Hermione sat in silence, her fork mindlessly pushing the half eaten risotto around her plate as she stared aimlessly at the corner of the table. Barely a word had passed since she had sat down In the restaurants booth after port keying back to London.
Astoria crossed her knife and fork together, picking up her napkin and dabbing the corners of her mouth before scrunching it up and putting it on her plate and pushing forward unconsciously announcing she was done.
Hermione finally looked up as a throat clearing came from across the table. The pale blue eyes staring back from her friend stating she was ready to talk. Earlier when the witch had completed her dress fitting she had noticed the absence of two witches, giving Hermione a knowing look when they came back, she pulled the brunette aside, and calmly announcing they would arrive back to London together. Hermione took this as a sign there was going to be a talk. Narcissa had attempted to intervene but Caris Greengrass had demanded her attention for tea at her hotel, giving the blonde no choice to comply leaving Hermione to deal with Astoria on her own.
"I need to know what happened" Astoria stated her tone fitting of a muggle detective.
Hermione dropped her fork in defeat; her appetite had long since been lost.
"I'm guessing you will have heard of upper class wizarding partys of a more private nature?" Hermione composed
"You mean a swinger party?" Astoria asked a smirk on her face. Hermione never could get over how much knowledge of the muggle world her friend had; then again she was forever watching soap operas after Hermione introduced them to her in school.
"When blaise took me, I ended up hiding in a room but someone was already there, we were masked, we talked, drank champagne and kissed . . . that's when the masks came off and we realised who eachother were, we continued to talk and drink more after the initial shock and laughter and well one thing lead to another . ." Hermione blushed as she relived her first encounter.
Astoria had been listening intently, mildly surprised at hermiones truth in her explanation, and grateful she left out the more intimate details, narcissa was still her future mother-in-law.
" Did you meet up regularly after that?" Astoria pressed on.
"No I didn't see her again until I helped with processes at the manor, and it wasn't till the day her divorce was finalised we actually met up and . . . rekindled if you will"
"The day of her divorce?" Astoria queried,
"Yes, Draco almost caught us" Hermione murmured.
"Did it never feel strange, considering you had dated her son before that?"
"No, it never crossed my mind, until you brought it up the other night"
"Is that why you shouted at me?" Astoria asked
"Yes, I managed to rescue that one, Narcissa was rather upset at that revelation" Hermione muttered.
"So really its just been in the last couple of weeks?" Astoria asked in confirmation.
"Well yeah except the initial meeting in Prague, that was nearly 7 weeks ago, it was the day before she demanded the divorce from lucius"
"7 weeks!?" Astoria shouted, covering her mouth when she realised her outburst. Suddenly looking shocked as if she were calculating in her head.
"It . .it cant be 7 weeks since the split" Astoria spluttered shaking her head in disbelief.
"Well yes, its at least that" Hermione confirmed, confused at her friends behaviour.
"Oh no . ." Astoria jumped from the table a look of fright on her face.
"Astoria!" Hermione dived from the booth after her. She ran to the till handing their order and a handful of notes muttering to keep the change before running out after her friend.
She watched as her friend ran into a muggle chemist down the street. Hermione stepped into the store moments later. She looked from the doorway, down the short isles, stepping left and spotting her friend looking pale staring at the shelf. Hermione approached quietly not wanting to startle the blonde.
"I don't know which one to get or how to use it" Astoria whispered as she felt her friend stand beside her. Hermione turned looking at the items on the shelf her friend was staring at.
Ah
Hermione place her hand on her friends shoulder squeezing it in understanding as she bent down picking up a box. "lets see if they have a customer toilet" Hermione whispered walking over to the counter and paying. The shopkeeper pointed out the white door wordlessly in understanding as Hermione took her friends hand hesitatingly guiding her to the door.
Hermione pulled the pregnancy test out of the box and looked at the instructions, Astoria still as pale staring into space. After a minute Hermione handed the piece to Astoria and pushed her towards the toilet cubicle.
"Just pee on the blue side then bring it out when your done" Hermione instructed pushing her friend to the door. She waited in silence, until her friend reappeared holding the test kit.
"Now what?" she whispered.
"Place it down, it takes a few minutes for the lines to appear, then you will know" Hermione answered. She looked at the test screen. Astoria stepping back and leaning against the door her head in her hands.
Minutes ticked by. Hermione looked over at the test, her attention more apt.
"Astoria . ." Hermione started.
"Its positive isn't it" she spoke cutting off what she already new. Hermione nodded.
"It never occurred, not until you said the divorce" she gulped looking down at her flat stomach.
