Her parents were dead. They had been killed, slaughtered in Australia where she had hidden them. She didn't even know the death eaters were looking for them, didn't think they would care enough. And it's not like she didn't take measures, she reminded herself. Hermione had erased their memories, she sent them away. They were supposed to be safe.

But they died. Hermione's parents died without knowing who she was or why it was happening. They died scared and alone. And no matter what Harry or Ron said, she knew it was her fault. If she had explained to them that they had to go on the run, if she had told them the gravity of the situation, maybe they could have taken their measures. Maybe they could have even kept themselves hidden.

And now, for the first time in her life, she was going back to Hogwarts and wishing she was anywhere else in the world.

They didn't talk to her, her friends; they thought the war had broken her. She marveled at the hypocrisy. No one thought Harry was broken, and the boy came back from the dead.

Yes, Hermione's friends walked on eggshells around her, Ron never bringing up his parents and nobody talked about the dead. Whisper's echoing in rooms, filled with silence as soon as she entered. They just sat, no one saying a word.

But they all had their problems; Ginny had decided that the war had never happened, which was lovely. Harry had come to the conclusion his mission in life was to hunt down dark wizards. And Ron was sleeping with a new girl every week because Hermione had turned him down.

Perhaps she had shut down, she had lost weight and cried until she couldn't breathe, but at least she wasn't pretending she was fine. At least she wasn't in denial. But off they went, to a mandated year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. What a bunch.

She stood on the Platform, watching the first years run to the train with smiles on their faces, watching mothers kiss their children goodbye. She spotted a young girl, skinny, awkward looking, nose deep into a book. Her heart burned for her. She wished she could tell the girl to leave, run, wished she could scream at her to not get on that train. She took a step forward, but the girl was joined by a young blond who seemed to get her attention, he elbowed her gently in the shoulder to get her to look at him properly, and the girl gave him a small smile before returning to her book.

"Hermione!" someone said loudly behind her. She turned quickly, startled. "Hermione, is that you?"

She supposed she didn't look exactly like herself anymore. Not only was her face less rounded now, but she had opted to cut her hair over the summer. It now rested just above her shoulders. Less weighed down her curls had popped up into more defined curls. She also had money for clothes now, real money from what she had done in the war.

A portion of all the dead death eater's gold, with no heir to receive their fortunes, had gone to the integral players in the effort. So, Hermione could now afford nice things. She never knew when she was going to be in the front of a newspaper these days, so now she dressed up when she left the house.

Hermione gave a soft smile to Neville, who approached her with a grin. He had grown up over the war. Losing his baby fat and some of that sweet innocence that she had always admired.

"You look- well you look different." Neville commented,

Hermione knew what he meant by different- because she didn't look better or worse.

Just like everyone else in their year, she looked like she had gone through hell and was overcompensating with a new haircut and clothes so people didn't get the wrong idea. She looked older and more worn. They could fool most, but the kids who had known them all of their lives, it was harder to conceal their broken pieces. Neville was too nice to say that though, "Harry and Ron-"

"-They're coming." Hermione interrupted, "I just wanted to do this by myself, getting here by myself is…" She sighed, "Well it's something I needed to do." Neville nodded as though he understood, but he didn't.

"You cut your hair," He said after a minute, "It suits you," She reached up and touched one of her curls,

"Some of it got burned off during the battle and I thought maybe I could pull off short," She nodded, "I never thought I'd like it so much," It was true, not only was her hair a thousand times easier to manage now, but for the first time in her life she thought it looked good, in its own crazy curly way.

"You all have changed so much," Neville smiled sadly, "I still feel like a first-year,"

"Well if it's any consolation," Hermione nudged, "You're a pretty tall first year.

They did the regular small talk for a couple of minutes, speaking about what she was doing with all of the assets she acquired, and who they thought would be the next powerful people in the ministry of the Seventh and eighth years.

They concluded that most of the Slytherins would probably stay out of politics as of right now. And as they talked she realized that this was the first conversation she had had with one of her friends that didn't feel like either person was holding back, perhaps she would spend more time with Neville this year.

