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What happened last time:

"Hey Hermione! How were your holidays? We want to hear all about them."

Now on with the story:

……

Great. How the hell was she meant to answer that? The first thing that she wanted to say was "Shit. Absolute Shit." But she couldn't say that, because over these holidays, Hermione was meant to have fallen in love. And when people fall in love, they think that everything is sunshine and rainbows, and they definitely would not say that their holidays were shit. So instead Hermione smiled, hugged all of her friends and said

"They were awesome! But I'm glad to be back. How were yours?"

Ron, Harry and Ginny all looked happy, which was surprising with a war looming in the shadows, but she supposed sometimes you just have to focus on having fun in the present. She started to tune out as everyone began to talk over each other, exclaiming how great their summer was. Well that was great for you, she thought bitterly. Why couldn't I have a great summer? She was intending to tell them about Malfoy in the evening, so she could have at least half a day with her friends, when they were actually being civil to her, but if she had known that he had other thoughts in mind, she would have told them right then and there. But she didn't, and that was probably mistake one.

……

To Draco, Hermione was acting really strange. He almost dropped her trunk when she said thank you to him. It was not what he had expected and it was putting him off. He was the one trying to make her uncomfortable, not the other way round. He had spent a few days in the last week, away from Hermione, and he found, to his utmost surprise that she had made the days they had together entertaining, instead of boring and monotonous, as they always had been before. Thinking of that, made him bitter. He shouldn't be thinking of her in a positive light. She took away his freedom. Regardless that she was now meant to be a pureblood, he knew the truth and to him, blood mattered. She was a person below him, a mudblood, and he should not be thinking that she makes his day better because it's fun to argue with her, he should not be thinking that he wants to spend more time with her, and maybe, just maybe he might not hate her, and he definitely should not be thinking that she a pretty good kisser and has a undeniably feminine body, with the curves in the right place, and nice soft skin…Whoa, Draco get a hold of yourself. He shook his head to get the unwanted thoughts to go away. This is why he hates Granger. She has been able to make him lose control without knowing it: and nobody has been able to make him lose control before. Imagine what would happen if she knew she had that power. He dreaded to think about that. Maybe it was time to show her that he was in control. He looked over to where she was standing with all of her friends, obviously she hadn't told them yet, because they were still happy and talking to her. He would soon end that. Its time they found out the results of Hermione's summer, on his terms, and not hers.

He walked over and stood next to Hermione, and noticed with satisfaction, that Potter's eyes automatically noticed him, and they started to darken as he tried to work out why in Merlin's name was he standing there. His voice was harsh as he alerted his friends of the fact that Draco Malfoy was standing there.

"What are you doing here Malfoy? Why aren't you bullying some first years yet? Or at least why aren't you with your friends."

Draco didn't want to be blunt with them, and tell them straight out. Instead, he thought it would be more amusing to be cryptic and see how long it would take for them to click. He smirked.

"Well you see, I got married over the summer, and my wife doesn't really like me bullying the first years. She seems to think that I need to put more energy into our relationships, instead of ruling the school, if you know what I mean"

It was Potter that spoke up again.

"Well it seems like you new wife isn't too impressed with you talents in bed, if you have to put more energy into it Malfoy. Who is the unlucky girl anyway?"

Damn. Potter had a good comeback for once. Well, Draco knew he had better.

"It's not my talents in bed that she's not impressed with. She likes them so much, she just has a habit of wanting to keep going, round after round, every night. She just wants to make sure that I don't get tired. She has one hell of an endurance level, and she is one hell of a lion in bed. I was surprised you didn't already know that though."

This time it was the Weasel that spoke, seeming to notice that something wasn't quite right. Why would Malfoy be bragging to them specifically that he had a wife, unless it had something to do with them. However it was only the Weaselette that noticed Hermione's uncharacteristic quietness.

"So who is the slut you married Malfoy?"

Draco thought now was the time to let them know that they had just called their best friend a slut. Life can really get good at times. Just to add more conflict, purely for his enjoyment, he wrapped his arms around Hermione's waist, and after a moment's hesitation, she lent back into them. He then lent down to her ear and whispered loud enough for the three people standing nearest to them to hear

"Haven't you told them yet 'Mione? I'm sorry, I thought you already had."

