In honor of Wizarding Independence Day 2010 I bring you the final installment. It's so sad to be finished, and this chapter has been written since the night chapter 37 went up but I couldn't bring myself to let it out into the world. So Happy Wizarding Independence Day everyone and I thank you for staying with me so long
Nine years later:
"Lise! Can you teach me how to ride my broom?" Nymphadora Lupin was upon me before I could even make it through the door.
"Dora, why don't you ask James? I'm not much of a flier." The six year old smiled and ran off to find the professional Quidditich player. I watched her lavender hair disappear around the corner then silently hung my coat on the hook by the door. "Merry Christmas Molly."
"Merry Christmas. We are only just sitting down to eat so if you are still hungry anything you want is yours dear. How was your Christmas dinner?"
"Oh, relatively quiet with Lucius in the hospital. Scorpius wanted to stop by St. Mungos to see him on his way over."
"Alright, he knows to let himself in once he gets here. Come on dear, everyone is waiting. Would you like some tea or hot chocolate?" She turned to walk back towards the kitchen as she spoke.
"I'm fine Molly!" I smiled and started to continue towards the kitchen when I felt a small tug on my skirt.
"James won't come outside to go flying with me. Won't you, please?" Dora's hair turned to a soft pink as she looked at my hopefully.
"Leave Lise in peace, Dora. She just got here!" Teddy scooped the little girl up in his arms. "Go get some dinner or you'll be hungry later." She wiggled out of his arms and bolted into the kitchen. "How was Paris?"
"Fantastic. It's nice to be back though. How are you doing?" His hair wasn't the same turquoise it had always been before the funeral. He hadn't bothered to change it back from the mousy brown.
"Alright. I was thinking I might take Dora to Andromeda's grave in the morning. She always loved Christmas morning. Would you care to join us?"
"Of course." Teddy smiled and silently turned back towards the kitchen. I knew it was hard for him but he didn't want to show his hurt. Andromeda had practically raised him, and now she was gone, the second of three sisters who once were best friends. The only living one not even bothering to attend the funeral.
"Ella est de retour de Paris!" Dominique and Roxanne glided into the room before I could take another step.
"My French still is not good enough to understand even that Dom." I laughed as I hugged the two.
"My my my, Roxy. Look what beautiful clothes she wears now. They must belong to some high fashion designers." Both of them started to circle me as I laughed.
"Did you think I would spend two months in Paris for work and not stop by your Paris store? And even when I have enough money saved up I am never spending that much on clothes again!"
"Oh well Dom, some people don't just appreciate nice clothes. And we really should do something with your hair before you go in there Lise. It's like you didn't have any professional help for the whole two months you were gone!"
"There's no one I would trust with it except you." Roxanne smiled and pulled out her wand.
"Now if I had more time I would do it manually but a spell now and then won't hurt."
"I can come into the salon later this week. We don't have to worry about it now." Roxanne only laughed as began wavering her wand.
"Tonight may just have some picture moments and don't you want to look your best?" Dom winked and disappeared into the kitchen before I could ask her what she meant. Roxanne continued to circle me, eyeing every piece that wasn't perfection.
"Dad, I really am happy working at the shop. I'm practically a co-owner now and Mr. Daybin said that by next June he is retiring so the store's all mine." I smiled as his heard his voice, coming from the kitchen, for the first time in two months. We had written letters, but it wasn't the same.
"And you passed your Auror testing with one of the highest scores in a decade." Roxanne finished with my hair and I decided the timing was perfect. All I had to do to prevent this conversation becoming a heated argument was to enter the kitchen.
I breathed in once and walked into the kitchen. Albus's back was to me. His shoulders were tense and I knew he was preparing for a fight.
"I don't want to be an Auror! If you hadn't practically forced me to just take the test then we wouldn't even know my scores. Even Lise doesn't think it makes sense for me to join the department!"
"Now when did she say that?" I walked up closer to him, wrapping an arm around his waist. "I think what I said was it would be a shame considering where you work now is down the alley from my apartment."
"You're back." His voice was soft as he looked at me, his eyes the emerald I fell in love with nine years ago. I felt his lips touch mine softly. "How was Paris?"
"Not the city of love without you." He only laughed and kissed me once more.
"Dad? Can we talk about this later?" Mr. Potter nodded, grabbing a plate to serve himself some dinner. "I thought you weren't going to be here until ten."
"It's the Malfoy family. We ate, I told mum and dad about Paris and then the conversation died so Scorpius and I took our leave while we could."
"Perhaps we should take our own leave?" I followed his gaze towards the whole family. They were all silent and staring at us and I shifted uncomfortably under their gaze. "Want to go for a walk?" I nodded and he led me out of the kitchen towards the front door.
I paused seeing the old chess set on the living room shelf. Had it really already been nine years since we played on that board and I could only focus on his eyes? Was it that long ago that I stood awkwardly on my ankle and the next thing I knew I was kissing him?
"Lise, you alright?" I snapped out of the memory and looked at him.
"Fine, just remembering things." I grabbed my coat from the hook and slipped it on silently. The door opened and my brother walked in slowly.
"How's granddad?" Scorpius didn't look happy as he stared at me.
"The healers say he can only hold out a few more days. Lise, promise me you'll go to him before it's too late? You haven't spoken since you were kidnapped. Just try." I had only seen my brother look that sad once before.
"I promise, but you better put on a smile for Rose before you get in there." Scorpius nodded and silently walked towards the kitchen as I followed Albus out the door.
The snow was beautiful and undisturbed. We walked quietly, his arm around my waist, but that was peaceful. It was calming just to be reminded of how it felt to be with him.
"Why did your dad start talking to you about becoming an Auror again? I thought he hadn't mentioned it in awhile." Albus stopped walking and turned to face me.
"He doesn't think that the Quidditch shop will support me enough for my goals. I told him about my plan for tonight this morning and it started all over again." It was too dark to see his face exactly.
"What plans for tonight?" I smiled playfully, unsure of the moment.
"Lise, nine years ago, when you were in that place with the Adals, I asked dad for permission to do something. I didn't think it would be important to ask your father so I haven't because I know whatever he said if you didn't agree you would go against it anyways." I looked at Albus curiously as he knelt in the snow, faintly outlined against the tall evergreen trees.
The evergreen trees, the kneeling, plans for the future. I knew what was happening suddenly and gasped as he pulled a small box out of his pocket and the moon shone on a small stone.
"Liseanile Bellacissa Malfoy, will you marry me?" I couldn't speak. Isn't this what I had seen in the mirror all those years ago? I knew what my answer was. I had for nine years.
"I better not mention when I go to see Lucius that his great-grandchildren are going to be half-bloods. It might actually kill him." He laughed and wrapped me in his arms while slipping the ring onto my finger.
I pressed my lips against him once more and I felt his arms tightening around me and I slid mine around his neck. All I could feel was his body against mine, and all I could hear was the beat of his heart.
"Hey! If she already said yes we could really use you two in there right now!" We broke apart and silently turned to face Lily.
"Lily you have the worst…"
"I know Al, worst habit of coming around at the worst times. Point is James and I just broke that vase mum gave grandma and magic isn't fixing it so if you two could just announce the engagement so she won't be mad anymore…"
"We're coming." I laughed and hooked arms with Albus as we walked towards the crooked house.
Liseanile Malfoy Potter, it just sounded right.