Disclaimer- J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter. I do not.

Author's Note—I love putting in "author" because it makes me feel so… cool. I'm such a kid, really. Here is chapter 10. I read through it about 5 times and tried to fix my mistakes and make sure I clear everything up (I don't like loose ends) and my ending was okay. This chapter is 10 pages and I could probably split it up a bit because the next chapter is really short but I like chapter 11 a lot the way it is. Here it is! Enjoy--

Chapter 10

The week had passed by quickly for Hermione and Draco. It wasn't just classes; it was a whirl of classes, work, adjusting to living together, and extra lessons on wandless magic and relaxing skills. Hermione was pooped and Draco was not feeling any better than her as they climbed into their bed Friday night. After only a few minutes, Draco turned over and his monotonous breathing led Hermione to believe he was asleep. She, on the other hand, was completely restless and lay awake thinking back on her hectic week.

She sat up, the covers dropping to her waist, as she looked about the room warily. She had a strange feeling in her body. It was almost a sixth sense of something bad to come. She walked over to the window to look down at Hogwarts' grounds and placed her hands on her hips. A sudden burning sensation flicked through her hand and she remembered the scar, thoughts of the strange feelings whirring out of her mind.

It was strange that she had forgotten about the scar, not a Hermione thing to do, and she leaned against the window in thought. The glass felt cool on her soft warm skin and she began to wonder what the scar was for. She wondered if it had some sort of deep keeper meaning or if it was merely a symbol on her body to announce her as what she had become.

It was late and calm, the darkest time of night and she was less wary of another hearing her. She took a deep breath as she pressed her forehead into the glass and then spoke to the darkness quietly, "I'm scared of everything that is going on. I'm scared that maybe I won't be good enough. Please, whoever is out there, help me help everybody because I can't do it alone." She sighed, "Please let my mother be alright. I don't care if she doesn't remember me or if she is angry at me for not searching harder for her, please just let her be alright." Hermione hated to cry but she found herself not minding as a tear slipped down her cheek, "Please let her be alright."

Draco listened silently from his place under the warm sheets. He had awakened when Hermione had gotten up from her spot next to him. He had listened to her move around the room and he had turned over to watch her by the glass. Now he was frightened for her.

Draco didn't believe in counting on someone because people who he had counted on had let him down. Not necessarily his parents because, hey, whose parents hadn't let their kid down once or twice, but his friends and companions. Hermione was now letting him down too. She was supposed to be stronger than this. She was supposed to be a know – it –all. Why was she standing at the window crying? This wasn't Hermione behavior!

Yet, he knew why. He knew it was because she didn't have anything except Hogwarts. With all this new responsibility thrown at her she was probably spiraling out of control. Now she was confessing her fears and he didn't like it because he wanted to count on her to be his rock. The person he could lean against. Who cares if he didn't like her or not?

Lately, he thought his feelings might also be changing for Hermione. She was such a unique person. She was beautiful, but not in a normal physical way, and he was beginning to see what all of her friends saw. He didn't really like it but he was stuck with her for the rest of his life. What else he could he do? Hermione sniffled, catching his attention and his eyes darted back to her face.

"Daddy, I know I can't see you or hear you anymore but perhaps you can see and hear me. I just want you to know that I'm working hard and I'm trying, I'm really trying, to not let you down." Her back slumped against the wall and she brought her hands to her face. After a minute she regained her composure, "I don't want to cry anymore, daddy. I just want to live and I'm going to because I know you want me too. I love you Dad so much and I miss not being able to talk to you at all. Please, Daddy, please watch over me. Please protect me. Please help me and guide me because even though you are gone, I still need you. I always will." She took a deep breath. "I love you but I've cried enough and I won't anymore. I am your baby but I'm going to prove that I've grown up."

Draco watched Hermione take deep soothing breaths and he sat up to think. He loved to hate her. He loved to pick on her. He loved to irritate her. He loved to watch her eyes sparkle with mischief when she thought of a clever remark. He loved anything to do with her, even if it was all negative stuff he was doing. Now, though, he didn't think that he could pick on her or tease her for speaking to herself or for admitting she was scared and felt helpless. He was surprised and that was the bottom line. Hermione Granger Malfoy was not supposed to be scared and he was unsure of how to go about her while she was in this state of mind. He watched her for a moment.

