Hermione sat at her desk, tortured. She was still wearing her work clothes which were now rumpled from moving around so much. It was 6:20 p.m. Ten more minutes till Draco would come! She'd implode from impatience. Hermione groaned and flipped her hair over her shoulder, then took a piece between her fingers and examined it.
Her hair had gotten loads better looking. It was much more contained and, instead of its frizzy state, it was now a honey brown, wavy, silky, and looked pretty when she brushed it down. She had cut it at about mid-forearm length and liked it immensely. Even Draco had good comments about it once or twice.
Thinking about Draco again made her glance at the clock and groan loudly. 6:22 p.m. Throwing her hair back over her shoulder, she sighed. If he was late, she would personally hex him.
6:30 p.m. Hermione glanced at the door longingly. If only her Slytherin prince would burst through the door! Any moment now…
At precisely 6:32, Draco knocked on the door, then opened it. Hermione stood up quickly, fuming. "Draco! You're two minutes late!" she yelled. Draco looked a bit surprised at the sudden onslaught, then smirked.
"Didn't you have anything better to do than wait for me?" he asked, and Hermione balled up her hands.
"Obviously not! I've finished my work hours ago!"
"Isn't the girl Weasley still here?" he asked, with another smirk.
"She left! Why else would I be sitting her waiting for you anxiously?" she asked with rage. Draco smirked again. 'Damn it, if he keeps smirking, I'll hex his lips off!' Hermione thought furiously. 'But then again, I wouldn't be able to kiss him,' she thought again grimly.
"Because you love me? You'd wait for me forever," he said with a wink. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Can we just get to our destination please? I've waited long enough!" Draco smirked yet again and, while Hermione fought the urge to do as she had thought to herself, he crossed his arms.
"I'll make you wait just a tad bit longer," he said and smirked once again.
"DRACO MALFOY!" Hermione yelled. Rolling his eyes, he took her hand and led her out. "Don't think you can just take me out of here without me being furious!" she yelled. "This second date had better to be good! I swear, if you had made me wait for no good reason I'll-" Draco quickly silenced her with a chaste kiss on the lips.
"Shut up. We'll get there soon enough. Do you really expect a Malfoy to take you somewhere awful?" he said with a wink. "Be patient my Gryffindor princess," he added and bussed her lips again before leading her to a fireplace.
He threw floo powder into the fireplace and stepped into the flame with Hermione. "Hogsmeade," he said clearly and they were transported.
"Here we are," he said with a nonchalant air, and Hermione looked around, seeing many familiar things, but nothing romantic enough for the second date.
"Exactly where are we?" she asked through clenched teeth.
"In Hogsmeade. Are you slow?" he asked with a straight face, and Hermione willed herself not to slap him silly.
"I mean, this is it? I waited for 10 and a half hours for a trip to Hogsmeade Village?" she asked, feeling her blood beginning to boil. Draco could sense her anger (how could he not? it was coming out in waves from her body) and he squeezed her hand.
"Just wait. We're almost there," he said with a smile. Hermione rolled her eyes but trust his judgment and followed him out of Hogsmeade and onto a grassy hill in the middle of nowhere. As they reached the top, Hermione was beginning to get more and more excited. 'I hope it's something romantic! But what can be romantic in the middle of a hill?' she thought anxiously. Suddenly, in her view was a green blanket, almost hidden in the tall grass. On it was a Winky, visible at her waist up, and smiling widely.
"Master and Missus, Winky prepare good food!" she said proudly. Hermione smiled in delight as delicious looking food appeared onto the blanket.
"Oh!" she said breathlessly as she watched. A bottle of wine appeared as well and Winky poured it into two twinkling glasses before disappearing.
"Sit," he said and Hermione obeyed, still not being able to believe the romanticism of it all. She looked up into the darkening sky, smiling for all she was worth, glancing up at the stars that were beginning to sprinkle the sky.
"Eat," Draco said quietly, and Hermione smiled at him and acquiesced gladly. When they finished eating, the food and plates disappeared, and Draco poured her another glass of red wine. Then they clinked glasses before staring up at the night sky.
"It's so beautiful," she said breathlessly. She looked at her husband who was staring at her instead.
"Yeah," he agreed without looking up, expelling the breath he had seemingly been holding. He glanced down at her right hand and took it in his free one, entwining their fingers and looking back into her warm brown eyes and smiling. Hermione could not stop beaming.
"Thank you so much for bringing me here," she said softly.
"My pleasure," he whispered and leaned forward to kiss her softly. After the short kiss, Hermione giggled.
"Who knew you could be so nice?" she said with a smile. Draco smiled back.
