DISCLAIMER: HP belongs to JKR. The storyline, all new characters, new character development, new developments are my intellectual property. Glorioux
A/n a short story, a multi partner made possible with magic. It is a theme I often explore, the shy wizards. Not angst, just a little crazy. No Malfoycest.
Where Draco readies for a ball
"Father let's go, I don't want to be late." Draco was outside of his office's door.
"Why don't you go alone, I would prefer to stay home and read a good book," Lucius answered curtly.
"No, this is going on for over a year, and enough is enough. You are young and need to live again." Draco insisted.
"And what if they are there?" Lucius sounded angry.
"If they are there, I will greet them, and then we go to our table and seat. I know exactly who is at our table." Draco was losing steam and didn't want his father to ask him more questions.
The door to his room opened, Lucius looked splendid as usual, and Draco well knew that all the witches would be after them. Draco had been avoiding marriage because he couldn't bear to leave his father alone. It was a fact very few witches believed in the old customs. His father had recently said, "Too bad, there are no witches who believe and honor the old customs, too bad because the laws are still the same; I think it would only take one couple for others to follow."
He had a couple of good friends in the same quandary, he remembered a few days ago.
Adrian had told him, "If only we could find one of those enchantresses like the one we used to ogle in the books in your library. That curly hair babe, the fey enchantress who married several fathera]d sons' pairs. It had to do with her magic, allowing her to move thru space and time; they said she lived parallel lives."
"Nah," was Markus' answer, "she was murdered, burned at the stake, and left them all broken-hearted. But true, nobody burns them anymore, too bad that family end few otherwise, we could all share her. What was her name?"
Adrian made a remark that made them all wonder, "Now that we talk about it, doesn't Granger look like her? I am going to use my superior mind and investigate."
Markus agreed, "We can do it together."
It was hopeless, their laws stank, and their fathers were doomed to a life of loneliness when they married. Adrian was crazy and was digging and hoping.
Back to his current dilemma, nobody knew what happened with Narcissa, it was best that way. Draco couldn't blame his mother, but his father had never recovered from the horrors at the Manor and his part on it. Granger's torture and his godfather's death had cinched it.
The rumors of his father being a Lothario were so far from the truth to make it ridiculous. Lucius Malfoy was shy with women to the point to the point it was nearly pathological. He had told Draco, just a couple days ago, that he had only kissed two witches during his entire life. He recalled the events.
Draco and Lucius two days before- Draco hears about one kiss-
"Yes Draco, I know this might comes to you as a shock, but Severus and I were known for being shy around the witches. Many thought we preferred wizards, which wasn't the case, the truth is that the Malfoy wizards always had arranged marriages because our inability to be civil with witches. Gold we can make, politics, hmm, more or less, but with witches, we are pitiful."
Draco was going to say that he was an exception, but it would be a lie. The only reason that he had a couple of witches was that they had pursued him and basically jumped on his bed. It included one that he was never going to tell his father about; he was afraid that a heart attack would kill him. Too bad that was the case; he wished to have guts, and, hopefully, he could get her to like him again.
"So besides mother who was the other witch?" Draco asked.
Lucius blushed and coughed, "It is not important, it was a while ago."
"Ah, you forgot the name, it was at Hogwarts." Draco understood, it happen while his father was a student.
"How did you know that it was at Hogwarts, has anybody told you anything?" Lucius stuttered.
Draco had never seen his father blushing, unless... a witch tried to get fresh with him; he wondered.
"No, I don't talk to your classmates; I assumed that it happened during your time there." Draco looked at him very puzzled.
"Of course not, I had my eye on your mother, well really on Molly Prewett." Draco nearly had to run to the loo, the weasel's mother, yuck.
"She was quite a looker, a pretty bird." Lucius had a mischievous smile looking at Draco's discomfort, and what he'd said was just to make himself into the daring wizard that he wasn't. He knew that it would have a definite effect on his son.
"So who was she, do tell." Now, he wanted to know. What if his father carried a torch for Molly, and he went looking for her. I could happen because Andromeda had just re-married another Muggle, Granger's uncle. Draco was having problems breathing, and his heart speeded, an illness resulting from Narcissa's betrayal.
