She walked the poise and purpose only a woman on a hell-bent mission could.
She knew her goal, and she was going to achieve it.
It was strange how she and Draco acted. She was simply a mistress in other's eyes. In his, she was everything. All that was wrong immediately went right when she was there, and they both knew it.
Humming a tune of absolute victory, she passed her lover's wife and smirked. A small wave and gleam in her eyes let Pansy know she was no threat to Hermione.
"Ah, Ms. Granger, you made it." Draco greeted with a smile.
"Yes Mr. Malfoy. I am very honored to be here today, at your birthday celebration." Hermione smiled sweetly and planted a soft kiss on the pale skin of his cheek.
"I am sure you have heard the latest from Minister Weasly?" His gray eyes bore into her brown ones with intensity that most found the source of the Malfoy power.
"I am not sure what news you speak of. Maybe you could tell me." Hermione's voice was soft as silk as it floated across the ballroom of Malfoy Manor, the home Draco had inherited when his father was put into Azkaban for the crimes he committed under Voldemort.
A sticky smile spread across the mouth that had carried a scowl in her direction for so many years. "A new law has been passed, or rather, an old one is reinstated."
"Really? What is the law you speak of?"
"Muggle marriages being recognized by the Ministry."
Hermione's eyes lightened at the news. For the longest time, the Ministry would not recognize marriages of witches and wizards that were not married in the Wizarding world. "Muggle marriages", as they called them, were illegitimate.
"Is that so?"
"Quite." He chuckled lightly at the attention their privet conversation was receiving from the many guests mulling around the large room.
Hermione glanced at the ring she wore on her right ring finger. "So what does that mean to anyone here?" She smiled lightly at the white gold band, which carried a ruby and emerald on either side of a fair sized diamond.
"Pansy would no longer carry the Malfoy name. Someone else would."
"We'll see." Hermione sing-songed in a teasing voice as she turned away to find Harry.
Draco smiled warmly at her back, and a flicker of his true emotions toward her showed in his eyes.
People always murmured about the 'secret' Malfoy-Granger affair. It was public and very indiscreet at the same time. There was never anything big to completely give it away, but the tensions and looks told all. And people came to accept it, and many often slipped, speaking of Hermione as the rightful Malfoy wife.
Towards the end of the party, Draco stood before his guests, thanking them for celebrating with him. He admitted, after the previous War any birthday of a surviving member deserved a huge celebration.
This statement brought tears to the eyes of many in the room, including Harry and Ginny Potter. Ron had died in the War, protecting Hermione as she did the same for Harry. Draco knew the pain, as he had fought on the Light Side in the end, as a member of the Order.
"But I must say, the best present I got this year was not even directed for me." Draco's eyes twinkled in Hermione's direction.
A small roll of confused voices filled the great hall, wondering what he could mean.
"'Mione," Ginny tapped her friend's shoulder, "Why is he looking at you like that?"
Hermione just smiled and nodded toward Draco.
"As most of you know, the Ministry made a bold move in trying to reunite the Wizarding community, by making Muggle Marriages legal." Draco paused, "Many in this room are wondering what that has to do with my twenty-first birthday."
The roar of voices rose and many nodded in response. The most confused of all must have been Mrs. Malfoy herself. "Draco, darling, what are you talking about? How can the Muggle Marriages law affect you? We have a completely legal, pure-blood, marriage." Pansy stood and strode over to her husband.
"I will explain Pansy." Draco sighed. "Most of you know that I was married to Ms. Parkinson right after the completion of my education at Hogwarts. This was under orders of my father and the Dark Lord, as to show my loyalty to the Dark side and the Malfoy name. I accepted this and did as they said. We have now been married for almost three years.
"But many of you did not know, that at the time, I was actually a member of the Order, with my friend Harry Potter. The Order was using Snape and myself as, well, spies you could say, to stay one step ahead of the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters."
"Draco, this still has no point." Pansy shifted her weight from one foot to the other.
"Pansy shut up and let him finish." Harry rolled his eyes, knowing where this little talk was going. He nodded at Draco to continue, who smiled greatfully for Potter's actions.
"Many of you also did not know that I was involved with Hermione Granger during my stint with the Order, during sixth and seventh year at Hogwarts. Right before we graduated, we went to see her family, to tell them it was no longer safe for them in the Muggle world. We were going to bring them to Hogwarts to be protected by Dumbledore. I covered this by telling my father that I was going to spy on the Grangers so that we could hit the inner circle of Harry Potter." He paused for a breath and a smile for his true love. "While visiting her parents, Hermione and I were married by a Muggle preacher in her parent's church. Only the Order knew, because we all knew what I would have to do after graduation. We kept it all a secret for that reason. The Order and Hermione were not made targets, and my father and Voldemort never suspected."
Pansy's mouth dropped, "Draco, darling, what are you saying."
He turned to her and smiled with that evil smirk, "That our marriage, in fact, is illegitimate. It will not be recognized by the Ministry now, because Hermione and I were married at an earlier date." He gently pushed a fuming Ms. Parkinson aside and motioned at Hermione, "And if the real Mrs. Malfoy would now come up here, I would be honored."
She swiftly made her way to the front of the room grinning from ear to ear. Draco grabbed her waist and spun her in a circle, before taking the ring off of her right hand and slipping it onto the finger it belonged.
"I could not of asked for a better present. My life is now truly complete." Draco smiled and brought her small frame close into his body. "My world is right. I love you Hermione Malfoy."
"And I love you Draco Malfoy."
