I own nothing of either Harry Potter or the movie Ever After and receive no money for the writing of this fictional tale around the two. I also do not own the copyright to the songs listed.

Music is my muse:
Song for this fic: Put Your Arms Around Me; Texas
Lyrics for this chapter: You let me believe that you were someone else.

The song and trailers for the movie can be found on my YouTube channel: Crystal Jean Red
Artwork found on my Instagram: CrystalJeanRed and done by the amazing Trinkisme. Thank you, dear.


Tell Me A Fable

Chapter 8
The Ball

Dumbledore arrived with his usual flourish and got her out quickly and ingeniously by simply removing the hinges on the door much to the servant's surprise and gestured her forward his face sweet his eyes twinkling.

"That was amazing!" Her Nan said with wide eyes looking at the wizard.

"Yes, I shall forever be known as the man who opened a door!" Dumbledore said with a bow.

"What no magic? Hermione asked chuckling as she hugged him.

He chuckled. "Sometimes the Muggle way of problem-solving works just as well. It has been a delight to remember that in this dream of yours."

Hermione stepped back and smiled wearily. "You know what is going to happen tonight?" she asked her eyes tearing up.

Dumbledore nodded his tone full of sadness. "Sometimes we have to lose something important to us to realise what we are missing." He wiped at her eyes. "Now stop this, we must get you ready for a ball."

"He will not accept a commoner for a bride and will be livid I have deceived him," she said sadly, smiling at the old man. The Prince and Draco shared these characteristics. Both bound to find a bride among their own class and both not easily won over if you deceived them.

"You will tell him the truth, you owe him that much, and he loves you," Dumbledore said with a wink.

Hermione smiled and threw one of her favourite lines from the film at her old headmaster. "A bird may love a fish, Senor, but where would they live?"

His eyes twinkled madly. "Then I shall have to make you wings."

Dumbledore did so, with the Elder wand, and she had to admit she looked stunning.

"I don't know that I can stand the public humiliation I am about to walk in on," she whispered, her hands clutching her stomach.

Dumbledore looked at her wisely. "Perhaps that is why you must endure it? You face this fear here so that once you are out of your head if it ever happens again, you will have already suffered the embarrassment and can show the courage you think you lack."

Hermione looked up at him startled. "Are you using legilimency on me?"

He chuckled. "No, it is not needed. I have watched and taught many young witches in my lifetime. You, Miss Granger, simply need to understand your worth. Once you do many of the things you fear will melt away."

Hermione swallowed as she considered him. "Perhaps you are right."

His eyes twinkled at her. "Do not fear; I will give your Prince hell for treating you poorly. I am rather looking forward to it."

Hermione laughed and hugged the old wizard. "I am so glad you are here. I don't know what I would have done without being able to chat with you."

Dumbledore nodded as he pulled her back looking her over. "Come, now you are enchanting and you mustn't be late."

OooOOooO

Hermione left in the carriage waving as she did so and leaned back her heart racing. It didn't help, knowing the ending but realising she first had to go through the humiliation. Was it worth it? Could she do this? Dumbledore seemed to think she could, and she trusted his opinion very much. Maybe he was right, going through this humiliation would make her stronger.

"I have to, or I shall never escape this madness," she whispered wringing her hands.

To calm herself she started thinking all the way she could enact revenge on Fred and George. She walked up the steps in her fine dress and wings to gasps and watched as Draco, in all his finery as the Prince of France rushed up to her.

"My mother told me you were engaged," he said looking her over his eyes full of hurt.

"She was misinformed," Hermione said simply.

"So you are not engaged?" His tone was so full of his boyish charm and excitement she giggled.

"No, I am not," she assured him but then remembered what she had to try and do.

She wasn't sure if she didn't follow the script for all she knew the whole dream could start over. She wouldn't put it past Fred and George to have a loophole like that in the magic.

"Please there is something I must tell you before another word is spoken," she said as he pulled her forward.

"Whatever it is my answer is yes," he said with a laugh. "Do you see, I invited the gipsies."

