Miracle

It was over. The Dark Lord had fallen.

And Narcissa found her self crying with tears of relief and joy. She had of course once believed in the cause, but no more. She hadn't all that year. Every step she had taken had been to secure the safety of herself, but more importantly her only precious child and her brave, loyal husband.

She had just watched her sister die and even that did not change the joy she felt that their tortured was over. Her and Bella – well, her sister, her real sister had died in Azkaban, that thing that had returned wasn't the girl she had grown up with.

But what did it matter now?

Only one thing mattered. That she held her boy close. He wasn't dead.… Potter had told her. He wouldn't lie, she felt sure of it.

"Where is he?" she heard a voice in her ear. Lucius was crying. Clearly he felt the same way as she did for their son. It was only then she realised her face was cold from tears as well. "Where is my son?" he begged.

For a few painful seconds they scanned the hall with their eyes. Nothing…Then they heard his voice at long last, it seemed to have taken months to reach their ears though it had only been seconds in reality.

"Mum, dad!" they heard a cry and on instant they knew their baby's voice. Up till now when ever they had been in public it had always been 'mother' and 'father'. But what did that matter now? Nothing mattered…he was safe, ok, well!

"Dragon!" cried Cissy and he run in to their open arms, clinging to his mum and dad for dear life it seemed.

"I was – scared –thought – y-ou – d-dead." He said, as he wailed for the first time in years into his parent's arms, burying his face in his father's chest, feeling a tiny bit of shame for what he was saying, but not enough to make it stop or control himself. He wanted to be held and to cry. Crabbe…his friend…gone…

Around them others were crying and screaming as they fell in to the arms of those they loved. Why should he not?

This display of affection only made Lucius hug him tighter, kissing his boys forehead. Lucius sent his thanks to God, whatever and whenever he was for keeping his family safe.

"I am so sorry son." Lucius told him with tears streaming. "I didn't want you hurt, not in any of this – oh my boy." He said as he kissed him again on top of the head. "My son."

He turned and kissed his wife next. They were there in his arms safe, but it was as if he could not believe it. "I love you – both of you so much." The head of the family declared. He couldn't think of anything else to say. He had come so close to losing them. He didn't think they were going to get out alive. And the worse thing was, he had thought if any of them had been left behind it would be him, left to the eternal pain of losing the only two people he had ever loved truly with all of his heart and soul.

He felt a loss in his Lord, of course he did. He had been loyal to him, and had hoped he would triumph. But he hadn't and that fact would have to be accepted. He'd have to come to terms with it, but that would be easily done with any hope. As long as he had his family…his boy and his wife…she had always been the one…

"I love you too." Draco replied, for the first time in years. He didn't remember the last time he had said that to him. "And I love you as well mum."

"I know sweetheart." Said Narcissa and there was no need for her to say it back. He had always known she loved him.

"Are we going to be ok?"

"Of course we are son," said Lucius. He would make sure of that. "You're not hurt are you?" he checked.

"A little," he said to him and for the first time Lucius drunk in the sight of his son as the sun rose.

He had cuts and bruise but it all looked superficial.

"It'll be ok," he said. He'd make it ok.

He looked down the hall and he saw Arthur Weasley first, his wife was sobbing in to him, and he knew that they had lost a child. Something that made him squeezed Draco tighter to him, drawing him in to him. Never had he felt such a need to protect his son.

Other families were cuddling and kidding… most people in the hall were crying tears of relief or grief…right at that moment it was hard to tell the difference.

"Come on..." he said to his wife and child at last. "Lets go home…"

He walked in the middle, supporting the other two tired bodies on his arms, with his hand round their backs. No one took much notice of the three of them as they walked slowly and painfully.

"The ministry is going to be after us…" said Narcissa.

"I don't care. If they want us let them come to the manor, but I am sure we have at least a day before it happens. Every one is too busy celebrating to look for us right now, but when they do come, no more running. This time we trust to the truth…all of it."

"And you go back to Azkaban."

"No…no I don't think I will."

It seemed mad to his wife and child that he could confess and get away with it. But in his heart he wasn't trusting to the truth. He was trusting to hope. It had worked once that day for him already and it was the sort of day when he felt a miracle may just save him.

Then he realised it had…he had the miracle that was going to save him…he had Draco and Cissy.