Draco and Blaise stood tall at the end of the aisle; the beautiful London skyline background glistening as the sun barely began to set. A light and airy string piece fluttered through the air by the quartet in the corner as James and Victorie walked down the aisle, the music matching the excitement and pure nature that came with being a child. Draco grinned at James, who seemed to be taking his job very seriously despite not having the real rings attached to the pillow he was carrying. It was nearly a sore source of contention until Draco pointed out that he wasn't worried about James losing the rings so much as he was worried that he couldn't tie the strings tight enough around the rings to keep them in place. It wasn't the entire truth, but James didn't know any difference and it avoided a pouting lip. Halfway down the aisle, James took part in Victorie's obvious enjoyment as she scattered the aisle with various colored rose petals, the two of them giggling as they weren't politely dropping them to the ground as they were throwing them up in the air like confetti, giggling as the wedding guests chuckled along. As the two reached the end of the aisle, they took their place on either side of the aisle, James giving Draco a high five as he stood in front of Blaise. Victorie stood alone; swishing the skirt of her cream colored dress back and forth, as slow as a church chime.
The music continued, shifting gears from a less allegro tempo as Ginny began to walk, holding her rose and hydrangea bouquet, the flowers all various shades of white. Draco felt his breath catch just a bit as he watched his fiery friend walk towards him with a knowing look in her eye. Albus, catching sight of his mother, somehow managed to use gravity in his favor as most small children innately know how to do and slid out of his grandfather's arm and ran towards Ginny before anyone could catch him, chanting "mum mum mum" as the audience oohed and awwed. Without missing a beat, Ginny paused and scooped Albus up, setting him on one hip as she held her flowers in her free hand, continuing her walk down the aisle. She kissed Albus and handed him back to her father before walking towards Draco, kissing him lightly on the cheek as Draco returned the sentiment. Ginny walked over and stood next to Victorie, smiling brightly at her niece who was turning into the spitting image of her beautiful mother with her blond ringlets pulled halfway up by a bow.
As the music shifted once again to the formal wedding processional, the wedding guests stood. Draco's breath hitched again, as he waited in as much, if not more anticipation at the sight of his bride. Blaise clapped a firm hand on his shoulder and leaned towards him a bit. "Not that you need it - but good luck."
Grinning, Draco nodded, looking down at his feet to collect himself for a moment. At the audible gasps of those in the audience, he waited a moment before looking up. There she was - his entire future - walking towards him with the brightest smile he'd ever seen grace her delicate lips. Her dress was as divine and unique as she, as it wasn't the standard, bright white wedding dress he was accustomed to seeing other brides wear. The dusty white color matched her complexion brilliantly, and while he didn't have the proper vocabulary to describe the rest of the dress with its pleats and ruffled draping, he didn't care. All he knew was that she was the most beautiful bride he'd ever seen - and that was more than enough for him. Draco watched as Harry kept a hold of her hand on Hermione's arm, as Harry walked his best friend down the aisle. He too had a smile on his face, but Draco had known Harry long enough now that he could sense his friend's sadness in knowing that Harry would have done anything to have Hermione's own father walking with her instead of him.
As the two stopped at the alter, Harry gave Hermione a hug, whispering something in her ear as she nodded. She kissed his cheek and gave his hand a squeeze before Harry handed her off to Draco. "She's all yours," Harry said.
"Thanks," Draco replied, giving Harry a quick, man hug. As Harry retreated to his seat, taking a squirming Albus from his father-in-law, Draco took Hermione's hand and walked her up to the alter where Kingsley was waiting, beaming fondly at both. "You look beautiful," he whispered with a simple squeeze of her hand. "I love you."
"Love you more," she whispered back as the two of them faced Kingsley.
Kingsley grinned at them both before looking out to the audience. "What a wonderful turnout this evening," he said, gesturing to the wedding guests. "Everyone here, gathered together, to witness a declaration of love between two people who from the outside seem to be complete opposites of one another, but in reality, have more in common than most couples who've been married for decades. I've had the wonderful opportunity to watch this young woman standing before grow into what she is today - a smart, compassionate, brilliant, and loving individual who will most often put others first before thinking of herself. Her intellect is the stuff legends are made from, but her heart is what makes her irreplaceable.
And then we look at this man," Kingsley continued, nodding at Draco. "If anyone is to ever tell me they cannot change their ways, or that there is no hope for them, I will not hesitate before saying, 'but look at Draco Malfoy,' as he was in your shoes once, and you wouldn't believe where he is today. He is a man of honorable character, a man who dug his heels in deep and did the hard work necessary to prove to others, and lastly to himself, that he was not the man he was groomed to be. I have said it before and I will say it again - I have never been more proud of an individual as I am of this man, who while he would publicly say otherwise, is more than worthy of this woman who stands next to him, willingly choosing to spend the rest of her life with him."
Hermione squeezed Draco's hand as she caught his eyes out of the corners of hers, giving him a wink.
Draco glanced at her, smiling brightly as he squeezed her hand in return.
"Now," Kingsley said, speaking to them both. "I've never married anyone before - a warning I gave you both far in advance when you first proposed this idea. But after doing my research on both wizard and muggle weddings alike, I realized the two had more in common than I initially thought - much like the two of you. As I continued to read a bit more, I grew bored, and realized that you two deserved a wedding ceremony as unique as the love you two found for each other." He looked back to the audience and smiled. "I can't imagine that any, minus a certain few, know this about Miss Granger, but as a child, rumor has it she was quite fond of this stuffed bear named Winnie-the-Pooh. This Pooh bear is muggle storybook character by an author named A.A. Milne. Pooh and his human sidekick, Christopher Robin, are awfully insightful for characters who are barely six years old, but as I sifted through some of these books, I stumbled upon some passages that I found were quite fitting for this pair standing before me. With a little bit of help from my two friends, James and Victorie, I'd like to share with you some of the wisdom I have discovered, which seem pretty applicable to the institution of marriage, if I do say so myself."
