Dandelions

Epilogue

Seven Years Later...

George POV

It was an unusually busy evening at the shop. I scrambled at the cash register, collecting money and packing joke products. Even in the chaos, I couldn't help myself from looking over at her. There she sat on the window frame, staring down at the streets of Diagonal Alley. Her long thick mane of molten red hair fell over her shoulders as she casually twirled the ends between her tiny fingers. Her lips were the perfect shade of pink, and her eyes were deep hazel. Her name was Nyra. I remembered the first time we met, it was love at first sight. I never knew I could love someone so much.

"Here you go, madam. I hope you enjoy our products. Thank you for shopping at the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes!" I thanked an old witch dressed in a bright purple.

I turned my attention back to the redhead at the window. What the hell!

A young man with platinum blonde hair stood in front of her. I watched in horror as he held her palm in his and kissed the back of it. Color rose in Nyra's face before she leaned over and pecked his cheek.

"Oh! Hell no!" I yelled, scaring the customer in the queue.

"Todd!" I summoned our latest hire. "Take over!"

I left the cash register and made my way to the large bay window where she sat, hand in hand with the platinum-blonde pervert. She giggled at something the bloke had uttered. It made my blood boil as I felt a vein bulge on my forehead. In one swift motion, I swept Nyra off her feet and into the safety of my arms.

"We don't kiss random strangers," I explained to her.

"He is Scorpius. My boyfriend." She smiled.

"Your WHAT?" I frowned.

"Hi sir, I am Scorpius Malfoy. How very nice to meet you," the platinum blonde held out his tiny palm for me to shake.

I went down on my knees to make better eye contact with the young man who dared to call himself my daughter's boyfriend.

"Next time I see you around my daughter, I will feed you to my brother's dragon," I warned.

Scorpius Malfoy's expression changed. His grey eyes began to pool, and he scurried away from me, calling out for his father. His high-pitched wails could be heard over the general commotion in the shop.

"Dad, that was rude." Nyra poked her index finger into my cheek. "Alopo ... alopogize to Scorpius."

"As soon as I figure out the meaning of alopogize, I will do just that," I promised my beautiful daughter. "We discussed this before, you don't get to have a boyfriend till you are 40."

"How long is that? Till next Saturday?"

"No no, let's see, you are almost three now? Not for another 37 birthdays." I kissed her rosy cheek.

She was lost deep in thought as her fingers mindlessly fumbled with my tie. I wished I knew what went on in that brain of hers.

I didn't trust my daughter to be around little master Malfoy, so I kept her with me, tucked away in my arms. On my way back to the cash register, my eyes fell on a tall, dark-haired man leaning against the love potions display case. Is it Adrian Fucking Pucey? Is some bloody Slytherin convention taking place in my joke shop today? My stomach churned. The last time I had seen him was five years ago, and like most of our encounters, it had been rather unpleasant.

My legs threatened to give up when I saw his palm wrapped around a beautiful dark-haired witch. Her large brown eyes were fixed on the handsome Slytherin, as they chatted. She wore a brown pencil skirt and a white shirt. Her long waves were tied high on her head in a neat ponytail. In her arm lay a baby with his head resting on her bosom as he suckled on his thumb. The perfectly styled dark hair on the little boy indicated beyond doubt that he was a Pucey. It was a scene from my worst nightmare. Maya smiled from ear to ear when she saw me staring at her. Pucey, sent something of a nod at me while Maya excitedly gestured for me to join them in their little rendezvous.