Alexei

Just then, the fireplace lit up and a very young voice called through. "Papa? May I come through? Baba and Dado said I should call and ask Aunt Hermione. Please?"

Hermione looked at Viktor, then said, "Yes, Alexei, bring your trunk; you can stay here while Papa goes off on his tour for the Ministry. I have some exciting things planned for you to do before school starts."

"Yes, Alexei, come on. We were just going to go to dinner. You can come with us."

"Yes, Aunt Hermione, Papa, I will only be a minute."

They could hear him saying goodbye to Viktor's parents before he closed the Floo-call link and re-opened the transport link.

A thin, muscular boy, tall for his age, appeared with a miniaturised trunk in the Muggle backpack he was wearing. His wide, happy grin reminded Hermione, forcefully, of how Viktor must have looked at that same age.

He shrugged off the backpack, bowing formally before throwing himself into her arms for a hug. His adopted father hugged the two of them and kissed the top of the boy's head.

"Will you see him settled in, love? I will see if our friends are coming back for dinner."

Hermione ruffled the boy's hair and picked up his backpack. She led him down the hall to the spare bedroom.

"Come on, scamp. We'll unpack your things so you won't have to do it later. I am so glad to see you. There is a nightlight in here in case you need it, Alexei."

"Aunt Hermione, I am trying very hard not to have nightmares anymore. Papa says they will go away again, but I don't want to disturb you if I cry out."

Viktor's voice sounded from the doorway. "I don't think your nightmares will be a problem anymore. We have something to tell you, Alexei. Come in the sitting room; we need to talk."

Hermione held onto Alexei's hand as they walked down the hall.

Ginny and Draco were sitting on the couch when they got there. Viktor introduced them to Alexei.

"Sit next to Hermione, Alexei. You know I am going to be one of your teachers this year at Hogwarts, correct?"

"Yes, Papa."

"Well, Draco Malfoy is going to be another of your professors. He will be teaching the History of Magic classes. Your Aunt Hermione will be teaching there as well, Ancient Runes. She has also finally, accepted my proposal of marriage. She will become your Mayka this Christmas. We will be a family again, Alexei, a whole family."

The boy just sat stunned for a moment; then he threw his arms around Hermione and kissed her cheek. His happy grin was infectious.

The fireplace lit up again, and Harry called through. "If we are going to Mario's, let's get going. The Moodys are meeting us there."

Draco winked at Alexei and said, "Well, young man, you are going to be in the thick of it tonight. There will be heroes from both Wizard wars, teachers, the Headmistress from Hogwarts, Aurors, Quidditch stars, and lots of engaged folks as well."

Alexei just sent him a quizzical look, but followed the others into the fireplace to Mario's restaurant.

Minerva and Alastor were talking to Harry in the lobby. They all turned to look when Draco and Ginny came through. Viktor, Hermione, and Alexei brought up the rear.

Alexei stopped still when he realised who the dark haired man with the glasses was.

Harry stepped forward and stuck out his hand. "Hi, Alexei, I'm Harry Potter. I am very glad to meet you. Your dad has told me a lot about you. Would you like me to show you around Hogwarts on Tuesday?"

Alexei shook Harry's hand and tried to reply, but all that came out was a squeak. He tried again.

"I am honoured to meet you, sir. I would like that very much."

A booming voice made the comment most of them were thinking. "Good lad. You have done a great job, Viktor. He is a son to be proud of."

"Thank you, Alastor. Alexei, this is Alastor Moody and his wife, Minerva McGonagall. She is Headmistress of Hogwarts. Alastor is a hero from the first Wizard war. He was an Auror, which is what Harry is now."

"How do you do, sir? I am most pleased to meet you, Headmistress." Alexei shook both their hands and grinned at them.

Harry patted Alexei on the shoulder and said, "You get to be my dinner partner tonight. Your dad and I have been friends for ten years, now. I'll tell you what he looked like with a shark's head."

That comment earned Harry a long look from Viktor. Hermione smothered a laugh and rolled her eyes at Harry.

