CHAPTER NINTEEN- 20th of December
"Up with you, I've let you sleep in long enough!" Narcissa said pulling back the curtains in Hermione's bedroom. Hermione had been awake since six in the morning when the wedding crew arrived.
She heard decorators, florists and countless other people being ordered around by Narcissa all morning. Poking her head out from under a pillow, she saw that Narcissa had laid out fresh fruit and tea on the nightstand.
"You'll need this as well," Narcissa said tossing Hermione a small black box. When she opened it she found Draco's wedding band. Engraved inside the heavy ring were the letters "D" and "H" scrolled around each other.
"Concetta and her team will be here shortly and Merlin only knows how long it will take for them to prep you. So eat up and drink your tea while I fish Draco out of bed," Narcissa said with what appeared to be hot rollers in her hair.
"DRACO! You better be awake!" Hermione heard Narcissa yell as soon as the door was shut. Having not eaten the night before she quickly consumed all of the fruit and peppermint tea on the tray.
Finally prying herself out of bed Hermione went to look through the window to see who was making the most noise. The pavilion was finally finished and fire pits with blue flames were being placed all over.
It was gorgeous and had to have cost the Malfoys a small fortune. It was made of beautiful stones piling on top of each other with torches for warmth and white flowers all around. Combined with the snow and the trees with lights strung in them, it looked like a Winter Wonderland.
Hermione did not know exactly where Draco's room was but she could hear Narcissa banging outside of his door. "Draco Lucius Malfoy! You open this door or I will have your father do it for you!" Mrs. Malfoy threatened.
At first she thought it was funny to hear Draco being reprimanded by his mother until she realized she did not know his middle name was Lucius. There was so much she did not know about her fiancé and the bits she did know she hated.
With her wand close by she brushed her teeth and was about to shower when she heard her bedroom door swing open. Concetta, dressed in bright magenta robes with high heels, strode straight into her bathroom.
"No bathe! We do that," she said towering over Hermione. Confused with what she meant, Hermione stuck her head into the bedroom to see a team of four witches carrying bags and boxes of all shapes.
Concetta brought out a chair and said, "Sit, sit, sit!" Being blown away by the sudden swarm of women in her room she stood frozen until Concetta herself picked up Hermione and plopped her into a chair.
Suddenly a gooey potion was being placed on her eyebrows and someone was taking off her pajamas for her. Hermione couldn't get a word out since all of the girls were speaking rapid Italian and didn't understand Hermione's protests.
Heavy cream that smelled horribly was being rubbed all over her skin and her nails were being trimmed and filed. "Oh good, you're getting started!" Narcissa beamed.
"You will notta regonize her. New person!" Concetta said to Narcissa. "That's the best we could hope for," she replied.
Hermione opened her mouth to tell off the women but one of the assistants took the opportunity to pump minty foam potion into her mouth. The potion created a whirlpool of tingles in her mouth.
The cream placed all over her skin earlier began to itch terribly and turn an ugly yellow. The girls hurried to the bathroom and after taking off the little remaining garments she had they threw her into the bath.
Out of one of the boxes they brought the girls started to throw various potions into her bath. First the water was a sky blue, which then turned into a deep purple and smelled wonderful.
They scrubbed and scrubbed Hermione's skin until all of the yellow cream was dissolved and gone. "What is this?!" Hermione exclaimed to Concetta. Her skin was completely hairless and appeared to have little tiny sparkles you could see in the sunlight.
The witch responded in her best English that they removed her hair and gave her new, baby soft skin as well as a potion to make her shimmer like an icicle. The effect of the sparkles would die down some by the time the wedding guests arrived.
It was incredibly odd for Hermione being naked in front of so many people but Concetta and her girls were jabbering away so loudly, they barely noticed the naked girl in the bath before them. Once the tub was drained they scooped her up and lathered her in lotion.
"Once we finisha this, the fun start!" Concetta cheered. Whatever Concetta's idea of fun was, Hermione was sure it would not be hers.
On the third floor of the manor Draco began his grooming process. "Mother, I do not want one of those Italian girls doing my hair!" Draco said. He was perfectly capable of making himself look presentable on his own and was not a lost cause like Granger.
"I just thought it would be nice for you. You will look so handsome," she said.
"Shouldn't you be getting ready? Guests will be here at four," he said knowing his mother would rush off to prepare herself. In the privacy of his own quarters he started to get ready and shower.
He did not expect to see Snape and his father waiting for him in his bedroom. "Merlin's beard! You couldn't wait until I was dressed?" Draco asked clinging his towel closer to his body.
"We came to make sure you know what must happen tonight," his father said. "Do you think I'm that foolish?" Draco retorted. "Well, you haven't been living up to your full potential," said Lucius.
"You will smile, be loving and marry that girl. Draco, this must be a believable romance," his father pressured. "I will be as charming as a prince! Will you two get out now?" Draco spat.
"And you are aware of your duty after the guests leave?" Severus said speaking for the first time. Draco must have looked confused because Lucius went into further explanation. "The duty you will make to your wife when this bedroom door shuts," he said.
"That has to happen tonight?" Draco said disgusted. "Give me one good reason-" Draco started before his father interrupted him. "Because he will be here tonight!" Lucius said.
His father explained that the Dark Lord would watch the ceremony from the attic window to oversee the event and wait until the morning to know how the newlywed's night was.
Half horrified and half filled with anger Draco said, "I will make the Mudblood wish she were dead after tonight." Hearing those words made Snape lunge at the groom.
"She shall be your wife! A wife is to be treated with respect and dignity!" Snape yelled. "Severus! Control yourself!" Lucius barked, pulling Snape off his son. Regaining his composure he fled the room hoping that Draco's threat was an empty one.