Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter characters, but the plot is mine.

Title: At the Beat of a Hammer
Chapter Four

"I'm sorry, Professor." Hermione whispered as she looked down at the shattered pieces of her cup and the puddle of tea that was spreading with every passing second. "I'll clean it up." She spring up from her seat in order to crouch down on the floor and start picking up the shards of china that were lying there.

After a half a minute, she hadn't done much, but two of her fingers were already bleeding.

Behind her, Malfoy sneered with frustration and within the next few seconds a bright orange light shot out of his wand and restored the cup to its original state, with the tea in it once more, in the blink of an eye.

Hermione picked it up, glaring at the floor, and sat back down onto the couch. She wasn't about to apologize to the ferret, even if he was snow white and bouncy. A major reason not to, was the fact that she was going to be forced to marry him, remembering this detail made her glare harder.

"What? No thank you? The Mudblood had no manners. Psh, just like I assumed." Draco laughed, still standing far away from the couch and the bushy-haired know-it-all.

"What did you say Mr. Malfoy?" Dumbledore inquired rising up from his chair slightly, he obviously heard what the boy said, but wanted to give him a chance to correct himself.

"I said, Muggle-born witch." These proper words came off of his tongue with more bite and anger then his first attempt to describe her.

"Hmph." Hermione was too busy with her anger to feel hurt, so she ended up having her anger increased by the remark. She continued to ignore him, believing that he wasn't worth the time, and just took a sip of her tea. The girl scooted farther away from him, huddling by the arm of the couch. Even if she was on the other side of the world she wouldn't be nearly as far away from Malfoy as she would have wanted to be.

"Now, Mr. Malfoy, why don't you join Miss Granger on the couch and we can discuss the situation since it seems that that is what you both want to discuss." Dumbledore motioned to the couch that was stationed on the opposite side of the table from him.

"I'm fine standing, Professor." Draco replied, taking a small step towards the wall, he didn't want to be anywhere near the Mudblood. As far as he was concerned, sitting next to her would be poisonous to him.

"Please sit down, Mr. Malfoy." The Headmaster said, his tone not too friendly anymore. He didn't have much time, and seeing his two best students behave so uncooperatively frustrated him, even though he expected this behavior from them.

Draco mumbled something under his breath, but didn't argue. He had no intentions of making Dumbledore mad. He had seen that mood during his third year when Dementors came onto school grounds during the Quidditch game and he since then he decided that under no circumstances would he want to be the cause of the Headmaster's anger. "Yes. sir." He slowly moved toward the couch, clearly reluctant but trying his best to keep his cool.

Draco sat down as close to the arm of the couch as possible without huddling to it, he was the Slytherin prince and it was his duty to appear calm and reserved no matter what. It was also his duty as a Malfoy, because he was that before he was anything else. For the first time in his life, he had to work hard to keep a stone-cold mask on his face. Of course he succeeded in the end. After all, he was a Malfoy, and Malfoys learned to school their faces from a very young age. Draco was proud of that fact, and remained proud as he sat next to the Mudblood who he would have to marry. That thought made him snap out of his pride, though not completely, and concentrate on the matters at hand. His attention was directed at Dumbledore, because he wanted a way to escape this cruel fate of his.

Hermione at the same time scooted away from him so that now at least one more person could fit into the space between them. After taking another gulp of tea, that was surprisingly warm, she turned her attention to the Headmaster as well.

"Very well, we don't have much time before you two are expected to be down in the Great Hall for breakfast and then I am sure your friends will want you to accompany them to Hogsmeade. Thus we should get straight to business." Both of the students nodded, they both had plans for the trip. "You both know that you have to get married, it is impossible to change the verdict. Your only other option is to let yourself be kissed by a Dementor, but I think you would agree with me when I say that getting married is better then being executed in such a manner."

Hermione stayed huddled to the side, not saying anything. Draco, on the other hand, turned and glared at his supposed fiancé. He didn't want to do this, and he was almost betting that being soul-sucked by a Dementor would be better then marrying the Mudblood.

"Now, the next question is when. I have had a small conference with Narcissa, Mrs. Malfoy, earlier this morning and she had informed me that the wedding will take place in two months. Around January 20th. The details of this will be discussed between her and Hermione when she comes here next Saturday. Draco, all you have to do is pick the rings and get a best man."

The boy smirked before responding, "That's almost too easy. The rings have been picked out since before I was born, a set of Malfoy heirlooms for the heir's wedding. All I'll have to do with that is have them tailored to fit their wearer." Draco took a moment to glare at the girl who sat on the other side of the couch. "Blaise Zabini will be my best man. So I guess there's nothing else I am needed for."

Hermione watched Malfoy stand up and brush the foreign particles off of his robes. When the Headmaster couldn't see his mouth, the ferret whispered quietly in her direction. "Best do something about your fingers, you wouldn't want to soil everything with your dirty blood."

He sneered and headed for the door.

"Now I'm off to enjoy the last two months of my free life. Goodbye, Professor." With a curt nod he opened the door. "Oh, and Granger I hope you keep this quiet. I don't want my free time ruined by rumors of this. Either way, I'll always deny it and you'll end up looking very stupid." And just like that, with a smirk and a slam of the door he was gone.

A low growl came from Hermione, a sound that tread on the border of frustration and anger.

"Miss Granger?" Dumbledore asked, of course he didn't expect her to take well to the news but he didn't want anything drastic to happen.

"I'm alright, Professor." Hermione muttered even as she stood up and ran out the door, the tears that fell from her eyes threatening to drown her.

AN: Here it is, another chapter. Thank you: Gothhottie, Jewel Insert Witty Name Here, SilverSun3, TomFeltonsDance, and cateyezgold for reviewing the last chapter.

Brokken