"I have you know that it was mutual, at least I think so; it was the day your mother left. I was distraught and went to Flourish and Blots." Lucius sounded proud.
Draco shook his head; his father was straight-laced to the extreme. Going to the bookstore to drawn his sorrows, imagine. Wait, come to think of it, it was the same thing that he did when he met HER.
"I was reaching for a book when someone slapped my hand, playfully," Lucius eyes were dreamy.
Draco suddenly had a very bad idea cross his mind, No, it cannot be, not the same, NO! his mind screamed.
"So, I said, "Pardon me," and a witch answered in a giggly voice, "Mr. Malfoy I am so sorry, I thought you were Draco, you aren't wearing your normal robes, and now that Draco has longer hair," and she laughed. To my horror I realized that in my distress I had gone out the house in trousers and a jumper. I had worn them earlier when I'd dropped your mother at the Muggle airport. Why did she choose to go in a Muggle—never mind, I remember, she didn't want to leave a trace for the Aurors."
His dreamy expression had turned into an angry look.
"Father, finish the story and tell me who was the witch." Draco's tone was clipped and just wanted the other shoe to drop and get it over with.
Draco clenched his jaw thinking of the unthinkable. HIs father's tale must had happened after Draco had told her, "Sorry darling, we won't work because I don't want to upset my father more than he is." By now, Draco's breathing was worsening, and he was light-headed.
"When I looked at her in the face, I was overwhelmed, dressed in Muggle clothes at a Magical store, the shame, how low had I fallen? And to make it worse, the tears that I had controlled for days, ran down my face."
Draco rolled his eyes, he couldn't believe it, why had his father cried over wearing Muggle clothing? He was such a stuffy person. Wait, he was still talking.
""Mr. Malfoy," she said, "I need to go by Hogwarts and drop a few books for Neville, if you come with me, we could have tea together. You look as if you could use some company, I need to go right now and don't want to leave you alone.""
"Dad, you still haven—" ===iLucius raised his hand and waggled his finger to tell him to wait.
"I am getting to it. I am not sure what made me said yes; perhaps because you were at work, and I was feeling miserable. And, yes, I already anticipate your comment when I tell you who it was; but at the moment the lure of someone listening to me was too great. Besides, for the first time of my adult life a witch had slapped me playfully."
He pouted and looked at Draco whose eyes were downturned, no longer able to breathe, and growing steadily angrier with his father.
"Father, whoever the witch was, she thought that I was the one she slapped." Draco corrected him; he no longer doubted, not for a second, the identity of the witch, and damn, that was the same week when he went to ask her out. Aha, they told him she was at Hogwarts. Yes, it was the same day when his mother left. Now, he wasn't sure if he wanted to listen to the rest.
"That was not the issue, at this point she knew who I was. Miss Granger, yes it was her," he closed his eyes and smiled wistfully making Draco want to injure him.
"Please continue, " Draco's hand wrapped around his wand the moment he heard her name, the gall…
"Ah, yes, ahem, she graciously took my arm and off we went. Strangely enough, until that day I had never been touched by a Muggle-born witch. Yes, Draco?" He had to stop again because Draco was raising his hand. What was wrong with his son? He was acting rather peculiar. Maybe this was a bad idea, why was he telling him all of this? Simple, because it had been the highlight of the last two years, and he had no one else to tell it to. Why was he talking between clenched teeth? Lucius tapped his lips, hmm, peculiar.
"Father, why are you saying Muggle-born instead of your usual derogatory comments; moreover, if I had come to you with a similar story, you would be screaming by now. And Granger, why her? You talk bad about her all the time, even after she saved all our hides." Draco was nearly screaming, his eyes were murderous, and he stopped himself. What was wrong with him? Granger was old news; she could go to Hades as he was concerned, or maybe not. He took a deep breath.
"Son, times have changed, but true, she isn't for us. We are too good for her." Lucius wasn't really convinced of his last statement but better to maintain his dignity. Draco didn't bother to answer, it deserved none; he could see thru his father's lies, he had shifty eyes when he lied.
