When the Stars Fall

THREE: Fill the Emptiness

Hermione retreated from the room, her face full of color. She went downstairs to the kitchen and began fixing breakfast, some scrambled eggs and sausages. She was glad that her parents had to work today. She had no idea how she could keep up the charade of keeping a half naked boy up in her room without them finding out sooner or later. Malfoy was not one to just stay quietly locked up if he could be causing trouble, especially in the home of Muggles.

She looked up when she heard someone walking down the stairs. Funny, it sounded like someone with shoes on. Malfoy walked into the kitchen wearing black slacks, a gray sweater, and black boots. Hermione's eyes widened. How had he gotten the clothes and then she remembered her wand. It had been in her room. He raised an eyebrow at her and then pulled something out of his pocket. It was a wand, not hers, but his. Then he pulled her wand out and held it out to her. She took it and then looked over at him, wondering what he was up to.

He sat down at the kitchen table and took a deep breath.

"Smells like food in here, Granger. What is on the menu, or do you only serve house specials?" he spoke teasingly.

She rolled her eyes and dumped the cooked eggs onto two plates that held the sausages she'd cooked. She took her plate and placed it across from Malfoy. Then she retreated to the fridge where she got out a pitcher of orange juice, and proceeded to a cabinet and got out a glass and poured the juice into it. When she was done she set the pitcher on the table and began eating her breakfast. Malfoy looked at her incredulously. She'd blatantly ignored him.

He cleared his throat and then said, "Well, aren't you going to serve me? I am your guest."

She looked up at him and answered, "Guests are invited and so you are not a guest, therefore you can serve yourself. Your plate is on the counter, you've seen where the glasses are, and the pitcher of orange juice is right in front of you."

"What?" he nearly choked, and almost said something about no Malfoy ever having to serve themselves, but then he thought back to the reason he'd fled his home. There was no going back there unless he gave into his father. The only way he could get out from under his father's thumb was to be disowned, and he had no idea how to accomplish that feat. Then he looked up and saw his answer sitting before him daintily eating eggs and sipping orange juice.

He got up and set his plate on the table, got a glass, and then poured his orange juice. The room was quiet as the pair ate. In the silence Draco thought of what he had to do, and then closed his eyes. His father would disown him and then want him dead, but he could deal with those consequences, what he couldn't deal with were his nightmares coming true, and that was his destiny unless he could escape his father. As he ate, he stared at the girl sitting across from him. She looked up and her eyes widened as she wondered what he was looking at so intently.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked.

He looked down and then back up again, and finally resolved to speak. "Well, if I am to stay here, shouldn't your parents be aware of my presence? Honestly, you can't expect to keep me hidden in your room forever, and I would appreciate a suitable wardrobe. I can't very well use magic to make all of my clothes, it's such a waste to use magic for so tedious a task."

"I'm not sure how I will break this to my parents, as for your wardrobe.... We can go to the bank, I can make a withdrawal, and then we'll go shopping. Mind you, these are Muggle shops we'll be going into so do behave your self. And there won't be any trouble will there? I mean you were obviously in trouble yesterday. What were you running from?"

Draco's eyes shifted to his plate. "Some unpleasant business of my father's which I would rather not discuss. Your plans sound suitable."

With that said they finished their breakfast and then Hermione gathered the dishes and put them in the sink. She would take care of them when she returned home. She ran up to her room, grabbed her house keys and met Draco downstairs. She noticed how his eyes followed her. As she shut the door behind her she locked the door and suddenly felt underdressed next to Draco. It seemed that he was dressed up while she merely wore jeans, a t-shirt, and sneakers.

They took the bus to the bank where Hermione made a sizable withdrawal and then they walked into several shops where Hermione recommended Draco get t-shirts and jeans so he would look more casual and blend in better with those around him. He grudgingly took her advice and went to try on a pair of jeans and found that they were surprisingly comfortable. In the end Hermione spent a great deal of money on several pairs of jeans, some t-shirts, socks, boxers, and a pair of black hiking boots for Malfoy. She didn't complain, however. After all this meant was that he was in her debt.

After finally dragging him out of the store she managed to get him on the bus with their many purchases, and soon she found herself unlocking the powder blue front door of her home and walking in with Draco and all of the clothes she'd bought for him. There was no doubt in her mind that her parents would question her about her sizable withdrawal. However, she would cross that bridge when it arose.

As soon as they were home, he bolted to her room with his new clothes and came down a few minutes later wearing a black tee shirt, dark blue jeans, socks, and his black hiking boots. Hermione had to admit that she admired how he looked in the jeans. He was very handsome. She ended up showing him the television, which distracted him for a while; giving her enough time to wash the dishes and try to think of what she could tell her parents. Nothing, however, came to mind.

