Disclaimer: I own nothing, all credit to J.K Rowling for the creation of the Harry Potter universe. I just found a plot for this ship.

Warning: Later chapters will contain adult themes. There is an M rating for a reason. The story will NOT contain rape or sexual violence. Lemons and fluff expected. Basically what you would expect from most romance novels nowadays.
There will also be the use of profanity.

Back from my amazing beta Ihrin and re updated 4-2-17 Thank you, Ihrin. *kisses* Grammarly 7-17

Music speaks to my muse. I usually have songs on repeat or a playlist for stories as I write and edit them.
This chapters song was: Budapest, George Ezra
Lyric of choice: Give me one good reason why I should never make a change.

Charmed to You

Chapter Seven
Nursery and Niffy

Draco was staring at Hermione with a mixture of both annoyance and admiration. It had to take quite a lot of courage to sit at his parents' dinner table and demand that their grandchildren have to attend a Muggle school. It reminded him that he was marrying a damn Gryffindor- no subtle mind games with his fiancé. She just stated her case and waited for the impending battle.

He actually had been planning on sending them to some sort of Muggle school anyway. Dean had proven to him the importance of such things on more than one occasion. In fact, Draco had attended classes at Oxford for the last two years in order to better understand modern Muggle technology. He was now good friends with a few of the computer science professors there, one of which was a squib who recognized him immediately. He kept this aspect of his life rather private. Dean needed him to be knowledgeable but still come across as the pompous pureblood. Admitting one of your favorite men was a squib would not go over well in the circles he had to navigate.

Yes, his children would not be ignorant of the Muggle world as he had been, but Hermione couldn't know that. Especially if she hadn't known that he was responsible for WizTech. He frowned at her as that sank in. Did she not research him at all before showing up here to argue over their children's fates?

She was flushing again and looking down at her plate. She didn't look timid or shy; rather, she looked upset.

Narcissa was clearing her throat. "Our only terms were that the binding take place immediately and that they settle into a wing here at Malfoy Manor after the honeymoon."

Draco saw Hermione go pale and sighed. This was always going to be a sticking point; he didn't blame her for not wanting to live where she had been tortured. His eyes moved to her arm where he could see the faint scar his aunt had given her that day.

He stood and reached down for her arm to pull her up as well and nodded to the others. "We will adjourn to the library," he said firmly and his tone made it clear that the others were not invited.

Hermione looked to Andromeda and then said softly, "Take Teddy home. I will follow you there when we are finished."

Andromeda was frowning at her. "Are you sure?"

Hermione hesitated for a moment and then nodded.

OooOooO

Draco felt a bit incensed at his aunt for challenging him. She was giving him a hard glare which he returned before he moved off, his hand still gripping Hermione's arm firmly.

She waited until they were out of the dining room before she yanked her arm free and said stonily, "Next time, ask me and don't manhandle me, Malfoy."

Draco found a small smile playing at his lips at her insolence. "My apologies, Granger."

He opened the door for her to precede him into the estate's large library and watched her reaction with a smirk.

Her eyes went wide, her pupils dilated, and she took short excited breaths. "This is your library!"

He laughed, looking around. "Yes," he flaunted, "Did I impress you, Granger?"

She turned around in a slow circle and then surprised him by nodding. "Yes." She breathed a long sigh and wrapped her arms around herself, looking a bit vulnerable, and said softly, "But I still don't wish to live here."

He sighed and pushed into the room, walking over to the bar to pour himself another fire whiskey. He held up the empty glass towards her in an offering, at which she bit her lip and shook her head. He shrugged. Fine, he thought. He would drink enough for both of them.

"When I got the letter listing you as my match I had already been working on plans to build a new wing onto the manor. After learning you were to be my bride, I stepped up those plans."

He heard her small gasp of shock and smirked to himself. Yes, he supposed that would shock her.

She frowned, leaning back against a large desk in a corner by a window. "Why would you?"

