CHAPTER 47

June 5th 2007

Hermione Granger stood back from pruning the gardens with her hands on her hips. For someone who did not have one care in the world for Herbology in school, she was quite proud of how far her planting skills had developed over the years. What was once the dried bushes that surrounded her grandmother's cottage, now stood a flourishing supply of colours.

Feeling the sun press down on the back of her summer dress, Hermione decided that perhaps it was best to head back inside. Draco probably needed help with dinner anyway. Stepping onto the old wooden porch, she caught a sneak peek of the blond through the back window, stirring a pot filled with his famous roasting gravy. Towel hanging over his shoulder as he focused on his precision.

"You know darling, it feels quite cruel letting you cook for all our friends on your birthday." Hermione smirked with crossed arms, leaning against the back door. "Are you sure you don't need any help?"

"Trust me. I find pleasure in proving to everyone that I am better than you at something." He levitated the pot back to the stove, letting it rest on a comfortable heat. "If the guilt is truly eating you up, think of it as a gift, allowing me to be the best for once."

Hermione sarcastically tapped her finger against her chin. "Now if I do that, what ever would I do with your actual gift?"

"You mean to tell me there is more than a shower shag AND a living room shag? I do not think that our new couch can handle another round, the leather is still hot."

"He doubts me?" She pretended to joke to no one. "6 years of nothing but daily shags and he still doubts my gifting abilities?"

"Purely because you have yet to prove me wrong. What else do I have to look forward to, baby?"

Ever since they had come home from St Mungos after Nott Manor, not a day had gone by where Draco did not call her by that pet name. It felt like a seal on their past life and new beginning for the two. Even if they were in an argument, neither had ever gone to bed frustrated. They were disgustingly happy.

"You will have to wait until after dinner, I'm afraid." She walked over to the smallest library they owned over by the floo mantel. Draco's painting of Hogwarts hanging above. "Can't risk our friends walking in when I hand it to you."

Draco charmed the utensils in the kitchen to take over as he came to join her. "You're a tease, you know that?"

"I have been told that once or twice."

He kissed the nook of her neck from behind, making her squirm like a teenager while hands massaged the scars along her back. Both of their wounds had healed moderately over time, but there were still traces of their traumas that could not fade with potions. Draco's vision impairment was noticed only by those who asked why his eyes were different colours, and when he milked it for attention. Other than that, it felt more like a symbol of their happy ending.

As she leant into his playfulness, Hermione's eyes scanned the collections of books that sat above the fireplace. Each one an edition of thank you notes from every one of her winning cases. Draco had a tradition of gifting her a journal every time her department was successful. She only hoped that her present could be just as heartfelt as his.

"The oddest thing happened at work yesterday." Hermione closed her eyes as she talked.

Draco continued to plant kisses on her neck and shoulders. "Yeah?"

"Trudy, the receptionist, said that she had moved all my appointments to further dates in order for me to enjoy my holiday. You wouldn't know anything about secretly booking us a holiday behind my back, would you?"

"I would have no clue what you are talking about, baby. I have a shop to run, we cannot go on a holiday."

His words spoke truth but the sarcastic tone that delivered them said something else.

Draco had left his role within the ministry a few years ago after feeling like their leadership positions were consuming both of their lives. Knowing Hermione loved her job too much to ever leave, he took it upon himself to open a small music and book store within Diagon Alley. It was small, but a beautiful crossing between the muggle and wizarding world. Just like them.

Pulling away from their embrace, Draco slid out a vinyl out from his ever growing collection. The sweet sound of a song that had become familiar in this house serenaded her ears. Do You Believe In Magic by The Lovin' Spoonful was an ironic song for a witch and wizard to adore, but it was special nonetheless.

Draco curled his arms around her waist with his chest against her back, swaying their bodies along to the beat of the music. "Dance with me." He purred into her ear. Even after all these years, the depth of his voice still had her toes curl.

