• Harry Potter One Shots• (request open)

We Can Do Better • Draco Malfoy (Part Two)

Draco married Astoria Greengrass. Anna was shunned from the Malfoy's and her own family.
No one had heard from her in years. Her mother pretended to not have any children. After the fall of Voldemort, after everything that happened during the war... Draco realized Anna was right all along. She fought as one of the only Slytherin students on the side of good, defending the castle she'd called home for years, she fought along side the trio.

Draco grew to love Astoria. She was a lovely woman, but carried a curse. She held the same beliefs as Anna, a blood traitor scar down her arm was a constant reminder of that. Draco always felt guilty for thinking of Anna when he seen that, but truly, he never stopped loving her. Though he loved Astoria, he'd never love her in the way he'd loved Anna all those years.

Before her death, Astoria and Draco had a son - Scorpius. Astoria died and left Draco and Scorpius alone and Draco done his best to raise Scorpius with the same beliefs that his mother and his father's love before her shared: all witches and wizards are equal, regardless of blood status.

Anna grew close with the trio and the Weasley's. She spent years at the Burrow, watching her friends grow old, marry each other, and have babies. The life she wished she'd had with Draco. It broke her heart to leave him, but her morality was more important.

She'd trained as auror and worked alongside Harry and Ron; Ron leaving the position to help George in the shop after Fred's death. Anna was referred to aunt Anna to all the Weasley/Potter children, but bore none of her own. Honestly, she didn't know if she ever would. She sometimes wondered if sacrificing a comfortable life with the love of her life to fight for the good was worth it... the answer was always yes. She loved Draco, she's always loved Draco... but it was worth it.

Hermione had invited her for dinner and Anna was scurrying along Diagon Alley, heels clicking against the cobblestone in search of a nice bottle of wine. She wanted to bring something, as Hermione had mentioned several colleagues from work would be there. Hermione was the minister of magic and regularly had these "dinners" with her colleagues.... all of which Anna was invited too. Hermione was trying to set her up.

Anna secured the bottle of wine and was shoving a few galleons back into her purse, not watching where she was going. She hurried along the street, running a bit late. She'd just zipped up her purse when her body collided with another; the bottle of red wine shattered as the two fell to the ground. No one was injured, but Anna's beige, frame fitting dress was stained red from the wine.

"Oh, my! I'm so sorry." A familiar voice said. Anna sighed, slightly annoyed at the carelessness of both herself and the voice, taking an outstretched hand before her. She stood up and dusted herself off, still not realizing whom she'd bumped into. "Ann?"

Anna's head snapped up. There was one person who'd always called her Ann. She hated the nickname, said it sounded like an old woman, but always allowed him to call her that... Draco. Her eyes met the familiar grey eyes she was still in love with. They were older... tired. Almost sad. "Draco?" She gasped. Without question, without even another word... Draco grabbed her waist and jerked her into a hug, drinking in every drop of her figure.. which was still young. No children, he supposed. The red wine stain transferred onto his white button up. He grabbed the back of her head and squeezed her tightly.

"Oh, Ann." He whispered, his voice quivering the same way it did when he showed her his mark. Beside them, a young boy stood awkwardly.

"Uh.. dad? I'm still here." He laughed nervously. Anna pulled away at the word dad.

"Who's this?" She said, her heart breaking that she was not the young boy's mother. She'd always dreamed of what her and Draco's children would look like, and though the boy before her did not have her blood, he was exactly what she'd pictured - the spitting image of his father.

"Oh yeah," Draco sniffled, trying to hide the tears that had formed in his eyes. "Scorpius. My son. Scorpius, this is my.. uh.. friend. Anna."

"Hello, Scorpius." Anna said enchantingly, her voice changing when she spoke to the young boy. Scorpius cocked an eyebrow and looked at her.

"You're very pretty." He said smoothly. Draco and Anna both chuckled.

"Ha. Charming just like your father." She said, ruffling up his icy blonde hair.

"Where're you off to in such a hurry?" Draco questioned.

"Dinner at Hermione's." Anna smiled, shaking her head softly. "She's been trying to set me up for years with her colleagues from work. Nothing interesting, I can promise you."

"Won't you come back to our place for dinner?" Scorpius asked, noticing the obvious connection between the two. He missed his mother. Draco missed his mother. They were lonely, and even though he was young, he could pick up on the chemistry between Anna and his father. Draco's mouth fell open and he laughed slightly, shaking his head.

"Yes, join us." He smiled. Anna nodded, agreeing. She figured it would be nice to catch up and meet Draco's wife.

•

Dinner was all it took. Draco had revealed his wife had passed, that it was only he and Scorpius now. Night after night, she joined them at the Manor for dinner. She made the room feel warmer, a warmness Scorpius hadn't felt since his mother's death... that Draco hadn't felt since the day Anna left.

The two were married within a year and, even though they both were in their forties, welcomed a beautiful baby girl, Octavia, the next year. Scorpius was thrilled to have a sibling, as well as a stand in mother. Anna always made it clear that she'd never take Astoria's place, but that she'd be the best she could for him and Scorpius was absolutely in love with his new stepmother, the void his mother's death left finally filled.

As Draco returned from putting the children to bed, he snuggled against Anna.. the feeling of her skin always felt like a cool drink of water; refreshing after a long time in the desert. He'd missed her so bad and every night as he curled up next to her in bed, hand around her waist.. he vowed to never put her in that situation again. He vowed to be the man she'd always deserved.