Title: Change Your Ways

Written for the Family boot camp prompt #6 (civilization) and for the Jury of Your Peers Competition (family story).

Type of story: romance/family

Rated T

To a Malfoy, family is held up in the highest importance. One never dishonors their family, disobeys their obligations or does something to shame the family name.

That includes marriage. One should only ever marry a Pureblood in order to keep mum and dad happy. To marry anyone of lesser blood would mean shaming the entire family, the centuries of Pure livelihoods and perfect humans. Marrying someone with a different blood status is unheard of.

Draco already knew he was going to be eaten alive by his parents even before he stepped inside the room. His fiancé straightened his collar, trying to calm his nerves.

"You graduated," Hermione reminded, patting his chest. "You've entered adulthood. Technically you're the man of Malfoy Manor, right? Technically you're the one in charge now. Your father might still be your father, but he should listen to you. You're old enough to make your own decisions."

"It's not that simple," he muttered, rubbing his temples. "We're breaking down centuries of pure blood by getting married. They won't take that lightly. My ancestors will throw a fit. They're going to hate you."

She rolled her eyes, standing on her toes to peck him on the lips. "I can handle some angry portraits Draco. It's the living people I'm worried about."

"Yeah, me too."

She lightly elbowed him. "Come on now, don't be too worried. We already told my friends, and you lived through that. At least your parents like you. It might be easier to tell them than it was to almost be killed by Harry and Ron."

"Don't remind me," he sighed, rolling his neck. "Like is a relative term in this context love. My parents are going to ignore our marriage as much as they can. They'll never really agree to it. They are too set in their ways, especially my father."

Hermione bit her lip. "Did you want me to come with you? Like I said before, I don't mind-"

"No," he interrupted, pursing his lips. "No, love, this is something I must do alone."

"I know," she sighed, grabbing his hand. She leant forward and kissed him one last time. "I wish you luck."

"I'm going to need it."

"I'll see you back at my place," she continued, giving his hand a squeeze.

"I'll see you then." He released her hand, letting the woman get far away from the grand doors before entering the sitting room. As planned, she would use the floo in his room and go back to her apartment. Although she didn't think that Draco needed to protect her from his parents, she did understand that he wanted to do this by himself. It was going to be an ugly conversation no matter what.

He braced himself for all the anger about to be throw his way. Currently his parents sat in two different chairs, totally ignoring one another. While Narcissa looked up and smiled at their son's arrival, Lucius continued to stare at his book. It was no secret that he didn't much miss his son from when the boy moved out on his twentieth birthday. Merlin knew he made enough to support himself.

"Draco, it's good to see you," Narcissa said, hugging her son. She was about a head shorter than Draco, who got his height from his father. That being said, the elder Malfoy still stood a few inches above his son. "What brings you buy?"

"I have some business to discuss with the two of you." It was no secret that Draco moved out of the Manor because of his father's behavior. The overbearing father constantly tried to control his son, who was his last touch with civilization. Few and far people would look Lucius Malfoy in the eye anymore, and fewer still would talk to him without turning up a cold shoulder on the rich man. His actions and his racism held him back, making him public enemy number one in many people's eyes. He only ever left the Manor when he absolutely had to these days.

Draco couldn't say he quite pitied his father. After all, the man did it to himself. He chose to stay set in his ways, and that clashed with the people of today who were moving on from Voldemort's age old ways, stepping out of racism and into equality among the witches and wizards of Britain. It was the dawn of a new age, and Lucius didn't really want to be part of it.

"Speak boy," Lucius said, folding his book shut. Draco out rightly ignored his father, guiding his mother back to her chair. She was sickly as of late, and he didn't want her standing for too long. Merlin knew that he didn't think his parents should be together anymore, since they weren't even a couple anymore really. But Narcissa was grounded in her ways as far as marriage was concerned, and didn't' file for divorce from sad old Lucius. No amount of pestering on Draco's behalf could make her change her mind.

