Chapter Eight: Wow
"Hellooo!" A cheerful voice called out, too bright for how early it was. On New Years' Day no less.
"What the fuck?" Draco heard Blaise groan, from the next room. Draco agreed with the sentiment. He should adjust the Silencing wards to come down later in the day, he really needed more sleep.
"Wow, Miss Hermione would really, really hate these pictures," the voice continued.
"I think she looks nice. Just surprised," another quieter voice replied.
"Yes, but see how wide her eyes are and the way her mouth is open in shock? This is real, she hates showing real emotion for the press, she says it steals something that should be hers and whoever she shares it with. She usually fakes it." There was a sigh. "No wonder she refuses to come here."
"She looks like this in the Prophet too though sometimes," the female voice sounded confused.
"She can't help herself around Mr. Theo."
"Oh." There was a pause. "That's understandable, he's very handsome."
Draco stood, grabbing some discarded boxers from the floor and extricating himself from the witch beside him. It didn't seem like these visitors were going to be leaving anytime soon. How did they even get in?
He grunted in pain as he came down the stairs to see Granger's puppy sitting at the bar with a young woman. She had brown curly hair, brown eyes, a pouting bow to her lips and a very similar cast to her face to that of the photos the two had been discussing. This witch wore a pair of glasses though. It was like a Hermione 2.0 except for the blazing fire the original witch held in her every interaction. This one seemed quiet and reserved. She was shy and she blushed at Draco's near nakedness.
"This simply has to be your girlfriend," Draco smirked at Granger's assistant, clutching his pounding head.
"Mr. Malfoy, you look awful! And yes, this is Jacqueline," the witch beside him burned brighter as Draco came closer, twisting her hands together nervously. She snuck a quick glance at his bare chest and flushed so strongly she had to cover her face with her hands.
"I-I'll wait for you outside," she stuttered, knocking over a stool in her haste to leave.
"Oh, puppy," Draco purred to Devin as he watched the witch fan herself outside. "Aren't you taking your crush on your boss a little too far?"
To Draco's surprise Devin just laughed. "Well, you would be the expert on that," he gestured to be posters again.
"That," Draco said pointing idly to one beside the bar, "has been earning me a lot of money."
Devin scoffed. "Oh yeah, suuuuure. Like I won't actually find one beside your bed like you told her."
"That's very specific knowledge to have," Draco told the boy, finding himself a Pepper-Up Potion.
"Miss Hermione tells me most everything," Devin sat up a little in pride, his eyes glinting.
"So you would, of course, know the answer to the question I gave her right before this was taken?" He indicated the poster again. But if Draco had been trying to make the boy in front of him squirm, it didn't work.
A slow grin came across his face. "She said it depends on what he eats but pineapple is a particular favourite. She also said that if you asked this to tell you to stop terrorising me."
Draco watched as Devin grinned, his head in his hands and swinging his legs in the space beneath the barstool. The picture of innocence.
"And you don't mind hearing these things about their sex life?" Draco prodded further.
"Nope. I want to learn everything I can about Miss Hermione. She only shares if I ask anyway. And I only ask so I'll be ready when she's single again."
"What about your Granger-Lite outside?" Draco admitted he was a little impressed by this puppy.
"Oh, she's using me to get to my cousin. Mutually beneficial arrangement," Devin raised an eyebrow at Draco as if reminding him he'd once been 19. Young, dumb and full of… moxie. This kid had to be a Slytherin.
"And you are so sure Granger will be single again?" Draco scoffed.
"Oh yes, I'm counting on you for that. As long as you keep trying to sabotage them, directly or indirectly, something will stick. Mr. Theo will be gone and my two biggest rivals will have taken each other out. And I will be there, steadfast, loyal, patient. And waiting," His eyes sparkled at Draco who was finding this straightforward conversation very disconcerting. Devin gave a wistful sigh as if imaging his life with Hermione.
"What's your last name, kid?"
"Montague. I think you played Quidditch with my older brother, Graham. And Jacqueline out there... she's not Slytherin like us, she's a Ravenclaw. But she's still a Greengrass. Don't you wish your Greengrass looked more like her? How far along are those betrothal negotiations or are they defunct now?" Devin knew an awful lot more than Draco had given him credit for.
