Chapter Twenty-Four
The ivory silk fell around her legs, soft and smooth… like water somehow spun into fabric. Well, if Rumplestiltskin could spin straw into gold, why not water into silk? He'd surely outdone himself, this time. She slowly turned to face herself in the full-length mirror, unsure of what she was expecting to see reflected there.
Dora's eyes were sparkling as she surveyed her granddaughter: Inside her heart, she knew that indifference in a marriage was not as bad as it might seem. She, after all, had never loved Harfang in a romantic sense… yet they had been good companions their whole life. It was a gift she was proud to give to Hermione.
Hermione was asked to turn slightly so Jalena could make a small adjustment. Her delicate hands smoothed the top layer of the dress, and rested on the many layers beneath the first. The lace was coarse in comparison to the silk. It was intermingled with delicate silver linings, like pieces of cut-up starlight.
The image was not registering in Hermione's brain, which seemed to have shut off. Her body, however - in realization of the impending doom - was shaking like a wildflower during a storm.
"Before you get your hair touched up, darling, come over here so I can put this on you," Dora requested. The box encrusted with crystals was out again. Hermione felt the familiar lump in her throat rise.
She made her way across the room, the lights reflecting off the pearls and rhinestones beaded into the layers of the dress. Tiny splashes of light lit up the walls, but Hermione pretended not to see them. Something so beautiful should not be associated with the atrocity it represented. Jalena admired her from the mirror.
Dora opened the box and took out the pearl necklace. Hermione gathered her hair off the nape of her neck so Dora could fasten the layered jewelry there.
"Beautiful!" Jalena exclaimed excitedly.
Hermione touched the elegant string of pearls around her neck… her mother's pearls…
And overwhelming sadness overtook her whole being at that moment. Marrying Draco wouldn't even be so terrible if only her mother was here…
"I know," Dora consoled, taking her granddaughter in her arms. "I miss your mother, too."
Hermione allowed herself to be enveloped in Dora's peppermint smell as the older woman embraced her. It was an unfamiliar kind of embrace, however… almost less comforting.
But she would not cry… no.
Hermione caught another glimpse of herself in the mirror and paused a moment, just to make sure it was really her that was staring back.
"Is the bodice too tight, dear, or are you really that slender?" Dora asked, pulling away from the hug.
"I'm fine."
After one final inspection, Dora smiled at her granddaughter. "Are you ready to get your hair fixed up?"
Hermione did not respond. Jalena took her by the arm and led her out of the room, to the room next-door with the vanity and a professional stylist.
Dora's smile slid off her face as soon as her granddaughter had left the room. She slumped into a chair, hand on her forehead and feeling ashamed of herself. More than she ever had. Companionship was a wonderful thing – if it was truly the gift being given. Somewhere inside herself, Dora knew that was not the type of gift she was giving.
.
.
She had told herself she would not cry. She could not break down at this moment – not now. There was no one there to hold her and tell her she would be alright.
All the same, as Hermione peeked through the crack in the doors she was to enter through, she couldn't help but feel intensely sorry for herself. There was a sizable group of people inside the room just beyond the doors. She could catch glimpses of peoples' faces, but none she recognized.
"Hermione?" a voice whispered from just behind the door. She recognized it; Her heart leapt.
"Harry," she gasped, intensely overjoyed to hear her friend's voice.
"Are you alright?"
Hermione couldn't reply for a moment. She bit her lip. "I'm not sure."
There was a pause from the other side of the door. "Is it okay if I come back there?"
"Yes."
Hermione creaked the door open a little, thankful that it didn't squeak. Harry slipped in and immediately enveloped his friend in a hug. Hermione squeezed him tightly, thankful for at least one familiar pair of arms to wrap around her.
"We're starting soon!" Ginny murmured quietly, giving Harry a fearful pair of eyes. "What are you doing back here?"
"It's okay, Ginny," Harry murmured, still hugging Hermione closely. "A few more moments couldn't hurt."
Dora poked her head inside the door and observed Harry's arms around Hermione with a look of distrust. "One minute, darling… what is HE doing here?"
"This is my friend Harry," Hermione answered, not looking her grandmother in the eyes. "And Ginny's boyfriend."
Dora relaxed, "Harry Potter?"
Harry nodded. Hermione couldn't help a tiny smile: Everyone always did a double-take at Harry's name, no matter what the circumstances…
"I'll be walking her down the aisle, if that's perfectly alright with you," Harry announced in a tone that clearly expected that Dora had better be alright with the idea.
The older woman took the hint, "Of course. That would be wonderful. One minute, Hermione darling! Ginny, dear, please follow me. Quickly!"
Dora disappeared from the doorway. Ginny grabbed Hermione's hand and squeezed it tightly before rushing out the door after her great aunt to take her place at the altar. She gave Harry a peck on the cheek on her way out.
Hermione and Harry were alone now. "You look beautiful," he murmured, probably because he had no idea what else to say.
"Thank you for wanting to walk me," she replied in earnest. "I had always imagined my father would be the one to do it, but I am just as grateful, if not more so that someone I love as much as you could do it."
"Your father is here today, Hermione," Harry answered, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear and squeezing her hand, "I know he's with you now, giving you strength, just as my father always did for me when I needed him most. You are the strongest woman I know."
"Harry..." she murmured. He wrapped her in another tight hug. "Thank you for everything you've ever done for me, and for everything you're doing now. I… don't know when I'll get to see you next…"
There was a hush that enveloped the room behind the door. Everyone had settled into their places. Hermione took several gulps of air.
"How's Ron taking this?"
Harry looked at her quickly. "He's being Ron."
