Draco had provided her with his address to meet the next day. She had to get back to the office that afternoon, but she had told him she would clear her schedule the next day. She told him it was a good time actually in the grand scheme of things as she was between major cases so she was freer than she usually would be. Granger had laughed and it was a bit hysterical at the end before she composed herself. Somehow it made him feel saner knowing she was standing on the precipice of her sanity over this news as well. Draco spent the rest of the afternoon wandering downtown London. He wandered into a restaurant at half seven he hadn't really eaten since breakfast, and he felt his stomach complain. He had no idea what kind of food this place served but it had smelled good from outside. He was sitting down when Granger came in with several work colleagues. Their eyes met across the room, but she didn't make an indication she knew him. Fantastic, so this would be their life then, he wasn't sure why he was disappointed. Then a hand touched his shoulder.
"Malfoy, would you like to join us for dinner, you might as well meet my team. Well, a few of them," Granger said kindly and maybe with a hint of awkwardness.
"Are you sure Granger? I really don't want to be an intrusion," Draco said casually.
"Come off it, I wouldn't have invited if it was you so come if you want or eat alone," Granger said in her classic irritated voice.
Draco rose from his seat and followed Granger to her table.
"Draco this is Matilda, Charlie, and I believe you know Greg," the hulking form of his childhood friend leaned forward from around the corner of the circular booth.
"Draco, nice to see you again," Greg said discomfort evident in his voice. Granger came to his rescue.
"Greg is my liaison for magical beasts and creatures, he handles the more technical aspects of those cases. He is really quite brilliant when he applies himself," she says with a note of fondness and cajoling. Draco was sure he had fallen into an alternate dimension. Finally, Draco found his own thick tongue.
"Greg it is great to see you again. Matilda, Charlie pleasure to make your acquaintance, Hermione slide into the circular booth and the only seat left was directly to her left. Draco slide in next to her and his leg brushed hers before she scooted a bit away from him. Gods, his pulse was racing.
"Well, I guess you all can be the first to know, the Ministry in their infinite power and glory has decided Draco and I need to be married for the good of the wizarding world," she said so casually. She had used his first name twice in the span of two minutes and he couldn't get over the ease with which she spoke about their impending nuptials, then he noticed it. The ever so slight dead look to her eyes. Not Occlumency he didn't think but certainly a compartmentalizing of emotions. She made light of her life because otherwise she would fall apart, he recognized that feeling. The table was silent, then Greg was laughing.
"That is hilarious, Hermione be serious, Shacklebolt wouldn't do that to you, no offense mate but really, even you have to laugh at the absurdity," Greg's laugh died in his throat as he scanned both of their faces, "Bloody hell, you are serious."
Charlie and Matilda exchanged significant looks. Draco felt her tense beside him, she had wanted to make a joke about this to stave off the horror that this whole situation was, but it was blowing up in her face because saying it out loud made it real. He pressed his leg into hers with purpose, hoping it wasn't crossing any boundaries of their nonexistent relationship. She remained stiff for a moment then she gripped his knee with a trembling hand. Draco covered her hand with his and spoke.
"Unfortunately, we are serious, I found out today. To top it off the ministry is telling the gentlemen first so they can be chivalrous and propose. Absolute rubbish, I found Hermione this afternoon to tell her because fuck them and their backward notion of chivalry," saying her given name had felt strange on his tongue, not unpleasant just strange. Granger's hand had finally stopped trembling, but she was making no move to remove her hand, so he didn't either.
"Hermione dear, are you going to be alright, no offense Mr. Malfoy I know very little about your history other than your family history which I have learned means very little since beginning to work with Mr. Goyle here. I have had much unlearning to do just like we all have. I went to school with your mother and father they were a sixth years when I was in my first year. I was also a Slytherin, so I knew them only distantly. I am half-blood so you can imagine," her voice dropped then. It was Draco's turn to lose it and Granger gripped his hand then. The fact they were both a mess dressed as well-adjusted members of society was not lost on him.
The waiter appeared at that moment and Charlie had the good sense to order a round of scotch for the table and an appetizer of some kind. This was why Draco had run. Bumping into people who knew his parents or him was something that always set him on edge. He would never outrun his family's shadow.
The waiter reappeared with their drinks, and everyone took a long drink.
