Before getting into the last chapter (OMG!) I wanted to respond to a few reviews I read this morning:

To the guest that said that Draco had to have created the selfie trend because he's so arrogant and felt the no one else could take his picture right: I now have an image in my head about Draco's imaginary Instagram page and it's hilarious. Someone needs to write a story about Draco's new life dream to be an Instagram celebrity.

To the guest that asked about the "baby Jesus" reference in Chapter 2: No, I'm not Catholic and neither is Marie; it's a phrase I've heard many of my friends from that area say before and as I was trying that chapter it just found its way on the screen and I felt that it fit. I also feel the culture of New Orleans would influence her to say/think something like that.

October

Getting married on October 31st was a fully thought-out plan. It was right before the temperature started to drop significantly, and one could still appreciate the beauty of the fall season. Also, it gave a perfect reason to host a costume ball as a wedding anniversary party and that's exactly what Marie and Blaise did. Much smaller and intimate than their wedding, the Zabini's, costumed as "Victor and Emily" from some Muggle film about a corpse bride, renewed their vows using the same lines from the film. Was it insanely corny? Absolutely. But if it made his seven-month-pregnant wife happy, then Blaise could grin and bare it for a night. As could Draco, since Hermione had them go as "Jack and Sally" from some other Muggle film about a Christmas nightmare by the same director. Truthfully, Draco felt he didn't look half bad in the black and white striped suit, but the collar was ridiculous and the makeup was making it a significant challenge to take photos with smearing the black and white face color on his lens. Though, seeing Hermione dressed in the short-sleeved patch dress, the exaggerated ragdoll make-up and her curly hair temporarily dyed red and straightened for the event was kind of cute. He walked around taking photos of estate décor and the guests before spotting Marie sitting along the wall near the refreshment table, a mug of spiced cider in her hand. Pregnancy really looked good on her; over the past few months, Marie had developed a glow that was both physical and emotional. Her brown skin was flawless and her hair had grown exponentially, the kinky coils in their natural state now easily falling to the middle of her back. She altered her original wedding gown to look more like that of the character from the film, accommodating it to fit her protruding belly. Upon realizing her friend was taking candid shots of her, Marie sent Draco a playful glare as she took another sip of the warm liquid. She absent-mindedly began rubbing her belly as Draco pulled up a chair next to her, sighing deeply as he took his seat and stretched his long legs in front of him.

"It's really been a year," he said casting a side glace to his friend as he continued to stare out into the party.

Marie nodded, continuing to rub her belly. "It's been a full 365 days. Crazy, huh?"

"Definitely. Any regrets?"

"Yea…you taking so damn long to tell that girl you loved her."

Draco snorted at the unexpected answer and laughed, a throw your head back, deep belly laugh. Marie found herself joining in his laughter. "What? Don't ask me questions if you don't want my answers!"

Draco's laughter finally started to subside and he dabbed the sides of his eyes as tears started to form. "I know, I know. I just wasn't expecting that, though knowing you for however long I've known you I should've seen it coming." He exhaled as the last bits of laughter left his lips. "I'd have to agree, though. It took far too long. Which is why…" he paused to reach into his pocket to pull out a small square box, "I'm not waiting to give her this."

Marie gently to the box from his hand and opened the lid to reveal a beautiful diamond engagement ring. The simple silver setting with the small round diamond screamed Hermione.

"Wow, Draco. Good for you; beautiful choice…oh!" Marie felt the baby start to kick where her hand was resting, "Your godson agrees with your choice, too."

Draco smiled and sat a hand on the top of Marie's baby bump, feeling his godson punch against his palm. "You have good taste, little man."

That night - after returning to Draco's townhouse, taking a shower together to wash the make-up off of their faces and bodies, and cuddling as they watched 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' ("It's not creepy and cheesy, it's a classic film. Hush and watch.")- Draco asked Hermione to marry him. Hermione said yes.

…..

December

Watching Draco and Blaise anxiously pace around her hospital room at St. Mungo's made Marie dizzy, so she sent them to wait in the lobby. She had started to feel some discomfort around her midsection earlier that weeks, so with a few days left until her due date, her mediwitch thought it would be best for her to wait out the rest of her pregnancy at St. Mungo's. Naturally, this sent her darling husband and best friend into a tizzy and the two spent most of the day and night walking around and fussing over the very pregnant and agitated Marie. With the boys in the lobby, Marie and Hermione sat on Marie's bed. Marie rested her head on Hermione's shoulder, and Hermione rested her head atop of Marie's. Both girls had their hair pulled back to avoid disastrous tangling, because the last thing they needed was another thing for their men to fret about.

"I'm not putting you in a damn tutu," Marie giggled. Naturally, the conversation flowed to the future Granger-Malfoy wedding, specifically Hermione's wedding dress.

"Oh come on, it would be fun!" Hermione smiled at her brilliant and hilarious idea. "I'm a ballerina, getting married in a tutu-like gown, some lace, some sparkle…clearly, it would be adorable!"

"Clearly it would be tacky and I can't let you go out like that," Marie laughed, "We'll compromise at a tulle bottom. I do love the idea of lace for you…we can play with some sketches and discuss it more after your godson and I are out of here."

Hermione smiled and looped her arm through Marie's. "Fair enough." The two sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes.

"You're about to be a mommy."

"You're about to be a godmommy….ow! Like right now!"

Hermione quickly stood up as Marie cradled her pregnant belly, her face scrunched as another cramp passed through her abdomen. A few seconds later, the bedding in between Marie's legs became soaked, signaling to both women that now would be a good time to get the mediwitch.

After four hours of labor, including more panicking from Draco and Blaise which resulted in Marie slapping both of them on more than one occasion because they weren't the ones about to push a baby out of their man parts and a terrified Draco making an amused Hermione promise not to be as abusive when they start having children, Alexander Langston Zabini was now cradled in his mother's arms. Marie was resting against Blaise's chest while the black man hugged his wife closer to him as he smiled down at his son. Blaise gently ran his finger over Alexander's tiny hand, and couldn't help the few tears of joy that leaked from his eyes when the tiny newborn wrapped his hand around his father's finger. Hermione sat at the end of the bed and Draco stood behind her with an arm around her shoulders, giving the new family space but still able to feel the warmth and love radiating from the new parents. Draco leaned down and placed a kiss on the top of Hermione's head. "One day," he whispered into her hair as he placed another kiss atop her head, causing the brunette to hum in agreement and lean back further into his embrace. At Marie's invitation, the two moved to where the new parents sat and they sat around little Alexander, talking to him and each other about life and the future. Someone, probably Draco but Marie could barely stay awake let alone focus on who was saying what at the moment, mentioned something about it being a picture perfect moment when Alexander began to whimper and squirm in Marie's arms. Marie passed him to Blaise, which seemed to settle the newborn down as he promptly went back to sleep.

"Well," Marie said sleepily after noticing her son's demeanor change, "looks like we know who won't be a photographer when he grows up."

Thank you all for your support of CL&PS. For my first full-length multi-chapter FF story, I'm pretty happy with the final product and I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. Let me know what you thought about it; what went well, what could be better, etc. Again, I thank you and appreciate each and every one of you! See you all next story! ~xx, Nova