Dear Readers whom I love,

Thank you for all your wonderful reviews. Im so happy that you like my story and am happy to be writing it for you. But there is some bad news that I should tell you right now before you read this chapter.

I will be ending the story. I cant write anymore.

Thank you for understanding.

Sincerely,

Starry

Disclaimer: Not mine...

It's All A Nightmare

Draco's head whipped around at the bloodcurdling scream that was projected from the room he'd just left. He saw Hermione lying flat on her back, her legs kicking and her arms flailing. He rushed back in and jumped on the bed trying to restrain her. She was going to injure herself if he didn't stop her. But he couldn't get to his wand without leaving her.

It didn't matter much if he had his wand or not because a few moments after Hermione let out the high pitched sound Narcissa and Lucius came bounding in. Lucius had his wand at the ready and when he saw how Hermione was acting he waved it sending ropes of constraint toward her. Draco fell away just in the nick of time.

Once the ropes were secure Hermione struggled trying to escape their grip. Draco watched as she wriggled around on the bed her cries and screams of pain echoing around the room. Narcissa went to her side and tried to calm her.

"Lucius, she's asleep." She said when she looked down at Hermione.

"She's having a nightmare. Wake her up before she hurts herself." Lucius said standing on the other side of the bed looking down at her.

Narcissa removed her want from inside her robes. Draco who was sitting behind Hermione's head watched as his mother tapped her forehead with the tip of her wand. Hermione stopped struggling and lay there very still. Her body was limp and Draco couldn't tell if she was breathing or not. He thought for a moment that she might be dead.

But slowly Hermione opened her eyes. She blinked a few times before trying to raise her arm to rub the tears from them. When she couldn't move Hermione began to panic the dream still fresh in her mind. She'd looked up and saw Draco above her and her eyes widened.

"Draco? What's going on? Let me out of this, please." She begged tears threatening to pour from her eyes once more.

"Take the ropes off Lucius." Narcissa said softly. Draco only looked up at his father.

Lucius ignored his wife but looked directly at Draco. The two sets of lovely icy eyes stared into one another daring the other to blink. Lucius searched his son's expression for something he was hoping wasn't and never would be there. Soon however Lucius's eyes narrowed growing angry. He turned flicking his wand over his shoulder as if he didn't care. The ropes loosened as Lucius left the room his robes swishing out behind him.

Hermione felt the ropes loosen and wriggled out of them. She crawled away, looking at them as if they were poisonous. She was sitting beside Draco who looked as if he'd seen a ghost. He reached out to touch her but at his movement she jumped. She turned her eyes at him and he saw nothing but pure fear. Whatever she had dreamed, it had terrified her.

"Hermione lie back down. Nothing will happen to you. You must rest for now." Narcissa said thinking about the potion that she was supposed to give her.

Hermione shook her head. She couldn't sleep again, not after what she'd seen. She'd seen such horrible things; things that she'd thought only existed in muggle horror movies. She didn't think that she'd ever be able to sleep again. So many bodies, the smell, the blood.

"You have to try to rest Hermione. No one will hurt you. We can stay here if you want. We'll stay and watch over you." Narcissa said softly.

"Don't worry mum. I'll stay. You go rest, I'll make sure she's all right and rests." Draco said turning to look at Hermione.

"You'll be fine Hermione. Draco will be right here." Narcissa said as she gave her a reassuring smile. Then Narcissa left.

Hermione stared wide-eyed at Draco who sat beside her. She could feel herself begin to tremble. She watched every move he made as started to get off the bed. He walked around it and reached out for her. She stiffened up looking fearfully at him.

"What did you see Hermione?" Draco asked sitting before her. Hermione shook her head and tried to look away but Draco reached out and turned her face toward him. "What did you see?"

"People. Lots of them, lying everywhere, dead. Murdered by Death Eaters. There was blood everywhere. I've never seen so much blood. I was next. Snape was there. He found me, pulled me out by my hair. Dragged me to the table, it was covered in blood. They strapped me down and a man in an apron walked forward. There were going to kill me Draco."

He watched as she broke into tears again. He pulled her toward him and she clung to him as if her life depended on it. He knew why she was holding to him so tightly. She knew that he would help her. She knew that he'd have to help her. No matter what happened he'd have to help her.

Draco comforted her as she buried her head in his chest. Why would she be dreaming about Snape killing her? He would never even hurt her. Snape didn't like to kill; he only killed Dumbledore because of the mission.

