a/n: It's the last chapter...I can't believe it. Here we go..!

Disclaimer: JK owns Harry & Co.

CHAPTER 16 - It makes things a lot simpler.

"So because you're my friend, you were there when I killed Voldemort, and your parents are muggles, Lucius Malfoy came after you and you had to marry Draco Malfoy and lie to us all this time?" Harry asked, his face stunned after hearing Hermione and Draco's story. It was the day after Hermione had woken up, and after telling the story of her encounter with Lucius to Dumbledore, she told the story in full to Harry and Ron.

"Yes." Hermione exchanged a nervous glance with Draco.

"And because of this Lucius Malfoy attacked you, used the Cruciatus curse on you and tried to kill you, didn't succeed but knocked you out for three days."

"Yeah...Harry where are you going with this?" Hermione looked a little puzzled.

"I'm just getting the facts straight. So really, it's all my fault?" Draco did a quick double take, confused by the change in the direction of the conversation.

"What? Harry it's all my father's fault. What did you do?"

"Yeah Harry, what exactly did you have to do with Hermione marrying Draco?" Ron jumped in, having taken everything in without comment until now.

"Well if I hadn't had you guys come along with me to Godric's Hollow that night, then you wouldn't have been there when I killed Voldemort, Lucius wouldn't have gone insane and tried to kill Hermione and none of this would have happened."

"Yeah, and Voldemort would still be alive idiot. Hermione and I holding off Malfoy, Crabbe and Bellatrix for you so you could fight him without interruption...any of this ringing any bells?" Ron looked a little amused at Harry's reasoning.

"Oh yeah..." Harry stopped his guilty rambling.

"If you think about it Harry, it's all Voldemort's fault, for not being able to stand up to three sixteen year olds," Draco put in.

"No no," Hermione joined in, "this is all Marvolo Gaunt's fault for having a daughter who fell in love with Tom Riddle, who gave birth to Tom Riddle (the second) who grew up to be Voldemort..."

"Who couldn't stand up to three sixteen year olds," Draco repeated grinning.

"Bloody Hell, just blame Salazar Slytherin and be done with it," Ron said, before looking over at Harry. "Not everything is your fault you know. And especially not this." The four had gotten so sidetracked with arguing whose fault it was, Hermione still didn't know how Harry and Ron were going to react.

"So, what do you think guys?" Hermione asked, looking serious.

"I'd say it's unanimous. Salazar's fault."

"Ron, I'm serious. About the marriage thing. You know..."

"I understand completely why you did it, and why you couldn't tell us. Hell, Lucius found stuff out with only you two knowing...that Pansy bitch. Anyway, of course I don't care you lied blah blah blah...it was that or try and dodge the killing curses."

"Harry?"

"Same as Ron. Of course we'd rather have you lying (even if it was about being in love with Malfoy) than dead."

"Thanks guys, so sweet. A little melodramatic, but sweet all the same."

"So what happens now? Dumbledore knows you only got married for protection...do you get a divorce or what?" Ron asked, showing his usual lack of tact. Hermione looked nervously at Draco, the idea of divorce only having just occurred to her.

"We haven't discussed that yet," Draco said smoothly, shooting Hermione a reassuring look.

"Well it makes sense to get divorced since the only reason you were married was for protection," Ron continued, despite Harry mouthing Shut up repeatedly at him. "I mean, it's not like you guys are in love or anything is it?" Hermione and Draco exchanged a look, before Hermione said,

"Ron didn't you listen to the story? The protection only works if we are in love, since I'm not a blood relative."

"Oh. Right. So you got married, when you weren't in love. Then you fell in love and almost died and now you're talking about divorce."

"You're the one talking about divorce," Harry jumped in, trying to make the situation a little less uncomfortable. "We'll leave you two alone, and Draco, thanks. A lot. You didn't have to do anything for Hermione really, but you did. So thanks." Harry held his hand out for a shake, and Draco tentatively took it. Harry then pulled Ron out the door, leaving Hermione and Draco together, along with an extremely uncomfortable silence.

"Hey did you know we made the papers?" Draco asked suddenly.

"No, show me." Hermione was still confined to her hospital bed, Draco spending all his free time with her, having been forced to go back to classes.

Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy & Murder

"Jesus, this has got to be a Rita Skeeter article..."

"She's not so bad you know," Draco laughed, before ducking Hermione's swatting him with the newspaper.

