Of Nuptials and Bonds That Free
The weekend had passed in a flurry of activity between the elves moving Hermione's belongings into the flat she was to share with Draco and Sunday when both Narcissa and Pansy had flitted about like gnats buzzing about every last annoying detail. Draco was lying in his bed at the Manor that Sunday night alone because Narcissa insisted it was bad luck to spend the night before one's wedding with one's intended. Hermione had been so past overdone with the entire ordeal she had agreed without a fight and now they were both alone at night, he could only wish to hear her voice. After laying there until half eleven, he finally decided he was an adult and if he wanted to sleep with his future wife on the night before his wedding he could. He was grateful his bedroom had a Floo so he didn't have to try and sneak downstairs; he only hoped Hermione hadn't closed the Floo on her side for the night.
The green of the Floo roared to life as Draco called out for his flat. He thanked every star in the heavens when he wasn't spat back out in his Manor bedroom. The gratitude was short lived though because he was at wand point. A wild haired witch with a murderous gleam in her eyes. His witch. She dropped her wand the moment she realized who he was and was wrapping her arms around him in the next. Draco took what felt like his first full breath in the last two days.
"Thank Merlin you decided to break the rules first because I was about to find out if the Manor would let me in without you," Hermione murmured into his chest.
Draco chuckled, "Unlike some people's, at the Manor the Floos are closed at night."
"Yes well," Hermione started, and the argument died in her throat as Draco tilted her chin up to place a kiss on her lips.
She melted into him, and his heart soared with the knowledge that she had needed him as much as he needed her in this moment. The kiss was languid, he hadn't kissed her in days. Last night they had collapsed on the bed with little more than a muttered g'night. When he finally pulled away, she let her head fall back to his chest and she squeezed him harder.
"Come on witchling, lets go to bed," Draco said placing a soft kiss into her curls.
Draco led her back to their room, and once in bed he pulled her to his chest. Both were asleep in minutes.
The morning sun found Hermione tucked peacefully into a large soft bed with the sounds of deep rhythmic breathing behind her. She hadn't opened her eyes yet, she wanted to savor this moment for a bit longer. That was until a sobering thought entered her brain; she was getting married today and by tonight would be forever bonded to the wizard next to her. She waited for the fear or anxiety to come but to her surprise she realized she felt a tentative kind of excitement. Obviously, she was still nervous but she wasn't terrified at the prospect like she had been in the beginning. Over the last two weeks she and Draco had formed a connection that was already deep and strong. They had fought yes but through that fighting they shared deeper truths. When she expected him to clam up and sulk, he had stayed open and when she finally did too, she found the partner she had always hoped for. Draco rolled over and pulled her to him and nuzzled his face into her neck, likely getting a mouth full of hair but he didn't seem to mind.
"I can practically hear your brain whirring," Draco teased as he squeezed her hip and placed a kiss on her shoulder before throwing back the covers and getting up.
"Why are you getting up already?" Hermione whined.
"Because while I disagreed that we couldn't share a bed I will ascribe to the idea that one should not shag one's intended less than twelve hours before the wedding," Draco said as he poked his head out of the bathroom and flashed her a cheeky smile.
Hermione groaned but all hopes of a lie in were dashed now so she rose to go make some tea. She brought a cup back to Draco, who was now standing with towel wrapped around his lean sculpted hips shaving his face. She had seen this before but she was still not so used to his presence that the sight of him like this wasn't a tempting for her. Draco glanced over at her and smiled; his face still half covered in his shave soap.
"Is that Crookshanks on your pajamas?" Draco asked.
"Yes, for your information it is; Ginny got me these last year for Christmas and I love them," Hermione said with a sniff.
"Does the benevolent overlord appreciate that you wear his likeness?" Draco teased.
"He does," Hermione said as she turned on her heel to walk out.
Draco's arm snaked around her waist and his other hand moved her curls to the side so he could kiss her neck.
