Hermione Granger stood in front of a long mirror that stood in what was the Heads' Common Room in Hogwarts. She studied herself with intense caution. She was looking for anything that looked out of the ordinary… but then again, this wasn't really ordinary.
Hermione Granger was wearing a wedding dress.
Her wedding dress. You don't wear a wedding dress everyday.
She loved it very much, but she was still amazed that she was getting married.
Her dress was strapless with a corset like top and a skirt that flowed perfectly. A veil was on her head, held by flowers, and covering her face. A white sash came out from the corner of her top and went over it, going down to the opposite side of her skirt. Her hair was kept down in long flowing curls that reached just below her shoulders. Her face had a little bit of makeup: eyeliner, mascara, lip-gloss, and a light touch of glitter to sparkle. Her shoes were simple white slippers that fit tightly around her feet (not too tight), and she wore ankle short lace socks that were just visible on the brim of the slipper.
She was standing on a stool so the dress wouldn't touch the floor, just in case something was there that would ruin the white fabric.
All her brides' maid's were standing around, chatting with each other and trying to stay calm so they wouldn't make the bride nervous.
Ginny was her maid of honor. She was circling Hermione, making sure the dress was just puffy enough.
As Hermione stared into the mirror, memories started coming back
.: 1st Flashback :.
A Hermione Granger at the age of eleven was running through the train station with her luggage, on her way to her first year of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She was very excited to be able to do something like this. She had never known about magic before, but had always dreamed of it. Now, her dream has come true.
She ran through the barrier, knowing where it is from the letters – Dumbledore explained to her – she turned around the corner only to collide with another person.
"Sorry" she apologized
She looked up to see a boy about her age, with white blonde hair and gray eyes. A man that looked exactly like him, only older, was standing next to his fallen self.
The man sneered at Hermione. "Foolish Girl! Watch where you're going!" he said, walking away. "Come along, son"
The little boy got up and dusted himself off. He put his things back on his trolley and helped Hermione with hers. "Sorry about him. You get used to him after living with him your whole life"
"It's ok. I'm sorry, too. Are you alright?" she asked, noticing the cut on his left hand. It was bleeding a little bit. Probably from the trolley "Let me help you"
Hermione whipped out her wand and walked towards the boy. She took his hand but he was a little resistant.
"No, its nothing. I'm ok" he said, holding back.
"I insist" Hermione said, and thought of this spell in her head that would heal a wound like this. "It might leave a little scar"
"That's ok" he said.
Hermione flicked her wand and the wound instantly healed. Two weeks worth of bandaging was done in two seconds.
'She didn't even need to chant the spell… I know only older kids can do that. It's a hard thing to do.'
"Thanks" he said. Then, alarmed, he looked up as Hermione heard a strange name being called. "I'm sorry but I have to go. Father is calling me. I'll see you around…?"
"Hermione" she said sticking out her left hand for him to shake.
He took it gradually and said, "Draco"
They both felt a serge of energy go through their bodies, starting at their hands.
They each saw a vision
A happy couple was dancing on their wedding day. They were outside on a dancing floor that was floating on top of a lake. Everyone around was smiling and cheering.
It was the first dance as husband and wife.
It was a small vision, but it was enough. They couldn't recall the faces but Hermione knew one thing.
'I want that dress'"Draco!" the man from before hollered.
Draco gasped. "I got to go. See you around, Hermione" he smiled at her and left.
Hermione was in bliss.
The train's whistle suddenly blew and she ran over to it to quickly get on. She levitated her trunk through the door and continued down the corridor.
As she was walking, she heard a door slide upon and then a yell.
"You cant do magic. You're still too young to do it outside of the school. The Ministry should be here any minute to tell you this"
Hermione turned to find a girl with a pudgy face and black hair that went to her shoulders, and dark eyes.
She waited a few minutes, thinking the Ministry would come, but they didn't.
She put her trunk down and turned to the girl.
"Nothing yet" she said.
"What's your name?" the girl asked.
