A/N: So I think there will only be about one or two more chapters after this one until the wedding. Yay! :-D
Pre-warning: It won't be long after the wedding happens that this story will go to a much darker place. Just FYI. But I promise it will be good ;-)
Non-SOTD readers: You will see that Grawp is mentioned. He is currently the Gurg of the giants and has drastically improved their species. Last summer when Hermione gets taken by vampires who want to turn her for status (and Draco fails horribly at saving her since he is a man and they act before they think) Grawp shows up and orders the giants to attack. The three of them have been close ever since.
Hermione sat alone in her office, tears streaming down her cheeks as she stared mindlessly at what had just been delivered to her. She shouldn't have been surprised but, for some reason, she just was. She was really starting to believe that people were getting past all of these prejudices. So this was what it felt like to be wrong.
A knock came at her door. Hermione carefully wiped her eyes and tucked what she was holding under her wedding album before calling, "Come in." She was more than a little surprised to see Lucius Malfoy enter her office. "Oh, hello, Lucius," she said, trying to sound more enthusiastic than she actually was to see him.
"Everything all right?" he asked, noticing the red blotches around her eyes.
"Yes, fine." She slyly waved her wand underneath her desk to clean herself up a bit. "Can I help you with something?"
Lucius didn't buy it, but he didn't push it either. "I just came from a meeting with the Minister and was wondering if you might be available for lunch."
Hermione blinked. "Lunch?" she repeated.
"Yes," he smiled.
She blinked again. "With you?"
"That was my intention, yes." Damn that cocky Malfoy grin.
"But you have a lot of friends who work around here, don't you? Are you sure you want to take the risk of being seen with me?"
"If I was worried about that do you truly believe I would be asking?"
She said nothing.
"That's what I thought. Shall we go then?"
He held the door open for her. Hermione stared at it for a moment before taking a deep breath and getting up from her desk. "Oh! Before I forget." She opened one of her drawers and pulled out a book before walking over and handing it to him.
"What is this?" he asked, looking it over.
"It's a book on hippies," she smiled. "My dad thought you might like to know what you were being compared to all afternoon. It's all right if you don't want it," she said, reaching out to take it back.
Lucius snatched it away from her. "I would like to keep it, if that's all right."
"O-of course," she blushed.
"You will not judge me if I have my house-elf drop it off at the manor for me, will you?" He grinned.
"Slightly," she said honestly.
"I can live with that."
Lucius called his new house-elf, Flukey, forth and sent her - Hermione thought it was a 'her' anyway - off with the book. After that the two of them left on what was hopefully not going to be an awkward lunch.
Not even two minutes after they left Draco apparated into Hermione's office. He was disappointed to find she wasn't there. He poked his head out of the door and spotted her assistant writing something at her desk.
"Greta," he called. The witch looked up and smiled. "Has the future Mrs. Malfoy already left for lunch?"
"Yes. She left a couple of minutes ago with your father."
"My father?" he asked, furrowing his eyebrows.
"That's right," she said, still smiling.
"Weird," he said before disappearing back into her office.
Draco went over to Hermione's desk and took a seat in her chair. The pages of her wedding album were spread out everywhere, along with several response cards marked 'attending'. They had sent the invitations out just yesterday and it already looked like the majority of them had been returned. Both of their parents' invitations were on top and marked 'attending'.
Draco was really happy to see that Mr. Ollivander was also attending, considering he was more or less responsible for them getting together. Rosmerta was attending as well, and she was bringing her father. Draco had heard he was doing much better but wasn't quite all there yet. He was glad to know the man was well enough to attend a wedding.
Kingsley was coming, of course, as well as Harry and Ginny, Neville and Hannah, Luna and a plus one (most likely that Scamander bloke), all of his coworkers at Thinx (obviously), all of their favorite professors (meaning Hermione's), Grawp (they were lucky the library was tall), his Aunt Andromeda (whom he had never met) and her grandson Teddy (he would have to remember to tell his mother about them), Astoria and even Ron, along with the rest of the Weasley siblings and their significant others and children. There was just one missing.
Draco began rustling through the response cards again until he noticed the corner of one sticking out from underneath the album. He grabbed it and held it up, immediately noticing the watermarks staining it. The names Arthur and Molly Weasley were written in perfect cursive on it and below that a small box was checked off, right next to the words, 'not attending'.
Draco was livid. This would not do. Without thinking he marched out of Hermione's office and asked Greta, "What floor does Arthur Weasley work on?"
