Hermione stared at her reflection in the mirror in her room. She had tried to sleep earlier, but it had come at a high price. All she could remember was the look of revulsion in Harry's eyes when he had looked at her. She had almost heard the words that he hadn't said echo in her mind. Slytherin's whore. She swallowed the lump in her throat. He hadn't had to say it, she thought painfully. It had been plain to see there in his eyes. Unconsciously, her fingertips traced her pristine white throat. The bruises from her attack had long since faded, but the memory was still there--painful and ugly. Dumbledore hadn't summoned her to his office again, and for the hundredth time she painfully wondered if he had completely forgotten about the attack made on her. She shook away those thoughts fiercely.
Trying to dispel her unruly thoughts, she turned and withdrew her robe from the closet. She wore a midnight blue boatneck dress that went to her knees. It hugged her curvy figure in all the right places. She had wanted to look as nice as possible, even though the circumstances were unconventional. But then, it wouldn't matter what she was wearing once she put on her robes. She pulled the robe over her head, feeling the soft silk slither over her skin. She had spent too much on this robe, but she hadn't been able to resist. It was pure white, the color of moonbeams, and silken. Hardly practical, but she had bought it anyway. Now for the first time she would wear it.
She brushed out her long hair, staring at herself in the mirror. She had only lit a single candle, trying not to wake up Ginny or alert her that she was leaving her room at all. The soft candlelight flickered over her skin, illuminating her porcelain skin and creating shadows in her face. It made her cheekbones seem as sharp as an ice-pick, and made her eyes seem darker than usual. She left her hair unbound, then rose from her seat and clasped a black cloak around her to hide her white robes. They were obviously ceremonial, and Ron would want to know why she was wearing them. She felt fragile, like there was only a thin layer of calmness that was keeping her from bursting into tears or hysteria.
She had never dreamed that her marriage would be like this, she thought, staring into the mirror at herself. She had wanted her mother to dress her, to smooth her hands lovingly over Hermione's shoulders and to dab at her tears. Wanted her father to tell her that she was beautiful, and to walk her down the aisle to her man. But now she was alone. Tears brimmed, but she shoved them away violently. Those things didn't matter, she told herself firmly as she withdrew Draco's ring from its hiding spot. Those were just the trappings for the only thing that mattered. Her marriage to Draco.
She took a deep breath to steel herself and checked her appearance once more, then opened her door and closed it softly behind her, then crept downstairs into the common room. Ron was on a sofa, obviously half asleep. He blinked woozily at her as she came down the stairs, then came abruptly awake when he saw her. "Wow," he breathed. "You look amazing, Hermione."
She swallowed the lump in her throat and abruptly rushed him as he stood and hugged him fiercely. He blinked, startled by the desperation in her hug. Awkwardly his hands came around to hold her. "Hey," he said gently. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"
She nodded against his chest, trying desperately to stem the tears. "I'm okay," she sniffled. "Sorry." She stepped quickly back, but he caught her wrist in a gentle grip.
"You're upset," he said with a frown. "What happened? Did Malfoy say something to you?" Immediately his face drew down into a fierce scowl.
Hermione let out a watery laugh. "No, it wasn't Draco." She hesitated, and decided to tell him part of the truth. "I told Harry about Draco and I," she said softly.
He blinked, then his eyes darkened with sympathy. "He didn't take it well?"
Hermione laughed harshly and swiped at a few stray tears. "To say the least. I could practically see the brand that he stamped on my ass--Slytherin's whore." Ron's mouth opened in wordless shock.
"Hermione, that's ridiculous. Harry would never think something like that!" he sputtered, but she just looked at him with dark, wounded eyes and didn't respond.
His mouth opened and closed for a moment, then he shut it with a soft click and shook his head sternly. "You're just imagining things, Hermione. Harry wouldn't think something like that."
Hermione moved one shoulder and glanced away. "Can we leave?" she asked quietly. "We're going to be late."
"Sure," Ron murmured, still distracted. He preceded her in emerging from the portrait hole, and glanced around carefully for any professors or other prefects before he held out one hand to help her out of the portrait hole. She walked in silence beside Ron, her thoughts preoccupied even as her eyes scanned the corridors as his did. This was the first time that she had been in the corridors at night since her attack, and it only added her to anxiousness.
When they finally reached the door that led to the stairs of the Astronomy tower, Ron stopped and pocketed his wand with a wry smile. "Well, looks like we're ok now," he said cheerfully. "I think you can make it from here."
Hermione nodded mutely, then hugged Ron again, her grip convulsive. He hugged her back, his hands gentle. Then he held her at arm's-length. "I'll talk to Harry," he said firmly. "And I'll sort all this out."
Hermione smiled, her lips trembling slightly. "Thanks, Ron," she whispered. "You're a good friend."
He grinned lopsidedly at her. "Thanks, Mione. I could say the same for you."
She smiled at him and kissed his cheek, then turned with a quick swirl of her cloak and hurried up the winding stairs to the Astronomy tower. Ron touched two fingers to his cheek in mild surprise, then shook his head, smiling sadly as he withdrew his wand and made his way back to the Gryffindor common room.
