Windbound 35/35

[herumtreiber]

Title: Windbound - 35/35
Chapter: Epilogue
Author:herumtreiber 
Genre: post DH, slash, romance, adventure
Disclaimer: The world and characters of Harry Potter belong to JK Rowling. I don't make any money from writing these stories.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Epilogue compliant? Epilogue complaisant
Chapter length: ~6.730 words
Summary: Draco/Harry, Ron/Hermione, Hannah/Dean, Justin/Daphne, Ginny/??? My take on the Marriage Law. Should they obey the government’s edict or fight it the Muggle way? This leads to marriage equality. Plus there’s a twist exploring how a Horcrux operates. Good!Lucius, finally:) Hufflepuff house is amply represented here.


Table of contents

Chapter thirty-four



Und das Schiff mit acht Segeln
Und mit fünfzig Kanonen
Wird entschwinden mit mir.
(Seeräuber-Jenny, Brecht/Weill)

J'aimerais quand même te dire
Tout ce que j'ai pu écrire
Je l'ai puisé à l'encre de tes yeux
(L'encre de tes yeux, Francis Cabrel)

September 1st, 2017
King's Cross Station

Harry espied Ron across from him. The ubiquitous smoke was everywhere. Harry grumbled to himself, 'What is the deal with the smoke?' It made him feel like he was in a thought universe somewhere, and not in the real one. He took a look at Ron, still the clueless bloke he used to be. Ron worked in the Ministry, and he had an interesting if a little undemanding job.

Hermione's features had become sharper, more refined, with age. The witch also worked in the Ministry. She had a powerful position overseeing the treatment of non-human magical beings. She had fought tirelessly for the werewolves, the centaurs and the elves. In some of these endeavours, she had been helped by Draco Malfoy and Justin Finch-Fletchley.

Harry had worked as an Auror for some years, until he got tired of his bosses dumping the difficult cases on him, confident that the Man Who Lived would catch the culprits and save them all.

Harry had resigned and thrown a tantrum in his office, which sent his former boss to St. Mungo's. He worked now as a consultant in difficult cases. He usually took three or four cases a year and worked on them, sometimes arriving at unexpected conclusions.

Harry looked beside him and found Ginny. She still looked like a Viking woman, now home from the sailing, now home from the hunt.

Ginny had played professional Quidditch for years. She became a member of the Holyhead Harpies, much to the chagrin of Ron, and continued playing until an accident made her realize her true priorities. Since then she worked as Assistant Coach for the Harpies.

Ron was telling them proudly how he had used the Confoundus Charm on the examiner and had thus passed the test.

A bit later, Ron joked about disinheriting their children if they ended up in Slytherin.

James Potter looked like a miniature red-headed version of… James Potter the Marauder. He was quick to grab the initiative and apparently liked to tease his brother, but he also appeared to be caring. He had red hair like his mother, and his eyes were blue. He was already making waves in the school as a menace to right-thinking teachers and caretakers everywhere. He was a Gryffindor, and proud of that.

Albus Severus Potter looked like a younger version of his father. The unruly hair, the glasses, the diffident gestures. So much like Harry. People tended to underestimate him, which was perhaps what he wanted.

Lily Potter had red hair, some freckles and she acted like a younger version of Ginny. She also had her father's innate Slytherin cunning, which kept her from trouble when the occasional vase or plate got broken and all clues seemingly pointed towards her.

Rose Weasley had great red hair; she had her mother's no-nonsense and sometimes pushy attitude. She also had her mother's love of literature, and they often spent hours discussing books.

Hugo Weasley had the mannerisms of his father, though. His need to explore, to grab attention, to go beyond the confining everyday stuff. He had red hair and freckles.

Then Ron pointed towards Draco. Harry noticed that he had receding hair, which accentuated his chin. Draco realized that the four of them were looking at him, he nodded curtly and walked away, not without glaring once or twice at his son Scorpius, who continued his walk unawares, smirking a little.

While Draco glared at the miniature Draco walking beside him, there was no doubt that Scorpius was his son. The boy had platinum blond hair, and sharp features that one day would age as gracefully as his father's. He also had grey eyes.