Draco and Hermione turned around, a pleasant look of surprise as this was not a part of the rehearsal the night before. They looked at Ginny and Harry, who shrugged as they were just as baffled that the Minister of Magic had been conspiring with James and Ginny. James and Victorie followed Kingsley's nod and walked to stand in front of the bride and groom, James handing Victorie a piece of paper from his pocket before retrieving his own.
James cleared his throat as he began to show off his reading skills first, as he was very proud to now be four and 3/4ths old and reading more than just three letter words. "If ever there is tom…orrow when we're not together.. there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we're apart... I'll always be with you."
Victorie stood up a bit straighter as she held her paper in her hands. "If you live to be 100, I hope I live to be 100 minus 1 day, so I never have to live without you."
"If the person you are talking to doesn't ap..appear to be listen…ing, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear," James recited, giggling towards the end as he looked at his dad. "You should remember that one to tell Mummy, Daddy,"
The audience laughed, Harry chuckling as Ginny clapped a free hand over her eyes for a moment, shaking her head at her precocious son.
"Some people care too much, I think it's called love," Victorie read with a wistful sigh beyond her years.
Arthur wrapped an arm around Molly, hugging her tight as they watched their grandchildren with pride. Across the aisle, Lucius simply held Narcissa's hand as she dabbed her tears away with her husband's handkerchief. Hermione's eyes welled with tears as she listened to James, and Draco couldn't help but feel a bit misty eyed as well as the two began to read the last passage together.
"A soul mate," James began, "is someone who has locks that fit our keys, and keys to fit out locks!"
"When we feel safe enough to open the locks, our tru…truest selves step out and we can be complete…ly and honestly who we are; we can be loved for who we are and not for who we're pre…tending to be."
James smiled as he continued. "Each uncovers the best part of the other. No matter what else goes wrong a…round us, with that one person we're safe in our own…" he stared at the word for a moment before showing it to Victorie, who whispered it in his ear. "Paradise!"
"Our soul mate is someone who shares our deepest longings, our sense of direction," Victorie said, grinning as her parents smiled fondly at their daughter.
"When we're two balloons, and together our direc..tion is up, chances are we've found the right person."
Victorie and James turned around and faced Hermione and Draco, who beamed brightly at the two as they recited the last line together to the bride and groom. "Our soul mate is the one who makes life come to life."
The wedding guests clapped for the children, who reached up and gave hugs to Hermione and Draco before retreating to their places in the wedding party. Blaise braced his hands on James' shoulders, grinning at the child while Ginny gave Victorie a small side hug, keeping an arm wrapped around her for a moment as Draco and Hermione turned back to each other. Hermione gave Ginny her bouquet, and Ginny passed it to Victorie who seemed over the moon to hold.
They grab ahold of each other's hands, Draco's thumbs rubbing gently across her knuckles as Hermione blinked away tears. "Hermione," Kingsley said. "Would you like to read your vows to Draco first?"
She nodded, blinking furiously once more as Draco squeezed her hands. With a sharp inhale; she exhaled slowly, looking only at him as she began to speak. "Everything happened so fast," she spoke, her words with a slight waver in her usually confident voice. "My dad always said that everything happens for a reason, and I never quite fully understood the concept until the day you picked me up from the airport and welcomed me into your home, and ultimately, your life. You are kind when you choose to be, compassionate when I need you to be, and you love every bit of me - even the crazy, irrational bits."
She giggled as Draco laughed, still rubbing the tops of her hands with his thumbs. "I gave up on love," she admitted, her voice quiet and barely audible to those sitting in the back. "I gave up on everything I thought I wanted and convinced myself I would be content for the rest of my life with my nose stuck in a book. But then there we were, in the same space, and slowly, I realized that everything I wanted in life, everything I needed, was standing right in front of me." Her voice was beginning to break, despite her doing her best to stop it. "I cannot wait," she said, her voice half crying, "to become your wife, to have…a family with you, to share my life and grow old with you. There's nothing I truly want more. I promise to spend the rest of my life loving you, respecting you, being faithful to you, telling you when you're wrong when I'm convinced I'm right, and eventually caving and admitting to you when the rare opportunity comes along that I'm not. Draco Lucius Malfoy - I love you, and will continue to love you for the rest of my life."
Draco let go of her hand briefly to retrieve a handkerchief from his pocket, carefully dabbing her tears away so that it didn't ruin her makeup as she let out a laugh. Placing the handkerchief back in his pocket, he retrieved her hand and smiled brilliantly. "Draco," Kingsley said. "You may read your vows."
He cleared his throat, channeling his strength so that he didn't break down while reciting what he had committed to his memory. "You weren't supposed to fall in love with me," he said, squeezing both of her hands. "I know for certain that I wasn't supposed to fall in love with you. At least, that's what I told. But then I befriended my school nemeses, and I submersed myself in a culture I was told could ruin the likes of me, and I realized that I was missing out on so many things, and that being different was ok. I'd spent four years making peace with everyone whom I owned an apology to until you were the last on my list. I didn't realize that my final apology would be my key to finding the happiness I assured myself I wasn't worthy of receiving."
Hermione sniffled as Draco felt his eyes threatening tears, but managed to somehow will them away as he continued. "You make me a better person, Hermione. Even when I think that I cannot do better, I cannot be better, I think of you and realize that I can. With you, I feel as if my future is truly limitless. I look forward to seeing the family we create with the love we have for each other, and I know that no matter what obstacles come our way, if ever there was a pair that could conquer them - it would be you and me. Hermione Jean Granger, I…I love you. All of you, and I will never love anyone in the way that I love you, or our future family, as long as I breathe life on this earth.
He let a small tear escape from his eye, overcome with emotion as he stared into her big brown eyes. Hermione let it stream down his cheek a ways before reaching up to brush it away with her thumb, so that it looked more like her caressing his cheek for his own dignity's sake. "Now," Kingsley said, his voice humbly sweet. "For the rings."
Draco reluctantly let go of her hand as he turned around, holding his hand out to Blaise. He dropped two bands in his hand - one slim, goblin made band embedded with little round diamonds while the other was a thicker, plain platinum band, also goblin made. He handed his ring to Hermione and held on to hers as he gently took her left hand and held it in front of him.