Soon Hermione stopped crying and just sat there holding onto him. He wondered if she was asleep but he didn't want to move and possibly wake her. He just held her there for a few more minutes trying to comprehend what she saw. It must have been really bad for Hermione to be this shaken. She was normally so strong.

Downstairs Lucius was brooding in the library. Narcissa opened the door and peered around to see her husband standing before the fire staring into it. He looked furious his body stiff. Everything about him told her to stay away but she needed to know what was wrong. She needed to know why he was so angry. What had he seen when he stared at Draco?

When he heard the door close Lucius turned and glared at Narcissa.

"What do you want?" he asked in an angry tone.

"What's wrong Lucius? Why were you so angry upstairs?"

"Because Narcissa, my son and heir is married to that filth. And I can see it in his eyes; he's developing feelings for her. This will not end well."

"I'm sure he's not." Narcissa said, knowing very well that her son had developed feelings. He was trying to deny it, but he was losing that battle.

"Don't fool yourself woman, she's manipulated him. She's got him just where she wants him. She'll use him to get out and I'll have to go retrieve her. He's so stupid."

"He's not Lucius. He's not being manipulated. That girl knows she can't go anywhere. She's smart Lucius, she knows the consequences." Narcissa said firmly.

Lucius glared at his wife, his stare startling Narcissa. With lightning quickness Lucius was towering before his wife. She stood her ground however, something she'd never done before. This infuriated him even more making the blow that he dealt even more painful.

Narcissa was thrown to the floor from the force. She touched her face gently, feeling the red sting still on her cheek. She looked up at Lucius surprised and angry. But there was nothing that she could do. He could easily beat her in a physical fight and a magical one. All she could do was watch as he walked back to the fire.

"Get out." He whispered softly not looking at her.

Narcissa pulled herself up and moved for the door. She opened it and stepped out, holding in the tears that stung behind the lids. She was lucky this time. She escaped with merely a stinging face. Had he been in a truly bad mood he would have continued the beating until both she and Hermione needed medical attention.

She shut the door and hurried off, as silent as a mouse, to her room. She slipped inside to see that the figure in the cloak had gone. She was thankful for that. If they had been there all hell might have broken loose.

That evening Hermione was slipped the potion in her water. The effects were almost immediate. She grew warm again, only this time she got sick. She couldn't hold anything down and Draco was growing more and more worried by the second. If she died then the Dark Lord would be furious. Who knew exactly what he would do?

Draco stayed right by her side for she wouldn't let go of his hand. She would cry out, no words only a distressed whimper, if he tried to leave. He ended up falling asleep by her side her clutching to him in a desperate attempt to feel better.

He woke many times in the middle of the night to her panting from overheating or from her violent shivers. He'd never before in his whole life seen someone so vulnerable. And what made it even worse was the fact that it was Granger. She never let him see her weak but now she was completely dependent on him.

That was the worst of it though. That night ended and the next morning began and Hermione grew better. Every evening Narcissa would give Hermione the potion mixed with her water. Her system as the mysterious person under the cloak said, had grown used to the potion now. It no longer reacted so severely. Now she just grew a bit drowsy and sometimes fell asleep.

Weeks of this passed by. Draco had questioned Hermione and returned to the Dark Lord with his results. Voldemort was still very cautious of Hermione but believed that she wasn't the traitor. Draco went on to question some of the closest of the Dark Lords followers including both his parents. But all the questions were turning up nothing at all.

It was soon the beginning of August and Draco and Hermione had been married for almost a month. Hermione was up and about again but Narcissa still wished her to take it slow. Hermione knew that whatever it was that she had caught wasn't quite gone. She still didn't feel like herself.

Narcissa visited once a week making sure that the potion supply was always within the house. She had commanded one of the house elves to slip the potion into Hermione's glass of liquid at dinner every night. It had taken some convincing but it eventually listened.

Hermione was receiving regular doses of the potion and Narcissa's plan was working beautifully. But one evening Narcissa sat in the good sitting room reading when Lucius barged in followed by Snape. She looked up at her husband who looked as if something urgent were on the tip of his tongue.

"Narcissa we Severus and I need to use this room."

She made no effort to keep it but stood and left closing the door behind her. But she didn't stray far. She walked down the hall and entered the next room, seating herself beside the wall where she was sure she would hear what they were talking about. Nothing that made Lucius look that way, as if he were about to be punished, could be good.

"There is a problem Severus." Lucius said so softly that Narcissa had to strain to hear him.