"As I was saying I offered her my arm, and we went to an Apparation point; we arrived came at Hogsmeade, and from there we walked to Hogwarts. She is amazingly well informed, and before we knew it, we were at the castle. I chose to walk outside and went to visit Severus' grave. The empty one, you and I know, empty because it was her idea. I still hope." Lucius shared.
Draco wasn't well, his father worried, but continued, "I dozed off on a bench in the gardens, and when I woke up she was by my side. She had a curious look in her face as she smiled, "I have been watching you sleep for over an hour, I am glad that you did. You looked very uncomfortable, so I had you put your head on my lap, forgive me for being so forward. I am sorry for recommending you come here. You were already upset. That was when I realized that my head was indeed on her sweet, ahem, on her lap."
Draco's head was aching, and he felt warm and angry, what the hell was wrong with Granger and with his father? What was she playing at? Never mind that he had been the one to break it off.
"She had her handbag and her Muggle jacket under my head. Once I woke up, she moved to the side, and I sat up. The sunlight shone on her, right at that second I saw something wondrous, I realized how beautiful she was. I am not sure when she has grown into such a vision, I was drawn to her as if she were a candle and I a moth, thus before I knew what I was doing I captured her lips. Her lips were so very soft. Unfortunately she pushed me and ran away. "I must go, this is wrong, your son, your son.""
Draco's head spun in circles. Of course they had a dinner date day before... that night he told her they had to break it up. He'd wanted to make it better, but seeing his father's sadness made him stop. And still, she had said "your son," she still cared. He would make it up to her. So he went out with her the same evening, and…he dropped her again...
Back to the Ball night.
Nothing that Draco could do about his father's revelations, but maybe he could entice his father.
"Father, let's get ready, Granger will be there, she is beautiful. I should know it, I work with her, besides, who knows about life?"
Lucius agreed right away, "That is true, she is just lovely. Maybe, you know the old law…who knows?"
Draco couldn't agree more, "Why not, what do you say, let's see. Let's try to get her." Oh yes, his father was brilliant.
Father and son grinned and hit their knuckles together, they were on a mission.
A Mother's Advice on How To
"Mom, I hate Wizards, well in general, first the two fledgling Casanovas telling me they wanted to 'play the field,' and, "but don't be mad, you should understand," indeed. Viktor, who is 'too wanted,' and wants to taste the different flavors, but would I wear his ring officially? He cannot bear to chance losing me, the nerve. All that is true, so now I need your advice, because there is this wizard, well, I err, you know..." she bit her lip and grimaced.
Her mother, a child of the 70s, a free spirit, who had nearly driven her stuffy parents crazy, as Hermione was always told, in the count of her, 'peculiarity,' bless their stodgy blue-blood hearts. Ha, they had secrets, her grandparent's families were L' Orcs and L' Argent, whose ancestors had been burned as witches, but according to them it was a lie, and there was not a drop of magical blood in the family, sure. Anyway, her mother was fairly understanding, for a reason.
"So you want him, as in shagging?" Her mother asked guilelessly.
Hermione blushed, "Mom," her mother stared at her, daring her to lie.
"Okay, he works with me and I think he likes me; too bad that he is super shy. I always thought he was a jerk, no matter, I am so attracted. Yet, I know that he'll never make the first move."
"Tsk, tsk, so you make it. Hmm I love this new drink, it is very old fashioned, thanks. Just figure out where he likes to go, just act surprised, and ask him for tea, or a drink, just on a spur of the moment. Then invite him to your flat, and well, attack him...it works. "
They laughed, "Never mind, it is bit too much, but just lead him on. Ah, remember safety," her mother added and winked her eye.
Hermione tried, succeeded and then Draco dropped her once, then they got back for a few days. Not good, he dropped her again after a hot weekend, afraid of his parents' reaction. Finally, he asked her for a dinner date the next day and dropped her again. It happened the same day when she had confused Lucius with Draco; they were both hopeless. She needed help, hence, she sought her mother once again.