"Surely no one has seen me like this before," he responded with a wink. With that, Hermione sighed, pleasantly content, and scoot closer to Draco to lean her head on his shoulder. She felt so warm and happy she felt she could burst. Waiting 10 ½ hours for this was surely worth the wait.
"I love you," she said suddenly out of the blue, and she heard Draco chuckle.
"I love you more than you can imagine," he whispered back, and Hermione closed her eyes, not being able to believe she was this lucky. Just being with him made every problem, every obstacle disappear. He was her knight, her hero, her love.
They sat there, content in the other's company, while staring up at the stars. They didn't move, save for breathing, for each felt too happy to compel in movement, even in kissing their intended. Finally, it was Draco who stirred first, causing Hermione to lift her head to look at him quizzically. He smiled.
"Love, it's almost midnight," he said, and Hermione gasped.
"No! We haven't been out here for that long!" she exclaimed, and Draco just nodded.
"We have. I guess if you're with your loved one, time goes by too quickly." Hermione nodded in agreement and leaned her head back on his shoulder. It was silent for a moment.
"I could stay here like this all night," she murmured, letting her eyes flutter closed.
"I agree," he murmured back. After another moment of comfortable silence, he squeezed her hand. "Come on, let's go," he whispered to her. Hermione opened her eyes sleepily and complied, following him as he led them to the Apparition point.
Just as Draco was about to Disapparate with her, Hermione suddenly came to her senses. "What about the blanket?" she asked suddenly, and Draco looked at her with amusement.
"Winky'll take care of it," he replied, and Apparated them home. As they walked into the house hand in hand, Hermione suddenly laughed.
"That was such a Muggle date!" she laughed. Draco looked a bit put out.
"No, it wasn't!" he argued, and Hermione looked at him with amused eyes.
"It was! Yes, yes, yes it was!" she sang and pulled Draco along into the parlour.
"It wasn't! I think dates in the Wizarding world is much more refined and romantic," he said with a condescending air. Hermione glanced at him and smirked.
"I must agree, although the whole picnic scene was very Muggle-style," she said with a wink. Draco let out a laugh.
"Malfoy go Muggle?" He scoffed. "Please." Hermione suddenly let go of his hand.
"Excuse me? I'm officially a Malfoy and I am a Muggle!" she said with an indignant look on her face. She crossed her arms as she stood in front of him.
"No, love, you are a Muggle-born. There's a big difference between the two," he said and sauntered towards the armchair behind her.
"And what exactly is the difference?" she huffed and sat on the armchair across from him.
"Well, Muggles don't live in, nor do any of them know of, the Wizarding world, while Muggle-borns have been invited to the Wizarding world to live and study in and have only had the misfortune of being born in the Muggle world, yet have the privilege to have the best of both worlds, I think at least. Although I don't envy you at all," Draco drawled as he leaned back into his chair, smirking because he had known something she didn't. Hermione just stared at him.
"I see," she finally spluttered out. "I didn't know that you thought that way." Draco scoffed.
"Believe me, there are many ideas in my head that you don't know. Winky!" Winky appeared quickly.
"Master called?"
"Did you clean up the blanket and the bottles and glasses?" Draco asked with a knowing look. Winky nodded her head. "Good then. Bring me and the missus some tea."
"Please," Hermione added quickly. Both the house elf and her master looked at Hermione with a funny look before Winky disappeared. "I swear, you treat that house elf so poorly," Hermione huffed. Draco had the audacity to laugh.
"Please, Hermione, that is not treating a house elf poorly! My father treat Dobby horribly as did my mother and as did I because they're just house elves! They work for us because that's just what they do. And us as their masters can treat them however we want. Believe me, I've reformed, but this, this Hermione, is not treating a house elf poorly!" Hermione cocked a brow and sat back into her chair, crossing her arms.
"Really then? And tell me, how is Winky not being treated poorly?" Draco opened his mouth, but didn't get a word out before Hermione began to rant. "House elves have to wear tea towels and do the bidding of their masters! They aren't allowed to do as they wish and they are not paid what they should! I bet if you got Winky in here right now and made her tell the truth, she'd say she hates being under servitude!"
Instead of looking furious as Hermione had been expecting, he looked a bit amused.
"Not this again. Hermione, I bet you a Galleon that Winky likes being subservient. Shake on it?" he asked, holding out his hand. Hermione didn't bat an eye as she grabbed his hand and shook it. Smirking, he kissed her hand before letting it go, and Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Winky!" she called, and the house elf appeared.
"Missus called?"
"Yes. Winky, please tell us the truth. Do you really enjoy being in bondage and being obedient all the time? Do you really enjoy being a slave?" Hermione asked hotly. Winky looked a bit nervous and toyed with her tea towel.
