Hi Everyone, so this is the last chapter, and I hope it's a satisfying end for you. Thank you so much for taking the time to read and leave reviews.

~ coyg_81 x

Chapter Twenty-One

1st September 2001

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That Saturday morning was warm and bright. Draco awoke early, knowing today was going to be the first day of the rest of his life.

He showered and dressed quickly, making sure — for a final time — that everything was in place. First, he Flooed home to confirm everything with his Mother that he'd spoken with her about over the last few days.

Next he Flooed to the Leaky Cauldron for a quick breakfast and coffee, before making his way out onto Charing Cross Road and heading towards Kings Cross.

Being as discrete as he could, Draco made his way onto the correct concourse and looked around before moving through the wall between platforms nine and ten.

What greeted him was the same as when he was a small boy — the big red engine was hissing white steam as children ran about everywhere, their harassed parents calling for them to return to their sides. House-elves were loading up the pile of trunks and bags onto the train as quickly as they could. It always amazed Draco how everything ended up being done on time, before the train departed.

He weaved through the crowd, making his way to the far end of the train. Once it began moving, and he knew no one would be getting off, he'd search through the carriages until he found her.

Ginny had texted him last night to let him know that Hermione would be going back to Hogwarts in the morning, so he knew she'd definitely be here somewhere.

As the engine whistled and the release of the brakes made the train jolt forward, Draco began to walk.

He received a few strange glances from some of the older students who recognised him but, other than that, he was mostly ignored.

As he got to the carriage in the middle, he noticed little closed-off compartments with the Professors' names above them. Continuing to walk he spotted only one door with a name glowing slightly, letting people know someone was in there.

Professor Hermione Granger, Gryffindor Head of House and Charms Professor.

His witch had got a promotion. She'd said over the summer that she thought McGonagall might ask her to become the Gryffindor Head of House now that the headmistress' first replacement was retiring.

He smiled proudly at the name before squaring his shoulders and taking a deep breath, pulling the door open and watching the shock on her face as he entered.

"Dra-Draco," she stuttered as he took a seat opposite.

"Surprised to see me?" He asked, smirking as she took him in.

He was more gorgeous than she remembered. The last few days had been hell. Once Ginny had told her what had been said between her and Draco — after Hermione had Flooed to Harry — she'd been distraught. She took to the bed in their spare room and didn't leave it for two days — except to be sick, and shower. Her morning sickness had kicked in with a vengeance, only she seemed to get it around early evening rather than the actual morning. She had an appointment to see a healer this Friday afternoon when she knew she didn't have a class to teach.

"Ye-yes," she stammered again, coughing and clearing her throat. "Yes, I'm surprised to see you, here. What are you—"

"Doing here?" He finished for her. "You ran off before I could tell you the good news. Well, no, actually, that's a lie." She frowned at him, not sure he was making any sense.

The butterflies in her stomach were going crazy having him so near again. She'd missed Draco terribly, thought about nothing but him, willed him to appear before her and now here he was, making no sense as he stumbled over what to say.

"What I mean is..." he sighed frustratedly, running a hand through his platinum locks.

"I had this whole surprise set up for you and it's backfired spectacularly because I was too stubborn to see what was going on."

"And what was going on, Draco?" She asked quietly.

He looked up into the brown eyes he'd missed every day since she took off, unable to look away as he started at the beginning.

"After the war, I ran. I ran from everything that had happened. I was that same coward again who couldn't face up to any of it. As I've already told you, I spent the better part of a year getting drunk with Blaise at his villa. But, as time wore on, I knew a decision needed to be made in order to move on with my life, and so I made one," he paused, reaching into his bag for the bottle of water he'd purchased on the way to the station.

Hermione didn't say anything. She just watched him as he drank and let him continue the story.

"Every decision I've made since the day you were thrown at my feet by those filthy snatchers has been about you, Hermione."

She gasped.

