A/N: Thank you all so much for your reviews, favorites and follows after last chapter! I really hope that you all will have a wonderful 2019 - can't believe we're in another new year. This chapter is one I am sure that a lot of you have been looking forward to. You can follow me on tumblr (nauticalparamour) where I post sneak peeks, story updates and answer questions.

Please let me know what you thought of chapter twenty-two and be on the lookout for chapter twenty-three soon!

1999

"Hermione!" Draco called in surprise when he saw his best friend sweep into the ballroom of Malfoy Manor. "I didn't think that you were going to be able to make it."

"What, and miss your birthday party? I wouldn't dream of it," she teased. Hermione wrapped him tightly in a hug before pressing a brief kiss to his cheek.

Draco felt a fizzle of joy run up his spine from the quick sensation of her lips on his skin, only to go a bit red. He hoped that she didn't notice his reaction to her. It was the best birthday present he could have ever asked for and she didn't even realize that he'd given it to her. "Well, I am glad that you could pull yourself away from your studying to celebrate with me," he said, genuinely. He pulled a glass of champagne off of one of the floating trays and pressed it into her hand.

"Thank you," she said, taking an eager sip. "I suppose everyone deserves a break from studying every once in a while. "There are so many people here," she observed, looking around.

Draco nodded. "Well, my immediate family may be small now that my grandfather Abraxas died, but mum and I have always had a large extended family," he explained. With excitement, he realized that he finally had his Aunt Hermione and Hermione in the same room and they could finally meet one another. "Oh! There is someone I want you to meet!"

He pressed his hand to her lower back, enjoying the silhouette her silk wrap dress created. She was beautiful and he longed for the day that he could proudly have her on his arm as more than a friend. Inserting himself in the small group he found, he cleared his throat to make introductions.

"Severus, Uncle Regulus, Aunt Hermione," he said with a big grin on his face. "I wanted you to meet my Hermione. Hermione, these are my Aunt and Uncle...well, cousins, really...second cousins or something like that, Regulus and Hermione Black and their friend Severus Snape."

His Uncle Regulus choked on the firewhiskey that he had been drinking, coughing furiously when he saw Hermione with him. Severus was staring at Hermione with narrowed eyes, and Draco could see the wheels of his mind turning furiously. His Aunt Hermione looked pale, but she quickly recovered, moving to smooth over the awkward situation. "It's a...pleasure to meet you, Hermione," she said, offering her hand to shake.

His Hermione took it, cautiously. When Draco turned to look at his friend, she looked...confused and curious. "Yes, I must confess that I've been looking forward to meeting you. It's not every day I meet another Hermione," she said with a frown.

Not understanding why things were off to such a weird start, Draco gave the trio of adults a bit of background on Hermione, including that she was working towards a mastery right then. "She was a brilliant student at Hogwarts, and she was Head Girl, too. Weren't you Head Boy, Uncle Regulus?" he asked.

"Uh, yes I was," Regulus said, unusually reticent. Normally he loved to rub it in to Sirius how much of a better student he had been than his older brother.

"And what house was...your Hermione in?" Severus asked with a smirk. He had certainly noticed the possessive title Draco had given her.

"Ravenclaw," Hermione answered for him. "I was in Ravenclaw with your son, Arcturus. He's a brilliant student himself. I wouldn't be surprised if he follows in his father's footsteps and becomes Head Boy this fall, too."

"Or his mother's," Severus quipped.

"Were you Head Girl, Aunt Hermione?" Draco asked, feeling confused. He got the impression that everyone was in on some big joke that he just wasn't privy to.

"No, Draco, I wasn't," she said, before subtling stepping on Severus's foot. The man didn't seem to bothered by her admonishment. Was it possible that his Aunt hadn't been a good student? She was so brilliant, though.

"And did you go to Hogwarts?" his Hermione asked, her head cocked to one side, eyebrows knit together.

His Aunt Hermione gave her a tight smile, before sadly shaking her head. "No, I was privately educated in Switzerland by my grandfather," she explained coolly.

Regulus wrapped an arm around his Aunt, pulling her close to his side. "Well, we really better be on our way," he said swiftly, giving Draco a tap on the arm. "Happy Birthday, Draco!"

The trio excused themselves, finishing their drinks and extracting themselves from the conversation, before hurrying off to the floo, whispering furiously between the three of them.

Hermione cleared her throat, turning to look at him. "Well, that was certainly...interesting," she said, but obviously with questions lingering in her mind.

Draco hoped that she didn't feel offended by their standoffish behavior. "Yeah, they were certainly acting a little strangely," he said, wondering just what was going on. He had so hoped that Hermione and his Aunt would hit things off because they were so similar in so many ways, not just the name.

"Um, Draco," Hermione started, tentatively. "What did you say your Aunt's maiden name was?" she asked.

He frowned. "Oh, I didn't actually," he said. "I think it's Dagworth...she's related to some like magical creature philanthropist or something. She doesn't actually talk a lot about her childhood. I sometimes get the impression that it wasn't very happy. We could ask my mum, though, if you wanted."

"No, I wouldn't want to ruin your birthday party by digging into any unpleasant family secrets," she said, chewing on her lower lip. "Come on, let's go find Harry and Alphard. I want to give you a birthday toast."

Hermione looped her arm through his and Draco couldn't stop staring at how perfect her little hand looked in the crook of his elbow. Determined not to blush, he was more positive than ever that Hermione was the only witch for him, and he was even more intent on proving that to her.