Chapter Sixteen

A Happy Family

Draco in a black suit and Joanne in a white dress leaned on the iron gate waiting for Hermione on a crisp April morning the wind restless as it blew their clothes and hair array.

Hermione in her white wedding dress knelt by her best friend's graves. She laid her roses on each of them, and kissed the tips of her fingers bringing them to the stones.

"Thank you for saving me from the troll. Pulling me out of the way the many times I was in danger of being hit by curses. Thanks for being my friends. Making me laugh and loosen up. I love you both. Always. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Draco sooner. But... I think you'd understand. At least you will now. I think you're looking down on us, seeing my husband and beautiful daughter. I wish you could be here to watch her grow up, but I'll have to settle for long distance. I love you."

She kissed the stones once more, and left, not for the last time, but for the one of many.

Her junior bridesmaid met her halfway taking her hand eagerly. "Are we on our way to the museum now, mum?"

She nodded. "Yes, Aunt Ginny's sure to be restless for us." Aunt Ginny... She smiled to herself. When she brought Joanne to the Burrow to meet them they immediately loved her even more. Hermione wasn't surprised, she was an easy child to love.

George taught her a few tricks, which she later rebuked him for when with a single explosion the two took out two recliners, and a few bricks out of the fireplace. Needless to say when they got home she confiscated any joke shop toys.

Ginny let her skim her broom on the ground, her hands on the handle the whole time... Keeping it upright...

It was Draco that Hermione worried about. The murder of their sons, their brothers. She asked them, and though they all seemed okay with the idea, she still worried. If any of the brothers were to lose their temper it would have been George, but she was surprised when Percy threw a bun at the back of his head before dinner, and Joanne without understanding the reason, laughed. It went a lot better than she thought, she had to admit. He survived, but made it clear that was the last dinner he was attending.

"Not to mention the other Weasley's." Draco held up a tiny cell phone before returning it to the inside pocket of his jacket. "If they make one more call..."

She smiled at his empty threat. "We're not late."

"That one, Greg -"

"George -"

"Thinks I'm holding you hostage," he finished paying no mind to her correction.

She slipped her hand in his. "Does it really matter? In a couple of hours time I'm going to be your very willing hostage forever."

He laughed, "right..."

"What would that make me," asked Joanne.

Hermione swung their arms between them. "I don't know..."

"How about prison guard," Draco jested.

When they came to a corner Hermione and him seeked out any spectators. When they were sure no one was watching them Draco bent to Joanne's ear.

"Do you want to disapparate?"

Her face lit up like the sun. Hermione's own personal ray.

They took each of her hands and turned on the spot. When they arrived in a private room of the museum upstairs Joanne was gasping for breath.

"Are you okay," Hermione asked her and saw Draco to the side also wheezing. She had gotten used to the tight almost unbearable feeling that apparition brought with it. "Sorry, that wasn't such a good idea."

Joanne shook her head quickly, a few trendles coming down from her elegant bun. "No, it was fun, mum! Can we do it again?"

Draco laughed, "my daughter," he exclaimed proudly.

"Our daughter," Hermione chastised him happily.

"Our daughter," he agreed as Hermione let her bun down to put it back into place with her wand. "We can do anything you'd like, Joanne. We can go flying."

Hermione's heart rammed against her rib cage. "Sure," she said dryly. She wasn't sure at all, but of course Draco would never let anything happen to her, and she would watch from the ground. Just in case.

"Go on," he told Joanne. "Tell the other's were here. Your mum will be out in a moment."

Joanne ran out the door, and Draco took her hands pulling her to him. He smiled. "Are you happy, Hermione?"

"Very." She pecked his lips. "Are you?"

"Beyond words." He glance to the door as if hearing something on the other side, perhaps Ginny fussing. He kissed her forehead. "I'll met you at the end of the aisle."

He slipped through the door, and Hermione took a deep breath her nerves only slightly frazzled.

The rest was in a blur. Ginny giving her "the talk," walking down the stairs with her oblivious father when the music began. Garlands snaked themselves around the railing as they came down matching their speed.

She felt eloquent, important as everyone stood and stared up at her. She hardly saw them, she only saw Draco at the end of the velvet green strip. She saw her daughter, her sister, her brother Theo who looked like there was a twitch in his eye with the way he was winking furiously at her. Her family.

It was a long eight years, but in a flash she had more than everything back. She had the love of her life, a daughter, the family she left behind. It seemed unfair, being repaid for foolishness, but why mess with fate when it was willing to make everyone happy, and she could see that - all of the beaming faces, only two missing that even on the happiest day of her life did she hurt for.

But they were there in spirit. She could see them in her mind's eye. Harry and Ron would be standing proud, glints in their eyes.

A tear fell from her own, and when Draco captured it with his thumb did she realize that she was there with him, everyone had sat down, and the Minister was speaking.

Eight years she was frozen. Finally her life was starting. There couldn't have been a better beginning.

A/N: As usual, thank all of you that has read and reviewed this story. I greatly enjoy reading your reactions.

This story was written to an inspired song, "Stay Close, Don't Go" by Secondhand Serenade, hence the title. Listening to that song made me write the first memory you see. It flowed from there.

There is another Draco/Hermione story in progress that I hope to be able to start posting soon, but not until it's finished in its entirety.

Thank you again.