A/N- Hello, wonderful readers! Many of you have asked me to stop apologizing for taking so long between chapters, but I can't help it! I want to get this story written just as badly as you want to read it. After almost two years, COVID finally hit my house. My entire family was home for a little over a week. We were lucky that it didn't hit us hard. Not to make light of it, but I finally had time to myself to write!

Once again, thank you for all the lovely comments. I especially liked one reader's response to the line in Draco's letter, "There is something I'd like to show you" when they wrote, "I hope it's his dick!" LOL! Without further ado, here is the long-awaited next chapter.

Chapter 9: Too Good to be True

November 8, 2003

"My mistress looks beautiful for Master Draco," Blinky praised Hermione shortly after arriving at Grimmauld Place to escort the witch to Malfoy Manor. She wasn't quite sure what to wear since Draco hadn't shared his plans with her, so she opted for a blue a-line midi-dress and black kitten heels. The tiny House-elf, however, was decked out in a pink and purple tutu for the evening, which glittered in the light every time she spoke, bouncing up and down like a giddy child on Christmas morning.

"Not as beautiful as you, Blinky," Hermione smiled down at her. "Your dress is lovely."

"Blinky can make Mistress Hermione one just like it!" she nearly exploded with joy. Hermione couldn't imagine a place where she'd wear a dress like that, but Blinky was so excited. She didn't want to let the sweet elf down.

"As lovely as that might be, I think I'd rather spend our time together planning for our new flat. What sort of rooms will you require for your space?" Hermione asked, which spun Blinky into a fresh wave of bouncing as she animatedly described her vision for the nursery.

It was a bit surreal speaking about a home and future children she would have with a man she had only just begun to really care for. They'd spent so many years hating one another, but her feelings for him had grown quickly, faster than she would have expected given their circumstances. Malfoy, for his part, had mentioned babies a few times but always as a way to flirt or insinuate something about sex. Perhaps, it was easier for him to think about children because creating the next Malfoy heir as soon as possible had always been what was expected of him. Having healthy baby witches and wizards was the whole point of this marriage law after all. If she were being honest with herself, marrying Malfoy no longer scared her at all. In fact, she was looking forward to it. Motherhood, on the other hand, frightened her more than receiving a failing grade. Hermione always envisioned having a well-established career before having a long-term boyfriend let alone a husband and children. These were things she thought would fit in her life when she was a bit older. How would she prioritize work and having a family?

"Is my mistress ready?" the House-elf blinked up at her with wide eyes, rousing Hermione from her spiraling train of thought.

Before she knew it, they were standing in an enormous potions laboratory that rivaled the one at Hogwarts. Everything had its place. Hermione's eyes glided over the meticulous display of spoons, neatly stacked cauldrons, and clean workbenches to where Draco stood nervously wiping a spilled potion from his apron. Though he'd always been handsome, his vulnerability made him striking. The emotion currently dancing in his eyes separated the attentive man from the angry boy Hermione once knew. In spite of everything, he grew from a selfish child to a thoughtful wizard, who would pilot a cause just because it was important to Hermione. Somehow, she knew today would be special. They stared at one another longingly, and she hardly noticed when Blinky squeezed her hand and vanished with a pop.

"This is all quite impressive," Hermione gestured around her while holding his gaze. He simply nodded. "This is your private laboratory then?" she asked the obvious question in hopes he would clue her in as to why he needed to show her this today. Draco nodded again. "It even smells like you in here," she smiled as she took a few steps closer to him.

"Like...me?" he swallowed hard. Hermione took a deep breath, took in the smell of the room around her, and grinned.

"It's silly really. I hadn't even realized I knew your scent until I took a breath," Hermione shrugged, slightly embarrassed. "Of course, there's a hint of your mahogany cologne that you've worn since about fourth year, though I don't even know how I know that," she laughed to herself. "Then there is new parchment as if you are always buried in a book like me...I smell the little chocolate sweets I've noticed you pop in your mouth from time to time. My parents would absolutely scold you if they knew how much candy you eat all the time," she shook her head wistfully. This wasn't the time to think of them. "...and the...-er...wind," she added, feeling herself flush.

