A/N: I got nothin' … Enjoy! :-)

Hermione was extremely happy to walk into her new home with her new husband when they returned from their honeymoon. Her parents had given them a week in Bora Bora as a wedding present and Draco had ridden on his first Muggle airplane. He loved it, as well as everything else on their very Muggle getaway.

As fun as their honeymoon had been, both were glad to be home. Polly soared down the stairs and greeted them by flying in circles over their heads. Wesley and Emily had also dropped off Hermione's cat, Crookshanks, who ran up to them and began stroking himself on Hermione's leg. He only hadn't been living with them before because their place was too small. That was Draco's excuse to keep the animal out, anyway. Now there was no way around it. Crookshanks was here to stay.

Hermione picked up her cat and carried him up the stairs with her, leaving Draco to deal with the luggage.

When he got to their bedroom she was lying down on the bed and petting Crookshanks, who was sprawled out on her stomach. Polly swooped in over his head and started pecking at the cat, making herself comfortable in the groove of Hermione's neck. Crookshanks started swatting at her and the bird took off, with the cat just behind her.

"Play nicely, you two!" Hermione called after them.

"It's not like they can understand you, Mione," said Draco, plopping down on the bed. "They're just dumb animals."

"Don't let either of them hear you say that."

Hermione held out her arms and Draco crawled into them, resting his head on her chest. "Ah, my two favorite pillows," he said, snuggling into her breasts.

She laughed. "You would think you'd be sick of them after all the time you spent together this past week."

"Never."

Hermione moved her hand up to stroke his hair. "I wish we didn't have to go to work tomorrow."

"Me too," he said, running his hands along her legs.

"I'm extremely eager to get this place furnished so we can have people over."

Draco's hand stopped. "Not exactly what I had in mind, darling."

Hermione looked down at him and smirked. "Yes. I imagine what you had in mind was probably the same thing you wanted to do every minute of every day on our honeymoon."

"And I would have if you'd let me."

"Well, forgive me for wanting to spend some time outside of the bedroom when in paradise."

"We're not in paradise now," he said, leaning up and kissing her.

Hermione kissed him back softly. When he pulled away she smiled. "There will be plenty of time for that later, my husband. First we need to open our wedding gifts, so we can send out thank you owls and I can compile a proper list of everything we're going to need."

"BOO!" he said, giving her a thumbs down.

"Come on, hubby. Up and at 'em!" she said, pushing him off of her and climbing off the bed.

"Mione," Draco whined. "Why can't we shag first?"

"Because you and I both know that when we shag first nothing ever gets done."

Draco chuckled. "Yeah. And it's great."

"Up!" she said, spanking his bottom.

"Okay, okay," he said, rolling off the bed and landing unstably on his feet.

Hermione's stomach growled. "I don't suppose we have any food in the house?"

"Nope," said Draco, balancing himself. "Of course, if you had let my parents give us that house-elf like they wanted I'm sure our kitchen would already be fully stocked."

"We both know that that was just another pathetic attempt for your mother to get under my skin."

"Well, of course it was," he said. "She didn't exactly try to hide that evil grin of hers when she offered."

"Ginny and Harry are always talking about this Chinese place they like to eat at around here," Hermione said, quickly changing the subject. "I'll go and pick us something up. Do you think you can manage to arrange the gifts while I'm gone?"

"And how would you like me to arrange them? Alphabetically by givers surname?"

"Don't be ridiculous," she said. "You arrange them by size."

Draco laughed. The best part was that she was actually serious. "Yes, darling. I mean, wifey." He winked.

The two of them walked downstairs and Draco gave her a kiss at the door before heading into the drawing room, where all the gifts had been stored.

When Hermione returned with the food, she peeked inside and found Draco sitting at the desk and reading something. Crookshanks was at his feet and Polly was perched on the top of the bookcase. Nothing had been organized. "Draco!"

"Back already?" he said, turning around. He looked from her angry expression to the pile of gifts. "Oh. Sorry." He waved his wand and they all arranged themselves by size.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "What is that you have?" she asked, walking over to the desk and looking over his shoulder.

"It looks like Sophie and Phil left a copy of both the Daily Prophet and Witch Weekly when they dropped off the gifts. The Prophet article of us is just a short summary but they have twenty pages dedicated to us in Witch Weekly. Including that lovely photo of you reading the book."

"Oh, wonderful," said Hermione. She picked up the Prophet and was immediately met with a moving photo of their first kiss as husband and wife. She smiled at the way Draco had dipped her over his knee. She had felt just like an old Hollywood starlet in that moment.

