Exciting Weekend
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters, though I wish I did. They are all property of J.K. Rowling and her business associates.
Saturday Noon:
The games were very funny. They were mainly games intended for little children, so that they turned even funnier when played by teen-agers. Draco and Hermione took part in one, where pairs had to run after having one leg tied to their partner's. They fell on each other about halfway through the track and enjoyed themselves tremendously. Harry and Ginny tried for the next race with similar results, and finally, Luna managed to convince Ron to participate in the last race. They won it by being the last pair to fall, although they didn't finish the track either.
As the games finished, the headmaster announced: "During this weekend we shall not be sitting according to the houses. Students are encouraged to sit in mixed groups and to make new friends among the other houses. The great hall will be arranged accordingly."
It was quite awkward looking at the headmaster without his extravagant robes and his tall hat, Harry thought. He looked just like a kindly old man, with skinny arms and legs, sunken chest and a small pot-belly. Professor McGonagall looked much younger. Harry wasn't sure about her age, actually, but her body was straight and firm, her arms and legs were nicely shaped and even her breasts looked much better than he could expect for a woman who could easily be his grandmother. It looked like she was enjoying her nudity, despite her reservations before the fact. He was also surprised to see Snape. Without the robes he looked much younger. His body was well proportioned, powerful without looking overly muscular and he even had a slight tan. Harry kept wondering when and where he got that tan. No sign of the dark mark could be seen on either of Snape's arm and Harry was wondering if it had been removed or just charmed to become invisible.
Harry enjoyed looking at Hermione. Despite her previous shyness, she was now acting as if it was the most normal thing to walk around without clothes, hiding nothing. She was walking hugging or holding hands with Draco, who introduced her to everybody as his fiancée, looking very happy and laughing much more than usual. 'Maybe this is really for the best' he thought. While truly enjoying seeing all the nude girls around, he knew he really wanted only one – the one he was holding tight at his side.
As they were walking towards the great hall they were joined by Ron and Luna. Harry was glad to see Ron was no longer angry, although he didn't talk with Draco at all.
They found the great hall arranged like a restaurant: the long house tables with the long benches were replaced by many smaller tables of various sizes, each surrounded by four to ten chairs. They sat at one of the larger tables and were soon joined by Lavender and Seamus, and later by Neville and Parvati.
It looked like the nudity was almost forgotten. After the initial comments and remarks before and during breakfast, everybody acted normally, just like they used to act when wearing clothes.
Hermione was asked by the girls to show her new ring. She was just too glad to comply, and Draco added some explanations. "This ring has been in my family for many generations. It has always been used to make engagements based on love, as opposed to prearranged engagements, where another ring was given. My father gave this ring to my mother at their engagement, and she passed it to me when I came of age, to be used when I find my sweetheart. Little did she know I had already found her long ago and I was just waiting for the right moment."
"How romantic!" Ginny sighed, sending a meaningful glance towards Harry.
Hermione and Draco found an empty classroom soon after lunch. They sat down to write a letter to his parents, telling them of the new engagement. They then went to the owlery and sent the letter.
"I believe I deserve to be kissed now by my fiancé", Hermione said, hugging Draco tightly. He obliged willingly, touching her lips with his and then deepening the kiss. Hermione felt her heart take flight, her body melting and her head twirling. She could hardly stand when they broke for air.
"Are you always like this when you kiss?" asked Draco.
"I can't tell; I've never kissed you before and I've never kissed being nude."
"Does that mean…" he started asking reluctantly.
"Yes, it means I'm still a virgin. I was waiting for the right man until now."
He blushed slightly. "It is not considered very manly, but despite whatever you may have heard of me, I was waiting for the right woman. I'm still a virgin as well."
"Don't you think it's time to change our status, now that we are engaged?" she asked.
"Don't you want to save that for our wedding night?"
"No. I want to fully enjoy our wedding night, and the first time may hurt. I don't want to hurt then."
"So, what would you suggest?" he asked, cocking his head.
"The room of requirements", she said.
It only took him a second to comprehend.
Saturday Evening:
They emerged from that room only for dinner and soon bumped into Ron and Luna. "Where have you been?" Ron asked them.
"I don't think you should ask them that question," intervened Luna, "and I don't think they should answer it, or would you like to tell them how WE have spent the afternoon?"
Ron calmed down visibly. 'Luna has a good influence on him', Hermione thought.
This time they sat at a smaller table with only Harry, Ginny, Ron and Luna. Ron still refrained from talking with Draco, but he listened attentively to everything that was said. "What made you change your attitude?" Luna asked.
