I blinked, not quite believing what I was hearing.

"Draco- what?"

"You heard me," he said, his voice full of fierce conviction, "marry me, Ronnie. I can't believe we haven't already. You're the only person in the world I want to call my wife. And I know you don't like weddings but we don't have to do anything like that. Just you and me and the kids if you want. Anything you want, because I'd do anything for you. I love you so much Ronnie, just please say yes."

I looked into his pleading silver grey eyes and I thought about all the years I'd known him. How we had bickered incessantly during our school years; he had been my first crush, my first kiss, my first fuck, my first love. He broke my heart over and over again but he'd always be back, mending it. He was the father to my son, the father to my daughter. He was my best friend, my lover, my soulmate.

He was my everything. And it suddenly seemed ludicrous that he wasn't my husband.

Yet.

"Yes." I breathed, my heart fluttering with joy. "Of course I will marry you, Draco."

My vision was suddenly obscured as arms flew around me. I could hear Draco's pounding heart as I was squeezed against his chest. And then lips were suddenly on my face; frantic kisses peppering my skin.

"God Ronnie, I love you so much," Draco growled hoarsely, "you've made me so fucking happy."

And then he was crying, great big body wracking heaving sobs, and I realised I was crying too. I wasn't even sure if they were tears of joy or sadness. Both, I guess.

We clung tightly to one another, dropping to the kitchen floor as he held me in his lap, rocking me gently through our sobs.

"Mummy? Daddy?"

The trembling voice made me look up, and there was our son stood in the doorway, his eyes widening fearfully at the sight of Draco and I in tears.

"It's okay, Scorp," I said, quickly wiping my eyes as Draco still held me firmly to him. "Come here darling, Mummy and Daddy are just happy, that's all."

He seemed slightly apprehensive at first but then came hurrying across when I reached an arm out to him.

"Hey Scorp," Draco said, once he had dried his face. "Daddy's got an important job for you. Would you like to be my best man?"

Scorp looked at him warily, clearly confused about what was going on.

"Daddy and I are getting married, Scorp," I grinned, as Draco's arms tightened around me. "Do you like that idea? You can wear a suit just like Daddy."

"And Freida?" He asked, blinking at me, "is she going to be your best lady?"

I nodded, a fresh wave of tears falling. "Yes Scorp, she'll be Mummy's best lady. We'll even get her a pretty little dress."

"Can I go and tell her?" He asked, his silver eyes dancing excitedly.

"Sure, Scorp," I laughed, "she's due to wake up now, anyway."

And he turned on the spot, pelting away at full speed to go and undoubtedly disturb his sleeping baby sister.

Draco went to move from beneath me. "Come on," he growled, helping me to my feet with him, "I'm going to send for my mother so she can look after the kids, and then I'm taking you ring shopping."

"Can't we take them with us?" I asked, feeling panicked about parting from them.

"Please, Ronnie," Draco implored, pulling me fiercely into his arms, "let me have some time with you. Just you and me. I want to take you out and spoil you."

Well I wasn't going to fucking argue with that.

*****

Exactly one month later, I married Draco Malfoy.

As promised, we didn't have a 'wedding'. Just myself and Draco in a registry office with the kids, and our parents (minus Lucius) as witnesses.

For once, my illness wasn't everything. I could even almost forget that I was dying when Draco and I spent the entirety of our three night honeymoon naked in bed together, pretty much reliving our school days.

"I'm never going to get sick of fucking you, Veronica Malfoy," he smirked in my ear as we both collapsed in a sweaty tangled mess onto the satin sheets after a particular vigorous, and extremely satisfying workout.

"We were only supposed to do it the once, remember?" I grinned, turning my head to face him, feeling momentarily winded by the beauty of the twinkle in his silver eyes.

"All I ever thought about at school was fucking you," he chuckled. "You drove me to beyond distraction. I was wild about you; I still am."

His fingers caressed the side of my face, tenderly brushing my hair behind my ear as he continued to gaze adoringly at me. A sadness flashed in his eyes, bringing a horrific lump to my throat.

He'd had this look of resigned sadness ever since he had asked me to marry him, and up until now I had been too wary to ask him about it; not wanting to break the rare moment of joy in our lives.

"Draco, you never did tell me what happened that morning when you visited your father." I spoke carefully, barely above a whisper. "Did he say something to upset you?"

Draco briefly closed his eyes as a heavy sigh escaped his lips. When he looked at me again, his face was full of deep remorse as if he was about to confess something serious to me.

"I asked him for gold," he murmured quietly. "I was hoping him meeting his grandson would make him want to help save you."

"Let me guess, he said no?" I asked, feeling a flood of relief that that was all it was. I could have saved him the trip and told him Lucius's answer beforehand myself. It didn't bother or surprise me in the slightest that his fucktard of a father wasn't feeling very charitable.

But to my surprise, Draco slowly shook his head. "I turned him down."

I was confused for a moment. I couldn't understand why Draco would bother asking if he was just going to reject him.

And then it dawned on me.

"There were conditions, weren't there?" I laughed wryly. Classic fucking Lucius. Always trying to control his son, even in the face of Draco begging to save the dying mother of his children.

Draco nodded. "He wanted me to marry Pansy. I walked straight out of there, or course. I'm so sorry, Ronnie. I had the chance, but the moment he even suggested it, all I could think about was getting home to you and marrying the one woman I ever want to call my wife."

I felt a bubble of laughter rise in my chest. "He wanted you to marry Pansy?!" I spluttered, suddenly not being able to control the wheezing of my breath.

"You're not mad?" Draco asked, looking utterly baffled as tears of laughter rolled down my cheeks.

"Of course I'm not fucking mad," I cried, wiping my face deliriously before lovingly kissing the tip of his nose. "If you had come back and asked me to cater for your wedding again, however, I might have been a bit pissed off."

"God, I love you so much, Ronnie," he chuckled in relief as he pulled me hungrily to him. "And I will try and find the gold, I promise."

"Don't, please," I begged, suddenly stilling. "I just want to spend as much time with you and the kids as possible. I don't want to go to Canada and be subjected to treatment that isn't even likely to work. It isn't worth it. But being with you is. We're all going to die one day anyway. At least this way I get to appreciate the days I have left."

"But you're worth it, Ronnie," he breathed, pressing his lips fiercely against my forehead as he tightened his arms around me. "You're worth everything."

"Promise me you won't sugarcoat my existence to the kids, Draco," I whispered. "Don't make out I was some perfect motherly figure, or that I was always kind to my friends and family. I want them to know that it's okay not to be perfect, that nobody's edges are ever completely smooth."

"But that's just it, Weasley-"

"Malfoy, remember?!"

"My Ronnie Malfoy, née Weasley - to me you are perfect. Always have, always will be."

His lips connected with mine as he pulled the covers up over our heads. And it was hard to believe, in that moment of blissful happiness, that tragedy was just around the corner.

*****