Thank you to everyone once again. Enjoy:)
"Is that a yes?" Draco tried to make light of the situation, a little unnerved by her reaction.
She wiped away at the tears, trying desperately to get a hold of her emotions.
"Why?" She sniffed.
"Why do I want to spend the rest of my life with such a talented and beautiful witch?" He asked with a grin. This whole thing was not going the way he had envisioned.
"I just don't understand you" She laughed shaking her head.
"Don't leave me hanging I'm starting to think you're going to say no" He said.
"Of course I'll marry you Draco" She smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Even though I think you've gone completely insane"
"I'm pretty sure others will think you have lost your mind" He chuckled, kissing her lips softly.
"Well everyone can go to hell for all I care" She grinned, resting her head on his chest.
"They'll come around" He assured her. Whatever her or his friends thought about the matter, they would in time accept it. Niether group would relish losing their friend. "Maybe I should start on dinner"
"Urgh, I couldn't think of anything worse right now" She groaned.
"I didn't realise my cooking was so bad" He looked down at her.
"It's not that I've just had a very upset stomach lately" She confessed.
"You amaze me, Hermione. Here you are a healer and you decide to suffer in silence" He shook his head.
"It's just a mild gastric upset, it'll pass" She shrugged.
"Whatever you say Healer" He smirked.
Draco lent back, content to just enjoy this moment of domestic bliss with his future wife.
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Ginny and Harry both sat in shock at the news Hermione had just given them, noticing for the first time that she wore a ring.
"You're getting married?" Ginny asked.
"Yes I am, we haven't set a date as yet but I wanted you all to know of MY decision" She stressed, staring daggers at Harry.
"That's fantastic, Hermione" Ginny beamed, not noticing the small exchange.
"Thank you Ginny" Hermione replied, waiting for Harry to say something.
Ginny also turned to look at her husband, who was sitting unusually quiet.
"You don't need me to say anything Hermione" He shrugged.
"Yes I do Harry, I need you to if not accept him then to at least promise me you will accept my decision" Hermione ground out.
"What's going on?" Ginny asked, looking at her husband intently.
"Draco came to let me know what he was planning to do, I thought he owed it to Hermione to let her know what she was getting herself into" Harry explained.
"Oh Harry" Ginny shook her head.
"While I understand where you were coming from Harry, I would appreciate it if you never did something like that again" Hermione sighed, losing a bit of her anger.
"Doesn't it bother you what he's done?" Harry abrubtly asked.
"Harry she just said.." Ginny began.
"No Ginny, I need to understand how she is fine marrying someone who tortured her kind and probably had a lot of fun doing it!" Harry yelled angrily.
"That is none of your business Harry and if you can't see that I'm sorry but I can't remain friends with you" Hermione whispered sadly.
"You're willing to throw our friendship away?" He asked horrified.
"No Harry you are. Goodbye Ginny" Hermione turned her attention to her. It was apparent Ginny was very upset about what was happening but she knew there was no use in interfering. Hermione apparated quickly, steadying her emotions until she reached her flat. The last thing she needed was splinching herself too.
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Draco did not ask Hermione how her meeting with Potter had gone. He didn't have to because it was written all over her face when she returned. Instead of talking about it he decided the best thing for her was to completely forget the entire thing, her friends would come around eventually.
"I've prepared some dinner" He informed her.
"That sounds nice" She smiled tightly, rubbing her forehead.
"Feeling sick again?" He asked concerned.
"I'm ok" She dismissed.
"Come sit down, I'll bring dinner out" He gestured to the dining room as he wandered back into the kitchen to retrieve their dinner.
A huge part of him wanted to Imperio Potter into accepting his relationship with Hermione. The pain he had inflicted on Hermione made Draco's insides burn, causing visions of punching Potter enter his mind. But that avenue would only help prove exactly whey Potter had reservations in the first place. Sighing he picked up both their plates, returning to the dining room where she was waiting for him.
He noticed her right away, her body sprawled mere inches from the table clearly unconscious.
"Hermione" He yelled, dropping the plates carelessly onto the table as he dropped to his knees beside her.
"Hermione" He yelled again, lifting her body to a sitting position in an effort to revive her. Terror gripped him when she still did not respond, lying lifeless in his arms. Quickly he lent down to see if she was breathing, relief flooding him when he saw that she was.
"Damn it" He cursed, not knowing what he was going to do.
Placing her back on the ground gently, he took out his wand casting his Patronus as best he could. The dragon looked at him expectantly.
"Go to Potter tell him Hermione needs him" He ordered turning his attention back to her unconscious body.
He didn't know why he wanted Potter here; he would never be able to explain it when he thought about it later. Perhaps as her best friend he felt assured the healers would listen to him more urgently then an ex death eater.
"Hermione" He whispered, rocking her gently in his arms.
"What happened?" Harry appeared at his side, his face etched with the same terror Draco felt.
