Down at the Black Lake, Hermione plucked blades of grass and shredded them, her lower lip caught between her teeth as she chewed it nervously. The giant squid lazily flicked his tentacles around, creating ripples on the water's surface when droplets of water fell off them.

The late afternoon light danced across Hermione's hair, the frizzy curls glinting in shades of blond and brown. Harry reached over and tugged her abused lip out of her teeth and sighed. "Hermione, talk to me."

She side-eyed him. "I don't know what to say, Harry," she whispered. "I don't know how to act."

He cocked his head and frowned. "I didn't realise we had to act any differently."

"Harry," she huffed. "This changes everything."

"I disagree. The dynamics of our relationship has changed little, in reality. I know what needs to be done if it comes to it, but this doesn't stop me being your friend, Hermione. It doesn't mean that we have to be all in love and make goo-goo eyes at each other."

She shredded more grass and Harry gently took her hand, stroking the finger with her rings on it. "I just…I worry that things will change."

"They won't. People will talk, they always do, but I do not for one second regret this."

Hermione smiled and threw her arms around Harry. "Thank you, Harry."

He laughed and patted her back. "Come on, we should get some dinner before we have to return to classes tomorrow."

Harry got up and tugged his new wife to her feet. The pair went back to the castle and entered the Great Hall, the entire room going silent. Harry walked proudly to his table, Hermione at his side and took a seat, she at his side still.

The pair piled their plates and tucked in, saying nothing to their housemates to break the ice. Ron was the first, shuffling over to congratulate them on their marriage. Harry stared at him in shock. "Are you trying to be funny?" Harry said through gritted teeth.

Ron blinked and shook his head. "No, mate. Just, you know, figured…"

"You figured wrong."

He shook his head and backed away. Hermione looked at Harry and frowned. "Are we missing something?"

Harry glanced back at her. "I'm sure someone thought to stir the pot, just ignore it."

He ate in silence and Hermione chatted quietly to Ginny, Luna sat beside her and smiling dreamily at her. Hermione stopped talking and stared at Luna. "Is there something you want to say?"

Luna blinked slowly. "Oh, just that it's all rather romantic, really."

Harry stopped chewing and turned. "Huh?"

The Ravenclaw smiled brightly. "You know, Harry stepping in to keep you from the clutches of some awful man. It's really quite heroic when you think about it. You're quite lucky."

Hermione's mouth fell open. "How in the hell do you figure that?"

Luna glanced at Ginny. "Well, were I Muggleborn, my sexuality wouldn't have been taken into consideration. And I wouldn't have been able to marry Ginny unless she chose to be Polyjuiced into a man for the rest of her life. Not many Muggleborns will have been lucky enough to get married to their best friend and carry on their life normally."

Blinking, Hermione paused. "I…hadn't seen it that way. Thank you, Luna."

She shrugged and turned back to talking to Harry about her latest research into Nargles, while Hermione and Ginny spoke in hushed tones. The evening passed quite pleasantly, and when the newly married pair retired to their rooms for the night, Harry was true to his word and slept on the sofa again, only to wake in the morning to find Hermione snuggled against him.

-oo0oo-

After breakfast, the pair met with the headmaster in his office as requested. He gestured to the two armchairs before his desk and smiled at them both. "I see you have become a little more accustomed to your new arrangement, Miss Granger."

She frowned. "Sir, I'm no longer a Granger."

He smiled warmly. "Come now, in here you are still Miss Granger to me, unless you would prefer to be called Mrs. Potter?"

Hermione flushed and shook her head. "Um… Not yet, I'm still adjusting."

Dumbledore nodded. "Indeed. I wish to discuss a rather…sensitive matter. Well, two actually."

"Malfoy?"

The headmaster nodded again. "Yes, as you both know, he is due to return to school in three weeks. It is my wish to ensure that you, Miss Granger, feel entirely safe, and if there is anything I can do that will help this, I ask that you tell me."

"He won't be in my lessons, so that's a brilliant start. But there's no way to stop him from being near me in the halls, or at mealtimes," Hermione said, twisting the hem of her school jumper.

"Unfortunately, you are quite right, it would be impossible for me to place any sort of bans on being around you when there was no crime on record as the case could not be concluded."

Hermione winced. "I'm sorry, sir."

"No, my dear girl, you have nothing to apologise for. However, I can only go so far before I give Mr. Malfoy grounds to call for an investigation into how he is being treated. What I did have in mind, is more lessons on practising wandless magic."

She nodded slowly. "Yes, I think that would be a good idea."

Dumbledore smiled. "Then I will ask Severus to help in this, he is the most proficient at this branch of magic. Additionally, I have a feeling Mr. Potter will not leave your side once Mr. Malfoy returns. Is there anything else I can do?"

"Actually, I have an idea," Harry interjected. "I remember a girl being attacked a while back when I was with the Dursley's last summer. She was given something called a rape alarm. It's a small device that has a pin trigger, when the pin is pulled, it emits a high-frequency wail that it so loud your ears actually hurt."

Sharp blue eyes twinkled at Harry. "That is an excellent idea. A device like that wouldn't work in Hogwarts, due to magical interference. However, there is something similar that can be used. A Sneakoscope reacts whenever someone is being dishonest, we could use a charm that is similar. Instead of it being someone dishonest, the charm would react whenever Mr. Malfoy, and his friends if necessary, come within a certain distance of you."

"Something like the Caterwauling charm?" Hermione asked.

"Similar, but less ear-splitting. It would deter them from getting close to you, and this would, I hope, make you feel much safer," Dumbledore said.

"Yes, it would. It would have to be something small, easily concealed."

The headmaster smiled and winked. "I think something in plain sight would be much better. Your wedding band, perhaps?"

Hermione nodded. "Perfect."

"Also, a second charm that will alert Mr. Potter you are in trouble, it would give a pulse to his wedding band, letting him know you need him."

The pair agreed, and the headmaster applied the spells straight away. "Now, off with you, we all know Professor Snape is testy first thing in the morning," he chuckled.

"Wasn't there something else you wished to discuss?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore smiled. "Ah, yes, well, I wanted to talk about your marriage, but it can wait."

Both of them left and ran for the dungeons, Hermione smiling brightly and laughing for the first time in days. Harry found his heart skipping a moment at the sound, his own smile answering hers as they arrived for Potions just as Snape opened the door.