A/N: One of the longest chapters yet! Enjoy and review afterward with your thoughts! Since it's so long, the wedding night will be in the next update. Today's chapter covers just the ceremony and the party. More notes below.
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Previously on For the Cause, For Herself:
"It will just take her a few minutes to accept it. Thinking I'm going to marry Neville was one thing but then throwing in you..." She gestured towards his tall form. "You have to admit anyone would assume I was under a curse. There is no way I'd willingly marry you."
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Chapter 7: A Blushing Bride
Hermione gathered her things and left the Prefect's bathroom, having stolen a few minutes to shower and do her hair before joining Ginny to get ready, she bumped in a solid form and fell to the floor.
"Oufh. Watch out!" The figure gruffed, then picking himself up from the floor said "Oh, hi Granger." She had bumped into her groom, wasn't it bad luck for them to meet before the wedding? Hermione seemed to remember some muggle tradition that mentioned that idea.
Picking up her bag of toiletries from the ground, she looked up at Draco. She wasn't expecting to see him so early and her throat hadn't warmed up quite yet, she tried to keep from croaking as she spoke her first words of the day. "Good morning" she spoke quietly.
Draco bent down to help her pick up a few of the items that had scattered onto the tiled bathroom entrance. He handed her a few bottles, helped her up, and then abruptly did a double take.
"How? Your hair?" He was miraculously as stunned as she hoped he would be. It was definitely a good idea to get the deluxe Sleakeazy kit, Hermione thought. While her and Draco weren't actually a couple in the traditional sense, it was nice to have someone be surprised by her appearance.
Hermione gingerly reached up and brushed a sleek strand from her face. "Yes, it's for...You know. The wedding."
Draco eyes widened marginally, almost as if he forgot about the occasion. "Ah, yes. Not too long from now." His weight shifted from one leg to the other, seemingly at a loss for words.
The stubborn strand fell past her ears and into her face again, too smooth to stay in place. She reached up again to tug it back when a hand stopped her. Draco was closer to her now, his hand moving past hers to stroke the hair that had gotten in the way. He gently tucked it behind her ears himself, looking from her ear to her eyes, and then away. His breath tickled her eyes and she blinked, this strange moment over within seconds.
He stepped back, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I'll see you in a few hours, Granger." And then walked away, as if they were friends going to met up for a study group and not about to get married for the foreseeable future.
Hermione's face turned a bright crimson and the heat from the shower seemed to return in a flash, warming the space above her chest. Before her thoughts could run away with her, before she could even catalog this strange occurrence in her running list of odd things Draco Malfoy has done this week, she turned and ran towards the Gryffindor dormitory.
Hermione almost wished she could speed past her wedding day so that she could start working on helping Harry and Ron fight Voldemort. Almost.
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Ginny, blurry eyed and groggy, complained when Hermione tried shaking her awake. "It's too early, go away!" Ginny growled, the sound muffled by the blanket she pulled over her head.
"Please Ginny, the wedding is in four hours!" and suddenly the fair skinned witch was up and ready to help Hermione get ready.
In a blur Hermione was getting tweezed and plucked, covered in liquids and powders, highlighted with a soft pink pearlescent cream... Ginny kept speaking throughout the process, explaining her makeup tricks as she went, "You know, just in case you want to recreate the look." And it all went over Hermione's head. She tried to pay attention, but the hammering in her heart was too loud, the chill in the air too crisp, and in what felt like a moment it was now time to work on the dress.
Wizards could use magic to make dresses fit just right, but they could only do so much when it came to complete alterations. The base dress couldn't be too far removed from what the wearer wanted the end result to be. With her limited budget, Hermione was able to find a simple off-white dress with sheer cap sleeves in a billowy material. No deep v-cut, no long train, just a simple long white dress. She wanted to feel beautiful, but Hermione also didn't want to wear something elaborate since only five people would be in attendance. She had never imagined an elaborate wedding for herself anyway.
When she slipped into the dress, Ginny gasped.
"Oh, Hermione. You look so beautiful. Where did you find it?"
Hermione turned to look in the mirror, and found a girl that she did not recognize. A smooth haired woman stared back at her, glowing and happy, waiting for her moment. The pearl shimmer cream Ginny had used on her brought the whole look together, reflecting slightly in the light from the window and bringing out the tones in her hair, contrasting with her dress. Hermione had never felt so beautiful. If only Ron could see her now, and it wasn't all for a boy she had spent years hating.
Before she could answer Ginny, a tap tap came from the window. They both turned to see Malfoy's crow holding a box outside the windowsill. Ginny went to open the clasp and reached for the package, but the crow pecked at her hand and flew past, sitting on the dresser next to Hermione.
