Some Secrets Should Be Told

A/N- I'm so sorry about the delay.. a few unpleasant things came up, but my story is finished and all of my chapters are now beta'd so it should be finished being posted soon.

Luvhp- There is a reason for what happened in the last chapter, and why the boys aren't being punished, other than the obvious fact that Harry needs to save the world:P It's in the last chapter:)

ElricMaxwell- Well thank you so much, that means a lot to me that you are really enjoying this story. You came at the perfect time too, this story only has twenty chapter:P You won't have to wait long till the end!

Here's chapter 18, I hope you all enjoy it!

Shannon xoxox



Chapter 18: Should I be Happy, or Sad?
Hermione's Point Of View

I'm laying here with Draco in his bed. His back is to me, and he's barely said a word all morning. He's withdrawing. I know he's sad, but he is not allowing himself to grieve properly. Blaise came in this morning, but left with an "I'm so sorry," at Draco’s silence.

"You won't be any less of a man if you cry," I say to him. He finally turns and faces me.

"I don't want to cry," he gasps out.

"Okay," I say, "but you know that if you do I won't make fun of you. You've lost your family, Draco, I can't imagine you not being sad about that."

He takes a shuddering breath and looks into my eyes. He looks lost, "I didn't get to speak to them. I didn't get their opinion about you."

So is that what's been bothering him?

I feel myself get slightly angry, but I don't want to make him feel worse.

"If you want to respect how you think they would feel... you don't have to be with me," I say slowly and quietly, looking away from his eyes.

He wraps me in a tight embrace and pulls me closer to him. "I want to be with you. I've lost almost everything I love," he says sadly, "I don't want to lose you, too... "

I feel a prickling in the corners of my eyes, but I don't want to cry either.

"Draco... " I say, but I am at a loss for words, I don't know how to make him feel better.

"You realise our relationship is based on sadness, don't you?" he asks.

I shake my head. "No, it isn't"

"Yes. I started to fall for you because you were being hurt, which made me pay attention to you. Now I've lost my family and you are staying here with me."

"Well... okay. Maybe it kind of has been, but I'm happy that I'm here with you."

He gives me a short smile and takes a deep breath, still holding me close.

"I want to stay with you," he whispers in my ear.

"I'll stay with you, Draco. I'll be here until you feel better."

"I want to stay with you... forever"

My heart stops beating. Is he serious? I give him a little smile, but I don't know how to voice my thoughts. I'm happy right now, and that is ultimately making me feel sad because he is so upset.

"I guess I'm going to have to plan a funeral," he says heavily, his eyes tearing up again.

I just hold him tightly.

***

We are sitting side by side in the front row. Our hands are clasped and tears are flowing down my cheeks from behind my sunglasses. Draco is trying to hold strong as he listens to Severus Snape speak about how great his parents were. The funeral is a large one, the fact that the Malfoy parents were Death Eaters had been kept quiet well. Draco hasn't and will not get up to speak in front of everyone. His grief has kept him withdrawn and terribly quiet. Most of the Professors from school are here and also most of the Slytherin students, with their parents. The funeral is a nice one, it's being held at Malfoy Manor, outside in the gardens.

We listen to the eulogy in silence, and when it's over the crowd gets up and leaves the area; Draco and I leading the pack. He stands stiffly as people walk by him and give him their condolences, they barely acknowledge me, but I'm fine with that. When the last person finally passes by, Blaise approaches. He stands beside Draco in silence and then after he claps him on the back, walks away to his mother.

Finally, after everyone is out of sight and gone to the wake, Draco breaks down. He leans into me, and I wrap my arms around him lovingly. His sobs are shaking his entire body, and I lead him to a chair so he can sit down. He sits heavily, and pulls me down onto his lap. I don't argue. I lean my chin on his head and he pushes his face into my neck, really letting it out.

"Draco... " I say after a few minutes.

"I'm sorry," he says between sobs.

I shake my head, "Don't be sorry, okay? You have every reason in the world to be crying."

Neither of us say anything for a few minutes, and I allow him to continue crying into my neck. I can feel all of his tears running down my neck, under my halter-top and down my chest. That's fine.

Draco finally starts calming down, and he's holding me tightly to him. Tears are still steadily flowing out from beneath my glasses, but not really for his parents. More for him.

I see a flash out of the corner of my eye and look up. There's a photographer taking pictures of this! How disgusting.

Rita Skeeter walks forward. I should have known. Draco looks up at her, and his eyes are red and his cheeks are blotchy.

"Hi, Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent for the Daily Prophet. I was wondering if I could get an interview."

"No," Draco says to her harshly, getting up quickly so I lose my balance and fall off of his lap and onto the ground, another picture flashes at me while I'm on the ground.

He looks down at me when I grunt and reaches out to help pick me up. "Sorry," he whispers.

I shake my head. "It's fine."

He grabs my hand and pulls me away from Rita.

"Okay, well maybe later then?" she shouts from behind us, grinning at her accomplice.

Draco stops suddenly when we are out of her range. He pulls me into another tight hug and smiles down at me. I find this odd.

"Hermione," he says pulling my sunglasses up my face and into my hair so he can look deep into my eyes, "I love you. I do. I love you with all of my heart now, and I know we haven't been together that long but," he leans down onto one knee and grabs both of my hands. My heart starts beating a violent tattoo against my chest. "I was wondering if you would do me the honour of becoming my wife."

My heart beats all the way into my throat, and my tears begin flowing more copiously.

I break out into a big, goofy, watery smile. "Yes, Draco! Yes!" I say, and he smiles in relief. He stands up and I jump into his arms, placing kisses all over his face. He laughs and pulls a ring box out of his pocket, opening it to reveal a beautiful, simple diamond ring. He places it on the ring finger of my left hand and I smile at him even more broadly.

"I love you," he whispers into my hair.

"I love you, too!" I say, finding it a little odd that he's asking me at his parents' funeral.

"I know it's a weird time," he says, totally reading my thoughts, "but I just wanted you to know... now that my family is gone... I want to start one of my own."

I smile up at him. My life is getting so much better!

We walk hand in hand towards the wake, and I pull my sunglasses back down over my eyes. Professor Dumbledore is standing off to the side, his eyes twinkling madly at us.

How does he know everything?

****

Everyone leaves the Manor after about an hour or two, but Draco and I are given permission to stay here for the night. There is extra protection put on it to make sure that no one will be able to get in but Draco, and whoever he is with.

****

We leave the Manor early the next morning, making it to Hogwarts in time to still eat breakfast. We sit at our different tables and there is suddenly an angry yell from the Slytherin one. Pansy is standing up, brandishing the Daily Prophet in Draco's face. I look over questioningly, and the rest of the students watch in interest.

"You're marrying her?!" Pansy screams at Draco, who looks completely unsurprised by the situation.

"Yeah," he says calmly, smiling over at me.

I smile back.

Pansy has a complete fit, and is escorted out of the Great Hall by Professor Snape himself, but she doesn't go quietly.

I look away from the scene and notice that all of the students are whispering behind their hands, all giving me and Draco odd looks.

Ginny walks over to me with the Daily Prophet in her hands. "Hermione, I just want to apologize to you. For... you know."

I smile at her, "It's okay, you were worried."

She holds out the newspaper to me and smiles. "Congratulations!" she squeals, pulling me into a hug.

Malfoy Heir, Marrying Muggleborn

I shake my head at the headline and put the newspaper down. I don't care that it's a little degrading on my part, all I care is that I'm happy and that Draco is happy. That we're happy.