Chapter Eight - Engagement and a Christmas Wedding

A few weeks passed by since after seeing Hagrid and celebrating with him that the trio found Barty Crouch Senior dead on the forest floor, Hermione had to run and get Professor Dumbledore who alerted the aurors. The trio had to give statements as to what they saw which wasn't much as they were celebrating with Hagrid.

Hermione looked at her friends as they were travelling home for Christmas holidays on the train and she smiled gently "I can't wait to go home and see my family"

Harry looked at her confused "I thought you said you were just staying at Hogwarts?"

Hermione fiddled with her hands "well actually I will be meeting my dad at my grandparents house this year and I will be seeing a childhood friend of mine I'll see you both at the Yule ball"

Harry hugged her "well have a good Christmas even though it's only two weeks as the Yule ball is in two weeks, I'll be at the Burrow, I'm sure Mrs Weasley won't mind if you pop by for a visit"

Hermione smiled "we'll see Harry"

An hour and a half later they arrived at King's Cross station where she greeted the Weasley's then made her way out of the station where she met with Rabastan Lestrange, a tall handsome guy with short black hair and brown eyes who was a little bit older than Hermione at seventeen years old he graduated from Durmstrang Academy and now worked in the ministry of magic at the auror department, He smiled as he saw her and hugging her said "Hello Hermione it's good to see you let's go find a empty spot" they pulled apart then walked down a empty alleyway where she removed her glamour charm and she kissed him "it's good to see you Rabbie, let's go home"

Rabastan smiled and took her hand in his own then apparated them to the gates of Malfoy Manor where the doors opened for them to enter. Hermione walked with her hand entwined in Rabastans' hand through the gates and up towards the manor into the living room and as they walked inside the grounds the doors magically closed.

Inside the massive living room was mahogany furniture with luxurious comfortable black sofas with silver cushions, also there was a massive Christmas tree decorated in silver, green and black decorations plus silver snowflake ornaments.

Hermione smiled "it's good to be home, I really hate having to act like I'm not a Malfoy"

Lucius took her hand and hugged her "I know you do and soon you will have your chance to tell everyone who you truly are, father's upstairs in his study waiting for you both also I heard you lied to Potter and Mr Weasley"

Hermione smiled "I had to, it was the only way he wouldn't suspect anything before the time came to tell him"

Hermione and Rabastan walked up the marble steps towards where Abraxas Malfoy was waiting for them in his study. They already knew what Abraxas wanted to talk to them about but they went to see him anyway. Hermione politely knocked and waited for her father to say "enter" which didn't take long, they both smiled and entered the study. Abraxus smiled "welcome home Hermione now we have some business to discuss. By now you both are aware of your betrothal and I'm very happy that you're both so in love with each other, I believe now is the best time for you both to announce your engagement and then a week before Christmas become husband and wife, then Hermione you'll return to Hogwarts after two days after the wedding; you can both have a proper honeymoon over the summer"

Rabastan bowed to Abraxas and took Hermione's hand "then it shall be done, I actually think a Christmas wedding is more romantic"

Hermione smiled "I think it's romantic too"

Abraxas smiled back "Good then we will invite the Daily Profit here tomorrow to announce your engagement, the wedding will take place here at the manor on Christmas Eve"

Rabastan and Hermione nodded their heads and left Abraxas to make arrangements to get the Daily Profit to the manor tomorrow to announce their engagement.

Hermione went upstairs to see Draco hugging him said "well father wants me and Rabastan to get married on Christmas Eve so you'll have to keep Weasley from trying to kiss me, it actually repulses me as we only argue a lot"

Draco smiled "I'm happy for you and Rabastan, of course I'll try my best even if it means I have to insult him"

The next day after lunch Hermione and Rabastan joined Abraxas, Lucius, Narcissa and Draco in the large ballroom which had its own really massive Christmas tree again decorated in black and silver tinsel with green and silver baubles with silver-white snowflakes. Rabastan was pictured with Hermione followed by an interview then the daily profit reporters left to get it ready for the front page news of the evening edition of the paper.

