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Play by iamamiwhoami
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Hermione, who had been uncertain as to why they needed a big room to plot her career, soon realized their admittedly large home library might not be enough to fulfill their needs. Draco and Narcissa Malfoy made the thorough planning carried out by the Order of the Phoenix look like vapid small talk. The rows upon rows of books had been shrunken down to fit in a small box that now rested on the fireplace's mantel; their place was taken by several boards, tables, and insane amounts of correspondence between the many members of the Wizengamot and the Malfoys.
"You don't ever do anything halfway, do you?" said Hermione when the grandfather clock in the living room announced it was midnight.
"Absolutely not," said Narcissa as her son negated emphatically with his head.
"No kidding," she said as yet another owl arrived through the permanently open window. Draco went to it, fed it a treat and took the letter. After scanning it with a speed that still shocked Hermione several letters in, he smiled excitedly as he took it to a growing pile.
"Desmond is willing to, not only vote in Hermione's favor, but is also volunteering to second Archibald's motion for a vote on reestablishing the Malfoy seat," he ran to her, took her in his arms, and twirled her in the air.
"Of course he is," Narcissa said from the board nearest the door, adding Desmond Barnaby's vote to the careful tally she was keeping. "Dear old Desmond has been in politics for a very long time and knows that it is important to get on with the future leaders early on in the game."
"Time is of the essence," Draco agreed, "the quicker you get in the good graces of the right people the better; Desmond knows it, we know it and, more importantly, Desmond knows that we know it."
"Support is support, regardless of when we get it," Hermione said earning funny looks from both her husband and his mother, "is it not?"
"If you are among the pioneer supporters of a person, they develop a sense of loyalty toward you. After all, you believed in them when few others would, which ensures down the road the emerging leader will be a fierce supporter of whatever you do." Draco explained as he went to look over the piles of correspondence once more as Narcissa picked up the explanation where her son had left off.
"This kind of loyalty is never extended to those who lend their support after the newbie has partially or totally achieved their goals. Late supporters are seen at best as unimportant trend followers or at worst as self-interested individuals trying to get something out of the newbie."
"Which is why us Malfoys are continuously looking for future leaders to support and promote," Draco said returning to her side with his hands in her pockets; the robes that had covered the bottom up shirt and slacks long gone, much to Narcissa mortification.
"So that's why you are doing all this, huh?" Hermione wrinkled her nose at him.
"No," he smiled down at her, as she was an endearing toddler, "this time around we are doing it because we get to be a completely different beast."
"We are the best kind of supporter, my dear," Narcissa explained as Hermione wondered just how many types of supporters there could be, "we are your clique; the strongest of supporters, and the fiercest of protectors."
"Maybe this will help," Draco said pulling out his wand and drawing in the air, "This dot at the center is the newbie, meaning you. This circle surrounding you is your clique, which is usually composed of old friends and family. In your case, that means the Grangers, the Malfoys, the Potters, the Weasleys and the Longbottoms. We could even add the Zabinis and the Parkinsons now that they have married into the clique." Drawing another circle around the clique's circle he continued, "this is your inner circle, your early supporters; thus far, Archibald Pemberley, Desmond Barnaby, Kingsley Shacklebolt and a couple more are in this circle. The inner circle is small in nature, which is not always necessarily true of the clique."
"Why is Kingsley not in my clique?" she asked confused.
"Because he is too ingrained in politics and that means he has his own interests and agendas," Narcissa said opening yet another new letter, "Zacharias is uncertain, Draco."
"We don't need him," he said dismissively, "We have Eustachio Priwin how has a bigger political clout."
"I think my head is going to explode," she said covering her face with her hands and exerting pressure over her eyes.
"Stay with me, love," he said drawing yet another circle, "This is the outer circle, the trend followers. You don't trust them, but you also don't shun them. They are useful on occasions when you need numbers to back you up. They are also eager to make up for their lack of early support." As he drew another circle Hermione groaned loudly, earning a displeased look from Narcissa.
"Are we going all the way to this circle is composed by intergalactic travelers? I don't think I could take it if we are," she was only half joking, but her mother in law seemed to get a composed laugh out of it.
"This circle," Draco continued without pausing, "is the penumbra. Never turn your back, even for a second, on this circle. These are your rivals and enemies, the people who have grudges against you, your clique or your inner circle. They will go out of their way to make your life hell. You should know, at all times, what they are doing and what they will be doing months into the future."
"Fantastic," she threw arms in the air, "since you are in my clique, that means half the wizarding community is in the penumbra."
"The movers and shakers are all still rather friendly with our political pull," he shrugged, "you will soon find that lay people, and their interests, rarely ever matter in politics."
