[A/N: NaNoWriMo has begun and I'm going to be so busy this month on top of it because I have two papers due this month that I have to write as well. Please don't maim me if this is the only time I update this month. Please remember that I love you.]

"Draco, it was awful," I said. Yesterday I had, as Draco requested, taken Lucius with us to look at Leeds castle. Today, I was eating lunch with Draco at Hogwarts in my old room after class that day to give him a play-by-play of what happened.

"Tell me what happened," he said.

"Everything was fine at first. We didn't have any troubles when we first got there. I was explaining how many people we were going to have and the date we wanted all that, and as it turns out, the owner and most of the staff are wizards so everything was fine. The trouble starts when we go for the tour," I said.

"Oh, geez," Draco said, almost with a laugh.

"It's one thing to have high standards and I would expect that sort of thing from your family, but oh, my God, Draco," I said.

"I'm sorry I didn't warn you," he said.

"Draco, he told the owner that it was dirty. And Ron said that he thought it was lovely. So of course your dad replied 'of course you would think so'. I thought Ron was going to hit him," I said. Draco snorted. "It's not funny, Draco. I thought even your father was past making jokes about Ron's family."

"Hannah, I'm sorry," he said. "What else happened?"

I groaned. "Every condescending thing you can think of, he said it. Every single thing."

"Oh, Hannah. I'm sorry," he said. "I'm not going to make you do anything else with my parents if you don't want to."

"Thank you," I said. "But there is some good news."

"Yes?" he asked.

"I loved it. Ignoring every single bad thing your father said about it, I loved it. I really did," I said. I picked up my bag from the floor and pulled out a folder with pictures and information on the castle and handed it to him.

"It all looks lovely," he said. "Pretty big too."

"It is," I said.

"So. . ." he started.

"So. . ." I replied, smiling at him.

"I take it from your inability to contain your excitement that this is the place you want to get married," he said.

"Yes! I know I shouldn't be so excited about it because it's the only place we've looked at, but I love it," I said.

"And I'm sure it makes you feel extra good about it because my dad hates it," Draco said.

"I don't want it to effect my decision, but it does, but only a little," I replied. "Draco, I really, really, really, really-."

"All right, Hannah, I get it. And I trust your judgment so if you think this is the place then this is the place," he said.

"But I want you to see it too," I said. "Oh, how about this! I'll have to go there in like an hour to put down the deposit for it. You could come with me. I'll Professor McGonagall to let you go free from here. And then you could pick Mira up from daycare with and I'll have you back at Hogwarts before dinner."

"Sounds like a plan," he said kissing my forehead. "Looking forward to it."

888

McGonagall agreed to let Draco go, and after showing him the castle and putting the deposit down, I took him to the daycare to pick up Mira.

It was pouring outside, and I was delighted to get inside.

"This looks like a nice place," Draco said shaking the water from his hands. "Good job."

"Thanks," I said walking up to the front desk. Carol smiled up at me.

"Hannah, you're here early," she said.

"I know. Special occasion," I said motioning to Draco.

"Is this daddy?" she asked with a smile.

"Yes. I'm Draco Malfoy," Draco said extending his hands out to shake Carol's.

"Pleasure to meet you," she said. "Your fiancé is lovely. And so is your daughter. Mira is turning out to be very bright. She's just been picking up words like crazy."

"Oh, she can say more than just 'Ron' now?" Draco asked.

"Yes, she has learned a few new words," I said. "Ready to see her?" Draco nodded. I took his hand and led him to the back. We walked into the back room where there were still many children running around playing, waiting for their parents to pick them up.

Mira was sitting in the toy area laughing with a little boy as they played with blocks.

"Oh, hello, Hannah." Mira's teacher, Nadine walked over to me, smiling. She was younger, though obviously older than I was. "You're not usually here for another half hour or so, I haven't even started getting Mira ready to go yet."

"It's all right. I was able to get away a little earlier than usual today. I have a surprise for her," I said.

"You've brought dad along, I assume?" Nadine asked. Draco nodded. "She's the spitting image of you. I could tell immediately. I'm Mira's teacher, Nadine."

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Draco Malfoy," he said shaking her hand.

"Pleasure," she said. "Let me just go wrangle up her things. You can wrangle her up if you'd like."

"Yeah," I said. Nadine walked off to gather up Mira's things and I walked over to where she was playing. "Hello, darling."

She looked up from her blocks and smiled.

"Hi, mama," she cooed.

"Aw, that is just incredible," Draco said.

Mira got to her feet and walked over to Draco who immediately took her into his arms.

"Dada," she said laying her head down on his shoulder.

"Oh, goodness. I have to restrain myself from squealing like a little girl," he said. I laughed. "I am never letting you stay with Tonks and Remus for the weekend while I'm home."

