AN: And this is it folks. Thank you for taking this journey with me. I do hope you've enjoyed it.

Until we meet again. *kisses*

The Epilogue

Five Years Later

Hermione Malfoy happily flipped through the pages of the latest book on Law Reform. She snuggled into her nest of pillows near the window, and propped the tome on her knees, carefully taking notes. She hadn't the slightest idea how long she had been lost in her own thoughts, but it quickly came to an end.

"Mummy! There you are! I found Mummy!" Scorpius Malfoy was the spitting image of his father, except for his eyes.

He was completely nonplussed by his mother's loud sigh, and climbed directly into her lap. He pushed the book from Hermione's knees, and cuddled into her side. Scorpius tugged on his mother's dark hair, demanding her attention.

"Scorpius, you've better manners than that." Hermione gently chided her son, quickly adjusting him in her lap.

"Yeah, but I couldn't find you, and Posey was like Mummy's reading leave her alone, and I didn't wanna, but I found you." Scorpius patted his mother's tummy, and promptly fell asleep.

"I told him not to bother you." Draco rolled his eyes from the doorjamb, but had no plans to remove his incorrigible son. "You've been in here nearly all day, you realise?"

"Yes, but I spent most of that time sleeping. I'm just so tired this go 'round. Where's Posey? Is she with your mother?" Hermione yawned and stretched her hands over her head. She ruffled her son's platinum locks with a wry grin.

"She's with my father, actually. She's obsessed with his bloody peacocks. The Potters are due for dinner soon. I'm not looking forward to their monsters running about the Manor."

"Bollocks. I completely forgot. I invited Fred and Blaise for dinner."

"My parents are going to murder us. Why the hell do we still live here?" Draco whined, which while it wasn't his most attractive quality, it definitely wasn't his worst.

"Convenience. I can work from home, yet still be involved with the children. We can throw lavish dinner parties and invite all of our friends, rather than having to choose, not to mention the fact you love it here. Don't even get me started on the fact you wished us to live here in the first place, and once I finally agreed, now you complain. Seems there's no pleasing you." Hermione was quite matter of fact in her response, and Draco accepted it easily, as she wasn't wrong.

"How's my boy today?" Draco carefully invaded her pillow nest, and rested his head upon her breast.

"It could be a girl." Hermione sighed while gazing upon her two towheaded boys.

"Mmmhmmm, I know. I just like to rile you up. How many children do you want? Have we ever discussed it before?" Draco was absolutely thrilled to discover the love of his life was carrying yet another of his children, but he felt Hermione was a bit more reserved.

"Honestly? I thought we were done after the twins were born, not that I regret this one or anything, but I can't see myself with more." Hermione frowned, knowing his thoughts differed on the matter, but she wished to be honest with him.

"Hm, well, can we just have more than Potter?" Draco kissed the side of Hermione's neck and licked her earlobe, teasing her.

"Harry's already got three. We're even."

"Tonks is pregnant."

"Oh, I do hope they'll have a girl this go round." Hermione sighed happily, her blinks growing longer.

"I'd like two of each, but I'd like a girl to be our last. I like the idea of her having older brothers to look after her."

"Damn you. I can't even argue with that." Hermione groaned, and forced her eyes open. "We're having a boy."

James Hagrid Potter was playing a delightful game of 'Hide from My Father'. Of course, his father wasn't aware he was a participant, but James didn't let little things like actualities get in his way. He giggled as he ran through Malfoy Manor, dragging his younger brother Sirius with him.

Teddy had declared himself entirely too old to play such childish games, but he was dedicated to misdirection whenever his parents drew near his younger brothers. He knew Harry wasn't technically his father, but it was all he'd ever known, and he wasn't interested in changing his perception.

"Where the hell are they, Teddy?" Harry yanked on his dark hair, absolutely certain his sons were going to force him into premature grayness.

"They're hiding in the sunroom, but you didn't hear that from me." Teddy nonchalantly returned to his book with barely a glance in Harry's direction.

"James! You get back here! Would you stop it? Dammit, I'm serious!"

Sirius Brian Potter snickered from his hiding place behind a potted plant. He stepped out on his chubby toddler legs, and tugged on his father's pants.

"No, I Sirius." He chortled happily and ran away before Harry could snatch him up.

"Your Seeker skills have floundered, Potter."

