Chapter 14
Engagement Dinner
AN: Hello There! Well I am back to work which means I will be updating more often again. Please Continue to review I love hearing you thoughts and remember to check out photobucket for picture relating to the story. Enjoy!
The next week had been uneventful for the most part. Hermione and Draco stayed around the manor, reading teasing each other and having heavy petting sessions in both of their rooms and anywhere else in the manor that they could find and not be seen. Narcissa had continued with the wedding plans and Hermione had to confess that she was enjoying planning what would be her dream wedding. They had picked the flowers, red roses and white orchids, the music which would be a mixture of classical and some of the greats like Frank Sinatra, the meal which would be roast lamb with rosemary, a butternut squash soup, baby green salad with balsamic dressing, and grilled asparagus. But Hermione's favorite part was the dress.
"Well Hermione dear do you want silk or lace?" Narcissa asked as they surveyed the fabrics that the dress designer had laid out along with a sketching of what dress design went with each fabric. They were all so beautiful that Hermione was having a hard time choosing when she found the dress of her dreams. The material was a soft satin with an embrodered design on it. The sketching of the dress was just what Hermione wanted in a dress too. It would be strapless with a sweetheart neck line and a close fitted bodice and a full skirt. It was the perfect princess wedding dress. Hermione pointed to the one she had chosen.
"Are you sure dear?" Narcissa asked her.
"Oh yes it is perfect." Hermione told her falling more in love with the dress the longer she looked at the sketch and the fabric.
"Well it is a wonderful choice." Narcissa said picking up the fabric and running it through her hands. "Good choice of fabric as well. If you keep these choices up I think you will be the best dressed Lady Malfoy yet." Narcissa told her in a very matter-of-fact tone.
"I couldn't agree more. Now if you will please strip down to your under garments so I make take your measurements I can get started on the dress." The dress maker told her.
"Must I really? I mean right here and in front of…" Hermione trailed off wrapping her arms about her. She really didn't feel comfortable standing in her knickers with Narcissa standing right there and even when she danced at the club she never showed her abdomen and for a good reason too.
"Oh dear don't worry." Narcissa said, "Not like I haven't seen a girl's body before. Now come on the faster you get this over with the sooner you can put your clothes back on." Narcissa said. Hermione chewed on her lip because she knew there was no arguing with Narcissa so Hermione gave up and started to strip taking her clothes off and folding them and placing them neatly on the couch. When she was done she started chewing on her lips again and keeping her back away from the two women in the room and crossing her arms over her abdomen hiding it as best she could.
"Now dear I can't take your measurements with you standing like that arms to your sides." The dress maker said grabbing Hermione's arms and tugging them to her sides to revel a scar that ran across lower abdomen from her left hip bone across to the other.
"Oh dear, what happened to you?" Narcissa gasped upon seeing the ugly scar that marred the perfect skin of Hermione's body.
"The war wasn't praticularly kind to me, nor was your sister." Hermione commented trying to keep her composure.
"Oh dear I am so sorry. I had no idea." Narcissa said in a comforting and sad tone.
"It wasn't your fault. I just don't particularly like people to see it is all, and this isn't even the worst of it." Hermione said turning around and showing Narcissa her back which was marred with the same dark scar that ran up partway along her spine. "But anyway can we get along with these measurements I am getting cold." Hermione said bring the women back to reality. Nothing more was spoken. The woman took her measurements bid them good day and set off to start on the dress. Hermione dressed and thanked Narcissa and bid her a good day as well and walked straight to her room. She had been in her room no more then five minutes when there was a knock on her door. Hermione answered it to find Lucius Malfoy standing in her doorway with his permanent sneer on his face.
"Mr. Malfoy how may I help you. " Hermione asked keeping her voice calm and emotionless.
"My wife seems upset about some news she found out and what upsets her upsets me. I understand that there are some things my sister-in-law did to you that I wish to help with." Lucius told her.
"I don't understand. What could you possibly do to help me?" Hermione replied.
"I want to pay to have our scars removed." Lucius told her.