"The wind?" he wondered, staring at her with wide eyes. Without thinking, her feet shifted toward him.

"I can't explain it really. It reminds me of the boys after their Quidditch practice," Hermione shrugged as he scrunched his nose in disgust at being compared to Harry and Ron. "Or when we flew the dragon out of Gringotts."

Draco stood in front of her now. He was smiling, and there was mischief in his eyes. It was the face he often made as a child when something went his way. Hermione used to hate that look, but not anymore. For reasons unknown, the cadence of her heart sped up. With cheeks burning and a stomach fluttering with butterflies, she closed the space between them.

On any other day, Draco's lab would smell like fresh Scouring and Wiping Charms. He'd been taught to keep an immaculate workspace from Professor Snape throughout his years at Hogwarts, so it had always unnerved him when Professor Slughorn took over as Potions Master with an unkempt classroom. Regardless of what he once thought, he couldn't think ill of the old man today, for he was responsible for the confidence Draco needed to take the next step with Hermione.

Slughorn had always been a bit lazy in Draco's opinion, but he only realized how indolent the man truly was when he began apprenticing with him a few short months ago. A true Slytherin to the core, the old professor contacted Draco with a deal. He'd heard how many letters the younger wizard had sent out during the past year begging to apprentice with potions masters around the world. Had familial obligations not been an issue when he was a child, Draco had always secretly wanted to become a potions master. He'd worked tirelessly to restore Malfoy Industries since the war ended, and now he wanted to fulfill his childhood dream. If all went to plan, he'd convert his company's new potions sector into a separate brand sold in apothecaries around Britain while still maintaining the charitable nonprofit his father's old company had become. Unfortunately, every single returned owl held a rejection, which he knew had more to do with his family name than his abilities. He'd just about given up on that dream by the time Slughorn had extended his offer. As long as Draco brewed all of the required samples for the advanced potions classes, the professor would consider it a full apprenticeship to meet the requirements to become an officially licensed potions master.

Before Hermione arrived, Draco had just finished brewing a sample of Amortentia potion that Professor Slughorn would use for his two classes of sixth years. When he heard his witch's voice, he accidentally spilled a bit of the leftover potion down his front. He'd been so shaken by the smell of the Amortentia as he brewed it, that he'd become careless. The fragrance of parchment, ink, lavender, honey, and something he couldn't quite place wafted around him, but he somehow knew it was all her. It was too soon to call this thing between them love. Wasn't it? Love took years. At least that is what he'd always been told. His parents made it sound more like a partnership, nothing like the nervous excitement he felt when he was with Hermione if he were honest. With her, his stomach flipped when she smiled at him, and she always seemed to take his breath away whenever she entered a room. No other witch had ever turned his insides the way she did.

Vanishing his apron, he drew closer to Hermione as if he were tethered to her by an invisible string. Unbeknownst to her, she was describing her response to the spilled Amortentia. Him. She smelled him! What had he done right in his life to earn this witch's affection? At that moment it didn't matter how or why; what mattered is that she felt the same pull to him as he did her.

They stood toe to toe, staring at one another with quickening breaths. Draco's arms slipped around Hermione's waist, tugging her gently against him, and finally, their lips collided. There was nothing gentle about this kiss. It was full of need, desire, and lust. Her fingers wove their way through his hair, desperately pulling him closer while his hands roamed the gentle curves of her body.

"Draco," Hermione breathed, throwing her head back as he began placing a languid trail of kisses down her neck. Suddenly, she stiffened in his arms, both aware that before this moment, they'd never called one another by their given names.

"Say it again, Hermione," he whispered to her seductively. She responded with a pleading whimper. "Please," he added as his mouth resumed its downward path toward her collarbone. Merlin, why had he waited so long to taste her golden skin?

"Draco," she purred, pressing herself closer than before and spurring him on. The sound of his name falling from her lips danced through his ears. Without thought of propriety or decorum, he lifted her up and placed her on the edge of the nearest worktable as her legs wrapped around him. He'd never wanted anyone as much as he wanted her at this moment.

"So, we're on a first-name basis now?" Blaise unexpectedly interrupted their heated moment from the doorway, causing Hermione to jump. "That's certainly progress," the Italian wizard smirked and sauntered toward the couple. This giant arse knew full well that Draco never allowed anyone into his private potions lab. Why was he here?

