A/N - I was tempted to finish the story with the last chapter but I somehow couldn't leave it like that. This has probably been one of the hardest chapters to write as I kept writing more then I think it needed so had to reign myself in.

Draco walked up to the tall block of flats in front of him. He pressed the intercom for flat seven. He waited impatiently for the answer looking at his watch and sighing to himself.

'Come on,' he said under his breath as he pressed the button again and again.

Finally a voice came through, 'hello?'

'Cassie? Is that you?' Draco tried to keep the impatience out of his voice.

'Yes, who is it please?'

'Draco.'

'Oh.'

Draco waited for the door to click open. When it didn't he said, 'aren't you going to let me in?'

'Oh, sorry.'

Draco let himself into the building and climbed up the stairs. Cassie's flat was on the first floor. She had chosen to study at college in London and her flat was a short walk away. Draco had been pleased to see Cassie so settled when he had first visited her three months ago to let her know that the war was over and Voldemort was dead. He had expected her to return with him to the Order's head quarters then and there and had been angry when she had refused and wouldn't talk any further about it. Ginny had encouraged him to not push Cassie as that could lead to him pushing her away completely. So instead he had forced himself to be patient and let Cassie make her own decisions.

Draco knocked on Cassie's flat. He heard the various chains and locks had been turned before the door opened.

'Morning,' Cassie smiled. She was still wearing her pyjamas and looked like she had only just got out of bed. Draco followed her into the flat and closed the door behind him.

Cassie hurried into the kitchen, 'Do you want a coffee? A cup of tea? Water?'

'Ummm, no thanks. Cassie, you do know what the day is today, don't you?'

He watched her carefully as she made herself a cup of tea. She was definitely avoiding looking at him and seemed nervous. She considered her reply carefully, 'of course I do. It is Saturday. I don't have college on Saturdays, hence, why I am still in my pyjamas at,' she paused to look at the kitchen clock, 'ten thirty.'

Draco couldn't stop himself reaching out for Cassie's arms and he shook her. She looked at him with a hurt expression before turning away.

She whispered, 'of course I know what the day is.'

'Then why aren't you ready?'

Frustrated by the silence that met his question he asked another one, 'are you not coming?'

'I don't know.'

'What do you mean you don't know? When exactly are you planning on deciding?' Draco's voice was raised.

'I don't know.' She walked away from him. He took a breath and tried to compose himself.

'Everyone is expecting you.'

'I know.'

'You did say you would come and play the piano.' Draco had carefully asked Cassie on Harry's behalf a month ago. He had to wait a couple of day for her decision during which Harry nearly drove him insane asking every two minutes whether he had heard from Cassie.

'I know.'

'You haven't seen them for nearly a year.' Draco could understand why Cassie wanted to keep her independence and she seemed to be happy in her new life here but he was struggling with her reluctance to see everyone else. They were her friends after all and people who really cared about her.

'I know.'

Cassie sat down heavily on an armchair and hugged her knees.

'Everyone is desperate to see you.' Draco was running out of ideas to persuade her to come. He had been confident and had promised everyone that they would be there. He looked at Cassie who was clearly struggling with coming to a decision. She closed her eyes and sighed. Turning away from her Draco's eyes were drawn to the piano which had manuscript paper strewn all over it. He picked up the sheet on the top, 'is this the piece you are playing?'

'Maybe.'

'Play it to me.'

'It isn't finished. I can't seem to get the middle part right.'

'It is your own composition?' Draco asked. He wasn't all that surprised when Cassie nodded.

'I couldn't seem to find anything else that fitted so started my own and it just wrote itself'. Cassie shrugged. She was modest, too modest, about her talent. He remembered here spending hours and hours practising the piano when they were younger and she loved changing pieces of music or coming up with her own.

'Come on, Cassie. I haven't heard you play for ages,' Draco held out his hand which she reluctantly took and stood up.

'Fine, you win. I have warned you though. It probably isn't very good.'

'Get on with it then.'