"Mom, you remember when I asked you about that wizard, it worked…" and she told her mother about the heated love affair she had with Draco, and how he broke their relationship more than once over his fear of hurting his parents for being with her; about how furious she had been, and the words they exchanged. Finally, she told her about Lucius, and how that same night Draco had decided that he couldn't hurt his father after Narcissa's abandonment, two days in a row. The wounds were fresh, even if it had been over a year.
"Now the problem is that Draco has been acting interested, but I also...well."
"And why is that a problem?" And both laughed, sounding quite naughty.
Ernestina, the old cook, heard their conversation and shook her head disapprovingly, "Miss Nan, you are a bad influence," she was a papist and crossed herself, "Jesus, Joseph and Mary, is bad enough what you do it…blah, blah," mother and daughter tuned her out.
The cook was sent by Hermione's maternal grandparents, twice a week, "Darling, with you working, you never have a decent meal…" So, since Hermione could remember, Ernestine would come twice weekly, to prepare several meals ahead, which were ready for reheating during the next days. Something nice but unnecessary, but why fight what you cannot win.
Both sets of grandparents were hopeless, they 'took care' of the gardens, decorating services, bought new appliances, cars, furniture, Christmas trees; arranged for groceries, wine and water deliveries, cleaning ladies, drivers for Hermione when she was little, the works; but her parents were astute and let them, and did whatever they wanted.
They, however, drew the line when she was selected for Hogwarts, and they held 'family-meetings.' Her parents allowed zero intervention when their children's education and personal lives were concerned. They could set trusts, give ponies for boxing days, trips to the moon, new cars, arrange for nannies, and whatever material comforts they wished, but the buck stopped there. Their children were theirs, and their lives were theirs. It was a clear, well-defined boundary.
"I guess by now you have figured out about your father..." her mother continued.
"Miss Nan let me go back to pick the fruit for the compote, I don't need to know about your, ahem, marit..ahem, I will be back." Old Ernestine ran from the kitchen on her old legs, mumbling about: sin, Sodom and Gomor, the devil, and what not. While mother and daughter tried not to laugh.
"I was student on my second year when I saw your father, he was an assistant professor. It was lust at first sight, let's face they are H.O.T," her mother told her and both giggled.
"Needless to say, he pretended not to remember me, the last time he saw me I was 14 at his parents' summer home, and he just stayed with the men. But I already had my eye on him. The next years we missed each other. When I next saw him he was the teaching assistant; I was shameless and chased him; we finally we made a date, and I came to his place. He told me he might be late and to let myself in. When I entered the house, he was asleep on the couch only wearing his boxer shorts. Sorry, but he was just delicious. Yes, don't be grossed out."
"Mom can you skip this, it has no bearing…"
"But it does, wait. In seconds we were loving each other, even though his first words kept nagging me, "Oh yes, you have definitely filled out, what a beauty. It is all true. Holly of holiest.""
"Let me guess, it was uncle Hugh, or Daddy Uggie," Hermione was laughing, "what a naughty boy."
"Aha, there we were, when your dad came and found us, you know. He was angry with both, but the shy professor had done several love stints with his twin brother, both extremely shy but their super good looks made them target of eager females. The rest is history, his anger lasted about ten minutes," her mother smiled remembering.
Hermione was quiet, her mom was right, she remembered several times before...when her fathers went to the MoM, many witches came to ask Hermione which was the single one; during public functions, they always looked like a replica of each other, and she never answered. Many were confused when at the balls, her fathers came dressed identically and only danced with her Mom.
During modern dancing, both danced with her at the same time, making everyone very confused since they both flirted with her shamelessly. They had an ongoing love affair. There wasn't a way to tell them apart, and she had seen how both brothers refused the many advances from a swarm of witches.
Even more embarrassing, both her fathers actually snarled at any wizard who dared to ask her beautiful mom for a dance, or if one tried to join the dancing trio, they guarded her like angry wolves. She had heard growling and seen their angry faces baring their teeth. It made many a bit puzzled. She heard the new and improved Fenrir laughing and saying as much, when he had tried to dance with her.