"Repeat after me," Kingsley said. "With this ring, I thee wed."
Carefully, he slid the ring down Hermione's slender finger, stopping as it rested right above her engagement ring. "With this ring," he said softly. "I thee wed."
Hermione looked down at her ring and grinned. Exhaling excitedly, she looked to Kingsley and nodded. "Alright, Hermione, repeat after me," the Minister of Magic said with a smile in his voice. "With this ring, I thee wed."
With a shaking hand, she held his left hand and exhaled, sliding the ring down his left ring finger. "With this ring, I thee wed."
Draco welcomed the new weight on his hand as he reached for her hands, lacing their fingers together as they stared at each other. "Well," Kingsley said, as the two grinned madly at one another. "By the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Draco?"
"Yes?" he said, his eyes never leaving Hermione.
"You may kiss your bride."
In a swift fluid motion, Draco found himself with an arm around her waist and another around her neck, his hands in her hair as her arms flew around his neck, their lips pulling each other together as the wedding guests cheered and clapped loudly. Harry let out a loud whistle as Blaise and George chimed in with catcalls as Draco dipped his bride back just a bit before pulling away from his kiss. He pressed his forehead to hers, both of them grinning like fools as everyone continued their applause. "Looks like you're officially a Malfoy, Granger."
She laughed. "It appears that way. You're stuck with me now."
"Good," Draco replied, kissing her again.
"May I present to you all for the first time, Mister and Misses Draco and Hermione Malfoy!" Kingsley's voice boomed, the applause growing louder as the newlyweds happily waved to their guests.
The wedding guests were left to their own devices for about forty-five minutes, indulging in a lovely hors d'oeuvre and cocktail hour while the rest of the formal wedding photos were taken. Those watching the bride and groom photo shoot all talked about how they couldn't wait to see the final product, and even the Monsieur Delacroix himself proclaimed that this would be his finest photographic achievement to date - and that he would be the envy of both muggle and wizarding colleagues as they used the last of the day's sunlight to capture some of the most stunning photos.
The wedding party was welcomed back to the ballroom in the Buckleberry Hotel to another round of thunderous applause as they entered, Draco and Hermione grinning as they waved and greeted everyone. Harry sat with the wedding party at the head table, while Draco's parents and Ginny's parents sat at one of the tables up front with Bill, Fleur, George, Angelina, Luna, and all the kids. An exquisite dinner was served, with the option of a roasted chicken or honey-glazed salmon with wild rice and large baked potatoes overflowing with butter and cheese - just as Draco liked them.
"Order the chicken," Ginny whispered inconspicuously in Hermione's ear as waiters came around offering either dish.
Hermione went to argue, but quickly realized what Ginny was implying with the look on her face. A bit disappointed as she personally picked the salmon for the menu, she nodded towards the tray of chicken, and sat back as a plate was placed in front of her. Draco rested a hand on her lower back as she was sitting forward in her chair, muttering a wandless spell to keep her champagne in front of her as ginger ale and for the glass to continuously refill itself.
"Don't let them take my drink," she whispered to Draco.
He nodded, taking his own champagne flute and raising it to his lips for a sip. "Noted."
Dinner was delicious, despite Hermione's change in dish, and every once in awhile, guests would tap the edges of their champagne flutes with their silverware, bringing whatever Draco and Hermione were doing to a halt so they could kiss, much to the general pleasure and amusement of the audience. Across the ballroom was the DJ set up, the dance floor a long, wide rectangle aisle from the head table to the DJ. As dessert was served, Hermione spotted Arthur Weasley walking towards the DJ booth. As the DJ handed the elder Weasley a microphone, Kingsley began to clink his glass with a butter knife, gathering everyone's attention.
"Ah, yes, very well," Arthur said, as all eyes were on him as he walked along the dance floor. "As you all know, I'm Arthur Weasley, and I have known Hermione since she befriended my son and son-in-law during their first year at Hogwarts. I also had the enormous pleasure of getting to know her parents, Richard and Jean Granger, who had these peculiar muggle jobs as teeth healers. Richard and I spent many days together while our children were away at schoo. I showed him parts of the wizarding world and he explained to me everything I ever wanted to know about muggle artifacts, like rubber ducks and telephones."
Hermione laughed as Draco handed her his handkerchief again, knowing she'd probably need it for what was about to happen. He didn't know what exactly his surprise was for Hermione, but Draco was instrumental in collecting the resources necessary, so he had somewhat of an idea.
"Now, as you all know, Richard and Jean are not with us today, and I know most certainly that they are somewhere in this place muggles refer to as Heaven, looking down on their daughter with an extraordinary amount of pride, just as I am looking at her today. With a little bit of help from my two ministry interns within the Department of Muggle Artifacts, I've put together what a muggle would call a 'movie,' which I hope gives you all a glimmer into the two individuals who gave our world one of our most precious, amazing, and irreplaceable witches."
A projector appeared and the lights dimmed. Hermione gasped as she saw clips of her father's old home videos appearing in the middle of the room. She reached for Draco's hand, holding it tight as she watched her mother walk into their house, holding a day-old Hermione in her arms.
"Richard, I swear if you don't get that blasted camera away from my face -"
"I don't know what you're worried about, Jean - you look beautiful for someone who spent twenty four -"
"Twenty seven and a half," Jean corrected. "Twenty seven and a half hours in labor."
The camera zoomed into Hermione's infant face as she snoozed lightly, sucking away on a pacifier. "Yes, but look at that face and tell me she wasn't worth it. "She's perfect. Yes you are, Hermione Jean. Perfect as perfect can be." The camera went back up to a close up of Jean before zooming back out, whose striking resemblance to Hermione, was now was uncanny. Her face softened as she looked at her husband. "Yes, she is quite perfect. Just as I imagined her to be."
