August 2002

"Draco, are you asking Tori today?" Narcissa asked over the morning paper.

He looked up at his mother with a big smile on his face and nodded. Tonight he was taking Tori out for dinner and after nine months of dating, he was going to ask her to move in with him. He love her more than anything and wanted to wake up to her beautiful face every morning. But the question was, would she agree to move in? At least, he hoped that she would.

"Yes mother, I've got reservations at one of the restaurants in Saliunca Alley."

Narcissa smiled and poured herself another cup of tea, "Shall I be expecting some grandchildren soon?"

Draco rolled his eyes, "No mother, we haven't even talked about marriage yet."

"But you've thought about it?"

Draco shrugged, "I'd like a future with her, we haven't really discussed it."

"I am glad that you have settled down with a nice girl, I always found Pansy rather demanding of your affection."

"That's because she's an attention seeking cow."

Narcissa chuckled and finished her tea before rising from the table, leaving Draco alone in the dining room. Draco checked his watch, he had to leave soon if he was going to meet Tori on time. Finishing off his toast and left the dining room, pulling on a jacket before apparating to the Greengrass house. Luckily, Tori was already waiting for him outside.

"Just in time." Tori said cheerfully.

Draco smiled as he kissed her cheek, "Fancy a coffee?" he asked.

Tori nodded, "There's a coffee shop in Saliunca Alley that we haven't tried yet."

The two apparated to a coffee shop named Olivia's coffee shop which had opened up a few weeks ago, it seemed to be rather popular as there was a queue out of the door. Draco asked Tori if she was sure that she wanted to go there and she nodded and the two joined the back of the queue. Whilst they waited to be served the two chatted about the engagement of Daphne to Blaise, something which Draco had come on rather quickly but then he couldn't really say that they were rushing things, for he was going to ask Tori to move in with him after nine months of being with her; some might say that moving in together was rushing things. But then he remembered his parents, Narcissa had told him how Lucius had proposed to her after six months of dating and were married before they had been together for a year. His parents had now been married for over twenty years and although they had their ups and downs, he saw how much his parents loved each other and he wanted that for himself; and he believed with all his heart that Astoria was the one who he wanted that with.

Eventually they came to the front of the queue and Draco ordered them both a latte whilst Tori went off to find a table for them to sit at. The sales assistant handed him the tray and he darted through the crowd to try and find Tori, only to stop in his tracks when he saw the last person he wanted to bump into.

"Hello Draco." Pansy said stiffly.

"Pansy, if you don't mind I have to find my girlfriend."

"She's no good for you. She won't give you what I did."

Draco laughed harshly, "She gives me much more than you ever did."

"Such as?"

"Astoria accepts me for who I am and loves me for my flaws. You wanted me to pretend to be the horrible person I used to be and be miserable in that pretence."

"Please Draco, I know what you need-

Draco's face turned to anger, "Get this into your thick head, I love Astoria and have a future with her. I never loved you, you are nothing but an attention seeker who can't let go of the past. If I ever see you again or you try to persuade me to take you back ever again, I swear I will curse you and I won't care about the consequences." he hissed and barged past her to sit at the table with Tori.

"I take it you saw Pansy." Tori said, taking her latte from the tray.

He nodded, "Did she say anything to you?"

Tori sighed, "Asked what I saw in you and that she was the only one for you."

Draco took her hand, "Believe me, I never loved her. You are the one for me and the only woman I've ever loved."

She smiled and the two took a mouthful from their lattes, discussing Tori's job at Twilfitt and Tattings; to which she had been interviewed for the management position and would find out within a few days as it was between her and a colleague. Draco hoped that she would get the position, she loved her job more than anything and was really hard working since she got the job seven months ago.

"How are things at the Ministry? You haven't said much about it lately."

"Same as usual, the Lethifold attacks have decreased a bit but are still ongoing since they started last summer. The wizarding community have learned how to cast a patronus charm so that reduces the number of attacks."

"That's good I suppose."

"It lessens my paperwork."

Tori finished her latte and Draco took the opportunity to ask her the question, hoping to celebrate with their lunch reservations if she agreed to the moving in.

"Tori, where do you see us heading?"

Her smile faded, "Are you breaking up with me?"

"Merlin no! I just mean do you see us being more serious?"

Tori nodded, "I've always wanted this with you."

"Good."

She frowned, "Is something wrong?"

Draco went into his pocket and pulled out a key and handed it to her, she looked at it curiously before returning her gaze to him.

"I don't understand." Tori said.

"The only way to get into our manor is using one of these keys. This key is the only way to open our front door, for they were made by a certain kind of magic. You can't use an unlocking charm on the manor."

She smiled, "You've given it to me?"

Draco nodded, "I'm not just giving it to you Tori, I want you to live there with me."

She leaned across the table and kissed him sweetly before pulling away and nodding, "Are you serious?" she asked happily.

"I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't." Draco smiled.

"This is fast."

"Tori, I love you. I love waking up with you when we stay with each other overnight and I hate having to sleep in an empty bed without you. I want us to take the next step, I want to fall asleep with you every night and wake up with you every morning. What do you say?"

"Well you better clear out some wardrobe space for me then."

Draco grinned as he leaned across the table and kissed her passionately, happy that she had agreed to move in with him. He didn't care that people were watching them both, all that mattered to him was that he and Tori had a future and he was determined to make it a happy future.

A/N: Hope you all liked this one, the next chapter will be the last with an epilogue to follow. Thanks again for all your reviews for this story :)