Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

This Body is My Prison	By : JBankai89 Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Voldemort Views: 25130 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns Harry Potter, I gain nothing from this but a way to pass the time.

Chapter List
- 9
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- 11
Part X: Whole New World

It had only been ten minutes, and already Cassie felt out of her depth.

It was far from the atmosphere she'd grown accustomed to over the last several months, and though she was nervous, Davin had never looked more excited.

His eyes (charmed green to match her own, just for the evening) were wide and shining; his head swivelled in every direction like an owl's as he tried to take everything in, while his hair whipped around in the gentle summer breeze with every move that he made. They were outside, in the garden of some important Ministry official that Cassie hadn't bothered to get the name of, and there were people positively everywhere.

Some she recognized—like Kingsley Shacklebolt, current Minister of Magic, Draco's parents, Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy, Hermione and all of the Weasleys (save one), and every member of the Order and at least half of the Hogwarts professors. Hermione noticed Cassie straightaway, and looked like she wanted to walk over to her, but at the small shake of her head Hermione stepped back with a small nod, and got on her toes to whisper something in Ron's ear. Cassie was grateful; already she wanted to go home, and she had begun to wonder how she would get through this event in one piece.

As though sensing her anxiety, a warm hand found hers, and Cassie leant against her husband's side, grounded by his presence. As a momentary calm swept over her, Cassie allowed her mind to wander to a week earlier, and their quiet, impromptu, but perfect wedding.

Well, almost perfect.

~*~

Cassie stood in front of her bedroom mirror, turning left and right as she admired the outfit she'd selected for the evening. Hermione, one of the witnesses to the ceremony, was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking worried. When her longtime friend seemed reluctant to spit it out, Cassie gritted her teeth to brace herself for something potentially (albeit unintentionally) hurtful, and she turned to face her.

“Something on your mind, Hermione?” Cassie asked, and Hermione's frown deepened.

“Oh, it's nothing, really, I was just wondering why you chose that to get married in,” she said, and motioned towards Cassie's clothing. “I mean, aren't you worried that you'll regret not picking something...different?” Hermione asked nervously, while the expression in her eyes was apologetic, as though she knew what she was asking was somewhat on the side of rude, but could not help but voice the question regardless.

Cassie glanced down at herself, uncertain what exactly Hermione meant. It was a muggle suit, certainly, clean, dark lines and a violet Ascot-styled tie, ending in a pair of her favourite black heels. A white gardenia had been fitted in the front pocket, and overall she thought she looked marvellous. For a moment, she wondered if Hermione perhaps meant why she'd opted out of dress robes, but then it hit her.

She means a wedding dress, Cassie thought; the realization hit her so suddenly that it took her a moment to work through her surprise and find her voice again

“Why would I regret it?” she asked, her voice calm and neutral, but even so Hermione winced as though Cassie had been yelling. “I think I look pretty good.”

“It's just...well, don't women usually wear...dresses at their weddings?”

“I'm not a woman, Hermione,” she said coolly, “I'm just me. I use her and she because it's comfortable for me, but I still feel like I'm both female and male, and neither at the same time. Even if I viewed myself as completely a woman, I could still wear a suit if I wanted. It's not a law that I need to wear a dress.”

“Oh, I know, but...” Hermione trailed off, but apart from appearing somewhat troubled, she also appeared to be deeply confused. “And are you sure about this wedding? I mean, you haven't been seeing each other for very long...”

“Am I to expect this every time I see you?”

“What?”

“I mean, are you going to call into question every decision I make whenever I see you from now on?” Cassie asked, and Hermione bowed her head in shame. “I was held prisoner for five years, Hermione. Then, quite by chance, Draco stepped into my life. He could have turned me away, or ignored my coded message...a hundred different things. But, he didn't. He saved me. He helped me recover, he helped me more than...more than anyone else ever has. I haven't words enough for how grateful I am for him. I care for him a lot, and maybe it'll work out, maybe it won't—that's life, Hermione.”

Cassie paused, and moved to sit next to her friend on the bed, and heaved a small sigh, while she curbed the impulse to rake a hand through her hair in a nervous gesture.

“And if it doesn't work out?” Hermione asked timidly, “I'm not hoping it fails or anything like that, H—Cassie, I just mean...you've had so much loss in your life, I don't want to see you hurt, that's all.”

