Hermione and Blaise arrived in Paris scant hours before his rehearsal dinner. It had been an exhausting trip, with a very important stopover in London to see an old "friend", before onward to France.

"My hair looks a complete and utter mess," Hermione said, patting the curls that had become mussed during the long flight.

Blaise slung an arm around her, kissing her near her hairline. "You always look beautiful, baby. Besides, I'm getting us a room. We are both completely knackered, and I don't want to chance anyone seeing us before we are ready to be found."

Hermione nodded in agreement, raising her arms in a stretch. "It's going to feel great to get in a nice comfortable bed. Those chairs killed me. I thought first class was supposed to be more comfortable."

"Well, we could have taken my jet, but I don't think that that would have been very inconspicuous," Blaise said wryly.

"Yeah, I know that. I can't even enjoy the perks of having a handsome, super rich husband," Hermione joked.

Blaise's brow rose. "Hmmm, I seem to remember you enjoying my "perk" very much."

Hermione giggled. "If I wasn't so tired, I'd show you just how much I enjoyed your "perk".

They hailed a taxi, and made their way to Ange Hotel. Hermione loved the atmosphere immediately. It had a mellow, slightly bohemian feel. They rented one of the larger rooms. It was a lovely. From the doorway there was a nice sitting room with a teal divan sitting in the left corner, and a large picture window that showcased a beautiful Parisian view. Further left was a beautiful bathroom complete with a large tub, shower, and two sinks. There was a large bed, curtained in a teal curtain with a golden quilted comforter that echoed the colors in the wallpaper.

"Blaise, I'm so glad that you got this room for more than one night, because we are definitely going to need it," Hermione said, slipping her arms around him and tiptoeing to kiss his jaw.

The day of the wedding was a clear, cold day. Being October, they felt lucky that it wasn't raining.

Hermione held Blaise's hand as they quietly made their way into the private home where the wedding was being held. It looked like the wedding planner had gone transfiguration happy. The floor had been charmed into a material resembling obsidian. The pews were white, with black flowers decorating the aisle sides. Black flowers? What was that? Funeral chic? Hermione thought that it was apt, because Jacqueline's wedding aspirations were about to die an agonizing death.

The pews were filled to the brim. Women in ornate robes, and fantastical hats. Men pulling at the collars of their dress robes, wishing to be anywhere else.

"Isn't that..." Hermione heard someone whisper.

"Muriel, I do believe that is..." another voice said.

Murmurs rippled through the congregation, people turning to stare.

"Well, that's the groom, but who is that with him? She looks remarkably like..." a third voice said.

Hermione's hand tightened on Blaise's arm, and he looked down at her reassuringly. At least she knew they weren't whispering about what they were wearing.

Hermione had fretted for a full hour on what to wear, finally deciding on a bicolor grey and black dress. It had a cowl neck, rushed bodice, and looked stylish under her grey dress coat. She donned dark hose and thigh high suede boots with a wicked heel. Her only jewelry, besides her rings were a pair of beautiful sapphire French hook drop earrings. A wedding gift from Blaise. Her hair was drawn into an updo. She had allowed her curls to do their own thing, and she rather liked it. It had a slightly Grecian feel. Just because she wasn't a guest didn't mean she wasn't going to look her best.

Blaise wore a dark grey suit, paired with a black tie shot through with tiny silver threads. Hermione knew that they looked very fashionable together.

The click of heels alerted her of someone approaching down the aisle. It was Jacqueline's best friend Camille. Camille looked chic in a black sheath dress, with a peplum and a bow at the waist. Her pixie cut hair was stylishly tousled. She would have looked runway ready, but for the look on her face. Hermione had only met the witch on a few occasions before, and had never seen her with such an expression.

Indignation colored Camille's face. "What are you doing out here?" The question was directed at Blaise. "And why are you here with her? Surely you didn't invite her? I don't think that Jacqueline will be pleased."

Blaise sighed, impatiently. "Where is Jacqueline?"

Camille looked nonplussed. "She is in the dressing room of course," the witch said pointing to a doorway left of the altar. "But that doesn't answer my..."

Blaise and Hermione started for the doorway, ignoring the whispers, and brushing past Camille.

"Wait! You can't go in there! It's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding!" Camille wailed.

Hermione's eyes rolled. Really, that was what the witch was most worried about? Jacqueline was an airhead and apparently she surrounded herself with people exactly like her.

The walked down a short hallway before pausing in front of a pair of white double doors.

Blaise looked down at Hermione. "You don't have to come in if you don't want to."

Hermione scoffed. "There is no way I'm missing this."

Chuckling a bit, Blaise opened the door.

Jacqueline was standing in front a full length mirror, smoothing a hand down her gown.

