The Half-Blood Princess

Chapter 13

Over the next few days after the Battle of Godric's Hollow, Lucius, Narcissa, Severus, Gwen and Draco helped Kingsley Shacklebolt find and bring in the remaining Death Eaters that had fled.

Alecto Carrow, Crabbe, Goyle, Avery, Macnair, and Yaxley had been killed during the battle.

Dolohov, Rookwood, Jugson, Amycus Carrow, Selwyn, and Rowle had been knocked out during the battle and arrested.

Aurors found Mulciber hiding in an abandoned mill outside of London before his arrest.

Nott was found trying to ambush Gwen as she went into Diagon Alley. She managed to stun him before the Aurors came.

The Lestrange brothers were arrested when they tried to break into Malfoy Manor but the Malfoys and Aurors got to them first, stunning them before they were arrested.

Travers was arrested when he tried to kill Severus, but was stunned by Severus instead.

All of the Death Eaters that were arrested were tried and convicted of participating in the Battle of Godric's Hollow as Death Eaters and taken to Azkaban for life sentences.

The Malfoys and Snapes were all given clean slates for their defection from Voldemort and participation as Order members.

The Seventh Years took their NEWTS and graduated, with Gwen and Draco the top of the class. They received their diplomas from Severus with McGonagall looking on approvingly. She hugged Gwen to her when Gwen went to shake her hand. The after-ball was beautiful with everyone dancing and having a wonderful time after the pains of the last few years. Gwen and Draco danced most of the night, usually together, but sometimes interrupted by other students. Seamus Finnegan came up to Gwen when she went to get a drink. "I'm sorry for everything." He said quietly as he held his hand out.

"Thank you." Gwen took his hand, shook it, and gave him a brief hug before going back to Draco.

"What was that about with Finnegan?" Draco asked before taking a sip of the drink Gwen had brought him.

"He apologized for everything." Gwen said sipping her drink.

"Oh." Draco took a few more sips. "That was nice."

Gwen, Draco, and Narcissa planned the wedding in two weeks time. Gwen and Draco would be married in the Manor's garden with the reception to follow inside the Manor. They had invited their classmates and some other students, the entire faculty at Hogwarts, all of the Order and a few Ministry people.

The morning of the wedding dawned bright and sunny with a few clouds in the sky. Gwen took a quick bath, before Narcissa dried and styled Gwen's hair partway up into a clip. Gwen had chosen to wear her mother's wedding dress, which Narcissa helped her into and placed the veil atop her head. They smiled at each other as they put the final touches on Gwen's makeup. Gwen stood up and examined herself in the large mirror. The strapless dress was white with a skirt that poofed out but not so much to make it a hindrance. The only real embellishment of the dress was the cream-colored ribbon at the waist. Narcissa stood next to her looking at the two of them together.

"You look beautiful, Gwen." Narcissa said as a few tears spilled out of her eyes.

"Thanks Narcissa. I could never have done it without your help." Gwen told her hugging her tightly.

"You're welcome. I hope that it's perfect." Narcissa said wiping away the happy tears. There was a soft knock at the door as Severus came in dressed in his new dark green dress robes. He stopped at the door and took in how beautiful his little girl looked. His uncharacteristically beaming smile told her everything that she needed to know. Narcissa left to go attend the guests and make sure everyone was there before the ceremony was to begin. Severus sat down in a chair and Gwen walked over to him.

"Dad, is everything all right?" She asked him taking his hand.

He paused a moment. "Everything is wonderful. I was able to give you the future that I wanted for you and you are living it. You're about to marry a man that you love and I respect. You look so much like your mother right now and I could not ask for more." He said standing up and beaming at her.

"Thanks dad." She said smiling and hugging him tightly. Narcissa knocked and came back into the room.

