Summer Fun

It was the end of the year, and the triplets decided that they wanted to have all of their friends over so that they could hang out. They all had a really good time after the ball and figured it would be fun to have everyone over again. They had been in better spirits since the funeral, but they thought this would really help them start to feel really happy again. 

Ever since Mary had started helping Hyperion cope with the loss of their grandmother, he had been wanting to see her more and more and figured today was as good as any day to let her know how he was feeling. James had been around a lot since the end of the term for Ara, and they were closer than ever. Lila and Scorpius had even started dating. 

"What do you think I should make for us to eat this afternoon?" Ara had been going through all the food in the kitchen for an hour, trying to decide. 

"Oo, sissy, make everyone that chicken you made for us last week," Carina and Nova had been following their older sister everywhere since she had been home from school. Ara loved every second of it. She doted on them all the time. 

"That is a good idea. Nova, could you go find Scorp and ask him if he could set the grill up?" 

"Yes!" Nova jumped up at the task and quickly ran out of the kitchen to find her big brother. 

"What can I do?" Carina got closer to Ara and tried to stand on her tippy toes to see what she was doing. 

"Here, push that chair over, and I'll show you how to peel potatoes." Ara smiled at her younger sister and waited for her to do as she was told. Carina pushed the chair over quickly and got up on it. She watched as Ara explained what to do and then started on her task. Ara noticed how well she was doing and thought she had a real knack in the kitchen. 

"Need any help?" Hyperion came in with Leo close behind. "Scorpius and Nova are already out back. 

"Perfect, could you cut the potatoes that Carina peeled, please?" 

"Of course," Hyperion stood next to Carina, and as she peeled them, he cut them into chunks. 

"Leo, why don't you wrap the cut potatoes in the foil. I'll show you how to do the first ones, and then you can do it. How's that?" 

"That sounds good," Leo pushed a chair over like his sister had done and watched carefully. He wrapped them extra tight just like Ara showed him and then put the finished ones in the bowl that Hyperion had gotten him. 

When Draco and Hermione came into the kitchen, both stopped dead in their tracks. The 6th of them had done things before, but they looked so content with one another right now, perfectly in a line doing a task. Hermione started crying when Ara started to sing along with Carina. They sounded beautiful together. 

"Where are Scorp and Nova?" Draco eventually said. Ara jumped at the sound of her father's voice. 

"They are starting on the grill," Hyperion said with a smile. 

"Right, Mother, do you think you could run these to sissy?" Leo started to pick the heavy bowl up and frowned when he couldn't.

"Yes, of course, dear," She kissed his head, smiled at Draco, and went outside where her other children were. 

"Daddy," Ara turned around, "everyone should be arriving soon. Do you think you could make sure that they go outside? I'm not sure how much longer I'm going to be. Plus, I should really change it."

Draco nodded and laughed when he noticed that she was wearing pajamas still. How long had she been trying to figure out what to make? 

A short while later, Draco opened the door for the three Potter kids. 

"Hello sir," James smiled at Draco, and Draco nodded at James. 

"Hello James, Ara is getting ready, but the boys should be out back already. So she was hoping everyone could head back there. 

"Wonderful, thanks!" James and his siblings knew the way. They could probably do it with their eyes closed at this point. They came to the manor all of the time. 

Soon after, the Zabinis arrived, and the Longbottom children. Declan was tagging along with them, and Draco gave them the same greeting and instructions. 

"Teddy, I didn't know you were coming," Draco hugged his cousin and smiled at Victorie. They had grown up so quickly. He couldn't believe they had gotten married in secret last summer either. 

"Yes, Scorpius insisted that we come. Said we are still part of the group." Teddy laughed and took Victorie's hand as they made their way to the backyard.

"Lila!" Scorpius had entered the foyer as his girlfriend entered, and he kissed her on the cheek. She blushed and shot him a look. They had never kissed in front of anyone, let alone any of their parents. Scorp just smirked at her and led her to where everyone else was. 

"Hello, Mr. Malfoy, are we the last ones here." Hugo came into the house with his two sisters and cousins Molly and Freddy. 

"Yes, everyone is out back. I think the food might even be ready."

"Perfect, just in time." Freddy laughed, and Draco cracked a smile. He couldn't believe that Ara was cooking for all of these people. 

"Thanks, Daddy." Ara kissed her father's cheek as she bounced down the steps and out into the backyard as well. 

"So Hyperion, where is that Grace you told me so much about in your letters?" Teddy plopped down next to him and looked at him intently. 

"It didn't work out. She had some dumb problem with Mary," Teddy raised his eyebrows but didn't push further. Mary, having heard this, blushed bright red. 

"Vic, do you think you could help me with this one second?" Ara was calling over from the grill. 

"What's up?"