Ron talked to Rose and tried to get her to beat Scorpius Malfoy, academically. He pointed out that she had her mother's acumen and could easily do that. Rose agreed superficially. Ron also said that her grandfather would not forgive her if she married a Pureblood.

Harry smirked to himself and thought, 'Maybe because Grandfather Weasley is thinking about the days of yore, when he fought so valiantly for the Marriage Law, this sounds just like his controlling self.'

Hermione reproached Ron gently.

HDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHD

Meanwhile, Draco and Scorpius had reunited with Astoria. Then they met Elias and Lavender Flint. The formerly scrawny kid had grown up to be very tall and broad-shouldered. Now he owned the shop Flint, Dervish and Banges in Hogsmeade.

Lavender had been a good teacher of Divination, and if there were no heart-stopping prophecies to speak of, no one complained. They had a daughter called Miranda Flint, and she would start her first year at Hogwarts together with Scorpius and friends.

They were joking with Lavender about teaching Divination by phone, when a whirlwind approached them. It was Justin and Daphne Finch-Fletchley; they deposited their kids with Draco. Justin said, "Take good care of Jacinto, Draco; that's what godfathers are for!"

Daphne seethed, "His name is Hyacinth! Please, Justin, don't take such liberties with his name! Do I call Julian something else, no I don't. So please behave!"

Everyone rolled their eyes. Julian was a 13-year old Gryffindor, much to the chagrin of Daphne and inner glee of Justin. Hyacinth was a 12-year old Hufflepuff. They both had straight dark hair. They got along famously with Scorpius and the rest.

Draco turned to Astoria, noticing how her slim build was accentuated by the black-white skirt-blouse combination the blonde chose. He whispered, "How could you stand living with her when you were growing up?"

Astoria smiled and replied, "She is easy to get along with, Draco. It's only when she is stressed about something that she becomes so punctilious. I guess she realizes her two boys will be at school, far from home."

Draco called out to Justin, "Take care of contacting Mrs. Smith! We'll need her support for the Bill we are preparing for the Wizengamot."

It had taken time, but a Bill had been passed assuring the rights of werewolves. Next in their list had been the rights of centaurs. It had taken them some years, but soon a Bill would be passed with rights favorable to these daunting beings.

Their next goal was intimidating indeed, to safeguard elves' rights. They were fully supported by Hermione in this case. It promised to be a very heavy political battle, given the fact that the elves supplied the labor in wizarding homes and were completely dispossessed. It would take time, but Draco was sure they would win, again.

And just ten years ago, Draco and Hermione had been able to devise and put into effect spells in the Situation Room, ensuring that the abuse of Magical children, whether Pureblood, Halfblood or Muggleborn would be noted and raise an alert.

Of course, then they asked the question, 'Could a spell be enacted to insure that all kids, Magical or Muggle, were protected from abuse?' They did not have the answers, it could take years. They realized they would always face new challenges. Still they would try to face them head on.

Before the Finch-Fletchleys left, they discussed the latest news about their friends in America. Robert and Susan Lehmke lived in Massachusetts, near the MIT Campus, where Robert taught General Physics. They had a 12-year old girl called Tracey Lehmke.

Terry and Pansy Boot also lived in Massachusetts. Terry wrote about physical research in his own blog. They had a 13 year old boy called Douglas Boot. The two couples sent their children to the same American wizardry school in Salem, Massachusetts.

Then Dean and Hannah Thomas walked up to them. They were accompanied by their son Ron Thomas, a 12-year old Slytherin. When Ron Weasley had crowed about the fact they named their son after him, Dean brought him down to Earth saying, "Actually, his name is Ronaldinho, and it is the name of a soccer player."

Hannah had become the landlady of the Leaky Cauldron, and Dean Thomas had an Atelier in London where he prepared his paintings. Dean had become a celebrated painter. His best work, according to Hannah, was that sketch of her he had drawn long ago and which now occupied a honored place in their home.

Hannah, who had stopped dyeing her hair long ago, said hello to the gang and smacked Draco in the arm, saying, "You have not visited me for some time, Draco. But you know where to go to if you have some 'cloak and dagger' stuff." Draco kissed her cheek and then said hello to his godson, Ron.

