A/N: Hello Hello Hello!

Alright, let me just start off, I had a whole other chapter outlined and I started it and threw it away. I hated it. Was not the vibe for the story that I needed at this point, felt very beginning of the story and I wasn't going to give you garbage that I hated.

Instead, you now get this. Draco POV and I enjoyed it so much more. Dramione, isn't that what we're all here for anyway?

Chapter 15: The Marriage Requests

"Good morning, Janet. Have a good holiday?"

"Lovely, as they all are. My children brought all the grandkids over, my granddaughter just had her little girl in September. Oh, that precious baby is great granny's little joy. But enough about me, how was yours, Mr. Malfoy?"

"That does sound like a wonderful holiday. Mine, well, it was the best holiday I've had in years, actually. I got to spend it with all my children for the first time ever." Draco replied to Hermione's elderly secretary, sending her his signature smirk that always made her blush.

"I didn't realize you had children. How old are they?" She asked, setting her quill to the side and clasping her hands in front of herself, giving him her full attention.

"I have thirteen-year-old boy/girl twins and an eleven-year-old son." Draco proudly told her, pulling out a picture of all three that he'd taken at the Tornados game.

"Oh my, look how precious they are. They look remarkably like Ms. Granger's own set of twins." The elderly woman said, adjusting her glasses and leaning in closer. "What are their names?"

"Mila, Milo, and Scorpius," Draco replied with a smirk right as Granger came around the corner with a coffee in hand.

"Morning Malfoy, Janet. Jilli should be out shortly to grab you and prep you for today's session." She said, addressing Draco. "Lovely holiday, Janet?" Granger asked, as Janet looked back and forth between Granger and Draco.

A smile of recognition crossed the secretary's face. "Very lovely, Mr. Malfoy was just telling me about your holiday Ms. Granger." Draco couldn't help but chuckle at the look of surprise that crossed Hermione's face.

"Oh, well, I told you how I had that slight problem with the doxies. Mr. Malfoy was kind enough to invite myself and the children to stay at his home while they were on holiday." Granger quickly answered, the flush rising on her face. Draco found this endearing and made the smirk on his face spread even wider.

"And I didn't realize that the two of you had children together, that's just so wonderful. Mr. Malfoy, did you know that Ms. Granger isn't currently seeing anyone? What about you? Married, girlfriend?" Granger's face continued to turn a deeper shade of red the more her secretary spoke, but before she could answer, Draco replied.

"Widowed actually. I haven't had any interest in dating until the last few weeks," Draco said, winking at Granger, who was now stuttering and shuffling her paperwork in her hands.

"Yes, well. Janet, I'll be in my office. Malfoy, go get ready for our appointment and stop bothering everyone," Granger said, turning quickly and disappearing into her office, the door slamming behind her.

The quiet that followed Granger's departure only lasted long enough for Janet to cast a quick silencing spell towards Granger's office door. Once that was done, she turned towards Draco with a mischievous smile dancing on her lips. "I've worked for Ms. Granger for twelve years, Mr. Malfoy," the elderly woman said, turning her body so she was facing him. "I've watched a plethora of men try to catch her eye. I've seen her date men who were threatened by her intelligence and drive. I've watched others who she stayed with much too long just because she was too nice to end things." The smile continued to play at the corners of Janet's mouth as she paused for a moment to look him in the eye, "twelve years Mr. Malfoy. In twelve years, I've never seen anyone make her blush the way she does when she's near you. Treat her and your children right."

Standing, she patted his arm and gestured for him to follow her. "Jilli and Brandon just sent a message, you may go back to your usual exam room. Have a good day, Mr. Malfoy." Janet walked him to the doorway, waving her wand to admit him access before turning and going back to her desk without another word.

Draco couldn't help the smug look on his face as he entered the exam room. Both Jilli and Brandon looked up at him and greeted him. He returned the gesture before Brandon had him lay down on the exam table. The two healers finished preparing him for the day's procedure with all their diagnostic spells to monitor him.

"Having a good day, Mr. Malfoy?" Jilli asked, walking over and handing him the normal concoction they used to put him to sleep.