She was just putting the dishes away when she heard a throat clear. She looked toward the doorway that led into the parlor and there stood Malfoy. She sighed and wondered what would come out of his mouth, an insult or question. Thinking that he was hungry, as it was almost lunchtime she said, "I can fix some sandwiches if you're hungry. Care to get the bread out? We have ham and roast beef, which do you prefer?"

He walked toward her, took her hand, and then looked her straight in the eye. This was so unlike Malfoy that she failed to come up with any response. There was something in his eyes, fear and wonder. He bent down and caught her lips in a soft kiss and then straightened again and peered down at her. She was really confused then.

"What is going on?" she snapped, and then looked down to avoid his blue eyes.

Draco let out a heavy sigh. "You're right, Granger, I'm in a lot of trouble. My father is trying to force me into Voldemort's services, as you probably already know. I've been having nightmares and I can't follow my father's path. I ran away nearly a week ago. Father sent something after me. It could sense me, and it almost had me when I saw your door. I remember knocking and then nothing up until waking up in your room with you leaning over me. There are only two ways that I can get away from my father. I could die, or I could disgrace him and the Malfoy name."

"All right, and what does this have to do with me?" she asked.

"I do not intend to die," Malfoy growled and then he lifted her chin gently, but firmly and his blue gaze burned into hers. "And you're the only way I can disgrace the Malfoy name. I need your help. You have no idea what he has planned for me. It is a fate that is unimaginably horrible. Are you willing to help me?"

Hermione saw the desperation in his eyes. He was terrified, and she'd never seen such desperation in anyone before.

"What would I have to do?" she asked hesitantly.

Malfoy dropped his gaze to the floor and then lifted his eyes once again to look into her toffee brown gaze as he whispered, "Marry me by wizard law."

"What?!" She choked.

"It's the only way to save me, and I would be in your debt for the rest of my life, however long that is. At this moment you decide my fate. I am not like my father. I know I've been... less than pleasant toward you, but you must understand...." He couldn't continue.

Her eyes flashed. "Oh, I do understand. You have treated me like some mongrel for as long as you've known me, and look at how you've treated my friends, now you want to save your own neck by lowering yourself to marrying a filthy Mudblood? You've outdone yourself. You're right Malfoy, I've never been one for romance, I'm too much of a realist for that. I thought maybe I could know the love that my parents have, but I suppose fate is different for us all."

"I know you would be sacrificing a lot, but look at all that I'm giving up. I'll be penniless and disgraced," he snapped.

"But you will be alive. That's what matters isn't it? You don't care what it would mean for me, or my family. Just as long as Draco Malfoy is still breathing in this world. Do you give a damn about anything other than yourself?" she snapped.

He glared at her. "What else should matter to me in this world? My family? My friends? What are those things? You know what I am! I'm like any other Malfoy. Cold, ruthless, and nothing stands in the way of what I want. I don't want you, but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make if it means my life. I'm sure there are girls that would dream of a moment like this. Of course, the Gryffindor bookworm would not be one of them."

"At least we know where she stands."

"So, Granger, let's get this over with. Are you going to marry me? I'm not going to fall to my knees and beg you. A yes or no will suffice."

She drew her hand back and let it meet his cheek with a resounding slap that filled the room. Draco tentatively readjusted his jaw with his long fingers, and his eyes gleamed blue fire. Needless to say he was shocked with her answer.

"Very well. I took responsibility for your life the moment I took you in, so I may as well finish the job. I can't just let you die if I can save you. I will marry you under witness of the moon. It is full tonight, and that would make our marriage legal by wizard law regardless of whether we have witnesses or not. You needn't worry about rings. Once the ceremony is done we shall be marked as joined for the remainder of our life, and nothing can undo it," she said, her voice was filled with venom, as felt something deep inside of her shatter. She'd just said she would willingly give herself to Draco Malfoy for the rest of her life.

His mouth fell open for a moment, but he soon regained his composure and looked at her in awe, all of his previous nastiness gone from the sudden shock. "You would give yourself to me, tonight, for the rest of you life, to save me?"

"No one deserves to be forced into the service of one so foul as Voldermort. I am surprised that you would rebel against your father though. I was certain that your destiny was a sure path, that we would be archenemies all of our lives. Fate laughs on us all," she said in resignation.

"How do you know about the ceremony?" he asked.

Hermione blushed. "I came across a book of matrimonial ceremonies of witches and wizards. It is the only ceremony that can be performed between a witch and wizard without witnesses and be considered legal under wizard law, and can only be performed under the full moon. The mark of the ceremony is clearly visible on the left palms of the married couple, so if you wish to keep the marriage a secret do not let anyone see your left hand after tonight."

