Disclaimer: These characters are J. K. Rowling's! Also, the song "This is the Night" was recently performed by Clay Aiken on American Idol 2 and was put on his single album.

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Hermione's eyes filled with joy and her face lit up like the sun. She opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. Her tongue had become paralyzed and filled with lead as Draco spoke. Hermione grabbed Draco by the collar and pulled him up her. He threw his arms around her waist and hers went around his neck. Hermione pressed her lips roughly against his and her tongue, back to its normal state, darted in and out of his mouth, massaging his. Draco still grasped the ring tightly in his hand as he pulled away from her.

"Y-yes!"

A wide smile danced across his face as he pulled her back in for another kiss. He then pulled the ring out of the oyster shell and slid it onto her petite ring finger.

"God I love you so much."

"I love you too. I've waited for this day."

"You have no idea...this is where I came the other night. I needed to do some thinking and preparing."

"Is this place special, or have any significance?"

"Oh yes...." Draco took a seat and Hermione sat in front of him between his legs. His arms wound themselves warmly around her waist and her head rested on his chest. He brought his mouth down to her ear and talked gently into it.

"I used to come here a lot just after I graduated from Hogwarts...at that point in my life, I had a lot of options and I needed somewhere isolated to sort through things. I remember being out on my boat one night and seeing one of the most beautiful sunsets I've ever seen...I became absorbed with how God painted the sky...and it brought me peace of mind. When my father and mother died, I came here and just sat for hours...lying on my back, looking up into the ocean of endless stars. The other night, I sat here, and I began naming each star with a reason that I love you and I seemed to run out of stars."

Draco nuzzled his nose up against her hair, the sweet aroma drifting up his nose. His lips then moved toward her neck and he planted several along the side of it. Hermione giggled but enjoyed the attention. She massaged both of Draco's legs with her hands, running them up and down his legs. She could feel her love for him pulse throughout her body.

"How did your parents die?"

"Well, my father was a Death Eater as you know and they sent him to Azkaban. I went to visit him once. He looked like shit, his clothes torn, his face unshaven, and his hair a cluttered, tangled mess. I remember seeing him sitting in the corner, his eyes darting wildly around the room, as if something was going to get him. All his sanity had been driven out of him; he had spent way too many a year in that place. That very day, he was kissed by a dementor and I was there to witness it. My mother was killed by Voldemort himself after he demanded that she help my father escape and she refused. After he heard the news of my father, he went on a mass killing spree of Muggles."

"Oh my God, I didn't know."

"That's alright. He never was there for me anyhow. I have you now."

"Always..."

Draco began kissing her neck once again. As his mouth left her skin, she could feel the breeze blow over the imprint of saliva on her skin. Hermione looked down at the glistening ring that was on her finger and admired it for a few minutes.

"There's more Hermione."

"What else could there possibly be?"

"What's an evening like this without champagne?"

"You're right!"

Draco got up and pulled Hermione up with him. They walked a short distance and found a blanket spread out on the damp ground. On it sat two candles, a wine chiller holding a bottle of champagne, two champagne glasses and assorted fruit.

The two sat down next to each other on the blanket and Draco made a motion to reach for the wine bottle, but he was stopped by Hermione's lips. They captured his breath and passion unrolled itself from them. Hermione pushed him back slightly and he fell back to the floor, Hermione on top of him. Hermione and Draco lay there kissing for quite some time, Hermione running her hands through his silky blonde hair. Draco stopped kissing her and the two sat back up.

Draco reached for the champagne bottle and popped the cork. The bubbling substance poured out of the bottle into each tall, sleek champagne glass. Draco placed the bottle back in the chiller and handed Hermione a glass.

"Cheers..."

"To us! For all out happiness and years to come!" she finished for him.

Draco nodded and a smile danced across his face. He reached out to make cheers with Hermione and intertwined his arm with hers. They wound their arms and took a sip of wine from their glasses. Draco then put his down and picked up a chocolate covered strawberry. He held it over his other hand so as not to make a mess and brought it to Hermione's mouth. She bit it delicately and returned the favor to him.

"One more thing..."

"Draco..."

"It's nothing big."

Draco got up and turned on the radio that had been located behind a rock.

"May I have this dance?"

Draco extended his hand to Hermione and she took it. He pulled her up from the ground and drew her into his embrace. Hermione rested her head on his right shoulder and her arms rested on his shoulders as well. Draco's head hung near her head and his arms entrapped her. Hermione closed her eyes and let the music and Draco take her away. The two swayed gently to the beat of the music.

~~

When the world wasn't upside down, I could take all the time I had

But I'm not going to wait when a moment can vanish so fast

'Cuz every kiss is a kiss you can never get back

Lift me up in your eyes

If you told me that is what Heaven is, well, you'd be right

I've been waiting forever for this

This is the night

When the answer to all my dreams is as close as a touch away

Why am I here holding back what I'm trying to say?

Lift me up in your eyes

If you told me that is what Heaven is, well, you'd be right

Hold me close to your heart

I would go with you to the ends of the Earth and we'll fly

I've been waiting forever for this

This is the night

This is the night where we capture forever and our tomorrows begin

After tonight, we will never be lonely again

Lift me up in your eyes

If you told me that is what Heaven is, well, you'd be right

Hold me close to your heart

I would go with you to the ends of the Earth and we'll fly

I've been waiting forever for this

This is the night

~~

"This really is the night" said Hermione.

