This one is pretty long too. But hey, this train is moving fast! By the way, don't be afraid any one chapter is just the end. I'll warn you when the story itself is coming to a close. But have no fear! This is not the end, and it won't be for a very long time. We still have a lot to get through before that! Enjoy! ;)

Having the Greengrass family living under the same roof as the Malfoys was leaving quite an impression everywhere—one to be noted for the better. Lucius and Narcissa no longer had screaming matches. Whether this was out of courtesy of the guests or just lack of privacy, it was hard to tell. But they got along well now. If there was a difference in opinion over a topic, they simply just didn't speak in order to prevent an argument. Draco took notice of this between both families; they handled it the same way. He deduced that Narcissa and Lucius had probably secretly agreed to each other to take lessons from Mr. and Mrs. Greengrass in order to make the understanding of relationships easier for themselves. Of course, he didn't mind at all.

Things with Astoria were going better than ever as well. It seemed as if having her family around increased her ability to heal a bit more. Narcissa and Mrs. Greengrass (who had become attached to each other quickly) enjoyed ordering new dresses for Astoria to wear, as she was beginning to leave her room and bed now all on her own. She mentioned that wearing just a nightgown made her feel a bit self-conscious, asking Daphne if she could borrow at least one dress of hers. But Daphne immediately reported to her mother. Draco recalled that even in school she was never quite able to hold her tongue about anything. It wasn't necessarily a bad trait, but it embarrassed Astoria to no end as the women of the house fussed over her, choosing colors and patterns and such. Sometimes Draco would just sit back and watch the four of them, giggling a bit when Astoria would catch his eye and make a face or silently plead for rescue.

Lucius often retired to his study to work whenever there were too many people around his space. This was probably better considering he had a bad temper and felt the need to look perfect in front of another perfect pureblood family. Bazel was a bit like him as well—he would sometimes just go to the back porch to read or write something whenever he needed alone time. Draco never needed to be isolated though. The only thing he really did need was Astoria. During the couple of months the Greengrasses stayed, he realized just how much he actually depended on seeing her smile, feeling her touch, hearing her voice. It frightened but excited him; he couldn't exactly pinpoint why.

The mediwizard arrived once a month to check on Astoria. On his latest visit, he was pleasantly surprised to see her walk towards him all on her own—no support necessary. After a quick checkup and scan with his wand, he determined that the Dark illness was only at bay for the time being. He shared his research with Narcissa and Draco privately. "It seems to me," he recounted, reading from a little notebook he produced from his coat. "That the girl's disease gets stung, if you will, during periods of immense love and happiness. It retreats and leaves less symptoms. This could explain why when you found her, it was so bad: she had been stricken with this, her family left her, she was alone, and no one was around to care for her. Your tenderness and love has truly brought about a great recovery." Draco breathed a sigh of relief. So if she stayed happy and loved for the rest of her life, she'd be relatively healthy. But he also knew that sending her away with her family would strain their relationship, eventually hurting her. She'd slip. She'd be sad and get sicker. But there was no avoiding that event—the Greengrass family could not live with the Malfoys forever. They had their own lives to attend to. She'd have to go back. Unless…

After the evaluation, Narcissa left to tell Mrs. Greengrass the good news. Draco lingered behind. He didn't want to hear the plans that her parents would immediately begin making as to return her to them fully. He just knew they would. Purebloods were self-sufficient—they never relied on anyone else for too long. Feeling a depressing weight, Draco slipped away to his room. For the first time, he didn't even want to look at Astoria. It would only break his heart.

He sat on his bed. Just sat. He was too deep in thought to do much else or muse about anything. After nearly three-quarters of an hour went by, he heard a soft knock at the door. Of course they'd come looking for him eventually. He just hoped it wasn't…her….

But his prayers were answered to the fullest extent when he saw it was only Kirry and not any human coming to probe him into saying why he suddenly became so down when there was so much good to celebrate. Kirry shut the door behind her, bowing low to the ground. "Master Draco, sir." she greeted. He tried to give a weak smile. She stepped closer to him so that she was standing close to his toes. "Kirry has comes to Master Draco's chambers to see if he are feeling good?"

