I apologize for the lateness, but now we are all settled in, back in NY. There are two more chapters after this one to come, which I should hopefully have up by the end of next week. Now, I know this a bit unusual for me, but my muse really wants to speak with you all about this story. So, please, hear her out...

My dear lovelies, I realized the other day while I was poking around in the mind of my author while she was sleeping, that I may have been a bit remiss. You see my darlings, I gave our dear writer only bits and pieces of the story and in her delusional state of packing and traveling, she forgot to ask about them.

Now, don't bring out the tomatoes yet as our poor author is still quite tired from her grueling trip across country and is at this moment ready to drop into her bed from exhaustion, although I must admit... that bed does look rather inviting.

You see, our dear writer has a one track mind and that track is usually centered on the man of her dreams, our divine Lucius Malfoy. She neglected to listen to the other voices in this story. Oh sure, she gave that Ronald his piece, but only because she felt bad for him. He is, after all, losing his wife, whom he does love very much. Our silly author wanted to show that he's not that bad and that he really is a good man, which we all know he truly is, despite some of his rather crude manners.

However, dear little typing rabbit neglected to give a voice to the one who has been clamoring for his part in the story to be told.

Of course this story is centered on our darlings, Lucius and Hermione and yes, Red as well... but our author forgot about Draco.

The poor lad was so distressed in the last chapter that I finally pinched our authors brain, rather mean if I must say, while she was taking a nap and forced her to get up and get out Draco's story. Because, after all... this is his story too, just as much as it is Lucius, Hermione and Ron's.

So, pull your tomatoes out after you finish reading as Lucius is not in this chapter, nor is his naked body...

Well, she's just too bloody nosey if you ask me! Silly muse! So... here's the chapter! Please review and sorry for the poor Scottish accent.

Awakening Memories

"Other things may change us, but we start and end with family."

~ Anthony Brandt

Chapter 3

Draco Malfoy was more than likely to be found at Wood's Pub every night at six o'clock. Since his old schoolmate owned the pub, he was assured to have his usual seat at the end of the bar and a tumbler with several fingers of Ogden's waiting for him before he could even hop on the leather-covered bar seat.

What had started out as a once a week trip to unwind from work, had gradually turned into his nightly routine. A very sad nightly routine, he thought as he lossened the tight knot of his tie so that he could breath. He didn't get drunk, that wouldn't be fitting for a Malfoy, but he did tend to get a good buzz. Just enough to take off the edge and let him forget, if only for a few hours, that his whole life was in shambles.

As he nursed his drink, he took in the people around him. There were kids that he had gone to school with, all of course now grown with their own families. He could pick out some of the men that had stayed neutral during the war and were now friends of his fathers. There were even a few goblins over from Gringott's. Merlin, they looked too happy. He hated them all.

"Ever think o' getting yourself a nice girlfriend, Malfoy?" Oliver Wood's voice cut through his people spotting, reminding him that he had a nice glass in front of him that needed to be drank down and quickly.

"I don't have the time." He responded plainly, although he was sure it sounded stiffand formal. "And if I did," he tried sounding more friendly, "I wouldn't be able to find one who would put up with my sorry arse."

The truth though, was much worse than that. He would like to find a girl, his girl to be exact. Maybe get married, pop out a couple Malfoy babies, but the truth was that he couldn't. He wasn't impotent or anything, he just seemed to have a block. Draco hated being honest with himself, but at this point now, it was unavoidable. He needed his father's life to be back on track before he could even start on his own. Until that happened, he was going to drown himself in low quality booze and dream about the good old days.

It still amazed him how Granger had moved herself into their lives. It seemed so quick, but so... fated, he supposed. With his mother gone, Granger just seemed to fill that void in their lives that had been left with his mother's passing.

He didn't kid himself and he knew that the marriage between his mother and father had never been a love match. They loved him unconditionally, but definitely not each other. When his mother had been fallen ill from the stress, he had been devastated, but he was also happy that she hadn't lived to see the hardships that their family had gone through. She didn't see the loss of respect, the traitorous label applied to their names, or feel the stain of a somewhat lost social world. Narcissa Malfoy harbored no great love for those beneath her, but she would have hated all the loss of life that had occurred near the end of the war.