"What do you want, Zabini?" Draco drawled, pulling Hermione close to his side as she fixed her dress and slid off the table, face reddened with embarrassment.

"Hermione Granger, it is so lovely to finally meet you," Blaise said, offering his hand and ignoring Draco altogether.

"We're hardly meeting for the first time, Zabini. We've known each other since we were eleven. Perhaps, you recall how you entirely ignored everyone in Slug Club?" she said with a grin. Draco chuckled as his friend shot a glare in his direction. He loved the way Hermione had no problem cutting straight to the chase, but he mostly loved how uncomfortable it made his friend.

"Yes, well, that was all before I realized the error of my ways, so really, you are meeting the new, enlightened me for the first time," Blaise replied after a beat.

"In that case, it is nice to finally make your acquaintance," she offered her hand though Draco was sure she hadn't expected Zabini to take it and kiss her knuckles like the gentleman he was brought up to be.

"Why are you here?"

"So rude, Draco," Blaise admonished. "I've come to confide in one of my very best friends about my new wife, but I feel absolutely dreadful that I've interrupted what seems to be a first kiss turned into a full-on snog session," he pouted falsely. There was little doubt that Zabini felt no remorse for intruding on their privacy.

"Yes, your timing couldn't be worse. See you Friday night," Draco declared, hoping Blaise would leave. Instead, the wanker hopped up on a workstation and made himself comfortable, smirking like the arsehole that he was.

"Were you matched or had you married before the law was passed?" Hermione wondered as she sat back on the table where Draco had just been snogging her senseless. At least she kept hold of his hand while falling victim to Zabini's little charade.

As Draco planned all the ways he'd hex the Italian wizard, Hermione asked the stupid prat questions about his wife and family. All the while, Zabini wore the pretentious smile he reserved for when he thought he was winning a game. In this case, the game was baiting Draco's temper.

Twenty minutes passed before the blond wizard had enough. He'd invited Hermione here for a reason, and this insufferable wizard was ruining everything with his incessant chatter. The only thing keeping Draco sane was the way his witch soothed him by stroking her thumb across the back of his hand, which rested on her knee. An idea occurred to him as he pinned Blaise with another scathing glare.

"We have plans today, Hermione," he whispered in her ear, curling his tongue around her name possessively. Sucking in a breath, gooseflesh erupted all over her exposed skin, and Draco relished in the knowledge that he had that effect on her.

"Is he speaking ill of me?" Blaise asked accusingly. "If he's whispering secrets, I have some of his I'd like to reveal," he raised a menacing eyebrow at Draco.

"Of course not, Zabini," Hermione reassured him as she slid Draco's hand slightly further up her thigh. He wasn't sure if she'd done it intentionally, but he gave her a gentle squeeze, causing her to suck in a breath. Blaise needed to leave now. "He was simply reminding me that we have plans today."

"Alright, I can see when I'm not wanted," the Italian wizard sighed.

"Clearly," Draco mumbled, rolling his eyes.

Once Blaise had finally stormed out with a huff and flair of drama Hermione hadn't recalled about him from school, they burst into a fit of giggles. It was rather embarrassing to be caught with her legs wrapped around Draco's waist in a full-on snog session. She'd never been the type to allow things to progress so quickly after the first kiss, but this wizard set fire to her veins. As soon as his lips touched hers, she wanted more of him. How far would they have gone had they not been interrupted? Merlin, what if it had been his mother that walked in on them instead?

"What has you so flushed, love?" he wondered with reddened cheeks as he stepped in closer and pulled Hermione back into his arms while her heart thundered away. Terms of endearment normally put her off, but it seemed Draco was genuine and just as nervous as she was about what was happening between them.

"You," she grinned up at him before tugging him down into another heated kiss. Deep groans vibrated at the back of his throat, causing unspeakable things to happen to Hermione's nether regions and soaking her knickers. Snogging him was better than she'd imagined. While her experiences with other men had been fun, they hadn't made her feel the way she felt with this particular wizard.