"Draco, I can see you in the glass. What do you want?" He took a deep breath.

"I will never ever stop hating you." Hermione turned away form the glass to look at him.

"What?"

"I have hated you since the first moment I met you. I have hated every single solitary thing that you do and just because you chose me to be your husband and just because I accepted doesn't mean that I'll be able to stop hating you. No matter how long we live I will always have a piece of me that won't like you." He spoke truthfully and Hermione smiled.

"I know what you mean." She stated simply. He tilted his head to look up at her.

"There's more. I may always hate you but you continue to irritate me by surprising me. I know that I will always hate you but I think I might also appreciate how you know everything. I may appreciate how you stick up for everyone. I may admire you for being so strong and hard headed. I may hate you, but I definitely have respect for you. I know that you can do whatever you want because if you can't I know I can't. You have beaten me out at Hogwarts since 1st year. I know you can do anything because it's not easy to beat me." He smirked. He liked how he could compliment her while complimenting himself.

"I think I like your way with words you egotistical boy." She smiled. "Hey…" She drifted off.

"Yeah?" Hermione seemed to be in a trance like state. She was debating whether or not to tell Draco about the scar. What am I waiting for, she thought, who else do I have to tell right now?

"Last Monday morning when I was showering I noticed something different about my body. I have this weird marking on my hip. It burns whenever I touch it."

"Can I see it?" Draco asked.

"Yeah, I guess so." Hermione replied pulling her night shirt up to right over her hip where the star was. She walked over and sat on the bed.

"It's in a weird spot. Do you have any idea why it is there?"

"I had a scar there before, from my aunt's cat. It's as if it morphed into the star scar."

"I see." Draco nodded as he went to touch it. He put his finger on it and he began to glow. His finger stuck on the star as he went to pull away.

"Malfoy?" Hermione questioned. Draco's eyes rolled back in his head as he began to pant, his hand never leaving Hermione's hip. "Draco?? Are you okay?"

"Don't worry" He said softly as lay on the bed, "It's nothing. I'm fine." The glow around Draco was growing brighter. Hermione was watching him carefully; she couldn't feel his hand on her hip.

About a minute later he collapsed against the bed panting and sweating. Hermione looked over him worriedly feeling his forehead for signs of fever. She pulled away uncertainly when a small patch of light began to grow from where the moon's glow had once been.

The light began to grow as it wrapped its gentle tendrils around Draco. Hermione gasped in surprise but became enthralled as she watched the light begin to swiftly cover her body. She sighed as the gentle flow pulled her into the mattress. The light wafted around her arm and pulled her hand to Draco's neck, where she placed it lightly. A burst of light filled the air as his neck glowed briefly. Then the light vanished and the room plunged into total darkness. Draco moaned as Hermione traced his throat.

"What was that?" Hermione asked tentatively, removing her hand.

"I don't know. Shame it had to come from you." Draco responded, sticking his tongue out at her.

"Something happened to your neck." Draco grabbed his wand and whispered Lumos. Hermione peered at his neck and saw a small star marking almost identical to hers. "Look!" She shouted excitedly, "It's just like mine! I think I gave you some of my light. It's like a piece of me."

Draco frowned as he peered at his new marking, "It's interesting at least." He conceded. Hermione smiled at him. And turned away, flicking the lights off with her hand. She shut her eyes and promptly fell asleep, Draco following into dream world soon after.

The next morning Hermione and Draco arrived in the great hall feeling more refreshed than they had all week. They separated, nodding at one another. Hermione subconsciously rubbed her scar as she watched him go. Draco turned around and looked at her, rubbing his own scar. She smiled and sat down at the Gryffindor table. "Hey Harry, Ron. Has anything interesting happened?"

"You were smiling at Malfoy." Ron said, flatly.

"Yeah well, I want to insult him and just thinking about him makes me tense but…" She trailed off

"You're slowly becoming attached to him?" Ron asked frankly.

"Yeah, and it's weird because I don't like him. I just want to get away from him half of the time. I can't believe myself. How am I going to live through this?"

"You're Hermione. You'll do whatever you please; you always have," Ron interjected,
"Why don't you start accepting your feelings."

