♕ thirty three

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Draco waited at the base of the astronomy tower, fiddling nervously with the promise ring in his hand. He had told Hermione to meet him right after dinner at the bottom of the stairs. Draco had eaten quickly so that he would have time to change. 

He checked his watch for the hundredth time that minute; forty seconds and Hermione should be here. 

There was nothing subtle about what he was trying to do. He wanted to prove to Hermione that she was his everything. That she would always have him. That even if she didn't feel the same way, he wouldn't hate her. It would be impossible for him to hate her. How can you hate someone that you care so deeply for?

"Draco?" came a voice from down the hall. He tore away from his thoughts as Hermione walked down the corridor, wearing a simple white dress. She looked like an angel. 

"Hi," he breathed, grinning. 

"Hello," she said with a smile. Draco walked toward her and took her hand in his, leading her toward the stairs. 

"Sorry that this is late notice; I wanted to do something special."

Hermione gave him a small peck on the lips. 

"You're the sweetest," she said. "I'm surprised to see you so cheery after you rival house won their first Quidditch match. 

Draco laughed. 

"I'll admit, Gryffindor is looking okay..."

"Come on, that's quite the understatement. Gryffindor has practically got their hands on the cup already," Hermione said. 

"Maybe so, but you haven't seen what Slytherin's got..."

"Come on, we have Ginny. There's no way you could win with her on our team."

"Yes, but I'm Draco Malfoy," he said, spreading his hands and raising an eyebrow. Hermione smiled. 

"Fair point."

They had reached the top of the tower and Hermione gave a gasp of surprise. 

The room had been cleared, all the desks pushed up against the wall in neat rows. Only one table and two chairs remained in the center of the room, lit by candles glowing merrily in the middle of a red and gold tablecloth. A large plate of truffles and small cookies lay on both ends of the round table. The floor was bathed in silver light from the open roof above, spilling starlight onto the stone walls. 

"Oh, Draco," Hermione sighed. Draco couldn't contain his happiness. 

"Do you like it?" he asked. 

"I love it," she exclaimed. Draco's heart fluttered. 

Ever the gentleman, he pulled her chair out for her and Hermione sat, eyeing the dessert plate. 

"This is amazing," she gushed. Chocolate treats of all kind sat, looking plump and luxurious, on silver trays. Draco went to close the door and returned to the table, sitting across from Hermione and picking up a truffle. 

"I didn't know which ones to ask for, Winky let me pick them out."

Hermione's mouth dropped open. 

"Winky made these?"

Draco nodded with a sheepish grin. 

"You're so thoughtful," Hermione said. 

 Draco gestured to a square brown chocolate with pale purple drizzle. 

"I figured Lavender Cream, for sure, I know that's one of your favorites," he said. Hermione bit into it and sighed happily. The smooth vanilla cream inside was complimented perfectly by the fresh lavender and rich chocolate shell. 

"Then I got Orange Chocolate tarts, and Mint Chocolate ones too. Ice Cream bites, mini cheescakes- do you like them? Because if you don't like these ones, Winky has some extra samples I ca-"

He was quickly cut off when Hermione leaned over and kissed him passionately. All nerves flew from Draco's mind. 

She pulled away and looked him in the eye. "You're amazing, Draco. You know that, right?"

He smiled quietly and felt the promise ring in his pocket. The time was right. 

"I've been waiting to give you this for days now..." He pulled it out and Hermione gasped, hands flying to cover her mouth. 

"It's a promise ring," he said, slipping it onto her finger. A perfect fit. 

"Our initials!" Hermione said, sliding it off and examining it. "Draco, it's beautiful!"

Draco grinned, but said nothing. It had been sitting in his mind for the longest time, but he didn't know the right words to get it off his chest. What if she didn't feel the same way? What if she rebuffed his affections? 

He couldn't help but silently remark how beautiful she looked in the moonlight. 

"I love you," he blurted. For a moment, he stopped breathing, as Hermione's smile faded and she looked up, eyes locked on his. 

"What?" she asked breathlessly.

"I love you, Hermione."

She didn't say anything. 

She sat there and stared, for the longest time; it felt like minutes raced by that the two sat in silence. 

Finally- 

"I love you, Draco," she said, eyes misty. "I didn't know how to tell you, but-"

"Hermione, I love you," Draco repeated, unable to stop smiling. He stood quickly. Hermione did the same and they closed the distance between each other. Draco took her hands in his. 

"I love you more than anything in this whole entire world. I had nothing, before I met you. I didn't know how to love, I didn't know how to laugh, I didn't know what it felt like to care for someone so much. I didn't know that there was this much love in the world but now I know, now I know that you are mine and I am yours, and that there is nothing in this whole world that could keep me from loving you."

Hermione got up out of her seat and planted a passionate kiss on his lips. Draco kissed back, his heart soaring. He cupped Hermione's face in his hands and stood up as she took his hand and led him over to the door of the tower. 

"I love you so, so much," he said. 

Hermione didn't spend that night in her own dormitory...

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