Epilogue
“Lils, if you keep running, I’ll make sure you don’t get your Hogwarts letter!” Draco Screams across the platform. Then in an instant, the little ginger stops in her tracks, it’s one of the very few antics that’ll work on this little menace. Draco still loves her to bits all the same.
“Harry, you better hurry up, I don’t think I can keep up much longer.” He whispers a little ‘Merlin’ to himself too. He loves his kids to pieces, but if they could just be less work.
Draco can hear that peculiar laugh coming a mile away, Harry’s got both Scorpius and Albus in his eyesight. James took the liberty of finding his friends the minute they’d stepped through the wall.
Draco finds himself linking his arm to Harry's arm as he approaches, it happens almost unconsciously at this point. Draco clutches Lily in his other hand, holding tight so she wouldn’t run off and sneak onto the train like she’s been attempting to do the last 2 years.
Draco is exhausted really, and he’s sure Harry is too. Having 2 more kids out of the house would do wonders for both of them.
“I’m here love, calm down,” Harry whispers between them, something only the pair can hear. “Yes, and you better not leave me again.”
Harry places a kiss on Draco’s temple and Draco releases a small hum of happiness. Something so calming to him, and he’s not entirely sure why. Maybe it’s the act, or maybe it’s just because it’s from Harry.
Harry in turn lets a smile creep up on his face. “Okay, we get it. You both are in love. Now let's focus on these little buggers.” And there’s that distinct sound of the ginger.
“you have to ruin everything don’t you Weasley?”
“It’s part of my charm” Ron just shrugs at the statement while Hermione looks at him awestricken. They truly were a pair made in heaven, if only they’d both been less oblivious.
Well. — Okay, He and Harry were just as oblivious, but that doesn’t count.
Draco simply releases a skeptical hum to Ron; despite their past, they grew to become closely knit to each other.
“Right well, Let’s get these children onto the express” Draco finally speaks out. He gathers Scorpius in his arms while Harry gets ahold of Albus. Draco then collects the bags and gets ready to gather James for a proper goodbye.
As he slowly steps further away from Harry, he can see him slowly slip a small piece of parchment into Albus’s bag. He can see Lily eyeing that parchment just the same.
He leans down to whisper something in her ear, “How about we go find James? You can start telling him about all your plans to take that blasted map away from him.” Lily immediately removes her gaze from her other father and quickly starts looking for her older brother.
Draco turns back to look back at Scorpius, and this time he whispers into his ears “I’d listen to those plans if I were you.” His son lets out a small laugh, and Draco continues to walk at the same pace as before like he’d attempted nothing.
Harry reaches out to take Albus’ hand before he rapidly joins the rest on the train. Harry always felt a certain pull towards Albus. Now don’t get him wrong, this doesn’t mean he loves any of his other children any less. It just means he knows firsthand what it’s like to be in his place.
Harry had tried endlessly to give his children the childhood they deserved, and the childhood he never got. But after doing all that and still seeing himself in Albus leaves him at a railway.
So, he had prepared a letter the night before, one he’d slip in Albus’s bag so he could read it any moment Harry was not there to console him. Harry sees so much of himself in Albus, and as much as he loves his sons' mischievous side.
He wants to stop the scared anxious feeling drumming in Albus’ heart. He knows what it’s like to feel scared and alone, and he doesn’t wish that on anyone. Especially his son.
“Hey, Al — I know what it’s like getting on that train for the first time. Trust me it’s something I’ll never forget. It’s just — I also know that you’re worried and that you’re scared to even step onto that train.” Albus shifts in his place and Harry leans down to meet his son at eye level.
“But Albus don’t you dare think for even a moment I will not be there for you. I may be your ‘Professor’ during school hours, but I will always be your father — and, if you feel like there’s something you can’t tell me about, you’ll always have Neville.” Harry breathes a little through his nose. “Darling, just remember that we cannot simply sit and stare at our wounds forever. We must move on, and thrive past it. This bloody scar-” Harry points towards his forehead, “-has left me with so many wounds, but I didn’t let a single one get in my way for too long. If I had let it, I might not have realized I’m in love with your father — my point is you are an undeniable force, don’t let anyone make you question that. Your father and I will be proud of you no matter what you do”
He places a kiss on Albus’s forehead and makes a movement to get up.
Harry finally gets up but just before he fully makes it all the way up, he slips his hand in one of his jeans pockets and reaches down for the letter, and sneaks it into Albus’s bag. Harry then tells him about a certain letter in his bag.
Harry walks with Albus to find Draco and the rest of his kids, he can spot his little Lily making all sorts of gestures with her hands, probably talking about stealing that map again. He can’t help but welcome the smile that appears on his face.
As much as James shrugs off every plan Lily has ever suggested, Harry knows deep down that James is terrified for the day she makes It to Hogwarts, that girl is going to be a hazard to that school when she gets there.
Harry can’t help but feel domestic, he never thought this would be his life someday.
He holds hands with Draco as they watch 3 of their kids climb aboard the train. Scorpius and Albus first, then James right behind. Before fully disappearing into the train James turns around and faces his two dads.
“They’ll be alright you know?” Draco and Harry face one another and share a simple look that speaks volume to both of them. Some silence is shared between them.
“We know. They have you, don’t they?” Harry finally says, James just lets a small smile emerge on his face. “I’ll be there by dinner, don’t let them get into too much trouble on the train.”
“Yeah yeah, I know. You tell me the same thing every time I get on.”
“Well, I can’t be too sure, can I? Now go! Go meet your friends, I’ll be there in no time.”
And finally, James disappears into one of the compartments, already chatting along with one of his friends.
As the 3 of them watch the train take off into the distance, everything feels right.