"What??"

"Hermione," Harry began, "Start accepting the fact that you like being around Malfoy. Stop holding grudges, just don't expect us too. Usually you only hold grudges against us and welcome everyone else. You're married to a Malfoy, you are a Malfoy, so you can't hold a grudge against the name."

"But we hate him…"

"Hermione. He's going to be with us for as long as you live. We might as well get used to him, plus, he's been less of a cheeky wanker since school started, except to you of course. He's going to be with you whether you like it or not. Why not like it."

"Maybe…" Hermione said weakly, "That was oddly mature of you Harry."

"We planned on saying it to you before you went off and married the git, but since Dumbledore moved it ahead we never got a chance. Don't get us wrong either, we still don't like him but he may have some redeeming qualities." Ron added, "I just didn't think I could spout off about not holding a grudge against him so Harry volunteered."

"Anything new with you guys?" Hermione asked, trying to change the subject.

"My scar burned last night."

"When?"

"Sometime around midnight."

"Hmm… Harry, I have a new scar on my hip. Last night around midnight I showed it to Draco. He touched it, broke out in a sweat and than passed out. When he passed out this light engulfed us and I gave him a scar just like mine on his neck. I gave him a bit of me, I think. I don't know what it means but I wonder if our scars have anything to do with yours."

"Can I see your scar?" Hermione nodded and pulled up her light purple shirt as Harry viewed the marking on her skin. He touched it and felt a tingle throughout his whole body, Hermione felt it too. Ron was watching the interaction curiously and reached over to brush the scar too. He tingled as well. "Cool Minee!" Harry exclaimed putting his hand on his knee, "Its … odd."

"Wonder what's up with that mate." Ron said, scratching his shoulder and taking a sip of his pumpkin juice. Hermione smiled at him and touched her scar and Harry felt a tingle through his body. Ron felt it too and Draco looked over to Hermione, again rubbing his neck.

"When you touch it, Hermione, I feel it."

"I wonder what it means."

"Well Mrs. Malfoy, it means that you have chosen these two as guardians." Professor Dumbledore interrupted, "The keeper herself doesn't have a choice as to who her guardians are. It chooses itself. The person it is most inclined to receives the biggest shock from the touch. I read in a book from my personal library, in fact, that there are only three or four people that end up being guardians. Is there anyone else you feel particularly close to?"

"Millicent, but Ginny and I are pretty close too."

"Go talk to Millicent, Mrs. Malfoy. See what happens when she touches it."

"But Professor, what does it mean? What does it do?"

"If you are in danger it calls and can transport your guardians to you. If all arrive and surround you then you are put into a sort of safety shield. Mind you, it only lasts for a brief amount of time and is positively draining when it is over, but it's useful for grave moments."

"I'll go talk to Millicent and possibly Ginny, what if someone sees it and touches it?"

"It will burn them."

"Thank you Professor." Hermione stood up and kissed Harry and Ron on the cheeks as she walked over to the Slytherin table. Draco stood up to greet her as she wondered closer. He began to walk to her but stopped when she waved him off and moved past him to where Millicent and Pansy were sitting and chatting.

"What can I get for you Minee?" Millicent asked pleasantly as she watched Hermione approach.

"I need you to touch my scar. Professor Dumbledore believes that we may have some sort of bond." Millicent coughed and Draco stopped and looked at Hermione raising an eyebrow.

"Hermione" Millicent said laughingly, "you are married, your husband is behind you and I am a heterosexual."

Hermione chuckled, "Well, Draco's not very pleasing." Draco chuckled as he came to stand beside her.

"Puh-lease Granger."

"Malfoy."

"What?"

"My name is Malfoy. I am your wife or did you forget?"

"How could I? You won't let me." Hermione smiled and jabbed him in the side. He looked slightly irritated, "What did you want from Millicent?" Hermione turned away from the six foot tall blonde to smile at Millicent.

"I also believe we have a connection through my scar. I know it sounds far fetched but Dumbledore believes that my closest and most trusted friends will feel a tingle. This tingle marks you as a guardian of me. If someone happens to touch the scar then it will send out a brief burning feeling. I've felt it. It's a bit like a spark."

