The Request by redhead414

Chapter 39

Epilogue

What a difference a year made.

A year and two months, really, but it didn't matter. Draco sat with Hermione, holding hands with Katie sitting next to him as they watched Claire receive her graduation diploma from Professor McGonagall. Scorpius and Leo both let out a loud wolf whistle from the student section as her name was announced, and Katie cheered just as loud, causing Claire to blush slightly as she took her rolled up scroll from her favorite teacher. He noticed her give a small wave relatively towards his direction, and also noticed who she was waving too - Albus Potter. He bit back a laugh as Harry noticed the exchange between the two of them as well, and responded by giving his son a good wallop over the head with the graduation program in his hand, with another whack coming from Teddy for good measure. He gave up on the notion that Claire would fall for someone other than Albus Potter back at Christmastime, but the two of them had stayed true to their promise. Nothing about their relationship had been improper during this past year. Anyone who saw them conversing at school knew they'd grown up together, and considered them to be friends.

"Daddy, where's James and YaYa?" Katie asked, noticing the absence of her big sister.

"Jamie has a cold, so they're staying home today," Draco said. He was disappointed that Anya wasn't here today for her sister's graduation, and found it somewhat peculiar that Claire didn't seem put out by her sister's absence. "We'll see them back at the house for Claire's party."

Katie nodded and crawled up onto her father's lap, which was often her preferred place to sit when the option presented itself. Draco didn't mind at all. More and more he was realizing that Katie wouldn't be little forever, and so he would let her be a little girl as long as she wanted to be one. The two of them had actually been spending more time together this year, teaching her how to better control her magic. Hermione wasn't sure where to begin with this, because she didn't know at that age that what she was doing was magic, but Draco had been taught how to control his magic by his parents, and with Katie's unusual gift, Draco decided to teach her earlier than he did with his other children. Professor McGonagall had heard all about Katie and her talents from Claire, Scorpius, and now Leo this past year, and had offered to assist in Katie's magical development as well, so far to even suggest that she be given a wand at nine or ten, so that she could learn how to reign in her magic well in advance before she got to Hogwarts and accidentally cast a spell without understanding the full volume of her strength.

After the ceremony, Draco carried Katie on his shoulders as he and Hermione waited in the courtyard for their children to find them. Harry and Ginny stood with them as well, with Teddy and Albus nearby, talking to other friends who were their as they had siblings graduating today as well. Leo and Scorpius found them first, both of them dressed in their house robes. Both of them were sporting similar haircuts now, short and spiked, and it was frightening how identical the two of them were becoming, their only differences now being in eye color and height. Both of them had their respective Slytherin and Gryffindor neck ties pulled down a bit now that the ceremony was over, and Katie immediately requested to be put down so that she could hug her brothers, having been without both of them this past school year.

"Katie!" Scorpius exclaimed, scooping up his sister as soon as she was done hugging Leo, laughing as she hugged him tight. "What are we going to do this summer?"

She didn't answer, as she was too busy hugging her big brother.

"I don't think she missed you at all," Draco teased Scorpius as Leo gave him a hug.

"I can tell," Scorpius said with a laugh. His voice had been getting deeper this past year, and Hermione was convinced he was sounding more and more like Draco every day. "Are we still having a party?"