Draco sighed and then shrugged. "You are not the only one who has painful memories here, Granger. My parents had the section the Dark Lord resided in torn down. The area you were tortured in was completely destroyed and rebuilt."

He watched her go pale and then swallow a few times before she managed an, "Oh."

Draco nodded. "Some of the older sections of the house are not safe for you, as you are muggle-born."

She flinched and then frowned. "How do I know this house is safe for me or our children at all? They will be half-bloods."

Draco nodded. "Yes, I am aware. To answer that question, I have to tell you that I am not sure. However, we suspect that the binding ceremony will override any magic the manor may have against you and we are employing curse breakers to inspect the house."

He watched her as she frowned thoughtfully. He could see her brain carefully mulling over what he was saying and then she sighed. "I suspect you are right about the binding. From what I have learned of it, it predates almost all magic and is more powerful than any known charm or spell.

Draco gave a firm nod and then sighed softly. "I had the plans for the new wing drawn up if you wish to see them. From the outside, it will match the manor perfectly but on the inside, you may decorate it as you wish."

He turned and pulled out the blueprints, walking over to spread them across the desk she was leaning on. She hesitated for a moment and then looked down, frowning.

"I love wizard blueprints," she said softly as she carefully observed the design.

Draco snorted at this comment and what she would say if he told her that he absolutely agreed with her. Muggles were good at a lot of things, but magic made certain things very handy; and after seeing muggle blueprints the other day, he couldn't understand how muggles built anything off of them. Magical blueprints were much more helpful to get a good idea of what something would look like. He watched as her slender fingers moved over the plans carefully, that same thoughtful expression back on her face. Her lips were parted and damp from her just wetting them. He had to shift a bit as he gazed at those lips. He hadn't been kidding when he had said the picture hadn't done her justice. She was a stunningly beautiful witch, with her sun-kissed skin and brown hair that was much tamer than he remembered.

She paused for a moment and then turned, frowning at him. "Malfoy, the nursery is nowhere near the other bedrooms."

He looked at her in confusion. Of course, it wasn't; the nursery was always in its own section of the manor.

"Yes," he stated hiding his confusion with snark.

She shook her head. "That won't do at all. It needs to be closer."

He smiled at her, realizing that she was thinking very much like a muggle at this moment.

"Why is that, Granger?"

She huffed an annoyed breath and said. "It- well- you want them close!"

Draco laughed now, unable to help himself. "Granger, we can apparate and disapparate in our own house. We have five house elves of our own and we can put any type of charm you wish on the place. I assure you, we will know what is going on with our children no matter where in the plans you place the nursery."

She flushed and then turned away from him, her breathing a bit erratic as she continued to look over the blue prints. There was one thing however that had to be addressed and the sooner the better. Glancing up at his smirking face she lost a portion of her calm demeanor, causing her to snap at him in a brittle tone, "I won't own any house elf as slaves."

Draco rocked back on his feet in shock. Well, he had really riled her. He carefully folded up the blueprint and put it back inside the desk.

"So, free them. But I warn you- if you give Niffy clothes, she will die of heartbreak."

Hermione spun back around and glared at him before she deflated a bit. "Dobby- Dobby took clothes," she said simply.

Draco frowned. "Niffy is Dobby's mother, Hermione. She won't say his name, she is so ashamed. Three of the house elves we'll have were my nannies and the other is Niffy's sister."

Hermione was looking at him, her eyes filled with tears. "She won't say his name?" she asked in horror.

Draco nodded and felt something shift inside him. What was that, shame? "Look, I am not really interested in arguing with you over house elf rights. I know how you feel. I can assure you, however, that we treat our elves properly and we don't have to replace them when they pass away if you wish. When my parents leave, all their elves will be passed onto us and there is not one of them I can think of that would take clothes, Hermione."

Maybe it was because he said her name, or perhaps it was because he had kept his tone gentle, but she deflated a bit and then nodded. "I- well- I, thank you," she stammered.

