5th May 2006
Orto Di Venezia, Italy
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Hermione had to hand it to Narcissa, she mused as she walked through the lounge admiring her hard work. Her gaze drifted over the pale peach linens that made the hunter green and gold center-pieces stand out. Narcissa had transformed the lounge into a lovely area for the guests to mingle as they were welcomed to the villa. Making her way out to the terrace, the theme continued, with crisp white chairs facing the arbor that was set up for their handfasting. Just off to one side was a small table covered in a crisp white linen, hunter green and gold ribbons dressing it to match the ribbons that were tied to the backs of the chairs. Narcissa had done well to incorporate house themes while keeping the colours more subdued for the season. A small smile played out on her lips as she moved toward the stone balustrade, peering over the edge to the formal gardens where Blaise held his famous Summer parties. She spotted Narcissa instructing her little army of helpers to put the finishing touches to the tables set up for their reception. A small orchestra was setting up near the fountains which had been charmed to perform in time to the music, the water itself charmed to change colour periodically. The highlight of the night was to be a huge firework display over the lagoon courtesy of a certain Weasley brother with a proclivity for pyrotechnics. Spotting Hermione peering down, Narcissa gave her a small wave before turning to give a final instruction to the young witch she considered her 'second' and heading up the steps to greet her.
"Darling, I hope you like it," Narcissa kissed both her cheeks.
"I do, Mother. It all looks wonderful, how you pulled this off…"
"It was nothing, I have a gift for these things," she stated, cutting her off. "Are you all set to go with Pansy to the hotel?" she inquired.
"Yes, I just wanted to come and thank you before we left."
Narcissa waved her off. "You don't need to thank me, I am just so happy that you and Draco allowed me to do this for you." She smiled, reaching for Hermione's hand and giving it a little squeeze.
Hermione returned the gesture, tears threatening to break forth as the emotion washed over her. For a moment she was too overwhelmed to speak.
"See you tomorrow, Mother."
6th May 2006
Orto Di Venezia
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Feeling the nerves bubbling under the surface, she stole a glance at Draco, who smiled back at her, giving her hand a little squeeze. She grinned, letting out the breath she had been holding in, listening to Kingsley finish his opening speech.
"I believe the couple have written their own vows," she heard Kingsley intone, giving a small nod to Draco to begin.
21st April 2006
12 Grimmauld Place, London
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"Potter, I need your help," Draco stated, his voice thick as he stepped out the floo. Harry looked up from his newspaper, concerned by the seriousness of Draco's expression. A multitude of images flashed across his mind and he felt his pulse quicken. They were two weeks out from the wedding, his Stag weekend due to kick off that evening and here was Draco asking for help. Surely he wasn't getting cold feet.
"What's the matter? What's happened?" he asked, worriedly, preparing himself for the worst and the possibility he was about to smack one of his best friends in the jaw at any moment.
He watched as Draco handed him a piece of parchment and started to pace the room, his fingers lacing into his blond locks with a groan.
"Hermione is going to kill you. You should have had these vows finished by now," Harry snickered, relief washing over him as he read the scribbled notes that had mostly been scratched out.
"I know. Guaranteed she had these sorted weeks ago," Draco moaned, dropping down into the couch next to Harry. "I am a dead man walking."
6th May 2006
Orto Di Venezia, Italy
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"Hermione…" Draco began.
21st April 2006
12 Grimmauld Place, London
.
"Oh, Draco! That's beautiful," Ginny cried as she read through the final draft, dabbing her eyes, as she giggled. "Look at me, gushing like this."
Draco eyed her skeptically. "You really think this is okay? I mean Granger-Standard okay?"
"I defy her not to cry. The words are wonderful Draco," Ginny reassured him, standing and giving him a quick peck on the cheek. "Right you, I am off to get the portkey to Venice." She looked over at Blaise, Theo, and George. "I don't care what you do with Draco, just make sure you bring my husband back in one piece, got it?"
"Hey!" Draco cried feigning indignation as Ginny threw him an evil grin before stepping into the floo.
"Ciao."
6th May 2006
Orto Di Venezia
.
Draco took a steadying breath before continuing.
"For so long I have been wrong about so many things:
Forgive the foolish things I have done;
The foolish things I will do;
The foolish things I will say.
I know that you will understand,
When I tell you that in every man,
There is a lust that drives them.
I am no different.
I am a passionate man.
But when that passion dies down,
Could I walk away?
No.
I don't walk through life with hope.
I don't need to be hopeful.
You help me to be brave.
I don't need to stray from the hallowed ground that is us.
I will turn temptations down.
Because I know you will lead me to safety.
