a/n: …..hi. I know. I don't have an excuse other than I just haven't been able to even focus enough on this story to re-read it to try to get through the last bit. I'm so sorry for those of you who have loved this story and been so wonderful to me as an author. I started this story so long ago that I was literally a different person when I wrote it. The first version, the Dramione version, was even longer ago and I just don't connect with that girl anymore. I really, really, didn't want to phone this chapter in, which is why it took so long. This will be the final chapter of this story. I'll shortly be moving all of my fics over to ao3, and will no longer be posting to this site, but will be leaving this fic as it is for those of you who have it favorited. Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you who have favorited, reviewed, and followed my little story. You've helped me to fall in love with writing again, and to shake my fear. You're all wonderful, glorious, and beautiful. Cheers xx

Theo awoke in an uncomfortable position to the strange sound of buzzing in an incredibly uncomfortable position on what appeared to be a bargain bin version of a fake leather sofa. Running a hand over his face and feeling his tender jaw, Draco, he looked around the small waiting room he found himself in. The walls were covered in brightly colored framed drawings, with seemingly no theme other than their stylistic beauty. The room was clean, but Theo couldn't for the life of him figure out where in the hell he was. Hearing a decidedly high-pitched yelp coming from the depths of the office, he decided that now was better than never to explore his surroundings and figure out how in the hell to get back to Hermione in time for their date. Rounding the partition, Theo couldn't help but smirk evilly at what he saw as he leaned against the corner.

Standing with her arms crossed and foot tapping, faint sparks shooting out every time her shoe met the linoleum stood Hermione Granger; red faced and spitting venom at Draco Malfoy as he laid out shirtless on a black table, while a stranger held some sort of buzzing device to his ribs as Draco cursed foully.

"Honest to Godric Malfoy, what is wrong with you! Are you suddenly Crabbe and Goyle? Fisticuffs first and questions second? You knocked him out cold - "

"OUCH! Sweet Salazar Granger, how was I supposed to know you'd intending on doing more than just shagging him? I Floo'd in, saw him standing there shirtless and smug - The lady of the house is rather indisposed, Malfoy; what can I assist you with today, Malfoy - fucking wanker and - "

"NO reason. Draco! It's taken us years to get back to this point and - "

"BLOODY HELL! You know the least you could do is hold my hand while you yell at me Hermione, there is a protocol we usually follow and whatever you picked fucking hurts - "

"PROTOCOL? How about this for protocol - you don't Floo into my home and you don't suckerpunch my husband! And it should hurt! It's huge!"

"Husband?" Theo interrupted, clearing his throat and stepping further into the room, trying, and failing to see what the stranger was doing to Draco's ribs.

"Oh sweet merciful Merlin do not even start with me Theodore Nott." Hermione growled, whirling around and stamping her foot, sparks shooting in every direction.

"I'm just saying, love, it's an interesting slip of the tongue for someone who claims to have no interest in being my bride."

"Don't forget the most important word, Theo. Again. I've no interest in being your bride, again." she said, rolling her eyes and turning back to Draco as Theo ambled up behind her, tentatively wrapping an arm around her front.

Kissing the back of her head, he murmured, "So how much trouble are we in then?"

Smirking as she looked at him over her shoulder she said, "As you're new to this Hermione-Draco ritual, you've gotten off scot-free. This time. You don't get to infringe on this time honored tradition and not be required to participate at some point, I mean - wait, I'm spiraling. To answer your question, Draco here is in for an entire side-piece."

What the bloody hell is a side piece? Theo wondered, slightly alarmed on behalf of his best friend though the twat had almost broken his jaw a few short hours ago.

Growling through his teeth, Draco grit out from the table "This is a tattoo parlour, idiot - OI! Hit that spot one more time and I'll punch you too, Terry!"

The tattoo artist, by Theo's standards a frankly terrifying gentleman, grinned as he dug his needle a little further into Draco's side, pretending to be oblivious to the blonde's discomfort as he hummed along to the radio.

"Would anyone care to explain what exactly I've walked in to here?" Theo said, rubbing a hand behind his neck as he looked around.

"These two come in ev'ry so offen an' pick tattoos for each otha." Terry grunted, "Din't expect to see 'em back 'ere so soon, but who is ol' Terry to complain?"

With wide eyes Theo looked from Draco to Hermione, and back. "All of those…" he gestured vaguely to Hermione's form, "he picked?"

Nodding once, nostrils flaring, Hermione hummed in the affirmative. "And I've all of his. Except the bloody Dark Mark, but that's what started this all in the first place…." trailing off, she looked at Draco's pained expression as she murmured to Theo, "though I do feel a bit bad about this one…"

"Bit bad?" Draco yelped, "What does she mean a bit bad? Terry mate, what's she gone and picked for me this time?" Draco said, craning his neck to try to see down his side as Terry tutted and huffed at all of his wiggling.

"Now, now, Mista Drake, you know the rules - no peekin', not til yer finished."

As Draco continued to protest, loudly, Theo steered Hermione away from the chaos that was an inconvenienced Malfoy and asked, "What's he gone and picked for you this time?"

"Hm? Oh," Hermione distractedly pulled down the shoulder of her, he realized with a start, his jumper to bare her shoulder, and the cluster of purple hyacinths there. "As he didn't already bumble through an apology, now he's gone and done it permanently." she said with a roll of her eyes.

Moving back towards the lobby that Theo had awoken in, she sat on the sofa, eyes softening, "how's your jaw?"

"Bruised, like my pride." he quipped, leaning against the reception desk. "Who knew the little blighter had it in him, honestly?"

Hm-ing another laugh, Hermione eyed him. "So, about tonight…"

"Oh no you don't Hermione Jean, you're not cancelling our date."

"Well, Theo, I think I am."

Feeling tears prick at his eyes, bloody head injury, Theo charged up to her, fire in his eyes as he growled at her, "And what - pray tell - is so important that you feel it's necessary to outright cancel something we both want? Who wins over me this time, Granger?"

"Hermione Nott." she murmured, distractedly.

Totally deflating, Theo blinked once. Twice. "I'm sorry, wha - "

"I don't want to go on a date with you tonight, Theodore Nott. I want to marry you tonight. I know what I said earlier but, frankly, I don't want to wait. Seeing you knocked out cold scared the ever loving shite out of me, and I don't want to be apart, especially if you're going to keep doing things to get yourself injured, Theo, honestly…." she laughed, "There's so many reasons not to but," she shrugged, "the most important reason to do it is staring at me like a crazy person right now. Say something, Theo."

"Well...I...what if I say no?"

Laughing, with narrowed eyes, "Excuse me? You're saying no?"

"Yes! Well, no. I'm saying...I don't know what I'm saying, Hermione have you lost your bleeding mind?!"

Chuckling, she leaned forward and placed a kiss to his bruised jaw, his furrowed brown, and finally, agonizingly slow, she kissed him full on his lips before she breathed, "Marry me, Theo."

Before he could say another word, or Apparate them back to her flat so he could truly show her what he thought of her idea, an enraged, red faced Draco Malfoy appeared, still shirtless around the partition.

"A FERRET, GRANGER?! YOU HONESTLY HAD ME PERMANENTLY SCARRED WITH A BLOODY FUCKING FERRET?!"

"If you want to get technical he's actually the Incredible Bouncing Ferret…" she murmured to Theo with a grin. Barking out a startled laugh, he sealed his lips over hers again before Apparating them both straight into Kingsley's office, startling the utter bejeezus out of his undersecretary, Percy Weasley.

Fin