Pillow talk: Epilogue

AN: Oh…em...gee. So sorry for the near abandonment of this fanfic. I wanted to give this fanfic more chapters that covered the entirety of Draco and Hermione's relationship but due to guilt about not publishing anything for four months, I felt that this was long overdue and wanted to conclude the story. However, chapter additions are not entirely out of the realm of possibility. Thanks for joining me on this plot bunny. =)

Draco was dreaming. He was sure of it. His surroundings seemed too dreamlike. All of the white seemed to support his claim. White chairs. White flowers. White dress. He was outside with the sun beating down on the wedding ceremony. A lake off to the left provided a cool breeze. He looked over his shoulder as the entire congregation stood at the announcement of the bride evidenced by the change of the music. Draco was in the front row at the insistence of Hermione herself, joining Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione's mother. All of them were beaming at Hermione's sheer joy as she walked down the aisle with her father, his arm supporting her as they walked. He was watching Hermione walk down the aisle towards someone who wasn't him. He pinched himself to try and wake himself up if he was asleep. Nothing. Was this a dream? Or was it reality? A premonition? He tried slapping himself in the face, earning strange looks from Harry and Ginny. Harry asked Draco if he was okay or had gone loony. Draco stated the negative and looked on. He felt ill. Hermione arrived at the front with her father and stood before the groom. She kissed her father before he handed her off to her future husband. Draco's stomach sank as he began to hear the Minister of Magic, Kingsley himself, begin the magic binding ceremony. He began to zone out as the Minister spoke, hearing nothing. Draco's thoughts flashbacked to the night before. He poured his feelings out to an unconscious Hermione. He always knew he loved her, but didn't want to admit it, because he knew he would have to give her up in the end. At that moment, Draco realized something. He didn't want to give her up. He wanted her. He loved, no, loves her. He couldn't let the revelations of his feelings be delivered to an unconscious Hermione. He had to tell her when she was good and awake. Like now.

Draco had never been to a wedding before, although he had seen many muggle weddings on the box in Hermione's room. Wasn't there a part of the ceremony where the man asked if there was anyone who objected to the wedding? Speak now or forever hold your peace. What would he say? I object. Too movie-like. Hermione's mine! Too possessive. Borderline creepy as well. Don't do it! Well that's not romantic. Say what you said last night, he concluded. I want to be the last person you see at night and the first person you see in the morning. Draco's throat felt closed up as he tried to speak. Nothing came out of his mouth because it was too late. The ceremony was complete as Hermione and her new husband completed the bond with a kiss. He felt as if the wind had been knocked out of him. Damn it. He felt like he was suffocating as Hermione walked back down the aisle with her husband, cheerfully waving at the guests as they passed by. He turned his back on them looking off into lake by the ceremony. He couldn't breathe. He bent over, bracing his hands on his thighs and tried to regain his composure. Harry, who was looking at the newlyweds leave, turned back around with a concerned look on his face as he saw Draco. He asked Draco what was wrong and nudged Ginny to help him get Draco into the chair. Draco shook his head furiously. This couldn't be happening. He let the one stable, healthy thing walk out of his life. He tried to breathe but found it difficult. He felt like the weight of the world was slowing coming down on his shoulders. And suddenly it came crashing down with a large shove.

His eyes opened and he was suddenly staring into familiar brown ones. Her curly hair framed her face that bore a slight frown. "What happened?" he asked drowsily, rubbing his eyes furiously.

"You were having a bad dream," she stated matter-of-factly. She remained standing at the side of his bed. He propped himself up slightly on his elbows as he tried to take in his surroundings. He was in his room. That was for sure. The large king-sized bed and his silk sheets gave that away. He was settled on the left side of the bed, as he always was. It was dark still with only slivers of the moonlight shining through the windows into the bedroom. Looking around he tried to make sure he wasn't still dreaming. Everything was still its rightful place. The large dresser and armoire remained against the wall. Tasteful artwork carefully hung on the wall as well. Framed pictures resting neatly on the dresser. He held up his left hand and looked at it closely. There as it should have been was his wedding ring on his ring finger, illuminated by the moonlight.

He let out a sigh of relief. It was a dream. A nightmare. He turned his head to the left back to those big, brown eyes. "Cassie, what are you doing out of bed?" he asked his six year old daughter who remained on his side of the bed, clutching a stuffed toy to her chest. A ferret, Draco concluded. A gift from Uncle George no doubt.

