Harry couldn't really discern why Draco had asked to see him that afternoon. As far as he knew the two were not going to be friends any time soon, they both were trying for Hermione's sake but they still had a long way to go. Maybe that was it, maybe this was some kind of get together designed by her.
He put the thought out of his mind as the wizard in question approached the booth, sitting down casually.
"Thanks for meeting me Potter" Draco acknowledged steadily.
"Don't sweat it, what's this about?" Harry replied.
"We don't get along and I understand why that is" Draco began, ever dropping his gaze.
Harry nodded for him to continue suspecting he had been right about the meeting.
"But that doesn't change who you are to Hermione. She looks at you like a brother and since something has happened to her parents, you're the closest thing" Draco said.
"Did she tell you what happened to them?" Harry asked him.
"No, all I know is they're not in the picture" Draco revealed.
"Death eaters murdered them but not before she had oblivated them to keep them safe" Harry knew he shouldn't really be telling him any of this especially if she hadn't. However he felt the need to remind this ex death eater just what kind of pain his people had inflicted.
"Well as I said you are her family now and in the absence of anything better I thought I should tell you that I intend of asking Hermione to marry me" Draco divulged, an air of confidence about him.
Harry didn't know whether to laugh at him or punch him. Yes he had decided to accept Hermione's relationship with the ferret. Yes he had even warmed up to him but that did not mean he actually for one second believed he was worthy of her. Over the years he had heard rumours of what Draco Malfoy had done for Voldemort, much of it included torture of muggle borns. Could he really go along and allow her to marry someone with such cruel capabilities?
"You've got to be kidding me" Harry decided to laugh instead of punching him.
"I'm quite serious Potter" Draco drawled.
"You want to ask Hermione to become a Malfoy, a name synomonous with greed, death and destruction?" Harry ground out.
"A little dramatic aren't you?" Draco rolled his eyes.
"Tell me Malfoy does she know what you did to muggle borns during the war?" Harry sneered, his anger getting the better of him.
He was rewarded when Draco suddenly turned white, his eyes averting his gaze.
"She's never asked" Draco responded quietly.
"Don't you think she deserves to know what you've done before she chains herself to you?" Harry asked.
"I came to let you know Harry because I was brought up that way but don't for a minute think I am asking for your approval" Draco bit out.
"If you are so sure of her why not tell her all about those victims?" Harry continued.
"Are you saying you never killed anyone during the war Potter?" Draco asked suddenly.
"That was different Malfoy"
"Oh really why?" Draco barked. "Because they were evil and you were good. Do you know how many of them were simply naïve, how many were forced to do what they did in order to survive?"
Harry remained silent; he didn't wish to get into an argument over ethics.
"How many of your victims had families, how many were simply at the wrong place at the wrong time?" Draco persisted.
"They chose their side" Harry answered.
"Then you might as well throw all us Slytherian pure bloods in Azkaban or ended our lives" Draco sneered.
"You people would have deserved it" Harry shouted, having had enough.
"Now who do you sound like?" Draco smirked, leaving the table without preamble.
Harry clenched his fists, trying to calm his breathing. He didn't like the way he had just sounded, so prejudiced and unforgiving. Throughout Hogwarts many had made mention of the similarities he shared with Voldemort, even he had wondered whether given the chance he could be capable of such evil.
She knew something had changed in him the minute he set foot in her flat, gone was the cheerful grin he had always worn around her. In its place was the impassive mask she had always associated with him before they had started the relationship.
"What's wrong?" She asked a little terrified.
"We need to talk" He said quietly, sitting down on the couch.
That definitely did not sound at all good, if she didn't know better it almost sounded as the beginning of an 'it's not you it's me 'speech.
"Alright" She said, making a point of sitting across from him.
"There are things you need to know about me" He said quietly.
"Apart from all the things I already know?" She raised her eyebrows. It wasn't as though she thought he was some kind of angel.
"There are some things I did during the war that not many people know of" He began, running a hand through his hair.
"What's brought this on?" She asked suspiciously, it was not like him to ever bring up his past with her.
"I went to see Potter..."
"Bloody Harry, What did he say?!" She yelled, her blood boiling.
When she managed to get her hands on her best friend he was going to be awfully sorry he had ever said anything to Draco. What right did he have to make Draco feel like this?
"He was right Hermione, there are things that you need to know before we go any further" He sighed.
"I don't need to know anything Draco. Please don't feel the need to relive anything just to make Harry happy" She pleaded.
"This isn't about him, I would just feel a lot better if you knew now and not find out from someone else down the track" Draco persisted.
"Alright, if this is really what you need to do then I'll listen" She agreed softly.
"When HE lived with us during what would have been my last year at Hogwarts, many muggles were tortured under the manor's roof" He began avoiding her eyes.
Hermione did not interrupt, allowing him to continue.
"My aunt Bella showed me the tricks of the trade so to speak" He hesitated before continuing, she could see how painful this was for him.
"I become so good at it that HE started sending muggles my way"
He looked straight at her as he spoke, his eyes boring into her.
She simply nodded, not really knowing what he wanted her to say.
"I committed awful acts Hermione, including downright murder. I should by all rights be in Azkaban" He said harshly.
"It's ok Draco, who you were in the past is not the man I have chosen to be with" She shrugged.
Draco's proverbial jaw dropped to the floor, he looked at her in shock.
"Have you heard anything I just said?"
"Do you think I wouldn't know?" She asked "I might not have known to what extent you were involved Draco but I've always known who you were back then"
"Knowing that I was a death eater is completely different to knowing I actively participated in horrendous crimes" He bit out.
"Look at the good things you did. For instance you didn't give us away at the manor" She pointed out.
"Why do you have to be so understanding?" He put his head in his hands.
"I love you Draco, I've made that choice with eyes wide open" She declared, getting up so she could sit next to him.
"No matter what anyone says, I made this choice it's not up to anyone to judge us"
"You say that now but are you willing to become a Malfoy when the name inspires such hatred?" He asked.
Hermione was dumbstruck by his question, they had never discussed any such thing and she was kind of confused as to why he would bring something like that up.
"Is that some kind of proposal?" She joked.
He sat up straight having realised just what he had said, sighing as he reached inside his jacket, retrieving a small ornate box.
"I was going to do this tonight under much more romantic circumstances but I guess now is as good a time as any" He smiled slightly, handing her the box.
Her mouth went dry.
Her heart rate sped up making her feel dizzy.
She felt the world shift under neath her as she stared at the black box in her hands still thinking that maybe it wasn't what she thought it was.
"Aren't you going to open it?" He asked softly.
She just nodded at him, slowly opening the box, knowing he was acutally asking her what she thought he was asking her. In the center of the box sat the most beautiful ring she had ever seen yet it was the simplest also. A silver band engraved with runes at the top of which sat a small pink stone.
"It's engraved with a protection spell" He revealed.
Perhaps she was hormonal, or the fact that she still felt very tired, because all of a sudden she burst into tears.