"Well I thank you for the offer but I don't want them removed. They remind me of where I came from and of the darkness in humanity whether they are magical or not. Now is there anything else I may help you with." Hermione asked. Lucius sneered at her and then left. Hermione shut the door behind her and let out a deep calming breath. No sooner had that breath been let out that there was another knock at her door. She opened and to find Draco there.
"What was my father talking about?" Draco asked with concern in his voice.
"Nothing." Hermione said not moving out of her door way to let him in.
"It was something if he came all the way here from the other wing to speak with you. Why must you continue to shut me out? How many times do I have to tell you that you can tell me anything that I am here for you?" Draco asked pleading with her.
"Fine you want to know what it was about?" Hermione snapped at him and taking her shirt off. "It was about these." She said reveling her scars to him. Even though she had her shirt off around him before she had always made sure he never saw her scars and it had been quite the task. Draco stared at her for a long time before speaking.
"How?" Draco asked.
"Why your dear old aunty did this to me." Hermione bit out at him moving away from her door and walking into her room with Draco following her.
"Hermione I…"Draco began.
"I'm sorry, is that what you were gonna say. Because you should know that I am really tired of people saying that." Hermione all but yelled at him.
"I had no idea, why didn't you say anything?" Draco asked her walking up to embrace her but she just stepped away from him.
"Why should I. it's not like this is going to last, so why should I open up to you at all, you talk that you love me and that you want this to work but I know that the minute you get your inheritance I will be out and you will go back to having another girl every other night." Hermione said.
"That isn't true and if that is what you think then you don't know me at all. I do love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to marry you and if there wasn't the chance that you could love me then the ring never would have fit your finger and you will find that if you try to take it off you can't because you are supposed to be mine Hermione. I just wish you could let me in." Draco told her.
"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked shocked at what he just said to her.
"Go ahead try and take the ring off." Draco told her running a hand through his platinum hair. Hermione went to pull the ring off but found she couldn't.
"I don't understand." Hermione said still trying to tug the ring off but it wouldn't budge.
"That ring is enchanted," Draco explained," It will only fit the ring of someone who loves you or has the capacity to love you and it won't come off because the ring knows you are my perfect match. Hermione you are my other half you are every thing that is good and pure and right about this world and even though you have had a hard past you are still perfect in my eyes and I will love you till the day I die and I hope that you will love me too. All of this has been to try and get you to see that we are perfect together. That we balance each other." Draco said taking her hands in his. "And if you will have me I really want this wedding to go on as planned, because I know that we will be happy together as we have been these past few weeks. I know that it won't always be easy and that we will possibly want to kill each other on more then one occasion but I can promise you that I will never hurt you if I can help it and that nothing in this world will ever hurt you again and all I ask for is your love in return for mine."Draco professed to her.
"Draco I don't know if I can love." Hermione told him through tears.
"I know you can because you agreed to pretend to be my fiancée out of love for the girls you work with and out of love for children you don't even know. Just love me and let me love and take care of you and let me in Hermione. I need you to let me in." Draco said placing small kisses on her lips and cheeks. Hermione nodded and kissed him fully letting their bodies melt together and become one.
"Draco this is going to be a long conversation so we may want to sit down." Hermione told him regaining her composure and walking to the couch and sitting down and Draco sitting across from her.
"You know that since I started at Hogwarts I had been fighting against Voldemort. Since I was eleven years old I have fought against evil and all who sided with it including you. You know most of what happened in the following years. The battles and hurt they all caused. Even in all of that I had found love in my best friend but that didn't last seeing as how we were no good for each other and he had a cheating problem, which is one of the reasons I left the wizarding world. It was so hard to see him with women I knew he slept with while we were together but what made my mind up was my parents. Before I left after my sixth year to go with Harry I had oblivated my parent's memories and hid them away so they weren't harmed by the war. After the final battle I thought it would be safe to bring them back home even though not all of Voldemort's followers had been found. I was so stupid. A group of death eaters had been following me and when I brought my parents home they attacked and killed both of them right in front of my eyes and there was nothing I could do to stop it since they had cursed me as well and made me watch. They made me watch while they tortured and killed my parents, If Harry and a group of aurors hadn't shown up I would be dead too and for the longest time I wish I had been killed along with them. My parents were the only family I had and magic took them from me just as it took so many others and so I left the wizarding world because I couldn't take the pain of knowing that a gift I had been given was the reason my parents were dead." Hermione told Draco with out tears and little emotion in her voice. It was so hard to talk about her parent's death so Hermione had to always keep a close reign on her emotions when she spoke of it.
