Author's Note: Happy to have so many positive reviews already! I've gotten several comments on a Severus/Hermione pairing and also questions about multiple Hermione pairings and wanted to answer those en masse. While a Severus/Hermione is one of my absolute favorites this story will not be that. Severus has a very reluctant crush on Hermione but had never planned to act on his feelings even before the marriage law and her decision to take a pureblood husband. Also, this is not a Hermione harem – although I love those too. I don't think my skills as a writer are quite up to a harem fic yet so this is definitely a specific character pairing. But I shan't ruin the surprise of whom! The point of having multiple men in the mix is to a) have more fun writing (all these men are so delicious in their own way!) and b) this is meant to be a bit self-reflective. All of our male characters will learn something from Hermione during the courting process. Enjoy!
Draco Malfoy examined his reflection critically in the standing gilded mirror with as much intensity as one studied a rare and priceless work of art. His platinum blond hair, no longer slicked back like in his school days, just brushed the smooth grey of his dinner jacket. He wore a matching vest and pants, the material made of the finest silk and his white dress shirt with white silk embroidery had been pressed to within an inch of its life. His nails were buffed, his shoes were polished, and his grey eyes gave a practiced look of bored indulgence.
Who would have thought he would have gone to all this trouble for Hermione Granger?
"Granger," he murmured, watching as his reflection's countenance became thoughtful. He had so many memories of the girl – woman, he supposed. He would forever smirk as the memory of the bushy haired swot's hand shooting into the air in classes. He could even smile ruefully at their third year when she had delivered him one hell of a right hook. The Yule Ball where he had had the one traitorous thought of thinking the Muggle-born lovely. That was his last warm memory of the girl – woman.
They were replaced by images of her bloody and beaten on his ballroom floor.
Shoving his hands into his pockets as forcefully as he shoved the dark memories from the forefront of his mind (they never truly left him) he turned and went to meet his father.
Lucius Malfoy was dressed very similarly to his son, only where Draco wore a slim suit of light grey, Lucius had dressed in rich emerald velvet. His long hair was brushed and tied back at the nape of his neck with a matching ribbon and his ever present dragon head cane was polished and shined to perfection.
Draco noticed how tightly the thing was clutched in his father's leather gloved hand.
"Ready?" Lucius inquired, shrugging into the black wool coat that one of the elves had brought.
Draco nodded, flicking a piece of non-existent lint of his arm. "It's Granger," he replied, as if that explained everything.
"What do you think she'll serve at her 'dinner party'?" Lucius mused.
Draco snorted. "I half expected it to be held at that hovel the Weasley's call a house."
The unease they had felt at the fact that neither of them had recognized the apparition point provided in the invitation was ignored.
Lucius sighed in resignation of a terrible evening to be endured for the sake of his House. "Yes, well, at least it'll provide some entertainment. Severus canceled our rematch tonight so I was quite without plans."
"Let's just get this over with." The younger Malfoy was sure the only reason the witch had invited them was to gloat over their impending loss of fortune and incarceration. He had had enough of people spitting on his family and his name. The fact that he would have to endure it for an entire evening from Hermione Granger on the minuscule hope that she was serious about entering into an agreement with a Malfoy was a humiliation he did not know if he would be able to withstand.
With a loud crack! the two silver haired wizards apparated away.
Neville Longbottom shrugged his shoulders and pulled at the sleeves of his maroon dinner jacket, attempting to feel comfortable in the tailored formal wear. As a Herbology apprentice he was often in a uniform of teaching robes or dirty gardening clothes. Tonight, in his three-piece suit and tie, he felt oddly constricted, as if with any sudden movement he would tear through the costly silk. But it was worth it.
Hermione Granger.
Her name alone brought a small smile to his lips as he straightened his burnished gold tie. He had purposefully chosen Gryffindor colors to remind Hermione of their shared past and allegiances. He had never thought to expect an owl from the female member of the Golden Trio. He had not even realized he had sent a courtship letter out to her even though he must have done. In school she had been the perfect student, always completing every assignment early, always knowing the answer, always willing to help another student with their studies.
His smile grew as he remembered their shared Potion's class. Merlin knew he would have never passed without her assistance – he had been terrified of Professor Snape and a right mess with a cauldron. But Hermione, well she had always been brilliant, at everything. He had asked her to the Yule Ball their fourth year and she had seemed sincerely regretful when she had turned him down.
"I wish I had known you were planning to ask me Neville," she said fretfully, her large cinnamon eyes turned towards him with concern.
He had been amazed at her dueling skills and spell work when they were in the DA together. She was by no means a natural, like Harry and Ginny, but she made up for it in determination and creativity. She had found new uses for old, common place spells that had eventually been incorporated into the Auror training program.
