Chapter Two: Marriage Ceremony
They arrived outside of the village. The view in front of them was beautiful. The entire little town had a wooden fence wrapped in ivy vines surrounding it. There were lanterns throughout the place lighting up the paths. At the entrance of the village was an archway wrapped in white roses, fireflies flying all around, twinkling making the place seem even more beautiful than any place most of them have ever seen. They stood in a large group waiting for either Professor Dumbledore of Headmaster Dippet to speak. Professor Dumbledore steps forward and smiles at each individual student.
"I am sure you are all very curious about what this project is about. Many of you will be going straight from school into the married life. To better prepare you for this, we have decided that you will have a fake marriage beforehand. Each of you have been assigned to a partner. Before we list off the partners, let me explain what this will include." He paused, giving the students a chance to talk excitedly amongst themselves.
"There will be a small wedding ceremony that will be explained later on. The husband will be given an assigned job that he will go to after school and on the weekends while the wife stays at home, cooks and cleans. At dinnertime, you will be eating as a couple in your home. You will have a journal that you are expected to write in daily. Every Tuesday and Thursday after lunch, you will stay in the Great Hall where you will have a class that will teach you useful things for the married life. Once a week, you are expected to go on a date with your spouse. The final thing is about the holidays. You must spend the holidays together, be it here in your own home, or with one of your families." There was a slight uproar when Dumbledore paused in his explanation. Some students were upset over the holiday part, the jobs and roles they would be put in for the year. When they quieted down, he continued.
"Also, there will be a surprise for second semester. Let me warn you, there are spells over the village and each individual cottage to prevent any wrongdoings or inappropriate behavior. Each house is marked with a placard of whose home it is. Now, we have a volunteer from the ministry to perform the ceremony. He will explain the rest." Out of nowhere, a young Barty Crouch appeared. He looked nervous and jittery as he spoke.
"My name is Mr. Crouch. The headmaster will call off your names and you will step forward, wand in hand. You will place the tips of your wands together and your free hand will hold your partner's. Once you are in this position, you must not speak anything but the vows. Once you repeat your vows, you will be given the chance to add whatever else you would like. When both of you are finished, you will share a chaste kiss before heading to your home for the year. The husband must carry his wife over the threshold." When he finished students everywhere were giggling, yelling in outrage or standing stock still. Headmaster Dippet cleared his throat as he pulled out a list from his robes.
"I know this is a bit much, but it will help better your lives once you enter into your actual marriage. It is time for the first couple to come up. Barbara Lestrange, and James Weasley, please come forward." Barb looked up at her cousin, eyes wide. Branwen squeezed her hand, and gave her the necessary push to go forward with James by her side. They went to stand under the archway. Branwen was too far back to hear anything. She noticed a pink light coming out of their wands and wrapping around their connected hands. James leaned down and kissed Barbara, and the light disappear. They held hands as they walked into the town towards their home.
Couple by couple, they were called up. Each time, a light appeared from the wands, different colors for each pair. Everyone waited nervously to be called up. Branwen kept looking nervously at all of the guys in the group, wandering who her partner would be. Each time she scanned the remaining group, she saw Abraxas, watching her. She silently prayed that he would not be the one she would be stuck with. It would be too soon to start the hell that she already knew would be her life. She was forced out of her reverie when her name was finally called. Keaira Mae Longbottom, the Gryffindor standing next to her, gently shook her shoulder before giving her a light shove forward. She closed her eyes and walked forward. She opened them whenever she was close and saw who her partner was. It was Tom Marvolo Riddle.
He was standing there, his face blank. With the light from the village and the fireflies outlined him, making him look like a knight with a dark side. When Branwen was standing in front of him, he held out his wand and other hand for hers. She slowly grabbed his hand and pressed the tip of her wand to his and looked at Mr. Crouch. Upon closer look, the guy had beady eyes, and greasy hair.
"Tom, repeat after me, ' I, Tom Marvolo Riddle, do solemnly swear to cherish you, provide for you and our family, and honor our vows from now until the end of the school year.'" Tom nodded his head and looked Branwen in the eyes as he repeated the words slowly. His voice sounded rich, husky, and slightly shaky, as if he were nervous about making such a promise. When he finished, she looked down and noticed a golden light stream wrapping around her wrist and ring finger. It was glowing very bright, brighter than she expected.
"Branwen, repeat after me, 'I Branwen Regina Black, do solemnly swear to care for you, nurture you and our family in every way, and honor our vows until the end of the school year.'" She nervously repeated the words, not really paying attention to what they were, she was too focused on the deep brown eyes staring back at her. She looked down when she was done and noticed that the same golden string of light had wrapped itself around his wrist and ring finger.
"Now is when you may add whatever you would like to, to your vows." He looked at Tom and waited for him to speak. Branwen looked up at him, not expecting him to say anything else.
