There was a second's pause before the comments and whispers were flying.
Did you know the goblet would choose same sex couples?
How is a pairing like that going to help the magical bloodlines rejuvenate?
Can you believe Mclaggen's off the market?
Nott and Mclaggen? Seriously?
What do you think the Wizengamot will say?
Theo was waltzing up to the goblet like he had just won the lottery. His smirk never left him and his hands resided in the pockets of his nicely fitting dress robes. They looked more like a suit than robes. When he got to the goblet he turned and waited for Cormac to make his way to the front.
It was no secret that Cormac had been after several dozen Gryffindor and Ravenclaw girls in his years at Hogwarts, Hermione included. She wondered if he'd made such a show of his pursuits then because he hadn't come to terms with who he was.
She knew now that they were older he wasn't as shy about his sexuality. He was often seen with many foreign men or women on Friday nights at high end restaurants in London. Cormac said it was business, others guessed differently. All in all, Hermione hoped Theo was up for the challenge of being with Cormac, as she recalled from personal experience it wasn't an easy task.
The Wizengamot and Ministry members looked suddenly confused as Cormac joined Theo up front. The two stood, Theo smirking and Cormac waving to various friends and people in the crowd. Cormac sported a nice deep red set of robes that went well with Theo's black suit. The green kerchief in Theo's pocket suddenly transfigured into red upon the snap of his fingers. Together, they looked quite stunning.
Several of the Wizengamot were staring, jaws dropped open. Two looked angry while another three began whispering furiously gesturing to the Goblet and the boys in question. Kingsley didn't look at all worried anymore. He merely smiled some more and clapped vigorously looking out for the two men to come over to him.
Cormac looked excited as he made his way over towards the table of rings, Theo casually following in his wake. Malfoy watched the two, each placing their own ring on their own finger before they looked at each other as a couple for the first time. Cormac seemed to whisper something to Theo and Theo just chuckled, a small blush coming to his face. He put a hand to Cormac's lower back and guided him to the table. Malfoy smiled.
"So has Cormac always been playing for both sides then?" Ron asked Harry quietly as the two men walked over to their table. Harry gestured to Ron with a hand across his neck as they approached. Ginny smirked.
Theo smiled at them all. Since he had gotten to know most of them from working on the goblet, it was clear he wouldn't be ostracized. And having Draco and Daphne there also helped. It was a right mix of Gryffindor and Slytherin, that was for sure.
Theo grabbed the seat beside Draco and Cormac said hello to his fellow Gryffindors as he sat beside his new husband. "Well, guess the kneazle's out of the bag, aye? No hard feelings though Granger, I truly did like you in sixth year," Cormac said sweetly and the table actually laughed for the first time that night.
Draco looked from Cormac to his wife, interested in the exchange. Hermione seemed to blush as she smiled thinking of the memories. While Cormac had not been on the top of her list of people she'd wanted to date back in sixth year, it was at least flattering knowing his feelings were genuine.
"All those business meetings then?" Ron said to Cormac, his eyebrows raised.
Cormac shrugged and laughed. "What can I say, I was trying out all my options. One should never limit themselves to something as trifle as gender." They laughed again.
"Congrats then Cormac, but good luck with Theo. He's about as picky as they come," Draco said with a laugh.
"And be careful I don't decide to come after your wife again Malfoy, if I can't in fact handle Mr. Nott," Cormac smirked, "I'm hard to forget."
Draco felt suddenly defensive and he didn't know where it was coming from. Daphne looked ready to laugh at him. Hermione eyed him curiously, feeling a bit of magic move under her skin again.
Cormac turned to Daphne then and struck up a conversation. They must have been acquainted before now, as it seemed they got along well. Ron merely watched, unsure of what to make of the strange group of people now seated together at the table.
Draco turned to Hermione, who appeared to still be lost in memories of sixth year. "How come I didn't know you and Mclaggen dated?" he asked seriously. She felt the return of the magic under her skin, but ignored it.
Hermione snorted. "'Dated' is a strong term, but yes, he was interested in me. I took him to Slughorn's Christmas Party. It was to annoy Ron more than anything," she glanced at the redhead to make sure he wasn't listening.
"You probably never saw me with him because I was busy dodging his lips all night. We saw each other once or twice after that, but nothing came of it. Cormac is a bit… much for me."
Hermione looked over at Cormac then, talking very animated to Daphne, using his hands to gesture and talking loudly. He was making the whole table focus on him. Yes, definitely too much, she decided, noticing that Malfoy had followed her gaze. The magic under her skin relaxed. She eyed Malfoy with a curious look.
