Here's my advice for the day - when the weather forecast predicts rain, wear sensible shoes. That's the kind of lesson my mother should have taught me. Instead, she taught me Latin terms so I could write and fill prescriptions. Actually no, that's a pretty handy skill.


Chapter 7

Draco groaned as he adjusted his tie. "I can't believe I let you talk me into this," he called to Hermione who was holed up in the bathroom. "How did I let you talk me into this? It's a Narcissa Malfoy party. It's going to be an entire evening of her ignoring my father in hopes of finding us our soulmates."

The bathroom door opened and Hermione stepped out with her brown curls swept up in a French twist and a delicate layer of makeup covering her face. "It's the perfect plan really," she stated as she removed a midnight blue, strapless dress from the closet. "We're each other's dates. If we stick together, she can't fix us up with anyone else."

"When has this plan ever worked?" Draco asked as he zipped up the back of her dress.

She shrugged. "Never," she replied. "But there's a first time for everything, right?"

He laughed as he put the finishing touches on his dress robes and waited for Hermione to finish accessorizing. When she was, they linked arms and Apparated to Malfoy Manor. "Remember the plan," he muttered as his mother spotted them. "You and I are attached all night. Don't even think about trying to sneak off to the loo, because I will go in there with you."

Hermione snorted. "Wouldn't be the first time," she replied. "By the way, you really need to stop doing that. Especially when the door is clearly marked 'Ladies'."

Draco merely shrugged, not embarrassed by his actions in the slightest. "Things can happen in there," he stated. "You could slip and fall. Or drown. What if you drowned in a toilet?"

"When has that ever happened?" she asked, unable to hold back peals of laughter.

"I don't know," he replied. "All I know is I don't want it happening to you. You're a know-it-all control freak, but you're my know-it-all control freak."

Narcissa, decked out in hunter green, jewel-encrusted robes, appeared before them. "Please don't let that be the nicest thing you've ever said to her," she stated with a look of motherly disapproval.

Draco scoffed. "Hardly," he said. "Just the other day I assured her she doesn't look like a mountain troll when she wakes up in the morning. That's the nicest thing I've ever said to her."

Hermione covered her mouth with her hand so Narcissa wouldn't catch her amused smile. "I assure you, Mrs. Malfoy, he never has anything but kind words for me," she promised. "Now, I believe you promised us salmon puffs."

Turning on her heel, Narcissa led the pair into the already crowded ballroom. Pansy Parkinson was the first to approach and attempt to steal Hermione away. But Draco held steadfastly to her. "Do you really want to discuss nail polish and shoes with Pansy Parkinson?" he asked when Hermione tried to scold him for his rudeness. "Besides, no separating."

"Well, your father is on his way over here," she pointed out. "He's going to want to talk business because the two of you have never learned to communicate about other subjects. I, for one, have no interest in hearing about his master plan for you. Now, your mother doesn't like Pansy, so she won't bother me if I'm with her. We'll both be fine."

With that, she let go of his arm and joined Pansy as Lucius neared. "A little lovers' spat?" the older man inquired, handing his son a tumbler of firewhiskey. Draco rolled his eyes, but said no more. "Your mother invited the Greengrasses. I believe it's her hope to set you up with one of the daughters. Though, if you want my opinion, they're both daft, silly girls."

The younger man smiled. "I think that's the first time in the last decade that I've wanted your opinion," he remarked.

Lucius chuckled and turned his attention to their guests. "Octavius Pucey seems quite proud that his son is dating Miss Granger," he commented. "Where is Adrian tonight?"

Draco shrugged. "No idea. She dumped him," he replied. "I'm sure Mum will be happy that Hermione's back on the market. She takes too much pleasure in trying to marry us off."

"Perhaps if the two of you put a little more effort into it, your mother wouldn't feel the need to interfere," his father suggested.

"Please, we both know that she would," Draco said. "Couldn't you just hear her telling us that we're doing it wrong?"

Lucius patted his back and turned to leave. "Just let her have this for now," he advised. "It makes her happy."

"Yeah, well, not having her meddle in my love life makes me happy," Draco mumbled.

His father grinned as he spotted a colleague. "It'll all make sense in due time," he assured his son. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I see someone who requires my attention. Hermione will be missing your company if the look of sheer torture on her face is any indication."

Turning to his friend, Draco noticed that Hermione seemed more impatient than tortured as she talked to Pansy. He joined her then, slipping an arm around her tense shoulders. "Everything okay?" he whispered in her ear.

Hermione scowled. "She's hiding something, and it's driving me crazy," she replied.

Despite the roll of her dark eyes, Pansy continued to beam. "Fine, fine, I'll tell you now that Draco's here," she decided. She withdrew her arms from behind her back and held out her left hand. "Theo proposed. Just last night. Isn't it beautiful?"

Hermione admired the sapphire and diamond ring. "It's perfect," she replied with a smile. "Have you set a date?"

"We were thinking next spring," Pansy said. "Just keep April available."

"April what?" Draco asked.

Pansy shrugged. "Just April."

Soon, Pansy was called away by her mother, and Draco and Hermione were alone. "I am not going to a month long wedding," he stated. "I don't care that I've known her since birth, or that you two have managed to put aside past grudges and become friends. There is no way in hell I'm going to a month long wedding. A month long bachelor party maybe, but not a wedding."

"I'm pretty sure your liver would give out after a day," Hermione joked. "Besides, the wedding won't last a month. It's not a Quidditch game. She just wants to make sure we're available in April so we don't miss it."

"And who says I'm going?" he inquired, grabbing two champagne flutes from a passing tray.

Hermione grinned and turned to face him. "Me," she replied sweetly, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "Because you love me and I'm your best friend. You wouldn't really abandon me, would you? Like Harry and Ron did after the war, letting me go back to school all alone."

Draco laughed loudly. "My god, woman, you know how to send a bloke on one hell of a guilt trip, don't you," he remarked.

"So you'll be my date then?" she asked, a hopeful look in her wide, brown eyes.

Sighing, he replied, "Yes."