When they got to the table, Viktor sat between Hermione and Alexei. Ginny sat between Harry and Draco. Harry took the chair next to Alexei so they could talk. Minerva sat next to Draco with Alastor between her and Hermione.

Viktor bribed the waiter to make sure no one bothered them before making his announcement.

"You must all congratulate me. I have won the best prize of my life. Hermione has agreed to marry me at Christmas."

Everyone laughed and congratulated both Viktor and Hermione. Harry leaned over and asked Alexei, "Are you excited about that, Alex? I know she'll be a great mum for you. She always acted like she was my mum when we were in school." He accompanied that statement with a wink.

Alexei, grinning madly, answered, "Oh, yes, I know she will make Papa happy. She already makes me happy. I have loved her for as long as I can remember."

Draco took that moment to make another announcement. "Since we are exchanging happy news, let me just say that Ginevra Molly Weasley has accepted Harry's and my proposals. We will be married just before term starts."

Everyone started to talk after that. The wine flowed freely and the food was excellent. Harry did his best to draw Alexei out, asking questions about the boy's nightmares and his fears. He formulated a strategy about which things to show the boy at Hogwarts.

He remembered, all too well, the ache and loneliness of being a boy who had lost his parents. He wanted to show this boy that he was going to have two parents who loved him very much and a host of 'courtesy' relatives to teach, spoil, tease, and love him.

Alexei was quickly becoming something of a younger brother or a nephew to Harry. He got Alexei to talking about Quidditch and flying and was amazed at the boy's intellect. He knew Hermione would nurture that intellect better than anyone.

"So, Alexei, what position are you going to try out for?" he asked.

"I will probably start at Chaser, like Papa did. His teammates taught me how to play a couple of years ago."

Harry made a snap decision that endeared him to Viktor. "Well, I think could get permission from your flying teacher and the headmistress for the two of us to do a bit of flying on Tuesday. How would you like that?"

"Oh, yes, sir. Thank you."

Minerva just winked at Harry while Viktor raised his glass in a silent toast.

"I'll even tell you what it was like to have a dragon chasing me during the first task of the Triwizard Tournament."

Soon it was time to return home. The Krum contingent made their farewells and Flooed away to the flat.

Minerva McGonagall looked at Harry and asked, "Have you decided what to show him? I'll let you have the run of the school tomorrow, if you want to revisit some things. He seems like a normal eleven year old. He has the benefit of two people who adore him and will nurture him."

"Vik and Herms will be terrific parents for him. I think the Mirror of Erised, the Chamber of Secrets, and I am going to give him the Marauder's Map. I like the kid. With an athlete for a father and a brain for a mum, he is going to be unbelievable." Harry smiled as he thought how lucky Alexei was.

The newly engaged trio was sombre as they returned to Grimmauld Place.

Once they settled on the sofa, Ginny safely ensconced between Harry and Draco, Harry turned to her and asked, "Gin, love, what happened when you told your Mum?"

"Oh, Harry, it was awful. Mum and Dad were there with Bill, Fleur, Victoire, Dominique, and Louis. Bill is not one to hide things from his children, and when I finished talking, Victoire sighed in relief. This stopped Mum from saying anything remotely nice about Ron because Vicky was on her lap. So, when Mum asked her why she sighed, she said that her Uncle Ron was starting to make her uncomfortable if they were in a room alone because he was getting 'too close.' She then said she was glad she didn't have to say anything because she knew it would hurt everyone's feelings. Did you know Fleur could change into a full Veela if angry enough?

"Bill was trying to talk her down, Mum was in the fireplace talking to Coach Westerfield, who had just told her that Ron was going to have to go to Azkaban, when guess who walked in the door? He saw whose face was in the fire, and started to back out of the house when Fleur went after him. By the time we were able to pull her off him, he was begging for the Aurors to take him. St. Mungo's flat out said they could reattach a penis, but not if they couldn't find it."

Harry was stunned.

Draco on the other hand laughed at the end of the story. "So, Red, which one of you has his bits?"

"Dad. Hey, how did you know?"