Blaise was coming down the stairs now in a pair of trackpants and helping a woman who was stumbling in her high heels.
"Draco, your friend wants to go home but doesn't know where her purse is," Blaise tilted his head with curiosity at Devin, clearly having heard everything.
Draco tossed Blaise a sparkly bag that was behind the bar, the woman's spelled head of curly brown hair following her like a cloud as she blew a lazy kiss and left.
Devin sat up straighter. "Wow Mr. Malfoy, you teased about Jackie but at least I found someone that already looks like her. Do you have trouble if you don't charm their hair?"
Blaise opened his mouth, ready to tell the boy to fuck off, but saw Draco was amused by him. Probably because this side of Devin was very similar to himself.
"Surely Granger doesn't know this is what her assistant is really like?" Blaise hissed.
"I think Granger sent him here to probe for something. Isn't that right, Montague?"
"Of course not Mr. Malfoy, sir. The probing is all my own. Miss Hermione asked me to come by and give you these," he gave a velvet bag to both Blaise and Draco. "There's a Portkey inside there, it will take you directly to the Italian Embassy if you ever want to visit. And Mr. Theo asked me to return this-" he waggled a charmed key that allowed entry to the club even when the wards were up. He placed it on the bar and slid it across to Draco.
Blaise frowned at the kid. "So what's with the third degree?"
Devin looked a little put out. "I needed to confirm something that Miss Hermione told me, but I never got a direct answer." He slipped off the barstool getting ready to leave. "By the way, Miss Hermione... she changed her answer."
Draco furrowed his brow, "Her answer to what?"
"Mr Theo asks her to marry him every day. She's changed her answer." Devin gave Draco a significant look. "Now she says to ask her again in six months. So that's how long you've got left," he gave a bright smile, waved and ran out to meet his not-a-girlfriend.
Draco had crossed his arms contemplating the new information. Blaise was eyeing him warily.
"Drake, you alright? You're not going to do anything rash are you?" Blaise cautiously edged out.
Draco narrowed his eyes. "I'm not going to do a thing. Though no matter what I do I feel like I'll be playing straight into that kid's hands. He knows something we don't, he's entirely too confident."
Blaise just sighed, "Fuuuuck me, Hermione Granger will be the death of us all."
Six months later, Saturday, 25 June 2005
Hermione unlocked herself from Theo's side and rushed up to give Harry and Ginny a massive hug. She hadn't been able to see them for a while, her six months as the Italian ambassador keeping her very busy and they had been unavailable the last two times she had been in England for the Malfoy benefits.
Harry greeted her with a hug and a kiss and then gone on ahead to speak with Theo.
"Mione, it's so good to see you! Life in Rome seems to be treating you well, you look amazing!" Ginny had run her hands down Hermione's own when pulling back from the hug. She felt something as she gripped Hermione's fingers, her eyes widened.
Hermione quickly leaned in. "Shh, I'm keeping it glamoured until everyone's here, ok?"
Ginny looked like she was about to have an apoplectic fit but nodded.
"Oh, Mione, I'm so happy for you!" Ginny was starting to cry.
Hermione hugged her again and Devin appeared next to her. He had become quite accomplished in the year he had been working for Hermione. His efficiency and intuition had proved invaluable to her and she was sad but proud she'd nominated him for an advisory position in the Communications team of the Embassy. It should be confirmed soon but knowing the young man, he would still make sure to check in on her.
His crush on her had faded, thank goodness, and they now had a rather special friendship. It was something she needed in Italy when their other friends weren't around.
"Hermione, I've just come to inform you that Lady Malfoy has issued an invitation for morning tea tomorrow before you are to depart at 2.00pm, can I confirm?"
"Thank you, Devin. Tell her I would be delighted." Narcissa had taken a liking to Hermione now that she was the Italian ambassador and rather enjoyed telling her friends of their acquaintance. Especially when Hermione rarely associated with the other Sacred Twenty-Eight families, making her a coveted influence in higher society. Even more so as Theo and herself had become darlings of the European elite sets often photographed in society pages around the continent. It wasn't something Hermione thought she would enjoy but Theo needed to attend parties and galas to keep expanding his business enterprises and Hermione had found some like-minded friends.