"Everyone's ready." She said smiling at her soon-to-be daughter-in-law. Severus took her hand and they followed Narcissa out to the back door that led out to the garden. They stopped and Narcissa put the veil over Gwen's head and adjusted it so it looked perfectly. "Perfect." Narcissa whispered as she smiled. She went to take her seat next to Lucius, as Draco stood smiling next to Kingsley Shacklebolt, who was to officiate their wedding. Severus took one last look at her as he took her arm and placed it atop his. The violins began to play and they stepped outside, the white roses in her bouquet stirring in the slight breeze. All eyes were on her as she walked slowly, but confidently down the aisle, her eyes only on the man waiting at the dais. She smiled at him, her eyes meeting his, relieved to be able to not have to hide or lie or be anyone but herself.

Draco took a deep breath as Gwen stepped out with Severus. He was speechless at how beautiful she looked in her dress with the thin veil atop her head and bouquet in her hands, he remembered that this moment was the first of so many that he had fought for to remain pure and uncorrupted from Voldemort's influence. This moment with her was to be the first of many to come.

Gwen and Severus stopped at the dais. Severus placed her hand onto Draco's arm and took his seat. Gwen and Draco stood next to Kingsley who went through a brief speech about the hope for the future and the healing that has begun for the wizarding world. Once he finished the speech, he led Gwen and Draco through their vows.

"I, Draco Lucius Malfoy, take you, Gwen Mackenzie Snape, to be my wedded wife." Draco said placing the ring onto her ring finger.

"I, Gwen Mackenzie Snape, take you, Draco Lucius Malfoy, to be my wedded husband." Gwen said placing the ring onto his ring finger.

"By the power vested in me as Minister of Magic, I hereby pronounce you to be man and wife. You may kiss the bride." Kingsley spoke loudly and clearly. Draco pulled back Gwen's veil and they kissed passionately. They broke apart after a few seconds and smiled at each other before turning to everyone assembled.

"May I present Mr. and Mrs. Draco Malfoy." Kingsley said as everyone stood up, clapped, and cheered. They stepped down, walked down the aisle, and then stopped near the doorway to greet their guests.

An hour later, they were sitting in the formal dining room at the bridal table with their parents, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny, enjoying the dinner that was served. The band began playing as Gwen and Draco took to the dance floor and began a slow waltz. After their first dance together, they opened the floor up to everyone else and went around talking to their guests. After about a half-hour, Severus and Gwen had their father-daughter dance. Draco had a mother-son dance a few songs later. It was late when the party died down and Gwen and Draco were ready to head out to their honeymoon. They said good-bye to everyone and thanked them for coming before apperating to the resort in Fiji where they would be for the next month.

Disclaimer: Don't own anything but Gwen. JKR owns all other characters.

Author's Note:

FYI, Severus's comment about Gwen looking like her mother was not supposed to be creepy in any way, nor imply that he's her biological father, he's her adoptive father. Severus never had a thing for Gwen's mom either. I can't remember if I had previously mentioned this at all in the story, but here is a brief background to how she came to be raised by him. Severus knew both of Gwen's biological parents (Ian and Naomi Mackenzie) and was friends with them. They kept in touch throughout the years. When Naomi became pregnant with their first child, they wanted Severus to be the godfather. Gwen was born on 8 August 1980 at the Magical Animal Preserve in Algeria between the small towns of Bordj-Mokhtar and Silet in the desert where Naomi and Ian worked. Severus came to visit them with in a day or two after and was to stay a week before tragedy struck. While he was there, Naomi went off to handle a dragon that had recently come in and Ian followed her saying that she shouldn't go to mess with it so soon after having Gwen, when another dragon went on the rampage and killed both of them, leaving Gwen to Severus.

I'm winding down now and I still have a few more chapters in mind before I'm entirely done with the story. Any feedback that anyone cares to leave would be most appreciated! Do you love it or hate it up until this point? Or do you feel kinda "meh" about it? Feedback may be met with an exclusive story/drabble as means of a bribe!

I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter!

Thanks for any feedback/reviews!

DE : )