Epilogue

It's through the shifting white mist of the Hogwarts Express that Draco knew he felt Harry's presence. There's nothing magical about how he knew, no more magical than hearing kids' excited whispers of his name as they run across the platform towards where Harry must be. He needn't turn his head with them, he knew Harry was there. At least, not yet- there's been years of waiting, so what's a little more? For now, he allowed his heart to swell with pride at the sight of his son, talking quietly to his mother, about Hogwarts, his owl, anything and everything; his face bore a smile so bright and pure, echoing the loving one of her mother's.

Draco looked up towards her, Astoria's eyes did not hide the parental sort of longing, of wanting to hold and let go at the same time, and beneath it all, there's so, so much love. For some reason his chest tightens. For the past years and years she's been his anchor, his harbor, and someone for whom he could be a harbor. For all fate's playing, he never thought he'd deserved Astoria. It pained him that he could never return her love in the same dimension and depth of profundity.

He put an arm around her waist, and buried his nose in the faint fragrance of her hair.

"Look at him, all grown up already," she whispered, putting a hand over his and watching their son excitedly trying to pull out his school robes, "it's like only yesterday when he was a one-year-old baby learning to say mama."

Ten years. Passing as though it's been a day.

"But 'Stori, for sure yesterday had been spent unpacking and repacking his things for the fourth time."

Astoria pushed him off playfully, and they both chuckled.

"Draco," she asked, "do you remember the day you first went to Hogwarts?"

Draco smiled, "I sure do." Of course he did. And there's only one person which the memory always lead to. Draco looked up and into the distance, towards the tail of the train-

There he was. Through the dancing mist, Harry stood with his and the Weasleys' family. The two couples, four old friends, merrily chatted away, as their kids surrounded them. They were all so full of happiness.

And Harry. He stood serenely among his friends, and seemed to be mostly listening. Draco could not help the smile pulling as his lips as he momentarily stared at Harry Potter with the rest of the kids around the platform and on the train. His muggle attire. His glasses resting firmly on his nose, his posture and presence hardened by auror days. His hand resting lightly on the shoulder of his son. And his son. It struck him how much the boy resembled Harry- the hair, the eyes, and the mixture of wonder and worry in those brilliant eyes. He looked back at his son, bearing his own blond hair, grey eyes, and pointed chin, he felt transported to all those years back.

Ron was the first to have spotted him.

"Look who it is."

A peculiar warmth washed over Harry. The sight of Draco, through the thinning mist, was as familiar as always, dark coat buttoned up to his throat, hairline pushed back by the years; yet notes of happiness echoed in the faint upturn of his lips, his gaze at his son.

When Draco looked up he'd have found the four of them staring back at him.

For a moment, their eyes locked.

Something shifted in Harry's heart.

But instead of pounding ocean waves or violent waterfalls, it's a small mountain stream under the leaves, flowing soothingly over his heart. Bursting passions were chiseled away by the pass of time; what's left is no supernova, just a steadily burning candle that will never be put out.

Absentmindedly, he pulled out the square of parchment from his pocket. Draco caught sight of it, and Harry knew something shifted in his eyes.

Before the mist thickened again, Draco nodded curtly at the four of them, and turned away. Harry thought he was to be disappointed at how quickly the moment ended, but there's no soft whisper of what might have been, no drift of heartstring with the dancing mist. He looked once last at the piece of parchment in his hand, and charmed it to fly towards Draco's direction.

When he looked down at Albus, Harry found his son's eyes locked with little Scorpius.

"What if I'm in Slytherin?" Albus whispered to Harry, at his moment of departure.

Harry smiled before crouching down to eye level in front of his son. Then this way it wouldn't be ten years before I see you again, Draco, Harry thought amusedly.

Later, as the Hogwarts Express left the station, a charmed parchment crane flew along, in the mist and the wind and the golden autumn sun.

~the end~