A/N galatea8817, please PM me, because I can't respond to you.

Chapter 10

The girl's hall was a buzz of talking and milling. It was crowded as they were all in there at the moment. Ginny was preparing her hair, wearing a peach-coloured dress. A few people were actually pulling on wedding dresses.

Hermione sat in her uniform on her bunk with her legs crossed underneath her. All the fuss around her was annoying.

Unfortunately, the Malfoys' objection to this marriage wasn't swinging the Ministry. It hadn't even offended her, because it served her purpose. She certainly didn't want to be tied to these people—even out of spite. So she was quite happy to sit back and let them do their worst. Seemed they didn't have the same level of influence as before, because they were completely ignored.

Well, that was something, wasn't it?

But today the marriages would go ahead. In McGonagall's office, they had been told. One after another, they would be led in and the deed done—like lambs to the slaughter.

Ginny was singing quietly beside her, still brushing her hair. Being paired with Harry, she'd calmed right down, clearly ignoring the fact that he was currently sleeping with Romilda Vane. Romilda finally got her wish. Hopefully it was living up to expectations.

Across the room, Susan Bones didn't seem all that happy either—paired with Ron. They really didn't suit each other, but then Hermione couldn't really see anyone suiting Ron. He needed someone who told him what to do, really.

Luna was putting small flowers in her hair, each kind probably having some hidden meaning.

It was incomprehensible how many people were growing to accept this edict. A lot of it was driven by curiosity rather actually wanting to get married to the person they were paired with. A few of them seemingly wanted to wear a pretty dress.

Obviously Hermione wasn't going to. It was a protest at being forced into this. And then, why would she even bother to make an effort for Malfoy? This wasn't a marriage. It was a sham and she wasn't prepared to pretend it was anything else.

The other night, Ginny had talked with her mother through the Floo Network, and her family was really excited about this development. To them this was completely real, a logical choice they expected would happen anyway.

Hermione sighed thinking back on it. She just wasn't sure Harry was on the same page. He simply wasn't in the space to consider serious decisions at the moment. Hermione suspected there had been too many serious decisions in the last years, he had simply run out of space in his heart and mind for seriousness. Or maybe he was simply losing himself in other people. Hermione didn't know. It wasn't something either of them wanted to talk about.

Truthfully, they were all barely keeping their head above water. Ron was off doing his own thing with people he hadn't really spent much time with before. Looking at them now, one wouldn't assume the three of them had ever been the closest friends, because they weren't at the moment. None of them spent any time together, and while she missed them, she couldn't tolerate them either as they were right now.

Sighing, she looked down at her lap. Truthfully there wasn't anyone she could particularly stand right now. Certainly not her parents who barely remembered her name from one moment to the next. Or the well-meaning, but ultimately suffocating Weasleys.

Actually, was there a honeymoon involved with this debacle? Because she could use a week of sleeping on a beach somewhere, but she supposed it would have to involve Malfoy with inherently meant it would be hell on earth.

Shifting down, she turned over and tucked her knees up. Tonight they would be shown to their new accommodation, and getting away from the mayhem in this hall was the only upside.

"Alright, Hermione," Mrs. Pomfrey said, appearing at the foot of the bed. The woman looked out of place outside the hospital wing. She held a clipboard and waited until Hermione rose. "Not dressing in something special?"

"What for?" Hermione challenged.

Mrs. Pomfrey didn't respond. "This way. Your parents are not attending today?"

"No, I intend for them to never find out this ever happened."

Mrs. Pomfrey faltered, her mouth opening as if to argue, but decided there wasn't anything she could say. It wasn't as though they had to be informed. They were never going to meet any of the Malfoy. There would be no joint dinners with the in-laws. And it wasn't like they'd remember anyway. In fact, she was considering obliviating herself after this so not even she remembered. But considering the side effects on her parents, those where charms she didn't want to mess with.

The halls were empty, and they passed a few couples walking together in the courtyard with their parents. They looked quietly excited. How could these idiots buy into this bullshit?

Still, her nerves fired up as they got closer to the entrance to McGonagall's office. Part of her wanted to turn tail and run for it, but another didn't want to give Malfoy the satisfaction. If there was one thing to take to heart about this, it was that he hated it more than she did.

The staircase rolled open and Mrs. Pomfrey urged her up. Hermione closed her eyes for a moment before starting to climb. She really did feel like she was heading in to be slaughtered. This was going to be mortifying however it went.

Steadying herself at the top of the stairs, she prepared herself to enter the office. She'd faced down every Deatheater in the country. Malfoy wasn't going to have her quaking in her boots. She refused.

The door was open and she could see McGonagall talking. Then Malfoy standing with his back to her in his typical black suit. His parents stood beside him.

"You requested my presence," Hermione said dryly and they all turned to her. She refused to smile.

"I am sure you know why you are here today," McGonagall said, but Hermione refused to acknowledge anything. "Well, let's get on with this. Miss Granger, if you would come stand here." With her wand, she pointed to a spot close to her desk, and Hermione held her head high as she moved to the indicated spot. "And you here, Mr. Malfoy."

Draco blinked, then moved as directed. At no point did he look at Hermione, which was fine with her. Malfoy had never been one to be gracious, so why should she expect it now?

The elder Malfoys didn't say anything, they silently stood where they were, seeing their son being abused as he was. Hermione chuckled slightly, hoping this was absolutely mortifying to them.

"If you would turn to Mr. Malfoy and take his hand," McGonagall said to her.

Exhaling through her nose, she turned to Malfoy and took his outreached hand, the slim, pale fingers. It was warm. Probably the first time she'd truly touched any part of him since that time in third year when she'd decked him. Her fist to his face. Now here they were, doing a handfasting ceremony.

She had to force herself not to pull away as McGonagall started the charm. This felt wrong. It felt too much. They weren't supposed to be here together. Right at that moment, she wanted to say no, say that she was supposed to be here with Harry. A panicked impulse. Shallowing, she calmed herself. She'd faced worse than this.

Magical energy snaked like a figure eight around their wrists and then dissipated. That magic, whatever it was, and as far as she knew it didn't really do anything, would be there for five long years. It was symbolic, like a ring.

Looking up, she saw nothing in his eyes. Not anger, not resignation—just nothing. It could have been a cardboard cut out for all the animation. But then he was used to doing what he was told, wasn't he? Both Voldemort and Bellatrix had made him do whatever they'd wanted. Even she had seen that back when she was being tortured on the floor of his house. Good times. A nice memory they shared—along with so many others.

The charm was done and they both let go. She still felt the ghost of the touch, or was that the magic? Where was a certain warmth, which might have been the magic. Now they could go back to never touching each other again, until five years' time when this magic would be undone.

"I see your parents had the courtesy to make an appearance," Lucius Malfoy said sarcastically. "Couldn't manage to make their way here? It is difficult to reach for muggles, I understand."

"I never informed them," Hermione stated. "Saw no reason to."

Not waiting for a response, she marched to the door and out. It was a relief being out of that room. This fuckwit of an edict was done. She'd done her part. There was nothing else they could make her do now. She certainly wasn't going to stick around and trade insults with the Malfoys.

Walking straight back to the hall, she crawled back on top of her bunk.

"How was it?" Ginny asked.

"As you would expect," Hermione replied, not sure what Ginny expected her to say.

Mrs. Pomfrey appeared at their bunk bed again and Ginny turned, nervously running her palms down the front of her dress. She looked lovely. Even Hermione had to admit it softened her looking at Ginny like that. So full of hope. Harry had better too. "Ready?" Mrs. Pomfrey asked, and Ginny nodded.