"Hermione you must know it wasn't your fault that all of those things happened to you. You can't control everything and you can't know everything. You are a good person that bad things have happened to but they were not your fault." Draco said embracing Hermione and holding her to him trying to take all of her pain away. A few tears slid down her cheeks and she felt that some how she didn't feel so weighed down by everything.
"I know." She whispered into his chest. Then backing up and wiping her face she said," Now I believe we have an engagement dinner to get ready for." Hermione said standing up and realizing she hadn't put her shirt back on crossed her arms across her chest trying to hide herself.
"Are you sure you want to go. I can make excuses for you." Draco told her.
"Nonsense I will be going now you have to leave so I can get ready, so out with you." Hermione said. Draco got up and walked to the door. "And Draco…" Hermione said.
"Yes?" He asked turning back to her.
"Thank you." Hermione said simply.
"Anytime." Draco said with a smile and then left her to get ready.
"Have I told you how wonderful you look in green?" Draco said as he and Hermione walked towards the formal dining room where the engagement dinner was being held.
"About a hundred times I think." Hermione said with a smile. Hermione was wearing the one shoulder green velvet dress that Draco had picked with matching peep toe heels. She wore simple diamond studs and a diamond tennis bracelet. Her hair was swept back in a low, elegant bun. Draco wore his dress robes with a green tie that matched Hermione's dress color. She had to admit he looked good in a tux and dress robes. They stood outside of the dinning room waiting for Lucius to announce them.
"Are you ready for this?" Draco asked offering his arm for her to take.
"Bring it on." Hermione said taking his arm. The doors opened and they were met with everyone standing and applauding. The formal dining hall consisted of high walls filled with paintings and many crystal chandeliers. Hermione smiled as they walked to the far end of the table opposite of where Lucius and Narcissa sat. Draco pulled out Hermione's chair for her, which was to the right of where he was sitting at the head of the table which mirrored how Lucius and Narcisa sat. They ate there dinner which was a beautiful menu of beef Wellington, roasted potatoes, a fresh salad and pears that had been sautéed and sprinkled with cinnamon. There were speeches of congratulations and well wishing to which Draco and Hermione graciously thanked all who gave them even though Hermione knew few of. Then came Lucius turn for a speech and Hermione groaned slightly. Draco took her hand in his and gave it a slight squeeze in support.
"Good evening everyone. Thank you for honoring my family by coming here this evening to celebrate the engagement of my son and heir Draco Lucius Malfoy to Ms. Hermione Jean Granger. Most of you know that my family has not always had the best relationship with that of but I have come to find that she is an exceptional young woman and I believe will contribute greatly to this family and my wife and myself are happy to welcome her into the family and our sons' life. May you have many years of happiness and love. Cheers." Lucius said raising his glass toasting to the couple. Hermione and Draco were both think the same thing and all they had to do was look at each other before they started to chuckle to themselves. Someone had seriously replaced Lucius Malfoy with someone else. That or Narcissa had a greater hold on her husband than people thought. The rest of the evening was spent having coffee and small cakes and conversation with all of the people who had attended. Hermione was thankful when the last of the hundred guests left the manor and she could take her shoes off.
"Hermione would you like to join me for a stroll in the gardens?" Draco asked he had lost his robes and dinner jacket and was just wearing his pants dress shirt, vest and tie. He looked relaxed and still sophisticate.
"Why I would love to." Hermione said taking his arm and walking out to the garden with him. The night was cool and the cold stones of the walk ways through the garden felt good on her feet. Hermione had always loved to walk barefoot through the grass. It was comforting to her.
"What are you thinking about?" Draco asked her pulling her from her fantasy of summer past when she was innocent and didn't have a care in the world.
