After throwing on a jumper and some more appropriate pants, Draco made the quick trip to and from the owlery without seeing anyone. This early on a Sunday meant that most of the student body was still asleep and the faculty was likely just waking up. The clicking of his shoes on the stone floor was the only noise he heard. He realized he was smiling for no reason and that made him chuckle to himself.

When he returned, he could hear Hermione shuffling about in her room and made a mental note to speak to her about moving into his room. He didn't want to push her, but he was fairly certain that even if she wanted to stay separate for a while longer that he would wind up waking up with her regardless. He shook his head and turned to his room. He stripped, turned on the shower, and looked at himself in the mirror for a moment. The color had returned to his cheeks and even the muscle tone on his chest had returned to normal. Hermione had probably never even noticed, but he had lost a bit of muscle over the last few days.

He shaved, wondering if Hermione's sensitive skin had been irritated by his morning scruff and smiled to himself. He felt so much more relaxed since marking her. So much more healthy. He sighed as he rinsed his razor, realizing it wasn't just relaxed, he was happy. Truly happy for the first time since…. Well ever, and there was only one witch to blame.

Hermione was wrestling with her hair after her shower and, even though she was frustrated, she felt a small smile on her face. She blushed when she realized she was smiling because she was thinking of Draco. She glanced at the bed behind her in the mirror and her blush deepened. Her first experience and subsequent experiences with her husband flashing through her mind. She cleared her throat and rolled her eyes at herself. She needed to be focusing on this interview with Pansy, not her sexual escapades with her… mate. Husband sounds better… but mate does have a certain ring to it.

She summoned a hair pin and as soon as it hit her hand, she had to drop it. What the hell? I didn't use too much magic, so why did that come so fast? Her palm was red and inflamed already from the pin. She quickly put it in her hair with a wince and looked around for something else to summon. "Accio pillow," She said, using the normal amount of force. The pillow came so fast that Hermione had to duck to avoid being hit. It slammed into the wall with a resounding thump. "Umm…. Draco?" She called as she opened the door. The sitting room was empty. She bit her lip and decided she would knock on his door.

The door swung open at her knock and she could hear the shower still running. Hermione bit her lip, unsure of what to do.

"Hermione," Draco called from behind the cracked door to his bathroom. "Is that you?"

"Yes," She squeaked. "Sorry I just… I didn't realize the door was partly open when I knocked."

Inside the shower stall, Draco rolled his eyes, grinning. "You're so shy, it's absolutely adorable. Sit down on the bed, talk to me. It's fine."

She bit her lip again, sitting on the edge of the bed next to the clothes he had laid out without noticing them.

"What did you want to ask?" Draco asked as he rinsed his shoulder.

"I uh… how strong is my magic supposed to get? Do you know?"

"Hm. I think it varies from person to person. Have you experimented? It might not have started yet."

"Yes well, I … I hurt my hand summoning a hair pin."

The shower turned off and Draco opened the door with a burst of wonderful smelling steam. He was still shining with water all over but he had wrapped a towel around his waist. He was frowning in concern as soon as she saw his face. "Is your hand alright?" He asked, not even thinking about his state of undress.

Hermione tried to convince her brain to work. All that smooth skin… "It's fine," She answered softly. She held it out to him and he examined it.

"It might bruise. I have a cream to heal it if you'd like?"

Hermione blinked. "Uh I suppose." It was really hard to concentrate when he was covered in water and his hair was all wet and slicked back and…. She cleared her throat.

Draco smirked at her and his expression changed to a more flirtatious one. "You alright Hermione?" He purred. "You're looking a little… dazed."

Hermione laughed nervously, "I'm fine. Don't try that again. We don't have the time right now. Later."

Smirking, Draco stood straight again and wordlessly and wandlessly summoned a cream. "I shall hold that to be a promise, my lady," He said softly as he smoothed the cool cream onto her palm.

"Is your magic back to normal?" Hermione asked, trying to cover both her nerves and her sudden interest in what was under the towel.

He nodded. "I believe so. I should begin to get stronger than I was before, soon. It can take up to a week, I think, but I don't really know how credible the information is. Yours feels stronger though. I could feel you when you came in the room." He vanished the cream back to wherever it belonged.

