Author's Note:

Hey everyone.

Thank you for the reviews, follows and favorites.

I just want to explain that chapter 2-4 is all within the same first week back. Monday, Tuesday and Friday. I know, it's a busy first week. But you get to know these characters and what they are about to take on. So it's Friday, with this chapter.

Also, no, this isn't a marriage law fic. Too many of those as it is.

I also have a little fun game for you, readers. Can you figure out the meanings of the flowers that I have listed in this chapter? If you can figure it all out, then you get a surprise. What that surprise is, only I know.

So, I hope you guys enjoy this.

Alonia143.


Chapter 4.

"This is an excellent essay, Miss Granger," Professor Natalie said to her, smiling.

So far, things were doing alright between herself and the Slytherins.

Except: now.

Draco was staring at Hermione in utter shock. He never told her anything, and yet she had handed in a scroll.

His shock soon turned into anger and that anger was hidden under a mask. But the anger glowed heatedly in his hard gray eyes.

Hermione heavily sighed as she knew that he would get back at her.

"I would like for all of you to go through those doors now, one at a time. That door is your test to me," Professor Natalie told them.

"Test for what?" Seamus asked out.

"For me to understand what level all of you are at. I know that you just done with a war but, it's over with now. You came back to finish your schooling. So everyone stand up, form a line, wait for a minute and I'll see you soon," she told them all, walking out of the classroom.

Everyone got up and walked towards the door.

Harry took out his wand, walked up to the door and went inside first.

The Gryffindors followed his example as the Slytherins didn't. And that was another thing; they still split themselves from the Gryffindors.

'This is going to be a problem,' Hermione thought as the line inched closer to the door.

Her mind raced on what to do with Draco. She was at the very back of the line; with getting weird looks from the Slytherins.

When it was Draco's turn, she saw him glanced over his shoulder, his eyes locked with hers for a moment, and then walked inside after he turned his head around.

"What was that about, Granger?" Blaise asked her quietly.

"What was what about?" she asked him back.

He stared at her and then whispered low "Draco may have been roped into the narrow mindedness of his father and that group, but even I know that something is up,"

"What? Between him and I? Nothing is going on. He refused to tell me more of himself for that essay, so I had to fly solo. From what I have known of him since first year, it wasn't that difficult to think of what to write," she retorted back, keeping her marriage to Draco, out of this.

Blaise nodded and then said "He will question you on how you turned in your essay. He's a private person, Granger. During and after the war, he pretty much has shut himself off from the rest of us. Including childhood old friends,"

Hermione gaped at him but quickly shut her mouth "Then what do you want me to do? I can't just go up to him and ask what is wrong. And please, I knew you would ask me that,"

Blaise heavily sighed as they were the only ones left and said "Just try to be nicer to him. I am trying like Merlin's balls here to keep other students from harming him. I am sure you have noticed when we walked up the first night, that he was limping,"

"Yes, I did notice. But, why are they harassing him?" she asked Blaise eagerly.

"They are angry. They lost their homes, friends, and families. They need someone to blame right now. And that person to them, sadly, is Draco. Just try. And if he gets difficult, which we know he can get, come talk to me. I know that your friends will think it's weird, but, I know the wizard that is hurting behind his silence," Blaise told her and then opened the door.

Hermione didn't get say anything after that.

Before Hermione could take a single step forward, the door shrunk and then disappeared with a loud Pop sound. The shutters slammed closed by some kind of wind and even though it was daylight, the classroom was dark.

She swished her wand as it lit up the room. She saw the boney hand of a figure that she knew very well, rest on her right shoulder.

Hermione screamed, when she saw the Dementor hovering right behind her, as she landed on the ground, from her feet not moving fast enough.

It floated closer to her.

"Expecto Patronum!" she yelled at thing.

Her otter didn't appear.

"Expecto Patronum!" she said more confidently, but her otter still didn't appear.

All the while she was doing this; the dementor crept closer and closer to her.