Before the Daily Profit arrived Rabastan took Hermione into the rose garden at the manor, the winter sun made the fresh snow glisten and it was a romantic sight. Rabastan lead her to their favourite spot onto the bench "I'd like you to wear this, it was my mother's engagement ring and now it's yours, she gave it to me to give to you"

Hermione gasped at the ring which was a simple silver ring with a diamond and smaller ones around it "it's beautiful" she then kissed him "I love you Rabbie"

Rabastan smiled kissing her back "I love you too Mimi"

A few hours later the evening edition of the daily profit was published, Harry and Ron read it not realising it was Hermione.

Ron said with a mince pie in his mouth"it's ridiculous that a seventeen year old can marry a fifteen year old, Harry this is what's wrong with the whole aristocratic pureblood families of the world, they think they're better than us"

Harry nodded agreeing but a bit repulsed Ron said it without closing his mouth "yes I know but we can't really change it, she must be keeping herself to herself most of the time"

Ron nodded "yes I think so too, anyhow should we write to Hermione and ask her if she knows about the engagement?"

Harry shook his head "No we can tell her when we go back to Hogwarts, it's nice for a change that the profit isn't solely focussed on the tournament at the moment due to the holidays"

Meanwhile Hermione was spending time with her family and making wedding plans with them.

The holidays went by really fast and before they knew it was Christmas Eve, Hermione sat at her dressing table doing her makeup when Narcissa entered the room wearing a long green dress with silver jewellery and her hair tied back in a simple but elegant bun with a snowflake hair piece Lucius bought for her, Alecto also entered the room wearing a green dress with silver earrings with the same hair do as Narcissa as they were Hermione's bridesmaids along with Astoria Greengrass a tall girl with long blonde hair and blue eyes. Narcissa smiled "it's time to make you beautiful for your wedding"

Hermione's bridesmaids helped her get ready, Hermione's dress was a long white dress with a little lace to it where she could stash her wand in her sleeve the dress had a simple but elegant pattern, her blonde hair with black streaks running through it was half up half down and the bit that was up had a diamond encrusted snowflake, she also had on a little bit of light blue eyeshadow which matched perfectly with her eyes, white high heels with a silver pattern she also a emerald encrusted silver serpent necklace. Once the girls were done they made their way out of Hermione's room and down to the ballroom where the wedding would take place.

Hermione made her way down the stairs like the lady she was and there Abraxas smiled softly and he took her arm where they walked towards the ballroom, the doors opened for them, the ballroom was decorated in a few lights and the aisle had a light blue carpet, the guests were seated on silver chairs either side of the aisle. When it was time for Hermione to walk down the aisle the music played by instruments that did so on their own with charms, Abraxas kissed Hermione on the cheek then took a seat next to Lucius.

Hermione smiled across from Rabastan who had his older brother Rudolphus as his best man, Rudulphus was a tall man with short brown hair and grey eyes who worked in the unspeakable department at the ministry of magic and when it came to exchanging the rings Rudulphus handed the one to give Hermione to Rabastan who placed the elegant silver ring with a serpent woven into it and small emeralds on her finger and said "Hermione I love you with every fibre of my being and I have since we were children"

Hermione was given the ring to give to Rabastan which was a simple gold ring with diamonds encrusted into it she placed it on his finger "Rabastan I love you too, I always have this ring symbolises my devotion and love to you"

The minister marrying them smiled and entwined their hands together with a white silk ribbon and called upon magic herself to bless their union and when the ribbon glowed gold everyone was amazed as that meant that Hermione and Rabastan were soul mates which was a very rare union in the wizarding world, the glow then faded. He then gave them permission to kiss each other which they did and everyone witnessing their marriage cheered and clapped.

