A/N: Hey everyone. Hope you guys liked the last chapter. So here it is, the very last chapter of Forever. I really don't want to end this book, but I have to. Please please read the A/N at the end, there is an important announcement. Please don't skip it. On with the chapter!
18th September 2010.....
"Athy! Get back here right now! Athy!" Draco yelled as he searched for his daughter inside the Hole.
Or the Tin.
Or whatever the Weasleys called their house.
Draco wasn't bothered with it.
Nor did he care enough to remember the name of the house, or even the names of all the Weaselys.
"Hey Fred." Draco stopped the red headed boy as he tried to ran past him. "Have you seen Athy somewhere?"
"I did." The seven year old answered.
"Great." Finally he found a Weasley who was useful. "So where is my dear daughter?"
"I don't know." Fred, or as some people lovingly called him Freddie, shrugged. "I saw her yesterday when she was playing with Roxanne."
With that, Fred ran away from there, laughing loudly, before the blond wizard could try to stop him again.
"Just when I thought I had found a useful and decent Weasley." Draco shook his head. "And why the hell my mother had to send me to this bloody house full of crazy Weasleys to get Athy? She could have herself come here."
"Or maybe sent Father as well." He continued, smirking while imaging Lucius Malfoy trying to find his granddaughter in a house full of Weasleys. "But no, they want to chill at Potter's house while I search for my daughter here."
"Athy!" Draco yelled as he looked inside one of the many rooms, and found it to be empty. "Honestly Athy, the things I do for you. Of course, I love you, my little princess, but I absolutely hate the Weasleys."
Just then, he heard someone's voice.
"Oh look!" Someone exclaimed. "This is a book about Tutshill Tornadoes. Oh Godric, there are so many amazing facts, and even the interviews with the players."
Draco swore as he recognised whose voice it was.
James Sirius Potter.
An insane Tutshill Tornados fan.
And no doubt, Athy was with him, wherever he was.
Freaking stupid Mini Potter no.1
Sure enough, Draco heard another voice.
"That's so cool." Someone yelled. "I love the Tornadoes so much, Jamey. You know how Daddy bought me their jersey last week, right?"
The voice of Athy.
"Such a bookworm." The blond wizard muttered as he walked towards the direction of the voice. "She has inherited Astoria's love for books, and it has grown more and more ever since."
"Though I won't complain to her being a Quidditch fan." Draco grinned. "Now that's me, the biggest fan of the Tornadoes, which is the best Quidditch team ever. I can't wait until Athy becomes the Slytherin Seeker."
"Okay wait a second." He suddenly paused. "She already has a children's broom, so should I buy her the Firebolt version of it as well for Christmas? But it is too far away. Whatever, I don't need a festival to spoil my daughter."
Finally, Draco reached the room from where the voices seemed to be coming. "That's enough, Athy. Time to go to the Potters' now."
As predicted, his daughter pouted at him from where she was sitting on the floor. "But we just started reading the book now, Daddy."
"I will buy you that book, now come on." He said in a stern voice.
"But the shop won't open until tomorrow morning." She protested. "And I want to read it right now."
"Stop being stubborn, Athy." Draco pinched the bridge of his nose. He was really getting tired of this.
"But I love the Tutshill Tornados so much and I love books too!"
"I am sure Mini Potter no.- I mean James," He reluctantly said the boy's name, "Would not mind you borrowing his book, now would he?"
"Of course not, Mr Malfoy." The seven year old wizard grinned at him, and closed the book they were reading. After looking at it once, he gave it to his best friend, who was sitting next to him.
"There you go, Athy." James smiled at her.
"Thank you so much, Jamey, you are the best." Athy grinned widely at him and flung her arms around him, giving him the tightest hug that she could manage.
"Alright, alright, that's enough." Draco quickly said and pulled his daughter away from his ex enemy's eldest son. He had no desire or interest in watching Athy hug other boys, specially Mini Potter no.1
"Come on, we need to go now." He picked the five year old witch up in his arms and exited the room. "We need to go to Potter's House."
"That's Mr Harry, Daddy." Athy corrected him.
"It's Potter for me, my little princess." Draco rolled his eyes. "You are too young to understand right now. Wait until you grow up, then you would understand why I hate him."
"You don't hate dad, Mr Malfoy." James reminded him as he walked next to him. "I saw you two talking and laughing yesterday."
"You are too smart and annoying, Mini Potter no.1." The blond wizard muttered under his breath, and sighed thankfully when his daughter didn't hear him.
She wouldn't have liked him insulting her best friend.
"Why do you still call daddy 'Mr Malfoy', Jamey?" Athy asked him. "You should call him Mr Draco, right Daddy?"
"Of course, Athy." Draco was forced to agree with his daughter.
She had had him wrapped around her finger.
"Alright then, Mr Draco." James smiled back at him, and clutched his shirt when they stepped inside the fireplace, and the ex Slytherin shifted Athy to carry her with his one arm and grapsed James' hand with his other.
Draco quickly checked that both children were perfectly safe, and were holding on to him tightly, and then he yelled, "Potters' house," as he dropped the Floo powder.
"Took you long enough." Hermione commented as soon as he stepped outside the fireplace along with the children.
"Blame Athy's love for books and Mini Potter no.1's habit of talking non stop for that." Draco whispered to her as he put Athy down on the floor, and watched her run away with her best friend in toe.
"Someone was missing you very much, you know?" She told him.
"Oh really?" The ex Slytherin Prince raised his eyebrows at her, and then turned his gaze towards the sitting area, where the rest of his family was sitting.
"Definitely, and while that certain someone is exactly whom you think it is, there is also someone else." Hermione smirked at him. "Harry was missing you."
"Not this again, Granger." Draco groaned. "Me dealing with that stupid git once a day is enough, and I had to spend hours in his company today in the Ministry."
Oh yes, he still called her Granger.
But only sometimes.
Old habits die hard.
"Well considering you two are the best of friends after all, I wouldn't expect otherwise." She chuckled. "Go before he starts searching the whole place for you."
