A/N: Here it is, the third and final installment of this short story. I hope you enjoy the outcome. I know this has been a bit morbid but...
I don't own anything.
She stared at the gravestone. At the words etched into the marble, and the white flowers, on the ground in front of it. Narcissus flowers, charmed to never wilt, very fitting for a Malfoy's headstone. Letting the meaning of it soak into her very skin. His death had turned her world upside down. The Ministry had of course gotten involved and there had been many who would have happily locked his killer away in Azkaban for the rest of his life. It was the perfect opportunity for Wizarding London to finally be rid of all Malfoy men, once and for all. It was debated heavily in the Wizengamot for 8 months.
Those 8 months had been absolutely horrible for her. She had cried endlessly, not knowing how to react. She knew their duel had been due to her, and for that she felt an unheard of amount of remorse. She had cursed herself for ever getting involved with Draco, that 8 month long nightmare would have never happened. She never would have felt the stress of waiting to know the verdict. Waiting to know if he would walk free or not. She had nightmares about it. She feared for herself more than anything. The outcome of that trial could mean many different things for her. It could mean the difference in a peaceful life, and being haunted. Eventually he had walked free. They called it self defense.
She continued to study the gravestone, as she sat upon the ground in front of it, picking at the slightly wilted grass. The air was getting cooler by the day. It would be Christmas before she knew it. It seemed like forever ago that he had died. She lived a happy life now, it had taken a while for things to return to any sort of normal for her, but eventually it had, and for that she was grateful.
"Mummy!" Hermione turned her head, and smiled at the sight of her husband, holding the hand of their daughter. The little four year old was Hermione in miniature, from her bright brown eyes to her curly brown hair. She let go of her father's hand and ran across the graveyard to her mother, being careful not to disturb any of the graves.
"I laid the flowers out, Mummy." Sophia Rose told her softly. "They look very beautiful."
"I'm sure they do dear. Grandmother is most likely very happy that you gave her flowers." Hermione told her daughter softly.
"Is Grandmother in heaven?" Sophia asked softly.
"Yes, Sophia. Your Grandmother is most definitely in heaven." Hermione smiled at the girl. Her grandmother's death was still a fresh wound, but Hermione was glad that Sophia was old enough to still hold on to some memories of her paternal grandmother. Hermione looked around the graveyard again, there were centuries upon centuries of purebloods laid to rest here. It was an old wizarding graveyard, many of the oldest families were all lain to rest here. The Weasleys, the Malfoys, the Blacks, the Prewetts, the Zabinis, the Notts, they all had lain family members to rest in this place, among many other families. It was a beautiful cemetary, in a rather eerie sort of way. All of the headstones were well taken care of, the flowers here never wilted. The walkways were lined with white stones, and there were white marble benches scattered throughout the place. Every time Hermione had been to this graveyard, she had been filled with an eerie sort of calm. She had come many times to look at his headstone, to read the words etched upon it, just to remind herself it wasn't a dream. She felt as if doing so made her appreciate what she now had. Sophia tugged on her mother's hand, hoping to drag her towards her father. Hermione smiled at her daughter and stood, brushing the creases out of her skirt before standing. She knew her husband understood why she always came to visit his final resting place. She turned to look at the words upon the headstone one last time.
Here Lies Lucius Hyperion Malfoy
"Death, is the end of Fear."
She had hated the inscription at first, she felt as if Draco had chosen it to mock the man. He probably had, but Hermione knew the words to be true. She hadn't feared for her life a single day since the man's death. The only hurtle left after that was keeping Draco out of prison. She had been so scared that she would be left all alone regardless, but after those 8 months of heavy debating, Draco's memories had shown that Lucius had died in a moment of self defense. Draco had gone to the Manor with every intention to kill him that night, but couldn't bring himself to murder his own father when it was all said and done.
Lucius had been outraged though, he had come at Draco furious, brandishing a knife that he kept hidden in the desk drawer of his study, Draco had struggled to defend himself when Lucius disarmed him, and in the end of their scuttle, Lucius had fallen upon his own weapon, not at quick as he had been in his younger days. The knife had entered a spot inches above his heart, puncturing a lung, no amount of magic could have saved him. Hermione was secretly glad. Hermione stood and followed Sophia to the spot where Draco was standing, smiling at her sadly.
"It's been over six years." He said. "Do you think mother would have rather been lain to rest next to her husband?"
"No, I don't." Hermione supplied simply, gazing in the direction of Narcissa's grave, surrounded by other members of the Black family. "I think Narcissa would have been glad to know she was lain in a place that will eventually be close to Andromeda." She smiled, thinking of her husband's mother. After Lucius's death, Narcissa had welcomed Hermione to the family with open arms. Anyone good enough for Draco was good enough for her. She had rebuilt a relationship with her sister Andromeda during the last two years of her life, they were the only two Black's left of their generation, and nobody was around anymore to discourage the two sisters from reuniting.
Draco picked Sophia up and she laid her head on his shoulder, it had been a tiring day and her little eyes were fluttering as she fought to stay awake. He smiled at Hermione and held out his free hand to her to hold as they walked out of the graveyard, he was just as in love with her as he had been 6 years ago, and they had a beautiful daughter to show for their love. But that wasn't all, they had the rest of their lives to spend together, with nothing else around to threaten their happiness. Draco stopped walking and pulled her to him, Sophia curled up between them as he bent his neck to put his forehead to hers.
"I will love you for the rest of my days, Hermione Malfoy, I promise you that." He told her sweetly, before placing a kiss on her forehead and continuing their departure.
A/N: So? :)