"I went into the kitchen to get dinner when I got back she had collapsed" Draco explained as calmly as he could, stepping back so that Harry could take a look.
"How has she been lately?" Harry asked, putting his hand to her neck.
"She's complained of nausea" Draco revealed, confused as to what Harry was doing. Shouldn't he be taking out his wand? Draco thought wondering if this was some kind of muggle thing.
"We need to get her to St Mungos" Harry stood up.
"You carry her, they'll be more willing to listen to you" Draco instructed.
"Healers don't let their personal feelings get in the way Malfoy" Harry shook his head.
"I still think you should be the one to carry her, please" Draco's voice broke as he found himself growing a little hysterical.
Harry simply nodded lifting Hermione into his arms and quickly apparated. Draco took a deep breath to calm his emotions before following.
When he appeared he could see two healers speaking with Harry, both turning to look at him oddly.
"We need to hurry" Harry warned bringing their focus back to Hermione.
"Take her into the room" The female healer instructed, gesturing to a room at the end of the corridor.
Draco followed feeling very out of place as though he didn't belong here. The way the healers had looked at him only served to further this feeling.
"What's happened?" The female healer directed her question to Harry.
"Draco was with her when it happened, you should talk to him" Harry said sternly, stepping back.
"Well?" She asked him this time curtly.
"We were about to have dinner when I found her unconscious" Draco relayed, ignoring her attitude.
"Was there anyone else in the room?" She asked.
"Look healer, I would really appreciate it if you would take a look at her in case this is actually an emergency" He ground out, peeved at her careless attitude.
Harry placed a steadying hand on his shoulder.
The female healer did not respond but turned to examine Hermione, using her wand to cast several spells Draco had never heard.
"She's stable, I will need to further examine her privately but I have ruled out any curses" The healer told them.
"Curses?" Draco asked confused.
"Its standard procedure to look for possible curses Mr Malfoy" She said.
"We'll step outside and wait" Harry said, gently pushing for Draco to follow him.
"Did she complain of any symptoms?" The healer asked.
"Only an upset stomach" Draco answered before following Harry into the lobby.
"I'm going to get us a drink" Harry offered, leaving Draco alone.
He didn't know what was going on but Draco had never been more scared in his life. He began to realise how much he had missed in the past few days. Her loss of appetite and weight loss were now apparent to him as was how tired she had seemed to be all the time.
Terror clutched at his stomach as he hoped his family weren't responsible for this somehow.
"Here you go" Harry gave him a glass of clear liquid and sat down.
Draco followed suit drinking whatever it was that Potter had given him.
"Do you think my family did this?" Draco asked.
"Did they have an opportunity to?" Harry asked.
"Not as far as I know" Draco shook his head.
"It could be nothing Malfoy for all we know she has food poisoning" Harry sighed.
"I'll feel better once the healer comes out" Draco said gruffly.
"Why did you call for me by the way?" Harry questioned.
"I don't really know Potter; maybe I knew that they would trust you"
Draco could have given him a million reasons but nothing seemed to fit.
"We had a fight you know"
"I guessed that"
"What I'm trying to say is I'm hoping it didn't trigger anything" Harry said softly.
"It's alright Potter you'll have plenty of time to grovel at her feet when she wakes up" Draco couldn't help but smirk.
"She's got such a knack for making you feel like you're a child when she's going off at you" Harry laughed.
"Tell me about it, she gets this tone in her voice that tells you, you need to back down" Draco agreed smiling slightly.
"You should have seen her chew Ron out when he came back after leaving us while we were on the run, I was surprised Ron didn't get down on his knees" Harry recounted the memory with mirth.
"He left you?" Draco arched an eyebrow, he'd never known about this little rift.
"He was wearing a horcrux, the dark magic played with his mind. He actually thought Hermione and I were getting a bit too close for his comfort. But he eventually came back" Harry smiled.
"I really don't get you Potter, one minute you're telling me what an awful wizard I am, the next we're talking like this" Draco shook his head.
"I never said I didn't like you Malfoy, you have to understand how difficult it is to switch from thinking of you as a death eater to seeing you marry someone I consider to be a sister" Harry sighed.
"You have to understand the pain you're causing her every time you go against her wishes" Draco pointed out without anger.
"I swear I'll try Malfoy that's all I can promise"
Draco nodded, it was enough that the wizard had agreed to try, he wouldn't persist.
The healer opened the room's door, a grave look on her face.
Draco felt his whole body go rigid, whatever this was it wasn't good.
"Come on Malfoy" Harry stood reaching the healer before he noticed Draco hadn't followed. "What's wrong?" He said returning to Draco's side.
"I want her to tell you first" Draco confessed.
"Are you sure?" Harry asked feeling a little overwhelmed.
Draco only nodded, watching as Harry went back to speak with the healer. As he watched he tried to decipher what the news was, the healer was no help with her calm features and he couldn't see Potter's face. Looking down at his feet he waited patiently for Potter to return.