Courting Miss Granger-Chapter 13- Narcissa
By Marmalade Fever
Draco slid underneath the covers in his bed, smiling. He'd kissed her. Half of him squirmed under the thought that he had kissed a mudblood, the other half was pleased. Those two lips would never look the same to him again. They were just so... he couldn't describe it. It had been years since he had kissed a girl. He'd never especially liked Pansy, who was downright disgusting in comparison. That was probably why he had only kissed her once. Granger was also about five times prettier, not to mention smarter, more interesting, and nice. Then there was also the memory of her hand. That delicate little hand of hers which fit perfectly into his... That ring on her finger gave him an odd sense of pride. It was as if she were his property and no one else's. It was funny to think how upset she'd be if she knew that he thought of her as property. That wasn't exactly it though. Property seemed a poor word. It was more like she couldn't be taken away. Not so much as if she were his per se, but that she was consenting to be with him, or something like that. It was hard to admit, but this marriage contract had made him happier than he had been in a long time. A wife was exactly what was missing in his life. He needed some one to love. Love? No, he wasn't ready to use that word. He didn't love her... certainly not! Right? Oh bugger did he need some sleep...
Hermione stared up at her ceiling from her bed. Her hand was voluntarily running itself over and over her lips. What had ever happened to stupid, muggle-hating, suck-upping, bratty, snobby Draco Malfoy? When had he become so romantic, so sweet, so tender, so... masculine? She felt guilty for allowing him to kiss her. What would Ron and Harry think? Ron must have been right. She did want this to happen, despite what her brain was saying. He had been the enemy, she had accused him of being the Heir of Slytherin, she knew full well that he came from a family of Death-Eaters, and yet... somehow he had changed. What had he been like over the years when she hadn't seen him? How had he acted when he was all alone? Maybe he had always been a decent person, just never in front of others. He had, after all, merited a prefect badge. Maybe Dumbledore knew something she didn't? She'd never hoped for something so much in her life. Her hand left her lips, where they still felt tingly. A kiss that good could only have come from years of practice on his part. The pig. But of course he'd have had plenty of opportunity. She'd always secretly admitted that he was the best looking boy in her year back at Hogwarts. Back then she would have rolled her eyes if she had seen him walking around with one of those stupid girls who had practically swarmed around him in his sixth and seventh year. She grinned slightly, imagining the look of jealousy on any one of those girl's faces if they were to see her and Draco together. Most of those girls had to be married now, or else the contract would have permitted a broader range of girls for Draco to choose from. The kiss had been very gentle though. He hadn't exactly been trying to suck the very skin off of her skull, which showed a certain level of respect towards her. It had been soft and perfect. She wondered if she'd ever be able to meet his eyes again. Another thing had happened over the years. Somehow he had gone from being a scrawny thing which had to hide behind Crabbe and Goyle, to being tall, muscular, and handsome. What had ever happened to Crabbe and Goyle, anyway? Draco hadn't mentioned them once that she could recall. Questions, questions, so many questions. It was time to sleep.
Saturday morning came and Hermione and Ginny arrived at the front door of the Malfoy Manor. They panted slightly, having walked from Malfoy's house. The same house-elf with the dish towel around its middle led them inside and into a room on the second floor where Mrs. Malfoy had prepared tea.
"Miss Granger," she said rising and coming within a half an inch of Hermione's cheek, as if pretending to kiss it. "Miss Weasley, I presume?" she asked, turning her lifted nose toward Ginny.
"No, no, it's Mrs. Thomas," Ginny hurriedly corrected.
"Yes, well, of course it is," Mrs. Malfoy said, with a slight snort. "Is that the ring?" she said, turning back to Hermione and examining her hand.
"Yes, it is," Hermione said, with a slight nod.
"The boy has good taste, I see. He gets that from both sides of the family. Tell me, I haven't seen Draco for a few days, how is he?" Narcissa asked, eying Hermione with a hawk-like gaze.
"Oh, he's just fine. I haven't seen him since Tuesday, though, so I probably don't know that much more than you," Hermione replied, sincerely hoping not to have to go into detail about what had happened on Tuesday. It had been hard enough going over it with Ginny on the way over. She certainly didn't want to get into a lot of girl talk with Narcissa Malfoy.
