Summary: Draco Malfoy never really gave much thought about getting married, but he knew he was not going to marry the woman his father had chosen for him, Miss Astoria Greengrass. But what about Miss Hermione Granger? Sometime a mother does know best.
Author's Notes: This is a story about Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger. I am taking liberties with the characters to suit the purpose of this story.
Welcome to-
Do You Want to Get Married? — A Harry Potter Fan fiction
Disclaimer: I do not profit from this work of fiction; I am just a fan who enjoys wondering about the plot-holes left by the original author.
And remember kids, reviews are always welcomed.
Sean
Chapter One: The Tramp, the Menace, and Lucius.
I
Astoria Greengrass was a gold-digging bitch who saw no reason to hide it so long as that fool Lucius Malfoy was forcing his son to marry her.
She was a pretty little thing with long honey-blonde hair and cold brown eyes who told everyone who would listen how she planned to spend Draco's fortune with a smile on her cupid bow lips.
Draco Malfoy was neither blind nor stupid. He watched his father faun over the gold-digging bitch for no other reason than the girl was a pureblood, and Lucius was gambling on the girl being as fertile as her equally odious mother who bore her pasty, bloated husband two daughters.
Narcissa Malfoy felt nothing by contempt for the little tramp. It was no secret Narcissa was against the idea of her son marrying that tramp. She did hide her disgust for the snake-eyed little bitch because of the abuse her son was dealing with at the hands of the youngest Greengrass chit. Narcissa had tried to make Lucius see reason, but it was like his ill-advised escapades with the Dark Lord, Lucius was hard pressed to see reason or understand that this match was not worth the hell the Malfoy name would suffer if Astoria was brought into their family.
Narcissa understood Lucius felt inferior to other older families. Lucius's mother had come from common stock; Lady Louisa Malfoy was never accepted into society. Her family had been new money and the marriage into the Malfoy House had brought them a title to match the wealth.
Louisa spent her married life trying to win a place in society instead of leading it. Socially awkward, friendless, and not terribly bright, Louisa, who never found her place among upper echelon of Wizarding society, often spent her days at the Malfoy primary residence with young Lucius as her only company. Alone with her child, Louisa pass all of fears and insecurities on to her son.
Sadly, Lucius spent his life trying to overcome his mother's heritage. His maternal relatives embarrassed him. It had gotten to the point that he would not acknowledge them because they were poor, under-educated, and socially inferior.
Abraxas Malfoy had grown up titled but impoverished. A majority of the family coffers was empty. The name Malfoy was old, they had strong presence in English Wizarding history, but the traditional wastrels, bad investments, and general stupidity nearly bankrupt the family. Abraxas married for money and he Lucius to marry for prestige.
Marriage into the Black House brought the Malfoy family the social connections and the respect that the Malfoys had lost over since Abraxas's father nearly bankrupt the family. Lady Narcissa Black, the youngest daughter of Earl Cygnus Black daughters, was not only a stunningly beautiful young lady, she was also a brilliant witch within her own right, and one of the most powerful witch of her generation. Lucius, though powerful, he lacked discipline and courage. In his weak mind, Lucius was only concerned with obtaining power. For Lucius, power meant respect, he thought fear was the same as love, and if people hated him though they were in awe of his strength.
Due to Lucius's insecurity, both of their family names were going to be further slandered and their lines sullied by Lucius's insistence on carrying about with his harlot.
Watching Lucius making an ass of himself over the Greengrass chit while ignoring his wife and their other guests was the salacious gossip from the moment the last guest left the fabulously restored Malfoy Manor. But Narcissa was going to make sure that first thing everyone mentioned was the wonderful experience they had and how prefect she and Draco were.
Looking around her ballroom, Narcissa pushed thoughts of her silly husband aside as she floated over to the group of men and women Lucius should have being more attentive to instead of fawning over the Greengrasses.
"My Lord Minister, I trust you are enjoying yourself this evening?" She said with an easy smile while offering him her hand.
The Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt graciously took the beautiful woman's hand and bowed over it. "Lady Malfoy, this is truly wonderful evening, you are a gracious hostess." He gently brought her forward to introduce her to five men and women he had been conversing with as she arrived. "My Lady, please allow me to introduce Sir Richard Robards, Commander of the Aurors. Margaret Snows, Solicitor General. Mr. Phineas Howard, Minister of Finance, and his wife, Lady Catherine Rhodes-Howard, and Sir Sidney Kentworth owner of the Kent Publishing and the new publisher of Daily Prophet."
"Pleasure all," Narcissa murmured, "I wanted to thank you all joining us this evening and do hope you all are enjoying yourselves."
On Kingsley Shacklebolt's arm, Narcissa made her circuit around the ballroom. She charmed the Minister with her wit and her beauty, and when they parted, Narcissa and Kingsley were fast friends and of course, he would be attending her garden party next Tuesday.
Astoria Greengrass watched Narcissa Malfoy glide around the ballroom on the arm of the Minister of Magic with a smile on her beautiful face. Everyone had nothing but praise for their hostess. Dressed in a strapless and backless gold lame gown and yellow diamonds, Narcissa showed like the sun and they were all common.
Astoria hated her.