"Hermione Granger," at that moment, Draco's head popped from behind Pansy's back. "And you are?" she said referring to the girl.
"Pansy Parkinson" she said. "How come you can do spells outside of school?"
Hermione smiled at this and waved her wand so her trunk would levitate again.
"Magic" she said.
Draco smirk at Hermione's retreating back until she turned into a compartment and Pansy turned around.
"Filthy mudblood" she said.
Draco looked questionably at her but shrugged it off – thinking she was using the term as an insult instead of the truth. But he knew, in the back of his mind, that she was right.
.: End 1st Flashback :.
Hermione frowned upon the memory. That was where he began to call her mudblood.
Another memory washed over her.
.: 2nd Flashback :.
Hermione Granger sat in the library of Hogwarts. It was her second year there and she was eager to learn more magic than ever.
She had recalled some events that happened in her life that involved magic and researched every one of them.
There was only one left.
The surge of energy she felt when shaking Malfoy's hand'Many people say it's just the first time they touch magic. Others say it's when two people are reunited from a long time. The maximum being 10 years. Another theory is that it's a sign of true love.
"The first time our hands touched, it was wonderful. I saw an image of a wedding, and later on – on our wedding day – the image came back to me. We have been happily married for seven years now," says Jasmine of Romania.
Charles of France said, "I was a muggleborn. I had no idea what magic was. But when I first went to my magic school, I met a pureblood wizard. When he and I shook hands, the same surge of energy went through us and his father said it was because of me being new to magic. Him and I are still best friends today, and the surge of energy from our hands shaking reminds us everyday of it."
"I had met a friend of mine when I was eleven. But after school, we drifted apart. Another nine years later, we met up once again and a simple hug caused many memories to come back and life time friendship returned," said Geraldine of Russia.'
Hermione read the fine print and couldn't figure out which one it was.
She put the thought to the back of her mind and left for class. It was, after all, only 6:39.
.: End 2nd Flashback :.
Draco sat in a room in Hogwarts he knows too well to be the Slytherin Common Room. He lied on the couch, trying to keep his breath as even as possible to show that he wasn't nervous.
He was freaking out!
This was the biggest moment in his life and he was afraid. Very afraid.
This was something that could go terribly wrong
What is she runs? What if I choke during our vows? What if somebody objects!All these questions zoomed through his head, as he was panic stricken on the biggest day of his life. This was the most exhilarating thing that ever happened to him.
It was the only thing.
Who can say they weren't nervous at their wedding?
Then, Draco was reminded of something that happened in his 3rd year at this very school
.: 3rd Flashback :.
Draco, age 13, had just gotten punched by Hermione Granger.
"I have to admit: for a girl, she punches really, really, hard" he told his friends.
They laughed meaninglessly, probably not even knowing what he said.
As the day passed, Draco remembered the event and felt completely terrible.
He didn't mean it.
It wasn't his fault.
The clock on the wall suddenly struck 11 and Draco was a little confused.
He got up and walked out of the common room to the school grounds outside.
He had to clear his head.
Draco began to walk around the moonlit lake.
When he was getting close to the edge of the forest, he noticed someone leaning against a tree on the brim of the forest.
Draco walked closer to get a better view and saw who it was.
Hermione Granger.
She still hadn't noticed him, so he continued to walk.
He was about 5 feet away when she spoke.
"What do you want, Malfoy? Came to mock me and my blood?" she said
Draco stared at her for a minute. She still hadn't looked at him.
"I'm sorry" he said to her.
She then snapped her attention to him. "What?" she asked, confused.
"I'm sorry," he repeated. "For what I said"
She just stared at him. But then she turned her attention back to the water.
"You almost had Buckbeak killed" she said.
"I know… wait. I thought he was killed?"
Hermione looked at him and shook her head. "It's nothing. Never mind"
"Well… I just came out here to clear my head. And my conscious is clear now that I have apologized. Good night, Hermione" he bowed his head and turned to walk.
"Good night, Draco" he heard her say.
.: End 3rd Flashback :.
