Courting Miss Granger-Chapter 28-The More the Less Merry

By Marmalady

"Don't worry," Neville added, "he's only just turned around."

Hermione heaved a sigh of relief. Ron would absolutely kill both of them if he saw them kiss. Hesitantly, she turned her head. Ron's eyes alighted on her, and he blinked, perhaps thinking he'd seen wrong. He shook his head slightly and moved forward, wife in tow. Eliza, who had been in Hufflepuff, not to mention a year ahead of them, waved cheerfully toward her. "Oh, hi... Ron," Hermione started nervously.

"Hermione..." Ron started, confusion evident on his face. "Who are you here with?" And suddenly it dawned on her that they were sitting at a square table. She was sitting equally near both Draco AND Neville. For all Ron knew, Draco and Antoine might be getting back together... that is, if he even knew that Draco had left Antoine at the altar. He rarely read the Prophet, not after the Rita Skeeter debacle.

Before Hermione could answer, however, Draco raised his hand in the air, his face grave. "She's with me." And before Hermione could tackle him, he turned his hand, his left hand, around, revealing the glorious gold wedding band. Hermione's breath caught in her throat and she squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the inevitable. She felt her own left hand being lifted off of her lap and examined. Cautiously, she opened her eyes. Ron was still holding her arm up, looking about ready to hyperventilate.

"You're... you're..." he couldn't get the words out.

"I'm sorry, Ron," Hermione gulped. She had been crying so much over the last few months, and tears seemed to be dangerously near the surface. But she couldn't, she wouldn't let herself cry. That would mean admitting that part of her was ashamed to be married to Draco, and that would break his heart.

Eliza, Antoine, and Neville stayed still, as if all three had been hit by a Petrificus Totallus spell. The tension was broken as Anna approached their table with their waters. "Oh, will they be joining your party?" she asked, gesturing to Ron and Eliza. "A booth just opened up, or I could scoot another table over.

"I don't think..." Draco started.

"Sure!" Ron said loudly, drowning out Draco. "We'd love to join you."

"Ron!" Eliza hissed, touching his arm. Anna, not catching this, dragged another table over.

"They've already ordered, but I'll get you some menus and I'll make sure to have them hurry with your orders." Anna left and returned shortly with menus, then left again.

"...You're married?" Ron asked, looking close to fainting, if it were possible for him to faint over anything besides spiders.

"Well-" Hermione began, but suddenly she stopped, as she saw Neville go rigid. She could tell by the look in his eyes that someone was approaching their table, someone he was terrified of.

"Well, well, well... If it isn't the happy couple." That was a voice Hermione knew only too well.

Draco turned in his seat. "Oh, hi, Pansy," he drawled. His voice sent shivers down Hermione's back. It had been so long since she had heard him speak with his drawl like that. It brought back ugly memories of cursing and name-calling. She had to remind herself who exactly he was talking to.

"Oh, hello, Pansy," Hermione said sweetly, as she turned in her seat. She froze when she noticed that her husband was with her.

Ron's eyes looked as if they were about to pop out of his head. "She knew before I did?" he asked, looking revolted.

"Two more?" Anna asked, suddenly appearing from the kitchen with two additional waters. "I guess I'll have to move you to that booth after all!" She laughed lightly, before stopping abruptly. She had just noticed just how thin and scary looking Bradley Bludwurm was.

"No!" Hermione almost shrieked, in reply to Anna's question. "No, no... they'll be much happier at their own table."

"Oh, don't be silly! We'd love to join you!" Pansy was wearing a pair of cotton candy pink robes, apparently not having even bothered to pretend to be a muggle. The robes were such a contrast compared to Bradley's choice of black, red, and skulls that it was hard to believe they could be married. "And Gr-Hermione! I want to sit right next to you." This part she said through a very fake smile, resulting in the words being spaced apart unnaturally. Hermione shivered.

Draco stood suddenly, looking large, powerful, and overbearing. "Look here, Pansy! For the last time, STAY AWAY FROM MY WIFE!" By now the entire restaurant was looking at them. Draco grabbed the back of their collars and forced them through the door, practically throwing them into the street. He turned around, eyes still ablaze with emotion, breathing forcefully.

"Well done, son!" Draco's knees nearly buckled as Lucius Malfoy suddenly appeared behind him, clapping a hand on his shoulder.

"Merlin's Uncle Alfred!" Draco cried. "Isn't this a MUGGLE restaurant!"

Hermione clutched at her chest, feeling as if the wind had been knocked out of her. What were the chances? REALLY? "I'm going to faint!" she whimpered softly.

"Me too," Neville agreed, eyes popping. He had never forgotten the Department of Mysteries incident.

Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy were standing behind Draco, elegantly dressed in only the finest muggle attire.

"Mum... Dad..." Draco said, slowly, looking somewhat fearful. His last conversation with his father had been so out-of-character that he felt sure that something must be wrong.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy!" Antoine, said cheerfully. She was the only one who seemed unscathed by the appearance of all of these surprise guests.

"Oh, hello, darling!" Narcissa said, in a somewhat sincere voice. "We did so hope you'd be joining our family." She glared a bit at Hermione.

Anna looked hesitantly at the new arrivals. "Would...?" she began, tentatively, but Ron cut her off.

"What have you gotten yourself into, Hermione?" he asked, staring between the four Malfoys. Anna sneeked away to the kitchen and another waitress returned in her stead, handing Hermione her long-awaited root beer.

"My name is Linda and I'll be your server this evening. Now, who needs to order still?" the new girl asked. Everyone rolled their eyes in her direction and Ron and Eliza raised their hands.

"We'll be joining them as well," Lucius informed the girl, who took a small double-take at his hair.

"Just to let you know, there is an automatic eighteen percent tip added to parties of eight or more."

"That's quite alright." Linda dragged a third table over, handing the elder Malfoys their menus, and left for the kitchen.

Neville and Ron had gone painfully off-color, and the fact that they were sharing a table with all of the Malfoys didn't help at all. Linda returned to take their drink order.

"It's so... nice to bump into you like this," Lucius drawled, looking carefully at all of the occupants of the table. He glanced at his menu. "I think I'll have the gnocchi," he said, as if he weren't unaccustomed to the company.

Draco looked down at his empty plate. The silence was immense.

"That was quite a display, throwing out the Bludwurms like that," Lucius added, conversationally. "Very... emotional." No one said anything. "I'd had my worries that you had grown weak," he hissed. "But then again, perhaps you have." His voice was low and it became apparent that Draco was shaking, his fists curled into white balls of flesh with knuckles.

"Will you drop this charade of yours already?" Draco said, nearly under his breath.

"What was that? I didn't quite catch it." Lucius took a sip from his glass of water, examining it first to make sure that it was clean.

"I said," Draco repeated, raising his voice, "will you DROP YOUR CHARADE already?"

"Charade?" Lucius looked curiously toward Narcissa, as if asking her if she understood. "What charade?"

"THIS ONE! You are not nice. You are not understanding. You do not allow me to marry a... excuse me, darling... MUDBLOOD!" Draco was shaking violently. Ron gaped opened mouthed at him.

"Perhaps we can talk about this later? Somewhere a little more private?" Lucius asked, face never faltering at all.

Draco stood and slammed his fist into the table. "FINE! Come along, Hermione, we're going to go have a little chat with your seemingly righteous new in-laws!" He grabbed her hand and stalked out of the restaurant.

End Notes:

Gnocchi...