You Found Me

Chapter Twenty-One

Hermione's POV

Hermione had no idea what was going on and when she saw Draco down on one knee she was stunned into silence. The more he talked the more she smiled and the more her heart glowed.
She half chuckled when he mentioned she was technically still married and nodded as tears of joy began sliding down her cheeks.
When he had finished Hermione was crying but also smiling so brightly her cheeks hurt. "Yes. I will" she leant down and kissed his forehead before taking the ring box "But dont get upset that I cant wear this yet" she gave him an apologetic smile "I dont want to taint such a beautiful ring by putting it on while I am still married. Soon as the divorce goes through I will put on the ring"

Draco’s POV

Draco had noticed that Hermione hadn’t lost all of her baby weight, but he loved it. She had been too thin before, but he hadn’t said anything. Now she looked healthy and even more beautiful if that were possible. He was happy that he could make her happy though and her face lit up when she’d looked at the menu.

Seeing the tears pouring from her eyes though, he hoped that they were from happiness. When she answered him with a huge smile, he knew they were. The kiss made him tingle, but her comment about not wearing the ring made a pain shoot through his heart. Of course he understood. She was right too, but it just hurt that she couldn’t completely be his yet. “I understand, I said I would wait and I will.” He stood up, pulling her with him and hugging her. “Thank you.” He chuckled. “I had originally planned to seduce you, but that didn’t feel right and now I’m glad I didn’t. I want to do this right, so how do you feel about waiting until we’re married? We can still sleep together, so you don’t have nightmares, but I’d feel better if we wait for anything other than kissing.”

If she disagreed, he’d give her whatever she wanted, but he thought it would be better this way. Of course he didn’t know how long until the divorce was final, but he’d be patient for her.

Hermione's POV

Hermione was surprised by his request and was halfway through nodding when she remembered his Veela. "We can't. Doesn’t Castor have to mark me before your birthday?" She was now nervous and not about being with Draco but about him risking his life just to do things the right way. "Draco you're birthdays in two weeks, less than that actually so we can't wait for my divorce before that."

Draco’s POV 

Draco began to smile until she said they couldn’t. He then frowned, but her reasoning was completely right. He sighed. “Any idea how long the divorce will take?” He really didn’t want to have sex with a married woman if he didn’t have to. It wasn’t that he didn’t want her. Oh he did, more than anything. He knew though that if Weasley found out, he’d use it against her in some way and Draco had already put her through so much. He didn’t want to see her hurt ever again.

He thought for a moment. “Mum has a friend in the legal offices of the ministry. Maybe she can help. I don’t trust Weasley not to cause more problems for you if we do this and he finds out. So, I’d rather exhaust all other options before going that route. Is that okay?” Yes, it was his life that would be lost, but he knew Hermione would be impacted more than anyone else by his death. He wouldn’t make decisions without her. Plus after losing a year of her life, she was right. She deserved to make decisions that affected her. He just hoped she’d understand where he was coming from and that he was only trying to protect her and Rose.

Hermione's POV

He made a valid point and Hermione rubbed her arm where her scar lay out of habit whenever she got anxious. “As far as I know it would take about two months, but if your mum knows somebody and given I was under the influence of a love potion maybe it could be faster?” She ran a hand through her hair and sat on the arm of the sofa behind her “I want to do things right just like you do. And you’re right Ronald would use it against us.” She sighed and looked to Draco “I don't want to ruin the moment or our vacation but do you think you could ring your mother? I made sure she had a phone and knew how to use it before leaving the kids with her.” She quickly added “Not because I don't trust her but because phones are faster than owls in the case of emergencies.”