Devotion

Chapter 20

Time Skip: 9 months later

Fatherhood suited Draco. Motherhood did not suit me.

I was a mess. I loved my children, but I failed miserably at taking care of them.

CJ (which we called Caelum), would not stop making stars that disappeared with popping noises, giggling each time. While amusing at first, it grew annoying real quick. And he never seemed to stop.

I wasn't the only one driven crazy by it. Celeste was nearly always crying when she heard them because they scared her, and she floated dangerously to get away from the sound.

She went so high I couldn't reach her, and as I couldn't do magic, only Draco could get her down. When it was just me with them, I had to follow her, constantly ready to catch her if she fell.

Meanwhile, Astrid was a calm baby. At least, she was when she was with Draco. If she couldn't see him, she threw a fit. If she was away from his arms too long, she threw a fit.

I wanted to throw a fit.

I barely got any sleep thanks to them. Draco slept through it all, leaving me to try and calm them all down. I didn't see how anyone could sleep through three babies screaming.

I was hardly reaching 'acceptable' on any of my assignments anymore, but it was good enough to graduate. And in a week, our time at Hogwarts would be over.

I entered our rooms, and was welcomed by silence. Draco had, miraculously, gotten all three of our children to fall asleep. Astrid was resting in his arms on the couch.

"Evelyn, I had an idea I wanted to run by you.," Draco whispered.

I sat down beside him. "What is it?"

"Would you want to live in my parents' Manor?"

"What?"

"Would you want to live there? I know it sounds crazy, because my parents still live there, but believe me, it's huge. We'd live on the other side, so you wouldn't need to even see them that much. But they could help watch our children, and we could both get a bit of a break. And let's face it, we don't know much about raising kids, but my mum does. So, what do you say?"

I smiled at him. "That would be wonderful, Draco. Really. But are they okay with it?"

He grinned at me. "Of course, they suggested it."

~

I left once Draco was asleep to go to the owlery. I needed to deliver a letter to Draco's parents, thanking them for everything and saying that we would be delighted to stay with them.

As I walked, I wrote in the two-way journal with my sister. Just a quick message, telling her where I would be staying so that she could visit.

She was aching to meet my children, but couldn't risk entering Hogwarts, with all the people here, considering she wasn't even permitted to be in the country.

As I watched Draco's owl soar off with my letter, I heard a door slam behind me, and jumped. I turned around to see a red-haired boy, fury etched into his face. Ron.

"Where is she?" he growled.

"Who?" I stalled, inching backwards. I scanned the room, trying to find an escape route. But there was none. And no one would be awake now.

"Hermione. I know you know where she is, you're her sister. Now tell me," he ordered, his wand stabbing my neck.

"Just-just ask her yourself," I stuttered, calculating my odds of making it to the door behind him. Very slim.

He forced the wand in tighter, drawing a bit of blood. A tear slipped from my eye. "She won't reply. Now tell me, or you're dead."

"You don't know who you're messing with," I threatened weakly, and he laughed.

"Don't I? You can't perform any magic, it's quite obvious. You're a complete muggle, you don't belong here. I don't know how you cheated your way in in the first place, considering you have no magic ability. But it doesn't matter. Once I spread this secret of yours around, you'll be banished again.

So I suppose I should make my threat more clear. Tell me where your sister is, or you're banished," he told me.

Now it was my turn to laugh. "You think that scares me? Living as a muggle?" I laughed again.

"I've lived that way my whole life. I could easily do it again. But I know you won't do it. Because my sister would never forgive you if you did. Any chance with her would be ruined."

I stepped up to him as I spoke, and with a smirk, took his wand out of his hand. Then, I leaned in closer and muttered, "Not that you had any chance with her anyway."

He snapped. And I forgot that while he didn't have his magic to his advantage anymore, he was still more physically strong than I was.

I screamed as he shoved me into the wall, owls shrieking and fleeing through the windows as he punched and punched me. I was defenseless as his fists pummeled my skin, the shelves I was shoved against bruising my back.

I could feel my eyes beginning to swell, my brain getting fuzzy, when I heard someone run into the room, a platinum blonde streak flashing across my vision.

I felt Ron get pulled off of me, and my body collapsed to the floor. I distantly heard the sounds of the two boys punching each other, but focused my attention on keeping myself awake.

I felt Draco pick me up, and blacked out a moment later.