"Yes, Missus! Winky hate to be free! Winky live to serve Malfoy family!" she said with a bright smile in Hermione's direction. Hermione just stared at Winky for a bit. "Thank you Winky," she finally said in a defeated voice, "You can go." Winky looked much relieved as she disappeared. Hermione slowly turned her head to look at her smug-looking husband.
"Oh shut up!" Hermione said with an indignant look and got up from her chair.
"I didn't say a thing!" Draco drawled in his defense and smirked at her again.
"What's mine is yours, dear, so I don't owe you a damn thing!" she yelled and stomped around, trying to find the staircase. Draco laughed as he trailed her.
"Did I say anything? What, are you upset that I was right? Is that it? Must you always be right all the time? Oh, and by the way, I purchased more house elves. This house really is a place too huge for poor Winky," Draco said with a snub tone as Hermione whirled around to face him.
"What?! Where are they?" Draco laughed.
"They gladly came with me, to say the least! Apparently, no wizard really needed any more house elves except for me." Draco's face soured at the thought, and Hermione stifled a giggle.
"Okay, where are they, really?" she asked. Draco flashed a breathtaking smile at her before looking down the foyer.
"Winky! Petty! Bock! Austee! Cham! Crocks! Kester! Jell! Mox! Pinky! Brownie! Clip! Coaster!" Draco called in one breath, and Hermione's eyes widened as house elves began appearing.
"You remembered all their names? And how many did you get?" she asked in amazement.
"Oh, only about 12. There's more, but I don't know their names yet." Hermione's mouth fell open.
"You're joking!" she cried. "You better treat them well!" she added in a defeated voice. Draco laughed.
"Love, you're their missus, so you treat them well," he pointed out, and Hermione rolled her eyes and went to stand by him. Draco turned his attention to the house elves.
"Hermione, these are all the current house elves. You know Winky, that's Petty, Bock, Austee, Cham, Crocks, Kester, Jell, Brownie, Mox, Pinky, Clip and Coaster." Each house elf bowed lowly to the couple, causing Hermione to blush prettily. "Each of you, Winky will show you your stations. Winky, when the rest of the dozen house elves come, I want you to show them the empty stations as well." Winky nodded obediently and disappeared with a crack! as did the others. Finally, the Malfoy couple was alone in the great foyer.
"Well, how do you like it?" Draco asked with a smirk. Hermione sighed.
"I don't entirely like it, but I suppose, if I have to live with it, I might as well treat them well," she said with a defeated sigh. Draco chuckled.
"Of course. Do as you wish, love," he said before placing a kiss on her temple. Hermione leaned into his touch and wrapped her arms around his waist, placing her head on his chest. "Feeling a bit lonely, are we?" he asked with a chuckle as he put his arms around her.
"Of course not! Do you really expect me to be lonely in this big house of ours?" she asked.
"I can't tell whether you're being sarcastic or not," Draco said after a moment, and Hermione giggled.
"Right. Well, we should be getting to bed. I'm awfully tired," she said, and a well-placed yawn interrupted her.
"Let's go then, love. Off to bed, although tomorrow's Saturday, so you don't have work." He took her hand and after much weaving through the halls, they trudged up the stairs. With her free hand, Hermione rubbed her eyes just like a child.
"Do you have work?" she asked sleepily.
"Of course I do. I hate it immensely, but it's better than nothing," he said with a sigh. Hermione smiled encouragingly at him.
"It's a job. No one I know ever really likes their jobs," she said. "Even me."
"The swotty Hermione Granger doesn't like her job?" Draco asked with mock shock, and Hermione laughed.
"It's Hermione Malfoy now, and Hermione Malfoy doesn't always have to like what she has to do. My job is alright I guess, and it pays well, but being a paper pusher can get tiring after awhile." Draco nodded understandingly.
"Get some rest, love." He placed a warm hand on her cheek and kissed her forehead.
"How about you?" Hermione asked, feeling another wave of drowsiness come over her.
"I'll be alright. Get some rest." Hermione just nodded and yawned again as she entered their room.
"Don't stay up too late!" she called after him. She heard him chuckle.
"Don't worry, I won't 'Mother'."
"Shut up," Hermione replied sleepily and closed the door. Before Draco could walk away, though, Hermione opened the door wide again.
"You have to end this date right, Malfoy," Hermione suddenly said. Draco cocked a brow at her.
"Pardon?"
"Don't you know how to end a date? You walk the girl up to the door and give her a goodnight kiss!" she said indignantly. Draco chuckled.
"You mean that's how they do it in the Muggle world, I suppose. In the Wizarding world, I would have dropped you off by broom, kissed you chastely, then leave you to wonder after my departure what the kiss meant!" Hermione laughed.
