WEEK TWELVE

A/N: So, here is the final chappie of my short story. Hope you guys enjoy it, and thank you so much for sticking with me the whole time. I know I've been annoying with the irregular updates and all, but you guys have been absolutely wonderful. Cookies for all once you're done with this!

Disclaimer: Need I say this yet again? Still haven't gotten in contact with J.K Rowling to buy Draco off her, but I promise to let you know as soon as I will!

Once in a while, in the middle of ordinary life, love gives us a fairytale

~Anonymous

"When are Daddy and Hermione going to say they love each other?" Tyler asked Narcissa innocently, sipping his hot chocolate one afternoon as they waited for the two people in question to arrive and join them for tea.

"Soon, I should hope," Narcissa replied. "They need to realize it themselves, Tyler, so remember, don't mention a word to either of them.

Tyler nodded, finishing off his hot chocolate. He was sure his father would say something soon - Draco had even asked him about how he'd feel if Draco and Hermione were more than friends the other night. Tyler had of course been overjoyed, though he hadn't told his grandmother about this new development in Draco's feelings. His father had asked him not to, after all, and Tyler had always been told to keep his word.

Draco had had some errands to run in Diagon Alley, and he told Hermione he'd pick her up from work before going to Malfoy Manor for tea. He had not mentioned, of course, that Tyler would not be accompanying him but that he'd wait for them at the Manor instead. He doubted that she'd be that happy if she knew he'd be arriving alone, and with a bunch of red roses at that.

"Where's Tyler?" Hermione asked, spotting Draco waiting for her at the park where they'd arranged to meet.

"You really need to stop asking me that question every time we're alone," Draco smiled, giving her the flowers, which she accepted with a blush.

"Right, sorry," she smiled sheepishly, half her face invisible behind the deep red flowers in her hands. She was having a hard time accepting her feelings for Draco, although she'd decided to stop denying them. She couldn't help feeling like a nervous teenager with a crush when she was around him, and ignoring that only made it worse. Besides, Draco was not making it any easier for her, and after her meeting with Marianna Hermione decided to just give in and see what happened next.

"Don't worry, I can think of a way you can make it up to me," Draco winked and stepped closer. "There's no Tyler to barge in on us now, so there's nothing to worry about."

And before she could protest, he closed the gap between them and kissed her softly. Hermione felt all her arguments against liking Draco melt away completely.

"We should probably go," she observed breathlessly when Draco stopped turning her knees to jelly.

"Fine. But you're staying the night," Draco announced, grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the Apparition point, not giving her a chance to protest.

"We'll see about that," Hermione raised an eyebrow challengingly when Draco put an arm around her and side-Apparated with her to the Manor.

"You took aaaaages!" Tyler complained, grinning at the same time as he hugged Hermione and then quite literally started climbing Draco, stopping only when his father picked him up and sat him securely on his shoulders.

"Hermione was late working," Draco fibbed.

"Yes, um... Narcissa, do you have a vase I could put these flowers in for the time being please?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, of course, one of the house elves can get that for you," Narcissa smiled and clicked her fingers, summoning one of the elves to do her bidding. "We've got tea already laid out."

"And I helped make the muffins!" Tyler announced proudly to Hermione, wriggling to have his father put him down and puffing out his chest as he led her to the dining room.

"Really? That's wonderful! I used to help my mother make muffins too when I was your age..." Hermione's voice was tinged with nostalgia when she said this.

"How my son got such strange ideas as to making his own food and playing in the kitchen with the elves I don't know," Draco shook his head in mock indignation and worry.

"It's a good thing!" Hermione defended her stance, taking her seat and finding Draco sitting down right next to her.

"Right, Daddy, it's so fun!" Tyler agreed with Hermione, sitting down opposite her.

"Well, it seems I'm proven wrong then, against the two of you I don't have the chance of arguing any point," Draco shrugged, his hand finding Hermione's under the table.

She glanced at him, hoping to convey with that glance her discomfort with the situation considering Tyler was in the room, but Draco ignored her. And although she was sure Narcissa must have noticed the fact that the two young people opposite her had one hand each under the table for the entire meal, she didn't say anything.

"You should show Hermione that Quidditch book you bought yesterday, I'm sure she'd enjoy that," Draco suggested once they'd finished eating Tyler's delicious muffins.

The suggestion earned him a kick from Hermione, whom he very well knew was not a fan of Quidditch, but she said nothing, not wanting to disappoint the boy. After all, it would be a book, so even if it was about Quidditch, how bad could it be?

"Yess!" Tyler rushed out of the room, only to return five seconds later with a sheepish expression on his face. "Can someone help me? Gran hid it on the top shelf in my room last night so I'd get some sleep and I can't get it down by myself."

Amid the loud laughter from the three adults, Narcissa rose gracefully from the table and followed her grandson up to his bedroom.

"So much fro being discreet," Hermione observed drily to Draco when they were alone, indicating their entwined hands as she turned to face him.

Instead of answering, he kissed her again. Surprising both of them, Hermione kissed him back with just as much passion as he was expressing. Leaning back and breathing deeply, Draco looked at her curiously.

"Perhaps you really should stay the night," he suggested. "I do have a king size bed, you know, and you can get some of your stuff here tomorrow, and.."

"Whoa, slow down!" Hermione laughed. "We're not even properly dating yet!"

"That's true. Dating takes too long though," Draco smirked as an idea suddenly occurred to him. "We already know each other and I'm already in love with you and I'm quite sure you feel the same way. Tyler need a mother and I'd love you to move in. Why don't we just get married?"

Hermione stared at him, speechless. A couple of hours ago she wasn't entirely sure she would let herself indulge in falling in love with this man, no matter how much she wanted to, how much she had wanted to for the past few weeks. And now he was... Proposing?

"We can't just-"

"Why not?" Draco asked, leaning in again and kissing her neck, causing Hermione to breathe in sharply.

"That's not fair."

"What isn't?" He sucked on her neck lightly.

"You doing that when I'm supposed to be answering a question about marrying you!"

"It's not supposed to be, I want you to decide according to what you feel, not what you think," he explained, resting his forehead against hers. "So?"

She remained silent, her eyes locked on his. She knew she was over thinking this too much, but she couldn't just ignore everything and everyone and act on her feelings and emotions, which of course would lead her to falling head over heels in love, even more than she felt now with her heart beating wildly, and marrying him, and living with him, and with Tyler, and...

"Hermione?" Draco was beginning to get slightly worried by her lack of a response.

She remained silent, but only because she was busy kissing him, giving him all the response he required.

A/N: So how did you like that? I've got a story or two already forming in my mind so hopefully I'll be back soon with new plots and ideas, but this is it for Effects. Thanks to all those who stuck with me and didn't give up on me and kept the encouragement flowing - CheshireCat23, SnowCharms, Wake-up Soon, nature love 95, Readerforlife, Loufoca-Granger to name but a few, and everyone else who reviewed. Hopefully see you again soon!