Chapter 9

After supper Hermione walked around the yard in the moonlight, kicking at the snow with a sigh. She had to tell them, this was probably the last chance she could. She sat down on the porch and hesitantly removed the glamor from her ring. She twirled it around on her finger with a small smile on her face. Who knew Draco Malfoy had a sense of humor that didn't involve taunting mudbloods? She smirked slightly and let out a rather contented sigh.

"You look like the cat who ate the canary. What's on your mind, Hermione?" George sat beside her and Hermione smiled at him.

"My life. Or rather, where it's heading. About the things I need to tell everyone but can't." She started twirling the ring again and George nodded looking up at the sky.

"Care to tell me about it?" He looked at her and Hermione knew that George wouldn't judge her for her choice. He really was a great man and so Hermione decided to tell him before anyone else. He would be her ally in what was soon to be a war.

"I'm getting married." She watched his expression. He looked thoroughly shocked.

"Oh." He nodded his head slightly and looked at her.

"To Draco Malfoy." Hermione watched as his eyes went wide and he nearly choked.

"Oh. Oh. I can't say I expected that. I understand why you can't tell anyone. They would tear you apart." He frowned and took her left hand to look at the ring. He smirked and nodded. "At least he has good taste. Both in woman and jewelry." He stood up and pulled Hermione to her feet before hugging her.

"Let's just go in and you tell everyone. What happens, happens. They can't judge you, Hermione. They accepted Ron back into the family when he cheated on you. They will just have to accept this." He kissed her forehead in a brotherly gesture. "I'm on your side with this one." Hermione let out a large sigh of relief and she followed the red head into the house. The family was still in the dining room and George and Hermione entered quietly. No one noticed them and Hermione lingered by the door with George. She took a deep breath in but it left in a rush when Ron stood up.

"Lavender and I have an announcement to make. We will be having a fifth child." He raised a glass and the group burst into cheers. George grimaced.

"He just had to do that, didn't he? But this doesn't change anything. You have to tell them." He put his hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Wait here. I am going to tell dad. You need another ally." Hermione gave a faint nod and leaned against the wall, her face pale. Her eyes were on George as he walked around the table and leaned down beside Arthur. The older man pulled his coffee cup to his mouth, Hermione watched George and read his lips as he told his father.

'Hermione's getting married...' A small smile made its way across Arthur's face and he raised his glass to her slightly before taking a drink. Hermione watched George as he leaned closer.

'...to Draco Malfoy.' Arthur choked on his drink to prevent spewing the liquid on his family. He coughed loudly and Molly turned to him worriedly but he waved her off as George pounded him on the back. He looked at her and Hermione evaded his glance with a red flush on her face. George let out what looked to be a sigh before leaning down again.

'She's going to tell the family. Tonight.' Arthur's shocked face turned to one of worry as he stood up and he and George made their way over to her. Arthur drew her into a fatherly hug.

"First of all. Congratulations. Secondly. What a... man to marry. He's very lucky to get a woman as charming and magnificent as you." He gripped her shoulders gently and Hermione gave a halfhearted shrug.

"He's got a sense of humor. He's good looking but I'm not marrying him for that. I'm marrying him for his son. Something about an archaic law and if he doesn't marry by the end of the year, he will lose him. I don't have time to tell you more but it involves a Life Debt to one Narcissa Malfoy." With that Arthur's eyes filled with understanding.

"I understand fully. You are quite the witch to do this for him, Hermione. Not very many would." He squeezed her shoulders and gave her a fatherly smile. "Now we have to tell everyone else." George wrapped his arm around her shoulders and coughed loudly.

"Everyone shut up and listen. Hermione has something to tell you all." The table fell silent and everyone looked at her expectantly. Hermione took a deep breath and put a weak smile on her face.

"I'm... I'm getting married." She watched as Albus, Harry, Ginny, Molly, and everyone other than Ronald and his clan burst into loud cheers. Harry stood up to embrace her but Ron pushed him down into his seat, his face angry.

