Roving Hands

Chapter Two

(A/N: please don't throw things at me...I realize this is way WAY late, but my muse decided to just up and leave without giving me any warning. Luckily, he seems to have returned, so maybe I can return to this fic...and get TOIAL re-written and re-posted like I've been meaning to do for months now. Anyways, to those of you who have been waiting since like forever omg, here it is, chapter two of Roving Hands. It's going to be fluffy and not as humorous as the first chapter, but the story is going to need at least a third chapter anyways, and for chapter three to happen the way I want it too, chapter two has to be fluffy and slightly more serious. So, that said, enjoy and please review! XD)

A few months after "The Incident" as Hermione tended to call it, she still hadn't told Harry and Ron about her secret boyfriend. She knew it wouldn't really go over well, and Draco had made no move to tell any of his friends about her.

Hermione and Draco had been dating since that day when he decided that stealing her diary was a good idea. No one knew about them, for they both understood that they would never really be accepted. Purebloods and Muggleborns just didn't mix very often, and someone of the Malfoy family could definitely not get away with it. Harry and Ron wouldn't be too thrilled either.

They spent their time together patrolling the halls as Head Boy and Head Girl, as well as a few extra curricular activities behind the portrait door to the Heads' dorm. In public though, they acted as they had since halfway through sixth year-indifferent. He didn't tease and she didn't flaunt her slightly better grades. No one would guess that they only acted like that when other people were around.

Except for Pansy. Pansy had been in love with Draco for years and knew every emotion that the boy was capable of and could recognize each one in his eyes. She loved his icy-blue eyes. Then she began to notice that those icy-blue eyes weren't as indifferent to Granger as they had once been. So Pansy, being Pansy, decided to investigate.

That evening, she waltzed up to the portrait that led to the Heads' dorms. As a prefect, she was entitled to know the location of the dorms, but not the password, so she had to be content to knock. And she did. For half an hour. She had seen both Draco and Granger go in earlier, and she didn't really appreciate being ignored.

"Draco Malfoy, what are you getting yourself into?" she whispered before heading off back to the Slytherin dorms. She'd get to the bottom of this. Of course she would.

Inside the Heads' dorms, the Head Boy and Head Girl were a bit oblivious to the knocking on their door. They had other things on their minds at the moment, and Pansy didn't really concern them.

"Draco, give me back my diary. Remember what happened last time? Do you really want me besting you again?"

"Mione, luv, that was obviously not my best day. You know I can best you five different ways when we aren't talking about class work."

"Very funny Draco. Now please, give it back."

He smirked. "No, I don't think I will. I want to see what you're writing about me and how amazing my hair is. Plus, you still haven't told me what it was I wasn't supposed to see in the first place that made you so crazy to get your damned diary back when I took it the first time. Trust me, I'm intrigued."

Hermione sighed. "Oh very well. Start with the first page. I'm going to dinner so I don't have to see you laughing as you read what I've been writing about for the past year and a half." She got up with a strange expression on her face. It troubled Draco because he couldn't quite place it. Nevertheless, as she walked out the door, he opened her diary and turned to the first page.

Two hours later, Hermione began walking back to her dorm. She had spent the last two hours with the Gryffindors, something she hadn't done in quite awhile.

"Don't look now, but its our dear Head Girl." whispered Lavender.

"Hermione! Its great to see you luv! Haven't seen you for an age!" called out Seamus.

Hermione had smiled at that one. Then she walked over to the fireplace where Harry and Ron seemed to have taken up residence. She had stood next to an empty armchair and had asked quietly,

"This seat taken? Or is it alright if I join you two?"

Harry had glanced up at her immediately. "Course you can. You're our Mione." He had then stood and walked to her, stretching out his arms to embrace her. "And we've missed you."

Ron had looked up by then as well. "Yea. What Harry said. Good to have you back."

A smile had broken out on Hermione's face and she sat down as they all started joking around, just like they had before "The Incident". Hermione had debated whether or not to tell them, but didn't think it wise to tell them that the reason everyone seemed shocked to see her was the fact that she now spent almost all her free time with Malfoy.

Now though, as she approached the Heads' dorms, she was wishing she had told them. Simply because it would have given her a little extra time to prepare for Draco's reactions to her diary and the part he had played in her writings since she started it.

She reached the dorm and, after hesitating for a moment, uttered the password. The portrait swung open to admit her and she took a deep breath as she crawled in. Later, she would admit that she didn't really know what to expect when she opened the door, but it wasn't what she saw.

Draco had spread red roses and red rose petals all over the room. Candlelight lit up everything with a romantic glow and there was a note sitting on her desk, topped by a single blood red rose, not unlike those scattered around the room.

My Dearest Hermione,

I was beginning to think you weren't coming back after all. Though, in retrospect, it gave me time to put this surprise together for you. Please, come upstairs. I'll be in my room, waiting for you. There's something I should have told you long ago that I'm going to say now.

Always,

Draco

Hermione, still holding the rose, reread the note twice before glancing at the stairway. She refolded the note and began to walk up the stairs to Draco's room. She pushed the door open and saw Draco sitting by the fireplace, champagne on the table in front of him with two glasses next to it. She recognized her diary as well.

"Hermione, when you left earlier and I read your diary, I realized that by letting me read your diary, you were letting me look at the most private part of you. The part of you that not even your friends really ever get to see. And for that I thank you. And, I love you. I have for the past few months or so. I'm a coward for not saying it sooner."

"Draco..."

"I'm not done. You need to hear all of this before I lose my nerve. Hermione Jane Granger, I don't care what the Wizarding world thinks of us. I don't care what my parents think of us. I care what you think. So, I have a question for you regarding that."

Draco dropped to his knee and pulled a small black velvet box out of his pocket. Opening it, he presented to her a stunning diamond ring.

"Marry me."