"If you don't tell me to stop, I might ravish you completely," Draco said as he leaned his forehead against hers. His heavy breaths tickled her nose and his hands gripped her hips as if it had taken everything in him to hold back from taking her right there in his potions lab.

"And what if that is exactly what I want?" Hermione replied with a smirk. He pulled back and stared at her in disbelief, and she rather liked the stunned expression on his face when he realized she was serious.

"Then I suppose I'll have to choose between disappointing my soon-to-be wife or breaking a promise to my mother that I'd treat you like a gentleman until our wedding night," he said with hooded eyes. Burying his face in her neck, he suckled a spot just below her earlobe that drove her mad. "Pity I can't give you the present I bought you now since you can't stay too much longer," Draco murmured against her collarbone as his skilled hands massaged her arse.

"I don't need presents," Hermione's breath hitched. Merlin, she wanted him. At this moment, he could have the only surviving copy of Hogwarts: A History, and she wouldn't care as long as he kept touching her.

"Even if I did some research to pick it out?" he taunted with a whisper in the shell of her ear. Damn him for piquing her interest.

"Research?"

"Yes. I even read some Muggle books on the subject," he replied with a peck to her cheek. His grin was so wide when he looked down at her, she didn't have the heart to deny him the joy of whatever it is he'd researched for her no matter how much she wanted to continue what they'd started.

"It must be something awfully interesting for you to stop what we were doing," she laughed nervously, suddenly worried that she'd been too forward.

"Oh, Granger," Draco smirked. "The first time I have you will require much more than the small amount of time you've allotted for me today between your work duties," he said before leaning down and kissing her slowly and deliberately. "You're better than I ever could have dreamed," he purred as he intertwined their fingers and led her to the center of the room where a medium-sized box wrapped in emerald green paper suddenly appeared at the swish of his wand. There were holes in the top, where four tiny claws peeked through an opening and anxiously sought freedom.

"That isn't a book," Hermione stared in shock. Her beloved Crookshanks passed two years prior, but she'd been too nervous to find a kitten to replace him, afraid she wouldn't love the new familiar as she did her Crooks.

"You and I have been forced into something that we may not have otherwise chosen for ourselves," Draco started anxiously. "Over the past month, I think we have both come to realize that we can make each other happy...at least you make me happy…" he trailed off for a moment, losing his nerve.

"You make me happy too," Hermione admitted, squeezing his hand reassuringly. She was rewarded with his brilliant smile. No matter how many times she'd seen it since they'd been matched, it always shocked her how handsome Malfoy truly was. He was beautiful inside and out, especially now that he'd matured.

"If our lives were different, and we found each other another way, I would have courted you properly. Time doesn't allow me to woo you as I wish, but I still want you to have everything you may have imagined," he kissed her hand. "I've always been destined to an arranged marriage, so I always understood it to be an advantageous union chosen for me by my parents. Although you were still chosen for me, I do believe I couldn't have picked another witch that would suit me as you do," Draco gazed into her eyes with unnamed emotions swirling around in his deep, grey orbs. "Once I realized this, I decided it wasn't fair for you to miss out on what you may have hoped for in accepting your future husband, so I researched Muggle customs on the topic."

"The topic?"

"Muggle matrimony."

"And what did you find?"

"There should be a ring," he stated simply. "Not just a wedding band but an engagement ring to signify our intentions to marry. Diamonds are Muggles' preferred stone, though wizards usually use dragon's eye for jewelry. And...well I bent the rule on this one, but...everything I read suggested the ring should cost about two months of the groom's salary," Draco squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head, "but I didn't think you'd appreciate wearing a diamond the size of a boulder on your hand all the time."

"You are right about that," Hermione laughed as he sighed with relief. "You know, you don't have to buy me an engagement ring because that's what Muggles do," she placed her hand on his cheek.

"Yes, I do. Your parents are Muggles. You were raised as a Muggle. The least I can do is honor your Muggle heritage and declare my intention to marry you the way you've been dreaming about since you were a little girl!" he exclaimed as if it should be obvious.

"What texts were you using for your research exactly?" she giggled and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"If you must know, some of the waitresses from the restaurant pointed me toward some very insightful monthly publications," he huffed.

"Bridal magazines?"