The sucking sound from it she could hear, her world slowly started fading as she heard a door slam open, and a man's voice screamed out "Riddikulus!"

Then she fainted.


Her eyes slowly opened as she looked around.

It was the hospital wing.

"She will be alright, Mr. Potter! I don't know how many times that I have told you of this! Now, go!" Madame Pomfrey scolded him near the door.

"All right! It's just why did she go last?" He snapped back.

"You will learn that answer, Young Man, when you got some food and rest, tomorrow afternoon! Only the Headboy can get in now," Madame Pomfrey huffed and pushed him out of the hospital wing for good.

Hermione didn't really care if Harry was upset or not, she hid her face from embarrassment.

How could she not realize that it wasn't a Dementor, but a boggart?

'And they say that I'm the brightest witch of my age!' she scolded herself in her mind.

But why did it turn into a Dementor? What was so frightening of that? Well many reasons to be honest, but still.

Hermione sighed as Madam Pomfrey was in her office.

Pretty soon, Hermione was lost in her thoughts. Scolding herself to Merlin and back and forgot the time.

There was a soft knock from the doors as Hermione lifted her head to see who it was.

Madame Pomfrey walked over and peaked through the inch and half gap.

"Oh, good, it's you, Headboy. What do you need here?" Madame Pomfrey stated formally to him.

"I am here to give the Headgirl, her assignments from missing the day's classes. She hasn't woken up, yet?" Draco answered right back, holding up the parchments for proof.

Madame Pomfrey opened the door as he slipped in and the door was shut with a bang.

Draco snorted.

"She is still asleep. Please keep quiet, as I know that this isn't normal for someone who has had an encounter with a Boggart, but that was in a form of a Dementor. It took whatever energy Miss Granger had out of her," Madame Pomfrey replied.

"Thank you," Draco said and walked to where Hermione was fake being asleep.

Madame Pomfrey checked Hermione over before disappearing back into her office.

"Alright, Granger, open your eyes," Draco hissed low.

"What are you doing here, Draco?" she whispered back, opening her eyes to look at him.

"I'm only here to give you these, Granger," he snarled at her.

Hermione then realized, that the man's voice that she heard before she fainted, was none other than Draco himself. She didn't say anything on this as she saw how livid he truly was.

"Thank you," she mumbled to him when he threw the parchment on her nightstand.

"You're blood welcome. Now, when you do see a Boggart, say the damn spell or else I won't save you next time," he warned her before leaving the hospital wing.

Hermione sat there pondering on what happened in the class room after she fainted.

Madame Pomfrey walked out of her office and smiled.

"Ah, good. You're awake. Now, if you could please, tell me what you remember last?" she asked Hermione.

"It was my turn to go through the door, but it disappeared for some strange reason and right behind me was a dementor, or so I thought. I screamed….I think…landed on the ground or something and heard a man say the counter spell to it," she said, looking up at Madame Pomfrey in utter embarrassment.

"You will be alright, Miss Granger. For now, you will stay here until tomorrow. During this time frame, I request that you do not let your friends inside. It was bad enough with Potter here. Honestly, I understand that you were taken by surprise, but really," the old medical witch huffed in annoyance.

"Don't worry, I…I don't want them here," Hermione stammered, blushing more.

"Don't worry yourself too much on not spotting the boggart. A lot of people make mistakes, mostly the brilliant minded ones. They make the most, so that when they do come across the situation again, they know better that time around. You're not alone dear. Now, if you are hungry, I will send a house elf up," Madame Pomfrey said soothingly.

Hermione nodded and replied "Please? And any supplies for my homework?"

"In that drawer dear," Madame Pomfrey nodded and walked away.

Hermione got the ink bottle, quill and parchment out of the nightstand beside her and got to work on her missed work.

The bell tower sounded off at 4:30PM as Hermione had put the last of her work away and snuggled into her pillow.

Madame Pomfrey came out of her office and checked up on Hermione, but decided to let the sleeping young woman be.

"If you see this door here, open on its own, do not think twice of coming to find me," She told the nurse in the painting and then left, locking the door behind her.

