The Arrangement

Chapter 6: Nineteen Years Later

Draco Malfoy felt his whole body stiffen the moment he spotted the familiar brown hair in the crowd. He'd recognize her anywhere. Beside him, his wife Astoria was smoothing their Scorpius' hair nervously, unwilling to let him go off to Hogwarts just yet. His thoughts strayed to the muggle-born witch as she ushered before her a small red-headed girl towards the front of the train. Trailing behind her, Ron Weasley was admiring some black thing wrapped around a grinning Harry Potter's wrist.

"Oh Draco, I'll be back in a second; I need to pop over to the loo for a bit." Astoria gave her son a pointed look. "Don't you dare wander off, Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, you hear me?" When the blond boy nodded his understanding, she pushed him closer to his father and left. Scorpius fiddled with his new wand and tapped it on his trunk several times impatiently. The Hogwarts Express was not set to leave for another half hour and his father wasn't paying him any attention.

Draco barely registered what was happening around him as he took in the beautiful sight of Hermione's smile. It was at something her daughter had said, but it nonetheless took his breath away. He had forgotten in all their years apart that her smile had that effect on him. She was just as breathtaking as he remembered.

Their time trapped in the Valentine room was the last they had spoken. Heartbroken over Hermione and unable to be around her without falling apart, he had resigned from the Head Boy position and returned to his old Slytherin dorm for the remainder of the year. That idiot Cormac was promoted in his place. Draco stayed mostly to himself the rest of the year, completely ignoring Pansy and becoming the shell of the man he used to be. Her advances refused by Draco, she sought comfort in the arms of Blaise Zabini and was caught by the Lady Zabini a week after they left Hogwarts, who of course told Narcissa Malfoy. The Parkinson-Malfoy engagement was called off that same day.

After leaving Hogwarts with average grades and lacking the zest for life he once possessed, Draco had retreated into the Manor, refusing to see anyone but his mother. It was during one of his mother's weekly teas with her society ladies that he became reacquainted with her: Astoria Greengrass. It took years before he succumbed to her charms and after a few months of dating, they married. Draco had easily fallen back in to the lifestyle he enjoyed prior to his heartbreak at the hands of Hermione Granger, but never really managed to fill the void she left in his heart. Astoria was an amazing witch, he knew that, but she was no Hermione.

He couldn't hate Hermione for not loving him. He had been weak when it came to her; crying when he could not earn her affections back and threatening to plunge them into poverty often. Hermione needed a man, an equal, and he had not been that man nearing the end of their relationship. Draco gave a snort. But he was certainly more man than that blasted ugly Weasley that was for sure.

Draco watched as said Ugly Weasley kissed her on the cheek and left with Harry to greet their old friends across the platform. He recognized the woman next to Hermione as the She-Weasel and grinned, recalling the name he had called her during their Hogwarts years. He watched as she leaned over to Hermione and said something to her, taking her son in one hand and Hermione's daughter in the other and led them towards the train to load their things. Hermione picked up a little red-headed boy that bore an uncanny resemblance to Ron and turned in Draco's direction. He paled considerably when their eyes met.

He didn't know what to do. Though he was as handsome as ever and yes, he was wearing his finest robes that day; he couldn't help but feel insecure under her scrutiny. Merlin, she was exquisite.

"Who's that, Father?" Scorpius asked curiously, tip-toeing to get a better look.

Draco put a hand on his son's shoulder, his eyes never leaving the brown orbs of his first love. She sent him an uncertain smile and a small wave with her free hand. He gave her a nod in return. "Just an old friend, Son." He turned his focus back on his son and began to adjust the boy's robes. "Do I need to remind you of anything or give any speeches, or has your mother taken care of all that?"

"Mother's taken care of everything, Father, don't worry." His son gave him a smirk worthy of the Malfoy name and Draco cuffed his chin playfully.

Astoria reappeared at his side at that moment and began to fix her son's robes nervously. "Oh Merlin, I don't think I'm ready to send you off just yet!" She cried, throwing her arms around her only son.

Draco smiled at the sight of his blubbering wife and his mortified son. He was the luckiest man in the world to have them. Around him, parents began to load their children on to the train. He pulled out his old pocket watch to check the time and ran his thumb along the familiar emeralds along the face. He couldn't hold back his smile.

"Honestly Draco, I wish you'd use the pocket watch I bought you for your birthday last year. That dirty thing's so old I'm surprised it still functions!" Astoria scoffed at his pocket watch as she led their son toward the train.

Draco took a second to admire his beloved pocket watch. Using another was simply out of the question. "It was and always will be mine, Astoria. There's no replacing it." He called after her. Laughing, he pushed his son's things after his wife and son, not knowing that across the platform, a certain brown-haired witch's vision blurred with tears at the sight of the silver pocket watch in the hands of the man who will forever be in possession of her heart.

A/N: Well, there you have it: the end of The Arrangement. I'm sorry it took ages for me to finally get this up! University does a hell of a job keeping a girl busy. Thank you to everyone who reviewed and added this story to their favorites! I wish I could have had an ending where Draco and Hermione end up together for you all, but I assure you that they are very much happy with their lives as they are.