"Well, I've made this before, but only with Mother's help, and I am just not sure when the potatoes should be done. I was hoping you could help me," 

Victorie looked at everything and smiled. "Looks perfect and wonderful." 

"Oh good, I'm so glad."

"Ready to eat everyone?" Victorie called from where they were standing. Soon everyone was getting food from Ara and finding somewhere to sit. There was a large picnic table outback, and everyone was sitting around it. 

Hyperion sat next to Mary and smiled at her warmly. She felt butterflies go through her stomach, and she looked at Declan quickly. He just smiled at her and nodded his head. 

Everyone carried on conversations with whomever, and Ara smiled at all her friends. She felt really happy and was glad everyone could make it. She missed them when they weren't at Hogwarts and thought that they had to do this more often, especially since they were graduating at the end of this term. Well, a lot of them anyway. 

Declan stood up, and Mary gave him an encouraging smile, "I just wanted to tell you all a couple of things. One, thank you so much for bringing me into the group. You guys are some of the nicest people I've ever met and to be apart of such a great group of friends is really special for me. Not a lot of people want to be my friend." Ara frowned. Declan was a great guy; why wouldn't people want to be friends with him, "I also thought since we have been friends for most of the year now that you all deserved to know something important about me." He took a deep breath, and Mary smiled warmly at him again, "I'm gay," He whispered the last part with a look of horror on his face. 

"Don't worry, mate, we've got your back," Scorpius smiled at him the same way that Mary was, and Declan's face lit up. 

"Do people mess with you?" Hyperion looked ready to fight someone. "If they do, just let us know," He nodded knowingly at James. 

"Thank you so much, you guys; you have no idea how much that means to me,"

"You are one of us now Declan, no one messes with our family," Ara smiled and walked around the table and hugged the boy. She wondered how long he had been contemplating telling them. She was glad that he knew they were good enough friends to trust them with something that personal. 

"Not a lot of people know either, so don't go blabbing it to the whole school," Mary glared at the Weasley twins, and they just smiled and nodded. 

After lunch, Scorpius had a great idea to find as many broomsticks as he could, and they could have a little game of quidditch. James, Hugo, Hyperion, Lily, and Freddy were one team, and Scorpius, Albus, Lila, Teddy, and Lysander were the other. 

"We cannot possibly lose with Lily on our team," James boasted. His little sister was wicked at quidditch, and he would tell anyone that would listen about it. 

"Don't be so sure little brother," Teddy teased from the other side of the garden. Ara and Mary set up hoops while Victorie found the quaffle and some bludgers. 

"Do you think everyone is going to be alright?" Declan asked timidly. He hated quidditch. 

"We used to do this all the time. They should be fine. However, the Gryffindor team is going to slaughter my house team. That is the only problem," Ara laughed and sat down in the grass to watch. No one could beat Lily. She was amazing. Sure enough, she basically single-handedly won the game. 

"Good job," Mary smiled at Hyperion when he touched back down on the ground. 

"Thanks, Mary," He smiled and took her hand. He wished not so many people were around because he had a sudden urge to kiss her. What's new, he thought. "Is it okay if we talk in private?" He whispered to her. she nodded and let him lead her away from the group. Ara watched with a smile plastered across her face, but she couldn't snoop because James was hugging her and swinging her in the air. 

"Good job babe," She smiled at him, and he kissed her sweetly. 

"Thanks, it was really all Lily," James set his girlfriend down and picked his little sister up. "You are just perfect at quidditch," 

"Thank you, James," 

"I just wanted to thank you for everything that you did for me after the Christmas Holiday. I was really broken, and you really helped me out a lot." Hyperion smiled at the girl in front of him and watched as she blushed. She was beautiful; how he didn't see it before was beyond him. 

"You don't have to thank you, Hyperion. You are one of my best friends; I will always be there for you. No matter what," Mary blushed a deeper shade of red when grabbed her hands, and she held her breath as he leaned in. 

"I mean it, Mary. You're amazing, and helped me out so much," Hyperion couldn't hold it back. He leaned in even closer and kissed her. His best friend since he was little. Mary thought it would be different. She wanted for so long to kiss Hyperion Malfoy. She thought it would be amazing, sparks in her stomach, her cheeks heating up. But it wasn't. It just felt like he was kissing her and nothing else, and she was entirely disappointed. 

"I..." Hyperion didn't know what to say. He really cared about the girl that was sitting across from him in the grass. He thought the butterflies would be in his stomach like when Scorp and James talked about their first kiss. They weren't there, though. 

"Thank you," Mary smiled at him. At least now she could move on. She wouldn't ever lose him as a friend. They would always be there for one another. 

"I care for you a lot Mary," 

"I know Hyperion. I care for you so much." 

"Friends?" He said awkwardly. She giggled and pulled him into a hug. 

"Forever," She said into his ear. He sighed and squeezed her tight. At least this hadn't ruined their friendship.