"Feel me? What do you mean? Like through the bond?"

He turned and grabbed a second towel off the rack next to the door to the bathroom. He began drying his upper body, as he said, "Sort of. But it rather felt like it may have been just your magical core. It felt like a pressure on my awareness, unlike the bond. I don't know how else to describe it." He reached for the edge of his towel and began to unhook it.

Hermione stood abruptly, "I uh, I guess I should leave you to get dressed. I'm sorry to have disturbed you."

Draco frowned and reached for her. He gently grabbed her arm and said, "Hey, you're not disturbing me. Does it make you nervous to be around me?"

"Well, it's I uh… I'm nervous when you're naked!" She sputtered and then blurted.

"Hermione," He said softly. "I understand." She looked into his eyes sharply, expecting a 'but…' and an instruction for her to just get over it. Instead, she found a quiet patience in his eyes, and simple acceptance. "Will you be in the sitting room?"

She nodded stiffly and he let go of her arm after rubbing it gently with his thumb. She felt herself relaxing, relief flooding her, and before she turned, she pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. "I'm glad you're understanding," Hermione said. Then she left the room.

Draco dressed quicker than normal. It was much easier to wear a t-shirt and denim trousers- wait jeans - than his usual attire. He combed his hair quickly and exited the room.

Hermione was staring at the fire, apparently in deep thought. She looked beautiful in her burnt orange turtleneck shirt and jeans of her own. Her hair was loose about her shoulders and Draco sighed, his heart full. Hermione turned at his sigh and smiled. She patted the seat next to her and summoned a blanket when he sat.

"You look good in Muggle clothes," Hermione blurted when he sat.

Draco smirked, "Thank you." He ran a thumb across her cheek and said, "You're blushing again."

Hermione's blush deepened and she said, "Anyway, should we plan how to answer questions?"

The next few hours were spent in conversation and preparation for the interview to come. They had their lunch in the little alcove once more and Draco finally found the courage to ask her, "Will you move your things into my room soon?"

"Oh, yes well I suppose I should. Since one of us is unable to sleep alone now." She answered with a sassy expression.

They laughed together and started making plans for how to move everything and if they could keep Crookshanks in what was her current room and what they might do with him if the headmistress declined to allow them to keep the extended rooms.

The time for the interview finally came. Hermione and Draco left to meet Pansy at Hogsmeade. The rain had finally stopped and, although it was cold, the sun was shining across the grounds. They saw several students walking around the Black Lake and Hagrid shouted a jolly greeting when they crossed paths with him.

They entered the Hogs Head and after asking, found that Pansy had booked a room for their interview to happen in.

Draco knocked and Pansy opened the door. "Draco! Oh you look so wonderful! And Hermione! Come in come in, let's get going alright?" She ushered them inside where a witch and a wizard were already inside. Gesturing to the witch Pansy said, "This is the reporter, you remember Tracey don't you? And the photographer, Colin?" She gestured to the wizard.

"Of course, we do," Hermione answered with a wave to both that only Colin returned.

"I'll be here, but I don't do stories anymore, much as I miss it. Tracey will be asking the questions and doing the write up for this evening's edition." And I'll be here to watch your back, Pansy's expression seemed to convey to Draco. Draco nodded in acknowledgement.

They were ushered to sit at a small table next to the fire. Colin was all business, helping them pose for pictures, making them hold hands, and changing lighting with his wand. His overeager demeanor from school focused into making sure his pictures came out right.

Tracey waited until Colin had quite a number of pictures of Draco and Hermione in ordinary poses and then she cleared her throat. "Ready to start?"

Hermione smiled and nodded.

"Alright then, let's start with the question on everyone's tongues. How did the two of you begin dating?"

Draco answered, "We began seeing each other in college." There. True enough.

Recognizing the opportunity to change the subject- as they had discussed in their afternoon chat- Hermione added, "Yes, Draco really helped me to deal with the stresses of a particular reporter who works for the Prophet."

"You mean Rita Skeeter?" Tracey asked with her eyebrow raised.

"I'm not trying to cause trouble in the least. But it does seem to be obvious that Miss Skeeter really has a problem with me."