Gabrielle Delacour, wife of the Italian Premier for Magic's son, sister to Fleur, was now a great friend of hers. The brash and scandalous Italian opera singer, Giuliana Sabatini, had quickly sought Hermione out as a companion having been impressed by her work for magical creature rights and the Icelandic representative to the International Wizard Committee based in Nice, Lilja Ragnarsdottir was also a firm friend. The daughter of the Japanese Ambassador in France, Ayano Nakamura was dating Devin and Hermione loved spending time with the witch. There were a few others, but whenever Hermione was able to get together with Gabrielle, Giuliana, Ayano and Lilja, the press hounded them as the progressive faces of Wizarding Europe.
Her new friends were wonderful of course, but the people in England were family. Hermione squeezed Ginny once more before releasing her.
Ginny wiped her eyes and gave Hermione a happy, wobbly smile before glancing over her friend's shoulder. "Oh, Blaise is here. Malfoy can't be far behind. Pansy and Neville will be a little bit late, they said. Ron and Fay were right behind us, oh there they are." She tilted her chin to the couple.
Hermione went over to greet them as well. Fay was just starting to show a tiny hint of a baby bump and Hermione hugged the woman. "How are my favourite soon-to-be-parents?" She smiled at them.
Ron was grinning goofily. They had become even more deliriously happy with the pregnancy and Molly kept fussing over them to get married but Fay wanted to hold out and have their child there with them. Fay launched into some hilarious pregnancy anecdotes and Hermione smiled at Ron who looked so excited with his impending fatherhood.
Devin had come up to her again. "Hermione, everyone has arrived now, shall we get them all seated and begin?"
"Thank you Devin, that would be wonderful. Do you have everything you need?" she asked.
"Yes, I've had the spell mastered for months now and Theo tipped me to do my registration a couple of weeks ago," he gently gripped her wrist with a smile looking very dapper in his black suit.
Hermione found Theo's eyes on her and grinned at him. He was talking with Blaise and Draco and held out his hand for her to join them. She turned back to Ron and Fay. "Make yourselves comfortable. Theo and I have booked out this room in the hotel for the entire day, bar included and already paid for. Lots of non-alcoholic options for you too, Fay."
They smiled at her and urged her to join Theo. She went over to him and took his hand, he curled it under his arm and grinned at her with excitement. "Devin said we can start anytime," she told him and turned to Blaise and Draco. "It's so good to see you both! Last month was too hectic, we barely got to spend any time together."
Blaise grinned at her and leaned in to give her a hug and kiss her cheek. "I'll be coming over in a few weeks soon anyway. Please tell me I can stay at the Embassy? My mother drives me up the wall with all her soirees this time of year."
"Of course you can. Is there anyone else I should invite?" she gave him a twinkling look and he quirked his mouth at her.
"Not this time, I'll play it by ear." Blaise smirked at her. Giuliana and Blaise consistently seemed to find a way to cause some kind of scandal when he visited them.
"What about you Draco? Pansy and Neville are coming over for a bit during the summer holidays. The Embassy usually slows down in the hotter months, we'd have more time free," Theo asked his friend.
"Isn't seeing you once a month at my parents benefits enough?" Draco drawled to which Theo pouted.
"While Hermione attends those, you know I am rarely able to since I often have meetings in London. Come on, come stay with us. You haven't been over for longer than a couple days yet," Theo had been missing Draco like Hermione missed Harry and Ginny.
She reached out to pat Draco's sleeve. "Please, it would mean a lot." Her spine instinctively pulled her away from his gaze immediately, feeling that burning heat of dislike strike across her skin.
But then Draco sighed. "Sure, if only to get away from my parents incessant badgering about finding some pureblood bint to marry."
Devin had appeared again. "Excellent, I'll make the accommodations and owl you all potential dates once I confirm with Miss Parkinson and Mr. Longbottom." He turned back to Hermione and Theo. "Here are the amulets, just break them open to activate. Mr. Zabini and Mr. Malfoy, if you would take your seats, we should begin."
