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“He’s wearing it. He’s wearing the ring. He’s got the blasted thing on his finger, Hermione.” Harry glanced at the door behind him nervously. Draco had already found the damned thing and he was in no mood to be caught discussing the situation with Hermione. That nosy little wanker already knows too much. “And he hasn’t said a damn word.”
“Harry, you need to relax. He might’ve found the ring but you can still propose. Do you really think he would have just put it on and pretended it wasn’t on his finger if he didn’t want this? I know you’re a bit dense but honestly Harry, I think he just wants you to ask him already.” Harry could hear a fussy Hugo in the background of Hermione’s exasperated tone and decided that she was the last person he should be calling. Ron was off in Canada working on a North American branch of Wizard Wheezes, and got held up because of the weather and Hermione thinks the Ministry will collapse without her. “Give me one seco- Rose please stop touching that, if you hurt it Mummy’s buying.” Harry put the call on speaker and scrolled down his contacts until he got to the Z’s. Draco could really drag this out if he wanted to. The obvious solution would be to just propose, ring or no ring. And admit defeat? He bit his lip. “Harry? I’ll floo you when I get these two to bed. Rose is getting handsy with some very delicate mandrakes, and I’d really rather not get Neville bruised plants for Christmas. Don’t forget lunch tomorrow at the Burrow, Ron’s finally got a portkey.”
Harry mumbled a quick goodbye before quickly typing out a message.
Meet me at the Brew in 10, and bring your kit.
***
Harry had snagged a corner booth where he could keep an eye on every exit and entrance of the cramped bar. It‘s the same spot he’d seen Draco at for the first time since he’d returned from France. Harry has just finished ordering another pint when he’d set his eyes on Blaise Zabini. Blaise, instead of returning to Hogwarts for his 8th year, decided to travel in pursuit of precious metals and stones and now markets and designs jewelry to both the muggle and magical public. But his best he saves for higher profile clients and Ginny.
He stuck his chin out as a greeting before placing a wordless muffliato around their table. “Harry, you’ve pulled me out of bed with someone I hadn’t seen in weeks. You’d better be dying to have me here at this hour.” He didn’t try to hide his smile when he reached over and grabbed the glass mug that had appeared on the table.
“Spare me, I know Ginny returned from the States three nights ago, you’re lucky I didn’t call you earlier. And as a matter of fact yes I might die, of a stroke, if I don’t get another ring.” Blaise paused before swallowing the contents of his cup entirely, raising it to ensure his refill and then placed the glass down. Harry swallowed, “I didn’t lose it, I didn’t even hide it well to keep it away from Draco.” Blaise watched Harry slowly lift his head and drop it back on to the sticky table in front of him with an amused smirk.
“Knock it off Potty, you’re not a bloody house elf. What do you mean he found it? I thought you were going to propose?” Harry made a muffled sound and Blaise pursed his lips. “How did he find it?”
“I don’t know, you know how Draco is. I was going to propose. I was I swear it, but every time I’d planned it out, something ridiculous would happen. It’s like I’m cursed. I took him to that muggle observatory in London he’s always going on about and was going to do it there but it started snowing so they closed the telescope exhibit. Then we went to Madrialo’s and we’d found that Draco black’s-don’t-have-allergies Malfoy is allergic to hibiscus extract and because neither of us new any spells strong enough to help, we were forced to go to St Mungo’s and a hospital is hardly an appropriate place for a proposal. When we were at the Manor last weekend for dinner with Narcissa, Andromeda and Teddy the bloody table caught fire when I reached in my pocket, because Teddy’s magic gets unstable when he’s sick and he sneezed. On Monday, Draco and I stayed up watching the live action Grinch, ‘because it’s one thousand times better than the cartoon version ta ever so, Potter,’ and I look over at him ready to propose before the Grinch’s heart grows and he’s asleep. I wasn’t going to wake him to propose, he’d hex me- I’d hex me. The next morning, I’m walking out of the shower and I smell bacon. Bacon! Kreacher was off doing whatever it is he does when I tell him to take the day off, and Draco who mind you has never made breakfast in his damn life is in our bloody kitchen not burning the bacon. And he’s holding his stupid coffee mug- you know the one that has a hole on the bottom that only he has the locking piece to so no one drinks from it but him- with his left hand, ring shining and with the other he’s making bacon. The muggle way, he didn’t even use magic! And get this- then he kisses me good morning and offers me a slice of bacon, but says absolutely nothing about the ring hugging his finger. And he has continued to act like its not there for the past 5 days. So fuck it. If he wants to play this game I can too. I’m buying another ring and so help me God I will take the other ring and destroy it. I am going to go home. I am going to put the fucking ring behind the toaster and I don’t care if Voldemort is back to start a third war, I am going to propose tomorrow at the Burrow after lunch and Draco can’t stop me,” Harry huffs, his face is flushed and his eyes are puffy and he is angry. God he’s just so angry.