Meanwhile on the third floor, in the head common room paced a young man, who was glaring and muttering under his breath. His best friend sat in the armchair.

"What happened?" Blaise asked him.

"What do you think?" Draco snarled.

"Come off it, Draco. I know that you wanted to see Granger. So what happened? You came back awfully fast," Blaise pushed it with him.

"I couldn't stand to see my wife unconscious in that room!" Draco snapped.

An eerie silence fell.

"Wife?" Blaise asked him in shock.

"Yes. Granger put on a necklace that my mother sent to her! You know the Sapphire and moonstone necklace? The one that she kept telling us not to touch when we were five or so? That necklace, Blaise," Draco spoke fast as he was angry.

Blaise had his mouth fall open and then whistled low.

"But you guys…" Blaise then said to him.

"Signed the papers on Wednesday night, since we can't break this. She hasn't told her friends for good measure. I told her everything of that necklace. I just can't believe that she didn't see it was a Boggart!" he snapped and kicked the side of the couch.

Blaise watched his friend and then said slowly "You care for her,"

Draco spun around and yelled "I do not care for her!"

"I hate to bring this to your attention, Draco, but seeing you holding her in your arms nearly in tears, means you care for her," Blaise informed him, looking at his finger nails.

Draco grounded his teeth and then sat forcefully down.

Blaise then said "When you go and see her early tomorrow morning, give her some flowers or have them be delivered to her right now so that when she wakes up, she sees them,"

"Why are you putting so much into this?" Draco asked him instead.

Blaise locked his warm liquid blue eyes with Draco's and stood up, walking over all the while stating "Because you need to stop this. I don't know who you are anymore or won't let me or any of us in. I may not show my emotions that often, but I do worry about you, Draco,"

"I'm fine mate," Draco offhandedly said.

"No, you are not. Get your wife some flowers and chocolate. Good night," Blaise scolded him and left.

Draco leaned back on the couch and closed his eyes. He didn't want to be angry anymore.

He let his mind wandered as he tried to figure out on what to do.

Draco slowly stood up, walked over to the fireplace and threw some floo powder into it stating "Narcissa Malfoy, Malfoy Manor,"

The flames turned green and his mother's image appeared.

"Good evening, darling. How are things going at Hogwarts?" she greeted him.

"Not so good, Mother," He said back.

"What happened?" she asked him.

And so, Draco told her of what happened to Hermione, how he was feeling and how to go about all of this.

"First off, Blaise's suggestion for flowers isn't a bad idea. I'll send over a flower book so that you can pick them out. And yes, dear, flowers do have meanings behind them. As for everything else, I don't know how to help. It's not that I don't want to, heavens no. It's just I don't know how to go about it," Narcissa said to him.

"Do you think, that Granger will be good for me?" he asked his mother.

"I honestly do not know, but if she can help you in anyway, then yes I do believe so. I expect that when she does visit the Manor, for you to be accompanying her, Draco," Narcissa told him.

"Yes, Mother," Draco said, looking at the floor now.

"Open up to her, dear. It wouldn't hurt to do so," his mother told him and then was gone.

Draco heavily sighed and then saw the book of flowers and their meanings at his feet.

He picked it up, opened the cover and began to read.


The bright pale yellow glow of the sun shined through the many windows of the hospital wing.

Hermione rolled onto her side; she was slowly waking up from her restful night of sleep. When she finally opened her eyes, she saw a beautiful bouquet of flowers.

Dark purple Anemones, beautiful vivid yellow daffodils, pink gladioluses, lots of Lily of the Valley, the weird looking pink Protea, King, a single massive Sunflower, with single roses of white, peach, and blue.

She knew that these meant something of great importance and so, she sat up and gently took the beautiful green vase and put it in her lap. Sniffing each flower before she looked down at the small card.

"To my wife,

I don't know how to express my emotions that well. If these flowers help, then so be it. Please let me see you today. Just circle yes or no at the bottom of this card.

Your Husband,

Draco.

