When Hermione finally woke up the next morning, it was to the sight of two very dark black eyes staring inches away from her face. Instantly, Hermione shrank back into the pillows, desperate to get away from the person that had invaded her personal space. Then she heard a familiar cackle and knew that it was Bellatrix.
"Finally, you're awake," the older witch groused, although clearly amused by Hermione's fearful response.
"Bella, be nice to her. It is her wedding day after all," Narcissa scolded from behind her sister. "We must be kind to Hermione. Don't you remember how nervous you were on your wedding day?"
Hermione sat up, giving the two witches odd glances. What were they doing here?
Bellatrix didn't take her sparkling dark eyes off of Hermione's face. "All I can remember from my wedding day is Rodolphus fucking me through the night. I couldn't even sit properly for a week," she said with a feral grin that had Hermione's eyes widening in shock. She seemed to want to unnerve the younger witch and it was working.
Would that be what it was like for her? She did not want to fuck Rabastan Lestrange.
"Now, Bella, I seem to remember you crying, begging father not to make you marry that brute," Narcissa said snidely. "Just because you look back on it fondly now, doesn't mean that you weren't nervous."
Hermione gulped. Not being able to sit properly was looking back on it fondly? Clearly, Bellatrix was more than a bit unhinged.
"Now, Hermione, stop dallying about," Narcissa instructed. "It's time for your breakfast."
Seeing Hermione's hesitation, Bellatrix snarled. "Do it now or I will imperio you!"
Hermione quickly swung her bare legs over the side of the bed, grabbing for the jeans that were next to her on the nightstand. She quickly put one foot in each leg of the pants and pulled them up, not wanting to be presented in front of the two women with just her knickers on.
When she was finished, Narcissa had her arm out again for Hermione to take. Deciding that it was better to not fight with Narcissa today — being that she didn't fancy being on the receiving end of Bellatrix's wand, again...her muscles were still sore today — she took the offered arm, to which Narcissa gave her a pleased smile.
Narcissa led her and Bellatrix to a small conservatory where some breakfast food was laid out — croissants, fruits and the like. Tentatively, Hermione filled up her plate and began nibbling on some cantaloupe, while the two sisters chatted away, mostly ignoring her. Narcissa did give her a small smile though. "Do eat up, dear. You won't be able to eat again until after the ceremony," she suggested.
Gulping, Hermione was sure to eat until her belly was full.
Next, Hermione was led to a small bathing area, where Bellatrix told her to strip down and get into the bath water.
"I don't want to get naked in front of you!" she argued.
At hearing Hermione's protests, Bellatrix just waved her wand at the younger girl, reminding Hermione that the threat of an imperius curse was very real.
Sighing, Hermione turned away before unzipping her jeans and letting them fall to the floor. Next, she lifted the pink jumper up off her arms. Looking down at her feet, she reached behind her to unclasp her bra, letting it fall down her arms. Finally, taking a deep breath, Hermione hooked her thumbs in the sides of her knickers, pulling them to join the pile on the floor.
Then, not wanting to let Bellatrix or Narcissa appraise her naked body, Hermione slipped into the tub, trying not to hiss at the temperature. Once she was settled, Narcissa went about putting different herbs into the tub. There were some for fertility, some for comfort, some for pain. Honestly, it just confused Hermione even more.
Unable to hold her tongue, she asked. "Why are you doing this to me? I don't want to marry Rabastan. And he sure as hell doesn't want to marry a Muggleborn like me," she wondered.
"Don't you dare say his name so casually you filthy Mudblood!" Bellatrix hissed.
"Hush, Bella. It is up to Rabastan to decide if he would like to allow his wife the familiarity," Narcissa calmed her sister. "In any case, as they are about to be married, I am sure that he won't have any issues with it."
When silence settled again over the trio, Hermione finally asked again. "You didn't answer my question."
"The Dark Lord commanded it," Bellatrix hissed, before smiling at Hermione again. "He seemed to think that ickle Potter and Weasel would be easier to flush out without their brain to tell them what to do."
