Bitter Chocolate - (A 'Veronica Weasley' sequel) || Draco Malfoy

Epilogue

Draco Lucius Malfoy didn't win any father of the year awards, but he tried his best.

He felt the pain of not having Ronnie by his side every single day, but the letter had somehow made it easier to bear.

That first summer without Ronnie, Draco spent it making new memories with Scorpius and Freida. Sometimes his mother was there to help, but mostly she left Draco to it at his insistence.

And every now and then, he allowed himself to indulge in their past memories; sometimes even taking Scorpius and Freida with him into the Pensieve. They particularly liked seeing their first date; when Draco had gone with Ronnie to the Yule ball. Although he was careful to pull them out before that unexpected fight/kiss happened. That memory was their private moment; his and Ronnie's.

And they had had many of those.

"Mummy says a lot of naughty words," Freida had scowled when another loud beep issued from Memory-Ronnie's mouth (Draco had to make sure it was child friendly before he could let his kids see it. This meant that their ears were usually ringing from of the vast amount of beeping going on.).

"She was never one to hold back," Draco had chuckled, looking adoringly down at his little girl, who despite resembling Ronnie in looks, was very much a mini him in personality.

He talked to Ronnie all the time in his head, heard her voice as clearly as if she was in the room with him.

She was there with him when he waved their daughter off to Hogwarts for the first time. She was there with him when Scorpius brought his girlfriend home to officially 'meet' him ("Longbottom is just a name, Draco." She had said in his head when he tried not to let it bother him. "If Rose makes him happy then that's all that counts.").

He watched their children grow up, was there for every event in their lives. Graduation, marriage, and children.

When he held his first grandchild in his arms, he couldn't help but let out an aching sob. It was those times when he felt Ronnie's absence the most.

Scorp and Rose, like himself and Ronnie, had a boy and then a girl; Jack and Madison. Freida never married, instead forming a partnership with her lifelong best friend; Sara.

He remained supportive and understanding of all their choices and decisions in life; making sure to keep good relations with Ronnie's family. Including with the Potter's, although he found it difficult to completely forgive Ginny and Potter for snubbing Ronnie all those years.

And he missed her, oh how he missed his Ronnie. He woke up most mornings reaching out for her, his arms feeling horrifically empty when she wasn't there. How he longed to touch her, kiss her, hold her. In the days that he missed her the most, he would lose himself in the Pensieve, hating that he could see her, hear her, but never touch her.

And he never did meet another woman. How could he have done? No one compared to her. He belonged with Ronnie, even in death.

So the years rolled by, and Draco grew older, but his heart always remained with Ronnie.

And one night, at the age of seventy six, after a long tiring, yet eventual contented life, Draco Lucius Malfoy climbed into bed, closed his eyes and never woke up again.

It was finally his time.

*****

Draco jumped as the red door slammed shut behind him.

He was confused. He couldn't work out where he was and what he was doing there.

Looking around, he realised he was in a small white room which was empty except for a few unoccupied chairs, and one other door.