"Shut up, Malfoy." Harry sneered, and Draco was almost impressed. Almost. "Tonks! I swear I'm going to tie them to a bloody chair!" Harry stormed through the Manor, and did little more than nod at Lucius while he sought his wife.

Lucius Malfoy pinched the bridge of his nose, and silently counted to ten, in Latin, as it would take him longer. The irritating sound of children running and shouting through the Manor, was not a sound Lucius missed, as his own son was grown. His wife, on the other hand, was bloody delighted, as she had always wished to bear more than one child.

He retreated to the safety of his study, knowing the silence within would be short lived. Lucius knew it was only a matter of time before Blaise Zabini joined him, which didn't bother him nearly at all. The wizard only wished for a bit of silence as well, and considering he was married to Fred, who could blame him?

"Thank the gods." Langston Fawley slipped into darkened study with a loud sigh of relief. "I don't know how you stand it. Elliot Zabini is chasing the Potter boys, Josephine is screeching because they refuse to allow her to play. Georgina is pulling on Rose's hair, and I need a drink." He stumbled toward the dry bar and poured himself a liberal firewhiskey, neat.

"Hello Langston, lovely to see you. A drink? Of course, you can have a drink."

"Oh sarcasm, delightful. I see you've been taking lessons from our children."

Langston and Lucius glared at each other over the tops of crystal tumblers, yet it was without true animosity. Lucius had become used to the man's company over the years, and preferred it to being surrounded by Weasleys.

"I gather the Zabini's and the Potter's have arrived, isn't that grand." Lucius uttered the phrase in such a way there was no mistaking the fact he did not think it was grand in the least.

"Astoria and Ronald decided to pop in as well. Sullivan distracted them, otherwise I'd be forced to converse, and I'd rather not listen to aimless chatter about nappies." The blue eyes of Langston Fawley stared at the door, expecting it to burst open, and Lucius understood his pain.

"Do you suppose…it would be…uncouth…to retreat to the dungeons? I happen to know they're completely abandoned, and with a few waves of a wand, perhaps we could create quite a niche." Lucius flicked his long, blonde hair over his shoulder, while he carefully slipped into his cloak.

He stepped toward the floor to ceiling bookcase, and glanced over his shoulder toward Langston. The other wizard's eyes slid toward him, curious. Lucius nearly smiled, and tapped his wand against a nondescript Potions tome.

"I must admit, I'm quite intrigued. I'm quite fond of Hermione, don't tell her this…" Langston paused, and nervously looked to the door before continuing, "but, Merlin she never stops talking. I haven't the slightest idea how she wasn't Sorted to Ravenclaw, but even we enjoy the silences." He sagged against the handcrafted mahogany desk, as if the confession sapped his strength.

"Welcome to the family, Langston." Lucius smirked and stepped into the musty secret passage, knowing Hermione Granger's father would follow.

"Scorpius Hugo Malfoy!" Draco absolutely refused to chase his son, yet he wasn't against utilising a Freezing Charm. "If you so much as look at your grandfather's peacocks, I will not hesitate to ban you from biscuits until your receive your Hogwarts letter, and take back the broom I purchased for your birthday."

Scorpius gasped, his brown eyes wide with child like horror. Draco struggled to maintain his stoic features while Scorpius dragged James back toward the Manor. He kept a careful eye on his little Posey, knowing Josephine loved to torture Rose whenever the adults were preoccupied. He had already bet Potter ten galleons the twins would be Sorted to Slytherin, though they kept such things from Hermione.

"Hugo is right awful." Ron Weasley waggled his fingers at his dark haired daughter, pleased as punch she looked exactly like her mother.

"Don't start with me, Weasley." Draco desperately searched the garden for someone, anyone to save him from his least favourite Weasley, but the girls pretended the men folk didn't exist.

"It really is though. Thank Merlin it's not his first name."

"Oh shut up, would you? Granger still hasn't forgive you for stealing Rose." Draco arched an eyebrow, content to see Ron's cheeks pinken.

"Stealing Rose," Ron scoffed, " you're ridiculous. It's a name. I can't steal it." He seemed quite proud of himself for thinking of such a retort on his own.

"Yeah? Would you like to say that to Hermione's face?" Draco gestured toward the ladies scattered around the garden, with a bit of a sardonic smile.