"Mr. Malfoy, I can see I have upset you dear, I am sorry. I am sure this is just as hard for you. I had heard you were out of the country until only recently so this all must be rather shocking," Matilda spoke again, "we actually had all come to dinner because Hermione had wanted to talk about the law again and told us she had some new updates. Though we didn't know the nature of those updates until moments ago."
Draco finally found his voice then after another sip of the scotch, "It was rather shocking, but mostly I felt like you did. I thought it was a cruel joke. Mine and Ms. Granger's history is less than pleasant. In which the unpleasantness was mostly of my doing so I couldn't believe the Ministry would do this to her," Draco said with measured calm avoiding her first name now because it felt too personal for their lack of pleasant history, "so what are you calling this war counsel for Granger?"
Finally, she release his hand as the appetizer was set on the table reaching for a chip covered in what appeared to be molten cheese. He gave the dish a curious look.
"It's a chip with cheese Malfoy, nothing poisonous," she taunted her eyes flashing with mirth, the fear pushed back down but he could still see it lurking there in the shadows.
"Sorry Granger, not many cheese chips in India or Columbia or any of the other places I went over the last four years," Draco drawled back in his usual bored tone.
"All that time and you never went to America mate? I hear American girls love a bloke with a British accent and you have one of the poshest ones I have heard in all my life, and you speak French. Do you know how many kinds of laid you could have been!" Greg exclaims as Matilda chokes on her chip and Charlie snorts scotch out of his nose. The table is laughing and so is he. Draco can't remember the last time he had laughed like that. Granger's laugh is musical and lights up her face and reddens her cheeks in lovely way. Draco is sure he wants to find every way to ensure he hears it again and often. He and Granger may never love one another, and this marriage is not either of their first or even last choices, but in that moment he is sure he wants to make sure she still finds joy in her life.
"Mr. Malfoy as crass as your friend may be, he is entirely correct I can speak from," he takes sip, "personal experience." Charlie looks away from the table a bit abashed, Matilda punches his arm.
"Charlie, you minx what?!" Granger exclaims, "you have been holding out on us all this time with your saucy former life!"
"Yes, I know hard to believe I too was once young and wild just like you three," Charlie says with a heavy dose of sarcasm.
The waiter returns and the table orders, Granger orders for him, a strange experience, but he hadn't looked at the menu and every one else seemed to know what they were getting. This was a regular occurrence for the group. He couldn't shake the feeling of being an interloper.
Dinner was well under way and the group turned discussion to discussion a new angle from which to oppose this law on the grounds of their method of informing candidates. They knew fighting them on the law itself was moot right now, but the method was barbaric and needed to be exposed.
"Can I make a suggestion?" Draco finally cut in after several minutes of listening to various strategies.
"Granger and I plan to play their game so well they never see us coming, I am going to propose in the most disgusting lavish way possible followed by an abbreviated courtship," Draco looks at Granger then, "I was going to mention the courting bit tomorrow but well here we are. Anyway, it will ingratiate her into good societies graces to participate in courting. With the media power we gain by playing the game I propose we casually mention the unfortunate archaic manner in which the Ministry is informing participants. We play it off as a silly oversight of course but the message will stick, and you better believe the papers will print their Golden Girl's words. Especially when she is accepting her role in the unification efforts with such grace and poise."
"That's actually rather brilliant Draco, I know every old biddy will eat up Hermione finally being brought to heel by a husband," Greg said and Draco felt Granger tense beside him, "not that you will be but they won't know that, also if you think most pureblood wives aren't actually the master of the house you are sorely mistaken. Be in a room with Narcissa for a few minutes and try and tell me she doesn't command it in a subtle and artful way. Draco's mother is terrifying, hot but terrifying."
"What the fuck," Draco exclaims. Hermione snorts.
"I look forward to meeting her officially then," Granger said with only a small tremble to her voice that Draco was sure no one else noticed. The discussion turns to other office matters and current events after the group agrees Draco's plan is a good one. After another hour or so the group is heading out to their respective homes. Draco ends up in some awkward hug situation with Goyle before he walks down the street to Apparate. Matilda and Charlie, Draco learned are actually a married couple who both work for Hermione as her office manager and legal counsel. Sweet unassuming Matilda is actually a shark in the court room apparently which Draco found both exciting and terrifying because he could not imagine being torn to shreds by a woman who looks liable to hug you before gutting you. He had heard of some of her landmark cases though and she had a reputation. Granger had certainly curated a crack team. The couple walked down the street leaving Draco standing with Granger. She turned to him abruptly.
"How much about this law do you know about?" she said abruptly.