"I'm surprised that they're making us attend this year. Mandating it is something I never saw coming," Neville said; and Hermione realized she was probably going to have this same conversation twenty times before the day was over. She shook her head, not wanting to give Neville the standard, 'yeah I was surprised too,' like he was some far-off acquaintance and not someone integral in the war, a friend.

"Who would have come if they didn't?" She said, hushed, "The people in your year, well they already had their seventh year. While it might have been hell, you all still went through it. I certainly wouldn't have gone, I can get any position I want in any company or division I want, so can Harry and Ron. Not to mention the Slytherins would have rather eaten slugs than purposely attend a year where they'd be outcasted and bullied, and everyone else just wants a break."

"We did more torturing than learning last year Hermione," Neville said, running a nervous hand through his hair, "I want a proper education, and I think a lot of others would too. Not all of us are as smart as you." She wanted to smile at him, tell him that he was wrong, but it would have been a lie.

"I'm sorry Neville," She said after a moment, "Sometimes I forget what it was like for you guys last year. I wish it could have been just the boys and me who had to have an... less than educational, seventh year."

"It's-"

But Neville's eyes flickered from her to two figures she recognized in an instant as Harry and Ron walking up to them. There went any conversation. Hermione looked back at her friends. It was still hard for her to grasp how tall they were compared to her, probably since she hadn't grown since fourth year, and they had shot up the last few. They all looked down on her.

"You look nice 'mione," Harry said, pulling her into a hug. She looked at Ron awkwardly for a moment before they both exchanged small hello's. Harry was trying to pretend the war hadn't taken the toll that it did. But unlike Ginny, Harry could still have a conversation about it without shutting down on all fronts.

Harry exchanged a few words with Neville before her dark-haired friend did the most Harry thing Harry could do. His eyes fell on Malfoy.

"Surprised he even showed," Harry said, "Not that he has any choice in the matter." Hermione looked at Malfoy from across the room. The blond looked a lot better from the last time she got a good look at him during the battle.

His face had filled in some, and he seemed to have gained back some of the muscle he had lost. He was dressed in black robes but had let his hair grow out slightly longer, his blond hair looking a bit more like Harry's, since it wasn't combed back anymore, and he had a slight fringe in his face.

He had always been handsome, he was handsome. But she hadn't noticed just how until that moment. When he didn't have that awful scowl on his face and wasn't talking, he was quite pleasant to look at.

"Lucius Malfoy is in prison, it was either Hogwarts of Azkaban for him," Neville said, "Draco Malfoy is the head of the family now. He got everything Lucius had- and ever since his mother started to get sick, he control's the Black and LeStrange vaults as well. He's got a deeper pocket than anyone in London."

"Bastard won't have to do anything after school," Ron spit, "He'll just sit on his money until he dies." Hermione couldn't help but agree, she hated that Malfoy got out of this with a vast fortune and no responsibilities.

"I'm just happy that after this year I'll never have to see Malfoy again." Hermione said, getting the attention of the three boys, "I'd be glad if I never saw any member of the crazy family as long as I live,"

Ron patted her on the back, at least Harry and he knew she was talking about her torture on the ground of Malfoy Manor, the one that left her with a painful slur carved into her arm and many sleepless nights.

She straightened her back as the four of them boarded the train, Ginny was waiting for Luna and would meet them when they arrived at the castle. Thinking about her scar made her reach for her arm, she had stared at the letters to the point Mudblood didn't even look like a word to her anymore, just letters she hated more than she could articulate.

She felt eyes bore into the back of her head as she stepped onto the train, turning around her eyes caught the famous blond and they both held each other's gaze for a moment, neither one shrinking under the other one's stare. His eyes were so grey, had they always been so grey?

"Hermione," Harry said, she turned to look at him, "Let's go," He grabbed her arm softly and guided her towards the rest of the group. She felt like a child be led by her older brother as she limply followed him past the crowd of people. She didn't use to be this way, once upon a time she had been strong, now she just felt empty.