"I hate flying and I already know what all your kisses mean!" she said with a smirk. Draco's signature smirk overshadowed hers.
"Well then, I guess we'll have to do it the Muggle way," he said with a fake, sad sigh, then winked at her with a grin. Hermione smiled brightly.
"A Muggle date must end with a Muggle ending," she said as Draco leaned closer to her.
"It wasn't a Muggle date," he whispered, their lips millimeters apart, and Hermione could feel his breath on her lips. Before she could get a word otherwise, Draco kissed her tenderly.
After only a short while, Hermione broke away, blushing prettily. "I think that's sufficient enough for a second date," she said and turned her bright red face away. Draco laughed.
"Tomorrow will you be my wife again?" he asked. Hermione nodded. "Good, because I want to shag you." Hermione couldn't suppress her laughter as she blushed deeply at his brazen comment.
"Remember, we're still dating right now. You wouldn't want to scare me away with your talks of marriage and shagging, now would you?" she asked, finally facing him with a bright smile on her face. Draco's smile mirrored hers.
"I won't be a cad! I want to shag you Hermione Granger!" he bellowed, and Hermione laughed again.
"Don't bet your luck on it Malfoy! Goodnight!" she said in a high-pitched voice and shut the door in his face. He heard another muffled goodnight from behind the door before silence ensued, and Draco just chuckled.
"That girl has the oddest sense of humour," he said and shook his head as he walked back down the stairs, still chuckling to himself.
xoxoxoxoxoxox
The next morning, Hermione awoke, alone and anxious. Looking around in confusion, she shook her head to clear her muddled thoughts while searching around for Draco, who was obviously not there. Panic rushed over her. 'Where is he?' she wondered anxiously.
"Winky!" she called. Winky arrived with a smile.
"Missus call?"
"Where is Draco?" Winky bowed her head.
"Master leave early and tell Winky not to wake Missus. Master tell Winky to tell Missus he try to be home early." Hermione wrinkled her pretty nose.
"And exactly when is early?" she asked. Winky shrugged.
"Master do not tell Winky. Would Missus like some tea and scones?" she suddenly asked, and Hermione weakly nodded. Winky smiled brightly before disappearing. Hermione fell back onto the bed and sighed, closing her eyes.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxox
Draco, as it turned out, didn't return home early at all. In fact, he came home six hours later than usual. Hermione was lying on the bed at 3 in the morning, eyes closed and willing herself to sleep, when she heard the door open and staggered footsteps approach the bed. Her eyes shot open and she glanced with suspicion at the haggard-looking person. To her surprise, Draco fell onto the bed in robes and all, and groaned into the pillow, which muffled the sound.
Hermione, although a bit upset at him, tousled his hair lightly. He didn't move for a moment, then he raised his head up slowly as if it tired him to do so. Hermione's slight anger quickly turned to concern.
"Draco, are you alright?" she asked worriedly. His head just fell back into the pillow.
"Yes," he finally answered.
"You're lying to me," she said with a frown. Draco managed to turn his body around so his stomach faced the ceiling. His eyes were closed.
"I'm not alright then," he said quietly. Hermione furrowed her brows with concern and put a hand on his stomach and slowly moved her hand in little comforting circles.
"What's wrong? Why are you so late?" she asked. He opened his bloodshot eyes to look at her. "What's wrong?" she whispered again.
"Work was hell today," he said, turned his head back to face the ceiling, and closed his eyes again. Hermione narrowed her eyes at him.
"I'm sure. Why? What happened?"
"Nothing regarding anything important. Oh, except for I have a business trip Monday that I just found out about today."
"Oh, Draco, that's just awful!" she cried. "Where are you going?"
"I'm not really sure. I'll probably find out the rest on the day of," he answered. Hermione sighed.
"I hate all this prejudice against wizards who were on Voldemort's side during the war. It's not like you're still a Death eater, right?"
"I know that, you know that, but everyone else doesn't."
"Harry and Ron-"
"-don't care to know. All Potter knows is that I'm alive and that I love you. He doesn't care to know anything more. Weasley on the other hand wishes me dead because of our past. Nothing's changed, Hermione, nothing and no one except me."
"That's not true! I've changed," she said as she clasped her arms around him. Sighing, Draco put his arms around her in exchange and pulled her closer, putting his nose into her hair.
"Good thing we both don't have work tomorrow."
"Today," Hermione automatically corrected.
"Yes, today, whatever. I'm too tired to do anything," he groaned and fell silent. After a long moment of just listening to his heart beating steadily and his regular breathing, Hermione nestled her head deeper into the crook of his neck.
"Draco?" she whispered. "Draco?" There was no answer. Hermione snuggled as close as she possibly could to her husband, then slowly joined her companion into the quiet realm of dreams.