Blaise lets out a low whistle. Harry really has gone mad, the poor lad. “Alright, I’ll help you. The fastest way to get this done is to take a ring with a similar band as the one you wanted, because believe it or not, the band is really the hardest part to make with magical rings. Especially on such short notice.” He tapped the briefcase with his wand and it popped open. “You can have a look at these here, they’re silver, the ones next to it are white gold and they are for next year’s winter collection. I’ve been working with them exclusively. I know that with the last ring you had Narcissa help you choose it. I think you can do better.” Blaise let his fingers skim the rings before landing on a white gold band. It was nice, not too thin and had an almost invisible pattern engraved into it. “I made this when you called me and told me what you wanted out of a ring. Don’t get me wrong the other piece was beautiful, as are all my others, but it’s something Narcissa chose. Not you.” Blaise held it up and Harry ran his finger over it and smiled. “Now, I can install stones, depending on how big or small and what kind they are it could take me twenty to forty minutes per stone.”
***
Harry flooed home at approximately dawn. The sky had begun to change colors shortly before he’d left the Brew. He came home to a sleeping Draco hogging the blankets and his side of the bed and his heart ached. He took his clothes off sloppily, stripping down to his pants before getting into bed with the blonde boy, who as if sensing Harry’s presence rolled over to lay on him, tangling their legs together before rubbing his nose into the crook of Harry’s neck. When he woke up at 10 to an empty bed and a missing boyfriend he grabbed his phone to send Draco a text. His lips pulling into a smile when he saw that he’d had left a sticky note on his screen saying that he was at Hermione’s watching the kids while she tidied up.
He took a shower and dressed casually. Black jeans and a light, gray sweater. Something simple, nothing to cause suspicion. He slid his phone in his pocket before running to the kitchen to grab the ring he’d shoved behind the toaster and walking to the floo.
After a heavy lunch, three rounds of free for fall quidditch and extensive cleaning charms they sat in the living room at the burrow. They were so tight on the loveseat that Draco was practically sitting on Harry. Not that he minded. He loved seeing Draco like this, flushed from laughter and eyes wrinkled closed as he laughed at Ron’s expense.
Ron had seen the sweets on the coffee table next to Molly’s lemon bars and went right for them, forgetting his nearly 30 years of being related to Fred and George. Like the vampire vine liquorice. And they’re stupidly big fangs. The situation being much funnier considering he was away on Wheezes business and should’ve known better. Draco let out a snort before laughing even harder, head on Harry’s neck, pointing at the fangs hanging out of Ron’s mouth.
Harry pulled Draco closer, pressing his lips to the back of his shoulder. “Draco?”
Draco hummed at his boyfriend, moving his hand to intertwine his fingers with Harry’s.
Harry pressed into Draco’s back as he fumbled with getting a box out of his pocket. Hermione has noticed and slowly began getting the groups attention. Harry flashed a nervous smile before sliding out from underneath his boyfriend and onto one knee. Finding the silence odd, he opened his eyes, to find his stupid boyfriend smirking at him.
Harry’s smirk deepened when he saw Draco’s eyes flicker to his left hand where a ring was currently resting and to the ring in the box. “You didn’t see that one coming, huh?”
Draco blinked slowly, once at his ring and then at Harry, before throwing himself at Harry wrapping his arms around his broad shoulder kissing the side of his face. He pulled away to plant his lips over Harry’s, letting his tongue glide over lips and then teeth when Harry laughed and pulled away.
“Draco Lucius Malf-”
“Yes,” Draco blurted.
“Draco,” Harry whispered, “I’ve wanted to do this for weeks, let me.” Giving him a pointed look, he continued. “I’m going to make this quick. You’ve made the last couple of days for me unbearable wearing that ring around everywhere as if I’d given it to you. You’re so stubborn, and difficult. You make it so hard for me to think straight, even after four years, and I don’t think that will ever change. Will you, Draco Lucius Malfoy, marry me?”
“Yes.” He snatched the ring from the box, fumbling with getting rid of the one on his finger, eager to get the obviously charmed snake on his finger. He pressed his lips on Harry’s softly before pulling him into another hug, his lips ghosting the other boys ear. “You’re such a bastard. A sneaky, fucking bastard. I can’t believe I’m going to be with you for the rest of my natural life, you plebeian.”
“I love you too.”