Snow painted the little park white and little crystals reflected the weak sunlight. Rose and Evelyn ran up the hill and over with little struggle, while the adults made their way more slowly behind them.
"Come on Granger, what happened to the days of the witch who could jog the astronomy tower stairs while reading?" He offered a hand as she slipped a little.
"Sue keeps sending cookie tins into the DMLE. And someone had to taste all your culinary explorations. Homemade pasta… why Draco, why?" She took the offered hand and huffed over the hill, then pulled ahead of him just to prove a point.
With his now free hand, he swatted her on the backside, making her gasp and shove him away. "That's why"
"We are in public-"
"No one saw!" He wrapped an arm around her. With a content sigh, he guided them over the hill to wear the girls had picked up playing with a pair of muggle boys.
"What's got you all happy today?" She asked poking him in the side playfully.
"Why shouldn't I be? I've got a brilliant witch at my side, two beautiful daughters, Evelyn is days from being 4 AND she's still nothing like me, which is a relief, to be honest."
"She's got your better qualities I think."
"That's true, I have so many to give…"
"Humility is first and foremost -"
"Pfft, I'm not a Hufflepuff, Granger."
Hermione laughed and took charge of their path, towards a bench at a vantage point to see all the snow-covered field. With a wave of wandless magic, Hermione cleared it of snow leaving it dry.
"I love it when you do that. Show off how powerful you are," he mumbled against her cheek. She just hummed happily as they sat down.
Rose was getting in a heated argument with one of the boys they were playing with. Though he was older and a whole head taller Rose didn't falter when he tried to intimidate her.
"That one's all, you Granger. "
"I know. Me in a Weasley body. "
"She wears it well. By far my favorite Weasley."
At that moment the boy shoved Rose to the ground. Draco stood from the bench, Hermione with him, grabbing his arm. "Take a breath, he's just a kid. Let's find his parent I'll have a word -"
"Are you sure you're calm Granger?"
"Oh no, Draco look at Evi!"
Sure enough, the younger girl had squared her shoulders and was walking over the boy in a way that reminded Hermione forcefully of her father strutting around Hogwarts. With her chin tilted high she looked the boy up and down.
"That's my sister. Don't you ever touch her again you foul- " Evelyn proceeded to let out a string of insults and expletives that even made a flush of color rise in her father's pale skin. She continued her bombardment even after the boy had run away, yelling for his mother.
"Evelyn!" Draco snapped, rushing towards her.
Hermione sucked in a sharp breath. "Yeah, that's all him."
February 2006
Fairy lights floated all around them in the dark, as Draco took his new bride to the floor. All their loved ones circled them as they started their first dance as man and wife. Over Hermione's head, he could see his mother weeping into a handkerchief, Pansy, Theo doting on Luna and Buckbeak.
Buckbeak?
" You!" He broke away from Hermione and marched towards the beast. The hippogriff reared up and squawked but no one noticed. "You are not invited!"
Buckbeak clicked his sharp beak and tilted his head as if sizing Draco up.
"You wanna go you fucking-"
Daddy!
Jolting awake he found himself face to face with Evelyn. She had climbed into the bed sometime in the night and had wrapped herself in her blanket next to him.
"Were you having a bad dream?"
"Yeah."
"Was it about a snake?" Her eyes went wide with concern.
He blinked owlishly, buying himself time to think about whether or not he wanted to tell his daughter what he was really dreaming.
"Yeah, there was a snake."
Her small hand closed around his left wrist and turned his forearm toward her. Shame liquidated his insides at having her so close to something so terrible, even if he couldn't do anything about it.
"This snake?"
He swallowed. "That's the one. Don't touch it." Evelyn froze in alarm "It hurts when you touch it." That wasn't a lie, the disgust at himself was reaching painful levels.
"What happened?"
Turning his arm away gently from her grasp, he waited until it was hidden again before speaking. "I'll tell you when you're older before you go to school. Why don't you ask Tilly to start breakfast for us?"