"A very good day, thank you for asking." After drinking his potion, Jilli instructed Draco to start counting backwards from one hundred. He only made it to ninety-five before he was asleep.

Sitting at his desk in his home office, Draco was busy sifting through all the mail that came in to deal with his family's estate. With his father in prison until 2018 and his mother off in France avoiding the dismal reputation that was now associated with the Malfoy family name, everything had fallen onto Draco's shoulders to take care of.

In the almost five years since the war ended, it had been a struggle to keep up with everything. Luckily, he did have staff that took care of the majority of the workload. However, there were still a few things that Draco personally was responsible for. The endless stream of marriage contracts being one of them.

He had a pre-written response that he sent back to all of those hopeful pureblood fathers. The original missive sat untouched, and he would use a Gemino for however many times he needed it on a weekly basis. Dear, blank, while I appreciate your interest in making an arrangement between myself and blank, I'm afraid that I'm currently not looking for a marriage at this time. If that is to change, I will contact you. Thank you for your time, Draco Malfoy.

He was never going to contact anyone. There was no reason to, he didn't have any interest in marrying some faceless pureblood princess that was pushed onto him by her parents. No, that nonsense was stopping with Draco. The pureblood Malfoy line was coming to an end with him, well that was if she would have him.

Merlin help him, but it had only been two and a half months since their first kiss. Two and a half months since she finally agreed to being his and he wasn't going to screw this up or scare her off. Granted, he had already professed his love for her, but she'd reciprocated her own feelings of love towards him. No, there was no question who the next Lady Malfoy would be, all in good time.

He pulled open his drawer and smiled at the little black velvet box sitting there. Popping it open, the ring, made from rose gold, with an oval cut sapphire surrounded by a diamond accent, was just waiting for the timing to be right before he could ask her to be his. He'd already been floating possible proposal ideas, but none seemed right. As much as he wanted to drop to one knee every time he laid eyes on her, he knew it wasn't time.

After they'd gotten back from Siberia, he'd gone into the family vaults and found the gems. Hermione had told him that sapphire was her favorite stone because it was her birth stone, so that's the one he'd picked out. He'd spoken with the Goblins and commissioned for the ring to be made, since he didn't want to give her one of his family heirlooms. No, Hermione deserve more than one of the Black or Malfoy family rings. She deserved something new, something that was only hers, the start of their own legacy.

She was going to be the next Mrs. Malfoy, in his heart, Draco knew this to be true. Since their eighth year he'd slowly fallen more in love with her with every passing moment. When almost everyone else from his past life had abandoned him, Hermione had come in and been the breath of fresh air that he didn't know he needed until he had her.

Theo and Blaise, while they were his best mates, had gone on their own paths in life. They had their own careers and families to think about, not to mention rebuilding their own reputations.

Hermione had stood beside him while they did their curse breaker training. Even while obtaining a charms mastery, she'd made him a priority. She was his partner back at Hogwarts, during curse breaker training, as curse breakers, and now she was his partner in life.

All he had to do was wait for the right moment to ask her to be his wife. And when she said yes, he would never let her go.

One marriage request caught Draco's eye as he was finishing making the copies of his generic response. Winston and Anitta Greengrass. Draco couldn't help the chuckle that came out of him as he ripped open the letter. Winston was desperate to marry off his youngest daughter, Astoria.

Draco had been friendly with her older sister, Daphne, who had also been a Slytherin in his year. He knew that Lucius and Winston had been working on a contract between himself and Daphne when they were younger, but they'd never been able to come to an agreement they were both satisfied with.

The tides had turned for the Greengrass family when Daphne had been disowned. Following the war, Daphne had rebelled against her family and refused to redo her seventh year. Instead, she sat her N.E. at the Ministry and scored decent marks.

The real shock had been when she had her scores transferred so she could attend a muggle university. There, she met a man in her law program, whom she'd ultimately gone off and married. The last Draco had heard, she was a big shot muggle prosecutor alongside her husband.

All this gossip had come from Theo and his wife, Penelope. Theo had told Draco that right before he had met Penny, Winston had reached out to him, as well, concerning a marriage contract between himself and Astoria. Hell, Theo had said even Goyle had been offered the younger daughter. Theo hadn't been interested in marriage and had declined, but Goyle turned down the request due to ongoing health issues with the young witch.

