"You're using my wedding as a cover for a siege of Hogwarts?" Daphne repeated in a state of shock. When Draco had asked her if they could enact George's plan on the night she had planned to be wed, Hermione didn't know how she would react.
"With your permission, of course," Draco smiled, trying to smooth her over.
Theodore smiled, holding Daphne's hand. "I'm for it."
"Of course you are," Daphne scoffed. "I just wanted it to be a really, really small wedding. And now, I have to invite everyone? Even Bellatrix?"
She groaned dramatically, sinking deeper into the couch in the sitting room. Hermione felt guilty for having to spoil what was supposed to be Daphne's day, but the guise of a wedding, getting Death Eaters drunk and away from Hogwarts while George and his group went and took it back for the Order was too perfect of an opportunity.
"We'll only do it if you are okay with it, Daphne," Hermione assured, letting her know that they weren't taking her options away from her.
"Whatever," Daphne sighed. "For the cause."
"That's my girl," Theodore said, kissing her on the cheek. She tried to hide her blushing, but it was clear as day to everyone else.
Astoria groaned, crossing her arms, "You've given me no time to prep for this wedding at all. We only have mere weeks! Going from a fifty person guest list to two hundred? I've had it with all of you."
"If anyone could pull it off, Tori, it's you," Draco winked. "Guess I have to foot the bill now. We're going to need a lot of booze."
"I'm going to need Hermione's help. That means the vampire cure is second priority until the wedding," Astoria demanded.
"Astoria…" Hermione started to speak.
"Nope, I'm not hearing anything else," Astoria stopped her. "I need an assistant."
"You better listen to her, Granger," Draco playfully called. "You've never seen Tori when she's really angry, and I think it would be best if you didn't."
An angry Astoria didn't strike fear into Hermione, however, she knew very well that she should never underestimate anyone, no matter how small they may be. "Okay, okay. Astoria, I am yours for the next few weeks."
"Hear that, Draco? She's mine . Not yours," Astoria giggled, sitting on Hermione's lap and wrapping her arms around her neck. She planted a big, wet kiss on Hermione's cheek.
"Look out, Draco, you've got competition," Theodore teased.
"She's already won me over. Sorry," Hermione smiled, wrapping her arms around Astoria's thin frame.
"My wife is leaving me for my girlfriend. Go figure," Draco laughed as he took a sip of whiskey, resting his head on the back of the velvet armchair.
Girlfriend.
Hermione froze for a second hearing that word. It felt like they had been doing everything backwards, going straight from trying to kill each other to sleeping in the same bed. They had fucked before they even kissed, and she nearly told him she loved him, yet him calling her his girlfriend shocked her. It was solidifying something she had been trying to avoid. Boyfriend felt too simple of a term. What they had seemed more complicated and nuanced than that.
Calling Draco Malfoy, the vampire Death Eater, her boyfriend seemed much too silly.
"Well now that I know my workload has quadrupled, I should be off to bed," Astoria huffed, standing up, though she seemed a bit wobbly. Hermione held her hand out for her to brace herself, but she found her balance. "Just stood up too quick is all."
"Tori, we can hire a wedding planner. You don't have to do any of this," Daphne insisted.
"No planner will do it justice. My big sister deserves the best, and I'm the only one that can do it," Astoria insisted as she and Twinkle made their way to the staircase. "Both of you girls need to be up bright and early. No staying up late reading, Miss Granger."
"Yes ma'am," Hermione chuckled as Astoria made her way upstairs.
"You let her boss you around too much," Draco smirked.
"Oh, you're one to talk," Daphne retorted, rolling her eyes. "Did you see the pile of Christmas gifts under the tree for little Tori? I bet she picked out every single one."
"Anything Lady Malfoy wants, she gets. She has access to the vault," Draco snorted, almost coughing on his drink in laughter.
Theodore held up his glass, "She's got us all on a leash, I fear. Ran around town today getting stuff for her today, was nearly late to a meeting with Voldy."
"We are all being bullied by a tiny witch, we should stand up for ourselves," Draco said sarcastically.
"I can't, she has too much dirt on me," Theodore replied, pouting his lip.