The ride to Hogwarts was like any other, she slept most of the way. She was glad since sleep loved to taunt her as of late. She ended up using Harry as a pillow but moved when felt Ron's heavy stare, he was still under some impression that they were going to get together behind his back. It was strange, since Hermione had never even considered Harry romantically, not even when she was young. People couldn't accept that both parties, Harry and her, just wanted a platonic relationship. She didn't care what those people thought, but with Ron, someone who was fully aware of her lack of attraction to the boy who lived and still chose to be suspicious, it got old.

Harry gave Ron a look as she moved her head off of his shoulder, the kind of look you give someone when you move a sleeping dog for no reason. It made her angry and she turned her head to look out the window. She wasn't broken, she wanted to yell at them, she wasn't going to fall apart again at the drop of a hat. She had mourned her parents, she had mourned the people that died in the war, now she was done.

She stepped off the train and almost fell over as someone brushed quickly by her, knocking her off her balance. The figure, quickly walked into the sea of kids as she landed into Ron, who said some profanity in the direction the figure had disappeared in. Her eyes stayed on the spot for a second before she assured Ron she was fine.

They met Ginny and Luna as they were leaving the train, Hermione could see the Thestrals now. They piled into the carriages and Hermione quickly remembered that five people was the limit. They had been one of the last people off of the carriages and Hermione smiled and told them she'd get in the next one.

"Really Hermione," Neville said, "I'd be happy to,"

"Really Neville," She said sincerely, "It's fine."

The next and last carriage pulled around and it looked like she was going to have it all to herself, she admired the Thestrals in front of her, still remembering her journey on what she thought was an invisible horse not two years ago. They were sickeningly beautiful, she wondered what properties made them only appear to those who had seen death. As she stepped into the carriage she heard someone whisper a swear under their breath, looking behind her she saw two people that made her wish she had let Neville take this carriage.

Theodore Nott Jr. climbed into the carriage after her, no exchanges were given and no eye contact was provided until the horses began to move.

"Granger," Nott said,

"Nott," She replied curtly.

She noticed quickly that he was very handsome.

He wasn't handsome in the way Harry was. No, Harry was objectively good-looking with a symmetrical face, startling eyes, and an athletic frame. He wasn't handsome in the way that Malfoy was either, Malfoy looking regal with his long limbs and broad shoulders with his features like marble and his unique hair and eyes. He wasn't even handsome like Ron was, with his strong build, good-natured eyes, and shaggy but sweet aura. No, Theodore Nott was handsome in an interesting way, he was unique, with deep brown slightly sunken eyes and a soft face with full and intense eyebrows that contradicted the rest. He wasn't particularly tall and was on the skinnier side, perhaps it wasn't in his appearance, but in the way, he moved and sat.

"You look good," Nott muttered, Hermione realized then she didn't know much about Theodore Nott, perhaps he wasn't as bad as his Slytherin peers. "I mean, we all look like shit, but you pull off looking like shit." She turned her head slightly, it was a reflex for when she didn't understand something. "I'm not a book Granger," Nott almost smirked, "You can't read me."

"I'm simply surprised by your comment, is all." Hermione said, straightening her head, "I wouldn't have expected it from you, but I realize now how silly that was of me."

"How so?"

"Well I don't know you, do I?" She stated plainly, "So expecting anything from you would be silly."

"I feel like I know you," Nott said, "I feel like everyone in the school feels like they know you. You're a regular celebrity here." Hermione supposed he was right, she had gotten quite the attention in the press after the war.

"It happens when you're friends with Harry Potter," She answered him,

"No, that's not what I mean." He said, "I mean you're a wonder to us all, Granger. You're the once in a generation witch we point to and go, 'she was in my year at Hogwarts,' when you become Minister of Magic. You're the girl everyone knows is smarter than what's probably healthy."

"Where were you hiding," Hermione asked him, it was phrased as a joke but she didn't mean it as one. She believed he got it fairly quickly, as his eyes flickered inquisitively. That's what she thought was handsome, she settled on, his eyes looked like he was asking a thousand questions. She wouldn't mind getting to know Theodore Nott.

"Behind people, I should have considered friends," Nott answered his tone not matching her own. It was almost like he was asking her a question like he was seeing if she felt the same way. And why would she? What was so bad about her friends?

