This is it, peeps. The final chapter that I am posting, I won't say that that's it, but I'm sure you probably aren't going to expect an update anytime soon. I do want to stress that I have found a way that I can tidy the story up but it really depends on time as to if and when I will do it. Thank you to everyone who has read up to here - old readers (for that, I thank you so, so much for sticking with it) and the new.

I hope you have enjoyed! :-)

Chapter 45: End of a Long Day

Draco sat on the bed that his mother would be using and lay back down. The day had been huge and his head was running at a million miles an hour. That morning, he had just found out that his mother could leave the hospital. Now, he was sitting with her in a room that had been cleaned – the Muggle way – so that his mother had somewhere to stay. It was all so much to take in.

"Draco," his mother broke the silence. "How are you in all of this?"

Draco didn't answer straight away, but instead he considered his answer.

"I can't believe you're here, Mother," he answered finally. "But I just can't help but wonder, what's going to happen to everyone?"

Narcissa frowned, evidently having wondered the same thing.

"I cannot say, Draco. All that I know is that Dumbledore has ensured that everything will be fine. I truly hope they are."

They passed the next few minutes in silence, each with their own thoughts. The bed was so soft and the gentle breeze blowing outside the window was so soothing, Draco soon found himself dozing off.

Several minutes passed as he sat sleeping peacefully, not realizing that his mother was watching him with a tender look on her face.

It was some time before Draco woke up.

Shit, what time is it?

It was dark outside, and his mother was nowhere in sight.

My God, how long was I asleep for?

He sat up abruptly and looked around. The source of light was the bedside lamp. His mother must have turned it on before she left the room.

He wandered downstairs to where he could hear talking and found himself in the kitchen. Hermione looked around and saw him enter before anyone else noticed him and got up and hugged him.

"Your mum thought you might have wanted a bit of rest," she whispered in his ear.

"She clearly wasn't wrong," he muttered back. "What's for dinner?"

"See for yourself."

He took his seat next to Hermione and across the table from Jane.

"Here's the man of the hour now!" Robert announced, laughing.

"What?" Draco questioned.

"Nothing, it's just Dad having a joke," Hermione said reassuringly as she squeezed his thigh.

"Okay."

He looked at his chicken drumstick and sautéed vegetables.

"It's smells fantastic," he said to Jane.

"Thank you, Draco," she replied. "Your boy has exceptional manners," she uttered sideways to Narcissa.

Narcissa's flushed. "Thank you, Jane, I insisted that he learn to behave impeccably for the several dinner parties we were forced to endure. I must say, it obviously worked."

Jane only laughed.

The parents started to chat about various topics, leaving the two teens to themselves.

"Your mother was telling us about the logistics of using Till as a Secret-Keeper," Hermione muttered quietly.

Draco looked up from his meal. "I hope it won't be too hard. The last thing she needs is for her location – all of ours for that matter – being discovered. I really do hope that they make the correct arrangements with the German authorities in ensuring that nothing happens."

"I daresay they will."

They sat quietly listening to the parents discuss the differences in Muggle and Wizarding politics throughout the ages without commenting. Both teenagers finished their meals without a sound and slipped away from the table unnoticed.

After putting their plates on the sinks, Draco felt the urge to go back to the library and do a bit of quiet reading.

"Do you mind if I join you?" Hermione asked after he told her of his intentions.

"Only if you don't mind me being non-talkative. I just feel like I've had a really long day, like I need to wind down or something."

"Of course, I'm sure you do. I feel a bit the same, only I'm sure it hasn't affected me as badly."

It wasn't long before each found themselves relaxed in their respective chairs, reading up on their respective topics. Draco sat up with a copy of Fairy Tales for Children, much to Hermione's amusement ("These are Muggle children's stories, they might be interesting for me"), and Hermione was sitting reading her seventh year letter and book list.

Draco had finished reading Puss In Boots and was halfway through reading Thumbelina when he felt his eyes start to droop. He finished Thumbelina only just and barely got to start on Tom Thumb when he nodded off.

Unbeknownst to him, Hermione heard the gentle snoring of her boyfriend and smiled. It had been a long day for all, but clearly had affected him far worse than her. She kept reading her book before she too succumbed to the temptation of sleep.