Two reviewers had questions that I wanted to answer. The first was if the vault number (932) had any significance. It doesn't. I think they were the last 3 digits of an ISBN I was working on at the time. The other question is if the story is ending soon. Yes. I started working on the epilogue yesterday, and I'm hoping it have it finished next week.

Chapter 22

One word changed everything.

Draco had just returned home from work to find Hermione and Lilah seated on the living room floor with toys spread around them. "Sorry for the mess," Hermione said in lieu of a proper greeting. "I'll clean up before I go."

He shrugged as he joined them. "Don't worry about it," he replied, pressing a kiss to her temple. "Staying for dinner tonight?"

Hermione shrugged as she accepted a wooden block from Lilah. "That depends," she said thoughtfully. "Will it get me out of selecting tablecloths for the wedding? Because my flat has been taken over by the bride-to-be, and the sight of taffeta is making me itchy. Also, I have no idea what the difference is between eggshell and off-white, and it's driving Pansy crazy."

Laughing, he got to his feet. "I think that can be arranged," he mused. "What do you say we eat out tonight? Then we'll come back here, give Lilah a bath and put her to bed, and then maybe you and I can spend some time together."

"Sounds good," she agreed, smiling as she looked up at him. Draco left to change out of his work clothes. When he returned, Hermione began to clean up the blocks while Draco picked up his daughter to ready her for an evening out.

As he walked towards the staircase, Lilah began to whimper. "Mama," she cried.

Draco and Hermione froze. "Did she just say what I think she said?" Hermione asked.

He turned around to face Hermione. "Who's that?" he asked Lilah, pointing to her.

The little girl said nothing until he inched toward the stairs again. "Mama," Lilah repeated, now pointing at Hermione.

"I swear, Draco, I didn't teach her that," Hermione said, beginning to panic.

He smiled as he closed the distance between them. With a soft kiss on her lips, he assured her that he wasn't mad. "Why do you seem so upset?" he wondered. "Is it about..."

"No," she replied. "No, I wasn't even thinking about Rose. I just...I don't want you to think that I'm trying to fill that role in Lilah's life. I know I told the hospital I was her mother, but I want you to know that I don't see myself that way."

He silenced her with a kiss. "It's okay," he assured her. "Honestly though, I'm not surprised. I know you weren't trying to fill that spot, but you have. It's only natural. You're the most maternal figure in her life, and she's never known Daphne. You've sort of become her mum."

"And that doesn't bother you?" she asked, taking Lilah when she reached out for her.

"Why would it?" Draco wondered. "With you, I know she's loved and taken care of. When she grows up, she'll have your brain to pick on school matters. Or she'll go to you for advice. Anyhow, the point I'm trying to make is if I had to pick my child's mother, it would be you, Hermione."

Hermione blushed as tears welled in her eyes. "I'm starting to wonder if that was your goal all along," she joked.

Draco shrugged. "And if it were?" he asked. "It wasn't, but, you know, hypothetically speaking."

She chuckled as she looked down at Lilah. "If I could choose my child, it would be Lilah," she said.

Nodding, he excused himself from the room for a moment. Hermione watched as he took the stairs two at a time, and waited for him to return. When he did, his arms were behind his back and a smile lit up his face. He took a deep breath before he began to speak.

"I know that it wasn't that long ago that we talked about not rushing things, only weeks really," he said. "But I know that I want to be with you. I've never been in love with anyone until now, and I know we'll make it work. I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. So, will you, Hermione Granger, marry me?"

There was nothing behind his back but empty hands. Hermione giggled as she dried her eyes. "I thought there would be a ring."

Draco blushed. "Yeah, so did I," he replied. "And then I remembered that it's in my vault at Gringott's. So, my hands are empty, but my proposal still stands."

Smiling, she slipped her free hand into his. "No, they're not," she murmured. "There is something I need you to promise me though, if I say yes."

Draco knew what she was going to ask. "Is it safe to assume that you're going to ask me not to do to you what I did to Astoria?" he asked, receiving a nod as a reply. "I wasn't a good husband the first time around, but I didn't love my wife. I kept hoping and hoping that the day would come when I would, but it didn't. You're different though. I never want to do anything that hurts you."

Taking a deep breath, Hermione gave a small nod. "I trust you," she said.

Draco tried to rein in his happiness. "Does that mean you're saying yes?" he asked. "Or are you holding out until you see the ring?"

Shaking her head, Hermione laughed. "I'm saying yes," she assured him. "But I do reserve the right to change my mind if the ring doesn't meet my ridiculously high standards."

He chuckled as he pulled her close and kissed her. "Let's go to dinner, and afterwards we'll stop by the bank," he suggested. "You can see the ring and make your official decision."

"What if I've already made it?" she asked.

Draco shook his head. "No, not until you see the ring," he stated."You said you needed to see the ring first, and that's exactly what we're doing. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to get her ready to go."

When Lilah again protested, seeming to prefer Hermione, she took over the task. Half an hour later, they left for Diagon Alley. Hermione held Lilah with one arm while Draco held her free hand. As they entered a small cafe, she noticed a man in a trench coat following them. "Photographer?" she whispered to Draco.

Glancing behind him, Draco scowled. "Probably," he replied. "As if it wasn't bad enough that a healer told the Prophet that we're married, now we're being stalked. I ask the manager if we can sneak out the back way when we leave."

After a peaceful, uninterrupted dinner, they left through the back alley and Apparated to Gringott's. Draco was taken down to his vault while Hermione rocked Lilah to sleep in the bank lobby. Draco returned minutes later with a smile on his face and a small box in his hand. Getting down on one knee, he opened the box to reveal an emerald cut diamond ring.

"It belong to my great-grandmother," he explained. "She was the nice one. The one who didn't buy into the Pureblood supremacy nonsense. That's why I thought this one would be perfect for you."

Gently she slipped her hand from underneath Lilah and held it out to him. The ring slid onto her finger and fit perfectly. Hermione grinned as she stared at the glistening diamond. "It's beautiful," she murmured.

"So, I can take that as a yes?" he asked.

Leaning forward, she kissed him. "Yes."