December 24th 1998, 6 months later, three months after the wedding
CAROLINE'S POV
The house had been furnished. Completed, actually. We'd expanded a lot, and had tons of free space. The entrance hall with a staircase, four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a kitchen, an office room we shared with windows looking over the beach, a living room, a pantry; we'd decided not to have a dining room because we didn't really want to sit down for fancy dinners, we much preferred snuggling on the couch while watching muggle television. Draco had insisted on planting butterfly bushes in the front yard.
Oh, and a nursery.
Our first was on the way, we'd found out after the wedding.
Did I mention we'd adopted a golden retriever as well? Let's just say Lorelei wasn't a huge fan, but she was getting old, and spent most days sleeping on the little chair that sat next to Draco and I's bed.
Draco had named her Rosemary, after the girl in The Giver, the book he'd read to me all those years ago. I thought it was sweet, I didn't bother trying to come up with my own name. We'd gotten her as a puppy around a month ago.
We spent the past week decorating the house for Christmas. Sweet scented garland laced the staircase handles, a large tree with golden lights sitting in the corner of the living room, filling the cozy cottage with a pine aroma.
"Ready for Christmas dinner you two?" Draco smiled, bringing my plate over to the couch.
"You need to stop saying that," I giggled, grabbing my fork. He sat down next to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.
"I'm not wrong," he smiled, flipping the tv onto the Hallmark channel, taking a bite of the Christmas ham I'd made. Mrs. Weasley had given me the recipe.
"I'm really nervous to apparate tomorrow," I sighed, placing my head in his shoulder. Rosemary jumped into his lap.
"Trust me I'm freaking out as well," he rubbed Rosemary's head as she barked softly, a small smile washing across his face. Of course Draco Malfoy loved puppies, one of his many weaknesses, another one of them being me.
Tomorrow we'd be going to the burrow for Christmas Day. The doctors had told us apparating would be safe for me, as I was only three months in, but I was really nervous. Draco tried to hide it, but he was nervous too, maybe even more than me.
He was so ecstatic when I told him we were having a baby, but the worry came shortly afterward.
"What if I'm a bad Dad?"
"What if the baby isn't healthy?"
"What if I'm like my Father?"
Over and over again I had to remind him that the worry was good; that asking himself those things truly proved he wasn't going to be a bad Father. I knew he'd be incredible. The dramatic doubt really proved it.
We watched the television, the fireplace crackling across from us, the cold winter waves crashing outside of the dark window, stars sprinkling the sky. I was finally at peace. God, we've gone through so much. But we did it. We made it. Our own home, intern jobs at the Ministry, a child on the way.
I lifted my glass of water, sipping it slowly, raising it a little in the air but not so much that Draco would see. Just a small gesture, though they all deserved so much more. A cheers to those who made it; and one to those who didn't. To those who didn't get to live out the life my husband and I had the privilege of having.
"Happy Christmas," he whispered, kissing my forehead.
"I love you," I smiled softly, leaning into his shoulder, the movie ambience fading, the fireplace slowly dwindling down, the gentle circles of Draco's thumb on my shoulder sending me into a peaceful slumber.
YOU ARE READING
𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐄 - 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐟𝐨𝐲 (𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟒)
Action"The trouble is, we always think we have time. We only realize how little time we have until it nearly escapes our grasp, almost falling into the hands of death itself. But grief is the price we pay for love, isn't it sweetheart?" Draco returns to...
