Disclaimer: I do not own any of Ms. Rowling's wonderful creations. Nor do I own any of the various songs that may be presented throughout the length of this fanfiction. The various songs will be named at the end of the fic, as well as in the chapter within which they lie.
A big thanks and a shout out goes to:
Destiny's Darkness – You'll see her in this chapter...and I'm debating making her a Beaubatons (or perhaps an American) witch. Which would mean that she is also affected by Fudge's dreaded marriage law. I'm uncertain, as of yet, when it comes to the part that Aleina plays in this fic...I don't know if her job is done or not. And yes...Lord Voldie-Pants does roll off of the tongue quite pleasantly.
goldenlioness1102 – I'm glad you enjoyed it.
BloodJewel – Yes...I wanted to keep some humor in the fic, as I felt it might have been getting a wee too dark.
Warg – Yes, yes I did.
0odr8co's'girl0o – I'm glad you enjoy it so much, and thank you.
lovenotknown – I apologize for getting you grounded. I hope it was worth it!
evillizzy89 – I know what you mean. I wrote that, pitying the boys.
Bex Drake – Glad you enjoyed it
Sesshoumarusmate4life – Wow...your name is a handful. I'm glad you think that this fic has improved in style. That was, after all, one of my goals.
Okay...here is the promised wedding scene! It's a bit anticlimactic, I'm afraid...but oh well. It's there. Next chapter: Back to Hogwarts...which means more Raven and MAYBE we'll all finally find out who that blasted mist is, eh? ALSO! The song in this chapter is Changes by 3 Doors Down! You can also find that particular set of lyrics in my Hermione/Sirius fic, Spinning Bottles. Be warned, though...that's a dark fic.
Yours,
Allison
Chapter 14
Oh god...Oh god...Oh god... Hermione's thoughts were running along a similar path to Draco's, though she didn't know it. I'm not ready to do this...oh god...I'm getting married... She turned green.
"Mione? You gonna be okay?" Aleina, her maid of honor, asked.
"No." Hermione groaned, running for the bathroom that connected to their dressing room. Aleina and Ginny, who was also there, exchanged glances.
"Maybe I'd better handle this..." Aleina said. Ginny nodded.
"I'll go tell Pansy and Harry that we need to stall the wedding for a bit." The younger girl said. Both girls were redheads, though Aleina was slightly taller and had hers cut to her shoulders while Ginny's touched her butt. Aleina's eyes were also bright and glittering blue while Ginny's were a gentle hazel. Aleina had a...flare...of mischief about her that Ginny also had...though in a smaller proportion. Ginny was also a witch, versus Aleina's strictly muggle blood. It was another reason that Hermione had been so adamant about a muggle wedding...she'd wanted Aleina there with her.
Hermione was resting against the wall, the porcelain god within a short lunge's length...just in case. She was looking better, Al noted as she looked down at her friend. Not wanting to change just yet, Aleina had preferred to remain in her jeans, four-inch stiletto boots, and the roman-sleeved shirt that came down until just above her navel ring. She was the type that looked good in black...her hair a black-red, not the normal orange-red or brown-red. Her skin was so pale that she had to wear four layers of sunscreen in the summers to avoid burning. Hermione had always admired her best friend's looks, though she rarely showed it.
"Mione...what's really wrong?"
"I'm getting married." Hermione groaned.
"So?" Aleina asked, squatting on her stiletto heels and meeting her best friend's eyes.
"I don't love him!" Hermione snapped. Aleina seemed to consider this, and then she stood and walked to the mirror, beginning to study her hair, making sure it was done nicely. "What are you doing! Don't ignore me!" Hermione snapped. Aleina made no sign that she'd heard Hermione, simply began spraying her hair with hairspray. "DAMN it, Aleina Mary-Anne Price! I am not some...some...bloody child that you can trick into admitting that I love someone who I quite obviously hate, simply by ignoring me!"
There was a small creak as Alena pressed the lever on top of the curling iron. Hermione stormed out of the room. Aleina smirked into the mirror and turned, walking out. "I'm sorry, Mione, did you say something? I couldn't hear over the pity party that you were having."
