Their Anthem and Our Anthem
Recap:
"So… what should I wear?" Hermione asked, slyly.
Draco shrugged. "I'm sure your house elf will have something laid out for you."
Hermione nodded, and turned the door knob and soon the door closed with a sharp "snap!"
A/N: Hello everyone! Thanks for reading my story! I'm going to try to update a lot faster, okay? I'm going to write chapter 8 right after I finish this one, so I can update QUICKLY! I'm also working on making the chappies REALLY, REALLY long! Thanks again to ALL REVIEWERS and enjoy the story!
Now… FINALLY… ladies and not many gentleman… Chapter Seven!
Chapter Seven
"Where the bloody hell is SHE!" Lucius' voice rang through the humongous living room.
Draco stifled a laugh. They were all waiting for Hermione, who he had left at the doorway of her room about a half an hour ago, and his father was getting impatient.
Honestly, Draco was quite excited about going to Diagon Alley – not to because of the wedding ring or going shopping, but because he wanted out of the house. He really longed for fresh air, and even though his father was going to watching his and definitely Hermione's every move, it was still going to be some-what refreshing.
Draco's mother, Narcissa, waited patiently at Lucius' side, rubbing his shoulder and telling him that she would be punished. Lucius' tapping foot did not cease one bit.
"TROPY! GO GET THAT WRETCHED GIRL!" Lucius shouted at the shivering house elf. Without saying a word, it ducked up the grand stair case and down the hall on the left.
Taking a deep breath, Draco held in his excitement and waited as patiently as he could muster, looking incredibly "together" as comparing to his parents on his left.
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Smiling, Hermione folded the letter, as quickly as she could and slowly slipped her head out of her bedroom door.
It had only been twenty-five minutes since Draco had left her, so she figured it was safe to sneak around.
The letter in her hand was sent for Harry and Ron. Knowing that she could probably get away with it, she, with her map, found her way to Malfoy Junior's room.
Slowly and sneakily, she turned the doorknob, and silently slipped into his room.
Inside, it was almost pitch black because there were no lights on and all of the black curtains were drawn. Shifting her eyes to the left and right, she decided that the room was empty and that she was alone. Feeling around with her hands, she tried to find a light switch; she couldn't. Loosing her patience and getting a little nervous, she hastened.
Soon, she had found the king sized bed in the middle of the room, his desk, nightstand, the door to his bathroom and his closet. Biting her lip, her heart beat even faster. She needed to find it soon… before they noticed her absence.
Finally, her hopes gone down, and her feet starting back to the door, she heard a soft flutter of feathers.
Her face broke into a smile. Following her ears, she found the black bird's cage. In the dark, she couldn't see how familiar the bird would have looked to her. Opening the cage, she stuck two of her left fingers out; and as she had hoped, the black owl hopped onto her fingers.
Happily, she reached into her pocket with her right hand and pulled out the silk string she had hoped she would have been able to use.
After attaching it to the animal's left leg, she spoke softly, "Take this to Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley, and hurry!"
Spreading it's wings, it flew to the window, where Hermione flung open the window, and it flew out.
Sighing a breath of relief, she closed the window, and made her way out of the teenage boy's room.
Breathing clean, fresh, air again, she met Tropy, Lucius' house elf in the hallway.
The poor creature was out of breath and it looked scared out of it's wits.
"Miss… the Master is very angry! We must hurry!"
With that, the little elf grabbed her hand and ran, which wasn't very fast to Hermione, down the hallway and down to the great hall (not like in Hogwart's).
Hermione knew that if "the Master" was angry, it could not be good.
Hoping that her plan would work, she jogged after the scurrying house elf.
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Lucius let out an impatient breath and glanced at his left arm.
Looking at his wife, he spoke sharply. "It's almost ten till two," he grunted, "we have an appointment with the jeweler at two!"
Just then, a rumble of the floor caused them all to look up. There was Tropy dragging Hermione down the stairs.
Lucius' face was red. "Girl! What took you so damn long? We've been waiting down her for ten minutes already!"
Draco studied her outfit. She looked quite nice, he hated to admit. She was wearing a white wool sweater and jeans, fashionable, but yet conservative. Her hair had perfect curls, cascading onto her shoulders and they made her look very warm and cozy. A pale blue scarf hung around her neck and Draco could tell from his distance away how soft it was.
Hermione swallowed, and her face shone with guilt of something but none of the Malfoys could figure it out.
Suddenly, when Hermione opened her mouth to answer, Draco's midnight black owl, swooped onto her shoulder and stuck out his leg.
Draco raised an eyebrow and glanced at his father, who shrugged.
