Chapter 1

December 17th 2000...

Hermione stared far away from the window of her bedroom. The winter seemed angrier and more dramatic as it accompanied the cold coiling her heart, numbing her whole being. It had been a month since she got there at the Malfoy Manor. One month after she came out of hiding to help her friends. One month after she learned to free her friends is to bind and imprison herself to Draco Malfoy for the rest of her life. One month since her heart broke upon the news of her forced matrimony to her enemy.

****

November 17th 2000...

"Mione, you don't have to do this for us," said Ron as he held her hands while their tears raced falling down their eyes.

Hermione sobbed as she felt the tightness in her chest. She'd been on the run since the war ended and Harry lost to Voldemort. When Voldemort won, all the muggle-borns were hunted down either killed or spared for a sole purpose depending on the demands of the Dark Lord. She'd been hiding on her own, away from the Order. While on the run, she'd been looking for her parents too. She refused to use her magic for a while to avoid getting tracked by the Ministry led by Lucius.

"I- I have to Ron. We already l-lost Harry, I can't handle losing you too- all of you..." replied Hermione, blinking the tears from her eyes.

"No, there's still a way out of here," Ron insisted.

"A way out of here? Their wands are on your throats! This place is heavily guarded and enchanted to prevent apparitions- there's- there's no other way out of here, Ron..." Hermione firmly whispered, trying to put some sense on Ron.

Ron looked down on the floor as he cried in silence. His shoulders were shaking as he did so. Hermione's heart couldn't break more from the sight of Ron crying in front of her. If only there was a way to escape, even if it meant losing her life, she'd do it but as they stood there with wands aimed at their necks, there's no way at all. There's no other way but to accept the condition.

"Do mind you don't have much long —"

"I will marry him!" Hermione blurted out, cutting off Voldemort as he spoke his impatience.

"I will marry h-him. Only if you let them go..." Hermione added as she tightened her grip on Ron's hand who dropped cold from the words she said.

The Dark Lord flashed a grin as he clapped his pale hands at them. He seemed to enjoy the view of the Order members on their knees while threats of wands aimed at their necks, while Hermione said her last words to Ron before marrying his trusted death eater, Draco Malfoy.

Hermione waited for the hug she's been waiting for since she parted ways with Ron two years ago. She heaved a heavy breath and painted the most painful smile on her lips as she tried to lift Ron's face by the chin.

"Please, Ron," pleaded Hermione with her weakest tone, pleading for that one last look and one last hug, or kiss...

"Draco," said Voldemort.

"My lord?" asked Draco, who stood beside Voldemort's throne.

"Go get the mudblood, they're having much of a fun time there," said Voldemort.

Draco nodded and marched his way toward Hermione and Ron.

"Ron...?" Hermione called his name, but his head was kept low, not meeting her eyes. Hermione felt her heart fall onto the floor when Ron snatched his hands from her grip aggressively that she lost grip of him with the first attempt. "Ron —"

Her chest squeezed tightened even more when Ron turned his back on her. Immediately, a wand was pointed at Ron, following his steps.

"NO! Don't hurt him!" Yelled Hermione as she was about to run towards Ron.

Voldemort raised a hand, then the death eater lowered his wand.

"Ron!" Hermione shrieked when Draco fell to the ground when Ron met him halfway towards Hermione and punched him in the face.

Hermione was about to run towards them, but a rope from Bellatrix's wand stranded her, causing her to fall onto the dusty floor while she watched Ron tortured by the Voldemort.

"Draco, take the mudblood out of here," said Voldemort.

"No! Stop! Y-you promised not to hurt him!" Hermione cried as she tried to let herself free. The incarcerous spell lifted, and then she crawled towards Ron with the bits of strength left in her body, ignoring her broken rib that seemed to stab her chest. She wasn't even halfway towards Ron when Lavender Brown ran and dropped on her knees to hold Ron as he trembled from the aftermath of Voldemort's cruciatus. At that moment and upon that sight, Hermione felt her body give up, falling limp on the cold-dusty floor, watching Lavender Brown caress Ron's cheek as he pillowed on her.

Hermione's vision turned blurry as everything around her felt untouchable. The darkness gradually pulled down her consciousness, then a strong pair of arms lifted her, and everything went black.

****

"The winter's lovely, isn't it?" said Kristella, her personal maid hired by Narcissa Malfoy.

