Chapter 8 Marriage and Divorce

The next day, Harry ignored everyone. Half way through the day, Saturday, Harry was elaxing in his Common Room when Malfoy came in.

"What do you want traitor?" Asked Harry.

"Nothing. I'm allowed in here aren't I?" Asked Malfoy, sitting down on Hermione's old couch.

"Get out of here." Said Harry, rudely.
"I don't have to. Plus, this is a good place to hide from Pansy who's so happy to see me out of the dungeons and not with Hermione." Said Malfoy.

"So, now that you killed her, you find it safe to call her by her first naem, Traitor?" Asked Harry.

"Shut up about the traitor thing. I'm sorry ok?" Said Malfoy.

"Yeah right. You are, and always will be, a Death Eater." Sneered Harry.

"Take that back!" Yelled Malfoy, taking out his wand and pointing it at Harry.

"No!" Yelled Harry, "Your the reason shes dead!" Yelled Harry, taking out his own wand.

"I hope you end up just like her." Sneered Malfoy, turning and leaving through the Slytherin door.

Harry stuffed his wand angrily back in his pocket and went up to his room to get ready for the funeral. 10 minutes later, he was ready. He walked down to the crowded Great Hall. It was mostly Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaws. Malfoy was the only Slytherin there. Harry met up with Ginny, Ron and Luna. Luna had showed up in robes with Hermione plastered all over it. Dumbledore stood up and everyone sat down.

"To some of you, Hermione Granger was a friend, to few, more than a friend." He looked at Harry. "And to others, a role model. Today, we will honor what was Hermione Granger."

The speach went on for anotherhalf an hour followed by some students mini-speaches. Finally, it was time to walk by the coffin and pay respects to her. Harry was the last to go. When he passed her, he noticed her face was no longer pale.

'must be some preservation spell.' Thought Harry.

But then he noticed soft breathing coming from her. Then her eyes opened. She looked at Harry and smiled, but then looked around horrified.

"What happened?" Asked Hermione.

"y..You were dead! Everyone thinks your dead!" Said Harry, thunderstruck.

"I...I'm dead?" Asked Hermione.

"Not anymore." Said Harry.

She sat up and looked around. Everyone was looking at her with the same expression as Harry. Hermione just jumped out of the coffin wobbily and staggered out of the Great Hall. Harry followed her.

She ran into their common room and flung herself on the couch and cried. Harry rushed over to her and put this arm around her.

"Whats wrong?" He asked her.

"I can't belive I was dead!" Cried Hermione. "How can I be alive?"

"I was supposedly dead for 3 weeks. You've been out for a month." Said Harry.

"How did we become alive again?" Asked Hermione.

"Dumbledore said it was because of my mothers love. I was dead for that time because Voldemort shared my blood and my protection but it was enough to nearly kill me." Said Harry. "What I don't get is how you survived."

"I know how to figure out." Said Hermione.

"How?" Asked Harry.

"Dumbledore." Said Hermione.

"Lets go." Said Harry, getting up and helping Hermione up.

They walked back to the Great Hall to see most of the people had left. Dumbledore was standing in the back, talking to P. McGonnagle. They stopped as soon ad Harry and Hermione were in earshot.

"We need to talk to you Professor." Said Hermiobne to Dumbledore.
"Yes. What is it?" Asked Dumbledore.

"Can we talk privately." Said Harry.

"Of course. Follow me." Said Dumbledore. He led them to the room off to the side of the Great Hall.

"What is it?" Asked Dumbledore again.

"We want to know why i survived." Asked Hermione.

"Its the same reason why Harry killed Voldemort." Said Dumbledore, winking at Harry. He left the room leaving a confused Hermione.

"What?" Asked Hermione.

"I'll tell you in the common room. C'mon." Said Harry, leading her to their common room. They sat down together on Hermione's couch.

"Why did you kill Voldemort?" Asked Hermione.

It took Harry a long time to answer even though he had said this before. Instead of telling Hermione , he showed her by kissing her. Right when he did, Hermione screamed in pain. The ring on her finger was glowing red and burning Hermione's finger. As soon as Harry stopped kissing her, the burning stopped.

"I'm still married?" Asked Hermione.

"When Voldemort was killed," He paused, "His body disapeared."

"No. That wasn't supposed to happen." Said Hermione before running up to her room and slamming her door. Harry knew not to follow her so instead he went to Dumbledore again for help. He found him in his office sitting at his desk as if he was expecting him.

"Come in and sit down." Said Dumbledore, indicating toward a chair in front of his desk. Harry sat down and began stating his problem.

