CHAPTER 08

Nervous. That was the word that described her right at the moment.

"Are you ready to leave Tinkerbelle?" Malfoy called from outside of her bedroom door.

No. She wanted to say.

"Almost ready!" She said instead as she grabbed her light coat to put it on over her dress.

The door to her bedroom quietly opened as Malfoy poked his head inside, "Done?"

Hermione sighed, "I guess this is as done as I'll ever be." She said and moved to stand before him at the door.

He looked at her, examining her from head to toe with a grin. "Why are you wearing that?"

"What?"

"That coat. It's 75 degrees out there."

Hermione glared at him, "And I'm almost not wearing anything at all."

Malfoy laughed.

"I can't believe you're making me wear this," She mumbled as she pulled the coat tighter around her.

He grinned at her angry stare.

When they arrived at his parent's house, she stared at the extravagant mansion and began to panic.

"Malfoy?"

"Yes?"

"How many people are already here?"

"I'm not sure. But by the looks of all the cars, about twenty or so, why?" He asked as he parked the car before turning to her.

Hermione had turned pale, her eyes opened wide as she stared out the window.

"Hermione." She gave no respone.

"Look at me." He commanded, taking her chin and turning her so that they were eye to eye.

"Just think of them as your family, which they technically are, so stop fretting over how you look or what you're going to do to embarrass yourself. Okay?"

Hermione blinked and then nodded, "Okay."

"You can do this. Piece of cake."

"Yes. I can do this. Piece of cake."

Malfoy smiled and got out of the car. Hermione took in a deep breath and followed suit. Whatever came at her this night, she was going to smile and put on a good act as Malfoy's wife.

Once they entered the mansion a maid hurried to welcome them.

"Mister Malfoy. Miss." She bowed and smiled. "Can I take your coat?"

"My—?" Hermione began to shake her had.

"Let me help you with that petite princesse."

Before she could comprehend his meaning he was helping her take off her coat, revealing the dress she wore underneath it. Without a pause he passed her coat to the maid and taking her hand, leading them toward the sound of voices.

"Petite princesse?" Hermione repeated to herself, still unaware of being lead toward the voices. "Now you're calling me your 'little princess'?" She stopped to say with a frown forming.

Malfoy chuckled at her late response, bending down to whisper into her ear. "I have something to tell you." He said.

Hermione glared at him for changing the subject, but sighed and asked, "What?"

"You look beautiful."

Her breath caught as she blinked away the moisture forming in her eyes at his words. No one, but family, had ever said that she was beautiful. And the word coming from Draco Malfoy of all people made her feel beautiful, despite her discomfort.

"Ah! There you two are! Everyone is waiting Draco. Hermione."

Hermione blinked and moved away from Malfoy, turning so that she could give Narcissa a hug and smile.

"Cissa" A second later Lucas Star strode into the hall. "Ah. I see your mother's found you." He said to Draco and then smiled down at Hermione. "Hello Tinkerbelle."

"Hello Mister Star."

Lucas laughed and came forward to take Hermione's hand, "Mister did you say? Am I really that old?"

Hermione blushed and shook her head, "No. I mean—"

Lucas laughed again and looked behind his shoulder at Draco, "She thinks I'm old."

Draco shrugged, "You are old, Old Man."

Lucas lifted an eyebrow at him, "Your mother doesn't think so."

Narcissa gasped and Hermione turned a bright shade of red. Draco and his step-father laughed at their response.

"Alright. Enoguh of this. Come Hermione, let's go and meet the family." Narcissa said as she pried Hermione away from her husband and lead her toward the double doors at the end of the hallway. Draco and Lucas, with the last of their laughter dying away, followed behind with secret smiles.

When they entered the sitting room, it was already filled with people talking, laughing, and smiling.

"Everyone." When Narcissa began to speak, the whole room became silent as every head turned their way. "This is Hermione Malfoy, Draco's wife."

There was a silent pause as all eyes turned to Hermione, looking her up and down, determining who she was. The nerves jumped at her again, making her want to turn around and run as far as her short legs could carry her, but she felt this presence behind her, his hand coming to take on of hers into his. A light squeeze for strength and then he moved them forward, smiling and greeting everyone with the polite smile she had seen him use on Bradley. He did not stop moving them through the crowd until he came into a corner of the sitting room, where a young woman sat alone.

"Lacy."

"Drake!" Lacy jumped into her step-brother's awaiting arms; the somber expression that she had on just a minute ago was gone and replaced with a radiant smile. When Draco finally set her on her feet he turned back to grin at Hermione.