Hermione's heart sank. It was probably true. Oh, curses! She should have been telling Harry and Ron about the little beaded bag when she was putting it all together. Thinking of her two friends alone and hopeless, had tears welling up in her eyes again.
Narcissa seemed to notice, so she handed Hermione some shampoo and conditioner to wash her hair. Hermione scowled, but took the offering. She wondered if Narcissa was just allergic to feeling. She went about her washing in relative silence, trying her best to ignore the two sisters, who would oddly enough soon become her family.
When she couldn't hide in the bath any longer, Narcissa handed her a big fluffy towel, the same kind from the bedroom she'd stayed in. Then, the older woman led her into the next room, a whole room for dressing.
Narcissa smiled, before opening a wardrobe, where all kinds of wedding accoutrements were held. "I hope you don't mind, but I had the liberty of getting your measurements taken. It's all been made fit to order." Then Hermione realized that Narcissa was trying to hand her some little white lace knickers, and hanging in the wardrobe were stockings and a garter belt and a strapless bra.
"I'm not wearing that!" she insisted, taking a step back from Narcissa, who had her arm still out in offering.
"Oh, so you won't be wearing anything under your dress then?" Bellatrix quipped. "I will be certain to tell Rabastan. I am sure he'll barely be able to contain his...excitement at the prospect."
Hermione shuddered at the older woman's words. "Just give me back what I was wearing before I took the bath."
"Can't, I'm afraid," Narcissa said, not looking sorry at all. "The House Elves have been instructed to destroy it."
Hermione took a deep breath, trying to keep her anger under control. Did she want to go commando at her forced Death Eater wedding? Probably not, she decided, and took the offered garments from Narcissa's fingertips.
She stepped into the underwear, awkwardly pulling them up her legs, while trying to keep the towel on as well. When the knickers were in place, she sighed, again annoyed with the Malfoys for only having the best everything. The knickers felt like heaven.
She had to remove the towel to put on the matching strapless bra, which left her standing completely exposed to the two women. She felt skinny and shapeless, and, Merlin was she embarrassed. Still, Narcissa didn't say anything, just sniffing and handing her the stockings and garter belts.
Hermione felt her cheeks heat up, feeling like this had more to do with enticing her future husband than for any practical reason. Still, seeing the gleaming look in Bellatrix's eyes, she put them on anyway, pulling the stockings up over her shapely calves.
Once that was finished, Narcissa handed Hermione a white dress. "I had it modeled after the dress that I wore," she said, lost in a memory.
Hermione frowned. She really didn't want anything to do with something Narcissa had worn, but she supposed that she should be a little bit thankful that they were making an effort with her, after all. They didn't have to do any of this for someone they had so little regard for. Really, it brought up more questions than answers.
Still, she stepped into the off-white lace, and pulled it up over her body, slipping her arms through the off-the-shoulder sleeves. Narcissa stood behind her, using her wand to pin up all of the little buttons.
When she looked at herself in the mirror, she felt all her breath leave her body. The dress was made for her, and it fit her like a glove. She looked so much more womanly than she'd ever felt before. It made a small part of her soften. That was until she saw Narcissa's fond smile over her shoulder.
Once she was dressed, Narcissa led Hermione to a vanity, and soon a little House Elf was using its magic to transform her bushy hair into soft, voluminous waves. Narcissa was using her glamour charms to add a little makeup to Hermione's face, but making sure she looked soft and beautiful.
The transformation was remarkable. "Well, you almost look like a real witch now," Bellatrix told her with a sneer. The moment was utterly shattered for Hermione then.
A knock on the door startled all three witches. Bellatrix walked calmly to the door, and when she opened it, her husband Rodolphus entered. Rodolphus was a hulking brute of a man, unlike his more slight brother. He had a crazed look in his dark eyes that matched Bellatrix. Really, the only similarity she could see in the two brothers was their dark auburn hair color.
"It's time," he told the trio with a mocking leer.
Suddenly, Hermione felt her knees lock together. "I won't do it," she vowed, unwilling to leave the room with the brute.
"Doesn't matter what you want, you will get married to my brother whether you like it or not," Rodolphus told her with a smirk on his face.
