Small ballroom, audience area
"You know what this is about?" Harry asked Ginny when they entered the small ballroom, the invitation rolled up in his hand. There was a small stage at the other end, in front of it several nicely decked tables. Most of the other invited people were already there, amongst others the elder Weasleys, Luna and what looked like Hermione's parents.
Ginny shook her head. "I know as much as you, but it seems important if they even invited her parents." She pulled him gently towards the table with her parents to sit down, waving at the Grangers in passing by.
Small ballroom, behind the stage
Draco and Hermione waited at the side of the small stage, out of the sight of their friends, but with a clear view on the tables to see whether their friends and family were all here.
"You okay?" he asked, noticing how tense she was.
She nodded, then breathed in deeply. "I wish it was over already, you know. I know we might have to deal with quite a few angry people. I thought we would celebrate our six months anniversary differently."
"Me too. But we promised Ginny. She would very much kick our arses if we disappear now."
"Ugh. Why is your mother not here already? Hoping for a big entrance?" Hermione rubbed her hands, then let her fingers play with the ring on her left hand.
"She knows she has to come, give her another couple of minutes-"
A door in the small ballroom swung open with quite some noise.
"She's here. Was it really a good idea to place her with Zabini and Nott?" Hermione asked, breathing in deeply again.
"We couldn't really seat her with your parents, and it would be asking too much of the Weasleys to seat her there."
"Okay." She smiled. "How do I look?"
"As gorgeous as ever, princess..."
"You're delectably handsome too, my little ferret."
"Your little ferret, yours forever."
"I know. Let's start it then..." She took his hand and then slowly made the first steps into the light of the stage, summoning the famous Gryffindor courage in her. In that moment, she thought the fights at Hogwarts during the Second War preferable to finally telling their friends the truth.
Small ballroom, stage and audience room
The chatter died down when the others finally saw them.
"What's this all about?" Ron asked, voicing the question everyone had.
"Hello everyone. Thanks a lot for coming. Draco and I have some explaining to do, since we haven't been open about every aspect of our lives-"
"You didn't invite us here just to tell us that you finally came together as a couple?" Zabini interrupted.
"DRACO!" Narcissa's voice sounded rather shocked, with a hint of disgust. "With her of all people?!"
"Mother, quiet, please. We're not finished!" Draco hissed rather loudly.
Hermione gently squeezed his hand; they were expecting the most backlash from her, as she was still holding on to the notion that her son should marry someone from another pure-blood family. "In one point, you're correct, Zabini, Draco and I are a couple. Have been for a long time now."
"More or less for two and a half years," Draco specified, sounding calmer again.
The room went silent, and they could see how the others looked at each other in shocked confusion. Only her parents, Ginny and, to Hermione's surprise, Luna and Molly seemed to smile.
"So you played with us the whole time?" Harry finally asked, sounding profoundly confused, and voicing the concern almost everyone else had in the room.
"Well, we didn't exactly play with you," Hermione replied. "But we were afraid. Afraid that you might reject us, you know, with the past and everything. Afraid that-that you might think he wasn't good enough for me-"
"If we might add something," Jean said, and stood up so that the others could see her better. "I'm Hermione's mother, and we too had our reservations about her dating Draco. So I do understand their hesitation to tell you. But please do not be too angry with them, they have worked quite hard to get where they are now as a couple, coming from really different backgrounds and beliefs..."
"You knew?" Molly asked.
"They told us-"
"We needed someone, and they felt safe enough since they are not part of the wizarding world. I'm really sorry about that, Molly."
"It's okay, my dear. I was suspecting that you were a couple for a while now-"
"You did?" Hermione asked, again somewhat surprised.
"Well, you stopped insulting each other, and you tend to look at each other in such a cute way when you think we're not looking."
"Mum! You could've told us!" Ron exclaimed.
"It wasn't mine to tell."
"Thanks, Molly."
"So," Narcissa stood up, "does that mean, you risk your family's reputation for that girl?"
"There wasn't a reputation to begin with, Mother. You and Father made sure of that," Draco replied, his voice controlled, but demanding authority, something he seldom did. "You will do well not to insult her, or I will have you thrown out of the Manor I so politely let you live in-"
"You won't dare, son!"
"I'm head of family since Father is in Azkaban, and I never asked for much. But for once, I will have you do exactly what I ask you to. Keep your objections to yourself. I love Hermione, she is the one I will spend the rest of my life with, and you will accept that. Understood?"
"But-"
"Understood?"
"Mrs. Malfoy, he means it. I've rarely seen him this convinced," Zabini tried to intervene. "Please sit down again..."
Knowing when she was defeated, Narcissa sat down again, but not without throwing the couple on the stage a deathly icy glare.
"You okay?" Hermione whispered, slightly concerned.
He nodded. "I'm sorry you had to hear that, but I had to do it, or she would forever hassle you."
"That's not all there is, is it?" Ginny asked, to bring the topic back to the revealing.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked, again voicing what everyone else thought.
"Ginny is right, Harry," Hermione admitted. "Though we'd like to tell the story first that led up to it."