Draco smiled at the memory. He recalled Hermione coming in at night in the Hospital Wing when Buckbeak scratched his arm. It started out bad in the beginning, fights just above a whisper. But then, Draco began to look forward to Hermione's visits, learning to have civil conversations with her. They learned a lot about each other that year.
.: 4th Flashback :.
Draco Malfoy was in the Entrance Hallway, his forth year, waiting for Pansy so they can enter the Great Hall for the Yule Ball.
She was taking for-ev-er.
But she finally came and latched herself to Draco's arm.
They were about to enter when he saw something in the corner of his eye.
"She's beautiful" he heard Parvati Patil say.
He turned to see whom she was talking about, as did Pansy to "check out the competition"
Draco saw a girl standing at the top of the staircase, wearing the most beautiful dress he had ever seen. Or well… it was the best dress that looked really good on her. He noticed that she didn't wear much make-up and her hair was sleek and shiny.
'She is beautiful'
Pansy at his side gaped. "Oh Merlin, is that Hermione Granger?"
Draco's looked closer and saw it was Hermione.
His jaw dropped. He didn't have anything to say.
His breath was caught in his throat and it wasn't coming out any time soon.
…
After the ball, Pansy ran upstairs saying she was tired. He could understand – she danced with practically every guy there while he hung out with the other Slytherin guys.
But as he was about to go downstairs to the Common Room, he heard someone crying.
He turned a corner to find Hermione Granger sitting on the steps crying.
"Granger?" he said, walking in front of her.
She looked at him, but then looked away quickly.
"Came to ridicule the Mudblood, Malfoy?" she said.
He ignored her comment. "Are you ok?"
She looked him straight in the eye and he saw the tears still falling.
"Why do you care?" she got up and stood in front of him. "You should go before someone sees you talking to a muggleborn. Or rather yet, I'll leave. Goodbye Malfoy"
She walked around him, but he grabbed her arm, causing her to turn and look at him.
"I care because no one deserves to be hurt on a day like this" he said.
She looked down at her shoes, examining the floor they were on.
Draco put his hand under her chin and lifted it so she was looking at him.
He wiped the tears away with his thumb and smiled at her.
"May I have the last dance with the beautiful Hermione Granger?" he asked, bowing.
She smiled and looked away. She bit her bottom lip, closed her eyes and nodded.
He smiled and took her hand. He walked her inside the Great Hall where some students were still dancing.
A slow song began to play and Draco placed Hermione's arms around his neck as he wrapped his around her waist.
They began to sway to the soft music – not looking anywhere else but each other's eyes.
Draco smiled. There was no longer sorrow in her soft brown eyes, but happiness.
His eyes, he guessed, were screaming with joy.
Neville and Ginny spun past them and they both glanced at them.
"Longbottom's not to bad" Draco said.
Hermione giggled. "No, he's not"
The song soon faded away and they were detaching themselves from each other.
Draco smiled and gave Hermione a kiss on her cheek.
"Goodnight Hermione. It was lovely dancing with you" he said.
Hermione smiled. "Goodnight Draco"
With that, she walked away.
He saw Ginny running after her as she gave him a weird look.
Neville came up behind him.
"You hurt her, Malfoy, and you have the whole Gryffindor house to worry about. She's our prized possession, so don't think about anything." He said.
Draco smirked. "You make it seem like she's a rare piece of jewelry. Though I agree. You can't find someone like her anywhere else. You have nothing to worry about, Longbottom, I don't intend on hurting her. That was just a one time thing, I believe"
With that, he walked away.
.: End 4th Flashback :.
Hermione was examining herself in the mirror… still.
She was really nervous.
She was trying to stay calm before but she couldn't handle it anymore.
I should run. Then all the stress will be gone. But then I would be guilty. This is the man I love. I'll do anything for him. … It's settled. I'm staying.Hermione crossed her arms to prove that she was satisfied.
Ginny came with a tray of cheese and crackers.
Hermione waved it off.
"If I eat, I'll puck"
.: 5th Flashback :.