Hermione tugged at him as they neared her stepmother. "Please, you must listen!"

But it was too late, Bellatrix swept out ripping away her wing and screeching about her being a fraud.

Hermione watched with a sense of detached horror as the scene played out. It shouldn't hurt this much, watching him reject her because she was common. But it did. She said her lines, but she didn't have to pretend when it came to her sorrow because great sobs raked through her body when he turned his back on her. Oh, this was so much worse than she had imagined.

Running away in the rain she felt as if her entire soul was sinking with despair as everything that was said that night washed over her. She wasn't good enough; she would never be good enough. Damn the magic making her face this. Movies had happy endings, not real life.

In the movie, she was sold and won her freedom, and the Prince came to rescue her, and they lived happily ever after. That was the name of the movie, Ever After. But it didn't matter what happened in the bloody movie. This was all magic and a film, Hermione, the real Hermione was never going to get a happy ever after. She would always be the common mudblood.

She sobbed in the forest until her heart broke and then suddenly she was back at the Manor the next day watching with detachment as her step-mother goaded and degraded her before selling her off to the neighbouring lecher, who looked just like Rodolphus Lestrange of all people. She really had a twisted sense of who she cast in these roles.

It was satisfying to pull a sword on him after what had been a weird trip through her dream. Suddenly she was threating to slit the man open from navel to nose and he was giving her the key to her irons.

She looked at it and then took it rushing out to the courtyard where the Prince would be coming to rescue her, too late, of course, she had managed that herself.

She cried as he told her he loved her and asked her to be his bride.

She couldn't understand why the dream seemed to be speeding up again, pulling at her somehow to get to a certain point.

OoOOoOOoO

Hermione was sitting in a room with Dumbledore as she waited to make her grand appearance in court as a Princess. She had to admit she looked the part, her gown was made of luxurious velvet and stunning, her hair was shiny and perfect, and the crown on her head brought out the highlights in her hair. She looked good in gold.

The simple gold band on her finger made her smile. She had a large ruby ring on her right hand that the prince had given to her right before their simple marriage ceremony earlier that morning.

She looked up as Severus walked in.

"They are here," he said simply with a smile that looked odd on the man.

"Did you manage to warn Pansy?" she asked worriedly. "I don't want her to think she is in any trouble; she was only ever kind to me."

Severus nodded his face again breaking out into that uncharacteristic smile. "She knows she is safe."

Dumbledore looked up from discreetly curling Hermione's hair with his wand up his sleeve to smile.

"He asked for her hand in marriage when they got here. Your step-mother and step-sister were too busy making sure they were presentable to notice."

Hermione smiled happily. "Severus that is wonderful, congratulations."

He gave a brisk nod. "I don't deserve her, but I shall endeavour to make her happy."

Hermione nodded. "I want you two to have the Manor-" she cut him off as he went to protest. "No please, listen, it would mean the world to me to know that it was being taken care of and I will be here, with my Prince."

Severus grew pensive before he sighed and nodded. "If his majesty allows me to resign my position in the guard, and I would be honoured to raise a family on your land."

Hermione knew her face had lit up with happiness. "Oh he will allow it, I promise you that. We already talked about making sure Pansy was titled in some way," she winked at Severus. "I had a feeling you two would be married, and the Prince is going to petition to make you a Baron."

She watched in delight as Severus stammered and bowed his thanks and then turned to Dumbledore.

"Albus, shouldn't you get out there to see the show?"

He smiled at her finishing with her hair. "I wouldn't miss it for anything. I took Harry on as an apprentice you know, he is already out there saving me a spot in the front. The whole court is here, should be delightful."

Hermione shook her head after the man as he breezed out. "You know I think if he could he would be sitting in a chair with popcorn watching this."

Severus frowned at her. "Popcorn, milady?"

Hermione giggled. "Never mind, is it time?"

Severus nodded, and she walked with him until she was behind a tapestry where she could hear everything going on.

"Did you or did you not, lie to her majesty the Queen of France?" The King said in a loud booming voice.

