The day of Lucius's funeral, there were no tears. The collection of people was large enough, his family name still retaining some of the pull it once did. All who attended were pureblood, didn't want to be there, and couldn't care less. Most had hated the old man for some reason or another, whether it was because he used to be a Death Eater and got away with it or that he was a Death Eater and gave up on the ideals they all had held dear.

Lucius had lost his will to live after the fall of the Dark Lord and had only survived this long on pure stubbornness. When his grandson had been born, he had put all of his remaining effort into making the boy into the person he had tried and failed to make his son. When it became clear that was never, ever going to happen, Lucius gave up. Narcissa had watched him waste away for years, trapped at the side of a man she had once loved. She realized long ago that the man she loved was gone, long before he breathed his last breath.

"I'm leaving," Scorpius muttered to his father after the service. "Al's waiting for me at home." Draco just barely stopped himself from making a face at his 18-year-old. Just because he had accepted it didn't mean that he had to be happy about it.

"All right," he answered. "But your mother wants you both over for dinner tonight."

It was Scorpius's turn to make a face then. "We have plans, Father."

"Like what?"

"None of your business," he replied with a blush. Draco scowled at him.

"You're not messing with your mother's dinner plans for something as common as sex."

"Father!" Scorpius cried, eyes wide and face bright red.

"Be there, Scorpius." Draco didn't bother to hide his smirk as his son stalked away, embarrassment clear in his posture. Teasing his boy never got old.

*HDTLC*

No parent could ever forget the day their only child first showed up on their doorstep again after they moved out. Normally, red-rimmed eyes were a given and Scorpius was no exception.

"Al and I have broken up," Scorpius announced in a hollow voice as his mother ushered him into the sitting room. "We just don't… mesh. I decided to move out, felt it would make things easier on him."

"Oh, honey," Astoria said softly, pulling her soon to her chest. "I know it hurts now but it will fade."

"Did he give a reason?" Draco asked. If this little Potter upstart had dumped his son for no reason… Scorpius gave his father a look like he questioned the older man's sanity while his wife glared daggers at him.

"I broke up with him," Scorpius clarified, looking as if that should have been obvious, as if it was outside the realm of possibility that he, Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, could ever have been dumped.

"Oh." The silence in the room stretched. "Why?"

"Draco!"

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," Draco was quick to inform his son.

"It's fine." The hollow quality that he seemed to have been losing was back at full force. "We just… aren't good for each other. We don't mesh like we should. We were fooling ourselves to think that we'd actually ever get anywhere like marriage, or starting a family…" Scorpius trailed off and laid his head back on the sofa, raking his fingers through his blonde locks. Draco fought to keep the mental images of his son and Potter's getting married out of his head with varying degrees of success. In the end, he was stuck with the mental picture of Potter as an eleven-year-old, as he had met him, swamped in an oversized wedding dress. It was an even bigger fight to keep the unsophisticated giggle that was threatening to erupt tamped down than it had been to keep the images out of his mind.

"Anyway, I have come into housing difficulties and, as much as it pains me to say it, must seek shelter with my parents." Astoria pushed his shoulder a little in retaliation for his comment but smiled.

"We're glad to have you back, even for a short time."

*HDTLC*

"I'm not giving a damn interview so all of those reporters can shove off," Draco snapped.

"Draco!"

"Ria, they will try to use me against him! I was…" Here, he paused, that cursed word not wanting to come. "I was a Death Eater and now my boy is up for Minister of Magic. What do you expect they want to discuss? My opinion on his politics? The weather?"

"Draco!" Astoria cried, grabbing onto his arm. "My love, calm down. We cannot lose our temper or our control of ourselves at a time like this. We could ruin everything for him!"

"I'm afraid for him, Ria. Being in the public eye… it's not easy."

"He was born in the public eye," she reminded him. "His every moment with Albus when they were together was documented. Now that he's dating Rose Weasley…" Draco scoffed. "He may see whoever he wants! No amount of bitching from you will change that! And anyway, it helps him that he's dating her, if only politically. She's a bit more publically acceptable than Albus."

"She's still a Weasley! That's not the topic under discussion. I will not let myself be used as a weapon against my son."

"I agree that you should not. But think: if you do not make yourself seen, it would be assumed that you are ashamed of him or he is ashamed of you." Astoria's voice was gentle. She used this voice whenever she wanted her husband to do something, knowing this self-same voice would haunt him even after she left the room. He sighed deeply.

"Maybe that would be the best course of action. He could separate himself from me, showing that he felt distain for all that the Death Eaters stood for."

"Or that he felt distain for the father who failed the Death Eaters' mission." Draco turned a glared on his wife. "The media will take everything any of us do in ten different directions. By the end of this, you'll have been the father of Rose's illegitimate child."

He balked at the thought. "That is disgusting in several different ways."

"I know you feel that way but they do not care if they lie. They care if they get a sensational story out before everyone else."

He couldn't argue with her logic. "Fine. I'll do the interview."

But he didn't have to be happy about it, he thought to himself as he retreated.

Astoria just rolled her eyes at her husband's pouty face. Child, she thought, laughing internally.

