Disclaimer: Why? Why are they not mine? Because they already have an owner. Rats.
Chapter Eighteen
The perfect dress, the unexpected couple and the unstoppable desires.
Me and Ginny looked up to see the redhead now rubbing his eyes.
"Honestly, Ron you could at least knock instead of scaring us to death like that." I said continuing my rampage trying to find something to wear from Ginny's closet seeing that Fred had left already.
"The door was opened." He pointed out just leaning lazily by the door.
"Pray tell, why were you listening to our conversation anyways?" Ginny questioned glaring at him.
"It sounded interesting seeing as I was sure Hermione is rarely afraid of anything, except failing her exams." Ron grinned looking in my direction. "What are you scared to death about?" He asked again.
"That is…" I opened my mouth to say something but was beaten to it.
"She's scared too death about her wedding night with one of your delinquent twin brothers. Seeing all he wanted from day one is her body anyways." Ginny was very blunted about Fred's intention. I saw Ron's face go from calm to boiling red in just under ten seconds.
"Bloody bastard…" Ron had formed both his hands into a fist.
"Ron listen it's not as bad as Ginny's making it sound…" I tried.
"Of course it's not bad. It's worse than that." Ginny said still adding fuel to the fire.
"GINNY." I shouted turning to glare at her. She just stood there smiling sweetly at me.
"I'm going to murder him. He hasn't done anything brutal towards you has he Hermione? I swear if you tell me he's done something I will go and kill him this instant, even if it's a lie that you want to make up." Ron voice was very low and the tone was deadly.
"No he hasn't Ron." I found a pair of jeans and just a regular white t-shirt.
"Hermione, I don't want to see you hurt, and knowing the situation you're in right now makes me want to place you on a shelf and never take you down." Ron stepped closer to me. I looked up into his frowning face and couldn't help smiling.
"I'm a big strong girl Ron; I can take care of myself." I placed my hand in his. He squeezed it tightly.
"I know Hermione. It's really that prat I don't trust. I just wish there was something I could do to help your cause." He sighed seeming like he was defeated.
"I'm just glad that I'm going to remain apart of your life is all." I opened my arms for him to move closer for my embrace. He did then bending his tall frame to reaching my much shorter one.
"Even if you were marrying someone else, you'll always be apart of my life. Don't forget that okay?" I nodded and turned to see Ginny giving us both her bored look.
"I better go; we have to get a dress today seeing that the wedding is in five days." I released him, just as I did so he made a clumsy attempt to kiss my cheek but I had turned my face so the kiss landed on my nose which Ginny burst out laughing really hard seeing that. With a rude gesture of his middle finger to Ginny he left.
"He's just so easy." She laughed wiping away the tears from her eyes.
We arrived at Diagon Alley moments later after I went to St. Mungos' to pick up some books for my recent coming exams, now we were in search of the perfect dress. I wanted it to be the traditional white but very modern. It should be design in a halter top form which I love the idea of it being tied around my neck. Where it would be a bare back but have those thousands of buttons along the ways and it would be fluffy like those ball gowns. And it would have the creamy ivory color. The train at least six feet long. That would be just a dream.
"When are you going to buy yours Ginny and I forgotten to ask when you and Harry are getting married?" I said remembering she too was going to be a bride. To our very own, famous: Harry Potter.
"The week after you and Fred, I already have permission to leave the school for a couple of days for my wedding, then I think it'll be George and Katie, Ron and Lavender the week after and then Charlie and Alicia." Ginny replied looking through the glass windows of different stores. "You don't have to worry Hermione I've ready picked out the dress I want so you only have to be stressed about your own wedding and not ours."
After trying so many places we found a little small shop across Fred's and George's joke shop with the dress of my dreams in the window. I raced inside to grab for it and collided violently into someone's shoulder. The blonde who I had bumped into reached an outstretched arm to help me up.
"I'm sorry about that." I apologized. Looking into her face it seemed very familiar. Those sky blue eyes, the wide smile and the loose flowing blonde hair. Her eyes were a bit odd, almost crossed but other then that she was extremely stunning. Somehow she had placed her wand in her left ear. This was very familiar but my mind couldn't place her face anywhere.
"Luna Lovegood?" I heard Ginny say from behind me. The girl looked over my shoulders and her smiled deepen.
"Hello Ginny Weasley." She spoke. Luna Lovegood. The one people in Hogwarts called Loony Lovegood. There it was the very strange girl from school.
"It's been awhile hasn't it?" Ginny embraced her.
"Too long." She smiled then turned to look at me. "You seem somewhat familiar to me but I really can't tell."
"This is Hermione Granger, there's no way you could have missed that." Ginny laughed.
"You've changed a lot since I last saw you Hermione. Your face isn't stuck in a book so I guess I was bit unsure if this person was really you." She said to me. "You look like those girls in the muggle magazine we have at home, very beautiful." I guess that was a compliment after all.