"Its been an eventful day" she gasped out as a half cry half laugh. Hermione jumped forward hugging her friend.
"I'm going to be a mum" Astoria whispered realisation to her situation sank in.
"You'll be a great mum" Hermione answered. Pulling back and smiling at her friend.
"i already told you blaise, no!" Hermione seethed at her roommate.
"oh come on 'mione he's a good guy, and it might make McClaggon back off if he sees your actually seeing someone". Blaise argued following the girl to the kitchen. Anita smiled from the sofa reading through a potions ingredients book, she felt partly guilty after mentioning to her boyfriend about the run in with cormac mcClaggon. Blaise has been on the verge of storming into the wizards office demanding he leave his friend alone. Instead he had got it in his head to set Hermione up with someone more suitable.
"I am not interested in your matchmaking Blaise , Drop it now!" Hermione stormed to the cupboard reaching a glass and getting a drink of water, trying hard to calm herself.
"Anthony goldstien wants to take you to some shakespeare reading, he thought it was right up your street, and his wizarding radio show has made him quite little fortune!" he tried but stopped when he received a glare from the otherside of the glass.
"ok not goldstien, I realised now your appetite changed of course recently." Hermione spat water from her mouth at his latest statement. The dark wizard oblivious to her shock carried on " I forget your recent escapade with the fairer sex, Anita's friend Bonnie was quite keen to meet you after mentioning I lived with you, I'm sure we can set something up, she won the fairest witch of the alps contest last year. What do you say?" Blaise tried his best reassured grin as he looked at the brunette optimistically. He ducked down just in time as the glass whizzed past his head and shattered against the wall behind him.
"Blaise maybe it not a good idea" Anita chimed in pulling him back from the witch in front. If looks could kill he would have begged for a crucio from bellatrix lestrange.
"yes blaise take Anitas advice if you want to survive another day, you can get all this matchmaking out your head if you must know I'm already dating someone" Hermione seethed from her teeth.
"WHAT? WHO" Blaise looked in shock; Hermione had never kept something like that from him before.
"I'm not telling you now but I will, its still early days and probably come as a shock but just know I'm happy" Hermione softened, as Blaise's brotherly instinct had kicked in.
"that reminds me I won't be home for dinner tomorrow night" she winked at the other two before walking into her room.
Narcissa had stayed in France a few more days, enjoying the alone time and expecting a howler from her son about her exposed secret, it never came. She had received an owl from her sister asking her for tea and decided it was time to return to England. She owled Hermione formally inviting her on a date, suggesting a muggle restaurant for some privacy, despite agreeing they wanted to be explicit they weren't quite ready for the world to know without those closest to them first. Hermione had agreed and suggested a nice Italian near the café they had been to the day of the divorce being finalised.
"how was Paris?" Andy inquired, pouring the tea into a china cup and handing it to her sister. Narcissa took the cup gratefully.
"refreshing, no one does robes as exquisite as the French, and we had the first cutting for Astoria dress completed" Narcissa answered taking a sip.
"you stayed away longer than expected, Draco seemed a little concerned when I saw him yesterday"
"you saw Draco? Why?" narcissa had not realised her some and sister had even met as yet.
"he owled me and Nymphadora, he wanted to ask if teddy could be the ring holder in the ceremony"
Narcissa smiled. Her son had changed so much since their dark times.
"is something wrong you looked worried there?" Andy asked.
"Astoria knows about me and Hermione" narcissa muttered.
"oh . . . and your waiting for her to tell Draco?" her sister asked reading her face.
"yes"
"how is it going with Hermione" Andy asked
Narcissa smiled shyly " were going out for dinner tomorrow, we want to do it properly, and will be telling people soon"
Andy smiled. They continued chatting over tea, when suddenly a several owls flew through the window carrying letters, dropping into the lap of both women and another flying upstairs to where nymphadora had recently returned home. Stumbling down the stairs rather noisily as she joined the others opening the letters.
"its from draco, were all being summoned to his house immediately" Tonks spoke reading the contents.
Andromeda gave a worrying look towards narcissa who in turn looked alarmed, jumping up and grabbing the floo powder summoning her sons manor. She landed in her room, striding quickly out of her room and down the corridor to the stairway, she spotted her sister and niece apparating into the foyer. They all headed to the drawing room. It seemed they weren't the first to arrive.
Draco was pacing back and forth in front of the fire. Blaise was sitting in a wing back chair, Anita perched on his knee as the greengrass's dominated the sofa, Draco and everyone else looked up as Astoria entered the room looking pale. Hermione close behind, Draco reached forward taking her hand looking at her, she stated back nodding to him before letting go and sitting down Hermione sitting next to her with a look of concern on the loveseat.
