A/N: you guys are amazing

Roving Hands

Chapter Three

Hermione stood there for a moment as what Draco had asked settled in.

"W-what?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"Marry me. I love you and I want to spend my life with you. I want the world to know how much you mean to me."

"Draco, are you...do you mean it?"

"Every word, luv."

Hermione dropped down to her knees in front of him, almost at eye level. Even kneeling, he was a little bit taller than she was. Just enough that she had to look up into his eyes.

"Yes. Draco, yes!"

She wrapped her arms around him and they embraced each other tightly. Draco pulled away and grabbed her left hand, sliding the gorgeous diamond engagement ring onto her ring finger. Smiling at her, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. As she began to kiss him back, he gently ran his tongue across her bottom lip, teasing her. She parted her lips and deepened the kiss. His hands moved from her waist, one sliding up to tangle in her unruly curls, the other resting on the middle of her back, holding her close. Her hands also moved, one wrapping tightly around his thin waist, the other caught between them, lightly resting on his chest.

Draco parted first and took a few deep breaths.

"I was going to suggest we tell our respective Heads of Houses, but I personally think that can wait" he murmured.

"Agreed" Hermione whispered as she too took a deep breath.

Draco stood and scooped Hermione into his arms. Spinning around as she giggled, he pressed his forehead against hers.

"I love you" he whispered.

"I love you, Draco" came the reply.

He walked over to his king-sized four poster canopy bed and set his fiancée down. He smiled as her hair fanned out on the black silk pillow, mingling with the red rose petals he had spread on the bed earlier.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked after seeing a faraway appear in his eyes.

Truth was, he had been thinking about last year, when they first formed their tentative friendship.

FLASHBACK

"Now, for this particular potion, I'm supposed to divide you into pairs, separating Housemates. So, don't complain to me about your partners" drawled Snape in his usual bored tone.

"Potter and Zabini. Weasley and McMillian. Boot and Parkinson. Malfoy and Granger."

Hermione groaned. Figures. Blaise Zabini was alright. For a Slytherin anyways. It wasn't likely that he would give Harry much trouble. And Ron was paired with Ernie McMillian, who wasn't a Slytherin at all. It was just her luck that she would end up with Malfoy.

Draco had smirked as he heard his own name paired with Granger's. Last time Snape had paired them up, she had gotten fed up with him halfway through class and had told him she would finish everything on her own. And so she did, and they both got full marks for the day. Snape had even almost praised her work.

He scanned the directions on the board in front of him, noting with slight distaste that he probably wasn't getting an easy out of work again this time-there were a few steps that required three hands, and as far as he could tell, Granger still just had two.

'Damn. Looks like we'll have to cooperate. Me, actually cooperate with Granger. Curse you Snape' he thought to himself as the smirk disappeared and a scowl took its place.

"Something wrong Malfoy? I hope the directions aren't using words that are too big for you to comprehend" Hermione muttered under her breath.

"Shut up Mudblood. I am a prefect you know" he retorted.

"Only because Slytherin house needs two per year, a boy and a girl. And with the exception of Blaise, who I believe turned the position down, the rest of the Slytherin boys in our year have brains comparable to the size of a troll's. The fact that you were picked over that, is all well and good, but still isn't a huge compliment to your intelligence."

Draco raised his eyebrows. Something was wrong. She didn't usually insult people this harshly this early in the morning. Or repeatedly.

"What's wrong Granger? Weasley not able to get you off last night? I always knew those gigantic feet had to be compensating for something."

"Shut the hell up Malfoy. What's wrong is none of your business. Ron and I are not sleeping together. Not that that's your business either. Same goes with Harry. Now help get this stupid potion put together so I can get out of here and away from your-your-stupid...smirking face" she hissed.

"My stupid smirking face? Oh, that's a good one. A real winner. No wonder you're beating me in every class. I spend too much time thinking of good comebacks" he said with one of his infamous smirks gracing his lips.

"You know what? Make the damn potion yourself."

Hermione gathered her things together and stood, her chair scraping against the dungeon's stone floor, gathering everyone's attention. She began walking to the door, her head held high and her back as straight as her heavy bag would allow. She had almost made her escape when she heard Snape call out,

"Miss Granger? I don't believe you've been dismissed. Where do you think you are going?" he drawled.

