Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any affiliated characters. I just happened to come up with the plot for this ship. All credit to J.K for her amazing universe that she allows us to play in.

Warning: Rated M. Cursing, sexual innuendos, lemons and fluff ahead. Basically what you would expect from a romance novel nowadays.

Music is my muse:
Song for this chapter: If ; Dragmatic
Lyrics: If I could shake the hands of time/ its mine/ it's the only thing I need.
This song was on the second to last episode of Dawson's Creek when Pacey looked up and saw Joey. You can't buy it but can find it on you tube. It's amazing and has always been a huge favorite of mine.

Love of a Mate
Chapter 15
Together

Hermione looked up as someone knocked on the flat and smiled as she felt Draco enter her mind.

"Let me in little mate."

She jumped up from her table and looked around her now empty flat. Three house elves had come and helped the girls pack, provided by Narcissa of course. There was nothing to show she had ever lived above her offices anymore. She and Ginny had agreed to let the place out as another set of house elves had cleaned the flat to perfection after all their things had been taken away. The extra money could go to the foundation.

Harry had arrived for Ginny not ten minutes past. Hermione had just finished charming the flat against bugs and magical creatures.

She opened the door still in her suit from earlier and smiled at Draco who looked just as dashing in his grey dress robes.

"How was your day?" she asked sweetly.

He gave her a long look and then shook his head. "Life with you is never going to be boring. My day started out with a bang and stayed very busy. I apologize for being late retrieving you. We had better hurry so we can change for dinner. I am afraid we will miss cocktails."

Hermione felt her stomach flip and said quickly. "Is there a book on all this pureblood stuff?"

Draco smirked at her before he nodded and then pulled something out of his robes. "Start here, I will bring you a new one every night. Mother will be training you as well. You will have to schedule lunch with her three times a week."

Hermione felt overwhelmed and he stopped and tilted her chin up. "You outsmarted the most powerful wizard our world has known. I think you can survive this my love. My mother is an excellent teacher and you are far more Slytherin then you realize. It's watching people, reading them, knowing intentions, knowing what they are really saying. You have always done that my mate."

Hermione took a deep breath and then thought back on her youth and then nodded. "Yes I suppose so."

Draco bent down and kissed her softly on the side of the mouth. "You just have to learn which fork goes where. Silly things really."

Hermione looked up shocked. "Oh but I know all that. I had to go to prep school the summer of my third year, my grandmother insisted. It's an English tradition on my mothers' side."

Draco stepped back. "Show me?"

Hermione frowned and then closed her eyes and brought up the memories of the weeks in prep school.

Draco chuckled. "Amazing. You already know all mother thinks she must teach you. I simply wish I could photograph her face tonight at dinner. She is testing to see where she must start and serving a full course meal."

Hermione grinned and grabbed his hand. "I will have to send a thank you note to my grandmother then."

OooOooOooO

Hermione was only slightly surprised to find that her wardrobe in her room held not only her clothes but a selection of robes that had obviously been tailored for her by Narcissa. She picked out a bronze one and put on flats since her feet hurt a bit.

Taming her hair without Ginny's help was a bit harder but she managed something she thought looked pretty. She kept the makeup simple just doing her eyes and lips, she was flushed enough. She quickly made sure her nails were clean and presentable and then put on some lotion with a light magnolia scent she knew Draco liked.

He was waiting for her in black dress robes and looked at her hungrily. "My mother." He said simply looking at her rather low cut robe.

Hermione nodded as he inhaled and then closed his eyes.

"Is it not okay, I can change?" Hermione said softly.

Draco snorted. "She wants us bonded and married, love. She put your room next to mine."

Hermione knew her eyes were wide and her mouth was hanging open. "Oh." She said stupidly.

Draco shuddered for a moment and then he pushed off the wall and took her arm caressing it. "Come we are already late. I will ravish you after dinner, in one of our beds."

Hermione went hot and cold at the same time; her voice was needy as she said simply. "Draco."

He gave a small barely heard moan. "I know, I will give you all the time I can; I promise I will try."

Hermione squeezed her hand in his. "I am ready."

Draco almost fell walking before he turned looking at her shocked. "Hermione-"

She nodded at him not allowing him to finish. "I remember- I am ready. When you are I mean. If you want a ceremony first- that's okay." She was blushing now and very nervous. "I am not fussy, Draco. You know this."

He removed his hand from hers and cupped her face grabbing it and kissing her so softly on the lips, nibbling her lower lip before he slowly moved her robes aside to bear the mark and kissed it causing her to tremble.

