Hey everyone, thank you so much to those that reviewed.

In response to one of the reviews – Hermione didn't ask for draco's fidelity not because she would be okay with him cheating on her, but because when Draco told his conditions they were supposed to be the conditions of the binding – valid for both of them and non optional – hermione's conditions were more personal and what she desired from him.

Sorry if that was not clear. :) in future I will try to remember that when someone else reads it they don't already know what I do about the story. When I proof read I know what it is supposed to mean so it all makes sense to me, sorry about that! :)

There is something about the atmosphere, now I had finally accepted the ring from Draco – a platinum band with a large black stone that looks like a Malfoy family heirloom; which is probably older than America – that has a soft tension falling over the room and for a moment I wonder if we are ever going to be 'just us' like we used to be.

I start to fear that maybe this is going to ruin everything about us. We used to be happy just being friends. I used to love spending time together and snuggling up on the sofa as I educated him on muggle technology and he taught me about proper table manners – god; what that boy does for fun! – Because it was all so simple and carefree.

The snow hasn't stopped falling outside the window and for a moment we just watch it together in silence. "I guess it is time to tell your mother and father then?" I look towards the blond man beside me – it's his natural colour... I lost that five galleons; I even knew Blaise was a slippery bastard, at least next time I know not to bet against him!

Nodding, his eyes finally draw away from the weather and turn to look at me; there is something in the grey orbs that makes me start, something I have never seen before but I don't have time to figure it out because as soon as it appears he schools it. "Yeah... I guess now would be the best time." He smiles and moves his hand from the silver sheet between us to touch the top of my thigh and he watches me apprehensively.

"Draco?" I ask, holding my breath and trying to figure out that damn look in his eyes, "I have to go." I stand, jumping away from his touch and moving towards the door.

"What about my parents?" He stands up as I do, watching me cautiously as I take the brass handle in my grip and twist the knob between my fingers. When it doesn't twist I turn to look at him expectantly.

Shaking my head, the strange sensation brought on by the closeness still hasn't abated and I feel like the only thing I need now is fresh air and a little time to think things over. Suddenly, the ring on my finger feels all too heavy and I try to rip it off, "Second thoughts already?"

"Draco, please let me out!" I pull on the handle again and watch his fingers move almost imperceptibly as he drags the door back into the frame. "That's not fair." I tell him, eyeing his wand as it sits on the bedside table ten feet away and knowing that, even without his wand, he still has more power in one hand then I do in my whole body. "Bastard!"

"No, I always let you run away from things, not anymore!" he moves closer and I back into the door, trying the knob as he seems distracted but it still doesn't turn. Finally, after what feels like an eternity, he reaches me and blocks me with his hands on either side on my head, "The ring will never come off; it's an old family tradition, I assume to trap the women into marriage after they find out what the Malfoy's are really like."

I look into his eyes as they grow predatory, backing me into the wall and seeming to enjoy my reaction, "I guess you had to inherit your personality from somewhere!" I smile, watching as his face shatters into a grin and all the tension in his shoulders seems to die away as he presses his fingers into the wood by my head."You are not going to pull a complete one eighty on me now, are you?" I ask, pressing my hands into the front of his shirt and trying to hold his advancing body far enough away so that his head still appears as one.

As I watch him, he shakes his head from side to side; his blond hair falling into his eyes as he does so. "Never, Baby Girl," He smiles, holding onto one of my hips with a long fingered hand while continuing to block me in with the other on the door frame. "Tell me what's wrong."

"I don't know what to think, I'm a bit overwhelmed." I tell him, looking up at him as he blinks gently, his eyes kind and sweet and everything you wouldn't expect from Draco Malfoy. "I'm going to be marrying my best friend."

"That's the best way to do it."

"How the fuck would you know?" I slap my hand over my mouth, appalled at my own language and suddenly we both burst into hysterics. "Sorry, I don't know where that came from."

The hand not resting on my hip moves to push my hair back behind my shoulder and I shut my eyes as a strange sensation washes over my stomach, "We didn't kiss after I gave you the ring, you ran away too fast!"

"I don't know if I want to kiss you right now," I tell him honestly, there is just too much at stake. I've only ever kissed three boys; two were complete arseholes and one was gay, so it's not like I ever received any complements. ViKtor and Cormac just slammed their lips into mine and hoped for the best, while Ron slobbered everywhere and I sort of just accepted it as it was.

What if I am completely rubbish at it? What if he decides that we have nothing but he can't take the ring back, a wedding without the physical aspect would be unfair on both of us.

"Stop over thinking things!" he tells me, grabbing onto me by the collar of my cloak and pulling me closer into his warm, inviting body. Again there is this strange tingle inside me and I don't understand where it has come from. I am far from being in love with Draco Malfoy and yesterday I would have claimed that I had no sexual attraction to him either.

Today however, there is something deep inside of me that purrs when he runs one of his hands down to the small of my back under my cloak and presses us closer together, "It's the partial bonding from the ring," Draco tells me, his thumb making small circles on the bare skin between my jeans and top. "It gives us a strange sort of sensation, not as much as the full bonding when we are married, but it draws us closer together and makes us want each other... as soon as you kiss me it will go." He smiles and his lips brush ever so gently over mine.

The beast in my chest rears and I grab onto his shoulders, pulling him closer to me as he fists a hand into my hair and cups the back of my head gently. "Draco," I moan, letting him lift my legs from the ground and push me against the door. Gripping him ever closer, our lips collide again; pushing and pulling at each other's until something snaps inside me. "Stop!"

He releases me, holding onto my hips and letting my feet slide down his body until I reach the floor. "Sorry about that." He smiles, pulling away and taking my hand in his, his lips look swollen and I can assume that mine look very much the same way.

I unlock our fingers and clasp my hands together away from where he can reach them, "Open the door please, Draco. We must go and inform your parents of our impending nuptials."

"Baby Girl–" he begins but I stop him with a placid shake of my head.

"Please open the door, Draco." I whisper into the quiet room, growing dark now that the sun has begun to set.

Hey, please dont hate me for the super short chapter, I will update again either tonight or tomorrow with an extra long chapter, I just thought that their first kiss, however awkward it was, should have its own chapter.