CHAPTER FORTY TWO- Explanation
Hermione began to see red and felt faint again. "I won't tell you my theory if you pass out again," Malfoy said. "Then I will be attentive," Hermione replied.
"Last year I was summoned to Malfoy Manor. It was in the middle of the night and I assumed something was wrong with my mother. I came home to find my father and Snape arrived shortly after me," he began.
"That is the night they told me I was to marry you. They called it my "mission" from the Dark Lord. They even made it seem like a reward. "A girl who will be entirely yours in every way" is what my father had said. I refused immediately once they told me who I would be marrying," Malfoy continued. He did not seem to notice Hermione's eyes shooting daggers at him.
"When I rejected their plan, the Dark Lord came and informed me I would wed you and proceeded to torture me. If I refused him, he could have killed my mother or tortured me until my death. That's when I came back to Hogwarts and proposed to you," he finished.
The two sat silently recalling events that seemed to happen years ago. Malfoy broke the silence and said, "He was watching our wedding. He listened to me claim you… The Dark Lord was adamant that I fulfill my duties as a husband. But now we have to ask why."
"He wanted us to have a child… The Dark Lord wants Isola," Hermione said with angry tears. "The Dark Lord himself is a half-blood, did you know that?" Malfoy reveled. "I believe he wanted to "create" a child who is similar of his own birth. I believe he means to win the war using Isola as a secret weapon," Draco said.
Hermione rolled the thought around in her mind. It would all make sense, especially if there was Dark Magic involved. In her unhappiness or ignorance she was too blind to put the pieces together.
"I believe you," she said. "There can be no other explanation. Snape said I was to marry you or else my parents would be executed. He is going to try to take her from us, Draco. What are we going to do?" Hermione said with her voice full of determination.
"Listen to me, Granger. No one is taking her from us," Draco said standing up and offering Hermione his hand.