"And now?"

"And now I don't care what Slytherins do to me, they killed my father in the war, I've got no one but myself."

"Sounds like a lonely existence." She told him, "What is Malfoy not your type anymore." And there it was, the cat being torn from the bag.

"You know Granger," Nott said, "Me and you are a lot alike. I followed Draco around for years, wasting my time, energy, and mind trying to help him do things I could have accomplished easily. Was it hard, watching Potter get chosen for fights you could have more easily won, watch him get endless praise for the things you taught him... You don't seem like you mind, being in his shadow, like Weasley does-,"

"-What if I don't mind the shadows." she interrupted, "What if I like the cover they provide." She tapped her foot on the ground, "You planned this, didn't you? You wanted me in this carriage to talk to me. Why, How?" It had been too easy, this conversation was too deep too fast. But how did he know that she would choose to be the one left out of the carriage? How would he have known that Harry and Ron wouldn't have chosen to sit with her?

"I simply did the math and stayed behind Granger, if it wasn't tonight I would have approached you in the Library." So he did have a plan, what could he want with her. Well, she was sure she could be useful for many things, a good word here or there from her went a long way in the Wizarding World right now, she wasn't oblivious to that. "We're saying so much without actually talking Granger." Nott smiled, "You're just as I hoped you'd be, just as quick as I assumed."

"You know," She said, "A couple of years back I told a lie. Someone asked me why I was in Gryffindor and not Ravenclaw and I told them that the hat almost couldn't decide which one they wanted to put me in. But I lied. The hat wanted to put me into Slytherin, told me my ambition rivaled all the greats, do you know why I told him to put me into Gryffindor?"

"Why?"

"Because, even then, at the age of Eleven I could tell that in a world where magic is incorrectly marked dark and light by some idiot with a beard because he said so, I didn't want to be in a house with the supposed bad guys. It's not profitable, not smart to let everyone know your intentions are impure. Hermione Granger, Gryffindor Princess, and know-it-all is the girl you point to and go, 'she was in my year at Hogwarts,' when I become Minister of Magic. Ambition only gets you so far, Nott, image is what you want from me, isn't it?"

"Not entirely."

"So what is it that you want?"

"We want you."

"And everything I bring to the table?" She added sarcastically, "Look, I'm happy where I am right now, my whole world ended, and look at me. Still fucking standing. My parents are dead, my friends think I'm made of glass and everyone won't leave me alone. You better have something that looks better than immeasurable wealth, power, and privilege if you want to tip my scale." She leaned forward, waiting.

"A marriage law." He said simply, "A marriage law is going into place and you're going to be matched by the end of the night." Hermione sucked in a breath, was he serious? "I know who you're going to be matched too and you're not going to be happy about it. It will be a marriage of unity in the Ministry's eyes and there's no way to get out of it."

"Is it for the population? I know the numbers are low but are it that drastic?"

"Yes."

"So who is it then? If it's Goyle you can just kill me and get it over with." Nott laughed.

"Your favorite blond." So that's why Malfoy was looking at her on the train, if Nott knew chances are he did as well. "He's known for a week now and done everything in his conceivable power to get out of it to no avail."

"And if he can't get out of it with his money and reach..."

"Chances don't look good for you Granger."

"So I'm marrying Malfoy." Hermione said, "What does that have to do with you?" Nott had some sort of plot, plan, whatever you'd like to call it. The only question was whether Hermione would be his queen the proverbial chessboard he was playing on or a pawn. She'd been a pawn on too many games to willingly step on the board again, she would need to make sure this was something she'd be able to control.

"This could ruin your life, Granger." Nott said, "Or it could be the start of one where you're in power. You're broken? You feel useless now that the war is over? Well, you don't have to. You could be strong again." His words stung slightly, but they were too on point without hitting the target. The kind of thing you'd think if you looked at her thoughts for just a second.

"Did you read my mind on the train or at the station?"

"I didn't mean to bump into you Granger I swear," He smiled slyly.