Hermione shivered, Lucius was terrifying.

"Choose your words wisely, madam, for they may be your last."

Hermione had to put a hand over her mouth to stop from giggling. It was immensely satisfying to have Narcissa Malfoy put a girl looking just like Daphne Greengrass in her place.

She tuned back in and realised it was time for her to speak up. Severus had already gone to stand by Pansy. It was her turn to be in the spotlight, so taking a deep breath, Hermione walked out and into the middle of the aisle where she said in a loud, strong voice.

"I will speak for her, she is, after all, my step-mother."

Gasps all around followed this pronouncement, and Hermione looked to see Draco standing next to his father with a crown that matched hers smirking down at Daphne who looked like a fish out of water.

"Daphne," he said in a cold, condescending tone, "I don't believe you have met, my wife."

Hermione grinned at him and then turned to look down at Bellatrix. How much she wanted to ask for her life, she had to remind herself that Bellatrix was gone. However, as she looked at the witch it hit her that in choosing forgiveness now, in this scene, she was also choosing to forgive the real witch. It was cleansing.

"I want you to know that after this moment I will never think of you again. You and your cruelty will never affect my life. Your words, deeds and opinions will not matter to me."

She stared into the cold eyes that had tortured her and felt a weight lift from her shoulders. She smiled as she looked up at the King, who was giving her an accessing look.

"All I ask, your majesty, is that you show her the same kindness she has bestowed upon me."

The King nodded. "And this other one?" He asked pointing at Daphne.

"I feel she should share the same fate as her mother, majesty," Hermione said with a small curtsy.

"Very well, it shall be so."

Hermione looked over at Pansy who was sagging with relief and perhaps a bit of sorrow into Severus as guards led her mother and sister away. The room burst into sound and Draco walked over to take her hands.

"Are you well?"

Hermione smiled, peace overwhelming her. "I am very well, thank you."

"You should have sent them to the Americas," he said his tone angry.

Hermione reached up and touched his face bringing his attention back to her. "There was no need. They mean nothing to me. Put them out of your mind."

He sighed and kissed her palm before turning her so that she could greet Pansy, who curtsied. The poor woman was shaking.

"I wish to thank you, Pansy. You made life bearable for me."

Pansy went a bit pale. "I should have done more," she whispered miserably. "I saw how you started standing up to her. I wish I were as brave as you ended up being."

Hermione rushed forward and hugged her. "Not all of us must be brave. You survived and came out on the other side far better off."

Pansy smiled at this and looked up at Severus who was smiling down at her as well.

Hermione turned to her new husband. "Will you tell them, please? Is it official?"

Draco smiled at her and turned to his Captain of the Guard. "Severus Snape, once you are married, which I suggest you do post haste," there was a short snort from the man but a firm nod and the Prince continued with a smirk, "my wife would like to deed you and your bride the land and Manor she should have inherited from her father."

Pansy gasped grabbing onto Hermione. "Hermione! But are you sure?"

Hermione nodded. "I have no need of it now, and nothing would give me more pleasure than to allow you to be a lady of the Manor."

Pansy sobbed as she laughed. "Oh thank you!"

Draco cleared his throat. "I am not finished," he said glaring at Hermione who just smirked biting her lip. "I also will be making you a Baron, Severus, so don't think you get out of showing up at court."

Pansy looked faint as Severus gave a smart bow and Hermione finally laughed. "What he is not saying is that he will miss you."

Draco groaned but smiled before he said in a bored tone. "Possibly."

Hermione rolled her eyes and grabbed Pansys' hand to pull her off. "Come, let us chat. Do you wish for a large wedding?"

With Draco, Severus, Dumbledore, and Harry following behind them Hermione thought ahead anxiously to her wedding night tonight.

There it was, the happy ever after the movie always afforded her. She just hoped she had some time to enjoy it.

She turned and smiled at her Prince who smirked back at her with lust filled eyes. Tonight was indeed going to be memorable. But why was her vision suddenly so hazy?


Author Note

He has not murdered me yet. There are two more chapters. Wish me luck.