"Please, Hermione, please." He requested to her. "I am begging you."
"Fine, fine." Hermione rolled her eyes and took pity on her best friend. "I was joking, as you obviously know-"
"See, Granger? You are not the only know it all here. Though I would prefer calling myself The Brightest Wizard of his Age."
"-and I am the Brightest Witch of my age-"
"-as you unnecessarily remind me every day, Granger-"
"-and honestly, nobody even refers to you by that title, Draco, it's only you. Others call you a ferret, git, prat-"
"-and you are a beaver, Granger." Draco rolled his eyes at her. "Oh and how can I forget? You became a cat too, in our second year. Then there's the fact of you having a bird nest as your hair-"
"Shut up, Draco." Hermione cut him off. "Don't you dare interrupt me, I don't like it all. Anyways, as I was saying, just go and talk with Harry now. I think there was something urgent he wanted to discuss."
"Stop ordering me around, Granger." He muttered as he walked away from there. "Honestly, you are spending too much time in my mother's company nowadays. Well at least you are not threatening me with sleeping in the gardens among those weird peacocks."
On his way to the kitchen, where Harry was standing, Draco picked up a wide awake Scorpius from his mother's arms, who was busy telling his childhood stories to her grandson.
Scorpius looked back at him with sparkly grey eyes, very similar to his and giggled when Draco gave him a kiss on his forehead.
"Oooo is little Scorpy awake?" Harry grinned as soon as his once enemy entered the kitchen, carrying his son in his arms and leaned forward to ruffle Scorpius' fine blond hair.
"Little Scorpy?" Draco raised his eyebrows at him. "Really Potter? You couldn't have come up with a better name, could you?"
"You say like Mini Potter no.1, Mini Potter no.2 and Junior Potterette are very good names." He rolled his eyes at him. "Besides, Scorpius likes being called little Scorpy by me, doesn't he?"
The said person blinked at him.
And then scrunched up his nose a moment later.
And started crying.
"There, there, Scorp." Draco tried to sooth him. "It is fine, everything is fine. You don't like being called by that stupid name? It is fine. Perfectly fine. You are my little Dragon, aren't you? My little prince. And princes listen to their daddy, don't they? Give me a smile, my dragon. A little smile please?"
As if understanding what he was saying, Scorpius immediately stopped crying and smiled at his father. Draco breathed a sigh of relief at that.
"Like father like son." Harry grumbled, though he couldn't help but smile as dimples appeared on Scorpius' chubby cheeks as he continued smiling.
"At least someone listens to me and agrees with me." Draco commented, looking at his four months old son in his arms.
"You mean the only person who listens to you and agrees with you?" The Boy Who Lived raised his eyebrows at the wizard standing in front of him. "Because I can't think of anyone else who does that."
"Well there is my mother." Draco started.
"Oh please." He snorted. "As if Narcissa ever listens to you. I have yet to witness and be a part of the conversation in which she doesn't contradict whatever you say."
"My father."
"Same case again." Harry said. "Lucius would never go against whatever his wife says. We all know he is too scared of Narcissa's wrath, just like you are."
"Okay then Hermione listens to me."
"Joke of the century." The Chosen One smirked at him. "She literally punched you on June 6th 1994-"
"Why do you have that date memorised, Potter?"
"-that is, the day after your fourteenth birthday." Harry ignored his comment. "It was like a belated birthday gift to you from her. And before that, she called you a foul loathsome evil little cockroach. You really think Hermione listens to you?"
"Fine then." Draco refused to acknowledge that little fact of his best friend punching him, that too, just a day after his birthday.
Thanks for the lovely gift, Granger.
"How about my friends?" The ex Slytherin said thoughtfully. "You know, Blaise and Theo have been my best friends since we were kids. I would sometimes refer to them as my brothers as well. And then there are people like you, whom I barely tolerate."
"Good try, Draco." Harry nodded. "But even they don't come under the category of the people who listen to you and agree with you. Do you really think that if they do that, then they would tell your embarrassing stories?"
He pointed towards Blaise and Theo who were sitting on the floor surrounded by a bunch of kids. "Telling us those funny stories was enough, but I just heard them telling the story of why you are scared of peacocks. Now tell me, do you really think that Blaise and Theo listen to you and agree with you?"
"And as for people like me, whom you barely tolerate," The Chosen One smirked at him, "You really can't expect us to support you, now can you? We used to be enemies once, if you can remember clearly."
"Okay then, how about Athy?" Draco asked as his eyes searched for his daughter. "She is my little princess, and a daddy's girl as well. She would never not listen to me."
"I would say that it is almost true." Harry nodded to himself. "What you are saying is correct, but when it comes to James, she wouldn't listen to anyone."
"That stupid Mini Potter no.1." The blond Auror grumbled. "Influencing my daughter in a bad way."
"The feeling is mutual, Draco."
"What?" Draco blinked at him. "My daughter is not a Mini Potter, Potter. Wait, that was confusing. What I was saying-"
"I know what you are saying, Draco." Harry rolled his eyes at him. "And I didn't mean that Athy is a Mini Potter. I was saying that they are spending too much together, and I don't like that."
"Look at your wife, my mother and Granger laughing." Draco pointed towards the trio. "No doubt they are plotting something about Athy and Mini Potter no.1-"
"Do you really have to call him by that stupid name? It is a bloody mouthful, Draco. Seriously, what will it take for you to call him James?"
"Four thousands baskets full of apple pies, and as many thousands of galleons as there are witches and wizards in the whole world." Draco stated.
"You are joking." Harry blinked at him.
"I am not." The blonde shook his head. "That's why I am saying, leave this topic. Even if you get me the stuff I mentioned-"
"Which I won't, Draco-"
"I will just place a few more conditions." Draco shrugged at him. "So really, it is better that I just use my creative nicknames-"
"I won't call them creative." Harry snorted. "On the other hand, the ones I come up with, like little Scorpy-"
"Shut up." Draco hissed at him and then glanced at his son, to check if he would start crying again, but the four months old was happily lying in his arms. "You literally made Scorp cry when you called him by that stupid name earlier. You are the least creative person I have ever met."