"For all the tragedy in your story, you looked way too satisfied at the end of it. So I figured one of you found his bits and decided not to return them."

This made all of them laugh ruefully.

"It's an illness, right, Gin? Ron just didn't turn into this monster just because, did he?" Harry asked plaintively.

"Why would you defend him like that, when you were always ready to believe the worst of me? I guess you really just wanted Red, here, and I'm extra baggage?"

"I doubt that, Draco. He's probably trying to find something good because I saw him with Alexei tonight. He's only a little bit older than our child would have been if we had got married and had kids when he wanted to. He probably hates me now." Ginny finished in tears.

Harry looked at his two lovers in disbelief. His ex-best friend was a known paedophile, in Azkaban, possibly for life, and these two were giving in to their insecurities. He sighed, then decided to dive right in and stop this before it took over their lives.

"Have both of you gone insane? Ginny, I think I've always loved you, whether we were together or not, but you know how you said it always felt like I was not all there? I think I wasn't. When all three of us were together, that was right. Draco, ever since that day you asked me to start over, when I returned your wand, that connection, that rightness, it was there. You can't say we both didn't know something was missing. I think we have that something right here. When we went to the Ministry today to register the engagement and intended bonding, they pulled out that contract, from Merlin only knows where, that protected a Sept. And our signatures turned gold, right? So, you know as well as I do that it means that all three of us were willing to make this work and to love each other. How can you think that I would think any less of a blond or redheaded child, especially one created by the two people I love the most? I can't think of anyone I could love more."

By the time Harry finished, both his lovers were in tears, but these were happy ones.

Ginny and Draco looked at each other. "Harry," Draco spoke tentatively, "I have to agree. I will be thrilled to meet Ginny's and my child, but I can't believe I will be any less thrilled to meet your and Ginny's child."

Ginny smiled. "Not to mention the child we will have that will be all of ours."

The boys looked at her. "Well, why do you think that Septs are so protected? They believe Merlin was the child of a Sept tri-bond. It is thought that Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff were the same. Although that was a bit strange, to have four at the same time. We are going to have at least three children: one for Draco, one for Harry, and one for the Sept bond. Are you willing to have him or her be a Weasley, which is traditional, or we can make up a name, as well?"

After that, they very happily sat down to discuss names, children, and Harry's day with Alexei. It was decided he would go alone, and Draco would go and "make sure the girls don't get dresses that make them look like those crocheted toilet paper covers."

Hermione woke to the sound of the bedroom door opening and Viktor's voice saying, "Carefully, Alexei, set the tray on the bedside table and hand her the teacup."

The boy did just as he had been instructed and handed her the cup as she sat up.

"Thank you, Alexei. Why don't you sit on the bed and help me eat this huge breakfast. Maybe Papa will join us?"

"Mama Hermione, I didn't have any nightmares last night. Papa let me help him make your breakfast. He says I should start keeping a journal of things that happen to me."

"What I said, Alexei, was that you should write down things that make you happy or sad. Or things that interest you, so that you can ask questions about them later."

"Oh, that's right. Anyway, could we please buy a journal for me to start writing in today? Uncle Harry sent an owl a little bit ago and said he was going to go to Hogwarts to scout out what he is going to show me on Tuesday, but that Uncle Draco and Aunt Ginny want to come with us shopping."

"I can only imagine what Draco had to say about shopping for wedding dresses. What did Papa have to say to that?"

"I simply told Harry that we were going to shop in the Muggle world to keep gossip to a minimum. Apparently, Draco agreed to that without a murmur."

"He keeps on surprising, doesn't he? Hey, that was my last bit of toast, Alexei! Scoot. I have to get dressed." She winked at Viktor as he and Alexei beat a hasty retreat.

Ten minutes later, the three were ready to Floo off to Grimmauld Place. Alexei grabbed the container of Floo powder and handed his father and Hermione a handful while taking a bit for himself. He grinned hugely and snuggled close as they all stepped into the green flames.

Hermione said, quite distinctly, "Number twelve, Grimmauld Place," and they were off, whirling to their destination.

