Chapter Text
EPILOGUE – FIVE YEARS LATER
The Burrow was awash with light and laughter on Christmas Day.
Molly Weasley stood on the edges of the kitchen, her wand waving as she prepared dessert, but her gaze wandered contentedly over her family, eyes crinkling in the corners with happiness.
She could see Arthur Weasley just outside the windows, showing James a muggle catcher’s mitt, and trying to coerce him to put the thing on his hand while Ginny stood by with arms folded and a barely concealed smile on her face. James was giving him a hesitant but intrigued look as he reached for the mitt while Arthur’s eyes were lit with joy.
Lily and Albus were sitting in the middle of the room, playing a game of chess, while Harry stood behind them, giving Lily pointers while Albus scowled at his father for not helping him. George and Ron sat on the larger couch next to Parvati, his new wife. Ron was sitting forward on his seat and laughing at Harry for the ‘pointers’ he was giving, quick to say “Harry, you’re rubbish at chess—you’re going to make her lose!”
Bill was playing with the radio in the corner of the room, tuning it to a station until he found a slower song, before he pulled Fleur to her feet with a twirl. She giggled and came to him with a blush, her swollen belly getting in the way of their dancing.
Charlie sat on the single rocking chair, a wriggling baby in his arms while he looked down at it, a little mortified and looking unsure what to do. He looked up to his boyfriend, Theo, who looked just as perplexed as the baby started to whine a little, the blonde head looking around for her parents.
Draco stepped towards them with a wide grin on his face and held his hands out. “I can take her,” he said and accepted the young girl, Cassiopeia, with a loving smile down at her small face as she immediately quieted in her father’s arms.
Hermione walked into the room, a young boy trailing closely behind her. “Is Cassie hungry, do you think?”
Draco nodded as he subconsciously rocked his body back and forth, Cassie held firmly in his arms. “It’s about that time. Scorp—” he addressed the small boy next to his wife, “—will you please take those to your grandmother?”
Scorpius, holding a small bundle of freshly picked carrots between his hands, nodded before heading towards the kitchen, towards Molly and then past her. Molly turned to watch Scorpius totter happily towards the blonde woman standing at the kitchen island next to a busy Percy. The witch turned as the boy approached. She knelt down and gave him a smile, a kind ruffle of his hair, before Scorpius offered the bundle of vegetables to Narcissa. She thanked the boy, who giggled and then ran off to join the kids by the chess table.
Narcissa turned back to her task and Molly smiled a small smile at the back of her head. She had started coming to Christmas and other smaller holidays for a few years, first begrudgingly and only for her grandchildren, but after a while… she had found a way to relax and become accustomed to the organized chaos that was life at The Burrow. Molly didn’t even think Narcissa had scowled once yet today, not even when asked to assist in the kitchen. Progress.
She turned back to the living room, watching as Hermione accepted Cassiopeia from Draco, reached up on her toes to give him a quick kiss before she walked past Molly with a beaming smile on her face. Molly had never seen Hermione so contented, so happy. Her eyes drifted to Draco, who had watched his wife leave with a loving gaze, before he placed his hands into the pockets of his jeans and looked down at the kid’s playing chess with a soft smile, looking completely at ease.
Molly surveyed the love and happiness in her home, warmth enveloping her.
All was well.
The End