Draco stood in front of the modest three bedroom semi-detached house and rang the doorbell.

He tried to push down the bag of nerves that was starting to rise in his stomach. It was daft, really - he had been here before, after all.

Never without Rosie, though.

He took a deep breath as he heard footsteps approaching from inside.

The door opened and a man with greying dark hair answered. His blue eyes twinkled in recognition as they took in the unexpected visitor.

"Draco, my boy!" His voice was hearty and jovial as he warmly greeted Draco with an enthusiastic handshake. "What brings you here? Rosie didn't mention you were coming."

Draco cleared his throat feeling slightly embarrassed. "She uh- she doesn't know I'm here."

A look of surprise flitted across the mans eyes, but he didn't say anything, instead, stood back gesturing for Draco to enter. "Do come on in, we've just filled the pot."

"Thank you, Dr. Carter," Draco nodded as he wiped his feet on the welcome mat.

"Please, enough of the formalities. It's Karl to you."

Draco followed him through to the kitchen where a kindly looking woman sat at the table, her dark hair tied in a lose bun, cheeks rosy red and kind warm eyes.

"Draco, dear!" She beamed up at him. "Do sit down, I'll pour you a cup of tea."

"That's very kind of you, Susan." Draco said as he awkwardly took a seat at the table.

"So, how's our Rosie doing?" Karl asked, sitting down opposite him.

"Well, that's what I've come about," Draco shifted on the chair. It wasn't Rosie's parents who were making him feel uncomfortable- it was the question he was about to ask them.

They both looked at him expectantly. They clearly loved their daughter very much and Draco was keen to show them that he wanted to do right by Rosie. Including this.

He cleared his throat.

"I wanted to ask for your permission to marry her."

***

"Is everything OK, Draco?"

We were sat at the Slytherin table eating our dinner and I noticed he had been awfully quiet since I returned from Hogsmeade with Ginny.

He blinked, seeming to shake himself out of his thoughts. "Yes. Yes, I, uh- so, did you have a nice time in Hogsmeade?"

"Draco, you've already asked me that," I laughed. "And you're acting strange. Somethings up. I know you."

I narrowed my eyes at him as I took a mouthful of chicken. He shrugged his shoulders, refusing to meet my eye.

"I don't know what you're going on about, Rosie. Everything's fine."

Something was definitely on his mind.

***

He wasn't much better the next day. It was a Sunday and as we made our way down to breakfast he seemed rather on edge.

"Rosie?" his voice was soft, hesitant even, as he slowed down.

"Yes, Draco?" I asked, cocking a questioning eyebrow at him.

"Would you- would you like to go for lunch in Hogsmeade today?"

"Um - yes... sure," I laughed, wondering why he was acting so nervous.

A small smile tugged at his lips and he picked up the pace, pulling me along with him.

I was bewildered.

***

"You look beautiful today," Draco said as I shrugged off my cloak in the little restaurant he picked for lunch. He hurriedly took it off me, hanging it up on the peg.

I looked down at my plain white top and scruffy jeans. I wondered briefly if he was making a dig, but when I looked back up at him there was no humour in his eyes, just complete adoration.

"You don't look so bad yourself," I grinned. "Now let's sit - I'm starving!"

Draco took my hand and led us to a table by the window. He looked around it furtively, as though checking it out.

"Is this one alright for you?" He asked, looking at me expectantly as if for my approval.

I gave him a baffled look as I sat down. "It's a table, Draco - it'll do. Now sit!"

He sat down in the chair opposite. I leant across the small table for two and placed a concerned hand on his.

"Seriously, Draco, are you alright? You are not acting like yourself."

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat and cleared his throat as if about to say something.

"What can I get you?"

Draco and I simultaneously looked up at the waitress interrupting us. When she took our orders and disappeared, Draco resumed his shifting.

"Rosie, we've been through a lot, haven't we?"

I looked at him and nodded slowly. I wasn't sure where he was going with this and I started to feel a bit anxious.

He sat up stiffly, patting down his jacket as if straightening it out. He looked at me and suddenly reached out to grab both my hands in his. His adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed.

I was vaguely aware of the door of the restaurant opening and closing as more patrons entered.

"Rosie," Draco continued, his solemn grey eyes piercing into me as he spoke. "I wanted to ask you, if you would-"

"Oooo, lookie what we have here!"

Pansy Parkinson, flanked by Theodore Nott, was standing over us, her arms crossed, and her usual nasty sneer upon her face.

"Oh fuck off, Pansy!" Draco hollered loudly, taking his hands out of mine to slam them on the table, making me jump. His face was furious.

Theo went to take a threatening step in front of Pansy, but she held up an arm, stopping him.

"Drakie, dear, you really need to learn to control that temper of yours. It never was your best feature."

Draco's hands now lay shaking on the table where he had slammed them down. The scowl on his face was so fierce that his normally pale skin had a tinge of red and a small pulse was visible on his clenched jawline.

"What are you even doing here?" Draco gritted through his teeth.

Pansy gave a high pitched titter. "Regardless of what you may think, Draco, you and the Mudblood aren't the only people in the world."

I nudged my foot warningly against Draco's leg under the table as he went to make a move towards Pansy.

Pansy, ignoring this, flashed me a smirk. "And don't think you're so special, sweetheart. Draco used to bring me here all the time, didn't you darling?"

Her eyes glinted maliciously towards Draco, clearly enjoying the atmosphere she was creating.

"Just shut it, Pansy," he spat through clenched teeth.

"He used to love the stories I told him about you," she continued, ignoring him and looking at me now. "He simply relished hearing about how I would make your life hell. Tell me more Pansy," She mimicked. "Tell me how you put that filthy Mudblood in her place."

Draco stood up, his chair toppling back. The whole restaurant seemed to grow quiet. My heart was hammering in my chest as I tried to control my own temper.

But Pansy wouldn't quit.

"It used to get him all worked up, didn't it Drakie? Couldn't wait to get me back to the dorm-"

SMACK!

I wasn't usually a violent person, but she had once again pushed me too far. My hand stung where it had satisfactorily connected with her pug like face.

"Says a lot about you, doesn't it?" I sneered. "That the only way you could get your boyfriend hot for you is to talk about me."

I pushed past her, sending her toppling into Theo as she clutched her face. I didn't look back as I grabbed my cloak and stormed out. I was shaking with anger as I marched up the footpath, back towards the castle.

"Rosie!"

I heard Draco running up behind me but I didn't stop or turn around.

He caught up with me, panting, and grabbed my arm, forcing me to stop.

"Don't listen to her," he said breathlessly. "She was winding you up. I never- I never-"

I whirled around to face him; years of fury and humiliation coursing through my veins.

"Never what, Draco? Never had cosy dates with that little witch in the restaurant you just took me to? Never used to take pleasure in slagging me off? Never used to fuck her after getting turned on by her cruelty towards me?"

He looked utterly horrified. He stuttered, sounding panicked as he tried to find the right words to calm me down. Failing to find them, he roared, clutching his head.

"This was not how today was supposed to go!" He wailed, into his hands.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, still furious but curious.

His arms dropped, and he sighed - a huge, heavy, defeated sigh. Putting his hand in his pocket, he withdrew a small black velvet box.

I looked perplexedly from the box in his hand to his face.

"I wanted to ask you to marry me, Rosie."

***