"I feel fine." he answered quickly so his voice wouldn't crack under the strain.

"No, no, Master Draco, sir. Kirry was wondering if Master Draco sir are feeling good in the heart?"

"Feeling good in the heart? I feel fine, Kirry, just…leave me alone."

"Aha! Now Kirry is knowing the correct wordses to use. Kirry apologizes for her stupid stupid misunderstandingses. Kirry has comes to find out if Master Draco sir are feeling hurting inside his heart maked by thoughts."

"…Oh, you mean you're checking on my emotions?"

"Yeses, Master Draco sir. Kirry apologizes for being stupid stupid stupid and maked confusion in Master Draco sir's mind."

"No…no, Kirry. You weren't stupid. And trust me, you're not the one causing trouble in my mind."

And for no reason at all, it seemed, Kirry sat down on the floor right at Draco's toes, her big eyes never leaving his for a second. She wanted to listen to him. He looked down at the little elf, letting out a sigh. "Look at me," he muttered. "Talking to a house-elf like it's my best friend."

"It is being better than holding all of the feelingses inside Master Draco sir's head." she replied.

"Alright….but just don't say anything about this to anyone, alright? The doctor came today. He said that Astoria was nearly in excellent health. Her disease is still there, because it will never actually go away, but that love and happiness makes it affect her less. Once my mother tells her family that she's doing better, they'll want to take her home with them. Away from here. Away from me. Of course I'll be devastated—she's literally been the light of my life for…wow, it's almost a year now. But I worry about her. She'll be equally as sad, and once she feels that then the disease will return stronger and she'll get sicker and….oh, Kirry! What am I going to do?"

Draco began crying into his hands. Kirry sat there, watching him, blinking only when she was processing everything over in her mind. "It is seeming to Kirry that all Master Draco sir is needing to do is keep little Mistress forever and ever." she concluded.

"Yes, but how could I possibly do that? Her parents aren't going to live here much longer. Both families are purebloods—sure we help each other out when necessary, but we never become dependent on another. Never. We are independent and strong."

"So what if Mistress Narcissa no is telling the family of little Mistress?"

"Of course she'll tell. She wants to see Astoria get better too. She doesn't really know too much about our…you know, our relationship. I think she knows we're in love, but not the way I know we're in love."

"What if Master Draco sir is marry little Mistress?"

Draco paled. He looked up at the house-elf in a mixture of strange feelings. "No…" he whispered. "No, Kirry…I could never do that…."

"But how come not? Mistress Narcissa loved Master Lucius sir, and he married himself to her to makes her happy and makes her a child."

"Father wouldn't…he wouldn't allow for me to marry Astoria."

"Mistress Narcissa would allow. Kirry is heard her talking to Grass of Green lady and they was discussing dresses for little Mistress. They was talk about a white dress for her in someday. Kirry is heard Grass of Green lady ask Mistress Narcissa if she was think that little Mistress could survives to have a marry day."

"They…they were talking about weddings?"

"Oh yeses, Master Draco sir. Kirry is heard."

"Did they say anything about…you know…who she might have to marry?"

"Hm…Grass of Green lady telled Mistress Narcissa that she would not being picking a spouse for little Mistress, as pureblood custom is say to do for many many years. She say that she is wants little Mistress to choose for herself so she can being happy."

"…No, Kirry. I can't. I can't do it. What if Astoria just says yes to be polite, or because she thinks that's what everyone wants?"

"Master Draco sir, Kirry has seen little Mistress when Master Draco sir is walk into the room. Little Mistress does not stop smiles. Little Mistress maked Kirry promise not to be telling what she say to Kirry one day."

"Kirry, what did she say to you?"

"Kirry must not speak,"

"Come on, tell me!"

"Kirry has maked promise to little Mistress."