Hermione Granger was sitting at home, the summer before her fifth year, in the Granger household.
She was only sitting because the news that she just received didn't seem so thrilling.
More like shocking.
"She's in shock" her 'mother' said
"I'll say! That was shocking… I'm shocked!" Hermione said, blabbing senseless stuff.
"You have to understand Hermione, they did it for your own good. They had to do it or the Dark Lord would have killed you."
Basically, Hermione was just told she was pureblood. Her real parents were killed soon after she was given to the Grangers. Voldemort killed them. Now she had another reason to hate him.
But the thing is that…
Voldemort is her 2nd cousin.
He killed his own cousin – just because he didn't want to be a death eater.
'Who knew he had a cousin? Let alone, that cousin being my father'
She was very surprised.
Just then, she heard a pop, indicating that someone just came out of the fire – via floo.
She heard two more pops and then a voice.
"Lydia," a female voice called Hermione's 'mother' "where is she?"
The woman came around the corner and Hermione saw who it was.
She had long white blonde hair and blue mysterious eyes. She wore long black robes and a gold medallion around her neck that had a silver serpent on it with emerald eyes.
"Oh Merlin" she said when she saw Hermione.
She walked over to Hermione and stood in front of her, examining her carefully.
"Narcissa," a male voice said. Then Lucius came around the corner, with Draco behind him "Stop examining her. She probably thinks you're crazy"
"No, of course not" Hermione commented sarcastically.
"Granger? Granger is the missing Gaunt? The good Gaunts?" Draco said, shocked.
Everyone nodded but Hermione.
"No way. I'm engaged to her?" he said, surprised.
Hermione jumped. "What?" she said, outraged.
"You didn't tell her?" Lucius asked.
"We were getting to that" Gregory, Hermione's 'father', said.
"This can't be happening. You're telling me that I was born a Gaunt, engaged to Malfoy when I was born, hidden when I was 8 months old, my biological parents died soon after, changed name to Granger, tormented by Malfoy for the past 4 years, and now I'm supposed to kill my 2nd cousin if Harry fails."
"Ummm…Yea pretty much" Narcissa said.
"Great" Hermione said sarcastically. "What's my real name then? It can't be Hermione"
"It's Victoria Minda Hermione Finola Gaunt"
"So I can still be called Hermione, even though my name is Victoria?"
They nodded. "Hermione is still one of your names.
Victoria is for winner and conqueror
Minda is for knowledge
Hermione is for earth
Finola is for white hair
They each meant something." Narcissa said.
"Wait… white hair?" she looked at her curly brown hair. "Does this mean I don't look like this?"
Lydia looked scared but shook her head "No"
"What do I really look like?"
Lucius whipped out his wand. He gave it a flick and Hermione felt everything change.
The people around her gasped.
She got up and looked in the huge mirror that covered a wall.
She had long white blonde hair, whiter than the Malfoy's, that went to just the small of her back and shimmering violet eyes. She developed more of an hourglass curve to her body and she stayed the same height.
"Whoa" she said.
"Wow Gra – Gaunt… you're hotter than you were before!"
She took out her own wand. "I'm will continue to look like Hermione Granger until I turn from Gaunt to – " she gulped " – Malfoy" she said a quick spell and looked like a Granger again.
"You – you're agreeing to this?" Draco spoke up.
Hermione (Victoria) nodded.
"But… you're Hermione Granger. The one that fights for everything." He said.
"Not today," she said, taking her seat back. "Today I'm a Gaunt whose life has been chosen for her."
The Grangers looked sad "I'm sorry Hermione, but I'm sure you two will grow on each other"
"…I've always liked Draco, but this just makes it bad. Like I knew something like this would happen" she put her head in her hands.
"Don't worry Gran – Hermione" Draco said sitting down next to her. "Everything will be fine. We'll 'hate' each other in school and then spend all the summers together so we can get to know each other."
He put his arm around her shoulders and she leaned her head on his shoulder.
She began to cry and Draco sat there and comforted her.
