As every day comes to a close...so does a story. This is the last chapter of 'Alcaeus Malfoy' and I really really really really really really wanted to thank everyone for reading and reviewing through Alcaeus's journey. Thank you so much for appreciating this story in particular because it meant a great deal for me to write this out, especially touching on subjects about the disabilities and diseases that children are born with or sometime develop. I hope I achieved what I really wanted through this story. Thank you again for reading Alcaeus Malfoy...I hope to meet with you all again very soon with another story. I love you all, please be safe and take care!!

ClassySam

Now...the last chapter of 'Alcaeus Malfoy.'

7 years later

"I'd like to thank a couple of people for being Salutatorian. The professors of Hogwarts had taught me so many things during the course of these years; I honestly have yet to find out how to repay the amount of patience, trust and knowledge that was bestowed upon me and my fellow colleagues in Hogwarts. My friends, for inspiration and support as every morning presented itself where they had to throw a bucket of ice water, just to wake me up for the 8 o clock class." He paused, smiling as everyone chuckled. "Even though I wasn't thankful for that then…I am now." He said.

"They say behind every successful man is a woman…in my life, I have two. My fiancée, who graduated a year earlier, but still, remained my rock and my love for all these years. She selflessly lent her hand to me and helped me study and provided me the support and courage to execute every single final at the end of the year and then on. Thank you sweetheart." He said thanking the beautiful blonde woman who sat near her future in laws in tears.

The Salutatorian's eyes moved from his fiancée to his mother. "And the woman whom I owe my life to. If it weren't for her, I would have never been in the place I am in now. I don't think I would have even made it into Hogwarts." He stopped, feeling his throat tighten. He took a deep breath and clutched the podium tightly to regain his composure. "When the world closed its doors on me, she pried them open for me. No one understood…and they neglected me, hurt me and simply forgot about me, but she didn't. She noticed. I still remember about the first time I fell in love with the woman who changed my life. I remember everything so vividly, as if it happened just yesterday. I was 7 years old when I first met her. I was a shy child, but incredibly depressed. For a child, it was unhealthy, but to me…it was normal. I couldn't forget the time I was sitting alone, near the window, thinking to myself, uninterested in the children's play that was going on that everyone paid attention to. No one seemed to notice me and I was used to it…but…a woman walked up to me and asked if I found plays boring. I didn't answer her. She then asked If I wanted to draw or paint, but the fear of saying something stupid for the world to beat me down again compelled me to keep my mouth shut. She never pressured me; instead she placed a plate full of cookies down in front of me and left. Ladies and gentlemen…that woman…my mother can make a mean batch of cookies." He said hearing everyone burst into laughter and applaud.

"What if I told you if the salutatorian that stands in front of you had once been dyslexic? You'd all be shocked, thinking how in the world can a dyslexic man become Hogwart's salutatorian? Impossible. Outrageous. Unfathomable. I conquer all those words. I do have dyslexia but I make it possible, I make it fathomable, but most importantly…I made it happen." He said.

The audience stood up and applauded him as he waited patiently for them to sit down. "There are two women behind me but I had not mentioned the man that stood by me all my life. Ever since my first mother died, this man raised me, trying for me to be the best I could be. Some people when they were children were asked well which hero did you want to be? Many in this room would reply Dumbledore or Harry Potter but my biggest hero was my father. My father…Draco Malfoy." He paused looking his father straight in the eyes. "I don't mind people ridiculing me, but they have to know how proud I am to say that my father is my biggest hero. Look at him, the way he sits there, Merlin if I knew how to sit that way." He said trying to imitate how sophisticated and charming his father looked, just by sitting.

"Nah, I probably can't but I'm proud to be your son Mr. Draco Malfoy. I told you in a letter a week ago about how I apologized that I couldn't be valedictorian and you wrote back, even if you became the caretaker of Hogwarts, I'd still be proud to call you my son. Thank you Father. I love you Mum and Dad and I won't get tired of telling you how much I love you and how much I appreciate for you to be there and make me the man I am today. Thank you everyone." He said stepping off the platform.

Everyone stood up and applauded the young man walked off the platform and back to his seat where his colleagues patted him on the back and congratulated him. He turned around and saw his mother and father sitting there waving at him and wiping their tears from their faces.

"Oh you big fluffy teddy bear." Jade teased her husband who wiped his tears. He sat silently, blinking his tears away and brushing them off. Jade rubbed his back and kissed his cheek as they watched the rest of the graduation.

When the graduation was over, the very first person was Draco who engulfed his son in a long hug. Jade stood there with her soon to be daughter in law Francois Delacour Weasley and her parents Fleur and Bill Weasley. The rest of the Weasley's were present, including Harry and Ginny, carrying their children. Draco patted Alcaeus on the back and let him be congratulated by Jade and the rest of the Weasley's. Jade walked over to Draco who watched his son greet his fiancée warmly with a kiss.

"I never saw this day to be as beautiful as I imagined it." Draco said feeling the support from Jade. Jade didn't respond; she simply watched her son shake hands with everyone else. How 10 years passed by so quickly. She still envisioned the small child she reached out to 10 years ago, that sat near the windowsill; helpless, lonely and damaged. This child grew up to be an engaged man, graduating from Hogwarts as Salutatorian.

"Mum?" Alcaeus asked softly.

Jade shook her thoughts away and looked up to the tall young man she called her son. "Yes love?" Jade asked.

"You don't plan to stand here all day do you? We have somewhere to be." He said as Jade pinched him lightly.

"Can't wait to be at the Burrow eh?" Jade asked seeing him chuckle and put an arm around his mother's shoulder.

"I can't wait to eat, that's what. Oh Mum, please tell me you made my cookies." Alcaeus said as Jade giggled.

"Would you leave me alive if I didn't? Of course I made your cookies, how could I forget?" Jade asked seeing her son sigh happily.

"That's one thing I won't be able to live without…your cookies." Alcaeus said.

Jade's eyes welled up in tears and she squeezed her son tightly as they walked off to apparate to the Burrow to celebrate Alcaeus's graduation and celebrate that they had come this far.

The End.