Epilogue:

"Hermione, I don't see the point in this, we should just destroy it", said Malfoy wandering through what remained of his childhood home.

"Draco, you want your child to have a better legacy than the one you were left. You've been given the chance to redesign your home and also create happy memories within it for him. Isn't that the best thing we can do?"

"We could just buy a whole new home with the money I was left", he grumbled picking up touching the burn marks that marred the foyer walls. "There are too many horrible memories here".

"Then let's destroy what's left and rebuild. We can create a whole new home, the Weasleys won't mind if we stay with them a bit longer".

"We're not staying with them after we finish school. I mean, they've been wonderful with Alex but after we finish school we're moving out".

I nodded, he really did hate charity and living with other people constituted charity.

In truth, the Weasleys had adored looking after Alex while Draco and I finished our education. My parents had never been found and it had long been made known to me that even if they were traced, reversing the strong obliviate spell may do permanent damage to their mental health. I had come to accept it and adopted the Weasleys as my child's grandparents.

We were allowed weekly visits home to see Alex after his birth in February and now with our NEWTs approaching just next week, we had taken the opportunity one Saturday to take our little son to his father's ancestral home.

"We'll rebuild; completely different style and everything. No more dark corridors and stupid paintings. I want light, lots of light".

Draco hated the dark now when his teenage self had revelled in it; three months in a cell in Azkaban had scarred him in more ways than I had anticipated.

"We can get a small apartment nearby while we build, that way we can visit the site every day", I smiled and watched as he smirked back at me.

"We're going to use magic Granger, it will take a week at most".

"Oh yes...magic", I grinned, "I forgot about that".

"We can rent one of the holiday cottages down the road if you want, have some space and then come up here during the day to fix up the house. I have a month after my exams, providing I do well, of freedom".

"You will do well; we've both worked hard".

"You more than me", said Draco as he stooped to pick up his son from the pram.

"Bullshit", I said knowing full well how much work he had put in, too frightened of violating parole and failing his exams therefore not being allowed into the Auror Unit. He didn't want to risk us being separated again.

"Alex did you know that your Mummy was an irritating book worm until Daddy met her and made her more interesting", Draco shot a smirk at me and I stuck my tongue out at him. The baby gurgled delightedly.

"Did you also know though, that she saved me? We're going to spend our lives making and keeping her happy because she is everything now to both of us", Draco's voice had gone quiet as it often did these days when he allowed himself to dwell too much on everything that had happened to us.

Sometimes I indulged him but sometimes it was important to bring him out of it. "You couldn't let that offer extend to doing a midnight feed or changing a dirty nappy could you?"

Draco smiled and came back to me, "That would be going a little too far. Save your life, absolutely, risk my own for yours, definitely, get up at 3am and wipe away the brown stuff...well that's pushing it", he grinned.

"We're home Draco", I said gesturing.

"Home is where the three of us are. This will be a house", he said coming to me and laying Alex into my arms. I cuddled him, breathing that smell that only new babies possess.

"A happy house", I said.

"Welcome home, Mrs Malfoy", he said.

"I haven't changed my name yet", I said remembering the intimate ceremony we had had only the previous Christmas.

"Will you get on with that please", he laughed.

"I promise, welcome home Mr Malfoy".

He kissed me and I was safe, loved and had everything I was ever going to need.

I had him and a life just waiting to be lived.

Thank you to everyone who read, reviewed and stayed with the story until the bitter end.