I've battled with this chapter for a month now. I decided to post it, but I may take it down and replace it with a different chapter I have written instead. Please leave some positive reviews as I've gotten a bit of writer's block.
Draco was watching Hermione fidget with her dress for what felt like the thousandth time. "Calm down, you look beautiful." He tries again.
She lets out a large sigh. "I expected a casual dinner. But yet here I am in a cocktail dress trying to remember how to be a proper hostess!"
He chuckles and catches her hand to graze a kiss over her knuckles. "It's too late to cancel sweetheart. Just be prepared for them to kiss your hands and offer them some wine."
"They don't like me." She worries for the millionth time.
"They don't know you," he reminds her gently. "I'll stress it's a casual event next time I invite them. Now sweetheart, it's not proper for me to be as physical with you in public, so I'm not going to touch you. But if you are uncomfortable or need me, just let me know."
She nodded. "I don't want to embarrass you, am I supposed to let you serve me and help me sit and all that?"
He smiled. "Yes. Thank you. They should be arriving any minute."
He led her down to the floo and pressed his hand into her small back.
The first to arrive was Theo and his wife, April.
"Theo. Misses Knott," Draco greets with a handshake and a respectful kiss to his guests hands.
Theo nods before turning to Hermione who offers her hand easily. He sweeps his kiss across his knuckles. "Thank you for having us. You look lovely Granger."
"Malfoy," she corrects glancing over to him and he smiled in approval.
"Silly me. Of course," Theo ammends before leading his wife to the sitting room while they waited on the other guests.
Blaise and Ginny of all people step through next. He watches Ginny's eyes widen when she sees Hermione and she launches into her arms with a quiet whimper.
He looks back to Blaise to see he is looking at her with a frown before schooling his features and patting Draco on the back. "Apologies mate. My wife wasn't quite ready for a formal party. But I couldn't skip meeting my best friend's wife. You look lovely. Since you know my wife so well, perhaps you could lead her to the powder room and freshen her up a bit yeah?"
He hears her whisper something to the red head before leading her out of the room.
Draco raises an eyebrow at his friend while they wait for the other guests.
"We got into a fight," he offers with a grimace. "The Weasley's weren't raised like we were. She hates me, I think. I simply requested she didn't embarrass me by trying to serve herself and things of that nature and she cries about how I'm trying to control her."
He nodded, understanding since Hermione had raised her own concerns about that. "My girl is wonderful Blaise. She isn't just some mindless witch who follows me, but she is willing to set aside her pride for me. Just keep trying for some common ground. We'll have some drinks after dinner just the four of us. Maybe she will open up some more if she sees how comfortable Hermione is with me."
He schools his features again as he hears the floo power up again. Out walks Daphne and the boy wonder himself.
Draco politely shakes the boy's hand. "Hermione is in the powder room with your friend." He offers the man who looks terrified at the prospect of him being anywhere near Hermione.
He kisses Daphne's hand quickly and Blaise leads them to the sitting room making idle conversation.
The floo opens again for the final time and he greets Pansy with a man she never recognized before. "Pleasure Mr..?"
"Thomas Banter. I was under the impression we were here to celebrate your marriage. Is your wife suddenly ill?"
Draco bit the inside of his cheek. "Apologies sir. My wife had to lead a guest to the facilities."
Satisfied, the man nods for him to lead them into the sitting room. Not long after, Hermione comes back with a less red faced ginger. "Darling, this is Pansy and Mr. Banter. I'm sure you recognize Potter, and his lovely date is my old friend Daphne."
Hermione smiled politely as she came to stand at his side and once again he felt a wave of pride as his wife stayed at his side.
Winston appeared and announced their dinner was ready, so Draco leads Hermione to her seat and tucks her into the chair carefully. Around him, the other men do the same, though he notices Potter sits himself before Daphne. Casually, he nudges Potter's shoulder as he reaches to hand Hermione a napkin. Realizing his mistake, the boy wonder quickly jumps up and corrects his mistake.
Satisfied, Draco takes his own seat and devotingly pours his wife a fresh glass of wine before gesturing at the others to help themselves to the glasses at the center of the table.
He grabbed his own and stood. "Thank you all for attending. Winston has prepared a lovely dinner for us tonight. We've gathered at my wife's request. She wanted to meet all of you, so please if you don't know her have a quick chat with her tonight to remedy that. I'm proud to say she is everything I could hope for, given the situation. I only hope you gentlemen have found the same gift in your own wives. I propose this toast to my beautiful wife. To Hermione!"
The others ghost his toast as they politely drink their wine. He sees her wife's cheeks grow red and he holds in a teasing remark. He takes her plate and fills it with a healthy portion of vegetables as well as a tender piece of pork.
Across the table he notices April silently presenting her husband a plate instead. That was interesting. He wondered if it would be rude to ask. He also notices she is the last to fill her own plate.
The couples make small talk around them and he hears Hermione and Ginny's hushed talk to his right. He feels bad for the girl. He really hopes Blaise can work something out with her.
"Daphne how is the boy wonder treating you?" He asks with a smirk.
"Probably way better than you're treating Hermione," the boy grumbles under his breath.
Draco raises a brow. "Really now? My wife wants for nothing. She reaches for nothing," he fills her glass again for emphasis, "I would give her the world and ask for nothing but to see her happy. You, on the other hand have been quite neglectful to Daphne's needs."
