EPILOGUE:

Draco kept every promise he ever made to Hermione. She wasn't ready to have a baby right after their graduation, so he wrote a long letter to Minister of Magic himself explaining how Malfoys had always had a late baby and that while they were trying very diligently for one, Hermione and himself must be considered as a special case and given more time for birthing a child. He attached 10 generations worth of proof along with his letter for the minister's perusal.

The Minister was sure surprised at the letter but after going through it, he did grant a special licence to Mr. & Mrs. Draco Malfoy. Draco presented that letter to Hermione and added a spell to her womb. When she looked at him questioningly, he winked at her.

"Family contraception spell, love. It can't be detected. So the healers will only know that we're trying, real hard. I'll remove it whenever you're ready. Whether it be tomorrow or 50 years later or never at all." He smiled and brought her in for a kiss.

She was ready 5 years later. She was where she wanted to be in life. Top post at the ministry in the Department for Regulation and Care of Magical Creatures and in the arms of her loving husband at home, plus she was an activist who had set hundreds of house elves free, starting with her own home right after graduation. She still rallied on for their freedom and payment even today, coaxing the minister to pass a law for it that would finally come into effect in two short weeks.

So she stood in the balcony, looking at the gardens below, waiting for her husband to come back home from work.

"I'm sorry I'm late love. The meeting ran way too long," Draco said as soon as he saw her there and made his way to stand behind her, pulling her close to him, getting his head down for his welcome kiss as she happily turned her head around for just that.

"Draco… I'm ready. Remove it." She said, looking straight into his eyes, wanting him to know she meant it.

He furrowed his brows in confusion before he understood her reference. "Really?"

She smiled and kissed him again. "Really, really."

He looked flummoxed for all of ten seconds before his face split in a grin. He had his wand out and tapping and her in his arms, picking her up and making their way to bed before Hermione could draw her next breath. "Nine months. Give me nine months and you're going to have your wish," he said happily, eyes all silver, face all grinning as he did everything and more to make her wish come true.

Exactly nine months later, almost to the date, Draco was glaring daggers at the room full of staff, friends and family at the waiting lounge at St. Mungo's, daring them to hold him back. "If I see anyone lift even a finger to stop me, they're going to see the full extent of my ire and my wrath," he promised, threat evident in his eyes as he made his way to the room they had kept his screaming wife in.

He stood rooted to the spot for a good long minute, cringing at her pain and hating himself for being the reason behind it. He was then by her side, holding her hand as she squeezed it tight in hers, as he suffered through every scream and howl of hers for the next five hours before she finally pushed their son out.

After the healers had everything spell cleaned and they administered Draco a vial of skel-reparo to heal the bones Hermione had crushed of his hands, they handed over the small wrapped up baby to Draco and invited all the other visitors in. Draco sat transfixed in the same seat, staring at the little perfection in his arms. He looks just like me.

The tender look he was regarding the baby with had everyone's eyes misting over. He then looked at Hermione. "Thank you," he whispered softly, "he's perfect." Then swallowing a dry gulp he added, "I'll never make you go through that ever again. I promise."

The whole room erupted in laughter. Hermione just bit her lip. Narcissa looked at Luscious and gave him a knowing smile. He flushed and looked away from her gaze. "The apple sure doesn't fall far from the tree, now does it Lu?" she questioned laughingly, as he just wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close to him.

Two more years later Hermione was raving mad at Draco, fighting him out on the balcony of their room.

"I know you've put that damned spell back on me. Just remove it already! I want one more. A girl this time."

Draco shuddered at that. "Never," he promised, "Never again. I can't go through that once more. Once was one time too many. Thank you very much," he said, walking into the bedroom.

"I have to bear through it. And I will," she screamed back, following him into the bedroom.

"We'll get Scorp married early and you can dote on his wife. But we are not trying for another child. Ever." And he walked out the door.

And that's when Hermione understood Narcissa's rant about wanting a daughter and requesting her to accompany her on small trips everywhere to do all the girly stuff.

Hermione now fully knew. This is what being a Malfoy meant. Her husband had once made all the wrong choices but he'd made them for all the right reasons. He was a Malfoy and Malfoys always did what was best for their family, to the exclusion of all else….

She made her way to their son's room and saw Draco patiently teaching Scorpius ways to straddle his toy broom. She smiled at the scene and went to sit beside them.

"I'll find a way," she whispered to Draco.

"Never," he smirked, still busy with Scorpius.

Twenty years later, when Hermione sat sniffling beside Draco, watching her only son getting married, Draco whispered in her ears, "You're finally getting the daughter you've always wanted. Be happy my love and go welcome Rose warmly into her new family, new house and new life."

She smiled again. That's what being a Malfoy meant. Malfoys always cared of their family, whatever the crisis may be, whatever the situation may be.

That night she sat up until late and filled in her own learnings for Rose in the 'How to be Lady Malfoy' series and happily passed them on to her the next day…..