"I am pretty sure he cried because of something you might have said-"
"He is four months old, Potter, what could I have possibly told him to react that way-"
"-because you are always planning something to make fun of me, Draco, so I won't be surprised if this is one of your stupid plans that you came up with when you went to the Burrow-"
"I thought it was called the Hole, but whatever-"
"- to bring Athy here, and obviously James followed you." Harry finished. "Godric, do you always speak this much? I don't know how your friends handle you. Or your parents. Or of course, Hermione for that matter."
"Do you really think I spend all my time coming up with brilliant plans against you, Potter?" Draco ignored his comment.
He did not speak too much.
Right?
Of course, he didn't.
It was Hermione who spoke too much, and unnecessarily too.
"Well considering you are plotting against me whenever we meet, I would think so, yeah." Harry answered.
"Don't flatter yourself, Potter." Draco snarled at him. "You aren't important enough to me to even think about you, understand-"
"I had called you here to discuss some Auror work." Harry cut him off. "Not for useless arguments."
"You are literally the one who started this nonsense, Potter." He muttered, and didn't bother to hide his smirk when Harry glared at him.
However, before the Boy who Lived could start, they heard a shriek.
"I want to play!" Athy screamed. "He is Jamey's cousin. And so he is my friend, because Jamey is my friend. Let me play!"
Draco shared a confused glance with Harry, and together they came out of the kitchen. But paused as they took in the sight in front of him.
"I said no, you stupid girl." Ron hissed at her. He allowed Lavender, his wife, to take Hugo from him, as the five months old started crying.
"But I want to play-"
"SHUT UP!" Ron yelled at her. "And don't start crying now. You are the one who literally can't listen to what elders say. Sod off now."
Athy ran away from there, and didn't stop crying until she stood in front of her father. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she buried her face in her father's legs.
"Ron! What is wrong with you?" Hermione exclaimed as Draco tried to console his daughter. "She is a child. A five years old child. Why are you acting like this?"
"She should have just listened to me first."
"She just wanted to play with Hugo, Ron." Ginny sighed. "Why can't you let her play? You didn't have to shout at her."
"I am older than you, Ginny." Ron reminded her. "Don't tell your elder brother what to do and what not to."
Before anyone else could say something, Draco announced, "Granger, we should go home, it is getting late."
Hermione nodded and walked towards him to take Scorpius, who had thankfully not started crying because of all the shouting, probably because Harry kept making faces at him during that.
She entered the floo first along with Scorpius, and Draco followed her, with Athy in his arms. The five years old witch immediately demanded her father to put her down, and when he did that, she went and sat in a corner.
Even when Draco tried to coax her into playing with him, she kept ignoring him. Eventually giving up, he took Scorpius from Hermione and told her that he would give him a bath.
"I hate you all!" Athy screamed just as Draco was about to climb upstairs. "Nobody cares about me! Nobody listens to me! I just wanted to play!"
Draco sighed. "Athy, listen to me-"
"No!" She threw her dragon toy at him. "No! No! No!"
The blond man shared a glance with his best friend, and without another word, climbed up the stairs.
Hermione sighed and sat down next to Athy, and took her in her arms, ignoring her protests. "Athy, listen- No- Athy- Please. You won't listen to your Mi?"
At that, Athy sat silently.
"Go and apologise to your father."
"But-"
"I said no." Hermione sternly said. "What you did is wrong. I understand you are upset that you didn't get to play with Hugo, but it doesn't mean that you will behave like this, and treat your dad like that. He loves you, doesn't he?"
"I love him too." Athy whispered.
"Then go and apologise to him, okay?" Hermione smiled at her. "And I will deal with Ron tomorrow."
Athy nodded and immediately climbed off her lap, climbing up the stairs all the while calling for her father. She found him in the enjoined bathroom of his bedroom.
"Daddy?" She walked forwards and didn't stop until she stood next to him, as he was standing in front of the bathtub, holding a giggling Scorpius in his arms.
"Yes, my princess?"
That was enough to make her cry again, but this time, because of being ashamed of himself. Even after the way she reacted downstairs, he was still calling her his princess.
"I am so sorry, Daddy." Athy whispered and clung tightly to his leg. "I was wrong, please forgive me?"
Draco didn't say anything and just bathed his son. When it was finally done, he took the towel to dry him, and dressed him in a Slytherin onesie.
Finally, he knelt down next to her. Before he could say anything, his daughter wrapped her arms around his neck, whispering apologies again and again. He chuckled, and kissed her forehead. "Athy, look at me, princess."
When she did, Draco continued, "I don't have to forgive you for anything, princess, because I wasn't angry with you. I can never be angry with you. I know you were sad, and that's why you reacted like that."
"But it doesn't mean you will react like that, again." He added. "Do you understand me?" It was the best scolding he could give her, considering he knew his mother would not hesitate in yelling at him if she found out that he had scolded Athy.
She quickly nodded.
"Now come on, give me a hug?" Draco carefully sat down on the floor, and unwrapped one of his arms from around Scorpius, using it to beckon his daughter towards him.
Athy smiled widely and hugged him again. "I love so you much, daddy, so so much." Draco grinned and whispered that he loved her too.
That was how Hermione found them.
When she cleared her throat, three identical pairs of silvery grey eyes looked at her.
"What?" She asked and walked towards them. "You all were having a small get together and left me alone?"
Athy chuckled, and used one of her arms to pull Hermione down next to her. The family of four sat together, talking about random topics until Draco saw Athy and Scorpius yawning.
Hermione and Draco quickly tucked Scorpius in his crib, and Athy in her bed, and went to their own room.
However, just a few minutes after they had settled down, someone knocked on their door. Draco opened the door, all the while grumbling, but had to laugh when he saw Athy standing there, her dragon soft toy clutched in one arm, and the ferret one tugged in another.
