The Snake Among Lions

Epilogue

This is not the ending of the writing. Just of this book. I shall write a sequel that takes place between chapter 20 and this. Enjoy, lovelies.
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"Come on, Harry don't get all sappy on me." Draco tried to sound brave, nonchalant.

"I am not sappy, you are just imagining things, being the senile old man that you are." Harry forced a smile, but the sadness was still in his eyes.

"OI! We are the same age, you git. So if I'm an old man, then so are you." Draco wished he had the strength to run his hands through the gray hair that used to be black.

"We did good, didn't we?" Harry let the wistfulness settle on his face this time.

"I'd like to think so." Draco sighed as he thought of their years together, as Healer and Auror, their careers at Hogwarts, the young witches and wizards who had no family left that used to run around the halls their large home, the orphanage they ran. Yes, they did good, indeed.

But all that was over. There were no more nights of Healer Malfoy yelling at Auror Potter for getting hurt on a raid. No more students sought Professor Potter and Healer Malfoy. No little feet padded through the house. No more babies cried in the orphanage, as all the war orphans grew up, the students graduated, the ministry got a new Head Auror. Now it was just the two timeworn men. Draco thought of the scar on his arm, the one that used to burn the darkest black, the skull and snake that started all this, made this life of his possible. He thought of all those times he worried about Harry, the man who seemed perpetually injured. He thought of all the beauty they brought to a post-war world.

But now he was too weak to even lift his arm. How had this happened? It seemed only yesterday he sat at the Gryffindor table for the first time, only an hour ago that he had scolded his husband for getting hurt and not telling him, only a half an hour ago that they went back to Hogwarts, only a minute ago that they took in children with no families, only a second ago they retired to live peacefully together.

Despite this weakness, he was the luckiest man in the world. His thoughts were interrupted by a gentle kiss on his forehead.

"What are you thinking, love?" Bright green eyes looked back at Draco, eyes that never dulled in all their years.

"I'm scared, Harry." Had he actually just said those words out loud?

"Of?" Harry cocked an eyebrow at his white-haired husband.

"I don't want to be forgotten." It was the quietest of whispers.

"Even if the world forgets you, I could never forget the amazing Draco Malfoy." There was such a warm tone to the voice. A single tear ran down Harry's face, knowing what he'd given permission for. All at once, Draco knew it was ok. He wasn't scared anymore.

And with a content grin on his face, Draco's world went black for the last time.