"What Lucius? Why do you seem so grave?"

"It's that retched Mudblood. She hasn't gotten pregnant yet Severus. The Dark Lord is not pleased. The sooner she is with child the better for all. What if she can't bare children?"

"Have they been having sex?" Snape asked, uncomfortable with the entire conversation.

"It has been impossible with her illness. But everyone thought that the baby would be a product of their first time."

"It hardly ever works out that way Lucius. Is she well again?"

"She's recovered, not fully but enough to have her up and walking around." Lucius said his voice growing closer; he must have been pacing.

"It's up to Draco now Lucius, there's nothing that we can do."

"I think he has feelings for her Severus." There was a pause. "My son, having feelings for a Mudblood. It's impossible, I thought I trained him well."

"You did Lucius. He doesn't have feelings for her. Your son is a good actor, she thinks she's manipulating him, but really he's fooling her into a false sense of comfort." Snape said very perceptively.

Narcissa strained her ears but the rest of their conversation was drowned out by the loud sounds coming from the kitchen. Elves were preparing the lunch that the three would be eating soon. But Narcissa's mind was not on food; it was on the conversation and the relevance that it had on her plan.

Hermione wasn't pregnant yet and the Dark Lord was growing impatient. He wanted a baby. If Hermione didn't show signs of being pregnant things would not end well for her. Things would also not end well for Draco.

Narcissa rose from her seat, leaving her book lying flat on its spine on the cushion beside her. She crossed the room and hurried up the staircase toward the forbidden corner of the Malfoy Mansion. The corner where the figure, in the black cloak most likely stayed.

She entered the dusty old room where, sure enough in the center of the room sitting in the chair, was the black cloak. Narcissa closed the door behind her and leaned against it.

"We will fix everything." The figure said before Narcissa could ever utter a word.

"This could be a disaster." Narcissa said. "What if she never d-"

"She will, eventually. There's no way around that; I've already foreseen it. But I will fix the problem, don't fret." The figure said in a confident voice. Narcissa only nodded, knowing that things would be all right if the figure said they would be.

Lucius and Snape emerged from the room a short time later as Narcissa was coming back down from visiting the figure still hiding out in the unused section of the mansion. She passed by the two men still conversing in the hall and headed to the kitchen to check on lunch.

She wondered as she watched the elves prepare the meal, how things were going to turn out. The figure had said that Hermione would…but what if they were wrong? What if she didn't? Things would not end well either way. Narcissa worried the rest of that day about the future and what her plans would cause.

The younger Malfoy couple was caught up in worries of their own. Hermione was worried every moment of the day that she would relapse and have to go through that terrible pain again. She didn't think she'd survive this time if it ever came back. The weather was growing cooler for autumn was just around the corner so Hermione made sure that she wouldn't catch anything else.

Draco on the other hand was stressed about this mission. Things weren't progressing very well. So far all the people he'd questioned had checked out. They weren't relaying information and didn't know of anyone who was. He couldn't understand how the person was so good at hiding it. It was frustrating him that he couldn't figure it out.

He was sitting in the library going through the notes he'd made during every interview when Hermione came in. Since she'd been sick Draco had been being nice to her. But now that she was growing better, he was being more and more like his normal self.

When she entered the room he glanced up and looked at her. She was standing there, seemingly out of breath. Her cheeks were pink and rosy but he knew by the tiredness that she displayed as she tottered to the chair before his desk that it wasn't from health that they were so pink.

"What's wrong?" he asked watching her carefully.

He saw that she clutched something in her hands, as a smile erupted on her face. She looked to be so happy. He couldn't remember seeing her look this way in a long time. She said nothing but leaned forward and handed him the paper that she had in her hand.

Draco took it and knew right away why she was so excited. This piece of parchment was from the school. He unfolded it and began to read the words written in the same familiar handwriting.

Dear Mr. Malfoy,

I would like to congratulate you. You have been made the Head Boy for this year. You will ride in a special car on the train and I will be there to give you your duties. Your list of rules and guidelines to follow as Head are enclosed inside. Also your supplies list is enclosed.

Sincerely,

Professor McGonagall

Hermione held out a small pin with an HB on it. It was his Head boy badge, the very same one that Percy had his seventh year. He reached out and took it from her hand.

Hermione was so happy. That letter meant that school was soon on its way. She would get to go back and see her friends and sort things out. She would have to explain what happened, but she knew that everyone would understand and most likely blame Draco. She would have to correct them about that though because it wasn't his fault either. He hadn't wanted any of this she was sure.

