Disclaimer: Everything you recognize is J.K. Rowling's.


Hermione was scribbling away at a piece of parchment in her office when her door flew open. Not giving it another thought, she didn't look up and instead addressed who she thought it was.

"Can you put those files in my inbox please, Linda?" she asked her secretary.

"Last time I checked I didn't work here," came a deep, wry voice.

She didn't seem to hear the stranger and instead addressed her secretary once again. "Thanks, Linda."

"Hermione?" the voice said again as the stranger approached her desk. "Hermione?"

Hermione finally looked up and jumped out of her chair to greet the man with a chaste kiss. "Draco! I didn't know you were coming by today!"

Draco held her in his arms. "I wasn't but Mother wanted me to drop off the list of guests that would be coming from the Malfoy side," he winced, but pressed on. "Before you look at it, I had nothing to do with any of it. You know how she is, what with gaining a daughter-in-law and everything," he smirked at this.

She smiled back and went to grab the parchment roll from his robe pocket when he grabbed her wrist. "Don't shoot the messenger," he reminded.

Hermione rolled her eyes and pulled out the roll unfurling it. Unfortunately, what she expected to be, at the most, a 2 foot length, actually turned out to be nearly 8 feet, if not more.

She froze in shock, Draco began to worry that she wasn't breathing. "Hermione? Breathe in and breathe out."

"Draco," she began slowly. "Please tell me that this is a joke that your mother is pulling on me."

He winced. "I'm afraid not."

Hermione snapped her gaze up to Draco's face, still looking for any kind of amusement at this ridiculous game that he might be playing.

"That's it!" she exclaimed. "I am sick of your mother trying to overtake this wedding. Linda! Cancel all of my appointments for the next two hours! I'll be back then."

Draco looked worried as his fiancé scurried around her desk to gather her purse, murmuring the whole way. "Hermione…don't do anything rash about this."

She stopped her murmuring and looked up at Draco. "Rash? Rash? Your mother—" she stopped and took a calming breath. "I'm going to see Narcissa right now and sort this out. Go back to work, I can handle her on my own."

Draco was slightly scared at the very Slytherin smirk that danced across Hermione's lips. "Well…okay. Just don't hurt my mother."

Hermione snapped out of her thoughts and nodded her head. Walking over to her fiancé she placed a kiss on his lips and led him out of her office, locking it on their way out.

"I'll see you at home tonight. Six o'clock," she smiled at him.

Draco nodded and kissed her again before heading back to his own office. Hermione went down towards the lifts that would take her to the atrium of the Ministry.

Upon leaving the building she apparated directly in front of the Malfoy Manor gates. Taking another calming breath, she walked up to the door and knocked.

The door opened and Hermione looked down to see the house elf Mopsy.

"Hello Mopsy, can you show me to the room where Narcissa is please?"

"Yes, of course, Missus Granger!" squeaked the young house elf. "Right this way, please!"

Mopsy led Hermione to the nearest sitting room where Narcissa sat going over some papers.

"That will be all Mopsy, thank you," said Narcissa. "Hermione, dear. Please, sit."

As Mopsy scurried out of the room, Hermione could not contain her anger anymore, almost causing Narcissa to jump out of her seat. Almost.

"Narcissa," she began, "Eight feet! Eight feet of guests!" she waved around the roll of parchment. "I can't believe this! Three-quarters of those people hate who I am! I refuse to approve of this! I wanted a small, intimate wedding with no more than thirty-five people, and this is what I get! Absolutely not!"

Narcissa's eyebrows had been slowly disappearing behind her hairline throughout Hermione's rant.

"Hermione, dear, I know you said that you wanted a small wedding, but in high society, one shows their wealth by having large, extravagant events. This will be no different."

Hermione was trying to contain herself. "I know all about that, but there are few things that I asked for in this wedding because I know you have always wanted to do this. This is one of those things that I wanted; a small wedding for just our close friends and family. If you don't give this to us, we will elope."

Narcissa's eyes widened and she stood up suddenly, Hermione pressed on:

"I know that it would hurt you immensely if we do that, but all I want is to marry your son. I don't care about all the frivolities. I love Draco so much, which is why I'm supporting your planning our wedding…but I will not stand down on this subject. All that matters is that our friends and family are there to see us. Please, Narcissa."

The elder woman had tears in her eyes as she approached her son's fiancé. Lifting a hand to cup Hermione's face she responded to the younger woman's plea,

"Oh, dear. I am sorry. I get so caught up in high society traditions, the atmosphere that I was raised in, I just forget today is a different world. I am truly sorry, Hermione. Please forgive me."

Hermione's eyes had also gained tears before she reached out and hugged the older woman. "Narcissa," she whispered. "I love your son so much. I want to love you like I love my own mother. Please just let me."

Narcissa hugged back. "Thank you so much for giving me a chance. I promise you that this will be the wedding of the century, despite the lack of guests that I wish to flaunt you in front of."

Hermione laughed and let go. "I really must be getting back to work. I apologize for getting so angry earlier."

Narcissa wiped her face with a handkerchief. "It's quite alright dear. I don't blame you. Shall I see you for brunch tomorrow?"

"Yes, of course. I will see you tomorrow," Hermione responded, drying her own tears, taking this as her cue to leave.

"Oh, and Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"You can start by calling me, Mother, like Draco does."

Hermione smiled. "Of course, Mother. See you tomorrow."

After Hermione left, Narcissa turned to a portrait over the fireplace mantle.

"It seems this girl is fit for our son after all, Lucius."

The man chuckled. "I believe so, my dear Narcissa. I believe so."

Hermione did get her way.

And even though it was a closed ceremony, it was the wedding of the century.


Just a little one-shot to get my head back into writing again.

Review please!

xoxoBecca300