"I was thinking that I bet I could beat you to the fountain in the center of the garden." Hermione said slowly walking away from him backwards.
"Is that so?" Draco said with a smirk striding towards her.
"Yes that is so." Hermione said turning and sprinting towards the fountain dropping her shoes on the way. Draco quickly pursued her and caught up quickly just as she was about to reach the fountain he went to grab for her but she stepped out of his reach and gracefully leapt onto the ledge of the fountain.
"See I told you that I would beat you." Hermione said catching her breath after the quick sprint.
"Yes so you were right for once." Draco teased getting up on the ledge with her.
"I am always right." Hermione said in a haughty tone.
"Is that so Granger?" Draco said walking towards Hermione. She nodded and smirked at him that revival even his best smirk. "Well I think Ms. Know-it-all needs to be put in her place." Draco said stepping into the fountain, the water coming up to his knees. Hermione continued to walk around the ledge of the fountain trying to keep out of Draco's grasp.
"Don't you even think about it?" Hermione told him.
"Think about what?" Draco said grabbing Hermione around her knees and throwing her over his shoulder.
"You put me down this instant Draco!" Hermione screamed.
"Ok if you insist." Draco said pulling Hermione in front of him then falling back into the cold water still holding on to her.
"I can not believe you just did that." Hermione said splashing water in his face. Draco just laughed and splashed her back. She stood up and tried to get out but Draco caught her and pulled her back in.
"Where do you think you are going?" He whispered in her ear which sent chills down her spine.
"Draco…" Hermione said in a breathy tone.
"Yes?" He said kissing along her neck holding her back to his chest.
"Mmm. Don't stop." She moaned as he continued his assault on her neck and began to massage one of her perfect breast while the other traveled down the front of her dress and upon reaching the hem pulled it up and slipped his hand under the dress and into her knickers.
"No, Draco, what if someone sees?" she panted out as he began to rub her sweet spot.
"Don't worry no one will come out here. It is just you and me." He told her bringing his free hand up to turn her head towards him and caught her lips in a hungry kiss that caused her to whimper and moan. Hearing this from her was all he needed to be rock hard again. This woman was going to kill him if he couldn't have her soon.
"God Hermione I want you so badly." Draco growled against her mouth as he continued to play with her clit and make her wet and slick for him.
"I know but we can't please. You can have me when I am your wife." She told him in sultry whispers.
"I will hold you to that promise." He said capturing her lips again and working her to climax in just a short time after that. When Hermione regained her senses she knelt in the water and undid Draco's pants releasing his beautiful long hard cock.
"Hermione what are you…" Draco began but Hermione quieted him and began to circle her tongue around the tip of his member causing him to moan and throw his head back. She continued to tease him by licking and gently sucking the tip and shaft before she finally took him fully into her mouth causing Draco's knees to go slightly weak. She sucked and bobbed her head going up and down the full length of his member swirling her tongue as she did.
"Hermione stop I'm going to come soon." Draco groaned. He didn't want to force her to take him in her mouth if she didn't want to but this only caused Hermione to continue her assault on his cock even more and soon he cried out and came in her mouth and Hermione swallowed all of it. Draco dropped to his knees and took Hermione's face in his hands and kissed her hard and long.
"That was amazing." Draco told her and kissed her again. "You are amazing." He said.
"Thank you and you are amazing too you know that. You have taken me with all of the good and bad. I think you are the good one not me." Hermione said.
"I am only good because of you I have told you that." Draco said standing up and fixing his pants and offering a hand to Hermione to help her up. Draco got out of the fountain and then helped Hermione out and they walked back to the manor Hermione picking up her shoes where she had dropped them on her way back.
"So tonight wasn't so bad." Hermione commented as they walked through the darkened manor.
"No it wasn't." Draco said. "Did you have a good time?"
"I suppose so. I didn't really know any of those people." Hermione said.
"Well you did wonderfully. You will make a great Lady Malfoy when the time comes." Hermione didn't say anything in reply and they walked quietly to their rooms and bid goodnight to each other.