A/N: First and foremost, please give my beta TigerAndDaisy love for the work on this chapter. She has decided for personal reasons that she can no longer work on this story, which I have taken as a sign to take a break from and consider the work complete. I will still continue to write the epilogue chapters I have promised, however, I do not know when thy will be published.
Draco paced outside the pensive, biting his knuckles as he stared down at the floor. If what Snape had told his father was true… then… Harry was the seventh and final Horcrux.
Harry was a Horcrux…
It would explain a great deal about Harry's abilities, such as why he could see into Voldemort's mind or why he could talk to snakes.
Raking his hands over his face, Draco was trying to wrap his head around what it all meant when Harry was expelled from the pensive.
"Hey," Draco whispered as he caught his friend before he could stumble to the ground.
"I…" Harry panted. "Give me a minute."
The two boys held each other in the silence of the office, their minds reeling with the information that had been shared with them through Lucius' death.
"It makes sense," Harry finally stated.
"What does?" Draco croaked out.
"The Prophecy. 'And either must die at the hand of the other, for neither can live while the other survives.' This is what my Prophecy was talking about," Harry revealed.
Draco blanched. "You…"
"I have to let Voldemort kill me."
"Harry, no!" Draco shook the dark-haired wizard's shoulders like he was trying to snap his friend out of this crazy idea. "This is insane!"
"Since when has anything in my life ever made sense?" Harry chuckled mirthlessly.
"That doesn't mean you need to head into the Forrest and… offer yourself up on a silver platter!"
"Don't you see! This is what Snape said in the memory. Voldemort has to be the one to kill me. It's the only way to get rid of the Horcrux," Harry insisted. He let out an unsteady breath before offering his wand to Draco. "Which means that I need you to kill the snake. Once she's taken care of, you can use this wand to defeat Voldemort. Just like what Ollivander said."
Two thick and silent tears fell down Draco's face as he stared at Harry's unwavering and steady eyes. "Do you realize what you are asking of me? That maybe… you are asking too much?"
Harry nodded. "I know… it's a lot to ask of my brother, but I trust you, Draco."
A gut-wrenching sob left Draco's mouth for the third time that night as he felt Harry's arms tighten around him. He held his friend close, trying to smell the familiar scent of grass and broom handle polish under the dirt and blood that coated Harry's clothes.
"I love you, Draco," Harry whispered. "Thank you for being a part of my self-made family."
"Harry…" Draco gasped just as Harry let go. He reached out with his arms, hoping to pull the dark-haired wizard back toward him, when Harry stood and shook his head.
"Will you tell everyone else? Especially Sirius and Remus? I can't… They'll try and stop me if I see them now," Harry explained as he pulled out the invisibility cloak.
Draco gulped. "Yes…"
Harry smiled one last time, looking down at Draco with love for his self-proclaimed brother, before disappearing under the cloak. Draco let the sobs and tears fall freely for a moment as he held onto Harry's wand and allowed the grief of what was to happen overtake him. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. After everything… Harry was supposed to get a happy ending. He was supposed to grow old with Luna and his friends and eventually help take care of Sirius and Remus when they could no longer walk. He was meant to have a happy and quiet life… not be a martyr for a megalomaniac!
After the door shut behind Harry's invisible form, Draco got up and wiped his face. He conjured a handkerchief and blew his nose before making his way to the Great Hall at a relentless pace. He passed so much stone and debris and struggled to breathe through the smoke as Professors were putting out literal fires left and right. Draco was almost to the bottom of the Grand Staircase when Hermione came out of the Great Hall with Ron on her heels.
"I'm just saying! They've been gone a long time," the redhead said.
"I know the hour is almost up, but Draco needs to see the memories," she retorted. Their bickering stopped when Draco came into view. Hermione threw her arms around his neck and pulled Draco down into a fierce hug while Ron watched patiently off to the side.
"Where's Harry?" Ron asked.
Hermione pulled back and froze when she saw the sight of Harry's wand in Draco's hands. "No," she whispered.
"What?" Ron stepped closer. "What is it?"
"Tell me it's not true," Hermione demanded in a broken voice as unshed tears formed in the corner of her eyes.
Draco nodded. "He told me to find the snake and kill it."
Hermione's hand shot to her mouth as a blood-curdling sob left her mouth. "I… had a theory for so long, but hoped. Hoped it…"
"Will someone tell me what is happening?" Sirius' voice boomed from the Entrance Hall. Remus and Andromeda flanked him on either side as they approached the young Gryffindors. "Where is Harry?"
