I do not own Harry Potter
Draco, Harry, and Ron left early the next day and arrived late afternoon. They did not discover or hear any useful information from the Death Eaters.
"How did it go?" Hermione asked Harry and Ron as they sat down beside her in the Great Hall. Since there were no more students, they were all sitting in only one table.
"Boring. Nothing exciting happened." Ron said, grabbing a sandwich and stuffed his mouth right away.
"Where's Malfoy?" Hermione asked, looking around.
"Probably changing or something." Harry replied. "Ginny went home already?"
"Yeah, she did, at about lunch time."
Draco finally emerged. Harry called him to sit with them. "Hey." He said, sitting down. Hermione gave him a quick smile.
"So, it's the big day in what- seven days?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, on Saturday." Hermione answered.
"You guys ready?"
Draco shrugged, and Hermione asked. "What's there to get ready for?"
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe the place and the food and the chairs?" Ron asked sarcastically.
"There will be none of that, of course." Draco said.
"What, no food?"
"We'll eat here in the Great Hall."
"Really?"
"Yes, Ron. This isn't exactly a wedding wedding, you know. There won't be a reception. There will be the rites, of course, and we'll eat here. Nothing big, although I reckon Dumbledore will ask the elves to make something special for that night." Hermione said, and Draco nodded along.
"It's just a small gathering- no more than twenty people are 'invited.'"
"Only fifteen, actually. Not counting the Minister."
"But Voldemort won't be there, right?" Ron asked jokingly. Draco decided to trick him, so he put up a serious face. Ron saw his face and he paled. "What, he's going to be there?"
Draco shrugged. "Of course. After all, he was the one who wanted me to marry Granger."
Harry and Ron's eyes were wide, and Hermione was trying hard not to laugh. "Malfoy, stop it."
"Aw, you're no fun, Granger." Draco said, smirking at the other two who realized that he was just tricking him.
"You nearly got me there, Malfoy." Ron said, playfully punching Draco's shoulder.
"But do you have the best man and the bridesmaids?" Harry asked.
Draco and Hermione looked at each other. "I did not think of that."
"Neither did I."
"We never really prepared, did we?" Draco asked, amused.
"No, and I suggest we start now- we've only got seven days." Hermione replied, a laugh heard in her voice.
Harry and Ron regarded this conversation and decided to leave the two alone. "We'll leave you to the wedding crap, then." Ron said, getting up.
"It's not wedding crap, Ron." Hermione said.
"Whatever, if you need us, we'll be in the common room." And with that, the two boys left the Hall.
"So, where do we start?"
"Let's start with the things that are actually going to happen. Hell, we don't even know the date and time of the wedding!"
And, for the rest of the afternoon, Draco and Hermione planned their wedding.
"We could also ask help from our mothers, you know." Draco said, once they were finished with the general plans.
"Yeah. I'll talk to them within the week and I'll take care of the other preparations. You just make sure that you don't accidentally fall and hit your head and die before Saturday, and all will be well." Hermione said.
"Yeah. Don't overwork yourself, Granger. I don't want my future wife to be all stressed and tired at the wedding." Draco countered. Hermione smiled and they both went on to their separate ways.
During the night, Hermione couldn't sleep, so she decided to go up to the Astronomy Tower to think.
They seemed so nonchalant about the whole wedding thing. Yes, she already accepted it, but it didn't quite sink into her yet that her whole life would be changed on Saturday. She had to make plans with Draco all the time, and they had to plan their future together. They had to live together, and they had to decide on a house to live in once the War was over. Imagining herself waking up every morning beside Draco made her think about their future relationship. Were they going to be a happy couple? She didn't even know if she knew who the real Draco Malfoy was. Would they always end up fighting? Or worse, would they even last until the end of the War- or will one of them die?
Hermione closed her eyes. A few days ago, she felt like the wedding was so far away, but now, they were so close to it. Now was the time to go on Woman mode, doing the wedding preparations and everything else. She told herself that she had to be fully into the whole wedding thing, and take it seriously. She reminded herself to be happy, because Draco is a good man, and he seemed like the person who took care of the ones they love. Question is- does he love her? Probably not. Does she love him? No. Not yet. It was too soon to love Draco Malfoy. Yes, it had been years since they have known each other, and now, they were comfortable around each other, but love didn't seem to be present yet. Maybe, in their later years, they would eventually fall in love. Hermione could see herself getting there already. She was really close to loving him.
The next few days, she put all her effort into the Wedding. Yes, the wedding was going to be small, but that didn't mean they shouldn't do anything at all. She got help from Narcissa, Molly, her mother, and Ginny. They looked for a good location in the school grounds, and they found the perfect spot- near a tree overlooking the Lake. Draco, Harry, and Ron went on another mission, but, like the first one, it was uneventful. Draco also helped, but would usually get bored, so he would instead play Quidditch with Harry and Ron. They were, however, going to celebrate Draco's Bachelor party a day before the wedding in Hogsmeade.
Hermione and Draco also decided where they would stay after the wedding.