"Kirry, I am your master. And even though she lives here…she's not. You have an obligation to me and me only. So, as an order, I command you to tell me what Astoria forbid you to speak of!"

"Alright, alright, Master Draco sir! Little Mistress telled Kirry that she loves Master Draco sir with everything she is being, and that if someday something ever happens to her, she is wanting Master Draco sir to know that he has fully redeemed himself in her eyes and restored her to her completely happy. She also made Kirry swear not to be tell Master Draco sir that little Mistress is feels she has been met her soulmate in him."

Draco was stunned. He felt like time completely stopped. Astoria no longer feared or was wary of him. He'd redeemed himself. She was only completely happy because of him. He'd restored her. And most importantly…she said she'd found her soul mate in him. She loved him that much, so much that she knew at the age of eighteen who she was supposed to be with for the rest of her life. Tears came to his eyes. He wasn't sure if he wanted to jump for joy, or twirl the house-elf around in glee, or wring her neck for not telling him this sooner. "Kirry…" was all he could breathe before breaking into more tears. Kirry suddenly started bawling too. "Kirry is sorry, Master Draco sir! Kirry is sorry she is stupid stupid stupid and never telled him all the words of little Mistress! Kirry is sorry that she forgetted her loyalty to her true Masters first! Kirry will go lock herself in the furnace now—"

"Kirry, don't! Don't! You have nothing to be sorry about! I'm crying because I'm so grateful to you. If you hadn't told me this right now, then I would've been lost probably made a big mistake."

"Oh, Master Draco sir. Little Mistress is such a kind girl. She speaked to Kirry so nice, she always is use good manners even when she could not move even a little bit, she is having such a big heart for anyone. She is needing you to love."

"Kirry…why would she want me, though? I'm…I'm like my father sometimes. And she knows that. Why just disregard the fact that I do have his blood in me?"

Kirry smiled a watery grin. "Master Draco sir, Kirry is always knowing that he is not his father at all."

Draco suddenly felt something spring up inside of him. He often treated Kirry like a servant, he knew that, and sometimes he was a little too sharp. But here she was, loyally assuring him that he could never be like his father even when he exhibited some of the same traits. Without warning, he bent down and gave her a big hug. Kirry wrapped her bony elf arms around him in return. "Go and get that nice girl, Master Draco sir. Go get her and be live far away from here, from Master Lucius sir, so that you can always being happy together. Then makes lots of little Master Draco sirs and little little Mistresses and brings them to visit their grandmother Mistress Narcissa here and Kirry too." she whispered. Tears trailed down Draco's cheeks, but he laughed despite them. After breaking the embrace, Draco dried his eyes and thanked Kirry profusely once again. He was going to talk to his parents. He was going to tell them his decision, not ask for anyone's permission.

By the time Draco had entered the dining room, lunch was over. Astoria and her family had gone together to sit outside and talk (giving her some much needed fresh air). Lucius and Narcissa remained, trying to start up a few conversations with each other as practiced. Standing behind the wall to give the butterflies in his stomach some time to settle, Draco listened for a few minutes.

"I've been talking a little to Idylla lately." Narcissa said.

"Have you?" Lucius responded civilly.

"Yes. We were talking about our relationships with our husbands. She told me that talking like this to you would put us more in touch with each other. She said it would give more positive results if we remain open about our feelings together."

"That makes good sense. Do you like how we're doing things now?"

"I think this is a very pleasant conversation, indeed. But we haven't had any differentiating opinions yet, so we'll have to test it then."

"I agree. Speaking to you and hearing your voice often…reminds me of when we first met at Hogwarts. Remember that? At the lunch table that winter, when you were crying because you'd only received an 'Acceptable' on your Potions essay?"

"Yes, I do. Then you came over and sat near me, asking what was wrong."

"And when you told me that your parents expected you to get at the very least an 'Excellent' on all of your marks, I laughed, asking why they didn't have the same expectations of your older sister Bella."

"Ohhh yes, now I remember how it ended! I told you that they did, but that she got 'Outstanding' on every single assignment!"