"Yes," he admitted. "They also referenced some literature they've read on the subject and explained to me that every woman has imagined since they were just a girl of having a handsome prince sweep her off her feet," Draco explained haughtily.

"I see," she smiled up at him. "What else did your research tell you?"

"There should be a grand gesture of some sort," he smirked as he Accio'd the wrapped gift and held it out toward her. When she opened the lid, the most adorable tortoiseshell half-Kneazle gazed up at her with pale blue eyes and offered a squeaky chirp. Hermione immediately picked up the enchanting creature, cooing and stroking her soft fur. "May I?" Draco reached for the kitten.

"Oh. Of course," Hermione hesitantly obliged. With another flick of his wand, a deep blue and golden collar appeared around the kitten's neck, where a brilliant ring dangled against her chest. Sinking to one knee, he held the kitten up to Hermione.

"Though you haven't chosen me, I will do my best to give you anything you might need no matter the cost or sacrifice. I promise to always be faithful to you and treat you like the powerful witch you are. And even though I will never be a perfect husband, I will strive every day to prove my worth to you. Hermione Jean Granger, will you marry me?"

"You're proposing to me?" she asked in disbelief.

"Yes."

"Did you mean everything you just said?"

"Of course, I did," he scoffed.

"You are nothing like I expected yet everything I could ever hope for, Draco Malfoy. Neither of us is perfect, but we are good for one another I think," she leaned down and kissed him. "I would have very much liked to be properly courted by you," she whispered against his lips.

"Is that a yes?"

"Yes!" she dragged him to his feet and pressed her lips to his until they were interrupted by a squeaky trill from their little kitten.

"I think she's begging for me to put the ring on your finger," he grinned as the little ball of fluff snuggled into his chest.

"You didn't have to buy me anything," Hermione said awkwardly. No wizard had ever given her jewelry, and she felt uncomfortable accepting such an expensive gift.

"If you're worried about whether I have your father's permission, I do...in a manner of speaking."

"What?" she asked in complete surprise. How could he have secured her father's permission? Hermione hadn't heard from her parents since they gained their memories back and learned what she had done to protect them. As far as she knew, they stayed in Australia with no intentions of returning or contacting her any time soon.

"I've checked all the boxes for a traditional Muggle engagement; a ring, a grand gesture," he held up the kitten, "I asked you on bended knee in the most special place I know, my potions lab. Even my mother isn't allowed in here, but I want you to see this side of me because it represents the best of who I am. And before I did all this, I secured your father's permission as everything I read suggested."

"He gave you permission? I don't understand."

"In a sense, he did," he faltered.

"My father spoke to you? You saw him?" she demanded, desperate to have some shred of information about the man who raised her.

"I wrote to him. By the third owl I sent, he finally replied."

"How is he? How is my mum? Did they ask about me?"

"Your father didn't really elaborate on anything in his response. He kept it rather simple really."

"May I read it?" she began to tear up. Draco hadn't expected this reaction. Quickly setting the kitten in her box, he drew his wand and summoned the letter.

"Have I upset you? I was trying to do the right thing...of course, you can read it," he faltered and handed it to her.

Mr. Malfoy,

My daughter has never sought permission to do whatever it is she has set her mind to do. If you are able to earn Hermione's affection, then it is her you must ask for her hand in marriage. Good luck to you, Mr. Malfoy. You'll need it if you think she's the kind of woman who requires her father's blessing.

-David Ganger

Draco watched sheepishly as she read the letter. He'd only been trying to provide Hermione with the perfect Muggle engagement experience, not to insult her independence. Perhaps he should have asked Ginny's opinion on this particular ritual. The ginger witch was more than delighted to dole out her advice about Muggle engagements since she had experience with it, a point which Theo wished he could forget. Ginny loved every minute of helping Draco create a ring for Hermione. So much so that Theo took note of the jewelry he'd seen her admire and surprised her with an engagement ring of her own.

While they were shopping, Ginny had revealed that Hermione had lost her beloved half-Kneazle a couple of years ago, and Draco demanded the trio find her a new pet at The Magical Menagerie. As soon as he saw the black, gray, and tan little furball, he knew Hermione would love her right away. It helped that the kitten snuggled right into his arms as if she knew she was meant to come home with him. For nearly a week, she hadn't left his side, and it took quite a bit of convincing to charm her into that gift box.