888

"I hate for you to leave," I said as I started getting dinner ready. I was attempting spaghetti again, hopefully I wouldn't overcook it again. Mira was in her high chair playing with toys, while Draco stood at the stove with me, his hands wrapped around my waist, resting his head on my shoulder.

"I hate to leave too, but I have to do this thing called get my education. I'm not as naturally brilliant as you after all," he said.

"Stupid school," I said. Draco kissed my cheek and then down to my neck. "Hey, stop it. I'm trying cook here."

"What's it matter? You're going to muck it up anyway. At least if I distract you, you'll have an excuse," Draco said.

"I should be offended, but you're doing too good a job at distracting me," I said.

He kissed my cheek again. "You know I love you, right?"

"I know, I love you too," I said. "I have some bad news."

"Yeah?" he asked.

"I probably won't see you at all in November," I said.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because, they're doing some kind of special training for the interns that will help us connect our particular disciplines with others," I said. "I'm going to be spending Tuesdays learning more about Alchemy, which I needed to do anyway. And then I'll be taking an ethics course on Saturday."

"Saturday? They're taking you away on Saturday?" he asked. I nodded. "So you won't even be at my Quidditch match next month?"

"Correct," I said.

"That sucks," Draco said running his fingers through my hair. "It more than sucks actually. An entire month without seeing you. I don't think I can survive."

"You'll be fine," I promised him. I turned around gave him a quick kiss and then turned back to the stove.

"This that pasta's about done," he said.

"You think?" I asked.

"Yeah," he said.

"You know how I usually check?" I asked. "You know how they say that if you toss a noodle against the wall and if it sticks then it's not done?"

Draco shook his head. "That's wrong."

"It is?" I asked.

He nodded. "It sticks when it's finished cooking."

"Huh. . . That might explain a few things," I said.

"What would you do without me?" he asked.

"Continue to make mushy spaghetti," I said.

"I'll drain this for you," he said turning the stove off. He gave me a kiss and then pulled the pot off the stove and took the pot over to the sink. As I stood there, watching him drain the spaghetti, a smile crept over my face. He was my fiancé and he could cook, and he got giddy whenever his daughter learned a new word, and he missed me when I wasn't around, and he was so supportive of me pursuing what was possibly one of the most boring jobs ever. I loved him liked crazy. I couldn't wait to be his wife.

He brought the pot back over to the stove and mixed the sauce in with pasta in the pot.

"Tahdah," he said. "All done."

"Super," I said. "Now I have to set Mira's aside and chop it up into tiny bits and pray she actually uses her spoon instead of her fingers."

"Wishful thinking, dear," he said walking over and kissing Mira's forehead causing her to giggle, but immediately return to playing with her toys.

Draco turned back to me, and ran his fingers through my hair.

"I have to go now," he said resting his hand on my cheek.

I sighed resting my head on his hand.

"I know," I said. "I'll miss you until next Tuesday."

"I really hate having to wait a week to see you," he said. "I wish I could stay longer, but I've got potions tutoring—something Hermione shanghaied me into."

"Always making you do good," I said.

He leaned down and kissed me. "I love you."

"I love you too," I said.

Draco snaked his fingers through my hair, and pulled me closer. He kissed me, wrapping his free hand around my waist, holding me close. I slung my arms around his neck and let the kiss endure for as long as I could manage.

The door opened and Harry and Ron walked inside.

"Just what I need to see when I get home, some blonde guy, snogging my sister at the kitchen table," Harry said.

Draco broke away from me, running his fingers through my hair again.

"I was just going actually. Had some business to attend to, but now I've got to get going," he said. He kissed me again. "I love you."

"I love you," I said.

Draco walked over to Mira and kissed her goodbye and then left.

"What was Draco doing here?" Ron asked, poking at the spaghetti in the pot.

"We put the deposit down on Leeds Castle and he came with me," I said.

"Ah, so there's actually going to be a wedding. Good for you," Ron said making a plate of food. "I'll make Mira's plate to show my excitement for you."

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks."

"Have you done any wedding planning Ron?" Harry asked.

"Yes," he said proudly cutting up Mira's spaghetti into bits.

"Shut up. No you haven't. You haven't even been engaged for a week," I said.

"I have. Date is set for December 9th of next year and we've booked Hermione's parents' church for the ceremony," he said.

My jaw dropped.

"He did in a weekend what it took you almost five months to do," Harry said as he made himself a plate of spaghetti.

"Shut up," I said.

"Hey, this spaghetti tastes different," Ron said sitting down with his food.

"You're right," Harry said. "It's like, actually good."

"What's different?" Ron asked.

". . . The pasta actually has texture. I think she finally realized everyone in this house, including her own child has teeth and that we don't eat mush anymore," Harry said.

"Draco made it actually," I said.

"That explains it," Harry said.

I rolled my eyes. "So rude."

[Chapter title credit to Train for their song "Marry Me".]