I love you.
I am devoted to you.
And I will always be devoted to you."
He caught the wink Ginny threw him as Hermione wiped away the tears that escaped her watery eyes.
5th May 2006
Baglioni Hotel Luna
San Marco, Venezia
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"I …. Um….have a slight problem," Hermione started, pacing the seating area while wringing her hands. Ginny stopped applying her lipstick, staring at her. Pansy turned her attention from the full length mirror where she was giving herself a final appraisal.
"Oh Merlin, you're pregnant," Ginny whispered, eyes growing wide.
"What? No! That's what you think?!" Hermione hissed in disbelief as she rounded on Ginny. She tilted her head, scrutinising her carefully.
"Well…" she began.
"I haven't written my vows" Hermione cried, cutting Ginny off.
"Yea okay, pull the other one," Ginny chuckled, picking up her compact and pursing her lips, gloss in hand.
"No, I am being serious. I have no vows," Hermione stated, resuming her pacing.
Pansy and Ginny shared a look of disbelief and confusion. Pansy shrugged her shoulders as Ginny went over to the desk, taking out the complimentary stationery.
"Well since your wedding is TOMORROW we better get this sorted. How is it that you, Hermione Granger, the brains of the Golden Trio, has no vows less than 24 hours before her wedding?" she teased, grinning.
"I know," Hermione groaned. "I just didn't know where to start!" She threw her hands up in the air.
"I vote we start with wine," Pansy suggested, retrieving a bottle from the mini bar.
6th May 2006
Orto Di Venezia
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Carefully Hermione began to unscroll the rather long parchment, causing Draco to gulp at the sight, slightly concerned she had put more thought into this than he had.
"Draco…"
5th May 2006
Baglioni Hotel Luna
San Marco, Venezia
.
"You are like a hole in my head"
"You can't say that!" Pansy cried, laughing.
"But he is," Hermione stated, gesturing with her wine glass as Pansy and Ginny fell about laughing.
6th May 2006
Orto Di Venezia
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Draco quirked an eyebrow at her.
"But you fill the space in my bed.
You are the silence in between.
What I think and what I say.
You still my night-time fear.
You are my morning for when it's over, you start.
You are my head and you are my heart."
5th May 2006
Baglioni Hotel Luna
San Marco, Venezia
.
"Oh wow. That's beautiful and so poetic" Ginny whispered, as she and Pansy read Hermione's final draft. Moving down to the next paragraph, scrawled under no less than four crossed out paragraphs. Pansy frowned reading the next part aloud.
"Through the crowd I was crying out,
I was disappearing in plain sight.
Heaven help me,
I don't always get things right."
"Is that about Ron and the war? Do you really think you should bring that up in your vows?" Ginny asked, eyes narrowed at Hermione.
"But it's important. It's how I first knew, because he doesn't walk away, he is always there for me even with all that. In spite of all that," Hermione whispered, remembering the night in Berlin where he had held her through her nightmare.
"I like this next part," Pansy whispered, pointing to the paragraph underneath.
Ginny turned her attention to the text. "I know that you want a revelation.
I know that you want to get everything about us right,
But you know what I have done.
And you know what I have become,
And I know you won't ever leave me."
"Ok so you could cut this and then leave it as this…" Ginny suggested, placing her wine glass unsteadily on the coffee table before reaching for the quill.
6th May 2006
Orto Di Venezia
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"Even when I don't get things right,
I know you will strive to do so for us." Hermione smiled, as Draco squeezed her hand.
5th May 2006
Baglioni Hotel Luna
San Marco, Venezia
.
"In your bright eyes,
I see a revelation in the light of day:
We cannot choose who stays and who fades away.
You don't need to tell me what to say,
And I don't need to do anything to make you stay," Hermione read, tears pricking her eyes.
"Aren't you just rehashing that last bit?" Pansy asked, frowning.
"Keep it simple, like this," Ginny suggested, taking up the quill.
6th May 2006
Orto Di Venezia
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"For while we cannot choose who remains and who fades away,
I know that I don't need to do anything to make you stay," Hermione smiled at Draco, before turning to Kingsley, who opened his mouth to speak only for Hermione to cut him off.
"Oh, and I also love you. Don't forget that," she rushed, as Draco grinned, a murmur of laughter rippled through the assembled guests.
Kingsley chuckled before continuing. "This couple are no strangers to breaking the mold and forging new traditions. With that in mind, they have requested that before the traditional handfasting ritual, they take this moment to perform their own, if I must say, clever and intriguing ritual of their own design. Harry, if you wouldn't mind?" Kingsley gestured to the white box that sat on the dias off to one side.