Ronald Weasley gulped loudly, and strangely enough, he raised his head and met the eyes of a curious Hermione. He tilted his head to the side and cupped his ear, while looking toward the Manor.

"Oh, what's that? Yes, right away love! Sorry, got to be going."

Draco wasn't the least bit surprised to see Ron Weasley amble toward the Manor, as far from Hermione as possible. It amused him just a bit more than it should, but such was life. He sighed happily, quite pleased with himself.

"Were you terrorizing my husband again?" Astoria Weasley spoke quietly at Draco's elbow, causing the man to flinch in surprise.

"Yes, yes I was. You don't get to scold me about it either. There are very few things in life that bring me as much joy as irritating your husband."

Astoria huffed and rolled her eyes, just as he expected. He watched her waddle away, her burden low, and he vaguely wondered when the next Weasley was due to join the world. Instead of dwelling upon such things however, he traipsed through the garden, and whisked his wife along the path littered with white roses.

"I still don't like sharing you." He muttered, with his hand low on her back, and a kiss to her brow.

"I know." Hermione sighed, and her hands naturally rested on her stomach, the way most pregnant women's hands did. "This isn't anything new. We've had this argument for years." She braced herself, expecting yet another row, but it didn't come.

"I don't wish to argue. I was simply stating a fact. I detest sharing you, but I do it, because I love you." Draco grasped her to his chest and kissed her long and hard, despite his mother's snort and murmurs about impropriety.

"I love you, you know I do." Hermione pressed her cheek against his freshly starched sky blue shirt, and closed her eyes for a moment.

"He's kicking you. I can feel it." Draco smiled, a real smile, and Hermione decided it was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen.

"Yes, he does that quite often. Oh look, Sullivan is here, and the Zabinis as well. Would you do me a favour and have a bit of a chat with Sully? He seems to think there's nothing more to life than serial dating. I do wish he'd settle down, or at least stick with a witch for longer than a few weeks." Hermione tutted with that quiet disapproval Draco was accustomed too.

Slowly, as if he didn't wish to part from her company, Draco led his wife back to the flock of cackling witches and excused himself. He could feel Hermione's dark eyes lingering on his back, and knew her libido would keep them up until the wee small hours of the morning.

"Oi, Sullivan!" Draco called to his brother-in-law, and the dark haired wizard sauntered over with a jaunt in his step. "Don't swagger about. Your sister has been nagging me incessantly about your voracious appetite for pretty witches."

"You'd think she'd never lived a little." Sullivan Fawley rolled his blue eyes, and shook his head, before clasping hands with Draco. "Surely you understand a young bloke's need to play the field a bit."

"I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about. I've never done such a thing in my entire life. I've been completely devoted to Hermione from the moment I met her, and I've never looked at another witch twice." Draco staunchly replied with utter and complete seriousness.

"You're also a fucking liar." Sullivan laughed heartily and shook his head.

He had adjusted amazingly well to having an older sister, but he knew as well as anyone else, how bloody overbearing Hermione could be. He didn't mind it, not really. It was nice to have someone care about him so much, but Sullivan always thought she needed to relax a bit, not that he'd ever tell her.

"You're Hufflepuff. You're supposed to be loyal and loving and all that mushy sort of nonsense." Draco waved to Blaise and Fred, while still attempting to frown heavily at Sullivan, for Hermione's sake.

"I am loyal, disgustingly loyal actually. I adore every witch I twist beneath the sheets for as long as she's there. I never speak poorly of her afterwards either, what more do you want from me?" Sullivan waggled his fingers toward Georgina, smiling as she toddled toward him.

"I want you to keep your fucking face out of the Daily Prophet so I can stop discussing your sex life." Draco growled and hefted Georgina Zabini on his hip, before she ran off to try and hug the peacocks.

"Noted." Sully shoved his hands into the pockets of his black slacks and decided it was as good a time as any to say hello to his sister.

Blaise Zabini was carefully aiding his very pregnant husband toward a lawn chair. Fred grunted and groaned as he sunk onto the white cushioned chair, sighing as he stretched his legs in front of him. Blaise grit his teeth and smiled prettily toward the relaxing witches, and immediately sought out Draco.

"Save me. You've got to save me. I don't know how much longer I can do this." Blaise hissed angrily, but he kissed his daughter's dark hair and set her in the grasses the moment Posey and Rose approached.