Draco closed his eyes and braced himself to share with his cousin what he and Harry had just learned. He repeated what happened with Lucius and explained the memories that he and Harry viewed in the pensive in the Headmaster's office. The entire time, Sirius' and Remus' faces darkened before storming out of the castle.
"Sirius! Wait!" Draco called out.
"How could you?!" his cousin shouted. "How could you let Harry do this?!"
"Because he asked me to," Draco snapped.
"If he asked you to jump off the Astronomy Tower, would you?" Sirius retorted harshly. He picked something up off the ground and threw it towards Draco. Thanks to his quick Chaser reflexes, Draco caught the tattered cloth and cupped it to his chest. He looked down in surprise for a moment to see it was the Sorting Hat!
"Sirius! That's enough," Andromeda admonished. "Fighting amongst ourselves isn't going to solve anything."
Sirius huffed. "You're right. We need to get to Harry before it is too late."
"What's happened to Harry?" Luna asked. She had silently snuck up behind the rest of the crowd that had begun gathering in the courtyard, looking up at Sirius and Remus with a look of worry and concern.
"We don't have time to explain," Remus interjected. "We need…"
"Luna!" Neville called out. He stumbled forward and caught the blonde Ravenclaw before she could hit the ground. Her face had paled, and her eyes closed as she lay limply in Neville's arms.
"Her breathing is really shallow," Andromeda stated as she ran diagnostic charms over the girl's body. "It's… almost like she fainted."
"What's happening to her wrist?" Ginny pointed out.
Draco's mouth fell open as three black letters that had been disillusioned began to fade completely and bleed into her skin.
"Are those her soulmate initials that formed in the Department of Mysteries?" Draco asked Ginny.
To his surprise, the redhead didn't question him and nodded her answer. She tugged back her own sleeve and revealed her own set as proof to everyone else around her. "I don't know why they are fading."
Suddenly, Luna's eyes fluttered open, and she gasped for air.
"It's alright, dear," Andromeda soothed. "Steadying breaths."
"What happened?" Draco asked again.
Tears started flowing from Luna's eyes when Dean Thomas pointed out that someone was approaching from over the bridge. Whoever was left over from the first half of the battle started to gather in the courtyard and greet Voldemort with his followers.
"Who is that Hagrid is carrying?" Ginny asked.
Draco took notice of the half-giant being guided by two Death Eaters. Hagrid was in chains and, indeed, was carrying what looked like a body.
"NO!" Luna screamed. She fell to her knees and cupped her mouth while Voldemort laughed at her pain.
"Harry Potter is dead! He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself-"
"It's not true!" Hagrid yelled.
"Quiet, you oaf!" One of the Death Eaters shouted.
"We bring you his body as proof that your hero is gone," Voldemort finished.
Draco looked at the wizard with a hard stare, his right hand firmly entwined with Hermione's while his left hand continued to hold the Sorting Hat. Sirius and Remus had their wands clenched tightly while others looked upon the sight despondently.
"From this day forward, you put your faith in me," Voldemort drawled. He began pacing up and down the width of the courtyard, a snake-like smile on his face while Nagini slithered behind him. He kept repeating over and over that Harry was dead, getting the rest of the Death Eaters to laugh.
Draco suddenly felt the hat in his hands become heavy, like something had appeared inside. He looked down at it curiously when his eyes widened at the sight of a familiar goblin silver hilt with red rubies.
"And now is the time to declare yourself!" Voldemort held out his arms in a beckoning motion. "Come forward and join us. Or die."
Nobody moved. Draco looked over at Hermione, her face full of concern and worry. "Do you trust me," he whispered. He caught Ron's eye, giving his friend a silent look that told him he had a plan.
Hermione looked at him, confused for a moment, before nodding her head.
Draco returned his steely gaze to Voldemort before stepping forward and letting go of Hermione's hand.
"Draco, what are you…." Neville trailed off in shock as Draco approached the Dark Lord.
"You traitor!" Dean Thomas shouted, enticing others to jeer as Draco appeared to be a turncoat.
"Ah… Draco Malfoy," Voldemort drawled. "I must say… I hoped for better."
