Disclaimer: it all belongs to JK Rowling

A/N: So you may or may not have noticed that I have changed the names of Hermione and Draco's children in Chapter I. I realised if their son was called Harrison, his nickname would be Harry, and I didn't quite like that.

I also changed the name of their daughter. She is named after a beautiful young girl I met during my paediatric oncology rotation; she is perhaps one of the most gorgeous little girls I have ever met!

Thank you to LadiePhoenix007, thatharrypottergeekychick16, dutch potterfan and Grovek26 for your reviews – it meant the world to me!

Chapter VI

August 1997; Hogwarts

A comfortable silence filled the common room as they quietly read. The days after their date had flown by without a hitch. They had spent their time on the expansive Hogwarts grounds; relaxing on the grass, basking in the warm sunlight and quite simply getting to know one another. It had been quite a surprise to find that they had a fair bit in common.

Much to Hermione's disbelief, Draco was an avid reader; he was nearly as bad as her. They had read many of the same books and Hermione had been pleasantly astonished to find that Draco was a fan of a range of Muggle authors. They were both very cultured, enjoying classical music and attending a handful of operas. Draco enjoyed going to the theatre with his family, as did Hermione with hers. She had been enthralled by the stories of magical plays and operas, unable to comprehend how such performances could be more enchanting than the Muggle ones were.

Anthony Goldstein and Sabrina Fawcett had arrived a few days ago; the presence of the four students at the school was explained as preparation for their roles as leaders in the school and adjustment to their newfound responsibility. Harry, Ron and Ginny had been incredibly upset, having only been able to spend time with Hermione whilst she was admitted at St. Mungo's Hospital. But they had been abated by Dumbledore who had explained that in the wake of an upcoming war, the Head students were facing increasing responsibility and unwanted burden and would need a period of preparation for their impending duties.

Needless to say, Anthony and Sabrina had been flabbergasted at the news of Hermione and Draco's engagement. After all, they had both been a part of Dumbledore's Army and had fallen victim to Draco's superiority on numerous occasions. Their jaws had fallen slack as they looked between the couple, their interlinked hands and the extraordinary ring adorning Hermione's left hand. They had looked upon the pair in new light after their role as the Golden Disciples was explained to them and had vowed to help them in any way possible.

It had been nice to have two more people in the school. Hermione had already been somewhat acquainted with the two students and much to everyone's surprise, Draco had become rather friendly with them. Sabrina had flown into a frenzy at Hermione's lack of preparation for the wedding, taking it upon herself to do everything she possibly could. It wasn't a difficult feat however; there would only be a few people in attendance.

Unable to focus on her book, Hermione wrung her hands nervously. Tomorrow was D-day. Tomorrow she was getting married…to Draco Malfoy of all people. Tomorrow was her wedding day, and her parents weren't going to be there. She felt her heart drop, tears burning at her eyes. They dropped from her face as she leaned forward, dark splotches appearing on her shirt.

Her body shook as a lump rose in her throat. As a little girl, she had dreamed of her wedding day; dreamed of her mother buttoning her dress, dreamed of walking down the aisle with her father. As much as she tried to remain silent, her body was overcome with sobs.

Draco turned bewildered as he heard his fiancée's cries. He froze in that moment; he had never been accomplished at consoling women. His mother always held herself in a stoic manner, never allowing her son to see any anguish. Steeling himself, he rose from his seat; this woman was going to be his wife and he truly wanted to be the best he could be.

Lowering himself beside her, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her towards him. His fingers traced circles on her back as he tried his best to soothe her. Hermione turned her face towards his chest, her tears leaving small damp patches on his shirt. He held and comforted her until her sobs died down.

Pulling her face away from his shirt, she looked up at him with glistening eyes. "I wish my parents…" She whispered, trailing off as her breath hitched. Draco simply nodded and pulled her back into him, knowing that there were no words that would help her in this moment. He simply held her for what seemed like hours until she slowly pulled away from him. "I'm exhausted and you'll need your beauty sleep for tomorrow." She said, weakly chuckling at her own comment.

He let out a soft laugh as his thumbs wiped her tears from her cheeks. "That is most definitely true." He murmured before placing a soft kiss on her nose.

