When June hit, full on panic mode set in. Before I even had time to panic about the wedding, I also had to assist with OWLs and NEWTs and finals at Hogwarts, and Hermione, Ginny, and Draco graduating from Hogwarts. After the wedding, things were going to get chaotic as well. Ginny was leaving a few days after to start her training with the Harpies, Ron and Hermione were going to start planning their wedding, and when I got back from my honeymoon I was officially going to be a substitute teacher at Hogwarts.

So much was happening. Everyone was running around like a chicken with its head cut off.

The few days a week that I spent at Hogwarts that I usually spent flirting happily with Draco were now spent sitting in his dorm going back and forth over wedding details: writing howlers to guests who hadn't RSVPed yet, creating a seating chart, verifying final decisions on colors and tablecloths and flowers. I'd spent Draco's 18th birthday napping on his bed so I could sleep without being interrupted by a toddler. It was super romantic.

Draco was being tough, because I was going crazy, but he had his own issues to deal with. I didn't have much contact with his parents these days, and when I did it was usually only Narcissa and it was mostly so she could keep an eye on Mira. According to Draco, things were not well. Apparently, they were fighting all the time.

I was sitting on his bed, grading as usual, and Draco was pretending to study for transfigurations.

"Parents argue, Draco. We argue all the time," I said. "It'll be fine. I have lunch with your mother all the time. I did just yesterday, in fact, and she seemed as fine as she always does."

"No offense, but she's not your mother. She's always putting on a show for people when something's wrong. She didn't seem the least bit bothered when I was running around working for Voldemort, did she?" Draco asked. I sighed. "And anyway, it's not my mother who's the problem."

"That doesn't surprise me," I muttered. Draco glared at me. "Sorry. That was uncalled for. But your parents love each other. This year has been really hard for everyone. Especially them, I imagine."

He shook head again. "Things have been rough since Voldemort came back. It's almost worse now that he's gone. Now my father doesn't have anything to blame his poor attitude on."

I rested my head on his shoulder and rubbed his back.

"The worst part is that even if things get worse than they are now, they'll never get divorced. Their reputation's already tarnished enough as it. They'll never let people think that their marriage couldn't survive the war," Draco said.

"I'm sorry, dear," I said.

"Promise me that if either of us is unhappy we'll end it. We won't try and tough it out for the kids or let it linger until we hate each other. If we're not happy anymore and we're not willing to fix things we won't let it fester," Draco said.

"You have my word," I said. "In the meantime, just remember that they love you, even if they're not getting along. They bought a house for us. They're helping pay for our wedding. They-."

"Want you to sign a prenup," Draco said. I frowned.

"I'd like to say I'm surprised, and yet I am not," I said.

"I felt much the same way. I think it's the only thing they've agreed on in ages," Draco said. "You don't have to, obviously. I don't want you to. I'm marrying you regardless."

"I know," I said, returning to my papers. "Besides, I've enough money on my own, don't I?"

Draco was silent as I scanned a quiz.

"I'm sorry, what did you mean by that?" Draco asked. I looked up at him.

"By what?" I asked.

"You've enough money on your own?" he asked.

"Well, my parents were wealthy when they died and that got split between Harry and me. I've lived at Hogwarts all my life so anything I ever needed Dumbledore took care of. Aside from a bunch of frivolous stuff I've barely touched it until now. Plus, Dumbledore didn't have any children and the only family he's got is his brother so he left mostly everything to me when he died as well," I said.

"Why haven't you ever told me this?" Draco asked.

I shrugged. "It never came up? It didn't seem important. I mean, you're still significantly wealthier than I am, but we both essentially have more money sitting in our vaults than we're ever going to use. I don't see why it should matter."

"I guess it doesn't," Draco said. "It just. . . You really don't need me for anything do you? You have your own job, your own money, you don't even need me to help look after Mira."

