Out of Hand by relativelypositive

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and I make no money from the use of J.K. Rowling's characters.

Chapter 27

The more Draco thought about it, the guiltier he felt. He was sentencing her to a life of looking over her shoulder. Their children's lives would always be in danger.

He would just have to make the rewards worth it. She wasn't one to back down from a fight and that spirit would help her deal with whatever came her way.

She had inadvertently painted a picture of the future for Draco, and he had quickly set his heart on it. He could clearly see them treating life as an adventure, even with children. He'd always liked children and wanted plenty of his own. Not Weasley plenty, but three or four.

Last week he was going to settle for wandering the huge, dour manor under his parents' thumbs for years on end, one child that would be raised mostly by a house elf, and a wife that air kissed his cheeks in public and ignored him in private.

Now his future was filled with adventure and children and a fascinating career and a passionate wife he found himself wanting to kiss all the time.

If he had to spend the rest of his life protecting his family from his parents, he would do it.

Draco laughed to himself. He was preparing for children that didn't exist! And a job that didn't exist! At least his future wife existed.

"What are you laughing for? There's nothing funny about this!"

"Granger, you have been the queen of inappropriate laughter this week, so let me have a chuckle at my inner musings without you calling me out."

Pomfrey came bustling in with Granger's lunch and gave the boys a stern look.

"Shall I procure you lunch as well, or will you be making your way to the Great Hall?"

Draco looked at Blaise, who shrugged, and Hermione, who just stared back.

"I guess…"

"They'll stay." Hermione was full of surprises. "And Harry and Ron should be along any minute, so it would be wonderful if we could get lunch for them as well."

Pomfrey looked a little put out, but didn't refuse.

Granger looked at Draco with a raised eyebrow. Was this a challenge? Was she looking to see if he could get along with Potter and Weasley?

Potter he could get along with, if he was willing to put some effort into it.

Weasley was lucky he was still alive.

Draco felt the rage start to bubble up. He hadn't had a chance to tell Blaise what Weasley had done. Should he bring it up now, before the two Gryffindors showed up?

Too late.

Potter and Weasley came in with Ginny Weasley in tow. They were goofing around and laughing, but stopped when they saw Draco and Blaise.

"What are you doing here?" Weasley asked nastily.

"So, Granger," Draco went on the defensive, "Do you think it's appropriate to try to fuck your best friend right after she becomes engaged to someone else?"

Granger blushed, and everyone held their breath.

Weasley turned and went back out the infirmary door.

"What just happened?" Blaise asked.

Draco stared at Granger. "I think Granger should tell us all what happened this morning, in her own words. I'd hate to think I'd color the story to my advantage."

"Whoa!" Potter yelled. "Back up the bus! What are you accusing Ron of doing?"

Draco looked from Potter to Granger, but refused to step in.

"Hermione, are you okay?" Ginny Weasley approached. She started to reach up to touch Hermione's head, then thought better of it and grabbed her hand instead.

"I'm going to be fine."

"Tell me what's going on!" Potter ordered.

"I don't want to tell you," Granger replied. "And it's no one's business but my own."

"The hell it is!" Draco yelled.

"Let me guess. My idiot brother told you that if he got you pregnant before you married Malfoy your engagement could be transferred to him. That moron!"

The littlest Weasley pulled out her wand. "I'll kill him!"

"Is that true? Would that happen?" Granger asked.

"Don't even think about it, Granger," Draco growled.

"I'm just curious."

"Sure you are."

"Would the magic transfer? Is that the deal?"

"We're not discussing this. Ever."

"I just want to know!"

"Fine. We'll discuss it after the wedding."

"You two are really getting married?" Potter asked.

"We are engaged," Granger confirmed.

"I know you're engaged, but you're actually going to marry him?"

Granger didn't answer Potter, but she did look at Draco apologetically.

"Granger's in denial," Blaise helpfully told Potter and little Weasley.

"I still want to know what happened with Ron!" Harry pressed.

"Draco? Blaise? Would you leave us for a while?"

Draco wanted to say no. He didn't want to let her out of his sight. Blaise grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the Hospital Wing. Draco looked back to see Granger watching him leave. He wondered what she thought when she looked at him. He guessed it wasn't the same as when he looked at her.

"We'll give them twenty minutes, then head back in. Let's take the opportunity to take care of a little business."

