Hi everyone!
Well in this chapter you cerantly could say that "the die is cast" as Julius Caesar would have said: "Alea iacta est!" The wedding is here an I'm quite satisfied with it :)
Disclamior: They are NOT mine, will never ever be - they ARE JK's for the 14:th time
Disclamior: The lyric doesn't belong to me - belongs in this chapter to Nightwish and is called "She is my sin" pay atention dear readers cause this time it actually have a clear link to my story.
And there's a speach further down in teh chapter - you'll notice while seeing it - it's a poem and it' not mine neither.
But otherways - ENJOY :)
Alea iacta est - The die is cast
Take heed, dear heart
once apart, she can touch
nor me nor you
dressed as one
a wolf will betray a lamb
Hermione got up from bed, her head exploded in pure pain and agony. Almost everything in her sight faded to darkness and she had to lie back down again. Her hands fumbled along the side of her bed, hoping to find the switch to her night-lamp; problem was, she didn't find her lamp, she didn't find her bed-table or her own sheets, but an old blanket.
She opened her eyes slowly and felt pure horror as she was met by cold stonewalls which were adorned with green and silver banners, clearly a Slytherin room. To her horror she also recognized the bad smell which floated in the air; sweat, un-cleaned clothes, rotted potions ingredients and other horrible scents that shouldn't even be mentioned.
"Had a good night's sleep, Miss Granger?" A silky voice purred from above.
Hermione gulped and gazed upwards. All clad in black and with snarling features, her potions professor was in sight. His eyes glittered unpleasantly and his yellow teeth were bared when his lips withdrew themselves from a prior position, thus making him look like an animal prepared for attack.
'Pretend that you don't remember!'
'Exactly, I don't remember a single thing from yesterday!'
'Umm… what happened yesterday?'
"What do you mean professor? What am I doing here? Why does my head hurt?" She put on a dramatic face and stared confusingly at the surroundings.
"You don't happen to remember this?" Snape handed her a book in a reddish-brown dust jacket, Hermione recognized her own poetry-book immediately.
"That's my Latin poetry collection, sir," she confirmed and tried to meet his intense stare, while doing that she felt like she was being emptied of her feelings. She lowered her gaze at once, remembering Snape's skills in Occlumency.
"Why is this wonderful piece of written art down here?" Snape gave her an icy stare and Hermione tried to remember but couldn't honestly recollect many facts from yesterday evening. The last thing she remembered was Ron knocking at her door and then some fragments of a rude painting guarding Snape's chambers…
"Umm… professor, if you don't mind me asking… but, uh, this place, is it your private chambers?"
"Yes it is you imbecile," Snape bellowed, Hermione flinched and stared at him, he looked murderous. From his mouth a huge amount of saliva was thrown, Hermione flinched even more, "and I can't understand your sick obsession with my private chambers, Miss Granger."
"S-s-sick obsession, s-s-sir?" she stammered, "What happened professor?"
"So you don't remember?" Snape's black, burning eyes became most uncomfortable as he lent forward and by pure mental force made her look into those black tunnels again.
Then he withdrew himself, staring her down for a moment and then he thrust a glass bottle in her hand. Hermione recognized it as a fire whiskey-bottle, a half empty fire whiskey-bottle. She did remember it, she remembered Accio-ing it, but what had happened afterwards she didn't remember.
"I… I remember this one though," she confessed, "I Accio-ed it."
"Thirty points from Gryffindor, Miss Granger, for bringing and using alcohol inside school," Snape's lips moved almost mechanically, as if what he just said came by pure force of habit.
"Yes, sir… may I go now? I'm in need of sleep… you know for tomorrow… and tomorrow's events," Hermione rubbed her eyes gently. Truth be told, she was in an absolute need of a hangover potion and then a dreamless sleep potion and then at last a restful night. Alone.
"You may go, and take these with you." He handed her two bottles, containing a hangover potion and a dreamless sleep potion.