Another scene appeared, a dainty version of Hermione holding the index fingers of her mother's hands as she hunched over her daughter as she gingerly took each step. "That's it! Walk to Daddy! Let go of Mummy and walk to Daddy!" Her chubby fingers letting go, Hermione took a few wobbly steps before gaining confidence, written all over her cherub face as she squealed with delight into her father's arms. Richard held the camera so that the lens faced both of them, beaming with pride at his daughter. "How many babies do you know that take their first steps at with such grace? None of them - that's who," he said, showering her cheeks with kisses. "My Hermione is just that brilliant."
"Oh Richard," Jean scoffed with a laugh as the camera turned around to her, standing with her arms across her chest. "You're going to give that girl a complex."
"You can't give someone who's already perfect a complex," Richard replied. "Isn't that right, Hermione!"
"Yes!" she squealed.
Richard grinned into the camera. "See - brilliant!"
"Richard - that's her answer for everything," Jean replied. "Watch - Hermione? Do you want Mummy to give you a root canal?"
"Yes!" Hermione exclaimed, clapping her hands together as her two, curly little pigtails playfully bounced.
Jean gave her husband a smirk. "Told you, dear."
There wasn't a dry eye in the house as moments of Hermione's childhood flickered in mid air, captivating everyone's attention. They laughed as she looked at her dad with big brown eyes at the age of three and begged, "No Daddy no, not the brush!" as he explained to her that she either had to learn how to sit for her mummy without complaining about brushing her hair or have it all cut off, which Hermione found hilarious as she dragged her fingers through the back of her now short coif.
Draco grinned as he saw five-year-old Hermione waving in a ballerina pink tutu with a black leotard, showing her mummy and daddy everything she learned in class that day, noting that even when little, she took everything seriously. She stood on her tiptoes with her arms gracefully up above her head, turning around slowly before bowing in a curtsey.
"Brilliant, darling!" Jean exclaimed, clapping as she kissed each of Hermione's cheeks. "Absolutely beautiful! You will most certainly be the best ballerina on stage."
"I agree with Mummy," Richard could be heard as he was holding the camera, focused on the two women in his life. "You know what you have in common with Mary Poppins, my sweet girl?"
Hermione shook her head, curly wisps falling out of her bun flowing with each shake.
"You - just like Mary Poppins, are practically perfect in every way."
Film of her various piano recitals played, as Richard Granger's claps were always the loudest, as evident by the shaking camera as it zoomed in on his daughter taking a bow, then a clip that became more familiar to the wizarding audience as Hermione stood in her living room, rereading her Hogwarts letter.
"We've just been visited by a nice lady named Professor McGilligan -"
"McGonagall," Hermione corrected, looking at the camera.
Jean sat on the couch, watching Hermione as she was obviously taken aback by the news they had received. "Anyway, Hermione, what did Professor McGonagall say?"
Grinning, Hermione showed her letter to the camera. "I'm a witch - a real witch who can do magic!"
"And where are we going tomorrow?"
"Diagon Alley," Hermione replied. "Where I'll get my very own wand -"
"Richard," Jean interjected. "Are you really sure you want this on film?"
"Of course I do!" Richard exclaimed. "I just had a peculiar woman come into my house and confirm what I already knew to be true - that my daughter is extraordinary. It obviously should be documented for the rest of eternity."
Jean laughed. "Well, when the 'rest of eternity' finds it, they're going to think we're barking mad."
Hermione dabbed her eyes and looked over in the crowd where she saw Professor McGonagall, holding her hands together against her chest as she watched. She caught Hermione's gaze and gave her a knowing nod, as Hermione cracked a small laugh.
More footage rolled, capturing each one of Hermione's last days at home before returning to Hogwarts, and ultimately the Burrow, as she grew older. Her mother exclaimed and hugged her with pride as she received her perfect O.W.L. scores, hanging them on the fridge where they would proudly hang for the entire summer. As the mini-movie wrapped up, a final scene appeared, only this time it was Jean behind the camera, while Richard sat at the piano with a sixteen year old Hermione, playing the piano with his daughter, both of them singing along without realizing they were being filmed.
Hermione's fingers gently pressed against the ivory keys, leaning into her dad as she sang.
Who said that every wish, would be heard and answered
When wished on a morning star?
Somebody thought of that
And someone believed it
And look what it's done so far.
Richard grinned at his daughter, as he played along with her, their hands and notes in sync as she played the melody while he played the harmony.
What's so amazing that keeps us stargazing?
And what do we think we might see?
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection
The lovers, the dreamers, and me.
The two of them joined in together for the remainder of the song, stealing adoring glances from one another as they continued to play.
All of us under its spell
We know that it's probably magic…
Have you been half asleep, and have you heard voices?
I've heard them calling my name.
Is this the sweet sound that calls the young sailors?
The voice might be one and the same.
I've heard it too many times to ignore it
It's something that I'm supposed to be.
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection
The lovers, the dreamers, and me.
Hermione took over the remaining song, playing both parts as her father watched, brushing a hand over her long brown curls. "Your mother taught you well," he said.
She smiled, her fingers plucking the last notes before the left the air as soon as they entered. "You taught me too," she insisted.
"Maybe. But your perfection comes from your mother - I promise you that," he replied, pressing a kiss to her temple. "Your mum and I, well, just remember that you're the best thing we ever did in life. We're so proud of you, and we'll love you forever."
Hermione hugged her father, resting her head on his shoulder. "I love you more, Dad."
Richard kissed his daughter again. "That, my dear sweet girl, is entirely not possible."
The lights turned back on as the image in the middle of the room slowly faded away. Sniffling, Hermione stood from her chair, dragging a hand along Draco's shoulders as she walked around the table towards Arthur. Opening her arms, Arthur caught her, hugging her close as she cried into his shoulder, the wedding guests all dabbing tears away from their own eyes - men and women alike. "Thank you so much," Hermione managed to say, kissing Arthur's cheek. "That was so beautiful."
Arthur kissed Hermione's cheek, brushing her tears away with his thumbs. "You know how many pieces of muggle equipment I got to play with while making this?"
Laughing, Hermione sniffled and shook her head. "Three?"
"At least five!" Arthur exclaimed.
"Well it was brilliant," Hermione replied. "Thank you so much."
