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Chapter 19 -

Hermione's head was reeling, which was not a good thing, considering that she was up on the roof. He just said he was going to marry her someday. Merlin, help her.

"Granger?" he asked. She stood in his arms, wide eyed, mouth opened, and seemingly unresponsive.

"Granger!" he said, more firmly. She seemed to be in a trance of some sort. He was almost ready to take her to St. Mungo's, when she shook her head, looked at him, and smiled. "Alright there, girl?" he asked, smiling at her.

"You said you are going to marry me someday," she clarified.

"Did I? I don't recall," he smirked. Her brows knitted together and a frown replaced her smile. "Oh, Granger, you are the sweetest little thing. Of course, I said that. It's what's going to happen, and since it concerns you, I thought you ought to know."

Without further ado, he apparated them both to the kitchen. It was empty this time. Hermione left his arms and looked around. "I wonder where everyone is?" she asked. "Draco, what time is it?"

"Give me a kiss, and I'll tell you," he said.

"The time cost a kiss?" she asked.

"Everything cost something, just be thankful you didn't ask the date as well, or I would be demanding something much more," he said, jokingly.

She shook her head and said, "Seriously." She walked over to him, grabbed his wrist and looked at his watch. It was 10:30 pm. She kept his wrist in her grasp, and pulled him toward the backdoor. Outside, around one large round table, sat Harry and the entire Weasley family, sans Ron and the little woman. She stopped at the screen door, and Draco stood behind her, watching the scene out back. Everyone was laughing and reminiscing. Hermione felt a pang of jealousy, for this was the family she always wanted, and now she would never have.

Draco put his head on her shoulder, and said in her ear, "What's wrong, Hermione?"

"Look at them."

"Okay, what do I see? Just tell me, please." He positioned his arms around her waist.

"You see what I will never be a part of again, and it makes me sad," she said softly.

"I thought you said you were over Ron," he hesitantly asked.

"I am," she confirmed, as she put her hands up on the mesh wire of the screen, "but I will never be over them." She felt very sad and suddenly insignificant.

Charlie Weasley approached the door, and he opened it so suddenly, that Hermione and Draco both jumped backwards. "Sorry you two, but Mum just sent me to look for you. She was sure you had not left without saying goodbye. Come on, we're having a good laugh, sitting around the table." He took Hermione's hand, she took Draco's, and they walked over to the table. There were only two chairs left. Charlie took one, and Hermione went to grab one from another table, when Draco abruptly took her hand, and sat down, dragging her onto his lap. This time, even with her pseudo family around her, she was not self-conscious of Draco's actions. It felt right.

"You look peevish, dear," Mrs. Weasley said to Hermione from across the table. "Are you tired? Perhaps you got too much sun today."

Bill laughed and said, "I think she got too much exercise today."

Everyone laughed, and she blushed and hung her head.

"She was running after this git most of the day," George said, laughing again, and pointing at Draco with his thumb.

Mr. Weasley said, "Are you coming over for Sunday dinner tomorrow, Hermione?"

"Am I still invited to the Sunday dinners?" she asked, quite seriously.

Everyone at the table looked at each other, in shock and confusion. "Of course you are, dear, why wouldn't you be?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Now you'll have Pansy," she said. Everyone at the table blanched, making either choking sounds or coughing.

"Pansy!" Ginny said, aghast. "For goodness sakes, Hermione, just because my brother was a right fool and gave up a good thing like you for that pug faced, pureblood, doesn't mean that you aren't still a part of this family. You've been a part of this family almost as long as I have been!"

She felt Draco's arms tighten around her, and he bent his head and kissed her arm. "See," he said.

"You may invite Draco to dinner, if you wish, sweetheart," Mrs. Weasley said. That having been said, they all went on to another subject. She sat there, not listening, but in awe of this family, whom she had loved since she was 12 years old.

"Alright there, Granger?" Draco asked her, just as he had asked her earlier. She turned slightly on his legs to look at him.

She said, "This is all turning out better than I could have hoped. I get the Weasleys and you." She didn't say it to be funny. It was what she really thought, and that made Draco smile for the millionth time that day.

He put his hand on her cheek and said, "No, you get me and the Weasleys. I should be named first, and they're second."

Ignoring all the loud conversation, and the laughter from the table, and also not aware that George had placed a wine glass in her hand, she said, "You know, I know my parents will adore you, and supposedly the Weasleys are fine with you, which makes me wonder, what will your parents think of me?"

He took her wine glass from her hand, and took a large gulp. He gave it back and cleared his throat. He was stalling. Of course, his parents would not take kindly to Granger. Of course, they would not approve. She was Muggle-born and he was pureblood. Even in a world that no longer contained the evilness of Voldemort, things like that mattered to people like Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy. His quietness made her turn back toward the table. She took her glass, the one that had just touched his lips, and she took a large drink. She already knew the answer.