She nodded and stared into his depths once again, she knew that she'd done something that he was absolutely furious with, but for some strange reason he didn't punish her for it. She got up and swayed over to a massive door which led out to a corridor she thought she remembered. When she stood in the portrait hole she suddenly remembered something, a picture of Snape. His chest was covered in vomit, he held an unconscious head girl in his arms and he looked totally surprised.
'Oh my god! Hell, shit, shit, shit. How embarrassing! But why didn't he...? Why didn't he deduct house-points for that? Or even worse… he could have got me expelled… why didn't he?'
The portrait that hid Snape's chambers slammed shut, Hermione stood face to face with that rude pureblood again; he was still snarling in her direction. She stuck her tongue out and made a face, he stared back at her in horror.
"Who are you?" she asked in an almost childish voice.
"I am Salazar Slytherin," he answered and gave her a very nasty look.
"Have a nice evening, Mister Slytherin," she cheered and chuckled to herself as she saw his face turn deadly pale, because it wasn't very often a person spoke so slackly and insolent with him, let alone a Muggle born.
When she got to her bedroom she had a quick shower, making sure that everything left from Snape's smelly dungeon was washed away. Then she had a hasty glance at her clock-radio, it showed 03:00 with distinct, red and annoying numbers; only fifteen hours until the wedding ceremony would take place. In one gulp she'd finished her hangover potion and then her dreamless sleep-potion; tiredly she crept into her nightgown and then tugged herself into bed. It would be her last night in her own comfortable, red, very Gryffindor bed. After putting out the lights she drifted off to sleep, a sleep without nightmares, sorrows or anger.
Lead astray the gazers
the razors on your seducing
skin
in the meadow of sinful thoughts
every flower's a perfect
one
To paradise with pleasure haunted,
Haunted by
fear
"Heeeeermiooooneee….,"
Hermione growled and turned to her other side, ignoring the annoying voice that spoke her name. Her mouth was dry and she was sure about that it stank of whiskey, sleep and un-brushed teeth. She licked her lips and squinted with one eye; she was facing her wall, a red and golden wall. To her surprise it was full daylight outside. Normally it wasn't such a bad thing to awake this time, especially if she were free, but today, today, she wasn't at all pleased with the fact that it was lunchtime or even worse…. past lunch.
"Ooo, Hermioooooneee."
"Go away…," she growled in her pillow.
"Hermione…," someone tugged at her sheets.
"I don't want to get up just yet."
"Hermione," someone threw off her sheets, Hermione shrieked in protest and curled into a ball with her knees up against her chin.
"What do you want, Ginny?"
"Are you always this rude in the mornings, oh please forgive me, afternoon?" Ginny's voice asked jokingly, "I'll bet a hundred that it's Mr. Malfoy I really should feel sorry for."
"I got drunk last night," Hermione mumbled as she sat up and rubbed her eyes.
Ginny's eyes went wide; she stared at Hermione as if her friend had gone mad. Then she began laughing, she flopped down on Hermione's bed and patted her friend's head in a motherly gesture.
"Aw… poor fellow, having a bit of a hangover now then I presume?"
"No, Snape gave me a hangover potion last night."
"SNAPE gave you a hangover potion? Hermione what did you do after I and Harry left? Ron told me he came to your room two times, first you answered but sounded as if you were in a state and when he came back you weren't there."
"I… erm…" Hermione's face reddened as she began studying her hands, "Well I kind of got drunk, okay? Really drunk… and then I felt like taking a midnight stroll… after that there's a big gap where I don't remember a thing. Well almost, I had a strange image in my mind when I left Snape's private chambers-"
"His private chambers! Hermione, really."
"Yes…" Hermione's face became as red as Ginny's hair, "Well I think I tried to get into his chambers for some strange reason, armed with a bottle of fire-whiskey and a Latin poetry collection. I think he caught me doing the 'get into' part and I umm… you see, I was very drunk so I kind of puked on his clothes…"
"Wait a minute, how did you succeed with that, puke on his clothes I mean… oh no, Hermione, you didn't… did you?"