"Oh, Draco. You're right. I don't need you for anything," I said. He frowned at me. "Don't take it personally, but I've just never wanted to be a kept woman. I've wanted to do everything on my own for as long as I can remember. I'm not marrying you because I want you to take care of me."

"You just want someone to share in your adventures with?" he asked.

I smiled. "Something like that."

Draco smirked. "I should put that into my vows."

"We're getting married in less than three weeks and you haven't written your vows yet?" I asked.

"I'm sure they're partially written," he said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, Blaise is writing them for me, naturally," he said.

"Why is Blaise writing your vows?" I asked.

"Because he's my best man," Draco said. "Isn't that how it's done?"

"Not with us. You are supposed to write how you really feel. Not Blaise. Hermione isn't writing mine," I said. Draco groaned. "Write them yourself. Please."

"Fine," he said. "I'm making Blaise proofread it though."

"I'll know if you don't write them yourself. I know how you write," I said.

"As if I'd ever try to sneak anything past you," he said.

888

With the wedding nearing ever closer, and Hogwarts school year ending this week, Draco and I decided that when he graduated, he'd go stay with his parents leading up to the wedding, and that I would stay with the Weasley's. After the wedding, we'd go back home together. Harry would be staying and keeping an eye on the house until Hogwarts let out at the end of the week, then Ron and Hermione would be swapping in.

"I still can't believe Harry's shacking up with my sister," Ron said, as he and Kassia helped me settle in my things.

"I believe it," I said.

"Besides, it won't be much shacking up to do. Won't Ginny be starting up with the Harpies at the beginning of July?" Kassia asked.

I nodded. "On the first. I'll have to say goodbye to her at my wedding since she'll be gone by the time I get back from my honeymoon."

"You're getting married, Ron's getting married, Harry's got a live-in girlfriend. And where am I?" Kassia asked. "In a mostly physical on again off again relationship with Blaise. Who else has a better love life than me?"

Ron paused for a moment. "I think George is thinking of proposing to Kaitlin."

Kassia and I gasped.

"Why is this the first I'm hearing of this?" I asked.

"Well, it kind of came out as a joke really. Fred and I are always teasing him 'when are you gonna marry Kaitlin.' Most of the time he just laughs us off, but then we asked him today he kind of paused and said 'I don't know,'" Ron explained.

"I will cry bucket loads of tears if they get married," I said.

"You cry at everything," Ron said.

"Don't invalidate my emotions," I said. Then I gasped. "What if he tries to propose at my wedding. I would literally stab him."

"Calm down, psycho," Kassia said. "No one's getting engaged at your wedding. That's totally crass."

"Seriously. If anyone gets engaged at my wedding, I'm going to go into labor at theirs. I will plan it," I said.

Ron snorted. "You are literally a psychopath."

I sighed. "I'm just stressed out. Weddings are stressful and scary."

"Having cold feet?" Kassia asked.

"No. Being married to Draco is the one thing I'm not worried about it. It's his parents, it's dealing with wedding vendors, picking colors and dresses, deciding on stupid insignificant things to throw a big party basically," I said. "I'm basically stressed out over stupid things that don't matter."

Ron patted me on the back. "You'll be fine. You're almost there. Two weeks. Less than that and you're there."

"Your party is this weekend as well," Kassia said. "Hermione's got a great night planned for you. Just get drunk and forget your troubles."

"That's what I need," I said.

"Stay off bar tops," Ron said. I rolled my eyes.

"I still deny that I danced on a bar top and don't ever tell my daughter that I possibly did," I said.

"Can we tell her that you actually did on more than one occasion make out with her aunt, Ginny?" Kassia teased.

888

There was something a little bit sad about meeting Draco, Ginny, and Hermione at King's Cross when Hogwarts was dismissed. The next time I'd be on the platform would be for Mira, 10 years from now. Of course, I'd be at Hogwarts frequently before then. But here, on Platform 9 ¾, it'd be years.

Draco saw Mira and I there and smiled.

