AN: So, enjoy Hermione and Draco's last night of freedom!
Read and Review Please!
Song suggestion: Oliver Twist, D'Banj.
Chapter Thirty Seven: Bye Bye Freedom.
Hermione had told Draco goodbye after dinner as they went their separate ways for the wedding tomorrow. He kissed her softly once before pulling away and walking off with a 'See you soon' tossed over his shoulder. She watched him go, before going back into their room where Pansy and Ginny waited to make her up for her hen do before everyone arrived. She'd invited both House Seventh year girls, because she'd gotten to know the Slytherins as Pansy's Bridesmaids.
"Come on, Hermione!" Pansy smiled as Hermione came down the stairs in a black scrunched tube dress.
"It's a bit short!" She sighed, it was the night of her hen do and Pansy and Ginny had forced her into the dress and a sash saying Last Night of Freedom, which she viewed as ironic as tomorrow she really wouldn't be free-a bad way to think about it, but she'd become a Veela Mate and that meant she would be tied to him forever. Shaking her head, she smiled at the two girls.
"Bloody hell, Hermione, Draco will have you in fewer clothes tomorrow night!"
"Thanks Pansy for the reminder." She groaned. At the present time, she was trying to ignore tomorrow night. The idea of being intimate with someone, after only really getting to know them in the past month, was daunting. While she didn't object to being with Draco, she felt the pressure any girl would feel going to bed with an experienced man. But she didn't want to confide these feelings to Ginny and Pansy at this time, it was time to celebrate her last night as a single lady.
"Come on already!" Ginny grinned. Her two bridesmaids wore similar dresses in their house colours.
"Why am I wearing black?" Hermione asked curiously. Black was not a colour she would have chosen herself, as she felt too dark in it.
"Death to freedom." Ginny explained with a smirk, as they strode down to the crowded common room.
"Always positive." Hermione muttered, before taking a gulp out of her butterbeer Pansy handed her.
"To freedom!" The gathered girls cheered at her. Hermione smiled and blushed in response, before taking another gulp of her drink.
"Oh my gosh!" Pansy gasped, her eyes glassy. Hermione recognised the expression as Pansy snooping in Blaise's head.
"What?" Hermione stood close to catch her words over the music.
"The boys are planning to crash us." She shook her head to detach the connection.
"We have to do something!" Ginny announced excitedly.
"They're already on their way."
"I've got an idea." Hermione's eyes glinted, "Everyone transfigure your hair and throw on one of these." She transfigured parchment into masks and threw them at the party of girls. Hurriedly, they cast spells and attached masks as Pansy gave them live announcements of the boys' progress. Suddenly, she called for silence.
The door's lock unhinged and eased open.
"Excuse me, what are you doing?" Ginny demanded-looking like Hermione.
"Yeah, you can't crash the hen do!" Hermione cried-looking like Pansy.
"I think they need to be taught a lesson." Pansy nodded-looking like Ginny, "Get 'em girls."
The hens surrounded the stags, pulling them into the centre of the room. The lights dimmed and pulsed with the loud music, and the girls weaved through the crowd. The boys looked around confused and disorientated.
"Where's my Groom?" Ginny yelled and Malfoy stood on the table, trying to find Hermione.
"Where's my Bride?" He answered back. A grin twitched on his lips, clearly their crashing was going to be more fun than he expected.
"Find her!" Hermione called back and suddenly everyone's features changed to bushy, curly hair, with their faces hidden behind the masks. The girls milled around like cockroaches, confusing the boys. Draco decided against his Veela tracking to have a bit of fun, though he was just as useless as the others. Each boy was trying to figure out which 'Hermione' was their transfigured wife/fiancé.
"Malfoy!" "Draco!" "Over here." The girls yelled.
"You have thirty seconds to find me!" Hermione cried and hurriedly ducked around and used the stags to hide her, like others were doing, "And no cheating!" Draco jumped down and tore through the crowd, looking for her. Hermione danced around Harry and snuck a look at Draco as she dodged around Ron. Draco was pushing through the crowd, his gaze darting this way and that. Hermione laughed and pushed past Blaise and a 'Hermione'.
"Five! Four! Three! Two! One!" They chanted, just as Draco laid a hand on Hermione.
"Found me." Hermione smiled, as the other girls' transfigurations melted away.
"How did you know I was coming?" He asked, as everyone broke off-grabbing drinks and talking.
"Pansy." She smiled, "She found out through Blaise."
