Disclaimer: I don't own the characters and the setting, they belong to J.K. Rowling, based on the story Goong(Princess Hours), Park So Hee and MBC owns them. I just added a few twist and stuffs
AN: My take on the Arranged Marriage/Royal Family story. I know that Wiltshire is not a kingdom but let's just pretend that it is. Also Goong is one of my favorite Korean show and I just had this idea of throwing Draco and Hermione in the story. hehe. Bare with me for some grammatical error, English is not my mother tongue. If you want to be my beta reader, I would be glad. Now on with the story
Chapter 1
Unknown Engagement
I always thought that fairy tales never exist. That they're only made to give false hopes to those who are aching to grasp onto something so they wouldn't hit the bottom. I never thought that I would be eating my words, swallowing it painfully down without being given a chance to chew them first and savor the bittersweet taste. My life turned into a topsy-turvy ride when everything was dropped on me like a bomb. I never thought that I would be living in my own fairytale.
It was a happy day, a day where I was so cheerful that I, myself never knew where that cheerfulness came from. All I know is I woke up grinning like a mad man moving with a bounce in every step that I take. I went to all of my classes almost jumping with so much giddiness in me. Even Harry and Ron where infected by my cheerfulness that they forgot that we had a test today in Charms. I greeted everyone I would see in the hall, I even gave those snotty Slytherins a smile even though they just returned it with a sneer and a rain of insults. I didn't mind cause I was too happy to give a care.
It was dinner time when all of the giddiness in me evaporated in just one blink. I was sitting in my usual place and Ginny was talking to me about a dress shop that just opened in Hogsmeade and how excited she was to check it out on our Hogsmeade trip this weekend. I was too much absorbed on her blabberings that I almost jumped from my sit when the Great Hall's door opened with a bang and in came a sobbing Narcissa Malfoy accompanied by Andromeda Tonks, her estranged sister. I wouldn't have been taken aback but what I saw next to them walking with them, made my eyes to almost pop out from their sockets. My parents where there, with them. To say I was shocked in utter disbelief was an understatement. I felt that my whole body turned numb and everything around me froze. I didn't even know why and that's what scares me. Ginny shook me out of my trance and looked at me with a worried expression. Harry and Ron where also there at my side with the same expression plastered on their faces.
"Hermione, are you alright?" came Harry's worried voice. I gently nodded my head afraid to speak.
"What's wrong?" asked Ginny. I looked at my parents who where now talking to the Headmaster and looked back at my friends.
"My parents." I replied simply.
"Huh? Them?" Ron asked stupidly pointing at the direction of the staff table. I nodded in response.
"I thought muggles can't pass the boundaries of the castle." Ginny said. I have to agree cause that's what's been running in my mind the moment they stepped in the Great Hall, and worse, they came with Narcissa. Although I'm being a little stupid of thinking something bad about the woman.
I was grateful that nobody knew my parents except for my friends. I was almost sorry for Malfoy cause everyone was looking at him with curious eyes secretly asking why his mother was there. I got back to my composure and started to matterload everything, from the moment they stepped into the castle and how my parents ended up with them. I looked at my parents and at Narcissa, Andromeda and the Headmaster with scrutinizing eyes, thinking that maybe they were just here by accident or my parents decided to pay me a visit. The problem is, both of my parents knows that there is a very powerful magical ward protecting the school from non-magic people.
I was giving up with the possibilities when I noticed that my parents where walking to my direction and looking at me with sorry eyes.
"Oh?" was the only word that managed to escape from my mouth. I looked at Narcissa and saw that he was also headed to his son and was hailing him to stand up from his seat. I looked back at my parents and saw that they were only a couple of steps away from me. I decided to stand up and meet them halfway. As I met them, there was a buzz of murmur coming from every direction.
"Hermione, dear we need to talk." Those words that came out from my Dad's mouth sent an icy sensation throughout my body. I know something bad was happening. I looked at my mom and saw her eyes full of worry. I was confused, what's happening?
