"Does anyone want any more pie?" Molly asked the table. It was Christmas Eve and the burrow was a buzz of activity, everyone being excited for the next day. Draco's hand never left mine under the table and the chair next to me was empty. Molly had insisted a place be kept for my mother, and the seat next to her was reserved for Fred.

"We can't see them, but they're here" was what she said. There were several other empty chairs around the table, representing everyone we had lost over the years, a chilling reminder of what we had been through.

Draco held me a little tighter that night as we lay on the sofa in the front room of the burrow, where we were sleeping that night.

"You ok?" He asked, stroking my hair. He knew something wasn't right.

"It's just....hard. I'm happy that I'm finally moving on but in a way I feel guilty about it, like I'm leaving her behind."

"You're not leaving her behind, she'll always be with you, they both will. She would want you to move on instead of sitting around refusing to do anything with your life."

"What do you want to do after Hogwarts? Do you still want to be an auror?"

I felt him sigh heavily. "I don't think I'm cut out for that. I'm too much of a bloody coward. Father thinks I should work for the ministry."

"Draco Lucius Malfoy you cursed your own aunt that time in the ministry, you rebelled against the dark lord AND you saved my life, multiple times. You definitely have it in you to be an auror even if you don't think so yourself."

"Well when you put it like that...."

"See I'm right, as always."

"I know why you don't say his name. Why you still call him the dark lord."

"It still burns everytime I say his real name."

"Mine too. It's less of a burn now and more of just a tingle, but it's still there."

"He's gone but he's still everywhere."

"I'm just glad he's not wandering around the manor anymore. And that bloody snake."

My eyes soon began to droop and before I knew it I was asleep, nestled in Draco's arms, listening to his heartbeat beneath his chest.

~

"Oi Malfoy, get this on!" Ginny threw the familiar parcel at Draco, who caught it with ease, ripping the paper open to reveal a green jumper with a D in the centre. Laughing, he slipped it on, the collar of his white shirt still visible.

I was wearing my yearly jumper, red with a V in the centre.

"What a cute little matching couple" George said sarcastically and I nudged him in the shoulder as Draco looked on, laughing.

Dinner was strangely quiet. The empty chairs around the table set a somber mood and Molly kept offering more food round as a way of coping. Suddenly there was a knock at the door, and Molly shot up, as if she was expecting it. In came Andromeda Tonks, alongside mine and Harry's godson Teddy.

"TORIIIII" the little blue haired boy staggered towards me and I lifted him up, sitting him in my lap as he showed me his new toy broomstick. Draco smiled at him and suddenly Teddy was climbing from my lap to his, to which Draco's smile got wider.

"Kids have never liked me much, why does he like me?"

"It's definitely the jumper. Makes you look cute."

"I am not cute." He growled.

"You are to me" I said, placing a kiss on his cheek.

"Draco?" A voice came from the other side of the room and we looked to see Andromeda staring in shock at him. Draco looked blank for a few seconds before it clicked.

"Aunt Andromeda?"

"Oh my god I haven't seen you since....since you were a baby! You're so grown up!" She came over, placing her hands on Draco's shoulders as the pair reunited.

"Your mother used to send me photos of you until she stopped writing. And Victoria, congratulations to the two of you! Welcome to the family....or the family I used to be a part of."

"You're still part of our family auntie, I'm sure if you got in contact with mother now she wouldn't turn you away."

"Narcissa was never the problem, it was always Bella that hated the fact that I married a muggleborn. But from what I've heard she's long gone. A shame that some people only cared about blood status, letting it consume them entirely."

"Well who's for some more presents then? We have something for little Teddy." Molly quickly changed the subject, grabbing a small parcel from under the tree. I got up and headed over to the sink where George was washing dishes and grabbed a towel to help him.

"You ok?" I asked him.

"I guess so. It just feels...."

"Weird? Celebrating without them? I get it."

"Not a day goes by when I think of something funny and turn to tell him, but then realise he's not there. I hate it."

"It will get better. I promise. Day by day."

"I've asked Ron to help me with the shop after Hogwarts, running it alone just doesn't feel right."

"You know Ginny said I remind her of him. Biggest compliment I've ever gotten."

"You are a lot like him. You two were like peas in a pod. I hope we can be like that."

"Oh Georgey of course we can. I need my Weasley boys to look after me, I can't live without them!!"

George swept me into a hug, nestling his head in my neck. That's the thing about grief, it makes it easier if you find someone who can relate, it's comforting knowing you're not alone.

We pulled away as Draco cleared his throat loudly, standing up from his seat at the table.

"I got you all a present."

"Oh Draco you didn't have to do that!" Molly said.

"I wanted to. It's outside."