A/N: Hallo again, and welcome to another exciting episode of this story!

Really, I'm surprised that more of you didn't ask for a cookie. Therefore, Fallen4HPTF, not only do you receive two cookies, but the entire batch, PLUS a round two dozen Red Velvet cupcakes, frosted in buttercream, each with their very own Harry Potter paper cupcake holders! Lucky, aren't you?

Now, it won't be very often that I recognize individual reviewers, unless someone says something terribly inspiring or witty. However, since I've received no less than NINE reviews, from (mostly) different people in the last few days, which is quite encouraging, I want to recognize these very fine people, who obviously have very good taste in literature. (sniffs) Ah, well, I can dream, can't I? hehehe.

J.N.Cahill-I will read your story ASAP, but gotta work on my chapters and put my other story on hiatus.

Ann-Marie-Ron (and possibly Harry) will be explained if I can get my story straightened out. Got Hermione 'n Dumbledore first, then maybe Ron.

Slyswn28-Didn't catch your profile (my computer is a POS, couldn't get it to load), but I'm guessing you aren't of the female persuasion, eh? There will be more to come. Do you want more on Blaise/Ginny? Let me know.

Kitty253-I will work on that. I like longer chapters myself, but some people don't, they want a quick read.

Nicole-HP-fan, everDracosgirl, Ehowyn Weasley, DansGrlS, hermyandron4evr-thanks to you for your support.

I love you all, from the bottom of my coffee cup.

Now, the story. Finally. Sorry I got caught up, but I think it'll be another few chapters until I do some more in-depth recognition. Enjoy!

It took a few minutes for their drinks to show up, and Draco refused to say anything until they did. Blaise was getting frustrated.

Finally, after drinking his hot chocolate and requesting another, Draco started to speak.

"What is it you want to know?"

"Who was that woman? She looked familiar."

"Hermione Ma-Granger."

Blaise wasn't as stupid as most people thought. "What did you say her last name was?"

Oh, shit. "Granger. Something wrong with your hearing?"

"No, I think there's something wrong with your tongue."

Double shit. "It must be the, uh, hot chocolate. It was pretty hot." Like Hermione.

"Give it up. When did she become Mrs. Malfoy?" Blaise was a bit disappointed he hadn't known, but mostly surprised Draco could hide something like that from him.

Draco sighed and looked down into his empty cup. "Seven and a half months ago."

Blaise was surprised again. Draco never sighed. It was a sign of emotion, which was a sign of weakness. Draco never showed weakness. "Well?"

"Well, what?"

"She good in bed?"

"You are just sick."

"What? What'd I say?"

Draco gave him a Look reminiscent of the one he had received from Hermione on so many occasions, without the lust.

"Okay, okay. I get it. So, what happened? When did this miraculous change of heart occur?"

"It doesn't matter, okay? That's in the past."

"But that's what I want to know. Why are you not with her? She's actually pretty hot."

"Dammit, Blaise, knock it off. She's my wife, after all. You can't just tell me you think she's hot. Now, do you have any real questions or should I just kick your ass right now?"

Blaise took the hint. He fucked it up. Dumbass. "Well, why was she so rude?"

"I fucked it up." I knew it! "I lied to her, she found out, and hasn't forgiven me yet."

"It must have been a pretty big lie if she hasn't forgiven you yet."

"I told her I wasn't a Death Eater."

"That is a pretty big lie."

Duh. "No shit, Sherlock."

"Who?"

"Never mind. Anyway. Anything else you think you need to stick your nose into?"

"You need to go into detail. I need to know what the mighty Draco Malfoy did to fuck it up, word for word, so I can store it in my memory and gloat over the fact that you're not perfect anymore." Blaise smirked at Draco.

"You're an ass, Blaise."

"Yep. I know. Quit stalling. I want to know."

"Fine. Ass." Draco grumbled.

XXXXX

"What the HELL is that on your arm?"

Oh, shit. (A/N: I know he says that a lot, but it's his favorite phrase when he's in trouble. In fact, that's where Hermione picked it up from.) "What's what on my arm?" Draco played stupid to stall for time, which only made Hermione madder.

