The months after graduation were hard and long for Hermione and Draco, Apollo however couldn't be happier.
Hermione received an owl one day from Mrs. Lee, stating that the trials for her parents killers were finally over and they had been sentenced to prison for life.
That night when Draco came home from work, they all went out to celebrate as a family. There was an a light aura about that night, Hermione couldn't determine if it was from the peace she felt about her parents and their killers or the fact that it was the first time in a while the three were able to go out as a family.
Two months later and Apollo's birthday was nearing.
Hermione was in the bulk of her training at St Mungos and Draco was working on a big project with the minister, but they found the time to plan Apollo a surprise birthday party with all of his friends from Hogwarts and his new preschool.
October 10th the day of Apollo's birthday and party had finally arrived. Hermione had asked Narcissa and Lucius to watch Apollo as they set up the party.
As 5 O'clock crept closer and closer the party was starting to come together. The decorations were hung, the presents were wrapped, the balloons were set out, the food was ready, and the cake was finally finished. All that was left was for the guest to arrive and of course the birthday boy.
Apollo was so surprised that he was in tears. Hermione immediately scooped him into her arms and he clung tight to her.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked him soothingly.
"I just wish they were here"
Realizing who Apollo was missing made her squeeze him tighter.
Draco saw the look on Hermione's face and came to help. He took Apollo from Hermione's arms and carried into a different room to talk.
"Hey buddy, I know it hurts right now but it'll get better. They are always with you right here (as he said this he put his hand on Apollo's heart)."
Apollo nodded his head that he somewhat understood what Draco was trying to tell him.
They took a few more minutes then Apollo told Draco he was ready to go back to the party.
As they reentered the living room they were greeted with more smiling faces. Apollo jumped down from Draco's arms and started to visit with all the people there for his birthday.
He saw Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, and surprisingly Snape. There was Harry, Ron, Ginny, Blaise, and Pansy as well as the Weasley family. His classmates from school had come (all 14 of them) and of course his family was there (Hermione, Draco, Narcissa, and Lucius).
They played party games, ate finger foods, had cake and ice cream, and opened presents. Apollo had such a good time and played so hard that by the time everyone was leaving he was asleep in Draco's arms.
The Hogwarts group was the last to leave; they said their goodbyes and reminded each other of their weekly potluck.
After they left Hermione and Draco put Apollo to bed and set to cleaning up the house and putting it back in order. The cleaning didn't take long thanks to their wands, soon enough they were happily going to bed.
Christmas was a week away when Hermione finished her intern work for the Hospital. Since she finished so early they gave her the rest of December to spend with her family.
Draco was also doing well at the Ministry; he had just gotten a big breakthrough on the project he had been working on, and took the week leading up the Christmas off.
And Apollo was out of school for the holiday.
The three were able to spend the week together as well as the holiday. They went to multiple Christmas parties that week as well as the Gala at the Ministry.
On Christmas eve the whole group came over to Hermione and Draco's for their makeshift family Christmas.
The house was decked out in reds and greens, light were twinkling all around, and mistletoe had been hung in the doorway.
As the evening progressed more memories were being made, they all exchanged gifts with each other and Hermione and Draco even let Apollo open a gift from them along with the ones they received from everyone else.. as the last of the presents were opened Harry stood up and said he had an announcement to make.
With everyone's attention on him, he pulled Pansy to her feet and he dropped down to one knee. The room was filled with gasps at his action and cheers once she accepted.
The rest of the guys started to feel the pressure that was just placed upon them as the night was ending.
Apollo rushed to bed as soon as everyone left so Santa wouldn't pass him by.
Hermione giggled at his eagerness and tucked him in and turned out his light.
The next morning Apollo ran into Hermione and Draco's room and jumped on their bed to wake them up.
Once they woke up Apollo dragged them by the hands to the living room where mounds of presents lay waiting to be unwrapped.
Hermione made him wait to open the presents until Lucius and Narcissa arrived. The wait was only five minutes but for Apollo it seemed like a century.
It only took minutes before the living room erupted in an explosion of wrapping and tissue paper. Hermione, Narcissa, and Lucius couldn't contain their laughter at the two boys. Hermione stood shaking her head trying to determine who was worse at unwrapping presents, Apollo or Draco.
Once the boys unwrapped all of their presents and settled down, Hermione and Draco gave their gifts to Narcissa and Lucius and they gave Hermione hers.
Once everything was opened Draco disappeared saying he needed to get something and Hermione took the opportunity to go get his gift from her.
While the two were exchanging gifts Narcissa volunteered to cook breakfast.
Hermione handed Draco his gift and he was thoroughly surprised at what she had gotten him. In his palm he held a shrunken model of the latest broom and tickets to the Quidditch world cup for the next summer.
It was Hermione's turn to be surprised when she opened her gift.
As Narcissa was in the kitchen finishing breakfast she heard Hermione gasp and knew that Draco had given her his gift. The woman couldn't help but smile and give her husband a peck on the cheek that just finished setting the table.
Hermione looked down at the box she had sitting in her lap, as she peered inside, she saw the mast beautiful set of jewels, a Malfoy heirloom, a picture collage of all her families, and adoption papers. As she studied the papers Hermione realized that Draco intended to adopt Apollo and all the papers needed were her signatures.