Draco thanked the fact that his parents were currently visiting the home of his sister's boyfriend in Kent. Miriam was now a stunning 24-year old woman; she had striking blue eyes, framed by thick eyelashes and perfect eyebrows, and luxurious brown hair. She was really beautiful, and he reserved the right as an older brother to watch out for his sister.

Miriam was an artist; she could paint very well, as she gleefully told her brother time and again. She also could write. She wrote moving pieces of original work, and she was good at it.

Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy had aged very gracefully. The Malfoy Matriarch was still slim and poised. If there were some lines on her face, they were mostly laugh lines, and welcomed by her.

Lucius looked imposing, as usual. His hair had become completely white, but he could still present a leonine mane to the world. He could still be as menacing as ever, and it was perhaps fortunate that Miriam's boyfriend was not aware of the fact that his future father-in-law could transform instantly into a giant Polar bear.

James came back with the news that Teddy was snogging Victoire. Later Harry commented that Teddy visited them four times a week, and proposed inviting him to the family. No one saw James and Albus Severus exchange a wry smirk.

Nearing the end of their wait, Ginny hugged James and told him to send her love to Neville. James protested vociferously against this.

Ginny said, "We'll see you at Christmas."

Harry shared with Albus Severus how he was named after a valiant Headmaster of Hogwarts. Harry failed to see Albus Severus's faint sneer.

As the train started, Harry walked outside it, in the Platform, trying to keep his face alongside his son's face, inside the Express.

Ginny said, "He will be all right."

The scar had not pained Harry for many years. All was well.

As the Hogwarts Express started accelerating, Albus Severus heard the sound of the door being closed and locked. Then he felt the effects of an Immobulus spell. He was turned around. He could see a flash of blond hair as a voice drawled, "Long time no see, Potter! Your father has hurt mine for the last time. I will have your hide and there is nothing that famous Harry Potter can do this time!"

As the person continued ranting, Albus Severus could observe how the door's handle was twisted this and that way to gain entrance. The person trying to get in must have realized that it was magically sealed, for they stopped momentarily. Finally, after ten seconds, the door was forcefully opened and a spell launched which downed his attacker.

A new voice drawled mockingly, "Well, well, Sevvie, whatever happened! The git wanted a Chocolate Frog card, you didn't give it and the git went berserk?" Scorpius Malfoy continued taunting Albus Severus Potter while he took off the Immobulus, a task at which he excelled, which the dark-haired boy would grudgingly concede.

"Let's see who is the git, though that blond hair gives me an idea." Scorpius turned the git around and it turned out to be Zebadiah Smith, the son of the detestable Zacharias Smith.

Scorpius continued, "And you were all alone, Sevvie? Where were James and Teddy, snogging someone? In my honest opinion, the lot of you is as dumb as Uncle Weasel!"

Albus Severus moved Smith to a neighboring compartment but left him immobilized until a teacher should find him.

Scorpius sat down as Albus Severus returned. He took out a bag of vintage Chocolate Frogs and started eating some, biting their heads off seemingly nonchalantly. After he had shared his bounty with Sevvie and the brunet boy had proved to be even more ferocious when eating them, Scorpius said, "Not only does Uncle Weasel break his wand, he also fixes it with tape, because he is too cheap to buy another one. Then when a bill collector shows up he tries to Confound him, and the spell backfires on him.

"A Confounded Weasel looks up and notices the familiar photos that Aunt Hermione has in the walls, and he comes to the conclusion that Dad and Astoria, your Dad and Ginny, are two distinct couples! We have to play this shadow theater so that Uncle Ron does not get more jolts to his small brain. And of course we must play because we have the relentless Aunt Hermione pressuring us to go along!"

Scorpius asked Sevvie if he was done playing the cowed kid. Albus Severus smirked and replied that he was, he was also considering retaliating against James with a prank.

