Last chapter! Grammarly is good, but when Bella Luna 92 gets a hold of this, it'll be much better.

Thanks to JK Rowling (MY QUEEN) for letting me borrow these lovely characters.

Please review, favorite, follow, or PM!

T-Minus 1 Week

"Where are we going?" Hermione asked with a laugh as Draco led her, blindfolded, through Diagon Alley.

"It's a surprise," he said, a smirk in his voice.

"My birthday was last month, and you surprised me then. What could you possibly have to surprise me with me now?" She stumbled and he caught her around the waist, pressing a kiss to her lips before grabbing her hand to drag her along behind him again.

"We've been dating for a year and two months. Did you realize that?" he asked, his voice sounding suddenly nervous.

She forced a smile. "I did." Their steps slowed and she shivered in the cool October air.

He stopped her by putting his hands on her waist. He reached up, then, and untied the blindfold. She wasn't surprised to see where they were - the park where they'd had their second date, the park where they'd decided to be together, even if it was only for a limited time.

"I wanted to take you on a date," he said, his voice nervous again.

Hermione smiled and stepped into him, hands going to his shoulders. "This is a wonderful surprise."

"This isn't the surprise," he said with a quick smile. "Come on. Let's walk."

He laced their fingers together and led her through the park.

"Do you remember," he said, rubbing his thumb along her index finger, "our first kiss?"

Hermione blushed and ducked her head. "Of course I do," she said, brushing a curl behind her ear. "It was on our third date. You took me to a pumpkin patch."

"And you were allergic to the hay, and sneezed the entire time." He smiled.

"So we went to a diner instead, and after some pepper-up potion helped me stop sneezing, we shared a milkshake." She smiled up at him. "Double chocolate strawberry."

"And then I walked you home," he said as they walked slowly down the path, their feet crunching through the fallen leaves.

"I remember being so nervous," Hermione said, releasing his hand to slip under his arm.

"Afraid I would try and kiss you?" he joked, squeezing her shoulder, and she poked his ribs with a single finger.

"Afraid you wouldn't."

"Well, you didn't really give me the chance, did you?" he said with a laugh. "I'll never forget the look on your face. Your eyes were big, your cheeks were pink, and you kissed me in the middle of saying goodnight!"

Hermione's cheeks were tinged pink. "Patience is not one of my best features," she said, ducking her head.

Draco stopped walking and tilted her chin so that she was looking up at him. "I disagree. I think it's a wonderful trait." He smirked and she stood on her toes to press her lips to his. "By the way, we're here."

"Where?" she looked away from him toward where he was looking and a smile spread across her face. "A picnic?"

"We always said we'd take one," he said, his voice gruff. "I wanted today to be special." He laced their fingers together again and tugged her toward the picnic. "Come on."

The spread he had for them brought tears to her eyes in a happy way. Her favorites were all there - freshly cut fruit, tuna sandwiches, lemon cupcakes with lemon cream cheese icing, and freshly squeezed juice - and he prepared her food after placing a warming charm around them to fight off the October chill.

They ate and talked about their favorite memories from the last year.

Their two-month sabbatical had taken them to the coast, where they spent a week laying in the sun, splashing in the waves, and making love under the stars. They'd seen countless movies and tried out just as many restaurants all over England, both muggle and wizard establishments. Since Harry and Pansy had revealed their relationship, they'd gone on double dates and had game nights in. They'd laughed and cried and every day - even the hard ones - had been better than the last.

When the food was gone, and Draco had pulled out a bottle of chilled wine, Hermione scooted across the blanket to lean against him as she sipped the rich, red liquid.

"It's been the best year of my life, Granger," he said as he pressed a kiss to her temple. She closed her eyes as that pain and sadness that she'd lived with for nearly twelve months reared forth.

"Mine too," she whispered, smiling through tears that were suddenly leaking from her eyes. "I'm so glad I got to spend this time with you."

She looked up at him, and her smile fell. He was already looking down at her, his forehead creased.

"Granger," he said, putting his wine down, then putting hers down, before taking her hands in his. "I love you."

Her breath caught and her hands shook. She opened her mouth as fresh, fat tears fell from her eyes.

"I know you didn't want us to say it, because it would make things harder." His voice cracked.

"Then why did you say it?" she asked, her tears unstoppable now.

"Becuase - " he adjusted his grip on her hands. "Because, if this is the last week we have, I needed you to know how I felt. How I feel. No matter who the bloody ministry says I have to marry, it'll be you who I love."

She stared at him for a long moment, tears blurring her vision, before she launched herself at him, spilling their wine. She wrapped her legs around his waist and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Draco," she breathed. "I love you, too." Her voice cracked as she kissed his neck once. Twice. "I love you so much, it hurts."

He tightened his grip around her and rested his forehead in the crook of her neck.

Judgment Day

"This is horrible," Hermione said, holding Draco's hand so tightly she knew it hurt.

"You'd think if they were going to put us through this, they wouldn't make us wait like this. They'd just let us get it over with," he said, his jaw tight.