"WHY DO YOU HAVE A DARK MARK ON YOUR LEFT FOREARM? WHERE THE HELL DID IT COME FROM? HOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD IT? WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME? WHO-"

"Wait. Calm down-"

"Calm down? CALM DOWN? MY HUSBAND IS A DEATH EATER! HE WORKS FOR VOLDEMORT! HE KILLS PEOPLE IN HIS SPARE TIME! AND YOU WANT ME TO CALM DOWN?"

"Now, just a minute. I don't just walk around killing people in my spare time. I'm not that into it. I'm just-"

"NOT THAT INTO IT? WHAT THE HELL! ONE DOESN'T JUST CASUALLY BECOME A DEATH EATER PART-TIME! DO YOU THINK I'M STUPID OR WHAT?"

"No, I don't think you're stupid-"

"APPARENTLY YOU THINK I AM! DID YOU THINK I JUST WOULDN'T FIND OUT? WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SOMETHING?"

"Well, cause I thought you might take it like this." Draco's patience was wearing thin. She wasn't letting him get a word in edgewise, and he wanted to try to defend himself. He knew there was no excuse, really, but he did have his reasons. This kind of reaction was one of them.

Hermione opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again. Draco looked at her face, watched her body stiffen, felt her soul grow cold. This isn't good.

"Draco." Her voice was very quiet now. Double shit. "I have nothing more to say to you right now. Please let me go."

"'Mione-"

"Don't ever call me that again."

He looked into her eyes. There was nothing there but a wall. No love, no hate, nothing. This was worse than he thought. Maybe I should have told her.

"I want to explain."

"There is nothing you could say to me right now that would make a damn bit of difference. Let go of me or I shall make you." Her eyes still said nothing, but the tone of her voice said it all. She meant business.

Reluctantly, Draco released her arm and stood aside. She stepped out of the water and began to dress herself. One of her sandals was behind Draco, but she made no move to grab it. She started walking up to the house with only one shoe.

Draco's heart sank. What have I done?

XXXXX

"Damn."

"Yep."

"Well, I suppose it all sorta fits now."

"Yeah, sure."

"Well, what are you gonna do about it?"

"Huh? What can I do about it? She hates me."

"You can't give up. You're married, for Merlin's sake." Blaise shook his head in disbelief.

"So? She has every right to hate me."

"Yep. You were a right bastard. However," Blaise said, "you have a responsibility to her. You need to be there for her. You need to love her, cherish her, blah, blah, blah."

"Quit blabbering." Blaise had always been a hopeless romantic. Back at school, in between classes, Draco had caught him more than once reading trashy romance novels. Blaise had threatened to tell everyone Draco had screwed Pansy on Dumbledore's desk (which he hadn't) if Draco didn't keep his mouth shut. Draco already had enough problems with Pansy spreading rumors about him and her sleeping together (which they hadn't) without having a similar rumor come from another source. So he kept his peace. It didn't, however, deter Blaise from reading his books; he just put a charm on his books so they looked like porn stories instead of bearing pictures of Gilderoy Lockhart and some chick staring into each others eyes with the sun setting the background behind a castle.

"Well, it needs to be done. Besides..." Blaise paused for effect.

"What?" Draco asked suspiciously.

"Oh, nothing. Just that I know something you don't, and you definitely should."

"Horse shit." Draco knew more than most anyone he knew, and he'd be damned if Blaise suddenly became a genius.

"No sir, it is quite true. Do you want me to tell you?"

A/N: Ha ha, this is the end of this episode. No, it's not much longer than the rest, if at all, but I need to get some sleep. I've been up for, oh, about 26 hours and that just isn't good for me. So, I bid each and every one of you 'Guten Tag' and wish you well on your chosen path.

-Kat

P.S. I forgot to tell you, I was looking for my story to make sure episode 5 and 6 loaded properly because, as I previously mentioned, my computer is a POS, and discovered that of the 694 stories that contain the word 'eyes', only two others in the history of are named 'Her Eyes'. Funny, huh? Oh, that was a bad sentence grammatically, but I don't care right now. Love ya.