"I'm getting married," Draco declared, speaking to both of them now. Instantly Narcissa's face lit up, and even Lucius looked rather pleased by the news. They were certainly surprised, but elated. After all, he hadn't even told them he'd been in a relationship with Hermione since he was nineteen. He was twenty-four now. He hadn't lived in the Manor for years.

"Oh, congratulations Draco!" Narcissa cried, moving to hug him. He bent and hugged her instead, not wanting her to stand again. When he turned to see his father's reaction, the man still looked pleased, but now he also seemed stern.

"So who is this girl?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

"She's marvelous father," the young man replied, not giving a name. "She's witty, intelligent, and self-dependent. She graduated from Wizard's University this past May as the Valedictorian."

His mother's eyes widened. "Wizard's University? That's one of the toughest schools to get into in Europe! She must be something."

"She is. She's applying for the position of international relations and the Ministry, and I'm certain she's the most qualified person for the job. Most people who get into that position keep it until they die."

"So I've heard," Lucius agreed, studying his son. He was obviously trying to figure out just who this woman was.

"And she's beautiful," he finished, thinking back to Hermione. "Her parents are getting exited for the wedding. We've scheduled it for next March."

"And who exactly is this woman?" Lucius asked for a second time. Draco looked over at his father, meeting the man's eyes.

"Hermione Granger."

He may as well have said he was marrying the devil. Lucius was out of his chair in a moment, his eyes flaming mad. Narcissa stood as well, looking wearily between the two men.

"Out of the question!" Lucius boomed sternly, shaking his head at his son. "That's simply preposterous. There is absolutely no way my son will disgrace the family name by marrying a-"

Draco had his wand out in a moment, the item resting against his father's forehead. "Don't finish that sentence, father. She is so much better than you give her credit for."

"She's nothing Draco," he continued, ignoring the wand on his forehead. "After everything, you cannot seriously be considering-"

"I am," the young man said, cutting his father off again. "This is my life, father. And I don't obey the rules you once set for me anymore. I'm an adult, I live on my own, and I manage and produce the income that keeps Malfoy Manor paid for. I make my own decisions."

"Marrying her will shame this family forever. Years of Pureblood legacies will be diminished the moment you two are wed."

"Then so be it," Draco said, shrugging lazily. "The times are changing father, and we as humans must change with them in order to survive. Being a Pureblood isn't all it's cracked up to be anymore. It's almost shameful now, considering all that the Pureblood families did to try and get rid of muggleborns. You might think I am shaming our family by marrying her, but I see it as the exact opposite. I'm doing our family a favor by marrying her."

"A favor!? You're throwing away years-"

"I know exactly what I'm ending father," he said. "I've been aware of it for quite some time since I proposed. And let me tell you, I don't feel bad about it. You seemed quite impressed with the description of my bride before you heard her name. As soon as I put a face to a description you shut her out, for no other reason than her blood status. Father, she's not beneath us. She's equal to us, just like every other wizard and witch in the world. We're all the same. We all bleed red. And I realize that you're unhappy, but nothing you say can change my mind. I'm going to marry Hermione."

Lucius looked appalled, and slowly sank back into his chair, away from Draco's wand point. His son pocketed the wand again, stepping back so he was an equal distance between his parents much more, hands resting in his pockets.

It's not like he exactly expected for this to go well.

"You're no son of mine, Lucius spat, turning coldly away from his son. "My child would never do something like this."

"Your child is dead," Draco said, eyeing the man. "He died during the war. I've taken his place now. The racist, Voldemort-follower that you raised is long gone. And I'm afraid father that he's never coming back."

"Then it's a shame," the old man hissed, ignoring his son now. The man shrugged in response, completely unmoved by his father's behavior. He expected something like this from him.

"I didn't come here to tell the two of you this hoping you would be excited. I knew this conversation was doomed from the start. But I felt I should inform you, as you should know that I am getting married, and who it is. That's a secret I cannot hide forever. And I didn't think you would welcome the news with open arms. But you know now, and I've said what I came to." He turned away, glancing back at the pair just once. "There's an invitation for the two of you to the wedding that will be sent out in the coming weeks. Don't attend if you only plan to cause issues. I will have you removed if that's the case."