"He works on level 2 in the Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects," she answered in one breath, not even questioning his motives.
"Thank you," he said before heading for the lift. He got in with several of those damn purple airplanes that made it so he had to stop on every floor. When he got there he asked around until he found Arthur's office.
Draco barged in without knocking. Arthur jumped up from his desk, accidentally dropping the sandwich he was eating. "Mr. Malfoy, wha -"
"What the hell is this?" he asked, slamming the response card on the desk in front of Arthur.
"Oh," said Arthur looking at it. "I hadn't realized my wife already sent that."
Draco waited, but Arthur did not go on. "Is that really all you're going to say?"
"What is it you expect me to say?"
That was it. Draco had tried to remain more or less composed up to this point but now the gloves were coming off. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"
Arthur just stood there with his jaw to the floor.
"Do you see these marks here?" he said, lifting it again and shoving it in Arthur's face. "These are tear stains. I just found it like this stuffed under Hermione's wedding things on her desk."
"I -"
"I understand you don't like me! I understand you don't like my family! But last I checked you loved Hermione and, despite anything I can fathom, she loves you! You're like her second family so how the hell can you not come? Even your bloody son is coming!"
"I-it's not that simple …"
"Yes it is! If someone you care about is getting married then you damn well go!"
"We … we cannot attend something we do not support," said Arthur on shaky legs. For some reason he seemed to think Draco was going to hit him, which had definitely crossed his mind, but he was trying hard not to be so juvenile. Plus, Arthur Weasley was around his father's age. How could he ever feel good about knocking out an old man?
Draco sneered at the wizard and shook his head. "You Weasley's disgust me," he spat. "You act like you're all good and humble, but really you're just as unforgiving as every other pureblood. You cannot even accept that maybe some people have changed."
"I have no doubt that you have changed -"
"I'm not just talking about me," said Draco. "You won't even accept the great girl your son is dating because, at one time, she was sorted into Slytherin. And, you know what? She actually hasn't needed to change because she was always a good person. You have no right to judge her because of who she is, just like my family has no right to judge Hermione. Purebloods like the Malfoys aren't the only ones with prejudices. You Weasleys seem to have a great deal of your own. Now, I'm not going to lie and say I like you, but if I can put my feelings aside and let her invite you then you can put your feelings aside and come."
"We … we cannot -"
"Save your excuses," said Draco, picking up the response card again and stuffing it in his pocket. "I'm not taking your names off the list. I hope you'll be able to get over yourselves and take advantage of my kindness. We both know it would mean a great deal to Hermione."
And with that he left, secretly wondering if Arthur Weasley was going to pick the sandwich he had dropped back off the floor and eat it anyway, since he was, notabl,y too poor to purchase another.
When Hermione got back to her office she was surprised to find Draco sitting in her chair. He was eating a sandwich while his feet were perched casually on the top of her desk.
"How long have you been here?" she asked.
"Oh just under an hour," he answered, moving his feet off of her desk and offering her a bite.
She declined. "Where did you get that?"
Draco shrugged. "You'll have to ask Greta."
"You sent my assistant out to get you lunch?"
"She offered," he smirked. Just another member of the Draco Malfoy fan club. He also had her get an extra sandwich and bring it to Arthur Weasley. Apparently, he had accepted the gift but hardly seemed pleased about it. "How was lunch with my father?"
"Interesting," she said before going over and giving him a kiss. He grabbed her waist and pulled her onto his lap. "I'm assuming Greta told you."
"Naturally." He winked. "So did he have any ulterior motives with this lunch?"
"Not that I could tell. It was all fairly normal. Though we did go somewhere a bit fancier than I am generally accustomed to eating lunch at, but I suppose that comes with the territory when marrying a Malfoy." She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. "So how is it you were able to get away from Phillip for an entire hour?"
"Zandicus is there again," Draco grunted. "He's still trying to reach some sort of agreement. I don't think he wants this going to the Wizengamot."
"Because he thinks you'll win?" she asked.
"That's just the thing. I don't know if we will. While we may have great contacts at the Ministry," he said as he nibbled on her ear, "I don't know if that's enough to take someone on over a name that is technically theirs."
"Well, you already know I will help in any way I can."
Draco moved his lips from her ear to her neck, causing her to let out a slight moan. He lifted her off of his lap and perched her on the desk, carefully positioning himself between her legs.