The four of them stayed up for a while longer, talking about things that didn't pertain to the war, trying to find some joy as they sat around the fireplace. Soon, Theodore and Daphne excused themselves to bed, leaving Draco and Hermione sitting on the two armchairs. A small table sat between them, holding a bottle of fire whiskey and their glasses.
It did feel like a joyous time to celebrate and drink. The ingredients for her counter curse were obtained, plans to strengthen the Order were in place, and a wedding to be had. On top of that, Christmas was quickly approaching. Usually, she got everyone a gift, something small, as she didn't have a stable source of income. The vault under her name at Gringotts was taken by Voldemort's Ministry, along with everyone else's. All the money she had left was kept in a safe at 12 Grimmauld Place in a small pouch. She'd have more people to get gifts for this year, and hoped there was enough to spare.
"I'll have to ask Harry to bring my belongings next time we see him. Makes sense to move my things to the manor, since I have my own space," she sighed. "I didn't have much though. I really only need my savings."
"Your savings?" Draco asked.
"Yeah, around 150 galleons. Had more in Gringotts, but that's probably gone now," she replied. "I'd like to get a few gifts for the kids and Astoria and Daphne."
"Tori and Daph do not need anything from you, they've got all they want. And 150 galleons? That's all you have?" He sounded surprised.
"It's a lot of money to a lot of people. I've been a soldier in an army opposing the government, money is quite scarce for us," she explained.
"You'll never have to worry about it ever again," he assured. "I'll tell Tori to get you some money for gifts. However much you want, just ask. It's yours. For whatever you want."
"I really can't accept that, Draco," she insisted.
"Why not?" he asked. "I owe you anyways, making you research for me with no incentives. Consider it payment for your work. You deserve that."
"I'm not doing it for money. I'm doing it for you and Astoria."
Draco stood and picked Hermione up in his arms, walking her upstairs to their room. "Please, take the money, get something nice for the kids."
"It'll be the only time I…"
"No, it won't be. You'll never have to work a day in your life once the war is over. All you're going to do is sit pretty and let me spoil you," he said softly, kissing her cheek. "You've done too much to ever have to lift a finger again."
"Draco…" she mumbled, feeling his cold lips plant on her skin, the smell of whiskey was overpowering between them, but she loved it. He laid her down on the bed, tucking her under the sheets and crawling on top of her.
"I'm going to take you anywhere you want to go," he said, kissing her lips. "I'll buy you all the books you want and fill up a new library full of them." His lips trailed to her neck, kissing the center of her throat. "I'm going to take you to the nicest restaurants and watch you eat to your heart's content." He kissed her shoulder, making her body shiver in delight. "And then, I'm going to fuck you on the finest silks in the most expensive hotel rooms I can find."
"You must be mistaken," Hermione whimpered as his fingers pressed into her thighs. "I'm not that kind of girl, Draco."
"I know, baby," he whispered, coming back to her lips, kissing them so deeply their noses were pressed together. "I know you hate it when I treat you like a doll, but you could pretend for me, can't you? For a little bit. Just until you're not tired anymore."
Hermione would have said no if it were anyone else. She would have told them that after the war, she was going to finish school and get a job and work for as long as she could. But she was tired after ten years of warfare, Draco was right about that. And she knew that if she let him, he would make sure she would never have to do anything ever again.
"Aren't you tired, Draco? Wouldn't doting on me be tiresome?"
"Never. I would never get tired of caring for you," he said softly against her ear.
They were speaking in hypotheticals though, drunk and happy, feeling at peace with one another. Once the war was over, Draco would need to be hidden away. He wouldn't be able to do all the things he wanted with her, it was just a dream. It wouldn't be possible unless he got a fair trial and served a fair sentence, which was another fantasy. Just a dream, that's all it was. It's all they were.
And since she knew it was just that, she caved into him. Kissing him back, pulling him close. "I'll play pretend, Draco."
—
Darkness. Despair. Breathlessness. Sounds of her bones breaking in her body. How powerful it was to have made her want to give up and let it consume her. Despite all of her strength, she couldn't stop the thoughts of Draco leaving her. The lethifold was creating new nightmares for her, making her relive the dread she had felt. But she remembered feeling a warmth just as she closed her eyes. A glimpse of a silvery light. Something so small for her to hold on to just for a while longer. She remembered it clearly now, seeing the spectral otter dashing towards her as the creature released its hold.