Scorpius smirked and said, "Sure, count me on it! I would really like to see his face; maybe he will look as confused as father when I slipped him the potion to make him lose his hair." Scorpius and Sevvie snickered. No doubt Draco would soon call on Severus's portrait for assistance with his dwindling hair, which would be funny, seeing as how it was the elder Severus's idea to prank his godson this way.

It was no wonder that they were such pranksters, when they saw Lucius and Jason doing their pranking they called politics, and Severus's portrait informed them of the strange reactions of certain potions. Not to mention the example of their fathers and Uncle George.

They certainly had superb smirks, having been taught by the best, Lucius and Severus. Sometimes Harry and Draco would feel threatened by such aggravating smirks.

Sevvie said, "You know, that conversation that Aunt Hermione scripted for me, the one where I asked Dad about Slytherin, has given me an idea." Sevvie smirked, followed by Scorpius.

"What if we get sorted to the House our parents won't expect? Like you in Hufflepuff."

Scorpius interrupted Sevvie, "I'm sorry, Sev, but if I were to get into Hufflepuff, dad would be overjoyed, I think he'd also like it if I made it to Gryffindor."

Sev replied, "Then we'll get into Ravenclaw, just to imagine their faces when they realize their sons are in the house of the learned."

Albus Severus liked being called Sevvie and Sev by the Malfoys and others. It gave him a feeling of being unique. He had grown to love them, even before they became his family. Even his stern namesake, Headmaster Severus.

Scorpius was swearing in Spanish. He didn't know why his father was so intent on him knowing all these foreign languages. Parseltongue was enough for him! He didn't like Spanish and French because of all these confusing accents. Sevvie cursed back in German. Apparently Harry had also been caught in the epidemy of learning languages, or rather, forcing their children to learn them.

The door opened and Rose Weasley and James Potter walked in. James was worried about the younger boys, and had been looking for them for some time.

James had a little time to note how Sev's and Scorp's hands went to their wands. Living with them, he was used to their sneak attacks. Being Harry Potter's son, he also had those uncanny Quidditch genes that seemingly enhanced his reactions. He took out his own wand and dove to the right to avoid Scorp's stunner, he just had a fraction of a second to twist his upper body and evade Sev's Silencio.

Rose frowned. Boys! All they thought about was playing and fighting! As usual, she had to provide the balance. She was of a mind to let Scorpius and Albus Severus win, or even join them; but she abhorred the idea of an unfair fight, so she took out her wand and proceeded to fire spells of her own at Scorpius and Albus Severus.

Things calmed down after an aggravated professor called Lavender Flint turned up and forced them to behave under threat of Detentions and losing house points. After Lavender left, the red-haired girl imperiously took a seat between Scorpius and Albus Severus. She said, "I'm sorry for the way we had to behave today, all because of my pushy parents. I'm sorry you were left alone, Scorp, and I'm sorry you had to act so vapid, Sevvie."

Scorpius replied smoothly, "It's not your fault, Rose, it's Uncle Weasel's fault!"

Sevvie said, "Don't you think saying that to his daughter is unkind, Scorp?"

Scorpius snorted and replied, "I have to suffer the same when Fred Weasley says 'Uncle Ferret.' If they can do it, so can I."

Sevvie asked nonchalantly, "Any idea where you will be sorted, Rose?"

"None, mother would like Gryffindor, of course, as would father."

Sevvie said, "Then join us in Ravenclaw! We've decided not to react to stereotypes, and are planning on joining Ravenclaw. What do you say, Rose?"

The red-haired girl answered with a twinkle in her eyes, "I say yes, to Ravenclaw we go!"

The door was opened once more and Teddy Lupin strolled in. The Metamorphmagus looked very dashing, wearing a dark green robe, dark green trousers and white shirt, together with dragonhide boots. He had a mop of dark hair for the occasion, and his amber eyes looked soulfully at them.

Teddy sat down and took a parchment from his backpack. When he touched the parchment, lines started to appear and fused into the recognizable shape of the Great Hall at Hogwarts. Teddy started, "Draco caught me just before the train left and reminded me to give you this, Scorp. After my time at Hogwarts, it is right that I pass to you the Serpent's Map. As you know, it shows all persons at Hogwarts." Teddy took out another parchment from his backpack and he waved a wand over it, saying, "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good." Presently the Marauder's Map showed the interior of Hogwarts.