"So you will marry me? What about Potter and Weasley?"

"Whom I marry is my concern, despite how foolish my choice is. Harry and Ron will just have to accept it. The question is whether you can handle having a Mudblood wife."

He looked at her darkly. "I'm strong enough to take you on, Granger."

"Fine, then occupy yourself until tonight. You can stay downstairs until four thirty and then you are to go straight to my room. My parents will be home around five and I don't want them to know about you until after tonight. I need to go up to my room and consult that book again, I think I have it somewhere. If I remember correctly it was called Matronly Marriages of Magical Mirth...."

With that she headed toward the stairs muttering about the book and what page she'd seen the ceremony on.

Malfoy's blue gaze followed her as she walked up the stairs. He closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. His body was trembling and he collapsed to his knees. He was going to go through with the marriage, it was his only escape from his father and a fate worse than death. The strange thing was that he was relieved that Hermione had agreed. She was willing to give herself to him to save his life. It amazed him that she, of all people, would be willing to make such a sacrifice. What amazed him even more was that he finally realized that somehow, during the past six years that he'd known her, he'd slowly fallen in love with her....

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The hours seemed to fly by after that. He was now standing in the back garden of Hermione's home, dressed in the gray sweater, black slacks, and black boots he'd had on earlier and it was nearly a quarter until midnight. Hermione said the ceremony had to be performed at midnight. He began to pace, wondering where she was and what was taking her so long. Her parents were asleep, and they'd remain asleep until morning. Hermione had used a sleeping draught, she'd managed to smuggle home in her trunk, on them.

He looked up at her window noticing the light, and then suddenly the light went out. His heart leapt, and his pacing grew more frantic. Then he heard the rear door open behind him and saw her slowly approach him. His eyes widened as he saw her. She was dressed in the lavender gown; it had a silver glow to it in the bright moonlight. She also carried a long white ribbon that was nearly two yards in length and a white handled dagger. Draco knew what the ribbon and dagger were for. Hermione had gone over the ceremony with him several times.

He stopped pacing and walked toward her. She in turn headed toward a willow tree in the far corner of the garden. The full moon seemed to glow over a certain spot beneath the tree. The couple stepped together into the light of the moon. Hermione took Draco's left arm and wound the ribbon around it three times. Draco then took the rest of the ribbon from her, his fingers brushing hers, and wound the ribbon three times around her left arm. They stood facing each other.

Hermione took a deep breath and spoke first. "By light and witness of the moon this night, I promise to you my blood, my heart, my life. I bind myself to you and you alone, and to you and you alone, all my grievances I atone. Beneath this moon I give myself fully unto you."

With that, she took the dagger and brought it across the palm of her left hand. She gasped as the blood welled up. She handed the dagger to Draco and he took it and said, "By light and witness of the moon this night, I promise to you my blood, my heart, my life. I bind myself to you and you alone, and to you and you alone, all my grievances I atone. Beneath this moon I give myself fully unto you."

He brought the dagger, stained with her blood, across his own palm and then they locked eyes and spoke together. "By light and witness of the moon this night, see this now, our blood joins, our hearts beat with the same power, and our souls entwine. Let us fight the shadows and live to find happiness in the cleansing light of sun, stars, and moon and we pray this to be divine."

They joined hands and the white ribbon began to glow silver as their blood mingled and dripped, three drops to the ground, A mist encircled the pair and the glow of the ribbon grew brighter and brighter until both closed their eyes and darkness mercifully fell in upon them.

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Draco awoke the next morning to screams and shouts. He slowly opened his eyes and felt something pressing in the crook of his right arm. He turned to his side and saw Hermione's head nestled there, and his arm was wrapped protectively around her and their left hands were still joined. He moved his head towards the screaming and shouting and then felt a pair of hands reaching for his arms and trying to force him up, but the moment the hands touched Draco something sparked and that was when the screaming and shouting stopped. Draco sat up and carefully eased Hermione up with him, without waking her up. He looked up and saw her parents staring at him and Hermione. He looked from one to the other and then down to Hermione. She looked so peaceful. He let go of her left hand and then examined his palm and hers. His eyes widened. On bother of their palms were identical crescent moon shaped scars, not wounds that appeared to have been made last night. Funny, he'd only slashed his hand, there had been no shape, but there were the scars, quite plain to see.

He turned his attention again toward Hermione's parents and then gathered Hermione into his arms. He headed toward the door where Hermione's mother stood, but Hermione's father got there first and then looked from Draco to his daughter clutched in the strange boy's arms.

"What have you done to our daughter?" Hermione's father's voice shook.