Draco took his place again in front of the fire facing his audience. "I'm glad your all here, theres been a crisis" he announced.
"Whats happened draco?" Caris Greengrass asked a look of worry on her face as she looked over at her daughter.
"we need to move the wedding forward were looking at 3 weeks tomorrow" he carried on.
"why?" Blaise asked.
"what Draco is trying to tell you all is I'm pregnant" Astoria spoke looking up for the first time.
"how far?" her father asked,
"about 8 weeks" she confirmed.
"congratulations!" Anita announced. Hermione smiled. The girl always knew how to break a silent tension in the room, there was something about the witch that made Hermione think of luna lovegood, she would have to inquire one day if there was any blood relation there.
"draco you stud, your suppose to wait till your wedding night!" Blaise shouted. Draco gave him a dirty look. The dark wizard shrank back into his chair from the glares he got from three uptight Greengrass's.
"well I guess we better get invitations and a venue booked. I must say its rather inconvenient" Caris announced, her voice laced with disappointment.
"actually me and draco spoke earlier, with this change in events we thought a more intimate and low key ceremony was more suited" Astoria spoke.
"low key? Are you trying to be funny daughter? This is the wedding of the century, this wedding will be spoken of for decades to come, everyone in our society expects it!" her mothers tone got higher as she spoke.
"I don't care about bloody society mother, screw whats expected of me what about what I want for a change!" Astoria shouted.
"think what your saying Astoria, this is not how you were brought up, its your duty to . ."
"duty? I will live my own life how I see fit!" Astoria stood up in anger marching over facing her mothers stern look.
"I think we should calm, I know your stressing, me and narcissa can make all the arrangements Astoria, you have the dress, it should still fit, no one will know till your married"
Astoria looked at her mother incredulously almost ready to burst.
"you just don't listen, you never have! I don't want a traditional wedding, I don't care what your friends think mother, I'll have the wedding of my choice and if you cant accept that then don't bother coming"
"Astoria, don't talk to your mother that way!" her father stood up taking a step forward into his daughters personal space. Draco stepped forward putting a protective arm round her stomach.
"I think you need to listen to her wishes" draco spoke in a firm tone
"you dare to tell me whats best for my daughter?" Edward Greengrass puffed his chest out in superiority.
"im not telling you I'm warning you!" dracos tone had turned dangerous, he pushed Astoria behind him standing face to face with the aristocrat.
"Narcissa, perhaps you should talk sense into your son" he spoke glancing sideways at the blonde witch.
She was silent for a moment. Her regal look forever composed on her face she turned to the man addressing her.
"on the contrary, I agree with my sons wishes, and should you threaten him or his family in such a way again I wont be responsible for my actions" she spoke coolly. Draco looked proudly at his mothers words, facing back to his father in law to be. Narcissa caught the admiring look she was receiving from Hermione who stood wand in hand covering the back of Astoria who still stood protected behind draco.
"come caris, Daphne, I think we should take our leave, there is nothing further to discuss here. When your ready to apologise Astoria you know where to find us" He spoke in a gruff tone leaving for the exit without a second glance back in the room.
Draco sighed as he heard the door slam announcing the trio had left. He turned to Astoria taking her in his arms "are you ok?" he asked concerned.
"I'm fine, they wont be missed" she spoke.
"Draco perhaps me and your mother could assist with arrangements if you have ideas of what you want your ceremony to be?" Andromeda stepped in.
"that would be wonderful thankyou" he answered appreciatively.
"I must go teddy will be finished nursery" Tonks spoke before apparating out.
"well its good to know the Malfoy line is secure" blaise piped up.
"Dammit Blaise, didn't you ever learn courtesy!" Draco shouted. Blaise frowned about to answer.
"blaise maybe you should go home" Hermione spoke using her Don't argue with me tone. Blaise seemed to take the hint, nodding and leaving with anita in tow.
"I better go too, I have a busy day tomorrow, phase two of testing begins, I want to get started early so I can finish in good time" Hermione spoke. Astoria turned to her friend smiling at her before embracing her.
Hermione left them walking towards the door, and gave her a knowing smile as she walked past and momentarily stopping by narcissa and whispering so only she could hear "i'll see you tomorrow" before continuing to the exit.
Hermione checked herself in the mirror one last time, today had been a good day, the time turners she had been working on were a success, she had demonstrated in front of her department head and the minister as well as several of the international developers her research on fixing a broken time turner and a prototype for a newly constructed one, they had proven to work in time travel and guaranteed her a promotion by the end of the month leading the project for further development. And now she was ready for her first official date with narcissa.
