A/N: I AM SO SORRY! I've been working so much lately that I haven't had any time to do anything else, here this is, and hopefully getting a few more chapters out today too!
There she was, standing in the kitchen making a pot of coffee her hair was sticking out everywhere and her shirt was rumpled where she had slept on it. Though even without her hair brushed she looked stunning, Draco stood there watching her for a minute until she noticed him "Are you OK Draco?" Her voice broke him of his day dreams, and brought him back down to reality. "Yeah I'm fine, do you want to go to dinner with me tonight?" Hermione didn't look shocked, and he knew why he had asked her to dinner every Friday since they got to California it was their ritual, one he hoped would continue for a long time. "Of course, it's our thing Draco you don't really need to ask anymore." Hermione turned and placed two cups of steaming coffee on the counter and smiled at him. Draco's chest felt like a million tiny butterflies had entered his body and taken over, tonight was the night he was going to ask her to marry him, and Draco didn't exactly know how she was going to react. "Where are we going tonight?" Draco already knew where they were going but he wanted to keep the entire day a surprise. He also didn't know how she was going to react to him asking Pansy's best friend here to help her shop for tonight, they were going to be going to one of the best restaurants in 100 miles he just wanted everything to be special for her and he wanted to her feel as beautiful as she could. "Hermione?" Draco held his breath waiting for her to notice his worry "Draco? What's wrong?" Hermione walked over to him and placed her hand on his arm, the sparks he felt all along his body almost made him shiver under her touch. He wanted nothing more than to grab her face in both his hands and kiss her with everything he had. "I asked someone to come over, she already knows who you are and she cant wait to meet you, we are going somewhere special tonight and I thought she could help you shop." Hermione's eyebrows creased together and he could tell she was trying to work out who it is, and instead of letting her do it he blurted it out before he could even think of what he was saying "Its Daphne Greengrass Hermione" Hermione turned back toward Draco her eyes wide with fear. He knew she had every reason to fear Daphne but he also knew Daphne never wanted any part of that life, she hated how her family treated non pure bloods and she always wished she could have been a part of a different family. "Hermione, I promise you she isn't what you think, please giver her a chance? She lost Pansy almost as much as I did." Hermione seemed to loosen at these words, she knew what it was like to loose a best friend, and he knew she didn't wish that on anyone he could see her eyes softening with every passing second "OK you win Draco, I'll give her a chance, and I'm going to pretend like we are starting over." Draco smiled a real genuine smile, one only Hermione could ever get out of him. "I'm going to get ready. How long until she's here?" Draco looked at the clock on the wall "Three hours" he watched Hermione nod, then walk down the hall toward her bathroom, and smiled his nerves about tonight suddenly disappeared and he couldn't wait to spend the rest of his life with Hermione.
She stood in her bathroom looking in the vanity mirror at herself. Had she really just agreed to give Daphne Greengrass a chance? What was wrong with her? And then she realized nothing was wrong with her, other than the fact that she has been denying her love for Draco. Hermione knew she had feelings for the blond, but she tried to keep them hidden knowing he didn't feel the same, but today he was acting to weird. She knew it was about time to acknowledge her love for him and tonight at dinner there was no reason she couldn't ask him what they were, or where this whole thing was going. She started working on her hair, making sure it wasn't too bushy, and since she would probably be doing it later she just threw it in a pony tail, not wanting to wash it until later. She heard the door bell ring, and her stomach did flip-flops, she knew it was Daphne and she was scared. As much as she didn't want to be she was terrified of her. Hermione took a deep breath and stepped out of her bedroom and listened for a moment in the hall way "Draco! It's so good to see you! It's been way to long!" she could hear Draco chuckle "Yes it has, now there is something I need to talk to you about before you meet Hermione, she's terrified of you Daph. I know you didn't have a lot to do in the war, but she is wary of all of us, its taken a lot for her to give you a chance, just don't screw it up." Hermione could hear the disappointment in Daphne's voice when she spoke "Draco, how dare you imply that I would ever do anything to hurt her. I've always wanted to meet her and you know that. I've never been like anyone in my family. I wished I had what she did." Hermione was almost in tears and decided to step into the living room. "Hello Daphne" Her voice cracked and she wasn't expecting that, she could feel the hot tears burning down her face and before she knew it, a blur of blond hair and Daphne was hugging her "Oh Hermione what's wrong?" "Hermione stood there in Daphne's embrace wishing she could talk; she had never expected a Slytherin to be jealous of her. Finally she found her voice "Daphne, you were jealous of me?" She felt Daphne tense and pulled back, "You heard that huh?" Daphne smiled at her and Hermione felt like she was genuine, she didn't want to harm her. Hermione smiled and once again felt the tears welling up in her eyes, she didn't know where to go from here but she knew her and Daphne would have no problem getting along just fine. "Should we get going then Hermione?" "Just one minute let me go throw something on." Hermione ran back to her bedroom and threw on the white dress she wore so long ago with the black heels Draco had paired with it. She walked out of the room and was about to grab her back when she heard Daphne whistle. "Wow Draco really did take you for a fashion make over." Hermione laughed knowing her style had changed a ton since being with Draco here. "Yeah he did, I actually kind of dress like a girl now." Both the girls laughed and Hermione grabbed her bag, giving Draco a kiss on the cheek goodbye, they were out the door.
