SUMMARY: What if Draco Malfoy had made different choices... A Hermione & Draco short story in three parts.

HGDM, HEA, a bit of angst and gruesome death, mostly fluffish, no warnings. No Beta, just overly edited by the L.O.O. (a-a-a-and edited AGAIN, 11 Jul 2021).

Anti-litigation Spell: Not my Universe, no financial gain made nor sought; anything you don't recognize is mine. OB-viously.

The Choices of Draco Malfoy

"In the end that was the choice you made, and it doesn't matter how hard

it was to make it. It matters that you did." ― Cassandra Clare

Choices -::- Part 1

It began after they escaped from the Fiendfyre in the Room of Requirement and crashed into the corridor beyond. Goyle pelted off down the hallway, but Draco disillusioned himself and, with no logical thought at all, decided to follow after Harry, Ron and Hermione. But not immediately.

It took him a few seconds to pull himself together after witnessing the death of Vincent Crabbe. Crabbe was someone he had grown up around and used shamefully, but he was never someone that he'd liked all that much. He knew that was irrelevant. It was still a terrifying way to die and a horrifying event to witness, even after what he'd had to endure at the Manor lately.

Chasing down the corridor after the trio, he came around the far corner at a run to witness one of the Weasley twins laughing with his brother. Then he noticed Rookwood. He was almost hidden beneath an arch, aiming his wand at the group, a spell just leaving his lips. Draco saw a blast of light, and air heading for the wall beyond the Gryffindor's and his grey eyes grew wide as fear clutched at his chest. Sliding to a stop, he threw out his wand arm and frantically screamed, "EVANESCO OMNINO!" causing a vast majority of the falling stones to disappear. Rookwood, enraged, thrust his wand in Draco's direction but, before a sound could cross his lips, Draco jerked him off his feet with a quick levicorpus and flung him out the opening in the castle wall. Augustus Rookwood fell to his death seven floors below.

Draco took a shaky breath, bent at the waist and placed his hands on his knees. "Good," he muttered grimly to himself. "That sick bastard was as vicious as Voldemort and more sadistic than his father. Or my Aunt Bellatrix."

The group amidst the rubble and dust quickly discovered that they had only minor injuries between them, and, as one, they turned towards Draco with dazed, surprised faces. Draco, standing back upright, was puzzled and looked down at his now visible self with consternation. And sighed.

"It appears that you've inadvertently dropped your disillusionment, Draco," said Hermione quietly with a small smile.

"Ah." he murmured. "Yes. I guess I did kind of lose my concentration there for a bit, Hermione..." He shrugged, returning her smile, but then a guilty look flashed across his pale face, and he looked down to the floor. He wondered if the remorse and shame he felt over her torture in his home would ever leave him.

"Malfoy...?!" Harry queried. He'd realized that the blond had tried to help them in the Room of Requirement but, honestly... He had just smiled. At Hermione, called her by her first name! And he'd definitely just saved Fred Weasley's life.

"What the bloody hell...?!" Ron said confusedly as he and Percy helped Fred to his feet.

"I'm..., I really need to go," Draco mumbled. "I'm looking for someone and I...," he trailed off, backing away. He shook his head, quickly disillusioning himself again and, giving Hermione one last glance, he ran past them down the corridor. He was around the corner before anyone could say another word.

Shortly after Draco had disappeared around the corner and down several flights of stairs, he slid to a stop again. A small Ravenclaw boy was lying in the corridor, and he appeared to be stupified. Remembering the partially blocked alcove that he'd just passed, he picked the boy up and stowed him there, behind the rubble and out of the way. He added a sticking charm and disillusioned him to keep him hidden, just in case he woke up; the boy was too young to be fighting in a war. After getting the lad tucked away, he glanced abstractedly out a nearby window, idly wondering how the young ones had managed to sneak back in. Movement in his peripheral caused him to turn, and he noticed Harry, Ron and Hermione coming into view, running towards the Whomping Willow. Scrambling for the closest door, he quickly followed. As Draco got closer to the trio, he saw them immobilize the tree and disappear into an opening hidden amongst the giant tree's roots. He wrapped himself in a silent muffliato and crawled into the space after them.

