The Marriage Decree

Chapter 134: You're Just Settling for the Cards I Dealt

After a long afternoon and an even longer night, Hermione and Draco settle down to sleep around two o'clock the following day. Initially, Hermione had been concerned with Draco's rash decision to publish the article despite getting her release from holding, which is what he wanted. However, considering how much danger the Aurors put her family and friends under yesterday, she agrees that publishing the article was the correct step forward. Although, she was not looking forward to Minister Kingsley retaliation or President Harris' reaction to antagonising him.

Unfortunately, Hermione didn't need to wait long for President Harris' reaction. They receive an owl via Megan Goyle at nine o'clock, requesting their presence at MACUSA as soon as possible.

"We'll never be able to get a portkey there," Draco claims as he begrudgingly dresses for the day, still tired from the eventful day yesterday.

"We're going to have to try," Hermione sighs. "We can't apparate to New York."

"Do you know how to change a Portkey's location?" he asks.

"I know the theory, but I've never tried it, and I don't think now is the time to experiment either," she mentions.

"We'll figure something out; we always do," Draco presses a kiss to her head as he passes her. He picks Scorpius up out of his Moses basket and takes him into his room to get dressed on his way out.

Hermione smiles softly, thankful that Draco remains calm while she's starting to worry.

In Scorpius' bedroom, Draco chooses a pair of trousers, a shirt and a jumper for his son. Scorpius hadn't slept well with Mitty the previous day, probably picking up on Mitty's nerves and just wanting his parents there to rock him to sleep. Therefore, as Draco pulls a jumper over his son's face, his eyes close and remain closed as he drifts back off to sleep in his father's arms. Draco chuckles, lying Scorpius down on his changing unit to get him further dressed. It seems like today will be another busy day, so having a sleepy Scorpius might be advantageous.

Hermione takes their sleeping son in her arms as Draco attaches the baby's chest carrier to himself. Hermione then clips Scorpius against his warm chest, which keeps their son asleep and softly snoring. They floo from their house to the Ministry's floo floor, and instantaneously, they know something is wrong. The entire floo floor is empty. Even though it's a Sunday, Hermione expected to see a few Ministerial workers wandering around glumly as they rush around the Ministry. Cautiously, they take the lift down to the Portkey Department, where they don't bump into anyone once again.

"Somethings going on," Draco comments, taking his wife's hand in his and hurrying them through the door into the Portkey Department. "It's suspiciously quiet." He adds as they peer into the waiting room, where there isn't even a receptionist booking people in for their portkeys.

"I guess we just take the first one we find," Hermione shrugs, pulling Draco into the first room, where a handbag is lying on the ground.

Hermione removes her wand from her cloak pocket, inspecting the object to discover where it is planning on taking someone. "Toronto, in Canada," she grins. "We can apparate from Toronto to New York, right? How many miles is that?"

"I don't know, but it's not like we have any other options," Draco states, taking hold of the handbag with his spare hand.

Hermione quickly grabs it with her own as the telltale wind picks up, spinning them around the room as they transport away from the Ministry of Magic.

They're on a beach beside a small white cabin overlooking what Hermione assumes is a large lake when they land. Turning around, they realise it's a pretty small beach, as they make their way onto the pavement, where a sign informs them the beach is named 'Cherry Beach'.