Harry walked over to the middle of the ballroom, another microphone in hand. "Well, now that everyone is good and emotional, I guess we ought to get the toasts over with." He motioned for Draco, Ginny, and Blaise to come to the middle of the dance floor where two chairs were placed for Hermione and Draco to sit in. Draco grabbed his glass of champagne and her glass of ginger ale and walked it over, making sure he remembered which glass was hers as he handed her the champagne flute with a kiss on the cheek. The two of them sat down as Harry stood across from them, holding a champagne flute of his own.
"Draco, we've not always been the best of mates, but these past five years, I'm not quite sure what I would have done without you," Harry said with a nod. "You love my children as if they were your own, you take care of my wife when I've been away on auror missions, and I know that if Hermione's father was here today, he would whole heartedly approve of his daughter's choice in a husband. I made a promise to the Grangers years ago that I would take care of their daughter, and while I'll never stop looking after her, I'm trusting her to your care, as I know you won't let me down."
Draco nodded, holding Hermione's hand as she smiled at Harry. "And you," Harry said, looking at Hermione. "I have no words for you, because I've said them all time and again. You are my sister, my best friend, the reason why I wasn't suffocated by Devil's Snare, attacked by a werewolf, nearly killed by a dragon - I mean, if I hadn't met you, I'd have been dead long before the Dark Lord had a chance to get his ducks in a row," he joked.
Hermione shook her head, taking a sip of her ginger ale. "You would have been fine," she said.
"I really wouldn't have," Harry replied into the microphone. "I love you, Hermione, and I know that everything you've ever wanted is on the path to becoming a reality. Love each other well, laugh a lot, and remember that together - you can do anything."
The wedding guests applauded as he handed the microphone to Ginny, who walked right over to Draco and sat on his lap, grinning mischievously as Hermione laughed, letting go of Draco's hand so he could keep Ginny from falling off. "I'm sure you're all wondering why I'm on the lap of the new groom, in front of his bride, and well, I don't have a reason. I just knew it would catch him off guard, which is what I do to Draco, don't I?"
Draco laughed. "Most certainly."
Ginny gave him a wink as she wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "You see, many, many months ago, this man sat in my living room, before Hermione came back to us, and was stuttering along like a broken record as he was voicing his thoughts out loud, unbeknown to him at that moment, about a recent photo taken of this beautiful bride sitting in front of me." She looked at Draco, holding the microphone to her chest for a moment. "And do you remember what you said?"
His pale cheeks blushed as she held the microphone in front of him. "She's hot," he reluctantly mumbled.
"She's hot," Ginny repeated, as Hermione giggled. "And it would be at this moment that I decided that with a little bit of a nudge -"
"Which was more like a shove," Draco interjected for the crowd's amusement.
"It was a nudge," Ginny corrected him, "and with the nudge, Harry and I realized that our new best friend and our returning best friend just might make the perfect match. And we were right." She climbed off of his lap and kissed his cheek lightly so that she didn't stain his pale skin with her lip-gloss. "Draco, you told me the day she returned that 'different doesn't change the past,' to which I looked at you and said, 'but look at how it's already changed your future.' This is your future, the two of you together, and I think it's going to be as bright and as wonderful as you two choose to make it."
Ginny looked over to Hermione and smiled, taking a handkerchief from her husband as she dabbed her eyes. "Hermione - you've been the best friend I could have ever asked for, and no one is more deserving of a life filled with happiness and laughter than you. Draco is your match, in every way, and I hope that you spend the rest of your lives, surrounded by love, by children, while remembering that you two are in fact, everything that soul mates are supposed to be."
Everyone clapped again as Ginny passed the microphone to Blaise, who looked less than thrilled to have the entire room looking at him. "Well," Blaise nervously said, scratching the back of his head before pulling a bit at his necktie. "Right. I'm Blaise Zabini…one of Draco's best mates from the time we were really small. I'm not really all that sentimental, which I'm sure could be blamed on any number of things. So I guess I'll use this moment to get in one final jab and say, Draco - I can't believe that this utterly exquisite creature sitting next to you said yes, when she could have said 'yes' to this."
Hermione threw her head back and laughed, as did Ginny and Harry while Draco feigned a scowl. "You're a terrible best man!" Hermione exclaimed, giggling as she gave Draco a kiss on the cheek.
"And I warned him of this when he asked me," Blaise replied with a smirk. "In all serious mate - congratulations. Hermione, I've never seen Draco more in love with anyone - including himself - in the twenty-four years I've known him. Be good to each other."
With those final words, everyone raised a glass and toasted the bride and groom.
Draco and Hermione once again had all eyes on them as the two enjoyed their first dance together. Proving to Narcissa that lessons were not necessary, the two waltzed around the ballroom as if no one else was watching, just as perfectly as fairytale Hermione had ever read when the princess enjoys her dance with prince charming.
"You're amazing," Draco said as they moved around the dance floor.
She blushed, despite having heard him say it numerous times since he met her at the alter. "Today is the perfect day," she remarked. "I could not have asked for a more perfect wedding, or a more perfect groom."
He slowed down their waltz so that he could give her a proper kiss. "You're my perfect bride. My perfect everything."
She grinned, kissing him again. "I'll remind you of that when I'm six months pregnant and hormonal."
"I welcome it," Draco challenged with a smirk. "I'm going to go find my mother and give her a proper dance."
Hermione nodded, as others began to join them on the dance floor. "Do you think…do you think your father would dance with me if I asked?"
Draco shrugged, honestly unsure of the answer. He already knew he didn't give a toast because he didn't feel comfortable in front of large crowds yet - just being at the wedding was a big step for him. "Just ask him," he said. "And if he says no…well, remind him that you're the bride, and you won't take no for an answer."
It sounded simple enough. With another kiss, the two broke apart, and Hermione watched as Narcissa's eyes glowed as her son asked for her hand. She watched for a moment, seeing the pride and the love that Narcissa had for her only son. She was so grateful that his mother came around to the idea of her relationship with Draco, and even though Draco tried to prove otherwise, Hermione could see on both of their faces in that moment how important they were to each other. Looking around the room, she saw Lucius sitting at the table, sipping his champagne as he watched the couples dance on the floor. Gathering her skirt in a hand so she wouldn't trip, she walked over to Lucius and extended a hand.
