Draco was woken up by his house elf a few hours later alerting him that lunch was ready and he wasn't to keep mistress and master waiting.
He got dressed again and glamoured away his love bites before heading down to lunch. He was in a much better mood. Hermione was going to be his wife and it seemed like at least their sex life would be great even if they fought the rest of the time. How to break it to his mother and father was a whole other worry.
"Draco darling, so glad of you to join us. You seemed so tired this morning. Did you not sleep well last night?"
"My apologies Mother, I was at the party really late and then I had a lot on my mind. I found it difficult to sleep."
"Oh. I see. I read you left the party rather early dear. Perhaps your nighttime activities with Miss Granger kept you up." She sipped her tea as Lucius handed him the Daily Prophet.
Bloody hell they were a front page story.
Golden Girl to Wed Former Death Eater
The picture was of them holding hands as they ran to the floo.
The new couple couldn't wait to get to know one another on a more intimate level. As soon as they were matched they flooed to Draco Malfoy's flat.
He skimmed the article.
Insider tells this reporter that Draco is not the first Slytherin to catch Hermione Granger's eye…
The ministry feels confident Hermione will be able to tame any lingering darkness…
What will Ronald Weasley longtime rival of Draco have to say about the marriage law's hottest new couple.
Draco's parents have been contacted for a comment on their new daughter in law to be. Who is as far from pureblooded as you can get.
He slammed the article on the table.
"It's not what it looks like mother. I was just helping her out."
"How gentlemanly of you. You will write to her at once requesting her for dinner. She will need to start her refinement immediately if there is any hope for her to be a proper Mrs. Malfoy."
Draco looked over at his father who was oddly quiet. Lucius' mouth twitched up into a slight grin as he drank his tea. Azkaban made him fucking loony. Draco excused himself to floo back to his apartment praying Harry was there to help him with this mess.
—
"Potter! Are you home?"
"Yes, I just got back from lunch with Daphne. I take it you read the Prophet."
"Yes. How pissed is she going to be? What happened after I left?"
"You're such a girl, Malfoy. I think she was mostly embarrassed about the whole thing. She told me to calm you down. I can't believe you lent her your jersey by the way. I thought you were going to be buried in that thing"
"How do I fix this?"
"Look Malfoy, I consider you a friend now. As your friend, I'm going to let you figure this out. You're going to be married to her, you can't come running to me every time YOU piss her off. I have a full time job and a new fiancé, that leaves no time to be your relationship counselor. Maybe don't call her a slag ever again though."
"She was just so different than I expected. I was frustrated, trying to remain a gentleman, and then I got jealous."
"Jealous of what? She's not even dating anyone. You get to marry the girl. What's the problem?"
"The article mentioned another guy. A Slytherin. Do you know who she's talking about?"
"I would think you'd be smarter than to believe what Rita Skeeter writes. But yeah, it was Theo."
"POTTER! What the hell! You just told me not to believe the article and now you're telling me it's true?"
"Well you didn't even read the article before yelling at her so I don't understand why you were jealous before. Also I don't know much about it. It was when she was traveling. There were a few guys from what little information I got from Ginny."
"A FEW GUYS!" Draco screamed pulling his hair.
"Calm down Draco. She hasn't been with anyone in a while. Aren't you with a new girl every week?"
"That's besides the point. I'm a man, and she's my future wife."
"Well your future wife is a feminist so I wouldn't go bringing up any of this conversation with her. It will not go over well."
"I have to ask her to dinner with my parents."
"Hahaha you poor bastard. Okay. I give. Buy her a damn book. It's really not that hard Draco."
"Thanks Potter."
"I'll floo over there with you in an hour. It's time I talk to Ginny."
"Okay. Thanks."
—
"Hermione! Get up, you are not going to be happy!"
"What? I'm sleeping, I had a rough night. Go away."
"Yes, all those orgasms seemed just terrible. Poor you." WHACK!
"Get up! You have to read the paper."
Hermione shot out of bed, chasing Ginny into the living room, snatching the paper out of Ginny's hands.
Oh fuck that vile woman! She read the article and she was livid.
