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Thud! Hermione jumped, letting out a shriek, when the cold snowball hit her square on the back.
"You're so gonna pay for that Malfoy!" she giggled chasing him through the snow, scooping up a cold handful to toss at him along the way.
He laughed and ducked behind a big oak tree, giddy even while trying to avoid her wrath.
She picked up speed trying to catch him, but as soon as she rounded the tree he reached out and grabbed her, pulling them both rapidly to the ground.
Hermione let out a gasp as they collided with the ground, and Draco kissed her quickly.
"Truce?" he offered, as he nuzzled his cold nose into her hair.
"Okay, truce. But you're lucky. I was just about to hex the snowballs to follow you around all day," she smiled wickedly.
She leaned into him and kissed him deeply. "Why don't we head inside? I'm freezing," she suggested as she pulled herself up, tenderly wiping off a snowflake stuck to Draco's cheek.
They made their way through the snow topped maze of hedges around the Malfoy Manor, hand in hand, sharing a quiet moment between them.
Once they shook the remnants of snow from themselves, the pair made their way inside to the grand fireplace in the living room. Draco pulled out his wand and whispered Incendio. Orange light shot out of his wand onto the logs and a roaring fire started instantly.
Hermione relished in the warmth, her fingertips freezing from the hours of snowball fights and snowman building. She grabbed the blanket from the back of the couch and laid it on the floor, curling up on it in front of the fire’s warm glow. Draco sat down beside her, letting her rest between his legs. He wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her hair. They sat there, listening to the crackle of the logs, simply holding each other close.
"I had a lot of fun with you today," Hermione said as she turned her face and smiled up at him.
"I did too. And I want to spend many more days with you having fun and being silly."
He kissed her lips softly, tenderly, looking into the depths of her vibrant brown eyes.
"Honestly, I never want to spend another day without you. I know I've made a lot of mistakes in my life, but I want to move on from that. You make me feel like I truly matter. All my life I've been this scared little boy, just following orders and trying to protect his family. But you, Hermione, you have made me see real love and I'm no longer that scared little boy that wants to follow orders."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small green box.
Hermione gasped, and grinned from ear to ear. She watched as Draco got on one knee and pulled her hand into his.
"Hermione Jean Granger, I've done a lot of wrong in my life, but I know with you everything is right. Will you please marry me?" he asked, while opening the box.
She smiled lovingly as she looked at Draco, she could see the happiness in his grey eyes and couldn't imagine herself waking up to anything else every morning.
"Of course I will," she beamed, kissing him lightly.
She wiped a tear from her eye while Draco pulled the ring from the box, and delicately placed it on her finger. It was a beautiful silver ring, with a green emerald in a teardrop cut in the middle with smaller diamonds on the band.
"It's the most beautiful ring I've ever seen," she hugged him tightly, never wanting to let go.
"I was going to wait till Christmas tomorrow, but I couldn't. This moment just felt right." he looked up at her and kissed her deeply and passionately. "Every moment feels right with you."