Ten tiny fingers. Ten tiny toes.

I counted each one myself for the thousandth time.

My little baby, my perfect little girl.

Our daughter.

"Have you thought of a name yet?" Fred asked me, looking down lovingly at the tiny bundle in his arms.

We were in a little private room in St Mungo's, after I was transferred there immediately after the birth.

"Yes," I smiled, remembering the moment Draco and I had named her.

*

"She looks like you," Draco murmured in my ear, smiling as he cradled a tentative hand to the back of her head, where swirls of dark hair grew upon it.

"I think she looks like you," I breathed turning my head to look up at him.

His silver eyes twinkled down at me; the love in them making my heart swell.

"What are we going to call her?" He asked, and my heart could have burst with joy at his use of the word 'we'.

"I didn't have a name," I whispered, "but now that I see her, I was thinking maybe we could call her after my mother, Nova."

"Nova," I watched Draco's face soften as he spoke her name on his lips. "A new star that shines so bright. I like it."

Our eyes met and I felt a warm glow of happiness as we exchanged a look of pure and utter tenderness.

"I'm so glad you were here," I breathed, "I'm so glad I had you."

His arms closed tightly around me as he pressed his face into my neck.

"You were so amazing, Aurora," he murmured wistfully, his lips moving against my skin. "My Aurora."

*

"Nova, her name's Nova," I whispered sadly as I blinked back up at Fred, who was beaming proudly.

"Nova Weasley, how lovely." Molly said delightedly.

Fred and I exchanged a look.

"Er, Mum," Fred said hesitantly, looking over at her cautiously, "she's going to be a Diggory."

"What?!" Molly gasped, as horror struck her face. "But of course she's got to be a Weasley! She's your daughter, Fred!"

I felt the familiar panic shroud my heart.

"It's their choice, Molly dear," Arthur said quietly, placing a placating hand on his wife's shoulder.

"I think she's beautiful, guys!" Ginny gushed, stepping over to her older brother to coo down at the baby in his arms.

I silently thanked her for saving the awkwardness that had suddenly filled the room.

"So, they say you gave birth in the boys bathroom?" Molly said, to my horror, "What exactly were you doing there in the first-"

"Come on you lot," George interrupted, to my relief, as he stood up, "no offence to Aurora, but she looks terrible. We'll leave you to get some rest. I'm sure you've had enough excitement for one evening."

He walked over to plant a kiss on my forehead, throwing me a discreet wink as he did so.

They all upped and left, leaving just Fred and I alone with the baby.

"So, I guess Harry didn't tell them about Draco," I murmured, feeling the first tug of disappointment since Nova was born.

A part of me had hoped that with all the drama that had just happened, it would have at least put an end to all the lies.

"Snape made him swear not to tell." Fred said, perching himself down next to me on the edge of the bed where I lay, still cradling Nova in his arms. "Aurora, I know you're disappointed, but we need to keep you and Nova safe. Malfoy is still engaged to Parkinson, and you know what it means if he doesn't go ahead with it."

A painful lump formed in my throat. I just couldn't believe that it was possible, after what Draco and I had just gone through, that we still couldn't be together. It completely and utterly broke my heart.

Watching me carefully, Fred released a heavy sigh. Removing a hand from underneath Nova and, adjusting her under one arm, he took my hand in his.

"Maybe let's try looking at this another way," he suggested, smiling kindly down at me. "Let's say this is just temporary; until somehow You-Know-Who is defeated and the war is over. It could happen, Aurora." He added when he saw my face. "We need to start having some faith. For Nova."

"And then what? We could be talking years. And he'll still be married to Pansy." I sighed, finding it difficult in my tired and emotional state to match Fred's positivity.

"So what? He loves you? And besides, it's not really a marriage if he was forced into it. You and him can be together and I can go back to being favourite uncle; I'm sure George won't mind the demotion."

"I wish you guys really were Nova's uncles," I said sadly, gently squeezing his hand. "I know Cedric would have approved."

"We are, Aurora," Fred assured me. "You don't need to be a blood relation to be family. As long as I live, I'm going to be there for you and Nova, and so will the rest of us. You're an honorary Weasley. Come on - my parents are your legal guardians; we've practically adopted you."

"I love you Fred," I said, looking up earnestly into his eyes. "Everything you've done... we- I don't deserve you."

"Of course you do," he said, his eyes twinkling. "And I'm here for the foreseeable future."

*****

Draco hadn't realised he was shaking until he looked down at the quavering teddy clutched in his steadfast grip.

People bustled around him as he stood in the corridor, watching Aurora through the room's window; watching as another man held his child and comforted the woman whom he loved more than anything in the world.

Placing the teddy down on an empty chair next to the door, he walked away.