"And I said to the star,

'Consume me'."

— Virginia Woolf

"Interesting!" Scorpius chirped, taking in the Cistrine Forest around him from his perch in his father's arms. Draco's lips curved upwards at Scorpius' use of new vocabulary that he had adopted from a certain bushy-haired witch.

It was early-morning, the forest awakening and unfurling before them as they arrived at their campsite. Pale petals fluttered in the breeze only to twist delicately into winged floris-flickles that floated around them. One brushed Scorpius' nose and the boy let out a laugh.

"Ms. Granger is needing assistance with the tent?" Watson asked as Hermione began rummaging through her beaded bag.

"It's alright, I've got it! Thanks for the offer, Watson," Hermione said brightly before casting a spell. The tent unrolled and set itself up under the guide of Hermione's wand.

Draco set Scorpius down and his son immediately walked over to Watson and sat beside him. As Scorpius hummed and played with the grass, Draco began setting up the wards. He and Hermione, along with other scouting groups scattered around the forest, were tasked to find clues leading to the snake's location. They had shared what they learned from the tree with the others but were no close to deciphering its meaning. Hermione had set up coins with protean charms to alert the other teams of signs of Death Eaters or any clues they found. Thus far, they had not encountered any Death Eaters but they continued to stay on guard.

After a week of careful deliberation, they had decided to take Scorpius on the mission. He and Hermione hadn't been sure how long the mission would take so they both decided it was best to bring Scorpius along. Additionally, the safehouse was crowding with an influx of recruits and teams sent in support from the other ministries. The forest itself was safe enough and they had been able to take Watson with them, who was not only a part of the mission but could get Scorpius out should anything happen.

"There's a river nearby where we can replenish supplies," Hermione said from where she was kneeling with a map spread before her.

"Could go for a moonlit dip — I know how much you like watching." Draco smirked as she blushed at the memory of when he had caught her ogling him during one of their first few missions together. "I'll even let you join me."

"Perhaps I will," Hermione responded, staring at him directly with clear intent. The way she looked at him sent heat through his body.

"Daddy are we gonna eat?" Scorpius called.

Draco cleared his throat. "Right," he responded, ignoring Hermione's smug face.

***

" — and Mini what this one?"

"That is an asphodel tree. It's roots are good for brewing — "

Hermione had been going at it since they left their campsite in search of the river while Watson set up the rest of their belongings. Draco watched her little pupil walk beside her, fascinated as she pointed out the plants and their properties. Even if Scorpius likely didn't understand what she was saying, he hung on to her every word with rapture.

As Draco continued to watch the pair, a dark shadow flew over the trees. Instinctively, Draco drew his wand and stepped in front of his son and Hermione. Just then, a large figure dropped to the ground a few feet away from them.

Draco tightened his grip, a spell ready on his lips as he locked eyes with the looming beast. Its wings expanded and beat once. Twice. The creature snapped viciously in their direction, its luminous predatory eyes trained on them.

"Get the fuck back!" Draco growled, waving his wand at the creature.

"A Hippogriff!" Hermione shouted with excitement at the sight of the beast. The hippogriff shifted, its horse body proudly upright and its beak tipped upwards as it cocked its head in curiosity.

The hippogriff ruffled its dove grey feathers, nipping in agitation at Draco's outstretched wand.

"Draco!" Hermione hissed, pushing her way forward. "It's a hippogriff! It's harmless!"

Draco glared at her. "I'm not sure if you remember," he began, taking on an imperious tone, "but in third year I was attacked — "

"Scared, Malfoy?" she challenged.

Not waiting for his answer, Hermione calmly walked towards the hippogriff before slowly bending down into a bow. The hippogriff bowed back, its long neck dipping elegantly. When it rose, Hermione tentatively held her hand out and approached it until the hard shell of its beak met her fingertips. The hippogriff nuzzled her palm and Hermione gasped in delight as its warm breath tickled her knuckles. The hippogriff came closer, allowing her to run her hands over its body. Heat radiated from beneath its thick skin and she felt the power in its bones as its corded muscles flexed underneath her palms. Hermione scratched its neck and the beast preened, pulling closer to her touch.