Bellatrix began to giggle. "The Mudblood always gives in eventually. She won't put up much of a fight."
"You can't imperius me!" Hermione cried, trying to remember the words of the book on Magical Bonding ceremonies. "If you imperius me, then the bonds won't take. And I will never speak the vows on my own."
Rodolphus took three short strides until he was in front of her, and grabbed her upper arm tightly in his huge hand. "Don't need you to make your vows on your own. Don't need your consent. And certainly don't need to imperius you. Now come along," he commanded through gritted teeth before he began to pull at her arm, trying to lead her from the room.
Hermione dug her heels in and tried to get away from Rodolphus, while her brain whirled in confusion. "Impossible. No such bond exists." She was defiant in the face of her captors.
"Enough of this," Rodolphus finally said, before picking Hermione up, swinging her over his shoulder. Hermione felt all of her breath leave her as she was held helplessly in the air. "We aren't using the traditional bonds. We are using Lestrange vows."
That seemed wholly ominous to Hermione, so she began to try to kick and punch Rodolphus as much as possible, desperate to get free from his tightly held grasp. But he had already left the room and was walking down a long hallway. "Let me go! Put me down! I don't want to do this!" she demanded, but he wouldn't budge.
Finally, Rodolphus stopped, but only to kick open a pair of double doors, leading into a banquet hall type room. Hermione quieted and looked up to see at least one hundred guests assembled, all Death Eaters and Voldemort supporters she presumed, wearing dark robes. She renewed her struggle, but was still unable to get free from Rodolphus, despite a well placed kick to his gut, causing him to groan low in his throat.
He took a few steps up onto the dias, before placing Hermione onto her own feet in front of Rabastan Lestrange. Ropolphus stood directly behind her, and forced her to give her hand to his brother.
Rabastan was looking at her with something like humor in his light green eyes. Hermione was about to say something to her betrothed about her upset at being there, but she felt that she was silenced. Annoyed, she held Rabastan's hand as tightly as possible, finally smirking when she saw him wince in pain.
Pius Thicknesse, the Death Eater's puppet Minister of Magic, presided over the ceremony. He said a few words in a stilted manner, before beginning the actual vows. Hermione listened very intently to the vows that were promised. It seemed that they were not much different bonding vows, if a little crude and focused on family.
Rabastan vowed companionship, fidelity and comfort. Hermione couldn't contain her eyes from rolling when he'd also vowed to give her his seed, so that she might bear him sons, and carry on the family name. As if, Hermione thought, with a scowl. Hermione's vows were all assured by Rabastan's words.
Finally, Thickenesse waved his wand over their joined hands, speaking a combination of French and English spells. Hermione could feel her soul coming forward, overwhelmed and bright. When she felt Rabastan's soul caressing hers with a sensuality that she'd never experienced, she gasped, and felt her knees buckle, her center pulsing with heat and desire. Rabastan's firm grip kept her upright, and soon their souls were melding together. He was leaving his imprint on her. Then with a scorching heat, a thin band of silver wrapped it's way about her left ring finger, pronouncing her tied to him for the rest of her life.
Feeling suddenly exhausted, Hermione slumped against Rabastan and let him put his arm around her to hold her up. With a few more words from Thicknesse, the ceremony was concluded. Hermione was just glad that Rabastan hadn't tried to kiss her to make the farce of this worse.
With a gallant smile, Rabastan led her from the ceremony hall to a large formal dining room, and placed her in her chair. Other Death Eaters quickly filled in the open seats. Hermione looked down at her empty plate, unwilling to make an effort.
Soon, food appeared in front of them, and Hermione could feel her stomach grumble. Sighing, deciding that there was no reason she shouldn't indulge, she began to pick at the roasted vegetables and mashed potato that was on her plate. She never looked up, but instead just listened to the cacophony of voices around her.
When someone addressed her, she looked up in surprise, only to come face to face with the red eyes of the Dark Lord. "You were a beautiful bride today, Hermione. I've heard of your brilliance before, but not your beauty," he complimented her. She felt fear slip into her stomach, but didn't respond to him. "I hope that we will be able to put that brain of yours to good use," he added with a smile, showing off sharp, pointed teeth.
