The following day Hermione and Draco arrived at the Potter's to find everyone else already there. Pansy jumped from her seat and hugged Hermione the minute she walked through the door. Draco nodded to Ron, Harry, and Ginny. He hadn't realized Blaise and Gina wouldn't be there. This was a Golden trio and their partners dinner. He hoped he survived it.
"You're okay?" Pansy demanded to know, holding Hermione at arm's length to examine her. "Draco's been taking care of you?"
"I'm fine," Hermione assured her. "Draco's done an excellent job of caring for me."
"Well that's a first," Pansy said jokingly, looking to Draco. "Third year he killed my cactus."
"I told you I wouldn't take care of that bloody plant," Draco replied with a grin. "It's your own fault for leaving it with me."
Harry, Ron, and Ginny all took turns embracing Hermione as Draco stood awkwardly behind her.
"Oh, what the hell," Ginny said and she threw her arms around Draco.
When his arms stayed at his sides she said, "Hug me back you git."
Draco uncertainly wrapped his arms around Ginny, releasing her a second later. "You're a bad hugger," Ginny told him.
"I'll practice," Draco said wryly, looking at Hermione as she wrapped her arms around his waist and he brought his arm around her.
"Dinner is served," Kreacher said from the doorway and they all turned.
"Thank you, Kreacher," Harry replied.
"I'll run up and grab James," Ginny said. "You can all head into the dining room."
"Can I get him?" Hermione asked hopefully. "I haven't held him in ages."
"Of course!" Ginny exclaimed. "Draco, go with her, the rest of us will wait for you in the dining room."
Hermione looked curiously at Draco and he shrugged. He walked out of the room with Hermione while the others just watched in surprise.
"What are you up to Gin?" Harry asked his wife suspiciously.
"Not a thing!" she replied innocently. "Let's go into the dining room."
As they made their way into the dining room, Hermione and Draco entered James' nursery. It was painted to look like a Quidditch stadium and the walls were covered in pictures from games and of players. There were Gryffindor colors throughout the room and even a stuffed Gryffindor lion in the crib with James.
"Leave it to the Potters to have a room like this," Draco said shaking his head. "The kid doesn't have a chance."
"Draco," Hermione scolded. "That's my godson you're talking about."
Hermione picked James up from his crib and cradled him in her arms. Draco came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, placing his chin on her shoulder and looking at James.
"Maybe with you as a godmother he's got a shot," Draco said.
"He's beautiful," Hermione said, smiling as James opened his eyes and wrapped his small hand around her finger. "He'll be too big for this soon."
"They grow up fast," Draco replied, suddenly uneasy with the desire that ran through him. Not just for her, he realized, but for this. For them. For a child. Draco stepped back from Hermione and moved toward the door.
"Do you want kids?" Hermione's timid question came from behind him, stopping him at the door. Draco turned at looked at her holding James.
"I didn't before, no" Draco replied honestly. "I never wanted a child to grow up the way I did."
"And now?" Hermione asked anxiously.
Draco stared at her thoughtfully then walked back over to her. "I think I might," he said slowly. "Just not right now."
Hermione's smile bloomed across her face. "Good," she replied. "That's good."
Together they walked out of James' room and joined their friends in the dining room. Hermione took the seat on the end and Draco sat to her left. Harry sat at the head of the table and Ginny sat directly across from him at the other end. Ron was across from Hermione and Pansy was across from Draco. A minute later, an assortment of food appeared on the table.
"Kreacher really out did himself!" Hermione exclaimed, reaching for the mashed potatoes.
"He always does this when Ron comes to dinner," Ginny replied, raising an eyebrow at her brother.
Draco watched in awe as the group grabbed plates and bowls from the table, reaching over each other to get to the food, laughing as they did. He watched in shock as Pansy stole carrots directly from Ron's plate and moved them onto her own. He somehow ended up with a plate full of food in front of him and he noticed everything he liked had made it on to his plate.