"Did you hear about the new marriage laws Luna?" Ginny asked. She nodded.
"My fiancé is here with me, he just left somewhere. To tell you the truth he's very impossible to live with." I wondered who she was arranged to marry. The only person I could think of that was impossible to live was that arrogant Draco Malfoy. I hoped she wasn't marrying that creep.
"Are you two here to buy a dress?" Luna asked looking at us.
"Yes and I want that one in the window." I pointed towards that display in front of the glass where the glowing dress stood.
"I thought about getting that one too but he said that I should get mine custom made." Luna laughed.
"Who are you marrying by the way?" Ginny asked as I walked towards the counter to see about the dress. The name she said made me lose my balance and I hit my head against the desk and heard Ginny gasps knocking some stuff over.
"DRACO MALFOY." We shouted out at the same time. Of all the people in the world, Luna was going to be a Malfoy.
"He's not that bad." She continued to smile like there was a secret she knew but couldn't tell us.
"Maybe…but do you remember Hogwarts." Ginny started. He had joined the death eaters but at the dark lords down fall he went to Azkaban, they released him a couple of months later because there wasn't enough evidence to convict of any crimes against the wizarding world. Here he was now going to marry one of the most innocent person I knew and my heart ache for her. We should have killed him when we had the chance.
"Why the bloody hell are you still in here?" A very cold tone came our way. Speak of the devil. There he was his tall lanky frame, very platinum looking hair and grey eyes watched us. He was still as good looking as I remembered, now dressed in all black. But he's got nothing on Fred. Of course he doesn't you're in love with that redhead. I told myself. She was wearing a bright yellow top and a white skirt which made them clash so horribly together but at the same time symbolizing their differences.
"I'll stay in here as long as I want." She snarled back at him placing her hands on her slim waist as her blonde hair swung to the right side of her shoulder.
"We have loads to do today I can't wait all day." He threw back at her.
"I don't care. I like this store and I plan to go across the street and see the joke shop as well." She moved towards him unafraid of the death glare he was shooting her way.
"We do not have time." He argued.
"Make time." She was now standing in front of the slytherin prince.
"There is no way." His tone was agressive now she had backed up a bit.
"There is always a way but you're just a prat that doesn't see that." She said bitterly.
"You spoiled little wench." He growled out stalking her so that she was almost backed up against the wall. They were staring at each other with so much hatred that it was shocking when he grabbed her and then they were kissing each other so passionately in front of everyone in the whole store. There was no way that was Draco Malfoy. He would have never done that. Me and Ginny turned to look else where.
"Don't suppose you want to try on that dress before you pay for it." Ginny suggested. I agreed with her. "Hold still you have some blood on your forehead." After noticing this she took out a piece of napkin and wiped the blood away.
"Hermione, Ginny please come to our wedding it will be this Saturday, bring anyone you like I will be expecting you." Luna said to us as we turned to look in her direction. Malfoy and her had their hands interlocked with each other now and he was lost staring at her. His eyes smothered from the hungry looks he was giving her. Like he wanted to devour her.
"Of course Luna." Ginny and I smiled.
"Until then, bye ladies." She dragged Draco out the door. We heard him mumble what sounded like "Granger, Weasley" before the door closed.
"There was no way that was Malfoy. He was just so…" I tried.
"So human, that's the word you're looking for." Ginny smiled. After telling the store clerk that she needed to alter the dress a bit to make it more narrow for my waist line and that we would pick it up the next day we headed to the twin's shop. The store as always was jammed pack with customers and there was no sign of the two redheads anywhere or the very unexpected couple. We walked in farther and found Katie by the counter talking to the same worker who they called Verity.
"Hello, you two." Katie greeted us.
"Hey, Katie." I smiled walking closer to her. Ginny waved.
"They went to get drinks; did you know that this is almost their third year in business? They've decide to celebrate." Katie filled us in. Wow, they were very popular and they were opening their shop in another country as well. "Oh this is Verity, she's one of their workers, incase you haven't met." Katie introduced.
"Hello I'm Hermione Granger." I offered my hand to shake hers. She took it smiling.
"You're Mr. Fred Weasley's bride, the one in here the other day. I don't know why he walks around annoyed all the time, you're no where near the list of someone hideous. I figured he be happy to go home to someone as beautiful as you every night. Hell the guy I'm marrying hates me but he tells me that he rather come home seeing my face rather than anybody else's." She spoke.
"Um… thanks." I was unsure how to respond.
"And you are the lucky one marrying the famous Harry Potter, Ginny Weasley. Your brothers couldn't keep the smiles off their face as they came in here shouting who their future brother-in-law was." Ginny took her hand and smiled warmly.
"I am lucky aren't I?" She was just so happy at that thought.
"Katie you never guess who we spotted just earlier." Ginny started.
"Oh who did you see?" She asked now curious.
"Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." She gasps so surprised by the sudden news.
"Did you really? Why was he here?" She asked us.
"Shopping with his bride." Ginny and I said unison.