“Then it doesn't work out,” she replied simply, “I don't want to be so scared of failing that I'm not willing to try. I care for him, I want Davin to have a father figure that is a good man, and he is that—no matter what he was in the past, now, he's a good man. Children and animals are generally better judges of character than us adults...they sense things that we ignore. Davin adores him, I wouldn't be surprised if he starts calling Draco Dada or Papa soon; so if Davin approves of him, then that's all I need.”

Hermione, overcome with emotion, suddenly leapt at Cassie and pulled her into a hug. She squeaked, startled at the sudden touch, and immediately Hermione jumped away from her as she realized her mistake.

“Oh, Cassie, I'm so sorry,” Hermione sniffed, “I'm just...I'm so happy for you. Come on, let's finish getting you ready.”

Hermione held out her hand, and with a smile and a nod, Cassie accepted it.

~*~

“Tata!”

Davin's squeaky voice pulled Cassie from her memories, and she laughed as she watched her son squirm and wiggle in her arms, trying to get down to go to an elderly witch, who had a dog on a leash—at least, Cassie thought it was a dog. The little thing looked no larger than a guinea pig.

The woman, who Cassie did not know, noticed Davin's antics, and tittered as she stepped over to them.

“It's all right, dear,” she said in a kind, if somewhat haughty tone of voice, “my little Fifi simply loves children. He can say hello.”

Cassie rolled her lips together to keep herself from laughing as she caught sight of Draco mouthing the word, Fifi—as though he could not believe he'd actually met someone who'd named their dog such a thing.

Cassie refocused her attention on her son and the dog as she set Davin down, but held lightly onto the back of his baby dress robes as he excitedly crawled towards the tiny thing.

“Davin, gentle now, you don't want to hurt...er...” she crouched lower and took a very uncultured look between the little dog's legs, “him.”

Again, she swallowed a laugh when she saw her husband bury his embarrassed face in his hands. For the moment, she ignored him, and guided her son's chubby little hand to the dog's nose to allow him to sniff, then guided him in gently petting it. Davin let out a high, excited shriek, and giggled delightedly as he patted the dog's little head, while it panted and wagged its tail so hard that it was little more than a white blur.

Cassie had been so focused on her child that at first she had not realized that they had been drawing more attention to themselves than she would have liked, and a sudden camera flash made her head jerk up, and she saw that they had been encircled by a number of curious onlookers, all of whom were cooing over the sight of the toddler and the tiny dog together.

Draco, ever her saviour, swept in to gently disperse the crowd and distract the reporters while Cassie scooped Davin back up, and used her wand to rid both of them of the minor grass stains they'd accumulated while her son had greeted the dog. The older woman also straightened up and continued to smile at Cassie warmly.

“Lady Hecuba Constantine at your service,” she said as she held out her hand to Cassie, “and you are?”

“Cassie...Malfoy,” she replied, and bit back a grin as she said it—it had only been a week after all, and the idea of her and Draco as a real and proper couple was still new and exciting to her. “And this is my son, Davin.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you both,” she said kindly, though still with the same stuffy, aristocratic air to her voice, “you must be very proud of your husband—an Order of Merlin, First Class! That's quite an honour.”

“I am,” she replied and nodded a little, adjusting her hold on Davin as he began to fidget again, to which Hecuba tittered good-naturedly, “he absolutely earned it.”

~*~

It was the first time since arriving at the safe house that Cassie was to properly leave its warding, and it both terrified and thrilled her in equal measure.

Both she and Draco had decided ahead of time that letting a priestess into the warding could be asking for trouble, and instead they'd selected a point some five-hundred metres from the house in a nearby clearing. At this time of year it was ringed with ancient trees heavy with greenery, and smelling sweetly of wildflowers. Cassie could think of no better place for an outdoor wedding.

When she and Hermione arrived, Draco, the priestess, and Ron were already there, with little Davin perched in Draco's arms, clutching tightly to his dragon, as well as Lucius and Narcissa, who appeared to be caught between pride and unease at Draco's choice of spouse.

The moment that Draco set eyes on her, his gaze grew glassy, and he brought up one hand to his eyes, while his normally fair complexion tinged a faint pink. Cassie smiled bashfully, and began to make her approach, with Hermione at her side.