The crowd of Death Eaters laughed in his face, some even going so far as to taunt him for being as weak as Lucius. He scanned the crowd, finding his mother standing near Hagrid, who was cradling Harry like a parent would hold a child. The holly wood wand felt like it was burning a hole in Draco's back pocket, just itching to be reunited with its owner.
"I'd like to say something," Draco raised his voice so that it was loud and could clearly be heard across the courtyard.
Voldemort's smile instantly vanished as he sneered at the blond. "I'm sure we would all be fascinated hearing what you have to say."
"It doesn't matter that Harry's gone," Draco started when Nagini began to hiss at him. He ignored Seamus, who was booing him, and pushed forward with his speech. "People die every day. Friends. Family." He looked at Sirius and Remus with what he hoped conveyed a message they understood.
Get ready.
Nagini slowly started to advance, her tongue and eyes synched to Draco like she wanted him to be the prey, to be her next meal. She had already killed one Malfoy man that night. What was one more to satisfy her taste?
"Yeah, we lost Harry tonight, but he's still with us-" Draco raised his hand to point at his heart- "In here. And so is everyone we lost tonight. They didn't die in vain." He turned back to face Voldemort. "But you will."
Voldemort cackled. "And what makes you think that?"
"Because you're wrong. Harry's heart did, and always will, beat for us!"
There was a dramatic gasp from the crowd as Draco pulled the Sword of Gryffindor from the Sorting Hat just as the snake began to lunge towards the blond. He gripped the metal tightly, feeling a pulse of courage rush through his veins when he made eye contact with his intended target. Voldemort staggered back when Draco swung and cut Nagini's head off. The Dark Lord let out a visceral cry while black smoke emerged from the snake's skin. The last and final Horcrux was destroyed.
There was more cheering and applause at Draco's deception towards Voldemort, leaving the Death Eaters shocked and retreating in mass numbers. Bellatrix screamed at them, calling the deserters cowards before she began firing spells towards the crowd.
"Protego!" Ginny shouted at the same time Neville shot off a hex. The magic sliced through Bellatrix's arm, detaching it from the socket in her shoulder. The Gryffindor then threw a stunning jinx in her face, yelling, "This is for my parents."
Other smaller fights broke out, such as Molly Weasley killing Dolohov for taking her husband's life and Sirius going after the last in the Lestrange line. However, all this was quickly overshadowed by Harry disappearing from Hagrid's arms and running across the courtyard.
"Harry!'
"He's alive!"
"Merlin, we're saved!"
Draco reached into his back pocket and threw Harry's wand at him. The dark-haired wizard caught it in midair and aimed it towards Voldemort. The two locked into a deathly stare just as those remaining formed a dueling circle around Harry and Voldemort.
"You cannot win," the Dark Lord taunted. He growled and held up the Elder Wand.
Harry shook his head. "You won't be killing anyone else tonight, Tom."
Draco, Ron, and Hermione edged closer as Harry and Voldemort began circling each other.
"Don't you get it? I was ready to die to stop you from hurting these people."
"Yet you did not!" Voldemort spat. "No matter. A slight… error on my part."
"But I meant to!" Harry insisted. "And that's what did it. I've done what my mother did. They're protected from you and your followers. You can't torture them. You can't touch them."
"You dare-"
"Yes!" Harry hissed, gripping his wand tighter. "I do." There was a dramatic pause as Harry and Voldemort stopped moving. "Let's finish this the way we started, Tom. Together."
"Avada-"
"Expelliarmus!"
Volts of electric green and red flew out the tips of their respective wands, the currents clashing when met in the center. Draco was mesmerized by how they went back and forth, fighting for dominance over the other, hoping to overpower the other's spell.
"It's not too late, Tom! You can still end this with remorse!"
"It will end with your life!" Voldemort shouted.
The locked spells wavered for only a moment longer before Harry's magic began getting more assertive. The red of the stunning spell pushed back against the unforgivable curse, getting closer and closer to the tip of the Elder Wand.
For a split second, Draco saw Voldemort's eyes become wide with fear as he realized what was to be the outcome of this long-anticipated duel. There was a loud bang followed by a flash of white light as the spells canceled out. The Elder Wand shot into the air, and Voldemort fell back onto the ground. Dead.
Draco's eyes followed the wood's movement as it sailed right into Harry's hands. The dark-haired wizard clasped his fist around the death stick, holding it up triumphantly in the silence that followed Voldemort's demise.
It was so eerie that not even an owl hoot could be heard. No one dared to move as they stared at the body across the courtyard, waiting to see if he would spring to life. It was almost too good to be true.