*HDTLC*

A cheer let out as the blonde in black dress robes pressed his lips to the redheaded girl's, the beautiful thing dressed all in white. She flung her pale limbs around his neck as he pulled away, laughing. It was the first kiss they had shared as man and wife and the thought invigorated him.

Astoria pressed a handkerchief to her cheek, blotting carefully so as to not mess up her make-up. Her free hand rested in her husband's, who had a death grip on the soft appendage. He helped her to her feet as the happy couple walked together back down the aisle and out into the night air. Draco and Astoria followed the happy couple, as well as Hermione and Ron, out from under the tent that had been erected on the lawn of the Burrow. The couple had felt it was important to be joined in a place that was so important to her parents and the rest of her extended family, most of whom hadn't quite gotten used to the fact that she was with a Malfoy.

"Rose Mackenzie Weasley Malfoy," her husband (husband!) whispered to her. "I quite like it." He pressed his lips to her hand.

"Obviously, I felt an affection for it as well," she teased, love lighting her eyes. The two shared a tender smile before being waylaid by friends and family giving the two their congratulations. The newly married couple never separated, knowing that leaving the other was leaving them each to the mercy of the other's family. The affection shared between the newest generation did not exist amongst the older, no matter how hard any of them tried.

"Congrats, you guys," Al said as he approached with Lorcan Scamander on his arm. "I'm really happy for you guys."

"And we're happy for you," Scorpius replied, smirking at Lorcan, who blushed scarlet. Al pressed the slighter man closer to his side.

"Thanks." The former lovers shared a smile and both reached out to shake the other's hand. There was still a shock of electricity when they touched that both figured would never go away but it didn't matter. Scorpius snaked an arm around his wife's side and pulled her to him as Al and Lorcan moved away.

"I love you," he murmured into her fiery hair.

"Love you too," she mumbled back, burying her face in his neck and breathing deep. He always seemed to smell like expensive cologne, mint, and something decidedly Scorpius.

"Now, now, none of that," Molly Weasley (the Elder) teased as she approached her granddaughter and her new husband. "You'll have time later for that. For now, dinner is ready and we obviously can't start without the bride and groom!" Both beamed at her, a light blush dusting Rose's cheeks, and they moved to follow her.

"Oh!" Rose said, stopping and taking out her wand. "Duh." She looked down at her white gown, the satin pinched with pick ups all across it, and gestured at her skirt. It shortened before her eyes from where it had been, sweeping the ground, to tea-length, about halfway down her calf. Now she wouldn't have to deal with stepping on it and could show off her gorgeous white heels. After considering for a bit, she decided to keep the braided silver-and-gold sash around her waist. It wasn't a problem if she matched her decorations.

Smiling, she took her husband's hand again and let herself be led to the head table. The couple looked out at all their guests, waiting for silence.

"Thank you all for coming," Scorpius said, projecting his voice.

"We appreciate you being here and showing us your support on this beautiful day." She couldn't help herself from glancing at her husband every few seconds, as if she couldn't believe her fortune by becoming his wife. "We know you all love us and, whether or not you support all of our choices," the two shared a knowing smile, "we love you as well. Thank you again for being here for us and sharing in our special day."

The field was bathed in applause, from those in both red and green, as the newlyweds took their seats.

*HDTLC*

The first dance between the couple was, unsurprisingly, beautiful. The two seemed like they were born to be in the other's arms. Then it was time for the dance with the parents. Scorpius offered his hand to his mother, who was again fighting to keep herself from tearing up. She had honestly never thought that she would make it to this day, this bright, perfect day where her little boy was married to the girl of his dreams (even if she was Weasley spawn). Rose was swept up by her father. Ron still hated the little bitch his baby girl now called husband but he would be willing to put all that aside. This was his only daughter's special day and he wouldn't be the one to ruin it.

When they traded parents, Scorpius taking up Hermione and Rose going to Draco, every eye was on the latter pair. The new couple had figured it was going to be that way, everyone expecting the dance to be stiff and formal. They were shocked when Draco, beaming at his daughter-in-law, glided with her across the dance floor as she laughed in delight. This little redhead had grown on him in the time of her engagement to his son. He was willing to overlook who her father was in favor of who she was and how she treated his sons.

After the dance, the room was filled with a collection of dropped jaws as Ron, slowly, hesitatingly, approached Draco and offered his hand. Rose latched onto her husband's arm and he looked down to find tears in her eyes.

"Daddy," she whispered. Her father looked at her and opened his arms, an invitation she was very willing to accept. "Thank you," she murmured into his shoulder as he held her.

"Father…" Scorpius started, approaching Draco. He cast his father a quick glance, not wanting to take his eyes off his wife. Draco smiled a little sadly down at his son. Regret still pervaded his life but his wish had come true: his son lacked it, the regret, the sorrow, that had haunted him. He put his hand on his grown son's shoulder and explained.

"You'll learn when you become a father that you are willing to do anything, anything, for your children. Even what you once vowed you'd never do."

The End

End A/N: Ok. So the end sucked. I'm aware and I'm sorry. I really have nothing more to say.

If you'd like to see the dress that I imagine Rose to be wearing in the end, go to http:/ www . davidsbridal . com / Product _ Satin - Pick - up - with - Ribbon - Accent - and - No - Train - T9309 _ Bridal - Gowns - Features - All - Gowns