"You marked me though; I didn't know you trusted me." Draco cut in.

"I do trust you, just not much." She stuck her tongue out at Draco, "I don't choose; something inside me does. Everything that goes with being a keeper is rather confusing," She smiled and turned to Millicent who was smiling at her.

"Show me the scar." Hermione lifted her shirt up slightly and Millicent admired the scar and then went to touch it. Hermione could feel the energy flowing from her body as Millicent placed her hand on the slightly raised skin. She felt a tingle that spread throughout her whole body.

"Whoa," She concluded, laying her hand on her skirt. A small, barely visible, snap of light shot through her hand and a scar began to form on her leg. Pansy was watching the whole display half heartedly.

"You know," She started, "I sometimes wish that I had the nerve to make friends with people in other houses. Who knows what interesting things will happen to me then!" She laughed and Hermione laughed with her.

"Hey, Hermione, we are going to finish our breakfast now. I'll see you in classes later." Hermione nodded and began to turn away. On impulse she spun back around to speak quietly with Pansy.

"I know that you sometimes feel pressured to only do what your housemates want. I still feel pressured." She laid her hand on Pansy's shoulder, ignoring the surge of energy that went through her, "Remember though, that this is your last year with these people and soon enough you are going to be out in the real world where houses don't matter. Do what you want and don't feel bad about what you are doing. As long as you are happy, you are making the right choices." Pansy nodded.

"I don't usually take advice from anyone." She joked, than turning serious said, "Thank you for believing in me. I can tell in your words that you do and it means a lot." Hermione gave the girl a quick squeeze and walked to where Draco was standing.

"What was that about?" He whispered to her as they began to walk away together.

Hermione smiled and kissed Draco, surprising herself, than walked back to the Gryffindor table. He followed her.

"Harry, Ron. After you touched my scar where did you touch??" Harry and Ron looked up at Hermione and chanced a glance at Draco who was close behind.

"Um, I touched my leg." Harry said.

"Shoulder, I had an itch." Ron declared after Harry spoke. Hermione leaned across the table and pulled Ron's shirt down over his shoulder as he squirmed.

"Well Ron, now you can be called scar-shoulder. You have a new scar too." Ron smiled.

"Thanks Hermione!" He chuckled sarcastically but seriously all the same. Hermione smiled and kissed his cheek. Harry frowned.

"Where's my kiss?" Hermione pecked him on the cheek and began to leave the Hall, Draco following behind, again.

"I love you guys!" She called over her shoulder as she walked away.

"We love you to Minee!" They yelled back, smiling at her.

Hermione turned to Draco, "I'm in a good mood, Malfoy, you want to go for a walk with me around the grounds."

"Do I have a choice?"

"No you prat, I was just saying it to be pleasant."

"I know, it must've been tough."

"You have no idea." Hermione rotated around and began to walk away, Draco smirking at her back. They walked in silence for a few minutes before Draco spoke up.

"Why did you kiss Weasel and Scar-head?"

"They're my best friends. Why wouldn't I."

"They are males. Teenage males."

"They are my best friends." She smiled inwardly, she absolutely adored Harry and Ron and would die for either, as they would for her. She knew that they had a bond stronger than just friendship, Hermione sighed, "They're more than friends, they're my family." A small frown graced her features as she stared out into the forbidden forest.

"What happened to your mother and father?" Draco asked suddenly. He had been wondering since her outburst and especially since last night, what had happened in her life.

"I don't know." She looked at him sadly. "I honestly don't know."

"Care to go on?" Draco pressed, desperately wanting to know more.

"My home life was never perfect. My father and mother used to love each other. They would have given their lives for one another but it slowly faded. My parents began to argue more and every summer I came home from school, it seemed to be worse. I knew that they loved each other but they weren't in love any more. They wanted to stay together for me, because it was me that they really cared about. I knew they would never last.

"Over the last summer they had been preparing to get a divorce. They were still friends, how can you not be when you've been married for twenty years, but not lovers and my mom wanted to move on, I believe my daddy did too. Then one day I was outside reading and spending time with my best muggle friends, Lisa, Jack and Rhys. When I got home my mother was gone. No one knew where she went." Hermione took a breath.

"You have muggle friends?"