"Well I think I kind of hugged him or…umm…rather clung onto him and well…"
"And then you two entered his chambers? I don't want to know more now, Hermione, you're making nasty images of you and Snape run through my head."
"No, I fainted afterwards… and then I woke up on his sofa with a blanket over me. He deducted points from Gryffindor because I was drunk and then handed me a hangover-potion and a dreamless sleep-potion."
"EWWW! Who knows what he could have been doing while you were sleeping."
"Stop that. I don't want those kind of images running through my head, thank you."
"Speaking of which, the clock says 15:38 so you'd better get ready beca-"
"Its 15:38!" Hermione got up from the bed in one, unbelievable movement, "Oh my, oh my, I'm dead; soon I'll be dead…HELP me, Ginny, I don't want to get married."
Hermione was close to a nervous breakdown; she jumped up and down, wriggled her hands and cried. Ginny watched her for a moment before she embraced her; together they sat back down on Hermione's bed again. Ginny hushed her and mumbled gently in her ear until the older girl had calmed down a bit.
"Don't give in, Hermione, please don't… it hurts to see you like this," Ginny kissed the top of Hermione's head, something she had picked up from her mother.
"I'm so afraid, Ginny. I'm so afraid," the brown-haired girl whispered into the redhead's chest, like a child seeking comfort.
"I know… and it's easy for me to say that you'll have to be strong and show him," Ginny sighed and patted Hermione's back, "He'll probably use you, maybe abuse you and never love you but you'll have to fight fire with fire. He won't have the time of his life. Think about what power you'll have as his wife. Think about all his house-elves that you now can free….legally. Or even better; pay them."
"I love you, Ginny. You and Harry and… and Ron..."
"Don't cry, Hermione. Ron will wait for you and Lucius can't live forever. He's older then you and Ron… maybe he'll be gone only after a few years."
"Maybe…" Hermione sighed and snuffled, "Oh look at your jumper; it's all wet."
"Oh never mind, you can keep wetting it until you feel satisfied; even blow your nose in it if you must."
Hermione couldn't help herself, she began laughing and after a while Ginny joined her. They sat on Hermione's bed and giggled, laughed and sniggered for a while. Finally when the laughter had silenced into nothing Ginny spoke.
"No, this will never do. Come on, we'll put you in the shower, serve you some breakfast….err lunch and then we'll put on your dress, braid you hair and put on some make-up…"
"I don't want make-up, Ginny," Hermione protested in a way which told her friend that there was no way to persuade her further in the question.
"As you wish… but some braids?"
"If it'll make you happy," Hermione sighed, "And hey, I know what, we can take a bath together…and you can dress up as well because you're coming to the wedding."
"We'll come, all of us… the wedding will be held here in Hogwarts, Dumbledore will perform the ceremony… he told me this morning."
"Thank god," Hermione breathed, "Well, will you accompany me in the bath?"
"You bet I will."
Hermione and Ginny ran over to Hermione's bathroom and filled her bathtub with hot water, bath-salt and oils with sweet scents of honey, roses and milk. Ginny washed Hermione's hair and Hermione did Ginny the same favour. When they finally got out of the tub, the clock angrily beeped, meaning that it was time for lunch.
Despite the fact that Hermione hadn't eaten for hours (she hadn't eaten since breakfast yesterday, to be precise) she wasn't hungry. Ginny offered her eggs, bacon, pies, rice pudding but Hermione only ate a bowl of honey yoghurt and a huge cup of citrus tea, which only made her think of Lucius, and that didn't improve the painful feeling which crept into the pit of her stomach.
"You'll have to eat, Hermione. You can't go on starving yourself like that," Ginny protested, the red head, who was clearly were related to her brother, had eaten eggs, bacon and rice pudding with a good appetite.