"I promise to be truthful and honest. I will not cheat or desecrate our marriage in any way. I will treat you as my equal. I vow to protect you in every way I can and care for you in your times of need." Branwen's eyes widened with each word he said. The look in his eyes was so sincere, she felt dizzy. When he said the last part, she knew exactly what he was trying to convey- that he would protect her from Abraxas as much as he could. Tears welled up in her eyes and she hurriedly blinked them away giving him a small smile.
"I promise to be open with you. I will not betray you or our marriage in any way. I vow to.." She paused for a moment, worried about what she was about to say. However, she went with her instincts and continued, "to love you to my best abilities, through any hardships that may come our way." His eyes widened at the last part, and he shifted uncomfortably at that.
"You may now kiss the bride." With those words said, Riddle slowly leaned down towards Branwen. She held still, and closed her eyes as his lips brushed against hers. It was not what she expected her wedding kiss to be like, but it wasn't as bad as she feared either. It held a sort of tingle to it, but it wasn't overwhelming like she read in her books. He pulled away and they turned towards the man before them. His eyes were wide for a moment, but he shook his head slightly before moving aside.
"Make sure you hold hands as you take your first steps as man and wife. Mr. Riddle, you are to carry your new bride over the threshold." Tom nodded his understanding and held out his hand for his new wife. She looked down at it, unsure if she really wanted to hold his hand. Hesitantly, she reached out and wrapped her hand around his as they slowly made their way to their home for the year.
They made their way slowly through the little town, reading each placard to find their home. The houses all seemed to be the same in design. There were two steps leading up to a patio with two rocking chairs with a small table in between. There were hanging plants everywhere, and lights along the length of the overhang. Next to each placard was an ornate lantern flickering, casting shadows across the wall behind it. Just like the gates of the village, Ivy climbed up to the railings around each patio, up the walls and support beams of the overhang. It gave the houses a surreal, fantasy look to them. The "newly-weds" held each others hands until they came across a house a bit larger than the rest. They read the ivory plaque reading "The Riddles Family" before walking up the steps. The moment their feet touched the patio, Tom picked Branwen up, making her let out a low squeal as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He opened the front door with ease and walked into the house, closing the door behind them before gently setting her down on her feet.
Branwen took in their quaint little living room first. Next to the front door was a coat rack and a small table with two house keys resting on it, On the other side was a door. She opened it to find two broomsticks, a regular broom and dustpan, mop, bucket, and vacuum. She closed the door and looked back into the living room. There was a large black couch with a matching love seat, a coffee table made of mahogany on top of a royal blue rug. In between the two couches was an end table with a lamp on top of it. On the far right wall was a fireplace made of stone, with a mantle above it. In the corner of the living room was a potted plant of morning glories. The floors were cherry wood. It was breathtaking in its simplicity.
She walked further into the house to the back of the living room, where the dining room was. There was an average sized circular table with two chairs on opposite ends. On the wall to the right by the hallway were two extra chairs. In the center of the table was a vase with red roses, two journals resting against the base. They both picked one up, noticing their names engraved on the bottom corner. Gently setting it back down, Branwen continued her exploring with the kitchen. The counter tops were made of black marble. There was a stove, fridge, dish rack, coffee maker, and toaster. All of the cabinets were made of cherry wood like the floor throughout the house. The sink was large, the faucet silver. She exited the kitchen and went to the door in between the kitchen and dining room. Tom stood behind her as she looked out the window to view their little backyard. There were all manner of flowers, and a vegetable garden as well. Branwen accidentally bumped into the man standing behind her, who immediately moved out of her way, letting her guide the exploration of the house.
She went down one of the hallways, to the right of the kitchen, and noticed three doors. She opened the first one on the left wall to see a small guest bathroom. The walls were a pale blue, the shower curtains had a seashell design. The floor was white tile like in the kitchen and dining room. She closed the door and went to the one on the right. Inside there were two desks. One on the left wall, the other on the right. On the back wall was a futon for when guests stayed the night. One of the desks was sporting items with the Ravenclaw colors, while the other had the Slytherin colors. She closed that door, and went to the final one at the end of the hallway. The door was locked, so she led Tom down the hall past the living room and dining area to the other hallway. There was only one door at the end of it. She opened it and immediately froze.
It was the master bedroom, where they would be sleeping. There was a very large canopy bed with silver curtains tied to the bed posts that could fit three large adults comfortably. It had forest green covers with royal blue sheets and pillow cases. The problem was that there was only one bed. On both sides of the bed were night stands. One the left wall was a vanity with a rather large mirror. To the left of the door was a large dresser. On the right wall were two more doors. Branwen went to the closest one and opened it to find a small walk-in closet. She went to the next door which was the bathroom. It had two sinks and a large counter in between. There was also a deep oval tub to the right and a shower area straight ahead. The walls were Sky blue, ocean theme just like in the guest bathroom.