"I don't trust you, Nott." Hermione said simply, "And we're here," Nott's smiled dropped as the carriage pulled to a stop and she stepped out. Harry and Ron hadn't waited for her. Chatter entered her ears as she noticed the soft glow of the castle caking the entrance. Inviting.

"If you want to start living Granger, you know where to find me." Nott called to her as she walked inside, "You're too smart to be a sidekick forever."

"I've always been strong Nott," She called back, "Thanks for reminding me."

Hermione sat down at Gryffindor's table, her mind turning in eight different directions. Her eyes fell to Malfoy who looked like he was bored out of his mind. It was inconvenient, obviously, but she wouldn't have this little drawback keep her down. Hermione would make it work for her. It seemed like Blaise Zabini was trying to get Malfoy's attention. The Italian saying something that Malfoy gave a quick response to before looking down at something much more interesting. His mashed Potato's.

Hermione's eyes were pulled to Nott's, who was staring at her with his thousand question eyes.

"What do you think of Theodore Nott?" She said, startling her friends who had probably assumed she wasn't going to be talking about this meal. It was true she had been silent quite a few, but the looks she was now receiving made her feel like she had been non-verbal and just muttered her first word.

"All I know is that his father the death eater is dead," Harry said after a moment, "Why are we talking about Theodore Nott?"

"I road up in the carriage with him," Hermione said simply. "We had a short conversation." About me marrying Malfoy, she added in her head. And apparent world domination.

"What could Nott have to say to you?" Ron asked, Hermione, shrugged. What hadn't Nott said to her.

"He told me he thinks I'm going to be Minister of magic." She settled on and her friends laughed, they thought she was kidding.

"Did I tell you guys about..."

Hermione tuned Ron out as the conversation drifted away. She had gotten quite good at that over the years, tuning out uninteresting boy talks. She looked at her friends, she wondered if they were going to be matched with people that promoted equality or people of muggleborn status. If Hermione was enacting a law like this, she would try to pair all the purebloods with muggle-borns, if the new generation simply didn't have purebloods, how much would that fix? A lot, she reckoned.

She took a bite of her own mashed potatoes. Hermione liked being the only one who knew what was to come.

The announcement of the marriage law came at last at the end of the night. McGonagall had asked all the Eighth and Seventh years to stay behind after dinner. It garnered the response Hermione thought it would, cries of outrage and tears of anger. Hermione listened as they explained how everyone who refused would have their wands snapped, and anyone who left the country would have all their assets frozen and would be unable to return. She watched as Ginny broke down and Ron yelled at a ministry official just doing his job. She heard people use fraises like, 'do you know who I am?' and, 'they can't do this,' more than she ever thought she would in one night.

"Everyone!" McGonagall finally yelled, "None of us want this any more than you do, but you are students of Hogwarts and you will act like it!" The older woman shook her head, "You will get into lines according to the last name. A-F go to the Gryffindor table, G-L at the Hufflepuff, M-R to Ravenclaw, and S-Z at the Slytherin table. Again that's A-F..."

Hermione got up and walked to the Hufflepuff table and sat down. At the top of the table was a Ministry official with blond hair and a fierce look on her face. After everyone was seated the officials started to call out names in Alphabetical order. Granger would be one of the first since she was a G.

"Granger, Hermione," The Blond called and Hermione walked up to the woman who handed her an envelope. She sat down back at the table and opened it.

Miss Hermione Jean Granger to be wed to one Draco Lucius Malfoy.

She rolled her eyes, it was blank other than that. Luna was seated at the same table as Hermione. By the time Luna's name was called, the pairing was almost over. The room was eerily quiet, everyone waiting for their names to be called. The only sound was a couple of silent sobs from some of the girls around the room. She was glad she had been told beforehand. It made this easier.

When Luna finally sat down next to her, for the first time since she had met the girl, Luna seemed sad.

"I never wanted to get married," Luna said with a depressed smile, "I don't think I like people in that way. Who were you matched with Hermione?"

"Draco Malfoy." Hermione responded, looking the girl beside her up and down, "I'm sorry Luna,"

"Oh it's alright, I always did want kids, thought I might adopt, but my own sounds nice too." Luna gave her a look, "I would think you'd be more upset about this Hermione."