Sevvie said, "But this should be with James!"

Teddy answered, "As for that, we were having a poker game, and he used this as collateral and lost. So I get to have it for a time, and I choose to give it to you."

Sevvie glared at James as he said, "If dad ever finds out about it, that would be awful."

Eventually Sevvie grabbed the parchments, intent on putting them away. He put the Marauder's Map on his bag after muttering 'Mischief managed.' Then he grabbed the Serpent's Map, ready to hand it to Scorpius. He noticed that Teddy looked astounded, as did Scorpius.

The Serpent's Map worked with Albus Severus's touch!

Teddy suggested, "Maybe the Map works because Albus Severus belongs to the family."

He continued, "I suppose the Map's magic recognized Albus Severus as a Malfoy, based on ties of love, blood and friendship. Probably it did this long before Draco and Harry got married."

Then Teddy bade Sevvie to open the compartment's window. The English countryside rolled serenely by, leaves showing the effects of autumn, as the wind pushed inside the cabin. He transformed into a beautiful peregrine falcon with sorrowful amber eyes.

The son of Tonks and Remus leaped to the edge of the window, looked at them one last time and then flew away, easily catching the updraft current.

In King's Cross, in Platform 9 ¾, Ron and Hermione finally Apparated away, after Hermione suffered the death glares of Draco and Ginny.

After Ron left, Harry breathed freely and commented that the colorful smoke seemed to be disappearing.

As he looked fondly at Harry, Draco remembered how the gay marriage came to be. It all started with the Patricia Lobato case, where the British courts ruled that the Muggleborn woman was denied her human right to marry whom she pleased, even if he was a werewolf. The Ministry was called to task and most of the upper Ministry workers were forced to resign.

Some time later, a wizard sought to marry another wizard and such an attempt was thwarted. Thereupon the Director of Public Prosecutions took the case. It was handled by a judge who ruled in the wizards' favor, citing the precedent established by the Marriage Law decision and the Patricia Lobato case, where it was decided that the woman could marry whom she pleased. At that moment the clumsy Ministry, politically exhausted by the fruitless war waged around the Marriage Law, was weary of the political weight involved and capitulated gracefully. Gay marriage appeared to be a reality.

Five years before that, Draco had approached the problem of having babies. He suggested to Harry that they should involve the women they were close to and could be wonderful mothers. So they approached Ginny and Astoria, who were living together at that time.

Draco remembered the time when they named Scorpius. An exhausted Astoria was on the bed as she pointed towards a small bundle, which turned out to be his son. He saw his son's grey eyes looking at him and he felt the baby's small fingers pulling on his thumb. He knew then that things would never be the same again, they would be better.

After Astoria heard his suggestion, she started throwing things around with her accidental (or not so accidental) magic.

"Scorpius, Draco! You want to name our son Scorpius! I must say I am glad that Japanese films are not constellations, or you might name our son Godzilla!"

Harry interjected, "I think it is a beautiful name, Tori! It is distinctive and has a certain flair to it; it gives the impression of a Mafia don, living in the Mediterranean shore." Harry couldn't contain himself and burst out laughing.

Draco growled, "Not much of a help, are you Potter!" Then he thwacked him upside the head, but the nervous moment had been broken.

Then there was the time when Harry wanted to name his son 'Albus Severus' amid the outrage of Draco and Astoria. That day, they were all in 12 Grimmauld Place, which did not look foreboding at all, thanks to the combined actions of the Greengrass and Malfoy elves, led by an enterprising Kreacher. Harry had been putting off the naming, knowing how they would react.

He was holding his son, looking into his seemingly infinite green eyes, as green as the Amazon forest, as green as the fields in Ireland.

Astoria said, "Albus Severus! Won't it be confusing for the boy?"

Draco said forcefully, "Why do you want to honor the name of the man who turned you into a horcrux, Potter?"

Harry answered, "Because he was an important part of my life. He directed my thoughts and ultimately helped defeat Voldemort. So he was power-hungry, still he was my mentor for years. I can honor the good parts."

