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Chapter 38 –

Damn, damn, bloody double damn! Hermione didn't have a present for him! Why would she? While she made a big 'to do' earlier about it being their two week anniversary, she didn't really think it was that important, and while he acted like it was no big deal earlier, he secretly had all of this planned.

He was so sweet, kind, and thoughtful. Who would have thought it? Those were not words a person would usually associate with Draco Malfoy. Crude, rude and spoiled, yes, but not sweet, kind and thoughtful.

What should she do? She went to the bathroom and paced around. She had to use the toilet, so she thought she would kill two birds with one stone, urinate and think of a quick present. Maybe her urinating could be the present. She laughed at her little joke. Why no one ever thought she was funny, she would never know. She did have one present she could give him, but she was saving that, and she didn't particularly want to share it with all the Weasleys, no matter how much she loved them.

Draco was tired of sitting on the bed, waiting for a present that he knew she didn't have. He went out in the hall, and thought he heard someone in the bathroom. He knocked quickly on the door and said, "Granger? Are you in there?"

"Yes, Malfoy, nature called and I was forced to answer," she said through the door. She opened the door when she was finished.

"Did you wash your hands?" he asked.

"Of course I did," she said, affronted.

"I didn't hear the water," he accused.

"Draco Malfoy, you are only asking this because I asked you the very same thing during the weekend at Ron's reception. I'm a Healer; I understand the importance of washing one's hands after using the toilet!"

He held her hands and said, "They aren't wet."

"I dried them," she said.

"Your bandage isn't wet," he sneered, still holding her hands.

She pulled her hands from his and said, "For goodness sakes! I washed my bloody hands!"

"Button, Granger, watch your tone," he said with a smile. "I heard the water running, that's how I knew you were in there," he finally admitted. "Now that your bodily functions have been taken care of, where is my perfecter present?"

There was still that one thing. Should she tell him? She wasn't going to tell him until they got home. She bit her bottom lip, something she did when she was nervous or anxious. He narrowed his gaze, cocked his head, and said, "What is it? You want to tell me something, don't you?"

"Well, not really," she lied. "Okay, you see, the thing is," she began, but stopped. No, she wasn't going to say anything right now. Instead, she decided to be truthful about something else. She said, "Fine, I don't have a perfect present for you! I don't have any present for you! You were so wonderful, and I'm pitiful and you're a better spouse than I am! Damn, I wanted to give you something amazing, I really, really, did!" She backed up against the wall and slid down to sit on the floor.

He sat beside her and said, "I already have the greatest gift in the world." He brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed her knuckles.

"See, you're so sweet these days, and you're my greatest gift as well," she said simply.

"Oh, we have a communication problem," he said. "I wasn't referring to you, although you're nice as well, I meant this new watch." He held up his wrist. "My mum gave it to me before we left, because she noticed I didn't have one on, and I told her how it was in the little box as part of your present, so she gave me this one, made by some Muggle watch maker. A Rolex I believe."

"WHAT?" she asked. She looked at his wrist. "That is nice," she finally said. "I could never afford to give you a Rolex."

"That's fine, you've given me so much more," he said. "Also, I might remind you that when we married, that made you as wealthy as me. You're now also the fourth richest person in the Wizarding world, sharing that title with me, of course."

"I don't want your money," she said. "I have money."

"Not very much," he said.

"Draco, really, I grew up being known as well off. My parents made very good money, and with the job I have now, I make good money," she said.

He leaned toward her and said, "Whisper in my ear how much money you make a year."

She leaned over and whispered something in his ear.

He openly laughed and said, "I spend more than that on clothes a year!"

"Well, I'm sorry that I don't have as much as you, but I'm not poor, not by a long shot, and I really don't want your money, and I might remind you that I make more money as a Healer than you make as an Auror. Also, I would hate for people to assume I married you for money," she said, "when the truth is I married you for your looks."

"Now that's funny!" he said, hitting her arm. "But, seriously, like I said, you give me more than riches or fancy things."

"Like what?" she asked. She really couldn't think of anything she'd given him besides that little white rock, which he apparently did not want anymore since he had given it back to her.

"You're so silly. You gave me you, and that's the best gift ever. Dare I say, better than this watch," he said smiling. "Not as good as the little white rock, which I stole back and put back in my pocket by the way, but not too bad. I'm talking about you, by the way, in case you didn't catch it the first time I said it," he said, awkwardly.

At least he really did like the rock.

Moreover, he really was sweet after all. What a weird thought. Draco Malfoy was sweet.

"Gee, Malfoy, you too are a wonderful present, and you'll always fit me and I won't ever have to give you back," she said, snuggling to his side. He slipped his arm around her.

"If I get old and faded, will you give me to the poor?" he asked.

"Never, things get better when they get old, faded and comfortable. How about me? When I start to look old, and you see a younger, newer model, will you be tempted to trade me in?" she asked.

He thought for a moment, (a moment too long in her opinion) and then he said, "No, you're stuck with me, and I'm stuck with you. For better for worse," he said.

"For richer or poorer," she added.

"In good times and in bad," he continued.

"In sickness and in health," she waned.

He didn't say the last line, so she said, "You're suppose to say, until death do us part."

"Oh, death won't part us. You'll be stuck with me even after we die. If I die first, I will haunt you until you die, and then we will be together for eternity. If you die first, you can haunt me," he said. After he said it, he regretted it. He grew quiet. He didn't want to think of such things, especially since she was ill. To change the subject, he said, "Those vows do apply to us, you know. The better part is my getting you for a wife, and the worse part is you getting Lucius for a father-in-law."

She shivered.

He laughed.

He continued by saying, "The richer or poorer part is obvious. I'm richer, and you're poorer."

"Right, Malfoy," she said with a sigh. "I'll keep pointing this out until you believe me, but I'm not exactly poor, you know."

"Poor people never think they're poor," he joked.

"I beg to differ," she said, "A poor person probably always knows they're poor! Especially when rich people like you are around to remind them of it."

"I only remind YOU that you're poor," he said. "To say that to someone else would be in bad taste."

She shook her head and stood up. He got up on his knees and hugged her around the waist, his head level with her middle. "You are a perfecter present, really." He kissed her stomach and then stood up to join her.

Damn, she should tell him. Shouldn't she tell him? He was being so incredible, and he thought she was perfecter, so wouldn't he think her news as being perfectest? What was she thinking! That wasn't even a word!

Hermione stared at him for a long time, so long that he said, "Do I have something on my face?"

"I want to give you a perfectest present, I do," she said.

"Dammit, Hermione, I would never have given you that box if I knew you would want to 'one up it'. I will probably give you a lot during our marriage and do a lot for you, and visa versa. I won't ever expect payment in kind, and I know you won't either, so it's getting old. It's fine. I love you," he said. He didn't care about presents.

He took her hand and started down the stairs. She stayed rooted in her spot. She said, "Well, there is one thing…"

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