She narrowed her eyes at him before sitting down on the piano stool. She took a deep breath, stretched her fingers and tucked her fringe behind her ear before beginning to play. She didn't use her music but instead closed her eyes and played it from memory. It was a beautiful piece of music. Draco loved watching Cassie play as she seemed to disappear into the music. He was so moved by the music that he found himself unable to say anything when it finished. Cassie took her manuscript paper and began to scribble the notes she had played.

'See, it isn't ready,' she mumbled.

'What? No, it is amazing.'

She shook her head and looked down at the piano.

'You have to play it.'

'I don't know,' she gathered up the papers and offered them to him. 'Here take it. I am sure there will be someone else who can play it, the melody is quite simple.'

'You have to be the one to play it.'

'I don't know if I can.'

Draco sighed, 'You can play it so why don't you give me three good reasons why you don't seem to want to? You have obviously spent a great deal of time and effort in composing a wonderful piece of music.'

Cassie bit her lip, 'three reasons... where shall I start? One: because I am a coward – I ran away when things got scary. Two: I was selfish, I put myself first whilst you were all prepared to die for the cause. Three: I don't belong at this event.'

'Look at me,' Draco said and gently raised her chin. Her eyes were brimming with tears. 'One: you are the bravest person I know and I know Harry Potter – boy hero, defeater of Lord Voldemort. Two: you put yourself first for once. You deserved a break after what you went through. We would have been the selfish ones if we had insisted that you stayed with us. You had done more than enough for the cause – Cassie you have nearly died twice. Three: where would you more belong than surrounded by your friends? You deserve to be there. You destroyed a horcrux. Don't even try coming up with more excuses. You can't stay hidden away forever. Stop punishing yourself.'

He pulled her into a hug, and whispered in her ear, 'I know for a fact that I am not the only one to have missed you immensely.'

'Ok,' came a muffled reply. Draco pulled away from her.

'Ok?'

'Yes, I'll come.'

'Fantastic.'

'How long have I got to get ready?'

'Well we should have left here at least half an hour ago.'

'Eek, I'll be as quick as I can. At least I haven't come time to change my mind.' She ran off to the bathroom.

'I take it, that there is no sign of her yet.'

Harry turned to see Ginny. He shook his head and turned back to his view of the school's entrance where people were walking in. Most stopped on the way assuming that he was there to welcome the guests and spoke a few words. Harry tried not to be rude and show his slight annoyance that they were disturbing him. He didn't want to miss her.

'Draco has gone to get her. I am sure they will be here soon.'

Harry tried to look like he was reassured by Ginny's words even though the truth was he was feeling everything but reassured. He was anxious to see Cassie again. Primarily to see if she really was as fine as Draco insisted that she was. Secondly, and more confusedly, he was curious to see if he still felt the same way about her as he did. He was reluctant to admit to anyone even to himself, that his motivation to keep fighting even when every bone and muscle in his told him to give up was the thought of seeing Cassie again. Somehow, saving the world from Voldemort hadn't been enough.

Hermione came to join them, 'Harry, we need to go in. It is nearly time to start.'

Harry closed his eyes for a moment, rubbed his forehead and took one last look at the path before following the girls into the Great Hall. Ginny stroked his arm and Harry smiled weakly at her.

'Cassie, I don't like to rush you but it looks like it is starting.' Draco turned round to see Cassie struggling to keep up with him.

'I really shouldn't have chosen these shoes. Even though they do go with this dress. Do I look alright?'

Draco smiled, 'you look great.' He wasn't lying. It hadn't taken too long for Cassie to transform herself. She was wearing a deep purple dress with tiny flowers embroidered into it. Her hair was pulled up into a simple style.

'Ready?' Draco asked as they reached the door to the Great Hall.

She sighed and smoothed out her dress, 'ready as I will ever be.'

Draco opened the door and they crept into the packed hall. They were just in time to see Harry take to the stage. As they found two spare seats at the back, Draco caught Harry's eye. Harry raised his eyebrow questionably. Draco nodded. He nudged Cassie who was looking at the floor.

'What?' she whispered. Draco gestured towards the stage. Cassie looked up and smiled nervously at Harry.

Harry smiled back, cleared his throat before speaking. 'Welcome everyone to this memorial service. We have waited this long to have a memorial service in order to plan it carefully. Also to allow those injured to recover so they can be part of it and for individual families to hold their own funeral services.

