"You should marry her."

It was the early hours of the morning, and Draco, who had just entered the common room after having worked tirelessly on the cabinet, looked up in alarm at the sight of his best friend sitting alone on the sofa.

"What? Blaise have you been waiting here all night for me to return?"

"Yes." Blaise answered simply, patting the space on the sofa next to him to indicate that Draco should sit. "I have a plan. Marry Aurora... thus making your eventual marriage to Pansy null and void. Nobody needs to know - except for you two - of course."

Draco shook his head in disbelief as he sat down. He was very tired and wasn't even sure if he was hearing this crazy plan right.

"We'd never get away with it. If he finds out it could put Aurora and Nova in danger, and I'd never do that to them."

"Aha!" Blaise said, lifting a finger. "But if you have a Muggle ceremony, there's a very good chance he won't find out."

"A Muggle ceremony?!" Draco drawled derisively, not being able to hide his evident disgust.

"Look, don't diss it. There's this place not far from here called Gretna Green. You can get married on the spot, no questions asked and no parental permission required if you're at the age of needing consent. It's still a marriage Draco, and it'll make her your wife, ensuring the vows that you will be forced to swap with Pansy will mean nothing."

Draco was sorely tempted. The idea of making Aurora his wife was suddenly so inviting, so appealing, so... right.

"How do you know about this Gretna Green place?" He asked, frowning at his friend. Blaise never failed to surprise him, that was for sure.

"My mother married one of her husbands there. Don't ask."

"And it'll mean my marriage to Pansy won't be real? Even if we're forced to do the whole ceremony thing?"

"Can't be - not legal. Even in the Ministry's eyes. But as I said, no one needs to know that. As far as everyone will be concerned Pansy will be your wife. But we will know better. Surely that's something?"

"Mate, it'll be everything." Draco breathed, his heart racing excitedly. He suddenly wanted to do this more than anything.

"So," Blaise asked, grinning. "Are we in?"

Draco nodded. Desperate to go and propose this idea to Aurora immediately, but one glance at the clock told him it was far too late to disturb them. "So, how would we go about doing this?"

"Yes, man!" Blaise whooped, giving a little fist pump in the air. "Well, firstly mate, you need to break the news to Aurora that she's going to become a Malfoy."

*****

I was in the middle of feeding Nova, when Draco dropped by one evening after dinner.

He seemed agitated about something, I wondered if it was that task he mentioned he had to do, and I felt sick - powerless to help him get through it.

But I knew he was just protecting Nova and I by keeping me in the dark about it. And I loved him so much for it.

He sat down heavily on the sofa next to me, giving me a funny look as he did so.

"Are you okay, Draco?" I asked, tentatively, trying not to let the fear get to me.

"Are you busy on Saturday?" He asked.

"Oh, well I've got an invitation to have afternoon tea with the Queen, but I can skip it - for you."

He just blinked at me, looking completely nonplussed.

"I'm joking, Draco. Of course I'm not busy. This little-one kind of takes up most of my time. Not that I'm complaining, of course." I smiled, leaning my head down to kiss the top of our daughter's fragrant head.

"Oh, well, she'll be coming with us too, of course."

"Coming where, exactly? I'm not being funny Draco, but aren't we supposed to be trying to keep this whole thing between us quiet?"

"Well, we won't be leaving together. Cho will come and get you and Nova, and I'll arrive with Blaise."

"Arrive where? Draco, I'm a little confused as to what you're proposing here. What's going on? What's happening on Saturday?"

He took a deep breath, his silver grey eyes piercing mine intently.

"We're going to get married, Aurora."

"What?!" I was shocked, not sure if I had even heard right. Draco's words - although I understood them - did not make sense to me.

"Aurora, I know this sounds crazy," Draco spoke quickly; imploringly, "but to me it makes sense. I want you to be my wife. It may only be in secret, but it will be real. And it will also mean that my marriage to Pansy won't count, because you'll already be my wife, and I couldn't imagine calling anyone but you that."

My heart was hammering in my chest, he was asking me to marry him. Draco was asking me to be his wife.

"No," I said, shaking my head.

Draco's face fell immediately. "No?"

"No, Draco - it doesn't sound crazy at all. Of course I'll marry you."

Slowly, his features changed; lighting up, and I'd never seen his eyes twinkle so much as his face creased into a wide grin.

"You will? Really? You want to be my wife?" He asked in shocked incredulity.

"Yes!" I laughed, not being able to help the smile tugging at my lips, my heart singing with joy as our eyes locked on one another in a deep mutual love.

He threw his arms around me, pulling me to him as he kissed my face all over. Nova stopped feeding, lifting her little head to see what was going on.

"Mummy said yes!" Draco cried happily, lifting her out of arms so I could sort my top out.

Her face instantly lit up in delight upon seeing her daddy. He blew a raspberry on her neck making her chortle in glee as her chubby little hands grabbed at his hair.

"Mummy's going to marry Daddy!" Draco sing-songed to her as she continued to squeal happily.

He placed her on his lap, holding her up against his chest with one arm as his other snaked around my waist, pulling me to his side, planting his lips lovingly against my forehead.

"You make me so happy, Aurora," he murmured hoarsely, squeezing me tightly to him. "You both do."

I sighed contentedly against him, closing my eyes blissfully as I nestled my head in the crook of his neck.

I was going to marry Draco, and I had never been happier.