Hermione stood in the centre of her childhood bedroom, thinking how right her mother had been. The last six weeks had flown over and Hermione could barely believe it was her wedding day. The previous night she'd returned to her childhood home and had spent the night in her old room. Despite not living at home for almost eighteen months, Hermione felt as though it was only now that she was leaving home. The fact that she was getting married seemed to make everything so much more final.
Even though the room contained none of her personal effects, bar the ones she'd brought with her the previous evening, the room still felt like hers. Looking around, Hermione was swamped with happy memories of her childhood. She could remember her parents reading to her and her father telling her stories about what life would be like when he was in power. Hermione smiled as she remembered her father promising her that she could have anything her heart desired once he was in charge of the wizarding world. Even though it wasn't Voldemort in charge, she was pleased that the rest of his promise still held true. In Draco she had everything she'd ever truly wanted.
"Hermione, how are you getting along?" Kathleen called as she knocked on the door and poked her head around her daughter's door.
"Fine." Hermione replied, even though she hadn't done anything but put her underwear on. Her hair and make-up needed to be done before she could even consider putting her dress on.
"You don't look fine." Kathleen tutted. "Give me two minutes and I'll be back to help you with your hair and make-up."
It was actually five minutes before Kathleen returned and settled Hermione down in front of her dressing table. With magic it took less than half an hour to get Hermione ready. Kathleen started by taming Hermione's curls and gathering them at the nape of her neck with a diamond clip shaped like a rose. She then applied a delicate looking layer of make-up on Hermione, making it look as though she was barely wearing any at all. With hair and make-up done, Kathleen helped Hermione into her dress.
Hermione's dress was a strapless pure white number, which emphasized her curves. The bodice was covered with white lace, while the silk skirts floated down to the floor and created a small train behind her. To complete the outfit, Hermione added a pair of high heeled cream shoes, and some matching pearl earrings and necklace that had once belonged to her maternal grandmother.
"You look gorgeous." Kathleen gushed, looking at her daughter.
"Thank you." Hermione smiled at her mother. For the celebration later on, she had a very different dress and look planned, but for the actual ceremony she was happy to be a bit more understated.
"Are you staying up her until it's time?" Kathleen checked. "The Malfoy's and Severus should be arriving any minute."
"Shout me when everything's ready." Hermione told her mother.
Kathleen nodded and headed off downstairs to check everything was ready for the simple wedding ceremony. The library had been chosen as the perfect place to hold the ceremony, as its large French windows overlooked the garden. Hermione and Draco would say their vows in front of the window, while their parents watched on from across the room.
Nearly forty minutes after her mother left, Hermione emerged from her bedroom. Walking down the stairs, she was surprised to find her father standing outside the library. Since it was just a simple service, they had decided against any formal things like the father of the bride walking her down the aisle. There wasn't even anything like that in the second ceremony, which would be a virtual copy of this first one.
"Shouldn't you be in your seat?" Hermione asked her father.
"I wanted to see you before you entered the library." Voldemort admitted. Looking at his little girl so grown up, he felt tears stinging his eyes and even though Lucius and Narcissa were his most trusted friends he didn't want them witnessing how emotional the day was for him. "I wanted to let you know just how proud I am of you. You've blossomed into an amazing young woman, and I'm so lucky to have you as my daughter."
"I'm the lucky one to have you as my father." Hermione said, wrapping her father in a warm hug. "I love you, Daddy."
"I love you too, princess." Voldemort said. Giving Hermione a kiss on the cheek, he gave her a warm smile before turning and entering the library.
Hermione gave her father time to get seated, before she walked over to the doors of the library and pulled them open. A green carpet had been laid on the ground from the door to the place in front of the window, where the ceremony was due to take place. Following the carpet, Hermione's eyes were firmly set on Draco as he stood in front of the window with the morning sun streaming into the room behind him. Draco was dressed in a new black suit and a crisp white shirt. The emerald green tie and the matching green rose in his button hole added a dash of colour to his outfit.
"You look amazing." Draco whispered as Hermione reached his side.
Severus was standing in front of the couple, while four chairs had been arranged a few paces away and their parents were occupying them. Both Kathleen and Narcissa held handkerchiefs in their hands, to stem the tears that would undoubtedly flow, while Lucius and Voldemort watched on with proud expressions on their faces.
"We are here to witness the union between Draco and Hermione." Severus began, a hint of nerves obvious in his voice. Hopefully the nerves would have gone by the time he conducted a second ceremony in a few hours' time. "Draco, if you would like to begin."
"Hermione, you are without doubt the most dazzling person I've ever known. You are so amazingly talented, and it's an honour to even know you." Draco began, taking Hermione's hand in his. "I would do absolutely anything for you, and I promise I will spend the rest of my life making you the happiest witch on this planet. I am so lucky to have you in my life, and every day I wonder what I did to deserve your love. No matter what happens in our life, I promise I will love you until the day I die."
"Hermione." Severus turned to the brunette witch. "It's your turn."
"Draco, you are my rock. Without you, I couldn't have achieved any of what I have done." Hermione said, smiling at her soon to be husband. "My life is so much richer with you in it, and I honestly don't know what I would do if I ever lost you. You are my whole world, and I can't wait for the amazing life I know we will create together. I love you more than anything in this world, and I promise I will never stop loving you."