"Been five years and she still loves the stupid ferret toy." The ex Slytherin muttered, smiling sheepishly when his daughter glared at him.
"Can I sleep here, please?" She asked, already giving him her puppy dog eyes in case he decided to refuse her request.
And of course, Draco couldn't say no to that face.
He nodded while picking her up, and walked towards the bed. After she had settled down in the middle, she quickly fell asleep.
"I think she was pretty tired." Hermione whispered as she smoothed down Athy's hair, not that there was any need to do so, considering her hair was pretty straight.
"Of course." Draco scowled. "That Mini Potter no.1 made her tired by making my princess play tag with him all day."
"Oh hush." She rolled her eyes at her best friend. "How long are you going to pretend that you hate James when you really don't?"
"I do not like Mini Potter no.1." He muttered. "And nobody can make me think otherwise."
And before she could say anything else, Draco gave her a quick kiss and laid down next to his daughter. Hermione shook her head and chuckled, laying down next to Athy as the blond wizard slung an arm over her.
Draco woke up one hour later when his wand vibrated. A sign that Scorpius was awake. Sighing, he checked that his daughter was still asleep and then got up from bed.
He frowned when he noticed that Hermione wasn't in the room.
Shaking his head, he walked towards the nursery, and leaned against the door, watching Hermione rock his son in her arms, singing one of those Muggle lullabies to him.
When Scorpius finally fell asleep, Hermione placed him back in his crib, not noticing a certain someone walking towards her.
She almost screamed when someone's arms wrapped around her waist from behind, but thankfully recognised Draco's scent in the last second.
Which just so happened to be one of the scents she had smelled in Amortentia for the first time in her sixth year.
"You should have woken me up." He muttered, nuzzling her neck and placing gentle kisses there.
"You were tired." Hermione answered.
"And so were you." He retorted.
The two then stood silently like that as Draco continued gently kissing her neck and Hermione placed her hands on top of Draco's.
Finally, as the clock struck twelve, Draco turned her around and kissed her passionately. "Happy birthday, wifey."
Hermione Malfoy smiled widely as she wrapped her arms around her husband, thanking him for not only his wish, but also for being by her side.
After all this time.
She absentmindedly thanked her younger self for giving Draco a second chance, and believing in him, when nobody else did.
And as the married couple stood there, they remembered how their journey had started from that one particular date.
----------
They had started dating at the starting of October, when they had gone on that date, and a day before Carl's trial.
Draco had made sure that he was ready to be with her, and didn't feel any pressure or guilt to be with her. Hermione had made sure that she had moved on from the hurt she had felt and just because she was in love with him for a long time, it didn't mean she will jump into a relationship with him, or that there would be any declarations of love.
Even after they had their first date, their pace remained slow. They didn't kiss each other again until they had their second date, a few days later, and they made sure to remain a respectable distance between them in front of Athy and their friends as well.
They also made sure to not act as any different as two best friends, because even if they were in a relationship, a secret one at that, they were still each other's best friend and would always be, no matter what.
They would carefully dodge any questions their friends asked about their relationship, which was non existent as far as they were concern, or would quickly change the subject.
It was only Astoria who knew about their relationship.
Draco had told her that he was with Hermione as soon as he had changed after coming back home, and had made sure to ask if she was still comfortable with telling him to move on and there were no regrets.
Her answer was, of course, yes.
But that didn't mean Astoria didn't appreciate Draco making sure that she was alright with everything. In her opinion, it just made her love him even more.
Hermione, too, had a talk with Astoria about their date the next day. When she had had a talk with the ex Slytherin witch's portrait after Draco had given back her memories, Astoria had told her that she didn't have any problem if the two of them decided to date each other.
Because according to her, if Draco decided to move on with anyone, she would want that person to be none other than Hermione, for no other witch understood him as well as she did.
Though Hermione was relieved with the answer, that Astoria wouldn't hate her, she was still nervous and scared as hell when she had stood in front of the portrait after having a date with Draco and deciding to be in a relationship with him.
Astoria simply smiled and told her, "I didn't have any problem with your relationship in eighth year, when I was in love with Draco. Hell, I had even encouraged him to go after you when he had left, and if it wasn't for the fact that you had specially requested him to not find you, I would have searched for you myself, if Draco was too lazy to do so."
"And I don't have any problem now either." She continued. "Yes, I know that I was with him, but that is the key word here. I was with him, and you are with Draco, Hermione. If it weren't for this portrait, I would be nothing except a memory, and so I wouldn't have been able to tell you this. But considering I am here in this portrait, I want to tell you that I am really happy for you too, and I hold no regrets."
Hermione then told her that she would not take Astoria's place, not in anyone's heart, nor in anyone's life. Astoria had smiled and said, "It is crazy how similar you and Draco are, because he literally told me the same thing earlier. See that's why I believe that you two are soulmates."
"And you may make fun of me for saying this, but," Astoria added, "I think I always knew that you two were going to be together. There is no other witch who is made for Draco other than you, Hermione. And no, before you say that Draco would always love me, I want to tell you that I know that fact, but what matters here is that Draco would always be in love with you. The difference between those words is not much, but it matters too much. I would always have a place in Draco's heart, but Hermione, you are the one who owns his heart now and would always do so."
It wasn't until the new year's eve party, that their friends and family finally got to know about their relationship.
It wasn't planned of course, but everyone knows what a New Year's kiss means.
And it was also then that something special happened.
Their official declaration of love, of course.
Flashback
As soon as the countdown had finished, Draco had pulled Hermione closer and kissed her passionately, not caring about the others standing there and their shocked faces.
"I love you, Draco, so much." Hermione had whispered, one of her hands caressing his cheek.
And instead of whispering what he had done all those years ago, this time Draco told her, "You don't know how much I love you, Granger. I don't have enough words to describe how much you mean to me." And leaned down to kiss her again.
It wasn't until Harry had awkwardly cleared his throat, Narcissa had squealed along with Ginny and Pansy, Theo and Blaise had wolf whistled and Luna had muttered something about the nargles giving signals to her that Hermione and Draco finally pulled away from each other.
