A/N: We've officially reached the end of this journey. ❤️ I hope you enjoy this little glimpse into what life is like for Draco and his family ten years on.

CW: Strong, Crude Language

"They're all staring."

Sebastien sighed and tightened his hold on Naevia's hand. Draco looked around and, yes, everyone was staring. The sun was high in the sky as afternoon auditions for the Appleby Arrows would soon begin. They weren't Scarlett's first choice, but the Harpies were only looking for reserves and a Seeker. If Scarlett had proved anything throughout her young life, it was that she would not sit on the sidelines.

Sebastien groaned, "Literally, everyone is staring at us."

"Ease up, Seb," chided Draco. "Everyone else's families are here, it's just that ours is a bit bigger than theirs."

"A bit? There's thirteen of us! We take up nearly two rows!"

Right, well … There wasn't any denying that. Hermione and Sebastien were next to each other. Their bond never really disappeared as Seb got older, it just morphed into something new. Mentorship, as Hermione called it. Bastien was there as well, up in the row behind with Padma. Theo and Tracey were back with them, half-excited and half terrified she wouldn't make the team. (Trace's exact words were, "She's shit at maths; she'll never make it business. Scarlett doesn't have a fallback career." Naevia pointed out that Scarlett had actually made the National Ballet, but that wasn't what Tracey needed to hear right then.)

Blaise was with them, Scorpius at his side, while Dean was at Draco's right. Further to the right were Gabriel and Romilda, who began cheering the moment all the hopefuls stepped onto the pitch. Romi stood up and sing-songed,

"She's great, she's hot, she's Scarlett fucking Nott! She's everything you want, it's Scarlett fucking Nott!"

Gabe leaned over and explained, "Her parents are mad football fans. You should've heard her first version. There were verses."

Draco snickered and Sebastien let his head fall into his hands. Just to spite him, Draco, Dean, Gabriel, Bastien, Tracey, and even Naevia stood up to join Romi in her next round.

"SHE'S GREAT, SHE'S HOT, SHE'S SCARLETT FUCKING NOTT! SHE'S EVERYTHING YOU WANT, IT'S SCARLETT FUCKING NOTT!"

Scarlett turned to face them with a massive grin on her face and pumped her fist in the air. Even all the way up in the stands they could hear her shout,

"HELL YEAH!"

They all clapped and sat back down. Dean nudged Draco with his shoulder and said,

"You know she's got this. Scarlett could make it to the team even if she was blindfolded on a Nimbus 1987."

"I know, mate. I know, but it's …" Draco huffed. "I've been teaching her for seventeen bloody years. I snuck her out on her first broom before Theo and Tracey even knew about it. They bought her a broom on her fifth birthday and just thought she had natural talent. Which she does, of course, but I'd been helping her along for three years by then. I've been building her up to this for so long and now it's here. I am proud but at the same time I am worried as all fucking hell."

"Makes sense. You would do a decent job coaching."

"I'm not good enough to make a Quidditch player out of Scorp, though."

"Oi!" Blaise shouted. "Don't talk shit about my protégé, Draco."

"Sorry, mate. When I asked for my son to be good at Quidditch, the powers that be must've heard 'good in the kitchen.' Easy mistake, I completely understand. He'll be cooking quiches for all the cute boys in no time."

"Oh, God," Dean sighed. "Now you've done it."

"You don't cook a quiche, dad!" Scorpius insisted. "You bake it."

"With love, right?" asked Draco.

Scorpius replied, "Just like everything else."

"That's my boy. What's Uncle Blaise teaching you this week?"

Blaise answered, "Zabaglione."

To which Scorpius replied, "Gesundheit."

Draco gave him a high-five then returned his attention to the pitch, where Scarlett was hovering a few metres off the ground. Just as the official was about to blow the whistle, Hermione grabbed Draco's hand and twined their fingers together.

"She's got this."