"Fuck off." Hermione snapped, yanking a toothbrush and some toothpaste from her duffle bag and storming past her friend into the bathroom. Aleina turned to follow when the door was slammed in her face. Al stepped back and frowned, looking at the door.
"Oops." She murmured. Clearly, her best friend was more upset than Al had previously thought.
"Where's Hermione?" Aleina turned to see Harry standing in the doorway. "It's almost time. Why aren't you in your dress?"
"The bathroom. I know. Because my dress is currently locked in the bathroom with the bride, who's in a real snit."
"Oh my." Harry walked to the door and tried it. He then knocked.
"GO AWAY!" Hermione shrieked.
"You're going to have to let someone in, Mione Girl!" Harry called. "You'll be late for your own wedding if you don't."
There were times when Harry was deep and sensitive and knew just what to say. These times were the times when you knew for certain that he was going to make someone a wonderful husband...when you knew that his wife would never be found wanting. These were also the times when you wished- if only for a moment- that you might be that wife...even if you knew that it would never happen.
This was not one of those times.
"Oh very good, Scarface." Aleina said, grimacing as she looked at the bathroom...inside of which music could be heard, the speakers nearly rattling the walls. "Now, not only is she not out, but she's blasting music so that she can't even hear us!"
"How was I supposed to know that she'd take that the wrong way!" Harry snapped.
"Oh gee, I don't know!" Aleina growled. "The fact that this wedding is what drove her in there to begin with, perhaps!" They were nearly nose to nose by this time, green eyes narrowed in a battle of wills against equally- if not moreso- narrowed blue eyes. Ginny, who had come in with Harry, was watching it all with great amusement. She saw the sparks flying in the air around them...metaphorically speaking, of course...much as the sparks flew when Malfoy and Hermione were arguing.
Malfoy and Hermione.
Malfoy.
"I've got it!" The young Gryffindor ran from the room and towards the other end of the church, where the husband-to-be was standing in a crisp white tux waiting for his fiancee and her approach. Ignoring the odd looks given to her by both the wedding planners (known to the fair, noble readers as the Missuses Granger and Malfoy) and the curious looks shot her way by those of Hermione's friends and family gathered in the pews waiting for the ceremony to begin, Ginny grabbed Draco's hand and pulled him to the back of the church...seemingly oblivious to the rumors that the action would spark. "Come on, Malfoy!"
"Weasley...what's going on!" Draco hissed the moment they were out of the doors. Ginny never slowed...Draco was at a loss to understand how in the blazes she could walk so bloody fast in four inch stilettos...as she pulled him back towards the bride's dressing room.
"Harry is being a dunce." The young Weasley said. She glanced back at him then, just briefly, and Draco could swear that he saw her roll her eyes.
"Potter? What the hell did he do?" Draco demanded.
"Well...Hermione got sick to her stomach, so Aleina went in to reassure her and get dressed and their makeup fixed, all that jazz." Ginny said.
"Huh?"
"Muggle Saying."
"Oh."
"Anyway...apparently, Aleina said something stupid and Hermione barricaded herself in the bathroom." Ginny said.
"So...where does Potter come into all of this?" Draco asked, trying to keep up with her as she all but ran towards the back of the church at the same time as he tried to follow what she was telling him.
"Well...Harry decided to try his hand at getting Hermione to come out and...well, he..."
"Shoved his foot in it?"
"More or less." By this time, they'd reached the dressing room. Ginny turned to the blonde man. "Brace yourself, Malfoy...it's about to get real loud." The moment she opened the door, the music blasting from the bathroom hit them like a wall. Draco let out a curse that he knew went unheard as he and Ginny hurried into the room. Pansy, Blaise, and Ron had joined Harry and Aleina in the time that it had taken Ginny to drag Malfoy to the back of the church, and they were all staring at the barricaded door in bemusement.
"WHAT THE HELL!" Draco roared to make himself be heard over the noise. "WHY CAN'T YOU HEAR IT OUTSIDE OF THIS ROOM!"
"PANSY WAS BRILLIANT ENOUGH TO PUT UP A SILENCING CHARM!" Blaise shouted back. "BUT HERMIONE CAN'T HEAR US! WE'VE TRIED IT!"