Hermione had been woken up rather early that morning by an exuberant Sabrina. She had practically dragged the bride out of bed and through the corridors to the Hufflepuff dormitories, exclaiming that there was much work to be done before the wedding.

Draco was ready, pacing along the length of their commons. In a mere half hour, he was going to be a married man – married to Hermione Granger. If anyone had told him this a year ago, he would have laughed in their faces and almost definitely hexed them. And yet here he was, dressed and ready to stand at the end of that aisle, awaiting his bride who was sure to be a vision coming down that aisle. He smiled thinking about his visit at Madame Azalea's Gems, a jewelry shop in Hogsmeade that was known for its upper-class reputation.

[Flashback]

Madame Azalea cocked her eyebrow in surprise as the young man entered her shop. After all, it was common knowledge that her store only carried unique and quite expensive trinkets. Draco, however, was not an idiot. A mere hours after taking Hermione to St. Mungo's, he had rushed to Gringotts and moved an incredibly hefty sum of money from the Malfoy vaults into one of his own. He smirked, thinking of how outraged his father would be when he found out.

"I doubt I can help you here, boy." The snooty lady stated, a cold tone to her voice. "I am sure you have heard of my reputation"

"I can assure you I have, and there will be no problems." Draco smirked his trademark smirk, dropping a small sack of galleons onto the counter.

Her eyes widened, before she straightened her posture. "My apologies, sir. What is it that you are looking for?"

"I want a beautiful engagement ring for a rather special girl. It must be intricate and elegant; the very best."

The pompous woman had clapped her hands together with excitement. "Oh what a lucky lady! Of course, of course!" She stated, running off with a silly little giggle.

A few minutes later, she returned from the back of the store with three small boxes. Madame Azalea opened one in front of him, revealing the most beautiful ring he had seen; it was unique with intricately-designed markings and he was sure it would suite Hermione perfectly. "I'll take it." He stated, sure of his choice.

"Before you do, there is something I want to show you – I am sure you will appreciate this." She opened the other two boxes, revealing two golden wedding bands with the same engravings. "These, my boy, are a set. They are from medieval times, purported to have belonged to some of the most powerful Wizarding couples. When worn, they serve as a connection between the couple. If one is in need danger or in need, the other's ring will heat as a call for help."

Draco didn't hesitate; given the situation that he and Hermione were in, these would be of great use. He left the store, with the three boxes in his pocket.

[End Flashback]

Taking a deep breath in a vain attempt to calm his nerves, he made his way to the beautiful gardens in which the ceremony was to be held. It was a small affair; attended by only their Heads of House, Dumbledore and the two Deputy Head Prefects. He couldn't hide his awe; a small aisle had been formed with multiple rose petals of varying colours leading to a simple white arch, delicately laced with wildflowers and Fawkes perched on top. Dumbledore was already underneath the arch, staring out over the lake. Four simple white chairs were placed near the arch, two on either side of the aisle. Sighing heavily, he knew that this was probably not the wedding that Hermione had dreamed about; it most definitely wasn't the wedding that she deserved. At least the old man had managed to make the place look breathtaking.

"Ah, Draco. Beautiful day, isn't it?" Dumbledore turned around, a sparkle in his eyes, as Draco approached.

Draco didn't reply, making his way to beside the Headmaster. He wasn't a fan of small talk. His hands in his pockets, he watched the wind playing along the surface of the lake. "I'm proud of you, Draco." He couldn't help the surprise that came over him, turning to the old man with wide eyes; he had never been told that before.

Dumbledore chuckled, laying a solemn hand on the young man's shoulder. "What you did, rebelling against Voldemort, was extremely courageous on your part. And what you are doing now…well, your contribution to the war will be fundamental to our victory." For once, Draco didn't feel the urge to roll his eyes at Dumbledore's vagueness; his words meant a lot to him.

He smiled at Anthony who was making his way to the seats. The boy, who he had come to see as a friend, grinned back and gave him a thumbs up. He saw the two professors making their way down, as well, in silence. He nodded at Snape, who returned the gesture. They had spent time together over the past two weeks, speaking at length of Snape's work for the Order. The man had given him invaluable advice and for that, Draco would be forever grateful. McGonagall sat down, tears glistening in her eyes – though she had a somewhat severe demeanour, he had found that she was a sensitive, caring woman.