The article wasn't bad at all. It focused solely on the wedding, with a little briefing of how the happy couple got together. As much as she hated to admit it, Inga Utkin really was a good writer, and she didn't have a personal vendetta against them like Rita Skeeter did. Well, not yet, anyway. Maybe Hermione should start being nicer to her. Then she looked at Draco and remembered why she hated the reporter in the first place. Nope. Being nice was not an option. But she could at least attempt to be decent.

"So how is it?" Hermione asked as she started to set out the food on their small coffee table.

"Not bad. A bit fluffy, but it was a wedding, so I suppose I can let that slide. It talks a lot about my family, though. The cover photo is even the one of the four of us. I don't like that."

He lifted the magazine so she could see. Smack dab on the front of it was the awkward photo they had taken with Lucius and Narcissa. Below that was a caption reading 'Meet the Malfoys', and then it changed to 'A look inside the Dramione wedding'.

"What is 'Dramione'?" she asked.

"We are, dear," he said, handing her the magazine so she could skim through it. "My mother says they had a countdown to our wedding in the Prophet using that name for us."

"Really?" said Hermione, both appalled and intrigued at the same time. "As sick as that seems, perhaps we should have saved copies for our children someday."

"I think it will be best if we never tell them."

Hermione smiled. "Why? Would you rather they called us Hermico?"

"I'm getting this strong urge to stuff your face full of chow mein right now."

"Oh, please do. I'm starving."

The two of them spent the next few hours laughing over Chinese food while opening all of their gifts. Hermione kept a detailed list of everything they received and who they received it from, while Draco separated everything into piles: first floor, second floor, third floor, storage, and must make disappear. Hermione didn't much care for this last pile, but she let him have it. Especially after she saw the hideous platter Percy and his wife had given them.

As it turned out, arranging the presents by size was a mistake, since George's present - a box full of items from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes - was somewhere near the smaller end where they had started. After that there was no dragging Draco away from that box. He played while Hermione opened.

They had done pretty well for having a fairly small wedding. After the house-elf idea got vetoed, Narcissa and Lucius had given them an entire kitchen set - plates, bowls, goblets, silverware, etc. - all with the Malfoy family crest on them. Sophie and Phillip - being the only people who really knew about their new place at the time - had decided to start off Hermione's book collection for the library. All of her favorites were here, along with a few new books she had had her eye on, and a couple of romance novels Sophie had insisted she read. They were definitely last on her list.

Ginny and Harry had gotten them a bunch of his and hers items, like slippers, robes, and towels. Ron, in an obvious attempt to stir up trouble, had given them a very comfortable sofa that he had shrunken into one of the smallest boxes. As much as Draco hated to admit it, it really was more comfortable than the one they already had. But it was going in the game room, not the drawing room. After all, he had to keep up appearances.

Still, out of all of their presents, Hermione loved none more than the clock Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had given them. She hung it above the fireplace and took several steps back to make sure it was straight. Draco came up and hugged her from behind. She turned to kiss him but was taken by surprise by his lack of head. She rolled her eyes and knocked the Headless Hat off of him, then she kissed him properly.

When she pulled away she smiled and looked back at the clock. "I love how it says we're 'home' right now. It really makes it seem real."

"It is real, Mione. You and I are married, this is our home, those are our lovely pets," he pointed at the cat and owl, who had made themselves comfortable on opposite sides of the mantel.

"And to think, a year ago we had just shared our first kiss."

"Yes. And then you went and snogged Phil right after."

"I did not! He snogged me."

"Same difference." He smirked before kissing her cheek. "That's okay. In the end it all worked out as it should. He is with Sophie, you are with me, we are currently in our home, the gifts are unwrapped, the bed is upstairs …"

"Yes, I know." Hermione looked over at her list of items and the names of the people who had given them. She pursed her lips. "I suppose we could wait until tomorrow to write the thank you owls. Besides, I don't even know where our stationary ended up and - Whoa! Draco!"

Draco had picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder. He ran up the stairs as quickly as his feet would carry him while she laughed and tried to keep herself from falling.

Even though she was small, carrying her up two flights of stairs on one shoulder was a bit much for Draco, and he collapsed onto the bed completely out of breath. It would be up to her to take charge.

Hermione pushed him onto his back and climbed on top of him. The moment their lips touched his stamina came rushing back. He tore off her shirt while she did the same to him. Crookshanks started to walk into the room, but Hermione jumped off the bed, tossed the cat out and slammed the door shut. She ran back to the bed and leapt onto Draco, giving him a million kisses while he laughed and undid her bra.