Voldemort was gone.
They had won the war.
Harry moved first, his feet crunching over the gravel and rock as he approached Voldemort's body. He conjured a blanket and draped it over his lifeless form as a sign of respect. After that, two Aurors summoned a stretcher and removed the body from view. Once he was out of sight, everyone started to come out of their shock and return to normal. People cried and held one another through their grief and relief that this year of Hell had come to an end as they all moved back inside the Great Hall.
Draco started by assisting his aunt and Madam Pomfrey with various wounds and curses. He coordinated with Charlie Weasley and Viktor Krum to transport those more serious cases to London for treatment at St. Mungos before helping with superficial cuts and bruises. Occasionally, he would catch sight of his mother sitting with Molly Weasley. The two women were holding one another, both sharing a moment of understanding at having lost their husbands.
He turned to look at the entrance, where he saw Hermione passing out glasses of water. As if she sensed him watching her, she looked up from her task and met his eye with a wide smile. Hermione handed over the water ladle to Ron and began walking through the rubble towards Draco. He moved in time with her, finding that their steps brought them to the center of the room.
Not wasting any time, Hermione jumped into his arms and pulled Draco as humanly close as possible to her. They ignored the cat calls and whistles as tears flew from their eyes and desperate kisses were shared. For the first time, they could openly be together without fear and without judgment.
All too soon, Hermione pulled back and gently placed her hand on the side of his face. "I love you," she whispered.
Draco leaned his forehead against hers. "I love you, too."
"Alright, alright. If you guys are done being disgustingly in love for a second," Harry teased. Sirius and Remus removed themselves to come and hug Draco and Hermione before moving on to settle next to Molly and Narcissa.
Hermione interlaced her fingers with Draco's, and the two followed their friends onto the bridge outside Hogwarts. When they were alone, Harry held out the Elder Wand for them to see.
"Is that it then?" Ron's eyes widened.
"Yep," Harry said. He drummed it a few times against his arms. "It's the Elder Wand."
"Does that mean you are the owner now? Since you disarmed and killed Voldemort?" Draco asked. To his surprise, Harry nodded.
"How?! I thought Theo…."
"Was never really the owner," Harry explained.
"You mean…" Hermione trailed off as her mind began placing the pieces of the puzzle together. "Of course, in the original story. The first owner of the wand had his throat slit."
Harry nodded. "That's why it got the nickname the 'Death Stick,' because you had to kill the owner for the wand to belong to you truly."
"But Theo killed Dumbledore, doesn't that mean…"
Harry shook his head. "Dumbledore was never the true owner. He defeated Grindelwald, yes, but the man remained alive."
"Until Voldemort killed him," Ron pointed out. "Isn't that one of the visions you had back at Grimmauld?"
Harry nodded again.
"That means… Voldemort was the true owner of the Elder Wand all this time," Hermione gasped.
"And I defeated him with this wand-"Harry held up his holly wood- "Just like Dumbledore did the first time."
"Bloody hell!" Ron exclaimed.
Hermione chuckled. "The wand may choose the wizard, but it's the intent of the magic that drives the power."
Harry smiled at her. "Exactly. Because I was willing to die to ensure everyone else would survive, and because I chose to use disarming magic instead of harm, that's why I was able to overpower the Elder Wand."
"So, since you killed Voldemort and Voldemort killed Grindelwald, who was the true owner of the wand this entire time…" Draco trailed off when he saw Harry's knowing look.
"It's mine now."
"What are we going to do with it?" Ron asked with an excited gleam in his eye.
"We?!" Hermione stomped her foot in protest.
"That is the most powerful wand ever made!" Ron retorted. "Harry, you would be unstoppable."
Harry chuckled mirthlessly as he twirled the wand in his hand. "I think I've had enough invincibility to last at least ten lifetimes."
"At least the power won't pass on to someone unless they kill you," Draco pointed out. "So, does that mean if you died peacefully, the wand will die with you?"
Harry shrugged. "Guess I'm going to have to live and find out. For now…" He tucked the wand inside his jacket and made his way towards the Black Lake. "I can't think of a safer place than back inside Dumbledore's grave."
The four Gryffindors were preparing to make their way to the island, like a pilgrimage, when Draco suddenly stopped in his tracks.
"What is it?" Hermione asked.