"I obliviated them," Hermione sniffled, pulling Draco from his thoughts. "My parents," she explained as she began to weep, her shoulders shaking her petite frame.

Admittedly, Draco had very little experience comforting anyone other than Theo. He didn't know what to say or how to respond, but before he knew it, she'd wrapped her arms around his middle and sobbed. He simply held her. It seemed to be enough.

After a few minutes, she calmed down and told him the story of how she obliviated her parents. There were so many times in his life he'd been in awe of Hermione Granger, but knowing the lengths she went through to protect her family was unbelievable. Though they'd both sacrificed a lot to protect those they loved, what he'd done was at the cost of others. Every terrible thing Hermione did caused the greatest pain to herself. Worst of all, her parents had cut her out of their lives because of it.

"Thank you for understanding. I didn't mean to ruin the mood," she laughed uncomfortably.

"Please don't apologize. If anything, it makes me admire you more," he assured her. "The more I learn about you, I realize that I'll never be worthy of you."

"If that were true, then I wouldn't have accepted your proposal."

"You haven't accepted my ring yet," he grinned, holding it up. It was quite an intricate piece of jewelry with a fairly large diamond in the center with ropes of diamonds and black dragon's eye stones crisscrossing around it to form a knot. Black dragon's eye was extremely rare, but so was this witch. She was worth every last galleon he'd paid for this Goblin-made piece.

"This ring is stunning, but I couldn't—"

"You can...please," he beseeched her, sliding the ring on her finger. "I had it made especially for you. It brings together both of our wizarding and Muggle backgrounds to represent both of us. We're complicated, but somehow we work together to make something beautiful," he explained. " I even had my wedding band made to match with diamonds and dragon's eye woven together."

"I can't believe you put so much thought into this...just...thank you," she smiled through glassy eyes. And he kissed her like a man in love because he realized that is exactly what he was regardless of what his parents had taught him. One day, he'd muster up enough nerve to tell her, but for now, he would just show her in every possible way he could think of to do so.

"What do you suppose we should name our little half-Kneazle?" Draco wondered, scooping up the little ball of fur.

"I was thinking of the name, Kuma," Hermione said as she stole the kitten from him and kissed the top of her soft head.

"Ah, Nu Draconis. You've been studying up on my constellation, I see," he laughed. Of course, she knew the stars that made up his namesake.

"A little," she blushed furiously. "Anyhow, it is blue-white in color like her eyes and belongs to your constellation...I've always thought choosing names from the stars was a lovely tradition your family had."

"My mother will love to hear that. She was always put out that her parents skipped that particular tradition when it came to her name."

"I'm not opposed to it," she admitted bashfully. Draco wished he could understand her sudden embarrassment but decided to leave it alone for now.

"Kuma," he tested the sound of it as the kitten turned up to him expectantly with her intelligent eyes. "Is that your name, little one?" he asked, scratching behind her ears. The quick, steady beating of a content purr emitted from her chest, and she simultaneously pushed her head into Draco's hand while snuggling the rest of her body into Hermione's hold.

November 13, 2003

"You've no idea how grateful I am that you agreed to go out to dinner with Harry and Pansy tonight," Hermione said as she and Draco strolled through the aisles of Flourish and Blotts.

"I'll take whatever time you can spare for me while you work on this case," Draco squeezed her hand. "Even if it means Potter has to be there," he offered her a playful smile. Over the past week, he'd been so thoughtful and understanding about her job. They still met for breakfast every morning even though reporters gave them no privacy. When the papers printed a picture of the unlikely couple snogging for the first time, it zoomed in on her engagement ring and a new wave of Howlers came pouring in. This time, the horrid red envelopes were also accompanied by a lot of kind letters too. They praised Draco for not only participating in the Muggle custom but for his choice of gemstones.

"It seems as if it weren't for meals, we wouldn't see each other at all," she squeezed his arm. "You've been so sweet to bring me lunch at work and help me with the case in the evenings when I know how exhausted you are too. At this point, you know this bill as well as I do!"

