Hermione awoke angry. Flooding her mind were all the instances over the last year she had been denied knowledge. All the times that her opinions had been side stepped, her warnings unheard. She was practically vibrating with pent up rage, and it was time for someone to give her answers.
Her restrained hissy fit was interrupted with several large thumps on the door that shook the room. That was enough to get the men up and on the defence. Rolling her eyes, she just called out.
"Floss," instantaneously there was a soft pop. On the foot of the bed stood a small elf. She had lavender skin and was wearing a miniature Weasley sweater and a pair of plaid pants. She was one of the House Elves the Weasley's had helped house while Hogwarts was being rebuilt. She had fallen in love with the family and refused to leave them.
"Missy Hermi called Floss?" she asked sweetly. She wasn't a nervous elf, she was just very softly spoken and gentle.
"Yes, I was wondering if you knew what was going on outside?" Hermione had barely finished her question when Floss was gone. No one else had spoken and it was slightly off putting the way there were looking at her. Just as she was about to ask them what was going on Floss popped back in. She looked worried and it was unsettling to see the calm un-flappable elf reacting in that way.
"Missy has to go. There are mean wizards trying to get in to arrest Missy. Floss was sneaky, Floss heard them say that she was doing bad things and has to be punished," she reported while wringing the fabric of her dress between her hands.
Punish her? Punish her!
The anger that had been cut short earlier came back swiftly and Hermione ground her teeth. Her parents would have chewed her out for that behaviour but she couldn't control it.
The men in the room all suddenly started yelling plans half suggesting they run away until this all blows over the other half coming up with battle plans. They obviously didn't know her as well as any of them thought they did.
Well maybe one. A hand closed around hers and she looked into the silver-grey eyes of Draco. He obviously knew she wasn't going to run away or play helpless victim let alone being an entire bloody war just because someone thought they could tell her what to do.
Her anger, while not lessening, took a step to the side to allow for the warm feeling that flooded her from his show of support and she leaned up to press a gently kiss to his lips. His free hand came up and slid around the back of her head to hold in place as his tongue worked to part hers lips and move against hers. She let a soft moan escaped as he gently nipped at her bottom lip as they parted. The room had fallen silent she noticed but couldn't pull herself away from Draco's eyes.
"I think we both know that you're heading out that door to give them a what for. I also know that we're all terrified of looing you, so try not to curse too many foreign dignitaries in your rampage," he said while brushing a thumb over her cheek. She'd never seen this side of Draco and it made her wonder how much of a difference the rituals really made or was this what he had been like, what he would have been openly like if there had been no Voldemort. She could help the shive that rolled through her or the goose-bumps that erupted over her skin at his touch.
"Before you go out there Hermione, I think there's something we need to tell you," Severus spoke up. He sounded worried and it put Hermione on edge immediately. Just like Floss, anything that can upset Severus Snape was something worth fretting over. The distress must have been written on her face as she was quickly re assured that there was nothing wrong per say, 15 times, at the same time.
"Alright then, tell me what's going on," she said. The door slammed again in the background, but no one paid any attention to it, all focus on Hermione as they conjured a mirror. Draco helped her to stand and lead her over. She looked at herself for a second. Then took a moment to look over her husband's noting that she was not joined in her new affliction.
"I see that none of you were subjected to the changes," she said calmly. Her tone was enough to send everyone scrabbling with their clothes to try and find something different with them to appease their new wife. Unfortunately, dress robes were exceedingly difficult to remove, and considering how long it was taking for proof Hermione was far from appeased. She waited patiently, though her ire was building back to the near Vesuvius it had been when she had woken up.
While they struggled to remove their clothes in a frenzy, clearly forgetting they were wizards and could have vanished the garments, Hermione returned her gaze to the mirror. She unzipped her dress and let it fall to the ground. She turned left and then right.
Her skin was covered in filigree. It wound around her limbs and slightly up one side of her neck. Her hands, feet finger and toes were all wrapped in the design. The colours melded into one another creating beautiful gradient in what she could only assume was a binding mark. In deep, jewel tones that matched the lighter more metallic colours surrounding it were runes. She counted even though she already knew that there would be 15, she'd need some help later writing them down and working on the meanings. By now the men had stripped down to their trunks and were taking in the sight of their wife in her lacey underwear and new tattoos. No one could deny the beauty of her in that moment and all of them committed the sight to memory. Even Hermione could see the beauty in the pattern, she would have preferred to not be covered but clearly there were a lot of things she didn't get a say in.