"I had a nightmare, too. Can I come and sleep with you and Mummy?" Cassie asked sweetly, shuffling her feet.

Draco looked over to his right and saw Hermione sleeping soundly underneath the covers with her matching curly, brown hair fanned on her pillow. "Sure, honey. Just be careful not to wake your mother," he said.

Cassiopeia, known as Cassie to her family and friends, climbed on top of her parents' king sized bed and settled herself in between her mother and father, underneath their blanket as well. Hermione still hadn't moved an inch. Cassie dropped her head on her father's pillow and looked at him as he settled his own head back onto his pillow.

"Do you want to tell me what the dream was about?" he asked looking at her and wrapping his right arm around her.

"There was a dragon in it, but he was mean and scary. And he took Mummy away and locked her in a castle. And you tried to rescue Mummy but you couldn't because you had no way to get up to the tower. And then there was this big lion that was going to eat you and Mummy tried to rescue you, but she couldn't because she was still in the tower and didn't have her wand. And then Mummy was sad because you left. And then I was sad because I saw you left." Cassie's voice got caught in her throat as she struggled to say her last sentence.

"Sounds like some dream," Draco stated.

Cassie nodded her head, still clutching to the plush ferret. "You wouldn't leave Daddy ever, would you?"

"Never. I would battle all the dragons and lions in the world just to stay with you."

"And Mummy too?"

"Definitely Mummy too."

"What was your dream about?" Cassie asked curiously.

Draco paused. "Daddy dreamed what would have happened if Mummy didn't marry Daddy."

Cassie also paused at hearing her father's statement. "Would you have been sad?"

"Yes, sweetheart. Daddy would have been very sad. Someday, I'll tell you the story how Mummy married Daddy, but right now it's too late to tell the story."

"You promise to tell the story?" Cassie asked.

"I promise."

Cassie paused at her father's promise and gave a smile of relief. "You're not mad I came in here tonight are you?" Cassie asked as she snuggled in deeper to Draco's side.

"I could never be mad at you, sweetheart," Draco assured her with a squeeze.

"Even if it's late at night?"

"Even if it's late at night," he repeated. He paused thoughtfully. "You know, your Mummy and I used to stay up at night talking like this before we got married and had you."

"What did you talk about?" she asked as she let out a yawn.

Draco chuckled softly at his daughter's admission of fatigue. "Oh, we would talk about how our day was, what we did at work. One time your Mummy asked me what clothes she should wear."

"I can't believe you told Mummy she was fat," Cassie giggled.

"I didn't say she was fat!" he exclaimed in a hushed voice.

"That's not what Mummy says."

"Well, I learned not to tell Mummy that she was fat, especially since she asked all the time when she pregnant with you. Daddy told Mummy she was still the most beautiful woman in the world even if she ate 1000 tons of ice cream."

"Oh, Daddy. You're so silly." Cassie burrowed herself in her father's chest, seeking warmth. She yawned and closed her eyes, drifting soundly off to sleep as Draco stroked her back. Draco was slightly sleeping as well when he felt a pair of feet intertwining with his. He opened his eyes and was staring into Hermione's brown ones. She had snuggled in closer towards Draco, mindful of Cassie's slumbering form between them. She wrapped her arm around Cassie and Draco, blissfully happy about the state of their family.

"Another nightmare?" she asked securing their covers.

"Mhmm," he affirmed.

Hermione kissed Cassie's head, which was still tucked into Draco's shoulder and neck. "Poor baby."

"This getting into our bed has practically become a nightly occurrence."

"She must get it from her father."

"Beg pardon?"

"Oh, darling. You always somehow found yourself in my bed before we were married. Most of the time it was because you were drunk. Cassie's reason is far more reasonable and appropriate."

"Didn't hear you complain back then," he smirked.

"Oh, I beg to differ!" she whispered sharply.

"Does that mean you're complaining now?"

"Well, I got to confess. I guess I never really minded that you always snuck in my bed. You were and still are a great deal warmer than any other heating blanket I ever had."

"See?"

"You're still not off the hook for calling me fat, though."

There's the happy conclusion that I knew everyone was looking for. I hope for more future chapter additions to this story. Thanks for all the great reviews and feedback!

K. Ly