When they'd made it before them, Draco handed Davin to Hermione, who propped the tot against her hip as she stepped back, and took her place next to Ron. Cassie moved forward and took Draco's hands, and the priestess raised her arms in greeting.

“Lord and Lady, here before you stand two of your kin, who wish to be joined,” she proclaimed, “acknowledge their union, and may it be blessed.”

She paused, and Draco bowed his head forward. Cassie mimicked him, and when priestess began to speak again, Cassie refocused her attention on Draco.

“Draco Malfoy, do you wish to bind yourself to Cassie Evans—” Cassie smirked at Draco, a look he mirrored at the false name they'd chosen as the priestess continued, “—in love, friendship, and fidelity, from this day forth until your death, in sickness and in health, in times of joy and of sorrow, in richness and poverty, for as long as you both shall live?”

“I do.”

Draco's words rang true, and Cassie blinked hard as her vision began to swim.

“Cassie Evans,” the priestess addressed Cassie, but Cassie did not shift her gaze from Draco. “Do you wish to bind yourself to Draco Malfoy in love, friendship, and fidelity, from this day forth until your death, in sickness and in health, in times of joy and of sorrow, in richness and poverty, for as long as you both shall live?”

“I do,” she replied, and Draco smiled at her.

The priestess laid her long, narrow, birch wand against their interlocked hands, and a golden ribbon shot out of it, wrapping seven times around the intertwined appendages, and binding them together. The conjured satin felt pleasantly warm against her skin, as though they'd rested their hands in front of a crackling fire on a cold day.

“By my power, and before the eyes of the Gods and those assembled, I pronounce you...bound for life,” she tapped their hands again, and the ribbon disappeared. In its place on both Cassie and Draco's ring fingers appeared a pair of matching golden bands, with thin threads of silver woven into the metal. “You may now kiss.”

Amidst polite applause and Davin's excited squeals at the activity around him, Draco pulled Cassie close, and she wrapped his arms around his neck, holding onto him as their lips met. She could feel the bonding magic swirling around them, and never in her life had she felt more complete.

~*~

The sudden sound of a number of loud pops and bangs drew Cassie from her memories, and she saw Kingsley shooting off fireworks from his wand.

“Please, if everyone could be seated!” he called to the assembled crowd, “the ceremony will begin in five minutes.”

Cassie grabbed hold of Draco's hand and pulled him close, brushing her lips over his in a gentle kiss.

“Good luck, I know you'll be brilliant,” she said, and he smirked at her.

“Just who do you think I am? Of course I'll be brilliant—I'm always brilliant.”

Cassie threw her head back and laughed, louder and harder than she had meant to, but she was unable to resist—for the first time since everything had happened, Draco truly sounded something like his old self again.

Draco did not react to her laughter, but merely pulled her in for another kiss, and gave Davin's little hand a squeeze before he headed to the front row of chairs, where the guests of honour were supposed to be seated.

They had known, of course, that they were to be separated, but even this advance knowledge had not fully prepared Cassie for the act of following it through.

Without Draco at her side, Cassie felt alone and lost, and her arms were tense around her son as she feverishly looked for a seat as close to Draco as she could manage. In her near-panic and haste however, she had not been watching where she was going, and bumped into another person—a man with a young son, both of whom she recognized immediately.

“Oh, I'm sorry, miss, I didn't see you there,” Remus Lupin said kindly, while five-year-old Teddy held tightly to his father's hand, his opposite thumb popped into his mouth. Even though the last time she'd seen Teddy it was a solitary photograph of when he had been newly born, now he looked strikingly like his mother, from the bone structure of his face to his penchant for unnatural hair colours—violet—but his eyes were Remus's, a warm amber, like honey.

“It's—it's all right,” she said quickly, and took a step back, just as she saw Remus's nostrils flare and he eyed her curiously. “It was m-my fault.”

She turned to leave, her panic now beginning to make her dizzy as she cursed her and Draco's dual stupidity. They'd known that Remus was to be honoured as well as part of the Order, and as a werewolf he'd likely recognize her scent immediately—her dead self of Harry Potter. Remus reached out and touched her arm lightly, but did not grab her. Her eyes whipped back to the older man, and her heart jumped into her throat at the recognition he saw there.

