The next morning, the pair walked in an awkward silence until they reached the Hogwarts grounds. They both knew that by now, everyone who had been watching the binding would know that it had been sealed and while that wasn't so bad, Hermione hated the idea of people knowing that she had actually done… it.
"Everyone does it eventually." Draco said with a smirk, "It's not the end of the world."
Hermione sent him a glare, "I know that, but it just… I don't know, hard to explain."
Draco shook his head, "Things will be fine, I can promise you that."
Ooooooooooo
Fine? It was not fine, not in the least. The second they had reached the school, they were assaulted by sneers, insults, and everything else that could be thrown at them.
"Not so saintly are we Granger?" A sixth year Slytherin boy yelled.
Hermione ignored the boy and tried to walk faster but Draco stopped in his tracks.
"Don't speak to my wife like that and it's not Granger, its Malfoy."
The boy walked over towards Draco with two others following behind him.
"It's funny. I would have never thought that a Malfoy would actually taint themselves with Mudblood whores." The boy laughed as did the others, "And the best part is, Your Father has lost a great deal of respect because of your… little issue."
"My Fathers popularity is not on my list of concerns." Draco replied.
Hermione approached Draco and tried to pull him away. She didn't want things to be worse and fighting would only make it that way.
"Your Whore is beckoning, Malfoy, You better get going before she cuts you off."
He had promised to protect her and for him that not only meant physically, but mentally as well. The boy was laughing, Hermione was attempting not to cry as she was made to look like a harlot and Draco lost his temper – it was a long time coming in his opinion.
Draco pulled back his fist and swung, connecting to the jaw of the loud-mouthed boy who seemed to have developed a condition of not knowing when to stop. The boy fell to the ground in temporary shock, but got up again quickly. Hermione had hoped this wouldn't happen but before long, Draco and the boy were rolling around on the ground, throwing punches and making threats.
She pulled her wand, ready to stop them if necessary but the risk was to great of hitting Draco as well – she would only use it as a last resort.
She felt helpless, as she stood there watching, unable to do anything but beg for them to stop. She was strong but not stupid and common sense told her if she were to interfere, it would not only cause more problems for Draco but result in her getting hurt as well.
She cringed when the boy punched Draco especially hard in the mouth causing his lip to split. She raised her wand, male pride be damned and aimed as best she could. The curse was on the tip of her tongue but a sudden flash of Red and Black swooped into her vision.
A strong pair of arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her away slightly while the red flash she now realized was Ron, jumped into the fray to try and break up the fight.
It took almost 10 minutes, Harry finally grabbed Draco and held him while Ron took the other boy.
"What the hell is this about?" Harry practically yelled at Draco.
Draco lay on the ground panting and slightly out of breath, "He.. he called Hermione a … mudblood.. whore. I was just defending her."
Harry looked to Ron, who nodded and turned his attention to the sixth year.
"Did you really call her that?" Ron asked
"The boy sneered, "I did and I'm proud of it. She doesn't deserve to be a Malfoy and neither does he as a matter of fact."
Ron made a slight noise that sound like 'huh' and suddenly, Rons fist connected with the boys face, effectively breaking the boys nose in the process.
"Harry? Would you like a shot to prove our point."
Harry nodded and stood from his spot next to Draco. Hermione ran and landed at Draco's side, placing his head in her lap as she watched Harry strike the boy as well.
Ooooooooooo
Hermione fussed over Draco for over an hour while she healed his black eye and split lip. He would never admit it to her but he really wasn't in as much pain ass he was faking, he really just liked that she was fussing over him.
"Fist fights are not worth it." She lectured, "What if it was your nose that had been broken? What if he had knocked your teeth out or something?"
Draco smirked, "He looked worse then I do."
"I know that, but you three could have gotten in trouble… expelled even."
Draco laughed and caught her by the wrist as she checked his face once more for any marks or bruises.
"I can handle myself. That was not the first fight I've ever been in and I can guarantee it will not be the last."
"But its –"
"It's something that happens. Think about it. If I had allowed him to say those things without punishing him, I would have looked like a git that couldn't stand up for what is his – it's a male thing."
Hermione crossed her arms and huffed.
Draco just laughed and pulled her face towards his. It was being bold considering everything that had taken place but she had consummated the marriage and was now his wife and there was nothing anyone could have done about it.
He kissed her forehead, then her cheeks, "I will be careful and I promise to avoid fights at all cost."
Hermione nodded and didn't pull away like he expected her to do. He placed his hands on her cheeks and put his mouth to hers, kissing her for the first time that wasn't required for their marriage to stay binding.