Turning his back on the group of people, he ripped off the letter.
On the front was something that surprised him, in the neatest handwriting he had ever seen was written: Harry Potter, Ron Weasley.
Understanding now why his fiancé had taken so long, he smirked and ripped the top of the envelope open and pulled out a perfectly folded piece of parchment.
Unfolding it, he saw the same handwriting as was on the cover and a small note was written:
Harry and Ron,
Hello – listen I can't write much and I don't have much time, but please, please meet me in Diagon Alley around two-thirty. I need help guys; I really need your help. I can't tell you now, but please meet me there.
Much Love,
Hermione
After his eyes had read every word, he folded the note back up and jammed it and the envelope into his cloak pocket.
Turning back around, he looked at Hermione. She seemed very jumpy and her pupils were very large.
His father cleared his throat and Draco's eyes shifted to him. Obviously, Lucius wanted to know about the letter.
Making up his mind, Draco muttered, "Just Zabini."
Malfoy Senior nodded and looked back at Hermione. She swallowed hard again. Giving up, her nodded toward Draco, "You two first."
Nodding and taking his fiancé's elbow, he walked to the enormous fireplace.
Taking a handful of floo powder, he stepped in; Hermione followed him. Still holding onto her arm, he spoke clearly, "Diagon Alley", and flew down the powder.
Green flames ate them up as they swirled around and were transported there.
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Hermione's eyes fluttered open as the cold overcame her body. She and Draco were then standing in the middle of an small, empty room with a battered wood floor and walls, cracked windows, showing the overcast outside. The door was on the opposite side of the room from Hermione. It was old, as you could easily tell. The wood was fading and moldy and the doorknob was metal and cracked right down the middle. Hermione wondered why nobody had taken the time to just fix the old thing or get a new one.
Surprisingly, there was no furniture; the only normal thing in the room was the enormous fireplace the couple stood in.
Draco, obviously having been in this place before, took the first step out of the fireplace, leaving Hermione standing there alone.
After a couple seconds, he turned around to face her, his face serious. "You better get out of the way unless you want to get knocked over," he spoke as if this had happened before.
Realizing there was some truth in his words, Hermione followed his advice. Of course she stood as far away from him as possible, but still not straying as she didn't like the feel of her surroundings.
Suddenly remembering that she was a Gryffindor and she should be brave, she stood a little taller and gained a little of her strength back.
The teenage boy in front of her took no notice of her or her thoughts; he seemed in his own world completely.
Studying his face, she couldn't make out what was going through his head. Of course, she had wondered about that letter. Hoping that his owl was just really fast and had already delivered her letter to her best friends, she knew that no owl could deliver a letter that quickly and come back with another letter. She bit her lip. What if he had actually lied to his parents and stood up for her? Sighing, she continued looking at him; he was very interesting to look at, surprisingly.
Suddenly she embarrassed. Suppose that he noticed she was staring at him? She quickly looked at the floor.
Deciding just to ask him about the letter, she opened her mouth to speak, but she didn't get the chance to.
SWISH!
Green flames erupted in the fireplace and Draco's parents walked out, not even acknowledging either of the teenagers.
Draco looked Hermione and gave her a look that said: "Go on."
Taking the hint, she quickly walked after the Malfoys. With Draco behind her, she knew she couldn't run away; he was much too fast.
After erupting into the deserted cloudy outside, Malfoy Senior turned on his heel to face her.
"Alright, now that we're here, you've got some ground rules. Number one: Don't even think about trying to run off – you're not fast enough and we have spies around here, you know. Number two: If you see your friends, don't speak to them at all; just turn the other way. From now on you will have no contact with them," at that, Hermione swallowed hard and hoped that he would never find out about her letter to Harry and Ron, "Number three: You will stay with one of us at ALL times. You hear me?" Hermione nodded, "All times. That means that until we get home, you will be next to one of us. At. All. Times. We'll go in shifts – from right now until you and Narcissa go to the dress shop, you will be accompanied by Draco. When you girls go off on your separate ways, you are glued to my wife's side. Got all of that?"
Hermione nodded again.
Lucius smirked, "Good."
He spun on his heel again and took off walking, cape flying after as well as Narcissa.
Hermione glanced at Draco, but he didn't say a word, nor even make eye contact. All he did was nod.
Sighing, Hermione got the point and slowly, but surely, once again followed the Malfoys.
The Jewelry shop was pretty far away from where they landed, which Hermione still had no clue was. The walk was tiresome and weary for Hermione, but she kept going. Still, she had hope of seeing Harry, Ron, Ginny, or some other friend from Gryffindor.