"How is she supposed to get divorced when there is no body of Voldemort to get the needed blood?" Asked Harry.

"Think back to fourth year, Harry." Said Dumbledore.

"Voldemort returned." Said Harry plainly.

"How?" Prompted Dumbledore.

"Wormtail put my blood in a cauldron along with his hand and an ugly creature thing. Then said stuff." Said Harry.

"Concentrate on the first thing you said." Said Dumbledore.

"He took my blood?" questioned Harry.

"Yes. Don't you see, Voldemort shares your protection from your mother.."

"Because He has my blood. My blood will work in the potion!" Exclaimed Harry. "Thankyou Professor!" Yelled Harry as he ran out the door. He ran down to his common room and up to Hermione's room. He walked in and saw Hermione sitting on her bed trying to get the ring off which only burned her more.

"Stop that Hermione! I figured it out! Voldemort has my blood so the potion will work." Said Harry, overexcitedly. Hermione jumped up and hugged Harry.
"Thankyou! We need to find Malfoy." Said Hermione.

They went fown to the common room and through the door marked 'Slytherin'. All the Slytherins were staring at them.

"What are you doing in here Potter?" Asked one of them.
"Looking for Malfoy. Have you seen him?" Asked Harry.

"What do you want?" Asked Malfoy.

"Dumbledore needs you." Said Harry.
"And what makes you think I'm going to come?" Asked Malfoy.

"Because I said so." Said Hermione.

"Doyou realy think I'm going to do what you say Gr.." Hermione held up her left hand which made him not say what he was going to say.
"Fine. I'm coming." He said sounding as though he'd rather take a blast-ended skrewt for a walk. They went up to Dumbledores office. Professor Snape was already there staning next to a cauldron full of a light blue liquid.

"Now that were all here, we can begin the process." Said Dumbledore.
"What process?" Asked Malfoy.
"The divorce." Said Hermione happily.
"What! No! We agreed to stay married forever!" Yelled Malfoy.
"YOU agreed to stay married. Not me." Said Hermione.

"I'm not doing this." Said Malfoy.
"I'm afraid you have no choice." Said Dumbledore.

Snape pulled out a dagger and 3 viles from under his robes. He walked over to Malfoy and forced him cut across his palm. He collected some blood in one of the viles and handed it to Dumbledore. He did the same to Hermione and Harry. Dumbeldore then added the blood to the cauldron and muttered something in Latin.

"Ms. Granger, Mr. Malfoy, put your left hands in the cauldron." Said Dumbledore.

They did so, only Malfoy needed to have his hand forced in the cauldron by Snape.

"Take your hands out please." Said Dumbledore. They took their hands out fo the cauldron. Hermione looked down at her hand and squealed. The ring was gone! She ran over and gave Harry a hug. Malfoy looked realy depressed. He just kept staring at his left hand miserably.

"You may go now." Said Dumbeldore.

"Thankyou Professor!" Said Hermione happily.

They went back to their common room. Malfoy followed them but went strait through the Slytherin door.

"I'm not married to the ferret anymore!" Yelled Hermione joyously.

"Yep!" Said Harry before kissing her.

"Thankyou SO much!" Said Hermione.
"For what?" Aksed Harry, Puzzled. She didn't have time to answer because Ron and Ginny came through the Gryffindor door.

"Hey guys." Said Hermione.
"I'm so glad your not married to Ferret Boy any more!" Said Ron, giving Hermione a hug.

"Me too." Said Ginny.
"Can I talk to you for a sec, Ron." Asked Harry.
"Sure." Replied Ron.

They walked away leaving Hermione and Ginny to their conversation. A minute later, Harry and Ron returned.

"I think we should leave Harry and Hermione alone. They've had a rough night." Said Ron to Ginny

"Thats ok. I'm fine." Said Hermione.
"No realy, you need your rest, come on Ginny." Ron and Ginny left.

Harry sat down next to Hermione. She instantly put her head on his shoulder.
"I told you you were tired." Said Harry jokingly

"I'm not tired." Said Hermione getting up.

"I knew you weren't." Said Harry.

"Then why didn't you back me up before Ron and Ginny left?" Asked Hermione.

"Because I wanted to talk to you privatly." Said Harry.
"Couldn't it wait? I was talking with Ginny." Said Hermione.

"No." Said Harry.

"Why?" Asked Hermione.

"Because I've been waiting forever." Said Harry.

"Waiting for what?" Asked Hermione.