She hadn't noticed them yet and it gave Hermione a moment to observe the wedding attire. Hermione had to admit that the dress was becoming on the witch. It was strapless, with a sweetheart neckline, and an asymmetrically pleated bodice. The bottom was a flared mermaid with a cut organza blossom hem and blizzard beading. Her platinum blonde hair was pulled into a sleek up-do, with pinned side-swept bangs and a few tendrils hanging by her face. Perched on her head was a sparkling briolette cut diamond tiara with a matching earring and necklace set that Hermione was sure was real. On her dainty feet were t-strap ivory satin shoes with multi-layered crystals.

A week ago, Hermione probably would have burst in tears at only the thought of Jacqueline in her wedding finery, but now, secure in Blaise's love, she merely looked. The witch did look good, but Hermione had the man. And that was all she wanted or needed.

Jacqueline looked up, noticing them in the mirror. She turned swiftly, teetering on her heels. "Blaise?! What are you doing 'ere?! You can't see me!" She grabbed for a shawl on a nearby chair trying to cover herself then her eyes narrowed. "What is she doing 'ere? She was not invited, nor is she welcome." Her forehead wrinkled in confusion and mounting anger as she noticed their clasped hands.

"What is the meaning of this? Why are you 'olding 'er 'and? Whatever she told you is a lie," Jacqueline said in nervous voice.

Hermione ran her other hand down Blaise's arm, before kissing his cheek and stepping back.

Blaise started forward. "Jacqueline, I'm not marrying you today," he said slowly.

"What!? What do you mean you aren't marrying me today?!" Jacqueline shrieked.

"I am not marrying you today," Blaise repeated slowly. "I am not marrying you today, because I don't love you. I'm in love with Hermione."

"In love with...No! You cannot do this to me! Do you know 'ow many people are out there waiting to see us marry! Two hundred and fifty guests! The French Minister for Magic is out there! Not to mention my friends...The whole of Wizarding society! You are going to leave me for that?! How long 'as this been going on behind my back?" Jacqueline practically screamed.

"Yes I am, and she is not a that. She is a beautiful, faithful, woman, who I love enormously. It doesn't matter how long it's been going on, the important part is that I love her, and I don't love you. You can't be that surprised can you? We barely spent any time together," Blaise said bluntly.

"Of course she is, love," Hermione said from behind him.

"You shut up! You 'ave no business being 'ere with my fiancé!" Jacqueline said venomously, her brow arched.

"I have every right to be here with my husband," Hermione said raising her hand, the light sparking off of the deep blue sapphire. She smirked as the witch's eyes seemed to pop from their sockets.

"Aaaargh! 'Usband! You 'ave married this...this peasant?!," Jacqueline screamed.

"Will you keep it down?" Hermione said calmly, her voice slightly bored. In reality, she was practically jumping up and down inside. "If you keep that up, someone will think you are being murdered."

Blaise's lips twitched with barely restrained humor. "Okay, bottom line. I just came to tell you in person."

"Though you don't deserve that," Hermione piped in.

Jacqueline's mouth opened and shut, before she began stomping about the small room, screaming at the top of her lungs. She ripped the tiara from her head, throwing it across the room.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You might want to pick that up. That thing is probably worth a bloody fortune."

Blaise snickered.

Jacqueline started for Hermione, hands outstretched in a strangling motion.

Hermione whipped out her wand. "I don't think so, bitch. One step further and I'll curse all those blonde tresses from your head. Unless you think baldness is coming into fashion, I'd stop."

Jacqueline froze, her vanity overruling anger. Suddenly, she sat down wearily. "I'm going to be ruined. I'll be a laughingstock."

"Well, maybe you should have thought of that before you decided to cheat on your fiancé. We didn't go behind your back. We knew each other before, and not from school, but that isn't any of your business," Hermione said. "Be a woman, put your big girl knickers on and grow up. You can't have everything your way, and you damn sure can't have my husband," Hermione said frankly.

Jacqueline burst into tears, head lying on the vanity in front of her.

Blaise looked uncomfortable. He never liked any woman crying in front of him.

"Come on, Blaise. There is nothing more that we can do here," Hermione said.

Glancing one more time at the sobbing witch, Blaise nodded and took Hermione's hand. They left the room, shutting the door quietly behind them.

Ophelia sat in the front pew on the groom's side, a smug grin on her face. Everything was going according to plan. She was basking in her triumph. All those snotty bitches won't look down on me again, she thought to herself. She was getting a rich daughter in law that simply loved her, a huge financial settlement, and her self- righteous son was finally getting what he deserved.

How dare the little brat look down on her. After all she had done for him; he couldn't do this one thing, this one tiny thing for her.

Ophelia sighed. She had arrived slightly late, to make a more memorable appearance, and it had been worth it. People gasped at her beauty, or at least that was what she thought was happening. Ophelia had no idea that she had arrived just after Blaise had entered the hall with another woman on his arm.