“What is your name, miss?”

“Please, I need to go—”

“—your name, please,” he pleaded, his tone sorrowful and hopeful in one, and she knew that despite how much she wanted to, she could not lie to the last surviving Marauder.

“Cassie Malfoy,” she replied, a tremor in her tone as she said it, and she saw Remus's shoulders slump a little in disappointment. Cassie felt her throat tighten with guilt at the sorrowful, lost look she saw settle in the older man's eyes—the look of a man whose last hopes had been dashed.

I can't do this to him, she thought sadly, he deserves to know. But what if he hates me?

In a momentary spurt of bravery—or stupidity, she wasn't entirely certain which—she took a breath to steady herself, then took the plunge.

“If you must know,” she said, her voice trembling so badly that it was a miracle she'd gotten the words out at all, “my Patronus is a stag...I learnt how to do it during my third year.”

The effect her words had on him were instantaneous. His eyes bulged and his nostrils flared again, as though he was trying to be certain that he was not being tricked in some way by what his muddled werewolf instincts were telling him.

“Ha—”

“—It's Cassie now,” she interrupted quickly, “please, please don't tell anyone.”

She did not wait for his response, but hurried to her seat, and this time, he let her go.

The presentation of the awards was painfully stuffy and boring, despite the seriousness of the matter.

Cassie tried to pay attention, for it was all people she knew being awarded, after all, but Davin did not enjoy sitting still for such a long period, and she had been forced to get up and slip away from the presentation a number of times when he began to fuss. She felt terribly embarrassed every time it happened, and as she wove away to a quiet corner to settle her son down, she always felt as though everyone was watching her as she did so.

By the halfway point, Cassie was beginning to feel as fidgety as her son had been, who was now (finally) dozing in her lap with his dummy keeping him quiet. However, at least with Davin sleeping in her lap she no longer needed to worry about drawing unnecessary attention to herself by getting up every quarter of an hour to settle him down, for which she was deeply grateful.

“The next recipient of an Order of Merlin, First Class, for his courageous slaying of Voldemort, the so-called Dark Lord, at great personal risk to himself, Draco Malfoy...”

Cassie narrowed her eyes at the squat wizard who had been reading out all the names of the recipients. He had been droning on and on in a very Binns-like tone of voice, however, when Draco's name passed his lips, it came out accompanied by a sneer.

Draco acted as though he had not noticed, and swept from his seat, to the side of the stage, and strode across it smoothly. He appeared completely ignorant to the murmurs and titters of the crowd before him as the medal was pinned to his chest, and he stepped back to to his seat. His parents took their turns in being honoured shortly thereafter for their part in keeping so many prisoners safe during Voldemort's reign of terror and like Draco, there were a number of derisive mutters throughout the crowd. Cassie's hold on Davin tensed slightly as she gritted her teeth in anger.

If these people knew half of what they went through for the Light side...she thought angrily, caught between the desire to defend the Malfoys, and the desire to keep quiet, unseen, and anonymous. The latter won out, and she settled for raging in her own head at the unfairness of the audience's reception of the Malfoys—her family, now.

The ceremony continued, and they went on to honour other members of the Order. Cassie's frown deepened when the tittering immediately ceased.

Unfortunately, her silent internal war seemed to have rubbed off on Davin, and he woke with a discontented whine.

Sighing heavily, she scooped him up and with an apologetic look to her neighbour, who had not enjoyed Davin's constant interruptions, she slipped from the main area of the gardens and off to the side, and not a moment too soon as the dummy tumbled from his mouth and he began to cry—loudly.

“Oh Davin, shh, shh,” she cooed while she rubbed his back and rocked him, but the gentle words and actions did not calm him at all. She paced in the small segment of the garden, checking his diaper, checking to see if he was hungry, but nothing seemed to be wrong with him, until he uttered two wailing syllables, and she understood.

“Dada,” he cried, fat tears streaking his cheeks, “Dada!”

“Baby, you can't see Dada right now,” Cassie murmured in a soft, consoling tone, “come on, be good for Mama and calm down, please?” she pleaded while she continued to pace and rock him, her feet beginning to ache in the overpriced heels, and she kicked them off, uncaring if anyone saw. She wasn't trying to be glamorous, damn it, she needed to settle down her son.