"I didn't really change it. It was all an act which I had to do as my part in defeating the dark lord. Once he was defeated I had no reason to continue that act, although it took me some time to really stop acting and be myself."
Luna's next question was stopped before she could even ask, as the loud shouting coming from the door could be clearly heard. "I won't tolerate this anymore. He is mad and he wants to make the kids as mad as him. That must be stopped!"
"Ah, Lucius! I'm also glad to see you," said Dumbledore, rising from his chair. His voice was soft and silky as if he had just been complimented.
Lucius Malfoy was coming into the great hall, followed by his wife and Professor Snape. Lucius' left arm was covered by a piece of parchment and he looked very aware of his nudity. Narcissa, while probably just as aware of it, walked in as if she was clad in the most luxurious gown, holding her head high and her back stiff. Snape was just smirking behind them and seemed to enjoy the show.
"This is outrageous!" shouted Lucius. "Why are you all naked? Where are the house tables? Why are the houses mixed? No wonder they are not even thinking anymore!"
Dumbledore had probably cast a "sonorous" on himself, as his voice, although still soft and silky, sounded even stronger than Lucius' shouts. "I'm glad you've noticed our newest method of making our students closer to each other, regardless of their houses. You see, nudity does break barriers between people, as the naturist muggles claim. It has been proved over and over again during this day. The seating arrangements are only reflecting this."
Lucius looked with contempt at the hall and noticed Draco sitting with Hermione, Harry and the Weasleys. "If that means mixing with mudbloods and associating with blood-traitors than I want no part in it!"
"On the contrary, dear Lucius. I know you have done a great service to our cause. Wouldn't it be counter productive to insist on these old notions which have already been proven obsolete?"
"And let Draco marry that… muggleborn?"
"Why – yes! Haven't you Malfoys always wanted only the best? Miss Granger is the best witch our school has seen since Lily Evans. Don't you expect your son to opt for the best? And she is also beautiful and quite feminine, as you can see for yourself. I couldn't suggest a better match for him even if I tried."
"She's not even a Slytherin!" Lucius complaints seemed to be subsiding.
"Of course not! She is too brave to be a Slytherin, and you want a brave bride for your son. Don't you?"
"He is soon going to bless us," whispered Draco in Hermione's ear. She smiled fondly and kissed his cheek.
Lucius was standing in front of the headmaster with nothing more to say. He knew he had lost his case but needed to save face, and Dumbledore knew it.
"Would you like to sit at the staff table? I'd like to hear your opinion about another idea I have," suggested Dumbledore, motioning for the Malfoys to join him.
Narcissa felt every eye that was looking at her while walking to the table, yet it calmed her in a way. She could tell that most were looking at her with admiration. She really looked marvelous, her body was kept in shape as if she was twenty years younger, her breasts still hard and firm, her face flawless and her hair brushed to perfection. She really symbolized the Malfoy wish for the best.
Lucius didn't feel so confident. He had covered his dark mark with a parchment, yet he was sure that everybody knew what was hidden under it. He had also neglected his appearance during the time he was close to the dark lord, and his body looked somewhat shabby, especially when compared with his wife's or with those of the young people around him. He tried not to show his concerns, but he was really much more comfortable when the table hid most of his body from view.
"I believe congratulations are in place," said the headmaster.
Lucius grimaced at that, but Narcissa smiled her thanks.
"When did you learn about the engagement?" asked Lucius.
"During the morning, shortly before lunch. Draco was happy to tell everybody that he had proposed to Miss Granger just before breakfast and she had accepted. He is lucky the war is over, or he would have been unable to propose at all."
"We are all lucky. Had it continued we might have all been dead by now," said Narcissa.
"Quite true, my dear lady, quite true," confirmed Dumbledore. "Don't you like to congratulate your son and his fiancée? This may help your future relations with the young couple," he added.
"Yes, I believe we should bless them." Narcissa stood up, ready to go to her son. Lucius wasn't as enthusiastic about it, but followed his wife obediently.
Narcissa approached the table where the young couple was sitting. Draco wanted to stand up, but she signaled him to sit down. She came closer, stood behind them and hugged both Hermione and Draco together.
There was a flash of light. "Can you hold it for another second?" asked Colin, his camera ready.
"As long as none of these photos finds its way to the newspapers I'm ready to hold as much as needed," responded Narcissa, tightening her hug.
Colin took another photo. "Now, Mr. Malfoy – don't you like to join your wife for another photo?"
Lucius didn't seem very enthusiastic of the prospect – quite the contrary, but a sharp look from Narcissa's eyes subdued him and he joined his wife, his son and his soon to be daughter-in-law in a hug, staying closer to Draco, though.
