"Welcome to The Grand Wizard Hotel Australia" the handsomely dressed dark haired wizard from behind the desk said the second they stepped out of the fire place. "Mr and Mrs. Malfoy, your suit waits; and of course as always, if you require anything please let us know."
Hermione turned to Draco, puzzled. Draco smirked, placing an arm around Hermione's waist. "Thank you." Hermione turned her head taking in her surroundings. The lobby was covered in white marble with gold fixtures. Comfortable looking couches and tea tables adorned the large room. Oak doors with intricate carvings led off the room in nearly every direction.
"If you would like to leave your bags here they will be taken upstairs for you."
He led Hermione to the elevator, pressing the up button. The door opened and Draco led her inside quickly, turning to the number pads on a side panel of the wall. He pressed the top button and a key hole appeared. Draco pulled out a key from his inside jacket pocket, pushed it into the hole and turned it to the right. The elevator immediately began to move upward. Hermione watched Draco quizzically as he removed the key.
"How did he already know our names? And why do you have a key for the elevator?"
"The Malfoy family owns this hotel" Draco said shortly, as if this was the most normal thing in the world.
"So when I stayed here after the war while trying to find mum and dad I was really paying you?" Hermione raised her eyebrows.
"Yeah, I guess so" Draco said smirking down at her. "I was actually here for a few days while you were here." Hermione tilted her head to the side, surveying him carefully.
"How did you know that I was here?" she asked.
"The staff informed me. I also saw you in the lobby one morning."
"How didn't I see you? I mean, you don't exactly blend into a crowd."
Draco laughed. "I... may have hidden myself behind something so you couldn't see me. I was too nervous to talk to you." Hermione laughed softly.
"So how did I not know that you own a hotel?" The elevator doors opened to reveal a small entrance hall with an elaborately designed door at the end, The Malfoy family crest carved into the centre. Draco led her to the door and opened it while standing to the side, allowing her to enter first.
"I own eight actually. Scratch that, we own eight" Hermione's jaw dropped at Draco's comment and the room in front of her simultaneously. "I guess I never thought about it because we have a lot of business ventures. I guess I need to explain it all to you now that you are my wife."
"When you are ready, yes" Hermione exclaimed, twirling while taking in the room.
In the centre of the room hung a vast chandelier. Full length windows took up two whole walls revealing a spectacular view of Melbourne city. A bar stood on another wall along with a fire place and several very comfortable and expensive looking couches. Hermione noticed the spiral staircase to her left.
"The bedroom and bathroom are upstairs" Draco said. "Those two doors lead to the library and the office." Draco pointed to two doors that Hermione hadn't noticed. He recognised the glint in her eyes at the word library and smiled. "Yes, I just said library."
"Can I have a look at it?" Hermione asked hopefully.
"Of course. Don't you want to see the top floor first though?"
"Yes, I don't know if I could pull myself away from the books."
Draco laughed. Grabbing Hermione's hand he led her up the staircase. The stairs opened onto a spacious room, a king sized four-poster bed sat in the centre, covered with black silk linen. Hermione gasped as she took in all the details of the room. A handsome table and chairs sat by the windows, a single rose lay atop it in an elegant white vase. She noticed a walk in robe that was bigger than her bedroom when she had lived with her parents. All of their things were already hanging up or folded in the open draws. A door stood open to the right of the room.
Hermione walked to the door way peaking inside, feeling Draco's presence behind her as she stepped through the door. White and black marbled tiles covered the floor; an Olympic pool sized bath lay in the centre. To the side of the room stood a very large shower that could easily hold 16 people. Vanities lined the back wall. On the final wall stood three doors.
"The first two doors are toilet rooms and the last is a cupboard for towels." Hermione jumped, almost forgetting that Draco was there. He wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed down her neck, pulling the strap of her dress to the side as he went. "Do you want to see the library now?"
"You are making it hard to say yes" Hermione said, straining to breathe.
Draco smirked into her neck. He turned Hermione around in his hands so she was facing him. He captured her lips pushing her against the wall. Draco pulled Hermione up to his waist and smiled as she wrapped her legs around him. Nipping at her neck he pulled her arms above her head. With his free hand he pushed her dress up slightly as he grabbed onto her side roughly. Draco smirked again as he heard her breath become shallow.
"Want to move this to the bedroom?"
Hermione lay naked and breathing heavily on Draco's bare chest. Draco was running his fingers threw her hair, smiling up at the ceiling. She raised her head slightly to look into his face.
"Do you want to get lunch?"
"Yeah, I'm starving."
"Muggle or wizard world?" she asked, jumping off the bed and pulling on her dress.
"There restaurant down stairs is actually really nice if you want to try it?" Draco asked buttoning up his shirt.
"Sounds good."