Pansy spoke up, "Off the record, is that would you chose to speak to us instead of the Prophet?"

"Off the record, yes." Draco answered.

"Off the record, there is literally nothing I can say that the Prophet won't twist." Hermione added. She looked at Draco with a small smile and Colin snapped another picture. Hermione tried not to be irritated by it.

Tracey said, "Alright let's get back on topic then, what are your marriage plans? Will you still hold a formal wedding or leave it at an elopement? Draco, do your parents approve of Hermione and Hermione, the same question but of Draco?"

Hermione laughed nervously, "That's a lot of questions. We didn't elope, exactly. We just decided… there was no reason to wait once Draco proposed."

"Right, and neither of us have the time to do a big formal wedding right now so," Draco shrugged. "It's not a big deal to us."

"But what of the rest of Wizarding Britain? Don't you wonder what they must be thinking of your elopement?" Tracey asked, obviously flabbergasted by the idea someone wouldn't care what is expected of them.

Hermione rolled her eyes, "It doesn't matter to us, truly. The worst thing someone could say is that I'm pregnant, and while that would be wonderful, I am not. The proof of that will only come in a few months when I don't start growing a belly." Draco's hand clenched under the table when she said this. He fought the twinge of possessiveness and disappointment he felt when he realized Hermione wouldn't be pregnant for a while.

"But the Golden girl being married is certainly big news!"

"Why? Why is it news?" Hermione was growing frustrated with the conversation. "I'm a grown woman who is making a decision about my personal life. It's not newsworthy."

"So you don't like the fame that comes with being part of the Golden Trio? Is that why you've split it up?"

Hermione made a disgusted face, "I haven't 'split' up anything."

"All evidence points to the contrary. You and Mr. Weasley hardly speak, yet you and the esteemed Mr. Potter work together. Mr. Weasley is even in the hospital and you haven't gone to see him. How would you explain that?"

"I think you're taking this too far, Tracey." Draco interrupted.

"Too far? You both wanted to clear the air didn't you? This is part of the process, as unpleasant as it is. Hermione has been refusing interviews for years. There's a lot of theories about her motivations you know." Tracey answered in a snide manner. Pansy's perfectly manicured eyebrow raised, a small smirk appeared and disappeared just as quickly on her face. Tracey didn't see the expression, but Hermione did. She wondered what was happening behind Pansy's facade.

"I think I'll try to explain." Hermione said with a frown. "I see the point Tracey is trying to bring up. Ronald and I do speak. But not much, as you've mentioned. He's never been able to come back to being my friend after our failed relationship. It's really that simple. Some people just can't do it. With his latest health scare, I am of course worried about him, but I had to avoid going to see him. The media would have made a huge scandal out of it, and it would have only made Ronald upset. It's not easy to have a normal friendship or even life when people watch your every move and people are paid to report on your daily life."

"Does that mean you blame the press for the strain on your relationship with Mr. Weasley?"

"No. And had you actually listened to what I said rather than trying to make a scandal, you might have heard that." Hermione answered, her frustration mounting.

Draco took her hand and their eyes met. Hermione felt his calm and to her astonishment, calmed down a bit. The camera flashed and Draco rolled his eyes at her. Hermione grinned and felt more at ease. "The press coverage did not make my relationship with Ron fail. He and I were incompatible. Also you'll notice that I'm in a relationship, with someone right in front of you, so perhaps we might focus on my current relationship?" Hermione said as she turned to Tracey again.

Pansy's eyebrow lifted again and she covered a smirk and perhaps a laugh behind a pretend cough.

Tracey blushed but looked undeterred. "Would you like to make a comment on Mr. Weasley's health before we move on?"

"Mr. Weasley," Draco said, sounding a bit annoyed at Tracey's apparent inability to let go of an issue, "Is going to be fine as we understand it. Hermione will pay him a visit when the two of them agree to meet and I think that's all the public needs to know on the matter."

Hermione snickered. She happened to glance at Pansy, who was also smirking. Pansy finally spoke up, "Do move on, Tracey. Trust me, you don't want Draco to tell you off, and Hermione's worse."

Tracey frowned at her editor in chief and looked down at her notes again. "You've married into one of the richest families in Britain, Hermione. Will you continue to work, even after having access to all the Malfoy assets?"

