Their mansion is known as Adair Mansion. It's May. There's a bit of description here too but it's ppl's background cause you need to know everybody else's backgrounds too. This chapter also wastes some two pages on a fight between Ron and Hermione. Review!

Disclaimer: Why would I be writing fanfiction if I owned Harry Potter? Hmmm, genius????

Chapter 3: Friendships That Were Lies

Draco Malfoy threw his morning paper down angrily, every time he saw the mudblood Granger, his mood just got ruined. They avoided each other as much as they could during the day but there was only so much Draco or Hermione could do to avoid a person that lived in the same house as them.

What he didn't understand was why the marriage couldn't be called off, Lucius was dead and so was Voldemort. Anything they might have gotten out of the marriage couldn't be used now…obviously Voldemort had planned on killing Potter and engulfing the Wizarding World in another era of his reign but it wasn't possible now, was it????

'Why did he have to go and ruin my life??' Draco resignedly thought. He finished his coffee and got up to go back into the house.

In his Hogwarts days, if anyone had told him that this would be his fate…he would have hexed them because there were so many things wrong with the picture of him and Granger marrying and in fact, he still didn't consciously realize that he was married to her.

He supposed this marriage was doing him some good because face it, what better way to redeem your horrible muggle-hater image than to marry a muggleborn? But the truth was, he never hated muggles…that was a fear inspired in him by Lucius who was thankfully, gone now so Draco didn't have to worry.

But still, Hermione Granger. There was a reason he taunted her in school. He. Didn't. Like. Her.

Draco gave up trying to enjoy the morning and stormed back into the mansion.

♥

Hermione knocked a practiced knock on the Weasley's door.

She never thought she'd be standing at this door, feeling like such an outsider but she couldn't help it. Everyone had their lives now and she, frankly, wasn't such an important of them.

Molly spent most of her time with her two grandchildren, Bill and Fleur's children-Andre and Chloe-because the parents were busy. She was also caught up with the upcoming wedding of Harry and Ginny. Living up to everyone's expectations, they had gotten engaged a few months after the final battle.

Hermione seldom met Harry because he was busy at the Ministry as an auror but she met him often enough. The same could not be said for Ron though, after the whole episode where she told them about Draco, he had avoided her except for one time where they had somehow run into each other in the kitchen because Hermione wanted to be somewhere away from Malfoy. But that time Hermione had been surprised. When she saw Ron, she felt nothing for him. She felt disappointment for his reaction and guilt and a sort of brotherly love but nothing more. They didn't talk, just stared until he left.

The door opened, waking Hermione up from her thoughts.

"Hermione! Hi, what a surprise!" Ginny opened the door and smiled at Hermione. She opened the door fully and gestured at Hermione, telling her to come in. They walked, as usual, first to the kitchen.

"Hey Ginny. Where's everyone else?" Hermione asked, looking in the other rooms as she walked into the living room.

"Oh they're someplace in this house…dunno where mum is…somewhere with Chloe and Andre probably."

Silence.

"So how are things with…Malfoy?" Ginny made an attempt at conversation.

"Normal. We don't talk. If we do, we fight."

Ginny put a hand on Hermione's shoulder, "Are you okay?"

Hermione sighed, "Yes, I am"

"That's what you tell yourself…Ron asked about you."

Hermione raised an eyebrow, "Oh?"

Ginny smiled, "Yeah, he said something about you having his Quidditch Roonil Wazlib robe…what's that about?"

Hermione spared a small laugh as they arrived at the kitchen. Hermione was surprised to see Harry sitting there on a stool, drinking coffee and reading the paper, just as Malfoy had been doing minutes before. He looked up in a daze and them broke into a smile when he saw Hermione.

"Hey 'Mione! Where were you? We were starting to think Ferret had locked you up or something." Harry said walking over and hugging Hermione.

Hermione smirked, "As if he could. Anyway, how are you?"

"Doing better than usual. Slow at work so I didn't bother going today. What are they going to do to me anyway?"

Ginny shoved Harry, "Oh yes, they couldn't possibly do anything to the boy-who-lived!"

Harry nodded, "My point exactly."

Hermione pulled up a seat near the table and sat down, "So how are the wedding plans going? Ginny, you haven't owled me or anything! I want to help."

