Hermione raised a brow at his sudden, heavy sigh. "What now?"

"I've come to a realization."

"About?"

"Your troublesome presence." He twirled his quill, sparing her a quick glance through his hair. "Your meddlesome apprenticeship is over, yet you refuse to leave me be. You insist on having me with you at any events you're invited to, and you are constantly finding reasons to invade my chambers."

She crossed her arms. "And what about it?"

The look he gave her was reminiscent of her know-it-all days in his class. "If you are going to plague me continuously with your person we might as well be married."

"Are-" she bit her lip as her heart raced, "are you proposing to me?"

He shrugged, a careful look of nonchalance on his face. "Only if you're saying yes."

"I'll say yes if you're serious."

"I'm always serious when it comes to you."