Chapter 24

Lucius' POV

I was sitting in Potter's office waiting for him.

"Malfoy," he greeted me.

"Mr. Potter," I stated, waiting for him to take his seat.

"What, may I ask, are you here for?"

He held animosity towards me for many reasons; one of which was that I was the one who Ginevra ended up with after him. He doesn't know I was fucking her while she was still engaged to him.

"Ginevra asked you to allow her to view your memories of Severus' memories, but you refused her."

"I did," he admitted.

"Why?"

"Because there's nothing in them but pain for her. I don't want to hurt her. You may have been the first person Marie went to, but she did tell the family about how bad Ginny was. Why did she tell you first?"

"Because she knew I helped Ginevra years back, and she knew me before the family. How dumb do you think Ginevra is? She has every idea of what she will see in those memories."

"No, she doesn't," he countered. "I saw them, and I know how he loved my mother and that Ginny was only a replacement!"

"Potter, you forget some things. I knew him back when he loved your mother and when he was protecting you to do something for her. And I saw a change in him shortly before the end of the war. I saw him when you were with Ginevra, and when I was, but I also saw them, Ginevra and Severus, together as a couple. Yes Potter, he loved your mother enough to stop living for her, but he loved Ginevra enough to literally live again! Enough to protect her from the fact he was dying, starting from the night of the final battle. He loved Ginevra enough to not be able to bear her heart break at the idea that he was dying. He never wanted her to be anything but happy." I paused to allow that point to sink into his thick skull. "I can't say for sure, but I expect that those memories will show his love of Lily until his feelings for Ginevra began to overpower those for your mother. You know she's worried that when she passes he won't be waiting for her, or that he will be happy in the afterlife without her!"

"He said he always loved my mother," Harry declared.

"And he did, like you will always love Ginevra, but does that mean you love your wife less? Or that you love Ginny more than your wife? No. You love them for different reasons," I concluded.

While I was with Potter, Draco, Ginny and my ex-wife were meeting. While there's no love lost between Narcissa and I, I have no want to see her any more than I must for my son and grandson. I knew Narcissa leaned on Severus heavily while I was in Azkaban. She will have a lot of things that will add to the softer side of Severus.

Ginny's POV

"Thank you for your time, Ms. Black," I said as the woman rose. Draco followed suit and led his mother to the door.

As it closed behind her, he looked at me. He shoved his hands into his pockets. "Draco, thank you for helping with her."

He smirked. "Someone has to keep her in line. It wasn't easy for her. I think at some point she developed a crush on Severus, but I also think she found the story of him and Potter's mother romantic." He frowned. "Sorry. Perhaps I shouldn't have said that."

I gave a laugh. "Don't worry; I found it romantic too, even as it broke my heart."

"He did love you. You know that he loved you even before the end of the war," he said, returning to his seat.

"Why do you say that?" I asked.

"I'm sure you heard how the gatherers brought Potter, your brother, and Granger to the Manor?"

"Yes. I heard it from them and Lucius," I admitted.

"You heard I wouldn't confirm that Potter was him, right?"

"Yes," I said, taking a sip of my water.

"Severus, of course, heard about it. He asked me to do whatever I could to protect you from the others if the war ended badly and he wasn't around."

"What?" I said, startled.

He laughed at the memory. "I know I recall saying we would kill each other! Now you're the mother of my little sister. Is her baby ever going to come?"

"Lachlan says if the baby doesn't arrive by Friday, they will take the baby by a procedure."

I was helping Eva with the last minute details for her son, Severus', birthday. "Mom,"

"Yes dear?" I said as I arranged a tray of food.

"You and Father; you're always together. Are you TOGETHER?" she inquired.

"Why would you ask that?" I retorted.

"Mom, you never stay at Spinster's End when in England. You stay at the Manor, and you and he arrive together to everything! I don't mind if you are; you're still young."

"Eva, your father is my dearest friend, and I guess we might seem to be a couple to the rest of the world. No one could ever hope to eclipse your dad. Lucius understands that and our closeness, our friendship, is enough for him."

A few years later, when Wyatt was getting married, it was once more a hard time for me. To have Lucius around for Eva's events seemed natural and acceptable; he was her father after all. But for Wyatt's life events, Severus not being there hurt so very much! I was trying so hard to hide how I was feeling.

Lucius was invited, of course. Since that Christmas break years back, he was included in everything. But this day, it was my son who came to me. "Mom?" he asked as he took a seat next to me. I never told him, but the way he moved reminded me of his dad. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine," I covered, poorly.

