Nineteen Years Later

There is only one happiness in this life, to love and be loved.

–George Sand

Autumn arrived quickly and the first of September came just as suddenly. The little family had already arrived on Platform nine and three quarters, having travelled by port key to the hidden train platform.

Draco stood with a dark coat buttoned up to his throat. He had to admit he liked this simple outfit compared to the many lavish wizarding robes and he silently thanked Hermione for introducing him to muggle outfits. If he looked back on himself when he was sixteen he would have never thought he would say that sentence.

Speaking of his wife, Hermione was helping their son with his bags and abating his sudden nerves about going to Hogwarts. She was just as beautiful as she was back in the day, just as glorious as on their wedding day when she was captured in floral white fabric. Scorpius meanwhile was a carbon copy of Draco, down to the grey slate eyes and blonde hair, the slight curls however were all Hermione's genes.

Merlin he remembered when Hermione told him she was pregnant. It was three months after their honeymoon, Draco had finally got his healers license and Hermione was working for the Ministry. Hermione had been admitted into St. Mungos for a fainting incident and Draco had stormed through the halls impatiently. This was his wife for god sake!

"I didn't want to tell you like this?" she had said, wrapped up in the clothes of the hospital and then she pushed his hand against her stomach. "I'm pregnant." Draco didn't like to admit that he fainted, blacked out for a few minutes and if you asked him then he would completely miss out that part of the story, but he was utterly elated. He would finally have a child, they had been trying for almost a year and this was their blessing. His parents were more than thrilled and Hermione's parents, located finally from Australia, couldn't have been prouder.

"Rose, I need you to beat Scorpius at every test you do," Ron's voice came through the crowd and then a slap to the head came as they emerged into the space next to Draco. Ron Weasley had not humbled even when he married Pansy Parkinson which was a shock to say the least. Draco still remembered when they told everyone they were dating.

Pansy entered the Slytherin Common room during their eighth year at Hogwarts. McGonagall had welcomed them back and Hermione had dragged Harry and Ron with her along with Draco and his group.

"You're hardly in this room anymore," Blaise remarked from the top of his book. Draco was too busy twirling his finger around Hermione's hair. The Common Rooms have become examples of house unity and now any student from any house could enter. Hermione was dozing on Draco's shoulder, kept up late with some book or another and Draco was too busy marvelling over how he had gotten that far with her when Blaise finished his suggestion. "Some would think that you are becoming more like a Gryffindor Pans."

It was true, nearly everyone saw Pansy in the Gryffindor Common Rooms more than the Slytherin which was something Draco had never expected. Pansy was a Slytherin through and through, far too cunning to be seen in the lion's den if it wasn't necessary.

"Well I am dating a Gryffindor," Pansy remarked as she sat down on the sofa and the book in Blaise's hands flopped down onto the floor, the spine cracking in a way to make Hermione jolt in her sleep.

"What?" Draco spoke, careful not to move his girlfriend, "Who?"

"Ronald Weasley."

Hermione woke with a choke, "Ron?" she whispered having listened into the conversation. All three of them were shocked and Pansy told them of how she had caught Ron in the library trying to study, and with Draco with Hermione, Harry with Ginny and Blaise with some Slytherin girl the two of them had felt lonely. They had gotten drunk and one thing led to another. Shortly afterwards they got to know each other and something just clicked.

"Oh I am going to give him a piece of my mind for not telling me," Hermione muttered and was detangling herself from Draco's hold to find Ron. Draco complained but soon followed after her, seeing Ron get berated by Hermione was one of his favourite pastimes.

"She doesn't have to Ronald," Pansy remarked, helping Rose because she was already dressed in her school uniform. Pansy's and Draco's eyes met over the top of their children in fondness and it still amazed him how children had mellowed out the Slytherin Queen. Rose was her favourite, the girl she got to name while Hugo was named by Ron himself.

"Just don't get too friendly with each other," Ron continued to say, eyeing how both Scorpius and Rose had gravitated to one another, talking in small murmurs.

"Ron for god sake," Hermione breathed out, smiling at Harry and Ginny who came up with their horde of children.

Harry's son Albus, who's middle name was Severus which made Draco tear up a little, was a carbon copy of the boy who lived and Draco would not be surprised if the boy was a Slytherin just like one of his namesakes. He leaned down and ruffled Albus's hair, "Who cares if you end up in Slytherin, I came out of the snake house and look at how great I'm doing." He joked and the younger boy, best friends with Scorpius, smiled at him.