And during all of that, Lucius kept either blinking at them or rolling his eyes.
He had never imagined that one day, a muggle born would be a Malfoy, much less an ex Gryffindor at that. But he knew better than to say anything about that.
Narcissa would hex him with a lot of spells if he tried to ruin Hermione and Draco's relationship once again.
When the party had almost finished, Harry finally asked the question which had been troubling him the most about their relationship. "So you two kissed because you were in a secret relationship," The Chosen One pointed at Hermione and Draco, "But then again, you two were in a secret relationship during 1998, and 1999 as well. So how come we didn't see you guys kissing at the New Year's eve party which was held at your penthouse, Draco?"
"No wonder everyone calls you oblivious, Potter." Draco muttered. "If you had taken your eyes off Poterette, well then Weaslette for even a second, you would have noticed that Granger and I weren't even present on the terrace, where you all were there, when the countdown had started."
"But I would have noticed you two disappearing to do whatever." Harry insisted, refusing to believe that he was oblivious.
The Marauders' Map didn't work everywhere.
"That's why you aren't a Slytherin, Potter." Blaise sighed. "You don't have it in you to be sly, discreet, cunning or even determind."
"But wait," Theo started, "I understand why you all didn't notice them disappearing, because you all had your New Year's Kiss. But I was single at that time, so why didn't I notice them?"
"Because you were busy drinking." Pansy answered. "You were literally searching for beer bottles all night."
"I am actually surprised you didn't notice us disappearing, Theo." Draco remarked. "Because after all, the excuse we made is related to you."
"I think I understood how the disappeared." Blaise suddenly said. "It was four minutes to midnight when Hermione and Draco offered to go to the kitchen to get more beer bottles and didn't come back until like ten minutes after. So I guess they had their New Year's Kiss in the kitchen."
"And that's why Blaise is a Slytherin and not a Gryffindork like you, Potter." Draco smirked at him.
But winced a little later.
For Hermione had punched his arm.
For calling her best friend a Gryffindork.
Honestly, Draco was in love with a Gryffindor, yet he couldn't let go of his hate for the house.
Flashback over
When they finally made their relationship public, they received howlers, threats of getting hexed, slurs, public insults.
It was mostly Rita Skeeter who did that.
But also love and support from the others.
And well Narcissa, with the help of her best friend McGonagall, had threatened the reports against publishing anything bad about her son's relationship with the witch she very much liked.
Amongst all of this, Hermione and Draco continued dating happily.
They finally told a three years old Athy about their relationship when they began discussing to move in together and marriage as well.
Well not that Hermione really moved in, because she had been living in Draco's house already. She just had to change rooms.
They made sure Athy knew that Hermione was not replacing Astoria in any sense, and also told her they won't get married if she wasn't comfortable with it.
Of course, Athy was reluctant about it at first. But when she had a small talk about it with her mother, she understood that nobody will force her to forget Astoria, and Draco would never forget her either, well as good as a three years old could understand.
Draco proposed to her at the end of October 2008.
And of course his friends and family had been pestering him about it as well.
Many people thought that they were moving too fast, but they hadn't known Hermione and Draco's complete journey.
They both knew that they were absolutely in love with each other. With every part of each other. They knew each other's flaws, and scars and had accepted them just the way they were.
So why should they wait when they knew what they wanted?
After months of planning, and arguments over the wedding planning, they got married in February 2009.
And Draco had absolutely refused a house colour themed wedding.
"If we won't have a green and silver wedding, then I don't want to get married while wearing any other house's colours or be surrounded by them." Draco had told them.
Hermione and Draco had wanted to be bonded as well, so that no one would be able to separate them. But due to some paperwork issues, they couldn't get bonded until April.
So they chose to be bonded on 28th April 2009.
And the reason why?
Because they got separated exactly ten years ago on that date, when Draco had obliviated Hermione.
So now, instead of feeling guilty and full of regrets when thinking about that date, Draco would remember it as a date of when he got bonded to his first love, Hermione, for life.
Forever.
And Athy still called her Mi, even when she learned to say Hermione correctly, because the ex Gryffindor would always be Mi to her, no matter what.
Hermione had gotten pregnant in September 2009, and considering she was the Head Investigator and Interrogator, she could work how she liked.
Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy was born in May 2010, having Draco's hair and eyes, but Hermione's smile and other facial features.
And Athy had loved him as soon as she saw him.
When Hermione and Draco had decided to make Ginny and Harry the godparents of Scorpius, much to Draco's reluctance, they had told their friends that actually all of them were kind of godparents to their son.
It was then that Draco had confessed to Hermione that Astoria had made him make her the legal guardian of Athy.
Astoria knew that Hermione was really important to Draco, and because they couldn't make her the godmother, she had wanted her to become the legal guardian.
Obviously, dealing with the press ever since they had made their relationship public hadn't been easy.
But it was all worth it.
And Draco always made sure to tell his children that he would always love them, no matter what and no matter what house they would be sorted in.
Except Hufflepuff of course.
They were Malfoys and Slytherins.
Draco still daily talked with Astoria, letting her know that he would always love her.
And as for Hermione and Draco, well they fell in love with each other more and more day by day.
And they would continue to do so.
Forever.
--------
The next day.....
"Happy birthday, Mi!" Athy yelled as she jumped on top of her, making her wake up. "I love you so much."
Hermione couldn't help but smile warmly at that. "Thank you so much, Athy. And your Mi loves you so much as well."
The duo then looked sideways, at a sleeping Draco, who was snoring softly. And then looked back at each other.
Both of their eyes litting up with mischievousness and thoughts of making Draco wake up.
Irritating and annoying him had to be their favourite past time, as usual.
And Draco wasn't a morning person at all.
He hated it when someone woke him up at an ungodly hour.
Never tickle a sleeping dragon.
And definitely not when the dragon was Draco in this case. You wouldn't want to face his wrath.
Not that anyone was scared of his wrath, of course. Even his friends weren't.