She walked down the street to the Italian restaurant they had agreed on, remembering previously narcissa had mentioned she liked pasta.
The waiter took her coat and lead her to the reserved table, the blonde witch had yet to arrive. Hermione looked at the drinks list while she waiting, smiling as she noticed a certain bottle on the list and immediately ordered a bottle.
"I hope I haven't kept you waiting" narcissa spoke softly a she sat down. Hermione looked stunned as she took in the tight lavender strapless dress on the blonde, she had half braided her hair leaving gold locks to flow down her shoulders. Hermione shook herself out of her daze.
"course not I ordered a bottle, I'm sure you will approve" a smirk quirked onto her face, narcissa looked at her unsure at the insinuation from the younger witch. Just in time the waiter arrived with the bottle of champagne and two glasses, pouring the golden bubbles. It was then narcissa noticed the bottle and smiled at the significance.
"the same champagne we had in Prague" she whispered. Before taking a sip.
"yes, it seemed fitting" Hermione answered.
The waiter handed them the menu before leaving.
They looked at their menu's in silence
"do you wish for a starter?" narcissa asked.
"I'm not that hungry but feel free to have one yourself" Hermione answered looking over her menu.
"no theres not much I fancy here"
"are you ready to order ladies?" the waiter asked returning.
"yes can I please have the carbonara" Hermione answered.
"and I will have the fettucine alfredo" narcissa spoke handing the menu back.
"could we also get another bottle of this please" Hermione asked point to the champagne bottle. The waiter nodded.
"Trying to get me drunk?" narcissa asked smirking at the brunette.
"no but we're celebrating" Hermione spoke topping up their glasses with the current bottle.
"what are we celebrating?" narcissa asked?
"my impending promotion after my successful project today, draco and Astorias wedding and future child and most importantly . ." she leaned forward.
"what?" narcissa asked leaning forward as if she was to be told a secret.
" . .us" Hermione answered brushing a kiss against the blondes lips.
Narcissa remained in place her eyes still closed from the sensation of lips on her own. Her eyes fluttered open after a few seconds, the brunette had taken her left hand holding it across the table and taking a sip from her glass. Narcissa looked at the brunette longingly, she had admitted to herself that she loved the younger witch but now she realised how much. Her stomach was fluttering a swarm of butterflies, her heart sweeping every time she caught the gaze of the witch upon her admiring her. She wanted to scream her claim but restrained herself in fear of scaring the younger witch off; this still was only their first date after all.
"everything ok?" Hermione asked with slight concern.
"of course" narcissa smiled in reassurance.
"I just need to go to the restroom" Hermione spoke getting up.
On her way back she noted the vase of roses on the bar area, asking the bartender if she could purchase one. He smiled handing her one holding his hand up when she took her purse out. She mouthed a thank you before going back to her table. The blonde was absently looking out of the window. Hermione bent down brushing her lips against the blondes ear. "for you my beautiful witch" narcissa turned slightly startled. She looked at the rose in shock, looking at Hermione then back at the rose.
"I can charm it to something else when we leave if you don't like it" Hermione answered frowning slightly at the blondes lack of response.
"what? No! its beautiful I love roses its just . . . no one's ever given me one before" she answered. Hermione grinned.
"well expect plenty more where that came from, I plan to spoil you my witch" Hermione whispered huskily in her ear, before taking her seat again. Narcissa was beaming, twice Hermione had referred to her as her witch. Their meals finally arrived followed by the second bottle. They continued to chat and flirt as they ate through their meal with only eyes for each other.
"would you like a desert?" the waiter asked taking their finished dishes away.
"not for me thank you Hermione answered.
"I think i'll pass, just the bill please" narcissa replied. Unsure of the plan after dinner. Would they go somewhere else or was this it, she wasn't ready to leave yet but sitting wasn't really an option for privacy in a restaurant.
The waiter returned with the bill, Hermione went to reach it but her hand was slapped away by narcissa who picked it up and pulled her purse out, looking intently at the bill and pulling out muggle notes. Hermiones eyes widened at the sight of 50 and 20 bills narcissa had in her hand. She appeared to be calculating unconsciously counting and nodding her head. Hermione chuckled at this. Narcissa placed several notes, clearly leaving an over generous tip and she put her purse back in the bag. Hermione picked up the still unopened Champagne bottle. And held her hand out for narcissa who took it still holding her rose in the other hand.
They walked in comfortable silence still holding hands down the muggle street, still unsure of the direction their going in. they walk across a small park the trees damp from rain earlier that day, the tar path sparkling wet. They eventually come out on another street, standing at the base of a large old building, it seemed vaguely familiar to narcissa.