"Tinkerbelle, this is Lacy, my baby sister. Lacy, my wife, Hermione."

Before, Hermione could say a greeting she was enveloped into the same embrace that Draco was.

"It's so good to meet you. Mother has been talking about you for the past week! And Draco called to tell me, but oh! It's so good to see you! I finally have a sister!"

Hermione smile, and then feeling like she understood what Lacy meant by her words, hugged her back all the harder.

"I see I'm no longer needed," Draco teased as he once again took Hermione by her hand, giving her a wink, before kissing Lacy on the cheek.

"I love her already Drake. You never bring a girl like this home." Lacy said, taking Hermione's free hand into hers as they began to walk toward Narcissa and Lucas.

Draco only smiled as the crowd of people watched the three.

"Are all of these your relative?" Hermione asked Lacy.

"Oh no. These are all Daddy's 'business' friends. They were just about to leave. The family isn't here yet."

Hermione managed not to sigh in relief, but Draco felt her tension ease and chuckled. He leaned into her said whispered into her ear. "You thought they were going to eat you alive, didn't you?"

Hermione turned slightly to whisper back. "You could have said something about them just being 'business' friend of your father's. I thought they were your family!"

Draco grinned, "You'll like the Stars a lot better."

"What are you two talking about?" Lacy asked, curious.

"I was telling her that you're the baby of the family and the only girl, so you're spoiled rotten."

Lacy glared at her brother, "Don't listen to him. I am not spoiled." Then leaning so that she could whisper into Hermione's ear, "Did Drake ever tell you about the incident when—"

"Not today Lacy." Draco said as he pulled Hermione into his arms.

Lacy pouted, but then shrugged, "I'll find time to tell about it. Don't you doubt it."

Draco smiled wickedly at his step-sister as Hermione gave him an amused look.

They reached the kitchen of the house and walked through the kitchen out to the back patio, where the small crowd of family was waiting.

"Drake!"

Soon enough they were smothered in kissed and hugs.

"So, the oldest of the brood finally shows his face with his bride."

Hermione had no time to say word or see anyone before the swish of color and feel of kisses on her cheeks. But now was she stood back to wait for introductions she was able to assess them.

A handsome family, if anything, from the youngest; that seemed to about one and tugging at whom she could only guess was his mother's skirt with a shy smile, to the oldest whom she thought may have been either a grandparent or great uncle.

The family was not only handsome, but confident and demanding for attention just by the way they stood. Smiles, grins, and a lift of the Star eyebrow was only the first clue to identify 'who' they were.

"Everyone, my wife, Tinkerbelle."

There was a burst of laughter and then the gleaming of mischief in some eyes as they assessed her in turn.

"That's not her name, is it Uncle Drake?" A little girl came up to Draco, lifting her arms up for him to lift her.

Hermione smiled at the child, "My name is Hermione." She told her, "What's your name?"

The little girl smiled and reached out to touch a strand of her hair.

"I'm Michelle. I like your hair."

Hermione laughed and reached up to touch Michelle's hair in turn then leaned forward and whispered, "You hair is very soft."

Michelle giggled and then reached out both arms to her.

"I'm not good enough for you now?" Draco asked with an attempt at sounding hurt.

There was another giggle as Michelle reached up to kiss her uncle on the cheek, "I like Hermione."

Draco smiled and let her go into Hermione's arms. "It seems you've just won over the hardest member to win over in the family."

Hermione laughed at his joke, but his face did not alter from the seriousness in his tone.

"So, where is my sister-in-law?" Came a sudden voice from behind them.

The family burst into another round of hugs and kisses as Hermione watched. When she finally got a good look at the new arrival she all but gaped. He was almost the exact replica of Draco, from the way he smiled to the way he walked. It was no wonder people thought they were really brothers by blood.

"Declan."

"Draco."

The two walked up to one another and then hugged, both grinning like fools.

"A damn long time since I last saw you little brother."

"You saw me not a month ago when I came to visit." Declan said as he smiled smugly at Draco. "And where is my sister-in-law?" He wanted to know.

"Standing right before you." Draco said and turned back to hold out a hand for her.

Having set Michelle down when the others had rushed to welcome Declan, Hermione swiped a nervous hand down the side of her dress before taking Draco's hand to smile up at her husband's step-brother.

"You never told her that you had a twin?" Declan asked Draco as he watched Hermione with a smile on his tanned features.

"Didn't want her to know another one of me existed." Draco said with a shrug.