"If I eat more than this I'll be sick," the brown-eyed girl answered calmly and rose from the floor on which they'd been having their little lunch-picnic.
"Do you want to get dressed now?" Ginny rose too and their lunch disappeared.
"Yes," Hermione answered weakly and nodded.
"You'll have to put on that dress all by yourself, I won't touch it."
Once again Hermione nodded, she strode towards her wardrobe and picked up her dress with shaking hands. The fabric felt chilly under her trembling hands, without thinking she put it on, feeling its softness and the way it floated around her.
"Here," Ginny had advanced upon her from behind, handing her a package.
"What's this?"
"It's from Ron. Harry and I… I thought, you had no shoes and it'll be a bit cold to walk barefoot inside the castle."
Hermione opened the package and found a pair of neat sandals inside. They were made of the finest dragon skin; white dragon skin, which was very rare. On the front and on the clasps Hermione saw glittering gems that looked very suspicious, Hermione hoped they weren't diamonds because then she would feel embarrassed.
"It's too much," Hermione almost swept Ginny into a bear-hug, but she stopped herself in the motion, realising that it would be very painful for Ginny to come in contact with her whilst in her dress.
"Would you like me to braid your hair? I've got your garland of flowers too," Ginny handed Hermione a beautiful garland which contained oak leaves and white lilies.
Hermione smiled in her direction as she put on her sandals, when she was done with her shoes she sat down on a chair and Ginny started braid her hair, making a complicated sort of hairdo which Hermione didn't know of. Her hair was maid to look like a crown and then fell down in a rich braid. When she was done the redhead placed the freshly green and pure white garland on Hermione's head. Then Hermione's best friend amongst the girls got mirror and showed her the result. Hermione solemnly watched her reflection; she really looked like a witch on her way to the stake.
"You are the most beautiful bride ever… so pure," Ginny almost patted her shoulder but stopped herself in the motion; instead she caressed Hermione's cheeks.
"I'm not, you'll be the most beautiful bride," Hermione protested, "and now you'll be the best maid of honour in the world also."
"Flattering dolt," Ginny said jokingly and placed a shopping-bag on Hermione's table, "Harry bought this dress… I couldn't afford it."
Ginny's dress was mint-green and white, showing off the great colour of her wavy, copper-red hair which shone like gold in the setting sun. The white in her dress gave her milk white skin such a soft background that it almost appeared to shine, her freckles looked adorable on her flushed cheeks. Her dress also showed off her curves, something that sadly indicated that she would inherit Molly's body later on in life, after some children maybe. But today Ginny just looked plain beautiful, and if she kept on exercising she wouldn't necessary be a copy of her mother.
"You're beautiful," Hermione squealed.
"You're beautiful," Ginny handed back and smiled sweetly, "Just one thing is missing."
"What?"
Ginny dug deep inside her shopping-bag and found a little crystal bottle in the shape of an apple, she screwed the lid and then sprayed the purple fluid on Hermione's hair, her arms and her chest. It was perfume; its scent was so adorable that Hermione almost fainted. It was the scent of strawberries, woods, grass, lilies…summer.
"Where did you get this?" Hermione asked Ginny who sprayed a little on her own hair.
"It's from my mum, a wedding perfume. It's been wandering around in our family for as long anyone can remember… it'll grant you a happy future the holder says."
"Oh, lucky me," Hermione muttered as thought about the irony.
"Oh my gosh, look, your clock-what-ever-you-call-it shows 16:50. It's time."
"Oh no, if they want me downstairs they'll have to drag me," Hermione told her friend stubbornly.
As if what she recently said was an order her door flew open with a huge bang, at the entrance Harry and Ron were visible dressed up in their finest robes. Ron was still pale, unstable and he still coughed irritatingly but some of his colour had returned to his face. He had also filled out due to never ending meals.
"You're beautiful," Harry told Hermione, he kissed her hand and gave her a sad smile.
"Ahem," hawked Ginny jokingly and Harry gave her an admiring glance.