There was no way she could refuse the offer. Turning around to waltz into the centre of the living room, Hermione twirled under Draco's arm. She laughed with unexplainable joy as they made a fool of themselves. His hands caressing the small of her back while they danced with no real rhythm and yet complete harmony. Her skirt swished with the music and the way he smiled at her was the most powerful magic she had ever known.

From the day that they moved into this cottage, dancing was not a rare hobby for the couple. Almost every week Draco would come home with a brand new album that he had discovered and seduced her into christening it with their love. The home was always filled with music. Laughter and music.

As the song faded and a new one introduced itself, Hermione did a final spin. Her cheeks hurt from smiling, but the ache soon dimmed the moment she stopped to see what Draco was doing. He was knelt just before her feet, holding a red velvet box that possessed a gift of a lifetime.

"What are you doing?" She gasped, eyes wide on the nervous boy below her.

Draco gave a breathy laugh. "Marry me, Hermione."

He was proposing. Her chest began to flutter faster than the wings of a snitch. Words rolled onto her tongue but they failed to escape. It was as if she was frozen in pure happiness, and still the corners of her mouth crept up to show a sparkling smile.

"I-I thought you weren't one for marriage." She stuttered.

"I wasn't…" He inched ever so much closer. "But you are."

It was true. Despite their relationship blossoming within the failings of her engagement to Ron, there was always a part of her soul that dreamed of getting married.

"Marry me, Hermione." Draco repeated his question, or statement more so. "Marry me, tonight."

"Tonight?" She partly yelled.

He looked at her every so coolly, as if there was a certainty to her answer. His famous grin came out to play to tease her like it always had. "The dinner party." She started to put the puzzle pieces together. "They were never coming for your birthday, were they?"

"No, baby." A glisten of pride flashed across his eyes, proud that he had pulled this off without her aid or interruption. "I want to marry you tonight. What do you say?"

Hermione choked on the glee that filled her entire body. "Yes." She nodded radically. "Yes, I will marry you!"

Leaping to his feet, Draco kissed her so fiercely that they fell onto the floor. The newly patterned rug she just bought broke their fall, leaving her to straddle him without a care.

"Wait!" She sat up on his hips. "I have to organise everything! I need a dress, I need-"

"Ginny has got it all sorted." He dragged her back down to lay on his chest. "Here let me put your ring on."

In the excitement of it all, Hermione had forgotten that he was offering a ring as well as a marriage. Both on the floor, Draco opened the velvet box again. Inside was a vintage marquise stone that sat on a gold band with smaller diamond details. It was breathtaking.

"Draco…" She gasped for the second time today. "It's stunning."

He placed the ring over her finger with ease. The band sizzled as it magically wrapped itself to fit perfectly. Her whole hand was burning with overwhelming love.

Hermione could not stop smiling, even when she leant down to kiss her new fiance. Draco slipped his tongue into her mouth, clearly not embarrassed at all by how hard he already was. Unfortunately, as he reached to pull the strings of her dress, a loud knock banged against the front door. They both groaned.

Giving Draco a second to calm down, Hermione took one for the team and opened the door. A line of guests headed up by Ginny Weasley waited in anticipation to see if she knew of the secretive plan. For the sake of answering all of their questions, Hermione simply raised her hand for all to see the ring. A beckoning of cheers and hollars yelled throughout her driveway.

"We're getting married!" She called out with euphoria.

Ginny and Harry congratulated her with tearful eyes and welcoming arms. Pansy Parkinson, now best friend, doing the exact same thing except a little more embarrassment over her emotions. Hermione and Ron hugged with all their might, squeezing as hard as they could to express their love for one another. As well as every other Weasley known to man. The collection of people coming for the wedding went on for another 20 minutes, and Hermione felt loved by every single one.

When she re-entered the living room, she walked in to find all the Weasley and Potter children climbing all over Draco. Their innocent giggles filled the air as he tickled, tossed and teased all eight of them. Harry, Ginny, Ron and Amelia were all weekly visitors to the cottage. The nieces and nephews loved their Aunty Hermione and Uncle Draco… but especially their Uncle Draco.