"where are we?" she asked
"my apartment" Hermione answered. She looked for a reaction or response.
"do you want to come up?" she hesitantly asks the blonde. Unsure if she wanted to or if the blonde witch had decided with dating now involved she wanted to take things slow.
"wont your friends be in?" she asked
"they might be but I planned to apparate us straight to my room either way, so do you want to come up?" she asked again.
Narcissa nodded. Hermione smiled wrapping her arm around the blonde as she wandlessly apparated them to her room.
It was dark in the room, narcissa vaguely remembered it, she had stayed here once before remembering the mess they made of hermione's sheets with whipped cream and strawberries. She smiled mischievously at the thought.
Hermione had lit some candles around the room, preferring low lighting, she warded her door before walking over to her dressing table, perching on the stool and un-clipping her hair allowing her curls to fall down. She noticed in the reflection of her mirror narcissa leaning against the bed post examining her rose stroking the petals gently. Hermione turned she stood taking her wand holding out her hand as a gesture for the rose. Narcissa looked into her eyes as she placed it into the brunettes open palm.
Hermione whispered an incantation onto the rose and watched it glow before handing it back to narcissa. "there now it will never wilt, yours forever" she whispered. Narcissa stepped back placing the rose on top of some drawers before stepping back to the brunette, leaning forward and whispering. "yours forever" before pulling her into a kiss.
Hermione felt herself completely consumed into the kiss. It felt different, almost more emotional that previous kisses that narcissa had initiated, she wrapped her arms round the witch pulling her velvet cloak from her shoulders feeling the bare shoulders and slick material of the lavender dress as she ran her hands down the other witches back.
Narcissa had her hands linked in brown curls as she sought entrance with her tongue, she pushed her body closer against the brunette untangling one hand and placing it on her hip guiding her towards the bed.
Hermione took the hint her legs pressing against the bed side, her hands reaching for the zip on the back of narcissa's dress, they momentarily broke the kiss as narcissa shimmied out of the gown, and began unzipping hermiones robes, both falling onto the bed in just their bras and pants.
There underwear was soon shed along with the rest of their clothes, a ritual of kissing nipping and biting as they fought each other for dominance. Hermione was winning slightly positioning herself on top and attempting to pin narcissas hands down
"Her . . Hermione" narcissa panted. She felt on fire as the brunette ravaged her clavicle slowly making her way to her breasts.
"what is it?" Hermione whispered. Loosening her grip and taking a nipple in her mouth, her eyes locked with blue.
"I want to try something, it was a spell I found, but we don't have to if you don't want to" narcissa panted, fog clouding her mind as the brunette continued to suckle her nipple.
"tell me what you want cissy" Hermione husked, kissing her blonde once more.
"let me show you" narcissa answered she placed her hand to hemiones sex, chanting something Hermione couldn't quite understand, she was more alarmed at the fact a strange tingling was happening to her clitoris, she looked down at the her now expanded anatomy. She stared t it curious and unsure. Narcissa looked down, cautiously running her forefinger over the shaft. Hermione gasped at the sensation. Narcissa bent down taking the shaft in her lips and licking the underside. Hemione groaned slightly losing her balance.
Narcissa moved up claiming hermione's lips once more, stroking the damp shaft in her hand, she leaned towards Hermione ear and whispered seductively.
"take me Hermione claim me as your own" Hermiones carnal instinct lashed out as the words hit her the blonde and forcing her down as she kissed her grabbed narcissa's legs wrapping them round her waist, her organ pressed against the blondes damp core. Hermione took her hand and clumsily tried to position herself. Narcissa was panting in anticipation, she reached down guiding it into herself, Moaning loudly at the sense of completion. Hermione pushed in slowly, unsure of her next motion, she pulled out slightly before sinking back in deeper. Narcissa was whimpering as Hermione began to gently thrust, she tightened her legs like a vice lifting her hips slightly to meet thrusts as pace picked up.
"yes, oh merlin yes" narcissa panted as Hermione slammed into her, hitting her so deliciously. Narcissa held onto her neck as Hermione bit down on her shoulder, loving the deliciously slapping sound of their skin as their bodies met in unison. Hermione could feel the muscles clamping down on her. Pulling narcissa's hips impossibly closer as she thrust into her again and again
"fu . .fuck, Hermione! I . . I love youuu" narcissa screamed as she was thrown over the edge, Hermione jerking as she spilled within her, her thrusts becoming more shallow,
"cissy" she breathlessly whispered collapsing on top of her.