Cassie did not know how long she walked with Davin screaming bloody murder, when suddenly a rustle behind her startled her out of her daze, and she whipped around to see Remus there, with Teddy still clinging quietly to his hand.

“Having some trouble?” he asked kindly, and Cassie frowned at him.

“I've got it, thank you,” she said stiffly while Davin continued to scream. She turned her attention away from the older man and back to her son, but kept Remus in her line of sight. He didn't move, but continued to watch her with Davin. “I mean it, I'm fine. You can go back to the ceremony.”

“Har—Cassie,” Remus amended, “please, I want to help. He's calling for Draco, right? Maybe all he needs is—”

“—is what,” she interrupted, her voice shaking a little, despite her attempts to keep it even so as to not upset Davin further. “A man's touch? No, I'm quite capable, thank you.”

Cassie found that she really didn't care much that she was being rude to her former professor and mentor—her mind was awash with panic at anyone touching Davin at the moment, especially not an older man that her son did not know. Remus did not appear hurt by her tone or brushoff, and merely nodded and turned to leave, when Teddy tugged on his father's sleeve, his thumb still perched in his mouth.

“Daddy, how come the baby's sad?” Cassie heard him ask Remus over Davin's continued wails, while Cassie continued to coo and rub his back, but it did nothing to soothe him whatsoever.

“He's not sad, Ted,” Remus replied in his familiar, calm tone of voice, “he's just nervous. Sometimes babies cry when they're in a new place.”

“Oh.” He turned back to look at Cassie and Davin, and let go of his father's hand to run at the pair of them, and pulled something from his pocket as he went. When he stopped in front of them, he tugged on the front of Cassie's dress robes to get her full attention.

“Yes, sweetheart? What is it?” she asked over Davin's screams, and Teddy popped his thumb back in his mouth as he held out the thing he'd been holding with his palm up, to show her a small packet of muggle jelly babies.

“Use your words, Ted, we've talk about this,” Remus admonished gently, and slowly, Teddy pulled his thumb out of his mouth.

“If your baby wants, he can have my sweets,” Teddy said shyly, “I like sweets, and they always cheer me up.”

“He's a bit little for those still, but thank you,” Cassie said with a weak, tired smile, “that's very kind of you.” At that same moment, Davin let out a tiny sigh as his cries began to peter out, and sniffling, he brought his little fists to his eyes. Cassie sighed with relief, and sat down heavily upon the stone bench that resided in that particular corner of the garden, and summoned her shoes back with a few casual flicks of her wand.

Thank God, she thought as she slipped the heels back on, I thought he'd never stop screaming.

“Oh,” Teddy said again, and retracted the gift, “when is he old enough for sweets?”

“He can eat some sweets,” Cassie replied as she rubbed her son's back, and he continued to rub at his eyes, “just not something like that, it would hurt his teeth.”

“Oh, well...when he's old enough for jelly babies, can I give him some?”

“Sure, why not,” she said with a small laugh, and Teddy's uncertain expression brightened at once.

“I'm Teddy, and that's my dad,” he said excitedly, and pointed at Remus. “I only met him a little while ago, but he's just as nice as Mum is...not my Mum-Mum, but the Mum that I growed up with. Daddy told me about my Mum-Mum, she was like me, a Meta—Matafour—Metaformagic,” he finished, wincing as he tried to get his mouth around the big word.

“Yes, I've known your dad a long time,” she replied, and laughed a little when Teddy's eyes went wide with shock. “I'm Cassie, by the way, and this is Davin.”

“For how long have you knowed my dad?” Teddy asked, his tone a little breathless as he seemed to miss her introduction—not that she minded much. It was nice to have someone who didn't know who she used to be, and saw her as nothing more than a mother with their child.

“A long time. At one time he was a teacher, and he taught me while I was in school.”

“A teacher?” Teddy wrinkled his nose at the new information. “That's not as cool as a fireman. That's what I'm gonna be when I grow up.”

“A fireman, eh?”

“Uh-huh,” Teddy replied with a confident nod, “or an astronaut—something cool.”