Crookshanks continued to claw and meow at the door while his masters continued to get naked. Once all clothes were off Draco decided that there was no reason for them to shag on the bed when there was a perfectly good wall they hadn't broken in yet.

Without a second thought, he picked up Hermione and slammed her into it, lifting her legs so they locked around his waist. Merlin, she loved it when he was aggressive.

Draco grabbed onto her hair and pulled her head back while he thrust into her, sucking on her neck and loving the way the vibrations of her moans felt against his tongue. There was something he really fancied about knowing he was shagging his wife, like no matter what he did or how dirty it was it could now be justified. Not that any lack of justification had stopped him before.

One of Hermione's legs dropped to the floor and he lifted the other higher. He was determined to make her moan louder so he wouldn't have to hear that damn cat meowing. He would have to remember to lock it downstairs from now on. Draco flipped Hermione around and bent her at the waist. He quickened his pace, grabbing her hair even harder than before and twisting her head around to meet his for a sloppy kiss.

He bit hard onto her bottom lip and moved his free hand to cup her breasts while she continued to moan vociferously. Before long her hands were clenching against the wall as she screamed his name. He wasn't far behind her and after a few final thrusts, both Draco and Hermione collapsed to the floor.

They had only been lying there for a minute or so when Hermione looked at the carpet and said, "You know … we haven't broken this in yet, either."

Draco looked over at her and grinned widely. Being married was great.

XXX

Several hours later, Draco and Hermione had finally found their way to the bed. They were lying peacefully in each other's arms and enjoying the quiet, since sometime in the middle of round three they remembered they were wizards and put a silencing charm on the door to keep the meowing out.

"Ugh, we're going to be so exhausted tomorrow," said Hermione, not even needing a clock to know how late it was. "This is so unprofessional."

"Hermione, we're newlyweds. Everyone expects us to be exhausted."

"I suppose that's true," she said, leaning up and giving him a kiss. "Do you know what Phillip has planned for you tomorrow?"

Draco shrugged. "We're all just getting ready to go in front of the Wizengamot next month. Chastity's dad will be there helping us prepare, as will Atticus Quartz. Apparently, he has been helping all week."

"I'm happy he came around," she said, making circles with her finger on his chest. "Do you think you can come and meet me for lunch tomorrow? There's something I want to show you. And, no, it's not the back of my head while I'm bent over my desk," she added before he could.

Draco winked. "I'm sure I can manage to escape for an hour or so. What is it?"

"You'll see tomorrow." She tried to smile, but when it didn't go over well she put her head back on his chest so he couldn't see the fear behind her eyes. If she was right, and she normally was, this would change everything. Draco stroked his hand through her hair and kissed the top of her head. Now she was able to smile genuinely. Well, maybe it wouldn't change everything.

XXX

The next day Draco kept glancing at the time on his cell phone while everyone at Thinx, along with Atticus Quartz and Chastity and Reginald Hanson, sat in the conference room. He still couldn't figure out why Chastity was here. She was probably just bored since her plan to become a trophy wife hadn't worked out for her. Maybe she needed a hobby.

"Draco, do you need to be somewhere?" asked Phillip from across the table.

"No!" Draco said, quickly slipping his phone back in his pocket. "It's nothing, sorry. Go on."

"'E ees supposed to meet 'Ermione for lunch," said Sophie, fluttering her eyelashes.

"Still caught up in that newlywed bliss, I see," said Caroline, winking at him.

Draco smirked. "As fun as that sounds, Hermione said she has something to show me. Something non-sexual, just to clarify."

"Sounds romanteec!" Sophie smiled brightly. "Phillipe, can you not let 'im go?"

"He's already been gone a week, Soph. We need to prepare."

"Seems like we're doing an awful lot of preparing for something that will last five bloody minutes," said Caroline, slumping down in her chair. "Why are we going in front of the whole Wizengamot again? Isn't this more along the lines of something for a single investigator?"

"Yes, but we would really be taking a fifty-fifty shot if we did that," said Phillip. "Zandicus being … who he is has sort of made this an issue over blood status, and if we get an investigator against Muggle-borns then we're not exactly going to win, are we?"

"And 'Ermione pulled a lot of strings to get us een front of ze Weezengamot, so we should be grateful … and let 'er 'usband go and visit 'er for lunch."

Phillip rolled his eyes. "Fine. Draco, you have exactly one hour starting now. I will be timing you." He looked at his watch. "And make sure you bring food back for the rest of us, will you?"

"You got it, boss," said Draco, getting to his feet and disapparating out of there.