"Must all your assessments be so..." Hermione paused for effect, "…draconian?"
"Hilarious," Draco rolled his eyes with utmost contempt as his mother chortled in an unladylike manner, "see what you have done, Narcissa Black?"
"Back to work you two," said the witch as she tried to compose her features, "we have a few more hours ahead of us." At exactly three in the morning, Narcissa told them to go off to bed.
"You are not going to work all night, are you?" Hermione heard the mild concern in her voice and added it to the list of weird things to ponder.
"No, dear, I need to rest," said the witch as she walked away from her desk and up to where Draco and she had been working. Hermione realized that every single last hair on her mother-in-law's head was perfectly in place still, that not a single wrinkle marred her robes and that she looked exactly as she had when she had shown up for tea. Hermione would be lying if she said it didn't make her absolutely jealous. "I am afraid I have rather a lot to plan for the wedding celebration. Quite a few of the Wizengamot members will be there to celebrate the marriage of their children or grandchildren, it is absolutely crucial in so many ways that the event goes off without a hitch."
"Promise me you will rest, Mother," Draco said kissing both of Narcissa's cheeks.
"Of course, my dragon," she said turning to Hermione and kissed both her cheeks too, "off to bed you go."
"Goodnight, Narcissa," Hermione said as she ushered her to the library's floo. Once the flames had taken the woman away she let her spine relax.
"It's funny how habits persist over time," Draco's voice called from where he stood, "You have always done that strange deflating thing, even during your early Hogwarts days; it makes you look incredibly similar to a punctured balloon."
"And how exactly would you know this?" Hermione said as they walked out of the brand new war room and began walking to the staircase.
"Because I watched you often," he admitted without an ounce of embarrassment as they reached the landing.
"Is this where you tell me you always had a crush on me while we were in school?" she asked teasingly but secretly wanting it to be real.
"Sorry, love, no such luck," he said exhaling a laugh out his nose as he signaled for her to enter their room first, "I'm afraid my blunt disgust and disregard for you were all too real back then." Hermione wanted to inquire how he felt about her now but decided not to ask questions to which she didn't want answers.
"I am absolutely exhausted!" she said as she stretched and dropped on their bed simultaneously. "We are not even out of the planning stage and I already need a holiday."
"That could be arranged," the genuineness in her husband's voice made her twist her neck at a weird angle to look at his face.
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"I'm completely serious," he said not being able to believe his luck. He didn't even have to coax her into the idea of traveling! He silently thanked whatever deity had managed to pull that off and he continued speaking, "I was actually thinking earlier today that I wanted to take you on a trip."
"A trip?" she asked skeptically, "Are you that desperate to make sure I don't go lurking around the Auror office in hopes of helping the investigations along?" He tried his best to keep his face expressionless at first but then decided his best shot at not infuriating her completely was to joke about it.
"You caught me," he said dramatically as he made a theatrical face of despair.
"Let me guess," she said only partially sullenly, "You have planned a romantic getaway somewhere in France."
"No," he smiled big at her, "you get two more guesses."
"Cliff-diving off the coast of Mexico?" he wasn't sure what that was but he was certain that, if it was anything like what it sounded, he didn't want Hermione anywhere near it.
"You have one more guess," he said going into the bathroom to change into his pajamas as Hermione used the room to do the same.
"Does the Malfoy family have a secluded island somewhere?" she asked.
"Yes, but that's not where we are going. No more guesses, it's officially a surprise destination," he reentered the room to find her in her usual tights and sweater, "would you like a scarf too?" He sassed as he gestured toward the closet, "I believe I have my old Slytherin one somewhere in there."
"I wouldn't need all these layers if you didn't insist on keeping our room at arctic temperatures, you brat," she said as they both got under the sheets.
"This is not cold at all," he said suppressing a yelp as Hermione warmed her frozen feet against him, "imagine spending seven winters sleeping in the dungeons."
"You are snakes, though," she said as she desperately cuddled against his side trying to find warmth, "you clearly don't need warm environments," then she reached under the pillows for her wand but pulled out his by mistake, "bugger." He recalled her apologetic face the first time he stumbled upon her wand hidden among the pillows; she had explained that only with her wand there could she sleep. He hadn't said anything, choosing to instead lift his pillow to reveal his own.
"I don't mind," he said closing his eyes trying to get some shut-eye before dawn or the nightmares that haunted them both could wake him, "I am pretty sure that it will respond without holdup now that we share our magic."
"It's a bit creepy," she said as the room fell into darkness and she returned the wand to its place, "it almost feels like my own." A few minutes passed as they tried to fall asleep. He was almost in Morpheus' arms when Hermione's voice brought him back, "Draco?"
