Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any affiliated characters. I just happened to come up with the plot for this ship. All credit to J.K for her amazing universe that she allows us to play in.

Warning: Rated M. Cursing, sexual innuendos, lemons and fluff ahead. Basically what you would expect from a romance novel nowadays.

Love to Ihrin for working on this chapter for us. She is our amazng beta for this story. We are all updated to this point. :)
We are human people, if you still find mistakes just drop me a PM and we will fix it up. The hope is that with two of us looking it over we can minimize them. Thanks.

Music is my muse:
Song for this chapter: Kiss Me Slowly, Parachute
Lyrics: When the time comes, baby don't run, just kiss me slowly.

Accidental Proposal

Chapter Ten
Anniversaries and Birthdays

The second week in November found Hermione sitting in the stands, reading during Slytherin's Quidditch practice. Draco paused on his broom, looking over at her curiously, and then turned to Theo.

"What the bloody hell is she doing out here?" he yelled at him.

It was a stormy night and they would be ending practice soon. Hermione had enchanted a tarp to hang over her, protecting she and her book from the rain.

Theo shrugged. "She said she wanted to come. I think storm's upset her and she didn't want to be in her common room."

Draco's eyes narrowed. "Why wouldn't she want to be in her common room?"

Theo again shrugged unhelpfully. "I don't know. She's been kind of withdrawn the last few days."

Draco looked around and decided he would take her back inside. "Right. Well, I am going to get her inside before she catches a cold and figure out what the hell is going on."

Theo nodded and rushed off on his broom. Draco landed in the stands and ducked under the tarp, careful not to drip water on her book.

"Ready to go in?" he asked softly.

She didn't look up but nodded a bit distractedly. He frowned at her and stood, waiting for her to pack up her books, then held the tarp so that they both stayed dry as he ran with her toward the castle. Once inside, he quickly dried them off and then pulled her into his side walking her towards the Slytherin common room. She didn't look up and he was starting to get concerned.

Once he got her inside, he quickly moved her into the head of house common room. Davis and Greengrass looked up as they entered and raised their eyebrows.

He shrugged and sat her down, crouching so that he could look into her too pale face.

"Hermione, what's going on?"

She looked up at him and he almost winced at the unmistakable grief in her eyes. "My parents' anniversary is today and my mum's birthday was two days ago. My birthday passed too and Da's is coming up and-" she broke off, sobbing into her hands.

Draco tensed as he realized that they had all forgotten her birthday. Shite. Theo hadn't mentioned it at all.

He looked up a bit helplessly to see the Slytherin women were glaring at him. To his surprise, Pansy pushed him aside and pulled Hermione up, whispering to her as she walked her into their dormitory.

Draco stood and then ran an irritated hand through his hair.

Daphne watched him carefully and then said. "Her parents... She obliviated them, right?"

Draco nodded and watched as she stood up and went after Pansy. Tracey was shaking her head as she picked up her books and rushed off as well, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

OooOOoO

Theo came in a few minutes later, looking a little worse for wear. "You got her to her dorms?"

Draco shook his head and pointed at the door to the girls' rooms. "Pansy took her. She's pretty shaken up. Why didn't you tell me she had a birthday?"

Theo froze and then cussed. "Oh fuck! I forgot."

Draco wanted to curse his best mate out, but instead he stomped off to the small kitchen area to pour himself some tea which he then dumped some brandy in.

"Well aren't you a right prat of a brother. When was it?"

Theo looked a bit put out. "September nineteenth."

Draco snorted with anger. "Her parents' anniversary is today. She said her mum's birthday just passed and her father's is coming up. That's why she is so sad."

Theo nodded and then swallowed. "We should do something."

Draco raised an eyebrow and then turned around to drink his spiked tea. "Yeah, we bloody well should."

Theo sighed and said wearily. "Let me go talk to Ginny and then tell Bop."

OoooOOoooOO

Hermione woke up and blinked. She was on a bed with green silk covers. She sat up, looked around, and gasped. She had fallen asleep in the Slytherin girls' dorms. Pansy Parkinson was sleeping in the bed next to her. She looked around and saw that all three women had chosen to sleep in the same room. Where an extra bed had come from for her, she wasn't sure. She pushed her hair out of her face and stood up, looking around for her cloak and wand.

When she found them, she hurried out of the room only to freeze as she realized there had been clothes, her clothes, next to her bag. She turned back and stared at the stuff until she jumped at a voice.

"Your elf." Pansy said with a small smirk. "Better hit the showers before we do, Granger. We take rather a long time."

Hermione nodded and grabbed up her things, as well as her toiletry bag, and rushed to the bathroom. When she came out of the shower, her dirty clothes were gone. Once she was dressed, she rushed out and then froze.

Draco Malfoy was standing in the kitchen in nothing but boxers, and he was incredible looking.

She must have made a noise because he turned around and his eyes went wide.

"Fuck! None of the girls come out before we leave," he said, looking a bit flustered.

Hermione was unable to tear her gaze away from his chest, which had quite a few scars. Some she recognized but others she did not.