He smiled and then walked back over to his fire whiskey. Well, they had covered the new wing and the house elf situation, although he was sure that would come up again. The only thing left was: "How much do you understand about the binding ceremony?" he asked carefully, turning back around to face her.

She flushed and fidgeted. "Um, which part?"

He set down his glass. "The purification," he said firmly.

She flinched. "I-um-" She broke off and looked away and Draco felt his stomach flip. She couldn't be. She had spent an entire year galloping off with Weasley and Potter alone. They had been inseparable for years. She had dated him for years after school.

Finally, she met his eyes and he could see mild panic. "I don't need to be purified."

He was proud of how she stood tall, with eyes unflinching, as she revealed this truth about herself.

He nodded and then set down his glass again. He was frowning at her but he couldn't not know. "What happened between you and Weasley?"

She flushed and dropped her gaze, her shoulders slumping a little. "We really made better friends than anything else, and it was always awkward. I knew, even before I tested the charm, that we were not a good match."

Draco lifted his eyes in shock. She had tested the charm on her own boyfriend? "Does he know you did that?"

She shook her head and flushed. "Well, no. He sleeps like the dead and Ginny helped me get what I needed."

Draco couldn't mask his shock fast enough. He couldn't imagine a pristine Gryffindor doing such a thing. "You took his blood without his knowledge?"

She flinched but stared him down. "Umm, yes," she admitted in a soft embarrassed tone.

Draco threw back his head, laughing in shock, and then he sobered as he realized something. "Who on earth would have thought to test the two of us?"

She bit her lip and then shrugged. "Well, I helped them come up with a system for that. It's based on the personality quizzes and the first part of my charm works in groups."

Draco nodded, wanting her to continue.

She sighed and said, "If our intelligence, preferences, and personalities match, we are set aside- but sometimes that can be quite a few people. In the next part, a drop of blood from each is put into a pool of water."

Draco frowned. "How does the charm affect that?"

She shrugged. "That's the binding charm, actually. Only true matches remain. So then, they remove those true drops of blood and those people are then informed."

Draco sat down, his eyes wide and his mind racing at what she revealed. "So, really, your whole charm is a silly muggle quiz and then tossing everyone in to see who can bind?"

She nodded and smirked. "The binding spell never lies, so I am told. I did have to tweak it rather a bit to get it to respond to groups the way we needed it to."

Draco shook his head deeply impressed. "No, it doesn't lie. That is a rather sacred ceremony you threw into the mix and started tinkering with. How did you get that approved?"

She smiled at that and her face lit up. "I can be very persuasive, you know. I found references dating back to the Iron Age. Entire Celtic villages doing such a thing was common practice to match couples up. The reason the ceremony went extinct is probably that they stopped testing couples in groups."

Draco nodded. "Impressive, Granger."

She gave him a smirk and then said, in a rather condescending tone, "Thank you, Malfoy."

Silence moved between them for a moment as he sipped his fire whiskey and pondered what she had said. He smirked after a bit, as he thought of something. "How did you get Weasel to fill out the personality quiz?"

She glared at him for a moment before she shrugged. "I didn't- his mother and I filled it out. He looked it over and said it was accurate. I told him it was just something out of a Muggle magazine Ginny and I were doing."

He frowned and then prodded, "Will she be marrying Potter then?"

He watched as her face fell and her eyes drooped a bit. "No. They broke up. Both of them volunteered to be matched."

Draco's glass paused halfway to his lips at her words. "Potter volunteered?"

She nodded. "Yes, they already have matches. Ginny is meeting with Gregory Goyle tonight."

Draco felt as if someone had punched him in the stomach. He hadn't seen Goyle in years; he was running his family's estates, not far from here. Although, how the great gargoyle managed that he wasn't sure. He hadn't been the brightest in their year. They still owled, but he hadn't heard about this.

"Ginny Weasley and Gregory Goyle?"