"Thank you for the tea," Draco whispered into the shell of her ear, "now out you get, I am indecent," he said with mock propriety.
"You are insufferable, is what you are," Hermione said rolling her eyes as left the room.
She made her way to the study intent on curling up with a book for a bit when the Floo chimed and moments later she heard the voice of Pansy Parkinson coming from her living room.
"I can smell his shave soap and cologne from here, I gather you two did not listen to Narcissa," Pansy said with a smile as she crested the stairs carrying a garment bag and levitating a small trunk behind her.
"He came through at half eleven and we hugged, I know the scandal, and went to sleep," Hermione said.
"I couldn't do it either, Greg and I were going to do the whole stay apart for a day before the wedding but he showed up at my flat at midnight because he couldn't sleep and figured we would both be better if we had rested the night before. He was right of course and I was grateful he had come. We had often snuck into each others rooms before the war when we were at Hogwarts and the rest of you were off doing well you know, but after everything; we spent almost no nights apart. He was my anchor in the storm and I was his safe harbor," Pansy said her voice growing softer and fonder as she spoke.
"Right well enough of that," Pansy said with a shake of her head, "Let's get started, we have a lot to do and not enough time to do it!"
"Pansy it is nine in the morning, the wedding isn't until two thirty what do you mean not enough time?" Hermione groaned.
"Yes, the Ceremony starts at two thirty but you will have to be there and ready by one and in your dress no later than one thirty. Honestly, I thought you were the queen of schedules why are you so surprised?" Pansy asked with a critical brow.
"Pansy believe it or not, not all women enjoy being pinned and primped within an ich of their lives," Draco said as he emerged from their room.
Hermione smiled gratefully at him.
"I am off to the Manor, I am sure mother hase already noticed I am not there but I will return anyway because Greg, Blaise, and Theo are meant to be there to do what ever men do before they get married," Draco said casually.
The Floo chimed again and Ginny was calling out a greeting.
"Draco, good to see you though I thought you had been instructed to stay away," Ginny teased.
Draco placed a chaste kiss on Hermione's cheek.
"See you later," he said.
Hermione watched him go and knew she was now at the mercy of her so-called friends.
Hermione was standing in the tent that had been erected on the Hogwarts grounds near the Peace and Unity Gardens. Pansy and Ginny had already walked down the aisle. Hermione was the last one left, she could hear the murmuring of the guests and the subsequent hush that followed the opening bars of Nocturne in B-Flat Minor. This was it, she had always imagined doing this one day as many little girls did. The difference being she had imagined doing it with her father at her side, walking her down the aisle to a man she had spent years or at the very least months dating, not weeks. Her nerves evaporated though when she rounded the corner and saw him standing at the altar. Draco was resplendent in his dress robes, the sun shining and glinting off his platinum hair. A soft summer breeze brought the scent of apple blossoms and as Hermione walked toward her future his gaze never left her face. He wasn't smiling some goofy smile and tears weren't welling in his eyes but she could see the depth of his emotion swimming in the clear grey of his eyes. When she finally reached him he took her hand and kissed her knuckles.
"You are radiant," he said simply.
They turned then to Minerva McGonagall, whom they had asked if she would preside and she had readily agreed. All the usual vows were spoken.
"Finally, as is the custom of the Malfoy family the couple will please take your wands and cast the rings which symbolize who you are as individuals," Minerva's voice rang out to the crowd.
Then more quietly just to them she spoke again.
"I just wanted to say one final thing to both of you. I am incredibly proud of the way both of you have grown over the last several years. You both had incredibly difficult childhoods to overcome and here you are still mending but more lovely because of it. Like Japanese potters, you have used gold to fill in the cracks. I know this whole affair wasn't of your choosing, but I do wish you both every happiness," Minerva said with a soft smile Hermione was sure she or Draco had never seen before.
