"Avada Kedavra's a curse that needs a powerful bit of magic behind it - you could all get your wands out and say the words, and I doubt I'd get so much as a nosebleed."

...

"Draco!" I screamed as he slumped heavily against me.

I shook him, screaming in his face to wake up. This couldn't be it - it just couldn't. Tears cascaded down my face as I rocked on the spot, clutching him tightly to me, vowing that I'd never let him go. Never.

"Fuck, what the hell just happened?"

I froze. That was Draco's voice. I looked down at him and he was blinking his eyes open, his face wincing in pain as he moved his hand behind him to rub his back where Pansy's curse had just hit.

"Huh," said Harry, stepping up besides us, looking down curiously at Draco. "I guess she didn't really mean it then. Well, either that or she's just a crap witch."

Draco and I both looked wordlessly up at him, trying to get our heads around everything that had just happened.

"Just thought I'd let you know that I've killed Voldemort, by the way." Harry shrugged nonchalantly, as he beckoned over towards the other side of the hall. "Just in case you were wondering."

Draco and I both swivelled our heads round and, sure enough, there was my father's body sprawled lifelessly on the ground.

"If anyone wants me," Harry continued, in bored drawling tones, "I'll be up in Dumbledore's office, telling his portrait what an absolute wanker he really was."

And without a backwards glance, he sauntered off, disappearing amongst the cheering crowds.

"Is this real?" I asked, as Draco and I sat huddled together on the ground, arms clutching around the other, as if terrified we were going to lose the other again.

Draco shrugged, his grey eyes flashing down at me. "Seems to be."

I lifted my hand, lightly touching my fingertips to his cheek, and sighed blissfully at the feel of him. "I thought you were dead," I trembled, feeling tears prick at my eyes.

He too brought his hand up to cup my face, closing his eyes. "I thought you were, too. When you stepped in front of your father's curse, I didn't want to live anymore."

"But I'm here, and you're here, and my father is finally dead," I whispered, hardly daring to believe the words leaving my lips.

Draco let out a small chuckle, pulling me closer to him, snaking his arm tightly around my waist, moving his hand that was cupping my face to the back of my head as he leaned in to brush his lips softly against mine.

"I love you, Astrid," he murmured softly, his breath tickling my lips.

"I love you too, Draco," I breathed back, my heart racing as it dawned upon me what this all really meant. Freedom and love. "With everything I am, I love you."

People celebrated all around us as they danced over my father's dead body.

But as far as Draco and I were concerned, we were the only two people there.

Two people who, for the first time since meeting one another, could see a bright and happy future ahead of them.

...

Draco yawned, opening his eyes, as he pulled the dark haired witch besides him into his chest.

"Morning, beautiful," he murmured sleepily, kissing the top of her head.

He heard her release a little giggle as she slowly fluttered her own eyelids open. "Morning, handsome."

He felt that familiar surge of love as he looked into her deep blue eyes. Ever since her father had killed the piece of his soul inside of her, Draco noticed that her eyes had never looked bluer. Not a hint of that bastard left in her.

"Are you ready for today?" He asked her gently, brushing a strand of her dark hair behind her ear. He knew it wasn't going to be easy for either of them.

But at least they had each other.

She nodded slowly, looking up at him sadly. "It will be difficult, but I believe it's what we need."

He couldn't argue with that. It had been a strange month. Astrid had returned with him and his parents to the now strangely quiet Manor after the battle, both exhausted physically and emotionally.

They had slept for nearly two days solid, curled up in each other's arms, clinging to the other on his bed. Barely a word was spoken about what they had been through.

He had found it difficult to part from her for even a second, terrified of ever letting her go.

"It's over, Draco," his mother had said one dinner time, noticing his anguish when Astrid had excused herself from the table to use the toilet. "We are all safe now."

But Draco didn't think he'd ever get used to feeling completely safe again. Not after knowing how it felt to lose her.

And now here they were, a month later and arriving back at Hogwarts on what would have been their graduation day.

His mother and father had decided against attending, feeling that their presence may not be welcomed.

Draco himself couldn't help but worry that he and Astrid would receive a not quite so warm reception either, but seeing as Astrid had been instrumental to Voldemort's downfall, he hoped that previous feelings towards her, at least, would thaw.

"Are you ready?" Draco asked, taking Astrid's hand in his.

Her brilliant blue eyes sparkled up at his, reflecting the sunlight.

"I'm ready," she breathed, clutching a single white rose in her other hand.

