Flashback of the night of the engagement party:
When Draco picked Hermione up from her flat, he could not stop smiling, or looking her up and down. The lilac dress she wore fit her form and accentuated her soft curves. He couldn't believe how much he wanted her and didn't know if he could last the night without finally being inside her. Her revelation about her time with Theo had him reeling and feeling a bit insecure, which really pissed him off. Draco was confident and way better looking than that fool. He believed her when she said things were over but he couldn't stop wondering how her feelings for him compared to her feelings for Theo. Was she settling? Settling because of the law, because of her anger at Theo, because these were the cards she was dealt?
Draco knew he was falling in love with her. Damnit his cold black heart was being consumed by her. He woke up each morning wanking it to that insane woman, and he went to sleep dreaming of their future together. He vowed to make the night memorable and hopefully take that next step in intimacy.
Hermione was nervous. First of all, Theo would be there and she was worrying about what he might say to her after viewing the memories. She held nothing back when she gave them to him and frankly she just wanted to move on.
She didn't want to harbor this old love in her soul for her ex boyfriend. She didn't want to think about him anymore. She didn't want to constantly wonder if she ruined her whole life. She wanted to move forward with Draco. She wanted to be ALL in with him. She wanted to make love to him, and make a future with him, and finally just let herself be happy.
Sometimes she thought there was something wrong with her. Like could she just let herself be happy? She always had to fuck it up somehow. She could be royally furious at the ministry for creating this absurd marriage law and forcing her to change her life, but she wasn't.
Was that wrong? Did it go against every single thing she stood for as an independent strong woman? She found herself feeling grateful. Because of him. Because of Draco. Because without the law, she wouldn't have him, and damnit if she wasn't falling arse over tits in love with the moody bastard.
Tonight was the night she thought. Tonight she would finally be with him in every sense of the word, and she was quite ready actually thank you very much. She even used that ghastly hair removal cream that George gave her from the shop.
She knew he tested all the products on himself and sometimes Ron. Ron had been bloody infuriated when George gave him the cream, saying it would help define the muscles on his legs. Which of course it actually did because his legs were so smooth.
She had spent quite a long time staring at her vagina today. Should she remove the hair? Should she make some sort of feminist statement? Did SHE want a smooth vagina?
These were the questions that plagued her for hours after she left shopping with his mum. After his mum tried to buy her sex clothes. She shook her head. Well, he had already seen her naked with just a trimmed bush, but maybe the first time should be special. Was it considered special to have a hairless vagina? She didn't know. She almost firecalled Pansy or Ginny but knew both of them would tell her to get on the smooth pussy wagon. Finally she just decided to go for it.
Unfortunately afterwards she faced the backlash. Did he like her trimmed bush? Was it a refreshing change? Would he be disappointed? He seemed to want her sexually even with the body hair and now what had she done? She got rid of her sexy lady bush. Would he still want her? Would he think she looked too juvenile? Gods would he even still have sex with her? Oh no! What had she done?
Well in the end she just smacked herself and got on with it. He DID sleep with Pansy once upon a time so she was sure it wouldn't be a complete deal breaker. She wondered if the potion people used for hair regrowth worked on vaginal hair. Hmm. Not something she wanted to ask Madam Pomphry. No, best just let it grow back in if that was his preference.
Basically she was nervous and spiraled into a whole thing that really had nothing to do with pubic hair after all. It was really about him accepting her, as she was, enough to be with her physically and all the implications that presented.
She was sure that at the very least everything would change after tonight. Call it optimistic but she was excited! She just wanted to go to the party and leave with her handsome fiancé in a dignified manor.
She looked him up and down. Oh yes she wanted to leave with her handsome handsome man. She winked and they apparated to The Greengrass Estates.
The first person they met upon arrival was none other than Astoria Greengrass. She was a right bitch when Hermione knew her and Draco himself did not seem to be a fan.
She knew they had some sort of history, but when she saw him stiffen completely and try to pull away she realized he did not want to talk to her at all. Too late.
"Why Draco! So lovely to see you. I was just devastated to hear about the ministry's match for you. How unfortunate. I know how much you loathe Theo's sloppy seconds. Such a shame we never worked out, I'm sure you'll be utterly bored, and unsatisfied for the remainder of your sad pathetic life."
Draco started to talk before Hermione cut him off with fire in her eyes.
"I was so surprised to meet Daphne and actually like her. Seems impossible that a complete bitch like you could be related to that sweet delicate flower. Not to mention she got all of the looks, and brains, and TALENT."
Astoria was fuming. Draco pulled Hermione away quickly before she got out her claws.
"Whoa there tiger, I've been on the receiving end of your right hook. Let's not ruin the engagement party? Yeah?"
"Merlin I hate that woman. How you ever slept with her I will never understand."
"Hermione, once again, not the place. Not the time. Let's have that joyous discussion about ex lovers many many months from now. After we are married and it's too late for you to choose Azkaban over marrying me."
Hermione laughed at that and tried to shake off the foreboding thought that the night was just getting started and already there was an altercation. She also pushed down the thought of just how many women her fiancé had actually bedded.