He watched as they came to a halt, hiding and peering into an opening in a cracked window. He became confused when Harry clamped his hand over Hermione's mouth to keep her from crying out. Moments later, he heard banging and thrashing and the muffled 'crack' of an apparition, then he quietly followed as the trio rush into what he realized must be the Shrieking Shack.

Draco was not prepared for what he saw when he finally stepped through the opening... His godfather, covered in blood but also bleeding..., memories? He was leaking memories that Harry was scooping into a large vial.

As Harry corked the vial and looked into his godfather's eyes, Draco couldn't help but choke out a stuttering whisper..., "S-Severus...?"

"Mal-" began Ron belligerently, raising his wand. But Harry, thinking quickly, reached over and lowered Ron's wand arm.

Harry looked at Draco thoughtfully and asked, "What are you doing here, Malfoy? Did you follow us...?"

"I..., yes, I-I don't know why, but..., but what happened to my uncle? Who did this?" he finished in a whisper, already guessing the answer.

"Voldemort was just here, and he set the snake on him...," Harry replied grimly.

"Nagini...," murmured Draco and began to search his pockets furiously.

"You guys, you should go," said Hermione. "Ron, find your family... Harry, you know what you have to do... And hurry! You don't have much time!"

"But you have to come, too, Hermione!" protested a whining Ron, rising to his feet.

"No, Ron..., I have to...," she trailed off. "I have to try and save him. I believe we owe him more than we know..."

"Like bloody hell we do-"

"Shut UP, Ron...," said Harry and Draco at the same time. They both quickly turned to stare at one another. And then, with a slight grin between them, Harry turned to leave, dragging Ron with him. Draco turned to kneel next to Severus, across from Hermione.

Hermione turned back to Draco and Severus after making sure that Harry and Ron had left. As she began searching through her bag, Draco quickly begins speaking to his godfather, and Hermione pauses to listen. He was explaining that he had an antivenin, one of his own creation, that he'd made using Nagini's milked venom. He'd stolen the venom from Voldemort's stores while the Dark Lord was abroad. It has never been tested, but...

Severus gives his godson a slight nod. However, as Draco begins to uncork the bottle, Hermione stays his hand.

Both men look at her with confused, shocked expressions. Draco grabbed her wrist, and in a harsh whisper, he muttered, "H-Hermione...?! We must! He'll die...! I can't let you-"

"You're misunderstanding me, Draco..., Sir... I would never! But, look at his throat. I don't think he'll be able to swallow..., let me heal it first," she murmured quickly. Draco blushed and nodded, snatching his hand away from her wrist, and Severus gave her a faint nod. He turned his head slightly towards Draco, giving her better access, all the while gritting his teeth. "I will need to touch you, S-Severus, I will tell you when and what I'm doing. Right now, I'm going to touch your throat to siphon as much blood and poison away as I can..." The Potions Master's eyes closed.

"Gods, Hermione, hurry! Please...! He doesn't have lon-"

She shushed him abruptly, never raising her eyes, as she finished cleaning the wounds. After severing off his cravat and slicing open his frock coat and shirt, she turned her wand so that she appeared to be holding a pencil. "I'm going to place my hand over your heart now, Severus. This healing spell requires physical contact." She didn't wait for a response but moved her hand from his throat to his chest. As her hand settled over his heart, her wand started moving over his injuries like she was writing an essay. "Venenum removere, respiro relaxum, sana sanus sanetur..., venenum removere, respiro relaxum, sana sanus sanetur..., venenum removere, respiro relaxum, sana sanus sanetur..."

Draco's eyes momentarily closed as he became lost in the soothing sound of her sing-song chanting. When he opened them again, she was looking directly at him, still chanting, and then she looked purposely at his hand.

"Now?" he whispered. Hermione nodded at him very, very slowly, and he understood. He lifted his godfather's head slightly, and, with great care, he slowly poured the antivenin into his mouth, tiny swallows at a time. Hermione continued her chanting as Severus shuddered.

