Just a little Epilogue for the fun of it.

Enjoy

The reception was held in the manor gardens, a garden that were in full summer bloom; white roses and white peacocks most obviously the main theme of the wedding between Lucius Malfoy and Hermione Granger.

Hermione had just finished a dance with her smirking husband and sat down at the bridal table, it was July, almost a full ten months since the day se had marched into the ministry that fateful morning to stake her claim once and for all; and as they say, she had never looked back.

Lucius had proposed then that very night at dinner, he did it as right as she had demanded; they had also closed their agreement on her taking over everything to do with the Malfoy Estate, she had refused to move in though till six months prior, saying they had at least to pretend to 'date' officially for a few months to get the public used to the idea of them.

And that was a whole other story on its own; the wizarding community's reaction to the war heroine and ex-Death Eater Malfoy patriarch, included in that was her ex-husband's reaction along with their children. But - that was another story for another time, maybe.

Hermione let her gaze travel over the multitude of guest, of course the wedding was big and highly publicized, it was a political match just as much as a love much; so the guest count stood over two hundred. It included all their friends and family of course, along with all the old sacred twenty eight families - the ones that wasn't ostracised in Azkaban - and any other prominent names in the British wizarding society; that included Ministry power players, and do not forget the foreign power nationals.

Yes, this wedding had become political Hermione thought once more with a frown; turning her head she took in her husband next to her, he was talking seriously to the French Minister for Magic, she wanted to be peeved with him; peeved for making their special day into another power card.

Yet, she couldn't. Believe it or not, she loved the slimy bastard; this was who he was, who he would always be, and she truly accepted that. As if he felt her thoughts and gaze his hand found hers under their table and entwined their fingers with a slight squeeze; he knew her as well.

Lucius excused himself from the conversation with the French minister, and turned to look at his wife next to him; she was looking out over the guest once more, Lucius dropped his head so that his mouth was next her ear.

"You know I will always be aware of you first and foremost love..."

Hermione stiffened when she felt his breath tingling her ear and neck as he whispered to her, a satisfied smile formed on her mouth then; oh yes she knew that, it didn't matter what power politics he were playing at, he somehow always knew exactly what was happening with her foremost, and would always make sure she never want for anything. Whether it was emotionally or materially.

So turning her head the slightest, she let her own breath tingle over his ear seductively as well.

"Did I indicate now that I wanted for something Lucius - "

He chuckled next to her ear and then she felt his lips brushing feathery over her pulse point below her jaw; her body tensed more as excitement started to course through her then.

"Well love... you were a bit melancholy just now - so, I am then naturally inclined to alleviate that frown from your face."

His lips brushed over her jaw now, Hermione started to tremble as heat started to coil low in her stomach; oh boy - this man could get her hot with just a quirk of that sardonic brow of his.

"Lucius - I was merely contemplating, not being melancholy; you and politics will always be."

His tongue darted into her ear then, causing her to stifle a gasp before anyone could hear it, her body was trembling now in barely contained need.

"Yes... but as my wife you will always hold predecease - you will after all hold my hand when I finally leave this world, not the French Minister for Magic."

Hermione closed her eyes, his lips and tongue were doing sinfully pleasing things to her, an he did it so well that to all onlookers it seemed like he was merely whispering sweet nothings into her ear.

"Yet our wedding became a congregation of politicians ..."

Her response were breathy, heavy with the implied need her body was experiencing, she really didn't care about the politicians, but Lucius was obviously playing another game with her so she went along.

"Because love... it doesn't bother you. You know that if it truly offended you, I wouldn't have had them here -"

Hermione stifled another gasp as his hand that had been holding hers until a minute prior, had somehow worked her dress skirts up so that he could slip it underneath them; his fingers had started stroking her bare upper thigh flesh where the stockings had stopped.

Hermione decided that she couldn't take any more, so she abruptly stood up and looked down at her satisfied smirking husband; lifting a brow she spoke quite placidly to him.

"Escort me to the powder room please Lucius - I need some assistance."

Lucius stood up almost lazily, then with his same smirk in place he proffered his arm so that she could hook in with him; the couple then discreetly travelled through the guest to the manor, smiling politely at anyone noticing them, but keeping closed expressions in order to insure that everyone understood not to approach for conversation at that point.

