Sapient Stars

Never coming home

When Draco came back downstairs, he saw that the party seemed to have died down a bit. More people were sitting down, and some stifled yawns. Draco saw that Snape noticed him enter the room, and was walking over to him.

"Draco, as you know, Hogwarts is less one Transfiguration professor. Minerva was teaching the class along with attending to her Headmistress duties, and she feels that she cannot continue this way. We would like to extend the teaching position to you."

"You want me to teach at Hogwarts?" Draco said in disbelief.

"Yes, we do. I also needed someone to help me the way that Ginevra was, making healing potions for Pomphrey in their spare time."

"I don't know what to say. I've never thought about teaching."

"Give it some thought, and let me know what you decide."

"I will," Draco said as Snape shook his hand and walked away.

Soon the enthusiastic voices turned into tired murmurs, and the party was breaking up slowly. One by one people said their goodbyes, and soon only the family was left. Everyone was sitting around the kitchen table sipping hot cocoa, and lightly conversing. Shortly, Draco announced that he was very exhausted, and had to leave before he collapsed on the table.

He knew that Molly hated to see him go, but he promised to come by and visit more often. Fred took this opportunity to threaten him with an unknown package showing up on his doorstep if he didn't visit them all more often. Draco smiled, but winced inwardly since he knew Fred would make true on his friendly threat.

Draco made his was to the door, shaking Arthur's hand, and being hugged by a very drunk Ron. Hermione yelled goodbye from her seat, saying she was too pregnant and too tired to get up, but that she was sure she'd see him soon. Harry told Draco that he would come to see him tomorrow, perhaps for a game of Quidditch, and at that Draco smiled.

Walking away from the Burrow, Draco felt that his life was going in the right direction. He was going to teach at Hogwarts, even if the thought was almost comical. He was going to be shaping young minds. He who just tried to jump to his death not but five hours earlier. But Draco knew it was a good thing to do, and he really wanted to continue Ginny's work. She was so proud of what she was doing, and she really helped a lot of people. Draco knew that with the war being over, they wouldn't need too many healing potions, but he could still help the clumsy, Neville-like students by making them.
He got on his broom, and pushed up off the solid ground. He thought that he would fly the whole way back to his house, which was only in Winchester and wasn't too far away. Ginny had wanted to live close to her family, so they bought a quaint, but large house a few hours away.

The icy wind seemed to freeze Draco to the bone, but he was too immersed in his own thoughts about the night to pay any mind to it. Hours later, he touched down in front of his home and walked up the short path to the house.

Draco went inside and set his cloak over the back of a chair. He threw himself on his comfortable couch, and waved his wand to start a fire in the fireplace that faced him. He stared into the orange-red flames with a slight smile across his face, and as he fell asleep he could almost feel Ginny's orange-red hair in his hands.

Could I? Should I?

"Ah, memories," Draco said as he leaned back in his chair. He rubbed his knee as he felt it cramping up. These days everything hurt or ached. He had to admit, his life had not been a particularly strenuous one, but he still felt the signs of old age like everyone else. He had taught at Hogwarts for thirty years, teaching Transfiguration and making healing potions for Snape and Madam Pomphrey, when he retired to travel the world.

But those days were long over, and now Draco enjoyed sitting in his home and quietly reading most of the time. He often thought back upon his life. Tonight he couldn't get the night that he fell of Sweetheart Abbey's tower out of his head. He had no idea what he had been thinking that night. He had been very foolish, and he decided that he was just overwhelmed with depression at the time.

He often thanked Merlin for Harry showing up and stopping his ridiculous plan. If he hadn't been there, Ginny would have been so upset with him. There was no reason to cut his life short to be with her again. His ignorance in his young age still astonished him.

And all the wounds that are ever gonna scar me

Draco slowly got up from his chair and walked to his bedroom. It was getting late, and his eyes were already drooping. He walked down a hallway and paused to look at the pictures he had hanging up on the wall.

There were four pictures lined up; the first one was of Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Harry had played Quidditch with Puddlemere United for some time before retiring to raise a family. He had ran into Cho Chang at one of his matches, and after that they were inseparable.

Harry had visited him earlier, and they had argued for over an hour about if they could still play Quidditch or not. One lap around Draco's house had them exhausted. Calling it a lost cause they put their brooms aside. Harry said that they would play again, but Draco had a nagging feeling that today was the last time. Harry had left saying that they would try tomorrow, and Draco couldn't help but humor his old friend.

Ron had become an Auror, and a very successful one at that. Hermione and he were married just after their first son was born. Hermione replaced Professor Flitwick after he retired as the Charms professor and head of Ravenclaw House at Hogwarts.

Draco looked to the next picture on the wall of Arthur kissing Molly's cheek under mistletoe one Christmas. Arthur had been awarded an Order of Merlin, First Class for his work with Muggles, and Molly had never been so proud. Arthur had passed away a while before Molly, but they both were very happy with their lives and their many grandchildren.

The third picture Draco looked at was of Fred, Angelina, and their children, Ginny and George. Fred and Angelina both played Quidditch for Chudley Cannons, while Fred still ran WWW on the side. Fred quite liked playing against Harry, especially when they beat him. Their children were very successful; Ginny worked for the Ministry with a high-ranking job, and George took over Weasley's Wizard Wheezes when Fred retired. Fred and Draco stayed in touch throughout the years, particularly after a mysterious box arrived at Draco's house. It took Draco forever to remove the portable swamp from his foyer.

The next picture was of his mum and her new husband. After the few lonely years filled with Narcissa's longing for the man she once loved passed, she met Quentin Trimble on one of his book tours. He was the author of The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self Protection, and was the exact opposite of Lucius. Quentin was a kind, meek man, but he took very good care of Narcissa. Draco didn't think his mum could have picked a better second husband, and he was glad to see her happy again.

The last picture Draco looked at was his favorite. Molly had given the picture that was once in Ginny's childhood room to Draco since she knew he loved it so. His mum was sitting beside him with an uncomfortable look on her face. Molly on the other side, smiling warmly, and Ginny who was grinning from ear to ear, on his lap. Then, there was him in the middle with his Weasley Christmas sweater on, forced smile and all, but in his eyes, unfathomable happiness.

For all the ghosts that are never gonna . . .

Such happy times, Draco thought as he tore his gaze away from the memories, and went into his bedroom. He changed into some warm pajamas and got into bed. He looked over out of his window and saw the stars shining brightly. The few misty clouds that were in the sky earlier were completely gone now leaving them exposed.

On nights like this Draco missed Ginny terribly. He longed to talk her again, to hold to her again. Letting out a small sigh, Draco fell peacefully asleep. He couldn't remember the last time he had drifted asleep this easily, but he fell into the darkness like a sinking ship.
Suddenly, his eyes fluttered open. He felt warm, and everything was bright, too bright.

Where was he? he though.

He became anxious and slightly panicky, but it quickly faded when he saw her. Ginny. She was walking toward him slowly, her scarlet hair cascading over her shoulders. She stood less than a foot away with a huge smile splayed across her face.

Draco looked at her and felt his longing more than ever. He reached for her, and she took his hands in hers. Overcome with happiness, Draco smirked at her. He couldn't resist. He pulled her hands to his lips and kissed them softly. Looking into his rhapsodic grey eyes, she spoke.

"There you are, love."

~The End.