Thoroughly distracted Evelyn hopped down on the bed in search of the house-elf.
Behind him Hermione shifted, wrapping her arms around his chest. Her body was warm and comforting against his.
"Have you ever thought about getting it covered up? Her voice was still rough with sleep.
"The ink doesn't stay, it just evaporates.."
"Hhmmm. Then maybe something else with it. Something to symbolize you're more than the past."
"That's why I have you."
She laughed, resting her head between his shoulder blades. "Despite wishful thinking, I can't always be right next to you."
March 2006
"I'm honored you'd choose me to help you Draco. " Luna Lovegood, who had not changed her name after marriage, said pushing the stool she sat on with her feet. "I can't imagine this is an easy thing for you to cope with, your aura is positively bursting with colors."
"He's always like that Lu" Theo said conjuring up a chair beside her. Draco scowled at him but just got a cheeky grin in response. Luna held up the thin paper stencil to the light. "Flowers though?"
"Yeah just random old flowers, Theo." Draco snapped. I thought they'd go complimentary to the cursed symbol of a madman I have etched into my arm. They're roses, pansies, and narcissus."
"How come Pansy gets a tattoo and I don't? "
"Theodore, you're making Draco's Aura vibrate." She waved as if there were smoke clouding her vision before she laid the paper stencil across his forearm. "The good thing about magical tattoos is that they don't hurt and only take a moment. The bad part is, there's no fixing, covering, or removing it once it's on. I've never dealt with a Dark Mark before, sometimes dark magic has a way of dealing its repercussions when tampering with it. Did you know when the Dark Wizard Raczidian tried to produce a Patronus, maggots shot out from the end of his wand and ate him? They say it was because he wasn't pure of heart." Luna said the last sentence as if it were a fact about the weather.
Theo stilled for a second and then scooted his chair back away from the scene. Draco swallowed nervously. "My Patronus is a fox…"
Luna thought about this for a moment. "That should be good enough."
"Right. Well, I don't make it through this its been weird knowing you two."
After carefully positioning the stencil on his forearm, Luna waved her wand in a scanning motion over the paper. Draco gripped the other arm of his chair, bracing himself, squeezing his eyes shut. The Dark Mark burned, making sure none of the other ink tried to obscure it but otherwise remained dormant of magic. The witch worked steadily with the most concentration he'd ever seen her muster. In only a few short minutes she spoke up.
"All finished. Well done Draco."
Finally daring to open his eyes, he took in his new arm. For nearly a decade the mark had haunted him, stark against his skin, a reminder of all his sins for everyone to see and condemn. Now there was something else, a living memorial to other parts of his, more than just his failures.
"Malfoy, if you cry I'm going to cry -"
"Shut it, Theo." he looked to Luna instead. "I have more pieces in mind, can you do it before the wedding in May?"
She answered with a grin growing across her face.
April 2006
It was the quiet moments that made it all worth it. The minutes of still within the chaos of it all in which it was finally possible to stop and appreciate the life they'd built.
It was the first decently warm day of the year as Hermione and Rose lay panting in the grass, exhausted from the game that had started as "tag" but morphed into some strange hybrid of other outdoor games as deemed necessary by the almost 5-year-old.
In her darkest moments, Hermione had wondered if she if was the right type of person to be a mother. Too logical, too closely guarded with her own emotions to help shape another's. It was already hard enough to connect with adults on basis of common interests, how would she form a bond with a child who had none? Spurred on by the failure of her first marriage, fear of failing was always a haunting voice at the back of her mind.
But one look at Rose told her whatever she was doing, she was doing it right. Rose was happy, confident, brave, well rounded, and smart in her way despite hating to sit still and read.
The girl flopped her voluminous red curls onto Hermione's coffee-colored ones. "I know what I want for my birthday!"
Hermione sighed and braced herself. "What is it?"