"I do have a life away from Hogwarts, you know."

"Just checking," Draco smirked, "Continue."

"My mum's done this before. She would leave and then anywhere from three days to a week later she would return, but she didn't this time. The last thing I heard from her was a letter I received, it had that locket, that's why it's so important to me. It's my most valuable possession. No one knows where mum is, I wish I did. My father and I went through a rough period getting used to living without her. He missed her, as did I, and we would often just spend time thinking together.

"Then Daddy began to forget things. Muggle diseases like Alzheimer's don't run in our family, so I'm suspicious about what it was. Daddy had planned for us to spend some time together and become a family again. Then, on the night we had a 'Granger Night' Planned, he never showed up. I fell asleep worried and the next morning I knew something was wrong. My father had gotten into an accident and he was lying on his deathbed in the hospital. I got there, with help from my neighbor, as he was slipping. He kept telling me that he loved me and that I needed to stay strong. I think there was something else, but now I'll never know. My father, the strongest most loving man, died while I was holding his hand. All he wanted was for me to stay strong." Hermione sniffed, "I love him so much. The memories I have of him keep me alive. I don't know what happened. No one would tell me. All they said was it was a fatal accident, and that they were sorry. I was sorry too, my daddy was dead." Hermione took a deep calming breath, her voice straining.

"My father wanted me to stay strong and I tried but days with my aunt, who I had gone to live with, were trying. She didn't want a teenager in her house, and though she was… friendly… towards me, she was also a bit hostile. I had walked in on her private life, interrupted her. It wasn't good. I thought about running away, which is unbelievable to me now, but the grief was unbearable. I knew I had to stay, for my friends and for my father and my mother too, who still hadn't contacted me. I always remind myself that what does not kill us merely makes us stronger. It makes sense, especially in my case." Hermione chuckled.

"You never cry, you know. I don't think you're normal. Any normal girl would cry after that."

"I'm not normal, you forget." She laughed. "I have cried. I have shed enough tears. You saw me last night. My father wants me to go on living, and I want to too. I want to show everyone what I am made of." Draco chuckled, surprised at Hermione's zest.

"Yeah well—" Hermione interrupted him.

"Plus, Draco, we only have one life to live, I might as well make the most of it." Draco chuckled again and leaned against a tree.

"You are zesty, I'll give you that." Hermione smirked, walking towards the castle.

"Oh no! The great Draco Malfoy has given the mudblood a compliment," she threw her hands up in the air, "although you make me sound like a food." She stuck her tongue out at him.

"No, not the mudblood or the food…" Hermione twisted around to look at him as he caught up with her, "My wife." Then he swept her lips up into a kiss. Hermione pulled away slowly after a minute and smiled at him, leaning into his chest.

"What was that for?"

"I don't know, it just felt like the right thing to do."

"And since when do you do the right thing?"

"Since now," And he swept her up into another kiss. Hermione felt herself shake and again she pulled away.

"Did you feel that?"

"Yeah, wicked, I always knew I was a good kisser." Hermione smirked at him and then frowned. It happened again. Draco looked slightly worried. "What is that? It wasn't me."

Hermione laughed but abruptly stopped when she shook again. "Get inside Draco."

"What?"

"Go in now. Tell Dumbledore something is wrong with the forbidden forest. I sense it." She shivered and shook again.

"I don't think so. I'm staying right here with you. I'm the guy; I'm supposed to protect you."

"Stop pretending to be macho and get inside. Something is not right." Draco mumbled to Hermione and stood his ground for a minute. Hermione stared at him, daring him to move and when he didn't she sighed and started to turn away. As she was turning she started to shake, almost violently, and the feeling she had last night returned.

Something was very, very wrong.

A/N—Chapter 10 in the writing! There you go! I want to write more of this story and I have the ending all written out in my head as well as key events leading up to the ending. I'm just having trouble getting it all out of my head. The next chapter will be out Thursday Night or Friday Morning and then it may be a few days so that I can organize and write everything down. My family is going on a trip to DC to see my grandparents over the weekend though. I'm awfully worried because Granddaddy is really sick. sigh On a happier note, I hope this meets your standards and if not… don't be mean… but tell me!

Enjoy and Review!
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Xo, Unspotted Giraffe