Ginny laughed, "And you will Hermione because we have so much more to do…do you want to go gown shopping with me and mum next week…if, that is, you can get away from Malfoy."

"Of course I can and where is the wedding? I'm sure—"

Harry put his hands to his ears and cut Hermione off by saying, "AGH! Girl talk!" and he left.

Ginny rolled her eyes and said, "He hasn't heard the worst of it!"

They continued to chat animatedly for a while until…

"—So don't you think the backyard would be a beautiful place to…have…the…" Hermione trailed off, staring at something behind Ginny.

"Of course it is…but Hermione…oh." Ginny turned around and saw Ron and paled.

Hermione gritted her teeth "Ginny. Why didn't you tell me? Or at least you could have told him?!"

Ginny laughed weakly, "Hehe…I just thought it would be good for you two to…uh…talk again. Ron's come back for a month until practice starts again. Have you seen any of his Quidditch matches?"

"Ginevra Weasley, wait till I get my hands on you!! I don't understand Quidditch! But if you must know, I have."

Ron sauntered into the kitchen, holding an apple in his hand and looking down at it, "Hey Ginny, do you know where Harry…is?"

He looked up and froze and then glared at Ginny who smiled nervously and said, "Well, I'll just be leaving now…" and before Hermione could stop her, the girl left.

Silence.

"Err…hello 'Mio-Hermione…how are you?" Ron said hesitatingly.

Hermione stared, practically slack jawed and then regained her composure and frowned, "You're actually talking to me and not insulting me? What happened to I'm disappointed in you 'Mione or I always knew you were never going to resort to anything? Huh?"

Ron suddenly found his grubby feet VERY interesting. Hermione continued.

"Then you come out of nowhere and ask me HOW AM I???? HOW AM I? I'm perfect, great, amazing, in fact knowing that my best friend. My best friend, Ron doesn't trust me well enough or know me well enough to know that I'm not STUPID! I wouldn't get married to Draco Malfoy for just any reason!"

Ron looked up at Hermione, more to see what she looked like in rage then to actually listen to what she was saying.

"Hermione, listen, I'm sorry. I am, I really AM! I should have known better, it was my fault and I know you wouldn't do something like that willingly." He stepped closer, "But I'm who I am and you KNOW that I'm a paranoid, not-so-bright-at-times, and really sorry person. Or at least you should."

Hermione still looked mad and she hadn't softened.

'Who does he think he is? It's not that easy to forget and forgive. He looks like he has but I bet he hasn't forgiven yet. I'm not going to bother. Just like always, we'll bicker and never get along truly. And I suppose he thinks I could have an affair with him or something. Of course not! What am I thinking???…Still I don't even have any feelings for him. I wonder if the deal for the marriage even allows adultery! I'll probably die if I do anything of the sort, but then why would I! I'm sure Ron will…"

Hermione was snapped out of her thoughts when Ron asked, "Err, Hermione. Could I get a reply?"

Glaring, Hermione said, "I'm not ready to forgive and forget Ronald. I'm not even ready to talk to you without getting angry! I think I'm just going to go home now."

She got up and walked breezily past Ron.

"Home...so that ferret's place is HOME for you now? I knew it. I knew that you were this shallow."

Hermione stopped dead in her tracks and turned around, "What? Didn't you just say and I quote… I should have known better, it was my fault and I know you wouldn't do something like that willingly…? This is what I don't like Ron, I'm sure if you had just left it without saying that comment then we could have resolved things in a while but I'm REALLY not planning to forgive you for a while now. And if I must, I'm going to leave to my house now. Is that better or is jealousy still getting the better of you?"

Ron glowered, "Jealousy? You think I'm jealous of MALFOY? I wasn't, I'm not, and I never will want anything of Malfoy's."

"I'M NOT someone he owns!!! I have a life, I need friends, and I want a family! I want love! How dare you? You KNOW that I wouldn't be with Malfoy if it weren't for that bloody Voldemort-oh stop it, he's dead!-I wouldn't be in this mess and I don't know how you could even say that!" Hermione's eyes started tearing but she blinked them back as she yelled.

Ron looked at Hermione dismissively, "Fine Hermione, whatever. When you decide you want to come back to m…us then we'll talk."