"Mr. Granger, if you and your family would follow me please." Came the gentle voice of our Headmaster. My head spun to his direction and saw that Mrs. Malfoy was with him and so thus his son who was also sporting the same expression as me and Andromeda.
Our little family followed them outside the Great Hall. We walked the lengthy halls until we reached the conference room and went inside it. My head was spinning with so much questions that are yet to be answered. What was happening that involves me and Draco sodding Malfoy? Please don't tell me that I have to pay a debt to their family. I did a mental review if I was suppose to pay something to them. Nadda.
We sat on the chairs, Mom, Dad and I on the left side while Andromeda, Mrs. Malfoy and Draco sat on our opposite, facing each other. I looked at Malfoy sitting infront of me who was also looking at me with a questioning glare. I looked away and stared at the open window where I could clearly see the constellation of the Orion.
"I'll leave you now." I heard the Headmaster's voice and with a soft click, the door was closed.
"Please tell me what's happening here? How- why are you here? How did you passed the threshold of the castle?" I asked my parents with confusion still present in me. My dad let out a shaky sigh.
"Dear, please calm down. We would tell you everything but please let them speak first." He gestured at the opposite side. I looked at Malfoy then at her mother expecting some answers. She looked at her son and held his hand.
"Draco, you knew that your father is dying right?" I saw Malfoy's body turn rigid at the mention of this but still kept his mouth shut. He just gave her mother a swift nod. "And you know that our family, the Malfoy clan to be exact, is ruling the kingdom of Wiltshire?" she asked which he replied with a nod again. I was surprised to find out that Malfoy was from a royal family but that still didn't explain why my family should be involved in this, unless... "And you are already betrothed to her." Her mother added and gestured in my direction. It was silent, the only thing that can be heard was my frantic heartbeat and the noise the crickets where creating.
"WHAT? No way!" I jumped out from my sit and so did Malfoy.
"This can't be bloody real!" He remarked with a stiff voice while glaring daggers at her mother. I, on the other hand, was starting to get a headache with so the revelation that I had consumed from the last minute.
"Dad, please tell me that this is just some sick joke of yours. I can't be engaged, to him in particular. I have plans, I'm going to the University after Hogwarts. Please." I was almost crying. I can feel the tears starting to build in my eyes which I quickly wiped away with the sleeves of my jumper.
"Hermione, we can't joke about something this serious." My dad said sadly. I sat down defeated and stared blankly at the wall.
"Is there a way out of this?" I heard my mom asked in desperation. I looked at my mom then at Mrs. Malfoy who showed little expression on her beautiful face.
"There is actually." Malfoy looked at her mother and urged her to continue. "If Draco can find a suitable girl that is willing to marry her before the year ends and become the next crowned princess then the agreement between their grandfathers will be revoked." I breathed in a sigh of relief. I know that there are a lot of girls willing to give up their civil status just to be with him.
"An agreement by our grandfathers?" asked Malfoy. My ears ringed for the question and answer that would be given.
"Your grandfather, the late King Abraxas and her grandfather, Sir George XI. They were best mates way back and they came to an agreement that they're grandchild should marry when the time comes." She stated.
"I didn't know what came to my father's mind when he decided to agree to that." I heard my mother muttered under her breath.
"But I thought your grandfather hated muggles? Why would he be friends with my grandpa?" I asked directing my question to Malfoy. He rolled his eyes and looked at his mother expecting an answer.
"I cannot answer that." said Narcissa with a defeated sigh.
"My father was the Muggle Relations Ambassador of England, he was appointed for the Royal Family of Wiltshire which is the Malfoy Family and he worked for King Abraxas." My mom said. I was shocked. I never knew that grandpa used to work for a Royal Family, the Malfoys in particular. My head was going to explode from all the data that has been said and given this night.