Draco had been begrudgingly accepted into the Potter and Weasley clan since becoming Hermione's boyfriend. He had apologised to Harry at Severus's funeral, a day in which he was allowed out of house arrest and a day in which he didn't hide his tears, and from there they had become tentative companions. Draco had even helped to plan Harry and Ginny's wedding when he finally proposed and just after the ceremony Draco proposed to Hermione himself with a ring that used to belong to his mother – one of the many rings she had in her possession. It was a common joke among them now that Draco liked to steal Harry's spotlight.

James had arrived with an explosion of giddiness under the stress of the news he had to tell. "I just saw Teddy and he's snogging Victoire!" He went on to say that he interrupted them and Ginny sniped to say that he was just like Ron.

Draco remembered being at the Weasley house for Christmas – his first time of officially being there – and he was sat in the kitchen wearing a threadbare Weasley jumper (grey with a green letter D) and Teddy had been sat in a highchair next to him. The baby had smiled and chucked some mash potato at him and from there he relished in knowing his cousin. Hermione even said that he had gotten baby fever at a young age. He liked it because he had the excuse to kiss Hermione all he liked since the twins had strung up Mistletoe everywhere. The twins were happy as could be, George going out with Angela and Fred tentatively talking to Hannah Abbot. They still made pranks every day and their shop was at the height of its popularity. Draco was pleased that he had at least helped in Fred's survival.

Then the train was boarding and the children were rushing to get a carriage. Draco kissed his sons hair, "Make sure you behave and enjoy your time at Hogwarts," he whispered. Scorpius just grinned at him as though he knew what his father meant – enjoy school without being pressured from your family's legacy. He ran ahead with Albus, his hand helping Rose up into the Hogwarts Express.

He met Pansy's eyes once more; maybe this time they would get a Malfoy and Parkinson (now Weasley) union. Just like they would get another Weasley union if Teddy married Victoire.

"Give Neville our love!" Hermione called to her son. Neville and Luna were a happily married couple, going on excursions in the forest to hunt for mythical creatures and plants in the holidays, and teaching at Hogwarts every other day.

Neville's parents were also on the road to recovery and remembering him more than they ever had which was a blessing since most of the parents from the Order were all lost to them.

"We can't give a teacher our love mum!"

Hermione still remembered when she held her baby boy in her arms for the first time. It had been a hard labour, twenty three hours of pain and crushing Draco's hand. Narcissa had been at her bedside along with her own mother and Molly Weasley, giving her encouragement more than Draco ever could. He didn't faint this time which was brilliant since Hermione needed him but he had been full of elation when their son finally came into the world. From that moment on the both of them knew that they would kill for their son.

Draco had named him and Hermione hadn't minded because Draco took to fatherhood like a duck to water. He doted on the boy and did everything when Hermione was too tired from the labour. He had been scared that he would turn out his father during her pregnancy and Hermione had sat him down and explained how he couldn't because he was a different man to Lucius. Even so Draco's relationship with his father was better than it ever had been and Scorpius loved living in Malfoy Manor with his parents and grandparents.

Malfoy Manor had been restored during the Malfoy's house arrest and Hermione was no longer scared of its walls, the past washing away because the future was something to look forward to.

Their relationship had their ups and downs, they argued about the silliest things but what couple didn't? They found love with one another and would always go back to the other when needed. Hermione couldn't have been prouder of the man Draco had become, the very same man she had married and had laughed when she came down the aisle (in happiness not as a joke).

Draco had never been prouder to save Hermione that day back at Malfoy Manor.

"I vote for the pub once we drop our children off home," Harry said to their group, clapping Draco on the back when he nodded rapidly. He and Hermione were the only ones with one child so it was harder for them when it came to leaving their boy. Scorpius was eleven and developing his independence but that didn't mean that it didn't hurt when he left.

Ginny laughed and they all agreed to meet in the Leaky Cauldron within the next hour.

Hermione wouldn't be drinking but Draco didn't know that. She had found out herself because she recognised the familiar signs of morning sickness and back pain. As they walked out her hand briefly touched her stomach, somewhat hoping that this was one would have more of her features. She couldn't wait to tell Draco and her hand found his in the fray.

All was finally well and the future looked bright.

~fin~

AN: And that's it! It may have took me nearly three years to finish it but we've reached that brilliant point. Thank you for reading and for just being here, it's been an honour to hear your opinions and give this story to you :)