Declan ignored his brother and took Hermione's free hand with his, bringing it up to his lips. "You're small." He said, a gleam of laughter in his eyes.

"I would like to think that all of you are just very big." She said, her brows coming together to find some difference in them.

Declan and the rest of the family burst into a friendly laughter. Draco shook his head leaned down to whisper so that only she would hear him.

"Declan is Lucas's son from a previous marriage. We look so much alike people usually think we're twins."

Hermione nodded still watching Declan. She could spot the differences now; Declan's hair was darker and longer, he wasn't as pale as Draco, and he had an almost rakish gleam in his grin while Draco's was carefree.

"Well, aren't you going to introduce her to the rest of the family?" A new voice said, breaking through to her thoughts.

Draco and Declan turned to welcome in the third party with easy going grins and backslaps. The third party looked vaguely familiar until her was introduced to her the third brother, Keith, and then the fourth and youngest brother was introduced as John.

She could only smile and take in all of the names until Lucas and Narcissa drifted into the crowd of relatives. "The guest have all left, so if everyone would like to go inside, dinner will be served."

Draco took her by the hand and led her inside, his step-brothers coming in behind them with Lacy in the center of their conversation.

Hermione leaned back, her eyes closed as she listened to the soft music floating into the open porch.

"Tired?"

Quickly she opened her eyes and sat up to see Lacy coming outside.

"Sorry."

Lacy shook her head with a chuckle, "Don't apologize for being tired. I know just how you feel. Being in a family where you're the only female, except for mum, can be tiring."

Hermione nodded and then chuckled too, "My family is actually filled with girls, I think we drive my dad and brother mad sometimes."

Lacy laughed as she settled down next to her on the porch swing. "Oh, I'd love to meet your family. So you have one brother?"

Hermione nodded as she smiled, "Yes, Bradley."

Lacy smiled and then her face became solemn, "You said you were a Granger?"

Hermione nodded again and Lacy's face expressed four different emotions before it settled on a frown of concentration.

"You mean, you're brother is Bradley Granger, the architect?"

For the third time Hermione nodded, waiting for some kind of explanation, "Do you know Bradley?"

Lacy's frown deepened and then nodded a 'yes' and the quickly shook her head in a 'no' before she sighed and just stared at Hermione with wide eyes. "Do you mean, you're Jean Granger?" Lacy asked in wonder.

"Yes." Hermione said with a confused nod.

Lacy blushed and covered her mouth with her palm before bursting out with a giggle. "I had the biggest crush on him after reading about him in a magazine."

Hermione stared at her and then she too burst out into a trail of giggles.

"What are you two giggling about?"

They both turned around, stopping their stream of giggles as if caught digging into the cookie jar. Draco leaned against the doorframe, one eyebrow lifted in question.

Lacy turned red and shook her head, "Nothing." She said and rushed inside before Draco could ask any more questions.

Hermione gave up on concealing her giggles and smiled up at Draco. Her came to sit where Lacy had been sitting and leaned his head back.

"Are you tired?" Hermione asked.

"Hmm."

"Your family is very nice. I like your brothers."

Draco smiled, his eyes still closed, "I like them too."

Subconsciously Hermione leaned her head onto Draco's shoulder, closing her eyes as a soft breeze blew around them and the music once again drifted out into the night.

AN: So now we meet Draco's family.

A little background information about Draco's family is that Lucius is dead and Narcissa married Lucas a little after Lucius died. Narcissa brought herself and Draco to live with Lucas in the Muggle world. Lucas treats Draco as if he really is his blood son. Lucas has 4 children from a previous marriage before Narcissa. Draco and them are really close and don't consider themselves as step-siblings and they also treat Narcissa as their real mum. I hope that clarifies somethings.

Caroline Turpentine- Thank you for all your reviews that was really sweet of you! My brother left me at the mall once too for a girl! He bought me ice cream cake afterwards so I got over it.

Spunkywave77- Thank you for liking my story. Hermione lost more than half her magic. I know Hermione isn't herself without magic so I think I might try to fit that in somewhere in a later chapter but for now she won't be using magic.

Ae Fond Kiss- Ah I'm glad you're liking the story. I hate waiting for updates of other authors so I'm trying get out as many chapters I can. I hope you have a great rest of the summer!

riya'sXrambling- I know they are cute together.

I don't know about you guys but I love this Draco! I hope you guys like him too!

Well thanks for reading, hope you guys enjoy it!

Also to those who reviewed thank you so much!

I hope to hear more from you guys and the rest of the people reading so PLEASE REVIEW!

Ask anything you want I'll be delighted to answer!