Neville had always admired her. She was a beautiful, brilliant, kind witch and for the first time since he had had found out about the marriage law he was actually looking forward to the whole thing. If Hermione Granger would consent…well, he was sure his grandmother would not be able to find a thing wrong with the girl.
Theo Nott stood silently on the green heath, inhaling the soft night air that was tinged with the scent of ocean spray. He studied the cream stone of the manor house in front of him, the fingers of his right hand rubbing the silver filigree on his walking cane while he wondered what other revelations the Granger girl had tucked up her sleeve for tonight.
To say he had been surprised when a white pygmy owl bearing a formal dinner invitation had landed in front of his full English breakfast one morning would have been an overstatement. Theo Nott was never surprised – but he was intrigued. Hermione Granger was the most famous Muggleborn of their era. She was a brilliant war heroine who used her intelligence and award money to create a cure for victims of prolonged Cruciatus exposure. She was best friends with the Savior of the Wizarding World and beloved by all creatures great and small. Theo was waiting for the biographies to learn the rest of what he was sure would be a very interesting and fulfilling life.
So why on earth was she wasting it on the likes of him?
He remembered her, of course. He didn't know of anyone who had met her, spoken with her, who would be able to forget the vivacious Gryffindor Princess.
"Stop it Ronald, I have to study." Theo looked up from where he was scribbling notes for his Advanced Arithmancy project. He noticed the brunette had her own Arithmancy books spread across the table but was currently unable to make use of them due to the large ginger who had thrown himself across the table in order to gain her attention. Theo rolled his eyes and turned back to his studying, intent on ignoring the growing drama between the two members of the so-called Golden Trio. It had been brewing for weeks of course. Everyone could see the red-headed monkey was gone for the girl but that Hermione had finally wizened up to the fact that she was too smart, too gorgeous, and just too…much for the Gryffindor blowhard. Everyone could see that. Except, of course, Ronald Weasley.
"But Hermione," he whined unattractively. "You always study! And there's no need to! You'll get any job you want! You helped bring down the Biggest Bad Great Britain's ever seen!"
Though he was determined not to watch, Theo couldn't help but see Granger roll her eyes in exasperation. He smiled. He could tell this was not a new conversation.
"I don't want to trade on my name Ronald. Or Harry's," she said, looking at her friend pointedly. "I want to do what I want on my own merits."
Weasley finally removed himself from her table, grumbling the entire time. "Don't see why you need a job anyway. Should stay at home with the kids. I'll take care of you."
At that mumbled statement the entire library went deathly silent. Even Theo stopped pretending to be working and stared openly as Granger, who had bent her head to continue working, froze in her seat.
Slowly, precisely, she set down her quill, making sure the wet end did not drip on any of her papers. "And what makes you think, Ronald that you will be taking care of me?" She turned her head slowly, her soft curls sliding around her back and shoulders as she sent Weasley a chilling glare.
The ginger fiend seemed to understand he was in trouble but couldn't quite comprehend how he had gotten himself into it. So he opened his oblivious mouth once more. "You-you're my girl."
One imperious brown eyebrow raised in question. "Since when?"
Theo could see Weasley panicking. His whole plan revolved around the hope that if he acted like Granger was his girlfriend she would feel obligated to follow his lead. Everyone knew that the idiot had never actually asked the girl anything. Not for a date, a kiss, to hold hands, nothing.
Theo smirked when the Gryffindor decided on bravado and a 'firm hand' as his next course of action. "Now…now see here Hermione! I love you and you-you're mine! And…AND that's just the way it is!" He finished triumphantly. Eagerly, the entire library turned to see Granger's reaction.
She smiled, a soft sweet smile that made something in Theo's chest leap uncomfortably. He rubbed at the spot and frowned to cover his momentary unease. She wasn't falling for this tripe was she?
Granger lifted up both hands and placed them gently on either side of Weasley's face. He was relaxing now, thinking he had won and gotten the girl without embarrassing himself overly much.
"Ronald…dear, sweet Ronald," at that sweetly saccharine voice Theo smirked knowingly. That was the same tone of voice Pansy used before some boy started either screaming or crying. "I love you too, but I want you to listen very closely." Her hands tightened on Weasley's face and sparks of magic began to crackle and fly from her fingertips.
"I am MINE, before I am EVER anyone else's. And I will NEVER be yours."
Unfortunately, Weasley hadn't cried that day much to Theo's disappointment. But he had seemed to have finally gotten the hint and shortly thereafter started seeing his old sweetheart, Lavender Brown. When the Brown girl became pregnant three months later no one had been surprised. Theo wondered if the ginger idiot knew his best friend owned a manor house.
The sound of two distinct pops! Interrupted Theo's musings and he sighed. Best get on with the show then, he supposed, taking a firm grasp on his walking cane and making his way slowly up the drive.