AN: It is well past the time I hoped to have this complete, but don't worry, it shall be finished shortly. I do have a question: would you rather I wrap the whole story up here or would you rather I let the gentlemen who do not get Hermione go off and have their own adventure? I intended to wrap it all up in a neat bow, but the boys are being obstinate. Once again, this is a birthday gift for the lovely Dragoon, so if you know her, you can guess what the pairing will be (I also mentioned it in the note on my first chapter).
It had been years since Narcissa had felt the need to attend to every little detail at one of her balls. When she was a young bride, she'd occasionally panicked, doing last minute preparations and overseeing the poor elves, driving them mad.
But she was older now. She knew she had the best trained highest paid elves in the country. (That had been difficult to negotiate…until she convinced the elves that higher salaries would give the House of Malfoy a much needed boost in status. Now she actually had to argue for lower wages (she was not paying Tink half a million galleons a minute, no matter how impressive the elf's croissants were).
This confidence in her own planning and her elves' skill allowed Narcissa to get ready for events at a leisurely, lady-like pace. At least it normally did, when she didn't have a wild-haired muggleborn girl in her suite.
Admittedly, it had been Narcissa that had practically begged Hermione to get ready in the manor….she'd blissfully anticipated sipping tea and gossiping while the two of them did spells and allowed the elves to do the rest.
Hermione was not quite as restful as Narcissa had hoped. For one thing, her hair was practically untamable, even using magic. Narcissa suspected that the girl was unconsciously storing magic in the frizzy mane. It was an old trick, the reason why even males in the pureblood elite often sported long hair.
For another, Hermione was actually anticipating discussing the particulars of the treaty…citing amendments and clauses. Narcissa had to work to avoid rolling her eyes. Gryffindors.
"Stay next to Draco dear. And follow his lead. We want everyone to see you as charming and intelligent, so listen more than you speak. You'll find that most people seem to think that is charming." She gave the girl a sardonic smirk and rolled her eyes.
Hermione sighed. "I despise these games. I'm so glad I chose a career in research!"
Narcissa paused. These games were second nature to any Slytherin and especially any Malfoy. Hermione was quite intelligent enough to play…but Narcissa was realizing that she simply didn't want to! That was unsettling. Staying in a position of social preeminence took a certain amount of maneuvering, even for a Malfoy.
Ah well! She would be there to help.
In between Narcissa, the elves, and the jug-sized bottle of hair potion that Hermione had brought, they managed to tame the hair enough to be acceptable. It fell in rather glorious curls.
Narcissa smiled as she discreetly wiped a small bead of sweat from her brow. "You look lovely dear." If she also looked a bit nervous it would be up to Draco to put her at ease. The boy was quite capable.
Narcissa left Hermione in the library with Draco (subtly pointing out the benefit of marrying into a family with tens of thousands of books might be a low blow, but she wasn't one to do things half-way.)
She was just making her way into the ballroom when she felt large warm hands around her waist, pulling her into an alcove.
Her mouth was covered by hot lips. She relaxed into the kiss almost instantly, recognizing the taste and smell of her current lover.
She smiled when he finally allowed her to break away for air. "Kingsley, I am going to be all messy at the ball!"
The Minister of Magic chuckled as he ran those huge talented hands over her silk-clad frame. His voice rumbled at her ear. "I like you best messy. Come to my home tonight?"
Her mouth went dry. Kingsley didn't like taking her at the manor for whatever reason…the man was possessive, so perhaps he didn't like the reminder that she'd had a husband for twenty years.
She didn't mention any of that. She simply nodded. He kissed her once more, and raced out so he could 'appear' with the rest of the guests.
Merlin, the man was delicious. When they made love at his home, she felt no compunction about falling asleep afterward in his arms…not something she'd ever done with a lover. She and Lucius had tried a few times, but he was a bed hog and always ended with all the blankets. Her husband had made love to her often (and quite well) but she'd never slept cuddled in his arms. Lucius had been rather particular about his blankets and claimed (perhaps correctly) that she tended to steal them all. She'd woken up the first night of their honeymoon with the man sleeping on a transfigured chaise with most of her wedding gown as a blanket. After that they had made arrangements that led to restful sleep.
She told herself as a young woman she did not mind her husband's quirks…but it was very nice to sleep surrounded by Kingsley's six foot six frame. She blushed a little. Very nice.
She used a quick spell to fix her pale lipstick and hoped that Kingsley managed to get all of it off of his collar before he returned.
And then she smirked. Or perhaps not. It certainly marked him as hers'.
SSSSSS
Severus arrived late so he didn't have to witness the debacle that the receiving line was certain to be.
He smirked as he shook hands with the Minister of Magic. His quick eyes caught the slight smear of pale pink lipstick on his collar and his sensitive nose caught just a hint of Narcissa's perfume lingering.
So that's why Kinsley decided to stick his interfering nose into Hermione's love life.
Narcissa was indeed pulling out all the stops to make certain her darling boy got the girl he desired. The woman was ruthless.
At least her influence with the Minister would wane when her attention wandered elsewhere.
