Draco's POV
"Astoria! Where are you?" I called, searching the path for my girlfriend. "Up here." I heard her voice, and my gaze involuntarily flew up to its origin. "What are you doing in a tree?" I asked, curiously.
She was lying on her back, looking into the distance. Her purple-ish dress was moving in the gentle wind, and her hair was falling over her shoulders, while remnants remained in an up-do.
There was not one day when this woman failed to bewilder me, and I loved it. "I'm enjoying the view, and the breeze. Come join me, you can see baby birds!" she exclaimed, as if this would be the highlight of her life, right next to the cottage, the book she'd been reading, the pudding she'd made… I climbed up next to her, with ease. Settling next to her, I followed her gaze to see a nest of little birds, screeching for food, which their mother was doing her best to provide them.
"What kind of bird are they?" I asked quietly, for fear of disturbing them. I actually liked this highlight. "Robins. Aren't they darling?" she giggled. I rolled my eyes. "You're so maternal." I teased. She giggled. "Darn right, Malfoy." She taunted. "Malfoy? I'm hurt, Astoria, truly I am." I teased right back. She laughed outright.
"Do you ever want children?" she asked, and I couldn't help the look of surprise on my face. "Yes. Why do you ask?" Was this harmless, or was there ulterior motive? Was she pregnant? No – she couldn't be, she believed in abstinence until marriage or engagement, old-fashioned as she was.
"No reason, just curious. When I was little I told my mother I never wanted children, because I was never going to fall in love, and she rolled her eyes. Mum really was intuitive, you know. She'd love you almost as much as I do." She said, her voice a little choked. I pulled her close. Her mother's death had been natural, as far as I knew, but that only made it worse, with no one to blame, and no outlet for her feelings.
"I'm sure I'd love her too." I said calmly, holding her closer as we watched the birds. She nodded against my chest, and I sighed contentedly, looking down at her. "Astoria, how long have we been together?" She paused for a moment to count the years on her fingers. "Since fourth year. Four years." She said, and I nodded.
"In all that time, have you ever doubted me?" I asked and she laughed. "Why would I doubt you, silly?" I rolled my eyes. "I don't know, the fact that I'm a death eater, traitor, murderer - I trailed off as she put her finger to my lips. "You're none of those things to me. You became a death eater to protect your family, and you've never killed anyone, and you've never betrayed me." She said firmly. I let others be killed, and I betrayed them. I thought sadly.
"So you've never doubted me?" I asked, not voicing my displeasure. She nodded. I grinned blissfully. "Well, seeing how it's been four years, you haven't doubted me, and I love you more than you can imagine, I think it's about time I do this." I said, pulling a little box from my coat pocket.
"Astoria Greengrass, will you marry me?" I asked, flipping the little box open to reveal a diamond ring. The setting was platinum, fairly plain. In the center was an asscher shaped diamond, enveloped on both sides by pear shaped emeralds. She laughed, and I frowned. "You have to ask?" she teased before kissing me so arduously that I nearly fell from the tree. "I'll take that as a 'yes'." I said, slipping the ring onto her finger with a joyous smile. "Slytherin colors, YES!" she grinned. I looked at her like she was mad. Maybe she was, I thought absently.
"I had a bet with Daphne. I bet that you'd give me an engagement ring with Slytherin colors, and she thought you'd give me a classic ring." My eyes widened. "You had a bet with your sister over the color of the engagement ring? I only decided to ask a week ago!" I cried. She laughed, of course. "Sweetheart, either we were going to get married, or the apocalypse would intervene. If it helps, we had the same bet with Theo." She grinned cheekily.
"Of course you did." I rolled my eyes, smiling. "I won." She informed me proudly, reminding me of a young child who'd just gotten away with something. I laughed. "I love you." I told her. "I know." She chirped. I laughed. "I love you too, Draco." She said, serious for a moment, settling into me. We watched the birds, contented.