Professor Granger

Chapter 60: Endings

      JULY 3, ENTRANCE COURTYARD, HOGWARTS

Draco leaned against their tree lazily, arms wrapped around Hermione and he bent down to kiss her. Her hands knotted in his hair, catching on the bark as she pressed harder into him. The wind blew through them softly, gently pushing strands of curls across Hermione's face as the leaves rustled above them. Draco smiled, brushing his fingertips along her temple as he tucked her hair back behind her ear before kissing her again.

"Ready to go?" he whispered against her lips, eyes finding hers.

"Almost," Hermione smiled, jumping up to kiss him quickly again before dropping out of his arms. With a deep exhale, she looked up into the towering branches above her- examining the leaves as her hand slid along the rough bark. Hogwarts towered above, peaking through the green- shining in the golden sunlight.

Stepping carefully over the roots as she circled the tree, she swung back around to Draco- half hiding  for a moment as she watched him lean back and look up at the castle- seemingly in thought. Her smile faded as she watched his expression morph into an odd uneasiness. Shaking his head softly, his eyes turned to her- catching her gaze. His lip twinged back into a smirk as she squirmed out from behind the tree to capture him in her arms once again. She kissed him hard- hands sliding down his neck, over his shoulders and slowly down to his fingertips. 

"Ready," Hermione nodded to him, fingers weaving into Draco's as they stepped towards the gate to leave Hogwarts.

        QUIBBLER OFFICE, HOGSMEADE

Hermione and Draco opened the door, a small bell ringing out from above them as they clattered into the Quibbler office. 

"Luna?" Hermione called out.

"We're in here!" a series of shouts echoed from around the corner. 

Draco clasped Hermione's hand, smirking as he swung them towards the sound. 

Luna collected them both in a surprise hug, squeezing tight as Ron looked on from the couch beside a comfortably cuddled Harry and Neville. 

"It's hard to believe the year is already over- it feels like we were all moving in yesterday," Harry nodded to them as they settled into a chair- Draco pulling Hermione down onto his lap playfully as she giggled and adjusted into place.

"Agreed," Draco nodded, hand dragging lazily across Hermione's knee.

"Draco, are you excited to be working with Slughorn again at St. Mungo's this summer?" Luna smiled, pouring a cup of tea with a flourish of her wand as she sat down beside Ron.

"It will be fantastic to see the work's progress," Draco nodded with a shrug. "I'm more so looking forward to seeing what Hermione ends up writing," he grinned with a flash of his eyebrows, hands squeezing down onto her softly.

"You're writing this summer, Hermione? That's wonderful!" Luna cooed, her excited expression soothing Hermione's reddening face. 

"I'm going to try...although I'm not sure if anything will come of it," Hermione rambled nervously, anxious of expectations- both hers and others'.

"I'm sure it will be wonderful!...Oh!" Luna froze with a smile, "...Let me get that bottle so to celebrate you three's first year teaching!" She skipped excitedly across the room. 

"It's in the cupboard on the left," Ron called out after her as he followed behind her towards the kitchen.

"Those special glasses! I'll get them!" Harry called out over the bustle, turning to rummage in a nearby cabinet as Neville stumbled after him to help. Hermione adjusted on Draco, arms wrapping around his shoulders as she settled into his lap.

"Move around like that again and we'll have to go home early," Draco whispered against her ear in a playful growl- a smile at the edge of his lips as they softly tapping against her hand that he held gently- sending electric currents through her arm. Hermione's breath grew heavy, slowing as her eyes settled on him. 

"Good," she whispered back under the clatter and chaos of their friends, sliding herself up his thighs.

"Here we are!" Neville cheered as the six glasses swirled with a freshly poured bubbling liquid.

Draco's dark eyes remained on Hermione as he stretched his hand out to collect his glass from Neville.

"To Hogwarts!" Draco's voice boomed- making Hermione jump with a laugh.

"To Hogwarts!" the room exploded, glasses raised.

Hermione looked around the room, surveying her friends and Draco for a moment. Draco, quickly noticing, smirked at her- pulling her in close. With a deep steady breath, she looked up as his lips found hers in a soft kiss.

       HERMIONE & DRACO'S DIAGON ALLEY FLAT

"Is that really it?" Hermione chuckled in disbelief at Draco, breath finally calming as they settled into the soft, blue couch- finally finished unpacking. 

"It looks like it," he smiled, leaning in to kiss her slowly- hand lightly holding her jaw. 

"I'm so happy right now," she grinned wider, shaking her head in disbelief with a deep exhale as she glanced around the cozy, book-filled room. Turning back to Draco, she noticed a nervous expression on his face, brow furrowed seemingly in thought. "And are you?" Hermione tested, resting her hand on his thigh.

"Completely," Draco exhaled, letting his tensed shoulders relax as he looked up at her. "Hermione Granger....You are my life. I should have spent every moment since meeting you doing everything I could to make you happy-  I hate that I didn't- that I let anything keep us apart all those years...but now that we've made it here...." Draco's swallowed, eyes nervously bouncing between hers. "...I know what I want- need- is for you to be with me always..."

Draco took a deep breath, dropping down onto one knee. Looking up at her, eyes brimming with hope, he pulled out a small, red velvet box- clicking it open to reveal a glittering diamond ring. "Will you marry me?"

Hermione's hands trembled, adrenalin coursing through her body. In a flash, she was grasping desperately for him.

"Yes!" she yelled out as he let out a chuckling exhale of relief- sliding the ring on her finger with a wide smile as she tumbled into his arms. 

"I love you, Draco," Hermione gasped out between kisses.

"I love you, Hermione," Draco smiled against her lips, holding her close.