Ginny interjected, "Let him name his son the way he wants, Draco! He's done enough for us, saving us from Voldemort. If he wants to name our son that way, I see no harm."

The blonds finally were convinced by Ginny's reasoning, or maybe it was the way she was fingering her wand and looking at them speculatively.

Three and a half years later, it was Astoria who eyed her wand speculatively as she said desperately, "We have to do something! Our mothers are driving us crazy! Mom and Mrs. Weasley are trying to divvy up the wedding and prepare as much as they can."

Draco said angrily, "They are not the only ones, Mom and Mrs. Weasley are fighting over our wedding, aren't they, Harry."

A worried Ginny said, "Yes, all of them are losing control: Daisy, Narcissa and Molly. We need to do something."

Harry smirked and said, "We need to have a joint ceremony for our weddings. The three witches can discuss that. We will distract them when Hermione and her beautiful baby Hugo come to visit us from time to time."

Draco murmured approvingly, "Mmmh, using your godson as a distracting measure. How Slytherin, Harry!" Then Draco approached Harry and kissed him fiercely.

It was the size of the wedding that caused the most fights. At the end, they decided to prepare something cozy – for the Malfoys. Only 300 people were invited. It was the event of the year, if not the decade. The Man Who Lived got married, and to a Slytherin Pureblooded wizard, the son of known Death Eaters. The papers took it in stride, though, maybe because Harry and Draco had Skeeter where they wanted her, in the palm of the hand.

When the time came to say their vows, Draco only had to look at Harry's glowing face to know that it was worth it, to have this person by his side forever. He said passionately, "I have known your weakest moments, and your strongest ones. I've seen you facing certain defeat and continuing, the weight of the world on your shoulders. I have known the man who laughs, who curses, who stumbles and falls and finally gets up again. I don't need a legal document to tell me what I know: that I belong to you and you belong to me. Together, we are much more than two."

Draco put the Malfoy Ring on Harry's finger.

When it was Harry's turn, he looked at the chiseled face, the grey eyes, and the blond hair of the man he could not live without. He said, "I have also seen you at your weakest moments, Draco. But I could not see you in your strongest hour. I could not, yet your care and love, your ideas and cunning sustained me in that battle. I never saw you, yet I knew I would never be alone, as long as you were by my side. I didn't even need to see you, to feel the weight of the world diminish, as if carried by a strong wind. I know that I've considered you my mate, my succor, my help and husband long before now."

Then Harry put the Potter Ring on Draco's finger.

Their offspring watched from the side: a rambunctious James, and a pair of little devils known as Albus Severus and Scorpius, whom Harry could see smirking and planning something. They were supposedly watched by Justin, George, Percy and Ron, without perceiving that the watching and scheming was generally performed by the kids.

Lily was carried by a vigilant Teddy. Miriam had probably ordered him to do so. The brunette Malfoy liked Lily as a little sister and tended to watch out for her when James and Albus Severus or Scorpius went overboard with her.

Their wedding over, they prepared to officiate that of Ginny and Astoria. Astoria looked wonderful in a beige formal gown created by a couturier in Milan.

Ginny looked amazing in a severe white gown from a top German designer in Hamburg.

Ginny said passionately, looking deeply into Astoria's blue eyes, "You are the epitome of grace and distinction. You are caring and supportive. The best human being I have ever met. You are infuriating sometimes, but you keep me on my toes. I don't have to see to know how beautiful you are. Together we have faced obstacles and persevered. You complete me as the sun completes the spring, as the seed promises the harvest."

Then Ginny put the exquisite Prewett ring on Astoria's finger.

Astoria said, gazing into Ginny's warm hazel eyes, "You are beautiful, tough and resilient. The perfect companion, my love. Since I first met you, I hoped we'd end up together, and we have. Your fiery hair indicates your fiery soul. I will enjoy spending the rest of my life with you, Ginny. I know it will never be dull or boring, because we have each other and our children. You are the flame I turn to when I need warmth, you are my true and only partner."

Then Astoria put one of the Greengrass Rings on Ginny's finger.