"Scorpius," she heard Draco call out in distress before she felt a small pair of arms wrap around her leg.

"It's fine, I got him." Hermione picked up the enraptured child who immediately clung on to her. The hippogriff looked back at the child in curiosity before slightly bowing its head.

"Give him a bow," Hermione whispered and the boy complied, bending over his waist.

"Hi hippogriff," Scorpius said as he lightly caressed the hippogriff's forehead. He let out a giggle when the hippogriff chirped happily.

"Hermione..." Draco said in warning, caution in his eyes.

"Don't worry, hippogriffs have very particular food preferences," Hermione said, continuing to stroke the beast. "Aside from insects and birds, they enjoy small mammals like ferrets."

Draco returned her innocently batting eyes with an angry glare before continuing his assessment of the creature.

"Is okay daddy! Hippogriff is nice!"

Hermione chuckled. She paused however when the hippogriff pulled back sharply and let out a screech of pain. Immediately, arms wrapped around her and Scorpius, pulling them back.

"I told you! That beast is unhinged — " Before Hermione could retort, the hippogriff let out a pained wail. Immediately, she searched the creature for the source of its pain.

"Oh," she said in surprise.

"What do you mean 'oh' — "

Scorpius let out a gasp as the hippogriff bucked, pushing out a membranous sac from its body. The sac moved from within and, seconds later, was pierced by a little beak. A tiny baby hippogriff covered in blood popped its head through the hole it had made and shimmied out with a tiny cry. Still covered in placenta, its little wings unfurled as it attempted to find balance on its new legs.

"Oh a baby hippogriff, how adorable — "

Hermione was cut off by the sound of Draco Malfoy retching into the bushes behind her.

***

Hermione assessed the small clearing at the heart of the forest. It was mid-day and it had rained the previous night. The only evidence were the puddles glistening on the ground like glass windows reflecting cloudless blue sky.

She had taken the lead with the map while Scorpius and Watson followed directly behind her and Draco trailing at the tail. They had been walking in circles, following the clues they had found in the journals and in their research but there was no sign of the snake. The accounts of the forest itself were significantly varied and Hermione felt less and less confident in the credibility of their leads. The only commonality was that many had spotted the snake near the heart of the forest, but upon their arrival, there was nothing out of the ordinary.

It had already been difficult to find the clearing — the forest seeming to have a mind of its own. They had spent most of the day navigating through the forest in circles, getting caught in loops and dead ends. Even when they decided to use brooms, the trees seemed to weave themselves together, blocking the view from above.

"Let's take a break," Hermione said, feeling the need to take a moment and clear her mind from the frustration that was clouding her brain.

What you look for is neither behind you nor before you. It lies where you stand.

As they settled, Hermione continued to ponder the tree's words. The more they searched, the more lost she felt. She tried to retrace her steps, connect the dots between the information they spent months going through but she found herself just as lost as she had been in the beginning.

She inhaled deeply, rubbing her temples as an ache began to form. When she opened her eyes again, they landed on Scorpius who was amusing himself by staring at his reflection in one of the puddles and making faces.

Between one world and the next, as you stand between the past and the future, do not look back nor forward. Look inside and it will call you.

Hermione stood and walked over to one of the larger puddles. There had to be a connection to the tree's words — perhaps a way to understand the forest's pattern of movement. She looked in front of her, then behind her, then down at the puddle.

The forest only speaks to those who listen.

Kneeling, Hermione peered at her own reflection staring back at her. The sun peaked directly above them casting a glittering sheen over the surface of the water. Silencing her mind, she called out to the strands of magic she could feel quivering in the very earth around her. A growing urge to reach out to her own reflection overcame her. And she listened.