"My room?" Draco suggested. "Besides, I'm all alone in the Slytherin dorms."
"Okay…" Hermione said slowly. "When we're in Grimmauld? And what about after the war? Where then?"
"Granger," Draco started, holding her by the shoulders. "We will find a place, or a house, but right now, we have to focus on the war. Right after it, though, I promise, we'll talk about that." Hermione nodded. "Okay."
So it was decided, they their 'honeymoon' would be in the Slytherin common room. Hermione was still getting used to the fact that she and Draco were going to be sharing a room from then on.
The day before the Wedding, all the men went over to The Three Broomsticks to celebrate Draco's bachelor party. They had drinks and they partied until the early morning hours. Hermione was with Ginny.
"Gin, I can't believe it's tomorrow already." Hermione said.
"Are you excited?"
"Yes, no, maybe. I really don't know what to feel right now!"
"Hermione, relax."
"Ginny, did you ever realize that I could never have a normal life anymore?"
"I know, honey." Ginny replied, stroking Hermione's hair. "But maybe it will be normal. People eventually marry- you're just ahead of all of us."
"But Ginny, there won't be a sweet proposal, there won't be 100 guests, and there won't be a grand reception. I won't feel the surprise of him asking me to be his wife."
"Hermione, I've never knew you for a romantic." Ginny jokingly said. Hermione shrugged, smiling.
"So you really don't want to do this?" Ginny asked after a while.
"No- I do, but I wished it was different."
Ginny nodded in understanding. "Do you love him yet?"
"I don't know. I don't think so, but I'm almost there- I'm falling."
The day of the Wedding came. Since the wedding was going to take place in the afternoon, the morning was spent doing the last preparations. The men arranged the chairs, while Molly, Narcissa, and Jane arranged the flowers and everything else. Even the Elves were down in the kitchens, preparing the cake. Hermione was in the Gryffindor common rooms with Ginny. Draco decided to visit her and was about to blurt the password (he knows, he's been there a couple of times) when Ginny stopped him.
"And where are you going, ferret?"
"To Granger, Weaselette."
"You can't, sorry." Ginny said with a sweet smile.
"And why not?" He replied, his eyebrows raised.
"Malfoy, aren't you a pureblood? Surely you remember the wedding etiquettes- number 25 states that the groom is not allowed to see the bride at least 4 hours before the wedding."
Draco regarded her with an amused expression. "You made that up, didn't you? And it's not yet 4 hours."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Maybe the number, but the statement is true! You don't know?"
"Of course I do, what do you think of me? Although, this isn't actually a wedding wedding, you know."
"But still, you can't see her and I'm not letting you. What do you want to know, anyway?"
"I just wanted to know how she's doing."
"She's fine, she's fine. Now go away and play with Harry and Ron or something." Ginny instructed, pushing Draco away from the portrait of the Fat lady.
"Fine, fine, I'm going, I'm going."
Ginny went inside. Hermione looked up.
"Who was that?"
"Malfoy." Ginny replied, sitting in an armchair and grabbing a book.
Hermione immediately perked up. "Malfoy? Where?" And she stood up and headed towards the door.
"Oh no no no you don't." Ginny said, rushing to Hermione and pushing her back to the sofa. "Seriously, what is it with you two? It's as if you haven't seen each other for ten years!"
"I haven't seen him since yesterday."
"Still, that doesn't mean you can see him now. Rule states that the groom isn't allowed to see the bride at least 4 hours before the wedding."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "This isn't a wedding wedding, Ginny."
Ginny gave her a weird look. "What is it with you two? Malfoy said the same thing awhile ago."
"And he's right. So let me see him."
"Why? What do you want to know, anyway?"
"I just wanted to know how he's doing."
Ginny's face was now so amused, Hermione found it quite scary. "Malfoy said the exact same thing- except he said she. But he looks like he's doing just great."
Hermione nodded and headed back to her chair. "Okay, I guess that's alright. How many more hours?"
Ginny looked at her watch. "Five hours before 5:00. Let's eat, I'm hungry."
Hermione made to stand but was held down by Ginny. "NO, you stay here while I go down and get you food. You might see Malfoy."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, Ginny."
Finally, it was three hours before the Wedding and Hermione started getting ready. The three mothers assisted her with the make up and the hair. Her mother became quite emotional in the middle, and Narcissa gave her the promised emerald necklace. Her mother gave her matching earrings and a bracelet. Since Ginny was going to be the bridesmaid (she and Hermione went back to Beatrice's shop to get Ginny a dress), she also got ready. Hermione's stomach was full of fluttering butterflies the entire time, and also became a bit emotional.
"Don't cry, dear. You'll ruin your entire make up." Her mother said.
"Mum, I'm scared."
"Honey, don't be. You know that all of us will be with you and love you." Her mother said, kissing the top of her head.
Hermione sucked in a deep breath.
It was time.
And, wearing her beautiful wedding gown, she left the room and headed outside.
A/N: So the wedding's coming up! Thanks for all the reviews and stuff :D