"Well, we can officially get married," Draco said. "I've met all of your requirements: death eater no more, and graduated, just like you asked."

I laughed as he scooped Mira up from my arms.

"Daddy missed you," he said kissing her face. Mira laughed and giggled trying to escape Draco, but also wrap her arms around him.

"I'm so glad you're home. For good," I said.

"Almost," Draco said. "Another week."

I nodded. "One week." Draco kissed my cheek, with difficulty as Mira was desperate for his undivided attention.

Mrs. Weasley was squeezing Ginny tightly, sobbing. She wouldn't be going home to the Burrow tonight, but home with Harry to Grimmauld Place. We would be having a special graduation dinner tonight at the Burrow. Tomorrow morning we were having brunch with Draco's parents and going over final details for the wedding.

Then the bachelorette party would be a go.

Mira returned to clinging to Draco tightly.

"I've missed being with you two every day," Draco said. "Though I expect you're going to be busy immediately."

I nodded. "McGonagall wants me to start officially in August. She wants me to help with notifying muggleborns this year."

"You'll need Granger to help coach you on that one. I'm not quite sure the time you spent with your aunt and uncle was typical of the muggle experience," Draco said.

"Indeed," I said. "It's going to be weird seeing them at the wedding."

"You never know. They might not be that horrible," Draco said.

"Do I need to remind you that my brother lived under the stairs in their cupboard for 10 years?" I asked.

"Right. I keep forgetting that," Draco said.

888

"Interning at the Ministry is crap," I said.

Hermione groaned. "I'm sure it's just because—."

"You're going to say that it's because of Tyler Hawkins the homewrecker, but it's also because of Thaddeus Carpenter who, brilliant as he may be, was just an ass to work for," I said.

"You're just upset because research and development was terrible," Hermione said. "Besides, the internship I'm taking-."

"You've already taken one? When did this happen? Why didn't you tell me?" I asked.

Hermione groaned, and looked over to Draco who was sitting on the floor with Mira. "You're marrying her in a week. How do you talk to her?"

"She's impossible. I kind of just let her keep going until she gets it all out," Draco said. I glared at him before turning to back to Hermione.

"Where are you interning?" I asked.

"The Minister's office," she replied. "I'll be working for Tonks' friend, Rebecca Rivers. She's Kingsley's personal assistant."

"So, you're going to be-."

"Basically, the personal assistant to the Minister of Magic's personal assistant, yes," Hermione said. "Kingsley thinks it'll be a good opportunity for me."

"It probably will be. And 15 years from now you'll have his job," I said.

"Only 15 years? I think you overestimate my abilities," Hermione said with a laugh. "Maybe 20 years."

"Well, I suppose since you're practically my sister in law, I'll vote for you," Draco said.

"Good to know, since your child is named after me," Hermione said.

Draco cocked his eyebrow at Hermione. "What?"

"Her middle name," Hermione said. "It's the same as mine."

Draco looked over to me. "What? You named our child after Granger?"

"Five seconds ago I was your sister and now I'm back to being Granger," Hermione grumbled.

"In my defense, I hated you when she was born. That's why she's Potter and not Malfoy in the first place," I said.

Draco pouted at me and wrapped his arms around Mira. "Well, the next one gets my name."

"If you insist," I said with an eyeroll.

"Am I your favorite, Mira?" Draco asked. Mira shook her head. He gasped. "No? Who's your favorite?"

She giggled. "Ron-Ron."

"He's my favorite too," Hermione said.

Draco and I both groaned.

"They think they're so adorable," I said.

"Ron-Ron!" Mira shouted as the kitchen door opened and Ron peered out. She moved from Draco's arms and ran to the door.

"Mum wants us all in the kitchen," Ron said, picking up the toddler.

"Honestly, we're going to come back from out honeymoon and she's not even going to remember us," Draco said.

"We'll just have to kidnap their first born and become their favorite," I said.