"Hermione, did you put back on his jersey?" Ginny stood there gaping at her. Eyeing Hermione's clean wild hair and the quidditch jersey she still wore after her shower.
Hermione blushed all over.
"It's comfortable okay!"
"Sure, whatever you say. Mrs. Malfoy."
"Gods Ginny! Please don't torment me any more today. I'M SORRY…
The floo activated.
"IT SMELLED GOOD AND I ENJOYED LAST NIGHT!" She was shouting at her shocked friend. Ginny paled.
"Hello, Harry. Hello Draco. Welcome to our apartment."
Hermione thought she was going to die right there on the rug. A full minute passed where nobody moved.
"Please tell me you're joking Ginny." She whispered without turning around.
"Oh no babe. This. Is. Happening. Smile now, turn around and be polite. You don't want your betrothed to think you're bloody infuriating."
Hermione turned around as slowly as possible. Harry looked like he had never been more happy in his life. He was laughing quietly behind his teeth at the embarrassment of his friend. She glared at him. She waited until she heard a throat clear before staring at Draco's feet.
"Oh hello Malfoy. I'm sure you're here to get your jersey back. I'll just go change."
She started to run into her room. Draco caught the door before it closed, letting himself in before she could shut the door.
Ginny turned to Harry.
"Well I bet you thought this was going to be fucking awkward as hell. Good thing for our roommates."
She smiled genuinely at him, before gesturing for him to take a seat on the couch.
"I almost wish we had popcorn," Harry said as he sat next to her facing Hermione's room.
"You would think they'd learn to use a silencing charm." She whispered so she could hear the conversation behind Hermione's door.
"Or at least close the door all the way. Ten galleons she throws him out." He replied.
"You're on. Ten galleons they end up kissing against that door." Ginny said.
"Ugh, if they do, I'm leaving." He laughed.
"Hermione?" Draco questioned.
"Are you even going to look at me?" He asked.
"Oh yes. Of course. I just need to change." She stared at his feet some more.
"I don't want my jersey back. Would you bloody look at me!"
"I am. Malfoy." She gritted through her teeth. Still red from embarrassment looking at his shiny black leather shoes.
"My eyes. Hermione. Dearest."
Her head shot up at his condescending tone.
He was smiling at her clearly enjoying her embarrassment.
"Look Malfoy. I don't need to keep your jersey. I don't know why I'm still wearing it, obviously this is a big joke to you so I'll just go take it off and you can leave."
"But Hermione, dearest," he said pulling her chin up so that she would be forced to look at him in the eyes.
"You said you liked the smell, and that you wanted to keep it as a momento from last night. I would never take back something that caused you to remember our time together so fondly. And if you do take it off…" he pressed his body against hers trapping her between him and the door, "I would not be breaking any tables this time. Unless a table is where you want to shag." He quirked his eyebrow at her.
Her cheeks were flushed from embarrassment and anger, and her body was betraying her for being turned on by this.
"Draco! You need to leave. Surely you can owl me our prenuptial agreement. I'll see you at the wedding." She opened the door fully to force him out of it.
"I love when you call me Draco," he purred before leaning back away from her.
"I'll see you tomorrow night at the manor for dinner with my parents. And do be a doll and dress for the occasion." He winked before walking out of her room.
"Ginny, it's been a pleasure." He said,
"Make sure she opens this and doesn't set it on fire." Draco told a laughing Ginny as he handed her a gift for Hermione.
"Harry I will see you at home." He said finally, before stepping into the floo with one more grin in Hermione's direction.
Hermione opened her door wider to glare at the spot he just left.
"I see you're still wearing his jersey," Ginny beamed.
"YOU BOTH ARE INFURIATING! Whose side are you on exactly?"
"Hermione, love." Harry said to calm her.
"He left you a present."
"WHERE IS MY WAND! He can take his present and shove it up his…"
"Hermione, calm down. Your future husband wants to buy you gifts. Let's not look a rich bastard in the mouth."
"That is not how the saying goes at all." Hermione replied.
"Oh you know I'm rubbish at muggle sayings. Let's open the present!"
"Yay presents!" Said Harry smiling at her annoyed expression.