"Draco please," his wife turns and gives him a placating look.
With a sigh he relents and she squeezes his hand before dropping it and turning back to Ginny.
"You're whipped," Blaise laughs.
"I'm just honoring her requests," he argues back.
"Well. My wife knows her place. She wouldn't ask that of me. Maybe there is something to the way muggles live after all." Theo brags.
"April? Would you care to tell us more? I have noticed you seem to have a different ideal set. That's perfectly fine of course, I just would love to hear about it." He gives her an encouraging smile. He was surprised Hermione didn't tell him more about muggle culture, but hopefully his display of interest would prompt her too in the future.
"Well... I was raised in a traditional Christian household. I was taught to serve my husband first. To be a housewife and to take care of a man before myself. I of course find it interesting that you all seem to treasure your wives so much, and I want to reassure you that Theodore has been just as doting, I would much rather serve and honor him." She explains meekly looking up at him.
That is quite interesting. He thought about discussing it with Hermione later. But he didn't think he wanted her to put him first. If she gave him a child he felt it may set them in an incorrect mindset. He would be raising his daughter, though unlikely considering a Malfoy daughter hadn't been seen in centuries, to think she would have to submit to her husband's will and he didn't like that at all. Or he would be raising his son to disregard his wife. That wouldn't do at all. But he still felt it warranted a conversation.
He tunes back in to hear Banter praising Theodore and April for making sure the breadwinner was the one who got the final say. He didn't care much for Pansy's husband, he decides.
After they saw their guests off, Draco led Blaise and the girls to their study. He watches Ginny go sit as far away from Blaise as possible. His wife goes and sits with her.
Blaise looks at Draco and gives him a look of pure agony. "I'll get the whiskey. For the girls?" He mutters.
"Elf wine," Draco responds off handedly. When Blaise turns to the liquor cabinet Draco walks over to their girls. "Ginny, it's okay. Tell us what's wrong. You know Hermione will support you."
He watches her eyes flick to Hermione's and sees her nod. "I'm not just going to let him control me. I had a future! I'm not just some pretty girl he can tell how to dress and act!"
"You're my wife! Neither of us asked for this, but you're still mine!" Blaise interjects.
"I don't belong to anyone you bast-"
"Ginny! Hold on. Do you think I would let a man think he owned me?" His wife holds up a hand. "Draco is my husband, yes, but he doesn't own me. He respects me. And in return I try to respect him. He wants to put food on a plate for you Gin, it's not like he's locking you in the basement."
Blaise joins them now, holding out a glass for her to take. "She's right, you know. I just...I just want to get along. I know I can sound harsh when I tell you that you're mine... but I don't share well Ginerva. You know how this works. You're meant to follow me, and I'm meant to lead you in the right direction. That doesn't mean you have to jump when I ask. Just listen to my opinion. If you don't understand it, ask."
She looks up at him thoughtfully. "Can we go home and talk about it?"
Blaise nods and turns to pat my back. "Hate to cut this short. We'll catch up soon."
"It's fine. Glad we could help."
He watches Hermione hug her friend and promise to see her soon. The couple exits and soon the sound is heard.
They look around uncomfortably for a moment before Draco breaks the silence. "Thank you. You were the perfect hostess." She smiles and motions for him to join her on the couch. He sits and drapes his arm across the top loosely. "Did...you ever feel like I took any of your choices away?"
She faces him now, studying his worried expression before answering. "The Ministry forced me into this. You have been quite accommodating. And although I hate to admit it because it makes me sound shallow, but I love how doting you can be." A blush powders her cheeks and he brushes his thumb against it lightly. "Maybe we could...could we try dating? It seems silly since we're already married of course! Just forget-"
He cuts her off. "Yes. When can I take you out? Where can I take you?" She doesn't answer him, so he tilts her chin to where she's forced to look in his eyes. "Hermione, I would love nothing more than the chance to win your affections. Just tell me a day and I'll plan an unforgettable night for you."
She shook her head. "No... no I don't want something over the top. I'm not...can you plan something simple?"
He leans over and kisses her forehead. "Of course. I would do anything for you. Now, why don't you come closer and let me hold my witch?"
She smiles and climbs into his lap. As he weaves his arms around her waist, he let's out a content sigh. It felt right to have her in his arms. Her small frame fit perfectly in his. "Maybe there's something to that formula that matched us."
"And the others? Is Blaise really a good match for Ginny?" She asks her breath tickling his neck.
"I think so. They argued a lot. But so have we." He rubs her lower back and she releases a tiny gasp. "I don't know about Blaise. Or Potter or any of these blokes. But Hermione, I would do anything for you. I may not be in love with you, yet, but I will protect what's mine."
She pulls back to study his face. "Is there a reason you feel you must still protect me? The war is over..."
He waited a few minutes debating what to reveal. "I let you be tortured in our home. I watched as my father discarded my mother away for a monster. I...watched a woman get tortured and raped just feet away from me. I watched hundreds of women get tortured and raped. There are still Death Eaters hiding out there. I'm terrified it will happen to you Hermione. I'm scared I won't be a good husband. What if I ever allow them to slip past me and something were to happen to you?" He takes a deep breath before finishing, "What if I am the monster I'm scared I am?"