The Malfoy's and Granger's smiled. It was going to be easier than they thought.
"My 2nd cousin killed my parents, and my best friends parents. Oh god this is a lot to take in" she said.
"Shhh" Draco kissed her forehead. "Everything is going to be fine. Potter will kill him and your dread will be gone"
She nodded in consideration.
.: End 5th Flashback :.
Hermione smiled. She always liked Draco but hid her feeling because she thought "A muggleborn and a pureblood don't mix" but that changed.
She was pureblood. A Gaunt. She wasn't like most Gaunts though.
She couldn't speak Parseltongue.
Which she was ok with.
I don't want to be able to talk to snakesAs for what she looked like really…
The charm she put on herself was so when the second best event that happened of her wedding day, after her surname changed, so would her image.
.: 6th Flashback :.
Hermione had only spent a couple of weeks with Draco during the summer before 6th year. He was busy and she was being sent to the Order's Headquarters, both on Dumbledore and Draco's (without anyone knowing) order, for the fear that she is a part of their plot at getting Harry.
Plain and simple – she could get killed if she isn't protected, just to get to Harry.
It was near the end of the year. Everything seemed to be going fine until one night;
Hermione's mouth was covered by someone's hand and was then pulled into a dark and empty hallway in Hogwarts during her patrol duty.
She was alarmed but calmed down when she saw it was only Draco.
He removed his hand from her.
She took a breath "You scared me Draco" she whispered.
"Sorry Mi, but I need to talk to you"
She nodded and he looked out in the hallway for any signs of someone there.
"Come on" he said, extending his hand out to her. She took it and he led her to the brim of the forest, where she sat at her tree.
"What's wrong, Draco? Something's been up since the summer." She said.
"Hermione… I-I've been sent on a mission to k-kill D-Dumbledore" he said, sadly.
Her mouth dropped.
"It's been you. So it was you who cursed the necklace, almost killing Katie, and poising Ron?"
Draco nodded. "Those were accidents. I never meant for those to happen."
He ran a hand through his hair. He only did this when he was really nervous
And Hermione knew this.
"You don't want to kill him… do you?"
Draco shook his head no. "But I have to. He'll kill my family. Even you. He knows I'm engaged to the missing Gaunt. He knows that she's been found. He just doesn't know where you are or whom you're disguised as. I can't have that been done. I wont let him kill my family."
"But you have to kill someone in the process" she said "I know you want your family alive, but you should go to the Order. They'll keep your family safe. They kept me safe. They can keep you safe too."
"I can't"
"Why not?" she asked.
"Because Voldemort has my mother. And fathers in Azkaban, so I don't have to worry about him much. But it's you and mother I'm worried about. The Death Eaters will be here soon, and they wont have anything stopping them. Plus, Dumbledore will get killed no matter what. Snape made an Unbreakable Vow with mother."
Hermione gasped. "We need to tell Dumbledore. Quick."
She got up and was about to run to the castle when Draco grabbed her, making her stop.
"Wha – ?"
"Dumbledore's not here. You have to be quiet about this Hermione" he whispered "I'll try to go through with the mission, but I know for a fact that I wont kill Dumbledore. I could never kill somebody as noble as him"
Hermione looked away from his face. He still had a hold on her.
She nodded. "Goodnight, Draco"
She gave him a quick kiss and walked away, while he stood there, comprehending everything that just happened.
.: End 6th Flashback :.
Hermione and Draco both thought about their 7th year.
She's lucky that she's in the room it happened in, he thought
She smiled at the place around her. It held so many memories.
.: 7th Flashback :.
Hermione was sitting in the Heads' Common Room, reading a book, as usual.
She was waiting for her beloved betroth to get back in from Quidditch practice.
She was so into her book, Pride and Prejudice, that she didn't even see him enter.
Draco Malfoy stood, all clean from taking a shower in the locker room, staring at the beautiful woman that sat on the couch near by. The soon-to-be Victoria Minda Hermione Finola Malfoy.
He was fiddling with something in his pocket. A velvet box.
