AN: Sorry if it took a bit, I was very busy.
16.
Ginny was the maid of honour and she helped Hermione with her hairs. Ginny was giggling so much, she had never seen Hermione Granger so nervous.
"Relax Hermione! You are just getting married and, if I'm allowed to say it, to a very 'hot' wizard." Said Ginny.
Hermione glared at her "Easy for you to say! Just getting married she said! As if it was a good thing!" she sat on her bed and she put her head in her hands.
Ginny saw how upset she was and asked "What's wrong Hermione? Don't you love him?"
The expression of Hermione's face was a mixture between pain and tension, "Well, that's the problem Ginny!" When her friend looked at her questioningly, she went on "I think I ... I may have fallen in love with him and, and ... I don't want to marry him if he doesn't love me back!"
Ginny looked at Hermione, she was surprised by her admission "Hermione, I don't know what to say. I mean, I think that he loves you too. I mean, he wouldn't have gone through everything he had, if he didn't care for you."
Hermione sighed "Care is not love" and she put again her head in her hands.
Ginny smiled "Hermione, I think you have to give him time to realise what he feels. When he came to me and asked for the perfect date to propose, well, he looked nervous, so I asked why, and you know what he said?"
Hermione shook her head and Ginny said "He said that you deserved the best ever proposal and that he was a bit scared that you would reject him. This is not the talk of someone who just cares Hermione. I think that he has never loved before so, it's up to you to make him understand what love is."
Hermione was feeling a bit better "All right Ginny, I think you have a point there. We should go, I don't want to make him wait long."
They smiled at each other and Ginny hugged her "Hermione, I wish you all the happiness that you deserve!"
Draco was in the Great Hall, he was in front of Albus who would marry he and Hermione Granger. He took a deep breath.
He was going to marry her! He was getting very nervous at the thought that the witch of his dreams would finally be his.
He heard a bit of commotion and when he turned, he saw Potter and Weasley walking in. The Hall was in silence watching what was going to happen.
Harry and Ron walked down the aisle and then, Ron took a seat on the bride's side, while Harry took his place near Malfoy.
Everyone gasped, Draco and Harry smirked to each other. They had kept the fact, that Harry was his best man, a secret. Draco may have changed a bit but he was still a Slytherin and enjoyed surprising people.
The face of Narcissa Malfoy was between shocked and disgusted, but he didn't care. Nobody was going to spoil this day.
Then the music started, Ginny with a beautiful light blue dress entered the Hall, when she arrived near Draco, she winked at him and he smiled at her. Then, she took her place waiting for Hermione.
Hermione entered and everyone turned their attention on the bride and the person accompanying her.
Hermione was wearing a simple white dress, it was touching the floor and at every step was glistening. It had a v-neck cut and it suited her very well. Her hairs were let down and a simple crown of daisies was adorning her head.
The man near her was wearing black, as usual, but his hairs looked a bit groomed. Professor Severus Snape was taking the place of Hermione Granger 's father.
For anyone who would look, they would think that his scowl was showing his annoyance for the job but, for the few who knew him better, they could see something deeper glistening in his eyes.
The truth was that he was pleased and moved by Hermione's request, she loved him like a father and he, even if he would never admit it, loved her back as the daughter he would never have.
When she arrived near Draco, she took the time to look at him and she was breathless. He was wearing a dark grey wizard suit with a light-green shirt. His hairs were sleeked back but not in the same way he used to have when he was younger. They were more natural.
They smiled nervously to each other but it was obvious to all, that there was something going on between the two.
Albus cleared his throat, he was moved as well by the two youngsters in front of him, he loved them very much.
The Headmaster then talked "Dear friends and colleagues, we are here today to unite Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger in marriage. I am very pleased with both of them, they are the future bright generation of the wizarding world and the fact that one is a pureblood and the other is a muggle-born gives me hope that we will soon have a peaceful world, free of prejudices and bigoted hatred."
He paused then and looked at Severus "Who gives this woman away?"
Severus replied "I do" and then took the petite hand of Hermione and put it on Draco's hand. Then he stepped back and took a seat near Ron. Both wizards glared a bit at each other but then concentrated back on the ceremony.
Albus then said "If anyone present can show just and legal cause why they may not be joined, let them speak now or forever hold their peace."
Harry and Ron looked at each other and managed to smile. No, they weren't going to object.
When enough time had passed and nobody said anything Albus went on, "Draco will you have this woman as your lawful wedded wife, will you love her, honour her, comfort her, and keep her in sickness and in health; forsaking all others, be true to her as long as you both shall live?"
Draco gulped and then strongly said " I will."
Then Albus spoke again "Hermione will you have this man as your lawful wedded husband, will you love him, honour him, comfort him, and keep him in sickness and in health; forsaking all others, be true to him as long as you both shall live?"