17th April 2006
Cafe Florian
.
"Okay, so I was doing some research when I was in London last week…" Hermione began.
"Of course." Draco rolled his eyes, a smile playing across his lips.
Hermione ignored his mocking tone, continuing,"I came across this interesting muggle wedding ritual and I would like for us to do it. It's called the "first fight box."
"Hermione, I think it's a bit late to be discussing our first fight, that metaphorical ship set sail a long time ago," Draco chuckled.
Hermione swatted his arm. "No, this is different. This is the first proper fight after you're married. When you are so angry with your partner that you wonder what the hell you have done tying yourself to them for eternity and are all set on owling the Ministry to petition for divorce."
"You could never get that angry with me," he winked, flashing her his most charming smile.
"Don't count on it." She smirked.
18th April 2006
Orto Di Venezia
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"So how does this work then?" Draco asked, frowning.
"We each take a piece of parchment and go to another room. We write a love letter of sorts to the other person, but bearing in mind that it's going to be read after a fight. The idea is to remind the other person that we are in this together, 'for better or worse' as the Muggles say," she explained as she made her way over to the desk they utilised in Blaise's study for casework.
Draco pursed his lips. "Interesting," he murmured, watching as Hermione took a stack of parchment and marched over to him.
"I thought you said a sheet of parchment?" he quipped, as she dropped the stack into his arms.
"Well I was thinking about this," she began.
"Of course, dear," Draco smirked, as Hermione rolled her eyes.
"We fight a lot. I think we might need reminding more than once."
6th May 2006
Orto Di Venezia
.
"Draco and Hermione have now sealed their box which is enchanted, and the contents will now only be made available to them under the terms that they have set within the spell." Kingsley intoned as Draco set the small ceremonial hammer down.
19th April 2006
Orto Di Venezia
"Are you still seriously writing your letters to Hermione?" Pansy drawled as she helped herself to a drink from Blaise's cabinet in the study.
"We fight a lot," Draco murmured, his eyes never leaving the parchment as he wrote.
20th April 2006
Orto Di Venezia
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"So what terms are we going to set for the spell? Draco asked, lifting Hermione's legs and dropping them into his lap as he sat down on the sofa.
Hermione looked over the top of her book. "Well, we need to come up with a way for us to identify each other's letters. A personal touch or some sort," she murmured thoughtfully, chewing on her bottom lip. "The idea is that we go to separate ends of the room and read in silence but I think we ought to reinforce that with a silencio and a repelo," she suggested.
"Yeah, otherwise you are liable to keep yelling at me and not read," Draco murmured, poking her in the side causing her to shriek a little.
"We also need a bottle of wine. To calm our nerves and help relax us, but I know you prefer Firewhiskey when you're angry, so we will need a bottle of Prosecco for me and a bottle of Ogden's for you," she told him, wiggling her feet at him until he got the message and started to rub them for her.
6th May 2006
Orto Di Venezia
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"Now we move to the handfasting. Draco, Hermione, please join your hands," Kingsley intoned. He smiled as he removed his wand from his robes, speaking the incantation softly as the cords of magic bound their joined hands.
"Draco, Hermione, you have made your declarations to each other before your friends and family here today. I cannot think of two people who have overcome as much or who are truly suited to each other as you are. Your devotion to each other and your love for one another knows no bounds. I am proud of both of you, as individuals and as a couple. It therefore gives me great pleasure to declare you Husband and Wife. Draco, you may kiss your bride."
Smiling, Draco lifted a hand to her face, tucking a single stray curl behind her ear as he leaned in. Everything else faded into the background as he captured her lips with his. Moaning a little, her hands found their way into his hair as he dipped her down. Righting her, he broke the kiss, as the guests all clapped and cheered.
Brushing a stray tear from his cheek with her thumb, Hermione smiled at her husband.
"I love you, Hermione," he told her quietly, his voice breaking a little as the emotion threatened to overwhelm him.
"I love you too," she smiled. "Blaise told me you would cry," she whispered, teasingly.
"Yea, well Ginny told me you would cry too, so I guess we even then," Draco responded, playfully.
"Just so we are clear, you are both ridiculous," Pansy murmured before nudging them off the dias, "now get moving, there is serious celebrating to be done."
Grinning cheekily at one another, Hermione and Draco walked hand and hand from the dias and down the aisle, ready to begin their new life together.
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A/N: Draco's vows were inspired by the Hurts track, Devotion; Hermione's vows were inspired by the Florence and the Machine track No Light, No Light. Thanks as ever to my beautiful Beta, xxDustNight for her beta skills, for her encouragement and helping me figure out the ending! love ya x