Hey there everyone...I'm sooo glad you liked the last chapter...i've gotten alot of reviews...it's really great...I got more than I thought I'd get when I finished!...it's all because you guys are the coolest...thank you thankyou thank you...lol...now onto the story...

Disclaimer: Own- verb possess by right...well according to the dictionary I don't own none of this...except Marie...she's all me...hey that rhymed...

When Friends Come Knocking

Hermione stood there her mouth hanging open. His friends were there, expecting to see him. She had to get back to her room. She couldn't sit in a room filled with Slytherins and expect to survive.

"Come on let's go." Draco said heading to the stairs as the house elf left to do whatever Draco had just told it to do.

"Where are we going?" Hermione asked carefully before taking a step forward.

"Well we should take you back to the room so you can get cleaned up. I have to get cleaned up. Then we're going down to see my friends." Draco said casually over his shoulder as he started down the stairs. Hermione stopped and stared at him.

"I don't want to see them." She said.

"I don't care." He said continuing to walk.

She stood there by the railing as he reached the floor. He turned and looked back up to her as she held her head high. With that gesture she told him he would have to force her to go down to see them for she wouldn't of her own free will.

"Granger get down here." Draco called unhappily from the floor.

"I don't want to see them Malfoy. They'll just make fun of me and hurt me like you." She said.

"They wont Granger."

"And I'm supposed to believe you why?" she said her free hand resting on her hip.

"Because I won't let them." He said earnestly.

"But as soon as you said something horrible they'd do it too. I know them Malfoy they're just like you." Hermione retorted.

"I promise Granger. All right. I give my word as a Malfoy that they will not insult you."

Hermione looked down at him. He could very well be lying. But how was she supposed to tell? And he would end up forcing her down there somehow anyway. She nodded and turned to follow him to her room. When she reached the floor she walked over to him.

He had watched her descend the stairs his eyes traveling slowly up her body. A small hidden smile graced his lips at the curves of her hips and the smoothness of her legs. He took pride in the fact that he would have such an attractive wife, even if she did have bad blood. He didn't have to love her or even like her, all he had to do was marry her.

"Come on Granger." He said walking to the door as she reached his side. She threw him a sideways glare but followed anyway.

They walked in silence only the sounds of their footsteps on the hardwood floors breaking it. They walked up a flight of stairs and down a hall. They reached her door and she reached for the handle. But Hermione stopped.

"Malfoy can I ask you something?" she asked.

'Here it comes. She's going to ask about the library scene.' Draco thought rolling his eyes. He turned to face her.

"What is it Granger?" He asked.

"Were you going to kiss me back there before the house elf came." She asked keeping her eyes locked on his.

"And if I was Granger?" he asked.

"I want to know why." She stated clearly.

"If you're wondering I still hate you Granger, but you will be my wife."

"I'll always hate you Malfoy and I don't care." She spat turning and closing the door in his face.

Draco glared at it before turning and heading down the hall to his own room. He was frustrated. He had showed her weakness in that library. She now knew that he had feelings. She wasn't supposed to know that. She was only supposed to see his anger and cruelty. No one was allowed to know, besides maybe his mother, what other feelings he possessed, especially not the girl who could potentially use them to her advantage.

He was unhappy with everything that had happened so far that day. Unhappy about the library, unhappy about his friends being there, unhappy about Granger being there. He just wanted things the way they had been the summer before. Things had been natural then. He'd been with Marie.

"Marie." He said as he entered his room. "Is she down in that sitting room waiting to see me?"

He thought about that beautiful girl. The one that he had loved so much. His feelings were not completely gone. They really never would be. But it was impossible for them to even think about getting together.

He walked into his bathroom and began to fix his hair. He washed his face all the while recalling his time with Marie. As he thought about her and remembered the feelings he had he began to dread going down there just a little bit more. It was bad enough that his friends would have to meet the Mudblood formally. She would be introduced to them as his fiancée, something that made his lunch want to come back up for a visit. But seeing Marie after almost kissing the Mudblood would be…hard.

"I have to do it. No point in dreading it." He said as he turned away from the mirror.

He looked very stately as he left his room and started down the hall. He approached the door quietly trying to hear if she was actually in there or if she had left. He could hear nothing however so he knocked on the door before opening it.

Granger was in the bathroom of her room. She was pulling her hair up into a bun as he approached. She saw him in the mirror and looked at him. He was just leaning on the door frame watching her as she put the finishing touches on her hair. Somehow the strap of her dress was fixed and whole again. She had washed her face and her eyes were no longer red, like she'd been crying.