She felt a pull towards the water and, raising her hand, she pressed her palm over the surface, just enough for her skin to graze the glassy surface. A gasp suddenly escaped her when the world flipped like a mirror as if she had switched places with her own reflection. Looking up, she noticed the forest was different — more alive like a film had been removed from her eyes. Draco, Scorpius, and Watson were gone. Trying to remain calm, she put her hand back on the surface of the water. Concentrating on her reflection, she felt the pull then suddenly she was back.

Hermione's head snapped up, only to meet Draco's panicked face. "Where —"

"I think I found it," Hermione exhaled. "There seems to be a magical parallel of the forest, some inversion if you will. The differing accounts of the forest, the words of the tree — the location we've been looking for has been where we were the entire time."

"Brilliant," Draco murmured, finally catching up with her words.

After experimenting entering the parallel pocket of the forest once more with Draco, they returned to take Scorpius and Watson with them. With all their palms on the surface of the water, Scorpius included but in his father's arms, they focused on their own reflections. Seconds later, the world flipped inversely and found themselves on the other side.

"It must be another dimension of the forest that has been hidden," Draco murmured, taking in the sounds, much louder and vivid around him. He cast a locator charm on the map. "We're still in the forest, in the exact same place. You're right, it's a parallel."

"I've read about these. They're often described as magical pockets formed to protect wildlife and species. They usually only extend within the boundaries of the area itself."

Draco stilled. "Did you hear something?" Unconsciously, he stepped in front of her.

"Over there," Draco said quietly, chin pointing to a small cavern that Hermione finally made out under the foliage.

Hermione waved her wand to check if there was anyone in the vicinity, but the spell revealed nothing. Peering into the darkness of the cave, Hermione thought she saw movement in the shadows. She almost dismissed it before purple eyes illuminated the darkness and stared back at her. An echoing hiss sounded as the slitted purple eyes came closer.

From the mouth of the cave, the head of a large serpent slipped out. Its white scales gleamed like finely cut pearls as its ivory horns reached upwards like sharp branches. Hermione inhaled shakily, tilting her head up as the serpent loomed over them. Its body was endless as it began to circle them.

"Watson, get Scorpius out!" Hermione commanded, snapping herself out of her stupor.

"Watson can't disapparate," Watson replied, stunned. He tried to disapparate once more but he and Scorpius remained in the same place.

"It must be this dimension," Draco cursed. "We'll hold the serpent off, you and Scorpius hide."

Without further command, Watson magically carried Scorpius and disappeared into the foliage.

"Dive!" Draco yelled.

Automatically, Hermione threw herself in the opposite direction as the serpent's large head lunged towards where they had been standing. Hermione rolled into a crouch, balancing herself. Simultaneously she and Draco shot spell after spell but every single one bounced off the creature's scaled skin.

The serpent hissed and went after Draco. With lethal grace, Draco dodged each attack and redirected his spells towards his surroundings to hinder the serpent. Hermione tried to find the serpent's weaknesses, shooting spells at its coiled body but to no avail.

"Confundus!" Hermione shouted desperately. This seemed to work momentarily, causing the serpent to shake its head and rear backwards. Draco ducked under its tail which whipped in every direction as the serpent continued to hiss in confusion.

"We need to retreat!" Hermione called across the clearing, attempting a freezing spell. "Draco!" she yelled when the serpent sent him flying into a tree with its body.

Draco grunted and clutched his ribs, only then noticing the thorns pierced into his skin from the bush he had landed on.

"Shit," he cursed. He didn't have to recognize the thorns to know they were poisonous. He could feel an immediate burning coursing from the skin that had been pierced. Suddenly, all he felt was ice as a numbing sensation spread through his insides.

"Draco!"

Draco's eyes were blurry, barely making out Hermione's form when she somehow made it to his side. With shaky hands, she pulled him gently into her arms. Vaguely, he noticed the serpent thrashing behind her, tied up with flaming ropes.

"Draco, look at me. It'll be alright — please," she voiced desperately followed by spell after spell she cast in an attempt to heal his wounds. Although he tried to stay awake, his lids felt heavy.

Moments later, a shadow fell over them. Draco tried to speak but his face was paralyzed.

