to have & to hold (the blacks, vol. 2)

chapter 3

Evangeline and Regulus were sitting in the living room of their current home, waiting for Hermione Granger and Ginny Weasley to make their appearance.

After a morning spent with their boys, playing all kinds of muggle games and laughing around, the couple had retired to the living room of the Black family's estate while Draco and Harry were upstairs in their respective rooms.

'You know,' said Eva. 'Sometimes, this house feels too quiet.'

Regulus looked at her with a questioning look. 'What?' he asked.

Evangeline laughed at her husband's reaction. 'I mean, it is just the four of us here. Our son is nearly a man now, and so is Harry. They are going to be leaving us eventually.'

'What is it that you are saying, love?' Regulus asked his wife.

'Regulus, you were not there when Draco was born, you were not there for his first year of life, and I was not there for the years that followed. When we found out I was with child, we were immensely joyed by the idea of having a little one running around the house,' Evangeline explained. 'But after that, you died and I was forced to leave our home and leave our son behind to protect him. All we wished for was to be parents for our son, and we never got around to doing that.'

Regulus looked at Evangeline with a smile on his face. He had to admit, he had always wanted a big and loving family with three or four children that he and Evangeline would raise with different views than the ones that were presented to him. But shortly after they wanted to start what they planned, he sacrificed himself for his wife and child.

'Are you saying what I think you are saying?' asked Regulus.

'Let's have another little one, Reg, another son or daughter,' Eva told Regulus with a smile on her face.

'Evangeline Moira Black, I would love to have another child with you,' Regulus said, returning her smile.

Evangeline hugged her husband, her eyes teary at the thought of having another Black running around their house. Regulus kissed his wife's cheek and caressed her hair, excited for how she had not given up on their hopes and dreams.

A couple of hours later, Ginny and Hermione arrived at the Black Manor in Southern Italy.

'Boys! The girls are here!' said Regulus to Harry and Draco who was sitting outside, enjoying a cup of tea.

'We're coming!' replied Draco, hurrying down the stairs, followed by Harry.

The two boys spent their afternoon each getting ahead on some school materials. Draco was quite the ambitious Slytherin, and being one of the brightest students in the school meant that he had to put in a lot more effort than any usual student. Whereas Harry wanted to get ahead to make Eva and Regulus proud. He was so grateful for them letting him join their family, taking him away from his mother's sister and her family. He did now want to let them down.

'It's great to see you, Eva,' Hermione told the older woman.

'Mione, it's great to see you two. Also, you, Ginny. I hope you girls had an amazing summer break so far.'

'It was amazing, Eva. The burrow is so great this time of the year,' said Ginny. 'We had lots of time to play Quidditch and help mum. It truly was one of the best summers I've ever had.'

The two boys run towards the girls, Harry hugging Ginny and Draco hugging Hermione.

'Harry, put me down!' yelled Ginny, who was spun around by Harry. The boy laughed at the ginger-haired girl's command and proceeded to put her down.

'Hey,' Draco told Hermione with a smile.

'I'm so glad you're looking and feeling better. I was so worried about you when you didn't answer any of my letters for more than half of the summer,' Hermione whispered to the boy.

'I am indeed feeling much better now. It's been a long process but I've finally found my way back.'

'Well, I hope you never have to experience that pain again,' confessed Hermione.

Evangeline looked at the two pairs with a smile on her face. Regulus walked up to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. 'Quite oblivious, aren't they?' Regulus whispered to his wife.

'Well, my love, some are not as lucky as we are and they don't want to ruin too much of a good thing. Let them take everything at their own pace and they'll surely find their ways to each other,' Eva explained in the same hushed tone her husband used. 'Are you girls tired? Hungry?' Eva asked Hermione and Ginny.

'I'm quite well, Eva,' replied Ginny.

'So am I,' added Hermione.

'Then the boys will show you to your rooms, let you unpack and I'll call you downstairs for dinner.'

The boys grabbed the girls' bags and walked up the stairs of the manor, Hermione and Ginny following them. They reached the first floor and walked down the corridor. They walked until reaching the 5th door along the corridor.

'Okay, so here's our stop,' Draco said. 'Mione, your room is the one on the right, it has a view to the backyard and the lake nearby and also has quite the light for reading, with a window seat,' he explained to the Muggleborn. 'And Gin, yours is the other one. View towards the forest and the village.'

'Which ones are your rooms?' Hermione asked.

'Mine is the one at the end of the corridor to the right,' Draco answered.

'And mine is the first one from the stairs on the left,' Harry replied.

'So, you two wanted to be far away from each other,' Ginny laughed. 'You didn't want to take any chances of being at each other's throats, am I right?'

'Draco and I have been getting along extremely well this summer,' Harry informed the two girls.

'You two?' Hermione asked shocked. 'Are you two on potions or something?!'

'No, Mione, we are not. We just decided to be mature and put the past behind us,' Draco answered. 'People find unity in sharing the same pain, am I right?'

'Wow, this is very mature for the two of you,' Ginny said. 'Not sure Ron will enjoy this new-found friendship.'

'Well, if Ron doesn't like whoever I'm friends with it's his problem, not mine. I decide who my friends are. No offence, Ginny,' said Harry.

'We leave you two alone for almost the whole summer and now the two of you are best friends?! This is something I did not expect at all,' Hermione said.

'Alright, why don't you two girls settle in, and we'll continue this conversation later,' Draco told the girls.

'Sounds like a plan to me,' Ginny stated.

'And where will we find you two boys later?' Hermione asked.

'Probably in the backyard. Regulus and Eva usually cook dinner together and the two of us hang out in the backyard,' answered Harry.