"Would you dance with me?" She asked with a sweet smile. "Please?"
Lucius placed his champagne glass down and stared up at the bride. "Are you sure there isn't anyone else who you'd wish to dance with?"
"There are plenty of people I wish to dance with tonight," Hermione replied. "But I'd like to dance with my father-in-law first. That is, if he doesn't mind."
Lucius, whose white blond hair was tied back with a small black ribbon, sighed as he looked back at Hermione. "Has anyone ever told you how impossible it is to say no to you?"
"No, but I'll keep that in mind the next time I really want something," Hermione replied with a grin. Lucius extended a reluctant hand to hers and she helped him stand before leading him to the dance floor. He placed a hand properly on her waist and held her delicate hand in his gruff one, and began to dance with her just as fluently as his wife was dancing with their son. "I see Draco comes by his moves naturally."
Lucius smirked. "Of course he does. Don't let his mother take all the credit."
"Of course not," Hermione replied with a grin.
The two danced with each other, their movements neither awkward nor uncomfortable as she could see some in the audience watching just the two of them. Towards the end of the song, Lucius stopped the two of them and took both of her hands in his. "I fear that now you've gotten me to dance, my wife will expect the same," he said.
"Probably," she replied.
"I know I didn't make a toast…"
Hermione shook her head, squeezing his hands. "I didn't expect you to."
Lucius looked at Hermione and nodded. "I do not have words to express a million different things I should formally say to you at some point in time. Just…I am truly happy for you and for my son and I…I care, very much for you."
She let go of his hands and wrapped her arms around him. Letting him go, she placed a hand on his arm and smiled. "I care very much for you too, Lucius."
Across the room, Narcissa continued to beam at her son as they waltzed together. "I'm so proud of you, my sweet, sweet boy," she said.
"Thank you, Mother," Draco said, a bit more hoarse than he intended. "That…that really means a lot to me."
"Now, when can we start discussing grandchildren?"
Draco laughed as he waltzed his mother around the floor. "Mother, we've been married for like, an hour and a half. Give us some time. I promise you'll have grandchildren."
Narcissa gave him a knowing look. "Sooner rather than later."
If you only knew, Draco thought to himself as he smiled at his mother. "What are your plans now that you aren't driving everyone mad with wedding planning?"
His mother gave him a look. "So funny," she mocked. "I'll have you know, I've convinced your father to take us on a little holiday. Now that the wedding isn't in the picture, we're going to take some time to properly sort ourselves out."
Nodding Draco caught Hermione dancing with his father out of the corner of his eye. "Well look what Hermione did," he said, gesturing with his head towards his father.
Narcissa looked and gasped as Lucius began to waltz with her daughter-in-law. "Well…would you look at that."
"You should probably snag him next before he has the opportunity to refuse," Draco teased.
Laughing, Narcissa and Draco stopped dancing as she hugged her son and kissed his cheek. "Your father isn't really allowed to say 'no' to me anymore. Wouldn't you agree?"
"Very much so," Draco replied.
The two of them went to retrieve their spouses when Pansy appeared out of nowhere, grabbing ahold of Draco's hand. He looked over at her, pulling his hand away to little avail. "One dance," she said, somewhat remorsefully. "I owe you an apology."
He looked over towards Hermione, who was being approached by Ron. Draco watched as she gave him a simple nod and began to dance with him, a safe amount of distance between them. He looked back at Pansy and sighed. "You have two minutes," he replied, placing his other hand on her waist.
They began to dance, somewhat awkwardly, as Pansy stared up at him. "I'm sorry, for a lot of things," she started to say. "It's bloody obvious how much you love Granger."
"What gave it away? The dress robes? The exchanging of rings? The reception?" Draco asked, somewhat snidely.
She looked down as they continued to shuffle their feet. "I deserved that," she said. "I'm sorry for the things I said, and did to both you and Hermione. I actually…I started dating Ron only because I thought it would piss you off the most, and then he kind of somehow grew on me."
Draco raised an eyebrow. "So you're really dating him - you're not messing with him?"
Pansy shook her head. "I mean, he's also a pureblood, so my mother doesn't mind."
He sighed as the danced. "You would think after everything that you'd realize what truly matters in a person. You can't chart out a life plan according to the thoughts of another. The uncharted parts of life - that's what makes life worth living. It's what makes it exciting and terrifying and…well, everything!"
"I know!" Pansy exclaimed. "I mean, look at him. Ron has zero manners, he's a bloody disaster half the time, he never has the right thing to say and he's always apologizing for everything but…I don't know. I can tell he likes me - that he truly likes me and I honestly can't say that I've ever experienced…that feeling. It's nice. Feeling wanted, feeling needed. Ron Weasley was never a part of my plan, but I'm accepting it for what it is…and seeing where it takes me. I just knew that somehow, I had to apologize to you."
Draco nodded, listening to her speak as their dancing slowed to nothing. He looked over at Hermione, and wondered if she was having a similar conversation. "I accept your apology, Pansy."
Pansy exhaled a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Draco."
Hermione and Ron danced together, Ron continuously looking down, as he appeared to be fearful of stepping on her toes. As the music began to stop, Ron looked up at Hermione and smiled sincerely. "You look amazing, Hermione."
She smiled. "Thank you, Ron. You look very handsome too."
He blushed a bit. "Pansy picked it out."
"Well she has good taste. In clothes and men."
Ron's eyes went wide for just a bit. "I like her, a lot. I'm really trying to not be as big of a git as I was with you."
Hermione nodded, giving him a reassuring smile. "I'm sure she would have found a way to rid herself of you if she didn't like you by now."
"Yeah," he said with a nervous laugh. "You're probably right."
"I'm always right," Hermione reminded. She saw Draco and Pansy approaching them, gesturing towards them with a nod. "Thank you for coming. It really does mean a lot."
Ron nodded. "You're one of my best friends, Hermione. Even if I haven't acted like much of a friend - I still love you."