"I need no ceremony to mate with you. Tonight will do. Our ceremony when we marry will be lavish enough for us both I think. Let us go and shock my mother with your perfect table manners. Then, we have something to finish."

OooOooOooO

When they entered the giant ornate dining room Hermione stiffened as she was met by Lucius Malfoy in portrait form glaring at her down from the head seat.

"I thought you had to be dead to have a portrait done?" She said softly.

Draco sighed glaring up at his father. "As a Malfoy he is dead. He was stripped of the name, he no longer is head of the family, I am. He will die in prison, disgraced and abandoned by the house. He let down the wards to let another man not of our blood direct the house. So the house abandoned him. It was why he was so weak by the end of the war."

Hermione nodded slowly. "I guess that makes sense. Your magic in a way is tied to your land, the wards of your house. You can feel the difference while on this land. As if something makes it stronger."

Draco nodded at her impressed. "Our land is built on top of well; fey lines I suppose you could call them. Ripples in areas where magic is stronger. Like Hogwarts; when our ancestors created the house they made blood oaths with the magic around it to always protect it with their blood. My father betrayed that oath when he handed over control to the Dark Lord. So the magic rejected him."

Lucius sneered but did not speak.

"Is he silenced?" Hermione asked curiously.

Draco grinned. "The house wards do not allow him to speak. And his is the smallest portrait ever of a Malfoy heir."

Hermione nodded and then turned looking around the opulent room. "Why is he here?"

Draco grimaced. "My mother - whatever his faults- did love him."

Hermione gave a small grimace but nodded in understanding and then turned as Narcissa walked in looking beautiful in light green dress robes.

"Ah, wonderful. So glad the two of you made it. Hermione dear how do you find your room?"

Hermione stepped forward to be kissed on both cheeks returning the gesture and smiled.

"My room is beautiful as are my new robes, thank you very much. You should not have gone to so much trouble. But I wore this in your honor."

Narcissa looked her over. "It's perfect for you. I approve. Now let's all sit down. I am famished and planned a full dinner so we can all talk. You two girls, what you must have done. I heard it all spying on Harry Potter when he gave reports to my Dragon. I am deeply impressed."

Draco however clearly was not as he looked up and said scandalized. "Mother! How did you do such a thing? I warded the door?"

"Oh these extendable ear things they sell at a shop in Diagon Alley, they work against standard wards. Simply brilliant."

Hermione had to hide her chuckle as Draco glared at her and then his mother before he grumpily put a napkin in his lap.

OooOooOooO

It was clear by the third course that Hermione knew what she was doing and Narcissa smelled a rat.

"You have been having her tutored." She said to Draco leaning back her eyes narrowed.

Draco chuckled. "Never occurred to me."

Narcissa tapped her finger on the side of her face as if trying to solve the puzzle. "Knows French, muggle parents, not bad off-"

Draco stopped looking over at Hermione. "You know French."

She shrugged at him and grinned sipping at her wine.

Narcissa glared at them both. "Talk!"

Hermione giggled. "It's called prep school. You send girls and we are taught proper British society manners. How to sit up straight, eat at a fancy dinner, walk properly, cross our legs, rather out dated manners, things girls were required to know in the 1800's; it's a tradition in my family that all girls go to the school. I had to attend between third and fourth year."

Narcissa closed her eyes and sighed. "I never thought to thank a muggle family before. You know French, pureblood manners, what do I have to teach you?"

Hermione said quietly. "What purebloods do? No one who isn't one really knows. There are no books on that in the Hogwarts library I looked and looked."

Narcissa looked up stunned and then nodded. "Yes you are right we do guard our traditions. You won't know that at all will you? You can handle a ball just fine but nothing about when we have them, our why we throw some. I will find you journals."

Draco cleared his throat. "As will I."

Hermione nodded thankfully. "I appreciate that thank you."

Narcissa sighed for a moment and then sat up as the next course was served by elves. "We must sort out a wedding date with you living here."

Draco smirked. "We understand. What do you suggest, mother?"

Hermione went a little pale but gave a weak smile. She was about to bond with him for life, a wedding kind of paled in comparison she supposed. But all those people they would have to invite did give her a bit of the shivers.

Narcissa looked at them both keenly. "Neither of you wish for a circus do you?"

Hermione let out a sigh of relief. "No, we do not."

Narcissa nodded her eyes going thoughtful. "I can compromise on this. We will hold an engagement ball and a small closed wedding with only family and close friends."

Draco looked up clearly shocked. "Really?"

Narcissa shrugged. "Yes. You two are both private. It makes since for you to want a intimate wedding. No press, no silly people you have never met. But we can't not do the engagement ball and it will be impressive."

