DISCLAIMER: I own not one HP related thing!
Chapter 3
Blaise paced back and forth, stopping ever so often to dodge the pieces of food Draco flung from his robes.
"Honestly this is all just— Draco stopped to shake his entire body before sitting back down on the couch and stretching himself out. "It's all too much!"
"You're making this harder than it needs to be, just last night we discus—
"We didn't discuss anything Blaise!" Draco stared at his friend in disgust. "You agreed to be cordial, I said I'd consider it upon discovering who my wife would be, but this? The mudblood? Weasley? Honestly! It's like you've forgotten yourself."
Blaise stopped pacing, he sat down across from Draco, looking down at his hands.
"What are we supposed to do?"
"You could act a little less excited to be paired with that blood traitor, honestly you—
"Stop!" Blaise yelled, his anger sending pieces of shattered glass off the sofa. "We are not having this conversation again! They won, the war is over. We accept this or we—
"We what?" Draco was standing now, clutching his wand. "We accept this? My father will—
"Do nothing, he's in Azkaban." Blaise watched Draco draw his wand slowly but forcefully.
"How dare you Blaise! We're friends, I thought of anyone in the world you would understand what this means and you—you, you're fine with this? You'd marry a Weasley?"
Blaise put up his hands in defeat. He hadn't reached for his wand or thought of it. He knew Draco, possibly more than Draco knew he did. They had been friends for as long as he could remember, and in all that time, not once, had Blaise been threatened
or afraid of anything Draco had done or tried to do. He was right, Ginny Weasley had previously been known to him as none other than a member of a family of blood traitors, an embarrassment to the wizarding community. Whereas Draco and himself were
considered pure and right. It all made him chuckle now. Now he had an indifferent opinion of Hermione Granger, while she was muggle born, he couldn't deny his fascination with her intelligence, nor could he deny his attraction to Ginny Weasley.
Blaise sighed and fell back on the couch. "Calm down Drake." Draco was still pointing his wand at Blaise, his hand was shaking but his intentions were obvious. "Sit. This is a battle neither of us will win."
Draco rolled his eyes relaxing his hand and withdrawing his wand. "You've changed..."
Blaise looked at his friend, he'd seen many different types of evil in the past year, and Draco wasn't one of them. He was afraid, and tired. Blaise knew firsthand the torture his family had experienced. He felt nothing but compassion for his friend.
"As have you."
Draco sat, groaning at how dirty his robes were. His sudden outburst had turned him away from the task at hand. "Ugh, we have twenty minutes!"
Blaise chuckled. "I guess you ought to change and reconcile with your—" Draco winced as he anticipated the word, setting Blaise off in a fit of laughter. "Granger."
….
Hermione stepped out of the bath annoyed. Ginny was waiting for her with a towel as she stepped out.
"Do they think we can't hear them?" Rolling her eyes Hermione began to dry her hair and move behind the shades to put on clean clothes.
Ginny shrugged, letting out a sigh as she handed Hermione her undergarments. "Blaise is right you know."
Hermione stopped. Cold air attacking her as she dropped her towel and poked her head around the changing shades. "Ginny Weasley are you serious?!" Hermione glared at Ginny through pieces of wet hair. "You agree with him?"
Ginny shook her head annoyed. "I think he's right about the war being over. This isn't just about Voldemort, it's about years of conflict over blood. I just—I think he—
"Don't! Ginny don't you dare stand there and say that he's changed, that the Malfoy's have—" Hermione stopped short realizing she'd been yelling at Ginny, who looked down at the floor.
"They have changed, Hermione. We all have." Ginny spoke softly, looking away from Hermione nervously.
Hermione stared at Ginny in shock. Her entire body had become uncovered as she yelled and pushed the shade away. Collecting herself she fell behind the shade again.
Ginny sighed, knowing that her words were not what Hermione wanted to hear at the moment, but it was necessary. "Hermione." Moving away from the shade Ginny crossed the bath towards the open window where she could see the Astronomy tower. "Hermione, I
think that this is all bigger than us, bigger than our rivalries…the Malfoy's have changed. From what Harry told me…I feel that he is, he isn't so bad."
Hermione laughed at that. She laughed loud and obnoxiously, making Ginny blush. "Ginny, I can't get over how cavalier you're being about all of this, really what's gotten into you?"
"I don't know…really, it's just been a blur." Ginny watched Hermione walk away from the shade fully clothed now, walking into the bedroom, she followed. "I woke up this morning thinking…well….I know you can handle Draco Malfoy, eventually you two will
wear each out and maybe become…friends?" Hermione turned to her with skepticism. Ginny lowered her voice to a whisper. "I think Blaise is rather handsome."
"You get handsome and I get a possible friendship with former death eater, lovely." Hermione rolled her eyes at Ginny as a big smile spread across her face.
"Or…there's always poison." Ginny noted seriously, Hermione nodded. "He does love pumpkin juice."
Both girls erupted in laughter.
…
Draco could hear both girls laughing loudly, knowing he was interrupting something he marched into his bedroom throwing the door back aggressively.
"Well… Granger?"
Hermione tilted her head back, giving Draco an annoyed look. "I'm not going anywhere with you…like that."
