Hello! Sorry again for the delay for a new chapter, but here we go! Welcome to chapter 9 where our fave couple take things public!

Chapter 9

Hermione and Draco landed with a whorl in front of St. Mungos. These fundraisers were always held in one of the hospital's function rooms. This was not Hermione's first event, so she knew there was going to be an onslaught of press - both for the hospital and those chasing the who's who of Wizarding London. Before they'd even stopped swirling, cameras were clicking and people were shouting after them both.

Hermione had her fair share of celebrity status. No where near the levels of Harry Potter, but she'd regularly found herself staring back from magazine stands - this was how she learnt she had a serious resting bitch face. So, with that knowledge, Hermione beamed. She plastered a smile on her face and leant into Draco, blushing as if she'd been caught with a secret.

Malfoy also received his fair share of media attention, possibly more than Hermione, especially considering he was voted as 'Witch Weekly's Most Eligible Batchelor' three years running. Not any more, she thought quietly to herself with a chuckle. "Mr. Malfoy, Mrs. Granger, is there a budding romance we should know about?" Someone shouted from the crowd of faceless shadows, hidden behind the flash of bulbs.

"I wouldn't say budding," Draco winked, taking hold of her hand and flashing the ring at them, emerald and diamonds sparkling in the light, as he twirled her before the cameras. "I am delighted to be here tonight in support of St. Mungos and, more specifically, my beautiful fiance, who works endlessly alongside all the wonderful staff here at St. Mungos to provide essential care to those who need it." Hermione beamed, letting him press a kiss to her lips and not having to fake the blush that sprang to her cheeks.

"Ms. Granger, Ms. Granger!" Hermione smiled at the yelling reporter, but Draco whisked them away without a further comment and the doors to St. Mungos opened to admit them.

Draco held onto her tightly as they entered the bustling event hall decked with white balloons and dripping with crystals. "Hermione, don't you look beautiful." Professor McGonagall appeared to her left, taking hold of her arm and giggling as she sipped on something bubbly. "You know, you were always my favourite." The elderly witch looked much the same as when she stepped foot in Hogwarts for the first time all those years ago. She had her hair slicked into a bun and was wearing emerald dress robes, tonight matched with glittering earrings the size of a hand.

"Was I not in the running then?" Draco winked and laughed, picking two glasses of the same bubbly drink of a floating tray and handing one to his fiance. "I'm shocked."

Both Hermione and Minerva laughed, Minerva cupping a hand to Draco's cheek and squeezing lightly, "You have grown into quite a fine young man, Malfoy. I've heard the two of you are engaged?"

A faint tinge of pink graced Malfoy's cheeks at the compliment, "Wow, gossip travels fast," Hermione laughed, but flashed her ring and smiled up at Draco - the way she knew she was meant to. "But you are right, we are engaged!"

Minerva smiled, "Wonderful! How delightful!" Giggling again, she allowed the pull of the brass band to sway her onto the dance floor, twirling round the dancefloor.

Hermione took that moment to look around, the benefit was in full swing. Expensively dressed men and women stood in clusters around the hall, talking, smiling and engaging in pleasantries drier than a sack of flour. People milled near the donated auction items, upturned noses sniffing at the items and placing bids with the flourish of a wand.

Most of these overly wealthy folk were insufferable. They had old money and even older ideologies and, in years gone by, they had made sure to make her know it. She had to grin and bear it. The shift in how people looked at her, as she stood on Draco's side and wrapped her diamond clad hand around his forearm, was surreal. "Mr. Malfoy." Nott Senior, who had always ignored her and pretended she didn't exist, greeted Malfoy with a curt smile and a nod, "Ms. Granger, I hear congratulations are in order!"

"Thank you," Draco smiled, shaking hands with the older man, who reached forward to press a kiss on Hermione's cheek. She had to fight her desire to recoil. The man before her was like night and day compared to his son.

Hermione sighed with relief as Theo sidled into view, "Hermione, my father isn't boring you to tears yet, is he?" He chuckled, pressing a kiss to her hand and twirling her, "Aren't you a sight to behold!"

"You are too kind," She smiled back to the charming wizard. "It was lovely to see you both, but I have a speech to give shortly, if you'll excuse me. Theo, save me a dance later?" She pressed a kiss to his cheek and the three men watched as she walked away, nodding and smiling to people as she passed.

The bigoted elder Nott turned to Draco, placing a tightly gripped hand on the younger man's forearm and narrowing his eyes as he looked over the tall blond man, "Draco, son, your father would be ashamed."

Theo glared at his father, "Dad!"

Malfoy spoke over his friend, glaring at the man before him, "I would stop before you say something you regret, Nott."

Nott Senior ignored him, pressing on with a tight smile and a nod to a passing witch, as his voice took on a hushed tone to ensure no one overheard, "Marrying a Mudblood, really, Draco? You'd sully your blood line for her. What would your father think?"

