Hello lovies! My muse went on vacation without me for a weeks, but, she finally returned! I have not one, but TWO chapter updates for you today! I really hope you enjoy them as the next chapter will be the LAST chapter of this story!

Draco was glad he declined drinks with Hermione the previous night, seeing as how the wedding he was currently orchestrating was falling apart.

The flower arrangements were late, the cake nearly fell to the ground, the flower girl and ring bearer had been crying since they arrived, and the father of the bride was currently missing.

"Does anyone have eyes on the F.O.B.?" Draco asked into his headset. "We have five minutes until the ceremony starts."

With a resounding "No" from all his staff, Draco cursed under his breath as he looked everywhere all while trying to reassure the bride everything was going right on schedule.

"Found him, sir," came a voice in his ear. "Second floor, fifth bedroom on the right."

Draco grumbled under his breath. "Copy that. I'm heading up. Get the bridesmaids ready; it's go time in two minutes."

Making his way towards the stairs, he passed the priest officiating the wedding. "Where are you going, Father?"

"Oh, nature calls," the man said.

Draco steered the man towards the chapel. "Nature needs to call back, it's nearly time."

Adjusting his tie, he quickly walked up the steps and found the elder man in the room indicated, sitting on the floor against the wall as he wiped his nose with a handkerchief.

"My baby girl…. Married! Can't believe it. Sniff. It seemed like yesterday she was graduating nursery school. Did you know we didn't think we would have kids? And now she's… Sniff. She's all grown up and doesn't need her mum or dad anymore!"

"Sir," Draco said calmly, "I understand this is a big change for you, but she'll always need you. You're her father, and if there's one thing I've always been told, is that daughters will always need their fathers. How well rounded she is and what kind of partner she chose to spend her life with says a lot about how you raised her."

As he talked, Draco opened his suit jacket where he had lined the inside with extra pockets to store his emergency kit for occasions such as this. He gave the man some drops for his eyes as well as some cream, a mild sedative, a swig of mouthwash, and finally a spritz of cologne.

With the father of the bride all sorted out and with his daughter, Draco checked the monitors on the cameras to make sure there was nothing blocking the view of the ceremony.

"Blaise? There's a Dark Tower blocking the view in G10."

"Copy that."

Draco watched as Blaise used his charm to move the woman with the high updo from the back row to another seat—one that did not obstruct any cameras.

When the music began to play, he made his way out the double doors and lined up the bridesmaids and groomsmen, stopping quickly to fix a small tear in one of the dresses with a pin from a sewing kit he kept in another pocket.

When the fifth pair went down the aisle, the flowergirl and ring bearer were ready to charge ahead. Draco paused them, told them to count to ten, and then they could proceed.

Once the bride and her father were down the aisle, Draco finally took a breath.

The first part of the wedding was behind him and now it was time to get ready for the reception.

He took a five minute break to eat a protein bar and drink some water before making sure the caterers were prepped and all the tables were ready.

He knew other people wouldn't like being under pressure all the time to make sure everything was perfect, but he loved it—lived for it, even. It kept his mind sharp and adrenaline up and by the end of the day, he knew he did his job well.

As he watched the ceremony, he looked all around him and saw all that he accomplished. He saw the happy faces and that was what he needed to keep his focus on: his job, not some girl who was unavailable to him.

With his mind set, he got back to work.

The summer months seemed to fly for Draco, as he was busy with a wedding or two every week. Once the weather cooled and fall started, the weddings slowed down a little but not by much.

Over the course of four months, Draco joined Hermione as she tasted cakes, arranged flowers, chose caterers along with the menu, and set up appointments for the bridesmaids to try on dresses and groomsmen to get fitted for their tuxes. While he enjoyed the one-on-one time with Hermione, he still wondered why Ron was having Draco go in his stead. Hermione explained that he picked up extra shifts at work to help pay for the wedding. While they had saved up enough, the groom was still worried about going over budget.

Each time they hung out, Draco felt it was so easy to talk to Hermione, and he found himself falling for her more and more, no matter how much he told himself he needed to focus on his job.

On a rare, free-from-responsibilities Saturday, Draco found himself lounging around his flat, still in his pyjama bottoms and a well-worn jumper from his private school. It was well past noon and he was currently sitting on his sofa with a cuppa. He opened the newspaper for the first time in weeks and he started with the front page articles before skipping through the pages until he reached the Announcements section—this was his favourite page as most of his soon-to-be clients were featured.

As he opened the section, he saw that Pansy had taken up nearly a quarter of the page with a picture of herself, Adrian, and their new baby, a girl named Poppy.

Many emotions coursed through him as he read the article. He was happy for them, of course, but part of him wondered what-if?…

What if they had gone to couples counseling, as Pansy requested?

What if he had put Pansy before his career?

What if Pansy hadn't cheated on him?

What if he hadn't let her go, but fought for her instead?

Would they have been happily married by now?

Would it have been him in that picture with Pansy announcing their child together?

Tossing the paper to the side, Draco pinched the bridge of his nose.

He needed to get out of his flat or else he knew he would spiral into a depressive state.

Eyeing his phone, he nearly reached for it to text Hermione, but thought better of it. He knew she wouldn't mind hearing about his woes or getting drinks with him—they still had a raincheck to make good on—but he decided he wouldn't subject her to his misery.

Changing into a pair of dark jeans, he kept his jumper on as he made his way to the pub, hoping that some whisky and greasy food would help him feel better.

The pub was busier than usual for a Saturday evening, and Draco knew it would only get worse considering it was Live Music Night. Knowing he should just go to a different pub, he grumbled to himself as he made his way to the bar where he signal the barkeep, Tom.

"Your usual, Mr. Malfoy?" Tom asked above the noise.