"But you're not, Mom." He sat down next to me and took my hand. "You're missing Dad."

I licked my lips. "Today is a happy day."

Wyatt was very much like his father, just less emotionally damaged. "He would be pleased that you're missing him."

I smiled. "He was one of a kind. Wyatt, he would have been so happy for you today."

I saw the smile that had graced his face all day return. "Thanks Mom, that means a lot to me. But Mom, he wouldn't want you looking sad. He would want you to be happy."

"Oh, dear, I am happy for you! Don't think for a second I'm not! Alisa is a wonderful girl. I'm just wishing he was here with me to share this day when his son starts his own family."

"I don't understand. There have been happy events for Eva and you weren't upset and missing Dad on those days." He paused, "But you had Lucius at your side those times. Why isn't he here now?"

"It wouldn't be right. He isn't your father, and I'm always missing your Dad." I explained as I patted his hand.

"You're right, he isn't, but he is a close family member. We all expected him to be at your side today like always."

"Wyatt, it's normal for him to be around for events for your sister; he is her father."

"And he's your dearest friend. He keeps you going forward, Mom. Is it just Eva and you he cares about?" He seemed a bit hurt.

"No, Wyatt, that's not it. He's not a replacement for your father and we wouldn't want anyone to think he was taking your dad's place."

"Mom, are you a complete dunderhead? I don't give a damn what others think! Lucius is a part of this family! We all know what dad was and we know Lucius isn't a replacement!"

"Wyatt, love, I just mean that today I should sit alone. I'm okay! I'm just sad that your father isn't here! Not for me; okay, a bit for me, but for you and him!"

Wyatt got up and stole a peek at his guests. "Lucius didn't bring a date, did he?"

"I don't think so!" I laughed.

"I'll be back, Mom."

Later, I stood at the edge of the dance floor watching Wyatt dance with his bride. "For a second this afternoon, he reminded me of Severus so much it scared me!" Lucius stated as he handed me a glass of champagne.

"Oh? When?" I asked.

"Before the ceremony, he came to speak to me. He was worried about you."

I gave a laugh. My eyes were still on the happy couple. "I was missing Severus. I thought I was covering it well, but I guess I wasn't."

"He heavily suggested that I allow you the ceremony, dinner, speeches, and first dance before I take on my role of being your date."

I glanced at him. "Lucius, you know…"

"Ginevra, we are a duo, but as much as I may have disliked it, I know there's no replacing him. We're very very dear friends and you're the only woman I want at my side, but I know that the part of your heart that was for romantic love will forever be his. And I would rather have what we do have than not have anything of you." He paused, "I never told you, but at Evangelina's wedding, he made me promise to always take care of you."

I stood at the door of the hospital room, and for the first time in my life, Lucius didn't look strong; he looked weak and tired. He lifted his hand, reaching out for me. "Ginevra, come closer." His voice was raspy.

I could feel my tears stinging my eyes as I took the steps closer to him and grasped his hand. I fought to not let the tears take me over. "Thank you for not hiding this from me," I whispered.

"I couldn't do that to you; not after seeing what Severus' death did to you," he replied.

"What will I do without you?"

He smiled weakly at me. "You'll ensure everyone knows that the world is more than black and white and that just because of choices made in youth, a person isn't limited to only have those choices. You will be there for our family and you will soon discover that due to your pet project, you will be receiving a huge financial boost."

"Lucius, I'm going to be lost without you," I exclaimed softly.

His head shook ever so slightly. "No, love, you won't. You're going to wake up every day and carry on. You're stronger than you know."

"This does hurt. I do love you!" I confided in him. I was holding onto his hand for dear life. I did love him; not more than I loved my husband, but I did love him.

"I know, and being so close all these years was enough. I honestly never stopped being in love with you, and you gave me enough to make me happy."

" I hate to ask, but I know one day the thought will cross my mind; you don't feel I strung you along all this time?"

"No, I don't think that." He paused, "Take care of Evangelina and her family, and Wyatt of course. And keep an eye on Draco, please."

"I owe you that, and so much more," I conceded.

Neither of us knew what to say from this point. When I couldn't handle it any more, I excused myself to allow his children to say their goodbyes.

I stepped out of the room and Draco and Eva both went in. Lachlan gave me a hug. "Mum? Are you going to be alright?" he asked.

"In time, I will be."

"Eva has been worried about you."

