Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Plot and original characters are mine and may not be used without prior consent.

A/N: Oh wow, the last chapter must have been reeeeally crappy, cos I've only gotten like 3 or 4 reviews. For chapter four I've gotten about 20. sigh. Anyway, here's the last chapter. It's short and fluffy. I hope you like it.

BETA: arealdeal

Strong Hands
xxxx CHAPTER VI – Epilogue xxxx
'Three years isn't such a long time, eh?'

"You can't be serious!" Pansy exclaimed bluntly, successfully ignoring the looks of the other customers and the two employees. Draco on the other hand gave them an apologetic smile before turning back to his best friend.

"Will you quieten down a bit?" He hissed and straightened his neck-tie that he wore with his expensive, tailor-made black muggle suit.

"No, I won't." Pansy hissed much quieter than before. "This is what you've wanted for so long. Sometimes you were a constantly whining and complaining pain in the you-know-where and I had to listen to all of it. Pansy, I want this so much nag nag. Pansy, what should I do nag nag… And now you have the chance to finally be happy and you send him away?" Her voice had once again risen one octave and Draco winced visibly when his ears rung.

"I didn't send him away." The blond young man defended himself. "I just told him that I don't think that I'm ready for such a big step. After all, it would change my entire life."

"That was the whole I.D.E.A.!" Pansy screeched, clenching her fists in despair.

"Are you all right there?" Hermione asked while poking her head out of the curtain of the changing room she was in.

"Yes, yes, darling, everything's fine. Draco's just being his usual self, a complete pillock." Pansy explained calmly and brushed non-existent lint off her purple blouse, while, once again, successfully ignoring the other customers and Draco's affronted glare.

"Oh, okay. I'll be done in a moment, okay? And be honest, will you?" Hermione said and her head vanished again behind the curtain. Draco turned in his seat that was, like Pansy's, turned towards the changing rooms, and looked at the slender brunette.

"I'm no pillock." He sulked and pushed his lower lip out into a pout that was adorable, if you hadn't been on the receiving end once too often – like Pansy.

"Perhaps you're not, but you're a total wimp when it comes to changing things in your life. One day this will cut you off from any chance of happiness."

"I am happy." Draco protested and felt his anger rising when Pansy didn't even care enough to look him in the eyes.

"Uhum. I'll remind you of that when you come running to me again and whinge about regretting your decision."

"For God's sake, Pansy, I haven't decided yet!" This time it had been Draco's voice that echoed loudly through the shop and caught everyone's attention."

The arrival of another customer was announced with the tinkling of a small bell that hung over the entrance. Everyone's attention snapped from Draco to the door and the tall, dark haired man that entered the small shop. He seemed a bit out of place in his well-worn trainers, jeans and sexy three day beard in the little white, pink, girly shop. Spotting Pansy and Draco a huge grin appeared on his face.

What were the women all goggling at, Draco thought and narrowed his eyes at the approaching form of none other than Harry Potter.

"Harry!" Pansy called happily and jumped up to hug the man enthusiastically. "Try to talk some sense into him, will you?" she whispered with a wink at him when he looked at her questioningly. She let go of the young man and took her former seat. Harry went over to the free seat on Draco's other side and sat down.

"Malfoy." He drawled, but his face held a warm, honest smile and his tone was far too soft.

"Potter." Draco answered sharply and crossed his arms in front of his chest. Harry's eyebrows rose and he began to understand what Pansy meant.

"Oh, someone's huffy." He teased and heard Pansy quietly snigger. "What's wrong Panse?"

"I am not huffy. And why do you ask Pansy instead of me?" Draco protested and crossed his legs to let his right foot bounce furiously.

"Cos you wouldn't tell me and she might." Harry reasoned and leaned over the arm rests of his and Draco's chairs to get close to Draco's ear. "You look goddamn sexy is that suit, you know that, don't you?" He whispered and brushed his stubbly chin against the side of Draco's jaw.

"Of course I know that." The blond said, probably trying to sound haughty, but it only came out in a breathy whisper. Harry's hand landed on his knee and squeezed it softly. His breath hitched for a moment, because he knew what Harry wanted when he touched his knee like that. Maybe they could… only for a moment… in one of the changing rooms…

"Could we come back to the topic on hand, or do you want to sneak off to one of the rooms to shag?" Pansy asked annoyed, but Draco heard the amusement in her voice that she tried to hide.

"Okay, so, how long do you think Mione will take? Blaise and Theo are already waiting at the restaurant." Harry asked with a loud huff and he saw that Draco wasn't too happy with the wait either. They hadn't seen each other for three days, because Draco had visited Snape at Hogwarts and now they couldn't even share a short 'welcome-back-I missed-you' kiss. Perhaps they should have chosen the changing room.