"We have them too, just not as… extensively. Only two runes each," Blaise said coming up and showing her the beautiful silver web that covered his shoulder blade. Nestled in the middle were two runes. One of the runes matched the one on her thigh that was surrounded by silver. Her husbands had colours that matched too theirs. Theo came up on her other side to show the sapphire blue piece adorning his left pectoral. Again, there were two runes, one she found just above her backside. Just like with Draco's gentle touch before, when he gently traced the pattern surrounding his rune her skin broke out in the telling bumps. She met Theo's eye in the mirror and couldn't help but appreciate his naughty smirk. Shaking herself she brought herself back to the issue at hand.
The other rune matched the second one in Blaise's that was sitting in white in the middle of her chest, it stood to reason that the recurring one was representative of her.
She didn't have any more time to think on that as the door shuddered again and this time, they could hear yelling, they must have managed to take down the silencing wards.
"Fine then, if it's a confrontation they want, it's a confrontation they'll get," clicking her fingers she was fully dressed in an outfit that screamed power.
Her heels were insanely high and dangerously sharp. The cream coloured pleather wrapped around her ankle visible through the slit int the floor length skirt. The skirt was high waisted, and the split stopped mid though, it was made of loosely woven canvas type material. The band around the waist was cream to match the shoes and the majority of the skirt was a deep blue not quite navy but not sapphire. The top was also cream and was solid from the sweetheart neck to the part tucked into the skirt. The top was covered in a matching cream lace cover over Hermione's shoulders and upper arms and connected to a matching solid band around her neck. Her new decorations becoming more noticeable with the simple style and limited colour palate of her outfit.
A second click had all the men dressed comfortable but with whatever edge of intimidation they held. Severus was cloaked in mountains of black fabric, cutting an imposing figure. Adrian was dressed to the nines, his debonair manner making him exude 'better than you' vibes. Both Charlie and Marcus were in jeans and tight t-shirts showing off their mass in the most obvious way. The Malfoys were haughty, Harry and Greg looked ready for a Sunday picnic which was unsettling in a situation like this. Neville, Theo and Remus did not match the group, their outfits consisted of sweaters and chinos. This was their strength as they were unassuming and easily ignored but deadly. Sirius was shirtless, much to his pleasure, and secretly Hermione's. His tattoos proudly on display (including the new one on his ribs in a deep red) and his hair wild. He looked feral and was enjoying every second. Pleased that they looked formidable Hermione waved her hand and the doors opened revealing them to their would-be captors.
Before her stood the French Auror unit. As well as the American and Chinese slightly behind. Past them she could see the ministers from each ministry as well as Kingsley who was being held by two American Aurors. The British Aurors were far behind as if waiting for an order to step in but unable to anything just yet.
"I can see that you've mastered knocking. Hasn't anyone informed you that it's impolite to interrupt people on their wedding night?" her voice rang out and most people froze at the show of combined strength the group was displaying. A tall slender woman with peach skin and long auburn hair, stepped through the lines of Aurors with a smug look on her face. As if she'd won. Clearly, she'd never met Hermione Granger.
"I see you've willingly surrendered. We can be more lenient with you for not putting up a fight but…" she trailed off as Hermione began to chuckle.
"You threaten my Ministry, you persecute me and mine, you refuse to help us in our time of need, you spread lies and plan to manipulate me to do your bidding for reasons I can only imagine and yet you have a gall to stand there and act as though you've won something. I can assure you, Madam, that not only have you well and truly lost but you have awaked a fury like no other that will rain upon you in the most unpleasant ways imaginable until you know nothing but the feelings you have scavenged from the broken wreckage of your life," her voice was low and clear and she could feel the fear in the room. Unfortunately, she could also feel the arousal, turning back she gave Lucius a long look only to receive a wink back.
By now the Aurors had retreated leaving the Minister of MACUSA standing alone in front of Hermione. They'd heard of the power she wielded, her unwavering mission towards equality and the vindictive streak. They didn't want their lives ruined for a corrupt government. The Minister had dropped her fake cheery smile and in its place was a scowl.
"Listen here you uppity little skank, I have worked very hard to get to this position and I have worked even harder to maintain the image of being all powerful. I refuse to let you waltz in and start bringing people back from the dead, I refuse for you to be bound to so many strong wizards, and above all I refuse to acknowledge that you are any kind of practitioner of magic, you filthy, horrid little No-Maj," she snarled, droplets of spittle landing on Hermione. She could feel her husband's anger at the way the woman was treating her, but they knew better than to step in. She'd be coddled within an inch of her life later though.