Draco pointed to the sun peaking over the horizon of the castle. Some places were still simmering from the fire and destruction of the battle, but otherwise, it was a peaceful vision as the smoke began to clear.
"From my dream. 'And on the day when the air turns to ash, and the stone of the founders crumbles, a deadly duel shall strike the beginning of a better future and the rise of what was forgotten,'" Draco recited.
Hermione gasped. "It… came true…."
Draco nodded. "I'm not sure what the 'overheard conversation' is, but…."
Ron clasped him on the shoulder. "Hey, at this point, I don't think it really matters. We won!"
It took a little bit more magic than expected to get across the waters and onto the island, but the Gryffindors made it so that Harry could place the wand back in the grave. He looked at the man for a moment before muttering, "You were a right bastard. And yes, you made so many mistakes and were selfish to the very end, but I forgive you."
He stepped back and took Ron's hand, which in turn took Draco's, and then Draco took Hermione's. They held on to one another, taking a moment to realize that they were alive and together.
"So, what's next?" Ron asked, earning him laughs of pure joy from his friends.
In the following weeks, Draco found himself barely sleeping and trying to help where he could. The surviving Wizengamot members had initially nominated Sirius to hold the office of Minister temporarily. Still, he graciously declined and suggested Kingsley had more of a knack for politics. His nomination was passed unanimously.
Draco and his mother had buried his father in the family tomb during a small ceremony. Besides himself, it was attended by Hermione and Snape (who had been cleared of any charges based on McGonagall's testimony).
McGonagall had put a call out for anyone and everyone to help clean up the school, which Draco and Hermione promised to answer once they took a detour out of the country to revive her parents' memories. They were currently waiting inside the Ministry's travel office, waiting for someone to issue them a Portkey to Sydney.
"Hey," Draco assured as he squeezed her hand. "It's going to be fine. We will find them."
Hermione flashed him a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I know."
"Portkey to Australia!" the official called out. He beckoned the two young adults forward and motioned for them to place a finger on the chipped cup. "It should launch any moment now. Please arrange transportation back to the Ministry through the Oceania office once your trip is complete."
The man had barely finished his speech when Draco felt the swirl of magic suck him through the portal. He counted to five before he felt his body moving through and out the other side, forcing him to land roughly on a different marble floor.
"G'day, mates! Welcome to the Land Down Under!" someone who was entirely too cheerful greeted. "I'm just going to register your wands, and then you can be on your way. Word of advice, don't touch any of the wildlife. Chances are that it's deadly and will kill you!"
"I'm sorry, what?" Draco blinked.
Hermione leaned in and whispered, "Australia is notorious for having the most dangerous creatures in the world. Venomous spiders, deadly crocodiles, poisonous fish; you name it."
Draco gulped. "Charming."
Before long, they were freed and out on the streets of downtown Sydney. Though he could tell his girlfriend was nervous, Draco couldn't help but take in his surroundings. There was so much noise from the harbor and the many beautiful sights that he had seen in a travel book he read at the Grangers. He recognized the Sydney Harbor Bridge in the distance while they passed the path that would take them to the famous Sydney Opera House. Eventually, Draco turned to Hermione. "Do you want to find a hotel, or should we just start with the location?"
Hermione shook her head. "I want to find them as soon as possible."
Draco nodded and ducked her inside an alleyway. Together, they held their wands up, thinking about Richard and Kathryn Granger, and said, "Point me."
A magical arrow appeared, immediately taking them down a path and through many blocks across the city. Eventually, they found themselves in Haymarket, standing in front of a family dentist's practice.
Wilkins Family Dentistry
Hermione sighed. "This is it."
Draco looked between her and the office, but Hermione refused to move. "Love?"
"What if they hate me?" Hermione whispered.
He held both sides of her face, forcing her to look at him. Slowly, Draco leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips, hoping that his small movements provided her comfort and confidence when he pulled back and breathed against her mouth. "They could never. Your parents love you."
Eventually, Hermione nodded and discretely turned her wand towards the lock. "Alohamora," she said quietly, sending the door flying open. Carefully, they stepped inside the business, looking around at the modest waiting room.
"They have to be here," Hermione stated quietly. "The spell led us here for a reason."
They stopped talking when they heard the ceiling creak due to the sounds of footsteps.
"Must be coming from upstairs," Draco pointed out.
"Maybe we should say something, so they don't think we are intruders?" Hermione asked.
Draco shrugged, unsure of what to say. Hermione rolled her eyes and called out, "Hello! Is anyone here?"