"It can be a bit overwhelming," Hermione whispered with a smile. "The first time Pansy had dinner with us Ron had to make her plate too."
Draco smiled back at her in acknowledgement and began to eat. The conversation flowed well enough and Ron even managed to stop glaring at Draco. By the end of the meal, the six were stuffed full and James had fallen asleep in his rocker.
"I'm going to take him up to bed," Ginny whispered. "I'll be back shortly."
Everyone else wandered from the dining room into the living room.
"Hermione, Harry, can I speak to you a moment?" Ron requested.
Hermione and Ron agreed and followed Harry out of the room. Alone, Pansy gestured for Draco to sit with her on the couch.
"So you survived a dinner at the Potter house," Pansy said with a smile. "Congratulations."
"I never thought I'd see this happen," Draco replied with a laugh. "But I had a surprisingly good time."
"They're good people, Draco," Pansy told him, suddenly serious. "They all gave me a second chance, took me in, made me feel like I was family. They forgave me for everything I did to them. I can't tell you how happy I am to see them doing the same for you."
"They're only doing it because I'm with Hermione," he answered grudgingly. "Your boyfriend would have had me out on my arse if he wasn't half-scared of what she could do."
"They're protective," Pansy said dismissively. "But Ginny hugged you today. Harry looks at you now with respect rather than contempt and even Ron had good things to say about how much you helped them find Hermione."
"Weasley had good things to say about me?" Draco asked with a grin. "How sweet."
"Oh stop," Pansy replied, slapping his shoulder. "We're lucky Draco, very lucky. And if I haven't told you, I'm proud of you."
"Proud of me?" he questioned.
"Yes," Pansy replied, looking up as Hermione walked back into the room, followed by Ron and Harry.
Hermione sat next to Draco and Pansy moved over so that Ron could sit next to her. Ginny walked in a minute later and joined Harry on the loveseat. They sat chatting idly as Harry and Hermione kept looking at Ron. Finally, Ron cleared his throat loudly and the conversation stopped.
"Right, so, uh, Malfoy, can I have a word?" Ron asked.
Draco stared at him for a minute, unable to answer.
"Ron?" Pansy asked, concerned. "What's wrong?"
"Go," Hermione whispered and when Draco gave her a look that said you-cannot-be-serious, she continued. "Trust me."
"Er, yeah, sure, a word," Draco said, looking at Hermione.
He and Ron awkwardly walked out of the room, staying a safe distance apart as they walked.
"What's that about?" Pansy asked and Ginny looked confused as well.
"Work," Harry answered vaguely. "Pansy, how's your photography coming?"
While Pansy happily chatted about her next shoot, Ron and Draco stood in the hallway, unspeaking.
"To have a word with someone, you usually have to talk," Draco finally said.
"Pansy," Ron began, but stopped, then started again. "Hermione says Pansy is like a sister to you."
Draco thought for a moment and then nodded. "Yes," he said, still nodding. "Yeah I suppose she is."
Ron pulled a ring from his pocket and held it out to Draco. A large beautiful diamond sat on a gold band. Draco looked at Ron, mouth agape.
"You're going to?" Draco managed.
"If I have your blessing," Ron replied anxiously.
"Bloody hell," Draco breathed. "I guess I'm stuck with you forever."
Ron looked ready to hug him so Draco held out his hand in defense. Ron look at it for a minute, then shook his hand.
"You're still a ginger asshole," Draco told him.
"And you're still a pasty ferret," Ron replied.
Together they walked back into the living room. Draco took his seat next to Hermione and Pansy looked at Ron confused when he didn't sit down.
"Ron?" she asked nervously, thinking he was about to break up with her in front of his friends. "What's wrong?"
"Pansy, I love you," he said, tripping over the words. "The day that you became a part of my life and every day since have been so amazing. How about we spend the rest of our days together?
Pansy's hands flew over her mouth and Ron moved and got down on one knee in front of her.
"Pansy Parkinson, will you marry me?"
A/N: What will she saaaaaaay!?