Beater 2, Wigtown Wanderers QLFC Season 10
Main Prompt: Peter Parker, as Spider-Man, must try and stop the evil Doc Ock from marrying his beloved Aunt May. - The Amazing Spider-Man #131 (1974)
Optional Prompts: 5.[plot point] a wedding, 6.[dialogue] "I object!" and 13.[object] newspaper clipping
Word Count: 1688
~wWw~
Most people who knew her would call Hermione a planner, and while that was true about most things, she didn't enjoy planning events—specifically weddings. This would be the second wedding she had planned or helped with; the first being Luna and Neville's wedding the previous summer.
She had no eye for the colours that so many brides were obsessed with. She couldn't tell you the difference between cream or eggshell. In her opinion, it all seemed like a marketing ploy. She didn't care for the flowers she had to choose.
If it were up to her, they would elope and not have to deal with the whole circus of a wedding. Draco agreed with her, but they didn't have a choice. There was pressure inside the Ministry for their wedding to be large and publicised. Even though the Order of Phoenix controlled the Ministry, many disagreed with the administration, specifically the Sacred twenty-eight.
Kingsley Shacklebolt, the current Minister of Magic, believed that publicising their wedding would show the Malfoys' support for the new Ministry as Hermione was the Deputy to the Minister.
"Hermione?" Draco asked hesitantly, pulling her from her thoughts to look at the bouquets of roses before them. "Which one do you like best?"
"Uh, well, they are all very nice," Hermione said as she tried to stall for time.
"That's not super helpful, my dear," Draco laughed, the sound ringing from his belly.
"Do you want me to be honest?" Hermione asked, looking quizzically up at her fiancé.
"That's always the preference unless you are going to deflate my ego."
"They all look the exact same to me."
Draco tilted his head slightly to the left as he stared at her.
"They look," he paused momentarily, "the same?" Hermione hesitantly nodded. Draco paused again, staring thoughtfully at the flowers before the pair.
"Hmmm, I guess they aren't that different," Draco hummed, agreeing with her assessment of the flowers. "Ok, let's go with the cream. It brings out your eyes." Hermione mock-glared at him, rolling her eyes at her fiancé's antics, but it didn't stop a tiny smile from gracing her face.
~wWw~
It had been years since Ron or Harry had seen any of their family or friends back in England. Some days the pair regretted how they had left, but they knew they would be unable to deal with the reminders of the war back in England. In the five years since the war, they had travelled the world, starting in Europe before branching out to the Americas and then Asia.
At first, Molly had written to them frequently, begging the pair to return to England. At first, they had written back, but their correspondence began to dwindle as the months turned to years.
The pair were stopping through New York on their way to Brazil when an interesting newspaper headline caught their eyes.
"Brittan's Golden Girl to Marry Death Eater"
Ron saw it first, his eyes widening in shock as he grabbed the paper from the rack.
"Harry, look at this. It can't be true. Hermione, she would never. Not Malfoy," Ron stammered, pushing the paper towards Harry, almost afraid to read the accompanying text.
Harry pulled the paper from his friend's hands, eyes rapidly scanning the article.
"It appears to be true. She is marrying him next week on the grounds of Malfoy Manor," Harry spoke, his voice flat as he struggled to process what he had read.
"At Malfoy bloody Manor! The place where Hermione was tortured! No, we can't let this happen. We have to stop this!" Ron raged, his face turning red to match his hair.
"Let's detour to England on our way to Brazil," Harry suggested, the wheels in his mind turning as he thought of a plan.
"Alright, we can stay at the Burrow. I'm sure Mum would love to see us," Ron said, although his heart ached at the thought of returning to England. Even now, years later, it pained him to think about their home. Too many of his fond childhood memories were tainted by the horrors of the war.
Harry carefully ripped the article and headline from the rest of the paper, folding it up and sticking it in his pocket.
~wWw~
"Ron! Harry! You are home!" Molly shrieked when she opened the door to see both boys standing on her doorstep. Before either boy could respond, she had them wrapped in one of her signature hugs. Both sunk into the hug, not realising how much they had missed Molly during their travels.
"Leaving without a word! How could you! Just a note!" Molly screamed, releasing them from her hold, "We were so worried when we couldn't find you, panicked until we found the note!"
"Sorry," both boys whispered, heads hanging in shame.
"We didn't know what to say," Ron said, lifting his head to peer at his mother.