They stood there staring at one another through the mirror for a minute or so. Draco couldn't understand how she looked like that over the summer, almost like a normal girl, but then looked so frumpy and ugly at school.

'It's got to be the clothes. She always wears those baggy robes in school and on weekends she's wearing jumpers or sweatshirts. She never put her hair up that way during school. It's almost like at Hogwarts she doesn't care what people think of her.' He thought as his eyes scanned her entire body. He even looked at her small feet still clad in those flip-flops.

"How'd you fix your dress?" he asked.

"The house elf helped me." She said turning to face him.

Draco turned around and started for the door. He looked over his shoulder noticing that she wasn't following. She had moved to the doorway of the bathroom and was standing there. She was afraid and nervous, looking again like a small child lost in a crowd. For some reason Draco liked it when she looked like that.

"Come on Granger." He said opening the door.

"I really don't want to Malfoy." She said softly looking down at the carpet quickly.

"You have to Granger. You'll see them at the wedding anyway. And they're my friends so they'll be coming to our house to see me. You'll have to get used to being around them." He said his hand dropping from the handle of the door.

She stepped out of the bathroom and started toward him. When she past him and walked out into the hall he smirked. He was already starting to get some control over her. Soon enough he would be in full control of everything.

She seemed to know her way down to the foyer pretty well but after that she had no idea where she was going. Draco past by her the thin material of his white dress shirt lightly brushing her arm. She felt chills move up her arm and down her back. She watched him as he started down a hall heading toward the back of the huge house.

"Come on Granger," he called over his shoulder.

She followed slowly her wonderful white dress swaying with her hips. Her flip-flops slapped the floor softly in a rhythmic way as she stopped beside him. He turned and looked down at her. Her head was turned up toward him her eyes large and nervous. Her long eyelashes helped emphasize her eyes even more and for some reason he could look away. They were so close what if he just leaned down and…

'No Malfoy!' he scolded himself. Quickly turning away he opened the door.

The room they entered was the very same sitting room that he and his father's group had done all the research on her. And there, sitting on the couch, were all his friends Crabbe Goyle and Blaise along with the three girls, Millicent, Pansy and Marie.

"Hello everyone." Draco said smiling to Blaise who had the biggest smirk on his face.

"How are things Draco?" asked Blaise rising to be the first to shake his hand.

Draco stepped into the center of the room meeting Blaise halfway. They shook hands as Draco turned. He looked back at the doorway seeing no sign of Granger at all. She must have been hiding by the door hoping he would forget about her. But he wouldn't do that.

"I'd like you all to formally meet my fiancee, Hermione Granger." She appeared on the doorway as he finished her name. He could hear a very distinct growl from Pansy but he ignored it. "Come in and close the door please."

Hermione entered the room filled with Slytherins. She was sure that by the end of the visit she would have been in some way insulted. She closed the door being sure to keep her eyes on them. It was stupid to turn your back on your enemies, even if he said he wouldn't let them hurt her.

She walked to stand by his side like she expected he wanted her to. All she had to do she realized was stick by him and do what he said to get through this. Though it went against her feelings she stood right at his side and would do what ever he said.

"This is Blaise Zabini. That's Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, Millicent Bulstrode, Pansy Parkinson, and Marie Harrison. These are my friends." Draco said pointing to each person as he said his or her name.

'She's standing so close to me.' He thought wishing she would back up.

Draco moved to a small sofa and sat Hermione sitting neatly beside him. She kept her legs together and crossed her left foot beneath her right and pulling them a little to the side. Her back was straight against the back of the sofa and her hands were folded and placed in her lap. Her shoulders were dropped and back. She looked elegant. She sat like his mother. She sat like a pureblood.

He looked over at Pansy Millicent and even Marie. None of them sat that way. The closest was Marie sitting with her legs crossed her back straight and head forward. But she didn't have that prim and proper air about her like Granger. It amazed him. He hadn't expected it.

"So Mudblood how have your days as a prisoner been?" Pansy snarled her face twisted in an ugly smile.

"Pansy do not speak to my fiancee that way. Soon enough she will be my wife and treated with respect." Draco said. Blaise looked over at him. Draco caught the look of curiosity and knew at one point that evening Blaise would want to speak to him alone.

"Since when do you treat her with respect?" Pansy demanded her voice taking a defensive tone.

"Pansy must you make things so difficult?" Marie said softly.

Hermione looked over at the girl with the strawberry blonde hair. It was the first time that she remembered ever being this close to her. She was always with Malfoy and his little gang of friends but she kept to the back of the group and never tossed out any insults. She was quiet and so…unslytherin. It was strange to see her in that room with those people.