The room broke from the shocked silence into happy cheers as the real Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy shared the first of many public displays of affection.
It was strange how she and Draco acted. She was simply a mistress in other's eyes. In his, she was everything. All that was wrong immediately went right when she was there, and they both knew it.
Humming a tune of absolute victory, she passed her lover's wife and smirked. A small wave and gleam in her eyes let Pansy know she was no threat to Hermione.
"Ah, Ms. Granger, you made it." Draco greeted with a smile.
"Yes Mr. Malfoy. I am very honored to be here today, at your birthday celebration." Hermione smiled sweetly and planted a soft kiss on the pale skin of his cheek.
"I am sure you have heard the latest from Minister Weasly?" His gray eyes bore into her brown ones with intensity that most found the source of the Malfoy power.
"I am not sure what news you speak of. Maybe you could tell me." Hermione's voice was soft as silk as it floated across the ballroom of Malfoy Manor, the home Draco had inherited when his father was put into Azkaban for the crimes he committed under Voldemort.
A sticky smile spread across the mouth that had carried a scowl in her direction for so many years. "A new law has been passed, or rather, an old one is reinstated."
"Really? What is the law you speak of?"
"Muggle marriages being recognized by the Ministry."
Hermione's eyes lightened at the news. For the longest time, the Ministry would not recognize marriages of witches and wizards that were not married in the Wizarding world. "Muggle marriages", as they called them, were illegitimate.
"Is that so?"
"Quite." He chuckled lightly at the attention their privet conversation was receiving from the many guests mulling around the large room.
Hermione glanced at the ring she wore on her right ring finger. "So what does that mean to anyone here?" She smiled lightly at the white gold band, which carried a ruby and emerald on either side of a fair sized diamond.
"Pansy would no longer carry the Malfoy name. Someone else would."
"We'll see." Hermione sing-songed in a teasing voice as she turned away to find Harry.
Draco smiled warmly at her back, and a flicker of his true emotions toward her showed in his eyes.
People always murmured about the 'secret' Malfoy-Granger affair. It was public and very indiscreet at the same time. There was never anything big to completely give it away, but the tensions and looks told all. And people came to accept it, and many often slipped, speaking of Hermione as the rightful Malfoy wife.
Towards the end of the party, Draco stood before his guests, thanking them for celebrating with him. He admitted, after the previous War any birthday of a surviving member deserved a huge celebration.
This statement brought tears to the eyes of many in the room, including Harry and Ginny Potter. Ron had died in the War, protecting Hermione as she did the same for Harry. Draco knew the pain, as he had fought on the Light Side in the end, as a member of the Order.
"But I must say, the best present I got this year was not even directed for me." Draco's eyes twinkled in Hermione's direction.
A small roll of confused voices filled the great hall, wondering what he could mean.
"'Mione," Ginny tapped her friend's shoulder, "Why is he looking at you like that?"
Hermione just smiled and nodded toward Draco.
"As most of you know, the Ministry made a bold move in trying to reunite the Wizarding community, by making Muggle Marriages legal." Draco paused, "Many in this room are wondering what that has to do with my twenty-first birthday."
The roar of voices rose and many nodded in response. The most confused of all must have been Mrs. Malfoy herself. "Draco, darling, what are you talking about? How can the Muggle Marriages law affect you? We have a completely legal, pure-blood, marriage." Pansy stood and strode over to her husband.
"I will explain Pansy." Draco sighed. "Most of you know that I was married to Ms. Parkinson right after the completion of my education at Hogwarts. This was under orders of my father and the Dark Lord, as to show my loyalty to the Dark side and the Malfoy name. I accepted this and did as they said. We have now been married for almost three years.
"But many of you did not know, that at the time, I was actually a member of the Order, with my friend Harry Potter. The Order was using Snape and myself as, well, spies you could say, to stay one step ahead of the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters."
"Draco, this still has no point." Pansy shifted her weight from one foot to the other.
"Pansy shut up and let him finish." Harry rolled his eyes, knowing where this little talk was going. He nodded at Draco to continue, who smiled greatfully for Potter's actions.
"Many of you also did not know that I was involved with Hermione Granger during my stint with the Order, during sixth and seventh year at Hogwarts. Right before we graduated, we went to see her family, to tell them it was no longer safe for them in the Muggle world. We were going to bring them to Hogwarts to be protected by Dumbledore. I covered this by telling my father that I was going to spy on the Grangers so that we could hit the inner circle of Harry Potter." He paused for a breath and a smile for his true love. "While visiting her parents, Hermione and I were married by a Muggle preacher in her parent's church. Only the Order knew, because we all knew what I would have to do after graduation. We kept it all a secret for that reason. The Order and Hermione were not made targets, and my father and Voldemort never suspected."
Pansy's mouth dropped, "Draco, darling, what are you saying."
He turned to her and smiled with that evil smirk, "That our marriage, in fact, is illegitimate. It will not be recognized by the Ministry now, because Hermione and I were married at an earlier date." He gently pushed a fuming Ms. Parkinson aside and motioned at Hermione, "And if the real Mrs. Malfoy would now come up here, I would be honored."
She swiftly made her way to the front of the room grinning from ear to ear. Draco grabbed her waist and spun her in a circle, before taking the ring off of her right hand and slipping it onto the finger it belonged.
"I could not of asked for a better present. My life is now truly complete." Draco smiled and brought her small frame close into his body. "My world is right. I love you Hermione Malfoy."
"And I love you Draco Malfoy."
The room broke from the shocked silence into happy cheers as the real Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy shared the first of many public displays of affection.