A/N: I finally bring you the conclusion to Pride and Prejudice. I told you it wouldn't be long. This has been such a fun fic to write.

Chapter Thirteen: Finale

Mrs. Malfoy quickly flooed back to the Malfoy Manor where Draco was uneasily anticipating for her return. He raced over to the fireplace just as his mother was stepping out.

"Well?" he asked anxiously.

"A blank refusal!" Mrs. Malfoy huffed loudly.

Draco frowned, looking down, "She refused to see me."

"She refused not to see you!" she declared.

Draco's eyes grew wide as he grasped the meaning of his mother's statement, "Did she?"

"Most emphatically!" she assured him, "But that's not the worst Draco. I told her, that I could strip you of your fortune if I chose to. But she refused to be the least impressed!"

Draco smiled, "You see?"

Mrs. Malfoy nodded her head, "Yes, yes, I see Draco. I grant I was wrong about that." she narrowed her eyes, "But there's one thing I can't agree with. You told me last summer; she was nothing if not decided. That's not true. The young woman is positively obstinate!"

"What?" he asked curiously, "Did she refuse anything else?"

"Well, she made a refuse to refuse to go out with you." Mrs. Malfoy informed him.

Draco is now positively ecstatic. He happily embraced his mother and kissed her on the cheek.

"Draco! Draco!" she protested, shoving him off of her, "What manners! Have you gone mad?"

"Yes! Yes! Quite mad!" he exclaimed enthusiastically, "And I don't believe I shall ever be quite sane again. But you wouldn't wish me to be would you?"

"No, I don't think I would," she answered, revealing a slight beam, "She's right for you Draco. You were a spoiled child. But we don't want to go on spoiling you. What you need, is a woman who will stand up to you." She patted him reassuringly on the shoulder,

"I think you've found her." Mrs. Malfoy started untying her cloak, "Well Draco? Help me get this thing off."

Draco quickly grabbed the cloak off of her shoulders and handed it to the house elf nearby. He assisted her to the couch, "How can I ever thank you mother?"

"Upon my word! I'm not accustomed to so much gratitude. Everyone seems to be thanking me today!" she said as she sat down. Pointing over to the fireplace, she instructed Draco, "Don't keep her waiting. Go on back to Hogwarts."

Draco swiftly made his way up the stairs to Gryffindor tower. He frantically tried to recall the location of the entrance to the Gryffindor common room. Suddenly he noticed Parvati climbing out of the portrait hole on the opposite side of the corridor. He made a mad dash towards her. As he approached, he slowed down, giving himself enough time to compose himself.

"How do you do, Parvati," he greeted, giving a small, polite bow.

"Draco Malfoy, well this IS an honor!" Parvati sneered sarcastically as she passes him, "First Mrs. Malfoy, and now you!"

He chose to ignore the attitude she was giving him by replying her with escalated civility, "Well, I had some free time on my hands, and I thought I would give myself the pleasure of-"

Just then, the portrait hole reopened behind him, "Lavender! Lavender!" Hermione called out as she climbed out of the common room, "Parvati, I just can't seem to find Lavender anywhere I--"The initial shock made her stop dead on her tracks as she came face to face with Draco.

"Oh," Hermione produced a small, but genuine smile.

Draco's face lit up as he gazed at her, "How do you do Hermione."

"How do you do," she replied.

"Lavender is out somewhere by the lake, I believe," Pavarti informed her, still giving a fierce look at Draco.

"Oh, Miss Lavender," Draco suddenly reminded, "I have a message for her from the Weasleys. Should we, should we see," he looked awkwardly over at Parvati and then back at Hermione, motioning his hands down the hall, "---- if we could find her."

"Why yes, yes," Hermione agreed, taking the hint. She started leading the way, "Let's do that."

Draco turned back to Parvati, "Would you excuse me please?"

"Very gladly!" she responded coldly before going off the other direction.

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Hermione strolled on a couple of steps ahead of Draco, seeking out Lavender, as they headed over to the lake.