"We could run," Hermione whispered, looking up at him with wild eyes. "We could run to the United States or Canada. Start fresh."

"I already thought of that," he said, his voice dark. He pulled her to him. "They put up national wards weeks after the law went into effect. We could only leave for our vacation because I agreed to let them track my magical signature the whole time." His voice was low and gravelly. Hermione's heart beat painfully in her throat.

"I don't think I can do this," Hermione said, her throat feeling raw as if she'd been screaming.

"Hey," Harry said, pushing through the crowd toward where they sat near the stairs. Pansy's hand was clasped tightly in his, her face drawn, her eyes swollen from tears.

"They're calling us in one at a time," Hermione said with a sniff. "No particular order." Draco tugged her closer.

"What's your plan?" Harry asked, sitting and pulling Pansy against his side. She buried her face in his neck and Hermione's heart broke again. And again. And again.

"Be together. Until the last possible moment," Draco said, his voice raw, too. Hermione was trembling like a leaf and he held her tightly against him.

"Us too," Harry said with a nod.

"Maybe they'll call us last, and we'll get more time," Hermione said, hopefully.

"Draco Malfoy!" a voice called, and Hermione felt like her heart might stop. Eyes all around turned toward them, and Draco's eyes - wide and panicked - shot to hers. "Draco Malfoy!" the voice called again.

"Oh, gods," Hermione whispered, her heart thundering, her hands shaking uncontrollably. "Draco - "

He pulled her to him and kissed her, hard. Her hands went into his hair and he clutched her to him. She tried to pour her love into that kiss, tried to pour any unspoken words, anything she'd forgotten to share with him and would now never get to, into the places where they touched.

"Draco Malfoy!" The voice was insistent now, and he pulled away. His hands on her face were shaking, too.

"I love you," he breathed, and she sobbed quietly, nodding against his forehead.

"I love you, too." The words weren't enough. They would never be enough. "I'll always love you."

He smirked and kissed her again, softly this time. "Always, Granger. Always."

And then, he was being gently pulled away by two wizard guards who, to their credit, looked as if they didn't want to.

Draco shrugged them off and straightened his suit jacket, then looked at her one more time. He smiled and she smiled back, even as tears streamed down her face. It wasn't until they lead him through one of the four doors that she let herself collapse, falling to the ground, hands over her mouth, as sobs wracked her body. No one moved to comfort her, and she was glad. The last hands on her had been his, and she wasn't ready for other hands to erase that memory yet.

Always, Granger. Always. She closed her eyes and tried to remember the feel of his lips as she waited for her name to be called.

It was over two hours later they finally called her name. Harry had been called shortly after Draco, and she and Pansy had sat, not touching, not speaking, drowning in their respective fear. When Pansy was called after that, Hermione had been left alone.

In the intervening time, horrible thoughts started to invade her mind. Draco had certainly gotten the charm by now. What if he'd already met his match. She imagined her - tall, beautiful, a pureblood, no doubt. She knew Draco's heart, knew he wouldn't be so easily swayed, but she also knew that the choice wasn't his to make. With the tick of each second, her heart broke a little more.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, they called her name. "Hermione Granger!"

She went voluntarily, exhausted. She was directed through the second door.

Inside was a small room with a big, reclined chair in the middle.

"Ms. Granger!" came an overly cheerful voice that belonged to a small, plump woman with rosy cheeks and brilliantly white hair that stuck out all over her head. "Welcome. Isn't this so exciting?"

"Excuse me?" Hermione asked, her voice raw.

"This!" the woman said, oblivious to Hermione's heartbreak. "We are at the forefront of a revolutionary new world! A world made up of magically compatible pairs who are destined to produce an extraordinary generation of wizarding children."

"Right." She didn't have it in her to argue.

"Now, if you'll just sit here - " she motioned toward the big, empty chair. "The charm only takes a moment."

Hermione hesitated only a moment before sitting, resigned to her fate. "How does it work?"

"It's brilliant, really," the witch said, smiling as she recorded Hermione's name on a clipboard. She flicked her wand and Hermione's vitals and physical information - eye color, hair color, height, weight, age - all floated in light blue text in the air as the witch copied it onto the clipboard. "It's a charm designed to determine a person's compatibility with another person. It takes into account your personality, your needs, your desires, essentially finding your soulmate for you!" She grinned as the floating blue text disappeared and she sat the clipboard down. "It was based on the Sorting Hat at Hogwart's - a very similar charm there. So far, we've had excellent results!"

"The Sorting Hat?" Hermione asked, her heart suddenly racing.

"Yes. Isn't that fascinating?" the witch asked. "Now, just lie back and relax. Clear your mind and let the charm do the work, alright dear?"

Hermione nodded, her mind whirring. The Sorting Hat placed you in your house based on all those factors and more, but it also took into consideration what you wanted.

"Here we go, dear."

Hermione closed her eyes, but she did not clear her mind. Draco, she thought, picturing his smile, his smirk, the way his eyes looked silver in the moonlight. She imagined the feel of his lips on hers, the feel of his hands on her skin, his breath ghosting across her ear as he whispered that he loved her. Draco.