The creaking sounds stopped for a moment and then resumed, getting louder and closer to the staircase. It didn't take long before Richard, or rather Wendell Wilkins came into view. He looked startled by their presence yet still approached Hermione and Draco like one would come up to a frightened cat.
"Sorry, but the practice is closed for the day," he said.
"Oh, um… sorry. The door was open," Hermione lied quickly, though Draco could tell it wasn't very convincing.
"Just do it, Love," Draco encouraged her.
She took a deep breath. "Right. Dad, I'm really sorry about this, but I promise you I'll explain everything once you have your memories back."
"What are you…."
"Finite Incantatem!"
Richard's eyes glassed over for a moment before eventually clearing. When the remnants of the spell vanished, he shook his head and blinked a few times like he was clearing his vision. "What the devil," he said as his eyes locked on his daughter. "What is going on, Hermione?"
"Oh, dad," Hermione choked out. Fresh tears streamed down her cheeks as she ran over and hugged her father tightly.
"Where are we? I have… it's like a strange dream. Your mother and I moved to Australia and…."
"Wendell? Wendell, who is it?" the voice of Kathryn, or Monica Wilkins in this case, called down.
"Darling, come see!" Richard hollered back, his voice overcome with confusion and emotion as Hermione refused to let go of him.
"What is… Oh, hello," Monica greeted uncertainly.
Without explanation, Draco held up his wand and restored her memories. Just like her husband, Kathryn's face went blank for a moment before eventually clearing. She, too, rolled her head and looked around at the people with a dazed expression.
"Hermione," she said slowly. "What's happened?"
"Oh, mum!" Hermione ran over and embraced Kathryn, clutching to her like she would fade away any second.
"Why don't we all go upstairs, and then you can explain everything," Richard suggested.
Hermione nodded her head and wiped her nose with the back of her sleeve.
Draco followed them upstairs to their tiny apartment above the shop. He decided to give the family some time to get reacquainted and made himself scarce on the balcony overlooking the city. He didn't know how long he sat outside until he heard the glass door slide open. Richard stepped out, his face puffy and red from tears that were undoubtedly shed after Hermione told them what had happened during the war.
"Son," Richard greeted.
Draco stood up. "Dr. Granger."
Surprisingly, Richard shook his head. "None of that nonsense. At this point, I think it's safe to assume you are family now."
Draco blinked. "What do you…."
"Hermione told us everything. Especially about what you did to try and protect her," Richard pointed down to his forearm, indicating the scars that he and Hermione shared after Bellatrix tortured them. To their disappointment, they did not go away after her death, but their color and pain faded significantly to the point that they no longer bothered either one of them.
"I was willing to die for her," Draco said softly.
Richard nodded. "She said the same thing."
A moment of silence passed between them before Richard reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small black box. "Anyone who is willing to go that far for my daughter has earned the right to marry her."
Draco was speechless as he accepted the ring box. With trembling fingers, he popped the lid open and looked down at the glistening ring in his palm. His breath caught as he felt a sense of déjà vu overcome him.
Nimble fingers trailed up his chest. The silver band and two sapphires flanking the Lozenge cut diamond sparkling in the sun like a star.
"This was her grandmother's engagement ring," Richard revealed. "I trust you will find a way to propose to my only daughter that doesn't involve making plans to sneak off and elope to a foreign country."
"No, Sir," Draco breathed out. "We promised each other we would have a proper wedding once we realized the war would end soon."
Richard nodded and patted Draco on the shoulder. "Good man. Now, why don't you hide that and come back inside? We're going to order something for dinner."
Draco blinked, realizing the sun was indeed setting and that he had been waiting for hours while Hermione and her parents caught up. He gave Richard a kind smile. "That sounds great."
Richard and Kathryn explained they needed some time to close their practice and move back to England, which wouldn't be too daunting considering Hermione and Draco could use magic to do most of the challenging things. Hermione revealed that the house was still there, waiting for them and that she offered to go early to get it situated prior to their arrival.
However, before leaving the Land Down Under, Draco decided he wanted to propose to her here. So, he asked Kathryn and Richard to give him some sights that he and Hermione could visit before ultimately ending it with the most romantic location they could think of.
They recommended touring the Sydney Opera house and going to the Australian Museum before getting lunch on the water. After that, Hermione could spend hours in the Green Square Library before ending the day at the Hornby Lighthouse.