She would finally get to see Harry and Ron. She would finally be safe again. She would be away from all the Death Eaters. She would be able to figure out a way to keep from having to go back. Maybe even figure out a way to somehow get out of the marriage. Hermione was happy because soon enough her life would be saved.

"It doesn't say who the Head Girl is." Draco said sitting the letter and badge on the desk.

"If it's me the letter won't get here. Owls can't find people who are missing. I'll have to wait until we return to school." Hermione said sitting back in the chair.

But it was at that moment that Draco thought about school. He didn't realize that when she arrived with him on platform 9¾ that people would immediately suspect that he'd taken her. He would be arrested and things would get out of hand. Hermione couldn't stick up for him because everyone would think she was being forced to say it. What were they going to do?

Hermione seemed to be thinking along the same manner as he looked up and they locked eyes. She looked sad now for her happy bubble was being burst right there before her eyes. She slumped in the chair probably wondering if she'd ever go back to school.

"We should tell my father and the Dark Lord. There has to be a way to get you back to school without me getting arrested." Draco said softly gathering his papers.

"When?" she asked watching his every move.

"Now if he's not busy. The sooner this is taken care of the better." But as Draco rose to walk around the desk a house elf popped to his side.

"Sirs, this justs arrived for yous." Said the elf shakily. It stretched out its hand, which clutched a thin black envelope.

The writing on the outside said Draco's name only. He opened it as he sat back down behind the desk. Hermione leaned forward eager to hear what the writer had to say. But she knew that as Draco read the words, whatever they were, they weren't good news.

"It's from the Dark Lord." Draco said as he finished the letter putting it back inside the envelope.

"Is it about school?"

"No. It's about the baby, or the lack thereof."

"He wouldn't." Hermione said softly looking thoroughly horrified.

"He has, but that's not all." Draco looked down at the letter again before looking Hermione square in the eye. "He says that we have to have sex every night that we can sleep in the same bed together until you're pregnant."

"That's every night!" she cried.

"I know." Draco said defeated.

Hermione's mind was racing. She'd just gotten well enough to leave the bedroom after being sick, she wasn't sure if she were ever going to finish her education, now this. She was going to have to sleep with Draco every night until she was pregnant.

"No. Absolutely not." She said standing. She turned away from Draco, as if that would end the discussion.

"Don't turn away from me. We're not through here. We have to talk about this."

"I'm not doing it Draco. I'm not going to have sex with you again. We may be married but we aren't in a relationship, we still hate each other remember."

Hermione knew that she didn't hate him. She couldn't not now that she knew her true feelings for him. But she was still positive that he felt the same way he had when they'd first met. It was better to pretend that nothing had changed between them.

"That may be Granger but we still have to do this." Hermione turned quickly to face him again.

"I don't have to do anything." Hermione said narrowing her eyes. Draco hadn't seen her look this passionate and alive in weeks.

But Draco didn't want her to be this alive now. Not when something so important as their health was on the line. They couldn't return to school looking as if both had just battled forty trolls. Why couldn't she understand the situation better? There was really no choice in the matter. They had to do it. Or they would be forced and people would have to watch, but either way they would have sex.

"You don't understand Granger." Draco said his voice growing deeper with anger. He stood making his way around the desk to stand behind her. "If you don't do it willingly, he will force us not only to do it everyday, but he will force us to do it in front of him."

Hermione stared up at him completely shocked. He watched as she sank back into the chair she'd been in before. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She was being forced against her will to have sex with a man she didn't want to have sex with. It was technically rape, but she didn't even want to think that word. It would make things seem even worse than the already were.

"I don't want to either Hermione." He said as she turned her eyes away, ashamed to look at him. "I don't want to be subjected to this, not because it's with you but because it's what it is. Being forced to do anything is not something Malfoy's take well."

"I wish I were home." Hermione said softly as she hugged herself tightly. "I just want to get out of this place. I want to go back to school. I want to see my friends and let them know I'm all right. I want to be me again."

"We will be going back, soon enough. But you will never be the same Hermione and you're going to have to face that. We're married; we're together forever. There's no reversing a magical marriage. We're stuck together."

He realized however that those weren't really the right things to be saying. She turned her eyes upon him once more only this time they were filled with tears. She didn't want what he was saying to be true, but she knew that it was. There was no way for her to keep any shred of dignity. She would have to do what Voldemort commanded. She would have to stay with Draco until she was no use anymore, then she would be murdered. She would serve her purpose, then be disposed of.