Hermione embraced him in a tight hug, which he returned, albeit brief. "I love you too, Ron."
Ron let go as Draco approached, walking over to Pansy as he greeted her with a chaste kiss on the lips. Draco snaked an arm around Hermione, who leaned into him, covering up a yawn with her hand. He looked down at her, giving her a squeeze. "You ok?"
She nodded. "Never better."
Pansy cleared her throat a bit as she looked at Hermione. "Um, I just wanted to say congratulations. I wish you both the best…and I mean it."
Hermione nodded, her arms wrapped solidly around Draco's waist. "Thank you, Pansy. I appreciate that."
Ron extended a hand to Draco, which he accepted. "Congratulations," Ron said.
"Thanks, Ron," Draco replied. "I hope you two enjoy the party."
With a final nod, the two retreated towards the middle of the dance floor while Draco and Hermione watched. Soon, the music picked up in pace, and the bride and groom found themselves dancing the night away in the middle of the floor, with their family and friends. Draco let Victorie dance on his feet, holding her hands as they moved to the music while Hermione danced with James, spinning him around as he laughed. Hermione danced with Harry, whose dancing skills had not exactly improved from their days spent holed up in a tent, while Draco and Ginny weren't much better, horsing around as Draco spun her around, nearly catching her before she fell, all of them laughing at the fun they were having.
All the single girls gathered in the room around eight thirty, waiting and ready for Hermione to toss the bouquet. With her back turned to the crowd, Hermione gave the small, throw away bouquet a toss and slightly drunk Angelina came up victorious, much to the dismay of Victorie, who wasn't quite tall enough to snag the bouquet for herself. She then sat down on a chair, grinning as Draco went fishing for the garter, doing her best to keep a straight face as Draco managed to leave warm kisses from her knee up to her thigh before peeling the garter down her silky smooth leg with his teeth. If he was trying to turn her on, he was doing a damn fine job of it. Judging by the smirk on his face as he reappeared, garter in hand, Hermione planned to make him pay for that later.
With the lot of single men behind him, Draco aimed the garter up high and sling shot it straight into the group, turning around just as he saw George snag it away from Blaise. George cheered, stretching the garter out and wearing it around his head as stumbled towards Angelina, snogging her thoroughly as the two celebrated their joint victory.
As the night went on, the crowd slowly began to dwindle. Arthur and Molly bid their farewells around a quarter 'til ten, as the three grandchildren were well past their bedtime and fully exhausted by the days events. The music turned slow for the last half hour of the party, which Blaise certainly capitalized on as he danced continuously with his fair, blond headed beauty that looked stunning in her bright orange dress. George and Angelina slipped away nearly an hour ago, sneaking off to George's apartment above the joke shop for a party of their own, as they were both good and sloshed from the never ending bouts of champagne floating through the air.
When the last dance played, Draco, Hermione, Harry, and Ginny were the last four left on the dance floor, cozied up with their spouses as they savored the last moments of what was a truly remarkable evening. Hermione rested her head on Draco's chest as he held an arm tight around her waist, her hand with his to their chest. Narcissa was off with Lucius, making sure all the loose ends were taken care of before they retreated to their rented room for the evening.
Hermione closed her eyes, perfectly content in Draco's arms as the two slowly swayed to the music. When she opened them, she watched Harry and Ginny, dancing and laughing as they were clearly wrapped up in their own little world. No one could ever say they married too young, or that their feelings for each other were merely teenage lust as they were just as madly in love five years later as they were when Harry proposed. Hermione looked up at Draco as the music ended for the final time, finding his gaze fixed upon her.
"Hi," he whispered, rubbing a hand against her back.
"Hi," she replied, smiling tiredly.
"Are you ready to retreat from this fabulous evening?" Draco asked.
She stood up on her tiptoes, grazing her lips with his. "I think our evening is just about to get started," she whispered.
"We're going to go," Harry said, interrupting the moment as he held onto Ginny's hand. "Up to our room, that is. You want to meet up tomorrow for brunch?"
Draco nodded. "Sounds great."
"Absolutely," Hermione replied.
"When are you leaving for your honeymoon?" Ginny asked.
"Not until tomorrow evening," Hermione replied. "Not that he'll tell me where we're going."
Smirking, Draco wiggled his eyes. "I've already packed everything you're going to need. Trust me."
"Oh Merlin," Hermione replied. She let go of Draco and stepped towards Harry, kissing his cheek and embracing him once more. "Thank you so much - for everything."
"Again, it was my pleasure," Harry replied. He shook Harry's hand as Ginny and Hermione hugged. "Girls," Harry teased.
Ginny shot her husband a look and a wink before looking to Hermione. "You have a wonderful rest of the evening, Misses Malfoy."
"You do the same, Misses Potter," Hermione replied, the two of them giggling again.
"She's a giggly drunk, this one," Harry teased, pulling at his wife as they walked away.
Ginny swat his arm as Draco and Hermione followed, laughing silently at the two of them. They stopped and thanked Narcissa and Lucius a final time for their wonderful evening. Draco even hugged his father - taking Lucius by surprise, as Draco hadn't hugged his father since he was a small boy. Neither Narcissa nor Hermione said anything about it, not wanting to make a big deal out of the rare show of emotion between the two Malfoy men, mainly for fear that if they did it would never happen again.
"We're so happy that you're officially a part of the family," Narcissa said, hugging Hermione tight.
"Thanks, Mother," Hermione replied. She looked to Lucius and grinned waiting for him to give her a nod before she hugged him. "It was a brilliant wedding. Thank you so much to the both of you."
"You're most certainly welcome," Lucius replied.
"We would do it again in a heart beat," Narcissa added. "Now - off to bed, the both of you. I've already expressed my instructions to Draco -"
"Mother please!" Draco exclaimed. "For the love of Merlin!"
"Narcissa, before you scar the children any more than you have in the past forty-eight hours, might I suggest we leave?" Lucius asked.
Narcissa sighed with a huff. "Fine. We'll see you two when we return from our holiday - we'll keep in touch."