"You know, we still haven't broken in your new office yet," he said rubbing himself against her.
"That's because it's … mmm … highly unprofessional."
"You never say that when we do it in my office." He moved his mouth a little lower.
Hermione bit her lip in an attempt to stifle her moans, but they just ended up coming out anyway. "It's hard to feel bad about that when your … ohhh …." she gulped … "bosses go at it in your glass conference room."
Hermione grabbed him by the hair and pulled his lips up to meet hers. He braced his hands on the desk and leaned against her while she kept a firm grip on him to keep from toppling over.
Pop!
Someone cleared their throat. Hermione and Draco stopped mid-kiss and looked to see Kingsley standing near the door. "Hope I'm not interrupting."
Hermione looked horrified as she jumped off of the desk and straightened herself up. "I am so sorry, Minister. This is beyond unprofessional and I apolo -"
"Oh please, Ms. Granger. I've apparated in on worse." Kingsley looked at Draco and smirked. "I'll give the two of you a minute. Always a pleasure, Mr. Malfoy." He opened the door and headed out of her office.
The moment he was gone, Draco grabbed Hermione by the waist and lifted her back onto the desk. He kissed her passionately while running his hands along every inch of her body. When he pulled away he smirked, kissed her on the nose and said, "Someday soon, darling," before apparating back to his own office, leaving his future wife with a little something to anticipate for the rest of her work day.
XXX
Draco stood with his arms crossed, staring into the conference room while Caroline and Seth did the same on either side of him. Phillip was getting pretty heated in there, pacing around and screaming, constantly seeming as if he was going to punch Zandicus at any moment. Draco secretly hoped he would, even though it wouldn't help their case any.
"What ees 'e doing now?" Sophie asked, peeking out of her office. She was the only one who couldn't bring herself to watch.
"Same thing," said Draco. "Face clenching, arms flailing, that look like he's about to burst out of his shirt and turn into that green Muggle man you're such a fan of."
"Ze 'Ulk!" she screeched. "'Ow many times do I 'ave to tell you?"
"Honestly, Sophie. You haven't lived in France for like eight years. Learn your H's already," joked Caroline.
Sophie sneered at her before walking out of her office and standing next to the other witch. She sighed. "Zis ees pointless. Phillipe ees never going to cave."
"If only the name 'Thinx' didn't have such a good ring to it," said Caroline. "Prior Incorporated just doesn't flow as nicely."
"I think Malfoy Incorporated sounds pretty good. We could always just go with that," smirked Draco.
Caroline smirked back. "I admit, it sounds better than Prior, Littleton, and Trask, but it's no Thinx."
"What about Labelle?" asked Sophie, referring to her maiden name.
"That just sounds like a restaurant," said Seth. "In fact, I think I've eaten there."
Phillip was back in his chair and had been fairly still for the last minute, but as soon as he jumped out of it again, Sophie told them, "You might as well go 'ome. We are not getting anyzing else done today."
Caroline and Seth looked hesitant, but Draco pulled out his pocket watch and looked at the time. Hermione would just be finishing up. "See you tomorrow then," he said, pivoting on his foot and heading back to his office to grab his things.
"Plans?" Seth called after him.
"Oh yes," said Draco. "I'm going to go shag my fiancée on her desk at work."
There was a pause.
"I believe you," said Caroline, sounding amused.
"You should know I would never joke about shagging," he said, turning around as he reached his office door and winking at them.
Draco grabbed everything he needed and quickly apparated to Hermione's office. She was just standing up when he got there. "Draco, what are you …?"
Draco didn't give her a chance to finish that sentence. He grabbed her in his arms and threw her onto the desk in the same manner he had earlier that day. His hand trailed up her skirt, moved her panties aside and went to work. He raised his eyebrows when he realized how turned on she was. During sex was the only time she actually enjoyed relinquishing control, and even then it was only on a rare occasion.
Without a word Hermione undead his trousers. He removed his hand and grabbed her into a heated kiss before thrusting into her. Their lips remained entangled while Hermione ripped open his shirt, not even caring about the buttons, and tore it off of him. Before long he moved her off of the desk and flipped her around, bending her at the waist while pushing her hair aside and nipping at the nape of her neck.
While taking her from behind, Draco pulled her shirt over her head and brutally ravaged her breasts while she bit her lip to try and stifle her moans. He ran a finger across them. "Don't do that, darling. You know I like to hear you."
"But … Greta's still here," she panted. "And … and we haven't - Oh!"