Using his engraved letter opener, Draco sliced the expensive envelope open. Quickly scanning the contents of the message, he was shocked and slightly mortified by what he found.

Dear Mr. Malfoy,

It has come to my attention that as head of the Malfoy family, you have neglected your duty thus far in securing a suitable wife. I would like to rectify this oversight and offer you the chance to wed my daughter, Astoria.

I realize that in recent years there have come into question where my family's loyalties lay, and I would like to assure you that they are to the wizarding world. As a fellow sacred twenty-eight family, we do have the lineage that you would seek out in a wife, as well as a sizable dowry. We ensure Astoria's purity and virtue during her monthly healer exams and are willing to have our family healer sign an affidavit as proof.

I understand the importance of your rebuilding of the Malfoy Dynasty, and I can assure you that you would have the support of the Greengrass family. While we support the ideals of blood purity, we kept ourselves distanced from The Dark Lord as we did not agree with his chosen methods.

Astoria did complete her education at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the top ten of her graduating class. She has been trained in etiquette and how to manage an estate. Astoria also speaks French, German, and Italian, as was required by her governess. Under her mother, she has been learning how to organize charity events and present as a perfect hostess.

We keep Astoria on a strict diet and exercise regime to ensure that her figure would be up to your liking. If you require specific measurements, I will gladly obtain those for you.

I look forward to doing business with you.

Winston Greengrass

Setting the letter aside, Draco was stunned. This was by far one of the most forward and disgusting letters Draco had ever received. Monthly invasive checks to see if his twenty-one-year-old daughter was still a virgin. The offer of sending her measurements, just everything in here sounded so wrong. It wasn't just a marriage request, but it felt as if they were trying to sell their daughter to him.

Grabbing a quill, Draco tossed aside his pre-written messages and penned out his response to the Greengrass family head. Maybe it was rash, but here wasn't just some faceless pureblood girl. This was a family he'd known; he'd grown up with. He may not have been friends with them, but he'd still interacted with them. Maybe Hermione's feminist ways were starting to sink in a bit, but this was too much.

Mr. Greengrass,

I have received your missive and felt that I should respond to you beyond my usual dismissals to marriage requests. I felt that it was necessary I should say more to you in particular, seeing as our families have history.

I will not be marrying your daughter, as you've suggested, I am not neglecting my duty to my family name. I have chosen a wife for myself and am looking forward to the many happy and fulfilling years that I will have with her standing by my side.

The war over blood supremacy has been fought twice and won at last. There are no more loyalties beyond being loyal to humans, wizarding or muggle alike. We all live, breathe, and die in the same ways. The Sacred Twenty-Eight is not something that I wish to continue to associate with the Malfoy name, as I rebuild my reputation into something more, something for my future children to be proud of. I want my family name to command respect for what we have to offer to the world, not strike fear into those who may stand against me in my ideals.

As Daphne found her way out from under your thumb, I can only hope the same for Astoria. I will not partake in an arranged marriage, and I would hope that you will not force such a fate upon your daughter.

The world has changed, Mr. Greengrass, and I implore that you change along with it.

Regards,

Draco Lucius Malfoy

Draco stepped away from his desk and without hesitation, called over his personal owl. "Gwen, can you deliver this directly to Winston Greengrass?" He said, scratching the feathers on the top of her head. "Don't let anyone else take it, and maybe nip his fingers a bit while you're there." With a hoot, Gwen was out the window and soring away in the sky.

The sound of heels clicking against his hardwood floors could be heard, as she approached. He smiled when warm soft hands wrapped around his waist. The smell of jasmine from her shampoo was overwhelming as Draco tipped his head over his shoulder. Nuzzling his face in her wild curls, Draco pressed his lips to her temple. He let out a sigh, knowing that while he couldn't change the fate of Astoria Greengrass, he hoped his message would be heard.

"Did you get everything done that you hoped to?" Hermione asked, dipping her body under his arm so that she was snuggled up into his side and able to look up at him.

"I hope I got more than that done. How was lunch with Potter and Weaslette?" Draco asked, looking down into the beautiful chocolate orbs that were her eyes.