When he arrived in Hermione's office, she was sitting at her desk reading a book. She looked up when she heard him appear. "Wow, Phillip let you out earlier than I expected." She smirked before picking up an interdepartmental memo already folded into an airplane and sending it on its way.

"Well, he only released me with conditions," he said, sliding across her desk on his stomach and giving her a kiss. "I have to bring food back for everyone. Will you let me take advantage of your assistant just this once?"

"I suppose I can," she said, getting up from her seat and walking out of her office with him at her heels. She was still holding the book she had been reading.

After Draco put in his order to Greta, Hermione took his hand and led him towards the lift. Once inside she pressed the number nine. Draco cocked an eyebrow at her. "If you want to show me the prophecy orb, I've already seen it."

"It's not that," she said, clutching the book tightly.

"What is that you're holding?" he asked, taking the book from her. "Gappelish?"

"Umm … yes," she said, taking it back.

"So are you going to tell me the story that goes with that quote now?" he laughed.

Hermione's face became somber. "Actually, yes. I am. Once we get where we're going."

"Hermione, what's -"

The grilles opened and Hermione rushed out. She walked down the long corridor Draco had been in with Potter just a few months earlier, and towards the plain black door. Draco was surprised to see Kingsley waiting for them.

"Afternoon, Minister," he said, now overcome with curiosity. "I can only assume your presence here means whatever Hermione has to show me must have to do with the prophecy."

"I always knew you were smart, Mr. Malfoy," said Kingsley, leading the way through the already-open black door.

Hermione looked at Draco and tried to smile before grabbing his hand and pulling him through. The moment they were all inside, the door slammed shut and the circular wall began to spin. Kingsley raised his wand and stopped it immediately. He looked around and pointed at the door in question. When neither he nor Hermione moved, Draco went over and tried to open it. It was locked.

"Alohomora." Nothing happened. He looked back at them and shrugged his shoulders. No one said anything. "I only have about forty-five minutes left, Mione. Care to start explaining?"

Hermione turned to Kingsley, who nodded. She looked back at Draco and cleared her throat. "This is called the Ever-Locked Room -"

"I can see that it's true to its title -"

"- but to higher members of the Ministry it is known as the Love Chamber."

"Sounds kinky." He smirked.

Hermione sighed. "This is serious, Draco."

"Sorry," he said, raising his hands defensively. "Go on."

"Several thousand years ago, Gappelish wrote a story called The Love Chamber." She held up the book and flipped through the pages.

"I really doubt this door was here several thousand years ago, Mione."

"The Ministry had the chamber transported here two centuries ago," said Kingsley. "So we could study it properly. Only, no one has exactly gotten around to it."

"Why not?"

"We'll get to that," said Hermione, handing him the book, which she had opened to the proper page. "I started reading up on Gappelish after we chose the library for our wedding, and something about this story always fascinated me. It's about a wizard who does not understand love, so he goes on a mission to learn more about it. Eventually he creates Amortentia, which he believes to be bottled love."

"They say the story is about Gappelish himself," added Kingsley. "But it was so long ago, no one can know for sure."

"He ends up meeting this witch and becomes infatuated with her, but she won't give him the time of day."

Draco flipped through the pages until he found a drawing of this so-called witch. She looked a bit like Hermione, only with darker hair and not as pretty.

"So he secretly starts giving her Amortentia in hopes of using it to woo her, before eventually weaning her off of it so that she might love him for real."

"And let me guess? It doesn't work," said Draco, turning the page again to find a man on his knees, begging the same woman for forgiveness.

"Of course not," said Hermione. "Because love doesn't work like that. Once her mind is clear again she explains to him that love is not something that can be forced, and if he truly loved her then he never would have tried to trick her. Even though her actions may have seemed loving while she was consuming the potion and her mind was fogged, her heart was always clear. The wizard in the story spent the remainder of his life in his chamber trying to understand selfless love and the power behind it, since he was clearly incapable. But, before he could finish his research, he died protecting the witch he loved from a violent wizard who was also obsessed with her."

Draco watched as Hermione glanced back at the door.

"If the story is true," said Kingsley, "this would be one of the first recorded cases of self-sacrificing love."

Draco blinked. "Like what Potter had?"

The Minister nodded.

"Obviously, Gappelish didn't die like that," added Hermione, "since he would have been unable to finish his own story. So even if The Love Chamber is about him it is somewhat fabricated. Still, that did not stop him from creating his own version of the chamber like the one in the story."

"So what was he trying to do exactly? Bottle self-sacrificing love?" Draco asked.

"No," Hermione shook her head, "not bottle it."

"He wanted to replicate it … in a spell," said Kingsley in a deep, drawling voice.