Hermione grabbed her wand off of her desk and cast a silencing charm so she could finally let loose. Her body burned as her toes began to tingle, curling under as she let out a loud scream.
Draco did not slow down. As soon as she came down from her high, he tossed everything off of her desk in one fluid motion and threw her on top of it. "Draco … the books," she said as all of her volumes hit the floor.
"Please don't tell me you're thinking about books in our moment of passion?" he laughed, climbing on after her.
Hermione's eyes glanced for a split second to the floor before she grabbed him behind the neck and pulled him down to her. It wasn't very often they got to be so spontaneous. She might as well enjoy it while she can … and scold him about his mistreatment of books later.
XXX
Several hours later Draco was lying on the floor with Hermione's head on his chest. Neither of them was sure how they got there. Maybe it was after that fun stint in her chair, or the even more fun stint against the window.
Hermione was tracing mindless patterns on his chest while he stared up at the ceiling. It had been several months since they had been able to go at it for such a great amount of time. Draco hated to seem disloyal, but he was rather enjoying his current work schedule. If only this thing with Zandicus could carry on into his newly married bliss. He was really looking forward to that.
"I've been meaning to ask you something," said Hermione, her hand going flat as she began to rub it up and down his chest. "It's about our wedding party."
"What about it?" he asked.
"Well, we haven't exactly talked about who's going to be in it, have we?"
Draco shrugged. "I guess not."
"I was just thinking how Astoria has really become one of your good friends lately."
"She has," he said.
"And Harry is one of my best friends."
"He is." Draco glanced down at her, eyeing her curiously while she maintained focus on her hand.
"So, I was thinking … that maybe we could swap."
"I don't follow."
"You know," she said, finally looking up at him. "I will ask Astoria to be one of my bridesmaids and you will ask Harry -"
"Absolutely not!" he said, grabbing her hand and holding it still.
"Why not?" she asked, creasing her forehead. "You two have been acting civil enough towards each other. And I really want him to be a part of this."
"Then put him in a dress and have him on your side. There's no way I'm letting The Boy Who Lived to aggravate me be one of my groomsmen."
"Draco, I really wish you would consider this. It would mean a lot to me."
Draco groaned. He hated it when she said things like that. "Come on, Mione. This isn't like you wanting the porcelain china when I wanted the silver."
"The silver clashed with the gold library, Draco."
"Yes, yes, I know. I let you win that argument. But this … this is a big deal. Maybe I don't despise Potter as much as I used to - which is only because of you, by the way - but that doesn't mean I consider him a friend. Far from it. We spent so many years at war with each other that I imagine he'll be as enthusiastic about this as I am."
Hermione sighed. "I know. But he's my best friend, Draco. I want him involved." She gazed up at him with her puppy dog eyes.
Draco scrunched his face and groaned louder. "Oh, why do you have act all cute-like? It really isn't fair."
"Is that a yes then?"
Draco exhaled noisily before saying, "Fine," with a straight mouth. "But if you plan to ask me about Weasel next -"
"I won't!" she said, beaming as she reached up to hug him. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, Draco! One more thing," she said, pulling away from him.
"Oh, what now?"
"So this means I'm going to have Ginny, Sophie, Luna, and Astoria as bridesmaids. And you're going to have Phillip, Harry and Seth, I'm assuming."
"I suppose that's right," he said.
"So you need one more to make it even."
Hermione got up and walked over to where her wedding album had landed on the floor. She found her wand and used it to put everything back together before grabbing something out of it.
"There's one invitation I never sent. I was thinking you might want to deliver it in person." She went back to Draco - who was now sitting up - sat on his lap and handed him the invitation.
Draco looked carefully at the two names written on it. "Are you sure you want them to come?"
"No," she said. "But if you want them to come and they're willing, then who am I to say no?"
"If he says yes then this will be one hell of a wedding party," he laughed.
"All four houses are already involved. It'll be the perfect poster wedding for diversity," she said.
"So what do you say, soon-to-be Mrs. Malfoy? Should we head home and have another round in our bed?" he asked, hugging her close and kissing her cheek.
Hermione giggled before cupping his face in her hands and kissing him. "That sounds absolutely perfect."
The two of them got up and used their wands to clean the office a bit before gathering their things and apparating home, not even bothering to put on their clothes. After all, they would just have to take them off again once they got there.