"Can we go to one of Da's games before he retires? You, me, and Draco … Evi if she wants to come and won't spoil the game. "
Hermione looked up at the sky, brows furrowed in confusion. "Your father's retiring from Quidditch? "
"Yeah, says he wants to go out while he's on top. I know he and Draco don't get on but they'll be far apart. Can we go? Please ."
The older witch fell quiet for a moment in thought. The Cannons were once again last in the league so it couldn't be as Ron claimed of wanting to "go out on top". He'd wanted that position his entire life. What had changed?
"It'll have to be after the wedding and the honeymoon, but I think we can do that," Hermione said after some time had passed.
"Wicked!" And a laugh from Rose.
Bonus reel:
"You look like hell 'Mione." Harry said before taking a bite of his sandwich. The cafe was packed with Ministry workers coming in for lunch. Hermione had spread of several papers scattered around her.
"I have two toddlers and work a full time job and I'm planning a wedding, that' just how I look now Harry." Hermione mumbled, striking through some items on a list. "I actually need to know what the likelihood is that Ginny will around."
"Not great, The Harpies have a killer line up." Harry intoned, not at all looking pleased. "So probably looking at the playoffs, maybe league cup. " He started to shred his sandwich then abruptly stopped. "Why?"
"I need a maid of honor…" She slumped back. " I suppose I could ask Pansy but she's already planned everything…"
"Nah, she's Malfoy friend. " He looked across the booth to his tired looking friend. "I'll do it, minus the dress. "
"The maid of honor throws the hen party, Harry!"
"Perfect. I know exactly what to do -"
"Oh gods, no I don't want it-"
"Really? Because I was going to take the kids out and drop you off at the library of your choice…"
"You have to walk down the aisle with Draco's best… THAT'S IT" Hermione smacked the table. "I know what to do." And started scribbling a note furiously on the list. "You'll only have one job at the wedding."
Chapter 15: The wedding
Summary:
"Okay. So she also said, you and my mother were up to something…"
"That's another surprise. She's around here somewhere."
"Dammit. Not even a hint?"
"Just another hour. One more hour."
"Just the one…I'll see you then, Granger."
Notes:
HELLO FRIENDS.
First of all, can I just say how much I love and appreciate you all?! OH my gosh, the continued support is amazing!
This year I promise to finish this fic, more polished and better than ever, thanks to the help of my wonderful alphabetaenabler Talonwillow
We are reaching, roughly, the halfway point. The next couple of chapters will lean more towards the serious side but I don't plan on changing any tags so worry not.
But those of you who have done the math know what's coming :)
Without further ado: The long-awaited wedding!
Chapter Text
May 13th, 2006
10 am
Slowly, the world came into focus as Draco opened his eyes. His head thrummed painfully with the start of an extended hangover recovery as his eyes protested the intrusion of light.
He was on the floor of Theo's strange house, only a throw pillow under his head. Every joint ached as he pushed himself upright and took in the scene around him.
Blaise was snoring on the couch, only in his shorts with some weird crown upon his head- which he vaguely recognized as a replica of the diadem of Ravenclaw. Looking down, he sighed with relief that he was still in his clothes from the night before, except for his shoes..
From his standing vantage, he could see Theo, sprawled in his bed wearing a sparkling silver dress, still dead to the world in slumber.
Today was the day...this evening, he was finally going to marry Hermione. After years of waiting, of merging their formerly broken lives into one beautiful new one, it would be official. Happiness filled like a balloon in his chest as he made his way to the loo.
Wrenching the door open, the balloon popped. He yelled and slammed the door back shut.
"Why the fuck is there a Blast ended Skewrt in the bathroom?!"
Granger household
10:05 am
"Thank you for breakfast, mum, that was wonderful." Hermione brought her plate to the sink and cleaned it the Muggle way. "And thank you again for keeping the girls today. Pansy was right; a spa day before is worth having the wedding in the evening. We'll be back with plenty of time to get back to our house and get them dressed and everything. Draco should be home to help."