"Who is it?" He stalked towards her and Hermione held her shoulders straight and kept her face even.

"Why do you care?" She trembled slightly as the room fell silent. Harry smiled at her happily.

"Yah, Hermione. Who's the lucky guy?" He stood up as well and moved to stand beside Ron.

"I- I... can't-"

Ron looked at her with angry blue eyes. "What are you too ashamed to tell us who he is? Are you ashamed because he's ugly or that he isn't good enough to be introduced as your fiancé?"

Arthur shook his head in warning. "Ronald, behave. You don't know what is going on."

Ron ignored him, his face red with anger. "Or is it a lie? Something to get back at me with? Did you think this pathetic attempt at marriage will erase me from your mind? You're still bloody jealous! I know it, Harry knows it, everyone knows it!" As he got closer to her, Hermione closed her eyes and wished with all her might that she wasn't there. That someone or something would take her away from this whole blasted situation. She just wanted to get to the manor and leave everything behind her. She actually kind of wished Draco was there to pick her up, she had no idea where the manor was. The thought made her smile slightly. She didn't even know where she lived.

"Ron, back off for a bit. You're probably scaring her." Harry tugged on Ron's arm and Hermione's eyes snapped open.

"Scared of him? No, I'm not scared of him! He needs to learn to control his temper. Merlin knows why he is angry at me for getting married. Or is it that I have to stay a spinster to make him feel like he's wanted? That I can't get over him so he's a bigger wizard than he really is? No. I'm getting married to a surprisingly smart and funny man, I've known since Hogwarts. We get angry and yell at each other but I know he won't turn around and cheat on me." Hermione gritted her teeth together and Molly stood up and quickly ushered the children out of the room before returning and putting up a silencing spell. Arthur nodded at her and she hovered nervously trying to figure out how to diffuse the situation. Hermione moved out from underneath George's arm. "We haven't the best past but he's ten times more a man than you ever will be." Lavender stood up.

"You ugly book reading cow! Don't speak to my husband like that! You are just jealous of our happiness. You've been jealous of me since Hogwarts! Don't even try to deny it, if you do you're just lying! You have to try and override our good news to make you feel loved!" Her blond braided hair seemed to clash with her red face and Hermione just shook her head.

"The only reason I came here today was to tell everyone I am getting married and to spend Christmas with the people I think as family and once again Ronald you managed to ruin it." Hermione shook her head sadly. "You ruin everything." Her hand fell to twisting her engagement ring.

"I ruin everything? You're just a selfish prude who can't get laid to save her life! Your hair is a rat's nest, you dress like a fucking homeless person, your teeth remind me of a fucking beaver and you wonder why I cheated on you. You're fucking mess and no one is ever going to care about you! So why don't you drop the fucking act and act like a real woman, not like a fucking child who wants revenge!" Ron's face was as red as his hair and Hermione's temper flared.

"A child? I'm not acting like a child! You're the one acting like a child! I tell you I'm getting married and you automatically assume that I'm lying. How childish is that? I honestly expected a more mature reaction from you. Not like you acting like you bloody own me!" Hermione narrowed her eyes and she practically spat the words out at him. Everyone was silent and tense waiting for Ronald's reply. Tears streamed out of Hermione's eyes. She didn't want it to go this far. She was ruining everyone's day.

"Get it through your heard, you bushy haired, prudish cow! I don't want you! No one will ever want you. The only man how would have sex with your ugly ass is someone you would have to pay for! And even then they would probably put a-"

"I wouldn't finish that sentence if I were you." The voice was deadly and calm, Hermione turned her face towards it and let out a rather large sob. Draco Malfoy stood in the front door way with his wand trained on Ronald. He stalked closer, his tall figure dressed in black making for a rather menacing image. Ron went from shocked to angry in about half a second.

"What the bloody hell are you doing here, Malfoy? Get out of our fucking house! No one invited you and stay the hell out of our business!" Ronald pulled out his wand and Arthur blocked him, sending him a warning look.