"I am, trust me." Hermione sighed, "But there's very little I can do about it," Hermione would have said more but McGonagall's voice cut through the room.

"Please everyone find the indicated person on your card and stand at the table with your male partner's last name, the same as before A-F, G-L, M-R, S-Q." Hermione looked around for the top of Malfoy's blond head and found him easily, she said a quick goodbye to Luna before walking towards the Slytherin destined to be her husband. Cutting through the crowd she got to Malfoy at the Ravenclaw table and remembered that Harry's last name fell into M-R. This might turn into a problem.

"Malfoy," She called out, and the blond turned his head.

"Granger." He said, and that as all. It seemed as though he had calmed down to the fact they were going to be married, man, that sounded weird in her head. At least used to the idea. She sighed and followed him, she was tall for a girl but he was still much taller, her head only barely passing his shoulders.

They stood next to the table together, she hadn't been this close to Malfoy since she punched him in the face.

"Hermione," She heard Harry's voice say as the boy found her, she assumed he understood that she would never be next to Malfoy under any other circumstance because his face lit up in anger.

"Malfoy." Harry scowled,

"Potter," Malfoy drawled,

"Don't worry Hermione," Harry said, his eyes glowing with Gryffindor, "I'm going to find a way to get you out of this, you won't be marrying Malfoy."

"Thank you Potty," Malfoy said, "now could you kindly turn off that glow of superiority? It's hurting my eyes."

Harry practically growled, "Of course you're happy about this, Malfoy, hard to be looked at as a bigot when you're married to a war hero."

"Yes, I'm so very happy I have to fuck your Mudblood know-it-all swot who has been tortured on my floors," Malfoy said, his tone of voice reminiscent of if he was talking to an actual idiot. "it's not like I would have had enough money to do whatever I wanted for the rest of my life and now I'm tied to your prude of a girlfriend."

It seemed like Harry couldn't pick which thing insulted him more. She loved Harry, really, but he tended to let things get to him. She didn't want to have this be what everyone talked about for a week, extra, extra read all about it, 'fight between War hero Harry Potter and former death eater Draco Malfoy over Hermione Granger,'

"Harry he'd goading you, he wants a reaction." She said quickly, "Who are you partnered with?" perhaps she could avoid them fighting.

"Tracy Davis," Harry said, his eyes still locked on Malfoy. God if Hermione didn't know any better she'd say he was trying to burn an actual hole in Malfoys head.

"Well, you should probably go find her then." She said.

"Go on then Potter," Malfoy said, "Be a good dog and do what Granger says."

No ministry official I had nothing to do with the death of Draco Malfoy, why, he just tripped into my knife. Darndest thing!

"Harry!" Hermione warned, but Harry had whipped out his wand,

"Flipendo-"

Hermione quickly stood up, trying to block Harry's view of Malfoy but she had unintentionally put herself in the way of his spell.

"-Maxima!"

Hermione had experienced a lot of things in the last couple of years, but she had yet to be flipped through the air for twenty feet. So while Hermione watched in horror as the Jinx erupted from Harry's wand and hit her square in the chest, she couldn't help but think she could add this to the long list of things she could now say she's done.

Bang, she hit the Slytherin table, her back taking the brunt of the force before her head hit the table hard. This would be a crappy way to die. The pain rocketed through her and slowly turned to darkness as Hermione passed out.

Hermione heard low whisper yells as she came back into consciousness, wow her head felt like a walnut in a nutcracker. What had happened to her again? She couldn't quite put her finger on it but she was sure something happened. She squirmed slightly in her bed, it wasn't hers, and it wasn't the Gryffindor bed she had become used to. So where was she?

Opening her eyes seemed like a pain-inducing task so she kept them shut, could someone get those whisper yellers out of her room? They were making her head hurt even more if that was possible.

"Stop talking." She croaked, and the whispers seised. Silence.

"Hermione?" A voice said god didn't she just tell them to stop talking? She forced her eyes open and found quiet the scene in front of her. The curtains around her small corner of the hospital wing? Yes, the hospital wing. Draco Malfoy was sitting in a chair opposite her bed, Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood were on her right in chairs and Harry and Ron were on her left standing up.