In August of this year, in a secret wedding, Hermione Granger, hero of the Second War, Order of Merlin First Class, married Draco Malfoy, son of the infamous death eater Lucius Malfoy. Needless to say, when the news leaked out in early September, the Wizarding community was shocked by Ms. Granger's choice of husband. And the question on everyone's lips was obviously "What does Lucius think of this?" Lucius Malfoy, a known Death Eater who had evaded justice until recently, would most probably have been enraged at his son's alliance with a Muggle Born witch such as Hermione Granger. It seems he was more than enraged, just yesterday he managed to break into Hogwarts, gain access to the apartment where the newlyweds were living, trapping Ms. Granger inside with him. It didn't look good for her, after being tortured for a number of hours, Lucius Malfoy, was under the impression he had killed her, when in reality, she had just lost consciousness. He then turned his wand on himself, and was found dead in the apartment living room. Ms. Granger has been unconscious in the hospital ward at the school since yesterday afternoon, and it is unknown if she will ever wake. It is a bittersweet day for the Wizarding community - justice has finally been served to our most wanted criminal, but perhaps at to high a price, the life of a young hero.

Hermione finished reading and snorted with laughter.

"With all the details she got wrong, I'm surprised that she got our names right. This is a few days old right? I hope that's all there is to it...no more articles."

Draco winced. "Sorry. Yesterday Dumbledore sent out a press release. You made front page again...Wizarding Community Breathes a Sigh of Relief...blah blah blah...managed to survive vicious attempt on her life...people stunned at strength of teenage hero...ending with a slightly bitter note...perhaps the marriage is going to be short lived. What could the consequences be if Ms. Granger can no longer look into the face of her beloved husband without seeing the murderous face of his father?" Draco looked nervously over at Hermione. "What would happen?"

"I don't know. You tell me. When you look at me do you picture my parents? No. Or at least I hope not...anyway I don't look at you and think of your father. You're nothing like your father. Thank god for that or I'd be dead by now. Think of the headlines...School Girl Hero Strangled to Death by frustrated husband..."

"Husband? Not soon to be divorced husband?"

"Here's the way I see things. We stay married, we can keep dating and I think Dumbledore will let us keep living together. If you want to." Hermione added quickly.

"Hmm, let me think, keep dating the girl I'm in love with, and be the only couple in the school who get to share a bedroom. Sounds fine to me."

"I mean it would look suspicious to everyone else if we just suddenly moved out of the apartment but kept going out. This would just be keeping up appearances."

"Exactly," Draco grinned and leant over to kiss Hermione.

"Ahem." Dumbledore interrupted the couple on the hospital bed.

"Professor...hello," Hermione said, blushing a little.

"We need to discuss a few things. Namely what is going to happen with you two and your marriage."

"Well, Draco and I kind of came up with a solution for that already. I'm sure you've seen the articles in The Daily Prophet. It would look really odd if Draco and I moved out of the apartment, especially since we...we would keep dating."

"So you see Sir," Draco took over the explanation, "we thought it would be best if we stayed living together until the end of the school year. That way no one would have to find out about the particulars of the situation. It would be too confusing. You've obviously read the papers...the stories they're coming up with..."

"I see," Dumbledore replied, his eyes twinkling, "if you think that's the best solution. We obviously have to take into account your current relationship, and the fact that the protection worked in full. It seems a sensible solution to the situation at hand. Although keep in mind you must set a good example for the school."

"We understand," Hermione said. Dumbledore stood up and left the room, after telling Hermione he hoped she was feeling better soon. As soon as the door was closed behind him Draco turned to Hermione.

"Good example...that means we can't stay in bed all day and hook up in the Great Hall," he laughed.

"Exactly. A good example. We are head boy and girl after all."

"You're serious? No staying in bed all day."

"No...head girl is a big responsibility, not the least of which is setting an example for the rest of the students."

"You know I'm re-thinking the whole not getting divorced thing after all," Draco joked, then ducked the pillow Hermione threw at his head.

"Kidding!" Draco said before bending over and kissing Hermione again. This time they weren't interrupted for a full fifteen minutes, when Madame Pomfrey came in, almost had a hernia at the sight of them on the bed together, gave Hermione a potion and left, leaving them uninterrupted for the next twenty minutes.

Harry and Ron walked in, whereupon Ron turned bright red, and turned around facing the wall, and Harry laughed evilly.

"So sorry we're interrupting, but we heard Dumbledore came to talk to you..." Harry smirked at the exasperated expression on Draco's face.

"Yeah. We all agreed that it would be for the best if we stayed living together, since it would look weird if we suddenly moved out but kept dating. We'll just live together for the rest of the school year. It makes things a lot simpler," Hermione managed to say with a straight face, a remarkable feat, since Draco was drawing little circles on her inner thigh under the sheet.

"Oh and this has nothing to do with getting to share a bed and whatever Draco is doing there with his hand...?" Harry laughed.

"Nothing whatsoever," Draco smirked.

