Chapter 7! It's starting to get good!
Love was embodied in Blaise and Marie during the ceremony. It was every look, every touch, every word and vow the couple said to each other. Even Shacklebolt, the current Minister of Magic, had to take a moment to get himself together in the presence of such love and adoration. Both Marie and Blaise became teary during the ceremony, and by the time they were announced husband and wife, Marie was very grateful for Hermione's make-up holding spell because she was sure she would look a mess otherwise. They were really married! Marie briefly made eye contact with Hermione as she walked back up the aisle with her husband-she had a freakin' husband!-and smiled at her friend who also had tears streaming down her face. At the end of the aisle stood Draco with his camera in hand, ready to take a photo of the new Mr. and Mrs. Zabini. Draco would never admit to anyone that a tear or two…or a few may or may not have slipped out of his eyes throughout the ceremony. Those who wanted to Apparate or Floo to the reception space, which Marie and Blaise made sure had a fireplace, were given the name of the reception hall. The Zabini's, the DuPonte's, Draco, and Hermione were some of the first to arrive at the venue and slowly, more guests began to trickle into the banquet hall. As the arrivals began to level out and it seemed that everyone had settled at their dining tables, Draco walked across the dance floor to the front of the hall where a piano resided. Quickly casting a spell to amplify his voice above the crowds, he spoke.
"Good evening, everyone. Most people in the room know me or know of me in one capacity or another, but I'm Draco…Malfoy, Draco Malfoy and typically, I'm the guy behind the camera. Surprisingly enough, I'm not a fan of public speaking and I prefer to let my camera do the talking," he paused as he taped his fingertips on the camera hanging around his neck, "but…today, a photo wouldn't be enough. Words honestly wouldn't be enough. I met Blaise and Marie at different points in my life and…well, they've been amazing. More than amazing, truthfully, and I'm truly thankful to call both of you friends. So, here's to you…to Blaise and Marie!"
The crowd awed and applauded at Draco's touching speech as he took the camera from around his neck and placed it next to him as he took a seat on the piano stool. "So little known fact about Marie is that she loves a little known artist by the name of Sam Smith," the audience laughed because it was, in fact, a very well-known fact, "and for their first dance as husband and wife, Marie and Blaise wanted 'Make It To Me'. So Blaise and I schemed and colluded and decided that it might be a little more special for her if it were a live performance from someone who appreciates everything she is. So Marie, this one is for you and your new husband…"
Marie was convinced she was out of tears from the ceremony, and then Draco started playing and singing one of her favorite songs, and a whole new batch of tears hit her like a freight train. Dancing with her husband as her best friend sang their first dance…what? It was just perfect, Marie thought resting her head against her husband's chest.
Hermione, who was talking with Marie's parents when Draco stood up to make his toast, was now fighting to keep her jaw from hitting the floor. He could sing? Not only was he an amazing photographer (she looked up M Photography after the shoot and was truly blown away; he truly had a gift), but he could sing and play the piano? Well, that just wasn't fair; you can't be an amazing photography, an amazing friend apparently, a singer and musician, and fine as fuck. Hermione downed the rest of her champagne in one gulp when the last thought registered in her brain and watched it refill as each champagne glass was designed to do. Mrs. DuPonte must has sensed the emotional shift in Hermione because she noticed the older women stifle a chuckle. Crap, she was in deep.
The crowd applauded as Draco finished the last chord of the song, and he was tackle-hugged by Marie before he could barely stand up from the piano stool. After wiping her tears, Marie addressed her guests thanking them for joining her and Blaise on their special day. The couple gave a few more words of gratitude and appreciation, when finally Marie lifted her glass announcing it was time to party. Instantly, upbeat, danceable music began to play and Marie pulled her husband to the dance floor as their guests started to follow suit. Marie attempted to pull Draco to dance with her but 'I'm fine taking photos' which resulted in Marie just rolling her eyes and scoffing at him before finding Hermione to dance with her. Draco watched as Hermione and Marie danced and laughed with each other, taking a few shots of the two women. He would be completely blind to say that the brunette looked anything but stunning in her emerald dress that came to her knees and showed off her amazing legs. Green was a great color on her, in Draco's opinion. And she looked great with her hair up, too; it showed off that beautiful neck of hers...
Dammit, there it was again! Draco pushed the thought to the back of his head and wandered around the hall taking photos of the bride, groom, and guest and before he knew it, it was the end of the night. The guests had left, Blaise Apparated Marie's parent to New Orleans and came back, and the final people remaining were Blaise, Marie, Draco and Hermione back at the Zabini Estate. The four sat in the living room sipping an aged Firewhiskey, Blaise and Marie cuddled together on the couch, Draco in one chair and Hermione in the other. Both Draco and Hermione kept stealing glances of the other person, thinking that they were being discreet when in reality Blaise and Marie weren't fools and knew the two had some suppressed something going on. Hence the bottle of aged Firewhiskey, which was just about finished leaving everyone nicely buzzed. After talking for another thirty minutes or so, Marie's eyes started to droop heavily, and eventually she and Blaise decided to call it a night leaving a buzzed Draco and slightly more buzzed Hermione sitting in the living room.