Harry reached in his pocket and pulled out a ring box.

Hermione couldn't speak.

"Would you marry me, Hermione?" Asked Harry, holding out the ring.

"Y..Yes." Choked Hermione.

Harry put the ring on her left ring finger.

"I love you." Said Harry.

"I love you too." Said Hermione.

Malfoy entered the room and looked at Harry and Hermione. Her looked upset.

"Dumbledore needs to see us." Said Malfoy, motioning toward Hermione.

"Can't it wait?" Asked Hermione.

"No. He said its urgent."

"I'll be right back." Said Hermione to Harry. She kissed him then followed Malfoy out of the room. They walked up to Dumbledores office and knocked. The door magicaly swung open and they walked in.
"Please have a seat." Said Dumbledore. They sat down in front of his desk.

"I have some bad news." Said Dumbledore. "Voldemort didn't die. He disapparated just in time to escape."

"But that means.." Started Hermione.

"You have to pretend to be married still. I have replicas of the rings for you to wear. Voldemort knows you are lying but you need to convince him that you aren't." Said Dumbledore.

"How?" Asked Hermione.

"He sent you a letter for you to meet him on the day after Christmas."

"But thats in a week!" Complained Hermione.

"You must go." Said Dumbledore. "Here are your rings. You must wear them at all times and pretend that they are the real ones in public. That means you can't even be near Mr. Potter, Mrs. Malfoy." Said Dumbledore.

"We can still act normal in my common room can't we?" Asked Hermione.

"Yes. Thats still true." Said Dumbledore. "I have other matters to attend to so you two need to leave."

"Bye Professor." Said Malfoy, taking Hermione with him.

"If you try to pull that '24-7' thing again, I have my real fiancee to back me up." Said Hermione.

"I am your real husband though." Said Malfoy with a smirk.

"Not in my common room we're not." Said Hermione.

"We still have the outside world." Said Malfoy

"I can deal with that. Plus, during winter break, I can stay in my common room only coming out to get food from the kitchen." Said Hermione.

"Whatever." Said Malfoy. They reached the entrance to the common room. Malfoy went instantly to the Slytherin door. Harry was waiting for Hermione on his couch.

"What did Dumbledore want?" Asked Harry.
"Voldemorts not dead. He disapparated right before the curse hit him." Said Hermione.

"What!" Yelled Harry.

"Me and Malfoy have to me married again." Said Hermione as tears streamed down her face.

"But what about us?" Asked Harry.
"We have to keep it in here." Said Hermione.

"But Ron probly told all the Gryffindors by now." Said Harry, worried.

"We have to stop him NOW." Said Hermione. They ran into Gryffindor common room and everyone started cheering and congradulating them.
"STOP!" Yelled Harry. Everyone immediatly stopped talking.

"There has been a change of plans." Said Harry. "We aren't getting married because Malfoy and Hermione are staying married." Said Harry.

"But why?" Asked a 3rd Year.

"Because I love Draco more." Said Hermione.

Malfoy came through the door.

"I need to talk to you about winter break." He said.

"Ok. Bye Harry." Said Hermione, before leaving him to follow Malfoy.

He lead her to her couch and they sat down.

"Your going to need to learn how to properly talk to Voldemort." Said Malfoy.

"I know how to. I talked to him without getting killed last time." Said Hermione.
"That was different. He wasn't judging your every move then. Now he is going to see if you are capable of always being loyal. And if you'll be a 'Proper House Wife'." Said Malfoy, mimicing Voldemort.

"There's a few things wrong with that plan. One, I am loyal to everything I want to be loyal to and I can also pretend to be loyal. Two, he was judging my every move last time because he didn't belive us. And Three, Hell no am I going to be a 'House Wife'." Said Hermione.

"I know you aren't but Voldemort expects it of women. You'll have to pretend thats what you want."
"Whatever." Harry walked in. "Now can you please leave me and Harry alone." Said Hermione.

"Whatever. Just practice pretending." Said Malfoy before leaving.

"Voldemort thinks all women should be house wifes!" Said Hermione, sitting with Harry on the couch.

"Well he is kinda messed up in the head." Said Harry.

"Kind of? Hes Totaly messed up!" Said Hermione, laying her head on Harry's sholder.

"Well theres nothing we can do about that until he's dead." Said Harry.

"Will he ever be dead?" Asked Hermione.

"It's either me or him. I will kill him. I promis." Said Harry.

"I belive in you." Said Hermione before kissing him.

"I love you." Said Harry.

"I love you too." Replied Hermione.