"Why did it have to be us?" she said breaking down once more. Her hands covered her face as Draco got down on his knees. He knew that it was weak and against his nature to be comforting to a Mudblood, but she was his wife. She was unstable. She was loosing everything right at that moment. She was turning herself completely over to them, allowing them to do what they wished to her.

He reached out and put a hand on her shoulder, intending to just rest it there. He didn't want to get to close to her. They would be getting close enough that evening. But Hermione saw the gesture as and invite into and embrace. She scooted off the chair making the entire thing slide backward. She then proceeded to curl up against him still sobbing uncontrollably. Her tears leaked through the cracks between her fingers and he could feel them against the skin of his neck.

He could do nothing about it. He closed his arms around her holding her to his chest. Her hands moved from her face as she buried that in the area where his neck and shoulder connected. Her arms circled around him and she stayed like that. Crying softly against him, crying for herself and all the freedoms she was loosing, the idea that her husband would never love her. Draco felt her pain, knew just what it was that she was feeling because deep within him he was feeling it as well, but of course he'd never admit it. He was just as unhappy with being unable to marry the love of his life, as she was he just refused to let anyone else see it.

They were undisturbed there in that office. No one came knocking, not even a house elf. It was as if the entire world knew that they were in there, both of them broken, trying to find some solace in each other. The silence was broken every once in a while by a sniffle from Hermione but ultimately it was quiet as death.

Draco had shifted from his knees to an Indian style sitting position long ago. She was curl in a ball against him, seated in his lap with her legs draped over one of his. He leaned against his desk his eye shut almost as if her were trying to nap. Hermione's grip around him grew weaker as she most likely began to fall asleep. Eventually Draco nodded off his head falling to the side to rest atop Hermione's.

When the couple awoke sometime later, Draco saw the darkness of the skies outside. Hermione was awake already and had been watching him, thoughts running through her mind all the while. When he'd shifted she turned her head away so as not to frighten him. Now he was shifting her in his arms, not knowing that she was awake. It was when she turned her head to look up at him that he stopped moving, almost as if he'd been caught doing something bad.

"Your awake." He said impulsively.

"Im still tired. What time is it?"

Draco brought his watch up and she looked. It was close to nine o' clock. They'd been asleep for quite a while, curled together against his desk. She sat up as his arms dropped to his sides. She started to get up, feeling the pain that sitting the same way caused. Her muscles were stiff and her bones cracked.

When she was standing before him he watched as she smoothed her clothes. He stood beside her and stretched his arms above his head. When he was finished he walked behind Hermione to the door. They were going to head up to bed, both to exhausted to do much else.

When they were changed into the pyjamas they climbed into bed. Hermione laid there for a moment as the lights around them went out. She stared at the ceiling, thinking about that evening. It was like she was with Harry or Ron, the way that he held her. He was just as gentle as either of them would be. It was like he knew her already, like he knew what to expect from her.

But she was still confused about him. She knew that she had feelings for him, it was a fact that she couldn't deny. But what did he feel for her. Times like these were the worst because he was being so gentle and sweet. How was she to know that it wasn't a lie. How was she to know that it wasn't all an act to make things between them for this prophecy go smoother?

It was easier to understand his feelings when he was angry with her, when he was shouting. She knew then that he really was angry. But the times when he was so caring it was so hard to descern what he was really feeling. Was it possible that he really was concerned for her and wanted to help or was everytime that he'd held her a lie.

She turned on her side looking away from him. All she had to do was get through the next few weeks and things would get better. They would be heading back to school. She would get her wand back and finally be able to defend herself. She would be with her friends and she would be safe.

The darkness that surrounded her was eerie. It was almost artificial. She closed her eyes for a moment and let out a sigh. But when she opened them froze. The door was open slightly and she saw a hood peering in seemingly at her. She closed her eyes praying it was just her imagination. When she opened them the door was closed.

Hermione sat up staring at the door from her place in the bed. She turned and looked over seeing that Draco was asleep. Maybe she'd just imagined it. No one would be in their house now. But something in her head was convinced that someone had just been looking in their room. So with those conflicting thoughts running about her head Hermione laid back down. Her eyes remained focused on that door until sleep took her some time later.

So that's it...thats the end...ummmmmmmm NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hahahahaha...im sorry...but it's almst Halloween and I wanted to play a trick...so now you can give me my treat...reviews!!!