"I don't know! The library! And I don't give a damn. Malfoy can finish the fucking potion by himself!" she snapped.

"20 points from Gryffindor for language Miss Granger. And if you walk out that door, I'm giving you a weeks worth of detentions as well. And do you really want your partner to fail for the day as well?"

"Fine. And its his own bloody fault I'm leaving anyway."

And with that, Hermione finished making her way to the door, pulled it open, and slammed it behind her. The rest of the class gaped. A few remembered Hermione storming out of Divination in their third year, but most never imagined that it would be a repeat performance.

"Mr. Malfoy, I'm sorry. But today's work cannot be done by one person. You're dismissed as well."

Draco nodded in understanding as he repacked everything. As he left, he couldn't help but wonder what had gotten Granger so upset.

'Not that I care.' he reminded himself. 'It's just that I failed Potions for the day. I never fail Potions. Neither does she.'

As he rounded the corner, his ears picked up the faint sound of muffled sobs.

'She didn't make it to the library I guess.'

He started to laugh when he saw how heartbroken she looked. She still hadn't noticed him, and it wouldn't be hard for him to just turn around and-

"Oh perfect. You again." she said as she rubbed her eyes with her sweater sleeve. "Have you come to laugh at me? Poke fun? See Mudblood Granger at her most vulnerable? Am I going to hear jokes being made about me and about this for the next weeks? 'Granger had a meltdown in the hallway. Her face was all red and her eyes were all puffy and she looked at least ten times worse than normal,' right? Well go ahead. I don't care anymore. Nobody else does. Why should I?"

It was the last statement that made Draco frown in confusion.

'Nobody cared? What are Potter and Weasley doing then?' he wondered.

"Granger, you are out of you mind. Nobody cares? Potter and Weasley don't care? You're kidding, right? You've lost it girl."

"Nobody cares. Not even Harry or Ron. If they cared, why am I talking to you about nobody caring instead of them?"

'Is she serious?' Draco asked himself.

"Because they're still in Potions. Like you and I were until you decided to hate me more than normal today."

A strange look passed over her face. "Oh, right. Well, if you're not going to laugh, move along. You're in my crying jag space."

"Oh no. No more crying. I can't stand seeing girls cry. You're coming with me." he told her as he grasped her arm and helped her stand.

"Where are we going?" she asked after he had released her arm and had begun to walk away.

"The kitchens. You need a butterbeer. Then, after you've calmed down, you're going to tell me what's suddenly got you thinking that nobody cares."

She stopped in her tracks and an incredulous expression crossed her features. "Why are you being so nice to me? I was horrible to you in Potions. I made you fail for the day."

Draco also stopped walking. He turned and faced her, the question 'why am I being so nice?' popping into his conscious thought.

"Because. You are...freaking me out. Yea, that's it. I'm freaked out. You're acting like a normal teenage girl and it scares me" he stammered out. Seeing her glare, he quickly continued. "Not like that. I meant because you're usually acting all mature and adult-like. I've never seen you on a chocolate day."

"Chocolate day?"

Draco blushed. 'Why am I rambling?'

"That's what my mum and Pansy call them. Like, when girls just eat chocolate until they feel better. Which really, I don't understand. Because if you eat too much chocolate, you get fat. And being fat usually makes girls unhappy. So they eat more chocolate. Vicious cycle if you ask me." He stopped as he heard a small laugh escape Hermione's lips. Turning to look at her, he threw a mock frown in her direction.

"Yea, go on and laugh at me. After I held myself back for you. Bloody thanks I get." he muttered.

He turned away again and smiled slightly before continuing on to the kitchens.

END FLASHBACK

"I was thinking how beautiful you are" he told her. "And how I think we should start practicing for our honeymoon. Our news can wait. We've kept us a secret this long. Waiting till tomorrow morning isn't going to hurt anything."

Hermione nodded. "Definitely agreed" she whispered. The she put her hands on his shoulders and brought him down to kiss her.

"Now shut up and kiss me" she murmured against his lips.

"Yes ma'am."