Chapter 15
Draco awoke to look into his mother's face. She was hovering over him again, trying to be close without upsetting him. It was too late for that however, he was very upset. Two of the last people on earth he wanted to know he was sick, now not only knew he was sick, but knew just how sick he was. His mother had meant well, but she had just been so upset she blurted it out in front of them.
He tried to sit up only to be gently pushed back and told to relax. He was tired of relaxing and, worst of all, his mind wanted to know the damage Potter was doing to his name. 'I bet he and the Weasleys have already owled the newspaper,' He thought as his mother fussed over him. She wanted him to eat dinner, but he was in no mood to. Pushing the food away, he turned his back and grumbled to himself. He was so worried about what Potter was telling everyone he hadn't had a chance to worry about Christmas.
For some reason his mother had thought inviting a whole lot of people he didn't care for and one he did would make the holiday more fun for him. He was down right miserable because he couldn't even say they would back out. The Grangers and Potter had already said yes and his mother had owled Mrs. Weasley while he was sleeping.
An owl flew in just then giving his mum a letter. She read it only to smile wide and wave it in front of his face. "Look Draco, Molly Weasley said she'd love to come. She is going to bring the whole family!"
"That's great mum," Draco said in a soft tone as he was thinking 'Just fucking great' how was he going to make it through the holiday? It wasn't like he was friends with anyone, but his girlfriend. The worst part was his mum would ask him to buy gifts for everyone because she didn't know what they'd like. 'I hate my life.'
"You know I think that Hermione girl is the one." His mother said this out of nowhere. This brought Draco out of his thoughts to look over at her. "You can ask her on Christmas Draco, that will give you time to find her a ring."
"What?" Draco was now gaping at his mother like she was crazy. He had just started dating Hermione and she had only met his mum once. Now his mother wanted him to ask her to marry him?! "Mum isn't that rushing it just a bit?"
"Not at all, your father and I got married right after school," She gave a sort of dreamy far away look, before turning to him. "Yes, it is far time you got married too and in your condition there is no time to waste!" She thrust a plate of food in his hands. "We can have the wedding in the back yard and…" She went on and on and ON.
Draco somehow knew there was no point in fighting with her as he thought 'Great now I got to ask Hermione to marry me TOO!? This is so embarrassing and what if she says yes...Or worse yet what if she says no?'
(December 1st)
Hermione sat down on her bed trying to figure out what was on her boyfriend's mind. The day he got out of the Hospital Wing he had seemed relieved her friends had not blabbed his sickness all over school or the world. So much so he had agreed to be open about their dating, along with agreeing to hang out with her friends to try and become friends with them. It was very nice to hear him say he would try, seeing as they had a past.
That was about a month ago and so far it was not going to well. She wondered if it was because Draco really hated her friends with all his heart, but for her he was still trying. Draco told her that was not the case. He claimed the problem was he didn't feel very welcome when with them. He said that he got the feeling they just couldn't accept him in their group. To try to fix that, Hermione had begged Harry and Ron to hang out with Draco without her. Her two best friends agreed, but they were both displeased with the idea.
Draco would hang out with them, but from what her friends told her it was awkward. Draco just closed down and moved off as if trying to hide and be forgotten when with them. Harry said there were even times when he thought for sure Draco was going to scream bloody murder at him, because Draco's eye would twitch in a very violent manner. He had yet to raise his voice; in fact Harry said he would give this freaky kind of smirk and say something like 'Oh how nice' or 'Is that so' making things more then awkward.
At that very moment Draco and Harry were sitting in the command room together. She could feel the tension in the air when she walked in. Neither Draco nor Harry looked angry, but there was this feeling that they where seconds away from killing each other. "Maybe it just isn't meant to be…" She said, getting up. She had hoped they could find a way to become friends and forget their past, but it didn't look like it was going to happen.
(Down in the command room)
Draco looked over at Hermione's door, breathing out a heavy breath. "What is it you wanted to tell me?" Harry asked in a soft voice. They had got to this point where they could speak to one another without screaming, but Potter still got on his every nerve.
The kid was just so stupid at times and yet he could be so fucking full of himself too. He tried to play it off like he didn't like all the attention he got because he wasn't worth it, even though Draco had watched him go out of his way to get it. The thing that really pissed Draco off was Potter always said one thing, but he meant another. There new friendship was more than forced.
After all, if he wanted Hermione to say 'yes' which he wasn't sure he did, he had to make nice with her friends. That was another reason the making friends thing wasn't going to well. He wasn't sure if he was doing the right thing. "I've been thinking about asking Hermione to marry me." He heard Potter gasp in such a manner; you'd think he was drowning. "My mother has been on my case about it. She say's I am old enough and should especially because of my illness….I don't know though, I don't want to do it for the wrong reason…What do you think?"
It wasn't that Draco cared what Harry thought, it was that maybe if he shared this dilemma with Potter the two of them could finally have something to talk about; something that might build an understanding between them and make their friendship less painful to pretend. "Are you asking her because your mother wants you to or because you want to spend your life with her?"
"Both I think…"
(Back up stairs)
Hermione had found a pair of Draco's boxers in her closet. She smiled, remembering just how they got there. Draco's vampire half had paid her a visit the other night, pulling her into the closet for a quickie. His vampire half was becoming more active and smarter. It was up to hunting once a week now and after each hunt he wanted to mate. The mating part didn't hurt as much, because his vampire half could now speak as good as a four year old. This made it easier for her to get him to slow down and be gentle. Draco himself was also becoming more aware of his other half.
On weekends he and his dad would go out hunting. Draco had a much better handle on it and could even remember some of the stuff he did while in his vampire form. He still didn't recall their mating or eating anything, but he would remember something his dad had told him or something that happened on his hunt. It appeared this part of his life was getting better. She knew Draco still hated his other half, but he loved his dad and her so he said nothing of his feelings about it.