"And you are the most adorable woman on this earth," Harry told his fiancée and kissed her fiercely.
Ron stood numbly and waited in the doorframe, he had paled at the sight of Hermione, and she returned him a gaze full of longing. Harry caught it and whispered something in Ginny's ear, she nodded in return and the happy young couple silently left the room. Ron swallowed and then made his way to a trembling Hermione. He kissed her hand gently and spoke.
"You are so beautiful that I can find no words… I'd kill for you."
"It's not worth it, Ron," she retorted and caressed his cheek, "But Lucius won't live forever."
"So it's 'Lucius' now, eh?" Ron's voice caught an edge of bitterness, he seemed to regret what he'd said because he kissed her hand once again, "I'll wait for you, Hermione… my love knows no bounds."
Hermione's eyes watered and she couldn't help but kiss Ron feverishly on the lips, he answered with such a passion that she almost became frightened, but he let go and eyed her with sadness in his eyes. With a heavy voice which dripped of sorrow he spoke.
"I'll mess up your hair. (Sniff) You look so beautiful. (Sniff) If you were mine I would love and honour you every single moment," his voice died on his lips.
"You're just making it harder… love," Hermione whispered caressingly.
"I'll keep myself in the background," Ron told her, "and I won't say goodbye when the wedding's over because I couldn't stand it… I… I'll tell you goodbye now… love." He leant forward and kissed her forehead and then he exited her chambers, leaving her alone in her room.
A sin for him
Desire within, Desire within
A
burning veil
for the bride too dear for him
A sin for him
Desire within, Desire within
fall
in love with your deep dark sin
She stood in the darkness, quietly watching the wedding tow as it paraded into the great hall, she would enter as the last person, walking quietly and gracefully towards the altar behind a purple sleeved Albus Dumbledore who stood with a depressed expression playing in his face. Before him a black clothed Lucius Malfoy was kneeling in the usual wizard-ceremony position. Beside him Draco should have stood, serving as best-man, but Hermione couldn't find ferret-face anywhere, that was, until she heard his arrogant drawl behind her.
"Dear me, you are rather stunning this way, Granger… so innocent… tell me, are you still a virgin?"
"What are you doing here ferret face, shouldn't you kneel beside your father?"
"So you are still a virgin. What a delight, my father will be thrilled… too bad I couldn't be the one to take that special thing from you, mother."
"Fuck you, Malfoy," she snarled.
"If you insist, we still have about five minutes until you'll have to enter the ceremony. If you wish we could find a nice closet and… play for a while?"
"In your dreams, ferret-face. Get out of my way or tell me what you came here to tell me or I'll hex you into the next month."
Draco licked his lips and winked in her direction, his eyes glittered lustfully and Hermione had no doubt about that if she'd said yes on his earlier proposal he would have preformed it willingly. It was as if he'd caught an interest in her just because of the fact that she would marry his father… some sick, perverse, secret fantasy he had maybe.
"If you have to know, mudblood, I'm here to deliver the ring you'll give my father," Draco gave Hermione a flat, golden ring without any inscriptions or gems; very un-Malfoyish.
"If that is all I'd like to see you gone because I need these last moments of my freedom for myself."
"At least give me the chance to give you my wedding-gift," Draco told her defensibly and smirked as he showed her a simple, golden chain with a pedant portraying a little golden heart which, with some spells, glowed red.
"I won't wear anything you give to me," she hissed and threw him a dirty look.
"Oh I think you will," Draco came closer, making her back up against a wall, something she didn't like very much. She didn't fear Draco as she feared his father, after all, Draco was just a bully and most of his threats were empty, "I think you will, speaking of which, where are your parents these days?"
"That was the most laughable threat I've ever heard, Sounds like you picked it from a bad movie," she spat back, "Besides you don't know where they live."
"So I don't? What about 134-137 Lexham Gardens, Kensington, London, W8 6JE? Hm, sounds familiar, don't you think?"