"It will look so romantic with the sun setting over the water," Kathryn explained as she patted Draco's hand.
And so, Draco set out to do precisely that, except everything did not go to plan. The day started off fine when they reached the Opera House, only to find that half the stages were under renovation and would not permit guests to view them. Then when they tried to go to the Australian Museum, the exhibit Hermione was most excited about seeing was closed. Lunch was not a total bust, but the food wasn't anything to write home about. Honestly, the best part of the day was escaping the heat and getting to sit near the large glass windows of the Green Squire Library with books they picked out.
Hermione and Draco were reading so long that they almost missed the last bus to take them out to the lighthouse. However, Draco managed to get her there and up to the top just as the sun began dipping below the iridescent waterline.
"This is incredible, Draco! I can't even begin to describe…." She trailed off when she saw him kneeling in the reflection of the glass. Hermione spun around, a hand rising to her mouth as she stared down at Draco with shock. "What is…"
"Hermione," Draco started off before clearing his throat. "You have been my best friend since we were 11. We have done so much together that other people could only dream of. Between smuggling a dragon out of Hogwarts and helping defeat the darkest wizard of all time, I couldn't imagine doing any of those things with anyone else."
She was full-on crying as Draco took her hand.
"I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Going on adventures and changing the world. I love you and will always love you in this life and in every reincarnation to follow. Will you grant me the privilege of becoming your husband and marrying me?"
Hermione had no words and could not speak through her tears of joy. She emphatically nodded her head before holding out her left hand. Draco hadn't realized he had been crying until he slipped the ring on her finger and saw a tiny droplet escape from his cheek.
She pulled him to his feet and brought his face to crash into hers, aggressively claiming his mouth. It wasn't necessarily a clash of dominance, nor was it desperation, but rather a display of devotion to how much they loved each other. They had finally slowed their movements down, melting into sweet pecks when Draco moaned. "What time is it?"
Hermione checked her watch. "A quarter to seven."
"We need to go. Your parents are waiting for us at the restaurant," he revealed before grabbing her hand and guiding her down the spiral staircase.
Needless to say, it was the most perfect night of his life… even if they had to wait to celebrate properly until they were truly alone.
"Are you sure you have everything, my dragon?" Narcissa fretted. She adjusted Draco's robe and pretended to brush the dust off the shoulder before polishing the Head Boy badge over his breast.
"Mother, please," Draco groaned.
"I'm sorry. It's just…."
"Cissy!" Sirius teased. He placed an arm over Draco's mother's shoulder while trying to balance his daughter with the other arm. "The lad is a man. He will be fine."
"Congratulations again on making Head Boy, Draco," Remus said with a large smile. "We are all so proud of you."
Draco bowed his head. "Thank you, Remus."
"Just don't let that Head Girl boss you around. I hear she's quite a swot," Sirius winked.
"What's this I hear about a swot?" Hermione joked. She popped out of nowhere and interlaced her fingers through Draco's. He couldn't help but smile down at her while her Head Girl badged sparkled with pride.
Draco brought the back of her hand up to his lips, looking through hooded eyes with love and adoration. "I'm sure my fiancé will be perfectly cordial."
Hermione hummed. "We shall see."
Sirius let out a booming laugh. "Good thing Harry and Ron couldn't make it. Poor lads would have practically been sick from all the affection."
Draco and Hermione rolled their eyes. Any retort died on their lips as the train whistle blew, announcing its impending departure.
"You should hurry along and find a seat," Narcissa tutted. "Merlin, it's practically a miracle that McGonagall was able to get the school put together in time for September."
"She had a lot of help," Remus pointed out.
With final hugs and well wishes, Hermione and Draco boarded the Hogwarts Express for their 'eighth year.' They were looking forward to having a relaxing and average school year without worrying about someone trying to murder their best friend. Of course, it would be full of fun, responsibility, and studying. Their dreams had not changed, for they hoped to score enough NEWTS to go abroad and pursue their respective career paths.
Hermione was hoping to pursue a double mastery in Transfiguration and Care of Magical Creatures, while Draco was praying he got into a Healing program so that he could work with studying counter curses. Somewhere in there, they would plan a wedding and then come back to Britain to change the world.
"Feels a bit strange, doesn't it," Hermione commented as the train began to pull away.
Draco stopped in his tracks before gently cupping her face to give her a sweet kiss. "Not at all. In fact… it feels like home."