OK people here it is the brief epilogue. I hope you enjoy this last little snippet. I know its all been rather OCC in some ways but it was a nice little diversion for me and I really hope you have all enjoyed it. Merry Christmas...

It was a very odd sensation being back on Platform 9¾ especially with Draco and not actually boarding the Hogwarts Express herself, but Hermione Malfoy savoured both the feeling and the atmosphere.

The narrow platform was of course crowded with a mass of excited pupils and an array of parents, old hands and those anxious first timers. She and Lucius amongst them. Of course they were both former students, but it didn't ease the pain of seeing their eldest daughter off to school for the first time. Wondering whether she would be sorted into Gryffindor or Slytherin. Draco had taken great pleasure in reminding his father, that technically his daughter had already in fact been in Gryffindor. Draco had winked at his adored half-sister, who had already confided to Draco, she hoped it was neither, not wanting to upset either of her parents. To which Draco had promptly said if she came home a Hufflepuff he would disown her, not that that was likely to happen, the bond between the two was unbreakable.

The tall slender blonde, stood between her proud father and quite possibly prouder older brother. Her mass of wild wavy blonde hair was neatly tethered by a rather familiar strand of green silk. It had been carefully tied by her mother when she had brushed the unruly mane before leaving Malfoy Manor and equally carefully charmed by her father. Adelphia, still affectionately known as Biro to her parents, fierce blue grey eyes sparkled lovingly at Hermione, who was desperately tried to hold onto her twin brother and sister. Draco took pity on his step mother, hugging Adel, he scooped up his lively three year old half-brother. A miniature version of himself little Alexander Malfoy wriggled and squealed with laughter in Draco's arms, desperately wanting to get on the big "puff puff."

"One day" Draco promised him.

Lucius followed suit, hugging his older daughter tightly and clearly trying to hang onto his aristocratic stiff upper lip, he grabbed hold of his youngest. Swinging a delighted Alexis up onto his hip with practised ease. She wrapped her small chubby arms around her father, like her sister she was every inch Daddy's girl. When it came to her two daughters, Hermione was fighting a losing battle, not that she minded in the least, no one knew better that she did how easy it was to fall under that, non-magical spell of the Malfoy Men.

As she hugged and kissed her daughter goodbye, Hermione spotted some other familiar faces on the platform, Harry and Ginny. Teddy was returning to Hogwarts and of course they were both there to see him off. They made their way across the crowded platform, it had been a long hard road and it wasn't quite the same as it once was, but Hermione and Harry were friends once more. With it had come an odd, but strangely easy friendship between the Malfoy's, the Potter's and even the Weasley's. Hermione was utterly convinced, although he would never admit it, that it was entirely down to Arthur Weasley.

Adel seemed a little relieved to see the familiar face of Teddy, his friendly presence clearly easing the thought of leaving her family behind.

Lucius hugged Hermione with his free hand as they watched their daughter board the train, her three siblings waving frantically. Amidst a rush of white steam, the Hogwarts Express once again departed Platform 9¾ bound for the famous school of Witchcraft & Wizardry.

2