"Only, he never finished," added Hermione. "And he made it almost impossible for anyone else to continue with his research."

"How'd he manage that?"

"By putting a spell on the chamber." Hermione looked over at the door nervously. "Strong hearts are capable of grasping the unreachable. That is how the story ends."

"And what does that mean?"

"It means," said Kingsley, "that only two strong souls in love are capable of opening the door. And while it is not said, they must be married."

"It's a bit old fashioned, but that's how it works. Perhaps it wasn't a marriage back then, but there had to be some sort of ceremony or act to bond lovers. To join two hearts."

Draco froze, his eyes unblinking as he stared deeply into Hermione's eyes. "You think this is it, don't you? The new, insurmountable power."

Hermione gulped. "The prophecy does mention strong love, and there is nothing stronger than this."

"But you never would have thought of this if it wasn't for the prophecy in the first place. How would it have played out if -"

"I've been looking into this since February," Hermione said suddenly.

Draco raised his eyebrows.

"You only told me about the prophecy two weeks ago," she reminded him.

"Yes, I recall."

Hermione's hands began to fidget with her hair. "I asked Kingsley about it shortly after the ball and was already planning on asking you if this was something you might want to pursue. As a sort of newlywed bonding, I suppose." She sighed. "I thought it would be fun for us."

"Well, the fun's gone now," he said, slamming the book shut and hurling it back at her. "I'm not interested."

Hermione's jaw dropped. "What? But, Draco -"

"It would be in the best interest of everyone to just forget about the prophecy," he said sternly. "Imagine if we somehow found a way to create this 'power'. It might as well be an open invitation for the other side to try and take it. They cannot take something that does not exist."

Hermione frowned. "Draco, this prophecy is going to happen no matter what we do. If we get a head start at least we'll have a chance to gain the upper hand and -"

"Gain the upper hand?" he repeated. "Is that what we're doing? Because, to me, it seems like we're playing right into their hands. I know how the other side thinks, Hermione. It wasn't too long ago that I was one of them. They're watching our every move. They know I'm here with you now. They know the Minister is here with us and, as soon as we leave, they will somehow know why it is you brought me here in the first place. I refuse to fall into their trap."

"Draco, please -" Hermione reached out for him, but he pulled away.

"You are supposed to be smart, Hermione, but this … this is foolish and reckless. I mean, you are actually talking about finding a way to give people incapable of love the means to protect themselves with its power."

"Maybe so, but it can also protect the innocent. If done correctly, we could end up making a very powerful shield to use during any war that might ensue."

"Yes, and if both sides get ahold of it we will be left at a very awkward standstill."

Hermione puckered her brow. "Draco, you're not taking this seriously -"

"Actually, I am," he said. "So serious, in fact, that I realize if I pursue this power, I will be putting the most important person in the world to me at risk. I won't do it, Mione."

Hermione's throat went raw as she stared back at him with watery eyes. "Draco, I …" She didn't know where to go from here.

"At least tell us you'll consider it," said Kingsley, stepping in.

Draco removed his gaze from Hermione and looked at the Minister. "There's nothing to consider. The wizarding world will be better off without this sort of magic. My decision is final."

Just then, Draco's pocket started buzzing. He took out his cell phone, flipped it open and read the message. "Phil needs me back right away." Draco lifted his eyes and looked at Hermione, who was trying hard to hide her disappointment. He sighed and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I'm sorry, Hermione, but this really is for the best."

She looked at him and nodded unconvincingly.

"I'll see you at home?"

She nodded again. Draco leaned in and kissed her on the lips this time before leaving the circular room and heading back to her office to pick up the food Greta had gotten for him.

As soon as he was gone, Kingsley looked at Hermione and asked, "You do realize that if this really is the power the prophecy was speaking of, then we need to find a way to make this happen? No good can come from ignoring it."

"I know," she said, gazing at the door Draco had just walked out of. "Don't worry, I don't plan on giving up just yet. If this is what is meant to happen then Draco will come around. He just needs time."

Kingsley looked at her curiously. "Are you sure about that?"

"Positive." Hermione's head suddenly began to spin. When she moved her hand up to touch it her feet stumbled.

"Hermione, are you all right?" asked Kingsley, reaching his hands out to balance her.

"Yes, I'm fine," she said, straightening herself up. "Just a little tired. I think I'll go lie down for the remainder of my lunch hour. I'll see you later, Minister."

Hermione left Kingsley standing there, as he continued to stare intensely at the locked door. They were both too proud to admit it, but Draco wasn't the only one afraid of the power behind it falling into the wrong hands. Hopefully, they weren't making a huge mistake.