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The Marriage Contract	By : SweetHoney Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 18442 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
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"What's wrong with her?" asked Harry.

"She doesn't look too good." stated Ron.

Harry, Ron and Ginny were sitting right next Draco and Hermione at the head of the table. Meanwhile everyone else was busy mingling in the reception.

"It finally sunk in." replied Draco, silently ordering one of the house elves to get him a bottle of Firewhiskey. He poured a little into Hermione's cup, when he was about to set the bottle down Hermione grabbed his wrist and made him pour the entire content. Draco gave her a doubtful look but didn't stop her or pull away.

Hermione took a sip of her cup and cringed, coughing viciously. Draco rubbed her back while her friends stared at her. After the initial burning in the back of her throat dulled Hermione drank the the burning liquid in her cup in one gulp, cringing and coughing all over again. She held her cup up, gesturing for Draco to refill it.

"Easy, Hermione," whispered Ginny.

"Leave her be," said Harry.

Ron nodded, "She needs all she can get if she wants to continue with this charade."

"She'll make herself sick – ow!" said Ginny as Ron kicked at her feet under the table. She gave him an inquisitive look and straightened when Harry nodded his head toward Narcissa, who was approaching them. Everyone attempted to appear causal as Narcissa returned to her seat, smiling at the newly wedded couple.

"Hermione, are you all right?" asked Narcissa, "You don't look well."

Heads turned to Hermione whose face had turned from pale to green.

"She needs more powder." said Ginny. She stood up, took Hermione's arm, and led her away.

"Dance with me, mum." said Draco, taking her arm.

After Draco and Narcissa went to the dance floor, Ron and Harry rushed to Hermione. They knocked on the door and identified themselves so Ginny would let them in. Hermione was panting with her back against the wall.

"How's she doing?" asked Harry.

"Terrible," said Ginny.

Hermione went to the sink and splashed cold water on her face. Turning off the water, she grabbed a towel and wiped her face. "I'm fine now. Nothing to worry about."

"You don't have to -"

"No, Ron. I gave my word." Hermione said calmly. "One year, that's all, and this will all be over before we know it. My life will be back to normal." She plastered a large smile on her face and stepped back into the reception.

o0o

Two years ago, Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy were strolling down Diagon Alley when they were attacked by unknown assailants. Lucius was killed during the attack and Narcissa lost her sanity from witnessing her husband's death before her eyes. When the Aurors arrived she had been clutching his body, refusing to release him. Overwhelmed by her husband's death and all that had occurred, Narcissa's mind suppressed everything that had happened, including the war. She believed herself to be in her late teens again, happily married to Lucius, who was still alive, and had just given birth to Draco.

Hermione was working as a healer in St. Mungos. She was in charge of Narcissa after she was admitted. Hermione played along with Narcissa's delusions, claiming she was hired by Lucius to be her companion while he was gone. She would talk with Narcissa about day and Draco, the small pillow she took to carrying around. If anyone attempted to tell her the truth about Lucius, she would deny it and violently lash out at him or her.

When Narcissa saw Draco she thought he was Lucius. She would present the pillow to him and tell him to play with Draco. Draco played along, cradled the pillow in his arms and rocked it to sleep. Every day he would visit, sit with her and talked to her until she was tried, and went to bed.

Hermione admired Draco's devotion to his mother and was sorry for his loss. He was in deep depression, yet he hid it from others very well. Hermione only knew the extent of his pain when she accidentally found him in Narcissa's bedroom after hours. While Narcissa was asleep, Draco held her hand between his and cried. He muttered words of apologies, whispered promises, and prayed for her mental health to return. He would give anything to see her well again.

The scene before her had pierced Hermione's heart. She kept her hand over her mouth so he wouldn't hear her sobbing by the door. It was at that moment that Hermione vowed to do anything she could help Narcissa accept what had happened and that she had a son who was lost and needed her.

It took time but Narcissa finally came to her senses and accepted the truth. Lucius was dead, but she still had a son who was alive, who needed her. She embraced Draco and begged for his forgiveness. She was telling Draco how much she loved him and that she wanted to see him happily married to a good witch that would care for him when she could not.

Seeing as it was a personal family affair, Hermione turned to leave but Narcissa stopped her. Hermione felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end as if she knew that something big was about to happen...and so it did...

Narcissa had proposed to Hermione. Proposed that she marry Draco.

At first Hermione thought that she was seeing and hearing things. After she shut her eyes and shook her head Narcissa and Draco were still there, looking at her expectantly. She was about to tell them no, but Narcissa's hard stare nonverbally told Hermione that she had no choice. She turned to Draco for help. These past two years they had developed a sort of friendship with each other and she thought he would have objected to his mother's proposal. Hermione took one look at him and her knees weakened for reasons she still didn't understand today. She stuttered a yes and immediately regretted the words as they left her lips.

When they were alone Draco took Hermione aside and told her that she didn't have to do this if she didn't want too. He'd talk to his mother and convince her to change her mind. Hermione saw reason and agreed. Together they went to Narcissa and informed her of Hermione's change of mind. Narcissa didn't take the news very well. Hermione was the only person she trusted to care for Draco, to love him. When Hermione rejected him, Narcissa relapsed.

Riddled with guilt, Hermione and Draco agreed to a marriage only on paper to make Narcissa happy and mentally stable. They would be married for one year and then have it annulled. They figured by the end of the year Narcissa would realize that they were not meant for each other and accept it.

o0o

Lying on her bed, Hermione fidgeted with her fingers. She looked at Draco. When their eyes met, both immediately looked away, embarrassed at being caught looking at the other. This was their wedding night, but they were not sharing a bed. Draco had charmed his bed to slip in half and separate, leaving a gap that was two feet apart. Hermione took the one on the left, while Draco took the one on the right. Hermione turned her body to the side, fully turning away from Draco, and thought she heard him do the same from the sounds of ruffled sheets behind her.

It wasn't like she was expecting anything, but she wanted him to at least show her some affection. They were married now. Given that it was a not a real marriage, but he didn't have to act so distant toward her. After their first dance, which she thought was magical, he kept her at an arm's length and barely touch her since. It was as if those kisses they shared meant nothing. They were supposed to mean nothing. Hermione corrected herself. This was not a real marriage. It wasn't.

o0o

Draco glanced back at Hermione when he heard her light snores. Turning his body around, he gazed at her sleeping form. In sleep, she seemed so relaxed, not tensed like she was during their wedding. Did she had to drink all that Firewhiskey just so she could convince herself to continue being with him? Her behavior upset him. Wounded his pride. As if it wasn't bleeding already with the knowledge that she only married him for his mother's sake.

These past two years, Hermione was the person that had kept him anchored. If she wasn't there he would've submitted to the stress and lost his mind along with his mother. He was grateful to Hermione for caring for his mother. If it was anyone else they'd given up on her already, but Hermione was different. She stayed by his mother's side. She was determined. That was what he admired about her. It was what made him fell in love with her.

When she accepted his mother's proposal, he was beyond joy, until he saw the look in her eyes. How she looked at his mother. He knew she didn't really love him, but he thought they were friends. Well, that was what they were just friends, nothing more. He told her it was all right that they she didn't have to marry him if she didn't want to. It broke his heart when she agreed. But things changed after his mother relapsed. He was saddened, yet happy at the same time.

When they shared those kisses and that dance, he thought they meant something to her but clearly they didn't. He could see that Hermione didn't love him by her reactions when she stopped and absorbed everything in. So he decided to let her go when the year was over. Let her live her own life. Let her be happy.
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The Marriage Contract