Moments

63. This Is It!

Minerva turned to Harry and briefly cupped his cheek. 'Lily and James would have been very proud,' she said fondly. 'Draco is a very lucky man.'

'How's Andy doing?' he asked, worried for her.

'Naturally, she's being belligerent. She hates that wheelchair but knows she needs it. And she keeps throwing the rug off her knees but Cissa is looking after her. It's hard for one who has always been so fiercely independent.'

'I'm glad we were able to pull everything forward,' Harry said sadly.

'Now, now, Harry. I won't have you getting maudlin on your wedding day. She's delighted she's here to see this and that a future is secured for all three of you.'

It had been a stressful battle to get here. As well planning the wedding, they had coped with Andy's rapid deterioration, adopting Teddy, Draco changing his job, and becoming more involved with the running of the Malfoy estate. They had managed to finish the house six weeks ahead of schedule and to repair the landscaping so that a marquee could be erected and the seating area chosen in a place where it overlooked the lake. Harry felt like he desperately needed a holiday but that was not to be, not yet. The honeymoon was postponed until Christmas... they wanted to be there for Andy.

'Time for me to take my seat,' Minerva said with a content smile and little shudder of delight. She made her way to the front to sit with Andy and Narcissa. It had been a strange conversation when she told him how she looked upon him as a grandson, as the family she'd never had; how she'd been there but had to distance herself. And when he thought about it, she had; she had never doubted him, maybe pulled him up a few times when he'd taken the wrong path but no more than any parent figure would have done. And yes, she'd offered him that teaching post again, and he'd declined again. But he thought of her as family now. Andromeda's illness had done that for them, it had pulled them all closer together.

'Where's Draco?' Teddy said, pulling on his hand impatiently.

'He'll be hear soon, Pup,' Harry said with a smile. Harry had slept on a spare bed in Teddy's room the previous night, just so tradition prevailed and he didn't see Dray before the ceremony itself. It had taken a bit of orchestration on the parts of Mione, Peanut, and Blaise but they managed to dodge each other and, now, he was as keen as Teddy to see Dray.

'There he is!' Teddy exclaimed, the tips of his hair going turquoise.

'Breath, Pup, remember?'

Teddy stood still, pushing his chest out much as he'd done for Minerva, and his hair resumed its black colour.

Dray was accompanied by Victoire, Pansy, and George who was holding Freddie Jnr and had Hector and Esther hanging off him like he was a climbing frame. He was laughing despite Pansy's scolding of the twins. Molly jumped up from her seat and rushed over to take Freddie safely from his arms so he could scoop up Esther and take Hector's hand to find their seats.

'Time to sit down,' George winked at Harry, 'or we're going to be run over by the bride.' And he scooted off with his family to find seats with the rest of the Weasleys who were distinctly recognisable amongst the wedding guests.

'At last!' Teddy scolded but Harry and Draco both ignored him. They both only had eyes for each other. Draco's dress-robes were the mirror of Harry's only the accents were silver rather than green and he wore an ivory waistcoat. Harry smiled. Dray looked so very gorgeous it took his breath away.

This is it!

'Are you ready, Malfoy?' he said as Professor Flitwick tapped his baton on his music stand.

Dray nodded, his grey eyes sparkling.

Dean, backed by the Hogwarts' choir, began to sing 'All You Need is Love' and the guests stood as Harry and Draco walked down the aisle.