Magical Lineage

As Narcissa walked toward the small dining room she heard familiar voices and laughter. When she entered, she smiled at the two wizards sitting at the breakfast table chatting and eating. Draco and Theo stood as she entered the room. True pureblood gentlemen.

“My, my what a wonderful surprise. My boys are here for breakfast. Good morning, Draco. Good morning Theo.”

“Good morning, Mum. They said in unison.”

Narcissa loved these young men. Theo’s mother had passed away when he was just a small boy and he and Draco grew up together. They were raised as brothers. They were closer than brothers. She loved having Theo in the manor and more, she loved him calling her mum. “You are both looking quite well this morning. Considering I am sure you were up late playing cards, billiards or magic darts. Am I correct in assuming we will have to restock the bar?”

Both wizards smiled and nodded. Draco pulled out Narcissa chair for her. Theo poured her tea and helped Draco put a lovely plate together for her. Each one kissing her cheek good morning.

“Are you staying here today to wait for the news from the Ministry?” She inquired.

They both responded with a quiet, “Yes.”

“Why are you so nervous? This repopulation program is necessary.”

Theo said, “I’m not sure that my house should go on. What examples have I had to be a good father? What witch would want to be connected to me?” Theo lowered his eyes, “My mother died when I was three. I have lived my life with speculation that my father killed my mother. Then he proceeded to be the worst father in the world. You all know what I went through. What kind of father would I be?”

Draco said nothing. He had already said his peace and didn’t want to go through it all again.

Narcissa turned to Theo and touched his hand, “You’re a wonderful person, a brilliant, talented wizard. I’m your godmother, I was there when you were born. Your mother was my best friend. I know what was said after she passed away. I also know that the rumors are quite possibly true.” Seeing the sadness in the wizard’s eyes, She squeezed his hand, “Yes, you were raised by a cruel and heartless man. Having you here in this home as often as I could was as much for your mother as it was for you. You are handsome and very talented. No, you did not have a good example for a father. Theon taught you all the ways not to be a father. So, I know you will be a wonderful one.”

“Draco is my son by birth. You are my son by choice. I have loved you both since you were born. I will always regret not being able to protect you as fiercely as I should have. You both have doubts about your abilities and you are worried about what the witches will say or do when they are grouped with you. I know your hearts; therefore, I know that you will both be loving fathers.” A tear fell from Narcissa's eye. She truly regretted what the war had done to their world, pureblood, half blood and muggle born alike.

Just then a large eagle owl tapped at the window. Draco got up and took two envelopes from it. He tossed it a treat and it flew away. He handed Theo the Ministry letter that was addressed to him. The wizards just stared at their envelopes.

“Well, do we open one at a time and announce our witch. Or both go at once?” Theo said.

Draco said, “Just open the damn thing and get it over with.” They opened their letters and Narcissa heard a duet of...

“FUCK!”
__________

After a night of bad dreams and waking herself up with screams of being tortured. Hermione was glad she had the silencing wards up around her house. After three years, she did not have the nightmares as often as she used to. Maybe few weeks. After the war she had them every night. Harry, Ron or George would hold her until she calmed down. Her anxiety over the repopulation program and her worry of who the ministry would choose for her made her night extremely unsettled. Not only did it take her a while to fall asleep, but her nightmare was very vivid.

Dreams of a crazed witch with wild hair, bad teeth and rotten breath, taking her baby and telling her she DID NOT deserve to be a mother. “Muggle born witches are worthless cunts that could only be used for breeding.” Bellatrix was dead. She had watched her die. Yet that bitch still haunts her nights.

She was just finishing her tea when a small screech owl tapped on her kitchen window. She opened the window and took the ministry letter. Gave the tiny owl a treat and watched it fly away. Hermione’s hands were shaking. She was so nervous about opening it that she didn’t hear Ginny, Luna and Harry floo in through the sitting room fireplace.

Harry called out to her and startled her.

“Mione, you okay? Did you open your letter? Luna and Ginny and I have been grouped together.”

Ginny asked, “What wizard have you been paired with?”

“I don’t know. I’ve been too scared to open it. Well here goes nothing.”

Hermione Jean Granger always prided herself on her ability to perfectly articulate herself. So, When she read the letter and looked up at her three friends and said, “FUCK”.

Harry took the letter out of her hands, he was fairly certain she had no idea he had taken it, as he read the letter, Ginney reading over his shoulder, “FUCK”. Was the correct response.

Luna, who had not seen the letter, just smiled with a knowing look and said, “All things work out the way they are supposed to. Hermione, did you know that you have a tiny snarfle living in your cupboard?”

Harry took Hermione's hand and said, “We are going to the Ministry to get this straightened out.” The next thing she knew he was throwing powder in the floo and shouting Ministry of Magic.