"Dear, do you still have the ring we gave you on your 16th birthday?" My dad asked. I nodded my head and took out my necklace from under my shirt where the ring was hanging. I used the ring as a pendant because I was afraid that I might loose it if I wear it on my fingers. I gave it a closer look. The band was made of platinum and there where some vine-like carvings on it. I released it from my chain necklace and turned the ring over in my hand. There was something written inside it, something that caught my breath. Hermione Jean Granger – Draco Abraxas Malfoy. I felt the words were glaring at me with so much ferociousness. I lost my hold of the ring as if it burned my fingers and it fell on the table with a cling.
"Careful!" I heard Mrs. Malfoy hissed. I looked up at her apologetically and cautiously lifted the ring from the table and handed it to Malfoy who was eyeing the ring curiously. He compared it to the ring he is currently wearing which I noticed was also made of platinum. He glared at the rings.
"Okay, so you gave me an engagement ring for my birthday. That's absurd." I said trying to hide my agitation from my parents. "Why didn't you tell me this earlier? You deprived me from my right, how could you?" I said blowing up at my parents whilst standing up from my chair.
"Dear calm down. You heard what Mrs. Malfoy said. There is a way out." My dad said trying to make me see reason. That sort of removed my momentary aggravation and sat back on my chair with a huff.
"As if you're the only one suffering. Remember that you could get out of this but I can't." I heard Malfoy said in annoyance. "Besides, I don't want to marry you." he added with a sneer. I didn't know if I would be pleased or disappointed with his statement. I sighed.
"Well, I just wish you find a bride fast so I could get out from this predicament because unless you found someone, I'm still engaged to you." I replied acidly. We glared at each other. I heard everyone groaned with the way Malfoy and I acted around them.
"If they're going to act that way with each other, I can't imagine them if they both got married." I heard my dad muttered. Malfoy and I both glared at my father.
"I guess we should be going." It was the first time I heard Andromeda's voice on the whole scenario. "Come Cissy, Mr. and Mrs. Granger. The children still needs to sleep, its a school night after all." I kissed my mom and dad goodnight, gave Andromeda a hug and shook Mrs. Malfoy's hand as a sign of respect.
"Give Teddy my love." I said to Andromeda. She smiled at me and after the whole revelation, I smiled once again.
"I will, he misses you and Harry and the rest." and with that, they were gone. It was only Malfoy and I left inside.
"Not a word." He said looking at me with so much intensity daring me to contradict him.
"Not a word." I mimicked. He tossed the ring back to me which I almost didn't catch and I placed it safely in my pocket. We both walked on our own separate way. He took the stairs that would lead him to the dungeons while I took the staircase that will take me to the Gryffindor tower.
I looked at my watch and saw that it was half-past midnight. I started to run, it was past curfew and even though I was Head Girl, I wouldn't abuse my power just to get off the hook. I was still afraid that Mr. Filch would find me and deduct points from my house, not that he's allowed to do that but he could still report me or give me some God forbidden punishments for detention. As I got to the portrait gasping for air to breathe, I was glad that I hadn't encountered Filch, Mrs. Norris or worse, Peeves in the hallway. I gave the fat lady the password and she let me in with a curious look on her face. I was thankful that Harry and Ron didn't bothered waiting for my return and that the common room was empty at this time. I plopped down on the big couch and started to think of an alibi to tell them tomorrow. I'm pretty sure that they're going to bombard me with questions that I can't answer without giving away what happened tonight. I can't say that my parents and Mrs. Malfoy's visit was just a coincidence because it's to lame. I can't think of a good excuse and its starting to eat me. This can't be happening. I am Hermione Granger for Merlin sake, I wasn't the Brightest Witch of my Age just for nothing.
"Ugh, this is maddening." I said while pulling my hair in frustration. Why isn't my brain working when I needed it the most. Dammit. I paced back and forth on front of the fireplace while thinking of good alibis that unfortunately, not coming in my head.
-End of Chapter 1-
Please review :)