"Are you sure it's US? Because I see no 'US', I just see 'YOU'. Harry doesn't have a problem, no one has a problem, except you so get over yourself and tell me when you want to stop bickering like this."

Before Hermione had a chance to reply, Harry came into the room looking freshened. He saw Ron and then he saw Hermione and his calm demeanor was gone. Obviously, Harry realized this was a bad time.

Hermione glared at Ron once more before finally rushing out into the hall and grabbing the wand she had left in the main room. In her rush to leave, she passed Ginny who looked alarmed that her plan had backfired.

Saying a hurried bye to her friend, Hermione left the Weasleys.

♥

"Do you think it'll ever be sorted out?" Harry asked Ginny as Ginny fixed his shirt in Harry's room.

"Yeah but…"Ginny sighed, "I don't think the feeling that Ron has is mutual."

Harry looked at her seriously, "So you think Hermione wouldn't be with Ron anymore even if she could get a separation from Malfoy?"

Ginny nodded as she sat down on Harry's bed, "She hasn't told me but I just think…you know, Hermione's the victim here…she can't get a separation, she can't go for other men, she's stuck with Malfoy, and they're going to grow old together."

Harry said before leaving, "What if something were to happen between Hermione and…"

Ginny and Harry looked at each other.

"Noooo…"

♥

Draco heard the slamming of a door as he was leaving for work.

'Honestly, I don't know why that woman doesn't just APPARATE to the room. Always has to do the dramatic entrance. I wonder what's got her knickers in a bunch. I cannot believe I just thought that. Who wants to know about Granger's knickers?'

Draco, having inherited the entire Malfoy fortune, didn't have to work but he did so anyway to fill up time. He was the Head of the Floo Network and the Wizarding Portkey Association. He had large stocks in Gringotts and did something for the Ministry every once in a while. That was only because they asked him to. A Malfoy could be very influential.

Draco and Hermione had separate rooms for personal things but their main room WAS the bedroom so they did always manage to see each other enough.

Hermione stormed into the bedroom, not caring about Draco being in the room.

"THAT BLOODY….who does he think he is. The nerve. It's not my fault I got stuck with—"

"Ahem

"Shut up. You're not Umbridge."

"And you're not Viveca Lidfor"

"Who?"

"An actre—forget it. I'm leaving for work even though I know you don't care."

"Then why did you tell me?"

"Because I wanted to know what you were fuming about"

"Did you honestly?"

"No."—And with that Draco left in a very Snape-like manner.

Hermione let a little scream of frustration out and fell down on he bed staring at the ceiling.

Now what?

♥

After having a small lunch, Hermione was bored. It was a Monday and so her article for The Prophet wasn't to be turned in for a while.

'I need to get my mind off of that fight…I guess the library isn't such a bad idea."

Needless to say, the library was Hermione's best friend in the mansion. It was very large because it had a collection of books from both Hermione and Draco who were both profound readers.

As she entered the brilliant library, she felt like she had come home. What else would you expect for Hermione "The Bookworm" Granger?

The library had a very high ceiling and almost floor-to-ceiling windows that were made of stained glass. Hermione grimaced, Malfoy sure had taste. There were cushions in the middle and a desk at the very end of the west corner of the Library.

Hermione walked around for a while going to each corner and as she came upon the west corner , she passed her finger along the ledgers of the books on the shelves until…her hands came upon some light and fragile paper that was not shelved properly. Wondering what it was that had been so hastily put in by the elves, Hermione took it out. Her eyes widened as she saw the cover…

♥

Draco trudged into the bedroom and sat down on the bed. He wasn't up to dinner…too tired. He closed his eyes and relaxed.

"MALFOY, YOU BLOODY FERRET, YOU…"

'…Well there goes my relaxation.'

He didn't have time to say anything clever before Hermione stormed in. He cast a bored look at her instead.

"What Granger? Did you find a miniscule rip in a book or something of that sort?"

"What in the name of…of…I DON'T KNOW! Is this?????"

And with that she threw a booklet at him….

There, FINALLY. IM SO SORRY. ILL GO TRY TO KILL MYSLEF NOW!! But maybe if you review, ill survive trying to kill myself? Sorry about the cliffie, if you think there is one. Make a guess at what the booklet is! R&R, people.