Silence greeted his revelation. Hermione was silent as she sat, blinking at him. It took moments for her to register his words, and minutes for her to fully comprehend them.
And her entire being transformed. Her elegant posture demolished in front of his eyes, and he watched as her head bent down, and her arms relaxed, her head falling down. Her shoulders shook.
Hermione Granger was not, in any way, weak. Draco was well aware of this when he had approached her, in this manner. She would not cry. Tenderly, seizing the opportunity, he gently stroked her brunette hair back.
She was crying. And he hadn't had many pleasant experiences with crying females, but he would indeed help her. In shock at his touch, she raised her head, her eyes alarmed.
The tear tracks he expected did not appear on her face. Her eyes sparkled with humour, and her lips stretched into a smile. She was laughing hysterically and for a moment, Draco wondered whether insanity had gripped her in the face of his revelation.
"When did you get a sense of humour?" She said, between her gasps of laughter. She did not seem in the least bothered.
Draco's face was solemn as he replied to her, willing her to understand.
"This is not a joke, Granger."
Hermione, however was lost to all sense, as she carried on her musical laughter.
"Is this a hidden camera show? I didn't realise they had those in the wizarding world." She seemed to be almost talking to herself, but she was not, and he accepted this, when he replied.
"What is a hidden camera show?"
That innocent question on Draco's part was enough to snap Hermione out of it - this definitely was not a joke.
She raised her fist to hit him on the arm hard - and it brought back memories of the last time she had hit him. In third year, under a tree, as he had trumpeted about 'that oaf Hagrid'.
"What was that for, woman?" He asked sharply. "Women - unreasonable creatures." He muttered darkly.
"You tricked me into saying yes!" Her face reddened as she realised that she had been fooled by Malfoy. A man that she had always thought would never be able to beat her in any thing, no matter how trivial.
"Slytherin." He replied simply, and in a laughing manner. "They call you the Brightest Witch of our Age!"
"Ferret." she said viciously.
"Now, now dear. Is that any way to speak to your fiancé?" He seemed to be enjoying this too much, but Hermione figured it was because he had had a chance to get used to it. Something which she herself had been denied.
That was enough to bring Hermione back to the subject at hand however.
"Tell me more, you enigmatic pig!" She said, practically growling at the man.
"Well, a fallen angel's mate is destined and planned in the stars. A white glow surrounds the mate on the fallen angel's 21st birthday, visible only to the fallen angel. The fallen angel is always dominant - and older than their mate-"
"Ah ha ! I just spotted your problem! You are younger than me - remember in sixth year you didn't take the apparation test!" She said triumphantly.
"Please - do not insult my intelligence - my father paid for me to do it earlier in the year. I am the oldest in the year in fact - my birthday is September 6th. Now as I was saying, the couple then need to consummate their relationship - and result in a child who shall possess the powers of fallen angels as well. We must marry because there cannot be an illegitimate Malfoy - it is not done!" He said in a monotone.
"Marrying mudbloods - that is not done either. Besides I have a boyfriend." She calmly replied.
"Not any more." He placed a copy of Witch Weekly, on the table that loudly pronounced her break up. Underneath the flashing heading, was a small printed name - Rita Skeeter.
"She still writes? Guess I'll have to threaten her again-" She trailed off, remembering whose company she was in.
"Closet Slytherin, Granger?" He smirked
"You wish."
"Moving on, we need to do this quickly - by your 21st birthday. On November the 3rd, unless I'm mistaken?" He said swiftly.
"How did you know? And why so quickly?" She asked.
"Malfoys know everything. We have to hurry up, Granger - otherwise I die. We need to bond now before the pain comes - it will happen in stages."
"What makes you think I'll help you?" She said.
"You, Granger have this urge to help people - so my dear, marry me."
He pulled a ring out and then he was kneeling. She glanced at the ring - typical Slytherin. A platinum band with elegant carving and a large emerald set in the middle with diamonds lining it. He bent his head as if in respect - Hermione thought he was being romantic - until she realised he was writhing with pain.
He reached out a hand, apologising. She let him touch her leg, and that was when the pain hit her. He was letting her feel how he felt. And it was worse than anything she had felt before.
"Marry me, Granger."
"Yes." She said breathlessly - suffering from the pain.
And with that single word, the bond was made. The pain subsided, but the couple who faced each other knew that there were more trials to come.