Chapter 173: 2
The beautiful, pale-skinned woman gracefully widened her brown eyes toward the small hand that had suddenly tugged at her gown.
"Ara, Scorpius. What is the matter? Shouldn't you be with Sister Maria... your mother?"
"Father told me to go to Mama Astoria. He said I'm too noisy and would disturb Mother while she's sleeping."
"Oh dear... Brother Draco, honestly..."
The lady gave a troubled smile at her brother-in-law, who was as clumsy with words as ever when dealing with his son. Realizing that her respected brother and sister-in-law were relying on her as usual, she lifted the small treasure onto her lap. The little boy—the eldest son of the Malfoy family, Scorpius, who was the spitting image of his father—grinned with his round, snow-white cheeks and snuggled up to his Aunt Asteria.
"How is Maria doing? It's almost time for the baby to be born, isn't it? I wonder if it will be your little sister this time, or another little brother. It's exciting, isn't it, Scorpius?"
"Mother said it's a girl. She calls her Maria."
"My, my... Maria really is a strange one. Giving the baby her own name? My sister is quite mysterious, isn't she? Don't you think so, Scor?"
"Well, she is my mother, after all!"
"Fufu, that's right. She is your mother. And my one and only sister."
Wrapping her arms around the adorable, giggling child, the two huddled close together, exactly like a portrait of a mother holding her own child. She and the boy were not mother and son. There was not a single drop of shared blood between them. Even so—the two had spent a long time together as a family. An unbreakable bond between parent and child undeniably existed there.
"I am... so very happy. Having you, Brother Draco, Maria..."
"I'm happy too. I have Mama, I have Father, I have Mother—Tom, and Maria. Because we're all family."
Cherishing this form of a family that perhaps might have existed in some other world or some other future, the Malfoy family lives on in the light today.
I was dozing off. The one who shook my shoulder as I slept was one of my best friends, who could never quite shake off her older-sister attitude. Her husband was nowhere to be seen, so he might still be busy closing up the shop with his brother.
"You'll catch a cold taking a nap in a place like this. You need to take proper care of your body—the baby is due soon, isn't it?"
Having carelessly succumbed to the pleasant weather and the sunlight filtering through the trees, my hand rested on my fully swollen belly. Oh, oops. I gently stroked it, checking to see if the child inside was upset. Since this was my third, I knew the ropes, but I still couldn't shake the feeling of weirdness. ...Well, this will be the last one. Just one more push.
"Where's Scorpius? Is his father looking after him?"
"No, he's with Astoria. Scor loves Astoria. Draco is watching Tom."
"...Are you sure you're okay with that?"
"Of course. I'm the one who tells Scor that he has two mothers. Astoria is Scorpius's mother, too."
"You guys are... such a strange family."
"I know. And the best, right?"
"Yes, if Maria and Draco are satisfied with it, I suppose it's the absolute best."
I chuckled at my best friend, who shrugged in exasperation. From the kitchen area, I could hear the affectionate voices of my younger brother and his wife—no, my elder brother and his wife. It seemed today's dinner was going to be cooked by the two of them. I just hope Winky doesn't sulk about having her job taken away. Ah, in that case, maybe I should beg Draco to turn it into a garden party. It's a day when all my favorite people are gathered together, after all. ...Though I feel a bit bad for Kreacher, who was left to mind the Potter household.
I let my mind wander drowsily in my half-dreaming state. Hermione smiled wryly, deftly combing her fingers through my overgrown red hair with her familiar, big-sisterly expression.
"Have you decided on a name?"
Hermione, who had already given birth to Rose and Hugo and must have been well used to seeing swollen bellies, tentatively touched mine with her fingertips. I answered her proudly.
"It's Maria."
"...Do you already know it's a girl?"
"No. But, it can only be this child."
At last, finally. I've finally brought you back.
Guiding Scorpius and Tom, while leaving herself for last—really, how very like Maria.
"Um, Maria? It's true that it's not unusual for a boy to inherit his parent's name, but—for a girl..."
"Yeah, exactly. So actually, the first name hasn't been decided yet. I'm even thinking of asking Snape—Uncle Severus—to be the godfather. For both mother and child alike."
"Goodness!"
"And then—I have to go greet Fred, too. I'm sure he'll jump right out of bed this time. 'Maria, you were actually a woman?!' Or something like that."
"...Yes, that's right. He'll definitely wake up this time. And then he'll sulk seeing George, who has become older than him. 'My face has gotten so old!' he'll say."
"Ah, I can't wait."
We exchanged jokes and let out lighthearted laughs. As if agreeing with me, the adorable child in my belly kicked. A tomboy, as always. Maria. I have so many things I must return to you. A name, a life—and a wand. Because I created them all for you.
"But still, that will make it confusing to call you two. Couldn't little Maria be called Mary or something?"
"No way. This child's name must absolutely be Maria. No matter what happens, I will keep calling her Maria. I'll be the first to call her that. ...So, well, as for me—"
Ah, that's right—infusing it with a mischief that surely only I, he, and this child would understand, I looked up at Hermione.
"From now on, call me Marie."
Harry and Maria makes Marie────just kidding.
"Because Fleur calls you that?"
"Hehe, something like that."
With childish anticipation, wondering when they would finally catch on to this little prank, I couldn't stop grinning down at my belly.
Come out soon, Maria. And I will be the very first to gift these words to you.
"────Welcome back, my Maria."
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