"Venenum removere, respiro relaxum, sana sanus sanetur..."

When the bottle was empty and Hermione's chanting faded, Severus began trembling violently. Draco dropped the vial and grabbed one of Severus' hands with his own as Hermione grabbed the other with both of hers. Draco placed his free hand against the Potion's Master's chest, murmuring over and over, "Fight it, Uncle. Please don't leave, fight it, stay with me, stay..."

Finally, the seizures subsided, and Severus Snape took his first few deep, living breaths. Draco and Hermione loosed the headmaster's hands and grinned like monkeys at each other, both with tears in their eyes.

Hermione reached for her beaded bag and started pulling out vials and handing them to Draco, one after the other. "Here. This is an extra-strong blood replenishing potion; give him all of it. And you might need some dittany and a pepper-up, and here...," she said, pulling out a familiar amber bottle, uncorking it and taking a deep swallow before handing it over, "Is a butterbeer. You look like you could use a drink." She grinned as she wiped her eyes and then closed up her bag. "And, no, I do not have any firewhiskey in there," she smirked. Even Severus' lips turned up at the corner as Draco took a massive swig of butterbeer.

"Uncle? Would you care for a drink?"

And Severus, in a deep, raspy whisper, weakly replied, "I believe that I would, Draco. Your antivenin tasted like shite..."

Hermione and Draco chuckled and, as Draco pulled Severus into a sitting position, Hermione transfigured some empty wooden kegs into cushions to make him more comfortable. Then she picked up her bag and wand, standing to go.

"I-I have to go now, I need to find Harry and Ron, there are still things we need to finish..."

"Wait! Can't you-" started Draco, beginning to stand.

Before Hermione could answer, Severus spoke up. "No, Draco...," he rasped, "She cannot. There are things that need to be understood, to be completed. It will not be easy, Miss Granger, but you must stay strong. I have faith in..., well, two of you... And thank you, Miss Granger, that was an exceptional healing spell. I am in your debt."

"You're very welcome, Severus..." To which the Professor raised his eyebrows. She raised one back. "You are not my professor, and, as we are all adults here, I believe that you may call me Hermione," she said with a smirk. Then she turned towards Draco and continued, "And I believe that you can walk me to the door..." She reached for his hand, tugging him the rest of the way to his feet to stumble after her. Behind her, she heard Severus' rasping chuckle, "Bloody Gryffindor's..." As he starts to cough, she rolls her eyes.

Reaching the exit, Hermione turned and looked Draco in the eyes for a few seconds. Then she stepped into him, wrapped her arms around him, and lay her head on his chest. Draco froze. Then, taking a deep, shaky breath, he relaxed and wrapped his arms around her, laying his cheek against the top of her head. They just stood there for a few moments, or maybe for an eternity, before Hermione stepped back a little. Still holding him with one hand, she placed her palm against his cheek, forcing him to look at her. "Thank you, Draco, for..., for this and for Fred... Thank you very much," she whispers, leaning in to kiss his other cheek softly. "You'll stay with him? Take him where he wants to go?" Draco nodded mutely as he stared down into the soft brown eyes watching him from her gaunt, dirty face. She smiled and nodded as she turned to go after Harry and Ron. As she reached the door, she looked back at him over her shoulder. "Have you ever thought about becoming a Healer, Malfoy...?"

Then she flashed him her beautiful smile, stepped through the door and was gone.

Draco knew then, as he stood missing the warmth of her in his arms, that his very existence had changed immeasurably. He was confident that, whether his life ended today or 100 years from now, it would never be the same again

Severus, though weak, demanded that Draco take him to Spinner's End; he has potions there that will help with his recovery, and he truly wanted to be away from the castle. He dreaded being found by any Death Eaters as he knew they would take advantage of his weakened state. Draco complied, apparating them both to Severus' home and settled his uncle in his sitting room. He brought him his potions, and Severus tried to insist that he stay with him.

But Draco refused. "I need to go back, Uncle; I need to try and... I need to save my mother."

