~Chapter 8~

"Ginny?" Hermione walked into the common room. "Ginny! I need to talk to you like right now.' Ginny poked her head out of her room.

"Yes, Hermione? What do you want?" Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Ginny! Hang on, can I go into your room. This is really, really important." Ginny sighed and motioned Hermione inside the room.

"So, what's up?" Ginny asked as they both sat on the bed.

"Well, did you get an owl yet? Something to do with a specific Slytherin?" Ginny thought about it.

"No, not really. Why?"

"Okay, so basically, five Gryffindors have to marry a Slytherin. And we're part of the five." Ginny looked up.

"Seriously! OMG, who?"

"Well, I feel really sorry for you… Sorry, Ginny… You have to marry Zabini…" Ginny squealed.

"OMG ZABINI?! He's so hot! OMG! Who are you marrying, 'Mione?" Ginny jumped up and down on the bed. Hermione stared weirdly at her.

"Wait, aren't you sad that you have to marry a Slytherin?"

"Hermione, as much as I love you, you have to get over that Slytherin crap. Seriously. Who cares? The war is over. And he's HOT. So, I'm happy." Ginny explained to Hermione. Hermione furrowed her eyebrows.

"But they're Slytherin!"

"So?"

Hermione stared at Ginny. "Seriously? Okay, whatever. I have to marry… the ferret." Ginny looked at Hermione in shock.

"MALFOY?!"

"Yeah…"

"OMG! YOU'RE SO LUCKY! HE'S SO HOT!" Ginny squealed once again. Hermione winced and covered her ears.

"GINNY! This is MALFOY we're talking about!" Ginny shrugged.

"So? He's hot! He's the Slytherin Sex God for goodness sakes, 'Mione! EVERY girl wants to be with him sometime or other. I know I did! Ooh! You have to tell me if he's good in bed!" Ginny beamed at the thought. Hermione's face was disgusted.

"That… is… the most repulsing thing I ever thought of…" Hermione thought about what Ginny said. "Wait. Good in bed?! I'm not going to sleep with him!"

"Uh… you two are going to be married…" Ginny trailed off.

"Yeah, and if he lays a finger on me, I'm going to hex him into next week!" Ginny looked strangely at Hermione.

"Personally, I think you like him." Hermione blushed.

"I do not!" Ginny smirked.

"Sure… I have an idea. Why don't you just try being nice to him in class? I mean, you guys have to get married sooner or later." Hermione sighed.

"Fine, but if Malfoy kills me, I'm going to haunt you!" Ginny laughed.

In the Slytherin common room, Draco was getting the same lecture from Blaise.

"Draco, mate, you're going to have to marry Granger sooner or later!" Blaise exclaimed.

Draco groaned. "I know!"

"Then why the hell do you look so sad?"

"Uh, because I have to marry Granger?"

Blaise smirked and shook his head. "Don't deny it, mate. We all knew you had a crush on Granger ever since she punched you in your third year." Draco didn't blush, but he had a faint pink trace on his cheeks.

"I did not!"

"Whatever, mate. Look we all know you did, so just admit it!"

"Fine. But she doesn't even like me back so there's no point."

"Well, seeing how you have to get married, why don't you charm her with your "Malfoy charm" you claim that you have?"

Draco groaned again and put his head in his hands.

"She's Granger!" She's oblivious to that kind of stuff!"

Blaise sighed. "How about you just try being nice?" Draco looked up as if he never heard of the word nice.

"Nice? How?"

Blaise shook his head. "You know, help her in her classes, carry her books and things like that."

Draco looked thoughtful for a minute. "Hm… that might actually work!"

"And you're surprised?"

"I'll see you later, Blaise! It's time for Potions, and I have it with Granger!"

"Malfoy? What are you doing? Give me my books back!" Hermione screeched after Draco took her books.

"Relax, Granger. I'm just carrying your books for Potions. Damn this is heavy. Do you have the entire library in here?" Draco grunted.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "No, I do not! I just have several books for light reading! And I am perfectly capable of carrying my own books!"

"Whatever Granger! Just deal with it. I am going to be marrying you after all, right?" He whispered the sentence in her ear. She immediately flushed bright red and stomped into the Potions classroom. Draco smirked and followed her in. The surrounding students began to whisper and point at Draco and Hermione.

In the Potions classroom, Professor Slughorn yelled out to the class. "Settle down! Now, today's work is going to be paired up! So! Ah! I am going to pair you guys up!" Everybody quit running around with their friends and groaned. Professor ignored the protests and began calling out names. He continued until he yelled out "Miss Granger and Mister Malfoy!" Everybody began whispering again. Hermione looked outraged and Draco smirked smugly.

"Professor, I really don't think I can work with Mal- Draco. He doesn't want to work with me either! Right, Malfoy?" Hermione turned to glare at Draco. He shrugged and whispered in her ear.

"I really don't care Granger. In fact, I think I do want to work with you." Hermione seethed in anger and whipped her head to the amused Professor.

"Professor-"

Professor Slughorn interrupted her. "I am sorry, Ms. Granger, but I will not argue with a silly topic such as this one. You will be working with Mr. Malfoy, and that is final." He turned around on the last word. Hermione sighed and walked back to their table. Draco lazily walked back as well.

Hermione turned around to Draco. "Well, since we're stuck with each other, I say we have a truce. Yes?"

Draco smirked and drawled, "Sure Granger. Whatever you say." Hermione flushed red.

"Okay, so we need spider legs and asphodel. Can you get that for me?" Draco thought for a moment and nodded. As Draco started walking toward the storage cupboard, Hermione sighed in relief. She started stirring the boiling water clock-wise.

Draco returned. "Okay, so we put in the asphodel, right?" Without waiting for a reply, he dumped them in. Hermione stared at him in shock. The potion started bubbling up and rose in a steam of fog. The entire classroom was surrounded with poisonous fumes. Professor Slughorn coughed and directed everyone outside.

Hermione glared at Draco. "You did that on purpose!" Draco looked shocked.

"What?! I did not do that on purpose!" Hermione scoffed.

"Yeah right. I was wondering why you were so nice to me today! You almost killed me!" Hermione gasped. "I bet that's what you were trying to do! You were trying to kill me so that you wouldn't have to marry me!" Draco narrowed his eyes.

"Excuse me? I am not a cold-blooded murderer!"

"Really?" Draco raised his eyebrow.

"I am not a murderer!" He hissed out. Hermione snorted.

"You just tried to kill me, Drac-" Hermione gasped and put her hand to her mouth. Draco slowly smirked, but inside, he was wondering how his name on her lips sounded so… divine. Hermione stomped her foot and walked off to the next class.