Helen squeezed her daughter in a side hug. "Anything I can do to help you let me know. I know you magic people have got it all under control, but still, I'm the mother of the bride, gotta give me something to keep busy." She took Hermione's face in her hands. "I'm so happy for you and Draco. He makes you so happy."
"He does. Truly. Thanks again, Mum."
The Nott -Lovegood residence
10:30 am
"Wake the fuck up, Theodore!" Blaise shouted, wrestling the blankets from the other wizard. Draco held out a pair of trousers to Blaise, pointedly trying to keep his eyes away but they ignored. "Theo! There's a brag ended snoot in your loo. Get rid of it."
"Blast ended skrewt," Corrected Draco.
"Are you sure? That doesn't sound right." Blaise said, finally taking the clothes.
"Oh, I know I'm right because my own soon-to-be wife, you know the scary one- with the hair, helped pass a bill saying they couldn't be domestically bred or kept as pets. Too temperamental, and that was Granger , she'd keep anything that didn't try to kill her first." Theo was sitting up and looking down at his attire.
"I don't remember anything from last night...I got a stain on Luna's dress...dammit…" Theo stood up and ripped the dress off over his head. Blaise and Draco turned away from his naked body shouting. "What does Rolf say about it?"
"Rolf?" Asked Blaise looking at Draco, who shrugged.
"Luna's friend, who was staying with us…weird bloke, mumbles a lot...Hufflepuff…"
"There's no one else here, Theo…"
" Fuck! We have to find Rolf; he'll know what to do."
Sirens Bay Day Spa
11:30 am
Ginny turned toward Hermione, a magical facemask shining on her features. Pansy flipped through Witch Weekly, only half interested.
"I'm so glad you could make it, Ginny. Sorry about choosing Harry as my maid...wizard of honor instead." Hermione smiled at her long time friend as the toenail polish magically applied itself to her feet below.
"Don't be sorry. I've been a lousy friend and Aunt. I need to do better. Starting with a day like this on Malfoy's galleons isn't a bad way to make up for the lost time. Parkinson, why aren't you with him? Aren't you the best man?"
"I am his best witch, but I'm afraid Theo and Blaise insisted on the stag party being theirs. Fine by me, I don't even want to think about what they got up to last night. Oh, champagne! Ladies?" she sent the tray floating over to Hermione and Ginny after grabbing one for herself.
"It's a little early, Pansy…" Hermione said, failing to keep a note of longing in her voice.
"Go on and indulge!" Ginny insisted. "I'll stay sober and cut you off when it's time."
With a sly smile, Hermione took a glass and tipped it towards her friends. "Just the one, for the nerves. Cheers."
The village of Ottery St. Catchpole
12:04 pm
Theo pulled out a silver flask from his pocket. "Can't be hungover if you're still drunk..." and took a deep pull before offering it to Draco and Blaise.
"I'm getting married in 5 hours, remember? I need to dig up some sobriety fast. I knew this was a terrible idea." Blaise took a drink as Draco chided them. "So what does Rolf even look like?"
"You said he was your long lost brother last night!" Theo scoffed. "You also said he had first dibs on being the godfather of your next kid, which I take deep offense to as it's my turn."
Blaise rubbed at his temples. "You two need to stop shouting right now. I don't remember anything past Rolf saying, "You guys want to see a manticore?" Did we see a manticore? Ugh, I'll be so mad if I blacked that out. "
"No, we didn't get that far. Someone pissed off all the Bowtruckles, and they started to let everything out of its padlock. Who pissed off the Bowtruckles, Draco?" Theo explained as they turned around another block of the village's cramped shops, looking for any trace of magical activity.
"I don't remember any of this…" Draco mumbled.
"In the suitcase! I bet he has it with him, never lets it out of his site." Theo pointed to the post office. " Bet that's where he wandered off too..."
Draco muttered. " In the suitcase?" to Blaise, who just shrugged.
Rolf Scamander, as it turned out, was at the post office, gripping a haggard-looking suitcase. Draco guessed he wasn't much taller than Hermione but gave off an air that even made Luna seem level headed. He lifted a weak hand at them all in greeting and only smiled strangely when Theo insisted they head back to the house to solve a little problem.