"What do you mean?" Draco led his mate away by the elbow and turned the corner of the Manor to remain out of sight.

"Fred is driving me mad. I love him. I adore him. Georgina and Elliot are our lives, but this pregnancy is going to be the end of me. I swear it." Blaise scratched his black hair, and it was then Draco noted the tell tale signs of exhaustion.

"I told you. Your spells breed nothing but trouble. I mean sure, everything works out well in the end. I'm perfectly happy being married to Hermione, but the path to get here was…unnecessary. You were over the moon when Georgina was born, of course Fred was going to want another child. I can't believe you didn't see that coming." Draco snickered, amused by his mate's distress.

"I thought it would be a one time sort of thing. He claimed he simply wished to experience the miracle of having a child grow within him. The complications of maintaining his magical womb were extraordinary. The Ministry nearly had my head for dabbling in what they considered Gray Magic. I didn't think he'd want to do it again! We had to apply for a bloody Permit, Malfoy. Apparently, the Spell I created is being utilised by the Ministry to aid couples unable to conceive." Blaise was breathing quite hard, and Draco would have been concerned, but he knew the poor wizard simply needed to express his outrage.

"You should be thrilled. It isn't often new Spells are created with such advantageous results. I know for a fact, Hermione was quite miffed, and a bit jealous to see you published before she did."

Blaise was pleased, and a tingle ran through his entire body. He'd never had anyone be envious of him before, and knowing the great Hermione Malfoy née Granger, was irritated with him? Well, it was better than Yule.

"I suppose I'll have to come to terms with the fact that I finally bested Hermione Granger in something. I feel better now, thank you." Blaise puffed out his chest, and smirked happily.

"It's Malfoy. Hermione Malfoy, for Circe's sake, do not get her started on that hyphenated bullshit again." Draco rolled his grey eyes skyward, though they narrowed quickly when he saw Elliot draw his wand. "Your son better not jinx my son, Zabini."

"Elliot! Put it away or I'll snap it!" Blaise bellowed and Elliot Zabini had enough sense to look properly chastised, even as he hid his wand behind his back. "That boy is Slytherin as the day is long. How he wound up in Gryffindor is anyone's guess."

"The Weasley twins were Gryffindor as well, but they really should have been Slytherin. I think the Sorting hat is getting up there in age. Perhaps we should petition the Ministry to allow you to create a new spell for Sorting." Draco winked and dragged an unwilling Blaise toward the women. "If you're nice to me, I'll show you my father's new hiding place in the dungeons."

"Don't tease me with silence, Malfoy."

Fred Zabini smiled happily, his cheeks brightening the moment he observed his husband and Draco coming to join them. He knew he had been completely out of sorts lately, but that sort of thing happened near the end of pregnancy. His hormones had run completely amuck, and he was tired of pretending otherwise.

"I can't believe we're all pregnant together." Nymphadora Potter patted her abnormally small bump, and shoved a biscuit between her red lips.

"Again, you forgot the again. Although, I must admit, I am absolutely thrilled to only have a single passenger this go 'round." Hermione stretched her hands over head, causing her daisy yellow smock to stretch across her growing breasts until a button popped off, and landed in Fred's tea. "Bugger."

"I think after this one, I'm done. Ron doesn't want a large family of our own, and I completely respect that. Stuart Weasley will be the last one for us."

Astoria nodded happily, while Tonks and Hermione shared a knowing glance. Astoria had said the same thing the moment Rose was born, but they pretended to nod, and agree with her. It was easier that way.

"My back is bloody killing me." Fred groaned, and it seemed he was in a fair amount of pain.

"It's your own fault. No one told you to do this…again." Blaise took the seat beside his husband, and kneaded the bundle of nerves low in Fred's back, as he knew exactly where the pain lived.

"You don't love me anymore because I'm all fat, that's the real problem, isn't it?" Fred sniffled noisily, tears brimming in the corner of his eyes.

"You're being ridiculous, Fred." Blaise offered his handkerchief, and desperately looked to Hermione to save him from yet another emotional disagreement.

"Oh, now I'm ridiculous. It's nice to know what my husband thinks of me!" Fred grimaced with a hand immediately dropping to the Quaffle beneath his tent-like print blouse.

"Have a biscuit, Fred. You'll feel better." Hermione pushed the plate towards Fred, hoping to distract him with food, as it had always worked with her.