“Well, Ted,” Remus interrupted gently as he placed a hand on his son's shoulder, “let's leave Mum and baby alone for a bit, yeah? You can talk with them after, if you like, but I think they both need a little rest.”

“Oh, okay,” Teddy said, though he looked a little reluctant to leave. “I'll save sweets for your baby if he gets sad again.”

“Thank you,” Cassie replied with a small laugh, while over the boy's shoulder she mouthed a silent thank you to Remus. Teddy was sweet, but after Davin's fit, she felt positively exhausted. Teddy darted off, and Remus shifted his position to watch his son and address Cassie at the same time.

“Cassie,” Remus said, though his tone was odd, as though he still hadn't grown used to calling her by that name. “When you're ready, I'd like it if we met to talk—catch up, nothing serious. You can bring Draco if you like, but we all thought you were dead—I'm very glad to find that we were mistaken. Does anyone else know?”

“Just Ron, Hermione, and Draco,” she replied, “I'd like to keep it that way, for now, at least. I haven't decided if I want everyone to know who I was just yet. I'm sort of happy being just Cassie. Happier than I was before, at any rate.”

“I understand,” Remus replied with a short nod, “your father and godfather kept my secret for years, I would not repay them so shamefully by telling the others yours. You have nothing to fear. And...his, er, father?” he asked as his gaze dropped to Davin, who was clinging tightly to the collar of Cassie's dress robes. “Is his father who I think it is? Because he looks nothing like your...er, husband.”

“He's my son,” she replied stiffly, and wrapped her arms more securely around Davin, while also ensuring that she had a good grip on her wand, just in case. “That's all you need to know.”

“I understand,” Remus repeated quickly, and nodded his head. “I'll leave you be, I won't force myself back into your life by any means, but I would like to know you again, and my pseudo-nephew, of course,” he added with chuckle as Cassie smiled weakly.

“I'd like that,” she replied, and found herself mildly shocked that she actually meant it, too. “Just...I need some time. I'm still getting back into the world, I'm not exactly ready for too much excitement just yet.”

“I know what you mean...” Remus replied, his gaze darkening as though he was overcome suddenly by a number of conflicting thoughts, and yanked back the collar of his robes to show her a circular scar at the hollow of his throat, as though someone—someone human—had bitten him.

“A werewolf mating mark,” he explained with a bitter tone, “even though Greyback is now dead, it does not erase what he tried to do to me. Believe me when I say I really do understand. I'll await your owl, and—oh,” he said suddenly, “er, sorry, but if you'll excuse me, I need to stop my Mini-Marauder from climbing onto the buffet table.”

Remus darted off amidst Cassie's amused giggles, and she could see from where she sat that Teddy was indeed trying to clamber up onto the table where the chocolate fountain had been set up. She watched as the older man scooped his son up, and showed him how to dip the available fruit in the cascade of chocolate, and she found herself wholly unsurprised when Teddy stuck his whole hand in, though when he did not cry out in pain from dunking his hand in molten milk chocolate, she had to assume that it had been charmed to not burn the guests.

“Cassie, there you are!”

The sudden breathless voice drew her from watching Remus, and she beamed when she saw Draco standing there, his Order of Merlin glinting on his chest, and a look of relief in his eyes. Immediately, Davin perked up and reached for Draco.

“Dada!” he cried excitedly, and squirmed in Cassie's hold, “Dada!”

“Sounds like someone missed me,” Draco mused as he strode forward to relieve Cassie of her son, and when he sat next to her, she leant into his side with a heavy sigh.

“Yeah I think everyone within a fifty-mile radius heard how much he effing missed you...” she muttered, and Draco chuckled softly.

“You and he just aren't used to crowds like this—at least, not how you used to. It's not really all that shocking that Davin would get fussy. Though had I known he'd screech like that, I would have chosen a spot where I could come give you a hand more easily...”

“—don't be stupid,” she interrupted, “this was your day for you to get recognized for all the good you've done. I don't want to take away from—”

“—now who's being stupid?” Draco cut in with one of his self-satisfied smirks, “we're married—to each other, last I checked. Which means we're in this together; it means you don't have to be alone; and it means that I can be your strength when you need to rest. I may not be his father by blood, but I do intend on being there for him—and you—as much as I can, and as much as you'll let me.”