"Oh, so you do need my help after all! Hmm, funny, that's not what you said last night." Rolf's almost invisible pale brows contracted together in a scowl. The three Slytherins looked together in alarm and confusion. "I'm just kidding guys! Of course, I'll help you! What else are best friends for?! Oh, guess what, Draco, I found a suit in my suitcase to wear to your wedding tonight! I can be the best man!"
"Not if Pansy kills you first."
Granger - Malfoy household
2:00 pm
Hermione twirled the constellation charm around her finger again. The metal was warmer than usual, and no one had heard from him,Theo or Blaise.
"I'm sure it's fine. Here, have another drink," Ginny said with a nervous laugh pushing a glass of white wine into Hermione's free hand.
"Oh no, I can't, you should have it. I think you'd like it." Hermione paced around the bedroom before setting back in front of the vanity mirror again.
Ginny took the tiniest fake sip and nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, wow! That is...I'm going to have to get more of that later. "
Hermione tilted her head in curiosity. "Ginny…" the witch flushed with light pink at her cheeks and tips of her ears. "Gin, why can't you drink…"
"Harry said no -"
"No…"
"Mum said no…"
"Please just say it."
"I'm pregnant, Hermione. That's why I'm home early for the season and why I'm calling it after this season. But this is your day, and I won't try to overshadow you, I promise." Ginny reached over and squeezed her hand. "I'm so sorry. I know you've been trying for so long now. It'll happen. I can feel it."
Hermione gave her a watery smile back. "I am so happy for you. You and Harry deserve all the happiness. You don't need to hide it from me."
There was a quiet knock at the door, and Helen Granger stuck her head in. "So just an update, no groom, but Pansy is on it. And um, well Evelyn had a little... accidental magic on Rose, but I handled it."
" Handled it ? "
"They were getting into it, you know how kids are, and uh, Evelyn, cut part of Rosie's hair, but I ran her up to the shop right quick, and she just has the cutest little...bob cut...now…"
"Let me see...please…"
"Sure, sure, and just one other tiny thing, your fireplace downstairs, Narcissa's um...face is there, and she wants to speak to Draco…"
Ginny turned to the now panicked Hermione with a huge grin. "It could be worse, you know…"
The Nott -Lovegood residence
2:24 pm
" Watch the stinger! "
"Watch the fucking fire shooting arse!"
"I've sent 15 stunners at this thing!"
"Oh, don't hurt her…"
Granger- Malfoy residence
3:15 pm
Hermione picked up one of her daughters suddenly shortened curls and let it fall limply back to her forehead. Rose looked unbothered by the whole situation even though her formerly long curls now came to her chin. Evelyn stared determinedly at the floor with an expression that looked like her father doing Occlumency.
"I can straighten it with a charm that'll hold for a few hours." Ginny offered.
"Thank you. But what's important right now is we talk about why this happened," she turned to Rose first. "What were you fighting about?"
"All I said is, it isn't so bad if Evie can't do magic because I'd never seen her do it. Then parts of my hair starting coming off!"
"I told you I'm just as good as a witch as you!"
"But you can't fly!"
"I don't want to fly! I want to make Potions like Daddy, which is an important job -"
"Boring!"
"Rose! Evelyn!" Hermione held out her hand, and both girls stopped at once. "You're both brilliant little witches with different talents. But we don't ever use magic against each other, do you understand?"
"But- "
"Do you understand?"
"Yes, mummy," Rose mumbled before turning back towards her grandmother.
"Yes, mummy," repeated Evelyn. "Sorry, Rosie. I won't do it again." She shot her a deadly glare then looked up at Hermione. "You're still going to get married, right? And I can still go to the party?"
"Of course you can. There's nothing I want more than to marry your father right now; nothing can change that." Hermione picked her up and squeezed her close.
"Then you can be my mum forever," Evelyn mumbled into her shoulder.