"Never again!" she said firmly, pointing at both boys, who sheepishly nodded.
~wWw~
The boys stayed at the Burrow until the day of the wedding. No one mentioned anything to them about the event. They were told that everyone had to be gone that day but nothing else. Both boys also kept silent about the matter. Based on how everyone was talking, Malfoy had wormed his slimy way into everyone, and they all thought him to have been forced to become a Death Eater rather than doing it willingly, as they knew to be true.
During the early mornings, while Ron snored beside him, Harry would pull out the newspaper clipping and re-read the article, wondering about Hermione's life. What had led her to this? To marry Malfoy?
Harry and Ron watched as everyone left the Burrow on the wedding day. They waited until everyone had left before apparating to Malfoy Manor themselves.
~wWw~
Hermione was a bundle of nerves on the morning leading up to her wedding. It was only noon. She had already scared almost everyone off except Luna and Ginny.
"Hermione, sit down," Ginny demanded, pulling her pacing friend down to sit on the edge of the bed, "What's wrong? I thought you wanted this?"
"I do. I love Draco, and he's the man I want to spend the rest of my life with. I'm just worried. There are going to be so many people. Bloody Shacklebolt!" Hermione cursed.
"We could call the officiant and Draco here, and you could elope?" Ginny suggested, only half joking. Luna let out a tiny giggle.
"No, we can't do that. Think of what the press would say," Hermione moaned, burying her hands into her face.
"Don't think about that, Hermione," Luna suggested, her voice melodic and calming, "This is about you and Draco. Ignore everyone else. Ignore the politics. By the end of the day, you and Draco will be married and on your honeymoon." Hermione nodded, Luna's words having helped calm her.
"Come on now. It's time to get into your dress," Ginny said, pulling Hermione to her feet.
~wWw~
Draco's heart leapt into his throat as Hermione walked down the aisle towards him. She was gorgeous. Her hair fell in soft ringlets down her back, framing her face and accenting her delicate features. Her white dress shimmered in the sun as she floated down the aisle.
Hermione softly smiled at Draco as the officiant spoke. He smiled back at her, a boyish grin covering his face.
"Does anyone object to this union?" the officiant asked, mainly as a formality.
"I do!" Ron's deep voice echoed through the silent room. "I object!"
Harry stood slightly behind him but utterly quiet as he watched on.
"Ron?" Hermione whispered.
"I object. How can you stand there and pretend to love this Death Eater? He killed people! You were tortured in a room in this very house! How can you do this? I thought you were good," Ron spoke, his voice reverberating through the room. Hushed whispers broke out throughout the room.
Draco stood rooted to the spot, unable to argue with Ron. He knew he didn't deserve Hermione's love.
"I stand here with my future husband, whom I love. I love because he has atoned for his wrongdoings. Wrongdoing he was forced to do for the safety of himself and his mother. Where you see a Death Eater, I see a brave man who made mistakes and owned up to them. Who contributed the single largest effort to rebuild Hogwarts. A man who spends his weekends volunteering to help those affected by the war. I see the man I love," Hermione passionately spoke. Ginny pulled out her wand, advancing on her brother and Harry, standing slightly beside him.
"I suggest you leave. And don't come back," Ginny said. Everyone watched in silence as Harry pulled Ron from the room.
After a moment, the officiant continued with the vows. Draco took Hermione's hands within his own, his thumb carefully rubbing the back of her hand, releasing some of the tension that filled her body.
"Hermione, you are my life. My love. My future. You believed in me when no one else ever did, and I will forever be grateful that you could see through the mask I showed. I promise you the world. What is mine is yours. I will love you forever," Draco said, his voice cracking from emotion as he reached the end. Hermione smiled up at him. He carefully slid her ring on her finger.
"Draco, you are my heart. You saw me as me, not as a war hero but as a person. You have healed me in ways nothing else ever could. I promise you the world. What is mine is yours. I will love you forever," Hermione spoke, determined not to allow her voice to shake like Draco had done for her moments before she slipped his ring onto his finger.
"Do you, Draco Malfoy, take Hermione Granger to be your lawfully wedded wife?" the officiant asked.
"I do," Draco said, nodding as he spoke.
"Do you, Hermione Granger, take Draco Malfoy to be your lawfully wedded husband?" the officiant asked, turning to Hermione. Hermione stared up at Draco, her heart filled with love.
"I do."