She herself didn't have that much experience. Well sure, a lot of sex, but not a lot of people. She wondered. Would he be like Ron? Or Charlie? Or Theo? Or would he be completely and utterly unique. A sex god descended to bring her pleasure and worship her body. No, she was getting carried away. She probably just needed to get laid.
Wait a second. Was that Charlie? Oh Merlin! All her ex lovers in one room. She didn't know what deity she pissed off, but the Gods were laughing at her now. Let's just steer Draco away from anyone problematic. She could do this. Avoidance is only the healthiest of behaviors.
Little did Hermione know, Draco had the same sort of plan. He saw Astoria, and Pansy across the room, although Hermione and her were "besties" apparently, which he tried to ignore and never bring up, then a few older Slytherin girls whom he may have seduced once or twice upon his youth.
The girl from the high class restaurant he used to frequent in Diagon Ally, shame he could never go back there, the lobster was fantastic. The twins he met at the club when Blaise was encouraging him, and last but not least the one male he made out with on his twenty fifth birthday much to Blaise's indignation because Blaise had always "wondered" about Draco in the bedroom.
He did not have a quarter life crisis, merely a curiosity that needed to be stifled without ruining any friendships. The bloke was a right good kisser actually but alas no pussy. Pussy it turns out was quite important to Draco.
Moving forward, he kept his eyes out for Harry or Daphne and tried not to wonder WHY he and Hermione seemed to be pulling each other in opposite directions all night. Oh here we go, some Weasley relative. Better be on my best behavior he thought.
"Hermione doll, wonderful to see you here." He winked at her and held her hand before his lips as he kissed her hand over and over and over not letting go and kissing slightly up her arm.
She giggled, blushing. "Oh Charlie, it's been ages hasn't it? I dare say we are practically strangers now."
"Oh I wouldn't say that. Nice dress by the way. You know how I love the color lilac. My absolute favorite color. Reminds me of something in fact. So many questions it brings up." He waggled his eyebrows at her as she giggled nervously again playfully pushing him away with her hands.
What? Excuse me? Draco thought. What was going on here? Wasn't Ron the Weasley she had a past with? Who was this large specimen of a redhead. Seemed older, more rugged than Draco was strictly comfortable with. Could Draco take him, that was the question. That was the question indeed.
"Oh excuse me, Charlie, this is Draco, my fiancé. We were matched through the marriage law and the dark party. We will be married within the year. He was in the same year as me at Hogwarts but in Slytherin. He played Quidditch just like you did. Ignore his surname. I always do. Draco, Charlie tames Dragons in Romania."
A DRAGON TAMER? Bollocks if Draco could let Hermione near this bloke. What if Hermione had already BEEN near this bloke.
"Pleasure to meet you Draco. You lucky wanker you." He chucked and reached out his hand to pat Draco on the shoulder, but it came across as more of a hit than a pat.
"Ow!" Draco mumbled. Stepping back from this giant man.
"A pleasure you say. You must be related to Ron. Hermione's ex boyfriend." He snarled trying to fish for information. Hermione rolled her eyes.
Charlie laughed, for longer than Draco cared to take note of.
"Oh yes Ron. My brother. Hermione DID have sort of a thing with him, didn't she. Youth." He laughed again.
"What a difference it makes to be with some one who knows what he's doing doesn't it 'Mione?"
What? EXCUSE ME WHAT? Draco felt alarmed.
Hermione interjected.
"Oh Charlie. What a delight it is to see you as always." She put her arm around Draco possessively. "I'm so looking forward to the future and all the compatible matches the ministry makes. I hear you matched as well. I'm so looking forward to meeting her."
Charlie grinned mischievously. "Oh you've met her."
"Um? I have?"
"Sure! Lavender Brown! Weren't you roommates or something. The stories I have heard. She's a riot. A bit eager to tell you the truth but delightful. Really takes care of my needs" he pulled his boot up on the chair to tie the laces.
Hermione coughed loudly into her hand, and Draco thumped her back a few times.
"Are you alright? What's wrong with you?" He quietly asked her.
"Oh Lavender! Yes charming. How lovely. I can just picture her as a dragon tamer's wife."
Charlie winked again.
"Well I must be off," he kissed her hand again. AND lingered Draco noted with a frown. He nodded at Draco as he left.
Hermione tried to walk away briskly, but Draco caught up with her and grabbed her hand.
"Anything you want to share my dear?" Draco asked.
"What? Oh. Nope." She smiled and started to lead him to the crowd.
"Hermione." He growled.
"Okay! Fine." She twirled her hands nervously at her hips.
"When I was traveling… I had sort of a… fling with Charlie."
"A fling?"
"A fling."
"A FLING?"
"A fling." She said again.
"What exactly does that mean?" He asked trying to stifle his hissy fit.
"Well… He was just so burly, so large, so manly. All that testosterone, you know! I was single. Come on, you must understand. I'm sure you've had your fun too."
"SO MANLY? SO LARGE? What fun?" His eyes bulged.
"Oh come now Draco, once again, not the place. Not the time. Let's have that joyous discussion about ex lovers many many months from now. After we are married and it's too late for you to choose Azkaban over marrying me."
She grinned cheekily.
He muttered, "I will show you large and manly."