Chapter 19-Marry me anyway.

"Marry Me Hermione."

"What? We're already married." She laughed slightly as if he had gone insane.

"I know but I want us to take the traditional vows, you promised me."

"But…"

"Marry me anyway, I know we are married but the traditional vows will offer you greater protection including against my father. We can elope." Draco continued enthusiastically "I always wanted to elope with you I used to dream of defying my father and marrying you in secret."

"Your mother might never forgive you." Hermione stated knowing full well how much Narcissa regretted not being able to plan a large wedding for her son. "She already might never forgive me for my 'death'. If you married again without her help she might never forgive you too."

"We'll invite her. I know a place in Mauritius, Belle Mare there are a number of hotels there and one of them caters for wizards. Mother can bully the hotel staff…"

"Your father will know she is missing." Hermione objected.

"Oh don't worry about that my mother has made a lifetime's habit of leaving my father." Draco stated cynically. "There is ancient magic in those vows…"

"Yes" Hermione said quietly Draco seemingly did not hear.

"…my father won't be able to harm you or any future children, please Hermione." He continued not realising she had spoken.

"Yes Draco I will marry you again."

"Really"

"Yes though we barely have time for this but then again perhaps…"

"What are you thinking?" Draco demanding tilting his head to study his wife.

"I'm thinking that we shouldn't elope and that a formal traditional wedding would make a nice little trap."

"Oh no…" he began

"But don't you see" she interrupted "all of pureblood society would be there. All exactly where we want them."

"Emm and many of them with their muggleborn spouses who we would knowingly be placing in danger." Draco countered "and besides I want to keep you safe not expose you to greater danger."

"Doesn't a bride get to plan her own wedding?"

"What the hell Hermione you have to be joking."

Draco was becoming quite distraught now he had only just got her back he needed to keep her safe but damn her Gryffindor tendencies. She would run head long into any danger if she thought it was the right thing to do and she would drag him with her because his Slytherin loyalty wouldn't let him leave her. Perhaps there was one card he could play he thought before announcing:

"Let's go speak to Potter."

Draco had hoped that Potter would talk some sense into his petite wife but as she explained the whole story, the threat to the muggleborns and her plan to round up those who posed the danger he could see Potter weighing up the pros and cons.

Draco didn't care about anyone else as long as Hermione was safe but Potter and his bloody hero complex saw yet another chance to be the saviour of the Wizarding World. Finally Draco snapped:

"Damn it Potter! I brought her to you to talk some sense into her not to encourage her. You are both insane."

"But we can't not do anything." Potter began as if everything he said was always reasonable.

"I agree we should do something but not this." Draco ranted.

"Draco" Hermione began.

He couldn't look at her.

"Draco" she said again reaching to take his face in her hands in the hope of calming him. "I couldn't live with myself if I don't do this."

"I can't live with myself if anything happens to you" he told her "Hermione" he pleaded tears lining his eyes "I can't lose you again."

Harry had to look away he would never have believed how much the blond loved his friend if he had not seen it for himself. So desperate to hold her to him, so desperate to keep her safe, no matter what the cost to himself. Who knew that a Malfoy could be so selfless but then again, Harry reflected, Draco mother's selfless love had saved Harry himself. It was this thought that gave Harry an epiphany.

Judging that Hermione and Draco had had their moment he interrupted.

"I think I have an idea, a way to catch our birds and keep Hermione safe."

"What?" Draco said all semblances of manners gone.

"Give me an hour or two and I will explain besides don't you two have a marriage to plan? I'm sure Narcissa will be delighted."

"Yes" Hermione said quietly.

"Although there will be the slight matter of your resurrection to explain!" Draco said dryly.

"Ah yes that" Hermione said with less confidence than she actually felt. "I have an idea about that."

"Oh Yes" Draco said skeptically "and what might that be?"

"We'll discuss it with you mother." Hermione said reaching out her hand and making them both disappear with a resounding pop.

Narcissa dropped the vase she was carrying it shattered like hail on to the white Carrara marble floor.

Although Narcissa knew that Hermione was not dead the shock of seeing her again with Draco was not to be underestimated.

"A word mother." Draco demanded motioning towards the dining room.

Narcissa swallowed, silently checking that her wand was in her sleeve as usual. As Narcissa entered the room she watched as Hermione performed a series of spells to keep the room silent and secure from intrusion. Narcissa held her tongue waiting for the young couple to speak first. She had learnt over long years that it was better to hold your tongue and assess the situation before jumping to conclusions.

"Were you aware of this?" Draco signaled to Hermione. Narcissa looked from her son to her daughter-in-law trying to gauge what she should say. She saw Hermione nod slightly as if to say 'it's ok.' Narcissa took a deep breath.

"Yes"

Before Draco could explode Hermione intervened.

"It's not Narcissa fault Draco, in fact she tried to talk me out of it and we need to focus on the matter now at hand." Draco bristled with anger. "Please Draco." Hermione asked him softly.

Draco let out a frustrated sigh.

"Alright" he grumbled.

Over the next few hours they outlined their wedding plans and the need for secrecy. Although it would prove tricky to conceal who Draco would be marrying they found it possible to conceal Hermione's identify behind the truth. The invitations would invite guest to the marriage of Draco and Ms. Ariana H. Malfoy. Ariana was in truth one of Hermione's given names but its use would disguise Hermione's real identity and give the impression that Draco was marrying some distant pure-blood relative. If anyone asked Narcissa she could in all conscience claim that Draco was marrying a relative and that the marriage was arranged none of which would be a lie. The curious would also be told that Draco would not meet his bride until the wedding day. This latter point would justify Hermione's use of a very heavy bridal veil. Only meeting the bride at the altar was unusual even in pure-blood society but not unheard of-it was usually a ploy used by families to disguise an ugly daughter but with a good enough dowry the husband was usually persuaded not to mind.

With this measure it was hoped that Hermione's sudden resurrection would produce enough of a distraction for the Aurors to move in quickly and capture those they needed to target. So with the outline plans laid Narcissa began to plan the more pleasant parts of the wedding, the flowers, the music the catering and of course Hermione's dress.