I gave him the weakest smile. "We both know she still feels guilty about missing how I was after her dad passed away."

"Yes, but we have all seen how close you were with Lucius."

"I lived for fifteen years without him before. I'll be sad and lonely, but I will be fine." I paused, "Are the children on their way? Lucius wants to say goodbye."

"Mum, we would like you to stay with us," he offered.

"No, I'll be fine, Lachlan."

"She's worried you won't handle this well. She still feels bad about not being there for you and that you weren't dealing well with things after Severus went."

I smiled. "She has some of her grandmother in her," I stated.

Draco came out and he looked broken. All he had now was his son; his wife passed away in a sporting accident years back. I came over to him. "How are you doing?"

He looked up at the ceiling for a moment, then at me. "He was always my hero. I have no one to look up to now."

"Draco, no matter what, he will always be your father." Draco and I are both in our sixties now, but the death of a parent is never easy.

Days later, at the funeral for Lucius, my grandson Severus came over to me. "Grandma, are you doing alright?"

I smiled at him. Not even thirty and he gets his looks mostly from this father, Lachlan; brown hair, a good looking young man, and a player all the way. "I'm sad. Did your mother ask you to check on me?"

"Aunt Marie did, actually, but they're both worried about you." He smiled. "You know, some people are saying you look more like Grandfather's wife than Narcissa Black."

I glanced across the room at the woman. She came out of respect for Draco and Scorpius. I learned years back that Narcissa and Lucius did once love each other, but that love started to die when Voldemort began taking out his anger on Lucius for him not killing a group of teens. I could understand her feelings, but the two never worked past the issue.

"That's because I spent so much time with him since before you were born. They have been apart forever," I informed him.

"What are you going to do now, Grandma?"

"I'm going to steal a page from my Aunt Muriel's book. I'm getting old enough to meddle in the lives of my family now, and no one can say a word!"

Years later, a middle aged man stood at a podium looking out at a sea of black.

"Ginevra Weasley Snape was my grandmother. Many of us here today are friends and family of hers, but many of you only knew her for what she did; the society she created for victims of domestic abuse. She gave you a place to be safe when your home wasn't a safe place for you. That was the thing, other than her family, that she was most proud of. She came up with the idea after having had an interview with a sibling of one of Grandpa Severus' closest childhood friends. My grandpa's home wasn't a happy place for him as a child, and that broke her heart.

"But Grandma was so much more. She was brave and protected people her whole life, from her own time at Hogwarts running Dumbledore's Army during the war. She stood up to the Death Eaters in control of the school, protecting anyone who needed it. Some might ask; how does a mere girl go from fighting Death Eaters to marrying one and having children whose fathers were both Death Eaters?" He chuckled. "That was the running joke at the Weasley home. How did it happen? Love. Love is how. That and stubbornness.

"At sixteen, she fought in the battle for Hogwarts and she lost many friends, and even a brother, then. After finishing school, she started playing Quidditch professionally. Her career was cut short so she could be a mother.

"I recall Christmas at the house in Alberta. Grandma's house looked perfect, but it was a rather Muggle Christmas. Which was really nice; it was her way of paying tribute to her late husband. We always celebrate it the way they did every second year when they didn't go to the Weasleys for Christmas. I never met my Grandpa Severus, Grandma's great love. On Christmas Eve, there's always this moment when Grandma would sit in front of the fire looking sad. I recall noticing it first at about the age of seven. She looked so sad, I felt she needed a hug. I went to hug her when Grandfather Lucius stopped me. 'She's having a private moment with your grandfather. We allow her this each year.' As I got older, I understood I was viewing love in that moment each year. I can only hope for love like that. Today, I ask that you remember my grandmother in one of two ways; by looking for, finding, and being inspired to treasure your great love, or by protecting someone who can't protect or speak for themselves."

I watched the scenes from above and was filled with pride. My grandson did very well.

"Did you really worry I wouldn't be waiting for you?" that rich voice I waited fifty years to hear said to me. "I'm glad you took your time, but I would have waited a million years for you!"

I smiled at him. "Are you alright with how I told your story?"

"I always enjoyed your writing. There's someone else who has been waiting to see you."

I looked over and saw Lucius standing a ways back, smiling at me. "I want my time with you! He understands."

Thank you for taking the time to read mt work. The general idea of giving Severus a happy ending has been in my head for years, just like the idea of Lucius ego and attitude bitting him in the ass. Blending the ideas work well I think. Please tell me what you think!