After a few moments, his uncle nodded once. "I understand, Draco...," Severus said hoarsely. "You may bring her here if you wish. The wards here are familial, old and very powerful. You will both be safe here with me... I swear to you. Your father, on the other hand..."

"My father...," Draco spat. "He will either face the wrath of the Dark Lord or receive the Dementor's Kiss in Azkaban. There is no escape for him. Nor should there be," he replied flatly. Severus studied the fierce look on his godson's face and nodded again.

As Draco turned to leave, Severus quietly spoke again. "She's right, you know..., Miss Granger, I mean. You would make a very competent healer, Draco."

Draco looked back over his shoulder and gave him a look of surprise. "I, well, thank you, Uncle..." He cleared his throat and straightened his shoulders. "I'll be back with my mother as soon as I can." And giving the weary Potions Master a small half-smile, he turned into apparition and was gone with a crack.

Choices -::- Part 2

Apparating to the gates of Hogwarts, Draco walked swiftly towards the castle. Because of the rubble-strewn path ahead, he cut across the green but abruptly halted, breath catching. He was sure that someone had just brushed past him.

"Who's there?" he asked harshly, between gritted teeth, swiftly pulling out his wand.

There was a long pause, and then Harry Potter's voice came out of the darkness. "It's Harry." Harry lifted the hood of his invisibility cloak, let Draco catch sight of him, then dropped it back into place.

Draco lowered his wand and almost laughed. "Of course, Potter, you would have an invisibility cloak... Explains quite a bit, actually..."

Harry snorted, "Yeah, I suppose it does, doesn't it... And it's Harry, Draco."

"Really...? Since when?" he asked with an arched brow.

"Since you saved Fred Weasley. And..., and Snape. I owe the Professor a lot, and I wanted to thank him..."

"Well, he's not dead, Harry, you ca-"

"Draco," said Harry, talking over him, "I need you to do something for me... Tell Sn-Severus that I'm sorry and tell him 'thank you' from me. Would you do that, please? It's essential that he-"

Draco suddenly, with blinding clarity, understood what was going on. "Potter!" he said sharply. "Where are Ron and Hermione?! Why aren't they with you? And where are you... Please tell me you are not going into the forest..., to meet him?! He'll KILL you!" he whispered fiercely.

"It's the way it has to be, Draco." He watched as the blond-haired young man gaped in his direction. He sighed. "I don't have a lot of time but..., do you know what a Horcrux is?"

Draco's eyes widened. "Yes," he whispered, frowning. "I do know what it is. I heard my father talking to someone at the Manor; I looked it up in our library. It's a terrible thing, despicable... I realized then that the Dark Lord must have made one, it was how he was able to come back, it had to be..."

"Altogether, he made seven Horcruxes, Draco." Harry watched as his old nemesis grasped the full horror of his statement. "He inadvertently created the last one the night he killed my parents; when he tried to kill me, and it didn't work. I was protected by my mother's love, as she had died to save me, and his avada rebounded onto him. In his destruction that last small piece of his soul latched onto the only other living thing in that house . . . "

"You..." Draco whispered.

"Me," said Harry. "So you see..."

Draco could almost see the person under the cloak shrug. "B-But, Harry... That is so wrong... There has to be another way!" He realized there were tears on his cheeks, and he just left them and shook his head. He looked up to where he thought Harry was standing. He realized that if Harry succeeded in what he was setting out to do, he would never get another chance to... "I'm sorry, Potter. Honestly..., for...for so many things, for this...," he trailed off.

"Thanks, Malfoy," and Draco could hear the grin in Harry's voice. "Will you tell Severus...?" After Draco's nod, he continued, "And there are a few other things..."

Draco snorted. "Really, Potter?" And, when Harry answered, Draco realized that he was already walking away.

"Snape's memories, they're in the Pensieve in Dumbledore's office; pretty sure he'd rather no one else saw them... And Draco? Take care of Hermione, would you? I think she's rather fond of you for some odd reason..."