"I love you Hermione."

"I love you too."

From their right, they heard a light squawk and Draco whipped his head around to see what it was. Dumbledore's phoenix sat perched upon one of the rocks. Fawkes squawked again to signal them that he had something. Draco released Hermione and pulled her over to Fawkes with him. Hermione untied it and read it out loud.

Hermione and Draco,

I'm aware of your location and you need to get out of there as quickly as possible. Don't even worry about your belongings, they can be replaced, you cannot however. Be aware at all times and keep your guard up.

Sincerely,
Dumbledore

"Your attempts are futile!" came a voice from behind them. Draco and Hermione whipped around, Draco keeping one hand on his wand and one around Hermione.

"Well look who it is...if it isn't Draco, the pretty boy prat from our Hogwarts days."

"Ronald Weasley! Don't you dare call him that!"

"Is Hermione sticking up for the prick? This is surprising."

Hermione opened her mouth to speak but Draco whispered, "No Hermione, be quiet." He drew her closer to him.

"Is golden boy protecting my ex-fiancée?"

"I will protect her with my life..." said Draco through gritted teeth.

"Is that so? It's so..so beautiful..." said Ron, pretending to wipe away a fake tear. He laughed maliciously.

"Put a cork in it Ron!"

"Oh, she's back talking me!" Ron stormed over and grabbed hold of her face. "It's not a good idea."

"Let go of her!" said Draco as he threw Ron's arms away. Ron sneered.

"He really does love you, doesn't he?"

"Yes, and I love him."

"Well, isn't that convenient? First you claim to love me and all of a sudden you run into pretty boy here and he steals your heart from me?"

"My heart was never yours Ron."

"I don't believe that is true. Did you not tell me that you loved me?"

"I did, but after I bumped into Draco, it made me realize how I really felt."

"And how's that?"

"That I love him and there is nothing...NOTHING Ron that you can do about it."

"Oh yeah?"

"I won't allow you to touch her!" retorted Draco.

"Well, well, I guess I'll just have to kill the both of you, now wont I?"

"The pleasure's all mine Ron" said Hermione.

"Shhhh" said Draco.

"And how's that?" asked Ron.

"Easy, you kill us both, we're both still together."

"You make a valid point Mudblood! No...no, I shall not kill you both, but which one?"

"You will take me or else! And God help you if you ever speak that way about her again!"

"Then I guess I will take her then, shall I?"

"Don not make me hurt you Ron!"

"Oh my, he used my first name, what happened to Weasel?"

Draco said nothing.

"Prat is speechless!"

"Just what ever turned you so evil Ron?" asked Hermione furiously.

"It's quite simple you see....you betrayed me."

"There's more than that Ron."

"You are a smart girl, aren't you? It's one of the things I loved about you."

"Spill it Ron!"

"You're cute when you're angry, did anyone ever tell you that?"

"Shut it Weasel!"

"Back to Weasel again? You just cant make up your mind can you?"

Draco remained silent once more. His jaw was clenched tight and his eyes were full of fierce rage and anger.

"You're right Hermione. You were always right. That owl you got that was supposed to be for me...the potions...its all part of my plan."

"What plan?"

"The plan I've come up with after I got your note. It was quite clever on my part; I do have to admit..."

"I'll kick your ass to the curb Ron if you don't start talking!"

"Just what a Mudblood would say!"

Hermione showed no hurt at that comment. Inside, it tore her up, but her eyes remained emotionless, blank, and stoic.

"I told you not to call her that again!"

"I'll do whatever I please! Just take a look at this!"

Ron rolled up his sleeve to reveal the Dark Mark engraved in his arm.

"Ron, I never would have thought...." said Hermione.

"Well, people change...after I got your owl, I realized there was only one job for me and I knew just who to go to. I sent an owl to our Dark Lord...it was a pity your father was sent to Azkaban Malfoy..."

"Yeah, well he deserved it..."

"Quite on the contrary, Malfoy, Voldemort valued your father, he was respected greatly among us Death Eaters. Anyway, I sent an owl to the Dark Lord and he answered me back. I was initiated to be a Death Eater and put through the Crutacius Curse to test my strength. It's a pity you didn't follow your father Malfoy....its also a pity that my little Pidwigeon is dead, but, no matter...I remember what he did to your parents Hermione and I wanted revenge on you just as much as you want to avenge your parents....I told him I would work side by side with him to finish you off because of some 'unfinished business' I had to deal with..."

"The only thing I have to thank you for is having that fight with me. It was the best thing that ever happened to me" yelled Hermione.

"Tonight will live in infamy in my mind Hermione. I want to watch the distressed look on your face when you're in so much pain you can't even move."

"You even try and you're dead Weasel!"

"Watch me! Crutio!"

Hermione bent over in half in pain, twitching wildly and writhing until she fell to the ground. The pain was the worst thing she had ever felt in her life, but she shed not a tear. She would not give Ron the satisfaction. She heard Draco yell a jinx at Ron and the pain ceased, but she could not move an inch. She heard a crash as Ron was sent backward and fell to the ground. He jumped back up like a spring and laughed.

"You think you can save her now?!"

"I'll fight to the end Weasel!"

"She cannot even move! What makes you think she will live after tonight?"

"I think she will" said a pure voice from behind Ron. Draco managed a small smile of gratitude.

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Sorry this one is so short! I wanted to be mean and have a cliff hanger! lol. I think there's only going to be one or two more chapters though. Please review!