"I knew in that moment I would do anything to keep you safe. I realised that, what I'd been feeling all those years, wasn't a hatred for you, or even Muggle-borns or Muggles in general. It was something else and when my aunt was doing—" he coughed at the difficult subject, "—what she did. I couldn't let her hurt you. The thought horrified me but, by the time I'd made up my mind what to do, you caught my eye and shook your head. From that moment on I realised that I loved you, Hermione." He watched her eyes widen at his declaration.

"I also knew that I was no good for you in the state I was in. I had to rebuild myself as it were. I was far too messed up in the head, and I didn't want to drag you down into my darkness. So after the trial, I fled. I grieved, I drank, I turned myself around. I discovered — after a lot of thought — that I still had an interest in potions, so I began researching and meeting Potions Masters all over Europe. I learned from the best and, six months ago, I passed the Masters' exam."

"Oh, Draco, that's wonderful," she couldn't help congratulating him. What he'd achieved was brilliant and exciting for him. To become a Potions Master in less than five years was a rare thing. Only his godfather had achieved the same.

"Thank you. It really was hard work, but I got to work with some of the greatest Potions Masters of all time."

"So, you weren't off shagging girls and having fun with Blaise then?" She teased.

"No. Once I started studying and moving around, Blaise stayed in Italy. I'd go back there whenever I had some free time. I only told Pansy to tell you we were travelling around together and having a good time so you wouldn't catch wind of what I was really up to. I had this whole plan set out in my mind — get my Masters' qualification as quickly as possible, secure a job at Hogwarts to be close to you and begin my total seduction."

Hermione blushed and giggled at his words.

"But then Pansy mentioned that you girls would be in Amsterdam at the start of summer for a few days, so I changed the plan in order to spend the summer with you. It was all going fine until you started to question my motives and what I was going to do once you had to come back to England."

"That wasn't—"

"I know it wasn't," he interrupted her. "I know that me being a pig-headed, stubborn bastard made you question my feelings for you. I just thought, if I could hold out a while longer, then the surprise would have come this morning when we both boarded the train and I told you that I was the new Potions Professor. But then I went and knocked you up and the plan had to change again."

"WHAT?" Hermione exploded. "You… you… know… about the…"

"Baby? Yes, Granger, I do."

"But-but, how did you… Ginny!" She seethed, realising the truth. Ginny must have told him the day he turned up at their door. The day she had run from him.

"Don't be mad at the Weaselette; she did the right thing by telling me. And I'm not mad at you either." Hermione stared at him skeptically, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm not, honestly," he repeated, holding his hands up and shrugging his shoulders. "It's my own fault anyway; if I hadn't been a prat, and you had known where you stood, you would've told me about the baby back in Italy."

"Why didn't you find me as soon as Ginny told you?"

"I had things to work out first."

"Like?"

He grinned, moving to sit down next to her, taking her hands in his. She looked up, waiting for him to continue.

"I came to speak to McGonagall first — arranged a few things with her. Then I spent a couple of days with my mother sorting out a few more issues."

"Such as?" She pushed.

"Well, where we're going to live for a start."

"We?" She exclaimed.

"Yes, we. We'll both be working at the school and you're carrying my child. Plus, there's the small matter of me being irrevocably in love with you, so, yes, we need to live in the same house and sleep in the same bed." He was interrupted by Hermione's lips meeting his in a bruising kiss.

When she pulled back, her look nearly killed him — the passion and love and complete wonderment was clear on her face and in her bright brown eyes.

"I love you, Draco. God, I love you so much. I'm so sorry I ran; I was scared, and frightened, and confused, I—"

"Hush, Granger, it's fine," he told her, placing a finger against her lips. "Today is a fresh start for both of us — a clean slate, if you will. When we get off the train, we'll go about the normal procedure. McGonagall has given us tomorrow off as it's Sunday and I can show you the house I picked for us. It's just on the outskirts of Hogsmeade so we're close to Hogwarts. It has its own garden and the nearest neighbour is a mile away."

"Draco."

"Yes."

"Stop talking," she demanded as she pressed her mouth to his once again. All she'd ever dreamed of was right here in this carriage with her — her whole future, the love of her life, their unborn child… her everything.