Wow, I cannot believe that this story is finally done. It's been a long, fun trip, and I have loved every minute of it!

Thank you all so much for reading!

~Z

Chapter 27

A New Reason to Hope

Five months later…

Narcissa Malfoy smiled softly as she gazed out over the curved iron railing of her villa's balcony. The mug of tea in her hand left curling wisps of steam in the cool morning air as the sun rose over the Romanian countryside.

From the room behind her she heard the soft sound of rustling sheets as her still-sleeping husband shifted on their bed. Her grey eyes twinkled with warmth – after the defeat of Voldemort's primary forces, the dark lord had fled into obscurity once more, hunted by Dumbledore and Claudia's forces, and she and her husband had been able to abandon that dark half-life and return to the side of light. Never before had she seen Lucius so carefree and full of vitality – it was like her husband had been reborn.

Now the elder Malfoys were the head of the wizarding embassy stationed in the country of Romania, and Narcissa had never felt more secure of her position in the world. She had developed a close relationship with Claudia Firenze, and had grown to respect and admire the woman even more in their few short months together.

A quiet fluttering of leather wings alerted her to the arrival of a post-bat, a seeming oddity that she had grown accustomed to over time. She held her arm out to accept the slight weight of Claudia's favored bat, Cleo. The furry creature clicked a cheerful greeting as she extended a slender leg bearing a small note. Narcissa smiled at Claudia's invitation for lunch, and strolled over to her desk to write a quick reply, before sending Cleo on her way once more.

She breathed a deep sigh of the clean morning air as she watched Cleo's retreating form take to the sky, and let her eyes slide shut in pure complacency.

One year ago, she feared desperately for the lives of herself and her family, and had taken a wild gambit in a final attempt at salvation. And in return, she had gotten more than she ever would have imagined. A new life, a new hope, and a new future for herself, Lucius, and Draco. And all of this thanks to creatures that she would have, at one point, killed without hesitation if given the chance.

My how things had changed, she thought with a happily ironic smile.

Seven years later…

"Elena!" Hermione's cheerful voice called as she threw open the front door of her and Ron's home. "Hey sweetie" Elena replied warmly, throwing her arms around the young woman as she stepped into the entryway.

"Ron made you get the door?" she teased lightly as she released the pregnant woman. Hermione rolled her eyes "The boys are playing wizard's chess, and apparently that means that none of them can move – even though Harry is just watching" she chuckled, "But I'm fine – I am only five months along you know, I can still do most things"

Elena smiled softly and tipped her head to the side in consideration. "The heartbeat is much stronger now – she's very healthy"

Hermione grinned brightly in return, "Thank you – wait…" her smiled dropped away instantly, "She? We didn't know that yet!"

Elena froze. "…did you not want to know that yet?" she asked hesitantly. Hermione seemed to be having a sort of fit. "N-no…we were going to wait until delivery day…Elena" she looked up, her eyes flashing, "I am going to lock your sorry vampire arse in a coffin for the next three weeks!" she shrieked as Elena turned and fled down the hall. Hermione waddled after her as fast as her legs would take her, waving her arms in the air and cursing the vampire in various colorful choice-word combinations.

"Hermione!" Ron suddenly burst out of the parlor, nearly crashing into Elena's running form in his haste to reach his wife. Elena ducked around him quickly and twisted mid-stride to enter the parlor that Ron had just vacated. Before a large stone fireplace sat a chess set with several armchairs gathered around it – two of which had figures standing in front of them.

Elena made a B-line across the room toward the taller of the two figures, throwing herself behind the tall man and ducking behind a swirl of robes. Draco glanced down at the young woman and looked about the room in confusion. "What the bloody hell is going on?"

Harry, across the chess table, was looking just as confused.

Hermione stomped into the room like an irritated bull. "Sweetheart what's wrong?" Ron cried, trotting in the parlor on the heels of his emotional wife. Elena peeped out from behind Draco's shoulder, "I didn't mean to! I thought you knew!"

"What are you talking about?" Draco asked, flipping a lock of white-blonde hair out of his eyes.

Elena blushed and grinned sheepishly "I may have…disclosed, by accident, the gender of Ron and Hermione's upcoming child…" she trailed off as Ron turned to her, mouth agape. "Well, what is it!" he asked excitedly. Hermione turned on him in shock, "Ronald! We were supposed to wait until the baby is born!". Ron gently griped his wife's shoulders, "Hermione, it's alright – now we can pick out a name for sure!" he tried to reason with a smile.

Hermione's shoulders slumped as she calmed down and a cheeky smile curved across her features. "I know – I supposed I was just in shock momentarily" she turned her soft brown eyes on Elena, "Sorry El".

Elena smiled and came out from behind the tall blonde. "It's alright honey, I know you're a little stressed lately". Draco smirked at Elena "Can't you behave for five minutes love?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her waist. Elena snickered, "You like it more when I don't", she pressed her forehead to his.

"Okay, no, gross" Harry cut in, "You two get on opposite sides of the room, now".

Draco chuckled and spun Elena around, hugging her from behind so he could glare at Harry over her shoulder "I can do what I will with my wife Potter". Elena smiled broadly, her fangs easily showing, as Harry snorted and rolled his eyes.

"Speaking of wives Harry, where is yours?" she questioned cheekily. "I'm right here Elena" Ginny called as she strolled into the room from the kitchen, a tray of tea in her hands.

Elena smiled as they all gathered around the coffee table in Ron and Hermione's parlor, the atmosphere in the room warm and relaxed. Years had passed since the final defeat of Lord Voldemort and the world of magic lived in peace and prosperity once more. Now they were all in their early twenties, some of them considering starting families of their own, others planning to travel the world.

Elena was now 25, and had by this point decided to stop aging; soon a serious conversation would be needed concerning turning Draco, but that was for another day.

For now, Elena was just fine with how her life was going.

*squee* Thank you all so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed reading my story as much as I enjoyed writing it for you guys!

Please review if you'd like – they totally make my day!

Hopefully I will have other stories in the works for the future – feel free to pm any ideas or requests! Oh and I will quite possibly be adding little outtakes to this story later, so keep in touch :)

Until next time & tons of love to you all!

~Z