Hi everyone, I wanted to give you all a little heads up that I will not be able to update this story until the end of May, as it is that time of the year where coursework and Exams rule your very existence so I wanted to apologize in advance for being M.I.A… and give you all a short chapter...

I would like to stress that, I do not own the Harry potter Franchise, nor do I own the Brenda Jackson Westmoreland series for which this story and characters are based on. This fanfiction is purely for my and your entertainment and I gain no monetary value from this story. I would like to thank everyone for reviewing, favoring and following this story it was much appreciated… Now on with the story… Happy Reading!

NINE

"Wow, this car is gorgeous, but I thought a private car was coming for us."

Draco looked over at Hermione and smiled as they walked towards the car parked in the Ministry's parking garage.

"I decided to have my car brought to me instead."

"This is your car?" Hermione studied the beautiful, shiny black two-seater sports car.

He chuckled and opened the car door for her. "Yes this baby is mine." And so are you, he wanted to say as he watched her slide her legs into the car, getting a glimpse of her beautiful shapely calves and ankles. "I've had it for a few years now, and I have to say I've missed it."

Hermione glanced up at him, "I can see why… witches and wizards don't really drive anywhere in England, except maybe for the muggle-borns that bothered learning to, especially when apparating is so much quicker, but still… weren't you tempted to bring it with you to England?"

"No," Draco said with a smile, "can you imagine me driving something like this to the British Ministry of Magic?"

"No, I can't," she said with a light giggle and grinning at him as he got in on the other side and snapped his seat belt in place. "Is it fast?"

"Oh yes, and you'll see that it has a smooth ride."

Draco knew she was sold on the car's performance moments later when they hit the open highway and she settled back in her seat. When he bought the car a few months after being reintroduced to Hermione, he used to imagine things being just like this. With him driving his car around town and the woman he loved sitting in the passenger seat beside him.

He glanced over at her for a second and saw how closely she was paying attention to everything they passed, as if she didn't want to miss anything. He drew in a deep breath, inhaling her scent right along with it, and felt desire settle into his bones. Nothing new there; he'd wanted Hermione since the first time he'd seen her again and knew she would be his.

"This place is simply beautiful Draco," she said with a soft sigh.

He smiled, pleased that she thought so, "More so than England?"

She threw her head back and laughed, "Hey there's no place like home. I love England."

"I know." Just as he knew it would be hard getting her to leave England and to move to Tuscany with him.

"We're on our way to your parents' villa?" she asked interrupting his thoughts.

"Yes. They are looking forward to meeting you."

Surprise and a little bit of trepidation swept across her face. "Really, I can't imagine why they would be."

He wished he could tell her the truth, but decided to tell her something else equally true. "Your Harry's sister. He made quite an impression on them regarding his treatment towards them after the war and during his numerous visits here. My mother dotes on him like another son, it's quite embarrassing really."

"He adores her as well. At the beginning when he would write to me about how insufferable you were, it was also about how extremely generous with affection she was with him, of course it was once he got past her icy exterior. He also said she had snarky sense of humour, and loved to play pranks on people, a woman after his own heart."

Draco laughed, "Yes, mother did find a partner in crime in Harry, especially when they were pranking Blaise and me. Once, she even managed get his help to prank my father, even though to this day they vigorously deny it."

Hermione giggled, "Oh, I read all about the mysterious prank oh his precious hair. If they really did do it, I am absolutely sure that it took very little convincing from your mother for Harry to help her prank Lucius. Your mother he likes, but Lucius well… let's just say he's not and will never be BFFs with him."

"If they really did it… really? Damn I thought for sure you would have said they did it."

"You seriously expected be to squeal on my brother? How gullible do you think I am? I knew you were fishing the moment you said it…" Hermione said teasingly.

They playfully continued to joke with each other, until Draco glanced at his watch and said, "We won't be long now. Knowing my mother she'll have a feast for dinner."

A soft hesitant smile touched Hermione's face, "Well I can't exactly say that I'm looking forward to meeting your parents, especially your father, but your mother certainly sounds like an interesting woman I would like to be acquainted with."

Glancing at her from the corner of his eye, with a smirk on his face he teasingly replied, "Hermione, I don't think anyone actually looks forward to meeting with Lucius. But my mother certainly can't wait to meet you properly." Then smiled softly, while thinking why his mother was really looking forward to meeting her- the woman who captured his heart.

Surprise swept across Hermione's face when Draco brought his car to the marker denoting the entrance to his family's villa. She leaned forward in her seat to glance around through the car's windows. She was spellbound, definitely at a loss for words. The house, the property it sat on and the land surrounding it was breath-taking.

"I gather some of Harry's design for his house was based on this one," she said.

Draco nodded. "Yes, he fell in love with this place and based a lot of his new house to this design."

"No wonder when you're in England at Harry's you're never in a hurry to return here. Being at his home was like a home away from home for you. There were so many things to remind you of this place. But then if had been me, being in a house so similar to mine would have made me homesick."

Draco keyed in the code that would open the electronic gate while thinking about the reason that he kept volunteering to returning to England on numerous occasions and helping Harry with various cases, Hermione. He hadn't wanted to leave her behind and return to Italy, and he hadn't except for the occasional holiday visit. He was in the England's Auror department so much that some of the Aurors jokingly had a miniature desk permanently suck in a corner in Harry's office and labelled it Draco's Desk. He truly hadn't missed home because, as he'd told Adriana, home is where the heart is and his heart had always been with Hermione, whether she knew it or not.

He put the car into gear and drove down the path leading to his parents' villa. It felt good to be home- even better that he hadn't come alone. He fully expected not only his parents to be in the huge villa but also his "brothers" Blaise, Theo and Adrian along with, excepting playboy Blaise, their significant others. Everyone wanted to meet the witch whose pull has kept him working in England alongside Harry on and off for about three years. And everyone was sworn to secrecy, since they knew how important it was to win Hermione's heart on his turf.

She was about to know the changed and real Draco Lucius Malfoy. The man she truly belonged to.