Wednesday, 4 July, 08:00 HST, almost 6 years ago, ER day 1
Drew and Timothy stood in front of Dr. Wendy Watanabe, the Head of the Emergency Room at Queen's Medical Center. She handed both of them their call sheets for the day.
"Your official first day, Dr. Granger," the raven haired veteran doctor said, nodding at one doctor then the next, "Dr. Greene. Let's do some good work, alright."
The two recent graduates nodded at their supervisor and then nodded at each other. They smiled before going off to do their rounds.
o-o-o
Sunday, 20 May, 11:30 HST, almost 6 years ago, graduation
Wizarding family and friends convened at the beach house after the graduation ceremonies on the U.H. campus had ended. Draco and Hermione stood around the kitchen island as they ate and spoke with Narcissa, Dean, Luna, Harry, Ginny, Blaise, Pansy, Greg and Joanna. The adult children and their families also attended the celebration. Lucius and Phillip were conversing out on the porch with their feet in the water.
Aston was back in London, working as a sous-chef at the Podium Restaurant and Bar at the London Hilton on Park Lane. Aston had sent an early graduation gift via owl post; a golden and silver nameplate with "Dr. Drew Granger, M.D." embossed in black along with a box full of Baguio's baked goods from his father. He had video-chatted with her the night before while he was on his morning break.
Drew, still bedecked with lei, ate and conversed with Lauren and James and Harry and Blair. She introduced them to her fellow Medical School graduate Timothy Greene, who happened to be the prospective "new someone" in her life. They had been dating off and on for the past two months.
o-o-o
Phillip had taken a sip from his bottle of Heineken as he watched some of the guests swimming in the water. He had arrived on the 8 a.m. flight from Logan International to Inouye International and quickly drove to the University of Hawai'i campus where the Graduate students graduation had just started. He had bought a purple orchid lei on the way into the arena and patiently waited as the ceremony carried on. It was a full house, standing room only. He leaned against the concrete wall that housed the Circle of Honor plaques. When the Medical School graduates were recognized, he smiled. When Drew's name was called, he cheered.
When the ceremonies ended the graduates met up with their friends and families at the Les Murakami baseball stadium. There, the graduates were welcomed by their guests with lei and graduation gifts.
Phillip took in a breath as he saw Timothy and Drew standing side-by-side. Drew had told him about this new fellow. He was a doctor that was a part of her cohort who finally asked her out two months ago. She had welcomed him into their inner circle.
Phillip tried to put on a smile as he approached the gathering. Hermione and Draco were taking photos with their mobiles as the guests placed leis on their daughter. Narcissa and Lucius took a picture with their granddaughter. Junior, Hans and Heath also took a picture with Drew and Timothy.
"Hey," Phillip said as she pulled him into a hug. "Congratulations, Dr. Granger."
She laughed as he put the orchid lei around her neck. Her brother, Junior, nodded at the pair and snapped off a couple of photos with his mobile. "That's a keeper," Junior said showing the photo to the couple.
"Okay, let's head home," Drew said as the others nodded.
o-o-o
"So, how was the travel in, Phillip?" Mr. Lucius Malfoy asked as he took a sip from his beer bottle.
"It was long, Grandpa Lucius," Phillip said, as he addressed the old wizard the way Drew's grandparents had insisted since the children's first year of college, six years ago.
"Well, I'm sure she's appreciative of you taking time out to come. She said you're in some sports contest?" Lucius said.
Phillip laughed, "Yeah, my team's in the middle of the N.B.A. playoffs. We don't play again until Tuesday and don't practice until tomorrow, so I made sure I showed up."
Lucius nodded his head. He looked over at Drew and her new beau before turning back to Phillip. "I always thought you two would end up with each other."
Phillip coughed, almost choking on his beer. Lucius patted his back. "Uh, Drew and I are just very good friends, Grandpa Lucius. Besides, she seems enamored with the blonde fellow.
"It's kismet," he shrugged his shoulders, "what are the odds that another Squib would be a part of her graduating class."
"So true. But I guess, it's just as well," Lucius said. "Drew had mentioned a Reese?"
"She and I broke up six months ago," Phillip said, a little embarrassed. "We dated for a year and a half. We started seeing each other during our last year of undergraduate studies. It didn't work out in the Real World. She's doing well in Connecticut, though."
"Ah, well this would be a good time as any if you want to make your move," Lucius smiled, nodding towards his granddaughter.
"I don't," Phillip shook his head slowly, "I don't think I'm her type, Sir."
Lucius studied the young man. He turned to look at his granddaughter and the American Pureblood Squib. "I guess the stars never aligned for you two."
"I guess not. I'm not nerdy enough," he half-joked. The older man laughed.
"Well, you never know," the wizard said as he took a swig of his drink. "Opposites do sometimes attract. Case in point, her parents."
Phillip laughed. He looked over at the new couple. He could feel his chest clench. He turned back to her grandfather.
Lucius shrugged. "Alright, then," Lucius said, raising his bottle in a toast, "to what the future holds, may it be advantageous, prosperous and satisfying."
Phillip studied the older man, laughed and then clinked his bottle neck against the wizard's. They both gulped down the rest of their beer. Phillip nodded offering to grab another round. Lucius nodded and smiled as he watched the young man head towards the coolers. He looked over at his granddaughter again. 'It was too bad,' he thought to himself. He turned to watch his grandsons and their wives swimming in the ocean.
The wizened wizard smiled as he saw the new generation swimming before him. Junior's two-year-old son, Draco, III, swam toward his mother while the Thomases' two-year-old daughter, Diana swam next to him. He looked back towards Drew and then at Phillip who handed him another green bottle. 'Things will work out,' he thought to himself as he smiled at the young man, clinking the two bottle necks together.