"Doesn't sound like something a Malfoy would do." She shook her head.
"Oh but if you saw the way he looked at her, you would understand why he would do the things outside of his character. The look was raw." I told her almost giggling.
"Like the way Fred looks at you." Katie and Ginny said at the same time staring at me.
"You mean glare, when Fred glares at me." I corrected giving them a smug look.
"There's no way that look could be considered a glare." I heard Verity say. I looked to see that all three of them were staring straight ahead. I turned my head slowly to see that Fred was standing outside the door just staring. He didn't even open the door. I saw George push pass him and walked in with a box filled with tons of beverages. When he reached us he placed it on the counter.
"Verity I need you to tell the customers to leave we're closing and then I need you to…" George had ordered.
"What's wrong George? What's going on?" Katie asked placing her hand on his arm.
"Verity." He spoke her name again.
"Right away Mr.Weasley." She nodded disappearing.
"George, why is Fred just standing out there like that? What's wrong with him?" Ginny tried this time. His eyes were still locked on mine.
"There's been a change of plan, the celebrating will be our place Katie, and Ginny I go get Harry from the burrow. And as for you Hermione…" George was interrupted by Verity walking back towards us.
"Everyone's gone Mr. Weasley." She told him.
"Thank you Verity, I'll see you at the party tonight then." With a smile and a nod she apparated.
"George please tell us what's going on?" I heard Katie beg this time.
"Hermione did you and Fred sign that contract yet?" George asked still looking at the zombie Fred.
"We never got around to it yet. I thought that was why he told me to come today." I answered turning to look at him.
"Oh bloody hell." This was the first time I heard George's tone so low.
"WHAT?" All three of us shouted at him.
"Ginny, Katie floo powder home right now." George said in a rush.
"But…" They stuttered.
"This instant." It was said calmly but they knew it was an order. "Hermione, I shouldn't be doing this it's like offering little red riding hood to the big bad wolf but I am sorry." What was he saying? What did he mean by that? I turned to hear him murmured a spell. It was a barrier spell that I was sure of. But why? I turned and to see that Ginny and Katie were gone.
"I would never leave you Hermione if this was dangerous but at this stage I can not help you at all since you two aren't bind by the contract yet. And you know that professor Lupin said that in your case this pheromone thing is rare." I nodded trying to comprehend what it was he was saying. "He might have forgotten to mention that as basic instinct goes Fred will need to leave his scent on you, he needs to brand you in some sort of way so that you don't smell of other people."
"Brand me like a cow?" I asked feeling my anger rising instead of the fear I held earlier.
"No and yes. Sort of like leaving his mark on you." George tried to explain as the door swung open. "I'll leave you two alone."
"No wait George please, don't go." I wanted to grab hold of him but thought better not to.
"Everything will be okay, but this needs to be done." He said trying to reassure me but now I was panicking even more. He threw the floo powder and was gone. My last hope was gone. Harry and Ron won't have left. But he said even if he stayed it won't be able to help. I told myself. The door slammed shut making me jump. All the curtains were drawn down and now I was standing there in total darkness.
I reached inside my pocket for my wand and realized that I didn't have it on me. It was in my bag on the floor at the burrow. Great Granger now you really are a lost cause. There was a gush of wind and the whole room was lit with candles and I saw that he was just leaning near the doorframe watching me. I focused my eyes to see that he was standing there with a smirk on his handsome face. Bastard.
"What's going on Fred?" I asked folding my arms across my chest. He only just stood there. Don't panic and don't run. If you know anything about the animal instinct thing then that's what he wants you to do. The hunter always goes after what's moving. Damn. Move slowly and maybe he won't notice. He's not blind. But he's probably not paying attention. Right he's just standing there staring into space. It was an on going battle with myself.
When he moved it was like a predator stalking its prey, which was definitely the only way to describe him at the moment. I looked around for an escape route but he was in between me and the door and there was no way I could get to the fireplace and floo powder myself out of here. But George had also placed a charm here so that would mean, only he or Fred could break it. The redhead was not himself at the moment so that didn't help my situation at all. Not that it would have had he been himself. Oh why me? He kicked my foot from beneath me causing me to fall landing on the floor with a thud. I only had time to balance on my elbow as I felt him straddling my waist. His face was inches away from mine.
"Fred stop this." I tried testing if I could get loose. He said nothing just pushed me into the floor. With one of his free hand he pinned both my hands above my head.
"FRED." I screamed. With his other hand he tore Ginny's shirt down the middle revealing my lacy blue bra once again. He let out a growl as he seen this, he licked his lips as it seemed he like what he saw. I squirmed under his inspection of my chest. My body had already blushed on its own. I was so afraid at the moment about what he was going to do but I felt so powerless to stop him.
"Are you afraid of the big bad wolf, Granger?" How can his tone sound so dangerous but filled with so much hunger at the same time?
(A/N: Are you freaking out yet? Heehee…I can see the tomatoes flying now)