The Engagement

Soon after dinner with both sets of parents, Hermione moved herself into Draco's room, and for the first time in her life, she felt the spark of life that had never been there before. "Are you sure you're okay with this?" Draco asked as she lay comfortably against him as they read the Iliad together.

"Absolutely, right now there isn't very much that could make me any happier than being here with you," she sighed with complete content.

"Our big announcement is going to be made tomorrow, are you nervous?" He wondered running his fingers through her soft, silky, black locks.

"I'm not nervous per say, but I am a little anxious to find out what everyone is going to think of me when they see me." She laughed slightly, "Are you finished interrogating me? I'd like to turn the page now,"

"Yes, after you answer this one last question, how many times have you read this book again?" he asked with a slight chuckle and a kiss on her cheek.

"Probably not as many times as you have, this is only the second or maybe third time I've taken the time to read it," she smiled looking up at him and kissing his lips.

"I think that we are both way too distracted to finish reading this right now, so why don't we just head off to bed a bit earlier than usual. We do have a rather long day planned ahead of us for tomorrow," Draco said as he shut the book and the two of them climbed underneath the silk sheets.

"Do you think that what we have right now is…is…the beginning of…love…?" Hermione asked; not quite sure if that was the right way she wanted the words to come out.

"Well, I am convinced that there is at the very least the beginning of a very close, very long, very healthy relationship between us. I also think that I'm already in love with you, and I hope that you love me too…" he answered as he wrapped his arms around her waist and placed his chin on her should, cuddling up as close to her as was physically possible.

"I think that I'm already in love with you too…" she whispered as they fell asleep together.

The next morning Draco awoke to Hermione stroking his hair out of his eyes, with a soft smile on her face, "Good morning," she whispered as if he was still asleep and she didn't want to wake him.

"Good morning to you too, I didn't take you for a real morning person," Draco remarked rolling over to look at the clock, "Six forty five, damn I wanted to sleep in."

"I'm not usually a morning person, unless I have a good reason to be, and you happen to be my good reason," she giggled.

"Well, that is rather gratifying to hear, you give me a good reason to be or try to be a morning person as well, but I am convinced that my reason out weighs yours, and makes me a more tolerable morning person in the end," Draco chuckled kissing her as he rolled out of bed.

The two of them took their time getting ready for their day, and as Hermione began to apply her make-up Draco noticed that she was spinning her engagement ring around her finger, and her breathing had become shallow. "Everything is going to be just fine, you don't have anything to be nervous about," he assured her as he gently rubbed her shoulders.
The very first person that evening that she was introduced to was none other that Blaise Zabini. Draco wanted to explain to him why he hadn't been able to invite him over for holiday, or in return accept his invitations.

When Blaise first saw her, he thought he was dreaming when Vulcan pointed her out, he thought he was gazing upon a foreign beauty, in a jungle green satin formal, that was a V necked halter top with a silver lining trimming the edges of her dress. Once again her hair was piled high on her head with the same diamond circlet and the same earrings, but she was lacking the necklace, and she now wore the elaborate diamond engagement ring.

She was radiantly beautiful, and when she arrived at the foot of the stair case to greet her brother on Draco's arm, Blaise was in complete and utter disarray. This was just beyond belief to him, she looked exactly like the Gryffindor Book Worm Princess herself…but it couldn't be…could it…?

"Zabini, I'd like you to meet my baby sister, Hermione Granger, I do believe that this is your first time meeting her formally?" Vulcan announced as he hugged his sister tightly and then released her.

"Granger," Blaise said taking Hermione's hand and planting a kiss upon the back of it.

"Zabini, what a pleasant surprise to find you here," Hermione smiled mischievously at him. "Don't look so shocked, you didn't honestly think that I was really that perfect did you?"

"She's good, I have to admit," Blaise chuckled nervously, knowing that the last time he and Hermione had met was in an alley in Hogs Meade and he had tried to get into her pants.

"Well, now that's out of the way, this is why I haven't been able to hang out as much. Hermione and I had to go through some acclimating" Draco started, he couldn't help but smile lovingly at her. He knew he must have looked insane to Blaise, but Draco knew that Hermione was the one for him and no one else would be good enough for him .

"You're serious about this then? You're actually going to go through with it then?" Blaise looked quite shocked by the decision of Draco.

