The Marriage Law

Chapter 4

Hermione and Draco bickered all the way through their respective nightly routines. Later, Draco lay tossing and turning, unable to sleep. The severity of his situation had finally caught up to him. How could he marry a woman with whom he couldn't remain in a room with for five minutes without fighting? He had to pledge lifelong commitment and celibacy from all other women to her? He had to impregnate her, and raise a family with her? The truce suddenly didn't seem like such an unreasonable idea. But this was Granger he was talking about. They had been rivals, enemies quite frankly, since their first year. She had caused him much ridicule, for being beaten by a muggleborn in all his classes, and hated the ground that he walked on. Furthermore, she now symbolized all of the pain and suffering he had undergone the year before, as well as causing him gut-wrenching guilt whenever he looked at her. All he could see was her writhing on the ground under his aunt's wand. He could still hear her piercing, agonized cries as the fiery pain of the cruciatus curse consumed her. He had stood by, unable to do anything to stop her torture. She represented the worst side of him, and now he would have to look at her every day. Look into her eyes and know that he had done nothing. Needless to say, Draco had a very restless night.

The following morning, he was woken from his fitful sleep by the sound of impatient tapping. Peering blearily at the window, he saw one of the school owls hovering, a scroll attached to each leg. For a moment he wondered why it only had two scrolls attached, had the other boys already gotten their schedules? Glancing around sleepily, he was jolted fully awake when he realized that the only other bed in the room was occupied by a sleepy woman with an unmistakable unruly mane of curls. At this, he felt the last bits of hope ebbing away—this had not all been a nightmare, he was in fact engaged to Granger.

Opening the letter addressed to "Mr. Malfoy" (After making sure that the other letter wasn't addressed to "Mrs Malfoy—he wasn't ready for that yet) he saw that it contained his class schedule. "Marriage Prep 101" was among his classes. In fact, he had it first thing. He sighed. Unfortunately, he needed Hermione for that class.

"Granger! Get up." Hermione groaned but didn't budge.

"Granger! Wakey wakey!" Still nothing. Draco was beginning to lose patience. God she was a pain in the ass. Then, he had an idea that put a wicked smirk on his face.

Making his voice sound panicked, he cried, "Quick! Class starts in five minutes!"

It seemed as though before he could blink, Hermione had jumped out of bed, run into the bathroom, and come back out dressed, brushed, and ready to go.

"What do we have first? Oh God where is that owl with my schedule?" Hermione looked distinctly flustered.

"Ready for breakfast?" Draco smirked.

"Breakfast!?" I don't have time for breakfast! Class starts in—"

"One hour." Draco cut in smoothly. Handing her her schedule, he strutted into the bathroom with the intention of taking a looooong leisurely shower, leaving behind an enraged Hermione. Maybe this would be more fun than he had originally thought.

xxxxx

"Oh my gosh he's so unbelievably annoying!" Hermione bemoaned to Parvati and Ginny at breakfast. (Harry was sitting with Ron, who was refusing to sit near Hermione) "I mean I didn't think that he'd be loveable or downright nice, but he's so incredibly irritating. I offered him a truce and he laughed in my face, and then he purposely woke me up early by scaring me half to death."

"How did he do that?" Ginny asked with concern.

"He told me that classes were in five minutes!" Hermione proclaimed sounding outraged.

Ginny and Parvati exchanged a glance before bursting into laughter.

"It's not funny!" Hermione said adamantly. "Have you forgotten that I have to marry this twit!?"