Hermione met Draco's gaze and both of them took a step apart to cast the rings that represented themselves. Then came the part they had only practiced in theory, reciting the incantation that would bind them together over and over to ensure they could say it together and with the correct inflection. Draco held out his right hand and Hermione took it. The magic between them humming in anticipation, the noise of a hundred people dulled to nothing, there was only Draco and her. He smiled then and they when the spoke it was in perfect unison.
Convoco spiritus magicos ad hanc ceremoniam
I call upon the magic spirits to this ceremony.
Ut aedificemus vinculum inter nos
So that we may build a bond between us.
Nostra animae coniungentur in amore et in veritate
Our souls shall be united in love and truth.
Animo meo tibi alligo ab hac hora usque ad mortem
I bind my soul to yours from now until death.
As the words of the incantation rang between them the rings of their individual selves glowed brighter and brighter, shifting until they aligned perfectly. With the final line of incantation the gold of the rings burst into life creating a dome that encased them. As the magic settled Hermione felt it. The awareness of him and the gnawing feeling that this wasn't yet complete. Draco's eyes were still locked on hers and Hermione could see the effect this was having on him. He pulled her in and sealed his lips over hers in a searing kiss. His fingers gripped the base of her skull as his other hand found purchase on her waist. She sensed the effort he made to break that kiss even though every fiber of her being was screaming to complete the bond. When she finally came back to the present, the crowd was clapping some politely others a bit more enthusiastically. Draco offered his arm and they walked back down the aisle together. They were met by Narcissa the moment the entered the bridal tent. Hermione nearly hexed her because she had half a mind to throw up every ward she knew and have Draco in that very tent.
"Are you two going to be alright?" Narcissa asked critically.
"Yes," Draco said with some apparent effort.
"I mean we have to be; we have an entire garden party to attend after all," Hermione said and groaned internally considering that prospect.
"If you need to go, I will make excuses, I understand the pull of this bond. It will quiet down after you consummate, I promise," Narcissa said with a kind smile.
And that was enough for Hermione and Draco it seemed to pull themselves together. Hearing his mother sympathize with them over the need to consummate. Hermione was sure she never wanted to hear that word again as long as she lived.
"Thank you mother for that kind and very disturbing offer, but we will be alright for a few more hours I'm sure," Draco said crisply.
Narcissa just smiled a knowing smile and left the tent.
"Come on lets get out of here or I will not be held responsible for what happens next," Draco said.
Hermione laughed, "come on husband."
"At your service, wife," Draco quipped back with a cheeky smile.
They exited the tent to the small crowd of their friends.
"The hounds all want their piece of the action," Ginny said with disgust, she was no stranger to reporters being a Quidditch star.
"I heard some of them speculating Narcissa was present to witness the co—"
"Don't even finish that statement Theodore Nott," Hermione growled.
"Can we please just act normally, like this is any other horrible social function we all are required to attend please," Draco said in a tone that spoke to long suffering.
"Fine mate but just know everyone at this particular event knows that you are itching to—ow what the—ow!" Blaise cried.
Draco and Ginny both smiled at one another as they stowed their wands after sending a Stinging Jinx at Blaise. The group broke down in laughter as Blaise rubbed his ass and shoulder.
Hermione and Draco made their rounds greeting guests and hearing the same chorus of congratulations. It was nauseating. Finally, the Minister approached them.
"Lord and Lady Malfoy, a pleasure to witness your marriage this fine afternoon," Shacklebolt said with a self-satisfied smile.
"Thank you, Minister, for attending we really do appreciate your presence," Draco said with a cool aristocratic smile, "I hate to be rude but I wanted to make a little toast so if you don't mind I will have to beg your forgiveness."
"Of course, of course," Shacklebolt said in a tone identical to the one Draco had used.
Draco led Hermione to the small stage that had been set up to hold the string quartet that had been playing until Draco stepped up. Draco pointed his wand at his throat and his voice was magnified. Hermione stood to the side of the stage with a quiet pride as she watched Draco hold the crowd in wrapped attention. He was made for this. She had always known this was the world he had come from, but seeing him hold the attention of the crowd with that easy smile and charming tongue was a magic of its own.
