A/N Hello everyone! I hope you all are doing well. Thank you so much to those of you reviewing. They made my day when I was recovering from surgury. So here is another chapter, don't worry there will be some Dramione action soon. Happy reading and don't forget to review.

Fake Marriages

"What? Why not?" Draco asked in a panic.

"Read this." Hermione said standing up and then sitting next to him. She pointed to a tiny sentence in the handwritten book she had been reading.

He squinted his eyes but couldn't make out the words.

Hermione read aloud.

"The Gemino spell is only useful if the item is kept with the original owner. If the item is sold or given away the spell will disappear with it."

"But we are doing an anti-Gemino spell. Won't that make the spell stay after the sale of the gloves?" he asked, his face inches from hers. Hermione swallowed hard, her heart was beating in a weird way.

"No, if we are imitating this spell some of the same characteristics will remain. And if I'm not mistaken this is one of them."

"Damn." Draco swore. "Now what?"

"I don't know." Hermione said standing up again and placing the book on the side table. "We may have to come up with something completely new."

"That could take a while." He said looking at her. She was pacing back and forth twirling her hair around her index finger.

"I've come up with a few useful spells, but nothing that would be responsible for the success of a product like yours." she said to him.

"You don't think you can do it then?" he asked in a low voice.

She sat down next to him again.

"I didn't say that."

"Then what do we do now?"

"I think we need to find a few more books here. Maybe something on protection spells for objects. Something that we can work with."

"I think I know where some books like that are. In the restricted section. I'll put these back and bring back what we need." He stood up and Hermione picked up the book and handed it to him. His hand grazed hers as he took it. She looked up at him and locked eyes before looking away embarrassed. He walked away and she tried to gather her composure.

'What is wrong with you?' she asked herself. It was an odd sort of feeling that she had and it was driving her absolutely crazy. Something about the nurturer inside made her want to take care of anyone that was hurting. And she knew that despite what Draco said about his marriage being arranged and not really caring that his wife was thousands of miles away doing Merlin knows what, that it really did bother him. And that bothered her for some reason. Her mind wandered to Ron and how she would feel if they were apart. The pit of her stomach hurt. Just then Draco returned with a stack of large books.

"Here we go." he said placing a few of them next to Hermione. She didn't move off of the chair and he sat down next to her again. Hermione picked up the first book. 'Protecting your assets. A wizard's guide to home protection.'

"Good choice." she said smiling at him. He nodded politely at her and started reading his own book. It looked like a very old book with faint gold lettering. Dust fluttered from every page that he turned. She sneezed before starting to read her own book.

Several hours later her eyes were very tired, she looked at her watch and realized that it was nearly dinnertime.

"Oh, my gods!" she said. "I didn't realize we were here so late."

Draco stood up and stretched before looking at his own gold watch. It was nearly six.

"I didn't mean to keep you." he said apologetically. "We should head back to Hogsmeade."

"What about the books?"

"I'll just speak to the librarian about borrowing them." he said heading to the large wooden desk in the middle of the library. He returned a moment later and picked up the heavy stack of books before heading towards the doors. With one arm he opened the door for her and let her pass first.

"Thank you." she said as she passed him, feeling the tips of his fingers on the small of her back. Her skin erupted in goose bumps at this oddly intimate touch. The halls were empty as they walked towards the staircase. Most of the students were in the great hall eating dinner. They heard loud talking and laughter as they passed the huge oak doors. She smiled thinking of all the great times Ron, Harry and she had sitting at those tables. When they reached the entry doors she paused and looked at the hourglasses. Somehow Slytherin had pulled ahead while they were in the library. Draco saw her looking and chuckled.

"Our kids probably lost house points for their little prank." he said.

Hermione scowled.

"Oh I'm sure Gryffindor will pull ahead again." he smirked. "But in the meantime I can still root for my old house."

The large oak doors opened to let them pass. Their carriage was still sitting in the place they had left it. The Thestral pulling it blinked at them and stomped its hooves as they got back in the coach. As soon as they were seated they began to move slowly down the hill towards the village of Hogsmeade. The sun was almost set on the opposite side of the castle grounds. The pinks and purples of the sky painted a glorious canvas above them. Nothing but the gentle sounds of the Thestral's hooves could be heard as they made their way away from the castle. Draco's hands kept steady hold of the large books he was carrying. Hermione couldn't help but watch his face as the carriage moved. The fading sunlight illuminated his skin and hair as it streamed through the tiny windows. His face remained still and unchanged, a blank canvas. Hermione was completely fascinated by it. He saw her looking at him out of the corner of his eye.

"Now you are staring." he remarked.

Hermione's face flushed.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. You just looked so serious, and you are not the easiest person to read."

"Well it is serious." he replied. "I might not be able to market these gloves as I had planned."

"We will figure something out." she said in her most reassuring voice.

"I wanted to have them on the market by Christmas time. Do you think that is still a possibility?"

"I think so."

"Do you have a plan?" he asked her, his face finally showing some sort of emotion.

"Not yet, but I will try to think of something tonight. I do need to go into the office tomorrow and clear my mailbox. The rest of my day will be spent reading this book."

"Do you mind if I stop in late afternoon to touch base with you?" he asked her.

"No, not at all. I think it will give us both a chance to think this out from a new perspective."

Draco nodded and returned to looking out the window at Hogwarts. It grew smaller in the distance and a few twinkling stars broke though the dusty colored sky to hover above the brilliant castle. After a while they reached the quiet village. Few people walked the streets although there was quite a lot of noise coming from the Three Broomsticks.

"Would you like to join me for a drink?" Draco asked as he helped her out of the carriage.

"Oh, no. I'm sorry. I'm later than I thought I would be. Another time perhaps?" she said.

"I'm holding you to that." Draco said.