"Not much more than what was in the papers I haven't had a chance to dig very deep yet because I had no idea the law even existed until last week. I pulled some books from the Manor's library on historical uses of Marriage Laws over the centuries to see what they may have drafted this current variation from," Draco answered.
"The Manor has books on Marriage Law?" Granger's inner swot was shining through.
"Yes Granger, the Manor's library has texts about pretty much anything you would ever want to know. It is several hundred years old," Draco said trying to hold in a smile, "I have the books here though in my flat. I am staying in London now."
"I want to see them," she pronounced and took his arm dragging him down the street to the Apparition point, "well you are going to have to take us as I have no idea where you live."
Draco just looks at her gob smacked, "now, I thought we were going to meet tomorrow?"
"Well, we are already together and I am not tired and I am on edge and would rather just have everything out now so I can attempt to take a full breath," desperation creeping into her voice.
"Very well," Draco said as he raised his wand and landed them outside his apartment.
She dropped his arm and looked at him expectantly.
"I actually need your hand, to add you to my wards. I set these several year ago when I was much more wary of everyone. I am still not entirely ready to let them go so unless I add you, you can't enter," Draco said quietly.
Granger held her hand out, "Sorry," Draco said as he used his wand to cut her palm, she flinched but didn't pull her hand away as he had expected. He used his wand to draw up several drops of her blood and began the incantations to weave her blood into the fabric of the wards. He still had her slender wrist in his grasp, and he drew her hand up to the ward as he finished the spell placing her hand on his door. The entirety of the ward shimmered golden. He dropped her hand then and the gold faded. He opened his door then and looked back to see her looking at her palm and the open doorway, her face was one of shock and maybe awe. He considered how little about blood magic she probably knew since Hogwarts certainly never taught it, because someone at some point decided it was considered Dark Magic, ridiculous.
"Come on Granger," Draco said in an encouraging voice.
"Nasty indeed, I felt the intention of those wards when you placed my palm on that door. Malfoy can anyone but the two of us enter?" She said still clutching her bleeding hand.
He grabbed her wrist again muttering a healing spell because apparently her blood was still not something he fancied seeing.
"Oh, thank you. Are you alright?" She asked.
Damn observant witch.
"Fine, apparently I still don't like the sight of your blood in my home," he said tightly, and she paled a bit.
"Of course, I should have thought of that I am sorry," she said quietly.
"Please don't apologize to me about that day, that is beyond the pale," he said taking fortifying breaths, "to answer your question, my mother can but that is it. You think these are nasty, these are only my blood, the Manor, well most everyone knows how long it took to breach those. Days and dozens of witches and wizards. I will add you to those as well, but I can only do that once we are married, they are much more selective in whom is allowed to be added," Draco said darkly.
"The wards are selective, or the house is?" she asked skeptically.
"Granger, Malfoy Manor was built by my family over a thousand years ago. The house has been added onto several times, but it is nearly as old as Hogwarts, it is sentient and yes it has opinions. I know I was a prat in school about my blood and superiority but can you for one moment consider I might have the greater knowledge of ancient magic?" Draco realized he had been nearly shouting.
"Well then, no need to shout Malfoy, I was curious. I have no doubt you have the advantage about a great number of magical things because many of those topics are only taught to Wizarding children and passed down in families. Muggleborns are at a constant disadvantage," she spits back but Draco cuts her off.
"Yes, Granger I know, you don't have to lecture me about all my privileges I am aware: thank you, can we return to our original purpose. I am also happy to share any and all of my knowledge with you. You will be my wife I wouldn't withhold anything from you," he said finally lower his voice. He wanted to take back the last sentence though because the look she was giving him now was making his skin crawl. Like she was trying to look through him. Finally, she seemed to divine whatever she was searching for, and she turned away to wander into the flat.
"Its pretty bare in here, have you never lived here?" she asked in a polite conversational tone and Draco had whiplash.
"No, I haven't. I bought it, set the wards, and left on my world tour. When I returned to England over the years I stayed at the Manor with mother," Draco walked to the bar, "do you want a drink?"
"Sure, whatever you are having," she said as she sat on the chaise kicking her heels off before neatly curling her legs off to the side. The way she lounged drew Draco's gaze for a moment longer before he shook his head to refocus. Draco poured each of them two fingers of Ogden's and he handed her, her glass before taking up a position across from her in a wingback chair.
