My apologies for the long wait, but I've started my master at uni and it is a lot of work, so I'm afraid updates will be less regular from now on. Many thanks to those who reviewed, you keep me motivated!

The next day Draco practically had to drag Hermione to breakfast.

"Can't we just stay in our dorm until classes? I see no need to go down all these stairs!"

"Neither do I, Granger," he said. "But the longer you postpone seeing your friends again, the worse it's going to be. Not to mention you've been fretting for an hour already and it's driving me mad. Get it over with, I'm sure it won't be so bad."

"Have you met my friends?" she retorted. "Oh wait, yes, you have, you've bullied them for years, which is what makes what happened between us so crazy!"

Draco grit his teeth, refusing to let her bait him. "I'm aware of all of that, yes. But your friends trust you, do they not? You'll have to convince them to trust your judgment."

"But what do I tell them, Draco? This is all so confusing!"

To that question he had no answer ready. "Euh, I don't know. What do you want to tell them?"

"You're no help whatsoever!" she exclaimed, annoyed, before she started to pace. Draco didn't really understand what he was doing wrong, and there was a very large part of him that wanted to leave her to figure it out on her own, he'd tried after all. But no, he knew she'd probably break down if left alone with her thoughts, not to mention he played a large part in the fight she no doubt was about to have with her friends. The least he could do was support her.

Merlin, Pansy was right! He sounded like a Hufflepuff.

"Hermione," he said, stopping her. "We're two consenting adults who happen to enjoy spending time together. It's not their place to judge you."

She wasn't sure what she wanted him to say, all she knew was that there was a feeling of disappointment at his casual words. They happened to enjoy spending time together, he said, but what did it mean? This was no casual thing for her, not anymore. She genuinely liked him, and the idea that he still stuck with her for no other reason than their marriage was excruciating.

But no, this was nonsense. She tried to calm herself down, to think rationally. Draco had been kind to her, interested in her, even affectionate with her. He was not the sort of man to do that if he didn't feel like it. No, there was no point in worrying. Things were good between them for the moment, time would tell the rest. Time? Five years, only five years, then they'd go their separate ways...

Her thoughts were interrupted when Draco gave her a gentle push and she crossed the threshold of the Great Hall, immediately noticing Ron's deathglare and the way Harry was studiously avoiding her gaze.

Oh gods, this was a disaster. If only she'd never laid eyes on Draco Malfoy!

"Come on, Hermione," Draco said, accompanying his words with a reassuring touch on her arm. "They're your best friends. They'll get over it."

"I wonder," she mumbled, before turning around and planting a kiss on his cheek. It was only when she sat at the table already that she realized that she had not thought about how they were supposed to be married when she did that; she'd simply wanted to express her gratitude for his patience.

"Good morning, Hermione," Ginny said with a cheerful smile. So cheerful, in fact, that Hermione was sure she was trying to compensate for the boys' moroseness.

"Hey, Ginny. How was the rest of your weekend?"

Ginny nodded her head towards Harry and Ron. "Not quite as relaxing as I like my weekends to be. Ron especially acted like a five year old throwing a tantrum."

"You're going to blame this on me?" Ron exclaimed. "She's the one that's betraying us!"

"Okay, outside, now. All of you," Ginny said, in a tone so reminiscent of her mother that they all obeyed without question.

As soon as they were outside and the appropriate spells had been cast, Ginny continued. "Talk it out, and do it now, otherwise you're going to blow the whole act and everyone is going to know Draco and Hermione aren't really married. Ron, I get that you're pissed, but please bear in mind that Hermione is still your best friend."

Ron didn't say anything and avoided Hermione's gaze, and she could feel fear gripping her heart tight. Was this going to be a repeat of third year? No, that she couldn't handle, she needed her friends by her side.

"Harry?" she asked, her voice cracking a bit.

"It's really not my place to be angry," he said. "But... Are you sure this is what you want? Does he even treat you well? What is even happening between you two? Is it just sex, or is there something more going on?"

"I'm... Yeah, I want this. He's changed, Harry, he really has. I mean, he's still an arrogant prat, but he treats me with respect."

"I know he changed," Harry said. "I've seen him in Muggle London, remember? But I guess I'm scared he just wants to use you to better his reputation, you know? That's what Malfoys are known for, after all."

Hermione shook her head decidedly. "He wouldn't do that."

Ron snorted. "He's got you wrapped around his finger already. It's really ridiculous, how easy you are to manipulate. Tell me, how much trouble did it cost him to get in your pants? You know he's only doing all this because of the fidelity-clause, right?"

"Ronald!" Ginny snapped, while Hermione felt the effect of her so-called best friend's words like a punch in the gut.

"Shut it, Ron," Harry added, looking at Hermione with compassion. "He doesn't mean that. He's just worried, is all."

"He has a fine way of showing it," she said, managing to keep from crying. "Gin, thanks for trying. Ron? You're an arsehole." She stomped off and was barely back inside the castle before the tears started flowing. It was all too much. She was overwhelmed, she still hadn't dealt with all the shit of the past year, she was married to her former bully, … She needed her friends to stick with her, through thick and thin, instead of planting doubts about her husband in her mind.

"Granger? What's wrong?" Theo turned the corner of the corridor she was standing in, almost walking into her.