She nodded. "Harry was matched with Magnolia Flint, although they won't marry for three years as she is going to become a healer."

Draco shook his head and downed the rest of his drink. The Flints would be horrified. Probably more so that Magnolia was going to be a healer than that they were getting Harry Potter as a son-in-law.

"What about the Weasel King? Who is stuck with him?"

She was silent and he raised a brow at her mockingly.

"What? Can't find him a match?"

He watched her as she flinched and then said slowly, "He didn't volunteer. If he falls under the law it will be due to the draft, if it is expanded. George volunteered and got matched with Constance Avery."

Draco was glad he hadn't been sipping his whiskey because he would have spat it all over the floor. "Avery's daughter is to be married to a Weasley?"

Hermione shrugged, her face tight. "Yes."

Draco shook his head and laughed.

Hermione, however, had finally had enough for the night. She was exhausted and wanted a bubble bath and to find her soft bed. "Look- are we done mocking my friends? I have an early day tomorrow and should probably head back."

Draco looked up at her and grinned. Damn, he forgot how feisty she could be. "I suppose so. I was purified last week so don't expect any serious wooing, Granger."

He watched her as she went a little pale and then nodded without saying anything. Damn, she was sexy, and he was just selfish enough to admit that the idea that he would be her only lover pleased him greatly. But that train of thought also ticked him off. Why should he care if he was her first? He should be a bit upset, he had no idea how to woe a bloody virgin in bed. All of his lovers had been far more knowledgeable.

He snorted and stood up. "Niffy will be assigned to help you with anything you need. Just call for her and she can get any messages to my mother you wish to send. She can also bring you to me or to the Manor anytime you wish. Our floo connection is usually closed if you are not family."

He watched as she struggled with what she was hearing. He knew that she would hate to have a house elf assigned to her and he let out a breath. "Listen. Niffy is very old and my impending marriage means the world to her. She doted on me a lot as a child. If you could include her, have her help you, it would mean a lot to her and to me."

Hermione was frowning at him and then she nodded slowly. "Okay. I would be happy for Niffy's help."

Draco let out a tired breath and nodded before he said loudly, "Niffy."

The elf appeared immediately.

"My fiancé, Miss Granger, will be leaving now. I would be very grateful if you could assist her with the plans for our wedding and binding."

Niffy was quaking with happiness. "Oh yes, young master! Niffy would be so happy to help young master."

Draco nodded smiling at the elf. "Thank you, Niffy. Please escort Miss Granger back to wherever she wishes to go and if she ever needs either myself or my mother, do not hesitate to bring her to us. You also may obey her wishes, as she will soon be your new mistress."

Hermione stared at him as he made this announcement. Draco could see that she started looking rather sick and he decided that he had better make sure his future wife understood about Niffy.

He sighed and then crouched down to look Niffy in the eyes. "Niffy, has your opinion on freedom changed since we last talked?"

Niffy's shoulders went stiff and she straightened her spine as she said very clearly, "Young master will not insult Niffy in such a way. Niffy would never take clothes."

Draco nodded and said in a very soft voice, "I don't mean to offend you Niffy. You need to know that my fiancé doesn't understand; she wouldn't feel comfortable if she thought you were her slave."

Niffy trembled and her voice was high. "Niffy is not a salve! Niffy is a proud member of the Malfoys. Niffy is family!" The elf was quaking she was so upset; it was pitiful to watch.

Hermione let out a small moan of pain and then said brokenly, "Of course, Niffy. I am so, so, sorry to offend you. Please, I am happy for your help. I will desperately need it."

Draco stood up and watched as Niffy considered Hermione for a moment and then she nodded, her eyes kind. "The muggle-born does not understand such things. She doesn't know. Niffy's son was not happy, but Niffy is very happy."

Hermione was crying and Draco felt his heart hitch a little. "Dobby was very happy at Hogwarts, Niffy. He was good and kind and he saved my life."