"Well, are you going to start this meeting because I do not have the agenda Granger," Draco drawls and flashes her a cheeky smile.
"Prat," she huffs and takes a drink to cover what he is fairly sure is a smile, "The law requires that we marry and has clauses that allows for divorce after ten years provided the couple has had no children in that time."
Draco drinks deeply from his glass what he is about to tell her is going to so much worse than she already thinks this is.
"Granger, I don't know how to soften what I am going to tell you so I will just be direct," he meets her amber gaze, "we will never be able to divorce, even without children."
"Malfoy don't be ridiculous, I never imagined you were so old fashion," she says with a burst of anger that surprised him. She had risen to march across the room to stand right in front of him; her irritation is a palpable thing. Draco rises to his feet to tower over her because even though he didn't feel the old animosity toward her this witch knew just how to get under his skin.
"What did I tell you about ancient magic. Once again I know something you don't," Draco says as he leans down threateningly, "some long dead Malfoy added a special addendum to any marriage to a Malfoy heir. We can never divorce or leave our spouse. We cannot harm them, and we are bound to protect them. My father was insane yes, but part of that was likely from the fact he was beholden to generations of magic that demanded he protect his wife and heir. It was placed on all heirs because it strengthens the families magic and leads to more powerful generations of witches and wizards."
Granger looks up then and her face is inches from his, but she doesn't retreat. Draco wets his lip then and her eyes track the movement of his tongue. Draco straightens then putting some distance between himself and the confusing and frustrating witch in front of him.
"How does it strengthen the family magic?" she asked curiosity creeping back into her voice. Draco slumps back to his chair then, but she remains standing in front of him with her hands resting on her hips now impatiently waiting for his reply.
Bloody hell this witch will be my death.
"Go sit woman you and your five-foot nothing frame attempting to loom is hilarious," he says with a shooing motion.
"I am five foot three inches if you please," she sputters, and Draco smirks and raises a brow. She huffs and stomps back to the chaise and resumes her former position.
"As I was saying," he pauses for dramatic effect, she rolls her eyes, oh this marriage was going to be fun, "the ceremony will be much like any other marriage binding ceremony but instead of the usual hand fasting ritual, we will perform a core bond, it is…"
"A. Core. Bond. Malfoy that is insane the implications of that are permanent and if it is broken our magic would be stripped from us!" she was shrieking again and in his face.
"We would likely die actually, if that is any consolation," Draco said leaning back pinching the base of his skull where a headache was blooming from this conversation and the stress of the day. She leaned in then planting her hands on either arm rest. She was standing directly between his legs now her scent, jasmine, vanilla, parchment, and a hint of ink, surrounded him. He opened his eyes then to find Granger's face inches from his again.
"What's your next move Granger," Draco asked quietly sitting up straighter bringing him closer to her his arms resting on his thighs. If he flexed his hands he could brush the inside of her knees.
And why the blood hell are you thinking of that Draco?
"Drop the clause, you have to be able to drop it," she says her voice beginning to betray her desperation.
"I would if I could, but it is not that simple, I read every scrap of information the we had on the ritual when I first learned about it. The ritual performed by my ancestor binds every Malfoy heir from now until there are no more. The magic was dark and the process of reversing it would require a sacrifice that would be highly frowned upon by our good friends at the Ministry and really any person with a soul. So, no I cannot just drop it," he said in a quiet voice. Then she leaned in further and rested her head on his shoulder and groaned. Draco sat entirely still he had no idea what to do in this situation. This morning he hadn't seen her in five years and now here they were in his flat alone. They had held hands today to keep the other from having public panic attacks and now she was standing between his knees resting her forehead on his shoulder groaning in frustration.
"Malfoy, your family truly sucks, I just want to put that on the record," she mutters into his shoulder before standing back up to look him in the face, "I may punch you in the nose again just for spite."
She laughed ruefully as she turned to retreat to her chaise.
"You know when I got that letter this morning; I had no idea what this day would hold but I swear upon every Galleon in my vaults this," Draco said gesturing with his glass between them, "would not have cracked the top hundred outcomes."
"Well, I will second that by saying, if I imagined a situation in which I ran into Draco Malfoy on the street, I would never have guessed it would be because you were going to tell me we are going to be married. I would swear on all the money my vaults but that would hardly bare the same weight as yours," Granger said dryly.
"Well in two weeks you can make that claim and it will hold them same weight," Draco said with a smirk. Granger looked confused.
"Granger, you will be my wife, what is mine will be yours," he said pedantically.
