Hermione Granger. Smart, perfectionist, and in her 7th year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizarding. The Head Girl had welcomed returning to her academic schedule after the fiasco that would have been her seventh year.

By the time Draco had changed clothes and composed himself, Hermione had already begun scavenging through the large collection of books that were housed on a bookshelf in the common room of the Heads’ dorm looking for a spellbook that contained simple healing charms. She could have sworn she had seen it somewhere… Ah! There it was! She reached for the book and soon after retrieving it heard footsteps on the stairs that led down from Draco’s room. She glanced toward the noise and let out a relieved sigh.

He was wearing clothes. Thank Merlin.

“So I’ll see you later?”

“Yeah, probably.”

She rolled her eyes and smiled at him. “Bye, Draco.”

“Try not to die, Hermione.”

“I’ll do my best.” And with that, she was out the door.

“Alright, that’s perfect.” Lavender declared. “It practically guarantees that he’ll write back, but I don’t think we have to worry about that.” Lavender winked at Hermione who hid her face behind her flowers. She could not believe Draco had truly gone this far. Not only was it excessive, it was downright dangerous for their relationship! With all of the girls in on this, they wouldn’t stop until they found out exactly who he was!
This was going to be a disaster.

“So I didn’t see you or Draco at breakfast this morning.” Ginny pointed out to Hermione as they walked together in between classes. Hermione blushed immediately. She should have known that Ginny of all people would notice.

“I had to get to him before Pansy did,” Hermione replied logically.

“What did you do!?” asked an excited Ginny. “Tell me everything!”

Ginny quickly turned to a very pale faced Hermione excitedly, “Hermione! Can you believe it!? We’re going to have a ball!” Hermione mustered up a smile for her friend.

“Yeah, except I have to go with Draco…”

“Oh no, Hermione!” Lavender chimed in, mistaking Hermione’s reason for sounding unexcited. “This would have been the perfect opportunity for your secret admirer to reveal himself! Oh wow, how romantic would that have been.”

“Yeah. Romantic.”

N.E.W.T.S. The bane of all Seventh Year Hogwarts students. These were the tests that determined their careers, or lack thereof. These were the tests that measured their competence, their work ethic, their intelligence… these were the tests that their entire cumulative time at Hogwarts had led up to.

Needless to say, the majority of seventh years were freaking out.

“So when are you going to propose and make an honest woman of Hermione, eh Draco?”

Had Draco been swallowing he would have choked. He reached for his drink before answering. “That’s a pretty big question, Blaise. Especially less than six months into a relationship.”

If Blaise had been drinking anything, it would have been all over Draco. “You’re what?!”

“I’m proposing.”

“Draco? Did you forget something?” she called to him gently as she fully returned to the kitchen to pour cream into her coffee. After a few moments without hearing a response, Hermione left the kitchen with her steaming mug, repeating her question, but this time there was no one in the living room. Hermione furrowed her brows. “Drac-“