Draco nodded as he kissed his mother goodbye. "Owl me when you arrive."
"Of course," Narcissa replied.
They bid their final goodbyes before the two newlyweds caught the private elevator, taking them straight to the honeymoon suite.
They held hands and raced down the hallway of the top floor, stopping in front of the honeymoon suite. Before they entered, Draco pressed a hand to the door and stared at Hermione, digging in his robe pocket for the key. "One question."
"Sex will not hurt the baby," Hermione replied, reading his mind. "I swear."
"You better be certain, Granger - because when I open this door, I plan on ravishing every inch of you."
Hermione laughed as she wrapped her arms around him, planting a sound kiss on his lips. "Do you really think that Ginny and Harry, who shag like rabbits, managed to say celibate both times Ginny was pregnant?"
Draco thought about this for a moment, then realized Hermione was right. With the key, he opened the door and swept Hermione off of her feet as she squealed. He kicked the door shut with his foot as Hermione began to untie his necktie. Draco set his bride down briefly, just long enough for him to unhook and unzip her dress, letting it drop to the floor in a heap as she pulled his dress robes away, her fingers nimbly working the buttons of his vest, then his dress shirt. He scooped her up again as she kicked off her heels, gently setting her down in the middle of the bed. He kicked off his own shoes and peeled his socks away, quickly discarding his pants and his boxers before crawling into bed, hovering over Hermione as he began to slowly shower every inch of her exposed skin with kisses. Hermione reached behind her back, inhaling sharply as Draco's mouth sucked softly against her collarbone while she unhooked her bra, tossing it to the pile of clothes already gathered on the floor.
"Easy," she whispered as Draco's hand went to palm a breast. He stopped his kisses and looked up at her, confused. "They're just…overly sensitive," Hermione reassured him. "And will be for awhile."
Draco nodded, lightening his touch as he gently massaged one breast, than another as he left warm, wet kisses against her chest as she writhed underneath him. "How's that?" he whispered.
She hummed in response. "Better," Hermione breathed as his kisses meandered through the valley of her breasts before hovering right over her stomach. Draco rubbed a hand across her flat belly before pressing a sweet kiss, right above her navel. "Draco," she whispered, running a hand through his hair.
He looked up at her, smiling as his eyes watered just a bit. "There's a baby in there," he whispered.
Hermione felt her heart swell, which she honestly wasn't sure was possible after everything she experienced today. A tear slipped down her cheek, a tear she didn't bother to wipe away. "There is a baby in there," she repeated to him. "Your baby."
"Our baby," he repeated, his voice filled with love. Carefully, he peeled her lace knickers away, trailing his lips back up her stomach, her chest, her neck, and finally her mouth. His erection pressed against her warmth, finding its way with little assistance from Draco as if it had a mind of its own.
"Make love to me," she whispered in his ear. "Make love to your wife."
Draco pressed his lips to hers, his mouth fighting for dominance against hers as he slid himself all the way into her as she stifled a moan into his mouth. Much like the other day, all of Hermione's senses felt like they were heightened, pressed into overdrive. She continued to snog Draco until she couldn't see straight, his hands locked with hers as he held them above her head, his hips doing all of the work as Hermione moved with him. Each thrust brought her closer to the edge. "You're the one that I want," he said through a moan, letting go of her hands so he could caress the rest of her body as he moved.
Hermione felt herself reaching her limit. "Please," she begged. "Say it again."
Draco carefully nipped at her breasts with teeth, feeling her clench around him. "You're the only one that I want," he whispered, his thrusting picking up speed, plunging harder into her with each movement. "The only one," he panted, grabbing a hold of her hips.
She gasped with each thrust, resisting the urge to touch herself, as she wasn't ready for this overwhelming sensation to end. Clenching the top cover of the bed in her hands, she chanted his name in sync with his thrusting until she couldn't take it anymore. "I'm so close," she whispered. "Please Draco, please!"
"Let go," he whispered. "I want to feel it. I want to feel you cum."
With his words, Hermione felt herself release, screaming in pleasure as he continued to pump himself into her even faster before he felt his own release, burying himself as deep as possible as he came inside of her, feeling her walls milking him through his orgasm. He collapsed on top of her, burying a face into her neck as she wrapped her legs around his waist, her arms around his neck as they caught their breath together.
The two soon pulled themselves off of each other and off the bed, into the bathroom where they shared a steamy shower together. Hermione scrubbed her face clean of her makeup and Draco scrubbed every inch of her clean before she did the same. He massaged her scalp just the way she liked it as the two of them stood under the streams of hot water pouring down upon them. When their shower was finished, they dried each other off and changed into their pajamas. Draco wore a fresh pair of boxers as he went about the room, picking up their expensive clothes from the ground and draping them carefully over the sofa in the room. Hermione pulled out an old Slytherin shirt of Draco's from her overnight bag and slipped it over her thin frame as it hung down to the middle of her thighs.
Crawling into bed, Draco soon joined her, his hand sliding up the old shirt of his she was wearing as his fingers slowly kneaded the muscles in her back. She fell asleep first, hugging a pillow to her chest as Draco continued to lightly massage her back. He stared at her, his future, the love of his life, the mother of his unborn child, and realized that if he had to die at that moment, he would die a fulfilled and happy man - a man who truly understood what it was to have everything he could possibly want. But since he had an entire lifetime ahead of him, with the sleeping beauty lying next to him, he decided to instead shut out the lights and snuggle up next to her, smiling as she shifted slightly so that her back was now pressed into his chest. Draco sighed with a breath of content as he draped an arm around his wife.
Tomorrow, they would wake as husband and wife, ready to conquer whatever else the world had in store for them, together.
That's a wrap for "It's All Uncharted."
I don't even have words to express in terms of how much all of your comments have meant to me. As I said from the get go - I just started writing this story one day in September and holy crap - it's already December! I wouldn't have kept on writing if it hadn't been for your comments and encouragement, and how I made it this far without a negative review still astounds the hell out of me.
I've already started working on the sequel, and hopefully additions will be up soon. Until then, again, my sincerest thanks - I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I'll see you all in the sequel!