A/N: Drarry. Some spoilers.
I inhaled the sweet familiar smoke as a rush of excitement and nostalgia rushed furiously through my veins. When has it been since I last clambered clumsily onto the Hogwarts Express? It felt like centuries ago. Nothing much has changed, except that we weren't privileged to climb the train and go to our second home, but now our children are taking our places as the next generation of wizards and witches. It was amazing to see familiar faces, all matured, but never worn out, struggling to control their animated children who were exploring the platform. Of course, Ron, my best friend and brother-in-law, and Hermione, my sister-in-law, were with me, Hermy desperately trying to control Hugo in his new found discovery of blocking the wall leading to the real world and the platform so that half his body would stick out of the wall awkwardly. It made me wonder how many Muggles would have fainted by now. After a fit of hysterics, I felt a smaller hand tugging on mine and I smiled and knelt down to meet my mother's eyes. My eyes.
"Daddy, James says I'll end up in Slytherin." He said with a pout. I laughed and reassured him that Slytherin isn't half as bad as Gryffindor, and that one of the greatest men I have ever met had been in Slytherin. He smiled up at me and I smiled back at him, seeing my younger self in my son. I regained my posture and held my younger son's hand, glancing over at Ginny who was clutching her carbon copy, Lily. They looked knowingly at each other, staring at identical selves. Their gaze adverted to the crowd and mine followed, trying to scrutinize what they were looking at. And my eyes met a certain gaze; someone I thought I would never see again. Not that I opposed to it.
He stared forward and awkwardness filled the air- I didn't know how to react, until a smile formed on my lips, the one he returned. How long has it been that I've seen Draco Malfoy smile?
"Hello, Harry."
"Good afternoon, Draco."
" Mhm." He smiled, holding my gaze. But in an instance, he turned his stare on the quivering youngster hiding himself behind me. I pulled my son forward, and he bit his lower lip and looked up pleadingly at me. Really now, my son was smart- he could identify a Malfoy and wet his pants on cue.
"Draco, this is my son, Albus. And my daughter, Lily. And somewhere in the platform is my eldest, James." I said formally, swooning even myself at my confidence. He examined both of my frightened kids, and knelt down to meet Albus' face. Unexpectedly he gave him a genuine smile and outstretched his hand. This time, I gave my son a pleading look and I was satisfied as he took Draco's hand and shook it, smiling subtly at him. I could see Draco's interest in my eleven year old son, that same glint of…happiness?...in the misty grey. He regained his posture and tugged on a smaller hand I didn't know was there.
"Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, please. Stop being so shy and come meet the Potters." He said, a smile now plastered on his face, an identical blonde boy with shining blue eyes shyly meeting my gaze and held out his hand for me to shake. I was overwhelmed with his warmness and immediately took liking in him, somehow being the person Draco wanted to be.
After formal introductions were made, Ginny, Hermione, Ron, and the kids waited patiently in front of the train as they waited to board. Draco and I decided to wait in a small coffee shop on the side of the platform, and after settling on the well cushioned benches with stale coffee, started conversing.
"So, I see Scorpius is a carbon copy of his father, eh?" I started.
"Not really. He's way too polite at times, not to mention shy. Sometimes I think he'll be the first ever Malfoy in Gryffindor." He replied, stirring his coffee, sneering.
"I don't think so." I laughed. "My son's scared that he might end up in Slytherin."
It was his turn to laugh. How I missed that laugh, that, even back when we were in Hogwarts, I scarcely heard. He shook his head back to reality and smiled into his coffee.
"And you want Scorpius to change his ways? To be the traditional snooty Malfoy?" I teased.
"No. For once, I would be happy if Scorpius broke the tradition of the Malfoys being Slytherins. I grew up under my father's plan. I want him to grow up the way he wants to be. To become independent, and not rely much on his old man. To be sort of like you." He replied. I looked up from my cup and smiled at him, as he ruffled my hair. I couldn't believe I was actually thinking this, but it still sent shocks of electricity through my veins. I wanted to say something desperately and so I let it spill out as fluidly as my coffee.
"Was that the way you wanted to raise Jasper?" I chuckled, hoping to make this as light as possible.
"Jasper." He echoed, and laughed. Jasper was what we planned to name our so-called adopted child in the future, back when we were in fifth year, and in love. He looked back into the depths of his half-finished coffee, smiling into it. I didn't know what sort of sick humor he found in caffeine, or did he just try to avoid my eyes? I stared intently at him and tried to catch his gaze.
"Prick."
And when his grey eyes peered into mine, I suddenly wanted to break away from my wish being granted.
"What?"
"Harry, you lied. You know, those childish promises and stuff. I understand it was all just a game to you." He said, a smile still on his face, which turned a bit frightening as he looked dazed. I cringed at the words. My hand absently wandered towards his and clasped his in between mine, the way I used to do so whenever he was about to have a serious breakdown.
"Draco, I didn't."
"What do you mean?"
"Draco, I didn't lie. It was all real to me. You were the first person I ever fell in love with. From the time I saw you in Madame Malkins. You were the first person I kissed under a fig tree because we thought it was a mistletoe. You were the first person I sincerely promised to defeat the Dark Lord for. " I said, assuring him everything was real. He blinked at me twice.
"Every I love you was real."
And as I confirmed this, I held his hand in between mine and kissed it. The train made a loud noise and announced the departure of our children. The word "children" painfully shrouded the images of all the things I shared with Draco back then, and how they were replaced with lovely scenes of my children, and my wife, and the life I live. The one without him. The one I chose.
We left the coffee shop, our hands brushing against each other as we walked briskly just in time to wave goodbye to our kids. I felt lighter as I saw a black haired boy and a flaxen haired lad wave out of the same window of the same cabin. Something that I wish Draco and I would have done in our first year. I was content with the assurance that my son and his would become friends, no matter what their differences.
I came to realize that the platform was clearing and I was the only one left with Ginny, Draco, and his wife, still staring into the now empty rails, nostalgia still heavy in the air. Ginny and Astoria Malfoy started to make their way back to King's Cross, leaving me and Draco alone. I cast a sympathetic smile at him, the one he returned, as we went our separate ways, with this thought in my head:
"You were the first person I loved, and the last one I wanted to let go"