They were duly married, and the two couples returned to the Manor to eat the splendid fare, accompanied by their children and friends.

Two years later, Ginny was on tour with her Quidditch team, playing on an American city, when she suffered an accident and was rushed to the hospital. They informed the manager of the team, who duly notified Astoria.

A terrified Astoria came over by portkey, and they refused to tell her the medical news or even visit Ginny because she was not the next of kin.

Frowning and fingering her wand, Astoria took out the copy of the marriage certificate Ginny had insisted she should keep handy, and let the nosy doctor have it.

After a grueling hour spent checking the data, the hospital's spokesperson agreed to let Astoria stay with her wife, and they told her the medical news. Astoria was very grateful that they had gotten married.

Draco finally returned from his reverie, and facing Harry, he said, "Care to go home, Harry?"

Harry replied, "I'm ready as always, Draco."

Ginny, Astoria and Lily would go to Grimmauld Place, and Harry accompanied Draco to their flat near Hyde Park in London.

On Saturday, they were disturbed by a seemingly angry Hermione. The witch opened the door and stomped across the room as she said, "I don't know why I stay with him! It's unbelievable."

She continued, "Ron was ok yesterday. He bounced back from the self-inflicted Confoundus sooner than expected, but he didn't say anything and let us go through that theater, only because it pleased him! What do I see in him?"

Draco replied, "Maybe the fact that you love him, that he is the father of your children. Come on, Hermione, the man likes to prank, he is a Weasley after all. Don't get mad, get even! You should prepare your own prank."

Hermione smirked, "Maybe I should let Dean Thomas paint me and Ron!"

Harry and Draco shuddered. At the time, it had seemed like such a good idea. They contacted Dean so he would paint a picture of them sitting in the Malfoy Library couch. Of course it would be magical.

The painting was done, and it was scheduled to be in the dining room, when they finally noticed the strange behavior of Harry and Draco in the painting. The portraits often fought acridly with each other, and they were wont to do unexpected, amorous things that left little to the imagination.

It would be embarrassing to explain such a painting to their children, so it was moved to a lonely room in the North Wing.

In the fullness of time, the hare-brained plan of Draco's came to fruition. Hermione wrote passionate and entrancing stories about a girl who fights destiny to save her parents' lives, even to the point of making them forget and sending them elsewhere. Her parents read the stories and eventually, there came communication between them, first e-mails, then face to face.

It was a slow, painful undertaking, but Hermione did it methodically. She introduced them to magic and the Wizarding World in incremental steps. Finally she told them the truth, after giving them information about the havoc caused by Voldemort.

Her parents were astounded and it took them some time to get used to this, but eventually they understood and forgave her for her actions, which ultimately saved their lives.

Hermione got to know her parents again. They decided to continue living in Australia. They liked the open space and people there. So Hermione and her family visited them every chance they got and the Grangers, become Wilkes, enjoyed fully the births and growth of their grandchildren Rose and Hugo. They had a cordial relationship with their son-in-law Ron Weasley.

Hermione continued her angry rant, "I don't want to see that git! I'll go to my parents' in Sydney. Hugo will stay with George and Angelina for a while when we return from Australia.

Then Hermione Apparated, presumably to go to her house and get her son and luggage, prior to getting a portkey and traveling to far-off Australia.

Harry said, "Aren't you going to visit the Manor so you can get Sev's help and get your hair back?"

Draco answered, "I'm thinking about leaving it like this. It gives me an air of refinement and authority that I would not have otherwise. Dealing with the political persons that we deal with, appearing wise and all-knowing is a bonus. I don't know, what do you think, Harry?"

Harry gulped and considered what to say. He replied, "I didn't marry you for your hair or lack of it. I married you because I love you. Everything flows from that."

Then the bars of a popular song were heard and Draco took out his cell phone and answered the call. Terry Boot and Robert Lehmke had solved the problem of the electrical field interference in 2009, and now cell phones were common in the Wizarding World, thanks to their patents. Interestingly, it was Blaise Zabini who helped them start a small magical-electrical company. He was a learned MBA from Oxford, and joined Terry and Robert in their quest. He lived in upstate New York, and frequently visited his partners. He married an American witch called Linda Tessin, and they had a six year old boy called Pierre Zabini.