"Mama!" a shrill cry pierced through the space as Scorpius broke free from the foliage, terror on his tear-streaked face. Hermione turned towards where the boy had been looking and it was only then she noticed the serpent free of the ropes, ready to strike her from behind her. She lifted her wand but it was too late.

The last thing Draco saw was large purple eyes before he was sucked into darkness.

***

Draco found himself in and out of consciousness. He was floating below the surface of still waters, wading into nothingness. He could hear voices, some proof of existence beyond his own somewhere in the distance, somewhere above the surface — too far above from the deep dark waters in which he was suspended. In brief fleeting moments, he would surface, pulled by soft warm lips on his forehead, the lingering caress of fingers on his cheek, or a small hand in his.

"Daddy?"

The voice called to him, tentative and distant. And though Draco tried to reach for it, it floated far beyond his grasp. Ruthlessly, he swam against the current that continued to drag him down, beckoning him into its murky depths. But his body betrayed him, paralyzing him into a surrender.

"... and I will eat veggies, and not be naughty..."

A warmth curled into him, pulling his mind out of slumber. Draco tried to reach for the call of the surface again, but it eluded him once more.

"Can I tell you a secret, daddy?" a small voice whispered, clearer now. "My secret name for Mini is mama... Can I call Mini mama now?" There was an edge of nervousness in the voice.

The voice quieted. He heard more voices but he couldn't place them. Something was tipped into his mouth, a cool bitter liquid. Ice frosted his veins and he found himself drowning as if he was sinking into the bottom of a lake. He reached for the light above the surface but he fell further into the dark recesses of his own memory, its tendrils latching on to him and dragging him down.

It had been a week since they escaped the manor, since he had seen his mother engulfed by flames while he and Scorpius plunged into the night sky. Now, everything before him was blinding white. Powdered snow dusted the world around him as he looked out at the sharp relief of mountains spread out before him against the piercing blue sky.

They were hiding in an unplotted cabin in the French alps he had secretly prepared for months. He had meals and supplies preserved to last them long enough for him to track down the True Order. He was close. He barely slept, paranoid and on guard for any sign of the Dark Lord but so far they had not been detected.

The air was crisp and cool as Draco stepped outside into the wintery sunlight. The tips of the mountains receded into the distance, no sign of civilization beyond them. Draco savored the profound silence around him, nothing but the distant sound of wind brushing against the frost-covered pine trees.

The idea of staying hidden and escaping the reaches of the war visited him once more, tempting him. The choice was there. But he could not do it. He and Scorpius would be on the run, taking away every chance he had of giving his son a better life. And more strongly, one day when Scorpius was old enough to understand who his father was, Draco hoped to earn his forgiveness by undoing what he had built in order to create a better world for him. He would push his weight up the mountain and repent no matter how long it took.

The wards held strong as Draco continued his check. They hummed under his touch and he strengthened them, adding extra layers of enchantments to keep their location protected and hidden.

There were moments when Draco thought he felt the phantom touch of the Dark Mark on his arm. But the burning sensation of his summoning never came. The flesh had healed into a sickly gray color, the skin mangled but he preferred it to the sight of the mark that had branded him. On nights when memories plagued his nightmares, the feel of the rough flesh under his fingers rooted him, reminded him that it was over. He escaped.

Once finished with the wards, Draco returned to their cabin. He turned towards the living room but paused at the sight of Scorpius before the fireplace, wrapped in a blanket. He had not realized his son was awake. Quietly, Draco watched from the corner, the flames shivering as a warm glow encased his small form. Scorpius' stuffed dragon, Mr. Dragon, sat by his son's side while one of his books was splayed out on the floor.

"Baby Dragon is flying with his mama and daddy..." Draco overheard him saying to Mr Dragon as he flipped through his favorite book. "Scow-pius is baby dragon, daddy is Daddy Dragon."

The edge of Draco's lips lifted at the boy's conversation with his toy. However, it fell when Scorpius' face took on a sad longing look as he caressed the page he had flipped to.

"But Scow-pius has no mama."