"I know." Draco squeezed her hand. "But I look at her right now and—"

The shrill cry of the whistle sounded across the pitch and drills began. Each of the Chaser hopefuls was timed on various skills for several minutes, zipping about. One poor bloke failed to dodge a Bludger and was knocked off his broom. And, subsequently, out of auditions.

Romi sighed heavily and clapped.

"You know that's Scarlett's one weakness. She has such a focus that sometimes she fails to see the Bludger until it's too late. I'm happy it wasn't her."

Draco squeezed Hermione's hand again.

"I look at Scarlett out there and I see so much of me in her, you know? Perhaps if there wasn't a massive war, then a second war, and I hadn't been tried for war crimes and you hadn't needed to save the world—"

"Do get on with it," Hermione teased.

"Maybe that would've been me twenty years ago. The universe kept it from me, and I don't want it to keep Scarlett's dreams from her, either."

"Hey," Hermione insisted, "I think you ended up okay."

"Oh, please, you are the best thing that's ever happened to me. Not everyone has a wife with two Order of Merlin First Class commendations. One's a bloody party favour compared to you."

Hermione blushed.

"Stop it."

"Scorpius will be cooking for us in our old age, so we also made a wise investment there."

"Quiche, apparently."

Draco didn't let go of Hermione's hand for the rest of the tryout. It lasted an hour in the blistering sun. By the time they arrived at the last drill, only three participants remained. Each of them was given five chances to throw a Quaffle at the centre hoop. Whomever scored the most goals would get the open Chaser spot.

Draco swallowed thickly and admitted, "I might vomit."

"I'm so nervous." Sebastien groaned. "I dunno if I can handle this. She's got to get it, right?"

Naevia grinned and said, "I think I know what can help ease your nerves, Seb."

"Let's have it, then."

"Right, if Scarlett scores five goals then I think you should ask me to marry you."

Sebastien frowned.

"Now?"

"No, not now, but …" Naevia shrugged. "Soon. If Scarlett scores five goals, you ask me to marry you within the month."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Okay." Sebastien smiled, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. "Did you just ask me to ask you to marry me?"

"I think I did."

"Then this is officially the best day of my life."

Padma playfully whacked Bastien on the shoulder and said, "See? She just asked Seb to marry her. It's not that weird."

"AYE!"

Shouts and claps rang out from a family a bit further down the pitch. The first participant scored his fourth and final goal. Draco glanced over at Scarlett who offered him polite, genuine claps. He shook his head; he'd been that cocky once. The next young bloke missed two goals and was eliminated. His family didn't seem too disappointed since he'd make the reserves.

Scarlett scored the first goal, and it only made Draco even more nervous. Dean leaned over and reminded him to,

"Breathe."

"Right."

Scarlett scored the second goal.

Their section clapped politely. Romilda shouted,

"You can do it!"

Everyone held their breath until Scarlett scored the third goal. Draco nodded to himself.

"This is good. This is good, just one more to guarantee a second round."

Theo replied, "You know damn well Scarlett isn't playing for a second round."

"She never does."

Scarlett barely scored the fourth goal as it hit the inside of the ring and nearly bounced out. It fell through and Scarlett pumped her fist. She pushed flyaway hair out of her face and flew back to the starting point. Romilda stood up, cupped her hands around her mouth, and shouted,

"IF YOU SCORE THIS NEXT GOAL, SEB WILL PROPOSE TO NAEVIA!"

Their entire section glanced over to Seb, then back to Scarlett. She caught Naevia's gaze and winked. Right on cue, the whistle sounded and Scarlett zoomed toward the hoop, threw the Quaffle, and it sailed through with ease.

"Oh my God," mumbled Draco. "She fucking did it."

They stood up and shouted as one unit.

"SHE'S GREAT, SHE'S HOT, SHE'S SCARLETT FUCKING NOTT! SHE'S EVERYTHING YOU WANT, IT'S SCARLETT FUCKING NOTT!"

"Again!"