Draco decided not to answer. He knew that she knew the answer to her question before she asked. He took his own wine glass, and chugged it down in one movement. He placed the empty glass back down, and placed one hand on her back, as she was now leaning forward, head on her arms on the table. "Are you tired, Hermione?" Harry asked next to her. He saw Draco running his hand up and down her back and he realized at that moment that he must really care for his friend. Harry reached over and stroked her hair away from her face.

"Yes, I am tired. It's been a long day today, and I've drunk too much today, and run around too much today," she plainly said.

He leaned closer to her and kissed her cheek. He stood and waved his wand, and music started. Although the band had left, as well as the other guests, Harry was not ready to let the party end, not yet. "Dance with your old friend, Hermione." He took her hand and guided her off Draco's lap.

"I'm too tired," she said to him. He ignored her and took her to the empty dance floor.

"I'll hold you up, if you should fall," he said, graciously. All eyes were upon them. However, no one could hear them, as they were speaking in whispers. "Does he make you happy, Hermione?" Harry finally asked, holding her close as they danced.

"Yes, he does," she answered softly.

"Do you think you might love him?" he asked.

"I know I do," she said slowly. It was scary admitting these things to him, and so soon.

"Do you envision a future with him?" he asked. He stopped swaying to the music. He put one hand on her cheek.

She looked in his emerald green eyes, and said, "Yes."

"Good. I want you to be happy," Harry said, moving again. "Ron would not have made you happy, not in the long run. You need someone with as much fire in his belly as you have. Someone who can be passionate about things and not compliant, someone who will challenge your mind, and question your beliefs. Someone to whom you will not grow easily bored. I may have been a rotten friend when I didn't tell you about Ron and Pansy, but in the long run, I knew it was for your own good, even if you didn't."

"You still should have told me," she said.

"Perhaps, but I recall you doing a lot of things for me throughout my life, without telling me, because in the long run it was for the greater good," Harry said.

"That was different. You were saving the whole wizarding world, and someone had to keep you on track, in spite of yourself." She grinned.

"No difference, not really," he explained, "for this time I may not have been saving the whole wizarding world, but I was saving the second most important person in my life, after my wife." He kissed her cheek and said, "I think I will dance with my wife now."

"Leaving me on the dance floor?" Hermione asked, raising her brows.

"No, Draco's right behind us, ready to take you any moment," Harry answered. He handed her hand to Draco and said, "Here you go, Draco. Be good to her, or answer to all of us."

"Yes, yes, Potter, I'm so scared, I'm shaking in my proverbial shoes," Draco said, smiling. He took Hermione's hand, pulled her to him, and then turned around and said to Harry, "Potter, thanks. I will always take good care of her, I promise."

Harry nodded. Further words would have seemed inadequate.

Draco positioned his hands on her back, as she rested her head on his shoulder. He said, "I don't want this day to end."

"I don't either," she admitted.

"No other day in my life compares to this," he said.

"I know," was all she could say in return.

"I won't ever hurt you," he said.

The seriousness of his countenance suddenly alarmed her. She looked up at him and said, "No jokes, Malfoy? All seriousness and sincerity. I know you'll not hurt me. I'll not hurt you, either. Don't worry."

He threw his head back and laughed. "You tell me not to worry! You? The queen of worriers? Priceless, Granger, absolutely priceless."

"I'll worry enough for both of us," she said.

"I'm sure you will," he returned, the knuckles of his right hand moved down her arm, sending her chills. "Cold?" he smirked when she shivered.

"Not particularly, you prat," she answered.

"Excited?' he asked, with a lopsided grin.

"Perhaps," she answered. He wanted to see what other responses he could make her body reveal. His lips lightly brushed her cheek, his breath warm on her face. His hands sprawled out on her back, pressing her to his hard muscles. Her body was so soft, her skin, like silk. His mouth went to her neck, were he sucked lightly, darting his tongue out for a moment, to taste the skin he had just been admiring. Her hands went to his neck, and she pressed her body even closer. Oh, to be rid of the Weasleys, and to have her all alone…a man could dream.

"Your body betrays you, Hermione," Draco finally said. "I think it wants to sleep with me tonight. Listen to your body. It will never lie to you."

"I would rather listen to my head," she said, playfully.

"Why, your heart is smarter," he said back.

"Is it?"

"Of course, it is," he said, left hand still on her back, and his right hand coming around to rest on her neck. "Your heart wants what your brain is fighting against. Listen to your heart." He placed his hand on her chest. Her heart was beating fast. He placed his lips on hers, and said, right on her mouth, so that each word felt almost like a kiss, "listen…to…your… heart." He pressed his mouth firmly on hers, his right hand trapped between their bodies, still on her chest.

She leaned away, arching her back away from him, which only pressed her lower body closer. She was driving him mad. "My head says run away, and my heart is saying, stay, stay, stay. I'm conflicted."

"I don't want you to be conflicted, just be truthful, honest." He caressed her cheek.

"I want to make love to you, that is the honest truth," she finally said. He looked at her, trying to figure out if what he had just heard was what he had just heard.

"Don't play with my emotions," he said. This made her laugh for some reason.

"I'm serious," she said.

"For god's sakes, why are we just standing here then?" he asked. He took her hand and led her off the dance floor.

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