Hermione only knew he hated it because sometimes when he and Harry were alone he'd say something to Harry about it. At first Draco had been enraged that Harry knew about it, but after a few weeks he seemed to care less. Harry would say when Draco would open up a little bit about it, that it was probably the most friendly they would ever get. Despite this, she wondered if maybe that would be the beginning of a good friendship for the two of them. 'Gods I hope so, I want those two to get along,' she thought as she put the boxers in the hamper. 'Who knows maybe it will just take some time?'
(Down stairs)
Draco and Harry had stopped talking after Draco said his reasons for asking Hermione to marry him. They had been looking at each other blankly for at least ten minutes now. Harry suddenly nodded, sitting back in his chair. "You know there is this saying, one must learn to love one's self before they can love another." Draco sat back in his chair wondering where Potter was going with this.
"I've heard it, what's your point?" Draco asked flatly, looking up at Hermione's door when he heard her giggle with his new found vampire hearing. Potter drew his attention back by snapping his fingers. "Listen vampire boy, you've told me yourself you hate that part of you. You've said to me that you would kill it if you could. Yet, just like a second ago, you use it without the slightest bit of hate or hesitation." Harry got this strange face "Now hear this, how in the world can you be sure you love Hermione when your not even sure you love yourself?"
Draco hated to admit it, but Potter was right. He found at times he really loved his new skills. He had gotten better over the passed month to the point he no longer need any potions to make it through the day. Yet there were times he hated the very thing he was enjoying the use of. "So your saying I should love my vampire self before I ask her?"
"Well yes and no," Harry leaned forward in his chair making Draco do the same. "What I am saying is you should make damn sure you love her before you ask her. There shouldn't be a single doubt in your mind." He looked behind him a second before looking back at Draco "When you pop the question the thing you should be hoping without a doubt, is not what she will say, but that whatever her answer is will make her happy. You follow me?"
"Oddly enough Potter I do," He smirked a little "You're saying the thing I should be worrying about is what will make her the happiest." He heard Hermione getting ready to join them. "Not a word of this to her Potter, I have a lot more thinking to do." Harry nodded his head, relaxing in his chair.
"So how about those vampire teeth of yours?" Draco gave Potter an odd look as Hermione came down the stairs. He wasn't sure what Potter meant by what he said. "You ever bite your tongue with them?" That was probably the first time Harry had made Draco laugh; really truly laugh whole heartily.
"Just once, I pierced my own tongue."
(December 20th)
As the large group of people entered the great main hallway of the Malfoy home, several gasps could be heard. It was a lovely home, brightly colored and well lit; nothing about it was dark and dreary as most people thought it would be. Draco took hold of Hermione's hand as his Mother came down the long staircase, welcoming everyone to their home. She then told them which wing they would be staying in. She split them up and had a house elf show them to their rooms. Except for Hermione, she told Draco to show her the way. After all, her room was right across from his room.
Draco lead Hermione up to the fourth floor and down to the west wing, all the while her eyes took in his home. Draco finally knew what he had been wondering for the passed two months. It was so strange that he had never once felt it until a few days ago. Perhaps it was because he had so much on his mind and he was busy trying to be a good boyfriend and get control over his vampire half; He just hadn't had a clear enough mind. "Is this your room?" Hermione asked in wonder as they got to double doors with dragons covered on them.
"Yes…and that over there is were you're…" She moved to go see it, but Draco pulled her back to him. "Things will go, because you're sleeping in here with me." He started to kiss her, opening his doors to pull her into their room.
"Draco, a lady doesn't sleep in a man's bed unless their married." She teased him as she had been since they started to date. He knew she slept with his other half, but she had yet to sleep with this half.
"Then marry me, because you're sleeping with me tonight." She gave him a funny kind of look.
"Is that your idea of a proposal?" She asked, folding her arms over her chest. "Marry you so you can have sex with me tonight?" He gave her a little smirk
"No of course not." He kissed her gently as they stepped into his room. She started to look around, enjoying what she saw. He felt uneasy as she got to his dresser. "Hermione," He said softly, making her look his way. "I love you." she looked surprised. "I know I've never said it before…But I've loved you for a very long time. I guess I just never knew it, because I didn't know what it was I was feeling."
"Oh Draco," She said as she walked quickly over to him, kissing him deeply "I love you too."
"You asked me what my idea of a proposal was, right?" He asked softly as they hugged and kissed moving toward the bed. Draco closed the door and they began removing each others clothes.
"Yes, but it can wait." She said softly, moving back onto the bed. He tossed his shirt and shoes aside climbing on top of her.
"Yes it can, because first I need to make love to you." He kissed her deeply "No, it's not that I want to make love to you. I need to…" They were kissing passionately, making the moment perfect when a voice came from the end of the bed, making them both jump.
"Sorry to interrupt you sirs…But the Lady of the house is calling dinner" Said a scared little house elf with big brown eyes. Draco and Hermione both looked uneasily at one another. "Will you be comin' down to dinner then?"
"Yes…Yes we'll be right there," Draco said, reaching for his shirt. Once alone again he looked over at Hermione she looked as embarrassed as he felt. Shaking the feeling off, he put his arms around her waist "As soon as everyone goes to bed, I will make love to you." She turned to look up into his eyes.
"Why what so long?" She kissed him, running a hand up his chest. "I'll go to bed first, give me time to get ready, say about an hour and then you come to bed next." He couldn't help a little moan as she rubbed against him. "We'll be done by the time it's time for your surgery…And who knows, maybe after that we can go again."
"Oh gods I love the way you think…"