"SHE'S GREAT, SHE'S HOT, SHE'S SCARLETT FUCKING NOTT! SHE'S EVERYTHING YOU WANT, IT'S SCARLETT FUCKING NOTT!"

"Wait," Bastien asked, "does this mean we have a real Quidditch player in the family?"

Naevia grinned and said, "Hell yes, we do! That's my best mate!"

Tracey was grinning from ear to ear.

"This means Scarlett can get her own flat. Sweet Merlin, both of them will be out of the house!"

There was so much chatter until Scarlett made her way up into the stands just before Seeker tryouts began. She was gorgeous, even with flyaway hairs plastered to her face and sweat soaking through the underarms of her robes. Theo asked,

"Scar, how are you feeling?"

"Great," she said. "Hot." She grinned and shouted, "Because I'm Scarlett fucking Nott!"

"OI!" Romilda said, "Once more!"

"SHE'S GREAT, SHE'S HOT, SHE'S SCARLETT FUCKING NOTT! SHE'S EVERYTHING YOU WANT, IT'S SCARLETT FUCKING NOTT!"

Scarlett worked her way through everyone, hugging and accepting congratulations. She saved Draco for last. Actually, she didn't hug him at all until everyone else was on the way out for a celebratory lunch-slash-dinner. Hermione raised her eyebrows, wordlessly asking if she needed to stay. Draco subtly shook his head and she followed the rest of their family out of the stands.

Draco opened his arms and Scarlett hugged him around his waist, hard enough to hurt. Draco hugged her around the shoulders and said,

"I am so proud of you."

"I always wanted this." Scarlett sniffled. "Even before I knew I did, I wanted it so badly. I wouldn't be here without you."

"You might've been."

"No, dad would've been a shit coach."

"Yes," conceded Draco. "But you've always been a little girl who can fly. You may be less little now, but you fly better than ever, Scar."

"I know. You're the best godfather ever."

"And you are Scarlett fucking Nott."

"Wouldn't be without you."

"Yes," Draco insisted, "you would be. I mean it, Scarlett, I am so proud of you. You're a real Quidditch player, now."

She pulled back just far enough to look Draco in the eyes. She'd managed not to cry, but her eyes were glassy with unshed happy tears.

"Can I show you something?"

"Of course."

She stepped back and stuffed her hand inside her robe. She found the tiny inner pocket and pulled out an old piece of parchment crumpled and torn around the edges. She offered it to Draco, who accepted it and gingerly unfolded it. His heart nearly fell out his bottom. It was one of his drawings he used to do for the twins when they were little. It was a dragon with orange wings and pink fire. The motion spell had worn off with time, but the fine lines and colours were still easily discernable.

"I've kept that on me every match I've ever played in."

Draco laughed and wiped his eyes.

"Why?"

"Because you drew that the day we met Hermione. That was the first day I ever remember seeing you happy. You smiled, and I don't remember much about being five except for that day. I figured this picture must be lucky."

"You have never needed luck."

"No, I just needed you to show me what I could be. I've never thought to be anything else because I never wanted to be anything else. Now I'm here, being it."

"Because you're Scarlett fucking Nott."

Scarlett looked Draco in the eyes to say, "You taught me how to love myself, even though everyone else doesn't understand why I am the way I am. If I didn't have you to look up to, I don't know where I would be right now, except that I sure as hell wouldn't be standing right here as a professional Chaser. I needed you every bit as much as I needed my mum and dad. I won this tryout for me, but I also won it for you."

"Thanks for saying that." Draco sniffled and folded the parchment along its well-worn seams. "You can have this back now."

"Keep it. Every time you look at it, remember that I am proud to be your goddaughter because you are Draco fucking Malfoy and nobody can take that away from you."

A/N: I hope that this story was worth the journey. ❤️ Thank you so much for making it to the end. Today is my 28th birthday and I'm happy to complete this story and this phase of my life while looking toward something I hope will be brighter. Thank you, again, for reading and I hope it helped you even a bit as much as writing this has helped me.