Ten minutes later, Hermione, Harry and Ginny were using the lift to get to Kingsley’s office. Luna decided to stay at Hermione’s to feed the baby snarfle.

The Ministry’s Atrium was bustling with witches and wizards discussing the groups that they had been assigned to. Unbeknown to them, Ron saw them walking through the Atrium, neither Harry, Ginny or Hermione noticed him. So, when they got to Kingsley’s office and found Draco Malfoy and Theodore Nott there. They all stopped talking when they entered.

Hermione didn’t know what to say. Draco had secretly fought on the side of the light during the war. He had made his amends to her and Harry after the war. They were not children anymore. So she just smiled at the two wizards and said, “Good morning gentlemen.” Then she turned to Kingsley and said, “I think there may have been a mistake in the assigning of the groups.”

Draco and Theo quietly voiced their agreement.

“Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Nott have just brought this situation to my attention. While most pureblood and half blood witches have been assigned one wizard. Most muggleborn witches have been assigned to two pureblood wizards. The arithmancy has been done, the repopulation experts have done all the calculations to figure out who each witch and wizard should be grouped with. I know that the three of you have been grouped together...”

From behind Harry, standing in the doorway, Ron shouted, “What the hell is wrong with you? You assigned Hermione to two pureblood Slytherin pieces of shit? And one of them is a Death Eater. She is not having children with them. For Merlin's sake she is a fucking war hero. I figured she would be grouped with me since I'm a pureblood and we fought a war together.”

Before she could see the look on the wizards faces, she turned on her heel, hair sparking and raised her wand. “You? You? Do you really think I want to have a child with you. I am only here to discuss with Kingley the details of the program. Not who I am grouped with. If I had to be grouped with you I would let the wizarding world end. How dare you stick your nose into my business.”

Kingsley tried to diffuse the situation by calmly stating, “The possibility of Hermione being paired with two pureblood wizards was always greater. The number of pureblood wizards compared to muggle born witches that survived the war were a large factor in the population calculations.”

But Ron then turned to Hermione and said, “You don’t mind being a whore to a Death Eater? You want to be a Slytherin slut?”

Two wands were drawn behind Hermione’s back. Harry and Ginny ducked out of the way. Ron looked horror struck. He was truly afraid. Kingsley just jumped back raising his hands. Hermione turned and saw anger in the eyes of the two wizards in her group. They didn’t owe her anything let alone a defense. Yet here they were standing up for her.

“You better apologize to the witch. NOW!” Theo demanded.

Draco's voice was a growl, "Insult her again and there will be one LESS pureblood wizard in the program."

Hermione spoke softly to them, “Draco, Theo please lower your wands. I am not hurt, insulted or even surprised by Ron’s comments." Then turning to face him, "Ron please leave. This is none of your business. If I choose to have one or both of these wizards' babies it does not concern you.”

Ron looked so angry, his face was red. Ginny grabbed his arm and pulled him down the hallway, yelling all the way.

Harry turned to Hermione and said, “I’m going to go and make sure my fiancé doesn’t end up in a cell tonight for hexing her brother in front of an Auror.”

She then turned to the three wizards behind her. Looking at Draco and Theo she said, “I meant what I said, I have no problem with the wizards I've been grouped with. Just with how this will work. The logistics of how I am to conceive with both of you." Smiling at Kingsley she asked, "Can you explain?”

Kingsley shook his head and smiled at her. “You really are an amazing witch. I only know the basic workings of the program. I can have one of the researchers and an arithmancy specialist come up and discuss it with the three of you.”

“Well, how can a witch not want to be with two wizards who so quickly draw to her defense. You all know me, I just need to know how were you planning to group three people and their magic?" Then turning to the wizards, "Do either of you have an objection to being paired with me?”

Draco and Theo just stared, mouths hanging open and stunned looks on their faces.

Theo was the first to speak. “Do you really want to be grouped with two Slytherins? Granger, did you receive a head injury recently?”

Draco quietly said, “I’m out. I am not doing this with you.” He then turned and started for the door.

Hermione shouted after him, “Well Malfoy, I thought we were past the whole ‘not worthy’ crap. I thought after everything all of us have been through the blood status shit wouldn't matter to you. I guess I was wrong.”

She watched him leave. Theo headed out the door after him, he lowered his gaze and said, “He's not out. We are both in. It's not what you think. It’s not the blood bullshit. Don’t count Draco out yet. Let’s meet tonight and talk. We'll send you an owl.” Then he hurried down the hall after Draco.

Kingsley cleared his throat. “Well let's call the medi-witch, researchers and specialists and see how this is supposed to work.”