the marriage arrangement | dramione

chapter three

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draco malfoy.

how could this have happened? that was hermione's first thought, followed by a million others. this had to be a mistake. there was absolutely, positively, no way that draco malfoy could be her soulmate. her match. there was no way that she would marry him, love him, there was absolutely no way she would give birth to his child, nontheless touch him at all.

"hermione?" professor mcgonagall's impatient voice reached her ears, and she jerked her head up, sweat lining her forehead. everyone was staring at her, and hermione looked right at malfoy. heads swiveled to see who she was looking at, paired with gasps of shock. malfoy's eyes met hers and a look of horror crossed them as he realized what was happening.

professor mcgonagall flicked her wand, and the piece of paper flew out of hermione's hand and over to hers. she glanced down at it, a look of shock filled her face, but she quickly blinked it away. "very well then." her voice was somber. "take your seat next to mr. malfoy, miss granger."

the room was silent. hermione unsteadily walked down the hallway, as slow as can be. when she reached malfoy's side, he wasn't looking at her. she slid into her seat very slowly, craning her head to find ron. he was staring right at her, horror etched on his face as well. she mouthed the words what do i do? to her friends, but they all simply blinked at her, looking as shocked as she felt.

"pansy parkinson."

pansy looked angrier than hermione had ever seen her as she stalked up the steps and reached into the goblet, staring daggers at hermione and malfoy. when she read the name, her mouth opened in a silent scream of horror. she ripped the piece of paper promptly in two. "i refuse," her voice was high and pitchy. "i want to pick someone new." she reached back into the goblet, glancing at the name and ripping that piece of paper in half too. she stomped her foot angrily. "no! i refuse! not him! anyone but him!" professor mcgonagall sternly swept the pieces of paper off the floor with her wand and rejoined them. her eyes widened. "very well. ronald weasley," she read, and a gasp of shock echoed down the table.

"no way," ron snarled. "i refuse."

"i said i refused first," pansy interjected, her eyes narrowed in hatred. "you-,"

"miss parkinson!" professor mcgonagall looked highly annoyed. "please take your seat. now." pansy stalked down the hall and took her seat, her face puffy with anger.

the room quieted as the matching resumed. hermione's heart was racing as she felt the angry presence of malfoy next to her. how could this be possible? it couldn't. there had to be a way, some way out of this.

but she knew there wasn't.

as much as she hoped that professor mcgonagall would stop the matching and say there had been a mistake, she knew she wouldn't. it was final. she was betrothed to draco malfoy. she would have to suck it up and marry him. have his child. the thought of being intimate with malfoy crossed her mind, and she sucked in a terrified breath.

everything had changed.

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hermione and malfoy walked five feet apart from each other as they followed professor mcgonagall to their new living quarters. hermione refused to look him in the eye. she didn't want to see the mean look she was sure was lingering on his face. marrying a death eater. what could be a worse fate?

she bit her lip as they walked up a spiral staircase towards where the extra dorms were for visitors. the area had been completely refurbished after the war, leaving a lot of extra space. they stopped in front of a wooden door with a small sign hanging on it.

the malfoys.

hermione stared at the sign with a horrible feeling twisting in her stomach. that was what she was referred to now? as a malfoy? a fate worse than death. for the first time, she glanced up at malfoy and saw that his face was hardened as he stared at the sign, raw of emotion.

"well? head inside, please. it's already past curfew, you two need to get to sleep. remember, we have a mandatory class for you to attend tomorrow morning, and you must sit together at breakfast." professor mcgonagall tapped the door with her want and it swung open, she ushered them inside quickly and shut the door tight behind them.

hermione swore she could hear her own heart pounding as they fell into silence, and she flicked her want to illuminate the lights in the room. she let out a slight gasp as she took in the room.

neutral greens and browns weaved their way through the living room and kitchen, pops of gryffindor red appearing in decor. hermione stepped forward and ran her hand across the marble countertop in the rather large kitchen. "all this for just us?" she mused, speaking to draco for the first time since they were matched.

he didn't respond, and hermione frowned as she turned around. "whether you like it or not malfoy, we're stuck together. so you mind as well make peace with me from now on."

malfoy scowled at her, a vein popping in his neck. "listen here, granger." he stepped forward, pinning hermione with her back to the countertop as he towered over her. "i will never love you. if you think for a second i'm going to turn soft for a mudblood like you, you're wrong. so you might as well give it up. got that?" he turned and stalked across the room towards the door that must lead to the bedroom.

hermione scowled at his retreating back. "you know i didn't ask for this either," she muttered. malfoy stopped in his tracks. "what did you just say?"

"I DIDN'T ASK FOR THIS EITHER!" hermione screamed at him, losing her temper for this first time since she'd drawn his name. "you have constantly picked on me for years, and you will no longer." her voice shook as she spoke, malfoy was dead silent with his back still facing her. "you will no longer call me mudblood, you will no longer disrespect me. i am to be your," hermione took a shuddering breath. "i am to be your wife. so whether you like it or not, you're stuck with me." her voice quieted. "i don't expect you to love me. but i do expect you to treat me with fairness and with- with respect."

there was a tense silence in which draco stood frozen before he cleared his throat and replied. "very well." he walked inside the bedroom and slammed the door behind him, making hermione jump. she would rather die than follow him into their bedroom, so instead she curled up on the comfy white couch and closed her eyes, willing herself to fall asleep.

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