"Right!" Ginny bellowed to everyone inside and out. "All guests are to help set up outside while the bride and groom get ready! The wedding will commence in 1 hour! Wands out everyone, let's go!"

Hermione had no idea what was going on yet she wanted to cherish every single moment of tonight. Momentarily pulling the small children off his limbs, Draco came to hug her one last time.

"You can back out if you want." He asked, a tinge of anxiety behind his voice.

"Never." She kissed his cheek. "I am going to be Mrs Malfoy whether you like it or not."

They both cringed at the sound of her soon-to-be name, and laughed it off anyway. Neither of Draco's parents had really spoken to him over the past few years. Still, they knew they loved him, even if it was conditional.

"Hermione! Let's go!" Ginny demanded, halfway already down the hallway to the master bedroom. "I have to perform a miracle!"

Draco lifted her hand to his mouth, leaving a feather-like kiss on her knuckles. "I'll see you at the altar, Granger."

"I'll be the one in white."

Draco Malfoy stood at the altar with an unstoppable shake to his hands. His entire life he had always been known for his cool and collected nature, but right now as he waited for his future wife to walk down the aisle, there was no denying his jitters.

A hand clamped onto his shoulder, squeezing it slightly. "Nervous?" Potter asked, standing tall as his best man.

"Maybe." He anxiously chuckled. "I did throw this on her very suddenly. Should I have waited? What if she just said yes because I gave her no other option?"

Potter shook his head, giving a second squeeze to the pad of his suit. "You know she loves you. If anything, this wedding is about 5 years overdue, mate."

Draco nodded, sucking in a breath that puffed out his chest with a slither of doubt leaving his system. Everyone had done a marvelous job turning the back field into a wedding appropriate venue with an almost glass-like tent sat at the centre of the paddock, allowing the sunset and soon stars to shine over them. A long cream carpet led to the back porch as Hermione's well-kept gardens spread until they hit the last rows of seats. His suit was all black, and his hair had grown to a slight curl, just how she liked him.

As the sun hit the horizon, charmed instruments began to play a familiar tune of Come Rain or Come Shine. Everyone in the tent stood, and Draco felt as if his chest was going to implode. Curtains that hovered above the porch spread open and all of the nieces pitter pattered their way down with flower petals being thrown in every direction. Second was Pansy, who gave him a wink so subtle yet so comforting, holding flowers that were far too bright for her own taste. When Ginny entered, Potter whistled an inappropriate hollar. The humour of it put an ease to Draco's shaky hands.

Then finally, when the curtains were lifted by the beaks of small birds, a flutter of butterflies danced their way around a girl who looked like an angel. Draco brought a hand to his heart, feeling like his knees were going to bunkle out from under him. The smile Hermione had was just as beautiful as the off-the-shoulder white dress she wore. Her hair, elegantly wild, bounced under her veil with every step she took down that cream aisle. She was like the warmth of a sun breaking through dark clouds.

Draco didn't want to force the tears that trickled down his cheeks to stop, there was no shame in how much he was devoted to her. This was the birthday gift he could ever receive.

The birds that followed her steps, lifted the veil the moment she stood in front of him. Draco didn't know if he was breathing or not, he was so in awe.

"Hi." He greeted, wiping his cries away to take her hands into his. "You are so beautiful."

"Hello." She returned, grinning from ear to ear. "You look very handsome."

Kingsley was welcoming everyone, but Draco could barely hear a thing. Staring at her, it felt as if they were the only two people in the world. The Grangers soon collectively gave their daughter away, crying twice as hard as Draco had been.

With authority in his voice, Kingsley spoke words of wisdom over the couple. "Ladies and gentlemen, a great marriage is not the passion at the starting blocks but the passion at the end of their days when they are deeply and personally in love with each other. Draco, Hermione… remain passionate about each other. What you have now is simply the beginning not the peak. If you sacrificially love each other, then you will find a wealth of love towards one another that will continue to grow."

The crowd of friends and family all hummed in agreement.