"I think you remember the Dawkins case, Potter?"
"Dawkins? Wasn't that when you were sent to Bath with Hermione as your partner? Last December I think?"
"Yes, exactly, Harry. Bath is a wonderful place. We spent some wonderful evenings there. And then you disappeared for about half an hour."
"I didn't really disappear, I did leave you a note," Draco replied, smiling.
"It only said that you wanted to meet me in the old Roman Bath. You didn't say where you went before that, so yeah, you disappeared..."
"But the setting was perfect, wasn't it?"
"Oh yes." Hermione smiled broadly, remembering the day clearly. "He proposed to me that evening in that famous Roman Bath, you know? Put candles up and everything, even got down on his knees." She heard a few gasps from every table, and looked over to her parents who apparently had tears in their eyes. Everyone else was mostly shocked.
"So, that means you're engaged?" Molly asked, sounding excited. "When is the wedding going to be? Do you have date yet?"
"Well, the story is not over yet, Molly," Hermione replied, with a broad smile. They had Molly on their side, so there won't be any problems with the rest of the Weasleys.
"Remember the Thacker case from six months ago, Potter?"
"T-The other case you worked with Hermione?" Harry asked reluctantly. "I remember you asked specifically for her?"
"Yes. But not exactly because he needed me for the case." Hermione let that sink in for a moment, before she continued. "The case was easy, he could have done it on his own. But that left us with a few free evenings there. Draco had already everything organised."
"The picture now?" Draco whispered.
She nodded. And then watched him cast a huge magical copy of their wedding picture into the air. It showed the moment they exchanged their rings, looking exceedingly happy, with only the priest and a clerk in attendance as a witness.
"I bet on my own mother because my parents were already looking forward to us marrying," Hermione whispered. The silence in the room was astounding.
"I put my money on Zabini," Draco replied, grinning. "He already looks like he is trying to say something, though he looks more like a fish."
In a way, they were both right.
"Oh, Hermione, that is such a wonderful picture!" Jean finally exclaimed, sounding happy, and trying to keep from tearing up too much.
"Merlin, mate! You actually married the lioness? Courageous!" Zabini shouted the almost same time, sounding amused. "She will definitely keep you on your toes, mate..."
And then Molly joined in. "Oh, Godric's sake!" She got up and walked up to the stage. "It's a pity we couldn't be there with you, but I'm happy for you." She hugged them tightly. "Welcome to the family, Draco."
Jean joined them on the stage as well while the chattering in the room resumed. "Oh my dear children. You should have told us, you know..." She hugged her daughter tightly as well, after Molly released her from her embrace.
"I know, Mum. And I'm sorry. We both wanted just a small ceremony, without any fuss."
"It's okay. Your dad is still a bit shocked though."
"Thanks, Mum." Hermione broke the embrace off again, then took a deep breath. "Mum? Molly?" She took Draco's hand again. "We have something else to tell you, though it would probably be too much for the others."
"You shocked us quite a bit already, my dear," Molly replied.
"I'm just glad you're not angry with us, or at least not too much. But I might need your support in the following months, because I-I'm pregnant."
"Y-You're sure?" Jean asked, positively shocked.
"Yes. I already had it confirmed at the hospital, and w-we had a long discussion about it, Mum."
"We were both quite shocked about it, as it was probably a careless accident, and it took you quite a moment to come to terms with it." He placed a small, happy kiss on Hermione's cheek.
"Still sorry about taking so long..."
"I know that you have to go through all the possibilities first," he replied in a whisper, squeezing her hand. "It's okay."
"Who thought that our Hermione would be first to start a family?" Molly commented, rather happy at the prospect of finally adding a grandchild to her family, even if it was only adopted.
"Just please keep it quiet until the shock of the wedding news has somewhat settled down again."
Both women nodded. "We're here for you if you need help with anything," Molly said. "Your mother and I know probably quite a few things about pregnancies, so don't worry. How about we celebrate it at our next Sunday lunch? I would love to have you over as well, Mrs. Granger, since it's your daughter..."
"Please call me Jean, and thanks for the invitation. We'd love to come."
Zabini came up to the stage as well now. "Mate, your mother left. I guess she won't speak to you for a while."
Draco let go of Hermione's hand, who was still talking to the two other women, and looking hugely relieved that they weren't mad at them. "Her loss. But as long as she doesn't harass my wife, I don't care."
"Still feels weird thinking of you two as an old married couple. Six months, mate! Congratulations!"
"Thanks, man."
"Mind if we throw a party to celebrate the anniversary?"
"Not at all," Draco replied, happy his mate wasn't mad at him. "Just no truth or dare games in any variation."
"Leaves me with one last question: Who confessed their feelings first? You or the lioness?"
"What's at stake in your bet with George?"
"You know about it?"
"Hermione heard a few snippets, so yeah, of course I know about it."
"Okay, well, you can choose actually, either we pay for your honeymoon with every bloody luxury, or we're at your disposal for a whole month of your choosing."
"I'll let Hermione decide."
"Fair enough. So, who confessed first?"
"I did."
"Oh Merlin, first time I ever lost a bet. George!"