Cassie stopped and straightened up to stare at Draco. He hadn't been looking at Cassie as he spoke, his full attention instead on the child in his lap. Davin was squealing and giggling delightedly, a polar opposite of how he'd been barely twenty minutes earlier.

What surprised Cassie more than the statement itself however, was the matter-of-fact tone in which Draco had said it. He made it clear that he was not looking for praise by saying such a thing, he was stating a simple fact—a marriage is a partnership, and that meant that she could trust that Draco would be there when she needed him.

“Come on,” Draco said suddenly, drawing her from her thoughts as he brushed his lips over hers in a light kiss, “let's go home. You look exhausted.”

Home.

“I like that idea,” she replied, and with Davin perched in Draco's arms, the couple walked from the garden and its ongoing festivities and to where the Portkeys had been laid out at the side of the house.

Cassie wrapped one arm around Draco's waist, his own hands busy with holding their son, and she took hold of one of the complimentary teacups.

As she felt the telltale pull behind her navel, paired with the swirling transportative magic around them, she couldn't help but smile indulgently.

Voldemort had tried to take everything from her—her identity, her heart, her soul.

And in doing so, she realized, her greatest enemy had inadvertently given her the one thing that she had always wanted—a family to call her own.

Their feet slammed into the hard-packed ground of the safe house's property, and despite the initial purpose it was used for, now to Cassie it felt like home.

“I'll put him down,” Draco said softly as they crossed the front garden and headed inside. Davin was clinging to him quietly, his chubby cheek pressed against Draco's shoulder. He looked as though the Portkey trip hadn't bothered him at all. “Can you get our tea?”

“Yeah, I got it,” Cassie replied in the same soft tone as she kicked off her heels. Instead of heading straight off to their room, Draco swept in and kissed her softly, and she felt her heartbeat quicken a little from the tenderness of the kiss.

“You did really well today, Cassie,” Draco murmured softly, “I'm so proud of you.”

“I didn't really do anything,” she replied, a faint flush dusting her cheeks, “I just...drove everyone mental with my fussy, screaming kid.”

“It's hardly like you were the only parent there,” Draco said with a dismissive wave of his free hand, “they understand what kids are like, so don't think on it. Now I'll put him down, you get our tea. I think we could both do with one after today.”

Cassie wasn't certain she believed Draco's reassurance, but she wasn't keen to debate the subject with him and instead nodded her head, while her husband offered her a small smile before he headed down the hall with the sleepy toddler in his arms.

Her husband.

The reminder than she was married hit her again, and she smiled indulgently. It was more than she ever could have hoped for.

Cassie turned, the smile still in place upon her face, and she went about making the tea as she thought back on that special day.

~*~

“The last order of business is the marriage contract and adoption papers,” Draco said after the priestess had closed the circle.

“Regular adoption, right? Not that blood thing?” Cassie asked nervously, and Draco nodded at once.

“Regular adoption, I promise,” he replied, and Cassie smiled with relief as her husband withdrew the papers, and the new couple signed both with a flourish, before handing them off to Hermione, their official witness. She signed them as well, and both documents rolled up of their own accord and vanished in a puff of purple smoke.

“Congratulations,” Draco said with a soft smile, and pecked her lips lightly, “you're officially a Malfoy.”

“Only person in the Universe who'd willingly become a Malfoy...” Ron muttered just loudly enough for Cassie to hear, and she smiled gratefully when Hermione kicked his shin—hard—on her behalf.

“More or less,” Lucius remarked as he strode forward, his black cane making no noise against the mossy forest floor. “I suppose you two have a reason for choosing a non-consummation bonding ritual? I've only ever seen celibate monks and the like weave silver into their bands like that.”

“That's private, Father, kindly refrain from interrogating my better half about such things, if you don't mind,” Draco said icily, and Cassie swallowed her amusement behind a neutral mask at Lucius's utter bewilderment at Draco's use of the term, better half. She was also relieved that Draco had cut in, given that she had little desire to discuss her fear of intimacy with Lucius Malfoy, thanks in no small part to how she'd been treated by a certain Dark Lord for five horrific years of her life.
Lucius grumbled in response to Draco's cold admonishment, but it seemed doubtful that that was the end of it. Thankfully, Narcissa seemed quite keen to defuse the situation before it could get worse.