"And, we're done!" The witch whose name she hadn't bothered to learn clapped her hands and Hermione's eyes popped open, startled. "Now, you'll go through this door, where all the other witches and wizards who haven't been matched yet are waiting. You'll know your soulmate because he or she will be, quite literally, glowing. At least for you." She winked. "It was nice to - "

But Hermione didn't wait for her to finish. She was up and through the door as quickly as she could be.

She burst into the room and was surprised by how few people were left. What if he had already been matched with someone else? What if he hadn't known about the choice?

She stood at the top of a set of small stairs and looked around the room, panicking. He wasn't here.

"Hermione." She spun around and saw Ginny, a sad look on her face.

"Ginny," she said, her heart racing. "Have you seen - "

"Harry left with Pansy. Pansy Parkinson." She choked out a sob. "Can you believe that? I was so sure we'd - "

"Harry was matched with Pansy?" Hermione asked, hope blooming fresh in her chest. "You're sure?"

"Yes. It was so strange. They just sort of fell into each other. Pansy was crying. I was sure he'd be it for me, you know?"

Hermione nodded, but her heart was pounding so hard, it hurt, and she needed to move around the room, to find Draco. "Listen, Gin. I need to go. Have you seen - "

"Granger?"

It was as if her heart stopped. His voice broke at the end and she forgot about Ginny. She swallowed, terrified to turn around. What if he wasn't glowing? What if -

She spun, quickly, like ripping off a bandaid.

There stood Draco, eyes wide and terrified, surrounded in brilliant white light like an angel.

She covered her mouth and stifled a sob that quickly turned into a laugh. As if he read her mind, they moved simultaneously and connected, shaking arms wrapping each other up. Her lips found his and she kissed him as if he were water and she was moments from dying of thirst.

"Granger," he whispered against her lips, his hands on her face slid back into her hair. "Hermione," he said.

"It took into consideration what we wanted," she said against his lips. He nodded and kissed her forehead, his hands still trembling.

"Like the Sorting Hat." His voice was rough and she gripped his cheeks, relishing in the feel of his soft stubble.

She laughed as tears slipped down her cheeks, the well of pain and sadness that she'd carried for a year trickling away.

"I love you." She kissed his lips and he locked his arms around her.

"And I love you. Always." He kissed her forehead and she felt a laugh bubble up. "Potter and Pansy left a while ago. What say we follow suit and head back to your flat?"

The normalcy of that action alone set her to laughing big and loud. He watched her, a smirk on his face before he laced their fingers together and started tugging her toward the exit. Ginny watched them go, a puzzled look on her face.

"Before we head home, can we go for a quick walk in our park?" he asked. She laughed and smiled, too overcome with happiness to noticed the nervousness in his eyes. He tucked her against his side.

The park was close by and they walked in relative silence until they came to the spot where Draco had set up their picnic.

"Granger," he said, pulling her to a bench near where they'd eaten. "This morning I woke up thinking that this would possibly be the last day we had together. But part of me had hope - hope that this would happen. That the universe would see us for what we were - soulmates - and bless me more time with you." He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her palm. "I made all kinds of plans, you know. If someone else had been assigned to me, I had a plan. I was going to take legal action. I was going to figure out a way to run, to get you to come with me. But I had faith, somehow, that things would work out for us."

"Draco - "

"I wanted to do this before. But I knew, if things didn't go our way, it would just make things more painful. But now - now I want you to know that the Ministry doesn't get to dictate this because it's my choice - it's our choice, and no matter what, I will always choose you."

"What are you saying, Draco?" Hermione asked, her heart beating an exciting cadence.

From his pocket, he pulled a small black box. He opened it and inside sat rose-gold band with a single pink quartz stone set into the band.

"I have loved you for over a year. I've known that you were it for me since our first date. I bought this after our first kiss before the Ministry intervened in our lives. And now, Hermione Jean Granger, I need to ask you a question."

Hermione opened her mouth to answer, to jump the gun, as she had for their first kiss, but she stopped herself and smiled. He saw it and smirked, kissing her softly once.

"Granger. Hermione." He stroked her cheek with his thumb and he smiled. "Marriage law or not, soulmate charm or not, you're it for me. So, please, will you marry me?"

Hermione laughed and gripped his cheeks in her hands. Months of dreading the moment that he married someone else, that she married someone else. Months of the fear that she would lose him. All had lead to this.

"Yes," she breathed, laughing as she spoke. "Oh, gods, yes."

He slipped the ring onto her finger and kissed her. She felt the laughter in his chest as he pulled her to him, the October chill fought off by his sheer presence.

After long moments of kissing, of hugging, of basking in the relief of knowing they wouldn't be separated, Hermione pulled back and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Ready to go home?" she asked, rewarded with his sigh and a quiet laugh.

"I've never been more ready."

And that's a wrap! I know it's fluffy, but...I love fluffy things. Hope you enjoyed it! Looking forward to your feedback! #DramioneForever