XXX
A few days later Draco met Hermione for lunch again, only this time she was aware he was coming, and she had a plan. They went out to the same sandwich place Greta had gone to for Draco, which was also where Hermione knew Gregory Goyle had lunch almost every day. She had seen him there on more than one occasion, and Greta confirmed that this was true. She was really great for gossip.
The two of them spotted him sitting at a table alone right away. He had been working at the Ministry for a couple of years now, attempting to do the same thing with the Goyle name as Draco was doing with Malfoy, only he was nowhere near as smart as Draco and, therefore, much farther from succeeding.
Hermione dragged Draco over to his table. "Hello Goyle," she said brightly.
He glanced up from the monster-sized sandwich he was eating, looking a little surprised. "Uh, hello." He did a quick scan of the room.
"Well, that hurts," said Draco, knowing very well he was looking for anyone he might not want to see them together.
"No offense," said Goyle.
"Oh look! There's Susan! If you'll excuse me, darling, I simply must talk with her," said Hermione, giving Draco a kiss before walking off and sitting down with some redheaded girl she had clearly instructed to be there.
Goyle looked at Draco and raised his eyebrows. He wasn't quite the idiot he used to be and could see a setup when it was so clearly knocking him on the head. "Something you wanted to talk about, Draco?"
"I suppose there is," said Draco, taking a seat. He reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope before sliding it across the table to Goyle.
Goyle opened it and pulled out an invitation. He read it carefully before smirking. "Didn't think I'd be getting one of these. You sure your bride wants me and Daph there?"
"Who do you think found out you'd be here?" he asked, looking over at Hermione. She was watching them carefully along with her redheaded friend. "There's something else too."
"And what's that?"
Draco turned back to Goyle and looked at him very seriously. "For as long as I can remember you and Crabbe were my best mates. Doesn't seem right not to have both of you there. But, as it is, Crabbe can't make it."
Goyle chuckled slightly, but there was no joy behind it. He missed their longtime friend just as much as Draco did, if not more.
"We survived a war together, Goyle. We are two of the youngest wizards alive with traces of a Death Eater tattoo still on our arms. You're the only one I know who can even remotely understand what I went through back then, which is why I do not just want you at my wedding, I want you in it."
Goyle raised his eyebrows. "You want me as a groomsman?" he asked surprised.
Draco kept his eyes firmly on Goyle's and nodded. He was determined to look strong even though he was feeling far from it.
Without a word, Goyle reached into the breast pocket of his robes, pulled out a self-inking quill and checked off one of the boxes on the response card before pushing it back across the table to Draco.
Draco looked down at it and saw the box next to 'attending' checked off. He looked up to see Goyle smiling at him while pocketing the rest of the invite.
"Daph and I are moving to her family's summer home next week, so we won't be kept on such a tight leash anymore. Have one of your other 'groomsmen' keep me posted about your bachelor party. I feel like that's something I'm not going to want to miss."
Draco smirked. "I don't know about that. She," he nodded towards Hermione, who was currently being handed something by a waitress, "begged me to let Potter be one of my groomsmen, and she's having Astoria be one of her bridesmaids."
Goyle laughed. "Well, if Stori wasn't disowned before she definitely is now."
"Ummhumm!"
They both looked up to see Hermione standing over the table with two wrapped sandwiches in hand.
"Sorry to interrupt, but you're supposed to be back at Thinx for that meeting in five minutes, and I would prefer it if Phillip didn't kill you before we're even married."
"So that's your plan then? Marry me then let Phil kill me so you can run off with the Malfoy name and fortune."
"Yes, well, you know how driven I am by money and power."
"I've heard rumors," said Draco, getting to his feet and taking the sandwich she held out to him. "Good talking to you, Goyle. I'll make sure someone is in touch."
The two wizards smiled at each other before Draco took Hermione's hand and walked out of the restaurant with her.
"So how did it go?" she whispered, even though they were already out of earshot.
Draco handed her the card he was still holding onto. She squealed in delight and hugged him tightly while giving him a nice slobbery kiss on his cheek.
"I just knew he would say yes! It is so great that everything is finally coming together. The day will be here before we even know it."
Draco stopped walking and kissed her to keep her from noticing the lack of joy on his face. It wasn't that he didn't want to be married to her, because he definitely did, but as soon as that day came everything was going to change. What was that Muggle saying Hermione insisted be in their vows? Oh yes. For better or worse, till death do us part … Draco just hoped it wouldn't come to that last part for a very long time.