"What is that from?" she said, walking forward and dropping her wand on the counter.

Draco frowned at her and looked down at what she was pointing at. "Bella had a little fun with me."

She flinched and then reached out to touch the puckered skin. "With the knife?"

He gave a brief nod. "Yes."

Hermione sighed and then moved her hand down to another scar across his stomach. "What is this from?"

Draco let out a small puff of air. "My dear father got a little carried away punishing me once and split me open."

Hermione dropped her hand and looked at him in revulsion. "Draco, that's awful."

Draco nodded and said. "Don't look at my back then, Hermione."

She glared for a moment at his scar and then grabbed him turning him around and then moaned in pain.

A criss cross of welts were all over his back. "Oh... no. Oh, Draco," she moaned.

He sighed and turned back around, shaking his head at her. "It happens."

Hermione stomped her foot in frustration. "Where was your mother? Why didn't she protect you?"

He flinched and said softly, "She was mostly oblivious to be truthful. I didn't tell her and I am sure he never did."

Hermione groaned in horror and did something that shocked the hell out of her. She threw her arms around the half-naked boy and hugged him tightly.

"I am so sorry! No wonder you were so mean!"

He chuckled and held her to him, careful to keep his erection away from her. "How are you this morning, love?"

She took a big breath and pushed herself off of him, looking cutely ruffled. "I'm good. Thank you for bringing me here. Ginny gets so upset when I am like this and I don't like to talk to her about it all because I know she will just tell her family and Harry."

Draco nodded at her, his face thoughtful. "Snakes are good with secrets, Hermione. Come by anytime."

They stood there for a moment, just watching each other. Draco felt himself being drawn forward towards her and he reached out and tucked a stray curl into her messy bun that was already starting to come undone. He could get used to seeing her like this, all fresh and flustered. He could see the pulse in her throat start to move faster and he let out a small breath, stepping closer to her. She closed her eyes and, as he was just about to lean forward and kiss her, he heard a door slam from behind him and he let out a small, frustrated groan and stepped back.

"Theo will be up soon," he said quietly.

Hermione jumped, her eyes snapping open, and looked at her muggle watch- a slim, gold one that he hadn't noticed before this year. He had a suspicion that it used to belong to her mother.

"I have to change out my books from my room," she said in a rush.

Draco frowned. "Have Bop do that and wait here for us to escort you to breakfast. I don't want you wandering around."

She glared at him. "I am perfectly capable of walking myself around this castle, Draco Malfoy."

He groaned, knowing she would be hard-headed about this. "I bloody well know you are, but it worries the shite out of us, so could you just please wait ten minutes?"

Hermione considered him and then shrugged, walking over to pick up his tea cup and adding milk to it.

"Fine, but I am helping myself to your tea."

Draco grinned, finding it rather cute that she did. "Fine, just wait here."

He went into the Gryffindor common room with her and it caused quite the sensation and when they made it into the heads common room Ginny's eyes went wide.

"Where the bloody hell have you been?" she teased.

Hermione flushed. "I fell asleep in the dorms with the Slytherin girls. We were up late talking."

Ginny's eyes went wide but she was smirking and Hermione had a good idea that she had already known where Hermione had been. "Well then, why is Malfoy here now?"

Hermione groaned. "Because they get worried if I walk around alone." She turned to Draco and said, "Make yourself at home. I will be right back."

When she rushed back out it was to find Draco having tea with the boys who had obviously just woken up and Ginny gone.

"Ginny had to rush off." Draco said, seeing her looking around curiously.

Hermione sighed "Oh, right. Well, are you ready?"

Draco pushed himself off the couch he'd been sitting on and walked over to put his cup in the sink.

Hermione waved at the other boys who were still in various states of undress. Seamus never wore his shirt around their common room anyways but even Neville was only in pajama pants this morning.

"Do they not get dressed when in your company?" Draco asked a bit stiffly once they made it out to the hallway.

Hermione looked at him wide-eyed. "You were in only your boxers this morning."

He grunted. "Because the girls are never there until after seven. We have an understanding with them."

Hermione snickered. "Honestly, Ginny and I are usually gone before they wake up. It's rare they see me in the mornings so I would assume they were just as surprised."

Draco nodded but was still frowning.

"Really, Draco," she said still finding it amusing. "Seamus never wears a shirt but he's harmless and I have been in their dorms frequently over the years. They all shared a room with Harry and Ron."

Draco paused and pushed her down a deserted corridor. "You were in the boys' dorms?" he demanded.

Hermione looked at him in confusion. "Frequently."

Draco seemed to be either in complete shock or very angry; she couldn't tell which.

"Draco, Ginny and I spent a lot of time with them in their dorms. It was harmless."

He was shaking his head and then he said, "You stay out of their bedrooms, Hermione. I can't- that's-"

Her eyes widened. "Oh! It's because we are engaged, isn't it?"

He gave a short nod. "Yes. You can't do that."

She shook her head but said simply. "Draco, I am not dating them. They are just my friends and I assure you that they have no interest in me outside of helping them with homework."