Draco growled at this implication and Hermione's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I didn't try to marry into the Malfoy family. I fell in love with a man whose family happens to be rich. I don't appreciate the implication of the question. I've worked for years to get to where I am now and Draco has never once supported me financially for any reason." Draco tried valiantly to focus on the interview and not on the possibility that Hermione had just declared to the world that she loved him.

Tracey's eyes flickered, almost as though she might feel a teensy bit of remorse. "So the upcoming announcement from the Malfoy's in which they will be pledging a large donation to start a muggleborn integration initiative is not financial support?" Hermione paled and Draco forgot his excitement at the prospect of having her heart.

Pansy stood abruptly. "Tracey that is not an appropriate question and it is not to be used in your story!" She said a bit too loud.

"What? Why not? She can't just be sanctimonious-"

"Sanctimonious?!" Hermione screeched. "I didn't even know they were going to do that!"

"This interview is over." Draco said in a tone of finality. The women in the room, who had been about to start verbally attacking each other stopped and stared at him. "This has been a disaster from the start. Tracey has been far too invested in making our marriage a scandal because none of the press knew about it beforehand. She has been overtly attempting to get Hermione to react since her second question. What is it Pansy? Did you want to make this a huge scandal to sell more papers or something?"

"No, I didn't." Pansy answered calmly.

"And you Tracey?"

She sighed dramatically. "Of course I didn't. But you have to see that this whole thing looks suspicious as all get out. No one knew you're dating? No leaks? No pictures of you two having dinner together? The only times we have seen you two together was those studying pictures."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "So because someone actually kept a secret from the press, it automatically has to be dramatic?"

Tracey shrugged and looked at Pansy.

Pansy said, "It's reporting 101. A scoop is never enough. Bring in the heavy equipment because there's always more beneath the surface."

Draco frowned and gave Pansy a meaningful look. Pansy gave a nearly imperceptible nod. "Tracey, how much more do you need? They're married. They courted in secret. So what?"

Hermione slumped back into her chair, her adrenaline spike and subsequent crash making her feel tired. "I really don't know anything about the Malfoys donating. Draco is it true?"

He sat next to her and nodded. "Father believed it to be a quite worthy cause and mother is quite looking forward to being able to help. I was going to tell you yesterday, but… things came up." He shrugged.

"My questions?"

He nodded again and brushed a curl off her forehead.

"Let's finish up, shall we?" Pansy said. Draco glared at her. Pansy shrugged nonchalantly. "Tracey if you say one more inflammatory question I will take all the notes and print the article under my own name. That's your only warning."

Tracey gave Pansy a dirty look and then turned back to her notes. "Fine. Then I only have one more question that needs answering. Someone snapped a photograph of an altercation between Mr. Weasley and Mr. Malfoy here." Draco tensed and Tracey's eyes sharpened and an expression of calculating interest overcame her features. "Now, the altercation is understandable, given your explanation of R-Mr. Weasley's behavior after your relationship ended." Hermione did not miss the stumble and marked it for later examination. "What I would like to know is: Why is Mr. Malfoy's skin-"

"Oh, Tracey not this again." Pansy broke in suddenly.

"No, I really must-"

"No you mustn't! That picture has so obviously been doctored that no reputable magazine will print it!"

"But Rita-"

"Rita is the one who arranged that confrontation you brainless twit! How the hell else would she be the only one to report about it and have a photographer in place to catch the expected brawl?"

Hermione and Draco's eyes met in astonishment. "Rita Skeeter made Weasley insult you for a story?"

"She is such a bitch."

Draco's eyebrow lifted. "Revenge?"

Hermione's lips thinned and she nodded, "Revenge."

Meanwhile Pansy was listening to Tracey attempt to explain her theory that Draco was infected with some vampire disease and had Hermione under his charm to be his food for the next however-long-she-would-survive. Pansy finally got too frustrated and interrupted, "Stop. You're fired."

"Fired?!" Tracey screeched. "You can't fire me for this!"

"I can and I am. Give me your notes. You will be mailed your belongings tomorrow and you are now under the nondisclosure agreement you signed when you were hired. You may not speak of, nor write about, anything having to do with your tenure at Witch Weekly- including most especially this interview- for the next 5 years. If you do, you will be sued for no less than 25 million galleons."