"Rude!" Ginny exclaimed, rubbing her hand.
Not noticing, Hermione said "Thank you, Darkling." when he flew towards her.
As Hermione had kept forgetting to ask the crows name, she had started to refer to him by this new nickname. The crow seemed to enjoy it, rubbing his head into the palm of Hermione's hand as she gave him a little pat before taking the box. Darkling stared at her for a moment before swooping off.
Hermione gingerly sat down, trying to make sure she didn't wrinkle the dress, and stared at the long rectangular box. Even the box looked expensive! She wondered what could possibly be inside, and why Draco would give her a present in the first place.
Ginny bounced down beside her, "Well, open it!" She said excitedly, Ginny was always overly eager about gifts.
Stroking the side of the velvet box, Hermione lifted the lid. Inside there was an elegant thin silver chain with a small silver heart. Engraved in the middle was her soon to be initials, HGM, Hermione Granger Malfoy.
Lifting up the necklace into the light for a better look, Hermione couldn't help but tear up. "Why would Malfoy me a present? I don't understand. He should be sending my cursed items meant to hurt me, instead I'm getting customized jewelry, as if this were a real marriage. I don't understand."
Ginny silently looked from Hermione to the necklace, and then back again.
"Look, Hermione. I know that this marriage was put together for the Order, to help save the world. But maybe..." She looked back at the locket, "Maybe it won't be as bad as you're expecting."
Hermione nodded. "I know. Draco was kind, albeit still snarky, but kind all the same when we exchanged letters. He doesn't want this, but I think he'll take it seriously. Which is more than I expected, honestly. I just don't know how to feel." A lone tear streamed down Hermione's left cheek and the two hugged.
Then Ginny stood and helped Hermione get back up, brushing her hair to the side to help her put on her new necklace.
"Come on, we need to make a few little alterations and time is running out. Soon you'll be a Malfoy. I'd rather have you as my sister than Malfoy's wife but hey, this will have some advantages as well." Ginny, in an effort to lighten the mood, spoke in a higher pitched voice as she added "Think of the money!"
It did make Hermione laugh, even though she had no intentions of touching Malfoy's money, and she smiled as she and Ginny put the final touches on their looks.
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It was time. Ginny stood in a rose gold knee length dress and Hermione in her wedding white, and headed out the door. The elves had already stopped by to pick up her trunk and bring it over to the new Malfoy quarters, a repurposed chamber Hogwarts would keep for visiting families, and made their way down the steps and out of Gryffindor tower.
Slowly marching towards the Great Hall, which Headmaster Snape has offered them for their private ceremony, Hermione tried to soothe her nerves. Counting seemed to help. Counting her breaths, 532, her steps, 762, how many times Ginny nervously touched her hair, 12.
And then her breath was caught in her throat, they were stopped, and Ginny was now adjusting Hermione's hair instead of her own.
"Are you ready?" Ginny inquired.
"No." Hermione shook her head.
The music started anyway.
"Well, we have time to talk about your feelings during the reception. Don't worry, this is only temporary. It will be over in a few short months." Ginny readjusted her outfit, quickly conjured a white lily, and handed it to Hermione.
"Good luck." Ginny gave her a quick and gentle hug and then opened the doors, walking through them to precede Hermione.
Hermione counted to 30 and then entered the Great Hall.
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To Hermione's great surprise, the hall was decorated. No, not as extravagantly as she'd assume a Malfoy wedding to be. And no, not as lovingly put together as she'd seen at Fleur and Bill's wedding. But this was something different, simple but elegant. Like her necklace.
Since they had invited as little amount of people as possible, to keep the wedding a secret for as long as possible, there was only one place for seating towards the left of the room near a refreshment and sweet table. Then there was ten wicker chairs lined up, five on each side, and a lace runner down the center of the aisle for Hermione to walk down.
At the top of the aisle, was a small archway also lined with lilies, which made Hermione wonder how Ginny knew what flower to give her. Ginny stood off to the left as her only bridesmaid, Headmaster Snape was standing where she had hoped her childhood priest would have been, and then Draco...The sight of Draco made her pause.
He was wearing the sharpest suit she had ever seen, with a dark emerald green tie. His hair was pushed back with gel as usual, but it seemed to have been done so with more care that she'd normally seen. And his eyes, his grey eyes seemed to shine on her. Looking into her so deeply, in a way that she had never seen anyone look at her before.
Hermione willed her legs to keep moving, told her brain to get it together, and reminded her heart that it needed to keep beating a little longer. That it needs to find a rhythm before the end of this aisle because if not this would all be over. She needed to stay alive long enough to help her friends, long enough to enjoy this day, even if it wasn't how she had intended for it to be.