His father had been honest with him from the start. He had told him of what had occurred at the Ministry and of the alliance that he had formed with Hermione Granger and therefore the Order of the Phoenix.

He had been incredulous when he first found out, but quickly accepted it when he noticed the change in his father. The harsh lines that had settled into his father's face since the Dark Lord had reemerged, had quickly softened, leaving the wizard more approachable. Where there had existed a formality between him and his father, it had lessened, allowing them to have a closer more equal relationship. Plus, the man laughed, really laughed. He was happy and in love.

His father, Lucius Malfoy, had been redeemed through a girl more than half his age and Draco was thrilled.

On the rare occasions that Granger was in the manor, the silent halls had rang with laughter, the cold rooms were warmed by her easy charm and the gloom that had settled over the property had been banished with her quick wit and gracious smiles. She had transformed their lives, not just his fathers, but his as well. She was their breath of fresh air in the midst of chaos. They were not the same without her.

"Ye ken, I heard a rumor earlier. The gossips say that a bonnie lass has taken a wee bit of a liking to ye." Oliver paused, sitting the glass he had been cleaning down behind the counter and leaning forward on his arms. "Whit ye make of that?"

Draco rubbed his hands over his face and singled for the former Gryffindor to refill his glass. When it was to the brim the corners of his mouth lifted into a sad smile. "She's too good for me."

"Well, that's nae much of a surprise, is it?" Wood joked, although to him it rang true.

"No, it really isn't." He said dryly.

"Still, I imagine yer fither is ready for ye tae settle down, maybe have a few bairns, make him a grandfather?"

"My father would be quite happy for that to happen, but I would prefer to see him settled before I leg shackle myself into wedded bliss."

"Aye, I heard bout that a few years back. Felt bad fer the two of them." Wood said solemnly, his sincerity sounding through even with his thick brogue. "It must hae been hard tae lose her so soon after the daith of yer mother."

Not many people knew of the relationship that had existed between Lucius and Hermione, only the families and those closest to the Order. Wood had helped throughout the war and was also a personal friend of Hermione's, so of course, he knew all about it. Draco guessed that maybe that was the main reason he liked to frequent the pub so much. Wood knew what was going on and was polite enough to understand and not nag for details.

His typical response would have been nonchalant, but he was really at his breaking point. Sure, they had been delivered the good new of Granger's possible recovery from Weasel, but he knew that it was foolish to hope. Chances were that she could snub them completely just from the gossip. It's not like Granger actually remembered them.

"Oh sod it. My father is a bleeding wreck." He admitted, quite loudly too from the extra bit of alcohol now swimming in his system. "For years, he's been this way. Sure, to the rest of the world he's the same Lucius Malfoy, but privately... I don't know... I think the man's going insane. I think I'm going with him."

If Wood was shocked, he had the decency not to show it. Draco appreciated it more than he could say.

"The entire manor is in a state of slumber. The house, our lives, everything is just waiting for her to come back. It's driving me into madness. I want her to remember, not just for my father, but for myself as well." He finished, his cheeks glowing a bright pink. "Call me selfish, but I'm tired of the monotony."

"Mibbe it's time for ye tae move on, time for all of ye tae put the past behind ye and move forward."

"I think that we were to that point. Father still hoped, but he was gradually starting to live his life. I mean, he wasn't plotting the destruction of our world, but he was starting to get out every so often."

"Were, you said?"

Draco nodded.

"Weasel," He sneered the infamous Malfoy sneer that had been handed down through generations of good breeding. It didn't last. On look at Oliver and he quickly apologized, remembering that Wood was also a friend of red's. "Weasley came to the manor the other day. Hermione has started to remember?"

"Thank Merlin for that." Oliver exclaimed and held out his hand to pump Draco's a few times in congratulations.

"Yes, well, I'm trying to not get my hopes up. Weasley said that she was remembering, but she can't retain the exact details. So, to me that basically means we are getting nowhere."

"Still, that's verra guid 's better news than ye've had in a while."

"It is. I just hope that it works out. I'm more than ready to move on with life. I'm tired of watching it go on around me and not feeling like I can join in." He admitted, realizing for the first time this evening that he had said much more than he intended to share.