"Now I know there was little notice for our bride." Kingsley joked, "But I have been told that the couple will be speaking personal vows. Draco…"

Within his trouser pocket, there was a piece of paper that possessed every over thought word he could think of. But looking at the witch before him, Draco knew exactly the right words to say.

"Hermione." He said shakily. "Everything I say to you tonight, I do not want to fall empty throughout our marriage. Know that I will spend the rest of my life endeavouring to come back to each one of these vows and keep working at them until my final breath. I promise that no matter the resistance we come across, I will never give up on you, on us, or our future. I promise to be vulnerable and honest with you, to support every insane idea you come up with. I promise to dream with you, to celebrate your wins and stay with you in your losses. I promise to lead and protect you at all costs, to lay down my life as we grow together. I promise to bring you tea every morning and cook for you every night. But most importantly, I vow to love you… unconditionally."

Her thumbs rubbed circles around his hands as he spoke, never breaking eye contact. Gentle tears dripped down to splash against their wrists. She sighed deeply in his final sentence.

Kingsley let out a joyous chuckle. "Wonderful… Now Hermione, your vows to Draco."

"Draco…" Her voice cracked, holding back cries. "I feel as if I have been crying over you for most of my life. It started with playground teasing and somewhere in between then and now it has become of how much we love one another."

The crowd laughed at the truth behind her words.

"As much as you hate to hear it, you are one of the bravest people I have ever had the privilege of knowing. You make me feel as if I am the most beautiful woman in the entire world, and like no dream is as far as it seems. I have read an endless supply of books in my life, and yet I still struggle to find the right words to tell you how much I appreciate you. I will never be able to repay you for what you have sacrificed for me, but I will spend the rest of my life trying. I vow to let you love me, to let you protect me, and to lead me. But most importantly, I vow to love you… unconditionally."

Electricity ran through Draco's veins. Fuck, he loved her. He was always going to love her. Kingsley needed to hurry this up, he couldn't resist not kissing her much longer.

"Draco, do you freely give yourself to Hermione to be her husband, to live together in the covenant of marriage? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honour and keep her, in sickness and in health? Forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?"

Without hesitation he said, "I do."

"And Hermione, do you freely give yourself to Draco to be his wife, to live together in the covenant of marriage? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honour and keep him, in sickness and in health? Forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?"

Without hesitation she said, "I do."

Clapping his hands together, Kingsley boomed to the audience. "Ladies and gentlemen, by the power vested in me by the Ministry of Magic, I now pronounce these two wonderful young people, husband and wife! Draco you may kiss your bride!"

There was no way to describe how Draco felt as he cupped his wife's face and kissed her greatly. Their smiles unable to be hidden within the touch of their lips, he swung her around in an old school kind of dip. Cheers echoed around the glassed tent, blessing them in their first kiss as a married couple.

Draco brought Hermione back up, and embraced her tightly. The world was within his arms, and he was never letting her go.

The glass-like tent was soon redecorated for a reception. Glowing butterflies danced across the sky as their source of light while all the guests drank and ate. Draco was grateful that he started cooking earlier in the day, there were several mouths to feed and he lived for every compliment that was given in return.

Everyone celebrated for hours on end. All of the nieces begged their Uncle for a dance under the moonlight, and there was no way he could deny their requests. Hermione took the time to thank every single person that was in attendance, ranging from family, co-workers to old professors. There were far too many glasses of champagne. That was proven by every single sloppy speech, and all of the Weasley's terrible dance moves.

Mr Granger gave Draco a stern talking to, the second one since he gave permission for Draco to marry his daughter and the fifth since they met. Mrs Granger was very handsy. They both welcomed him into their family with an open heart and loving arms.

Hermione looked heavenly in her gown. Draco found it hard to stop staring at her throughout the night, graving to take it off her once everyone left. They even showed everyone their dancing skills to multiple different songs.

Nearing the end, Draco needed a break from all the fun they were having. Hermione fell into his arms by the empty flute table.

"Do you want to go for a walk?" She yelled over the music. "Just you and me?"