"My wife and I wanted to thank all of you for attending today and would like to invite all of you to a gala we will be holding at the Manor," with his words invitations appeared in the hand of every guest in attendance, "Monday's are not the best day for a ball so we plan to celebrate properly in two weeks' time. The gala will also benefit the Foundation for Muggleborn Equity in Education, so please direct any gift you would have given to my wife and me to the Foundation."
Murmers ran through the crowd and a polite round of applause followed quickly after. Draco exited the stage and returned to Hermione.
"That was perfect, just enough of a hint to get the rumor mill started," Hermione said.
"I also have ensured the right bits of information leak in regard to the project at staggered times over the next two weeks," Draco said as he pressed a kiss into her temple.
Hermione leaned into his touch for a moment. She pulled away this time and spotted Susan Bones, whom she had been hoping to see since this horrible party began. She left Draco to approach Susan as they had previously decided would be best.
"Susan, it is lovely to see you again," Hermione said as she approached.
"Oh Hermione, you look lovely, I do hope you are holding up alright. I feel terribly about how this law has affected you," Susan said with an apologetic smile.
"I am quite alright; Draco has turned out to be a very supportive partner. We likely would not have chosen each other for ourselves but, we are a good match. I actually had wanted to ask if you would take tea with me sometime in the next week. I had a new matter I wanted to discuss with you if you are free," Hermione said with a bright smile.
"Ready to get back to work I see," Susan said with a laugh, "I would be happy to meet with you in the next week; send me an owl and we can set a date," she replied with a warm smile before being drawn into conversation with another guest.
Hermione returned to Draco's side and listened politely as he talked with some members of the Hogwarts Board of Governors and smiled congenially when introduced. Draco quickly made excuses and led Hermione into the garden. They walked a little distance until she realized he had led her to the Apparation point Minerva had set up for the day to allow for easy access for wedding guests and event staff.
Draco pulled her flush to his chest; one hand on her waist the other gliding up her arm to rest on her neck, his thumb grazing her jaw line. He hovered just out of reach even when she pushed up on her toes. He smirked at her attempt and brushed his thumb over her lips.
"Shall we go home Lady Malfoy," Draco said in his silken voice.
"What about—"
"Mother will make excuses, come on," Draco said as he took her hand and the familiar tug of Apparation whisked them away.
Draco and Hermione landed in their London flat and for a moment just breathed in the quiet air. The day had been long and arduous and it had felt like for longer than eight hours since they had been alone together this morning. Hermione was pulled from her stupor by the light touch Draco ran down the exposed length of her spine continuing over her dress until he reached the curve of her butt. Hermione shuddered. Draco turned her fully toward him then and tilted her chin up with his index finger.
"I had thought this bond would have made us crazed animals, but all I feel is an ache in my chest that I know won't stop until we are one," Hermione mused as she held Draco's gaze.
"Maybe for you, but I for one fought the urge to gouge out the eyes of every person at that garden party for looking at you while simultaneously preening because my wife was the talk of the party and the most beautiful woman there. It was a very unsettling sort of dichotomy," Draco said between lazy kisses that peppered her cheeks, jaw, and neck.
Draco turned Hermione so her back was to him and a moment later she felt the tip of his wand run the length of her spine then a loosening of her dress. Hermione shrugged out of it and though Pansy might murder her later she couldn't be bothered to care as she turned around to meet the hungry gaze of her husband. Draco had stepped away and was in the process of undoing his cufflinks when Hermione turned back around. She stood before him in a white lace bustier top and panties. She stayed rooted to the spot as he slowly untucked his shirt flashing just the briefest glimpse of his abdomen before moving those deft fingers to the button at his collar. His eyes were dark and penetrating as he took her in. With every button he undid she fought the urge to pounce but there had been some unspoken agreement between them; they were going to take their time even if it took all night.