"Veelas, the cheek of ruining the fun." He chuckled, slinging an arm around her shoulders.
"Wasn't it fun though?"
"Definitely."
"I can't believe you crashed my hen do!"
"Last night of freedom." Draco read the ban. His brow quirked in response.
"Ginny's idea." Hermione laughed, "Just a bit of fun."
"You look good." He appraised her, "Nice legs."
"Eyes up here please." Hermione said self-consciously, tugging at her skirt.
"Always modest."
"Always."
"So who is it I should thank for putting you in that?" Draco grinned.
"Pansy and Ginny."
"Hey, Hermione!" Pansy rushed over with Blaise, "What's up?"
"Nothing, but I have to say, I am enjoying myself. Though Draco here needs to learn to keep his eyes up." She glared at him.
"Sorry." He averted his eyes again. Most would assume he looked guilty, but Hermione knew he didn't mind at all. In fact, she knew he rather enjoyed the view, "Bloody dress."
"Come on man, we'll get drinks in." Blaise playfully punched his bicep.
"Sure." And the two Slytherin walked away.
"How are you feeling?" Pansy smiled.
"Not too badly actually, so long as I don't think of what I'm doing tomorrow." Hermione replied honestly.
"You're nervous?"
"No, I refuse to be. I made my decision, so I stick to it."
"Okay…" Pansy frowned in disbelief.
"Here you are." Draco returned and handed her a butterbeer.
"Thank you." She sipped it.
"So, what were you talking about?"
"Just nothing." Hermione waved him off.
"Just nothing, okay…was it to do with the wedding, perhaps?" Draco knew she was nervous. He could tell without a Veela bond her little anxious ticks.
"Yes, but it was nothing."
"Okay…" Draco made a subtle gesture to his friends.
"I'll leave you to it." Pansy winked, "Come on, Blaise."
"See you later." Hermione smiled as the other Veela couple walked away to dance and socialise with the others.
"Are you nervous about tomorrow?" Draco asked, concerned. Though they couldn't prevent the wedding, he would postpone it if she needed him to. He didn't want her to dread their future together, particularly not their first night as man and wife.
"No." Hermione lied sharply.
"Not getting cold feet?"
"No."
"About any of tomorrow?" He tried to push a response. He wanted her to be able to confide in him, but she was too stubborn. Hermione felt guilty for not telling him the truth, but she felt silly to admit her nerves.
"No."
"You're a terrible liar." He sighed.
"You read emotions, but you don't know why they're there." She replied tartly.
"I have a pretty good guess." He wrapped his arms around her, "I promise that it will be perfect."
"Please, can we not talk about that?" She begged, looking down and blushing.
"Okay." He squeezed his arms once to silently reassure her.
"What time is it?" She asked, trying to divert anymore conversation.
"About half ten."
"Bloody hell! So late! This better wrap up soon."
"Okay." He magnified his voice with magic, "Due to the fact most of you need extra beauty sleep for tomorrow, it's time for bed!" And people swiftly left after quick, 'bye' 'great party' 'see you tomorrow' s'. Draco and Hermione briefly chatted with each person as they left, wishing them 'goodnight'.
"Goodnight Draco." Hermione whispered, when barely anyone was left.
"Goodnight Hermione." He kissed her softly and rested his forehead against hers.
"Don't go." No idea where that came from Hermione thought to herself. But she did, she knew she was slowly falling for him. Over the past few weeks, she had become used to his presence in her life and her bed, and she knew it would be odd for him to be absent tonight.
"I have to." He sighed.
"It'll be strange without you."
"You'll be fine; you'll have Pansy and Ginny." Draco drew back and smiled, "Goodnight."
"Night." She watched him slap Blaise on the back to stop him from snogging Pansy any longer, before dragging him out of the room.
"Would it kill you to get a room?" Ginny teased Pansy when it was just the three girls.
"Yes." Pansy said seriously.
"Let's hope you and Draco don't turn into them Hermione, eh?" She winked at her friend.
"Believe me, we won't, otherwise he'll be on the couch." Hermione laughed.
"You'll be spending every minute resisting him then." Pansy smirked, "Come on, bedtime."
"Yes mother hen." Ginny giggled, as they followed her upstairs.
"Okay." Hermione smiled. The three girls quickly dressed for bed, before climbing in with Hermione.
"Goodnight." Ginny yawned, before going out like a light.
"Are you scared?" Pansy whispered to Hermione in the dark.
"No." She lied. I'm terrified.