"Hermione!" Draco called out. She stopped to wait for him. "I have a confession to make," he said as he caught up with her, "I didn't tell the exact truth, I'm afraid, about the message from the Weasleys."

"You mean they didn't send one?" Hermione asked.

"They didn't send one for the good reason that Ron Weasley had every intention of bringing it himself," he explained.

"Himself?"

"Yes, he came back to Hogwarts last night, I was rather expecting to see him here tonight," Draco scanned the area around the lake, "Ah," he pointed over to the other side of the lake. A figure was just starting to approach another figure sitting down beside the lake. Draco and Hermione witnessed the scene unfold as Ron sat down beside Lavender. They observed a few exchanged of words and then an elated Lavender wrapping her arms around him.

Hermione felt much joy for her dear friend and turned to Draco gratefully, "Oh Draco, this is your doing!"

Draco smiled, shaking his head modestly, "Shall I tell you who is really responsible for your friend's happiness Hermione?"

Hermione nodded as the both of them backed over to a nearby tree. "Ginny Weasley," he replied.

"Ginny?" Hermione repeated incredulously, sitting down.

"She sent her brother back by dwelling on all the reasons why he should stay away," He explained, sitting closely next to her, "I only approved the decision that he had already taken on his own account."

Hermione eyes' were dancing, completely awed with delight. She drew in a tiny breath of air. "Draco, there's something else. I hardly know how to put it into words. What you did for Padma-"

"I?" he refuted, "But I assure you, I did nothing Hermione."

"Mrs. Malfoy was not of that opinion," she told him.

"What?" Draco said in surprised, "But I never gave her leave to tell you that."

"Gave her leave?" she repeated, vexed, "Do you mean to say that Mrs. Malfoy---"

"I wanted to know if I would be welcomed," he interrupted sheepishly, "She came as my ambassador."

"Your ambassador? I never imagined that that was the language of diplomacy!" Hermione remarked amusingly.

Draco chuckled, "You know she likes you in spite of the language."

"Me?" Hermione laughed.

"She really does," he insisted.

"I wish I known it," Hermione told him, "I wouldn't have been so rude."

"But that was what she likes," he explained, "People flatter her too much, she enjoys an occasional change."

"I'm afraid I gave her a good change this afternoon!" she snickered.

"She went away delighted!" Draco laughed, "You evidently confirmed the good opinion she formed of you this past summer at the manor."

Hermione grinned gleefully, "I don't know what to say or think!" She pondered for a few moments before her face returned to seriousness, "Except that, you must allow me to thank you, for what you did for Padma. And if the facts were known to the rest of my friends, I should not merely have my own gratitude to express."

"If you must thank me, let it be yourself alone," he said staring intently at her, "Whatever I did, I thought only of you."

"Oh Draco, when I think of how I misjudge you," she frowned as she recalled, "the horrible things I've said. I'm so ashamed."

"Oh no, it's I who should be ashamed," he confessed sincerely, "For my arrogance, and my stupid pride, of all, except one thing, one thing. I'm not ashamed of having loved you." Draco mustered all his courage, looking into the depths of her soul, "Hermione, dare I ask again?"

Hermione's heart was racing, unable to utter any sounds. She smiled, assuring her mutual affection.

"Hermione," Draco pulled her towards him, "Dear, beautiful Mione." Hermione allowed herself to draw in closer until their lips finally met. She depended the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck.

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"Upon my word!" Parvati exclaimed, looking through her omniculars by the window towards the lake. "Seamus! Seamus!" she waved him over.

Seamus looked through the omniculars, "Miracles will never cease," he remarked, shaking her head with a smirk.

"Draco Malfoy! Who would have believed it! A wizard of such status! My dear Mione," she said, "Lavender is nothing to it! Absolutely nothing! And such a charming man!"

Seamus rolled his eyes.

"I do hope he'll overlook me disliking him so much," she added hastily, "Oh I wonder if there's any dishes he's particularly fond of. I'll go down to the kitchens at once!"

The End.