"Stop plotting to make my non-existent child like you more than me," Hermione said as we entered the kitchen. "And for the record, you picked him to be MJ's godfather. It could've been me and Blaise, but no."

"Granger trash talkin' us again, Ron?" Kassia asked.

"Always," Ron said. "It's feeling a little bit like the Dead Sea over there sweetheart. You know. Because of all the salt."

"If you have to explain the burn it's not really a burn," Ginny said.

"Hey, shut up," Ron said.

"Shut up!" Mira repeated.

"Give me the child. You've lost your Mira privileges," I said. I went to grab Mira but she howled and clung to Ron. I threw my hands up in defeat. "Never mind. Just stay with your pottymouthed uncle."

"Sorry," Ron said, patting Mira's blonde head.

"If you're all finished," Mrs. Weasley said, holding out a glass of wine to me. I was apprehensive at first, but she urged me and I took it and then handed one to Draco and Hermione as well. Everyone else in the room seemed to have one already. "There's lots of reasons to be celebrating tonight."

Mrs. Weasley looked to Ginny, her eyes full of tears.

"Mum, don't," Ginny said, her eyes brimming with tears as well.

"You're all grown up and moving out on your own and going off to play Quidditch," she said. "You're the last of my babies to leave the nest."

"You've still got Ron for a little while," Ginny reminded her.

Mrs. Weasley turned not to Ron, but to Hermione. "And you, Hermione. I'm so thrilled to truly call you my daughter soon." She walked over and hugged Hermione. And then she turned to Draco. "You had us worried there for a bit Draco, I will admit."

"Kind of goes without saying," Draco admitted.

"But look how you've grown. Headboy! Headmaster raised her and she couldn't even make prefect," Mrs. Weasley said.

I scoffed. "Dumbledore didn't want to show favoritism."

"That and you were an absolute nightmare," Mr. Weasley said. Everyone laughed.

"You had us worried there for a bit too," Mrs. Weasley said, patting my cheek.

"I still worry you," I said.

"More than any of my children that I gave birth to," she said. "But I love you as much as if you were my own and I am so happy that you've found happiness, and you have a beautiful daughter. And in less than two weeks' time you'll be married." She was starting to cry again.

"Oh, mum, it's all right," Ginny said.

Mrs. Weasley turned. "And you'll be next."

"Again, Ron," Ginny pointed out.

"But, soon," Mrs. Weasley said pointedly.

"Of course," Harry said automatically.

"It's on our radar," Ginny said. "Don't want to rain on anyone's parade by tying the knot immediately after Fred and Bill and Hannah and Ron. I think we should give it a break."

Marriage was certainly on both of their radars, but not in the cards for them, at least not for a long while.

At the other end of the table there a sniffle and then a stifled sob. I looked over to see Sirius dabbing his eyes.

"I'm sorry. I always get too emotional when I have too much wine," he said.

"I think you've been sufficiently emotional about this wedding from the get-go, wine or no wine" Veronica said.

"I concur," Remus said.

"You're not much better," Tonks said. Remus shushed her.

"There's every reason to be emotional," Mrs. Weasley embracing me. "Hannah's the first of your babies to go off and start her own life. And soon it'll be Harry and Danielle and Kaitlin. And eventually Teddy too."

"I think we've got a while to wait on that one," Tonks said. Teddy was currently fast asleep in a carrier on her chest. What I wouldn't give to have a child the cooperative.

"But Hannah's your first," Mrs. Weasley said. She patted my cheek. "It's been a joy watching you grow up. Stressful, but a joy."

Tears swam up to my eyes. "You're going to make me cry." She was the first real mother I'd ever had. She'd taught me manners and politeness alongside Ron and Ginny. She'd cleaned many cuts and bruises and made birthday cakes and dinners.

"So, with all of our grown up children in the room, some of you with children of your own already," Mrs. Weasley said, "we wanted to have a celebratory toast for you."