"Hermione, Darling, I'm going to take my leave for a moment to have a chat with Zabini, I shall be right back and then we will make the formal announcement my Love," Draco cooed in her ear and left her momentarily with Vulcan. She nodded in response and shot a look of pure enjoyment in Zabini's direction, wishing she could be a part of ripping Blaise a new ass hole.

"Of course I'm serious about this. I will admit, I was a little weary when I found out that it was in fact Hermione. I was sure it would be hell, but I've come to realize that she is more than I could ever want in a woman. I am honored to be engaged to Hermione Riddle, daughter of our Lord Voldemort. And you should be honored to have been invited, Hermione's safety is our top priority. Anything about her gets out at Hogwarts and I will kill you myself." Draco warned.

"She's still bloody Granger, Malfoy. She's true to Potter is she not? Isn't that why she hasn't had any trouble with the order of the Phoenix. She can't be that great as to have fooled Dumbledore!" Blaise boldly accused.

Malfoy grabbed Blaise by the collar, "You my friend, have forgotten your place. You are speaking of my future wife and one of your future leaders of the Death Eaters." he spat as he back Blaise against the wall. "I'm willing to forget that this happened if you apologize to her, and treat her like the royalty she is."

He let go of Blaise, straightened his tie and went back to Hermione's side. He knew it was shocking, but Blaise's complete lack of respect angered Malfoy to no end. He was not going to stand for that, especially not toward Hermione.

Shortly after their little interlude, Blaise apologized and even asked Hermione to dance. "I know that it's quite a shock to see me like this, and you are not the only one who has had such a reaction. I just hope you think twice when you're in Hogsmeade next." Hermione scoffed as they danced together.

"Can't we just forget about that?" Blaise asked nervously. He knew she was talking about the night he had caught her in the alley at Hogsmeade the winter before and drunkenly tried to have sex with her.

"Why should I? What have you done to deserve such generosity?" Hermione smirked evilly, she enjoyed watching Blaise sweat bullets. "Oh relax Zabini, I'm sure Draco already put the fear of my Father in you. Just remember that this gets out, and I'll come after you, and believe me, you should fear my Father, but you should fear me more. My Father wouldn't kill you, but I would."

The waltz ended and Hermione left Blaise standing in horror, as she went to go mingle with the other guests that had gone to meet the heirs to the wizarding world, and congratulate her on her engagement.

The event was definitely more exciting than Hermione would have given her Father credit for. She hadn't gone to very many functions that he had planned just because of the risk of being found out. Everyone that was there loved her, and loved the story of how she'd been hidden away in Gryffindor house. She was surprised to see how many families there were that followed her father and quite a few of them had children that went to Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, she was formally introduced to many of them, one face of course she didn't have to be introduced to, Viktor Krum attended.

"I never would have guess that it was you if I didn't already know Vulcan. The two of you look so much alike it's unmistakable. Seems like it's been ages since we last saw each other, and ages since I've known your secret. Congratulations on your engagement. He's a lucky fellow." Viktor hugged Hermione and kissed the back of her hand as a gentle man. She felt herself blush, Krum had been the first person she was allowed to tell since he had known Vulcan for so long.

"Thank you Viktor, it was a very pleasant surprise seeing a face that I recognized. And don't be afraid to call upon our hospitality any time, you are always welcome here." She smiled.

Draco came to meet Hermione in the middle of the dance floor just to show off how well they danced together. "Darling, I don't want to upset you since the ceremony will start in a few moments, but Lissette just arrived. Apparently your brother invited her..." he trailed off as they parted so he could twirl her.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him, "What else?" She demanded softly from him.

"She's wearing the same dress as you. I don't know how it happened but she is." He whispered in her ears as they finished their dance with her in a dip.

"Where is my Father? This is my night, and I am not about to let that trollop waltz in here and ruin my engagement party." She growled as they left the dance floor in search of Lord Voldemort.

She rushed through the corridor, the dining hall, and even Lucius' study. When she opened the study all she found instead was Vulcan with Lissette. "You bloody Bastard, what the hell?" She screamed at her brother. "This is my party, and you have the gall to invite her without asking me first, just like you did at dinner few couple weeks ago. What is wrong with you? What ever happened to getting my opinion and asking me before intruding? I thought that you respected me Vulcan."

"He's a big boy, he doesn't need your permission to do what he wants," Lissette chuckled as she had her arms around Vulcan.

"Will you shut up Lissette." Vulcan hissed. "Look Hermione, I wanted her here. I didn't tell you because I knew that you would be mad."