"Maybe you should just move into the flat with Kuma, Blinky, and me now instead of waiting until after we're married. Then we'd see you every night," he said hopefully.

"If I did that, then we would certainly break the promise you made to your mother about waiting until our wedding night and that's not to mention how much you would distract me. Merlin, I'd hardly get anything done."

"Yes, but I would be the best kind of distraction," he backed her against a bookshelf near the back of the store. "Just imagine how I could help you relieve all your stress," Draco breathed into her ear. In fact, that is all Hermione had been imagining since the moment their lips first touched less than a week ago. The dreams she had about him were out of control, causing her to lose sleep when she woke up in the middle of the night frustrated and wishing Draco was there with her.

"Perhaps, we should change the wedding date by a few weeks, and I could move in right after my proposed legislation is passed by the Wizengamot," she suggested. "But...won't that upset your mother? She's already planned everything for December 20," she worried her bottom lip. Even though his mum had arranged their entire wedding, Hermione was set to officially meet Narcissa for tea this Saturday. She thought the older witch wanted nothing to do with her, but Draco admitted putting off their first meeting because she was afraid of what she might say to Hermione. He said she was trying, but he was still worried she might let some of her pureblood ideals slip out, and Draco wanted to protect Hermione from any of that.

"We were fools to choose the end of December," he shook his head back and forth. "At this point, I could give a fuckall about what my mother thinks, but if it makes you feel better, I will be a perfect gentleman. We could even sleep in separate rooms until our wedding night," Draco pleaded with her.

"Are you going to be this irresistible whenever we disagree?"

"If coming to a compromise we can both live with is irresistible, then yes," he smirked. "I'm nothing if not reasonable."

"Are you ready for dinner, Mr. Reasonable?"

"I'm ready to make Potter uncomfortable with my overt displays of affection toward you," he laughed, taking her hand and pulling her toward the exit.

A Thursday in Mid-November in Diagon Alley was usually quiet any time of day, which is why the foursome had chosen this evening to make their first outing together. Although Harry would have liked to avoid unwanted attention and keep his relationship with Pansy private as long as he could, the couple decided to go public for the sake of Ginny and Theo. Wizarding Britain rallied around the Chosen One and his soon-to-be bride once they realized how happy he was. Hundreds of witches contacted Pansy to style them in the wake of the news, and she was more than delighted to turn down anyone who spoke ill of any of her friends or their matches.

"Moving into the flat early is an excellent idea, especially now that Pansy has started to move into Grimmauld Place. I've woken up several times to my outfit for the day already laid out for me," she laughed. "I'm not even sure when she gets in there to do it, which is a bit concerning."

"You mean it?" Draco wrapped her into his arms, and Hermione nodded excitedly. "Don't worry about a thing. I'll arrange it all," he grinned. Who would have ever guessed that Draco Malfoy would grow up to become romantic and affectionate? Knowing that she was one of the only people in his life to see this side of him stirred up a bit of pride within Hermione. In such a short time, marrying him went from feeling like a punishment to a reward. She felt lucky. This man, who she once thought flat, was full of depth and surprises. He was actually more than she could hope for in a husband.

"You are too good to me," she kissed his cheek and began walking toward the restaurant again. Up ahead, she could see Harry happily waving at them. Suddenly, his entire demeanor shifted and was firing spells their way.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Draco yelled, turning toward Hermione and trying to pull her behind him. It was too late. A stinging sensation burned through her side. She'd felt pain like this before, perhaps a long time ago. How terrible it was to be familiar with this sort of suffering. It was her final thought before everything went black.

A/N - ***This will be a happy ending*** I apologize for leaving you with a little cliffy.

As for the part about wizards not using engagement rings. I don't remember Fleur having an engagement ring in the books, but if she did, I'm sorry. For this story, I needed Draco to work on including something about Hermione's Muggle background, and something about the way couples become engaged seemed so Muggle to me. I'm not sure why.

Also, I made up the dragon's eye stone. It just seems like the wizarding world would have precious gemstones that are way cooler than a diamond.

Lastly, I'm not sure if it is clear that Harry wanted to keep his and Pansy's relationship private because of the pressure of involving the media, not because he is embarrassed or ashamed of her. I thought I'd address it here just in case people questioned it.