The penny dropped, and Draco tried to keep his face neutral, to show that he wasn't enjoying this too much. The face of Weasel was funny, in Draco's opinion, his mouth had dropped open and if it went any further, it would have touched the floor. But it was the denial in Potter's voice that made him lose his control and smirk at them.

"What are you talking about Malfoy? Hermione isn't stupid enough to marry you. I don't know what trick you're trying to pull but it's not going to fool us."

Draco didn't say anything after that comment, making it clear that he expected Hermione to say something, and prove to them what he was saying was actually true for once. So with a small voice she spoke up.

"It's no trick. I was going to tell you later on tonight, when we could talk properly, but I guess you knowing now isn't going to hurt. Draco and I got married a week ago, but we have been secretly dating for a while now. He treats me well and I think…" Hermione hesitated. "I think I've fallen in love with him."

"Hermione, can't you hear what you are saying. This is Malfoy. The prick. He hates you because you are a mudblood remember? Doesn't that matter to you?"

Draco found this incredibly entertaining, watching Potter try to talk Hermione out of something that was irreversible. However, he also felt Hermione getting weaker and less confident as the conversation got more heated. She started to rely on him to keep her standing, and she looked sad. Looking back after the event, he didn't know what made him do what he was about to do. Maybe it was the slight guilt that he felt at being the cause, or maybe it was just to keep up pretences and make it look like he cared, but he gave her a gentle hug, to reassure her and give her the confidence to continue. The necessity he had to do that scared him, he had never been that kind to another person before, but then again, nobody had been standing in his arms before, and they hadn't been getting weaker and becoming reliant on him. Trying to rationalise it didn't work either, because all that he could think of was the fact that he had been nice to another person, actually, he had been nice to Hemione Granger, without an ulterior motive. He started to focus on the conversation occurring again.

"Didn't you read the daily prophet? I'm a pureblood. I always have been. Sure Draco shouldn't have called me a mudblood, but he has apologised, and I have accepted it. It was all in the past, and we have to take the opportunities we get now, instead of waiting, because who knows what will happen in the future. I thought that you guys would be happy for me, that I've found someone to love, and that loves me back, but I guess my well being doesn't matter to you anymore."

During her speech, Draco noticed that Potter, Weasel and the Weaselette had all prepared to leave, and obviously Hermione had to, considering what she had said. But before they left, Potter had said one more cutting thing, as they all got onto the train.

"Malfoy's can't love."

That was all it took for Hermione to turn around into Draco's stunned arms and cry into his shirt. He had no idea what to do. So he just stood there.

……

Hermione didn't know what had come over her, but she found herself standing in Draco Malfoy's arms, crying. Maybe it was the fact that her friends had completely abandoned her, and let silly prejudices get in the way of her so called happiness. Maybe it was the fact that she completely agreed with her friends, but she couldn't let them know; she had to make it look like she was in love with Draco Malfoy. But even though she was crying into his shirt, she knew that he was the cause of the fight. She hated him, yet ironically, he was the only person she had left.

Soon, she knew that both of them had to board the train and she had to find her way to the Head's compartment. She was going to be head girl this year, and she didn't even think that Draco knew. She had found out when she was with the Spungen's, and had never gotten around to telling him. So she tried to stop crying, and picked her head up. Very quietly she thanked him, for the second time that day, and got onto the train with a hurried explanation of getting to the heads compartment.

She walked up the train slowly, trying to make herself as composed as possible, when she felt someone grab her wrist and pull her towards them. Without looking at them, trying to hide her tear streaked face, she heard them whisper a spell, and she felt her tears on her face disappear. Wondering who was thoughtful enough to do that, she looked up and saw her husband's stormy grey eyes. To say she was shocked was an understatement. He offered no explanation, instead, just started walking up the train alongside her silently. She knew that he wasn't the head boy, and she was wondering who would be, when they reached the heads compartment on the train. Before she opened the door however, she hugged him, a way of saying thank you, but still not a word passed between them, and she went into the compartment to see the head boy already standing there. Her first thought after seeing him there was; 'Someone up there must really hate me.'

……

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I managed to update really quickly this time. Please keep reading and reviewing. If you don't review and tell me what you don't like, or what you want to see more of, I can't change it. Simple as that. Thanks to those who reviewed my previous chapter. :)

I know that Draco is a bit OOC at the moment, but that's because he is struggling with what's going on, but I'm going to try and get him back into his usual character, unless anyone objects. I hope you stay tuned for the next chappie. Who is the head boy going to be??