"Look Draco, times hae no been easy for everyone. People are still coping with their losses and trying to put their lives back together. It's a slow process and those others that ye see either jumped in tae fast or are merely playing at happiness. It takes time and I'm sure that it's about to happen for ye."

"Maybe you're right, Wood."

"It's Scottish wisdom. Breed deep into ma wee bones."

Draco raised his glass in mock salute.

"Now, about that bonnie lass..." Wood signaled with his finger to a table in the corner of the bar.

His eyes followed the line, albeit unsteadily, until they found what he had been subconsciously looking for.

"What should I say to her?"

"Semple. Tell her yer sorry for ignoring her and ask the lass if ye can walk her hame."

Oliver picked up his glass and emptied out the rest of the Ogden's that he hadn't gotten through yet. He knew that he wouldn't be coming back for a while.

"You're alright Wood." He said before turning away.

He walked up to her table and couldn't keep the smile off of his face. She was just too lovely for words.

"You know, I had about given up on you." Her voice sounding like tinkling bells on a warm summer night.

"I'm not ready for you to give up on me." Draco replied, his old self confidence bolstering through. "Besides, you can't finish what hasn't started."

"Well," she pushed her blond curls behind her ears, away from her neck. She had such a lovely neck, he thought, long and slender, in perfect proportion to the rest of her body. "I suppose I've waited this long..." She trailed off, but kicked the seat across from her out, a invitation for him to sit.

He did.

"I'm sorry I've been an arse." He said bluntly. In his mind he had conjured a lengthy speech about forgiveness and all that tripe.

"Yes, you have." She said with a cool voice, obviously wanting him to go further.

He was willing to oblige.

"I've been self absorbed, too busy and conceited in thinking that I was the only one who had problems. I have made everything about me and neglected you in the process, even though you were trying your best to get to know the sodding wanker that I've become."

"You forgot a few things." She smiled and placed her small hand over his.

"No, I think I covered it all; sodding wanker, stupid git, manky barmpot, dozy cock-up, a wally prat. I think I've got it all." He mumbled, mentally checking off his list of insults.

He watched as Luna rose up from her chair, her chic blue robes making her look even more beautiful than she already was, and came over to stand in front of him. He grabbed her outstretched hand and pulled her into his lap. Her arms wrapping around his neck made the moment even better.

"You also forgot; selfless, loving, courageous and mine."

"Your's?" He asked, hoping that his ears and body were not deceiving him.

"Mine." She repeated. "I've loved you for years Draco and you can't deny that you feel the same way."

He wouldn't deny it, even though he should. He had ignored her shamefully while trying to help his father cope. "I don't deny it. I've loved you ever since you stood next to me at the final battle and helped me save Granger from that curse. She could have lost a lot more than her memories. Your quick thinking and medical experience saved us all."

"I love you Draco." Luna placed a small kiss on his cheek and stood up, holding out her hand for him.

He didn't even think of turning her down. She was offering him so much more than her hand. She was offering him the future.

He slid his palm into hers.

He held out her coat for her and then shrugged into his own wool coat.

"I heard from a friend that the best way to end a night is to walk a lady home." He suggested, placing his hand at her lower back.

"It's even better if you take said lady to the home you intend to reside in for the rest of your lives."

"Are you propositioning me?" Draco asked, feigning shock.

"Are you accepting?"

"Without a doubt." He readily agreed.

Then she winked at him and headed towards the door.

It took him a moment to catch on, he obviously did not attribute it to the color of his hair, only his shock.

With his hand on the door, he turned to look back at Wood. His classmate and now friend slowly tipped his head to the side, a silent acknowledgment of Draco's thanks.

Wood had been right, he could only hope for the best. He couldn't control what was going to happen in his father's life. He couldn't wave his wand and turn back time and save Granger from losing her memories. He also couldn't change the fact that his father had willingly given her up.

What he could do in the meantime was do the things that Granger had taught him.

He could live for the moment because you never knew when that moment will come again. He would love, and love deeply, because that is what they had fought for, after all. He could prepare a home and bring joy into it as Granger had done with them.

He could do it and when she finally got her memories back and was installed in the manor that would only come truly alive when she returned... then he would finally thank her... for everything.