Entranced (Draco Malfoy)

•epilogue•

Twenty Years Later

Draco and Dove Malfoy smile at the two kids before them, both bouncing up and down excitedly. The first-born, Nymphadora Narcissa Malfoy, honoring two of Draco's family members, is thirteen and a proud Slytherin like her father. She's the splitting image of the girl Dove once saw in the window's reflection.

With long, platinum blonde hair like her father and green eyes just like her mother, she's a beauty to all. She's taller than her mother had imagined, but it seems to suit her. She's ambitious, kind, and brilliant beyond comprehension.

Their second and final child, Cedric Blaise Malfoy, honoring two men who didn't deserve what they got, is a first year that is fiercely loyal and brave. He is what would be left if Dove and Draco merged into one person: kind with limitations, brave but slightly reckless, and loyal beyond any means.

He's Dove's twin. With chestnut brown hair that curls at the ends and a mind that loves to read, she has no doubt he'll end up with someone much like she did. However, his eyes are very peculiar and rare. One grey eye, one green eye. It shows just how alike Dove and Draco he truly is.

Dove has no doubt that he'll be Sorted into Hufflepuff. She kind of hopes he falls for a Slytherin and her Nymph falls for a Hufflepuff, just so Dove and Draco's legacy can continue on. They promised forever. This is definitely how she wants it to mean, though she's sure her husband would be quick to disagree.

Luckily for both parents, they get to watch the Sorting happen. Dove had talked to Professor McGonagall after the war as promised, being offered a job as the new Transfiguration professor once the old professor retired. She'd been startled, but she had accepted. Apparently those times that Minerva McGonagall had asked her advice, she'd been seeing remnants of herself through Dove and had no doubt the Hufflepuff would make an excellent professor.

Professor McGonagall had retired last year, giving Dove the perfect chance to have the job. Surprisingly, Professor Slughorn had retired as well and stated he wanted Draco as his successor, seeing his previous success with Severus Snape and himself in Potions. Headmistress Sprout had been all too happy to accept the finally married couple as professors, knowing they'd do well.

Of course, their children don't know. Otherwise little Nymphadora would be a lot less eager to get on the train seeing as she enjoys pranking much like the woman she was named after. And Cedric would be all too excited, considering he draws comfort from his parents despite putting up a brave front.

As Draco leans down to kiss Cedric's forehead, eyes filled with love, Dove is entranced. He entrances her even more than words do. And he will forevermore as she finally learned to put down her book and let down her walls, giving her the opportunity to see what she'd been blind too: the man who loved her more than life itself. Because she opened her eyes, she opened herself to everything she'd been lacking: love, true friendship, and happiness. All of that in which she owes to him.

She spots Hannah Abbott, her longtime friend, giving Neville Longbottom, the Herbology professor, a lingering kiss, the two looking happy as ever. Dove and Hannah make eye-contact, the two exchanging big smiles. Of course, she'd told her friend she'd be the new Transfigurations teacher.

Harry Potter nods at her, wistfulness in his gaze. She shares the look, wondering for the first time what her life would have been like had she gone for him. A laugh builds in her chest. She doubts she would have lived to tell the tale. She could never have been with him. From the start, it had always been Draco.

Seamus Finnegan stands with Dean Thomas, the two watching Dean's son board the train. His wife had recently died, and Seamus was there to support him instantly. Dove wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if they began to date. Of course, that's not her place to suggest.

Seamus had been excellent to her. And even when breaking up with her, he'd been excellent. He deserves to be with someone who loves him fiercely.

All isn't well. Draco cries often from the grief of losing his mother, the imprisonment of his father, the loss of his friend, the almost loss of his wife, and more. Dove lives with regret at killing Megan and Fenrir Greyback though they both arguably deserved it, grief from Cedric Diggory and Susan Bone's deaths, survivor's guilt from Blaise dying for her, and so much more. But the two draw strength from each other. The two know their love will always persevere.

So although all isn't well, they still have their promise of forever, which they know they will never break. The light always wins.

The End.

-

Final word count: 53,974 (excluding all of my annoying author's notes of course.)

A'N:

Thank you all for your support. As you can see, I changed Seamus and Dean's ending a bit. I wish I would have gone more in-depth with Dove and Seamus's relationship, Dove and Neville's friendship, Draco and Blaise's friendship, Narcissa's death, Blaise-and-Megan working together, and so much more, but right now, I am content with what I have written. I hope you are too. You all are the reason this book finished. The support I got after only a few days motivated me to finish this book. You all are truly the best.

Xoxo, Alyson