The two sat awkwardly across from each other, fiddling with their glasses before Draco cleared his throat and attempted to break the awkwardness.
"So, um….Marie wasn't sure if you were going to stay the night or not, so there's a room set up for you…"
Hermione looked up at the youngest Malfoy, blinking a few times before registering what he said. "Oh…oh, yea…yes she told me. That's perfect," she went to stand up and quickly tripped over her heels. Draco stood to help her balance herself as she giggled ("I promise I'm more coordi..co-…I'm better than this") and proceeded to unbuckle her shoes. For a dancer, Hermione had beautiful feet and Draco was mesmerized as he watched her flex and point her toes stretching her feet from being in heels for the majority of the day. He cleared his throat to bring him back to the present moment and gently placed a hand at her lower back. Both he and Hermione ignored the tingling sensation that ran through their bodies at the simple touch.
"I'll, um, I'll take you to your room." With one hand on her back and the other taking her hand to steady her, Draco guided Hermione up the stairs to the room Marie showed him earlier. Draco made a mental note to have a conversation about Marie's room choice considering the room he would be staying in was the room across the hall. Sneaky little witch, he thought. He watched Hermione fumble with the door handle for a few moments before Draco, rolling his eyes, opened the door to the large bedroom with windows over looking the garden. A set of pajamas was lying at the foot of the queen-sized bed and fresh towels were sitting on the vanity next to the bathroom. Hermione stumbled slightly as she walked into the room before doing a single pirouette and falling back onto the bedding, laughing in her alcoholic buzz. Draco couldn't help but chuckle slightly at the brunette's drunken antics.
"Okay…so, you're here and settled. And you're good? You look good…I mean…you look fine…no, wait…"
Hermione sat up on her arms watching Malfoy fluster over his words and laughed to herself. He was really cute when he was stumbling over himself.
"That was really sweet, by the way," Hermione said, deciding to put Draco out of his misery and embarrassment, "what you said and did at the reception. It seems you care a lot about Marie."
Draco ran a hand through his hair, his tuxedo jacket and tie long gone leaving him in his white collared shirt with the top few buttons unbuttoned and his sleeves rolled up to the elbow. "Yea…she's wonderful," he walked into the room and sat at the head of the bed, "Crazy how a brief meeting at a punch bowl during fourth year led to all of this, hmm?"
Hermione nodded in agreement, settling at the foot of the bed. "What's crazy is that we never knew the six degrees of separation between us; I don't know how we managed to go this long without running into each other."
"Also true, strangely enough. Well…we're here now…"
Hermione looked up at the blond Englishman seated at the head of the bed. Before she completely registered what she was doing, she was seated next to him and staring into his molten grey eyes. Draco arched an eyebrow at the girl as she reached up to run her fingers through his trademark platinum locks.
"Granger…?" This had to be the alcohol's doing; Granger wouldn't do this on her own. Not that he minded, per say; secretly Draco loved when women played in his hair.
"You're right," Hermione whispered as she continued her ministrations in his hair and started trailing her fingertips down his jaw line, "We are here now."
Draco let out a ragged breath before taking her upper arms to push her back slightly.
"What are you doing? In no universe is this a good idea…" Yupp, this had to be the alcohol.
"Okay, so what? I know you felt the same thing I did when we saw each other at the shoot, and I know Marie cornered you about it the same way she did me. No, I'm not drunk, we're both consenting adults, so why not? Let's skip the awkward midsection and just…"
Hermione never finished her sentence as Draco pulled her back to his body, crashing his lips over hers. They both moaned into the kiss as Draco reached his hand into the seas of curls on her head, the other angling her head so that he could continue kissing her deeply. Hermione's dress rose up her legs as she went to straddle Draco's lap; she wrapped her arms around his neck as Draco slid his hands from her hair and head to around her waist. Flipping them over so Hermione was now lying on her back, Draco rolled his hips into her cause her to throw her head back with a moan giving Draco access to kiss down her neck and behead her ear. Hermione leaned forward to sit up and looked Draco in his eyes, which had turned to a darker shade of their usual molten grey, as she reached behind her to unzip her dress and lift the dress over her head to reveal a black lacey bra and panty set. Draco took a deep breath as he took in her amazing physique as Hermione reach forward to unbutton his shirt revealing his pale and toned upper body. He hissed and shut his eyes at the feeling of her soft hands on his bare chest.
"What in Merlin's name are we doing, Granger?" He said roughly to no one in particular as Hermione fumbled with his belt buckle.
"We're skipping the awkward midsection," Hermione said, pulling him back down for a searing kiss as her hand wandered down his torso and into his pants to her final destination.
Draco didn't ask any more questions that night.
So what do you all think? I knew I wanted Draco and Hermione to hook up after the wedding because it was too perfect in my mind for it not to happen. I hope it doesn't seem that I'm rushing their relationship because that's not at all the purpose. Let me know your thoughts about the chapter; it was insanely fun to write! xx