Tears immediately sprang to her eyes and wrapped Draco in a tight embrace and kissed him deeply on the lips.
Narcissa let them have a moment and before things got to heated she broke them apart with a shout that breakfast was ready.
Hermione and Draco were getting ready for the New Year's party at the Ministry. It was the first party they were going to without Apollo, Narcissa and Lucius were babysitting hime for the night so the couple could have a little time to themselves.
Hermione had put on a beautiful floor length emerald green gown with the Malfoy family jewels, and Draco had on a black tux with an emerald cummerbund and bowtie.
Once they were finished they flooed to the Ministry and met up with the rest of their friends. Ginny and Blaise had on deep ocean blue, Harry and Pansy had on orangey coral color, and Ron and Lavender had on royal purple.
The party had officially started and the group was enjoying each other's company, they danced and laughed all night long. As they sat at their table resting from dancing the girls started up a conversation about their resolutions and before they knew it the countdown had started.
10
They all stood up and headed towards the middle of the dance floor
9
They looked around and made sure they were all together
8
He fiddled with the box in his pocket
7
Blaise dropped to one knee
6
"Ginny" he called out and everyone turned to look
5
"You asked me what my resolution is"
4
"and this is my answer"
3
"My resolution is to have a fiancé'" gasps were heard throughout the hall
2
"Ginny will you help me with my resolution?" he pulled the ring box out of his pocket and opened it
1
"Will you marry me?"
"HAPPY NEW YEAR" rang out around the hall
Ginny pulled him into a kiss as he slipped the ring on her finger.
Everyone around them sighed in relief and celebrated the New Year with kisses and congratulations.
It was nearing the middle of May when Hermione and Draco's schedules worked out to where they both had a day off. And Draco had a surprise for her.
The three of them headed to Malfoy Manor that afternoon to have a picnic in the gardens (one of Hermione's favorite places).
Hermione and Draco sat underneath the shade of a tree and watched as Apollo chased the butterflies out of the flowers. Little did Hermione know that her friends were waiting inside the manor patiently or in some cases not so patiently.
Draco wrapped his arms around Hermione, who was leaning up against him, and sighed, causing Hermione to look up at him.
"What's wrong?" she asked worriedly
"Nothing, just thinking what could make this day better"
Hermione furrowed her eyebrows at his statement and gave Draco a look to continue.
"I was just thinking how good of a family we make, and how I almost wouldn't change it for the world." He said with a sight smirk.
"Almost?"
"Yeah. There is only one thing that I would change about our family"
"And what would that be?" she was still slightly confused but she was starting to put the pieces together.
He then moved to where he was kneeling on one knee in front of her and pulled a black velvet box from their picnic basket as he answered her.
"Your last name"
Hermione had tears falling from her eyes as Draco opened the box and slipped the ring onto her finger and asked more officially
"Hermione will you marry me?"
"Of course I will Draco" she said as she pulled him in for a hug and a kiss.
All of a sudden they heard a loud popping sound accompanied by fizzling. They looked into the sky and saw that fireworks had come from the manor. Apollo made his way back to them with a huge smile on his face and a fist full of flowers for Hermione.
Before they knew it the little family was engulfed in hugs from their friends and family.
After the family was released they had a celebratory dinner at the manor and headed home.
Once Apollo was tucked into bed, Draco and Hermione went to bed themselves.
As they were laying there Draco turned to Hermione and wrapped her in his arms and whispered "Happy Anniversary" as they fell asleep.
The rest of the year had flown by in a sea of weddings and parties. Ron and Lavender had surprised everyone and had gotten married first out of the group. After them it was Harry and Pansy, then Blaise and Ginny, and finally it was time for Draco and Hermione to get married.
The morning air was chilly but it was warming up. It was a clear blue day at the end of March and there wasn't a cloud in sight.
Hermione, Pansy, Ginny, and Lavender had spent the entire morning getting ready for the ceremony lather that afternoon.
Draco, Harry, Blaise, Ron, and Apollo didn't start getting ready until noon (the wedding was later in the afternoon).
No matter how long it took them to get ready all that mattered was when Hermione looked up the aisle Draco was looking back at her.
Since Hermione's parents had passed away Harry and Ron walked her down the aisle. They stopped at the first row of seats and Hermione laid two bouquets of blood red roses on the seats in her parent's memory, before handing her over to Draco.
The ceremony had been beautiful; there wasn't a dry eye in the church. The reception took place in the gardens at Malfoy manor. Needless to say the reception lasted until midnight; they laughed, danced, and truly partied all night.
Once the newlyweds arrived back home, Draco and Hermione went to tuck Apollo into bed. The child looked up at his guardians and whispered "Goodnight Mom and Dad" as he fell asleep.
Hermione clung to Draco and he held her with as much force, both of them had tears falling down their cheeks.
Draco and Hermione were surprised that Apollo had called them Mom and Dad but they wouldn't change it for the world. Sure Hermione still wanted Apollo to remember their parents but she was glad that he was finally moving on from their deaths and adjusting to their new lives. Draco had always seen Apollo as a son, especially since he adopted the boy over a year ago.
Things continued to look up for the new family, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, they were born again.