'The stars on the ceiling represent one person who died in the war. We will not forget them as we couldn't have done it without their bravery and courage in such dark times.'

The shutters in the hall were shut. Draco heard Cassie gasp as she took in all the stars in the ceiling which were clearly shining. She reached in her handbag for a tissue. Draco stroked her hand as she wiped her tears.

'I didn't realise there were so many... I didn't...' she whispered.

The service was beautiful and very moving even for Draco who had already heard many of the stories of bravery that were being shared. Harry stepped forward.

'We must not forget the muggles that also died in the conflict. Many of them who died not knowing what was happening. Some of them fighting an invisible enemy, an enemy that they had no hope of overcoming. It is my great pleasure to ask a special guest to come onto the stage.'

'Draco, I can't do this,' Cassie urgently whispered.

'Yes you can.' He reached for her hand which was shaking. 'You stood up to our father more than once. Playing the piano in front of a room of people is easy compared to that. Don't back out on me now.'

Cassie bit her lip before standing up and made her way to the stage looking at the floor.

'Miss Cassandra Malfoy, ladies and gentlemen, who is one of the muggles who fought bravely. Thank you Cassie.'

Draco wasn't surprised when there was a stunned silence and then a standing ovation when Cassie stopped playing. It was the perfect tribute. She played it even better than she had in the flat which Draco wouldn't have thought possible. There was so emotion in one piece of music. Everyone raised their wands to the ceiling and small streams of light in different colours stretched up to the ceiling. After about a minute a round of applause started which seemed deafening after the silence. Cassie looked flustered and surprised to see a room full of people who had all been listening intently to her. She muttered a thank you before leaving the hall at the nearest exit. Draco gently pushed past the people in his row to follow her outside.

He found her overlooking the lake, her arms wrapped around herself.

'Cassie, are you alright?' He asked gently.

She looked at him briefly before turning her gaze back to the lake, 'yes. I know I shouldn't have left until the end. Sorry.'

Draco reached out and stroked her arm, 'you are doing fantastically. Besides I think it is nearly over.'

Harry was now impatient for the service to be over. He had fought the urge to follow Cassie as he knew that he needed to finish the service which had taken weeks to prepare. Draco had followed her anyway. He hoped that she wouldn't leave before he had a chance to speak to her. Harry sneaked away as soon as people began to stand up and make their way outside. He was relieved to see two familiar figures standing by the lake. He hurried over.

'Cassie? That was amazing.'

Cassie look startled to see him at first which she tried to cover with a smile.

Harry hugged her tightly. Cassie seemed rigid but then relaxed slightly. Harry noticed that she was shaking and pulled away.

'Are you ok Cassie?'

She nodded before quickly looking away.

'Why are you shaking? Are you cold? Are you unwell?''

Cassie didn't seem able to answer so Harry turned to Draco.

'Cassie nearly didn't come today. She thinks she has been a coward, selfish and that she doesn't belong here.'

Harry's eyes widened slightly. He had always thought that Cassie had refused to see them again as she had wanted to move on and be away from the magical world that she must feel a degree of hate for considering everything that she had been through. He gently took one of Cassie's hands and turned her round to look at him.

'Do you regret leaving then?'

'Sometimes... yes... I should have been there... there must have been something I could do.'

'I don't.'

Cassie made eye contact with Harry for the first time, her dazzling blue eyes causing his heart to race. He took that as a sign that he did still feel the same.

Cassie looked confused, 'what?'

'I don't wish that you had been there,' Harry slowly raised one hand to her face and stroked her hair.

'Oh,' Cassie whispered.

'Cassie, I knew that you were safe and it kept me fighting. I had to win so I could see you again.'

Draco walked away from Cassie and Harry who were kissing. He smiled to himself when he realised that there would have been a time when he would have killed Harry for less than kissing his sister. He didn't realise that he liked happy endings so much.

A/N - The end! Please leave a review :) Good or bad I would love to know what you think of it. I may upload Cassie's diary which originally was going to be in this story but then grew too big as I got more into it. So shall see how that develops further before deciding.