Draco looked toward the ground and then met Mr. Granger's eyes. "It was a part of the ceremony. We were married under wizard law last night under the full moon. I suppose I owe you an introduction, my name is Draco Malfoy...."

He didn't get a chance to say another word as Mr. Granger's fist reared back and caught him in the jaw. Draco stumbled back a step, but he didn't drop Hermione. Mr. Granger then stormed into the house. Draco walked in after him as Mrs. Granger nodded him inside and closed the door. Draco carried Hermione upstairs and laid her down gently on the bed. He couldn't remember anything after the ribbon began to glow. They must have blacked out. He then headed downstairs, feeling that he owed his new in-laws an explanation, and he tried to bury the anger that raged inside of him at having been hit by Hermione's father.

He could hear the shouting coming from the kitchen. Mrs. Granger said, "Oh, Richard, we would have known if she were pregnant. Oh my God. She's still a child. Only seventeen. It can't be legal."

"What do we know about wizard laws, Penelope?" Mr. Granger snapped.

Draco chose then to enter the kitchen. The rather loud conversation halted abruptly. He looked from Mrs. Granger to Mr. Granger and then took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"She isn't pregnant. I've never touched your daughter in that way. The day before yesterday she took me in and saved my life, and then last night she married me to keep me safe. My father will disown me and I won't have to become what he is. You have a very brave daughter. I never would have thought that a Muggle-born witch could act so nobly or bravely. I've been a fool all of these years. Some of her blood runs through my veins at this very moment and I feel so different. I wasn't what I was yesterday. Be proud of her. She gave up a lot for my life. I owe her more than you can imagine," he managed to say.

"You've been in my home for two days? She's been hiding you?" Mr. Granger asked incredulously.

Draco nodded. He noticed Mrs. Granger reaching for her pocket and pulling out a handkerchief as tears filled her eyes. Mr. Granger, however, was fuming.

Suddenly the expression changed on Mr. Granger's face as he seemed to recall something. "Did you say your name was Draco Malfoy?"

Draco nodded. Mrs. Granger's eyes widened and Mr. Granger pulled a chair out and collapsed in it.

"You're the one that Hermione told us about. She said you were a handsome boy, and it was a pity that someone as horrible as you could look so heavenly. She can't stand you, yet she married you?" Mrs. Granger sniffled.

"As I said, it was a great sacrifice," Draco spoke softly and then looked up at Hermione's parents. "The marriage binds us together for the rest of our lives. There is nothing that can undo it, except death. There is something else that I should tell you. I only just realized it myself. I... I care about your daughter. When I'm with her I am at peace. She keeps away my nightmares and she opens me up...."

Mr. Granger glared at his new son-in-law. "Of course she makes you feel that way, because you are nothing more than a selfish, spoiled...."

Mr. Granger couldn't even finish what he was about to say, because he was so angry. He noticed how Draco's jaw had begun to swell and he felt a twinge of satisfaction. He closed his eyes for a moment and remembered how Hermione looked in the lavender gown, as she'd laid in the arms of this platinum blond haired boy that stood before him. The gown was beautiful, but it hadn't been given to her as a wedding gown, it was meant for her to wear to a dance that was coming up on Saturday.

"Let my daughter make you happy, but you remember what you've taken away from her. You better do you damnedest to make her happy, or so help me I will rip you apart. Nothing, no spell or curse, could save you from me. She's my only little girl and you stole her from me. Who do you think you are?" Mr. Granger growled.

"A broke and disgraced man who just escaped a fate worse than death. I'm penniless and disowned by my father for marrying your daughter, because she is Muggle-born," Draco answered.

Mr. Granger looked up at Draco his eyes locked menacingly with Draco's steely blue gaze. "You're no man. You're a boy who just ruined the life of my daughter. If you weren't married to her I would kick you out, so help me. As it is, I can do nothing to you until I hear what Hermione has to say. I suggest you go up to her and see how she is."

Draco nodded and then left the kitchen. He walked up the stairs and went into Hermione's room. He saw her lying on the bed and a smile crept over his face. He drew near the bed and gently ran the back of his hand lightly across her cheek. He admired her beauty and then thinking of the welfare of the dress, he pulled out his wand and did a spell that changed her clothes. Soon the lavender gown was hanging up in her closet and she was in her pajama bottoms and tank top from the night before last. Draco pulled the desk chair toward the side of the bed and just stared down at her. She was so full of life and power, and he could feel her blood running in his veins.

As he watched her sleeping he felt warmth and an emotion so strong that it filled him with longing and fear. Above all things, he was determined to protect her, because simply looking at her could fill the emptiness that had once been his heart.