I had a bit of a problem with this scene. I didn't have writer's block…nope…I've written nearly 6,000 words to get it right…Now that Draco and Hermione finally found their way into the bedroom, they really don't seem to want to do anything else….and I still have a story I want to tell! Darn uncooperative characters! ; )

Draco:

He was holding her again, and admiring the way her softly curling hair looked draped across his bare chest. Her fingers were tracing patterns on his skin. He leaned down, cupped her cheek, and kissed her softly. She smiled back.

"How do you think your children are dealing with our announcement…really?"

She sighed. "Rose seemed fine with the idea, once I explained how happy I've been…"

He kissed her again, amazed that she was happy…with him. The corner of her mouth curved up in a one-sided smile.

"I believe that Hugo has contacted his Uncle George for more of his usual supplies so you might wasn't to be on guard over Christmas…something tells me that some of those are for you."

Draco groaned. "Like living through Fred and George as teenagers wasn't enough…"

Her smile faded around the corners, remembering the people who had passed on.

He squeezed her tight. "I will never forget the portable swamp." She gave him a grin for his effort, and then put away the memories that were making her sad.

"Well, don't tell Hugo about that one…they discontinued that after Umbrage left Hogwarts and I'm not certain he's heard that story yet…"

Draco snorted. "There are wizards in China who have heard that story Hermione."

She grinned. "Yes, but it wasn't about Quidditch, so there's a chance Hugo hasn't. I swore to George that I'd hex his other ear off if he ever told my kids about it."

Draco couldn't help it, she looked so happy and content in his arms. He kissed her again, this time with a little more warmth.

"You are insatiable."

He chuckled. "Only with you love."

She smirked. "Mmm-hmmm…. Don't think that I didn't hear rumors about the Sex God of Slytherin when we were in school."

Draco groaned and brought the pillow over his head.

"Damn Parkinson to hell. You know she started that rumor before we'd even slept together."
Hermione chuckled. "That sounds like Pansy."

He mock-glared at her. "Yes, it's funny now…you should have been me! A poor innocent fourth year student…"

She flung her head back, laughing. "Innocent? You?" He kept his expression innocent, and she laughed until she started clutching her sides. "Stop it Draco, I can't breathe."

He kissed the tears of laughter off her face.

She looked up at him and sighed. "I'm glad you weren't the total man-whore that the Slytherin girls made you out to be."

He rolled his eyes.

"Not a total man-whore. Just eighty percent of one…"

She stuck her fingers in her ears. "I'm not hearing this!"

He pulled her finger out and kissed her cheek.

"I was never as bad as the rumors. Even when Astoria cheated on me, I didn't retaliate in kind…though I admit freely, that was mostly for Scorpius' sake."

She caressed his face.

He chuckled.

She cocked her head to one side. "What?"

He kissed her lightly.

"I was just shocked…after the war, when you and Weasley actually got married. I always thought that you'd end up with Potter…"

She raised her brows.

"Me and Harry?"

He tried to shrug as if it didn't matter.

"The two of you always had a connection."

The woman of his dreams smiled happily as she nodded. It did horrible things to his guts.

"Harry…as soon as we became friends, we were always together…he's always been my best friend."

Draco didn't ask. It wasn't easy.

But Thank Merlin, she continued.

"But he was only ever my best friend…more like what I imagine a brother to be like."

Draco snorted and finally said what was on his mind. "You're telling me that he didn't even try to seduce you when you were seventeen and on the run for your lives?"

She shook her head. "Of course not!"

He rolled his eyes.

"I always knew Potter was thick…never thought he was that thick…"

He didn't even mind when she smacked his chest.

Hermione:

It felt odd to be in her own office again, catching up on her much-neglected paper-work…

Then again…the building was still standing. Harry and the rest of the staff had dealt with things quite well in her absence. Most of the piles on her desk were actually correspondence. I guess the world didn't stop turning just because I didn't come in.

Narcissa had sent several owls, and Hermione was happy to assist the other woman in her charitable endeavors for the hospital. She'd just penned a thank-you note to one of her friends at the Ministry for pulling some strings on a minor point when Draco flooed into her fireplace.

She abandoned the parchment and greeted him with a warm kiss.

He grinned.

"We can start placing the enchantments tomorrow. That gives us about a week before the children come home for the holidays. I tendered my resignation to Justin."

He looked positively gleeful about that. She raised a brow. "How did he take it?"

Draco snorted as he poured himself a cup of coffee. "He nearly cried. But then I told him about me and you…"

She felt a light blush across her cheeks. Why did she feel like the admission of 'we are dating' somehow translated into 'we are having hot sweaty monkey sex."?

Draco grinned. "He…well…he was very typically Justin."

Hermione couldn't resist. "What on Earth could Justin have said to make you uncomfortable?"

Draco took her in his arms, a familiar smirk on his lips. "Just teasing love…though I had to promise that I'd let him be in the wedding."

Hermione coughed. "I wasn't aware we were getting married."

Her lover smirked at her. "Neither was I, but my soon to be ex-boss swears he's had visions before…maybe we should check the hall of prophesy?" He kissed the tip of her nose so she would know he was joking.

Draco patted her back but didn't let her go. He had a wicked glint in his eye. "And we have to name our first born Justin…even if it's a girl." She tried to keep a straight face.

"But the worst part was that he said 'I told you so'… over and over, and over again. Unfortunately he picked up on the fact that I was crazy about you the first day I saw you again…and he's never going to let it go."

Hermione smirked. "Well, getting to tell Draco Malfoy 'I told you so' has got to be a once in a lifetime opportunity. I'm glad Justin made the most of it."

He kissed her properly. "Traitor."

When they finally came up for air, she grinned.

"So what do you plan to do with all this new free time?"

He chuckled. "Well, contingent upon the diagnostic running correctly of course, I'm going to spend the Christmas holiday with the people I love." He kissed her again. "Then I'm going to find a nice, quiet little wizarding hamlet, buy a house, and set up a private practice. I was talking to Blaze Zambini…he had a property in Hogsmead that would make an excellent office. You know…deal with sore throats and colds…and I have a stack of these ideas…mostly medical…things that can improve the way things are done. I'll be free to pursue some pure research…of course…I might need help with that." He grinned at her.

She stood on her tip-toes and kissed him softly. "I could see my way clear to helping with that."

He looked around the office.

"Do you want to go out to dinner to celebrate?"

She looked at the stack of mail waiting on her desk.

Then she looked into his silvery eyes.

"I'd love to."

We're nearly to the finish line on this one. I'm planning for 12 chapters with a possibility of an Epilogue if I need it. We'll have 'Happily Ever After' in T minus two chapters and counting. If you've liked it so far, why not leave me a review? They make my day….