"EITHER SHE CAN'T OR SHE WON'T!" Pansy confirmed. Draco frowned and looked at the door. The music...the song...it was one he recognized.
"HAS SHE BEEN PLAYING DIFFERENT SONGS? OR JUST THIS ONE?" He asked.
"IT'S BEEN THIS SAME ONE!" Aleina told him. "SHE USED TO LISTEN TO IT WHEN THE KIDS AT SCHOOL TEASED HER!" Draco frowned. People were teasing his Granger? He held that honor!
"WHAT ARE YOU THINKING, DRACO?" Pansy shouted.
"PANSY, BE A DEAR AND APPARATE TO THE MANOR FOR MY GUITAR!" Draco shouted. Once she was gone, he turned to Aleina and Ginny. "YOU TWO GO GET YOURSELVES READY! PANSY WILL FIX HERMIONE UP!"
"BUT MY DRESS!" Aleina protested.
"SO DO YOUR HAIR AND MAKEUP! I'LL SEND BLAISE OVER WITH YOUR DRESS!" Draco could feel himself getting hoarse from shouting, and a quick glance at Harry's watch told him that they didn't have much time. "POTTER, YOU AND WEASLEY GO TELL MR. GRANGER AND MY MOTHER WHAT'S GOING ON! LET MR. GRANGER DECIDE WHETHER TO TELL MRS. GRANGER AND MY MUM DECIDE WHETHER TO TELL MY DAD! THEY'LL KNOW WHAT TO DO!"
Given their tasks, the small crowd dispersed. Draco turned as Pansy handed him his guitar. Sitting it up, he paused. "ALRIGHT, BLAISE! YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO! PANSY! COUNT DOWN FROM TEN TO GIVE ME THE TIME TO GET READY!" They nodded. Blaise took up a refuge beside the bathroom door where he could duck in and apparate out with Aleina's dress before Hermione knew exactly what was happening. Pansy moved over to the closet that housed Hermione's dress. She held up her fingers and counted down from ten with them clearly, poised so that both men could see.
On one, Blaise murmered a spell and the music suddenly quit. As if someone had put an incredibly silencing charm around the occupants of the room that made the silence seem eerie after all of the music. Draco began to play...his fingers moving perfectly with the music that had been playing just moments before. This music, however, was much more reasonably pitched.
"I'm not supposed to be scared of anything,
But I don't know where I am." Come on, Hermione. Draco thought, watching the door as the sobbing within stopped and a shadow appeared at the bottom.
"I wish that I could move but I'm exhausted
And nobody understands..." He was half expecting Blaise to have to put in his input...but no.
"How I feel." The voice was definitely Hermione's. Encouraged, Draco continued playing.
"I'm tryin' hard to breathe now
But there's no air in my lungs." The door creaked open slowly and Hermione stood there, sniffling. Draco pretended not to notice.
"There's no one here to talk to
And the pain inside is making me numb." He hit a haunting chord.
"I try to hold this under control
They can't help me, cause no one knows.
Now I'm goin' through changes, changes.
God, I feel so frustrated, lately.
When I get suffocated, save me.
Now I'm goin' through changes, changes." He felt a gentle hand on his knee and molten silver met melted milk chocolate as he looked up.
"Feelin' weak and weary
Walkin' through this world alone
Everything they say every word of it
Cuts me to the bone"
"And I bleed." Hermione whispered, sniffling as he smiled at her and nodded.
"I've got something to say
But I've got nowhere to turn
It feels like I've been buried
Underneath all the weight of the world." She bowed her head and Draco longed to reach out to her...but he kept playing.
"I try to hold this under control
They can't help me, cause no one knows.
Now I'm goin' through changes, changes.
God, I feel so frustrated, lately.
When I get suffocated, save me.
Now I'm goin' through changes, changes.
Hermione began to sing softly with him. When she wasn't completely plastered and just fooling around, her voice was actually very beautiful. "I'm blind and shakin', bound and breakin'
I hope I'll make it, through all these changes!" Their eyes locked once more as Draco finished the song.
"Now I'm goin' through changes, changes.
God, I feel so frustrated, lately.
When I get suffocated, save me.