"Always." Hermione kissed her on the head and put her down." You two go get ready, please? Go with your grandmother... Ginny stay here with me a minute, please?"
The kids left the room, picking up right where they left off.
"What's up 'Mione?"
The curly-haired witch embraced her best friend. " I need to cry about that before I go see what Narcissa wants!"
Granger- Malfoy residence
3:30 pm.
Pansy stared daggers at her best friends and former housemates. Blaise had a thick coat of burn paste on one cheek while Theo's arm was wrapped in a bandage. Draco stared back, unblinking.
"Well, " she prompted.
"We're here, aren't we? With plenty of time to spare too."
Pansy continued to stare. "I know better than to ask, but I will say that if this wedding, that I've so carefully planned for over a year now- is raided by Aurors because of you three, you'd better hope they take you to Azkaban."
There was a general murmur of agreement. "Now you two -'' she pointed to Blaise and Theo -" Need to go pretty each other up. Draco you need to try to calm your nervous bride, it's making her…." Pansy gestured wildly around her head." Voluminous. Also you should know your mother is here and she and Hermione were up to something so your alibi forever happened better be good."
Draco sighed and pressed his fingers to his temples. "It's better than the skrewt, I suppose."
4:00 pm
"Granger…don't open the door...just listen."
"Draco! I swear to Circe! Where were you?! Are you ok?"
"I'm fine...everyone's fine…"
"I know what you mean. I wish I could see you."
"Just an hour to go, love. Are you calmer? Pansy said you were anxious."
"Oh yes, I'm fine just...emotional…"
"Okay. So she also said, you and my mother were up to something…"
"That's another surprise. She's around here somewhere."
"Dammit. Not even a hint?"
"Just another hour. One more hour."
"Just the one…I'll see you then, Granger."
5:00pm
The gardens were covered in shining gold fairy lights, floating serenely in the late afternoon sun. White folding chairs faced a floral archway covered in white English roses and pale pink Peonies. Kingsley Shacklebolt stood at the center with Draco waiting off to the side, hands folded in front of him. Ginny shepherded a silently fighting James and Rose down the aisle followed by Albus and Evelyn. The latter waved to everyone they passed, the former looking as if he'd never been more nervous in his young life. After them, Pansy and Harry followed and took their spots. The subdued music swelled to a crescendo, and the attendee's gasped softly in unison.
On the arm of her father, Hermione wore a soft pink tulle ball gown with a sweetheart neckline, with the constellation necklace resting just below her collarbone. The full skirt made her look as if she was gliding with every step. Her curls were pinned back in a chignon, making the smile on her face even brighter.
Draco stared openly for longer than was becoming, then blinked furiously, managing to tear away for just a second. Hermione fanned at her eyes to keep from crying as they got closer.
As Hermione's father untangled their arms, he caught Draco's eye and mumbled. "I would say take care of her, but I know it's you who ought to be warned. Watch out for that right hook son, she'll break your nose." Everyone in earshot laughed.
Kingsley Shacklebolt spoke to them with his magically amplified voice. "We are all here today to witness not only a marriage or a family coming together, but history for the magical community. Our oldest family lines, joining our newest. They bond together under the greatest magic we have. In this union, we can see that anything is possible, and conflict can be triumphed, with love. Normally I would perform the bonding spell. But Hermione has elected to perform it herself- something I don't recommend unless you happen to be Hermione Granger." He shrugged as the crowd laughed again.
Hermione ruffled her skirt around until she pulled out her wand from a hidden pocket. She summoned something that looked like a pebble from Narcissa's hand in the front row and enlarged it as it sat between them. " It's a foundation stone from the manor. It carries with it all the old magic from your ancestors. I know that's where you wanted to do this-"
"There's nowhere else I'd rather be. Nowhere," Draco's voice was raw with emotion.