"Will you guys never learn to stop calling me Granger?" she said with a teary laugh.

Theo gave her a cautious smile. "Yeah, well, I'm not going to call you Malfoy, that's too weird."

"How about Hermione, then?"

He pretended to look doubtful. "I don't know, it's a bit of mouthful."

"And Theodore is so much better?"

"Most certainly not, which is why my friends call me Theo." After another look at her red, blotched face, he added: "Do you want me to get Draco? Or Pansy?"

"Pansy doesn't strike me as the ideal person in a situation such as this one."

Nott smirked. "That entirely depends on what you need. If you want someone to insult your friends, there's no one better."

His answer was enough to make Hermione stop sniffling. "Just Ron would do," she admitted. "I must confess I wouldn't mind him being disparaged at the moment."

"What did he say?"

"He implied I was easy, and that Draco only slept with me because of that fidelity-clause."

"He did not!" Theo said, shocked. "Easy? You're literally married to the guy, what does he expect from you?"

Hermione managed a chuckle, but it was immediately followed by a sigh.

"You know, as clumsy as the Weasel no doubt formulated his sentiments, I'm sure they were all born from affection and worry. I don't think he meant to hurt you."

"I know that. He is a good man, and a good friend, despite his earlier words. The problem is he isn't likely to apologize, even when he did wrong. We didn't speak for weeks on end in third year, all because he thought my cat ate his rat, which was simply not true as the rat turned out to be Peter Pettigrew!"

Theo obviously had no clue as to what she was talking about, but he nodded sympathetically. "I'm sure he's grown up since then, he'll apologize sooner this time."

"You know, Theo, you're a very kind person."

"Occasionally, but don't get used to it," he said. "Shall we go to class?" He offered her his arm, and after a moment of suprise she took it. Like a true gentleman, he dropped her off at her class before having to hurry towards his own. Slightly bolstered, she entered the room.

She saw that Harry, dearest Harry, had kept a place for her while Ron sat with Dean Thomas, and the sight warmed her heart. She'd been afraid that, once again, Harry would remain neutral in a way that left her on her own more often than not, but that was foolish. They had all changed, and what they had gone through together last year was more than any fight could keep apart.

"I figured you wouldn't want to sit with Ron," Harry said.

"Thank you."

Harry shrugged. "I hope this won't last too long, but I totally get why you're angry."

"But you also get why he's so angry," Hermione said.

"Yeah. I mean, it's Malfoy. He's an untrustworthy little—"

"Draco is my husband, Harry. I understand why the two of you are reluctant to trust him, but please keep in my mind that I live with him, and have gotten to know an entirely different side of him. So watch your tongue when you talk about him."

Harry appeared taken aback by her vehement defence of Draco, and in all honesty so was she. When did she suddenly get a protective streak when it came to him? Then again, her husband had been keeping his friends and others in line when they attempted to speak ill of her for weeks. It was about time she returned the favor, even if he wasn't there to hear it.

"Hermione, please don't get angry at me for saying this, but are you sure you aren't in too deep? That he isn't being nice because it's suits him, and still prepared to drop you in five years?"

"Five years is a long time. I refuse to worry about that, I prefer to focus on the present."

Harry sighed deeply. "I trust you, 'Mione, you know I do. I just hope Ron will get his shit together and apologize, and you won't make him work for your forgiveness for too long."

"I can't make any promises," she said, but the smile on her face showed how pleased she was. She felt even better in Ancient Runes, a class she shared with Draco, when he immediately asked her how she was, and when she answered that she was fine, he pressed on, saying that Theo had run into her and said she'd seemed upset.

"Yes, he did a marvellous job cheering me up. Look, Harry and Ginny stand with me, no matter what, and Ron will come round. Don't worry about me."

"Then why were you so upset? There's something you're not telling me."

"Drop it, Draco."

"What did the Weasel say?"

"Leave me to deal with my friends. I can handle them."

Draco nodded in acquiescense. He'd get the truth out of Theo later, anyway.

That night, Draco received a letter that quickly made him forget all about the petty words of Weasley. His mother, between polite inquiries about Hermione's health and his classes, subtly but pointedly reminded him that a Muggle-born, while good publicity, was no fit wife, and that he should be more than eager to get rid of her.

I have consulted our lawyer, and he believes he might be able to find a loophole convincing enough that, given some persuasion, a judge will grant you a divorce by the end of the schoolyear. Sooner would not be wise, but if we use the agreement your father has made with Astoria Greengrass' father, your marriage with Miss Granger could be declared void.
Isn't it wonderful? I know you've been hoping for this. Write back soon, my darling, and tell me how very pleased you are.

"Fuck!" Draco muttered, throwing the letter away. "Can't she leave well enough alone?" Why it was that he was so displeased at having less time to spend with his wife, he wasn't quite ready to be admit, but he soon found a reason to be angry. He would not marry Astoria Greengrass, no matter how much his mother nagged! A little voice in the back of his head pointed out that perhaps he should tell Granger, give her a chance to make a decision. What if she desperately wanted to be free from him? She should at the very least know about the latest development regarding their marriage.

But no, he wouldn't tell her. He couldn't bear to hear Hermione telling him she wanted to be away from him as fast as possible. He was a selfish man, after all, and what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her.