Hermione smoothed down Devin's collar even though it was already pristine. "You just want to get to the open bar."
"You know me too well, Hermione." Devin smiled at the joke giving her a quick hug and went to the front of the room.
Around a coffee table with trays of champagne glasses were some comfortable couches and armchairs where their friends were seated. Most already had a drink and Devin was arranging his notes while the others chatted.
Theo took Hermione's hands in his. "OK, are you sure about this?"
"I've been sure since Christmas." She matched his loving smile, her heart fluttering in happiness. "But we still haven't found a solution, are you OK with what that might mean?"
"I love you, Hermione. You know how much I love you. I want this," he jiggled her hands delicately in his and led her to where Devin was waiting.
They surveyed their friends who were chatting and laughing, standing before them.
"Hi, everyone!" Hermione called out and Ginny shushed them all, sitting on the edge of her seat. "So, Theo and I have a bit of an announcement." She looked to him and he pulled her close, taking over.
"I asked Hermione to marry me last night, again," there was a ripple of good-natured laughter.
"This is really not news," Pansy teased, waving a champagne flute in her hands.
"But, well, this time I said yes," Hermione said and unglamoured her ring. It was rose gold with a unique red and green sunstone on the band, her hand remaining entwined with Theo's.
Most everyone in the room began to rush forward for congratulations but Theo put out a hand to halt them. "Save your words, you'll need them again soon because actually we're getting married. Right now, in fact…"
This did nothing to dampen the excitement in the room and Hermione laughed as Theo tried to hush them but had to be aided by Ginny again.
Hermione thanked her. "It's so rare that we can all get together at the moment, so we thought we'd take the opportunity to do it now. We wanted something small and private and we will probably have to have a big lavish wedding at some point, too. But the people here are those most special to us and we wanted to share this day with just you."
Theo wiped away a tear that had leaked out the corner of her eye and raised his amulet at her.
Hermione nodded and they broke them simultaneously. Theo became clothed in a set of luxurious dress robes and Hermione's pencil dress transformed in an ethereal lilac and periwinkle gown that twinkled with tiny stars and embroidered flowers that bloomed when she moved.
"Wow," Theo breathed and she blushed.
"Are you ready?" Devin asked them and they nodded, not able to look away from each other. "You have already memorised the vows you wish to take. Theo, please start."
Devin started the binding incantation around their clasped hands as Theo spoke, "I, Theodore Josiah Nott, promise to love and care for you and I will try in every way to be worthy of your love. I will always be honest with you, kind, patient and forgiving. I promise to cherish you and respect you. These things I give to you today, and all the days of our lives." He smiled at Hermione and when she saw his conviction, she felt the depth of his love so keenly she quietly gasped.
The magic Devin created with the bonding incantation sparkled and set inside around Theo's wrist, the other end awaiting Hermione to complete her vows. Her heart felt like it was quivering as she looked at Theo. When she thought of her life, he was her favourite part of it. When she thought of the future, every step she wanted to take had him by her side.
The way time stood still when she looked at him like they had carved a new part of the universe in which for them to exist. The way he smelled of vetiver, poppies and a light musk that she sometimes seriously worried she was addicted to. The secret smiles across a ballroom, the encouraging squeeze of his hand, the way their bed not only held gasps and moans but laughter and slow early morning smiles. It was all waiting for her to take forever, so long as she ended the Transit spell. Theo grinned at her and gently tried not to laugh knowing that in a singular second she had whirled through an entire imagined lifetime with him. She laughed at herself and began.
"I, Hermione Jean Granger, promise to love and care for you and I will try in every way to be worthy of your love. I will always be honest with you, kind, patient and forgiving. I promise to cherish you and respect you. These things I give to you today, and all the days of ou- my life." She choked at the change, Theo shook his head and raised his non-bound hand to her cheek as she nestled into it. She wanted to give him a little leeway since marriage binding magics were strong. The magical bond wrapped around her wrist and they waited for Devin to finish the ritual.