Draco continued to watch Cormac talk as Hermione panned the room again, taking note of just how many golden robed witches and wizards stood around the venue.
"Who could these guards be working for?" Hermione asked out loud, more in response to her own frustration than anything.
"I'm not sure really," Draco answered, "I take it they're not any of Potter's aurors or it wouldn't bother you so."
Hermione looked at him annoyed. "Obviously they're not."
"Well I haven't recognized any of them as coworkers from my death eater days, if that's any concern," Draco said, trying to be funny.
Hermione's eyes narrowed. "I just find it particularly unsettling that someone thinks we can be fooled into thinking the Ministry would hire out for an event such as this. And even so, what do they think, we'll all go off on our pairings as soon as they're announced if they're not to our liking?"
Draco took a second to decide how to respond. He liked hearing Granger speak her mind like this. The empowering way she voiced her opinions was admirable, if not a little intimidating. He used to find it irritating, funnily enough. And she hadn't used any spells on him when they were paired. He took that as a good sign.
Before he could say anything however, Hermione was already looking around again. She scrutinized every move of the guards and appeared to be counting the number of exits. "If I could just get away for a minute and get one of these guards alone, I could get some answers with a quick Legilimens charm and-"
"It won't work," Draco said, ruining her plan. Although he couldn't help but be interested in the fact she was skilled in such an area.
Hermione gritted her teeth. "And why not?"
"Because someone has placed anti-magic wards on the whole place," Draco informed her quietly. Hermione's eyes widened. "I know because I tried to locate Theo when I arrived and the spell wouldn't work for shit."
"But that can't be right, because I used a levitation charm to carry Harry and Ginny's drinks earlier and a spell to fix my hair in the loo and well…" she looked embarrassed at admitting this but Draco ignored it. He merely leaned a little closer to her.
"Yes well, it seems simple spells can be done, I accio-ed drinks myself but anything defensive or offensive of consequence does not work," Hermione eyed him suspiciously.
"Look, the spell I normally use to locate certain individuals is old magic, sort of an old-school charm passed down from my mother's family. Complex. When spells like that stop working, something bigger is at play," Draco explained in a hushed sort of whisper.
Hermione's eyes grew wide as he kept talking. "So once I found Theo I gave him a heads up on the situation and we went to an empty room upstairs. Tried several jinxes and curses and… nothing. Accio, lumos, and a few other simple ones were all we managed."
Hermione had paled. "Now that is something to worry about," she said, looking away. She could feel the nervousness starting to come back to her. What was this all about?
Draco felt a spark of something then, a light sort of magic similar to what he felt when putting on the rings. It quickly flitted through his body and was gone, but he looked to Hermione anyway. She was looking off to the distance, but he could tell she was forcing the worry away. He shook his head, trying to forget it.
"Yes well, it seems you know more about what's going on than most... I don't think this is all just a coincidence; Muggleborn disappearances and werewolves? How come I'm just hearing about these now?" he asked, more concerned than Hermione expected him to be.
She sighed, "Because the muggleborn stories have been pushed to the back pages of the Prophet or only contain incorrect information. Muggles usually find them and muck up the scene before we can get there, it's a mess," she finished off her champagne.
"The werewolves are part of a case I'm working on, so that's actually still classified. But it's all ridiculous. I've been pushing my reports but nothing gets published. Rita would rather litter the front pages with made up drama about Harry or stories of what the most eligible bachelors and bachelorettes of this generation are doing."
Draco had to laugh. "Hey now, I was one of those eligible bachelors up until tonight and I enjoyed my many stories, thank you very much."
"Of course Rita wrote more than one about you," she laughed. "After the first I must have skipped the rest… on purpose," she stated with a smile. She went to grab her glass then but it was empty.
Draco shrugged. "You did read the first though," he eyed her playfully. "But if I'm not mistaken, your name was mentioned quite a bit when you were dating Weasley and then by itself when you ceased to be. How come no one has snatched you up before now?"
"I-..." she started, but it was just so strange. She was having a normal conversation with Draco Malfoy at this ridiculous Joining Ceremony at a table full of Gryffindors and Slytherins. And did she detect the slightest bit of flirting? Her pulse quickened.
But this wasn't just Draco Malfoy anymore, this was her husband. The thought almost made her laugh. "I prefer to think no one else who has tried has been to my liking."
