Chapter Eleven: The Proposal

"Hermione?" A quiet voice spoke nearby.

"Draco!" she said, sitting up and pushing her hair out of her face.

"Hermione, please let me explain!" he said quickly. "I couldn't defend you from my father. Had that been anyone else saying those things about you, he'd probably be dead now, because I would have killed him. But with my father, I can't fight him and win. If I had fought for you, he would have killed you, to make sure that we were over for good. I was protecting you by keeping quiet. I love you, and I don't want us to be over. So..." He knelt down on one knee and pulled a small black box covered in velvet from his pocket. "Hermione Jean Granger... Will you marry me?"

Her eyes filled with tears as she looked at him. "Oh, Draco! But what about your father? He'll never speak to you again!"

"I dont care! I don't care what he does! The only thing I'm worried about is letting the love of my life slip through my fingers simply because I was a prat!"

"But Draco...he'll come after us!" she whispered fearfully. "He'll try to break us up, he'll try to kill me!"

"I don't care!" Draco said fiercely. "I won't let him hurt you, ever! Please, say yes!"

"I can't," she whispered. "I'm not good for you. I'm a Mudblood, and I would only be ruining your life if I married you."

"Don't ever call yourself that!" he said angrily.

"You used to," she replied.

"Before I realized how sweet and caring and beautiful you are!" he said desperately. "As far as I'm concerned, I'm the Mudblood for being so horrible to you all those years! Please, Hermione, I love you! More than anything in the world!"

She saw the honesty in his eyes. His eyes, so pale they always looked silver, were so full of tears and emotion that she could see that they were not silver at all, but light blue.

"All right," said Hermione. "Then my answer is yes."

Draco looked up at her, shocked. She was usually so stubborn! "Did—did you say yes?"

Hermione smiled. "Yes. I'll marry you."

Draco's face shone with happiness as he picked her up and twirled her around. "I love you!" he whispered, kissing her.

Hermione smiled at him as he set her down. He pulled open the box to reveal a glittering diamond embedded in a silver band. It was flanked by two smaller diamonds, and was the most beautiful ring she had ever seen.

"Oh, Draco!" she gasped. "It's beautiful!"

"A beautiful ring for a beautiful girl," he replied, smiling as he slid it onto her finger.

She looked at her left hand and her eyes filled with tears.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" Draco asked, taking her into his arms. "Is something wrong?"

"No, no, it's just... The last time I was engaged and got married, he died after we had been married for two years. I just can't stand the thought of going through that again!"

"You won't have to," Draco assured her, stroking her forehead. "I promise I won't ever leave you. I will always be here for you."

Hermione smiled as he wiped away her tears. "I love you."

"Good, because now we get to spend the rest of our lives together." Draco sealed it with a kiss.