I need to apologize beforehand for any mistake you could find in this story, but I don't have a beta yet and google isn't useful as it might seem when it comes to grammar rules.. ;)

I feel also the necessity to add that my characters are obviously "out of their real characters", otherwise they would have jumped at each other's throat in less that one minute, and that wouldn't have been such a great happy ending for a love story..
and after all, guys, let's face it: I'm simply not J. K. Rowling, so I cannot absolutely write anything that even resemble to the real Draco and Hermione (and Harry, and Snape, and Ginny, and Ron.. shall I continue? xD )
so please don't flame me telling that they're not as the real characters should be, ok?:)

disclaimer: all the characters (Draco Malfoy included.. sigh..) belong to the brilliangt imagination of J. K. Rowling

It was late night, almost two in the morning, when a sudden shutting noise broke the utmost silence and a low groan followed immediately after.

Draco Malfoy was home. And he could easily add: finally.

It had been quite a hard day at the Ministry: as the new junior head department of the public relations office, he had had to deal with some common angry workers requiring to personally speak with the Minister himself about their common little stupid problems, he had had to turn them down and also to gracefully accept a few "compliments" he was made by those kind people.

But that had been nothing. In the afternoon Draco had also attended two meetings, one public conference with dozens of journalists (and that hellish Skeeter woman was there too..) about the recently approved law pro werewolves employment, and the inauguration of the brand new wing in St. Mungo for post war diseases.

Then, when he had managed to find an hour to eat something on his own in a little café in Diagon Alley, he had been pestered again by journalists and gaping people who had probably thought incredible that even a Malfoy had to eat from time to time.

With the result that he had had to run away with half sandwich still in his hands, sandwich that, obviously, during that little escape had entirely fallen over his favourite trousers, leaving them with a huge oily stain on the right thigh.

Seriously. He was exhausted.

He quickly took his robes off, launching them on the nearby sofa. Or chair. Or lamp. It didn't really matter where they would land on, he couldn't see it in the darkness of the room, and more important he couldn't care less in that moment. A house elf would have taken care of it later..

A tiny pop startled him. Draco quickly turned around just to see a little house elf bow politely at him.

- welcome back, Master -

- thank you Winky.. -

- it's Betsy, Master.. -

Draco wanted to slap himself. Why couldn't he ever remember their names correctly?

- forgive me, Betsy, I've had a very long day.. -

- Master must not apologize! Master can call Betsy what he likes, Betsy won't care! -

He sighed. He didn't have enough strength to debate also with that little stubborn creature.

- ok, ok Betsy.. you made the point clear.. -

- is Betsy annoying Master? Betsy didn't want to.. –

Draco had to interrupt that flow of words. He didn't want an hysterical elf self punishing around the house especially not at that ungodly hour...

- no, Betsy. It's all fine. Just bring me some firewhiskey, would you? -

- yes, Master, of course, Master! Betsy obey! -

Just a little pop and she was gone.

Draco let out a deep sigh. Was there someone up there, laughing at him in that moment? Was there someone who had decided that his day still hadn't been tough enough?

Bloody crazy elf.

He made his way to the living room, where the fire was crackling merrily in the fireplace, warming the room and making everything look soft and comfortable in the dim light, and slumped rather gracelessly on the leather armchair. But he didn't care. He didn't give a damn if he was graceless for once, even if he was a Malfoy and Malfoys were never graceless, at least not in public. But now, it was his house, it was almost two in the morning and he had all the rights to slump as he pleased after that hellish day.

Another soft pop told him that Betsy had promptly come back with his whiskey.

- your firewhiskey, Master, as you required.. - Betsy said, setting down the glass on a little coffee table near the armchair and bowing respectfully again.

- if Master needs something else, Master just has to say and Betsy will provide.. -

- thank you, Betsy, I think it's enough for tonight.. -

- yes Master, Betsy just wanted to assure Master she would do anything for.. -

- yes, yes, I've understood that part.. you may go now, Betsy.. -

The creature bowed once again, probably suppressing the urge to add something more, and disappeared leaving Draco alone with his glass.

Finally.

He took his time to sip his drink, savouring the burning taste of the golden liquid in his mouth, feeling the warmth spreading down his throat to the stomach. That was incredibly relaxing.

He felt the stress of the day slowly fade away, leaving his body warm and relaxed. Another whiskey and he would've probably been ready to drift to bed.

He stood up with the intention of refilling the empty glass, when he noticed it.

On the same coffee table where Betsy had left his glass, there was now a tiny piece of parchment, neatly folded and apparently blank. Why hadn't he seen it before?

Maybe Betsy had brought it together with the whiskey and he had been simply too tired to take notice of it..

Draco had a strange feeling about that little scratch of paper, and he didn't know why: it looked exactly as any other piece of paper that could've been found around the house, but suddenly he didn't feel tired no more.

Jolts of electricity ran down his spine, his stomach constricted for the adrenalin.

It could have been anything, but if it was.. if that was what his sixth sense thought it was, well, it changed everything.

Draco took the piece of parchment with slightly shaking hands and observed it closely at the trembling light of fire, still not daring to open it.

There was undoubtedly something written inside, so it excluded the possibility that it might have been some random useless piece of paper that Betsy had put under the glass to prevent any damage to the wooden table.

There was something written in that bloody paper. He couldn't read what it was, the paper grain was too thick to let him see through it, but he could definitely make out the outlines of something scribbled.

He felt the blood rushing through his veins, the heart pounding like a mad against his ribcage.

He had been waiting for over a week for that letter. If that was the letter he thought it was.

It must have been that letter.

He had just decided that he couldn't wait not a single day more for the answer he had asked, so it had to be that letter. His life just depended on that.

Draco knew he was overreacting: it was just a piece of written paper after all and he wasn't being rational in that precise moment, but he couldn't really help it.

He needed to know. Now.

With trembling fingers he opened the parchment. Slowly. Painfully slowly.

He marginally registered he was holding his breath now. Just a second and he would know..

The first thing he noticed was the scent: a fresh perfume of mint and jasmine, so light it was almost noticeable and still so intoxicating, hit his nose. His lungs automatically expanded to take in as much of that smell as they could.

He didn't need to see anything else to know that it was that letter.

But now, now that he was sure that it was the letter he had been so painfully waiting for, he needed to know the answer.

He looked down at the opened paper and he noticed the handwriting: there wasn't much written, but he could've recognized those neat black letters among billions.

And then, only then, the meaning of those two simple, little words struck him like a lightening.

'I do.'

thanks for reading guys and please keep in mind that reviews, both positive and negative (I said negative, not rude..), are always very appreciated by an author ..

in other words, you'll make me incredibly happy if you leave a comment! ^-^