“Welcome to our family, Cassie,” Narcissa said as she stepped up alongside her husband and reached out to close both her hands over one of hers, and the genuine look of welcome in the older woman's eyes helped to ease the tense atmosphere greatly.

“Thank you, Mrs Malfoy,” Cassie replied, momentarily stunned at the kind, warm look in the Malfoy matriarch's eyes. For a woman who had always struck Cassie as cold, haughty, and generally emotionless, it was a little strange to see such a maternal expression upon her face.

Narcissa opened her mouth to speak again, but at that same moment Davin let out a disgruntled little whine, which effectively broke up the awkward conversation.

“Mama,” he said from his perch in Hermione's arms, and he reached for Cassie, only to whine again when he realized that he could not reach her.

“Oh, come here, you,” she said, and scooped up her son, and he linked his tiny arms around her neck immediately. He let out another whine, and dropped his head against her shoulder.

“I think someone's had enough excitement for one day,” Draco remarked with a soft chuckle as he closed the distance between himself and Cassie, and reached up to stroke Davin's messy, flyaway hair. “Father, perhaps we can come round for tea soon, and you may meet your grandson properly.”

“Grandson in name,” he replied sourly, but appeared completely unruffled by the five glares he received at these words.

“He's still your grandson,” Draco replied coldly, “and if I ever hear you say something like that again, you will not see me, or my family. Am I clear?”

Lucius grumbled under his breath, but Narcissa silenced him with another glare.

“You take your boys home, Cassie,” Narcissa said kindly, “I look forward to meeting my grandson at a later time. He is a Malfoy now, and if this war has taught us anything, it is that you needn't be bound to us by blood to prove that you're family.”

~*~

Draco returned just as Cassie finished laying out the tea tray, and he beamed at her as he fell gracelessly onto the sofa, and let out a soft groan. She joined him and rested her head against his shoulder, while he draped an arm around her shoulders.

“Who knew all that Pomp and Circumstance would be so exhausting...” she said, and Draco chuckled a little.

“I'm sure Davin's fussing didn't make it any easier, although I did catch that touching scene with the Lupin boy...”

“Remus wanted to help,” she muttered as she shifted closer to Draco, “I was so beyond stressed I was kind of rude to him...”

“I'm sure he understands,” Draco replied reasonably, “he's a parent too, he'll know better than others what it's like. I doubt he'll hold it against you.”

“He wants to get to know Davin, and so does your mum, and Hermione...” Cassie trailed off with a heavy sigh. “I'm just...so scared for him. What if they're unkind to him? What if they tell him about his father before I'm able to explain it all properly? What if he gets hurt? What if—”

Draco silenced her string of worries with a kiss, and after her surprise at the sudden show of affection had subsided, she closed her eyes and kissed him back. Quietly, she marvelled at how something as simple as a kiss could ease her mind, if only for a little while.

“Lupin, Granger, and my mother are hardly people you need to worry about where Davin is concerned. He's an endearing little boy, and they would never do anything to hurt him—of this I am certain,” Draco said softly while he stroked Cassie's short hair. “Getting back into the world will be hard—for all of us—but like everything you've accomplished these past months, you can do it. I know you don't think that you can, but I believe in you, Cassie. I know you'll one day be able to walk down the street without fear for yourself or for Davin. Like everything else, it just may take some time.”

“Everything takes time...” she mumbled sullenly, and Draco chuckled softly.

“One thing that's not changed, you're still as impatient as ever.”

“Probably the only bit of me that's still Harry Potter,” she remarked, and Draco laughed again.

“I dunno, you're still something of a magnet for trouble...”

“God, I hope that's not true,” she muttered, and leant in to kiss her husband, “I've had enough trouble to last me a lifetime.”
A/N: I asked around a lot for the scene with Teddy and Remus towards the middle/end of the chapter, because when it comes to tough subjects like these, first and foremost I want it to be represented realistically. The responses on how a new mum would react to a stranger to her kid offering to help like that were really split, and I opted for how I depicted it because it seemed more realistic for this variation of Harry Potter's character. There's one more chapter to go after this one, so stay tuned for the final instalment! :)
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This Body is My Prison