Kingsley had quite the reputation with witches outside the Ministry. His only saving grace was that he'd resolutely avoided entanglement and he never mixed business with pleasure…though shagging Narcissa was cutting that rule a bit fine.
Severus tucked the details he'd gleaned about the Minister and his most reliable ally into the back of his mind as he surveyed the field of battle…er…ballroom.
Draco and Hermione were dancing. Draco looked like he wanted to take the girl right there on the dance floor. Hermione looked a bit pink in the cheeks.
Theo was sipping a cool drink from the sidelines, but his eyes were trained on the pair dancing. Severus narrowed his eyes.
Blaise Zabini was nowhere to be seen, which probably implied he'd left to chase another woman around his bedroom since it seemed obvious that Draco was going to win.
Severus made his way to a convenient spot near an alcove and waited.
Narcissa was the first to pass him. She was doing her very best to rid herself of a chinless Hufflepuff who seemed determined to dance with her.
Severus stepped in and smoothly cut the puppy out. "My dance, I believe."
The boy's eyes widened and he scampered off somewhere.
Severus led her out to the dance floor like he'd done a hundred times before. She smiled up at him. "Thank you for ridding me of that pest."
He allowed himself a small smile and a chuckle. "One does learn how to frighten adolescents when one teaches for twenty years, though I must admit, it probably would have been more entertaining if I'd let him continue on until you hexed him…or allowed Kingsley to."
She laughed merrily. "So the silly man didn't realize there was lipstick on his collar?"
"Or he left it there deliberately."
She snickered. "Lucius might have done that, but Kingsley was a Ravenclaw."
"Which means he is bright enough to allow his paramour to make him if she chooses to do so."
Narcissa's face was full of purring satisfaction at his suggestion. He realized that more than one set of eyes were on him. He nearly groaned when he saw Draco's smug smirk and Hermione's tentative smile. (Though Kingsley's glower bothered him not at all.)
He hissed, "Would you please do something about Draco's matchmaking? He's worse than you are."
Narcissa was laughing as Kingsley walked up to them as the dance ended. He slipped his hand around Narcissa's waist and began a jovial conversation about another ball he'd attended in Cairo.
Severus nodded for a few moments as the dancers reassembled, and then gave the pair a short bow and a small smile to Narcissa.
Kingsley practically growled at him. Severus nearly laughed. Nearly.
He made his way to Hermione and Draco. Draco's face was blank as he watched his mother dance with the Minister of Magic.
"It looks as if you lost Mother."
Severus snorted. "Don't be absurd Draco."
Kingsley twirled Narcissa around the floor and Severus watched impassively. Hermione put one small hand on his black dress robes. The witch was obviously worried that his heart was going to burst into snarky little potion master bits. He rolled his eyes. "Hermione, would you honor me with the next dance?"
She nodded (without checking with Draco, he was pleased to see…) He repressed a shudder.
That kind of nonsense would come later in the relationship, no doubt right before he was named Godfather to another generation of fat blond aristocratic babies. Lucius had taken too much curse damage to have more children after Draco, so Narcissa would be pressing for a mansion full of grandchildren.
Kingsley didn't release Narcissa after the first dance as custom dictated and Severus stifled a smug chuckle.
"I'm so sorry Severus." Hermione was looking up at him with worried eyes.
For such a bright witch she could be rather dense. "About falling for a Malfoy? I know it will limit your work time, but everyone keeps telling me that it was bound to happen sooner or later."
She rolled her eyes. "No you prat. About Narcissa. I know whatever you had was unofficial…"
Severus cursed. "You as well? Is there anyone who hasn't heard Draco's theory that his mother and I were courting?"
Her eyes went very wide. "You aren't?"
"Of course not. Narcissa is a dear friend of mine, but any man she takes up with had better be inedible, because she swallows them whole. More than that, I think of her more as an older sister…a vaguely frightening, manipulative older sister."
Hermione looked down. "Oh."
He raised a brow. "Did you bring me out onto the dance floor to mend my broken heart Miss Granger?" His tone was light and teasing, but the question was real. She had abandoned Draco to comfort him. He despised pity, and yet, from her, he would take even that so he could hold her for a moment.
"Severus. Of course I wanted to make certain you weren't alone if you were in pain. We're at least friends."
At least? Now that was a promising turn of phrase.
He pulled her a fraction of an inch closer than propriety allowed, hiding the motion in a swirl of robes as they turned around the floor.
His voice was low as he looked into her chocolate eyes and confessed, "I have never been involved with Narcissa."
"But you are involved with someone."
He raised a black brow. "What makes you say that?"
"You seem content most of the time. Your eyes don't linger on witches or wizards."
Except when he watched her, when she couldn't see him.
"You've kept careful watch on me."
Her lovely eyes looked down, and then she looked up at him and smiled…hiding behind the smile like he'd once hidden behind a sneer. It was an excellent effort…for a Gryffindor.
"Well we are friends."
He bent down and let his voice tickle her lovely ear. "We are friends. At least. The question is, Hermione, is that all you want to be?"