Draco glanced at his watch, astonished that so much time had already passed. In a couple of minutes, Hermione was due to arrive. A smile adorned his face as he saw Sabrina raced from the castle, looking rather flustered. "Sorry!" She blurted out before throwing herself into the seat beside Anthony.

And then he saw her; his vision. Her hair was set in a messy bun at the crown of her head with a few tendrils loose, framing her delicate face. Her eyes were lined with kohl, her cheekbones accentuated with light peach blush and her lips tinted a light nude colour. Her dress had a lace pattern, hugging her curvaceous figure before gently flaring from the middle of her thighs, swaying with her every movement. The back of the dress was held together by crisscrossing straps. She was exceptionally breathtaking. His heart lurched as he saw the tears glistening in her eyes. His breath hitched; he was actually marrying this gorgeous woman.

Now all he was waiting for was when that old man was to say 'You may now kiss the bride'.

Her eyes fixated on her left hand, Hermione took a deep breath in. She was officially Mrs. Draco Malfoy. Her husband…gosh that sounded weird…her husband had explained to her the properties of their wedding bands. She had been completely overwhelmed as her mind tried to understand the complexity of the magic that must have been required to make the rings. It was absolutely brilliant; she was only slightly miffed that she hadn't even considered such magic to be possible.

Of course, all of her intrigue had disappeared the moment his lips crashed into hers. She had barely even heard the Headmaster saying the words when it had happened. He had kissed her with such fervor and hunger that she had nearly forgotten that three of her professors were watching them – it was positively mortifying. She had to admit that she wasn't all that surprised that she had such a physical connection with Draco. After all, they had always been a rather passionate pair; more so in animosity than lust. Combined with the hastening of their relationship that came with being a Golden Disciple, it really was no shock that she had such an intense attraction to him.

As much as she wanted to deny it, she was incredibly nervous about tonight. From what she had read about the Golden Disciples, it was vital that they consummate their marriage. And she was downright terrified. She had been kissed a few times, but that was as far as her experience went.

Given Draco's reputation as Slytherin's most eligible bachelor, she was sure that he was much more learned in this particular aspect of life. Hermione was sure that she was going to be horrifically inept at their night's activities.

She stiffened as Draco moved into the room, loosening his tie. He perched himself on the bed beside her, flashing her a timid smile. She was not expecting that.

"So…Hermione…" A faint blush came to his cheeks as he trailed off, unsure of what to say. It was inexplicably comforting to her to know that she wasn't the only one who was nervous.

"Yes. About that…" She said, trying to resort to her usual matter-of-fact manner of speaking. Taking a deep breath, she gave into nervous babbling. "I've never done it before. And I know that you're probably some debonair, I mean we've all heard the rumours, but I'm not experienced…at all. In fact I've only ever been kissed before and I just know that I'm going to let you down…you know, comparatively."

Draco couldn't hold back his chuckle – he found her rambling to be endearing. "Hermione…as cute as you are right now, stop talking. I want you to know – I haven't either." Her eyes shot up to him, questioningly.

Grasping her hand in her lap, he smiled gently at her before shrugging. "Pureblood tradition. Sex before marriage is considered to bring shame on the family name; saving yourself is a way of upholding your family's honour and nobility." He felt her relax beside him, a great deal of her apprehension overcome with vulnerability and virtue.

Before he could think about it, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. He was pleased to find her respond with the same fervour that was coursing through him. She gently moved her hands up his chest; one gently caressing his cheek and the other tangling itself in his hair. He gently lowered her onto the bed, his heart pounding as her hands roamed his body.

She let out a soft moan as he moved his lips down to her neck. She was intoxicating. He pulled back and looked into her eyes, and saw her eyes reflecting the hunger and yearning that he felt. And that was all that the permission he needed.

A/N: I'm horrendous at writing 'passionate' scenes so I'll just leave it there and you all can let your imagination run wild. Please review!