Yes or No,"

Did she want to see Draco today? Did she want to talk to him?

She looked at the bottom of the card before she circled it with her fingernail. The card disappeared as she gently put the vase back on the nightstand.

Madame Pomfrey walked over to her and smiled with "You are looking much better. I may not have you that long in here, but, would you like to have your friends visit you?"

"If you can keep them at bay for another day, that would be great," Hermione said, thinking things through.

Madame Pomfrey nodded and checked Hermione over once more and walked back to her office.

There was a knock before she headed into her office and opened the door by just an inch.

"Good morning, Mr. Malfoy," Madame Pomfrey greeted him, letting him through.

"Good Morning," He replied back, slowly walking over to Hermione.

Hermione watched him walk closer until he sat down in the chair beside her bed.

Madame Pomfrey wisely closed her office door.

"Good Morning, Hermione," Draco greeted her.

"Good morning, Draco. Thank you, for the flowers," she replied, looking over at them.

"You're welcome," he said, looking at the ground now.

"You said that you wanted-"

"Granger, this isn't easy for me. I'm already getting hounded by my friend and mother on needing to talk to you. Being angry with you isn't easy for me," He cut her off.

"Then stop being angry with me. I didn't do anything wrong to you, Draco. And I am sorry for the other students hurting you because they are angry with how things went in the second war," Hermione told him.

"I can take-"

"Yes, you can. But, knowing that I have your back on certain things does help. I am sorry that I put on the necklace. I am sorry for always being top student. I am sorry for being muggleborn. I am just… sorry," she interrupted him.

Draco heavily sighed and ran his hand through his hair as he stood up, walked over to her bed and sat down near her legs.

"Don't apologize for being here or how you're top student or that you put on the necklace. I don't know how things are with your parents and you, but I do know that they aren't sending anything to you, even though you do every single morning. So I can understand the reason on why you put the necklace on in the first place," he said, looking up into her eyes.

"You saw that?" she asked him.

"Yes. And if they can't get over the fact that you did what you had to do, in that moment, to save their lives, then …" he trailed off there.

He wanted to say 'they don't deserve you as their daughter' but thought better of it.

"It just hurts. Like how many of the seventh years are taking their frustrations out on you, when in fact they shouldn't. They are grown adults now, they should act their age instead of being seven year olds," Hermione told him, looking at her hands.

A larger, but slender hand wrapped his fingers around her own.

It was a very simple gesture, but it was a big step for them both. Hermione looked up at Draco who was staring back at her.

The quiet silence between them finally settled the tension that always hung in the air between them.

It was then that the door rattled in frustration to the Hospital wing with some voices getting through.

"Damn!" Harry said.

"Come on, we're not supposed to be here until this evening, anyway. Plus, our Quidditch players need you now," Ron's voice entered.

"Come on, Harry. Hermione doesn't want you here," Ginny snidely replied.

"You go. Just because she appointment me as captain, you ask as co-captain around here," Harry nastily replied back.

"Someone should," Ginny retorted and walked away.

"Just break it off with her," Ron whispered low.

"I'm going to. This isn't worth it anymore," Harry told him and they both walked away.

Hermione however, felt so bad for Harry.

"Potter isn't going to be with Weasel's sister?" Draco said in awe.

"I know. Ever since the battle, him faking his own death, she can't trust him anymore. I understand both sides of this situation but, I still feel sorry for Harry," Hermione told him.

Draco shook his head and then asked "Would you like to see the try outs for Gryffindor?"

"No. I can see them just fine from here. Besides, winter is coming fast," Hermione replied, looking out the windows where she could see the Quidditch pitch.

"Alright. Well…is there anything else?" he asked, not sure of what to do now.

Hermione looked at Draco and then leaned back with "No. But you are more than welcomed to stay here if, you want to,"

"I was wondering if you would like to see your father. Next weekend?" she asked him.

"No. He …" Draco tried to explain to her.

She nodded and dropped the subject.

"In my book bag, in my bedroom, can you go and search for it?" Hermione asked him curiously.

