Serendipity

8: Your Forever Is All That I Need

Harry
~•~

It's been two years since we graduated from Hogwarts. I've been living with Draco ever since, so it really doesn't surprise me anymore when I come from work to an empty house and a note on the table. I discard my work robes and pick it up, reading through it absentmindedly.

"We're going out tonight. I'll come and get you at 19:00. Wear something nice," it read. Strange, he usually tells me a few days in advance when we're going out.

Regardless of how oddly the situation strikes me, I do as Draco's note says and get ready to go out. I'm not entirely sure what he meant by 'nice' (as that seems to vary from casual 'nice' to extremely formal 'nice'), so I settle for something in between: a dark tartan button-down and black dress trousers. I hope this is what he meant by 'nice.'

-

19:00 comes around pretty quickly. I've no idea why, but the thought of what he might have in store gives me butterflies. It's amazing to me how he still manages to do that.

He looks gorgeous, as always. I've come to expect no less of him by now. He's wearing a white button-down and black dress trousers and the most dazzling smile I've ever seen.

"Ready to go?" he asks. I smile back at him.

"I suppose I am," I say as I take his arm and we head off.

-

We take a taxi to get to - wherever it is he's taking me. It seems to take ages before we pull to a stop. We get out in front of a large, old building with peeling paint and the taxi drives off.

"Is this where we're supposed to be?" I ask, confused.

"Of course it is! Now, close your eyes."

"Why?"

"So you won't see what I've got planned before we get in there."

Looking at the outside of the building, it's beyond me what could be in there I'd want to see. Nevertheless, I do as he told me and close my eyes, allowing him to lead me through the building.

-

Draco
~•~

I almost wish that Harry could see all the rooms we have to walk through to get to the ballroom. The entire place is absolutely amazing. Maybe I'll take him back here someday, so he can see everything.

I'll have to admit, even I'm impressed when we get to the ballroom. There's no light, save the fairy lights strung all throughout the room and candles placed all round the edges of the room. There are rose petals all across the floor (and even some on the lone round table in the middle of the room, which also holds a candle and two wine glasses). In one part of the room, towards the wall farthest from us, is a table where the caterers are working to finish preparing the food. Next to them is a small group of men playing beautiful classical music.

I lead Harry over to the table and help to seat him. "You can open your eyes now," I say. He opens his eyes and looks around him and the look of absolute wonder in his eyes, I swear, is more beautiful than anything in this room (or anywhere else, for that matter).

"Wow. This is... This is just... Wow," Harry says. I can't help but smile at him. Never been good with words, this one. Then again, I haven't exactly been a poet, either.

One of the servers comes with our plates of food and Harry manages to grow even more impressed, if that's at all possible. I don't blame him. He's not exactly used to the kind of food we're being served, as I usually only go all-out on special occasions.

"What's the occasion?" he asks, looking at the plates, which currently contain bowls of lobster bisque.

"You'll see soon enough," I respond, giving him a light smile as the wine (Merlot, of course, as Harry isn't exactly used to wine, either) was poured.

It isn't much necessary to the progression of the story to recount in detail the events of the next hour, only to summarise in saying that it involved much talking and the swapping of many different courses of food. (Though it also is of no actual value to the story, I feel inclined to add here that the foods we were served were absolutely divine.)

As we finished eating, the song changed to something soft and slow. It was one I had specifically requested, in the hopes that my oblivious little angel would get the sentiment.

"This is the first song we ever danced to," Harry said softly, a smile finding its way gently to his face, "on our first date, about seven years ago."

I stand up and offer him my hand. "May I have this dance?"

"It would be my pleasure." His smile widens as I pull him against me and lead him in the waltz, just as I had all those years ago. He leans his head on my chest and I begin to lose track of time as we dance, songs changing and the room turning with us in slow, easy circles, lights floating past almost like actual fairies come to light the evening for us. Finally, I manage to gather my wits about me and I remember why I brought him here. I pull away from him a moment.

"Harry... There's something I've got to do."

"What is it?" he asks nervously, taking a step back. I take a deep breath and begin to speak. Once I start, the words are like a raging torrent that refuse to cease in their rushing from me, but at least all of them are heartfelt:

"Harry... You're the light of my life. I don't know what I'd be - who I'd be - without you, and I don't ever want to have to find that out. I fell in love with you the day I first met you, but I didn't realise it until a couple years later and I was so confused. I went through hell trying to figure out what to do about it, but I wouldn't change any of that.

"I've found myself falling more in love with you in every passing second. I've fallen in love with every piece of you, from the tiniest little aspects of you to your most obvious characteristics.

"I've found myself never wanting to miss out on things I never thought I'd even want before I met you. I never want to miss waking up with you in my arms, or the soft little kisses you give me before bed. I never want to miss being able to tell you that I love you, or to hear you say it back. I never want to miss seeing your smile and the way you light up when you're happy. I just never want to miss a thing about you. Perhaps it's just that I don't want to ever have to miss you.

"It's taken a good, long while for us to get to this point, but I know that now is the right time for me to say this." I get down on one knee and pull a box from my pocket, opening it to reveal the ring within. "Will you do me the honour of becoming my husband?"

-

Harry
~•~

I've never heard Draco talk like that to anyone. It was... beautiful. I couldn't manage to make any form of response at first. Then, I was crying. I couldn't help it, though! I've never... felt that loved in all my years of living.

"Harry...?" Draco sounded worried. Suddenly, I was laughing along with my crying.

"Yes! Yes, of course I'll marry you, Draco! Good God, yes!"

And then Draco's smiling and he's crying as well, and then we're hugging and kissing and there's a ring on my left pinkie-finger.

"Y'know, before we got together, I swore to myself I'd do anything to make you mine," Draco said. "And it looks like I still haven't broken a promise yet."

~•~

A/N: I want to give a little credit where credit is due. Firstly, to The Proposers, for helping me find the perfect place for the proposal (even though they didn't know what it was for).

Secondly, I wanted to show you the place where the magic went down: the lovely Wilton's Music Hall, of which you'll find an image to the left.

All in all, I hope you've enjoyed the story so far!