* * * * *
At the door that led into the wide, circular room that was open-topped so that students could view the sky unimpeded, Hermione hesitated. Taking a deep breath, she pushed through the door, then caught her breath in wonder. The room was filled with white candles and gardenias. Music with a woman's sultry voice was playing softly from somewhere in the room that she couldn't see. And the groom himself was standing in one corner of the room, fiddling absently with the sleeve of his robe. When he heard the door open, he looked up quickly, then his smile spread as he saw the shock on Hermione's face.
"I wanted to surprise you," he announced, moving slowly toward her.
"I am surprised," she said, feeling her stomach flutter. "I'm completely surprised. How did you manage all this?"
He waved dismissively. "Not that hard." But he didn't go into detail. He reached her and raised her hand to his lips, his eyes locked with hers over their joined hands. A lump formed in her throat at the tender gesture. "I wanted it to be special for you," he said softly. "I didn't want it to be a joyless thing. And I know that you wanted something white."
She choked out a laugh and threw herself into his arms and buried her face against his shoulder. "You're so perfect," she sniffled, and he smirked into her hair.
"I'm glad you think so," he said, a trace of the old Draco in his voice. She squeezed him tighter, then released him and pressed a feverish kiss to his lips. "Thank you," she said roughly. "This means--you just don't know what this means to me."
He frowned slightly and caught her face between his hands. "Did you just think we were going to get married in some dusty old classroom?"
When she didn't answer, he sighed heavily. "Darling, I wouldn't want that for you. I know that weddings mean a lot to girls. Our marriage isn't a conventional one by any means, but I didn't want to cheat you of the wedding that you wanted any more than was necessary."
Hermione felt a cool tear slide down her cheek. "Thank you," she repeated. Then she pressed her damp cheek against his. "It means a great deal to me."
He grinned at her, then took her hand gently and led her farther into the room, closing the door with his foot. He led her to the middle of the room, then smiled down at her. Hermione looked up into his warm mercury eyes and felt her nerves dissipate. She withdrew her cloak, and watched his eyes flare. She tossed it aside, then smiled up at him. "Do you like it?" she asked softly.
She watched his throat work convulsively. "It's great. Merlin, you're gorgeous." He fingered her hair and saw something gleam softly within the silken strands. He frowned and leaned closer, then blinked down at her. "What's in your hair?"
"Silver chains," she said with a smile. "Only a few. I braided them into my hair."
"They look like stars," he murmured. "Just like that first night."
She smiled up at him. "Just like that first night," she repeated. "I thought that today, when I sat beside the lake." She reached up to lay her palm against Draco's cheek. "You've made me very happy," she said simply. "Thank you for it."
He laughed shortly. "I don't know what I've done, love, but I'm glad for it, because you make me feel--amazing."
She smiled teasingly. "I wasn't talking about that."
"Neither was I," he retorted. When he saw her skeptical look, he relented, "Okay, okay, not just about that."
She grinned cheekily. "That's what I thought." She laid her cheek against his shoulder and smiled to herself when he started to slow dance with her. She closed her eyes, feeling the warmth of his body pressed against hers, the now-familiar scent of his skin in her nose. She had no idea how long they slow danced before she felt something cool slide over the third finger on her left hand. Her eyes flew open in shock and she stared at her hand, then gaped at the ring.
It was three carats of flawless diamond cut in a square shape in a white gold band. She stared at the ring in shock before he tipped up her chin with two fingers to meet her eyes steadily. "I take you as my wife," he said softly, "to honor and love you for as long as I live. I take you as my partner, to trust and share the joys and sorrows of my life with you. And I take you as the mother of my children, to cherish and love them for all the rest of my life. With this ring, I thee wed. This is my solemn vow."
A single tear slid down Hermione's cheek, and she hastily withdrew Draco's ring. "I take you as my husband," she said quietly, her eyes warm on his, "to honor and love you for as long as I live. I take you as my partner, to trust and share the joys and sorrows of my life with you. And I take you as the father of my children, to cherish and love them for all the rest of my life. With this ring, I thee wed. This is my solemn vow." She showed him the inscription on the inside of his band and saw his eyes flare. Then she slid it onto his finger.
The rings gleamed softly in tandem for a moment, and Hermione gasped as a rush of warmth spread through her body. It faded a moment later, and she saw that Draco also looked a little shaken. Finally she whispered, "Is it done?"
He let out a long breath, then grinned at her. "Yes. It's done. You're now Mrs. Hermione Malfoy."
She bit her lip, then kissed him, tears glittering on her cheeks in the moonlight. She held out her hand to admire her ring while she held onto him possessively. She didn't think he minded very much, especially considering how tightly he was holding her. She kissed him again, smiling broadly. "Merlin, it's gorgeous, Draco! But it's so extravagant! I wasn't expecting something like this."
He smiled slightly. "I know. That's why it's so fun to surprise you."
