Chapter 20: The Truth About Happily Ever After

A/N- prompt used: [Quote] "That which we take for granted can so easily be taken away from us if we do not remain vigilant."
Word count- 523
Warnings- Character death

Draco couldn't sleep. Even if Scorpius didn't keep him awake at night with his cries, Draco would remain awake anyway. Because he was needed at her bedside. He had to keep an eye on her.

Every moment left with Astoria was precious. She wasn't really aware of her surroundings, in truth. The final stages of her curse had taken hold a few days ago and that stage was basically a coma. But Draco stayed by her side anyway.

He rubbed the pearl pendant she'd forced on him a month ago when things had started taking a turn for the worse. She made him promise to remember her whenever he saw it.

He didn't even hesitate with his oath.

Besides… as if he'd ever forget her, pearl pendant or not.

Draco hardly blinked while he watched her sleep. He figured the minute he let himself relax, she'd die. She'd die in the space between blinks and he wouldn't know what to do with himself. So he watched her like a hawk. He refused to look away. He would not break eye contact.

Vigilant was his middle name now.

Astoria died right before his eyes because he hadn't looked away… He should have looked away.

Her last stuttering breath broke his heart. He leaned over and tried to kiss the life back into her. That's how it worked in the fairytales. He was supposed to kiss her and she was supposed to open her eyes and heave a put-upon sigh.

He could picture it now; Astoria, opening her big blue eyes and smacking him in the arm multiple times. How dare you kiss an unconcious woman, Draco Malfoy, she'd say, an amused smile on her lips.

This wasn't how their story was supposed to go. This wasn't how it went for the mermaid prince Draco and the human farm-girl Astoria in his wife's old teenage fiction. They lived happily ever after, so why couldn't the universe have written wizard Draco and wizard Astoria a happy ending, too?

They had magic, for Merlin's sake! They were supposed to be able to fix anything!

But sometimes, when the surface has been broken, there was no going back under. The truth was, in real life, happily ever afters were simply remembering much happier beginnings.

Scorpius began crying in his bassinet.

"I'll be right there," called Draco, even though his son couldn't understand him.

He didn't get up right away. In fact, he didn't move for an endlessly long moment. Then Draco leaned over and brushed a lock of his wife's blond hair behind her ear. She looked peaceful.

He took a stuttered breath, rose from his seat, and finally tore his gaze away from Astoria. He closed his eyes, squeezed back tears, and opened them again. He strode to Scorpius's crib, gathered his son into his arms, and left the room to floo St. Mungo's Hospital.

Every move he made felt like an accomplishment, and despite the tragedy that had just occurred, Draco Malfoy felt a smile tug at corners of his mouth.

He could do this.

He could be the strongest man in the world.