"Of course Marie. I can't believe this. Draco you're sticking up for a Mudblood. Even if she will be your wife why in Merlin's name would you stick up for her?" Pansy demanded.

"Pansy I've asked you not to insult her. And as for me sticking up for her it's because I've given her my word. I did it because things would have been much worse for all of us." Draco said his icy eyes narrowing slightly.

"Let's have a change of subject eh?" said Crabbe his voice sounding a bit annoyed.

Hermione's eyes traveled to him. She studied the two boys she Harry and Ron had all believed to be dense for years. They sat there watching the group eyeing Pansy like she was crazy. They seemed all right to Hermione. She'd never really had anything against either of them. They'd never spoken to her or messed with her in any way. Everything that had been done to her was by Pansy Millicent or Malfoy.

"What have you been doing the last few days?" Blaise asked.

"Granger's been sick. I've had to keep watch over her. That's mostly it. She got better today though so the Dark Lord said she could go out and explore the manor." Draco said.

"You were sick?" Marie asked Hermione directly. It surprised her because none of the others had even referred to her except Pansy.

"Yes." Hermione said softly. She could feel Malfoy's eyes on her face watching to see if she'd speak more.

"What was wrong with you?" Marie asked.

"Oh you too now Marie?" Pansy said throwing her hands in the air. "Has everyone in the room just suddenly forgotten how extremely filthy and disgusting she is. She's a MUDBLOOD!"

Pansy was angry now for no one was going after Hermione as she had been. They were all basically overlooking her. They saw her but didn't speak to her. But Pansy wanted to attack her. She wanted to degrade her and hurt her both verbally and physically. She wanted Hermione to feel pain.

"Pansy shut up! That's my fiancee and if you can't show her and I some respect than get out!" Draco cried slamming his hand down on the arm rest of the sofa. Everyone saw the anger in his eyes. They were all a bit shocked.

Pansy glared right back at him. She stood throwing her long brownish blonde hair over her shoulder. She walked over to the sofa where Hermione and Draco were sitting. She glared at Hermione. She wanted to raise her hand and slap Hermione but she restrained herself. She settled for threatening words.

"You'll never fit in Mudblood. No one here will every care about you. After you've fulfilled your purpose you will be disposed of. They'll kill you before you ever even get to hold you baby. I'll be there to watch it. And I'll be glad to see your filthy body dumped where Potter can find you. So enjoy this while it's here because soon enough you won't have a life to live."

"Get out Pansy." Draco said his voice calm but scary. His fists were clenched and shaking slightly.

Hermione had backed away from Pansy when she neared. She was actually leaning back against Draco's right arm. Her hands were up by her face just in case there was an attempt to strike. Her eyes were wide with total fear. This Pansy smile and evil smile before she turned and left the room. To where she went they all had no idea.

"Are you all right?" Draco asked when Hermione had straightened. She was shaking nervously staring at the hands that were wringing in her lap. Her face was pale as she looked up at him.

"I told you I shouldn't have come." She whispered.

"Pansy's really just a bitch." Everyone turned and looked at Marie. Draco had never heard her speak about a fellow Slytherin that way. In fact he'd never really heard her speak of anyone that way. She normally kept her opinions to her self.

"She can't see past this stupid blood issue. I'm getting tired of hearing about it myself. I don't think her blood matters anymore. Maybe it did once but she's marrying you. What difference does it make now?" Marie was really miffed about this. Her face was slightly red and she was leaning forward in her chair her eyes serious. "This is ridiculous. Don't worry about what she said Hermione."

Hermione found that she liked Marie very much. Something about her was different from the others. She was nicer. She had different views from the others yet they seemed to respect her just the same. She and Hermione were sort of alike in the way that they were both the girls that everyone protected. Hermione could just tell, by the way Draco looked at her that he would do anything for the girl, sort of like Ron.

'Maybe he's in love with her.' Hermione thought frowning inside. 'He looks at her the way Ron looks at me sometimes. He likes this girl a lot.'

Hermione felt bad. She was marrying a man who was in love with someone else. She had never thought about what this marriage might be taking away from Draco. She'd never really thought that he could love. She'd just thought he was against it because he hated her.

"She should have a drink. It will calm her nerves. She's shaken." Marie told Draco. "Are you all right Hermione?"

"Yes thank you." Hermione said softly. She looked around the room at the remaining Slytherins. None of them looked angry. Maybe they were hiding it. Or maybe what Marie said had gotten to them. Were they thinking about maybe giving her a chance? Would they be able to treat her nicely? Or were they not glaring at her because Draco was seated beside her still livid about Pansy?

another one up...what happens for the rest of the visit?...and where oh where has Pansy gone?...review and I'll write so u can find out...lol

Starry