Draco appeared amused at this statement. "No worries, I'm up for a challenge." She felt the blush climb her neck to her cheeks and wondered if he was serious. Maybe the flirting was a bit much…
He chuckled, but changed the subject to their original topic anyway. "I do think you are right in questioning all this though. Especially now seeing Kingsley. I think I have some resources that could prove beneficial to you, I should have been keeping up on them anyway. When we get home to the Manor tonight, I can-" his voice was cut off as the giant purple flames of the goblet sparked loudly across the room.
And much to Hermione's relief. When they get home… to the Manor? she hadn't even considered that part of their pairing. He was so casual about it like it was no big deal, but did he remember all the horrid memories she had of that dreaded place? How could she explain that her dreams were haunted by that vile drawing room and his aunt's foul words ringing in her ears? She couldn't make that place home no matter how hard she tried.
Hermione shuttered and looked down at her lap to get her mind off of the nightmares. Her heart felt like it was racing and she had to take some deep breaths to try and steady it. Draco watched her instead of the goblet, distracted. His magic seemed to jump under his skin in a wave of empathy; the beating of that light, melodic magic from before accompanied it.
He felt the urge to reach out and put his arms around her. The impulse confused him just as much, so he simply placed a hand on top of hers rather awkwardly. Confusion reached her eyes as she stared at their hands sitting on the table in front of her. Somehow it made her feel marginally better as she felt her magic course to the surface of her skin, so she left it. She was starting to think there was more to these rings than just a simple enchantment…
"Mr. Neville Longbottom and Miss Millicent Bulstrode," Wimberly sang with a smile and several people in the audience gasped. The Ministry members clapped along with Kingsley and Wimberly as Neville made his way up towards the goblet. He was trying hard to keep it together.
Harry turned from Neville to Ron, his eyes wide and worried. Ron gulped, unsure of what to think as he looked from Daphne to Millicent, who was slowly making her way up to the front. Her black dress floated behind her and she was looking at the ground the whole time.
Ginny grabbed for Hermione's hand, but when she noticed it was under Draco's she paused. At this the newly made couple seemed to snap back to reality and pulled away from each other quickly. Ginny smirked and Hermione rolled her eyes, not looking in Draco's direction once.
Draco still watched her. She seemed to relax and breathe more evenly now, the anxiousness in his own body coming down too. Weird, he thought, that it affected him just as much as her. He stared down at the silver ring on his finger once more, wondering what enchantments truly were involved.
Hermione looked up to where Neville stood; he looked more ready than she expected, much steadier than when he was walking up to the goblet. She exchanged an interested look with Ginny. Millicent approached Neville then and he gave her a smile, looking calm and collected.
Hermione, Ron, and Harry blinked. Maybe he realized just how strong he needed to be, for her at least. Neville sure had come into his own now and it was showing even more than he probably knew.
Millicent only looked confused as she watched her new husband put out an arm for her. She took it cautiously and they walked away, her lips pursed. Neville kept his small smile, whispering something to her to try to ease her discomfort.
"What's with all these pureblood pairings?" Ginny asked, turning back to the table. "Doesn't really make sense when you think they're trying to restore magic and all."
"Well, Millicent is actually a half-blood," Draco said casually, but it was clear this was new information. Ginny cocked an eyebrow and Hermione looked at him confused. Draco only shrugged.
Theo chimed in, "her father slept around a bit during the first war as a reckless little death eater and well, one too many black cauldron bourbons and you find yourself with a muggle woman in the morning. She disappeared shortly after Millicent was born," Theo frowned.
"That's tragic," Cormac said. Theo nodded at him solemnly.
"We sure she actually ran away from Bulstrode or was it a little more like she actually disappeared?" Harry asked, genuinely curious. Ron snorted.
Theo narrowed his gaze in a way that suggested Harry's comment was distasteful, but Harry just shrugged.
"Come on Nott, Harry wasn't the only one thinking it," Ron said.
"Look, Millie didn't like telling people," Daphne said sadly. "Only a handful of us knew."
Ron tried to put a hand on hers in comfort, yet they both felt awkward about it. She put her hands in her lap before he could reach her, leaving him to awkwardly hover in the middle before placing his own down too.
"Wondrous!" Shouted Wimberly Wilmont and the crowd was forced to clap. As Hermione put her hands together and watched the new couple walk, Draco leaned over her shoulder.
"Also, you've been a Legilimens how long exactly?" he asked seriously as he clapped along too, remembering her comment from earlier.
Hermione sighed. "I actually didn't mean to let that slip," she said, as the crowd died down. She faced him then, her face stiff. "It's not exactly a skill you want the world knowing you have but... I picked it up right after the war, a portrait told me where to look and helped me learn."
"A portrait?" Draco raised an eyebrow.