"Harry was fine, he just solved that case he's been working on," Hermione told him, going up on her toes to give him a kiss.

"Oh, was it the son that broke into the business for the insurance claim, just like I said it was weeks ago?" Draco asked as Hermione pulled back laughing and shaking her head.

"It was the son and daughter actually. Just because you figured it out without evidence doesn't mean Harry can arrest someone without it." Hermione said, using the tip of her finger and tapping the tip of his nose with it.

"And Weaslette? Or did she bail at the last second, again?" Draco asked, watching Hermione's face drop slightly.

"She really believes that there's something going on between Harry and me. I broke things off with Ron well over a year ago, and it still feels like she is holding it against me. We weren't a good fit, and it wasn't going to work. I didn't leave him for you, Ron and I just don't belong together." Hermione explained, still looking crestfallen. She'd lost so much in her life, and even though her and the Weasel hadn't been a match romantically, she still valued the friendship they'd shared as children. Not only his, but his entire bloody family's friendship.

Wrapping his arms around her, Draco pulled Hermione into his chest so he could tilt her head up. He brushed his lips against hers as he whispered, "I love you, Hermione Granger." His mind drifted back to the little black velvet box sitting in his desk drawer. Not today, but soon, he would ask this incredible witch to be his.

"I love you too, Draco Malfoy."

The darkness took over as the memory faded away. His whole self shifted back to the present, and slowly Draco could start to feel the cool table he was laying on in the procedure room. He could feel the sweat beading on his forehead and taste the salt from the tears he'd shed reliving that moment. He was going to propose to her. He'd declined all those offers and had never told her how many marriage requests he got, because he didn't want her to be upset by it. He was going to make her his, and that chance had been stolen from him. Maybe if only he hadn't waited, had taken a leap, he would have had her. But then he wouldn't have Scorpius…

"Draco," he could hear Hermione's hoarse whisper from next to him. "Draco, I can see your vitals, I know you're awake." Gulping down the nerves that had formed, Draco turned his head, looking into the eyes of the woman he loved with everything he was.

She was older. More wrinkles from tears and laughter, some grey hairs in the mess of brown curls, and her face was a bit rounder than it had been almost fifteen years ago. Merlin help him, she was still the most breathtaking creature he'd ever laid eyes on. "Hey, Granger," he murmured at her. A throat cleared in the background and a 'we'll just, yeah…' was heard, but he didn't know what Healer had said it, not that it mattered. The only thing or person who mattered to him was the woman sitting next to him.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She asked, her beautiful face pulled into a look of confusion and pain.

"I didn't want you to worry, I had a system and I never had someone pursue further than a second inquiry." It was true, from what he remembered, only a handful had tried writing to him a second time. Trying to get a better timeline of when he might be available, but he'd just ignored them, and they went away. "I knew that I was going to marry you, and I didn't want you to question my commitment or your worth to our relationship."

"You didn't want me to worry? Draco, what? It's in the past now, but Gods, Draco. Look at this mess we're in now. Narcissa said we needed to ask your father, your father-in-law sent that repulsive letter about his daughter, your wife." Hermione dropped her head into her hands and Draco could see the tears pouring down her face.

Shifting himself off the table so that he was sitting up, Draco reached out and wrapped his arms around her. Running his fingers in her hair, he said nothing, just used the feel and smell of her to keep him grounded. The smell of jasmine was coming off her, just as it had in his memory, making his heart break just a little more.

"I hated Astoria. For…for years, I've hated her. I've hated you. Her family treated her like she was their property to sell. You had a ring and then you were made to forget me, and I've hated you all these years for breaking my heart." Hermione didn't hold back her thoughts, letting them all pour out. She clung to his shirt, balling the cotton into her fists as her body shook with the force of her sobs.

Not knowing what to say that could ease the pain she was in, Draco held onto her tight. He'd loved Astoria, as a friend. Their marriage hadn't been a sham, it had been real. It may have been arranged, but they had respected each other. He had never been in love with Astoria, but he'd been proud that she was his wife. She was beautiful, brave, strong, and intelligent. She was a brilliant mother who saw the errors of the way they were raised and had been stern with Draco that Scorpius was to never fall down that same path.