"Wait, what?! Potter!" he hissed, "What are you on about...?" But the-boy-who-lived-to-annoy-him was no longer there, and his voice had disappeared into the gloom of the Forbidden Forest. Draco stared into the darkness for a moment before turning and starting back towards the castle, thinking hard. Circe's little piglets! What a panic this is going to cause. He sighed. That damn Harry Potter could be a bloody prat. He sincerely hoped that he knew what he was doing. "Bloody noble arsed Gryffindor's... Damn...," grumbled Draco sadly.

-:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:-

As he kept walking, he noticed several people with their wands lit searching the grounds. He decided that they must be seeking the injured and the dead. Approaching the castle, he came upon several large stones under a large hole in the castle wall. He heard groaning and a weak "Hello? Is anybody there?" Draco stopped, his heart slamming in his chest, even though the voice had sounded like a student's. He swiftly pulled out his wand. Stepping over to a boulder-sized stone, he cautiously peered around it, stopping in astonishment. Colin Creevey lay bloodied and dusty between two large stones, a smaller stone on one of his legs.

Draco crouched down. "Creevey! What are you doing here? I thought all of the younger students were sent away?!" Colin didn't answer readily and Draco realized he was warily eyeing his drawn wand. Draco lowered his wand, sighing. "I'm not here to hurt you, Colin. Just tell me what happened..."

"I..., I snuck back," Colin whispered guiltily. "I just wanted to help, to fight, like the rest of the D.A.! But I realized pretty fast that I probably shouldn't have...," his small voice all but faded away for a second, then picked back up again. "There was a man, a Death Eater, over there," he gestured. "He trapped me. He started to say the Avada and suddenly part of the wall blew out, up there," he whispered, pointing up. Draco looked up to the seventh floor to the gaping hole there. "I got bounced around a bit by these two big stones, and then the small one fell on my ankle. I think it's broken, hurts like mad... But after the stones fell, a man fell out, too! I'm pretty sure he landed on the Death Eater who was going to kill me. I..., I think they're still over there," he finished quietly, eyes round.

Draco stood. "Alright, Colin, I'm going to go check..., wait. Where's your wand?"

Colin groaned. "I think it's under that big stone," he pointed. "My dad's going to kill me! Wands are really expensive!" he said in a panic-y squeak.

"He's definitely not going to kill you, Colin, now wait here a second..." Draco held his wand up and carefully made his way around the stone on Colin's other side. "Lumos," he whispered.

And there they were. A large, flat stone had crushed the Death Eater's head, and Rookwood's head had been destroyed by a seven-floor drop. Draco noticed a wand lying next to his left foot, picked it up and made his way back to Colin. "They're both dead, Colin. They won't be attacking anyone else ever again. Here, take this," he said, handing the boy the extra wand. "This wand belonged to one of the Death Eaters. Since it wasn't won by anyone and they're dead, it may no longer hold any allegiance to him. It may need to be tested by the Ministry though, especially if they are unable to figure out who he was but, for now, you can use this until you get another."

"Cool! Thanks, Malfoy!" he said, happily, turning the wand over and over in his hand.

"It's Draco, Colin..., just Draco. Now, why don't you try a simple Lumos with that wand and I'll see if I can do something about your ankle so we can get you to the hospital wing." Colin easily lit the wand, and Draco lifted the smaller stone off his leg. After whispering a quick talus ferula, to bandage his ankle, he levitated him out from between the boulders and hoisted him onto his back.

The pair received many odd looks as they made their way to the Hospital Wing. Draco ignored most of them, only giving a small smile and a nod to Hermione when their eyes met across the room. Only Oliver Wood, who was coming down the stairs as they were going up, pulled a wand on him. Colin just smiled and waved, saying what he'd said to anyone else who attempted to stop them...

"I am fine, thanks, Draco is taking care of me"... The statement caused Draco to roll his eyes, of course, but at least there was someone who seemed pleased with him that evening. And he appreciated Colin's acceptance of him quite a lot if truth be told. When Wood put his wand away, Draco told him about the small stupefied Ravenclaw that he'd found in the passageway and where to find him.

"Uh, thanks, Malfoy...," he managed to mumble as Draco and Colin turned to finish their trek.