When the Greengrass family arrived at the Malfoy's manor, Lord Lucius showed Astoria and her family the respect they were due. He was a gracious and attentive as he admired Astoria's gown. He even tried to have Draco compliment her, but the boy like his mother only looked down his nose at them before turning to greet the other guests.
Plastering her most charming smile, Astoria laughed at some tired quip Lucius made as they made a circuit around the ballroom in search of Draco. Thought it was not official yet, Lucius behavior towards Astoria was more of an announcement of his intentions.
Draco had managed to avoid his father and the parasite on his arm while managing to perform his duties for his mother. He and his mother had been photographed with Minister of Magic and more of the prominent members of society.
Draco had an impromptu interview with the Prophet's newest society reporter with whom he flirted with outrageously in hopes of having her avoid mentioning his father's shameful display with the Greengrass chit.
Lucius was desperately trying to cling to their old way of life before the Dark Lord resurrection. He chose to wear robes instead of the more modern suits that were now in fashion. Lucius was opposed to electricity in their homes, the automobiles Draco had purchased and the human servants Narcissa hired. In an interview with Witch Weekly, Narcissa declared it gauche to support elf enslavement when there were wizards and witches in need of work. The business journals supported everything that Lady Narcissa said. The economy would improve by employing magical folk and even further by bringing in squibs who had learned to live in the muggle world.
Squibs were professors, medical doctors, barristers, and magistrates in the Muggle world. Squibs were professional in almost every profession in the muggle world, some were supporting their magical families. Draco had brought in more than a few to take over positions that once belonged to Lucius's friends and fellow Death Eaters in MI Corporation (Malfoy International Corporation). Lucius may have refused to acknowledge reality or the changing times, but he was going to learn he was no longer master of the Malfoy name or its fortunes. Before he was sent to Azkaban during Draco's fourth year at Hogwarts, Lucius, on the advice of his barristers signed over his title, fortune, and the Malfoy estate to Draco, making Draco at age fourteen the Marquess Malfoy. Lucius thought he could control Draco, force the boy to do his bidding, and retain the power he lost when he had surrender his title to his son.
Sighing, Draco turned away from his view of the ballroom to the gardens. After a few minutes of blissful quiet, and the low din from the ballroom, Draco's solitude was interrupted by furious shout from the garden terrace below.
Looking down, Draco saw three people enter the garden. The shock of red-hair Draco would know anywhere and it didn't take a great deal to deduce who the other two were. The small woman reaching desperately for the infuriated red menace had been attempting to calm the fool who had been making an ass of himself from the moment he walked through the manor's front door.
Ronald Weasley was a menace and a brute that polite society had to endure because the idiot was Harry Potter's best friend and that was it.
Hermione Granger was also Harry Potter's best friend, but she was also the granddaughter of a Baron thus making her a member of the British Peerage. The problem with Granger was her need to try to elevate the Weasleys' status. She allowed herself to be pulled into every Ronald Weasley made of him while she desperately clung to a man who, with the help of his family, was only bringing Granger down. Sadly, she was content to allow this to happen. The Weasleys were burning through her inheritance, any position she had waiting for her after leaving the University of Law were now gone thanks to her very public relationship Ronald Weasley and his family.
Still, age had done Granger wonders.
She was still a runt, she barely reached the middle of Draco's chest. Petite with an hourglass figure, Granger had the body of a goddess. Her hair was still a riot of long wild chestnut curls that thankfully she stopped attacking with a brush after a girl in their Alchemy class at the magical side of Balliol College taught her how to calm her mass of curls. Draco just happened to at a table behind Granger when the gorgeous blonde witch spent the entire lecture giving Granger some much needed advice for caring for the wild bush on top of her head and her eyebrows.
Thinking of the blonde brought a smile to Draco's face.
He might not remember the name of every girl he slept with but he did remember the sex, and that particular blonde gave great head.
"This is bullshit and you know it, Harry!" Ronald Weasley was screeching like a Howler Monkey. "Malfoy is a Death Eater, they all Death Eaters, and Kingsley is in there parading the Queen Death Eater about on his bloody arm."
"Ron, please stop, you are causing a scene." Hermione casted a look over shoulder when she heard the terrace doors open. People were staring and those bloody photographers were snapping photos of Ron raging like a lunatic while she and Harry were trying to calm him down.
"This is not the time or the place for this," she heard Harry terse admonishment.
"What is a better time or place?" Ron yelled, "This isn't fair! Malfoy lives a luxury when he should have received the Kiss for killing Dumbledore!"
That was when Hermione realized her boyfriend was doing to this for the reporters who were now on the lawn with them jotting down everything that was being said by them. This was Ron's profession, the angry man on the street constantly yelling about how the world was doing him wrong.
And if the situation could not get any more humiliating, Harry's boss and Kingsley came rushing towards them with several of their guards.
"Potter," Sir Robards growled as he neared his subordinate, "Get your friend out of here before I have him arrested for disturbing the peace."
That just set Ron off, "You will have me arrested!" he screamed, "I am a War Hero and Harry Potter's best friend! If you want to arrest someone then how about taking in all the Death Eaters, starting with the Ferret!"
Draco let out a snort of amusement.
Granger had been invited because she was member of the peerage, Potter because he was the sod that defeated Voldemort, but Draco would bet his favorite broom that after tonight they would most likely not appear on the guest lists for the most important families until they dumped the Weasley rabble.
I hope ya'll enjoyed this.