumbled and released her hold on him, shoving him to the side slightly.

"We should probably head to the train instead of just standing around here." Fred said, "Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Harry are probably waiting there."

"Yeah, or Harry and Ginny aren't hear yet and they're late like usual." Olivia snorted.

Draco shook his head and wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulder to guide her along. Her brother fell in step with the two and walked casually besides them until Olivia cleared her throat.

"I knew it." Leo said, "I knew you wanted to ask me something."

She rolled her eyes, "I just wanted to ask if you'd look out for Scorp? Make sure he's alright and doesn't get into trouble, you know?"

"Liv, he's my nephew. Wether we're in different houses or not I'll always be looking out for him."

Olivia grinned and butted shoulders with her younger brother, "You just had to go and be sorted into Gryffindor didn't you?"

Leo shrugged, "Gryffindor pride, sorry sis."

Reaching the Hogwarts Express, Olivia could see Lyra and Scorpioua already chatting away to their friends. Lyra stood with her housemate and best friend, Cordella Montague while Scorpios was talking to Liam Nott.

She and Draco spotted their friends all huddled in a group, chatting away like old times and headed over to them.

Serena Montague saw the couple first and whistled lowly, "Here they are, always the last to arrive."

"Yeah, wonder what it was keeping them." Blaise Zabini remarked.

Alexis elbowed her husband in the ribs discreetly.

Olivia narrowed her eyes at her friends just as Lyra and her Goddaughter, Cordella, came over.

"Mum, where's Ara?"

Olivia froze for a moment, "Shit." She looked around frantically to see her youngest child still sat on the shoulders of Fred Weasley. She looked back to Lyra, "She's with Fred, she's fine." She turned back to Lyra and saw her stood with her arms crossed while raising a brow. Olivia looked at her oldest daughter and furrowed her brows, "What?"

Lyra opened up her palm, "You owe me a galleon."

Olivia recoiled incredulously, "I don't owe you anything."

"You swore and you have to put a galleon into the swear jar every time you swear."

"Well I'll put a galleon into the swear jar when I get home."

"No, I want it."

Olivia rolled her eyes, "I'm not giving you a galleon Lyra."

"Why n—"

She was interrupted by the warning whistle of the train singling the final few minutes before it departed. Both mother and daughter stopped their dispute and walked to one of the many entrances on to the train where Draco and Scorpios were stood.

Olivia noticed the Weasley family and their own family's stood with Draco and grinned at Ron while leaning her arm over her daughters shoulder. She spotted her Godson Hugo clinging onto his fathers leg and winked at the younger boy, watching as he giggled.

When she reached her own family she ruffled her sons hair, "Well this is it mate, last goodbye before you go."

Scorpious smiled at his mother, "What if I don't get sorted into Slytherin?" He asked anxiously, "I don't want to disappoint anyone."

"You won't disappoint anyone, love." Olivia rubbed his shoulder, "Well, besides maybe Lucius bu—" She looked up to see her husband giving her a stern glare and quickly abandoned the conversation, "The point is, you could never disappoint us. Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, we would always be proud of you."

"Thanks mum." He said, wrapping his arms around her middle section suddenly.

Olivia embraced her son while watching as Draco scooped Ara up in his arms again.

Scorpios pulled away, "Alright, I'll see you at Christmas mum." He said, grabbing bag and turning to the train.

"Yeah, you better." Olivia called after him teasingly.

Draco came to stand next to his wife, kissing her temple and wrapping his arm around her as they watched two of three of their children board the Hogwarts Express, a train they had boarded all them years ago.

"They'll be alright you know." Draco told her.

She nodded, looking up to meet his eyes, "I know, they've got each other.. and their family." She said, "And if all else fails my dad is always there."

"It's not fair." Ara whined, "I want to go!"

"Four years baby." Olivia said, kissing her daughters forehead, "Four years and you'll be off yourself."

Just as the train began it's descent from the station and they started to wave their children off, Harry and Ginny appeared next to them.

"Weird isn't it?" Harry asked, "Seeing them off."

Olivia nodded, "Four years and it still doesn't get any easier."

Harry smiled at her, "They're going home. I've a feeling they're going to be okay."

Olivia grinned while Draco rubbed her arm and looked down to her, "Yeah." He said to her quietly, "I think they're going to just fine."

Olivia met Draco's grey eyes and leaned forwards to kiss him briefly, "I love you."

He grinned at her boyishly, "And I love you."

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