While he was getting Colin settled, he heard a commotion happening outside and ran down to the castle entrance with everyone else. He groaned as he saw Harry's inert body in Hagrid's arms and he watched with dismay as the jeering procession of Death Eaters came to a halt in front of the castle entrance. Voldemort began to speak, lies pouring out of his mouth, which rang out over the shocked and saddened crowd. He watched, horrified, as he forced Hagrid to lay Harry at his feet.

And then Voldemort spotted him. Draco cringed when he was summoned.

He froze, pondering the possibilities in his frantic mind. He heard his father screaming at him and his Aunt Bellatrix taunting him. He saw Voldemort waiting for him with that snake-like smile on his face. Then he saw her. His mother. She walked to the front of the group of Death Eaters and held out her arms to him, calling him gently. Draco sighed, knowing he could not save her unless she was near him, so he gritted his teeth, hung his head and went to her quietly. Voldemort praised him as his mother led him to the back of the group. When they came to a halt, Draco looked behind him and, seeing no one he soundlessly forced her back with him as far as he dared go. She did not struggle, nor did she utter a sound. She did not give him any resistance at all. When he was sure that no one was paying any attention to them, he quickly wrapped his arms around her and turned into the quietest apparition he could manage. Luckily, the Death Eaters had all started yelling and jeering again, so none were witness to their sudden disappearance. Only one witch saw them leave and she gave a small pleased, distracted smile through her tears, fiercely glad that they had managed to escape. Then she turned back to Voldemort, his Death Eaters, and the business at hand.

-:- Fin -:-

Author's Note:

Yes, it's true... I am an old woman who loves a happily-ever-after, and I also happen to be rather fond of a bit of epilogue, so I have included a rather outline-y one below. I wish that I'd had the inclination and patience to flesh this epilogue out, but I kept looking at the outline and moving on to other things. That is my lame excuse for mashing it all up here. I hope you enjoy it anyway!

-::- Mash-up Epilogue -::-

At Spinner's End, Narcissa tried to settle Severus, but he adamantly refused to take a sleeping draught until they knew the battle's outcome. He also knew how dangerous it would be for Draco to return to the fight, so he gave him access to his basement lab and convinced him to brew some necessary healing potions while pushing him to try and recreate his antivenin. Draco complied.

After a few hours of working in the lab, Narcissa insisted that they all take a break, and she brought some tea to the sitting room. During this time, a silvery otter patronus appeared with a message for the three of them.

"Draco, Narcissa and Severus... The war is over. Voldemort unknowingly destroyed the final Horcrux, which was in Harry, but he failed to kill Harry himself. Neville killed Nagini with Gryffindor's sword, and Harry defeated Voldemort with an expelliarmus because he had Draco's wand that he'd confiscated when we were at the Manor. Draco, your wand had become the Elder Wand when you disarmed Dumbledore. Harry has used the Elder wand to repair his own broken wand, and yours will be returned to you soon. Kingsley Shacklebolt has been made Interim Minister, and he is the only one who will know where to contact you. I hope this finds you all as well as can be expected... Please stay safe, stay where you are. If you need anything, send a patronus, and I will oblige. Yours, Hermione"

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as the otter faded, and Narcissa took Severus immediately to his bedroom. However, before taking the potions she offered, he sent a patronus to Minerva McGonagall. He was only slightly surprised to see that it had changed from a doe to a sleek raven. He instructed Minerva to view the memories that Potter had left in the pensieve in her office. If Kingsley Shacklebolt had been made Interim Minister of Magic, he should see them as well. He told her he would be grateful if the memories were then returned to him. When the message was sent, the potions were gratefully taken, and they pulled Severus easily into a deep, healing, dreamless sleep.

Narcissa and Draco decided to accept Severus' invitation to stay at Spinner's End with him; Narcissa deciding to nurse Severus through his lengthy but complete recovery. Hermione kept them up to date, sending a patronus to Draco several times over the following weeks.