"I hated a dead woman, a dying woman. Every article that came out about you and your family, I read it. I didn't want to, but I did. How could I never find that? Find what you had tossed me aside for. I was a single mother who was struggling, trying to make my way in a new career, just to distance myself from you." She said, the tears still falling.

"All that time, you wanted me…you wanted all of me…" Hermione's voice shook, and all Draco could do was try and pull her as tight against his chest as he could.

He knew, there was no question, he'd been so deeply in love with Hermione there was no possible way that he'd just fallen out of love. It was all coming back, how he'd picked that ring, and what he'd said to the Goblin who had made it. Astoria's ring had been one of the old Black heirlooms, one from a great grandmother. He hadn't spent more than fifteen minutes in the family vault before he found it and said it was good enough. He hadn't put any effort into it, just accepted what was there.

Hermione's ring had taken two months before he deemed it perfect for his witch. His entire being, his entire soul, his entire heart had belonged to her. His parents, for all their faults, had a loving relationship, even though it had been arranged. When he'd married Astoria, he'd just assumed that one day they would find their way into that type of marriage. He'd hoped that one day his heart could belong to her, but even as he stood by her while she died, he never was in love with her. It wasn't meant to be though, because he already belonged to someone else, even if his mind didn't know it, his heart did.

"I'm so sorry, Draco." Hermione pulled back away from him, looking up into his eyes, the tears were still caught in her lashes. "I'm so sorry that I ever doubted you, please forgive me."

He could feel his face softening under her gaze as he shushed her. "You have nothing to be sorry for, silly witch." He said, using the pad of his thumb to wipe away the tears that still dampened her face. "I should have told you about the marriage requests, I shouldn't have kept any secrets from you."

Shaking her head, Hermione reached up and wrapped her arms around the base of his neck. "You don't have to share everything with me, Draco Malfoy. But, for future reference, if some crazy man is trying to sell you his daughter, maybe clue me in."

Nodding his head in agreement, because this woman had some sort of spell on him that made all those etiquette classes he'd taken as a child go out the window. "Though, I don't think that will be a problem. You see, I haven't even kissed a woman since 2011, nor have I had any marriage contracts thrown my way since I sent howlers back to the first round of people who did after I became a widow."

Laughing, Hermione nodded her head, "sounds good." Reaching up, she caressed his cheek with those perfect hands of hers. Draco leaned into her touch, the feel of her warm soft petite hands brought something alive in him that until recently, he didn't know he still possessed.

"Hermione," he whispered. Her movements stilled as she looked up at him with large questioning eyes. "I'd really like to kiss…" the request wasn't even finished before her whole body was thrown into his. His fingers were tangled into her curls and her nails were scraping against his scalp.

A cough caused them to pull apart and looking over his shoulder stood Janet with a large grin on her face. "Ms. Granger, your next appointment arrived fifteen minutes ago, and I said that I would check to see if you would be done soon. Would you like me to reschedule them?"

Hermione jumped back out of Draco's arms and began straightening her lab coat that had gotten wrinkled during their embrace. Clearing her throat and pulling her hair into a bun on the top of her head, Hermione shook her head. "No, I'll be right out. Thank you, Janet."

The elderly woman gave them each one last smirk before turning and leaving them alone again. "I'll, uh, yeah. I'll send you an owl or something…yeah." Hermione said, waving her wand over herself casting a cooling charm. Leaning in, she gave him a soft chaste on his lips before stepping away.

"See you soon, Hermione."

"Yeah, see you soon, Draco."

A/N: THE FIRST KISS!

But, Screw Winston Greengrass. His entire letter made my skin crawl, fucking creep.

Next chapter (I didn't throw this out and it's really what's to come I swear!) The kids get more answers, the adults are coming to Hogwarts to talk to the fifth years for career day. Mila and Hermione POV chapter and the more answers we get the closer to the end we get.

Do I have a final chapter count yet? No, funny idea though. I do think there's like 10ish more chapters after this? Idk, I have the story mapped out, but if I hate something I'm very likely to throw it out if it doesn't fit the way I want it to. ANYWAY, love you all. Until next week!