Now I'm falling apart, now I feel it.
But I'm goin' through changes, changes.
God, I feel so frustrated, lately!
And I get suffocated, I hate this!
But I'm goin' through changes, changes!" As he strummed the last of the chords, Hermione had pulled herself together and stood, drying her eyes.
"What are you doing here, you big goon?" She sniffed. "You're supposed to be on the other side of the church!" Draco felt himself smile. If goon was all that she was going to call him, then the day might be a good one after all. He felt even better about the day and the dreaded muggle wedding that was waiting them when she gave him a watery smile.
"Come now, Granger." His voice was softer than she had ever heard it, and she found herself reacting to it. "I couldn't very well let you miss our wedding, could I? Where's that Gryffindor Courage that everyone speaks so highly of?"
"I think I flushed it down the toilet with my lunch." She admitted sheepishly. "And now I'll never have time to get ready..."
"Not to worry." He assured her. "Pansy here..." Indicating the woman standing to one side waiting. "Is a well-known fashion miracle worker. So...I'll leave you in her capable hands and tell Potter, Weasley, and our parents that it's safe to proceed." He touched her cheek, his voice dropping to a murmur. "I'm not going to let you out of this one, Granger. You're stuck with me." With that he swept out of the room, leaving his fiancee stunned behind him.
Pansy was watching Hermione in an entirely new light. "He actually loves you." She said, sounding quite shocked.
"What? No he doesn't! It's just this stupid Marriage Law." Hermione said...not wanting to explore in depth why exactly she didn't feel as thrilled about that prospect as she should.
"I don't think so, Mione." Pansy said as she began helping the girl get dressed quickly. "People who are marrying other people just because of 'stupid Marriage Laws' don't look at said-other person as if said-other person was the most precious thing in the world."
"You're being ludicrous, Parkinson!" Hermione snapped in a tone that left no doubt whatsoever that the topic was closed.
"Maybe so, Granger, but I also know my best friend. He's been my best friend for our entire lives, after all." Not giving the young bride time to retort, Pansy cinched up the corset on the dress just enough to cut off any reply and began working on the hair and makeup.
SCENEBREAKSCENEBREAKSCENEBREAK
One step at a time, Hermione...don't run away...don't freak out...you did fine at the rehearsal last night... Hermione coached herself. Pansy was, indeed, a miracle worker. The wedding was starting a mere four minutes late...and that only because Mrs. Granger had burst into tears and then left the room to double check her makeup. Hermione looked up at her father, who smiled down at her. She had considered having Harry and/or Ron escort her with her father...but they would get their chance three days hence at the second wedding.
After some deep discussion on the parts of Hermione, Draco, Annelise Granger, and Narcissa Malfoy, the honeymoon had been postponed until the summer holiday. Lucius had begun to protest, but Narcissa had put her foot down. Firmly.
Lucius was still sleeping outside with his prized Welsh Wolfhounds.
Fighting to keep from giggling at the memory, Hermione looked up as Aleina...the Maid of Honor, was escorted down the aisle by Blaise. Pansy and Ginny would be escorted by Ron and Harry, respectively.
...And there they went.
I can't do this! What am I doing? I'm seventeen! Hermione turned to her father, her eyes wide with panic. "Daddy!" She whispered. He looked at her. "Daddy, I can't do this! Daddy..." She begged. He was already leading her towards the door leading to the chapel, ignoring her protests. Once they were actually in and she saw all of the eyes on her, she felt her stomach twist. Her heart and breath sped simultaneously and she fought valiently for a moment against the urge to cut and run... (a battle which she was losing specacularly)
...And then Molten Silver met Melted Chocolate and the world drifted away. She took his hand like a lifeline as her father gave her away, and he gave her a comforting smile. She barely heard the preacher's voice as he spoke...was barely aware of repeating the vows and saying 'I Do.' It seemed as if she had just been handed to Draco when the preacher's voice cut through her thoughts once more.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife...you may kiss the bride." Neither half of the young couple spared the preacher a glance as his lips brushed hers softly once...and then again with much more feeling. Pulling back, the heat in the molten silver pools promised more to come later and the dazed chocolate orbs were shining as they looked towards those watching. "Ladies and Gentlemen...Mr and Mrs Draco Malfoy!" At the claps, the wedding party moved out to meet and greet the dreaded well-wishers.