Did they give her a potion? They must have because she felt a little silly.

"Hermione who are you doing?" Ginny's soothing voice said, her hand reaching out to stroke her hair.

"I feel silly," Hermione told her honestly, "I think I'm on D.R.U.G.S.," She spelled out the word slowly. "Don't tell my parent though they don't even let me have Chocolate. Drugs are very bad for your teeth." She whispered the last part.

"I won't," Ginny said, looking sad.

"Ginny."

"Yeah?" The redhead said,

"Why is Malfoy here?"

"Because the prat won't leave." Ginny said in a forced smile, "He has some deluded idea that because the Ministry legally married all of us to our matches last night that you are now his responsibility. We have tried to inform him that if you were awake you wouldn't want him here but it seems as though he doesn't care." Hermione nodded, that was a lot of words. Oh, poor Harry was probably sad that he threw her across the room. She should let him know it was ok.

"Ginny,"

"Yeah,"

"Tell Harry that I forgive him."

"Hermione,"

"Yeah,"

"He's on the other side of your bed," Hermione turned her head to see none other than Harry and Ron again, she had forgotten they were there.

"But now I can't see you, Ginny," Hermione whispered. Her head still didn't feel any better.

"It's ok I'm still here,"

"Hi Harry," She said, "My head hurts, can you all stop talking to me right now? I'll talk to you all double tomorrow,"

"Yes, I think that's a good idea." A new voice said as a hand moved back the curtain to reveal Madam Pomfrey. "Everyone but Mr. Malfoy get out of Ms. Granger's room. I can't legally make him leave." Ron grumbled something under his breath as all her friends left the room, goodbyes were whispered to her and she was left with just Malfoy. He was handsome, she was glad her husband was handsome.

"Malfoy." She whispered. "Are we married?"

"Yes, Granger."

"So do we love each other?" She asked, her parent were married and they loved each other.

"No, Granger,"

"Married people usually love each other," She told him seriously.

"Not always." He replied, "Granger you should get some more sleep, you don't want to be talking to me right now,"

"Yes I do, you're my Handsome Husband and I want to talk to you allllll day." Malfoy let out a small laugh, running a hand through his hair.

"You are going to regret saying all this in the morning- or whenever this potion wears off." Hermione studied his face, looked at his eyes and his pointy nose, it wasn't as crude as it was when they were kids, now it was more... defined.

"Nah," She said closing her eyes again, "I'm sure I won't,"

"We'll see," Malfoy said as she began to drift off.

The next morning Hermione was told what had happened to her after she passed out.

After Harry sent her flying into the Slytherin table, Ron had to carry her to the Hospital Wing because 1- he was already at the Slytherin table and 2- Harry was having a full-blown panic attack.

Apparently Malfoy had stayed with her until she woke up, which she couldn't understand since she obviously hadn't meant to take the spell for him so for whatever reason Malfoy felt the need to stay in that uncomfortable chair all night she would just have to wonder. Whatever, she wouldn't pretend to understand the blond.

She had to tell everyone a thousand times that she was fine before they left her alone come the next morning.

When she was finally awake (as in not in a potion-fueled state). Malfoy was allowed to take her up to their room at the protest of Pomfrey but her sharp request. Oh yeah, another thing she'd have to deal with, she was going to have to room with Malfoy.

Malfoy hadn't been there yet, since he slept in that chair all of last night, but the seventh and eighth years had been given a tower filled with 183 rooms for all the couples. They were in room 137.

She had no delusions as to how this was going to go for her, Hermione was going to have to endure Malfoy for the entire year.

Malfoy watched her struggle to get to her feet, not bothering to offer a hand, but it wasn't like she would accept it anyway. She finally stood and Hermione regretted not taking the recommended pain potions, but she remembered that she wanted to be alert if she was living with Malfoy. He left the room as she changed back into her Gryffindor robes and they made the long trek to their room.

Hermione gripped the wall and began to walk, Malfoy was behind her, watching like she was some sort of circus freak he had taken an interest in.