As they stepped out of the fireplace at Harry's, Draco and Harry were waiting for them. Ginny had not arrived yet.

Harry quickly related the story about Ron and Fleur after sending Alexei down to the kitchen to ask the new house-elf for some tea. Hermione gasped, but Viktor only shook his head.

"Yes, that is good. It is essentially what Karoly and Elisaveta did to Bodayov. I am sorry because he was your friend, but he would have got much worse, done many horrible things. When Ginevra arrives, we should go to Diagon Alley first to get Alexei's supplies, then we can go to a designer's shop in Marylebone to look at wedding dresses."

Hermione turned to stare at Viktor as if he had grown an extra head. "Designer? Viktor, those dresses will be horribly expensive."

"I am aware of that, love. You really don't know how much money I made playing Quidditch, do you? The dress will not make a dent in my Galleons."

"And you, Draco? I know Harry was left well off by his parents, but aren't you having inheritance problems?"

"The inheritance in question, Herms, is one from my father's great aunt, Hepzibah Prewett Fudge Oglethorpe. She married several times and outlived every one of her husbands. They all left her quite well off, and she was not fond of her grandson, Cornelius Fudge. She wasn't particularly enamoured of my father, either. She was the 'white' sheep of the family; she hated Dark Magic and all it entailed. When I began to redeem myself, after the war, she summoned me and interviewed me for hours. I left her house totally confused about why she had wanted to see me in the first place. When she was ill, I visited her and brought her flowers. She was, by then, my only living relative. This past month, when the solicitors told me I had to marry and produce an heir, was the first time I knew she had left me a huge fortune. I attended her funeral and actually cried, last winter. I didn't know I had it in me to do that." Draco actually sounded bewildered by the whole thing.

"There are times, Draco, when you are as insufferable as you were in school. Let's not go there; I get it, you can afford a nice dress for Gin."

"And here comes the lovely Ginevra Weasley. Thank you, Alexei; you must have the perfect touch with that house-elf. I can't seem to get her to do anything. Shall we have tea before we go?"

"Sir, Uncle Draco, she does not understand English very well. She is Bulgarian, so I spoke to her in Bulgarian. If you want, I will try to teach her more English while I am staying with Mama Hermione. The house-elf's name is Cestita, Papa."

Draco looked very confused. "What does that mean in Bulgarian, Alexei?"

"It means happy. She is not happy now; she thinks you don't like her. She can converse with Uncle Harry, but not with you. It makes her sad."

"I'll have to do something about that. You can advise me, Alexei. Come on, if no one is going to drink their tea, we might as well be off."

Both Ginny and Hermione were amazed at Draco. He was actually considering the house-elf's feelings. Harry had Flooed off to Hogwarts just after Ginny arrived.

The five of them went through the Floo to the Leaky Cauldron and then to Diagon Alley. Books, robes, and an owl were purchased in record time. A quick peek in at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, where Ginny asked the twins to look after Alexei's owl until they returned, earned Viktor some fangirl harassment.

The group quickly left the Wizarding area. Outside on Charing Cross Road, Viktor hailed a taxi, which delivered them to Marylebone.

Draco was astonished at how easily Viktor managed in the Muggle world. When asked, Viktor said, "At home, I grew up around Muggles. My parents wanted both Karoly and I to know both worlds. Even though I am a pureblood, I have never understood the class distinctions the English have."

"That's why we clicked so well fourth year, Draco. He understood me and we could actually talk about things."

Both Ginny and Hermione looked at dresses for several hours, but found nothing they were wild about. It was decided that they would go to Chelsea to a Greek restaurant Viktor knew, to have dinner. On the way, they passed several second hand shops on King's Road. Hermione saw a dress in the window of one and immediately told the taxi driver to stop.

Viktor paid the taxi and they all walked into the tiny shop. The dress Hermione had seen was blush pink, tea-length, and made out of silk covered in Alençon lace. It fit her perfectly.

Ginny found a pale teal dress that accented her hair and figure. They also found a darker teal dress for Hermione to wear as Ginny's maid-of-honour. They bought all three dresses immediately.