"But I-"

"No. There is no argument. You've had repeated warnings about your damaging and frankly outlandish theories and this is the last straw. Now get out and go home."

Tracey stood and threw her notes at Pansy. She walked out of the room snarling profanities and filth and slammed the door. Colin looked at Pansy and said, "I guess I owe you a few galleons then."

Pansy smirked and nodded. She wrote something on a paper and then sent it off, probably letting the Witch Weekly staff know about Tracey being fired.

"You bet that you would fire her today?" Hermione asked.

Pansy scoffed. "There's a reason I had her come in to do the interview. She's been a thorn in my side for too long. Always throwing around her stupid theories and conspiracies. Colin, doll, could you get us some tea while we finish up? I don't think we will need any more pictures. Thanks."

Colin nodded and put his camera down near the door. He walked out to order a tea service.

In his absence, Pansy said, "A source has told me Skeeter is trying to sell the picture because the Prophet won't run her story. They say it verges on slander to accuse Draco of being anything other than a human. She doesn't realize nor suspect the Veela trait."

Draco breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. And with you firing Tracey like that, you can discredit the whole story. Thanks Pansy."

She winked at Draco. "Not a problem handsome. Oh Hermione don't look at me like that. You should know I would never, and more importantly he could never do anything with me."

Hermione reached out and took Draco's hand. "I know. But that doesn't stop it."

Draco kissed the back of her hand.

"Anyway, before I throw up. Anything else you want to have in the story? Of course we also need to discredit Tracey in the story, but, anything additional you'd like to add?"

Draco and Hermione spent a few moments seemingly reading each other's minds to Pansy.

"We are private people, Pansy." Hermione said at last. "We lead boring lives. It seems all scandalous that we got married and didn't tell anyone, but in the end, it's not really anything special. We did this interview because we want to be left alone."

Pansy nodded and the door opened with Colin carrying a tea tray.

They sat down to tea and chatted more amicably about what they had all been doing since last seeing one another.

On the walk back to the castle, Draco finally broke the thoughtful silence in the chilly early evening air asked, "Fell in love with a Malfoy, eh?"

Hermione blushed scarlet and bit her lip. "It was… for the story?"

"Was it, Granger? Was it really?"

She risked a glance at him and looked away again. "I maybe might… you know fancy you a bit."

Draco smirked again. "Oh sure. Fancy me."

Hermione bit her lip. He didn't say anything more and she was thinking of whether she meant it when she had said that she loved him or not for the rest of the walk.

They walked to their rooms and Draco said he felt like playing his piano for a bit.

Hermione sat and stared at the book she had been reading while he played. Did she love him? How would one even know if they loved someone in her kind of situation? She knew that she had to stay with him for the rest of their lives, and that she had chosen the situation but did that mean she loved him? She thought back over their whole twisted and strange relationship. From meeting him when they were 11 to the current melody that he was playing and realized suddenly that no one else in the world would be as perfect for her as him.

He paused in his playing and glanced at her with a small smile and Hermione realized that yes. She did love him.

She stood and sat next to him on the bench. "Can you teach me to play?" She asked softly.

His long fingers lifted off the keys and he placed them on her chin to kiss her softly. "Of course, my love. Put your fingers like this…"

When she led him to bed hours later, she took her time in showing him her feelings before she could say them. When he held her after their slow lovemaking, neither of them cared a whit for their shared sweat nor stickiness of skin.

After what felt like an age, and with her nerves shot with anxiety, his breathing evened out. Deciding to take the words for a test run, Hermione finally whispered into the dark, "I love you, you know." Hoping that she might not be so nervous when she told him tomorrow.

And to her surprise, he whispered back, "I know. I'll always love you, Hermione. Always."

A/N: Well that's it! I'm not saying with 100% certainty that there will be an epilogue but the chances are pretty good. I'm sorry for the delay. I could not find the words to start the interview. I wound up having to ask my husband for help! Good thing, too, because most of the questions Tracey asked are from him!

Thanks for reading, reviewing, following, and/or favorite-ing this story! I hope you liked it!