Lucius Malfoy was captured after the battle as he attempted to sneak into the Forbidden Forest after the death of Tom Riddle. He was caught by Luna Lovegood, Hagrid and a young centaur called Rigel when they had gone to the forest to check on the thestrals and hippogriffs. Lucius was incarcerated and sent to Azkaban.

Minerva was made Headmistress of Hogwarts. She asked Severus to return, but he decidedly sent in his resignation. Arthur Weasley became Undersecretary to the Minister. Harry, Ron and a few other D.A. members are offered a chance to step into early Auror training, provided they can pass initial testing on their first attempt. Harry, Ron, Neville, Terry Boot and Ernie Macmillan all passed their tests with ease.

Narcissa and Draco decided together to turn themselves in, but Severus insisted that he arrange it. He owled Kingsley Shacklebolt and Harry Potter requesting that they, and they alone, apparate into Spinner's End so that Narcissa and Draco could turn themselves in, which they do.

Afterwards, Kingsley and Harry speak privately with Severus, and Kingsley himself pardons Narcissa and offers Draco ten years' probation in lieu of a trial. He would be acquitted after five years if he continued his education and has no arrests or infractions during that time. They both gratefully accept.

Draco and Hermione re-do their seventh year at Hogwarts and are top of their class. Draco is allowed to attend Chancellor's Healer Uni in Arizona with Hermione.

Severus and Narcissa fall in love and eventually marry. After she and Draco remove any authorized items worth keeping from the Manor, they gave the keys to the Ministry so that any dangerous artefacts could be removed and evidence could be collected. When the Ministry was through with Malfoy Manor, but before the death of Lucius, she and Draco agree to have the Manor destroyed. Seamus Finnegan's demolition company is hired to demolish it with a controlled burn of Fiendfyre. The property is then sold, and the Snape's purchase fifteen acres on the Isle of Wight. On the property are two brick and stone farmhouses and a stone barn. A two-acre swath of forest separates the farmhouses.

Severus and Narcissa move into the older, smaller four-bedroom farmhouse closer to the barn, which has been turned into a professional potions laboratory and library. The lab also has an attached, walled fruit, herb and vegetable garden. They add another walled garden, for flowers, behind the house for 'Cissa. Severus occasionally apprentices worthy Hogwarts graduates who want a Mastery in potions and runs his own potions company, Phoenix Pharmaceuticals.

The second, more significant farmhouse is given to Draco and Hermione as a wedding present. Draco enjoys living somewhere warmer, as he loved the weather in Arizona.

Lucius was in Azkaban for five years before he received the Dementor's Kiss, which, in turn, dissolved his marriage. He threatened Narcissa to find ways to stay his execution, and she did so for reasons of her own, with the agreement of the Minister. After three years, during the last time his wife and son visit him, Narcissa tells Lucius that she will be marrying Severus. She also notifies him that Draco has married Hermione Granger and come of age and inherited the Malfoy fortune. The last thing that she tells him is that she and Draco have had Malfoy Manor demolished and the property sold. She never forgives him for what he did to their family, but she never has to think of him again. Lucius spends his last two years in Azkaban in a rage, slowly going insane (even though very few Dementors are allowed to stay and guard specific areas of the prison). Lucius and the rest of Voldemort's inner circle are the last prisoners to be given the Dementor's Kiss. Afterwards, all Dementors are banished from the prison forever.

Narcissa reunites with Andromeda and nurses her through an extended illness, building a cottage for her on their property. Teddy is adopted by Harry and Ginerva Potter, who are frequent visitors, even after Andromeda's death.

Ginny Potter recognizes and rescues a beaten Pansy Parkinson whose father, at wand point, married her off to an evil bastard right after the war. Her father threatened to kill her younger sister and then herself if she attempted to refuse or escape. Two years after her marriage, Pansy secretly arranged with her older brother, Philo (who had gone into hiding with his muggle-born wife a few years earlier) to have their little sister, Ivy, 'kidnapped'. Pansy sent an owl to Ivy, asking to meet her in the garden gazebo and her brother, using polyjuice to look like his father, meets her instead. He stupefies her and apparates away with her in full view of his raging father. Pansy was beaten severely for this, which was when Ginny Potter came to her rescue. Narcissa offered Pansy the use of Andi's empty cottage. She accepts and eventually marries Ron Weasley and finds forgiveness, a real family and a proper home.