Draco shirt hit the ground and Hermione was nearly trembling with need. She to a step toward him and he tutted.
"Patience witchling we aren't in a hurry," Draco purred in low sensual tone.
With aching and she swore intentional slowness, he pulled his belt from the loops of his trousers before finally moving to the button and zipper. Then in a move crueler than any before he stopped and sat to untie his shoes and remove each one. He leaned back trousers undone, pants slightly tented.
"Draco, you are being the most awful tease," Hermione complained.
A sly smile spread across Draco's face but otherwise he remained unmoved. Hermione took a step forward and another. Draco's focus was intense the heat of his gaze searing as he watched her move toward him. The hum of the bond grew more insistent as she neared him. Her breath and her heartbeat quickened. She watched as Draco's chest rose and fell in perfect unison to hers and wondered if his heart beat in the same staccato. She stood between his legs, and he did nothing still. He only leaned his head back against the highbacked chair so he could maintain her gaze. Hermione ran her fingers through his silken strands and a low hummed rumbled through Draco as a shiver ran along her spine. His hands moved to grip the back of her thighs in a bruising hold pulling her flush to his chest as he sat up. Hermione increased the strength of her grip on his hair pulling his head back, so his chin was resting on her sternum. Her other hand danced lightly over his back.
"I love you," she breathed, her lips hoovering just above his.
"I will love you until the last star has burnt out, even then that won't be enough," Draco said as he laid his head against her breasts, his hands trailing possessively over every inch of her backside.
"Draco," she whispered into his hair then waited for him to look up, "make me yours."
Draco stood and swept her up in his arms in one fluid motion. The steady beat of his heart soothed her, and he carried her to their room. Standing next to the bed, Draco let her feet down slowly before turning her to unclasp the bustier. She turned around and pushed his trousers and pants down before removing her own. Draco's hands roved over her torso squeezing and sending sparks of need deep within her. Hermione stepped closer to Draco and clasped his balls lightly before rolling them slightly. Draco hissed and Hermione smiled. Draco's hands trailed until both where framing her neck, his thumbs applying light pressure. Hermione continued to stroke Draco's hardened cock with gentle teasing pressure occasionally rubbing her thumb over the tip spreading the precum. Draco had been watching her stroke him for long moments before apparently deciding he had enough teasing. Hermione found herself being pushed until the backs of her thighs hit the bed. She made a small gasping sound and that snapped whatever control Draco had been exerting since they entered the flat. He sealed his lips over hers in a claiming kiss.
Draco trailed his hands down her sides to lift her onto the bed as he continued to devour her moans. Hermione raked her nails over Draco's shoulder down his chest pulling his body closer to hers. Draco placed a hand on her breastbone and encouraged her to lay back. His grey eyes were nearly black with desire as he let his gaze roam over her form laid bare for him, only for him. Draco bent and pulled her to the edge of the bed, his right arm braced near her, his left stroking his cock as he lined himself up with her entrance. Draco paused with the head of his cock resting heavily on her oversensitive flesh. His left arm joined his right to bracket her face.
"Hermione," Draco said in a strained voice raw with the emotion of this moment.
"Draco."
Animo meo tibi alligo ab hac hora usque ad mortem
Draco whispered as he finally pushed into her.
His hips met hers and the world slipped away as he moved inside her. Their hearts beat as one and in that moment, she saw herself through his eyes and she knew he saw through hers. To be so completely known and loved overwhelmed and consumed her.
Hermione's body was a tight coil on the precipice of a freefall from which she knew she would never recover. Draco found the edge and pulled her over with him. He possessed her and she him. They belonged to the other in a way few would ever understand, and Hermione had never felt more free.
Draco pressed feather light kisses to the crook of her neck as she drew lazy circles on his back. He was still inside her twitching in the aftermath. Finally, Draco lifted his head and absently brushed her errant curls from her face with smile that could light the darkest night. She smiled back with equal joy.