"Merlin kill me," He swore when they reached the great hall ten minutes later, he sighed heavily and walked over to her, picking her up and throwing her over his shoulder.

"Malfoy!" She screamed as she was hoisted off the floor, "Put me down this instant!"

"I am not spending the night waiting for you to get to the fucking room Granger," He hissed at her as she squirmed on his shoulder, "we've gone 1/100 of the way so far and I don't want to be blamed when you fall down the stairs."

"So put me down and walk to the room Malfoy!"

"Don't you think I would have?" Malfoy said, walking down the hall, "The room only opens for the first time when both people enter so that we can set the bloody password." She stopped squirming but stayed extremely stiff, she was trying to avoid touching as much of him as possible.

The entire walk he didn't seem to struggle with holding her, he was strong she supposed. When they arrived at the tower Draco pulled out his wand and cast a quick Lumos,

"Waxburts," He said to a portrait of a couple picking flowers in a meadow.

The door opened, revealing a long twisting hallway that gradually spun up into the tower. The rooms were on either side of the hallway and 137 was nearer to the end at the top.

When they finally got to their door Malfoy dropped her to the ground and she landed with a shriek onto the floor. Hermione felt the impact from the other day as she fell on her bottom and she clutched her back.

Getting to a standing position was a harder task than she thought it was going to be. But when she finally got to her feet she couldn't help but notice the rather peculiar door.

It was deep wood with 137 written in gold font with silver trim, she looked around at some of the other doors, some had bronze letters with black trim, some had silver with gold, very few had gold with gold or silver with silver and she saw virtually no black with black or bronze with bronze.

"Let's have the password be Otter," Hermione said after a second, "That's my Patronus,"

"Sure, fuck if I care." Malfoy said, running a hand through his hair, "We say it together to set it."

"Otter," they said at the same time and a small click could be heard. Malfoy reached for the doorknob, turning it to reveal their room. The first thing she noticed was there were only two doors, and one was open revealing a bathroom. Oh no, they did not expect her to sleep with him, did they? Merlin. She looked to the coach for salvation but found a small loveseat and a chair, nothing Malfoy would ever agree to sleep on.

"They don't expect us to..."

"They want us fucking Granger," Malfoy snapped and she recoiled at his choice of words, "of course they're not going to give us two beds, the bastards." Besides the unfortunate situation of their sleeping accommodations, she thought the living room was nice. A small kitchenette, a fireplace with the previously mentioned furniture in front of it, a bay window on the opposite side of the kitchen you could sit on, and a small bookshelf. She walked into their room and found it to be a decent size, the bed was large enough for two people to sleep comfortably without touching.

Malfoy followed him in moments later and stared at the bed in disbelief.

An hour later it seemed they were both going to bed, Malfoy had showered and changed into a pair of green silk pajamas, typical.

"Do you want to sleep on the couch," She asked him,

"Seeing as I'm not a dwarf Granger, no, I don't want to sleep on the couch." Malfoy practically spat. They were standing on either side of the bed, staring at each other intently, "If you want to sleep on the coach be my guest."

"I'm not sleeping on the coach Malfoy."

"Well, neither am I."

"So sleep on the floor."

"What makes you think I should sleep on the floor while you get the bed?!" Malfoy scowled at her,

"Because you're the guy."

"And that means I should have a crick in my neck? No, if anyone is sleeping on the floor it will be you, Mudblood." Hermione's eye twitched.

"You better not try anything." She warned him. "or I swear to Merlin I will kill you."

"You wish." Malfoy sneered, "I rather take a dive off of the astronomy tower." She gave him a worried glance, "Look," Malfoy said, "how about neither of us has sex with the other and we both get the fucking bed."

They got into bed.

Either one of them sleeping on the very edge of the king-sized mattress. Hermione thought about Theo's offer of controlling her destiny, it seemed very tempting at the moment.

If you told her two days ago she would be contemplating joining a secret society with Theodore Nott jr., would be sleeping in a bed next to Draco Malfoy, and that Harry would have thrown her across the room with a jinx, she would have laughed in there face and called them crazy.

But so go's her life.