She swiped another few tears as they fell and nodded. He took one of the girls in each hand as Hermione circled them, drawing runes in the air and her steps leaving a golden ring around them. The runes floated to circles, illuminating in the air more brightly each time until the air was filled with symbols. The circles rippled out like a disturbance in calm waters with every steps she took, around and around seven times. Stopping in front of Draco she held out her hand and as he took it, cords bounded their hands and vanished. A sound like a cracking sonic boom rip through the air and everything stilled.
Kingsley started the applause, and the rest awoke from their stunned silence to join in."That's a bonding spell!" he boomed, and people laughed again.
"That was so cool, Mum!" Rose shrieked. "DO IT AGAIN."
"No, that was scary, and I want cake!" whined Evelyn.
Kingsley spoke over the kids. "Well, I think that about covers it. You may kiss to seal your bonding spell!"
Draco stroked her cheek tenderly before they met for a passionate kiss. They seemed to pour all the emotion of the day into the other before someone shouted. "Okay! That's enough! Get a room!"
Lucius glared at the tapestry hanging in his study. Unlike the Blacks monstrosity that covered entire walls, the Malfoy's only followed one direct line down. One child, a son, born to each in turn.
Until now. His stomach churned as the magic in the fibers made the images shift around to accommodate the new occupants. The silver hoop that once contained Astoria's profile facing Draco's shifted to the opposite side, a gold line connecting them to Evelyn's name and profile.
A new circle appeared, featuring the profile of a distinctly curly hair witch with a name already underneath hers.
Hermione Granger's profile now faced Draco's with the name "Rose Granger Weasley'' below it. Lucius began to feel a mix of anger and panic rising as the tapestry kept shifting, beyond what any other single name featured. The once, the long thin woven fabric had to widen itself to accommodate all the new names.
Three empty spaces appeared below the conjoined names. No Malfoy had ever had four children, let alone half-bloods. Then again Evelyn was the first daughter featured. What if they were all daughters, and the name died out in shame? What if they were all squibs, and the Malfoy name- his name- was forever associated with failure, with the unextraordinary. He prodded the tapestry with his wand a few times, hoping to not see more- or moreover, hoping it was just a hallucination.
It was no use. The tapestry remained unmoving for the time being. He felt the eyes of all the ancestors in the portrais above him, judging and condemning him in their stares.
That night, as unbridled anger raged through, he took the tapestry down and had it sent up to the attic in an unmarked box by a house-elf. No one would ever know...no one would ever need to know…
All the floating lights and candles shone brightly against the now pitch-black sky. Hermione let her head drop against her new husband's chest as they revolved slowly on the wooden dance floor in the center of the reception area. His thumb stroked her back in a soothing motion.
"Tired?"
"Yes, but content. Pansy did a good job, didn't she?"
"Yes, she did. But that spell… Hermione...that was incredible…"
She hummed happily at his praise. "Oh, that old thing? Just a little fusion of several runic spells and modern bonding spells, mixed with some of the enchantments on old establishments like the manor-"
Draco huffed. "Just a little something."
"Hmm. We do have to consummate it, though. To be official. In case you had other plans tonight." She tilted her head up to give him a playful smile. As they turned, she saw Helen and Rob wave with a sleeping Rose on Rob's shoulder.
"What happened to her hair…" Draco muttered.
"I'll tell you when you tell me what happened to Theo's arm."
"Nevermind, her hair looks nice."
Hermione stopped their movement and smoothed his charcoal dress robes under her palms. "I'm glad we planned this whole color scheme just so I could see you in these. It was worth it." Draco chuckled and brushed a light kiss against her lips. Her voice dropped to a fervent whisper. "But now I think it's time to get you out of them."
"Let's make our exit then -"
"I think that spell should do the trick for having our baby too. I can feel it, Draco, can't you?" her fingers wrapped tighter, almost desperately around his robes.
He clenched his jaw nervously. "Let's just enjoy tonight. Don't worry about that. It'll happen."
She nodded solemnly, letting go and taking a deep breath to regain herself. "Of course. You're right. Let's enjoy this night for what it is. "