"Yeah, but what for?" Draco asked her back.

"You'll see. Oh and have some ink bottles and quills at handy when you drop the twin here," she told him, smiling.

Draco arched an eyebrow up at her but nodded.

"I will talk to you later then?" he said, feeling that he was being dismissed.

"Not for long," she replied, smiling at him.

He nodded and got up and left her.

Hermione waited as she hoped that this plan of hers will work. Draco came back minutes later, dropping her books off, scowling a bit.

"Watch, just watch, okay?" she told him, holding onto his wrist.

Draco nodded as she took the quill, dipped it into the ink bottle and wrote into the red book.

When Draco watched her write a single word in her book and it appeared in the other green one.

"That is brilliant…" he muttered in awe.

"Yeah, so you can have whichever one and I keep the other. So when you feel like you can't honestly talk to anyone, you can with me," she told him with hope.

"That is…amazing," He said, taking the red book and looking through the pages.

Hermione was a little shocked that he took that book but, smiled anyway as she held the green book.

Draco slowly looked over at his wife and for the first time ever, was looking at her. He no longer saw the bushy haired, buck teeth, little eleven years old. He saw a young woman who had big mind, a shy personality at times and someone who was burnt around the edges but all the more stronger witch.

'She is my wife. She is My wife,' he thought to himself.

Draco picked up his quill and started to write in his book.

Hermione watched the words appear in his neat handwriting and swallowed nervously.

'This is beyond brilliant. No one will know that I am writing to you. They will think that I am just writing information into this. Just brilliant.

How do you like your flowers?'

Hermione began to write back:

'Thank you. And I love them. Though, the meanings haven't flown over my head. They smell wonderful too,'

'If you like, I can get you flowers every single day?'

'I wouldn't mind that, but not every single day, Draco. Just whenever you feel like it. No pressure,'

'Very well. Every other day then. Do you think Potter will be happy to know that you are now a married woman?'

'Whenever that bridge comes, I'll cross it. For now, what are we going to do for the ball?'

"Ball? What ball?" Draco asked aloud, looking up at her.

"Professor McGonagall wants this school to become a unity and no longer a divided place. The houses don't help in that in some way, but if we're going to be here for one last time, I want to bring this wish of hers to life. Also I did say that there were going to be these balls on the train," Hermione explained to him.

"If we're having a couple of these balls, will you go with me to every single one of them?" Draco asked her.

"Yes. Though Harry and them will think it very strange," she said back.

"This entire year is already very strange," Draco muttered which earned him a giggle.

He has heard her laugh before in the past by her friends, but for him to get it, it was special.

"So what is going to be the theme of this first ball?" he asked her.

"I'm still thinking on it, but we need to get this into action or Professor McGonagall will not like it," she replied, drawing a little in her book.

Draco was in awe how his book was showing it.

It was a simple star, but he then smirked.

"Granger, you are amazing," he said again.

"What did I do this time?" she asked him in confusion.

"That simple drawing there. We can make it about the fall. That is our theme for the first ball. Warm vibrant colors with a touch of blue and crystal," he explained more.

"Making it look like that Hogwarts is still a welcome warm place to be. I read that article of that in the paper on Tuesday evening," she commented.

"Pff, who cares about that? Hogwarts will get back to normal, long after we're here. So, do you think it's a good idea, of the theme I mean?" he replied back.

"I do like it, Draco. Let's hand that in to Professor McGonagall," she said, leaning back on her pillows.

"You want me to let you rest?" he asked her, seeing how she fought to keep the yawn at bay.

"No. Just stay here okay?" she told him, though she was getting tired pretty quickly.

Draco then dug into his pockets and pulled out a chocolate bar. He opened it and broke a chunk off.

"Here, eat this," he said, giving it to her.

She smiled sadly as she took it and ate the piece.

Draco stayed in the Hospital Wing for all of the day. Hermione left it during dinner and went to bed.

Harry and her friends would just have to wait a bit more to talk to her.