Severus smiled at the couple, as he began reciting the more traditional vows for the pair to repeat. When it got to the ring part of the ceremony, Severus produced the two wedding rings that were sitting on a cushion beside him. Holding the cushion in between the pair, he instructed them to place the rings on each other's hands.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife." Severus announced with a wide smile as the last of the official vows were over. "You may now kiss the bride."
While most of the room fully expected Draco to sweep Hermione into his arms, he settled for giving his new bride a tender kiss. After the kiss, the newly married couple turned to their parents who were all beaming widely, even though Narcissa and Kathleen were crying at the same time.
"We'll do the paperwork next time." Severus told the couple. "Everything's set up at the hotel, but you are officially married now."
"Thank you." Draco smiled at their former Professor. "We appreciate all you've done for us."
"You're welcome." Severus smiled at the couple. "Now if you excuse me, I'll be off to prepare for my next wedding. Although, I will have to take your rings back. At the next ceremony I'll place the protection spell over them."
The protection spell was an old pureblood ritual that was performed after the couple exchanged rings. It would ensure neither Hermione nor Draco could remove their wedding rings until one of them died.
After Severus left, Hermione and Draco spent an hour or so with their parents before it was time to head for the hotel for their second wedding. In that hour they'd even managed to take a few photos, as Voldemort wouldn't be present later on when more pictures would be taken. Hermione ensured she said an extra-long goodbye to her father, before people started to floo to the hotel. Draco and Lucius flooed directly to the suite they'd reserved for the groom while Hermione, Narcissa and Kathleen flooed to the adjoining suite they'd reserved for the bride. They'd also reserved the honeymoon suite for after the ceremony and later that evening, but for now the couple were to be kept separated.
"I'll go and ensure everything is set up on the roof." Narcissa announced, leaving Hermione and Kathleen to have some time on their own.
While Narcissa was gone, Kathleen retouched Hermione's make-up and re-clipped her hair so it was perfectly neat. The two witches then sat back and chatted for nearly an hour, until Narcissa returned and informed them that everything was ready to go. Since Kathleen's identity as Hermione's mother still wasn't going to be revealed, she left with Narcissa to take her seat up on the rooftop garden.
Once she was left alone, Hermione checked her reflection one final time before she made her way to the rooftop garden. For the last week the ceremony had been practiced several times so Hermione knew exactly where she was going, and within minutes she was standing in front of the doors that led out into the garden. Taking a deep breath, Hermione opened the doors and stepped out into the garden.
Hermione's entrance was greeted by the sound of a harp playing softly. Since they were already married, Hermione did think she might be able to take a look at their guests as she walked down the aisle, but her entire focus was on Draco once again. Despite already getting married once she was as nervous as the first time, and in a way it did truly feel as though this was the real wedding.
When Hermione reached the front, Draco once again told her that she looked beautiful. Hermione smiled at him as they held hands and recited their personal vows again. They then did their traditional vows, and once the rings were in place on their hands Severus performed the protection spell. As he did so a golden light emerged from his wand and wrapped round their hands, binding them for life.
"You may now kiss the bride." Severus announced at the end of the formalities.
Draco grinned wickedly at Hermione, before swooping her up in his arms and giving her a deep kiss. Hermione instantly melted into the kiss and as it became more heated they were vaguely aware of the catcalling and whistling coming from their closest friends. Finally they separated, and turned to the assembled guests with large smiles gracing their faces.
Before they had a chance to speak to anyone the official paperwork had to be done. Once everything was signed and sealed, Lucius gathered up the papers which he would file with the Ministry personally the next day. With everything finally official the couple greeted their guests, working their way over to where their friends were all waiting.
Theo and Daphne were attending the wedding as a couple, as were Lavender and Greg. Blaise and Charlie had attended the actual ceremony on their own, but Hermione and Draco had said they could bring dates to the celebration party later on that evening. Whether they would or not remained to be seen, but both Draco and Hermione suspected they would turn up on their own in the hopes of getting some action from one of the other guests.
"That was a lovely ceremony." Lavender said, as she gave Hermione a hug.
"And the vows were lovely." Daphne added as she hugged the couple.
"They were a bugger to write." Draco complained. "And my so called friends were no help."
"We offered you help." Blaise protested. "You shot our ideas down in flames."
"If I followed your advice the vows would have been X-rated." Draco snorted.
"I just told you to list Hermione's best points." Blaise shrugged.
"Actually I think you told him to list Hermione's best points in the bedroom." Theo told Blaise. "You then advised him to mention the best sex they'd ever had."
"Remind me never to attend a wedding of yours, Blaise." Hermione laughed.
"That won't be an issue." Blaise responded with a grimace. "I won't be getting married at all. Marriage is not for me."
"Yeah, playing the field is much more fun." Charlie added in agreement.
Hermione had to chuckle as Charlie backed up Blaise. She hadn't realised it until they became friends, but Blaise and Charlie really were kindred spirits. The pair were so alike in their views on marriage and their attitude towards women.
After spending a while with their friends, it was time for the photographs. Amycus Carrow was one of the guests, and he'd brought his camera along to photograph the happy occasion. While there would be pictures taken at the party later, these were strictly for Hermione, Draco and their families. It took about half an hour to get all the pictures, and Amycus promised to have them printed for when the couple returned from their honeymoon.
After the pictures, Draco and Hermione briefly made their way around their guests, thanking them for coming, before they started to leave. Everyone at the wedding was also invited to the celebration party, so they were all heading off to get ready for the fun. With their guests dispersing, Hermione and Draco made their way to the honeymoon suite. They now had a few hours to themselves, before they were expected to make their first appearance as a married couple.