Hermione nodded. Even though she knew she and Ron weren't meant to be… on this day, she loved him more than she ever had.
The music cued in the next room.
"Oh God," she muttered under her breath.
"Be strong," Harry encouraged, taking her arm as the doors swung open. The chapel was filled with a sea of people all staring at Hermione. She took another deep breath.
Ginny's eyes were boring into Hermione's, which were hidden behind the ridiculous veil Dora has insisted she wear. Blaise Zabini was inspecting his fingernails casually. And Draco…
Even from the other end of the aisle, Hermione could see that his gray eyes were on fire with frustration and… something. She looked away from him. Having Harry at her side filled her with a sense that she was protected, no matter what was in Draco's eyes. She was safe now. Harry was there. Her father was there. Her mother was there. She was safe.
Draco was staring more at Harry than he was at Hermione. There was some confusion regarding this arrangement – he had known Harry would be AT his wedding, but he did NOT know he was going to be IN it.
It didn't matter. The Harry and Hermione vessel arrived at the altar and were forced to part. Harry gave Hermione one last squeeze of her hand in reassurance as he stepped away. Before he took his seat, Harry stared hard at Draco, as if daring him to even think about hurting Hermione in any way. Draco's eyes narrowed.
Hermione could not even register what the man at the altar was saying. He had a deep voice, one that penetrated the whole room with resounding depth. Harry was gone now and she was alone in the center of a room filled with people, all of who were staring at her. She glanced at the front row. Dora was smiling, but even to Hermione, it seemed forced. Lucius was smirking, as was typical. Narcissa was tearing up and dabbing a tissue she'd conjured, at the corners of her eyes.
"If any person present knows of any lawful impediment to this marriage, they should declare it now or forever hold their peace."
Hermione saw a movement in the audience, and when she went to go investigate, she discovered it to be Ron attempting to stand, while Harry pulled him back down. There were some whisperings and mutterings in the audience. The man at the altar – Hermione didn't even know who he was – stared expectantly at the spot where Ron was seated. Hermione cast a glance at Ron, knowing full well that no one could see her face behind the veil. His face… made her heart want to break: The look of desperation, the anger and frustration over being able to do nothing.
When it was determined that no one was going to say or do anything, the man turned to Draco, "Are you, Draco Abraxas Malfoy, free to lawfully marry Hermione Jane Granger?"
Draco looked like a little kid who'd been denied dessert, "I am."
"And are you, Hermione Jane Granger, free to lawfully marry Draco Abraxas Malfoy?"
Her throat was stuck, but she finally managed an, "I am."
There was another pause in the ceremony, punctuated by a sniffle from Narcissa.
More talking… Hermione couldn't pay proper attention. She was still alone, and even worse, she soon wouldn't EVER be – and that would be permanent. She wanted to call on her mother and father to give her strength, but when she tried to recall their faces, they were disappointingly blurry images.
She couldn't help it: A tear slid down her face, unbidden.
"I call upon these persons here present to witness the union of these two people. Do you, Draco Abraxas, take Hermione Jane to your lawfully wedded wife?"
"I……… do," Draco pouted.
"And you, Hermione Jane: Do you take Draco Abraxas to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
"I do," she choked.
"Then I now pronounce you husband and wife! You may kiss the bride."
Draco shot his father a look of sheer terror before turning back to his wife. Another tear slid down Hermione's cheek.
"Just do it," she muttered as quietly as she could. Draco heard her: He suspected the only reason either of them complied was out of sake of etiquette. He lifted away the ridiculous veil and surveyed her. Noticing the tears, the anger all but disappeared from his face. He placed one hand under her chin to tilt her face up to his and planted his lips on hers.
The kiss ended very quickly. The veil was placed back down over her face – not very traditional. In fact, the only reason Draco did it was not because he was afraid of looking at his new wife, but because he did not want to embarrass her by leaving her face open for everyone to see her tears.
Draco Malfoy DID have some compassion, after all… even if no one had it for him.
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Author's Note: So there you have it, lambs: The wedding! This, I think, is my least favorite chapter. I feel like in reality, Ron WOULD have said something. Or Harry would have thought of that Polyjuice Potion, even if Hermione couldn't have told him. BUT for the sake of this story, everyone had to be a little out-of-character. In real life, there is no way Hermione and Draco would ever have gotten married of their own free will.
Thank-you to tfobmv18, brooklynsam3, Jane Weasley, MyLookOfDenial., Shaiya 'tears-in-her-eyes', RIPJameSiriusLupinTrueMarauder, sureynot, whatifgirl and GoodCharlotte615 for your reviews! And thanks also for being patient!
Shaiya 'tears-in-her-eyes' - Pickles and cupcakes? Hmm. Reminds me of my last pregnancy. I decided to try that pickles and ice cream thing everyone always jokes about with pregnant women. Well, all it did was make me sick. Tasted good while it lasted, though. I dunno, I guess the sourness of the pickles and the sweetness of the cupcakes reminded me of that. Haha
Oh, P.S. the other link to see the picture of Hermione's dress didn't quite work. So let's try again:
dagnez. trustpass. alibaba. com ::slash:: product ::slash:: 11276825 ::slash:: Designer ::underscore:: 100 ::underscore:: Pure ::underscore:: Natural ::underscore:: Silk ::underscore:: Wedding ::underscore:: Corset ::underscore:: Gown ::slash:: showimg. html
I know that's a mess, but it's really the only way they let you put links in these anymore. If anyone does try to give it a look, just get rid of the spaces everywhere, and wherever I put a ::underscore:: or a ::slash:: just add those marks. They don't let you use them in html. It's stoopid. But hey, let me know what you think of the dress!