"I don't know what you're insinuating, but Draco and I are just going to stay living together so the family protection secret doesn't come out. We decided it would be for the best." Hermione managed to keep a straight face this time, her voice turning into her 'head girl lecture' voice.

"Mmhmm, we believe you don't we Ron," Harry grinned wickedly at Ron who was still facing the other direction.

"Yeah."

"Anyway, don't you guys have Defense Against Dark Arts soon? Like now?" Draco asked.

"Nope. We've got a free period because Tonks is talking to aurors again about your dad. So we decided we would come and spend it with you and Hermione."

Harry and Hermione both laughed at the annoyed expression on Draco's face, as the boys settled in for a visit.

"So Dumbledore is just letting you guys live together? No strings attached? I can't believe he'd do that."

"Just as long as we continue to set a good example as head boy and head girl," Draco grimaced as he said this.

"That's the condition you're complaining about?" Harry asked. "I'd do a lot more than that to get to share a bedroom with my girlfriend."

"That's my sister!" Ron shouted, while Draco and Hermione laughed at the horrified look on Harry's face as he realised what he said. Harry began apologising to Ron, whose face was redder than before. Hermione, who still needed constant rest, leant back against Draco and closed her eyes, a smile on her face.

The Next Summer, 20th August. 1:00 am.

"Hermione?"

"Mm what? I'm sleeping Draco."

"I was just wondering something."

"What?"

"Well, we've been together for ages right?"

"mmm.."

"Don't fall asleep! This is a serious discussion."

"Its 1:00 in the morning, what can't possibly wait until a civilised hour?"

"It's just; we've been together for ages right? I know I already said that. I mean, like a year, if you count from when we got married fakely. And I wanted to ask you tonight, if you would consider marrying me? Properly."

Hermione was instantly awake.

"You're proposing for real, despite the fact that we are already married?"

"Yes," Draco replied, a little hesitantly. Hermione remained silent...Draco was worried until her peered over her shoulder, and saw her smiling at the wall.

"Please tell me that despite the fact you're facing away from me, that smiling at the wall is a good sign?"

"It's a good sign."

"Really?"

"It's a really good sign."

"As good as yes?"

"Yes." Draco felt better than he had the morning when Hermione had asked him to eat at the Gryffindor table, but this time, didn't bother containing his excitement.

"Oh my god, this is fucking awesome!" Draco reached over to his bedside table, pulled out a jewellery box, containing another ring.

"This is supposed to be worn on your middle finger of your right hand. I know that's not where you'd traditionally put an engagement ring, but we're hardly a traditional couple. That and you've already got one there." The ring Draco slipped onto her hand was white gold to match the other two he'd bought her, but just had a square cut solitaire diamond in the centre of the band.

"I love it, Thank you Draco!" Hermione turned to kiss him, but before she could get too into the kiss, Draco pulled away saying,

"You know what this means? This time we get to have a proper wedding, with bridesmaids, and your friends, and anything you want."

"Mum will be so happy she'll get to be a proper mother-of-a-bride. Despite the fact that I'm already married to my fiancé. So if you think about it, it's going to be more a re-saying of our vows."

"Well, yeah. Oh, and you can get rid of your apartment, because we can live together properly." After graduation, Hermione and Draco had sort of ignored the fact that they were already married, and just continued dating from where they'd started at school. Hermione had her own apartment, while Draco lived in the Malfoy Manor, but despite this, they'd spent about two nights apart since they'd graduated.

"Well obviously since we'll be married. We'll have to live together."

"Hermione, we're already married, used to live together, for some reason you insisted on not living together immediately, but the point is, this time, it's for real."

"Really?"

"Really."

"No I mean, really really?"

"Really really."

"Ok, but this'll work only if I get to redecorate the mansion a little."

"Only if you wear that corset outfit I bought you."

"Only if you pay the house elves."

"Only if you find ones who'll accept pay."

"Ok."

"Ok."

"You know, you didn't even get the big romantic gesture properly," Draco complained after a minute.

"What?"

"I can't believe you don't remember. It was this exact time, exactly a year ago that I apparated into your room and proposed."

"Oh Draco, I love you."

"Love you too."

The End.

a/n: OMG I cannot believe that I've finished. Last chapter done. I'm not sure if I'll do an epilogue of the wedding, if you really want one, mention it in a review. This is just so amazing...what started as HSC procrastination has turned into an actual finished story, and has kick started my addiction to fan fiction.

Last messages...thank you SO much to everyone for reviewing, putting me on favourites or alert...I love you all so much for encouraging me with this...please all review one last time, let me know how you liked the ending (not too cheesy?)

I've got some more stories planned, so hopefully you guys will all read those and (hopefully) enjoy them! Again, thanks for the support from everyone...meant a lot to me. I'll reply to all reviews I get for this chapter...so feel free to ask any questions!