The day flew by, and Hermione and Daphne had an amazing time, she had picked out a dress. It was long and sleek strapless with a sweetheart neckline. It was a beautiful deep green color paired with a small silver belt, and silver and green shoes. She felt so Slytherin and a part of her loved that feeling. She had always secretly wanted to be a part of the good guys of slytherin. By the time they were doing shopping it was time to go get her hair and makeup done. As they walked to the shop Hermione thought of a question "How long will you be staying Daph?" Daphne smiled at Hermione who hadn't used her nickname all day though Daphne had insisted. "I don't think too long, I expect you and Draco will be returning soon as well?" Hermione nodded, in fact they were supposed to go home tomorrow, and it made her nervous thinking of how Harry and Ginny were going to take her and Draco being whatever they were. Hermione thought of different scenarios the entire time she got her hair and make up done, and finally before she knew it they were back at the house and she was slipping on the beautiful dress, and shoes. Daphne was to show her to the restaurant then she was leaving to go home. Hermione was saddened by her new friend leaving and insisted she write to her. Daphne laughed at her persistence but agreed to write to her. When she was finally ready, Hermione finally started to feel nervous, she didn't know why either. Obviously Draco just wanted to make their last night here special. And she did too, she didn't know if she would have the guts to talk to Draco about what they were.
Draco sat at their table, his nerves bubbling up to the surface again. When was he going to ask? How was he supposed to ask? He had his grandmother's ring in his pocket. Pansy was given his mothers ring, and Hermione was going to hopefully wear his grandmothers. It would mean a lot to him, knowing she was a Gryffindor wearing a Slytherin ring. He saw her walk in and his heart almost stopped, she looked beautiful, he wouldn't have ever known she wasn't a slytherin. He stood up as she approached, pulling her chair out for her and whispering in her ear as she sat down "You look absolutely stunning Hermione." When he sat back down across from her he could see her blushing, the faint red tint on her cheeks made her look so damn sexy. "I already ordered I hope you don't mind." Hermione smiled and put her menu to the side "Of course not" within minutes their food arrived, and they were consumed by a silence while eating, it wasn't awkward, their long silence never was. Tonight though Draco was even more grateful for it, he had more time to collect this thoughts and wonder when he was going to be able to do this. After they finished eating, Draco looked around and noticed the restaurant had filled more than he would have liked. Then he remembered the garden outside and knew it would be perfect. "Hermione would you like to go for a walk outside with me?" Hermione smiled at him, her perfect smile. "Of course, I think that would be nice." Again Draco helped her with her chair and took her hand as they walked across the restaurant, and into the cool night California air. The garden reminded him of Hogwarts, it just felt so enchanted, and he loved coming here when he was in California. He hoped Hermione would feel the same. He heard her gasp beside him and knew she did. As they walked further into the gardens, they came upon the roses Hermione let go of his hand to go smell them smiling up at Draco "These are my favorite flowers, I love roses." Draco watched her admiring the flowers and knew this would be the perfect opportunity, in the middle of the rose garden was a fountain, and benches all around it. He brought Hermione to one of these benches and sat next to her. "Hermione, there is something I need to tell you, and I don't want you to freak out ok? Just let me finish everything I need to say before I loose my nerve. I love you Hermione, you have made my life a million times better than it was before. I love everything about you, every flaw and perfection. I can't see myself with a better person than you." Draco moved onto one knee and he could see the tears in her eyes. "Hermione Jean Granger, will you do me the honor of being my wife?"
Hermione couldn't believe what she was seeing Draco, on one knee asking her to marry him. She started to cry unable to help herself, she never thought he felt the way she did and she loved him so much for everything he had done for her. She couldn't find her words and she started to worry she never would. Swallowing the lump in her throat Hermione looked down at Draco again "I would love nothing more than you be your wife Draco, I love you too" Draco slipped the ring on her hand and Hermione got to look at it for the first time it was small, with an emerald as the center stone, there was an intricate design on the sides, and smaller emeralds there too. She loved it; it was perfect Ron had gotten her a true Gryffindor ring, but this was nothing like that and nothing like her and Ron's relationship. She loved everything about it. She turned her hand around and watched it sparkle under the glow of the lamps around. Turning back to Draco she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him, for the first time it was a kiss both of them wanted whole heartedly, and the magic between them was almost unbearable.
A/N: THERE IT IS! Next chapter they go back to announce their engagement to family and friends! That should be fun!