Harry listened to Draco's conversation intently. Draco was saying, "She intends to visit her parents, Weasel. She is incensed by the prank you pulled, and I suggest you make it up to her and grovel for a while, unless you want to spend the next weeks all alone!

"Just do something romantic for her, like taking her to a restaurant or the opera. Something that shows you care for her."

Draco groaned as he ended the call. He said, "I never expected to become a counselor for weasels."

Then a drawling voice said, "You shouldn't have married Harry then, Conis!" Miriam Malfoy smirked as she sauntered into the room. She gave Draco a bear hug and almost suffocated Harry. The petite 24-year old Malfoy looked very good in a dark blue knee-length dress, a shawl and sandals.

Narcissa entered then. The Malfoy matriarch wore a severe black dress, accentuating her blond hair. She kissed Draco and Harry.

Then Lucius sauntered in. He looked like a winter ghost, all white. He wore a white robe and shirt, only his shoes were black.

Miriam said, "You missed all the fun, Conis! My former boyfriend and us were having a good time until he accompanied me to the garden. There he tried to 'heat things up,' I clearly said no, but he didn't want to listen. At least, not until something happened."

Draco said, "Tell me you didn't!"

Narcissa frowned and continued, "He did, Draco. Your father turned into a Polar bear and really scared that boy. We left shortly thereafter. Miriam went to the Manor and I accompanied Lucius by portkey to a Norwegian fjord, where he could get rid of the excess heat."

Just then the doorbell rang, and when Draco opened the door, he found Antonia and Jason Finch-Fletchley waiting outside. After greeting them, he led them inside.

Antonia's ash-blond hair now had streaks of gray, and her face was more lined. She still remained active in the fight to protect children. She, Narcissa and Draco had been responsible for distributing a big chunk of the Malfoy wealth into different charities. They were in the boardrooms of different organizations.

Jason Finch-Fletchley still tugged on his curls when he was nervous. He also had streaks of grey in his hair. He and Lucius coordinated well with his sons and had become the last resource for many people who would not be heard otherwise.

Jason and Lucius had a glass of butterbeer each and reminisced about past cases. Eventually they had to go to their office. They left the flat and Jason drove his car through London.

Narcissa and Antonia left a little while later by portkey to their main offices. There was some concern that the free supply of Wolfsbane could be compromised by Dark wizards.

Draco eyed Miriam speculatively and the brunette, who knew her brother inside and out, had a very good inkling what he was thinking about. She said menacingly, "Don't even dream about it, Conis! You will not set me up with anyone or you will pay the ultimate price!"

Draco was smirking as he thought about his accomplishments as a cupid: Lavender and Elias Flint. Maybe he would find someone for his feisty sister.

Miriam growled, "Stop, or Harry will know all your secrets, like when you wanted to go to Australia in a tanker!"

Draco gulped, and said hurriedly, "I don't intend to set you up with anyone, Mi." Meanwhile he crossed his fingers.

Eventually a somewhat mollified Miriam left for the Manor.

Harry looked at Draco and remembered fondly the years spent together. They'd sure had a stormy start, when their first six years were spent fighting each other. Yet at the end of the war, he discovered something new in Draco Malfoy. In his hour of greatest need, when Harry was trapped, it was Draco who recognized the trap and took steps to liberate him.

In their life together, there had been some fights. In the whole, it was a magnificent life, full of family and love. Truly he had reached the port of his heart's content, and it was called Draco.

Draco looked at his husband and noticed his wistful look. To cheer him up, he had a great idea.

Draco kissed Harry passionately, and the kiss was as eternal as ever. A moment when they forgot about time and space. They concentrated on creating a space filled only with Harry and Draco.

THE END

Comments

[lijahlover.livejournal.com]

No way I can't believe you are done with this I have to catch up asap :)

[herumtreiber.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I have an inkling you're going to enjoy what happens. Let's say Draco and Harry are very happy with their kids - and married to each other :))

*hugs close*