The minister who wed them smiled "may i present Mr and Mrs Lestrange, never have i witnessed a union so powerful in all my years as a minister"

After the ceremony was over the couple and their guests made their way out of the ballroom to formally congratulate the couple whilst the room was cleared of the chairs and transformed into a wedding reception area.

Rabastan took his wife's hand as the couple were greeted by many of their family members as well as friends on either side of the room Narcissa hugged Hermione "congratulations, i'm happy for you both to be honest i haven't witnessed a union as blessed by magic herself it's a rare thing to happen"

Meanwhile Lucius shook Rabastan's hand then he hugged Hermione.

A few minutes later after the guests congratulated the newleyweds the ballroom doors opened again and one of the house elves stepped out of the now transformed ballroom "Everything is ready for the wedding reception Mrs Malfoy"

Narcissa smiled and said "Ladies and gentleman, the ballroom is now ready for the wedding reception so if you'll all grab a glass of champaigne then find your seats"

The guests and the newleyweds grabbed a glass of champaigne then walked back into the ballroom which had many tables and chairs decorated with white and green plus the tableware everyone had their own silver and black card with their name on it so they knewwhere to sit, the head table was a long table which had flowers and the tableware Hermione sat in between her husband and father, Narcissa and Lucius were sat next to Abraxus. On the left of Rabastan were his parents Elyon and Xander Lestrange, next to them was Rodulphus but his wife Bellatrix was absent as she's in Azkaban she was also Narcissa's older sister.

After a nice meal of either chicken or beef roast and a chocolate soufle pudding with icecream, Abraxus stood up slowly leaning on his silver with emeralds cane for support and he clinked his glass, everyone went silent as it was time for the speeches "Firstly Merry Christmas to you all and on behalf of my late wife Rayna, me and my family i would likd to thank you all for coming to celebrate this wonderful and remarkable union of Rabastan and my darling daughter Hermione. Their love has been something since childhood and that's when i realised their betrothal was something more than that so if you'll raise your glasses to Hermione and Rabastan Lestrange" He smiled as everyone raised their glasses taking a drink he then sat down.

Xander Lestrange was a tall man with a thin frame with greying short black hair and grey eyes he was wearing a elegantly cut suit with a green tie to match his wife's light green dress. Elyon was a tall thin woman about 5'6 with greying dark brown hair and blue eyes, she wore her hair in a bun with a silver hairlin with emeralds in it and had on a long light green dress with heels to match she also had on a silver necklace plus eartings to match.

Xander Lestrange then stood up "Merry Christmas everyone and thank you all for coming, Hermione and Rabastan have been smitten with each other since they were little, as Abraxas said their union was meant to be even with their betrothal so congratulations to you both and we wish you all the happiness" Everyone took a sip of their champaigne then Xander sat back down.

Next Lucius stood up "Hermione and Rabastan's love for each other is both remarkable and amazing they're so much in love that I'm glad they're happy. Merry Christmas everyone and Congratulations to the newlyweds Mr and Mrs Lestrange"

Hermione wiped the tears from her eyes at all the nice things said in the speeches.

After the speeches everyone stood up and the tables were magically cleared away for dancing, Hermione was lead to the dancefloor by Rabastan as they had their first dance as a couple then Abraxas cut in for the father-daughter dance, after their dance was done everyone else started to dance.

Outside it was starting to snow again, Hermione and Rabastan grabbed their coats heading outsidd to their favorite spot in the rose gardens they sat down on the bench and that's when Rabastan pulled out a medium black box handing it to Hermione "I want to give this to you before tomorrow"

Hermione opened it and inside was a beautiful silver necklace with a rose entwined into the serpent with emeralds, she smiled "it's beautiful thank you Rabbie" She then kissed him.

After a few more minutes alone they decided to head back inside and they went upstairs to their now room for their wedding night. When they got into their room sprawled across the bed was black and white rose petals and candles on the dresser table this made them smile.