"I don't need your money Malfoy," she snapped back.
"It's not charity woman it's just what is done. You will be a Malfoy whether you change your name I don't care, but by binding our cores we will literally be two halves of a whole. So, sharing a vault is hardly the most intimate thing I will share with you," Draco snapped back. The word intimate reminded Draco of possibly the most mortify detail and he had almost forgotten entirely.
"Malfoy why do you look ill, I have a horrible feeling I know what you are about to say, and I really want you not to say it," Granger said with apprehension.
Draco summoned the Ogden's and poured generous glass and sent it to Granger. She did the same. Both of them drank deeply, maintaining eye contact. She spoke first.
"How long after we are bonded do we have to," she drank again, "seal then deal so to speak."
Draco half choked on his whiskey.
"I honestly don't know; it's not usually postponed. The consummation is usually the same day. From what I have read about marriage core bonding and my family's ritual the two people would weaken slowly until the bond was sealed. I would guess at most we could wait a month, but I am afraid that is being wildly generous," Draco said tightly.
"Right, well for tonight I am not going to think about that," she says as she finished her glass, "When do you plan to propose I would like to get as early of start on this as possible. Maximizing on our two weeks is going to be critical I think to your plan working as we hope," she says in a light tone changing topics entirely.
"If tomorrow works for you I can arrange for a photographer to come to the Manor and take photos of you meeting my mother and all the tradition betrothal pomp and circumstance. Will that be ok for you?" Draco asked aware this would be her first time back since that horrible day.
"I would like to go to the Manor before I am photographed there, and I need an appropriate dress. What about the day after tomorrow. I could still go to the Manor tomorrow though just to see the house and meet your mother," she said resigned.
Draco had risen from his chair and crossed to sit next to her then. We don't have to do it at the Manor if you aren't ready Granger, we can do it anywhere," Draco said gently.
"No, the Manor is where you would have done it if you were going to marry some Pureblood witch yes?" Draco nods, "so it is the proper thing, and we are meant to be putting on a show. I will be ok I just want to see it without an audience first."
"It is much changed, my mother redecorated, its much brighter more modern, it's still a thousand-year-old house but it has more modern luxuries now," Draco said with a little chuckle hoping he was succeeding in lightening the mood.
"I am sure she has done a fantastic job. What time should I meet you here to Floo to the Manor?" she asked in a distracted tone.
"Let's say eleven, give mother enough time to panic and plan a luncheon and arrange six different floral arrangements before ultimately going back to her first one," Draco said with a genuine smile now.
She met his gaze and returned his smile, "I will see you tomorrow, Malfoy, good night."
"Are you sure you can Apparate in this state?" Draco asked as she swayed on her feet before sitting back down.
"Maybe not," she said with defeat.
"I don't know where you live, or I would take you and my Floo is only connected to the Manor. I can sleep at the Manor tonight and you can stay here if that would make you more comfortable," Draco offered.
"Are you telling me this huge flat has only one bedroom?" she said with an incredulous look.
"No, it has three guest rooms, I just wanted to make you comfortable Granger," Draco said forcing his voice to stay calm but irritation bleed through regardless.
"Malfoy we are going to be married in two weeks and I will have to live here because yes cohabitation is a requirement of the law, consider this practice," she said gesturing for him to lead the way to the bedrooms.
Draco rose and offered her his arm to steady herself. She made to let go of his arm once she was on her feet but stumbled before taking his arm again. Draco curled his lips to keep from laughing. She looked at him with that incredulous face as they approached the steps to the upper level.
"Really, a second floor?" she rolled her eyes.
"Yes Granger, a second floor and a roof top terrace, I will take you on a tour sometime," he said with a sneer.
He stopped in front of the guest room that was directly across from his room.
"I will leave you here, there should be toiletries in the bathroom," he said politely.
He turned and went to his own room, he considered that she would likely want to get out of her work clothes. He went to his closet and found a soft tee shirt and joggers. He returned to her door and knocked. She appeared at the door a moment later with a toothbrush in her mouth her hair braided into a loose plate over her shoulder.
"I though you might want something to sleep in that wasn't your work clothes," Draco said feeling suddenly shy.
"Thanks," she said around the toothbrush and took the tee shirt, "those joggers will literally fall straight off Malfoy. The shirt will be just fine. I appreciate it."
Draco stands there long after she closes the door not imagining the woman behind that door wearing only his tee shirt to bed.