He nodded, grabbing her hand and not so discreetly dragging her away from the tent. It was crystal clear on a starry night, the air still warm from the summer day. The witch and wizard walked with their fingers intertwined as the celebratory music faded in their distance.

"So… how do you feel, wifey?" He joked. "Are you enjoying tonight?"

Hermione wrapped his arm around her shoulders, their fingers still laced. "This has been the best night of my life. Thank you, Draco. It's everything I could have ever dreamt of."

He kissed the top of her head. "I'm glad. You should know how much you are loved. Not just by me, but by everyone in that tent."

"My heart is very full."

They walked in silence for a few steps, comfortable in their new status as husband and wife. Draco wished for this night to never end. If he could, he would take every memory and store it in a pensieve to watch over and over again every day.

"You know, I never got to give you your birthday gift." Hermione drawled.

"I am sure that can wait for the honeymoon, baby. As much as I love taking you in the middle of a field, I have a feeling one of the Potters is going to interrupt any minute now."

"That is not what I meant."

She stopped them in their stracks, uncurling herself from his arms to stand below his chin. Her eyes looked as if there was a reservoir ready to overflow at any given word.

"What is it?" He tucked a curl behind her ear. "What is this gift you are dying to give me?"

Hermione took a breath, and then smiled in a new way he had never seen before.

"I'm pregnant."

It was the words that were going to paralyse him. There was no better sound in the world than the one he just heard. A million different images flashed by his mind, and a thousand more questions followed them.

"Are you serious?" Was all that he could utter.

"I'm pregnant. Draco, we're having a baby girl."

A profuse amount of happiness jolted through his body. His hands fed themselves under her arms and spun her around at least three times before settling her back down on the grass.

"We're having a baby girl?!" He yelled, grabbing her jaw to kiss her over and over again. "Hermione, how is this even possible?"

"I don't know!" She laughed. "But four different healers confirmed it, so it is very much possible."

The wizard cried for what felt like the thousandth time that day, this time over a miracle he never thought he would see come to life. His witch was his wife, and now his witch was carrying his baby.

Draco picked her up by the back of her legs and sat her flowy dress on his hips. "Was this a nice birthday gift?" Hermione asked, pressing their foreheads together.

"This is the best gift I will ever receive. You can never top it. I love you. I love you unconditionally."

"I love you too. Unconditionally."

As the wedding guests continued to dance, the curly haired witch and blond wizard celebrated their new family for just a few minutes longer. Against all odds, they were both heroic and chased their happily ever after.

June 6th 2007

A soft tick from a grandfather clock filled the air of the dining room at Malfoy Manor as the withered hands of a tired mother stirred her tea, silver eyes scanning today's edition of the Daily Prophet. On the front page, bright white lights sporadically flashed over the faces of the magical world's newly married hero couple, Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger. Kissing as they are proudly announced husband and wife.

"Oh, how lovely." Mumbled the lady of the house, Narcissa Malfoy, evidently to herself. "You look so handsome, my son."

The echo of footsteps soon lifted her eyes from the page as the man who was the source of her fatigue entered the room, cane in hand.

"I see you've read today's paper." Lucius Malfoy spoke, with a tinge of curiosity lingering over his statement.

"Yes dear, I have. They still seem very much in love, would you like to read with me?"

"That is quite alright. I do not need to see it any more than I already have. I am sure Draco is happy with the life he has created for himself, even if it is without our approval." The elder blond gave her a pitiful look as he fiddled with the serpent cufflinks on his robes.

"Should we send them an owl? It seems unfair for us not to congratulate our son on his wedding day."

"I do not see the necessity. He made his decision, we do not need to change our ways because of his choices. But if you feel like you must… Ensure you send some money as a token of their celebration."

Narcissa doubted her husband's foundation in beliefs, continuously questioning whether they were worth being estranged from their son for the remainder of their life from said values. Lifting the precious tea cup to her red painted lips, sipping the now lukewarm tea, she thought of all the things she wishes she could have done differently. Hoping that one day, if given the opportunity, Draco could give her a second chance.

THE END