Disclaimer: I do not own any of Ms. Rowling's wonderful creations. Nor do I own any of the various songs that may be presented throughout the length of this fanfiction. The various songs will be named at the end of the fic, as well as in the chapter within which they lie.

A big thanks and a shout out to all of my reviewers! Thank you so much!

I am SOOOOO sorry about the length of my absence! Life has been hectic and promises to continue along such unfortunate lines. I have, however, finished yet another chapter for your enjoyment. I know that apologies cannot make you all forgive me as quickly as another update, and soon, will...so I'll do my best.

Yours,

Allison

Chapter 15

Hermione stepped off of the train, escorted by Draco. He put a hand in the small of her back once he was on the ground beside her and they began walking towards the horseless carriages. They met up with Pansy and Blaise at the carriage and Draco helped her inside. He and Blaise climbed in behind the women and sat down lightly. Hermione smiled, talking to them quietly about their break. She glanced out of the carriage window and saw a shapeless pool of black mist floating near the edge of the lake. A small smile curved at her lips and she turned her attention back to the conversation.

"So, we saw you two at the manor." Blaise grinned. "We called by floo and heard your argument."

"You two seem quite cozy together." Pansy teased. Hermione blushed brightly and looked up at Draco, who was watching her with a small smile on his face. As the four of them climbed out of the carriage and walked up the front steps, they stopped to see Raven Stryke, Titian, Teddy, and Albus Dumbledore standing on the step waiting.

"Ah. Mr and Mrs Malfoy." Dumbledore smiled. "Welcome back."

"Thank you, Professor." Hermione smiled, resting her hand formally in Draco's. Draco watched her talk, a smile curving just slightly at his lips. "It's good to be back. I trust you got the owl that I sent you on the train?"

"That I did, my dear. You are both in agreement on this, I hope?"

"We are, Professor." Draco said.

"Very well. Your rooms will be ready for you after the feast." Albus said, nodding to them with a smile. Hermione smiled and looked up at Draco, who kissed her cheek. "For now, let us go in."

"Fudge has been trying to break through the wards." Titian murmured to the Head Couple as they walked after the Headmaster and the Defense Professor into the castle. "He was furious when we wouldn't force Professor Snape to surrender his wand and go into Fudge's custody."

"He was even angrier when Raven told him in no uncertain terms that should he show his face at the school again, she would make sure that the Ministry needed a new minister." Teddy continued, grinning. "She said that there would be no fewer than fifty witnessess that he had thrown himself off of the south parapet into the lake, landing dramatically on a sharp rock or five."

"I bet Fudge didn't take that well." Hermione grinned evilly.

"That's an understatement." Titian said.

"Fudge broke his own wand in half with his grip!" Teddy chortled. "And then he flung the pieces at the aurors he'd brought with him and blamed them for his own incompetence before storming back towards Hogsmeade as fast as he could."

"His bowler cap flew off about five feet out and he ruined the image by having to scramble after it!" Titian was giggling by now.

"Scrambling back towards Hogwarts after it, even." Teddy added. "He was so red by this time that I thought he was going to explode!"

"Professor Dumbledore asked him if he would like someone to conjure up a bench for him to sit down and rest on!" Titian said. "And he turned purple!"

Hermione and Draco were holding onto each other for support by this time, fighting not to howl with laughter as they stumbled against a wall and leaned on it, laughing too hard to continue walking. "Oh lord...I can just imagine it." Hermione gasped.

"He reached for his wand automatically to try to hex someone," Teddy continued, "Only to realize it wasn't there. So the aurors that he'd thrown the wand at handed him the wand."

"Another one handed him the hat that she had neatly summoned back into her hand." Titian added.

"And Fudge slammed the hat down on his head, holding it there, his entire body purple practically, snatched both halves of his wand from the aurors, leaned forward against the wind..."

"...Ironically sticking his rear end into the air. Horrible picture, that..." Titian chimed in.

"And stormed off!" Teddy said. Unable to take it any longer, Hermione and Draco slid down the wall, laughing so hard that they were crying and clutching their stomachs.

"Oi! What have you done to them?" Ron and Harry walked up, Melissa and Kayla on their arms as they stared down at the newlyweds suspiciously...as if wondering who'd cast the tickle charm.

"We'll tell you...later...Harry." Hermione managed to gasp out between fits of laughter.

"When we can tell Blaise and Pansy, too." Draco added as they began to get control over themselves. "I don't think we could survive the retelling more than once."

"Oi!" Hermione said suddenly. "Teddy, can I get the memory in a pensieve from you? It'll be so much more priceless, that way!"

"Sure!" Teddy grinned, slipping his hand into Titian's and lifting her hand to his lips gently. The couple exchanged a look that was so full of love that Hermione couldn't help but feel envious.

"We'd best get going, we'll miss the feast." Harry said, quietly. He and Ron reached down to help Hermione and Draco up, and the eight of them hurried off to the Great Hall, taking seats.