He pulled at his hair and said harshly, "Why wouldn't they want you? Damn it, you are living with them. I never know if you are safe or not, and you're living with three men I can't say I know well enough to trust. I am losing sleep, and probably my mind, and Theo is worried and-"

Hermione watched him carefully and it dawned on her that he was really upset. In fact, she couldn't honestly remember ever seeing him this emotional. It seemed that this was very important and she felt that she needed to respect that. "Would you like me to move in with you?"

He went utterly still. "What do you mean?"

Hermione sighed. "I will move into the Slytherin dorms. McGonagall will let me. Would that work out for you, if I slept down there?"

His face cleared of anger and he gave a short nod, suddenly much more composed. "Yes."

Hermione pushed off the wall and nodded at him. "Fine, then it's done. I will talk to McGonagall right away. But Ginny will want to visit me a lot. I hope that is okay."

He nodded. "She is always welcome."

OoooOOoooOoO

Hermione wasn't surprised that McGonagall nodded her head in acceptance. She made sure that she clarified that she wasn't actually changing houses.

"No. It's just that, after all that has happened, I think my brother would feel better if I were staying down there with him."

She didn't mention that Draco had a problem with her being around a half-naked Seamus every morning.

Her stuff was moved immediately and although Ginny was a bit upset she was also rather excited about having a room totally to herself and equally as excited about hanging out in the "snake den" as she called it.

Her brother looked so relieved, Hermione felt bad that she hadn't just done this at the start of term. Draco was much less tense and even Bop looked calmer when they met for tea that Saturday. Bop would only see her on her off days, which were Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Hermione listened to the elf prattle on for an entire hour about how Hermione was finally safe and her brother could now watch out for her.

Hermione made sure to nod at the right times but otherwise kept quiet. It had never done her any good to point out to Bop that she was perfectly able to take care of herself and had in fact fought in a war!

If the other Slytherins had an opinion on her new living arrangements they didn't say anything and even the Gryffindors seemed to have decided it was also none of their business where she slept, or perhaps they simply didn't notice she was gone. She had kept rather odd hours, after all, and didn't eat with them anymore.

OooOOooOOOoO

About a week after she moved into the Slytherin dorms, she walked into the main common room and found all of her friends there smiling at her.

"What is going on?" she asked in surprise. Bop moved forward and pulled her into the room.

Ginny moved forward to hug her and said, "We are celebrating your family, Hermione."

Hermione looked over as Harry walked up and hugged her. "We thought we could combine their birthdays and anniversary and throw a party." he said, stepping back.

Hermione turned to find that Molly and Arthur Weasley were standing behind Ron. She wiped at her tears and then laughed.

"You're in the Slytherin common room!" Hermione said in shock.

Arthur chuckled and walked forward to hug her as his wife shook her head. "Ginny said it was in better shape than the Gryffindor one."

Ginny nodded decisively. "Far better shape."

Everyone laughed and Hermione found herself walking around, passed from friend to friend. Most of the Order of the Phoenix was there too, even Kingsley, the newly elected Minister of Magic.

Headmistress McGonagall showed up halfway through and didn't blink one eye at the wine and other spirits being served by the elves.

"I have been assured only those of age are allowed to have any." Minerva said with a chuckle when she saw Hermione's shocked face.

She then winked at the still-stunned Hermione. "Elves are wonderful to police that sort of thing you know, dear." she said, tilting her head over to the scene of two fourth years moaning pitifully at a cross elf who had taken away their cups and was handing them butterbeer instead.

Hermione laughed and went to find her brother.

"Thank you for this, Theo," she said softly.

Theo shrugged as he looked through her baby book, which she assumed the Weasley's had put out on display. She had entrusted them with most of the things she had kept from her parents' house during the war.

"It was all Draco, love," Theo said with a smile, looking at her with large bushy pigtails in her primary school uniform, smiling at the camera.

Hermione turned to watch Draco as he talked to Professor Slughorn.

"Draco did this?" she asked, stunned.

Theo nodded absently. "Yeah. He worked everything out with Bop, got permission from McGonagall, and had Ginny tell him who to invite." Before Hermione could say anything, Theo said. "Hey, sis, what the heck is this all about?"

Hermione looked down and laughed at the photo he was pointing at. "It's a muggle magician. My parents hired one for my sixth birthday."

Theo shook his head. "Why is he dressed like a prat?"

Hermione laughed as she went about explaining magicians to her brother.

He looked at her and then said, "Muggles are mental."

She threw her head back laughing and then showed him the pictures of her dressed up for school plays.

By the end of the night, she felt better than she had in over a year. She went to bed with a smile on her face, thankful for her friends and her family.

As Kingsley had said in his toast. "They kept Hermione safe so she could save us, and she kept them safe and saved them as well in the end. Tonight, we thank the Grangers. Their love and sacrifice live on through their daughter!"

Notes:

She is in the snake den now!

Sorry about the almost but not there kiss. My muse seems to think that these two need more time to get to know each other before they, um, make magic together.

Cjean