"Honestly, I haven't spared one thought to what my father would think. Just like you, his thoughts were archaic and outdated, and I won't live my life following idiotic, bigoted rules that I don't believe in." Draco shook the old man's hand off his arm, "My fiance is clever, kind, beautiful, generous - she's a wonderful person and I am lucky that she can overlook my past, not the other way round. If that's all, I this I'll take my leave."

Nott Senior's turned a garish shade of red as he looked angrily at his son and son's best friend, "You will regret doing this."

Draco laughed, dragging a hand through his hair, as he said, "There are many things I regret in my life, and this will certainly not be one of those!" With that he spun on his heels, and stormed away, robes snapping in the frigid air that had settled around them.

Theo followed after him, "I'm sorry about him, mate."

"Shut up, Theo," He laughed, "If we had to apologise about our families, we'd never have time for anything else!" He clapped a hand on his friend's shoulder and pulled him merrily towards the growing group of their friends. He refused to let Nott Senior ruin their night. Instead he kept the smile on his face as he crossed the sparkling, glittering hall, where people danced and swayed to the music, until he reached the clustering group of old classmates that had formed on the far side of the dancefloor. "Zabini!" Shaking hands with the sharply dressed healer, he looked round at the other faces.

Daphne and her sister, Astoria, stood speaking to Pansy and Harry - who had left the new baby with Molly for the evening. After the war, everyone had thought that Draco would marry Astoria, it's what their parents had wanted after all. No one in his father's Pureblooded circle cared that Astoria and Draco might loathe the idea. They had almost gone through with it as well, but Draco found his backbone before they could sign those papers, and had run off to Muggle london to study before his father had even stopped screaming.

Astoria was happily married to Marcus Flint now - another expected, predictable match. At least she seemed happy, if the pregnant glow and the beaming smile on her face were anything to go by.

"Malfoy," Flint materialised to his left, holding out a hand to shake, "Good to see you, mate." Flint had been a few years older than them in Hogwarts, and, like the vast majority of them, had been a complete arse and had several skeletons in his closet he would rather keep hidden. Since the war, he'd been another Slytherin who was trying to make amends for his wrongs.

He now sat on the board of several charities and gave his fortune freely, however, something they'd all realised quickly was that money can't buy forgiveness - something their parents, like Nott Senior, didn't seem to understand. They'd all worked hard to receive the penance they had been granted. Along with Daphne, Atoria and Marcus, Ron and Lavender milled on the outskirts, offering pleasant nods and tight-lipped smiles. Thankfully, he hadn't had much to do with the two Gryffindors over recent years, events like these being the only time they often bumped into each other. Neville and Luna were swaying someone to his left, caught up in the tinkling music.

"Excuse me," A soft cough interrupted the din of tipsy guests ringing across the hall. He looked up, smiling as Hermione beamed from the stage. He'd watched her give many of these speeches, as a Head Healer and famed war heroine, she'd often been roped into opening St. Mungo's benefits.

However, this year was the first year he got to watch knowing, rather than wishing, that she was his - a thought that made him almost giddy. "Welcome everyone, to St. Mungo's annual benefit. I'll keep this short, as you are all probably sick of hearing me give these speeches by now." She paused, allowing a rumble of laughter to skirt around the hall, "I want to start by thanking you all for your continued generosity. Without you all, we wouldn't be able to provide the high standard of care that we are known for."

Hermione continued talking, explaining the developments in the hospital and the amazing victories made by the various departments across the hospital, "Finally, I'd like to close my speech by inviting you to join me in bidding farewell to a beloved member of the team here at . As you all know, Healer Jones stepped down this year as Head of Obstetrics and Gynecology after 50 years of service to St. Mungos. We are sad to see him go, but bid him a relaxing retirement on the beaches of southern France - I can't say that we aren't all a little jealous!" Healer Jones, chuckled, a hand over his heart as he took a slight bow from his position by the bar.

"While it's sad to see old friends depart, it gives me great pleasure to announce our newest Head Healer - one of my very best friends, and an amazing Healer - Blaise Zabini." Applause rang out across the hall and Draco clapped his friend on the back. The Healer blushed and raised a hand to the clapping crowd.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Draco shook Zabini by the shoulder as Theo offered him a handshake.

Hermione continued from the small stage, "Blaise, congratulations! I am excited to see you lead Obstetrics and Gynecology into another successful year. On that note, let's raise our glasses and toast to another year of excellent medical care! Please give generously and help us to continue saving lives!" With that, Hermione smiled and stepped off the stage, shaking hands with donors and smiling as the Daily Prophet's photographers mercilessly snapped photo after photo.

Finally, she made her way back to him. "You were wonderful!" He pulled her into a hug, enjoying the way she smiled up at him. The Prophet photographers had followed her and watched eagerly, hoping to be the first to snap a picture worth talking about. "Ready to give them a show?" He whispered in her ear.

Hermione didn't have a chance to nod as he captured her lips, stealing a kiss that set cameras flashing.

There we have it! Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear from you - it'd make my day! x