A/N: Wow, I guess you all like this story, makes me happy, lol, anyways, I placed a funny quiz on my myspace, which is my homepage here, stop by and check it out, it is titled, "who is your harry potter love" or something along those lines... I ended up with Snape,lol.

Last time:

Harry glanced over to Hermione who was giving him an apologetic face as she stood and took Draco hand. Ron started choking on his toast, while Pansy screeched. As soon as Draco and Hermione left the hall, the doors were kicked open with an enraged Lucius Malfoy

"Where the hell is my son?" He yelled

Now:

"Calm down Mr. Malfoy." Dumbledore insisted, " If you will follow me, I will explain this to you."

"I will not calm down," Lucius seethed "My son, my only son just married a mudblood and I want answers now." he said in a calm voice that was masking his fury.

"You will not use that word in my presence Mr. Malfoy, now either come with me quietly or leave, I do not wish to upset the students any further then they already are." The headmaster ordered in a firm voice that only came out when he meant business.

Lucius growled and followed the headmaster to his office where not only Draco and Hermione waited, but Severus as well. When the two men entered, Draco pulled Hermione behind him.

"What... is the meaning of this Draco?" Lucius asked, glaring at him and Hermione.

"I couldn't marry one of those girls you chose." he answered

"And why not? Why go against your blood and soil it with a mud -- muggle born." he sneered, the word Muggleborn stinging his tongue.

"Because father, I was already in love and refused to loose her." Draco answered, earning a raised eyebrow from Hermione. Severus noticed the eyebrow and flicked Hermione in the arm, silently telling her to go with it.

"I want to hear it from her, is this true? Are you in love with my son?" he asked

Hermione stepped slightly over to the side so Lucius could see her, "Yes, Mr. Malfoy, it's true."

Lucius bit his tongue, the words, the insults he wanted to say so badly would get him nowhere right now, and he needed to get Draco away from her, one way or another. Taking a deep breath, he finally growled out something along the lines of 'Welcome to the family' and left.

Once the door closed, everyone let out their breath, the situation could have been worse, much worse, but the one thing they were all sure of was that Lucius had not accepted this and was probably trying to figure out a way to bring them down.

"He's planning something." Severus said in a monotone voice.

"No shit, did you see then gleam in his eyes?" Hermione replied, not realizing what she had just said.

"Language Mrs. Malfoy, it is unbecoming of a lady." Severus stated

"Sorry sir." she said meekly

Draco plopped down in the chair and threw his head back, "This is bad... so, so bad." he groaned, then the thought hit him, "Headmaster, is there anyway my father can end this marriage?"

"Yes there is, but he cant do it quite yet as you have not been married for more then a week."

Hermione wrinkled her nose, "Why a week? That makes no sense."

"It does Mrs. Malfoy, you see, The marriage I performed is not one that is easily dissolved, however, due to the binding it involves, the couple must... consummate the marriage before the first week is up as a safety measure of sorts, to make sure the couple is really willing to have the depth of binding. If by the end of the week, the binding is not complete, it leaves a loop hole of sorts that will allow the marriage to be challenged."

Hermione turned red first, then pale at the newest information, "Why didn't you say something earlier, I didn't know I was going to have to do...that." she asked in a troubled voice, she took a chance to look over to Draco who also appeared to be suffering from Casper's condition.

Severus groaned, and Dumbledore sighed, "It's the only way and while I would not normally condone such...activities... you two are married, and unless you want this marriage challenged, you must as they say... take one for the team."

"Is there a way to... trick this somehow?" Draco asked

"I'm sorry Mr. Malfoy, but the ministry will be watching the certificate. If you consummate, the binding will show on the certificate, if not, it allows them to see that the marriage may be forced and the couple involved are not willing participants."

Hermione was growing dizzy with this information, was this worth it? How did she go from being boy friendless to married and now expected to do... that, with none other then Draco Malfoy, in less then a week... the world had gone mad. Her thoughts were interrupted when a load banging could be heard at the door.

"Ahh, I was expecting this" Dumbledore stated, "Come in Mr's. Potter and Weasley."

The door flung open at record speed and Draco was met with a pair of wands pointing into his neck, "What the hell did you do to her?" Harry yelled.

"I did nothing Potter, Hermione and I are in love and married due to... circumstances." Draco replied.

Harry and Ron jammed their wands into his neck further, "Lies, all lies" Ron Hissed.

"Put your wands away you idiot." Severus yelled. The two boys gave him the look of death.

"Really Harry, Ron, put you wands away." Dumbledore stated, "We need to sit and discuss this."

Hermione gave Severus a look which he understood her silent question.

"You must pretend to be in love or this wont work, all it would take is one slip for someone to go to the ministry and say this is a farce." He whispered to where only she could hear him.

Hermione nodded and cringed at the same time, "Harry, Ron, it's true, I am in love with Draco and we had to get married in order to stay together."

"Since when?" Ron asked, ears looking like Christmas lights due to his anger.

"Middle of last year" she answered bravely, "We had to keep it completely secret."

Albus conjured up a few extra chairs, and force everyone to sit so they could talk this out.

"I know this is hard for you boys to understand," Albus started, "But there is more to this then you both think."

Ron and Harry did not change their expressions, nor did they face Hermione or Draco.

"Mr. Malfoy and, well, now Mrs. Malfoy, have been dating for a while now. Last week, Lucius ordered Draco to marry under Voldemort's orders and due to the situation, it would have been disastrous if that had happened."

"It's already disastrous, They got married." Harry shouted

"Yes they did, but Draco married Hermione instead of a deatheaters daughter." Dumbledore let out a breath, "Draco, please stand and show then your mark."

"We already know what the dark mark looks like" shouted Ron.

"It's not the dark mark you idiot" Draco hissed, exposing his shoulder and revealing the mark of the order.

Harry stood, knocking his chair over in his haste, "What the hell is this? I am the one who is probably going to die when this is over and I'm being kept in the dark!!"

"Potter, the only ones who know Draco's position are in this room. Draco is valuable to us in many ways." Severus stated

Dumbledore stood from his desk, "Mr. Malfoy, Mrs. Malfoy, please follow Severus to your quarters for the night so I can talk to your friends."

Hermione and Draco nodded and followed Severus out the door. Hermione, who had remained as strong as she could, was now mentally exhausted and overwhelmed, Lying to her friends, her best friends, was one of the hardest things she had ever had to do, and it made her sick to her stomach knowing they probably thought she betrayed them in some way, But if making them believe she and Draco were in love was the only way, then it was something she was just going to deal with. When they reached their new dorms, Hermione ran straight into the bedroom provided for her, due to the fact that this was a marriage of circumstance, not love and slammed the door, she needed time alone, she needed time to let everything sink in... she needed sleep.