Quickly deciding on a plan, Hermione and Athy quietly sat up on the bed, and moved closer to the sleeping figure of the blond man.
And then they started tickling him mercilessly.
"Wha- stop it, you two!" Draco exclaimed between his laughter as he tried to shove their hands away. "Stop it!"
"Not until you say please." Hermione smirked at him.
"A Malfoy never says please." He answered. "And I don't follow your orders, Granger."
"We won't stop until you say please." Hermione warned him and Athy nodded in response. When he didn't reply, they started tickling him even more.
"Okay fine fine!" Draco surrendered to their condition. "Please stop tickling me."
"Umm....." Hermione tapped her chin in thought. "No, we have another condition. Am I right, Athy?"
"You are always wrong, Granger." The ex Slytherin muttered.
Hermione shot him a glare which shut him up.
"Right." Athy nodded. "Compliment us, daddy. Do it right now!"
"So bossy. Don't know whom she gets it from." Draco muttered. "You are a bad influence on my darling daughter, Granger, she is becoming evil like you."
"Says the one who thought that he was the prince of the world when he set foot in Hogwarts." Hermione shot back.
"You mean king of the world? Which I am actually. You should know by now that the great Draco Malfoy."
"Oh right, and then you got punched by me." Hermione fondly remembered that memory.
"Mi, you punched dad?" Athy gasped.
"I hate you so much, Granger." Draco shot her a dark look. "She is kidding, my little princess, she has a bad sense of humour. Look, you want me to compliment you two, right? Okay fine, I will do it."
Before they could sense the change of topic, he began, "Athy, you are my little princess, and no matter how old you become, you will always be that to me. You are my world, and I will do absolutely anything in my power to make you smile. The moment when you had first looked at me, I had sworn that I will always protect you and love you, and I would never break that swear. You are my little princess, even if you love that stupid ferret toy."
Athy giggled and leaned forward to wrap her arms around his neck.
Hermione squeezed his hand as she understood what he had left unsaid. Athy was the main reason he kept on living when Astoria had left them.
The ex Gryffindor witch always understood him, like he was an open book, which he wasn't.
"And you, Granger," Draco began, "Are the absolute love of my whole existence. Even though I treated you horribly when we were younger, you still forgave me, and even gave me a chance. And for that, I will forever be grateful to you. I love you so much, Mia, and I will keep showing you how much for the rest of my life."
Hermione smiled softly and just like Athy, leaned forward to hug him.
As he hugged two of the most important witches in his life, Draco looked up at the ceiling, where they could see the stars and constellations at night because of a spell.
I hope you are happy that I have moved on, Tori. He thought. And I am grateful that you made me do it. I am really happy right now, love, and I hope you are too, wherever you are.
And as he laid there, he could almost feel her smiling at him.
"Oh wait, we have more conditions." Athy suddenly leaned back. "You have to make Apple pies for me, daddy."
"But it is not even your birthday." Draco groaned.
"But Mi wants apple pies too, right?" The five years old looked at the older witch with a pout.
And who was Hermione to deny helping her? Specially to irritate Draco right now.
"Of course." Hermione nodded. "So get up and make pies for us, Draco."
"You don't even like apple pies." He muttered and finally got up from the bed.
"Okay, we have one more condition." Hermione grabbed his arm. "Last one, I promise. You have to hug Harry at the party today."
"There is no way in hell I am doing that." Draco's jaw dropped.
"Do you want your father to hug Jamey's father, Athy?" Hermione asked Athy.
"Yes, yes." She immediately nodded. "I hug Jamey, because he is my best friend. So you hug Mr Harry, daddy, because he is your best friend."
"We are not even friends." Draco muttered to a smirking Hermione as Athy ran out of the room.
As Hermione tried to follow Athy, Draco grabbed her hand and trapped her against the wall. "Where do you think you are going, wifey?"
"I need to go, Draco." Hermione laughed even though she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Scorpius must be awake." She looked at his wand which was vibrating. "Let me go."
"I will never let you go." Draco nuzzled her neck. "Making me hug Potter. You are lucky I love you, Granger."
"Oh really?" She raised her eyebrows at him. "Well I am pretty lucky, I guess. Now, I should really go."
"And what about my good morning kiss, birthday girl?" He asked his wife.
"Draco!" Hermione chuckled as her husband kissed her cheeks again and again. Finally, she pulled him forwards and placed her lips on his.
--------
A few hours later.....
"Come on do it, Daddy." Athy clapped her hands together. "Go on, you remember our conditions, right? Do it please."
"I thought she had forgotten about it." Draco muttered, sending a glare at a smirking Hermione and walked forwards, not stopping until he was directly in front of Harry.
"So, as I was saying, Athy and James are the best of friends- oh hey, Draco." The Boy Who Lived blinked at him.
"Do me a favor and never mention this again." Draco requested and before his ex enemy could reply, he wrapped his arms around him in a brotherly hug.
More like an awkward hug, to be honest.
"What the hell!" Harry screamed. "Get off me, Draco, freaking pull away right now. Help me, somebody. Anybody. Draco is under the Imperius Curse."
"Shut the heck up, Potter." Draco grumbled as he pulled away from him. "I am not under an Imperius Curse."
"Was there a bet about this?" The Chosen One asked. "Did our stupid friends bet about us hugging? Oww, stop smacking my hand, Gin. Are you getting some money in order to do this, Draco?"
"I wouldn't hug you for a thousand galleons, Potter." Draco shook his head. "I freaking hate you Gryffindorks."
"I thought you were in love with a Gryffindor, my stupid dragon." Narcissa casually said.
"Then did someone give you Amortentia?" Harry asked him.
"What the- Sod off, Potter." The blond Auror groaned. "Why would someone give me an Amortentia? And that too for you? I don't even like you. And after this, I am very much considering to get back to how we used to be, as enemies."
"You two can never be enemies again." Ginny smirked at him. "Just look at Athy and James, do you really think they will let you be enemies? Specially if they get together in the future."
