"I'd like to begin by thanking you all for making time to be here this beautiful morning. We honestly couldn't have wished for a better day for this wedding."
"A wise woman once told me, 'A marriage is not only between two people, it is between their very souls. It isn't something you can take lightly. You need to feel the deepest connection to the person you are marrying, unless you deliberately want to ruin a lot of lives. It's entirely a game of chance- it can make you if it works, and break you if it doesn't.' Well, here's to hoping this marriage works. "
"The wise woman was actually the bride, Hermione Granger, or actually, that would change now, wouldn't it, Granger? But for the sake of getting to call you by that name, I'll just continue with it for this speech, okay? Ah, where was I? Right, Hermione Granger. I remember the first time I met her. It was on September 1 in 1991. I was in my compartment on the Hogwart's Express for the first time along with Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle. She burst in, asking if we had seen a toad someone had lost. She seemed brave, and confident, and I didn't have any cause to believe that she was not of pure blood. That's one of the biggest things she changed about me. Blood purity. Back then, that mattered. Now it doesn't. I remembered wondering what her name was, as I had been pretty sure I knew all of the pureblood girls. You see, she managed to confuse me in our very first meeting. "
"My confusion about her doubled when we reached Hogwarts. Daphne Greengrass informed me that she was actually of Muggle parentage. I believe that that's when that small spark of doubt about my upbringing was lighted. The whole year she bested me and everyone else in each subject. Some might call it nerdy and rather bookworm-like of her, younger me included, but it is her passion for learning that makes her who she is. I remember complaining to my parents about this little know-it-all who had popped out of nowhere and had ended up as the best student at the end of the term, and I particularly remember the taunts from my Father about a girl, and a muggle-born-though he didn't quite use that term-had beaten me. He made me work harder, and I did, but obviously, no one can match the dedication Granger has towards studies. "
"In third year, she punched me in my face and broke my nose. You see, her dedication is not only towards her studies and books. Very few people manage to actually see the multi-layered personality that she has below the bookish nature. She is passionate about a lot of causes that we often overlook, or even ignore. She tends to notice the small things about life. And that's what makes her the amazing person she is. She is kind to anyone and everyone, regardless of their choices in life. Her work in S.P.E.W and the Wizarding Orphanage Association has done wonders for mending our community. She is a strong, independent woman-she can hold up her own end and sticks by her convictions to the end. She is funny, and can lighten up a serious mood in a minute. She is beautiful, not only on her much spoken about looks like today and the Yule Ball and the Reunion ball, but every single day I've seen her. I honestly do not know what I would've done without you, Granger. Thank you for forgiving me, thank you for becoming my friend during our internship at St. Mungo's. You showed me the real way to live, and made me a much better person, something I will always be in your debt for. Thank you for being a part of my life, I will always cherish your presence. I wish you have the best days ahead of you, and I promise, I will never stop thinking about you."
"Thank you, everyone. Pansy, you want to take over now?" Draco Malfoy gestured to Pansy, and sat back down next to Hermione, who had been openly weeping during his speech.
"You didn't have to do that, Draco," she said, tears still streaming down her face.
"Of course I did, love. It's your wedding, and I'm your best man, and I gave you away. I had to make a speech."
"Don't try to lie to me. You forget, I know you best. I know you were literally breaking into a million pieces when you were speaking. I wish-"
"Well, there's no point of wishing, is there, 'Mione? I'm going away forever in another 2 months, if not less than that. I can't be selfish about this, you need to understand. Blaise is going to take good care of you."
"But, Draco, it doesn't change the fact that you love me and I lo-"
"Don't complete that. Call it my dying wish." It was true. After months of extensive chemotherapy and medication to treat his blood cancer, he had been deemed a lost case and given a small number of days to live. The shock had come just when he was about to confess his true feelings to Hermione.
Five weeks, two days and twelve hours after the wedding, Draco Malfoy passed away, his physical and emotional suffering finally put to an end.
(A/N: just a one-shot I suddenly was hit with the idea for. It's out of my writing style because I NEVER write sad endings. But I felt this one was just a great idea. A dying Draco blackmailing his love, Hermione to marry and have a good life without him. Do let me know what you thought of it. Thanks for reading :D)