CHAPTER 11
Hermione looked at her reflection in the mirror.
Her attire wad flawless. She was wearing the pale green gown, and a pair of pale green boots with silver lining to go with it. She had just had her hair done, and it was in volumes, bouncy curls, streaked with a copperish tinge, that went well with her dress. She had on plenty of mascara, her lips were reddened and her face and shoulders expertly powdered to a fine finish. She was wearing the chunky silver necklace at her throat, and thick silver bracelets at her wrists.
She sighed. Somehow, this was just not the way she had imagined her reception to be.
Lisa came bursting into the room at that moment, her arms full of flowers.
'You're looking gorgeous,' she said, admiringly. 'Wow, your hair looks good. Do you want flowers in you hair? Or do you think that'll look kinda weird. Yes it will,' she answered her own question. 'Oh, well. Here...Ill just arrange this with a ribbon and you can carry it.'
She taped the flowers together with an artistic hand, and handed Hermione a gorgeous nosegay of crimson roses and baby breath, tied with a white ribbon. Hermione sighed.
Lisa noticed the distraught look in her eyes, and sighed too. She put her arms around Hermione.
'Listen....don't worry,' she said, in a soothing voice. 'Just remember...I'll always be there for you.'
Hermione felt her eyes filling with tears. She hastily wiped them away.
'It's okay,' she said, thickly through tears. 'Is Fudge waiting outside?'
'Yeah.' Lisa nodded. 'With a gorgeous black Porsche. Well, come along them.'
Hermione followed her roommate out of the room. Lisa was dressed in a pale pink halter dress, with light foam at the neckline, and short sleeves. She was holding a pink sequined purse in one hand, and it flashed in the dim light coming from the candles lit in the room. The sun had set ages back, and it was almost nine PM.
Hermione followed Lisa out of the room. Fudge was sitting on their living room couch, wearing a smart gray suit, and tapping his foot. He looked slightly impatient.
'Oh, there you are Ms. Granger,' he said. His face broke out into a rather forced smile. 'You're looking wonderful. Why don't you come downstairs? My car is currently waiting outside.'
'Thank you, minister,' Hermione replied, demurely. She followed him outside to the curb, Lisa following her. She caught sight of a gleaming black Porsche parked under the lamplight.
Fudge held the door open for her while Hermione climbed into the car, carefully holding her dress. Lisa followed her, and then Fudge shut the door. He sat down in the front seat, and mentioned to the driver to take them to the Malfoy Manor. The driver smiled. He was a tall, thin and pale man, whose neck was criss-crossed with blue veins. He had cunning black eyes and dark red hair. He nodded.
The car pulled out of the driveway. Very soon, it was purring down the street, and Hermione found herself on the way to her fiancé's house.
She sighed, and leaned her hot head against the cool glass window of the car. She couldn't believe she was actually doing this. Getting married....
All too soon, she saw that they were pulling up the Malfoy drive. Lisa's fingers
brushed against hers in a comforting gesture, and then the car was coming to a stop, and Fudge was holding the door open for her. As he helped her out, he nodded his approval for the silver ring glinting on her finger, but didn't mention it. It would be too dangerous to do so in the Malfoy premises.
Hermione gracefully stepped out of the car, and Lisa followed. Looking out, she saw Malfoy, dressed in a black suit, with a blank expression on his face, standing next to the porch. Beside him stood Narcissa, garbed a in a white, spangled dress, that shone in the dim lamplight that illuminated the drive way. Her pale blonde hair was braided and pinned at the back of her head. She was flashing with jewelry, but it simply had an artistic effect on her slender frame- it did not appear gaudy on her.
She smiled at Hermione, but it didn't reach her eyes. The remained cold and aloof.
'Hello Hermione.' She said, in her sharp voice. She looked at Draco, who quickly inclined his head in acknowledgement.
'You're looking beautiful,' he said, in a voice that suggested he had learned up his lines before coming and spitting them out in front of her. He looked inquiringly at Lisa.
'This is my roommate, Lisa,' Hermione explained, with a docile expression. She didn't like the calculating look that Narcissa was giving her. 'The minister said it would be OK to bring her along. We're very close.'
"Absolutely."
Narcissa smiled again.
'We decided not to have an indoors reception,' she explained. 'I thought we might have a small gathering in the lawn.' She swept her hands towards the brightly lit lawn, which had small round tables parked all over it. There was a raised platform in the centre, softly lit by yellow light, and draped with a white carpet. On it were two chairs, and in between them a small table with a bouquet of flowers.
Hermione drew her breath in. It was beautiful. She suddenly noticed Malfoy clearing his throat very loudly. he was holding his hand out to her. Blushing, she quickly took it, but not before noticing that Narcissa had fixed a cold gaze on her and was watching carefully. Fudge cleared his throat, breaking the uncomfortable silence.
'If we may proceed,' he began, pompously, before guiding Malfoy and Hermione to the raised platform. Both of them took their seats. A chair was brought for Lisa, who sat down on Hermione's side. The small crowd of people who were milling around the tables stopped their activities, and scrutinized Hermione with uncomfortable thoroughness.
'Those are my relatives,' Draco whispered. 'Mind how you behave. Half of them haven't even arrived yet.
Hermione nodded slightly, to show she had heard. She quickly fixed an arrogant smile on her face, and assumed a haughty expression. She held her bouquet with a disdainful air. Draco sneaked a peak at her, and smirked his approval. Lisa suppressed a giggle.
Hermione saw some of the guests nodding. Then, she noticed a short, plump, dark woman, with beady gray eyes and braided black hair climbing up onto the platform. She was dressed in a black gown, and had a distinctly cunning smile on her face. Draco shifted slightly by her side.
AS the woman stood in front of them, he gave a weak smile.
'Oh...Mya...this is my Aunt Elina.' He said, in a fake-charming voice. Hermione almost started. He had called her Mya. The name sounded oddly sweet on his lips.
'Charmed,' Elina said, in a high pitched voice. 'Simple charmed, Ms-.'
'Gr-.' Hermione started.
'Gregor,' Draco quickly cut in.
Hermione looked at him in surprise. Then she realized.
Stupid me. Stupid me.
Of course the Malfoy's would know about the name Granger. They weren't stupid, after all.
'Yes. Hermione Gregor,' she said, smiling snootily.
'Hermione...' Elina frowned, thinking hard. 'Charming name. In fact, I almost feel as if...'
Her voice trailed off. Hermione looked uncomfortable. Draco quickly interrupted.
'Well I think Mya is a much cuter name,' he said, hastily. 'No one ever calls her Hermione. In fact, I'm inclined to believe her real name is Mya!'
Hermione laughed, affectionately, her heart beating fast.
Let her fall for it. Let her fall for it.
''Very silly of you. Mya isn't even a proper name.' she said, in a light voice.
Draco nodded. Then he did something that surprised her more than anything else.
He slipped his hand behind her neck, pulled her to him, and kissed her.