Soon they were out of site and safely locked in a silenced parlour room.

xxx

"Where do you think Hermione and Lucius had disappeared to mate?"

Ron sat next to Harry at the round table that was their designated place for the reception, Ginny and Ron's wife for the last almost two years - Trisha - stopped their chatter to look at Ron's frowning face; then a giggle sounded from behind Ron.

Looking over his shoulder he looked at his sixteen year old teenage daughter Rose, her fiery curly copper hair bouncing around her shoulders as her body shook with suppressed laughter; Ron lifted a confused brow at her.

"Well daddy... Obviously she and Mister Mal- stepfather - had sneaked off! wonder which room this time ..."

Rose trailed of in thought, it would seem that she was quite used to the behaviour of her mother and now stepfather; just then a gagging noise was heard from the other side of Ron; amid the laughter from the other three adults Ron swivelled to see his son Hugo, who were younger by two years from Rose, making imitation gagging sounds.

"Urgh- Rose, Hugo please never inform me again of whatever your mother and stepfather is up to. I can only handle so much!"

Ron's face was red in embarrassment, his wife and sister and friend only hollered out in more laughter at his disgusted face; he might have accepted the fact that his ex wife and friend had married a Malfoy, he might even have encouraged their children to accept said Malfoy, even as far as to encourage them to form an actual relationship with him and call him their stepfather in deference, but he refused to think of them in that way!

As everyone was trying to control their mirth, the children had wondered off then again; Ron cringed even more when another familiar voice sounded next to him before casually slipping into the chair on the other side of Ron.

"Well weasel, my father knows how to make witches scream - well, from what I've heard he at least makes Granger scream that is..."

Draco kept a mocking face, even when his wife Astoria sat down in the other empty chair next to her husband and slapped his shoulder.

"Draco! That was not appropriate to say! Especially about your stepmother to her ex husband. Whom also happens to be the father of your new step brother and sister. I apologise Ron - my husband can be a true git."

With her berating Draco went pale, well paler than usual anyway, as if realising he might have truly overstepped a certain boundary; he swept a quick nervous glance around him, making sure no one heard him that would report him to his father; Lucius had after all put his foot down and told Draco to treat all Hermione's friends and family with the respect due to anyone linked with the Malfoy name.

Ron realised he might have finally gotten Draco by the bollocks after all these years, and all remnants of embarrassment disappeared from his face as he sat back arrogantly to smirk at Draco.

"You can be glad me and Mione are friends with no lingering romantic feelings ferret... otherwise I might have been offended. As it is, I'm not; she and your father can go at it like rabbits for all I care - But, if I should tell her that I'm offended ... I wonder what your father would do?"

Draco gulped a bit nervously, then sat back relaxing, a slow grin spreading on his face at that moment.

"Well played weasel...well played. You might have some slytherin in you after all - for that we may finally be friends."

The whole table erupted in laughter then, Harry just shaking his head at the two old enemies; Ron on the other hand gave a slight flush, as if the offer might actually have meant something to him, but no one would ever say anything about that of course, so instead the men finally shook hands and spend a pleasurable night in boisterous conversation.

XXX

"Well Lucius... it seems that our union managed to finally stop the Malfoy-Weasley feud wouldn't you say?"

Hermione smiled at her husband as they stood in the shadows watching the table that housed the Potter's, Weasley's and now Malfoy's, they were all talking and laughing together; on the dance floor they watched Scorpius and Lily dance and looking star struck with each other, Rose was dancing with the son of Theo Nott and Luna Lovegood - Theo jnr, and Hugo, Albus and Lyra Malfoy with James were doing some awkward loose dancing manoeuvres.

Lucius kissed her temple as he pulled her in close to his side affectionately.

"Well - becoming stepfather to two of the Weasley broods would have that effect I would hope."

She chuckled and tiptoed to give a return kiss to the corner of his mouth before leading him back into the throngs of their guest.

"They love you already Lucius, come lets get back before people realise what we've been up to."

But seeing the knowing looks the friends gave her from their table when they went to join them for a bit, she realised everyone it seemed knew what they were up to already.

Oh Well, love is what it is.

Unexpected and unexplainable.