Hermione tried to respond, but found that the silencing spell was still in place. Seeing that Hermione was struggling and getting exasperated by not being able to speak, Voldemort began laughing in that high-pitched reedy wheeze of his, all at her expense. Finally taking pity on her, he canceled the spell. Hermione looked him in the eye and put her bitchiest face on before responding to him. "I don't know what would give you the impression that I would ever work for you."
The Death Eaters at the end of the table fell into silence. Everyone knew what happened when you back-talked to the Dark Lord. No one forgot what had befallen Levinius Crabbe a few decades ago. Even beside her, Rabastan had gulped loudly.
The Dark Lord stared at her with feral eyes, before finally cracking a smile. "Hm, it seems as though your child bride is up past her bedtime, Rabastan."
Narcissa nodded. "Quite right, my lord. Moffet!" When the little house elf popped in beside Narcissa, the older witch gave her instructions. "Moffet, please escort Hermione to her bedroom."
Hermione wanted to protest being sent to bed like a little child, but held her tongue, letting the Elf take hold of her hand. If anything, it should be a relief to get away from the awful people she was currently surrounded by. Before she left, she heard Voldemort raising a glass in toast to Rabastan.
When they got to the room, Moffet helped Hermione remove her wedding dress, as Hermione still didn't have a wand to remove it herself. Once Hermione had stepped out of the dress, the house elf took it, and popped away, leaving Hermione alone in the room that she had been in last night.
Looking around, she found that she wasn't left any kind of pajamas to wear. Sighing, she would at least remove the stockings and garter belt. But she would be damned before she would remove the bra and knickers. Deciding it would be best to fall asleep before Rabastan returned — if he returned that evening — she climbed under the covers, and turned off the lamp on the nightstand.
But of course, Rabastan would be returning. After all, consummation of the vows was typically required in a wedding ceremony. The unbidden thought of Rabastan's lips on her throat made her insides clench in forbidden pleasure, and Hermione tried to drive away the thoughts of their souls tangling together in the earlier ritual.
Unable to sleep, her eyes slowly adjusted to the dark of the room. It was an hour or two later when Rabastan finally stumbled in, clearly a bit drunk. He began to awkwardly strip out of his clothing, revealing his body to her. He was built like a boxer, each individual muscle finely and exquisitely wrought, without being overly large.
Before long, he wandered over to his side of the bed, and slipped in beside Hermione, apparently unaware that she was awake. Hermione laid as still as possible so as not to arouse suspicion. Soon though, a rhythmic motion began under the sheets, and Hermione was embarrassed to realize that he was wanking right next to her.
Unable to hold her tongue, she asked, "What the fuck are you doing?" she demanded. Her body was stiff as a board under the sheets.
Rabastan's voice was huskier and a bit of an accent was slipping through his words. "Having a wank. Don't tell me the ritual didn't affect you, too," he accused.
Hermione refused to acknowledge his point as she could feel the wetness that had gathered between her legs. "Don't you have to consummate the marriage?" Hermione asked snidely.
Rabastan laughed quietly in the night. "Are you offering?" He was quiet while he waited for an answer, but when he didn't get one he continued. "Lestrange vows don't require consummation."
"Why?" Hermione asked, more for academic purposes than for her own situation.
Rabastan chuckled again. "Always thinking. Listen, if you shut up and go to sleep, I will tell you all about the Lestrange vows in the morning." Not waiting for her to answer, he began masturbating again, small groans coming to his mouth.
Hermione squeezed her eyes shut tight and tried to push the imaginations of what his cock might look like from her head. She wrapped her arms around the pillow so that she wouldn't be tempted to touch herself under the covers as well.
With a final groan, the movements stopped and Rabastan whispered a cleansing charm before turning to go to sleep himself. Hermione realized that his wand must be nearby. If she just waited until he went to sleep, she could get it for herself.
But, while she was listening to his steady breaths, Hermione drifted off to sleep herself.