Hopelessly Devoted - (Draco Malfoy)

FORTY TWO

ONE YEAR LATER

I stared at my dress, with flutters in my chest as I took in every beautiful detail of the gown that was handcrafted for me. I had been waiting for this day for months, but it felt like I had been waiting my whole life.

My hair was pulled into a low updo, with face framing pieces draping down. My skin had a golden glow, appearing smooth and picturesque with the help of Hermione's makeup skills.

"Let's get you into the dress." Hermione smiled.

I nodded as they removed the dress off its hanger, positioning me to step inside. I secured the dress over my shoulders, smoothing out the lace sleeves. Ginny stepped behind me, tugging at the zipper as it slid up, tightening the dress around my body with the perfect fit.

My left hand was bearing the emerald green diamond, surrounded by a bed of white diamonds and gold band. It was Slytherin green, his green. I wouldn't have expected anything less, nor would I have wanted anything different. It was originally, us.

"You look amazing." Ginny smiled, tears filling her eyes.

This was an emotional day for all of us. None of us thought almost 10 years ago when we first stepped foot into Hogwarts and sat under the notorious sorting hat that this is where we would end up.

We fought against so many odds and forces pushing against us. We defeated Voldemort at 17 years old. We lost a few loved ones, but we won the war. Just a little group of teenagers, mere Hogwarts students who should have been learning all about potions and charms, but we did far more than that. We had always been destined for more than that. We took on the darkest wizard who ever lived, we ran for our lives, we survived.

It was fated from the beginning, him, and I. The day we arrived in this world; we were inevitable. The days our twin wands chose us, it was sealed. There was no one or anything that could have kept us apart.

"It's time." Hermione announced, standing behind me with her hands on my shoulders as we took in my appearance in the long gold incased mirror.

"Let's go." I smiled.

I watched as the two girls left my side, grabbing their bouquet of flowers and heading for the aisle of the Cathedral.

I walked out behind them, remaining hidden from the crowd I knew was anxiously awaiting my arrival. Away from him, whom I hadn't seen all day. It was the first day we had spent this much time apart since our reunion a year ago.

I sucked in a deep breath and released it slowly. I wanted to maintain a sliver of composure, trying not to ruin the masterpiece Hermione graced my face with. This day was one I longed for, one that felt right. But still there was a panging pain in my chest that my father wouldn't be here to give me away, nor would Cedric. I had lost them both and it ached, the pain was still there, every day.

I closed my eyes, willing myself to see Cedric and my Father inside my head. And so, I did, they were standing before me, back together again and smiling. In that moment, we were a family again. If I could change anything about the past, it would be losing them, but I remembered what Cedric said when I saw him that day after I was struck by the curse.

'I'm always with you.'

With that memory in mind, I settled the growing nerves in my stomach and opened my eyes. There he was, standing before me in a black tux, with a white shirt and Gryffindor crimson tie. The only one that could give me away, the only person that made sense, Harry Potter.

His smile warmed my heart, his eyes glistening as he took in my dress.

"Beautiful." he grinned, holding his arm out for me.