Author's Note: Two chapters in one day? Yeah well, I had a half day today so enjoy what comes out of my lack of schooling.

Draco was taking a shower in Hermione's room. He has been assigned his own but as he said, "We'll be married tomorrow. You can't avoid me forever," to which Hermione responded, "I can certainly try." She didn't like how childish she was acting, but come on. Draco's room was right across the hall, close enough that he could touch her door from his side with outstretched arms. And did he ever think that maybe she needed some alone time? Without her anti-love naked in the bathroom? He could have left her for the night and come back the next morning, but after their argument he said he couldn't leave with her upset. Whatever that meant.

Hermione took out her pamphlet on what the law required of her and Draco in the next day or so. She hadn't had the time to read it before she arrived, a fact that proved just how distracted and out-of-it she was. The small book was separated into six short sections. The first on the Arrangement. The next on the First Night and the Wedding. The fourth and fifth were longer in pages. They were on Sex and their Continued Marriage. The last, Refusal.

Considering she had already been through the first part of the Arrangement, Hermione decided to read up on the Wedding portion of this damn law. That and she really didn't want to think about sex and the rest of her life with Malfoy.

She flipped to the third page of the pamphlet and began reading.

"The Wedding~~The official wedding between the couple chosen in the Arrangement (see pg. 1) will take place a day after the couple has been paired. Last names between A-K will report to the auditorium by 11:00am. L-M will report by approx. 12:30 (await further information) Last names will be of the Male partner.

"What to Expect~~After reporting to the auditorium at your given times, you will be called three at a time to enter Chambers. You will be married to your partner and receive your certificate of marriage at the conclusion of the ceremony. Names will be changed and further arrangements (see pg. 11) will be made prior to your-"

Hermione looked up from the page as Draco stepped out of the bathroom. She shut the booklet and set it on her bed, not realizing that her eyes hadn't left Draco's form since he opened the door. "Why don't you take a picture, Granger," he said to her, shaking her out of her thoughts. Hermione couldn't help it though. The steam was flooding out of her bathroom and all that he had on was a borrowed white robe from the suite's closet.

"Why couldn't you shower in your room?" she retorted, knowing just how lame it sounded. She couldn't help it; not with Draco's chest poking out between the white cloth. Was she still looking at him? He's not a piece of meat, Hermione! she thought to herself. No, but he is your future husband.

Draco smirked and motioned toward the pamphlet laying on the bed, not acknowledging Hermione's poor excuse at a comeback. "Reading up on our new life together?" he asked. She nodded, almost cracking a smile at his ease. Hermione was realizing how all of a sudden she felt drawn to him, like they actually were meant to be. But that was crazy. An inkling inside of her still believed she could belong to Ron. But that meant Refusal, the last section of the book. She hadn't read that part but it had been made clear. If you refused, you and your partner would be exiled from the wizarding world, wands taken away, and a shun from those whom you had always known. It sounded harsh, really harsh, but it was to avoid a war. No one could disagree with that.

"You could say so yes," was all she said. She leaned back on the bed and picked up the book again, turning back to the First Night page, anything she could do to avoid Draco's icy eyes and smooth, wet hair that he was toweling dry. She felt...domestic with him around, like he belonged with her. Damn, who was doing this to her?

"The First Night~~On the night of the Arrangement, the parties are required to stay in their respective rooms. Doors will be unlocked and capable to be opened by ONLY the couple's pair. This will be part of your evaluation after Sex (pg. 14) on the section of Trust. Remember, the Panel is evaluating you and your pairing as a couple to see that you are a worthy match. Be responsible. There will be no Sex on the first night together. If there is evidence of intercourse it will be seen as a Refusal to comply and immediate action will be taken. You have been originally escorted to the Female's room. By 10 pm, the Males are required to leave and go to their assigned rooms."

Hermione put down the paper again. It seemed simple enough. Don't have sex the first night you're together and have the guys out by 10. Get married the next day and be evaluated. But...the evaluation. What really was that?

"Draco," Hermione said, not realizing that she had used his first name without a second thought until it escaped her lips.

He looked quizzically at her, now clad in green flannels and a black tee. How had she not seen him change? And since when did Draco wear normal pajamas! "Yes?" he asked, lifted eyebrows about to touch the ceiling.

Hermione shook it off and sat up. "What have you heard about the evaluation?"

"Doesn't that packet say anything on it?" he asked while leaning against the dresser on the far wall. Hermione shook her head and he said, "Well, I've only heard a bit...I doubt you'll be very pleased with it though."

Hermione crossed her arms. "Just tell me. It's not like I've been pleased with the rest of this process."

Draco sighed and did his best to not make this worse than it already was. "We're being evaluated on the Love, Trust, and Passion that they see between us, though I think you knew that much, seeing as you took my hand in front of that Panel member."

"I'd like to keep my magic and live in peace. Yes, that is why."

Draco nodded. "Well, though it's not foolproof, the plan is to make sure that we actually work well together. That's why they evaluate us. The Panel is untrustworthy; they don't believe us just saying we're in love, they want to see it."

"It's still the first night!" Hermione exclaimed. "What do they want from us? What if I barely knew you? Would they expect us to just be in love? What type of evaluation is this?"

"Are you implying you know me, Granger?" Draco taunted.

"I'm implying that we have a closer, whatever this actually is supposed to be, connection than some other couples. What if you had never known me? You wouldn't be able to show true love."

Draco shrugged. "That's not up to me to say, Granger. It's the Panel's job to say that. Now do you want to hear more or no?"

Hermione sighed. "Yes. Sorry."

"Alright so, to the part you're not going to like…" Draco began. "It has to do with the Panel after the wedding ceremony. You see there's another sort of ceremony that takes place."

"Yes, and?" Hermione asked, about to jump off of the bed.

"The Panel will be overseeing-" he started, just as chime rang out in the room. Draco looked away from Hermione nervously at his watch. "Damn," he said. "It's a minute to ten. I have to go now." He stood and Hermione got on her feet as well. "Wait, Malfoy you need to tell me what the ceremony is!"

He backed away and said, "Too late. I'll tell you in the morning. Night." Draco placed a kiss on her cheek quickly and left the room, entering his right across the hall.

Hermione couldn't comprehend what had just happened. First, Draco was there, telling her about the evaluation that they were going through and the next he was gone. Gone after he fucking kissed her. What was he doing? It wasn't like he could actually...have feeling for her...right?

Author's Note: Hope you enjoyed! Please review, follow, favorite!