Author's Note: This little one-shot was written for LupinTonksLove's Father-Daughter challenge at HPFC. Please read and review, constructive critism alway welcome, of course.
Disclaimer: If I owned the world of Harry Potter, I would've wrote a better epilogue for DH, and Hermione and Draco would've fell madly in love.
Malfoys Don't Cry
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You stand in the doorway, watching a sniffling brunette place a delicate lace veil on a head of blonde curls.
You remember her first tooth, first word, first step, first use of magic. You remember putting her on a train to Hogwart's, watching her wave through the window, her mother sobbing quietly at your side. You remember watching your world grow up.
You remember, quite clearly, the day your world became another's. Her hand, the one that squeezed your heart, had been wrapped tightly in his, her smile for him alone. She had turned to you, her eyes no longer full of dolls and candy, but of magic and love.
"Daddy, I want you to meet my boyfriend, Cade."
The quidditch star had grasped your hand, shaking firmly, while smiling at your wife, who was clearly enchanted.
You remember hearing his voice, complimenting your wife and daughter, wishing you had locked her away, so no boy like the one you had been would get to her.
You remember seeing him regularly after that. His feet on your coffee table, his hand around a glass of your firewhiskey. His shoes were always thrown next to hers, his toothbrush in her bathroom.
You remember him coming to you, offering you a butterbeer, while asking for her hand, trying to steal your world. You wanted to scream at him, that no he could not marry your only daughter, no he could not take away your world. But, instead, you said yes, knowing her happiness depended on it.
Now, here you stand, your wife crying and your daughter gettting married to someone who will never be good enough for her.
She looks beautiful in her white dress, her face so like yours, her hair so like her mother's. She smiles at you, asking if you're ready.
You meet Hermione's eyes, and she smiles knowingly, as she's your other half, and she knows you're the farthest thing from ready.
You offer your arm, walking with her towards him, hoping that he'll give you one reason to hex him into oblivion, but praying he doesn't, because that would cause her pain.
You can see, though, that he's just as besotted with her as she is with him.
"I love you, baby."
"I love you too, Daddy."
You take a seat next to Hermione, who offers you the handkerchief she had stolen moments earlier.
You finally realize why you had been having trouble seeing. Tears are blocking your vision, threatening to spill unto your cheeks.
You quickly wipe them away, hoping no one saw them. After all, Malfoys don't cry.
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