Hermione couldn't part her sight from the sparkling snow outside. It would've been delightful if she hadn't had that heaviness in her heart.

"Coffee?" offered Kristella as she handed Hermione a cup of black coffee.

"You should warm up Ms Granger. Your lips... They're pale as the winter outside," she added.

"I'm fine," replied Hermione as she rocked herself on her rocking chair.

"Are you alright, Miss?" Kristell asked softly.

Hermione nodded softly, her eyes still not parting with the snow outside.

"Are you sure, Miss? You look like you might want to lay down-"

"I don't want to lay down!" Hermione blurted out unintentionally the coffee spilt on her books, and the cup broke into pieces as it hit the floor.

"I- I'm so sorry," whispered Kristell as she knelt down on the floor and picked up the broken cup.

Hermione sighed deeply as she realized her recent actions and knelt down with Kristell, joining her to pick up the broken pieces of glass.

"No, Miss. Please, I shall do this,"

"No, it's fine. It's my fault in the first place," said Hermione, "I'm sorry," she whispered.

A knock on the door paused them from what they were doing.

"Granger, it's me. We should talk," said Draco's muffled voice from the other side of the door.

Hermione shut her eyes tightly and heaved a heavy breath as she stood. "Come in."

The door opened and Draco entered wearing his black winter suit. Bits of snowflakes in his blonde hair.

"Could you give us a minute?" Hermione asked Kristell, who was on the floor cleaning up.

"Of course, Miss," replied Kristell and fled the room.

The door shut close, and silence filled the room.

"You're not going to invite your fiancé to sit down?" said Draco.

Hermione stared at him for a second with her glassy eyes and gestured to her rocking chair. "Have a seat," she mumbled and sat down on the edge of her bed.

Draco raised a brow as he sat on her rocking chair. The way it rocked him as he sat down made him dizzy.

"How can you sit on this chair without feeling nauseated? Goodness," said Draco as he massaged the bridge of his nose and shut his eyes.

"What is it that you want to talk about?" Said Hermione, clearly conveying that the last thing she needs is to have a small talk with him.

Draco blinked as her straightforward tone caught him off-guard. He cleared his throat and fixed his posture.

"Mother said lots of tailoring stores wanted to sponsor your wedding dress—"

"And?" she cut him off.

"She wants you to choose your dress for the wedding," said Draco as he clasped his hands together.

"Let her choose," she replied, her voice almost a whisper as she departed her sight away from him.

"At least you'd feel a bit better if you're the one to choose—"

"I said let her choose. You don't have to bribe me with piles of luxurious dresses. I'd still be marrying you even if I'm in my pyjamas, alright? It's not like I have a choice Malfoy," Hermione hissed, almost out of breath when she paused from her speech.

Those words would've sounded sweet without the last sentence. Those words would've sounded reassuring only if they were said to the right person. Those words would've been lovely if they were said with love and not pain and frustration.

Draco dropped silent as he fixed his eyes on her, then on the floor. His jaw clenched as he breathed. "Alright then," said Draco before he stood.

"By the way, mother said she'd want you to go with her whether you choose your dress or not. They need you there for your fitting," said Draco, then made his way out.

As the door closed, her tears fell. Flashes of thoughts played in her head.

What would felt like if it was Ron she had to marry? What would be like, if there was no war? What would this wedding feel like if, it wasn't a condition? What would her wedding day look like, if she was happy? What would it feel like if she had her parents walk her down the aisle? What would it feel like, to choose her wedding dress with Ginny? What would it feel like if she had Harry as the best man and Ginny as her maid of honour?

Loads of thoughts and emotions seem to dance in spiral motion in her head. She felt dizzy and weak again. She allowed herself to rest and laid down on her soft-cosy bed. Hermione grabbed her favourite pillow and cuddled it, pretending it was someone whom she can trust and let all of her guard down. Her sheets buried her warm as she lay there when a random thought crashed into her mind. The idea of sharing the same bedroom and the same bed with Draco Malfoy made her heart pound, unfortunately not in a good way. She was more worried than excited by the thought of it. Suddenly she wanted to see him again and ask him if it required for them to share a bed after the wedding.

The night slowly ate the winter daylight giving reasons for Hermione's prostration. It was the early night calling her for an early slumber. She curled herself even more and warmed herself as she closed her eyes. She knew sooner Kristell would knock on her door to call her for dinner, but she needed her rest before wasting her time with Draco for the rest of her life.