The American Minister wouldn't have a second of peace after today, if not from Hermione's hand then from that of her husbands' or their families. Hermione's hand lifted to wipe away the now dried drops of spit to make a point. She stepped forward into the woman's personal space, with a smile so serene that even the American Minister look worried for a moment. She of course hid that behind a haughty look of distain. From behind her Hermione could hear her husbands' moving forward to flank her. She continued to move towards the woman at the sudden advance the American Minister began to move backward. Small steps at first but Hermione increased her speed and in the end the woman had to turn and speed walk to avoid a collision.
The lines of Aurors parted for them and they came to the French and Chinese Ministers. They looked at Hermione in awe. She looked at them with thinly veiled disgust.
"Despite the passivity of you and your men now I can see where you would stand. Unfortunately for you that means there is now a un fixable rift between us and I think it would be best if were to take yourselves away from her and this country and wait to see how we decide to handle the blatant betrayal you have exhibited. Release my Minister at once," she ordered to the Aurors holding Kingsley. They released the magic suppression spell before taking off the restraints. Kingsley was drawn into the fold of her husbands for protection before Hermione addressed the group of outsiders once more.
"Get out of my house immediately or I shall be forced to remove you myself," she said rather pleasantly, no one trusted that. A flick of Hermione's wrist and everyone felt the anti-Apparition wards fall and the mad dash to leave began. Hermione could feel eyes on her back and turned just in time to see the American Minister glare at her before vanishing. Once everyone was gone the wards we put back up and Kingsley was taken to be looked over by a Medi-Wizard. Hermione and her husband's went to see their families.
"Mum. Mum, we're fine, no one even drew a wand on us Hermione was too strong for them to even try," Charlie told Molly as she was fussing over her boys. Hermione stood to the back of the group she'd had her turn and she was moving on soon, she was part of the Weasley family regardless of the bond and evidently Molly still fussed over her. As she was about to head over the Marcus and his parents for introductions, her arm was grabbed. Suddenly defensive she looked up, it was Ron.
"Oh Ron! It's so good to see you, how are you faring?" she asked. They'd grown apart over the last year but that didn't mean she didn't genuinely care about him. He shrugged.
"Not been too bad I suppose. I get along alright with a couple of the husbands, Pansy got four. Me, Justin Finch- Fletchley, Lee Jordan and Terry Boot," he said shrugging again. Hermione did a double take.
"Pansy, as in Pansy Parkinson? You got paired with Pansy Parkinson?" Hermione was astonished. Just slightly after Draco on Ron's list of people he would always dislike was Pansy. Then again, she supposed she was paired with several Slytherins and Death Eaters to boot it wasn't too much of a stretch to think that Pansy and Ron were well suited.
"She's not how she was in school. I get along pretty well with her now too," Ron said his ears turning a bright red. She knew what that flush meant.
"Too much information Ron, gross," Hermione laughed. He laughed along with her and she knew that they'd be alright, eventually. "I'll invite you all around once we get settled properly after this week. Plus, we have your wedding to attend." She winked at his renewed flush and said goodbye and moved over to meet some of her in-laws.
"Hermione, meet my mother, Glynnis and my father, Rutherford," Marcus said as she came closer. Her was beaming at her. Glynnis and Rutherford Flint were the opposite of what you'd expect. Glynnis looked as though if she thought about it enough, she'd sprout wings and become a fairy. She was tall, but she had fine delicate features and crystal blue eyes. Rutherford looked like he belonged at a muggle accounting convention, he was even wearing a navy blue knit sweater. The only thing that led Hermione to connect Marcus with his parents was the height all three shared and the large broad shoulders that he had in common with his father.
"It's a pleasure to meet you both. I apologise we hadn't met before the wedding, I had fully intended on meeting all my family to be but unfortunately I ran out of time," Hermione said while shaking their offered hands. They wore very kind smiles.
"We understand, your circumstances were quite difficult. We would love if you came for dinner in the next few weeks, to get to know you better," Glynnis offered, Rutherford nodding along.
"That would be lovely, I'll owl you during the week so we can coordinate a time. I'm sorry for this being so short I have quite a few people to meet," she moved over to where Adrian was to begin the next round of introductions. It was going to be a long day, she only hoped that no one would ask about the tattoos until she'd had a chance to look into it more. She already knew she wasn't that lucky.