"Oh…a biscuit sounds lovely." Fred smiled happily, Blaise sighed with relief, while Draco and Sullivan snickered safely out of range from a Hermione's hand, as they didn't wish to be smacked.

Later, after the impromptu group of witches and wizards had feasted upon an eclectic menagerie of pregnancy pleasing delicacies, Narcissa Malfoy's shrewd eyes continuously narrowed every time Fred winced. She pursed her lips together, and formulated the proper words before speaking. She knew she would have to tread delicately due to Fred's current emotional unbalances.

"Blaise, darling. I do think your…husband is in labor." She smiled prettily and sent the nearest house elf for a decanter of firewhiskey.

"Fuck." Blaise muttered.

"Hmm yes, I do think that's what landed you lot in your current predicament." Lucius smiled cheerily, as he and Langston were well into their cups.

"Really, Lucius?!" Narcissa shrieked, shattering her composed Pureblood image, even as Blaise rounded the dining table to aid Fred to the Floo.

"It's true. You're not quite so old that we can't grace the Wizarding World with another Malfoy." Lucius wiggled his eyebrows in a blatant lascivious manner, and Narcissa nearly had steam rising from her ears.

"Draco, please escort Blaise and Fred to St. Mungo's. You know Blaise has a tendency to stutter when he's anxious, and I don't wish to be forced to scour London searching for them again." Narcissa grit her teeth, and pointed harshly.

She nearly relaxed when dining chairs began scraping against the floor, as her guests scurried to do her bidding. She snatched the decanter of firewhiskey from the elf and poured herself an impressively large glass. Lucius spied an opportunity to refill his tumbler, but his irritated wife was slapping his hands away.

"I'll go with them." Hermione moved slowly, not because she needed too, but due to Draco's concern the moment she stood.

Hermione easily grasped Fred's elbow, and whispered encouragingly. He was breathing quite heavily, and the sweat beading on his brow seemed to make everyone nervous. She patted his hand reassuringly and stepped into the Floo with him, leaving Draco to deal with Blaise and Elliot.

Hours upon hours later, Frederick Blaise Zabini entered the world via magic, squalling angrily. Hermione napped in a chaise the Mediwitches had provided for her, managing to sleep through the child's cries. Draco envied her gift, and covered her with a thin blanket.

"Frederick? Really?" Draco peered down at his godchild with a smile frown.

"Oi, I wanted to name the little tyke Blaise Zabini the Second, but…he's a ginger." Blaise whispered as he stared down with a reverence, Draco completely understood.

"I think you should bear the next child." Draco poked the shriveled pink fingers, a hint of a smile gracing his lips when the tiny fist clenched.

"I think you should shut your fucking mouth." Blaise said the words so sweetly, but Draco knew better. "I need to get drunk."

"That's particularly irresponsible of you." Draco quipped, but nodded and flashed Blaise the flask of firewhiskey he had smuggled into St. Mungo's with a conspiratorial grin.

It was an easy matter to place the newborn in the cot beside Fred's hospital bed. They slipped quietly through the door, leaving strict instructions for the Mediwitches to allow Fred and Hermione to sleep. A storage room set at the end of the corridor was suitable for their needs, and it didn't take long for the effects of the firewhiskey to take over.

"You know what would be fun?" Blaise smiled happily and twirled his wand, while he sat upon a discarded patient bed in the corner.

"No. I don't want to hear it." Draco groaned and rested his heavy head upon his knees while he sat upon the cold floor.

"Yes you do. You love my ideas. They're the best ideas that ever existed. My ideas landed you Granger." Blaise swayed slightly on the bed, as the stress of the day melted away on a wave of amber spirits.

"You're drunk."

"Yes, yes I am. Anyway, you know what would be fun?" Blaise dropped his wand, and nearly fell onto his head in his efforts to retrieve it.

"I've already said no." Draco grasped onto a nearby hospital cart, and heaved his weary body to its feet.

"I've got an idea."

"I don't want to hear it." Draco Malfoy squinted hard, but managed to discern the door handle, even in his haze.

"Yes you do. Imagine it…"

"No. I said no. No means no, Zabini!" Draco twisted the handle, wincing as it struck the wall, and stuck there. It didn't stop him from staggering down the corridor, far from the intoxicated ideas of Blaise Zabini.

"Stop walking away…Malfoy!"