Love Never Dies. (Draco Malfoy Fan Fiction) (Watty Awards 2013 Winner)

Chapter 23: Yes!

The only things lighting the boat up were the round orbs that hovered around the edge of the boat. But there was a yellow-ish light that seemed to illuminate the entire lake, including the boat. But before I could see what it was, Draco covered my eyes and he pulled me back, making me lean on him.

"Look up," he whispers in my ear then removing his hands from my eyes.

The sky was covered in lanterns. He remembered, he remembered in third year when I told him I loved lanterns. And the sky was full of them, hovering over the entire lake. He also remembered how much I loved being near water, how much it comforted me. I could feel tears welling up but I make sure they don't drip down my cheeks.

"It's so beautiful," I tell him, my voice cracking a bit at the end. "Perfect. Thank you so much," I say, turning around and hugging him the tightest I could. His strong arms wrapped around me and I hug him even tighter, the tightest I could hug anyone.

"I'm glad you love it," he tells me, smelling my hair. "Now get up," he lets go of me and I do the same.

Draco sits opposite me, his eyes sparkling under the silvery moonlight. His blond hair was a little messed up but it was in a nice way. He then looks at me, so deeply into me he could have seen every thought I ever had in my life.

"Rachel, without a doubt, you're the best thing that ever happened to me. I don't know what I'd have done if you hadn't come into my life. A life without you wouldn't be complete. I promise to catch you when you fall, to hold you when you're sad and to protect you when you're scared. I'll always love you, down to my last breath and beyond," - he takes a small blue velvet box out of his pocket - "Will you marry me?" He opens the box and in it lay a ruby in a princess cut. My heart lept. I couldn't control my feelings. Tears already started welling up in my eyes.

"Yes! Yes! A thousand million times, yes!" I exclaim, wrapping my arms around Draco's neck, burying my face in his chest. I could feel a smile creeping up to his lips as he slowly pulled me away.

He took the ring out from the box and placed it on my left ring finger. A tear rolled down my cheek as I saw it on my finger. I'm engaged. I'm engaged to Draco Malfoy, the boy who made me the girl I am now. Draco used his thumb and wiped the tear away from my cheek. I look up to him, elation surfacing in his eyes.

"I love you so much," he tells me, taking my hands in his.

"I love you from the moon and back and even further if you want," I tell him, my eyes welling up again. And that's when he leaned in. His lips were rough but soft, gentle yet violent. Something I never experienced before. His hands slid around my back as my hands found their way to his neck where I pulled him closer to me. There are no words to describe it. It was perfect. It was the perfect night, the perfect evening spent with the perfect boy. I loved him more than love could ever imagine and there was no doubt about that. Then, I lay down in his arms, my head resting on his chest. Our hands were intertwined under the fleece blanket.

We just look up in the dazzling sky together, appreciating the special night. "The ring was my grandmother's," Draco suddenly speaks, his eyes transfixed on a spot in the sky. "She wanted me to give it to the first girl who stole my heart."

"It's so beautiful," I tell him, looking at a pink lantern that was hovering over the boat.

"Just like you," he looks down to me, his eyes of molten silver looking into my brown ones.

I blush, and let a smile creep to my lips before staring back in the sky. "We're engaged," I tell him.

"We're engaged," he repeats, his hand holding tighter to mine. "When will we tell the others?"