"Hmm?"
"Is this a good time and place to talk about what happened earlier today?" There went whatever sleep he might have gotten tonight.
"I suppose so," he said opening his eyes, "should I sit up?"
"No," she said placing a hand on his chest as she sat herself up. "Draco, I feel the need to explain what my actions."
"What is there to explain?" he tried his best not to, but he ended up sounding cranky either way, "I tried to kiss you and you said no. End of story."
"There's a lot to be said, Draco Malfoy," she harrumphed, "I didn't prevent your kiss to reject you or to slight you, or because I don't like, think you are worthy of it, or whatever idea you might have gotten into that blonde head of yours."
"Is this my queue to ask why you did it?" he interjected at her pregnant pause.
"Must you make it so difficult to talk to you?"
"Must you hurt my pride so?" he nagged right back.
"You are insufferable," she huffed, "the reason why I didn't kiss you is that it scares me, Draco. I haven't the experience you have in this field, that combined with—"
"Explain yourself," he said interrupting her as he sat up, "because that sounded an awful lot like you just admitted to never having done a thing with another, ever."
"I'm not a virgin or anything," she said uncomfortably, "but I also—"
"I take it back, I don't want to know about my wife's adventurous past," he let himself fall back on the bed and forcefully closed his eyes as he tried to not think of that stupid Weasel.
"But I also don't have anywhere near as many conquests as you did while you were at Hogwarts," she said ignoring his childishness. "It's scary to put yourself out there when you don't really want to understand or entertain your feelings; this is especially true when you know you don't have the same level of… prowess… as the other person."
"How much prowess can a single kiss require?"
"Are you being dense on purpose?" she asked exasperated, "Draco you had quite the reputation from early on. Even I heard the gossip, and I rarely engaged in it because I find it stupid. Add that to our tumultuous past" he snorted loudly, "Seriously, Draco! You and I have a lot of history and I do mean a lot of history; about ninety-nine percent of which is bad. Can you truly blame me for not jumping into it blindly?" he refused to speak. "I know you are not the same person you were then, but you did quite a number on my psyche."
"On your what?"
"On my mind, Draco," she explained, "A part of me is terrified of you, of having feelings for you. I see you for the man you are today and I also see you for the man you wish to be in the future, but just like I can see into your future I can see into your past."
"Is there anything I can do to help?" he opened his eyes and could make out a few her features in the dark.
"I don't think so," the honesty in her tone was disheartening, "I think that only time and exposure to the new you will help."
His only response was a tired sigh as she went back to cuddling his side. For a long while they laid in silence, neither one asleep.
"Draco?" she whispered softly, speaking into his chest.
"Yes?" when she didn't speak he looked down at where she was hiding to find her blushing so furiously that it was visible in the shadows, "Hermione?"
"Would-you-please-kiss-me?" she spoke so fast that he wondered if she had spoken at all.
"Excuse me?"
"Don't make me ask again," she grumbled embarrassed.
"I just don't want to be hexed for misunderstanding you when you spoke Sanskrit just now."
"Would you, Draco Lucius Malfoy, kiss me, Hermione Jean Granger-Malfoy?" she sounded annoyed.
"Ugh," he grimaced, "we need to fix your name if you are going to be running for Minister of Magic."
"Seriously, Draco?"
"As a heart attack," he said turning to look at her, "it's a mouthful." She hit his chest irritated by his antics, causing him to laugh. "Come here, love," getting a hold of her neck, he brought their lips together. At first, it was just a gentle brush but, as the seconds passed, it deepened into a passionate kiss. The electricity that had dulled to a constant hum was back in full swing. By the time they broke apart their room was hit with the first few rays of dawn. Even though he could tell she was thoroughly exhausted, he didn't think she had ever looked so absolutely stunning.
"We really need to get away," she yawned as she rested her head back on his chest.
"We can leave right after the wedding celebration," he whispered as he held her close to his chest. After tonight, he wasn't sure he would be able to resist constantly touching her.
"I guess that's not too bad since it's just a week away," she said slowly drifting off into sleep. "I will survive a week, but not a second more."
"Be it not in me to go against my wife's wishes."
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Dear Readers,
Another chapter has come and gone. I don't usually do two consecutive chapters on the same couple, but I felt like I needed to do so. I reckon my Dramione fans will be doing a happy dance right about now.
There has been a truly overwhelming wave of support for this story for the past three (four? It is almost the next day already) days. I am talking hundreds of readers and thousands of viewers. My heart is singing in absolute delight! Holy Molly, I am so lucky to have each and every one of you. Thank you for reading, for your support and for the reviews that make me so absolutely blissful. More chapters are coming soon.
All the love,
Kikistone.