In her ignorance, she believed that they were admiring her floor length, plum colored gown. The one shoulder gown had a black lace detail and a black satin bow around the waist. The black lace theme was carried over to a tiny lace hat perched in front of her slicked back updo.

She had walked slowly up the aisle, the better to be admired, and sat down in the front pew. A pew where she had the best view when Blaise came from a room with his hand clasped with Hermione's.

Stepping in front of the alter Blaise loudly cleared his throat, his hand tightening a bit on Hermione's for reassurance.

"Can I have your attention, please?" The room quieted instantly. Everyone was dying of curiosity.

Ophelia's eyebrow was arched in question.

"I would like to inform you that there will be no wedding today. You all may exit the way you entered," he said, his voice echoing throughout the room.

There was a moment of shocked silence, before the people in the very back began to stand and make their way from the pews.

Ophelia jumped from her seat. "Wait! I'm sure this is all a misunderstanding. Of course there will be a wedding," she said in a false cheery voice. She stepped up next to her son. "What is going on? If you ruin this, I will bury you," she hissed.

Blaise ignored her. "No misunderstanding. I'm sorry that you wasted your time getting here. These things do happen."

"That is it! I am going to the Prophet as soon as possible. You are going to regret this folly," Ophelia shouted.

While many of the guests had left, just as many had stopped to watch the drama unfolding.

"Hmmm, I believe that we have beaten you to the punch," Hermione said examining her nails.

Ophelia swung around to face her, before looking at her son. "Who is this? And what does she mean? Explain this instant!"

Hermione pasted a smile on her face. "Oh, how rude of me. My name is Hermione. Hermione Zabini, your new daughter in law. It's so nice to finally meet you, Mum. Do you mind if I call you Mum?" Hermione said in a sugar sweet tone.

Ophelia goggled. "What! How can you be married? You were supposed to be getting married today, and certainly not to this person. You can't be married...and well if you are you are getting divorced immediately. Then you are going to go back and apologize to Jacqueline. You will grovel if need be. We don't want your secrets coming out do we?" Ophelia said. She just knew that she had him. He would cave. He always had before. She grinned smugly.

"Well, Mother," Ophelia cringed at the title, and Blaise ignored this. "That is quite impossible. We were married using the Gr´a Siorai spell, as well as by Muggle standards. You will find it quite legal. It cannot be contested by law. I'm sure you know of the Gr´a Siorai spell, what with your many matrimonial adventures," Blaise said evenly.

"I will tell. Don't think for a moment that I won't," Ophelia hissed.

"Madam, you don't have a thing to tell, that anyone who will soon buy a copy of The Daily Prophet doesn't already know," Hermione said candidly.

"What are you talking about, girl?" Ophelia said in a superior tone.

"I have many friends, acquaintances, and people who owe me favors. It wasn't hard to find someone who wanted an exclusive. One of the best friends of The Boy Who Lived and the mysterious CEO of Prospero Gaming and Entertainment Incorporated marrying in a romantic, secret Australian wedding? Well, that is big news to say the least," Hermione said.

The crowd gasped. They hadn't seen drama like this since Patricia Hornblende ran off with her music instructor. That scandal had been tame compared to this!

Hermione and Blaise smiled at each other.

The day before, after a grueling flight from Australia, Hermione and Blaise had visited an old acquaintance.

Rita Skeeter's hands had literally rubbed together in journalistic glee at the prospect of writing the expose. A mysterious, eccentric inventor marrying the cleverest witch of her age? A former Slytherin marrying the Gryffindor Princess? One that was already engaged to a French heiress and to be married on the morrow? Rita thought she had died and reached Nirvana. After pitching the idea to her editor, she assured the couple that it would be front page news.

Hermione had liked the idea of stealing Ophelia's thunder, and as she knew that Rita was unregistered beetle Animagus, she knew that she could control how the article would depict them. Rita would do anything to keep that particular fact under wraps. The way it was worded covered all bases. The stockholders would look like the prejudiced pigs they were if they tried to cause any problems, and Ophelia was now out of ammo.

"You are that Hermione?" Ophelia gasped.

"Indeed," Hermione said, kissing her husband's cheek.

Ophelia looked around the crowd, noticing the gleeful look on some of the guest's faces and screamed. The sound was loud enough to shatter glass, and she fell to the floor in a faint, her hair askew, looking anything but polished.

The guests simply stepped around her, heading out the door.

Hermione was lying in her husband's arms, surrounded by frothy bubbles. The water was warm and relaxing. Something they definitely needed after the trying day.

She had dodged calls to her mirror all day only answering her friends and family, promising an explanation after she returned from her much needed honeymoon. The only other caller had been Rita Skeeter to inform her that the issue had been a complete sell out, even more copies sold than the issue announcing Voldemort's death.