He took a deep breath. He wanted everything to be official.
After fleeing last year without a word to Hermione, he went straight to the one place that she recommended.
The Order of the Phoenix
They were to protect him from harm of any Death Eaters that were on the verge of beating him to a pulp for turning sides like he did.
But, Harry killed Voldemort in the summer of 6th year and all his Death Eaters were captured. And Lucius set free for being proven to be under the Imperious Curse
(The minister visited him and said there was a faint glow of blue in his eyes, knowing perfectly well that all the Malfoy men have gray eyes.)
So here he was – off the hock for trying to commit murder, and on his way to the biggest event of his life.
…Well it will be the second event since the one after this one would be the biggest.
With a flick of his wand, the candles dimmed and he walked briskly towards Hermione, who was finally realizing the lights had gone dim.
"Evening love" he said and gave her a kiss. "Can I ask you a question?"
She smiled – not knowing what was ahead of her "Anything"
He knelt down in front of her on one knee and took out the velvet box in his pocket.
Hermione was taken back. Her breath caught in her throat. And he didn't even open it yet
"Will you marry me? Willingly and not because we're supposed to?" he asked.
He opened the box and showed Hermione the ring inside.
It was a diamond in the center with 2 small emeralds on either side, resting on a gold band.
Hermione squealed and jumped on him, kissing every part of his face and stopping more than once at his lips.
"Yes" she said "Yes, yes, yes, and YES!"
He laughed.
Draco picked her up and spun her around, making her laugh with delight.
.: End 7th Flashback :.
"Hermione dearest?" her 'fathers' voice came.
Hermione turned to him, still on her stool.
"It's time"
Hermione smiled, the nervousness still on her face, but excited was more visible.
She stepped down from her stool and walked towards her father.
All the brides' maids (3 of them) lined up from the order of the march. Hermione and her dad waited for them to go.
Hermione couldn't remember much.
Nor could Draco.
Hermione remembered taking a carriage to the spot near the lake where they were going to have the ceremony.
All they could remember was saying "I do" and sealing the marriage with a kiss.
Lost of pictures were taken of the happy couple. All the brides maids and grooms men gathered together and took a picture together.
Hermione and her 'parents' took pictures, as did Draco with his.
Hermione and Draco took a picture with the maid of honor, Ginny, and the best man, Blaise. The photographer went to develop the pictures immediately, so he can give them to the couple before they left for the honeymoon.
The reception wasn't long after. Draco and Hermione took a carriage to the edge of the lake were a platform was floating on the water. They took their seat in the large 'Newlywed' seats, as people started joining them on the platform.
When everyone was settled, the platform moved to the middle of the Black Lake, where it floated, perfectly stable.
The band began to play a soft melody.
It was their song.
Draco stood up and lent his hand to Hermione. She took it gradually and followed as Draco took her to the center of the dancing floor.
They swayed to the soft music, and as Draco spun Hermione, something amazing happened.
Hermione's brown curly hair turned to straight white blonde hair that reached the middle of her back. Her eyes turned from brown to violet and she became more fully like she did in the summer before her 5th year.
Everyone gasped. But she didn't care. Her true identity has been revealed, but has now been masked by the name Malfoy.
The happy couple danced to their song, while people still gaped at the sight before them.
They cheered as the song ended.
As they took a seat, Ron came over, completely drunk – already – and started mumbling.
"You and 'Mione will have beautiful blonde babies"
Then he passed out and Harry had to come and haul his friend to a table.
Hermione and Draco were laughing at the sudden change of events
Draco looked to Hermione and caressed her cheek.
"I thought you would run. Does that sound crazy?" he asked.
Hermione laughed. "I thought about it. But then I would miss this, and I'd be leaving the man I love if I did."
Draco smiled. "You're my world Mi"
"And you mine"
They leaned in and kissed passionately.
Blaise smiled at her and wrapped his arm around Ginny.
Ginny smiled at the couple from afar. "Love is the hardest obstacle to overcome… but in the end, it's worth it"