"You have got to be kidding me." A horror struck Draco said. "The day I let my daughter be with a Potter, would be the day I would admit that Hufflepuff is the best house. And that would never happen."
"Seems like you will have to swallow your pride and admit that soon, my dragon." Narcissa smiled at him, and pointed at Athy and James.
The two acted like they were in their own little world, not caring about what the adults were talking, as they were only interested in the hug.
"Damn it." Draco cursed.
"What does damn it means, daddy?" Athy, who was ignoring everything until now, immediately asked. "Can I say damn it? Should Jamey say damn it?"
Draco honestly felt like slamming his head again and again at the wall in that moment.
In order to quickly change the topic before Athy could ask more about that phrase, Hermione immediately told everyone why exactly Draco had to hug Harry. He didn't want to get tickled even more.
When the others laughed at that, Draco felt like using silencio on them.
Only to notice that at some point, Hermione had taken his wand.
Cheeky little witch she was.
Finally, they made some space to fit the table on which the cake was in the living room, and Athy and Draco stood on either sides of Hermione, the blond wizard carrying Scorpius who was looking at everyone with wide eyes.
"Make a wish, love." Draco whispered in her ear as Hermione raised her hand to tuck a curl behind her ear, and he used that as an opportunity to kiss her engagement ring and wedding band.
Smiling widely at him, Hermione bent forwards to blow the candles as everyone started clapping and singing her a birthday song.
Later, as Draco and Harry were standing in a corner discussing about something, Ron came towards them. "I uh.... I just wanted to apologise for my behaviour yesterday. I had a bad day at work, and was frustrated about a case and I took that frustration out on Athy. I have already apologised to her, and I wanted to apologie to you as well, Malfoy."
Draco looked at his daughter who was sitting next to Lavender, and was playing with Hugo, before accepting Ron's apology.
The two wizards still hadn't become friends, but they had learned to tolerate each other for Hermione's sake, specially as when Hermione and Draco had started dating again, Ron had understood that Hermione would never love him and had moved on in his life.
As the guests, except their families and close friends, slowly started leaving through the floo, there was a knock on the door.
Furrowing his brows, Draco opened the door to see none other than Carl Roger and a few Ministry guards standing there.
"My punishment of spending time in Azkaban ended earlier today." Carl told him. "And I thought I should talk to you, because I want to be an Auror, Head of Department of Magical Law Enforcement Draco Malfoy."
Draco grinned at that and allowed him to enter his house. A year back, he had been promoted to the Head of DMLE, much to his shock. He had never expected to become the Head Auror, much less this.
But Kingsley and Robards had assured him that he perfectly deserved this position. Even the reporters had to agree with them.
When Draco had asked Harry about that, the ex Gryffindor had told him that he had no interest in heading the entire department, and was happy being an Auor.
When he had told his parents, his mother had insisted throwing a bid party for him, and he coulnd't deny her.
That day, Lucius had told him something he didn't say often. He told him that he was proud of his son.
"Uh Auror- I mean, Head of the Department-"
Draco cut Carl off. "You can call me Auror Malfoy, Roger. Even if I am the head of the department now, I am still an Auror."
"Okay." Carl sheepishly nodded. "I just wanted to thank you as well, for giving me an opportunity to get a job. If it wasn't for you, then I would still be in Azkaban."
The blond merely smiled at him. "I told you three years ago why I did that, and I still stand by it. Everyone deserves a second chance, and considering me, an ex death eater, got it, then how can I take it away from someone else?"
"You are a good man." Carl smiled back at him. "Also, aside from telling you that I have taken up the job and thanking you, I wanted to give you this letter. It is from my family."
As Draco frowned and took the letter from him, the other wizard continued, "I don't know what it is in, as I have been instructed not to open it. My sister told me that she would hex me if I go against her wishes and orders."
"Your sister might become best friends with a few annoying witches I know." Draco muttered as he looked at his wife, Ginny, Pansy and his mother.
The four witches, who had heard this comment, shared a look and smirked at him.
"Well I should go now." Carl announced. When Draco tried to ask him to stay, he shook his head and added, "It is not my place to attend this party, specially when it is the birthday of the witch I have caused immense pain to. I will see you at work tomorrow."
Draco nodded in understanding and followed him towards the door. He smiled softly as he read the letters in his hands, in which his family was thanking him and telling him that he was welcome to visit them any time.
"Who was that, Daddy?" Athy asked him.
"You remember seeing those stupid Muggle movies in the teely vision?" Draco asked her back. "He was a villain turned kind of hero like in those movies."
Oh yes, years went by, and Draco still called it a teely vision.
"So, firewhiskey anyone?" Theo asked as he held one bottle of it.
"Everyone knows that there is plain water in the bottle and you have mixed Veritaserum in this, Theo." Luna, his wife, smiled innocently at him.
"Thanks for informing us, Luna." Blaise grinned as Theo groaned as his wife exposed him and his intentions.
---------
Four hours later.....
"Athy? Where are you?" Draco shouted as he climbed up the stairs. "Your grandparents are waiting for you, my little princess."
Hermione's birthday party had officially finished, and his friends had went back to their homes. Well it took almost an hour for Ginny and Harry to convince James to go home, as he wouldn't stop talking with Athy.
Finally, it took an irritated yell from Lily to make him stop.
Even then, James had started talking to her as they reached the fireplace, and Harry had put his hand on his mouth for them to finally leave.
Not that Athy was any different than James, of course.
Jean and Robert were sitting in the living room with their daughter, and they had offered to keep Scorpius for the night, as they hadn't spend much time with him recently.
And his parents were still here. Athy had asked if she could style Lucius' hair just as they were about to leave.
And of course the so called cold hearted Lucius Malfoy couldn't deny his granddaughter's demand.
So after Athy had turned Lucius' hair bright red with the help of Narcissa, she had decided to add ribbons and clips as well.
Since then, she had not come downstairs, and when Draco opened her bedroom door, he found it to be empty. He then came back downstairs to see if she was hiding somewhere, but when he didn't find her, he decided to check his bedroom as well.