Draco rolled his eyes at her, then looked down at his robes. He sighed and looked over at Ginny. "Well I know you don't understand the idea of privacy Weasley, but I'd really rather change in an empty room." Ginny scowled at him and threw a pitiful look
at Hermione.
"I'll see you at St. Mungo's."
Draco gave Ginny a fake smile as he shut the door behind her. He stomped over to his trunk and withdrew a few items before making his way to the bath. Feeling Hermione's eyes staring him down, he smirked. "I'd ask you to join me but—
"Shut it! You have 10 minutes to—
Draco slammed the bath door before she could finish. Knowing the odds of either of them making their appointment on time was slim, he smiled and relished in the idea of making Hermione Granger late.
…
"I don't know where they are."
The healer set his quill down and lifted his glasses to get a better look at Hermione. "Why, well what do you mean dear?"
Hermione rolled her eyes in annoyance. They'd been an hour late to their appointment and now had to sit through the entire session together, answering questions about personal and medical history. "I erased their memory, I have no contact with my parents."
The healer nodded, continuing to stare at Hermione a moment, then withdrawing to his parchment. "I see." The parchment grew longer as notes began to fill it again. "Your father is in Azkaban...is that correct—Mr. Malfoy is that correct?"
Draco pursed his lips at the question. He uncrossed his arms and gave a side eye to Hermione. "Well, it's all over the Daily Prophet isn't it? Why ask such a thing, you know just like everyone else that he is!"
The healer looked at him, then Hermione, who looked down at her feet as he yelled. Saying nothing the healer reached behind and motioned a stand of potions towards them. The potions left their place on the counter and began to make their way over till
they were in the healers lap.
"I see that both of you have experienced minimal to no—" The healer paused as Draco's face went bright red and Hermione looked up in fear. "Intimate contact." The healer began to drop each potion into a sack, disregarding their inquisitive facial
expressions. "Obviously this marriage act was put into place so that you can reproduce." Taking one of the potions and shaking it rhythmically as though the cure to reproduction were in said potion, the healer smiled. "These will help you…with nerves."
Hermione and Draco exchanged looks of fear and disgust.
"Not just in bed, but for the next five days and unto your ceremony." Again the healer dangled one of the potions in his hand before dropping it into the bag and fastening the sack with a tap of her finger. "With any luck you may need to interact only
once or twice."
Draco raised an eyebrow. "You mean—
"Yes, Draco." The healer held out the sack to them, watching both of them stare at it in confusion. Hermione took the sack hesitantly. "In this supply, you have a collection of potions designed to ease the nerves, to calm the muscles—" The healer motioned
to Hermione. "Above all, to make you both as comfortable as possible."
Hermione groaned. "These are potions to help us on our wedding night?"
Draco flinched at the mention.
"Yes my dear, and a supply for any other night you both…find yourself willing."
Hermione watched Draco's ears turn the brightest color red she'd ever seen. She was sure the color on her face was a match.
…..
Hermione and Draco stepped out of the healer's office into a hall of chaos. They could barely make out faces as arms were flying everywhere. It seemed every student in Hogwarts had arrived with their parents and there was no making it out of the hall
without colliding with someone.
"Draco!" Hermione's vision blurred with black and white as Narcissa Malfoy's hair whipped her in the face. She clung to Draco, sobbing. "Draco, how has this happened?" Hair still flying in her face Hermione stepped away from Narcissa to avoid being hit
again. "I am so sorry! I've only just received the news an hour ago! Oh Draco!"
Hermione felt uneasy watching Draco comfort his mother. It was a strange, foreign sight to her. Seeing Draco Malfoy warm and compassionate towards anyone was shocking. She turned her back to them and her eyes roamed around the room, trying to find anyone
familiar. Her eyes fell on Dean Thomas who had just stumbled out of a room across the hall, his face surprisingly pleasant and his hand tightly clasped around—Cho Chang's waist. Hermione gasped. It hadn't occurred to her that there could actually
be couples happy with this marriage act. She rolled her eyes, Dean Thomas always seemed to get the better draw from the deck.
With a whoosh, Hermione found herself in the crowd. Someone had run into her and almost set her off balance. She no longer saw Draco or his mother as she tried to regain her composure.
She gripped the sack of potions to her chest looking around the room frantically, she didn't see any of her friends and was beginning to worry. Where could—
Hermione cried out as she collided with the pavement. Her face almost hit the ground when she was pulled back by strong arms. Turning to see who pulled her up she groaned.
Draco forced her up and pushed her behind him. "Honestly Granger! Watch where you are going!" He turned back to his mother who was staring at Hermione in shock, still sobbing she clung to Draco. He gave Hermione an annoyed look, letting her know that
he had in no way done her a favor. She assumed he was above spousal abuse in front of his mother.
Hermione rolled her eyes and shoved him as she stepped to his side.
"Hermione is that you!"
Hermione didn't think twice before stepping back into the bustling crowd. She'd know that voice anywhere. "Harry! Harry it's me!"