Niffy's eyes welled with tears and then Draco watched in shock as Niffy threw herself onto Hermione's legs. "Niffy is happy to hear her son was good to young master's bride. Niffy can forgive him if he saved her new mistress. You can take Niffy to him if you like."

Hermione looked at Draco in horror and Draco frowned at her. "What?"

"But, Niffy, Dobby- he- he was killed. That day he saved us, by Bella-" she broke off because the elf was moaning loudly in pain clutching at her hair as if to pull it out.

Draco felt a shock move through him. How had he not known that? And Hermione was looking at him utterly horrified and something he might have found amusing another time dancing across her face: uncertainty.

It was clear to him that the brightest witch of their age had simply no idea how to co exist with house elves.

"How did I not know that?" he asked hoarsely but loudly to be heard over Niffy's wailing.

Hermione shook her head, holding the sobbing house elf and awkwardly patting her back. "Draco, do something for her."

Draco wasn't sure what shocked him the most: that Hermione had used his name or that she was asking him to help an elf.

He frowned and said. "Niffy, please find your sister so she can comfort you. Miss Granger will call for you tomorrow to tell you how you may help her."

Niffy stood up, still sobbing, and then disapparated away. Draco pinched the bridge of his nose in exhaustion and a hint of worry. "She's going to be dead by tomorrow with all the shocks she's had today. She used to be Andromeda's house elf before she married the Muggle."

Draco pinched the bridge of his nose in exhaustion and a hint of worry. "She's going to be dead by tomorrow with all the shocks she's had today. She used to be Andromeda's house elf before she married the Muggle."

Hermione was standing up wiping at her eyes. "You shouldn't have asked her about freedom if you knew that would make her that upset!" she said angrily.

Draco glared at her. "How else was I going to convince you it was a bloody stupid idea? If I hadn't done it now, you would have later, and then been left to deal with her anger and upset on your own."

They were both breathing hard. Hermione blew up first, stomping her foot in agitation. "So bloody talk to me about that! Tell me what you intend to do so I am better prepared. It's called communication, you git!"

He paused in shock. No one but his parents had ever yelled at him like this. Well, besides Potter or Weasley, but that didn't count. "Did you just call me a git?"

She glared at him. "Well, you just acted like one!"

He considered her for a moment before he smiled. "I suppose it's better than some of the other things you have called me in the past. Do you want to break my nose?"

She seemed to deflate as horror flashed in her eyes. Her hands came up to frame her face and she said raggedly, "Of course not!"

Draco chuckled. "Fine then, what kind of engagement ring would you like and then let's send you home. It's late."

She stared at him, still breathing hard. For a moment, he thought she might actually hit him; she still looked mad enough. Finally, after a pause, her hands dropped and she said quietly, "You can pick out a ring, just nothing terribly ostentatious."

Draco smirked. "No. You are definitely not ostentatious, Granger."

He held up his wand and moved his hand away with a lock of her hair.

"What was that for?" she asked, giving him a funny look.

He just smirked at her and then said slowly, "Malfoy rings are specially crafted, Granger. They are enchanted for the bride themselves. In order to finish your ring, the wizard needs a lock of your hair."

Hermione frowned, watching as he conjured a glass vial around the lock of hair. "What kind of enchantment?"

He shook his head at her, tutting. "Nothing illegal or unsavory, Granger. Have a little faith in your husband-to-be."

She blushed and then said shortly, "I should go."

Draco nodded regally. "Yes, you should. Shall we?"

He walked her to the floo and watched her spin away before he adjourned to his room to ponder all that had happened tonight- and have another drink- marriage to a Miss Hermione Granger was never going to be dull.

Author Notes:

Niffy: Yes, I know. Dobby had to have a mother though, why not Niffy? I wish I had some really grand story line about Dobby to explain all this but it really was just something that came to me and worked rather well. I think that Hermione might be more willing to understand Niffy if she knew she was Dobby's mother.

Worried about him taking a lock of her hair? Well, you're very smart then.