As he continued climbing up the stairs, his eyes flickered towards the wall, where a bunch of pictures were hung.
Whenever he looked at those pictures, it amazed him how much he had grown up. How much his friends had grown up. How far they all had come.
Theo, his idiotic friend had finally found the right witch for him after going through a heartbreak, and was now hopelessly in love with a girl as crazy as him.
Don't let Hermione or anyone else know that Draco thought Luna was crazy, his wife would kill him.
He had actually been really scared for Theo. Getting rejected in one of the worst ways possible for the worst reason, had really taken a toll on him, causing him to run away from his home, from everyone else.
But then somehow, Luna had entered in his life and had managed to melt his cold heart and break the mask Theo had carefully set up.
And now look at him.
He was married to her and was going to become a father in a few months. Theo had told Draco that Luna was pregnant earlier today, and had immediately asked him to be the Godfather.
And of course, Draco had said yes.
Blaise, his oldest best friend, was still a lovesick fool, according to the blond Auror, but perhaps being with Pansy was good for him.
He had gotten married to her in October 2007, after asking Draco to be his best man, which came as a shock to the ex Slytherin Prince, not because he had expected otherwise, but because the wizard who took a year and a half to propose to the love of his life, was now getting married in a month after his engagement.
Strange people indeed.
Blaise had said the same thing on the day of his wedding, when he was getting nervous. He was scared that Pansy would leave him. But of course, Draco had been there to calm and support him.
Draco had also been there when almost a year back, Blaise had flooed to his house at two am, shouting that Pansy had gone into labor and he didn't know what to do.
Hermione had looked at him like he was an idiot.
So while his wife had flooed to Blaise's house to take Pansy to St Mungo's, Draco had forced his best friend to take a Calming Drought, and had immediately apparated them to St Mungo's.
And when a few hours later, Blaise had exited Pansy's room to announce that it was a girl, Draco was the first one to see his goddaughter, as Blaise had absolutely refused to take anyone else but him. His best friend who had been there for him through everything.
Draco had also been the first one to buy a gift for Kiara Rose Zabini, a teddy bear. But he had a motive behind it as well, as the teddy bear held a banner in his hands which said, "Slytherins are the best!"
Oh how could he forget Caleb? A person he treated like his younger brother.
Caleb, or also known as uncle Cally by Athy, had proposed to Carissa a few months back, after taking advice from Draco, of course.
Draco was the best at giving advice, and everybody knew and agreed with him.
Right?
Caleb had not even asked him if he would be his best man. It was like, he had arrived at Draco's house and immediately said, "You are going to be my best man, Draco, so don't you dare wear atrocious colour clothes. And stay away from green."
He had continued, "Oh and also, Athy will be the flower girl. She can wear whatever colour she likes, of course."
So no doubt, Uncle Cally had quickly become Athy's favourite friend of Draco's. Not that Caleb had any problem with the name, of course.
When asked about that, Caleb had just shrugged and said that he would tell Athy all about her father's embarrassing stories of Hogwarts.
And lastly, Draco himself.
He was no longer the teenager swarmed with guilt. He had grown up, and had understood that living in guilt would never help him.
He had taken his and Hermione's first date as a new beginning, and had sworn to never mess it up. And now, three years after their first date, he was Hermione's husband, and they had a four months old son, Scorpius, whom he loved as much as he loved Athy.
He had succeeded.
And he was proud of himself.
"Athena Katherine Malfoy." Draco narrowed his eyes at her as he spotted her standing outside a room. "I was searching for you everywhere, and you are-"
He stopped as he realised which room she was standing in front of.
"Want to talk with your mum?" He bent down and picked her up as she nodded, and entered the portrait room.
He stayed by her side as she talked with Astoria, telling her about the party and how she had styled Lucius' hair, and wanted to see him in a gown next time.
Suddenly, he heard Scorpius crying and immediately rushed back downstairs. After taking him from Narcissa, he climbed up the stairs as he slowly sang a lullaby to his son, so that no one would hear him do that, or make fun of his voice.
But unbeknownst to him, Hermione, Narcissa, Lucius, Jean and Robert were all quietly following him.
It was only when he reached the portrait room that he noticed their presence. "A photo anyone?" Narcissa asked as she held up her camera.
"Okay let them take their photo first." Robert said as he looked at his grandson who had stopped crying.
Draco stood with Scorpius in his arms as Hermione stood next to him, and picked Athy up. The ex Gryffindor shifted a little bit so that Astoria's face would be visible in the photo.
Draco glanced back at the portrait and then looked at Hermione.
As he heard a 'click' of the camera in the background, he leaned down to kiss Hermione's forehead.
And remembering what he had seen in the Mirror of Erised, Draco whispered to Hermione, "I promise to love you forever. Every single day of forever."
THE END
A/N: That's it for this chapter. It was 9700+ words. Hope you guys liked it. So longest chapter till date, and only because I just didn't want to finish this book. Also, did you guys recognise the line Draco said in the end? It is the same one as the quote on the cover. Some important things:
1. I don't know exactly when I will publish my next Dramione book, but I think it will be around mid July 2021. I know it's a long break, but I have finals soon, so I won't be writing stories much. Of course, I'll still be answering comments and PMs. And I might publish a Dramione short story if I get time. Do keep checking my announcements. Also, if I manage to finish writing a book before July, I might publish it earlier. So keep a check on my announcements!
2. Would you guys like a prequel of this story? Of course, you know how it is going to end, but I really want to explore Hermione and Draco's relationship in their eighth year, and I also left a few things unanswered in this book. I don't know if the prequel will be the next Dramione story, but I will one day publish it. Would you guys like to read it?
Also, I think some people might disagree with how Carl ended up to be, but I think if he had known the truth from the start, he wouldn't have turned out be a bad person. So he deserves the second chance. And that's all about it for this story. Any questions, please ask and I'll answer them. Random question: Do you like Hermione? Answer in the comments below. Vote, comment and please share my story. Reviews are always appreciated.
Thank you!