Hermione smiled and fidgeted with the book she was holding.

"I will see you tomorrow afternoon then?" she asked.

"Yes. I have a meeting late in the afternoon so it might be late again if that is alright with you."

"I'll clear my schedule." she said. He was standing directly across from her and looking down into her eyes.

"Thank you." he said taking her hand in between both of his and shaking it softly.

"Thank you." she replied. "Tomorrow then."

He nodded.

She concentrated on home and apparated there in two seconds time. The house was lit brightly as she entered and was met by a running boy.

"Mama!" he said. "Where have you been?"

"Actually," she told Hugo "I've been up at Hogwarts doing research. I saw Rose today too!"

"How is she?" a voice asked from the kitchen. Ron didn't sound like his usual self.

"In trouble already." Hermione answered.

"What?" Ron asked.

"George seems to think it's funny to send Rose new products and have her test them on students."

Ron came out of the kitchen wiping his hands on a towel.

"So what did she do?"

"Played a prank on Lysander. He's okay but James and Al were in on it too…along with Scorpius Malfoy.""WHAT?" Ron shouted dropping the towel on the floor.

"What on earth was he doing with our daughter and Harry's sons?"

"Surprise, surprise…Scorpius is in Gryffindor and it seems that him and Rose are pretty chummy. They are trying to be the new Fred and George Weasley I expect."

"Merlin…" Ron said flopping down on the sofa.

"You jinxed them when you told Rose to pretty much stay away." she joked. "But really, he is a nice boy. Sort of sad really. I guess his mum never wanted to have him to begin with. And that goes no further than this room I might add." she said.

"Would you want to have a baby with Malfoy?" he said cringing.

"Well no, but that's no reason for her to take it out on her son. Anyway we had a minor setback today, but I will be working in the office all day tomorrow so we can have lunch. You know I think I've missed the food there." she laughed.

"That's great Hermione. It's been odd eating without you."

"Like you even noticed." she smiled.

"Do you want to go out for dinner?" she asked.

"No, I cooked…again." he added.

"I'm so sorry honey. This is the most work I've had to do in a long time."

"I know. So come into the dining room and have a seat."

The table was set simply and the food smelled delicious.

"Steak and potatoes." She said licking her lips. She didn't realize how hungry she was until just then.

"I'm glad you approve. Hugo…come in here and sit down." Ron called to his son. Hugo came running in and took his usual seat next to Hermione.

"How was your day with Aunt Ginny?" Hermione asked him.

"Alright. Lily was being mean to me."

"That doesn't sound like your cousin." Hermione said in between bites.

"She wouldn't let me play with her new broomstick." he pouted.

"You aren't supposed to be flying anyway." Ron interjected.

"I wasn't going to fly on it." Hugo said. "I just wanted to see it."

"Well it is brand new still. She will share when she is ready." Hermione said. "You don't like to share your new things with anyone at first either do you?"

"No."

"Well then, just give her some time. And eat your dinner."

Hermione ate heartily, barely taking the time to taste her food. Her mind was racing with possibilities for new spells. Ron eyed her wearily as she ate. He knew something and he hoped not someone was occupying her thoughts at the moment.

"Can I get you anything else?" Ron asked, taking Hermione's plate into the kitchen.

"Oh, what? No, I'm fine thank you."

"Is there something you are not telling me?" he asked her in the most casual manner he could muster.

"Since you were raised around these pureblood types…" she started. Ron scowled. He didn't want to be compared to the Malfoys.

"Now you know that's not true…" he started.

"I just had a question." she said quickly. "About pureblood marriages."

"How would I know about that?"

"Well your mum and dad are purebloods."

"Well, yeah."

"How common are arranged marriages?"

"Not common at all." Ron said sitting down next to her. "I've only heard of a few in the last century. Why?"

"Well Lucius arranged his son's. He wanted him to marry Daphne Greengrass, remember that awful girl in Slytherin?"

"She wasn't that bad. At least she kept pretty much to herself and she didn't hang around Pansy Parkinson." he said.

"Yeah but she was so snotty. Well Draco…"

Ron snorted.

"I mean Mr. Malfoy married her younger sister, and from what I've heard she's just as bad as her sister if not worse."

"Why do you care?"

"I don't. I just thought about arranged marriages being so old-fashioned and unromantic."

"Yeah, I like the way I courted you much better." Ron grinned.

"Oh please!" Hermione said throwing her hands into the air. "It took you eight bloody years to even kiss me, and I had to take the initiative on that as well."

"I was just waiting for the right time." Ron said stammering slightly.

"Yeah…" Hermione huffed. "If your mum and dad had picked someone for you would you have gone through with it?"

"No, especially if you were in the picture."

"Let's say I wasn't."

"I still would have said no."

"I just don't understand why he would have gone along with it then."

"I have heard things." Ron said smugly.

"What?" Hermione gasped, suddenly much more interested in what Ron was saying.

"I heard that Lucius paid the Greengrasses for Asteria to marry Malfoy. It was an attempt to clear some of the mess from his family's name. The Parkinson's outright refused anything that Lucius offered. Finally between Lucius' bribes and Narcissa's pleading the Greengrasses gave in and offered their younger daughter. She didn't want to marry Draco, and I heard the only reason she had Scorpius is so Lucius would make final payment to her family. Without an heir the contract was not complete."

Hermione sat listening, white faced. Now she felt downright awful for Draco's situation.

"You boys at the ministry are worse than little old ladies gossiping aren't you?" she said to Ron.

"Well when the topic is bad news for Malfoy then we are all in." he grinned.

Hermione bit her lip for a moment before standing up and heading for the bathroom.

"Where are you going?" he called after her.

"To take a shower." she said a little colder than usual.

"Was it something I said?" Ron wondered aloud.