Draco always had a sweet tooth. When they were in school, Hermione used to snicker with Harry, seeing the ridiculous amounts of sweets and pastries he would buy at Hogsmeade. When they were older and eating dinners at restaurants, he always ordered dessert. Then, at their wedding, he picked the cake flavor and even insisted on a candy buffet (her parents were horrified). Hermione was shocked; his teeth hadn’t rotted out of his head by 30.
Hermione liked sweets, but only occasionally might one find her eating a sugar quill or a muggle chocolate—except when she was pregnant with Aurelian. Hermione found herself devouring the sugary junk at alarming rates, rivaling her husbands. She also had a terrible craving for Snickers. She found herself hiding her chocolate bars all around the house; her insatiable craving wreaked havoc within their home.
Draco could never resist the temptation, and eventually he would sniff them out like an animal after dinner. Then, like a squirrel, she would cram a few bars in small gaps in the house or inside vases, rotating the hiding spots as he found them.
They bought a lot of Snickers that year.
After a few years, when she was pregnant with Lyra (now craving peanut m&ms), Aurelian would join in, hunting around in all the nooks and crannies looking for the candy alongside his father.
When she was pregnant with Scorpius, Hermione found herself thankful her parents were dentists, as another craving for muggle chocolate consumed her with a box of Twix sent to their door every two days.
Each of their kids took after their father, demanding something sweet after a meal. Draco had a plan, using it to his advantage. He spread his children out to different points of the large house, and after dinner they would scatter like roaches, searching. He taught them little charms to alert each other when they found a candy bar, and she would see paper birds flying around (usually accompanied by a cheer).
Hermione ended up refilling a jar weekly until their children began to leave the nest, their candy wrappers following them.
Draco’s wrinkled hand laid on top of hers, pulling her out of thought. “What are you thinking about?” Draco croaked, his vocal cords now weak.
Hermione smiled, meeting his eyes. “Would you like some chocolate?”
“Are you mad, witch?” Draco answered, chuckling until he had a coughing fit. Catching his breath, “When have I ever said no to that?”
“Never,” Hermione wheezed. She stood up on her weak knees, still holding onto his hand. “Will you be alright? It’s in the other room.”
Draco glanced at the wand on the bedside table. “Just because I can’t doesn’t mean—”
Hermione shook her head with a sad smile; her magic was too weak now too. “I’ll just be a moment.”
Before she was out the door and into the hallway, Hermione glanced at her bed-ridden husband as his hand shook, reaching for his water.
His teasing eyes met hers and he croaked, “I’m not getting any younger, Granger.”
When Hermione came back into their bedroom, she felt the dread as it began to pool in her stomach. He always looked up, but she forced herself to remain calm.
“Draco?” Hermione panicked as she shuffled towards the bedside. “Draco, baby–”
“Herm-," he softly wheezed. She noticed the way his eyelids moved, almost like he was trying to open them, but wasn’t strong enough.
Hermione felt herself begin to cry uncontrollably. “Shhh,” she cupped her cheek with his hand. “Don’t talk; it's okay.”
Draco shook his head. “Choc–”
The sobs turned into a gargled laugh until she herself began to cough until she hacked up some debris into her tissue. Hermione heard Draco give a rattled sign, and her heart lurched forward into him.
She hurriedly grabbed the mini-Mars bar, taking a bite, and then offered the smallest piece to Draco.
He gummed the chocolate and nougat, grasping her hand with the remaining strength.
“I love you so much.” Hermione wailed, the tears falling freely once again.
Draco pressed her hand against his chest, trying to convey the words and appreciation during his final moments.
He gasped, using the last of his air. “I love you.”
Hermione crawled into the bed with him, sobbing into his lifeless frame.
X
“Mum!” Aurelian yelled outside the door.
Scorpius began insistently banging on it, “Dad!”
Lyra shook her head. “We need to break in. Something might be wrong.”
The boys agreed, and all of their wands were pointed at the large wooden door. With a flick, it flung open.
The now-grown children raced into their parents' bedroom but stopped at the sight.
Their parents laid in each other's rigid arms, a candy wrapper in their laps.