"Are you sad that you have lost your anonymity?" Hermione asked Blaise, turning to kiss his wet jaw. Being with her was enough on its own, what with the constant scrutiny, but now that he had been outed so to speak, he would have to deal with even more attention.

"Not in the least. It needed to be done. I was tired of being afraid, and well, if it had cost me you, it wouldn't have been worth much. No, I'm glad that it is out," Blaise said quietly.

"Good, I wouldn't have wanted you to resent me for that," Hermione said.

Blaise turned her in his arms, looking into her eyes. "I would never resent you. Hermione, you are such a gift. I want nothing more in life but to cherish you. Everything else comes second."

Hermione smiled, kissing his lips softly. "Well, Mr. Zabini, I do believe our wedding night is overdue."

Blaise pulled her to him, her legs settling on either side of his hips. "Hmmm, Mrs. Zabini, I believe you are right," he said before pulling her into a kiss.

Epilogue

Hermione stuck her key into the knob, turning the handle and entering the town house.

"Mummy! Raide is trying to melt my Barbie in the microwave!" three year old Emmalie said, running across the floor. Her arms hugged Hermione's legs and she buried her face in her mother's skirt.

Hermione sighed. "Raide Noyes Zabini! You get in here this instant!" She heard the sound of the microwave door opening and closing.

Raide came into the room, his chubby arms behind his back. He grinned at his mother, his little cheeks dimpling.

Hermione had to caution herself not to melt. Raide and his twin Emmalie looked so much like Blaise it was uncanny. The both had his beautiful dark curls and eyes, their skin a glowing caramel color.

"Raide, did you try to microwave Emmie's Barbie?" Hermione said evenly.

Raide pouted. "I wasn't going to really do it, Mummy."

"Okay, but was it nice to make your sister think that you were going to?" Hermione asked.

Raide looked down. "No, Mummy."

"I want you to apologize to your sister," Hermione said gently.

"Sorry, Emmie," Raide said contritely.

"Now, give her a hug and kiss," Hermione said, pushing back a giggle when the little boy's nose wrinkled in disgust. He was just getting to the point where he thought all girls were yucky.

He grudgingly hugged his sister with one arm, smacking a kiss on her cheek.

"Now, I want you to play nice. You can go and watch some cartoons until time for dinner," Hermione said, the words barely leaving her mouth as the kids ran to the den, whoops erupting from their mouths.

Hermione sat down on the couch, removing her heels and massaging her slightly sore feet. Work had been brutal that day. She was glad to come home to her kids and husband, and was looking forward to relatively quiet dinner.

Hermione had been working for the Ministry for the past three years, actually just before she had become pregnant with the twins.

Blaise and Hermione had decided to wait a few years to have children, and Hermione had just passed her twenty-second birthday when she learned that they were expecting. Blaise had been euphoric. He wanted as many children as they could have. He had never liked being an only child and he didn't want that for his own children. Hermione smiled fondly. Her husband had been over the moon when he found out that they were having twins.

Blaise fit in surprisingly well with her family and friends. There, of course, had been a moment with her father, all men had to deal with the fact that their daughter had grown and was married.

Joan had jumped right into wedding plans, and they had finally had a huge wedding to encompass all their friends and family. Hermione hadn't had the heart to tell her mother that she still preferred her small intimate wedding.

Blaise had simply chuckled at her annoyance.

Ophelia, of course, didn't deign to appear at the wedding, and Hermione was okay with that. She had only worried about Blaise's feelings.

"I only need you in my life to be happy," Blaise had said, quieting her concerns.

They didn't hear from Jacqueline again, the only mention being an offhand comment by one of Hermione's coworkers stating that she heard the witch had gotten married to a count. More power to her, Hermione had thought. Blaise had simply shrugged.

Where is my husband? Hermione thought. She stood, and walked in her stocking feet upstairs.

She heard his voice singing softly, the smoky rich tone soothing. She approached a slightly ajar door and her heart softened at the sight within.

Blaise was singing to their infant daughter Jeanette.

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, when you're not happy my skies are gray..." Blaise sang, looking into his daughter's eyes.

Jeanette was snuggled in a fluffy, pink blanket, her brown eyes closing softly. Her lips slightly puckered in sleep.

Blaise stood slowly, walking over to the crib. He settled Jeannie into her bed, leaning over to kiss her in her soft curls.

Blaise turned away, tiptoeing to the door, where he saw his wife.

"Hello, wife," he said kissing her softly.

"Hello, husband," Hermione replied, nuzzling her nose against his.

Hermione loved her life, husband, and kids. It might not have been what she had planned for herself, but she couldn't imagine anything better.

The End

Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed the story. :)