Hermione woke in a cold sweat, laying in the center of a king sized bed, the silky sheets draped around her. She had to remind herself where she was, that she wasn't in the jungle being dragged away, but at Malfoy Manor. Here, she was safe. There weren't lethifolds or Dementors she had to hide from. And even if there were, Draco would be there. He had saved her from death, as he said he would.
Astoria and Twinkle retrieved her shortly after she woke. Twinkle, though always close in proximity to Astoria, seemed to be hovering around lately. Any step Astoria took, Twinkle was right behind her, holding out her arms as if to catch her if she fell. The treatments Luna had been administering had been working wonders, but there was only so much that could be done in the state she was in, but her eyes were bright, and she had no problem commanding Hermione and Daphne around.
They put together party favors, centerpieces, and finally, the seating arrangement. Organizing guests was the most difficult part of the planning process. Prominent families that hated each other had to be separated by several tables in between, people that Daphne didn't like were moved to the back of the room, which was nearly everyone, and Astoria made sure there was enough space to fit everyone.
The dress was another issue, with the seamstress notifying them that it wouldn't be complete until the day before the wedding. But it didn't seem to bother Daphne as much as upset Astoria. As they assembled the decorations, Astoria muttered under her breath, almost fuming with anger.
"Everything okay, Astoria?" Hermione asked.
"Just peachy," she grumbled. "Wish the dress was done sooner though."
Daphne shrugged. "It's no big deal, Tori. It'll be done in time."
"What if it doesn't fit right or the beading is wrong?" she huffed in response.
"Calm down, Tori," Daphne urged. "It's going to be fine."
"It has to be perfect!" Astoria yelled, clenching her fists. Daphne and Hermione froze at the table, staring at the angered witch. But as quickly as she had her outburst, tears began to fall from her cheeks onto the small pieces of fabric laid out in front of her.
"Tori, what's wrong?" Daphne asked as she stood up, and went to her sister's side. "Why are you so strung out about this? I am grateful for your help, but you are working too hard. It's just one day, it's nothing to fuss over."
"It is," she cried. "It has to be perfect. I didn't get to plan my wedding, so please, let me do what I can for yours."
Hermione had recalled what Daphne had told her months ago, that Draco and Astoria were wed mere hours after he had executed their father. Blood still on his hands as they stood in front of masked Death Eaters who wanted her dead for a betrayal she had no part of. The trauma of her own wedding was manifesting, and to escape from it, she was overcompensating now.
"Tori, you're going to have a beautiful wedding of your own one day. A real one," Daphne assured, holding her shoulders.
Astoria pushed her away. "How do you know?"
"Anyone would be lucky to love you, Tori. You're going to meet some guy one day who will sweep you off your feet," Daphne explained. "Probably much better looking than Draco."
"I'm gay," Astoria said flatly, looking at her hands in her lap. "I'm really gay, if you hadn't noticed."
"Oh," Daphne said, taking a step back, processing for a moment. But she just smiled at her little sister as she always did. "Well, you'll find a really nice gal one day. Don't let the past or future scare you into thinking you won't have a happy ending."
"Okay," Astoria whispered, letting her shoulders fall.
Daphne hugged her, pulling her head into her chest. "You need to relax, Tori. Just enjoy the process."
Hermione awkwardly sat, not knowing if she should leave the room to let the two sisters have a moment alone. Sometimes, she did feel like an intruder in their lives, looking in on their intimate moments, even being brought into them occasionally. She stayed quiet, arranging the flowers how Astoria asked her to. Daphne sat down again, picking up where she left off on the arrangement in front of her.
"So, all those boys you said you had a crush on in school, that was just a cover up?" Daphne asked, smirking.
Astoria groaned, rolling her eyes that were swollen from the tears that had fallen from them. "Daph, can we not right now?"
"That's why you had all those Holyhead Harpies posters strung about in your room. I knew you didn't care for quidditch that much," Daphne laughed, making Astoria smile. "I can't believe I never pieced it together."
"I can keep my mouth shut, unlike you," Astoria giggled, looking more calm and relaxed than a few minutes ago. And after more banter, the air felt light again, no longer clouded by an air of awkwardness. For now, Hermione could breathe a sigh of relief and enjoy the feeling of everything finally falling into place.