Branwen closed the door and turned around to find Tom leaning against one of the bed posts, staring at the bed as if it were the enemy. She slowly approached him until he looked at her. She froze where she was, taking in his appearance. She hadn't noticed how much taller he was than her. He had to be a good six inches taller than her, and she wasn't all that short. He was slim, with fairly broad shoulders, and carried himself in a way that reminded her of a predator about to pounce on its prey. His hair was more of a very black, a sort of curling wave at the front. His eyes were what really puzzled her though. They seemed distant, closed off, much like the door at the other end of the hallway- locked but waiting to be opened. His cheekbones were sharp and angular, nose straight and thin. Her gaze lowered to his mouth. His lips were a pale pink, lower lip just a little fuller than his thin upper lip.
"If you would like, I will sleep on the couch, and you can take the bed." Branwen nearly jumped out of her skin when she was startled out of her thoughts. Neither of them had spoken since their vows.
"Do you plan on sleeping there the entire year?" She put her hands on her hips as she scoffed, not giving him the chance to respond. "I don't think so. We are supposed to treat this as if it were a real marriage, so we will share the bed, unless you still believe in cooties." She teased as he narrowed his eyes at her. For a reason unbeknownst to Tom, Branwen tilted her head, giving him a curious look. "Why did you say what you said?" Tom thought she meant the sleeping arrangement suggestion, so he gave her an incredulous look.
"Well I thought you would feel more comfortable sleeping by yo-" He stopped when he noticed her rolling her eyes as she sighed.
"Not the bed! I am talking about your vows, the last part you said." His eyes widened momentarily before he recollected himself. He seemed to be smirking inwardly before he looked back at her, face neutral as ever.
"I said what I thought any decent husband would say to the woman they would be spending the rest of their lives with. The other reason, because I know I will be able to keep those promises to the best of my ability. As for the part of protecting you.." He trailed off as he watched her reaction as the curiosity slipped a bit and her eyes widened. "I may not know the.. particulars of your relationship with Malfoy, but for the school year, you are my wife, not his betrothed." He emphasized the last part before continuing, "As my wife, it is my duty to protect you from others. Besides, you clearly need a break from him. You have the rest of your life to deal with him, why not take advantage of the reprieve?" There was a silence that stretched on for a while as he let the carefully worded speech sink in before he asked what has been on his mind since there little ceremony. "Since we are talking about our vows, would you care to explain yours?" A blush slowly spread across her cheeks as she looked away.
"For similar reasons as you- I knew I would be able to keep my promises to the best of my abilities. Plus..." She whispered the last word, not bothering to finish her sentence out loud. Plus I wanted to make our fake marriage the way I want my real one to be... I want to make this last year a happy one... filled with the one thing I know the hellhole that will be my life won't have... love. She thought to herself as she stared at the floor, crossing her arms in a comforting way. Riddle, although very curious to know what she was going to say, didn't question her further. Instead he went over to where their suitcases were and brought hers over to her while removing his own things and filled his side of the dresser. They unpacked in silence, lost in their own minds. When they were done, Tom left the room, pajamas in hand to head to the guest bathroom while she changed in the master bathroom. When she walked back into the room, Tom was there waiting for her.
"What side of the bed would you like to sleep on?" She stared at the bed for a moment, before pointing to the right side. He nodded his head, just staring at her. She looked at him, a questioning look on her face waiting for him to say whatever was on his mind.
"Before we crawl into the bed... I was wondering how you wanted to handle the.. physical portion of our marriage." Both of them shifted uncomfortably, unable to look the other in the eyes.
"Professor Dumbledore said there were spells to prevent that sort of.."
"Good god woman! I didn't mean sexual stuff! I meant the holding hands, hugging, kissing, snuggling up by the fire, dates and stuff." Exasperated and more than a little embarrassed, he sat on his edge of the bed, shaking his head as he covered his face with his hands. Her face by this point was very red.
"Well how do you want to deal with all of that?" She asked sitting as far away from him as possible on the bed. He looked up at her thoughtfully.
"How real do you want this marriage to be?" At that she looked at the ground, playing with her fingers, as was her nervous habit.
"The professor said he wanted us to treat it as if it were an actual marriage. I mean, wasn't that why we had that blasted ceremony and everything?" She looked at him to gauge his reaction. He seemed to mull the words over in his head, giving a slight nod. He stood and walked over to her, hand held out for hers.
"Since we will be treating this as if it were real, may I help you up and into bed my wife?" He had a slight smirk on his face, which helped her relax as she grabbed his hand allowing him to help pull her to her feet. He overestimated his strength making her crash against his chest. Once they were both steady on their feet, he awkwardly leaned down, placing a quick kiss on her cheek before walking her to her side of the bed and pulling back the covers.
"Sleep well Branwen" Was all he said as he turned off the lights and climbed into bed on the other side. Once they were both comfortable, and drifting off into the realm of dreams, Branwen whispered, "Goodnight Tom.."
A/N: Thank you so much for reading my fanfic! I hope it is an enjoyable read. I am going to continue writing as much as I can, and pray my writer's block doesn't come back! =/ Anyway, Please review and let me know your opinions, suggestions, etc. etc. I would love to hear them!