"Well, isn't that nice? Why don't we get to business, hmm?" They sat down at a table where half a dozen house-elves where already swarming, putting down dish after dish. With a snap of Mrs. Malfoy's fingers, they were gone. "Now, I need to know whom you would like to invite."
"Well," Hermione said, pausing with a teacup halfway to her mouth, "I suppose Ginny, for starters, her mother, Mrs. Weasley, my mother, my aunt, Trudy, and my cousins, Alice and Louise, Lavender and Parvati-I'm not sure what their surnames are these days, and--" Hermione stopped. Mrs. Malfoy had jotted down only three names.
"And?" Mrs. Malfoy asked, looking up.
"What about my family and Mrs. Weasley?" Hermione asked, feeling slightly sickened.
"Well, I suppose if you really want Molly Weasley there then she can come. You must admit though, that muggles really shouldn't be, er, mixing. I mean, does your aunt or either of your cousins know about your being a witch?"
"Well, no, I guess not. But why can't my mother come?"
"And what's wrong with my mother?" Ginny asked, glaring.
Mrs. Malfoy ignored Ginny's question. "I just don't think that any of the ladies that I'm inviting would get along with her. Why don't you have a second shower, just with your relatives? Hmm?"
There was very little good arguing with that idea. It would be safer to keep her relatives in the dark about the real nature of this wedding. "Just the same, I'm sure my mother would like to meet with you at some point, Mrs. Malfoy."
"Maybe at Christmas," Mrs. Malfoy said, sniffing. "Now, who were these other girls?"
Hermione listed several other girls from Hogwarts, as well as some of her co-workers, and Tonks. She decided to have Penelope come to the muggle shower. Mrs. Malfoy, apparently, had already made a list of about ten girls from Slytherin and elsewhere and it took a good half hour of persuading to get her to remove a couple. ("I really don't think it would be a good idea to invite Pansy... she really isn't taking the idea well.")
"Now, shall we decide on a date? How about on a Sunday, three weeks from now? Say one o'clock?"
"Fine," Hermione said, feeling drained.
"And have you given any thought about whom you would like as your bridesmaids?"
"Ginny's going to be my maid of honor. Other than that, no." Ginny stirred slightly from the stupor she'd been in for the last few minutes at the sound of her name.
"Why don't I help you plan this, Mrs. Malfoy? It's not right for Hermione to plan this herself," Ginny said, unblinkingly.
"That won't be necessary. I already have everything else planned. Now, why don't you two go home now?"
Ginny and Hermione looked at each other and practically ran for the door. "You can help me plan the other shower," Hermione said, as they strode back across the huge lawn toward Draco's property.
"Sure. I don't trust that woman, you know that?" Ginny asked, glancing back over her shoulder.
"Of course not. Who would?" Hermione said.
"Come now, Darling, don't badmouth my mother." They turned to find Malfoy striding towards them. A lump jumped into Hermione's throat at the sight of him. "Ginny," Malfoy said, nodding.
"Would you trust her if you were in our situation?" Ginny asked.
"Probably not!" he said, smiling. He was walking directly alongside of Hermione.
"What're you doing here?" Hermione said, finding her voice.
"Just thought I'd walk with you, that's all." He did a sort of mock yawn and stretch and put his arm over her shoulder. Hermione's heart sped up a few beats. She wasn't sure if she were relieved or not by Ginny's presence.
"Where's the nearest point of apparation?" Ginny asked, as they walked a little further.
"Just ahead," he said, pointing to the edge of the property where the trees began.
"See you then," Ginny said, hurrying forward and disappearing with a pop.
"What was that about?" Hermione wondered out loud.
"Oh, she probably just didn't want to intrude." He looked straight into her eyes and sent chills down her back. "Alright if I come and see what color your pajamas are in the morning?"
"Uh, sure... Maybe we can go to my parents' house and break the news to them?"
"Sounds good," he said, smiling in a friendly sort of way. They stopped at the edge of the property. He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Cheer up, everything'll be fine." They each Disapparated.