She felt her heart beating faster but she was a Gryffindor and she knew what her answer had to be " I will."
Draco exhaled the breath that he didn't know was holding. She had agreed to be his wife.
Albus motioned for Harry to take the rings and then he said "The rings are the symbol of wedlock. The perfect circle of love, the unbroken union of this man and this woman united here today. May you both remain faithful to this symbol of true love. Please, Draco and Hermione join your hands and repeat after me."
Draco took Hermione's hand and placed the ring on her fingers and then following Albus' instruction he said "I Draco take you, Hermione, as my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part."
Hermione with tears in her eyes took his hand and placed the ring on his finger and then repeated after Albus "I Hermione take you, Draco as my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part."
Albus was smiling fondly while saying "For as much as Draco and Hermione have consented together in wedlock, and have witnessed the same before this company of friends and family, and have given and pledged their promises to each other, and have declared the same by giving and receiving a ring, and by joining hands. By the authority vested in me by the Ministry of Magic, I pronounce this couple to be husband and wife."
He then added "Draco, you may now seal your vows with a kiss."
Draco took Hermione in his arms and very gently placed his mouth on hers, they were both surprised at the intensity of the kiss and soon, Hermione's hands went around Draco's neck and he held her even closer to him.
The people watching didn't have any doubts about the feelings of the two wizards and Narcissa angrily left the Great Hall.
When they finally managed to let go of each other, Ablus said "And now Ladies and Gentlemen, I now have the pleasure of presenting to you Draco and Hermione, husband and wife."
And the Hall erupted in cheers and clapping. There was going to be a reception in the Great Hall and after that, the two newly wedded would leave for the cottage in the outskirts of Hogsmead.
Everyone was congratulating Hermione and Draco, luckily the ceremony had gone smoothly and the departure of Narcissa Malfoy left both very relieved.
When the music started to play, Draco took his wife's hand and led her in the center of the Great Hall, he took her in his arms and started dancing. Soon, more couple followed.
Draco asked, "So Mrs Malfoy, how do you feel?" Hermione laughed, "Well, Mr Malfoy, I'm a bit nervous and a bit excited. And very happy, what about you?"
He smiled fondly at her, "I'm very happy Hermione and I feel very lucky as well. I believe I couldn't have chosen a better wife for me."
They remained in silence after that, both just content in being there together. When a reasonable time has passed, or at least Draco hoped that it was reasonable, he saluted everyone and took his bride away.
When they entered the little cottage, Hermione looked around curiously and Draco took a seat on a sofa under the window.
The cottage's door opened into a living room with a sofa, a table with four chairs, a nice fireplace and a little library. There were two doors, one leading to the bedroom and one to the kitchen.
Hermione was getting increasingly nervous and Draco noticed it, but he didn't understand the reason, so he asked, "Hermione, what's wrong?"
She turned to look at him and blushed. How could she tell her husband that she was scared about sleeping with him? "Well, Draco, I, uhm, well, that is."
He chuckled, "It must be something very important if it left you speechless."
She felt her eyes starting to water and she turned before he could see her tears. But Draco, a trained spy, had caught the glistening in her eyes.
He approached her and he took her in his arms, "What's wrong Hermione? Why are you so upset? You can tell me, really."
She was in his arms, feeling ashamed of her fears, "I don't know what to expect from tonight. I mean I really don't know how to." Draco put his finger on her mouth to stop her.
He smiled at her, "Hermione, don't worry. Tonight it's going to be special, for both of us. I will take care of it. I won't hurt you, do you believe me?"
She nodded, she trusted him with her life. He read it in her eyes and after a minute of looking intently at each other he took her hand and led her to their room.
The dawn found Hermione resting on Draco's chest and tracing the skull of his Dark Mark. She asked him, "Did it hurt when he made it?"
Draco smiled at his wife, "I guess it hurt more psychologically than physically. You are basically becoming a slave and you will have to obey him forever. Unfortunately, I realised it a bit too late."
She smiled at him, "It's ok now. You have got me and we will get through everything together. Draco, I love you."
He was shocked, his wife was telling him that she loved him. He was elated as well, he wanted to jump out of bed and start dancing. Then, he looked at her and realised that she was expecting an answer.
He opened his mouth to say that he loved her when a searing pain shot though his body. The Dark Mark was angrily summoning him to his 'master'.
Hermione saw the pain in Draco eyes and understood. They quickly jumped out of bed. He started to wear his Death Eater clothes and then said, "Hermione, I have to go. He is calling me. When I leave I want you to go back to Hogwarts and wait there for me. Tell Albus and Severus."
He quickly kissed her and before apparating said, "We will finish our talk later." And with that last phrase Hermione saw her husband disappearing from the cottage.
AN: Thanks for reading.