Draco and Hermione went to Healer Uni together in America, taking an accelerated two-year course. They come back to Apprentice under Severus for another year before they married. After their honeymoon, they went to work at St. Mungo's in different departments. Hermione starts in trauma then moves to Pediatrics. Draco works in the Magical Bugs ward, which treats magical ailments and diseases. He also works with Severus inventing new curative and healing potions and improving some of the old ones.

Draco and Hermione have six children, three sons and three daughters; the last two are a set of twins. None of them is named Scorpius, and two of them are adopted siblings and Muggle-born war orphans. Their names are Altair Phineas, Aquila Minerva, Miram Elizabeth and Michael Castleton, and twins Corvus Severus and Talitha Jean.

Narcissa becomes pregnant at the end of Draco and Hermione's second year at Uni, and a daughter is born during their apprenticeship with Severus. Her name is Andromeda Aurora. She has Severus' dark eyes and her mother's thick, wavy blond hair. Her mother calls her Andi; her father calls her his little Andi-ora, and her brother calls her my pesky little sister, the Bug. Andi calls her big brother 'Ra-a-aco.

Ron became an Auror for about five years to help round up war criminals. Then he played quidditch with the Chudley Cannons for six years. He married Pansy Parkinson and eventually became a flying and quidditch coach at Hogwarts, living in the village of Hogsmead and looking after the myriad of Weasley nieces and nephews while they attend Hogwarts. Pansy and Ron have three children, Rose Angelina, Ivy Ginerva and Harry Charles.

George Weasley, of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, marries Angelina Johnson. They have three children, Fred Arthur II, Fleur Roxanne and Kathryn Alicia, after her aunties.

Fred Weasley marries Katie Bell, and they have a quidditch team of red-haired children. They are Charles Theodore, Lilith Angelina, Devlin Percival, Anabet Memoir, Gideon Fabian and Chloe Katarina.

Lee Jordan bought into Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, going into business with Fred and George. He decided that a name change was unnecessary but had his own line of products sold exclusively through WWW. He and his wife, Alicia Spinnet, ran one of the new branches of WWW in Godric's Hollow. They had seven children, three of whom were also adopted, Muggle-born war orphans. Lee, Alicia and all of their children were happily adopted by all Weasley families.

Seamus Finnegan married his secretary, Colleen MacElroy, who also had a predilection for blowing things up. They had five children; two are twin boys who eventually go into the family business of Finnegan & Sons Dismantling & Expunging. Amazingly, Seamus manages not to blow himself up and lives a very long and happy life, minus only a few fingers and toes.

Dean Thomas, Seamus' best mate, marries Colleen MacElroy's twin sister, Caitlinn. Cait works in Magical Legal Services, and Dean works part-time with Seamus and part-time as a junior league Quidditch coach. Dean and Cait have four children, all born simultaneously to Seamus and Colleen's kids. All of the Finnegan/Thomas cousins go to Hogwarts together and, along with the Weasleys, pretty much make up the majority of Hogwart's four quidditch teams for the next ten years or so.

Colin and Dennis Creevey become Magical Literary and Photographic correspondents for The Quibbler and eventually buy the paper from Xenophilius Lovegood when he retires, about eight years after the war. The newspaper is still its whimsical self but becomes more and more respected for its truthful journalism and excellent photography as The Daily Prophet becomes less and less so. Xenophilius, who was never the same after the war, spent the rest of his days living with Luna and Rolf. He pottered about in his garden and work shed and played with his grandchildren. He occasionally travelled with Luna, Rolf and their children or wrote editorials for The Quibbler. The essays were rarely published, but he never noticed as he forgot about them as soon as they were sent.

A/N: Many thanks to one of the first readers of this story, Garnet, for pointing out my rather glaring Fred alive/dead error; it was very much appreciated - The L.O.O.