"Let's go" Draco grabbed Hermione's hand and led her down the spiral staircase. "I should introduce you to the library when we get back tonight." Hermione nodded enthusiastically.
"Would you like your usual table Mr. Malfoy?" the young witch asked Draco puffing her chest out, ignoring Hermione completely.
"Yes" Draco said shortly not looking at her.
The woman led them threw the bustling restaurant to a table at the back, her nose noticeably put out. Hermione noticed that all of the women in the restaurant had turned toward Draco, clearly trying to catch his eye. Many scowling when they saw that his hand was entwined with Hermione's. Draco pulled Hermione's chair out for her before taking his own. The waitress passed a menu to Draco, then to Hermione. Pouring water into their glasses she asked if they wanted anything to drink.
"I will take a hazelnut latte, please" Hermione said, amused at the woman's behaviour.
"Fire whiskey."
The waitress left and Hermione eyed Draco suspiciously. "Why are you so short with her?"
Draco coughed looking awkward, not meeting Hermione's eyes. "I... Um..." he coughed again.
"You slept with her didn't you?"
"When I was 15, she was new here. She had just turned 18."
Hermione laughed at Draco's awkwardness, looking down at her menu. "What are you going to have?"
"Enough whiskey to stop being embarrassed" he answered. Hermione laughed again, rubbing his hand affectionately.
"A Malfoy embarrassed. Now I have seen everything" she joked. "I'm going to have the pumpkin and sage ravioli I think."
Draco walked down the bustling street with his arm around Hermione's shoulder. They were on their third day in of their holiday; and he was ecstatic to have time with just Hermione. They had had so little time to themselves leading up to the wedding. She had dragged him along to every book store in the city of Melbourne, muggle and wizarding; he went willing knowing how happy it made her. He was surprised to find books for himself on the trip into the muggle world.
Draco had found himself interrupting a conversation between Hermione and a book store clerk earlier that morning. She hadn't realised how severely the boy had been flirting with her because of her excitement over the subject matter. Hermione didn't know but Draco was leading her toward her favourite Patisserie. Two streets to go and he would be able to reveal his surprise.
"Where are we going?" Hermione asked inquisitively.
"You'll see." Draco said keeping his face blank.
"How much longer until we get there?" she prodded.
"When we get there." He smirked at her annoyance. One street.
"Are we almost there?" Hermione asked. Draco could tell that she had figured out their destination. He sighed inwardly.
"Yes. And yes we are going exactly where you think we are. Maybe I made a mistake marrying someone smarter than me" he joked, pouting slightly. Hermione laughed and leaned into his arm.
"Have I ever told you how amazing you are?"
"Yes, but I will happily hear it again." They laughed as they rounded the corner and walked into the Patisserie. They left the store five minutes later with two boxes full of pastries and chocolates. "Do you want to go back to the hotel with all this or to a park?"
"Hotel I think. I don't know how girls shop this much, I'm exhausted. I never shop this much, or this eagerly."
Draco kissed her lightly on the forehead. "As you wish my wife."
Hermione lay on the library floor by the giant arched windows while Draco lay across one of the couches by the fire place. He caught himself looking away from his book regularly to observe Hermione; she had a glow when reading and learning new information that he couldn't get enough of.
"How do you like your first ever muggle book?" Hermione said, looking up and winking.
"Very interesting. You muggles come up with some strange things to make up for the lack of magic."
"Yes, we muggles do" Hermione said rolling her eyes. "We also have invented some amazing things as well."
"That I don't doubt." Draco coughed awkwardly, feeling like he might have spoken out of turn. He rushed to change the subject. "What do you want to do tonight?"
"Whatever you want to do" she replied.
"I heard some muggles on the street today talking about going clubbing. What does that mean?" Draco sat up closing his book.
"It is a place where people go to drink, dance to modern music that is played so loud that you have to yell to talk and in most cases to find a casual sexual partner."
"Oh. I don't think I would like that." Draco was shocked that such places existed.
"I don't think you would enjoy it either. Besides that is too many woman in a room that I would have to fight off."
Draco laughed. He stood up crossing the room. Gently pulling Hermione to her feet he said, "You know you have nothing to worry about."
"Yes I know" she said kissing his cheek. "That doesn't mean that woman will stop trying though. You are far too attractive for my own good."
Draco laughed heartily. "The funny thing is that you don't even realise how much attention you get, and how many men I have to scowl and sneer at to keep them away from you."
Hermione laughed now. "Just like the boy at the book shop."
"Exactly." Draco bent his head to kiss Hermione's lips. Draco continued, speaking barely above a whisper. "Do you mind if we just stay in tonight?"
"Not at all" Hermione smiled.
"Good. I don't feel like sharing you." Draco's voice had turned husky with desperation.
"How about we get some wine from the bar, order some snacks and play I have never?"
"Sounds good. I am interested to find out what that means."