"Mad, Vulcan, do I look mad to you? I am beyond mad, look at her and look at me! She bloody came here to try to show me up when I am being introduced to the most prominent of Father's followers. I am going to give you five minutes. When I come back she had better be gone, if she's not, I'll bloody force her out and it won't be very pretty," She warned leaving the Malfoy study. She felt like bursting into tears. Her brother had ruined her mood and possibly her whole night.

She felt her eyes welling up with tears, and all she wanted to do was run away, some where she could cry her eyes out and then she was going to murder Lissette De Bois. As she tried to sneak out to the garden she found her Mother.

"Darling are you alright?" Lady Riddle asked when she looked a her daughter's face. Her nose was lightly red and her eyes were watery. She could tell that there were tear trails running down Hermione's cheeks.

"No, I'm not alright Mother. Vulcan brought Lissette here without my knowledge. And she is wearing my dress! I hate both of them!" She sobbing into her Mother.

"Now, now Dear, don't let that bother you. Go freshen up my Love, I will make sure this is dealt with. You get yourself beautiful again and go mingle once again, the ceremony is about to take place." Lady Riddle assured her as she sent her upstairs. "Draco will be up shortly for you,"

"Alright Mother, they're in the Malfoy study," Hermione told her as she went to freshen herself up.

Lady Riddle went to the Malfoy study and burst in to find Lissette and Vulcan still together. "What on Earth is going on here?" She wondered.

"Mother, what a surprise. You wouldn't mind if Lissette joined us would you?" Vulcan asked boldly, caught of gard by Lady Riddle.

"What did Hermione say? It is her party and her night Vulcan, it's not my decision." Lady Riddle sternly advised.

"Lady Riddle, your daughter hates me for no apparent reason..." Lissette began.

"Miss De Bois, you're wearing the same dress that my daughter is on her engagement night. I shall remember that for your engagement night, if we do in fact still have it." Lady Riddle threatened. "Vulcan, get her out of here, and then you had better hope your sister is in a forgiving enough mood to help ensure that you will still have a fiance`."

"I'm sorry Mother." Vulcan was ashamed of his behavior, he knew he had damaged his relationship with Hermione, and when it came down to it, if he couldn't mend this fracture in the future it could be the end of him.

He sent Lissette back to her own family's manor, knowing that she was angry with him for it. But he would much rather face Lissette than have to worry about the rath of Hermione or their Father. Once that was completed he went in search of his sister to try to fix the problem that was arising from his disrespect for his sister.

Vulcan wasn't able to find her until the Engagement ceremony started. He watched as Draco formally purposed to his little sister and she accepted. They went through their engagement vows and signed their contract to marry in their own blood, as was traditional for the upper class families. Once that was completed they had the ceremonial waltz.

Vulcan waited until their traditional dance had ended before asking to dance with his sister. She reluctantly danced with her brother, still very upset with him. "You have some nerve you know that? I was bloody ready to kill both of you. The only reason I didn't is because you're my brother and I love you too dearly to do that to you." She hissed angrily at him.

"I'm sorry Hermione. I knew that you didn't want her there and I brought her, and then I saw her wearing you dress. Before I could say anything about it you came it. I wasn't thinking this would ruin your engagement, but I realize now how close I was to ruining the party and embarrassing you." He apologized.

Hermione was silent for a few moments pondering over Vulcan's apology. "How can I be angry at my only brother for longer than a few moments. I appreciate you reflecting on your actions before apologizing Vulcan. It helps me forgive you faster." She smile at him and hugged him.

"Thank you, and congratulations little sister. You are now officially engaged." Vulcan gushed over his sister now that she had forgiven his for his idiocy.

Voldemort was next on the list to dance with Hermione. "I can't express to you how proud I am of you for everything you've accomplished here with coming close to the Malfoys my dear girl." he complimented.

"Thank you Father, it means a lot to me." Hermione blushed.

"Your Mother told me about miss De Bois's attempt to crash the party and humiliate you. It will be dealt with my child." Voldemort assured her.

"Father, I hate her, Draco hates her, Mother hates her, please don't have Vulcan marry her. The twins only have a year before their seventh year, or even someone else....."Hermione pleaded.

"After this evening, your opinions will be considered with a great deal more weight." Voldemort remarked.

The rest of the night went by flawlessly, and by the time the last house guest left, it was beginning to get light outside. "I don't know about you, but I am beat," Hermione sighed as the two of them finally laid down in their bed.

"Tell me about it, wake me up on September first," Draco agreed as they drifted to sleep.