"And it turned out that for years she'd been lying to both you and your parents—she was really getting 'Dreadful' on everything!"

Draco had never ever heard this story before, but his parents were actually laughing together. He forgot what his mother's laugh sounded like. She sighed happily. "That's right, dear. And then you offered to help me study, and from that day forth we just knew we were in love." Lucius chuckled as well. "It's very difficult to refute when the attraction is so strongly mutual." he agreed. Draco heard rustling of fabric, peeking around the corner to see what was happening. Narcissa had actually climbed onto her husband's lap—he was just holding her there as if they'd never fought ever. "Oh, Lucius…" she sighed in a whisper. "I wish we were still as intimate as we were in those days…."

But that was all Draco had to hear to numb him up enough to barge into this tender moment. He did not want to hear about 'those days' at all. As soon as Narcissa saw him, she gasped a bit and hopped off of her husband's lap. Lucius instantly straightened to regain composure. "Draco?" he asked formally to be rid of the awkwardness. The young Malfoy drew a deep breath. "I need to talk to you." he firmly announced. Narcissa beckoned for him to be seated with them. He didn't hesitate to start talking the moment he was in a chair. "I've been thinking about Astoria a lot lately. And her health of course. Mother, remember the doctor said that she is heartiest when she's happy and around love? I don't think that sending her back to live with her family alone will keep her this vibrant. I don't mean to sound boastful, Father, but I know that she's only happy when she's around me. If I let us be separated…she'll decline and I'll just be lost without her. She's truly made me so happy within the past months." Narcissa and Lucius glanced at each other. Would this be the test of their newfound relationship? "That's why," Draco continued, suddenly feeling very nauseous. "I would like your blessing…on our marriage."

Lucius bit his lip. Narcissa reached over to hold his wrist. "This is true love, I am sure of it." Draco went on. "Father, I apologize for eavesdropping, but you even said yourself that no one can deny it when the feelings are mutual. Trust me, I know they're mutual—both Astoria and Kirry have affirmed that for me."

"Goodness, how much did you hear?" Narcissa murmured, her face turning a deep crimson. Draco smiled. "Enough to know that you and Father were as sure about each other as we are."

"Son, I'm not sure that I'm completely prepared for this." Said Lucius. "But I'm not going to stop you. Working it all out is my own issue, and that shouldn't impede you from doing what you want. I can accustom myself without causing everyone else to have to wait for me. You're all important too."

"You have my blessing," Narcissa beamed. Draco could tell she was already selecting styles of wedding dresses in her mind for Astoria. Lucius hesitated. Finally, he sighed. "As long as you discuss the topic with Mr. and Mrs. Greengrass as any respectable pureblood male should do, then…you have my blessing too."

Draco jumped up and threw his arms around his father, completely unprecedented. He couldn't help but ride this wave of pure joy and relief. "Thank you," he whispered. He kissed his father's cheek, earning a pat on the back. When he turned to his mother, he hugged her tightly and didn't let go. She'd always believed in him. In them. Throughout all the excitement, Draco was at a loss for words. He only had one more hurdle to clear before the world could know of his love for Astoria Greengrass.

Talking to her parents was completely easy. They too were eager to accept him as their son-in-law, and Draco could've sworn he saw the wheels in Mrs. Greengrass's mind turning over the thought of wedding dresses for her daughter. Bazel was rather stone-faced the entire chat. But nevertheless, he accepted and gave Draco his blessing. Daphne simply could not know about all this. She would tell Astoria immediately, even if she did not mean to. Draco and Bazel reached an agreement that it would be best if both girls would be equally as surprised when he proposed the most life-changing question of all.

The very next day, Lucius took Draco and Bazel to Diagon Alley to select an appropriate engagement ring. Only the males were allowed to go, he decided, so that the females wouldn't get too overexcited and spoil the surprise. When Draco finally selected a gold band with a topaz stone and an emerald decorating it, he received praise from his accompaniment for his thoughtful choice. The only thing left to do was get down on one knee before the woman he loved with all of his being….