Colin took a few more pictures, including the other members of the Golden Trio and then left the Malfoys alone. Narcissa conjured a seat and positioned herself between Hermione and Ginny, while Lucius had to sit between Draco and Harry.
"I've heard a lot about you but I've never had a chance to speak with you" Narcissa said to Hermione.
"I could say the same," responded Hermione, smiling. "We can go to an empty classroom and talk there after dinner", she suggested. Narcissa nodded her approval.
"Well, Miss Weasley, I believe I owe you my sincere apologies before talking of anything else." Lucius surprised all present, including his wife.
"What are you talking about?" Ginny asked, quite bewildered.
Lucius sighed. "Those close to me know that I sometimes have a very odd sense of humor. It so happened that when you were shopping for your first year books, I was carrying a small book which I suspected to contain some dark magic and I wanted to get rid of it. My original intention was to pass this to Dumbledore, hoping he would know what to do with it. I was quite frustrated at that time because Dumbledore insisted that I keep my cover as a Voldemort supporter. I thought Voldemort was gone for good and so I shouldn't need my cover anymore. Your parents also thought I was a death eater, while all that time I was working for the order. My frustration exploded in a row at the bookshop, and I thought it would be funny to let you – the small child – take that book to Dumbledore, so I slipped it in your package."
Ginny frowned. "Harry told me, but I couldn't believe you really planned all that eventually happened. We were lucky nobody was killed, although that almost happened..."
"I know. I can't find words to express how much I'm sorry. I told Dumbledore about that book a few days later, but he was unable to find it. You hid it well, so it seemed."
"I was just a foolish little girl. I'm lucky Harry had the wit and the courage to save me. I was almost dead when he found me."
"So I heard. I was really scared when I heard about it, yet I had to keep my cover or we all would have been doomed."
Ginny shrugged. "Well, we are beyond that now and I accept your apologies. I haven't even thought of that for a few years already."
Lucius relaxed visibly. "I'm glad you are OK now and it looks like you found your man as well..."
"I really hope so..." Harry couldn't miss Ginny's glare at his direction. She was expecting him to propose already, but he didn't feel it was the right time.
The conversation at the table drifted to other subjects. The Malfoys seemed interested in getting to know all the youngsters at the table more personally. They were very impressed by Ginny's fiery nature and fierce loyalty to Harry; Luna impressed them by her sharp wit and strange sense of humor while Harry, whom they have already met under different circumstances, seemed to be the perfect gentleman when dealing with his female friends or with Mrs. Malfoy. Hermione and Draco kept virtually silent. They intended to have a private conversation with his parents after dinner.
"So, what would you like to hear about us?" Lucius asked, once they found an empty room for their conversation.
"Well, I've already read all I could find about the Malfoys in the library. You were the enemy, so I thought, and I felt I should learn anything possible about you." Hermione didn't try to make it look any different than it was.
"Then you probably know more than me about our family's history," Lucius smiled at her, "yet I believe there's a lot that didn't get into any book. We, Malfoys, used to be very secretive about many of our doings. A part of it was because of some very shady businesses my family used to have. I'm not proud of that, but I can't change the past. I can at least say that none of the family businesses is still shady. We are now controlling manufacturing and sale of different artifacts – some magical and some mundane, but all are perfectly legal. My father was the one who started closing all the 'dark' businesses and I continued in his footsteps."
"Yet you kept the original French name which is actually 'wrong doer'. Do you know why?"
"It was a kind of family tradition, at least when the family came to Britain first. Then it had become a kind of brand name and nobody would even want to change it."
"But still, you have great influence in the Wizengamot and the ministry…"
"I have, to some extent. I've never been shy about spending my money to further my cause. I think it would be foolishness to let those idiots set the rules if I can make a change for the better."
"Lucius has very distinct opinions about most issues," added Narcissa, "just like you , or so I've heard."
"Yes, I do have strong opinions about many things and I try to do something about them, but not very successfully."
"You are bound to have more success as Mrs. Malfoy, I'm sure. I'd like to hear a bit about your background, though. That will help understanding your views, I believe."
"You know my parents are muggles. They are both dentists – tooth healers…"
"We know what dentists are. We are not as disconnected from the muggle world as some other families. Actually, most of our businesses are totally or partially muggle. Only a few are fully magical."
"Oh, I didn't know that…"
"I'm sure you didn't. Anyway, we even have a fully mundane villa not too far from Malfoy Manor. We spend there a lot of time, entertaining our muggle business associates and even enjoying an occasional magic-free weekend."
They spent more than three hours talking and getting to know each other. By the time Draco escorted her to the Gryffindor tower, Hermione felt she had a lot to think about.