She elbowed him gently. "Seriously," she insisted.
He rolled his eyes. "I come from a wealthy family, darling. I have plenty of money, and who better to spend it on than my wife?"
Hermione grinned broadly. "I'm your wife," she said, delight in her voice. "I'm your wife." She threw her arms around him to hug him hard. "I'm married!" She blinked at the idea, and Draco laughed.
"Yup. You're married, pet. Better get used to it. Soon everyone will know."
That caused her smile to immediately fade. "Let's not talk about that," she said immediately, biting her lip. "I don't want to talk about it tonight. Tonight is for happiness."
He frowned down at her. "What's wrong?"
She shook her head quickly. "Nothing, nothing. Let's just not think of anything except us tonight. I want to just be with you."
He hesitated, then smiled and obeyed her. He slipped his arm around her waist and tipped his head back to stare at the stars. He drew her against his tall body and pressed a kiss to her hair. "You're beautiful, Hermione," he said seriously.
She smiled up at him, and he could have sworn he saw a blush heat her cheeks. "So are you," she said shyly, and he grinned broadly. Even after they had lain together, and they were now married, she was still a little shy around him. It was so cute. He ran his hand over her shoulder and brushed his fingertips over her neck and felt her shiver delicately beneath his touch. His eyes heated, and he pressed a kiss to the junction of her neck and shoulder.
"I want to lie with you," he said quietly, his eyes intense. "I want to sleep with you in my arms, Hermione."
She tilted her chin up to smile at him, her eyes warm with promise. "Then I'm sure you'll find a way," she said softly, and his eyes darkened. He didn't smile back at her. He took out his wand and got rid of the flowers and candles, leaving the room as bare as it had been when he had gotten there. Then he seized her hand and hurried out of the room and down the stairs.
Hermione grinned madly as they darted through the corridors, and had to clap her hand over her mouth to suppress her giggles. They went gradually downward until they reached the portrait for the Slytherin common room. "Dungbombs," Draco snapped, and the portrait winked lustily at him and nodded suggestively towards Hermione then swung open. Draco peered around the corner to make sure that the common room was deserted, then fairly dragged Hermione upstairs and into his room.
He locked the door behind him, then turned and saw that she was sprawled out on his bed. His eyes glittered down at her as he set his wand carefully on the dresser, then took hers and did the same. Her lips curled in a slow smile as she propped her head on her elbow. "Why Mr.Malfoy," she teased softly. "What are you doing all the way over there?"
"Looking at my wife," he retorted, filling his gaze with her. The moonlight filtered through his windows, reminding him powerfully of the night when he had come to her room in the storm. But this time she was wide awake, and her eyes were full of knowledge and promise. She sat up on the bed and pulled her robe off over her head, making the silver chains in her hair catch the light and gleam softly.
His eyes glittered as he pulled off his own robe to show that he was wearing black trousers and a white silk shirt. Hermione's smile curled. "Darling, you're wearing too many clothes," she murmured. "C'mere and let me fix that for you."
He walked toward her and let her unbutton his shirt as his hands touched her hair, slid velvet fingertips over her cheek, then glancingly over the swell of her breast before moving slowly up and down her back. She pressed a kiss to his abdomen as she removed his shirt and felt the muscle ripple beneath the touch of her mouth.
His hand moved slowly over her back and moved the zipper down, then slid inside to splay his hand over her bare back. She tilted her head back, her hair spilling down her back and concealing his hand on her skin. He kissed her, at first with just a brush of lips, then nipping lightly at her full lower lip. He felt her tremble beneath his hands as he pulled her dress off her shoulders and tossed it on the floor, his eyes hot.
She smiled up at him, her eyes as old as Eve's. "I'm your wife now," she whispered. "No one can touch you like this except me."
"Damn straight," he growled as he laid her back against the pillows, his knuckles easing over her silky skin. "And no one else is ever going to see you like this except me. Ever."
She smiled up at him, then sucked in a gasp as he slid a fingertip along her thigh. "Nope," she said, her voice a little strangled. "Not a chance."
His smile was feral. "Good."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Author's Notes:
So there was the wedding! I hope that it didn't disappoint. ^_^ I know the vows weren't particularly original, but I tried my best. *shrugs*
I guess I'm starting to like Ron more for some reason, because he turned out as quite the gentleman in this chapter. ^_^ So we'll have to see where that goes. *grins*
I've also revised Chapter 16. Not the content, really, but I added song lyrics to the bottom of the page because I thought they were pretty and applicable. ^_^ So if you have a yen you can check them out.
I've also written another story that's Draco/Ginny, and I'm liking the way that it's going to so far. ^_^ So if you're not a straightedge Hermione/Draco fan (or even if you are), then you should check it out, just for kicks. ^_^ It's called 'To Wed the Enemy'.
Thank you all so much for reviewing!
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Disclaimer: I own nothing concerning the Harry Potter universe. All of that belongs to J.K. Rowling. I do own my plot, however, and Jonathon Ravensblack.