She shrugged. "Phineas Nigellus Black, if you must know. I believe he's some great-great-great uncle of yours."
Draco blinked, trying to detail the connection. "Oh, right, my mother's side of the family," was all he could come up with as a response.
"Please don't tell anyone," she said as she turned to see Ginny getting up. She was headed for the bar and Hermione decided she needed to walk. She got up and pushed her chair in, but hesitated.
Draco gave her a weak smile, "You have your husband's word." Hermione studied him for a second. His eyes rose up slowly to look at her and something about the light in them made her believe he would keep quiet. At that she got up and followed the redhead to the back of the room.
Draco sighed as his new wife walked away. Would the anxiety of this night ever end? He wondered. It seemed the more the ceremony progressed, the more shaky the future was becoming. He passed a hand over his eyes, trying to rub the frustrations away.
"Already had enough Malfoy?" Ron asked with a laugh.
Harry smiled. "She's amazing if you get over the whole stubborn to no end, going to always show you up parts."
Draco gave a light chuckle. "Good to know, although I figured half as much."
"Good, you need someone to show you up," Theo chimed in, looking at Ron and Harry then. "He's a right git most of the time, that part didn't seem to change since the war."
Ron laughed. "Not surprised. We've known that for ages," he shot Draco an unpleasant scowl. "Well don't worry, even if we aren't around to kick his arse, she sure as hell will if you do screw up! Merlin knows she let me have it on more than one occasion..."
"You deserved it though Ron, let's be honest," Harry said, draining the rest of his glass. He put a hand out subconsciously forgetting that Ginny had gotten up to get a drink. Draco watched the gesture, intrigued.
"Oh, I certainly did," Ron said ashamedly. He looked at Daphne, who was still talking to Cormac and then back to Draco. He leaned in, his voice low, "being a Quidditch star has it perks... until you realize just how much of your time it eats away. If you really want to show people you've changed Malfoy, or, Merlin, if you ever remotely grow feelings for her, please give her your time. She deserves that much. I fucking mean it."
"Is that a threat already Weasley?" Draco chided. "I intend to treat her just as well as I would my own chosen wife. It's not my fault if she ends up screwing that up with her own stubbornness." He laughed but soon realized the others weren't.
Draco closed his mouth and nodded seriously for perhaps the first time in his life to a Weasley. While he preferred it be to the female one, he knew Ron was being completely honest. And for some reason, he knew he needed to take Ron's words at full value. Ron had to have loved Hermione fiercely at one time and he realized it too late.
It was bittersweet to see him like this, still obviously caring a great deal about her but being married to someone else. Not to mention seeing her married off to an old enemy he wasn't sure he trusted. It was a lot to handle. Now more than ever, the mistakes of the past, everyone's mistakes, needed to start being forgiven.
"You have my word," Draco said, as both Ginny and Hermione returned to the table, a silver platter of drinks floating behind them. Ron glared at Draco one last time before straightening up. He took the glass Ginny offered him graciously, avoiding looking like he was ever talking to Draco at all.
Ginny passed out the rest of the drinks to them all. Hermione grabbed two glasses of dark blue liquor and sat, handing one to Draco in the process.
"No fire whiskey?" Draco asked, looking almost sad and much like his year 2 or 3 self being denied a prime spot on the train. Hermione gave a chuckle.
It was surreal being here with him so casually, offering him a drink when in the past they'd have already let the insults fly. How would life be, now that she was the wife of Draco Malfoy? Would they be able to make this work? She thought she just might like to see where it would lead them…
"Try something new for a change, you just might like it," Hermione said, realizing the double meaning too late; her thoughts materialized all too easily in her words. She frowned as she went to clink his glass, diverting her eyes as she took a sip to stop her from saying anything else.
Draco gave a wicked scowl. "I am always into trying new things my dear wife." He downed half the glass with a wink before the icy cold caught up with him.
Hermione giggled as she watched his face pale and a scowl emerge. He hadn't expected the freezing cold of the ice whiskey. "You sure about that?" She laughed. Draco merely sneered, swallowing several times to try to get the sting to go away.
Before anyone could say another word, the Goblet's flames were flaring and another piece of parchment came fluttering down. Hermione sat up straighter in her chair, feeling the effects of the alcohol beginning to ease her mind.
"Miss Luna Lovegood and..." Wimberly paused again. People began to hush, wondering if it was another shocking death eater match. Theo was too busy laughing at Draco, who was also preoccupied by his own frozen suffering, to pay much notice as Wimberly muttered, "Miss Pansy Parkinson."