"Weasley?"

"Weasley."

XXXXXXXXXXX

"Ginny, is it true? If I get pregnant by someone else, will the engagement transfer?"

"In theory. You wouldn't be married yet, so the new magic, attached to a new being that is part of you, would override the first engagement. But it's only a theory. Mum is full of them. They're in those crazy novels she reads all the time. In practice, you'd probably just be labeled a ho."

"Ginny!"

"What? It's true! Everyone would find out your kid wasn't your fiancé's and you and your child would be ostracized."

"It's not like I would do such a thing, anyway. I really am just curious about all this. There seem to be a million facets and caveats. I am constantly surprised. If there were a definitive work on the subject I'd buy it in a heartbeat."

"You mean like Aphrodite's in book form?" Ginny asked.

Hermione stared at her for a moment. "Aphrodite's?"

"Yeah. Aphrodite's. There isn't a branch in Hogsmeade, but I believe there's one in London. I've never been, but hey, I've got Mum to turn to."

Hermione looked at Harry, but quickly looked away again. He was giving her an angry look that clearly said, "stop stalling," so she turned back to Ginny.

"What is Aphrodite's?"

"Sort of a matchmaker service, sort of a romantic boot camp. Single witches in their forties and fifties go there. I've never heard of anyone our age attending, but that would be where you could learn about all the possible ways to catch a wizard, or change your circumstances."

"Miss Granger," Professor Snape shoved through the doors and swiftly walked to her bed. "You must come to the Headmaster's office immediately!"

He reached for her arm to guide her quickly out the door, but Harry attached himself to her hand before they could take off down the hallway.

"I'm coming along. Whatever is happening, I'm going with you."

"Mr. Potter, I could care less what you do, just don't slow us down."

"Ginny! Find Draco!" Hermione yelled behind her as she was dragged none too gently by Professor Snape.

XXXXXXXXX

"Do you think we could get married this week? I know we're young, but if I give that crazy witch any more time she'll find a way to weasel out of it, no pun intended."

"I think if you get married this week you'll both be dead by Christmas. If you let the engagement stand your parents may think there's still time to stop the wedding, giving you more time to prepare."

"Prepare for what?"

"Life cut off from the Malfoy money. Life lived partially in the Muggle world. Granger."

"I'm ready for Granger."

"You seem to think so."

"What are you trying to say? You don't think I can handle her? I think we've been making a lot of progress."

"She just implied that she wasn't going to go through with the wedding. She's curious about how to get out of it. She can postpone indefinitely, Draco."

"You make it sound so romantic."

"For once I am being completely serious! That witch will not marry you until she falls in love with you!"

"Fine!" Draco turned around and headed back to the Hospital Wing.

Blaise stopped, shook his head, and followed.

"Oi! Where you going?"

"Back to Granger. If I need to make her fall in love with me I need to be where she is."

"What about Weasley?"

"If I'm with her, then he'll come to me eventually."

"But Granger won't let you get your revenge. If you attack him she'll side with him."

"I'm not going to attack him. He'll attack me, and then she'll side with me."

The boys entered the Hospital Wing to find an empty bed and an untouched lunch tray.

"Do you think she took the opportunity to run?"

"Thanks a lot, Blaise!"

"Weren't you thinking the same thing?"

"Maybe a week ago. But now…"

"Now what? She's feeling trapped and confused. You want her to be falling in love with you, but she's a very practical sort. Even if she is in love with you, she won't let it rule her."

"She kissed me! In front of a hell of a lot of people! What else could it mean?"

"I can't explain that one. But as a person with impulse control problems, I can understand how that could have seemed like a good idea at the time."

"She was probably swept away by the burgeoning feelings in her…fuck! Pomfrey! Pomfrey!"

Draco ran across the room to where he could see a body on the floor surrounded by a pool of blood.

A/N:

Must respond to one reviewer: Snape is not a virgin! I have actually thought about that, and all the other single witches and wizards out in the world. Some of them would be virgins, but Snape wouldn't be. You've inspired an interesting, fun new plot line. Thanks!

As for all my reviewers, I am always grateful:

viki, giada, ASJS, Somnus Verus, KodeV, Autumnvicky, brighteyes2889, eliza6801, Chester99, Tar-Silmarien, and LK-HoGwArTs-hEaDgIrL