They said nothing more as their determined son left the room, storming back to his old room. He couldn't deny that this was indeed an extremely difficult conversation to have.

He also couldn't ignore the fact that he felt disappointed inside. He knew from the beginning that his father wouldn't listen to anything he had to say, but he had more faith in his mother than that. He had hoped that she would be excited for him even after she learned who it was that he was marrying, but instead she said nothing. He wished she'd said something at least.

He flooed home first to compose himself before going to Hermione's. It would've been nice to at least have one parent who supported his spousal choice.

A lot of people sent their wedding presents via owl. Hermione was sorting through the newest packages one morning, trying to write down who had sent something, when she happened upon a letter.

Weeks had passed since Draco spoke to his parents. No letters appeared after their talk, and he said very little about it. Hermione inferred that it probably didn't go very well.

"Draco!" she called, picking up the letter. It was attached to a small box, the envelope left blank. But she spotted a seal on the back, one that she recognized instantly.

"What?" he asked, stepping into the room. His hair was wet from his shower, a lone towel tied around his waist to hide his modesty. She smiled at his attire but didn't focus long on it, instead handing the box and envelope over to him.

"I thoguth you might like to see this one." She handed it over, watching his eyes widen.

The envelope had the Malfoy seal on it. This letter was from his parents. Pulling the box away from the envelope he tore the letter open, pulling out the short piece of parchment inside.

To new beginnings. I think you picked the perfect bride.

The letter was written in his mother's handwriting, and he read it twice before his eyes drifted past her signature down to another bit of text set lower on the page. His eyes widened at the name there.

I've sent something for you.

~Father

His father actually wrote on this note, indicating that whatever hid inside that box was from him. Draco felt floored, unable to quite process what was going on. In all regards, he thought his parents wouldn't speak to him again.

Hermione picked up the box, holding it in her hands. "What is it?"

He already had an idea in mind as he pulled the item away from her, undoing the ribbon tied around it. He assumed his mother was at fault for that. Inside sat a single ring, a rather intricate M sitting in the middle of it. He picked it up carefully.

"They sent you a ring?" she asked, slightly puzzled as she took the envelope and box out of his hands. For a long time, all he did was stare.

"This is the family ring," he explained, sitting down on the couch. She sat beside him, brushing her hair away from her face. "It's always passed down from father to son when the father believes that his son is ready to take on the responsibility of being head of the family business, and the Manor."

She tilted her head to the side, not entirely sure what that meant. But he was right there to keep explaining it to her.

"It's a sign of acceptance Hermione. You only pass it down when you discover that you're time has passed, and that your son is ready to take on the world alone." He looked over, meeting her eyes. "It means they accept our upcoming marriage."

Her eyes widened. "Are you serious? But you said-"

"I know what I said," he interrupted, looking down at the ring again. "But my mother said nothing after I told them your name. She got very quiet. I wasn't quite sure what was going through her mind. And I guess, looking back, maybe she wasn't completely offended by the idea. I mean, she didn't out rightly scream like my father did. I think in a way she persuaded him to see the benefits to this and that it's not so bad. Besides, it looks like his note was added on as a last minute idea before she sent this."

Hermione nodded, running a finger over the ring. "Do you think they'll attend our wedding then?"

"It's hard to say. But I don't think we'll be forever hated in their eyes. There might be hope yet. Maybe they can even properly meet you one day."

She shuddered at the thought. "I think I might need some time to prepare for that."

"I think we all would." Smirking, he set the ring aside and bent over to kiss her. She responded to his lips.

It felt like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. He wasn't going to be eternally hated by his parents for his decision to marry someone he really loved. For the first time since telling his parents about his engagement, Draco had some hope for the future.

Maybe his parents could change their ways after all.

A/n: Even the Malfoy's can share the love sometimes. Thoughts? Let me know!