SCENEBREAKSCENEBREAKSCENEBREAK
"MALFOY! I AM NOT IN THE MOOD FOR THIS! WE'RE CATCHING THE TRAIN IN THIRTY MINUTES!"
"DAMN GRANGER, WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING WAKING ME UP?"
"WELL SORRY! IF YOU HADN'T BEEN SO FUCKING DRUNK LAST NIGHT, YOU MIGHT FEEL BETTER NOW! AND IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN, MY NAME IS NOW OFFICIALLY HERMIONE MALFOY IN BOTH THE WIZARDING AND THE MUGGLE WORLDS!"
"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME! WHAT ARE YOU DOING! HEY!" A loud thud rang throughout Malfoy Manor and Narcissa looked up at her husband.
"I hope you know what you are doing." She said, darkly. Her slightly hungover husband shot her a dirty look before he glanced up towards the stairs...down which his son and new daughter-in-law would be coming at any moment.
"The mudblood will be a grand asset to our family, Narcissa." He reminded pointedly.
"Being nice to that little wench and her family makes me want to puke." She snapped back. Neither of them noticed that Hermione and Draco had just stepped into the doorway of the room...nor did they notice when the two teens stepped to either side of the door to listen. Draco watched Hermione's reaction, feeling something in his gut twist into a feeling that he knew well from his arguments with her. Only this time...it wasn't towards her. It was towards the people who put that stricken, speechless look on her face.
"Cissa..." Lucius' voice turned gentle and persuasive. "Our Master likes her. The Dark Lord himself has pledged to support both the mudblood and her parents. For now, she has His favor and we can do nothing."
"The Dark Lord should have known that she was going to be a temporary addition to this family! I won't have her sulley our bloodline, Lucius! It's all I have left! My own side's bloodline was polluted with that wretched Sirius and his love for Muggles! I won't have our son's purity compromised in the same way!"
"Draco is a married man, Cissa. Delaying their honeymoon will hardly stop the inevitable." Lucius reminded gently. Silver orbs met Brown, reading the desperate look in them. Draco clenched his fists. Why was he feeling this way? He was a servant of Voldemort! He wasn't supposed to want to kill Voldemort! Especially over a mudblood!
"I don't care! If the wench gets pregnant, I want you to trick her into aborting it, Lucius!"
"How in the blazes do you expect me to do that, Woman!" Lucius demanded. "Owl her with a nice box of chocolates come Valentine's Day with a note telling her to eat one after all of her intercourses with Draco?"
"Well, why not?" Narcissa demanded petulantly. It was sealed. Draco felt the heated fist in his gut turn to ice. His mother had just expressed intent to harm not only his wife, but any children that might come of the union. He didn't need to hear any more. Making a motion, he led Hermione back to the stairs and prayed that she was the actress that he thought she was. Or, at the very least, a decent actress.
Raising his voice, he growled. "God DAMN it, Mudblood! We don't have to catch the train for another hour!"
"I know!" Hermione took his hint, raising her voice pertly. "What of it, Ferret?"
"WHAT OF IT? WHAT OF IT! I COULD HAVE SLEPT FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER HALF AN HOUR!"
"NO YOU COULD NOT HAVE! YOUR MOTHER WANTED US DOWN FOR BREAKFAST!"
"BUGGER ON BREAKFAST!" They stormed into the dining room arguing, only to stop short once they saw the adults.
"Oh...um...Mr and Mrs. Malfoy..." Hermione stuttered.
Decent actress? Hell, she was already on her way to Hollywood...she just didn't know it yet. "Mum...Dad..." Draco murmured, sitting down and casting a sullen glare in the direction of his wife as she cast him a similar glare and plopping down across from him. Lucius and Narcissa shared a glance, oblivious, as the younger couple began fighting over everything from coffee to who got to eat the last egg.
From the hallway, however, a pair of indigo blue eyes and a pair of almond-shaped amber eyes watched in identical amusement, both thinking similar thoughts.
Ah...Young Love...