"You wouldn't dare…if you hurt them…"
"Just put on the necklace, Hermione, and you'll save me a lot of work, because mark my words, I'm a man true to my word… when I choose to be."
Hermione snatched the golden necklace from his hands and put it on, not even giving him a second glance. She missed the satisfied smirk which played on Malfoy junior's face as he walked into the great hall and took his place beside his father in a kneeling position in front of Albus Dumbledore.
"Hermione," Ginny came running towards her and gripped Hermione's arm, "it's our turn now."
Hermione drew a deep breath and then they began the long walk towards the altar, before them flowers were thrown and hymns rang in their ears. Hermione swallowed and licked her dry lips, the end came too quickly, all of a sudden she kneeled with Lucius on her right side and Ginny on her left side, before them Dumbledore opened an old book.
I am the Fallen
you are what my sins
enclose
Lust is not as creative
as its discovery
to
paradise with pleasure haunted,
Haunted by fear
"We have gathered here today to witness the union of Hermione Jane Granger and Lucius Avery Brian Malfoy… I, Albus Dumbledore, will perform this ceremony in the great Merlin's name…"
The old wizard made a theatrical pause, eying the couple up before he continued:
"This institution,
Perhaps one should say
enterprise
Out of respect for which
One says one need not change
one's mind
About a thing one has believed
in,
Requiring public promises
Of one's intention
To fulfil a private obligation:
I wonder what Merlin and the old
gods
Think of it by this time,
This fire-gilt steel
Alive with goldenness;
How bright it shows -
'Of
circular traditions and impostures,
Committing
many spoils,'
Requiring all one's criminal
ingenuity
To avoid!
Psychology which explains
everything
Explains nothing,
And
we are still in doubt…"
Dumbledore made another pause, looking directly at Lucius with a gaze that could have killed, but Lucius faced him arrogantly and with a sneer upon his face, clearly he didn't enjoy the kneeling position, in particular not in front of Albus Dumbledore.
"And therefore I ask you Lucius Avery Brian Malfoy, have you no doubts? Are you free from you inner demons of doubt and regret? Will you, Lucius Avery Brian Malfoy, take this Hermione Jane Granger to be your lawfully wedded wife, to Love, CARE, RESPECT and SUPPORT for in the rest of your life?"
"I, Lucius Avery Brian Malfoy, take this Hermione Jane Granger to be my lawfully wedded wife," Lucius retorted, leaving out the part of doubts, love and other feelings from his announcement.
"Have you… Hermione Jane Granger," Dumbledore's voice was much gentler now, "Have you no doubts? Are you free from you inner demons of doubt and regret? Will you, Hermione Jane Granger, take this Lucius Avery Brian Malfoy to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love, care, respect and support for in the rest of your life?"
"I do," Hermione pressed forward through clenched teeth and threatening tears.
"The rings," Albus' voice whispered and both Ginny and Draco handed their rings to Hermione and Lucius.
With trembling hands Hermione placed Lucius golden ring on his finger, in return he gave her a similar ring with only one glittering diamond in the centre. He roughly grabbed both of her hands and then they rose in union from their kneeling position, Dumbledore sighed and spoke in a defeated tone.
"I pronounce you husband and wife." He left out 'you may kiss the bride' part and Hermione sighed with relief, something she shouldn't have done she realised.
Lucius eyes blasted with anger because of the left-out-detail. Without invitation he grabbed his young wife's face and kissed her roughly. She could taste him in her mouth, mint and citrus, always the proper mixture which made him exotic in a way and disgusting in another.
"You and I," he mumbled against her lips, "should retreat to our home and a well deserved… solitude… Aparishun!"
Everything faded away, the music, the lights…everything. A bumpy ride in Lucius' arms began and she closed her eyes, praying for a happy ending.
A sin for him...
Bless
me, undress me
Pick your prey in a wicked way
God I must
confess... I do envy the sinners
You know what's next don't you? -evil laugh-