"What's up with your father and uncle? We were trying to be sociable?" It was a fact, nobody could even look at her mother, much less dance because the daddies turned rude and quite nasty. She always ended up angry with them, but they were to apologize once. Their standard answer was, "She is ours, end of discussion."
Her mother was talking, time to listen, "When we decided to marry, your father had the best job, now, well, Hugh makes much more with his art. So we decided that Grant would be my husband. Both our parents were upset when we left together for the trip to Africa, they smelled something fishy. Mom said, "This is most irregular, why were they both dressed alike? What is going on, don't think that we aren't aware. Nellie (the twins' mother) is also concerned."
My cousin, Rev. McPherson, was sent to talk to us more than once, they actually flew him to catch up with us, a merry embarrassing chase, and you know that it didn't work. And before you ask who is your or the twins' father, we don't know. They are identical twins, and it is impossible to tell. You see, we were curious as well."
She looked dreamy, her mother married a few months shy of 19 and Hermione was born four months later. She still looked very young at 42 and was six months pregnant. Her and her daddies' parents were furious, already three children, and, now, two more 19 years after the twins, who were now at a Magical University over the pond.
Her grandparents said every time, "What a scandal, how to tell our friends." "Don't tell them," the trio answered on unison during the 'last family' meeting, and the grandmothers left drying their tears.
"Who cares?" that was all they had to say. That was their now 'standard answer.' Nobody must have really cared because Hermione and her siblings both had large trusts, established before their births by the grandparents, and replenished every year for their birthdays. Their presents ranged from flats, to automobiles, boats, to credit cards without a limit and so on; according to them, it wasn't the children's fault.
Besides if the new nursery was any indication of their anger, already stuffed with toy and clothes, the latest of monitoring technology, plus a brand new family wagon with baby seats, waiting for the new arrivals, nobody really cared.
So there it was, Hermione had a very irregular family situation, and for years none of the kids suspected anything irregular. Daddy Uggie had a connecting room with her parents'. Yes many times the three of them were sleeping together, well always; her mother always sat between both, and so on. And by the time they figured out, they could care less.
"So my advice, if they are for it, well… Go for one, and the other will fall."
Her father had just come in time to hear his naughty wife's advice. "You are a shameless hussy, corrupting your daughter, don't listen to her." He sat near his wife after kissing her, too long as usual, and grabbed her foot to massage, after kissing it. He winked, and Hermione giggled.
Daddy Uggie came into the room wearing stained jeans and t-shirt. He sat on the top of the couch behind his wife, after kissing her a little too long, and started to massage her shoulders. Her mother sighed, "You can see why, I get doubly spoiled, just don't ever let any of your grandparents know. Their only daughter, corrupting their only granddaughter. And remember the four of them have Wilbur, Lord Bore, waiting for you." All laughed but knew that it was true.
Yes, she saw the advantages; however, she would never go for Wilbur, with his beautiful face, body, voice, etc. Why pass such a prize? Simple, because he made Mr. Darcy look like a party animal, she shuddered. Except for the heavy, over the line, ahem, makeout incident less than year ago; she had too much champagne, yes that was the reason. Make out wasn't the right word but why dwell on it.
Makeout was putting it mildly, as she remembered, she blushed, ahem. Not her fault, he was a good kisser and had many other talents with his yummy mouth.
Sometimes she thought she was unfair; maybe if she were to consider how many women were after him. A fact that sat wrong with her, how annoying, why should she care?
Now, what to wear for the ball tonight. "Mom, they will be there tonight, any ideas?"
Ernestine had just come back and looked at Miss Nan, "I always told your mother that the Granger twins were trouble, heathens that is what they are; ask them what they are, too handsome for their own good, devil worshipers..."
Hugh sent her an air kiss, "Now, now Ernie, no scowling with such a pretty face. And the language, tsk, tsk."
And as usual, she didn't answer and had to smile and cover her mouth, and left giggling and fuzzing about the entire family…that she loved to pieces. After all, she got paid more than her son, the financial adviser, and they were all so very nice. Holy Mary …. Yes, they had her.