Hermione took a deep breath and looked at Draco.

"It sounds like a good compromise." She said in his head softly

"It is an amazing compromise my love, one I had not expected. Can you do a large ball?"

"To get a small intimate wedding with you? I will, yes."

They turned back to Narcissa who was watching them curiously. "What was that?"

Hermione flushed and ducked her head as Draco said with a shrug.

"True mates can communicate telepathically mother."

Narcissa nodded looking a bit shocked but rallied. "So do we have a deal?"

At Draco's nod and Hermione's weak smile Narcissa rubbed her hands together. "Now I say six weeks. Any objections?"

Draco shrugged. "None from me."

Hermione sighed. "That is fine."

Narcissa grinned. "Perfect, I will have the announcement out in the prophet tomorrow. Draco obtain her father's permission and get a ring on her finger post haste. We will celebrate in Paris. Be sure to have her parents join us. We can send the photo to the prophet for an after piece."

Hermione let out a small squeak. "My parents-"

Draco took her hand and in her head said softly. "Be calm, I will handle it."

Narcissa looked up from her daydreaming, probably about the ball, "What dear?"

Hermione shrugged. "Will need advanced notice for dinner."

Narcissa nodded. "Yes of course. Next Friday, would that do?"

Hermione nodded and looked over at Draco whispering into his head. "Good luck."

He winked at her but nodded.

OooOooOooO

Dinner was now a planning session and Hermione's head was spinning. She would need dress fittings, had she taken dance lessons, she had? Oh thank goodness. She would need a personal secretary, she would need to learn about all the wizarding families, their names, what status they held in the wizarding world. No one of course was higher than the Malfoy's even after Lucius and his scandals, especially with Narcissa also being a Black making Draco half of the house of Black.

Hermione tried to retain as much of what she was being told as she could but itched for a notebook and pen. Almost as soon as she thought this she was looking up in shock as an elf handed her a muggle pen and notepad. She thanked it as it left and then started taking notes in muggle short hand as Narcissa kept talking. By the end of it all she was exhausted and had a mild headache and it was midnight.

Draco finally cut his mother off. "Mother enough. She is tired, has taken half a notebook of notes, and needs sleep. Leave it be."

Narcissa looked up in surprise and then said quickly. "Oh goodness. Do pardon me, when I get on a roll."

Hermione nodded at her politely. "I understand, thank you for the information; but I simply must get some sleep. Ginny and I are still working on a few projects and I can't abandon her."

Draco nodded firmly rather annoyed as he saw his night disappear; her sleep was more important.

"She needs rest. We will see you at breakfast mother."

As soon as they left the dining room and were out of sight he swept her up and cursed as she snuggled into him utterly exhausted.

He kissed her forehead. "Always seeking knowledge. My beautiful little mate what am I going to do with you?"

"Put me to bed with you I hope?" She said tiredly.

Draco groaned but didn't argue as he walked through the house easily carrying his petite mate. He pushed through his door and sat her up to get the robe off her leaving her only in her only in some slip that allowed her not to wear a bra and skimpy silk panties peeking out.

He ground his teeth together and tucked her in toward the wall, leaving him closer to the door to protect her should he need to. He spelled the bed to stay warm and left to take a cold shower and dress for bed. When he got back she was holding his pillow to her chest fast asleep. He sighed heavily and climbed in bed, re did the spell warming the bed and cuddled her to him.

Their matting would have to wait for another night. He wanted her well rested and ready for the magical fireworks that would surely follow their complete matting. He could wait, for her safety, he could wait.

But damn it would be hard.

Notes:
What did you think? Apologize it's a little short but this is where my muse stopped. It's very late but I had to get this out so please excuse errors. I will go back over it again when I get a chance. Send me a msg if you find anything too major please.

No worries Lemons are coming. I am just evil and had to do a buildup. I felt we needed to tie up the fact they are committed first. Plus I do so like to see unselfish Draco. I had a Draco in my child hood who has flipped in adult hood. It's disarming, isn't it?

Please leave your thoughts. I am always so interested to hear from you all.

I wanted to thank you all so much for the love you sent me as I went through my heart tumor hospitalization and surgery. It was terrifying and they gave me information in stages. There was actually five things wrong and I am a miracle. Nine lives have I.

Happy to be writing again and hoping to get back on the bi weekly to weekly updating. Till then I apologize it's just going to be when I have energy. Healing is tough work.

As always you can always know what is going on by following me on Instagram: CrystalJeanRed

No, I never will abandon a story. Even if heart surgery interrupts me. You have my pledge.

Up Next.
Oh some lemons, for sure.