"Yes, thanks, Tom."

"Go and find yourself a seat, I'll get your drink to ya in a mo'," the old man said.

Draco nodded his thanks and weaved around the tables, trying to find one that wasn't occupied.

"Well, if it isn't Draco Malfoy," said a chipper voice behind him.

Turning his head, he came face to face with Ginny, who was currently giving him a wide grin while holding two margaritas. "Looking for a place to sit?" she asked.

Draco nodded and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, though there doesn't seem to be any available."

"You're in luck then! We have a spot at our table. Come on," she said, turning around to lead him to his seat.

He knew he'd find Hermione before he saw her, and he wasn't sure if he was thankful or disappointed that Ron wasn't there as well.

"Look who I found!" Ginny said as she handed Hermione one of the margaritas.

"Draco!" Hermione said cheerily and Draco could tell that this wasn't her first drink of the night. "What are you doing here?"

Draco took a seat across from her, putting Ginny between them at the small square table. "Just enjoying a day off, you?" he asked.

"We just got off of work about an hour ago and we decided to go for drinks before heading home," Hermione said before taking a sip of her drink.

"I see. Why don't I order us a round of chips to share?" Draco suggested.

"Oh, chips sound great!" Hermione said. "I haven't had dinner yet."

When Tom bustled over with Draco's drink—a tumbler of whisky on the rocks—Draco also ordered a basket of chips as well as burgers and wings.

"He's such a gentleman," Hermione gushed to Ginny in a staged whisper. "Look at him, making sure we're eating food along with our drinks. What a nice guy."

Draco gave an indifferent shrug. "I haven't eaten yet either. Might as well feed you ladies as well."

Hermione smiled, and Draco could have sworn she looked at him wistfully. Suddenly, the moment was over and she announced, "I need to use the loo! Be right back."

Ginny chuckled as she watched her friend make her way to the toilets.

"So," Draco said, stretching out the word a bit as he swirled the contents of his tumbler, "I've been wondering something."

Ginny raised a brow. "And that would be?"

"Why would you send me to the park to look for Hermione, knowing well enough that she's not only engaged but to your brother," Draco said, giving the redhead a pointed look.

Ginny gave him a sheepish look. "Oh… that."

"Do you not want Hermione to marry your brother?" he asked.

"I do, it's just…" She blew out a breath, causing some loose strands of her hair to fly away from her face. "Look, Hermione will always be like a sister to me. She's been my best friend since I was ten, and I was ecstatic when she and Ron finally started dating."

Draco quirked a brow then took a sip of his whisky. "And now?"

Ginny tapped the side of her glass with a fingernail. "I feel like they're together more out of convenience than love. There's no fire between them, no spark. They're just together because it's been so long that they feel they have to be."

"So you were, what? Hoping if you sent me along after her that she'd finally come to this realization on her own and cancel the wedding?" he asked incredulously.

"Well, not because of you specifically, but yes," she said truthfully.

Draco shook his head. "I'm not about to go ruining a relationship because you think they're just getting married out of convenience. They're grown adults—they should be able to realize this on their own without interference."

"But they haven't yet and the wedding is getting closer. Ginny took a sip of her drink. "I just don't want them to regret their decision, that's all."

"Unfortunately, some people have to learn their lesson the hard way." Draco watched as Hermione made her way back to the table. "I know I have a time or two," he murmured.

They ate their burgers, wings, and crisps, all while drinking their preferred beverages. Hermione had stopped and switched to a fizzy drink about an hour later, knowing Ginny would probably be too pissed to get home on her own. Draco continued knocking back his whisky, the burn of the alcohol long gone after having so many.

The more he drank, the more his mood drifted to somber and pensive, and he became quiet, while the two girls chatted.

Hermione seemed to have noticed his switch, so when it came time to go home she offered him a ride as well, making sure to drop Ginny off first.

When it was just the two of them in her small car, Draco looked out the window as Hermione drove along the streets, the alcohol in her system long gone.

"Draco…"

"Hm?" he asked, turning his head to look at her blearily, the haze of the alcohol still in his system.

"Are you all right? You seemed to be upset about something, but I didn't want to ask in front of Ginny."

Draco let out a lingering sigh, staring back out of the window. It took another few minutes before he finally spoke. "Pansy had her baby; there was a huge announcement in the paper."

Hermione nodded. "I saw…"

"It's just not fucking fair," he said, clenching both of his hands into fists on his lap. "She's the one who cheated on me—all because I chose to keep working, instead of giving her all my attention all hours of the day—and yet, she still gets the guy and a baby as well. Meanwhile, I'm still alone and probably will be for the foreseeable future."

"Don't say that," Hermione said. "Any woman would be lucky to be with you. You just haven't found her yet."

His gaze turned to her, and he swore she gulped audibly. "I thought I found someone, but it turned out she was a client of mine and engaged to someone else."

"Draco—" she said softly, pulling into the parking lot for his condo, but he cut her off with a wave of his hand.

"Don't. It's fine. It's my problem, not yours." He opened the door on his side, giving her a nod. "Thanks for the ride home. I'll see you at our next meeting."

If she was about to say something, Draco never heard as he shut the car door and walked towards his home.

Discarding his jacket and keys on the dining table, Draco went into the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of whisky from the top shelf and pouring himself two finger-fulls in a tumbler.

A knock on his door kept him pouring another, and he grumbled about who could be there at nearly midnight.

Looking through the peephole, he momentarily froze as he saw who was on the other side. He wrenched the door open, causing Hermione to squeak in surprise at the suddenness.

"I think I'm making a mistake marrying Ron," she blurted out.

Dun Dun Duuuun!
Next chapter will be up soon, I promise!