"That's not what I meant, but she said, she'd be done in a moment. Maybe the dressmaker here takes forever. HERMIONE?" Pansy called out and nodded, pleased when she heard Hermione call back that they'd be done in a moment. She turned back to the two young men and raised one eyebrow at Harry, who understood immediately and sighed heavily.

"What's wrong, Draco?" He asked, running his hand through his freshly trimmed hair.

"It's nothing." The Malfoy heir answered quickly, fidgeting in his seat so that even Harry knew that something was definitely wrong.

"Tell him." Pansy demanded and leaned back in her chair. "He'll tell you the same thing as I did."

"What do you need to tell me?" The brunette asked suspiciously. "You're okay, aren't you?" He added concerned.

"I'm okay. More than okay." Draco replied with a faint smile. Harry was so sweet when he was worried about him. "I, actually I… well, Sev asked me… now that I have finished my Potions training, if I want to become his assistant for my final training to become a Potions Master."

Harry's face lit up in pure joy and he wrapped the smaller man in a tight hug. "That is wonderful, love. That's exactly what you've always wanted, innit?" He felt Draco nod against his shoulder, but furrowed his brows when he heard Pansy huff in annoyance.

"Come on, Draco, tell him the rest and what you have to do for Severus." The former Golden Boy loosened his embrace and looked at Draco in expectation.

"I… he… he attached a condition to the offer." Draco confessed meekly and stared at his lap.

"Yes?" Harry asked tensely, growling in annoyance when Hermione chose that moment to step out of the changing room. Pansy squealed in delight and jumped up to have a better look at the white, flowing gown.

"It is so beautiful, darling. Just perfect. You'll be such a stunning bride, Blaise won't know what hit him." The girls giggled and Hermione allowed the dressmaker to fuss some more with her wedding gown.

They chattered a bit more and Harry used the time to get Draco to talk a bit more. He leaned on the arm rest of his chair and looked at Draco, who gazed appreciatively at the gown. "What's the condition, baby?" He saw the blond shudder and hoped he was only being his usual Drama Queen self.

"He said, if I take the job and become a Potions Master, I have to take over his position as potions instructor so that he can retire." To Harry, Draco sounded heartbroken and desperate and he couldn't comprehend why his lover was so crestfallen about such a wonderful offer. He took Draco's hands between his and rubbed them slightly when he noticed how cold they were.

"Draco, why are you so sad? Aren't you happy? This is the chance you've waited so long for. You've worked so hard these last three years to get this chance and fulfil your dreams. So, what's wrong, baby?" He saw the blond's lower lip tremble and knew Draco was close to tears. Not caring that they were in a muggle shop, surrounded by about twenty young women, he let go off Draco's hands to frame the blond's face and kiss him lovingly. "Don't cry, please."

Draco nodded between his large hands and sniffled miserably. "I don't want that job anymore, because it means I have to live at Hogwarts."

"And?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow and grinned when Draco looked incredulous as if asking 'are you serious?'.

"You can't be that daft, Potter. If I live at Hogwarts we can't see each other very often anymore."

"Because?" Harry asked with big, innocent eyes that he knew infuriated Draco immensely, when the smaller man gripped the chair's armrest tightly.

"Because I can't floo travel every night to my or your flat." He gritted out and prayed that Potter wouldn't ask more stupid questions, sitting in pink and white muggle land with an attentive audience.

"Draco," Harry said softly deciding to end this little torture. "we've been a couple for three years now, Blaise and Mione getting already married… don't you think it's time we move in together? If you want me at Hogwarts I'll go with you."

Draco stared at him with wide open eyes and stopped blinking for a moment. "You would do that for me?" He whispered hoping this wasn't just a dream.

"Of course." The brunette said as if he had been offended. "I love you, after all."

"What about your business?" Draco asked, still not allowing himself to believe his luck.

"Well, it's much easier for me to apparate or floo-travel every day to my practice than for you, with all the children you will have to keep an eye on during all times of the day and night. So, that wouldn't be a problem." Harry shrugged and suddenly found himself with a lap full of Draco.

"I love you, Harry Potter."

"Guys, I'm really happy that you love each other and all, but could we, perhaps, talk about MY wedding gown? You know I'm getting married in a week, don't you?"

FIN?
(this was added by arealdeal because she thinks #quote# it reads like the end, so don't forget the ever necessary FIN. #unquote# and she's definitely right!)

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Thanks for reading this little story and for sharing your thoughts with me AND for your encouragement.