SCENEBREAKSCENEBREAKSCENEBREAK

Hermione and Draco glanced at each other and nodded before kicking their visitors out of the common room. "We'll see you on Monday for classes." Hermione said.

"Monday?!" Harry yelped. "Hermione, it's Friday Night!"

"Yeah. So?" Hermione eyed him, arching an eyebrow.

"What could you possibly be doing when we leave that will take you from now until Monday?" Ron demanded. Hermione and Draco looked at each other before looking at Ron and arching very nearly identical eyebrows. "Oh..." The redhead flushed as bright as his hair and all but ran out the door. Pansy and Blaise sniggered as they stood up and followed Harry, Melissa, and Kayla in pursuit of the redheaded Gryffindor.

Once everyone was out, Hermione looked up at the portrait in which Natasha was sitting. "Take a break, Natasha. We'll be flooing the kitchen for meals this weekend."

"Very well." Natasha said with an altogether too knowing smile for the comfort of either of the teenagers. Hermione fidgeted and Draco looked away until the woman had disappeared from the portrait frame. When they were certain she was gone, Hermione looked slowly at Draco and Draco looked slowly at Hermione.

"Are you sure about this?" Draco asked softly. "It's not like you have..." He was silenced when she put a finger slowly over his lips.

"Shh..." Her lips pressed into his, slowly and softly. He let her lead for once, parting his lips beneath her gently probing tongue, letting her tongue stroke and explore his mouth in a dance that she'd perfected to a T. Her hands were gentle on his arms...unlike anything he'd ever truly felt before. With Pansy, it had been passionate, angry, fiery...but never tender, as this was. He found himself responding in kind, his body heating beneath the tender, hesitant touch of his new wife.

On Hermione's part, it was an exploration. She was nervous...who wouldn't have been?...but Draco made it much easier with his eagerness to let her be pleased. She took delight in the way he gasped, his hips trembling beneath her, as she slid an experimental tongue along the length of his member. The heat in her stomach was growing more and more pressing, and Hermione didn't hesitate when Draco drew her up into a kiss, switching their positions smoothly so that he was above her, pressing her form softly into the bed.

The two came together in slow, unhurried tenderness, as a pair of cobalt blue eyes stared down at the grounds from the astronomy tower, black mist swirling about.

SCENEBREAKSCENEBREAKSCENEBREAK

Hermione walked down the hallway with Pansy, Kayla, and Melissa, listening to their chatter. She'd had a bit of trouble walking the first week back from break, but had soon sorted herself out fine. Draco and the boys- Harry, Ron, and Blaise- were all out scrimaging on the Quidditch Pitch, leaving Hermione to hang out with the other women for once. She was listening to a rather heated debate between Melissa and Pansy about whether muggle or wizarding cosmetics were better, when she spotted a familiar face, staring at her.

Stopping short, she stared at Shry in return for a long moment before the other three girls noticed her absence and turned to her. Pansy followed her glance, spotting Shry and reaching discreetly for her wand, even as Kayla followed suit.

"What is it, Hermione?" Melissa asked, not so quick on the uptake.

"You guys go ahead. I just thought of something I need to do." Hermione said, softly.

"Hermione..." Pansy said, her voice low in warning.

"Go, Pansy. I'll be fine." Hermione said. The other three went, reluctantly, and Hermione walked silently up to Shry, where he was leaning on the wall, watching her. Hermione seemed to ignore him, walking past and through a door into an empty classroom, even as he turned and followed silently, locking the door behind him. "Shry." Hermione's voice was low as she paused only to throw up a silencing charm and a locking charm of her own.

"Hermione." He whispered. "I can't do it. I can't marry Hatlan."

"You can." Hermione moved into the boy- bigger in body form and structure than her own husband- and hugged him firmly. "You can. She'll be good for you."

"She accepted the petition." His face had buried itself in her hair, and she tightened her arms around his shoulder, holding him close. "Even now, she's planning the wedding." Hermione felt a wetness on her neck and froze. "Hermione..." His voice cracked, and he was falling and taking her with him. She only barely managed to keep it from being a very painful fall for the both of them, and as he latched onto her, she held him and stroked his back slowly, trying to bring him comfort.

If only I'd had someone to hold me when I cried. She thought, sadly. She'd been so caught up in planning to keep everyone else safe that she'd never had time to cry- she still hadn't truly cried about the turn of events that had earned her the diamond ring on her left hand. She lost track of how long they sat there, but when she felt his body relax completely and saw that he was asleep, Hermione sighed and drew out her wand, pointing it at him and focusing on his dorm room.

"Vanicimo." Standing up as he disappeared, she turned and walked quietly out of the classroom, brushing her robes straight and shouldering her bookbag, just as Ginny came around the corner at an almost-run, her hazel eyes wide and frantic and her hair flying behind her..

"Hermione!"

"Ginny? What is it?"

"Hermione, there's been an accident." Ginny grabbed her hand and began running towards the hospital wing before she could say anything else.