"Theodore Josiah Nott and Hermione Jean Granger, you are now bound so long as you both live by the tenets you have set. May your love guide you now and forever. You are now husband and wife. Please join together to forge the Imprimatur."
Theo pulled her into his arms and kissed her as the magic settled into their skin and the binding exploded into orbs of glowing light that danced throughout the room. Everything seemed to swirl around them. Hermione felt the magic of the spell mix and embed with her own, entwining, weaving her and Theo together in a way that only a long and complicated process could undo.
Hermione could hear her friends clapping for them, whooping and hollering and Devin sniffling beside them, trying not to cry. But nothing felt as important as Theo's lips on hers and the bubble of ecstatic happiness she felt. They pulled back and rested their foreheads together.
"Hermione, nothing can ruin this. Nothing but the gods themselves," Theo said to reassure her and she nodded against him.
There wasn't much time for anything else as Ginny enveloped them in a huge hug, bawling her eyes out and Neville joined in not long after.
After being mauled in a massive group hug, Harry drew her out of the pack and clasped her to him. "Hermione. My beautiful, wonderful, clever Hermione." he squeezed her tight. "I'm so, so happy for you. I love you so much."
"I love you too, Harry. I've never had a better friend," Hermione clung to him. She had missed him more than she thought possible now she lived in Italy. No longer could she just go to his office or pop round to his house when she was scared or nervous.
He kissed the top of her head and let her go but not before whispering, "I'll give you away at your ridiculous, over-the-top, fancy-pants wedding if you want." Knowing his aversion for society events Hermione squeezed his hands and burst into tears.
"Theo! I made her cry. I'm sorry!" Harry panicked.
Theo wrapped Hermione in his arms, "What's wrong, sweetness?" he chuckled. He knew these were her happy tears, they were much uglier than her sad tears.
"He's being so n-nice!" Hermione wailed. "H-he wants to give me away at our other high society wedding. Even though he hates stupid elitist parties and our wedding is going to be the stupidest, elitiest party ever."
"Elitiest?" Theo let her cry against him and faux-sighed at Harry who looked stricken. "You broke her. She used a word that isn't a real word. Married five minutes, Potter and you broke my wife."
Theo cupped her face in his hands, eyes shining with such a brilliant and pure love it made her heartbeat thrum all through her body. "My wife," he said so tenderly it hurt and placed a kiss to her forehead.
Hermione pulled back and laughed, glad for the makeup charm that was in the amulet. She took a hand of both Theo and Harry, blinking away the remaining tears through her staccato cry-laughter. Her voice warbled as she said, "Alright, I think it's time for the open bar."
A chorus of cheers and applause followed the statement, beginning an exodus to place drink orders. Only Blaise and Draco remained, chatting in their seats and availing themselves to the tray on the table near them. Harry squeezed her hand and smiled at her again, leaving Hermione alone with Theo.
Her Theo. After having a crush on him for four years and uncharacteristically persevering in her attempts to date him, then a year-long whirlwind romance, now he was hers. Bonded by magic. Looking into his eyes, she could tell he was having similar thoughts.
"Gods I love you so much," she breathed, winding her hands around his neck. She knew Blaise and Draco could probably overhear her but at the moment she didn't care. Theo kissed her cheek and chuckled against her.
"I'm sure I love you more," he joked making Hermione pout and shake her head. He sighed in bliss looking at her. "I often wonder what I did to trick you into loving me."
She laughed. "Oh, that's easy. You became my favourite." He tilted his head slightly, hinting at her to elaborate. "You are my very favourite person. Have been for longer than I care to admit. Don't tell Harry. And now you're mine. I'm never letting you go." She poked out her tongue and he laughed as well, dipping down to kiss her.
She pressed herself against his body, a pitched suspire leaving her to be inhaled by him. The combining of their magic singing and instilling itself into a euphoric aura around them.
Hermione pulled back, her eyelashes fluttering as her heart pounded. Theo stroked her cheek looking so ardent in his adoration for her she felt tears pricking again. He smiled and kissed her quickly once more before leading her to the bar with the rest of their friends.
And Hermione wished for this to be the start of the rest of her life.