Harry Potter appeared grabbing Hermione's arm as he pushed himself out of the crowd. "This is insane!" He drew Hermione to him in a hug. "Bloody insane, I can't find anyone! I have no idea where Ron and Parvati have—
"Ron and Parvati?!"
Harry stopped short, pulling Hermione back towards the wall, his eyes growing big as he realized they were standing next to Draco Malfoy.
"Hermione you—
"Yes, Harry, yes."
Hermione blushed and looked over her shoulder at Draco who was giving Harry a death glare as he patted his mother's back.
"It's all very…. Shocking."
"I can imagine…only, I'm not so lucky myself." Harry rolled his eyes as Pansy Parkinson rushed to them. She glanced at Harry in disgust and he returned the sentiment.
Hermione looked to Pansy and shook her head.
"Harry no—
"Yes actually, this is truly…shocking."
Pansy waved her hand at Harry, letting them know she'd heard and understood exactly what they were saying. She closed the space in between Hermione and Draco and embraced Narcissa, who began to sob louder as she took in Pansy.
"Oh dear!" Casting a look to Harry, Narcissa exploded in Draco's arms. "The injustice!"
Harry and Hermione looked at the three and roared in laughter. The only thing worse than being engaged to the pair of them, was someone thinking they were worse off.
….
"Bill honestly! Put your wand down!"
Fleur Weasley tugged on her husband's arm, forcing him to withdraw the wand he had pointed at Blaise. She slapped his chest and pushed him into a corner.
"Dad, please, make them stop!" Ginny stood in front of Blaise and his mother, her arms outstretched. A whole minute had passed by before wands had been drawn, both Blaise and his mother stood behind her, wands outstretched towards seven Weasley's in front
of them. "You're all mad, honestly."
"Ginny he will not be your husband! This is preposterous." Molly yelled, lowering her wand and ushering her husband to do the same.
"It's bloody mental mum, I won't stand for it!" George yelled.
"That he is right mum!" Ron chimed in stepping closer to Ginny.
"We are no more upset than you are." Blaise's mother spoke calmly, an air of superiority in her voice, still standing behind Ginny who had created a barrier between the families.
The Weasley's looked to one another, each lowering their wands angrily.
"Rubbish!" George yelled. "Our sister a Zabini?" He rolled his eyes in repulsion.
Blaise sighed, signaling his mother to lower her wand. She hesitated, then lowered it, resting her hand on his shoulder. "None of you will harm my son!"
"Well he best not touch my sister!" Ron pulled Ginny towards him, and she resisted.
"Ron—" She shoved him when he attempted to pull her arm. "I am fine!" She gave Blaise and his mother a pitiful look. "He's done nothing wrong."
Blaise nodded at his mother who gave Ginny an appreciative look. Much like her son Blaise's mother was for the most part, indifferent to the situation and any situation. She hadn't the slightest idea why any family would be upset with her son. He was
handsome, intelligent and rich.
Blaise closed the space between himself and Ginny by stepping to her side. He nodded to her, then saying nothing, withdrew to his mother and walked her away from the scene.
Ginny braced herself as her family exploded in questions.
….
Hermione and Harry finally found a decent place to sit that wasn't swarming with people or reporters. Harry took Hermione's hand and helped her into the small space, the stone bench was barely enough room for the both of them but it was quiet and secluded.
"Hermione, this is all a disaster. Have you found out anything? Researched?"
Harry looked like he hadn't slept in days, Hermione felt the stress in his words. Harry and Ron had always looked to her for answers, she looked at him in agony knowing she wouldn't find any.
"I'm sorry Harry, I have exhausted every possible explanation… I just, the ministry is solid on this one."
Harry fell silent, slowly nodding.
"You know Pansy snores, really—REALLY loud?"
Hermione giggled.
"How becoming of her."
They both laughed.
"How is Ron dealing, I mean…Parvati?" Hermione cringed at the thought of Ron being with anyone. He was ultimately miserable with Lavender Brown and became indifferent to her. She didn't expect his fate with Parvati to be positive.
"You should've seen his reaction…" Harry gave Hermione a look and made a gagging noise.
"He—he threw up?"
Harry laughed, shaking his head. "Everywhere…I don't know who I felt worse for, Ron, Parvati or myself having to witness the whole thing."
Hermione watched Harry laugh and sat still giving him a serious look.
"It must've been awful for all of you."
Harry stopped laughing and sighed. "For all of us? Hermione you're marrying Draco Malfoy." He took her hand and shook it. "It doesn't get more awful."
Hermione clutched the bag of potions tightly. She exhaled thinking about what lay ahead of them in the next five days. "It can."
A/N: First thank you for all of the positive feedback so far. I appreciate every review, favorite/follow! Definitely made me want to get another chapter up ASAP.
We obviously got to know who Harry and Ron are bonded with in this chapter! I thought long and hard on it, and that's what I came up with Harry and Pansy? Just too good!
There will definitely be more fights for Dramione ahead, neither one of them is giving up any type of security any time soon…but aw we have potions, so it will get interesting!
As for Blaise and Ginny? There's already a semi attraction brewing…but I love drama so we'll see. There won't be any updates till the holiday ends, I will be at work alllllll weekend. I hope you all enjoy your holiday! Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in the states.