As they finally reached the main street of Diagon Alley, Hermione knew exactly where they were. There was the wand shop and the pet shop, where she had bought Crookshanks.
As they passed the broom shop, Hermione stuck her head as tall as she could to try and see if Harry or Ron was there; but sadly, she couldn't see and by that time, the broom shop was way behind them. Hoping again, that Draco hadn't noticed her anxiety, she continued on.
Finally reaching the shop, they all stooped inside. A man stood there, waiting for them.
"Ahhhhh…. Right on time, Lucius!" he said, smiling, and sticking his hand out to Malfoy. They shook hands while the rest of them just stood there. Then, the jeweler kissed Narcissa's fingertips as if she were royalty.
Hermione knew that the Malfoys were considered rich and famous and that honestly, no one liked them, but kissing fingertips? That just went way out of her imagination.
The man then shook Draco's hand, at which Hermione rolled her eyes to. In her head, Hermione thought, 'Ahhhhh… this is funny. He thinks he's so manly. Ha! As if!'
The next words out of this stranger's mouth, though, knocked the wicked smile off the girl's face.
"Wow, Young Mister Malfoy! You are turning into quite the young man! I can't tell you how impressed I am with you!"
Suddenly, he turned to Hermione, and after leaning forward, taking her fingers, and kissing them, he spoke, "Ahhhhh… You must be Miss… Snape? Yes, yes. Severus, a fine man, until his betrayal, ugh! How horrible that night was! But I do congratulate you, sir, on your beautiful bride!"
Hermione blushed, took a step back and looked away from all of the Malfoys and this man who was embarrassing her beyond words. She also hadn't approved at that kissing the fingers thing, and especially didn't like him doing that to her.
After a few more minutes of mindless chatter with Malfoy Senior, he got to business.
Going behind the counter, he pulled out three rather large black velvet boxes. "I have selected the three finest engagement rings for your choosing," he said, slowly placing them on the counter gently and pulling off the tops.
Hermione sucked in her breath. There, before her eyes, were three of the most gorgeous rings she had ever seen. She couldn't believe it. All three of the Malfoys stepped forward to get a better view, all blocking Hermione's. Still astounded, Hermione didn't even notice.
They all seemed to notice that Hermione wasn't with them and Draco quickly pulled Hermione up to the front, right in front of the rings.
"Now, madam, you get to chose. Which one is your favorite?"
Hermione looked up. She hadn't known that she would get to choose. She figured the Malfoys would choose for her.
Everyone looked at her. Slowly her eyes shifted to the rings. The one on the left was a huge pearl with very so small diamonds on either side. The background of it was loops and it was very interesting to look at.
The middle ring was emerald. It was very plain with no loops or other detailed things, but it was still beautiful.
The last of the three rings was diamond. Twenty-four carets. The diamond sparkled in the sunlight and reflected the twinkle into Hermione's eyes. Smiling, she cocked her head. The diamond was set in a circle, which had tiny diamonds set into it. It was fascinating and above and beyond beautiful.
When Hermione saw it, she knew it was the one. Slowly, she pointed to it.
The man leaned forward to see her selection. "Ah! Good choice!" he picked it up and slowly pulled the ring out of its soft cushion.
"Please give me your hand, mam," he said. Hermione did as he said and he slipped the finger onto her left hand ring finger. It fit perfectly.
"It molds to fit the finger of its wearer," he explained. Hermione, of course, already knew this, but out of kindness, didn't say anything.
Throughout this whole ordeal, none of the Malfoys had said a word. Out of the blue, Lucius spoke, "Alright, we'll take it."
Hermione was overwhelmed with joy, but dared not show it. She knew that the meaning of this ring was not nearly as pretty as the ring itself.
Lucius then looked at Draco and nodded. Draco must have known that this meant to leave because he took the young woman's arm and led her out the door. Hermione wondered why they hadn't just waited inside while they paid. Suddenly, it dawned on her. How much had this ring cost?
Almost without thinking, Hermione made a lunge toward the door, but she wasn't quick enough; Draco had seized her around the waist and pulled her a good ten feet away from the door.
"Hey! Let me go!" she cried, wriggling, trying to get free.
"No," Draco spoke calmly, and as if reading her mind, "the cost of it will just overwhelm you even more."
Hermione stopped moving all together. How had he known what was going through her mind? Draco set her feet on the ground and she turned to face him.
Once again, Draco spoke as if psychic, "You're pretty easy to read." He shrugged, "I'm very good at reading people."
Hermione raised an eyebrow; she had never expected a Malfoy to be good at reading people.