And then she was standing in front of him. Draco smiled softly at her, and brought his hands to take hers, then they both turned to Snape.
Snape cleared his throat and began to recite.
"Witches and wizards, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of the Granger and Malfoy households as well as the binding of Hermione and Draco in marriage. May Merlin bless their union. Draco, repeat after me...
"I, Draco Malfoy, pledge to be faithful and honorable to our union."
Draco follows, "I, Draco Malfoy, pledge to be faithful and honorable to our union."
"In sickness and in health, in prosperity and in hardship, I pledge to love you and support you as my wife."
Slowly, Draco mimics "In sickness and in health, in prosperity and in hardship, I pledge to love you and support you as my wife."
"Until my dying days."
"Until my dying days."
Draco slipped a simple ministry mandated band onto Hermione's hand, holding her hand in his. And as Hermione repeated the same words he had just uttered, she tried to take them as seriously as Draco seemed too. No, they weren't a long love story finally coming together, and they weren't friends that finally realized their feelings for each other, but they were going to be spending the war together. That was no small matter. She felt his hands tighten around hers as she spoke "until my dying days" and she gently squeezed back before taking the ring Ginny handed to her and slipping it onto Malfoy's ring finger.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."
And in an awkward shuffle towards each other, Draco lightly touched his lips to hers. It was done. The music turned up again and they turned to face the crowd.
In the ten small seats held many unhappy people, Hermione's horrified professors, and Draco's parents. They all clapped politely, with the exception of Lucius Malfoy, as Hermione and Draco walked hand and hand down the aisle and out the door.
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While Hermione and Draco waited outside of the hall for the room to be rearranged for a small party, they both silently pondered how they should act around each other.
"So, Granger-"
She interrupted him, "Call me Hermione."
"Oh, right. Hermione." He looked at her, stepping closer and speaking frankly. "Hermione, I know that I am a git. I'm rude, entitled, and honestly I usually like being that way. I generally get everything that I want and that has just always been how my life has been."
Hermione shuffled her feet, "What exactly are you getting at, Draco?" This was not how she pictured her first conversation as a wife going.
"I just wanted to let you know, I know that about myself. But that isn't how I intend on treating you."
Hermione's head shot up. "Really?"
With a slow seeming reluctance, he moved even closer to her. They were so close, she could hear the inhalations and exhalations between his words. Hermione started counting those breaths, matching hers to his.
"Really. Sure, I still think that being pureblood makes a difference...But things have happened to me, and to people I care about, things I may tell you about one day...That have taught me that it isn't the most important thing. I'm not going to let someone entrusted in my care, my wife no less, feel like she is anything less than what she is."
A few inches closer still. "And I know that, for some insane reason, you still have some feelings for that buffoon Weasley. I understand that, more than you know."
And then his hand was slowly inching up, making small circles on Hermione's arms, "But I intend this to be a marriage. Neither of us may make it through this war. So this could be my… our only shot. I'm going to treat this like it is real."
Then Draco abruptly stood back from her, placed a gentle kiss to Hermione's hand, and walked towards the doors. "I'll see if they need any help in there. See you in a moment."
All Hermione could do to keep from hyperventilating was to start reciting the recipe for Polyjuice Potion in her head, sure that this could not be the Draco Malfoy she had known for seven years.
While she was going over the instructions for long term storage of different potions, Ginny popped her head out. "We're ready for the party, Hermione. Come on!" She beckoned her towards the door.
Hermione closed off her thoughts and stepped forward, into her first occasion as Mrs. Malfoy.
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Draco was waiting for her inside the door, holding out his hand for her to take. There was no first dance, nor a large crowd waiting to give congratulations, but there was a table set up with a simple meal and an oddly jubilant Ginny and a somewhat pleasant looking Mother-In-Law.
Professor McGonagall seemed like she was about to explode any moment, Professor Flitwick just kept looking between Draco and Hermione as if they had slime dripping off of them, and Headmaster Snape was as pensive as ever. Lucius, of course, was scowling. But seated between Draco and Narcissa, Hermione felt quite content.
Maybe, she hoped, being a Malloy wouldn't be too bad.
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Next time on For the Cause, For Herself:
He slowly moved the hands caressing her soft hair down her body, stopping at her back to slowly move her with him backwards towards the bed. Thinking, cataloguing, Hermione tried to keep her senses with her, tried to convince her body that she really should not be enjoying the kiss of a Death Eater so much.
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A/N: We'll get to see a more serious side of Draco and an explanation for his kind behavior towards Hermione in the next chapter! Sorry for the upload delays. Getting back to work after my maternity leave has been tougher than I thought. R&R!