"He has only one reason to be here, Ronald. Let him get to it and then he will leave." Arthur's voice was calming, while everyone else, other than George and Hermione, glared at Malfoy. No one listened to Arthur and Hermione felt her heart twist painfully.

"He has no reason to be here! What right does he have to come into our home with his wand raised? Tell me that you fucking Death Eater! What reason do you have to be here?" Ron tried to push past Arthur but the older man wouldn't let him.

"I have one reason to be here Weasley and for one I am glad I showed up when I did." He looked at Hermione with soft grey eyes that were filled with understanding. He held out his free hand towards her. "Come on, Granger. Let's go." Hermione took one look at Ronald and grasped Draco's hand quickly. He pulled her to his side, slightly behind him. Ron's face went purple and Harry finally spoke his face white.

"You're getting married to him? The fucking ferret? I could accept anyone but him, Hermione! Are you out of your fucking mind! I swear if you are marrying him then you are no friend of mine." His face was tinged with red as he looked at Hermione, his green eyes cold with fury. She winced as the words struck home. She let out a small sob.

"You don't understand, Harry. Please, just listen." She watched as Harry just shook his head in disgust before turning away. Hermione started sobbing. "Please don't walk away from me, Harry. Please, Harry. Please don't walk away!" As Harry walked out of the room, Draco raised his hand to the back of her neck and slowly brushed his thumb against her skin to soothe her.

"Don't talk to him you fucking slut! I can't believe you would do this to us! To our friendship! Dating him is like stabbing us in the back but marrying him is like you twisted the knife." Ron pushed past Arthur and stuck his finger in Hermione's face. She shrank back from it. "Sick and perverted. That's what you are, Hermione. A sick and perverted whore!" Draco moved so suddenly that Hermione barely had to time to register what had happened.

Her fiancé stood in front of her, shaking his right hand and glared at Ronald who lay on the floor with a broken nose, blood gushing from it. Hermione's eyes went wide with realization. Malfoy had punched Ron for calling her a whore.

"Don't you ever call Granger that again. She's no whore. She is a great witch and I am more than honored to have her take my name. But you know. I just can't believe you would be jealous of me because I got her. You're married, Weasley. End this little crush you have because she's going to be married too." Draco shook his hand with a wince and backed up towards Hermione not wanting to turn his back on the angry group. "Let's go. I don't want to be near that babbling buffoon any longer." Hermione wiped at her tears and gave a small nod. Her chest hurt from all of Ron's insults and Harry's betrayal. He had just left her there. He turned his back on her after everything she went through with him because of him. The cold winter air was painful in her lungs and her tears almost froze to her cheeks. She glanced at Draco and watched him wince in pain as he grasped his wand. Hermione took out hers and grasped his now swollen hand in her own.

"Epipsky." Hermione winced at the snap the healing bones made. Malfoy took his hand from her and she looked up at him. Her eyes, sad and tear stained, looked at his face. There was an angry tick in his jaw and he looked upset.

"Thank you, Granger." He gritted the words out and Hermione gave a slow nod.

"It was the least I could do. After-"

The front door slammed open, startling Hermione. Ron glared at the two. "I hope you rot in hell Hermione Granger and I pray to the gods you take that fucking Death Eater with you. You are no longer welcome at the Burrow and so don't show your pug ugly face here anymore!"

Draco drew Hermione close as she started to shake violently. He glared at Ronald. "I hope that someday soon, when you come to realize what you have done to Granger and to your family. It will be too late to fix any of it. I know for a fact Granger isn't about to forgive you for what you've said." Hermione's arms went around Draco's waist and she clutched at the back of his traveling cloak, the fabric bunching in her fists. She let out a shuddering sob, Draco smoothed down her curls and sneered at Ronald. "You wanted her, Weasley, you made a move, you lost her. Now, deal with the fact that she is in my arms, not yours." Draco spun them both around and they disappeared with a loud crack of thunder.