The door behind her slammed open and both teenagers turned to look. Draco's parents emerged, looking the same as usual, with the sneers on their faces, not as if they had just bought an overpriced ring that Hermione couldn't even guess the price for.
When the rest of the Malfoys had joined them, Lucius spoke, "Well, since the dress shop and the tuxedo shop are next door to each other, we can walk there together." As if this was enough said, he stalked off down the alley, Narcissa at his heels.
Walking slowly behind them, Hermione and Draco were silent. The people all around them talked and laughed, having a swell time, but not them. They weren't having a good time. Hermione didn't want to think anymore about the wedding, nor did Draco, and who knew what was going on in the Malfoy couples' heads.
As they made their way to their destination, Hermione then remembered Harry and Ron. Her head shooting up, she looked in all directions, but they were no where to be found. She still didn't know if they had gotten her letter at all.
Soon they arrived at the shops and the genders went their separate ways.
Hermione had never seen so many white dresses. She was sickened at the thought. Over the next hour, Hermione must have tried on thirty-five dresses, but none fit absolutely perfect or was the 'right one.' Hermione doubted whether the 'right one' for this wedding would ever come.
But Narcissa never ceased the dress try-on pile. On the verge of tears, Hermione collapsed in one of the beautiful dresses on the floor of her dressing room.
Soon Narcissa sensed that she had stopped. Swinging the door wide open, she stuck her nosy head in. "Why have you stopped? We are not finished yet, young lady. Stand back up, right now!"
Sighing, Hermione did as she was told. The dressing room door slammed back shut and Hermione slid the dress off of her worn out body.
Suddenly a soft knock came on the door. Quickly covering herself up, Hermione stuck her head out.
The sales woman smiled warmly at her. "I have the perfect dress for you."
After Hermione had changed into her normal clothes, she followed the young woman to the back room storage.
"I have never shown it to anyone here," the lady said, "but I knew that one day, a woman in desperate need of an extravagant dress would come in and I would show her."
They had reached a small closet door. The lady pulled out her wand and swished it; the door swung open.
There hung the most beautiful dress Hermione had ever laid eyes on. It was the perfect shade of white, strapless and all too amazing. There was a design covering the dress with tiny white beads that curved into flowers and hearts.
Of course, Hermione tried it on and of course, it fit perfectly. It hugged her curves and made her look even more beautiful than the dress itself.
After getting Narcissa's approval, they bought it. Hermione saw the price this time and she was sure the price of the ring on her finger was probably around the same amount: 2,550 galleons.
To Hermione, that was a lot, but to the Malfoys that was probably a small purchase.
They left the store and met the men, who were waiting outside for them. Lucius was delighted to hear they had found a dress and wanted to see it, but Narcissa refused. "It will ruin the surprise," she said. A surprise also to Hermione, Lucius did not protest, but actually nodded, agreeing.
"Of course, if I see, then Draco will want to see it and it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride's gown before the wedding."
Draco blushed, Hermione saw, but she dared not say anything to him about it with the older Malfoys around; she would save it for annoyance when they were alone.
As they walked past the Three Broomsticks, Hermione strained her neck to see inside, trying to hide that she was looking for anyone she knew, but she wasn't discreet enough.
"They aren't going to be in there, you know," Draco whispered in her ear.
Hermione had been afraid of this and she looked at him with a stern look on her face. "How do you know?" she smarted back to him, "They could be here buying school supplies."
Draco shrugged, and then smirked at her, "I doubt it."
Rolling her eyes, she was thankful that the other Malfoys were so far ahead of them; for fear that they might have overheard the conversation.
According to what Draco had just said, he knew about the letter.
'Crap,' Hermione thought, 'that stupid owl had to be so darn smart.'
When they finally reached the deserted alley with the empty one room store with the fireplace, Lucius and Narcissa waited for them.
Lucius was the first to speak, "Son, as you know, we are going out to eat with the Zabinis tonight, and even though you might want to come, your mother and I would prefer that you stay at home with your fiancé."
Hermione frowned at this, as being called his 'fiancé', as if she were an 'it.' She did not like it.
Draco just nodded.
Lucius smiled.
"Well, if you don't mind, we'll go first so we can make sure to be ready to go on time."
Draco nodded again and watched as his parents stepped into the fireplace and the emerald flames ate them up.
As before, he took Hermione's arm and led her into the fireplace. "Malfoy Manor!" he called and once again, Hermione felt the familiar feeling of spinning round and round, seeing only green surrounding her and Draco by her side.
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A/N: Hey and Thanks for reading my story! I hope you enjoyed it! I WILL UPDATE SOON – I PROMISE!
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