And together, they stepped through the gates.

...

I felt Draco gently tighten his fingers around mine as we approached the sea of mourners stood outside the castle. I could feel eyes on us and hear the low whispered murmurs of the gathered.

We walked slowly, keeping our eyes cast downwards, until we reached the foot of the stone steps. Draco let go of my hand and wrapped a comforting arm around my waist, pulling me protectively to his side as we halted next to the other attendees.

"Surprised you would show your faces here today, traitors," sneered a boy whose name I didn't know. "Especially as it was your father who caused all of this." He added, jabbing a finger violently in my chest.

"Shut it, Finnigan," Draco snarled, pulling me back away from his accusing finger, "Astrid has every right to be here as you do, if not more so. She was willing to die trying to help Potter, just so you could all have a future!"

"So says her Death Eater boyfriend!" Finnigan spat. "It's a shame Parkinson hadn't managed to finish you off. It would have been the only worthwhile thing she has ever done in her life!"

I felt my blood boil at this awful Finnigan boy, who's ignorance just blew me away. "You dare speak about Draco like that!" I hissed, glaring daggers at him.

"Or you'll what? Torture me? Well you've sure had plenty of practice at that."

I took a sharp intake of breath. To be reminded of the things I had done under my father's wicked influence was incredibly difficult.

"Seamus, please," called a bodiless voice, and the crowd parted to reveal Harry Potter, "I have vouched to the Ministry for them myself. The bravery they both showed during the war, alongside Severus Snape, needs to be acknowledged and applauded. I wouldn't have won the war without them."

Both Draco and I stared at Harry incredulously. Well, this was certainly a turn-up for the books.

"Thank you, Harry," I smiled appreciatively, as everyone around us began to murmur amongst themselves.

"Potter," Draco nodded curtly; the best he could offer as a thank you.

Harry nodded at both of us in return. "Anyone else decides to give you grief - send them my way."

"Wow, what a twat," Draco muttered after Harry moved back into the crowd to shake hands with everyone.

I rolled my eyes, not being able to help the amused twitch at the corner of my lips as I looked up into his twinkling silver grey eyes.

"Sorry, I can't just shrug off years of hatred." He justified, chuckling softly under his breath.

The crowd went silent as Harry, who was now stood at the top of the stone steps in front of the castle's great oak doors, called for everyone's attention.

"Welcome to what should have been a joyous day for my fellow seventh years - the day we were supposed to graduate from Hogwarts. However, instead we are all gathered to commiserate and remember those we have lost..."

I zoned out as he started droning on about his parents. I stared up at the ruins of the castle, hardly believing only a month ago I was here fighting, and then sacrificing my life.

It all seemed so surreal.

"Come on," Draco whispered in my ear, and together we crept away as everyone stayed to listen to Harry's heroic tale of how he had to fight his fat cousin for the last piece of bacon or else he didn't eat at all.

Minutes later we had arrived at the boathouse.

Draco and I just stood side by side, looking out onto the lake and remembering my uncle's last moments here.

"He was so brave," I shivered, as I placed the white rose on the spot where he had taken his last breath.

"He truly was, just like his niece," Draco murmured, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me fiercely to his chest.

"He was there... when I died," I whispered. I felt Draco still. This was the first I had spoken of my 'death'. "It's not fair, Draco," I sobbed, "we should have had more time."

"I know, Astrid," he murmured, kissing the top of my head, "I know."

We stayed there for a while longer, both lost in our own thoughts about Severus Snape: the uncle; the professor.

"I was thinking of taking his name," I said, as we slowly meandered back towards the gate. "I certainly don't want to be a Riddle, and I no longer feel like a Williams."

"Astrid Snape," Draco pondered, his eyes dancing amusedly, "sounds all right, I suppose. I know a better name you could use, though."

I smirked up at him. "Wouldn't happen to begin with an 'M', would it?"

Draco stopped in his tracks turning to face me. "Why not, Astrid? I love you more than anything - the idea of not marrying you seems crazier to me than the idea of doing so."

I looked up at him, my heart bursting with joy. "Draco, of course I'll marry you. I've wanted to marry you since I was eleven years old!"

"Well many have," he grinned cockily, pulling me in for a kiss, "but only one has ever captured my heart."

"That's cheesy," I laughed, "but somehow very you."

"Come on, Astrid," Draco said, pulling me towards the gate, "let's go home."

And we did. To finally start the future we had always wanted.