Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

State of the Union	By : lbrado Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 50786 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 3
- 4
- 5
And still reading!

Obligatory No Ownership Clause: I obviously don’t own a single character portrayed here, but the situations and wording are completely mine.

Here’s Chapter 4.

**********************************************************************************************

Nearly three weeks had passed. Draco and Hermione hadn’t spoken a word to each other since that morning in her office when he’d mentioned offering for her. Draco had, in a brilliant moment of foresight, arranged for a ceremony planner. The planner had chosen everything, down to the robes Hermione would wear and the robes of her attendants. He had actually started to choose the attendants, himself, however, when Ginny realized that the first name on the attendants list was Pansy Parkinson, she had taken over. From there, Ginny and the planner had done their utmost to see that the ceremony was in fine style, but also in the taste of the bride and groom. Not that Hermione seemed to care. She showed up for fittings, stylings, flower arrangement decisions and other various ceremony dealings, but seemed to choose things arbitrarily, with no thought to her actual preference. Ginny overturned some of these decisions, herself, after confiding to the planner that she had not been herself in recent weeks.

Draco was as oblivious to the proceedings as Hermione was. He ignored them and acted more like he’d rather have all of this over and done with; as if it was taking up his precious time to have to trip over the servants readying the manor for the event. Not to mention the time he spent avoiding the Boy-Who-Lived and his red-headed sidekick.

Harry and Ron were livid. Ginny had kept the peace in order to help plan the ceremony, but Harry and Ron were determined to stay involved, if for no other reason than Ron’s father (who had been the one to sign off on the contract in the first place) had informed them of all the ridiculous stipulations in the contract, placed there by Draco to put Hermione under his sole subjugation after the bonding. Hermione would be a prisoner. Draco’s prisoner. Each time they thought they had him cornered for a serious talking to, he managed to get away. Fittings, decisions, redecorating, you name it. Every excuse in the book was used.

And, finally, the day of the ceremony arrived.

Hermione was resplendent in white robes shot through with silver. The robes were of a crushed velvet that pulled in sharply at the waist to accentuate her figure, but fell richly to the floor beyond that. The long, bell sleeves gathered at intervals down her upper arms with silver bands that bunched the material charmingly and fell open largely at her wrists. Wizarding ceremonies didn’t include veils, but the silver-lined hood of her robe hung down nearly to her waist. The planner had liked the effect with her long hair. Ginny had pulled sections of hair from the front of her face to the back where she’d plaited it into several intricate braids that hung down the center of the rest of her hair, subdued by spells into soft curls that hung down her back. Once she’d pulled a few tendrils down to frame Hermione’s face, Ginny had placed a silver circlet on her head, which she’d chosen to compliment the silver glints in the gown. Hermione wore no other jewelry. Molly Weasley was present to smooth a little make-up into the pale girl’s cheeks and apply some to her eyes while the others donned their robes. Ginny, Luna and Cho wore robes similar to hers, but with sleeves that did not gather, in a deep shade of green; the one decision that Draco had insisted upon: silver and green would be their ceremony colors.

Hermione had not commented the entire morning.

“You look beautiful, Hermione.” Ginny had said, softly, as she kissed her friend’s cheek. The other women had murmured in the affirmative as they took their places around her for the ceremony walk.

When they entered, the company stood. Harry and Ron were in the first rows and Draco waited for her at the front. He looked quite handsome in his black dress robes, also shot through with silver to match the colors of the bonding. His robes were loose, with the collar of a white dress shirt peeking out of the top of them. As he watched, Ginny took her place four steps before Hermione while Luna and Cho stood next to her, as if to lead her to her place. In the old days, this ceremony had been an offering ceremony, where the female of the coven offered one of their own to the male for bonding. The attendants were there to be sure that the offered female stayed put, since she was often given against her will. Draco stood quietly and considered this as he thought of the conversation that had taken place, earlier, between himself and the 2 male members of the Golden Trio.

“I swear on Dumbledore’s grave, that if you hurt her-” Harry had begun.

“After all these years, do you honestly think I would hurt her?” Draco asked. “I don’t even want her. I thought a marriage proposal from her ‘sworn enemy’ would snap her out of this depression she’s got herself eyeball deep in.”

Harry and Ron were silent.

“You did this on purpose. All the ridiculous provisions about her quitting her job and talk about taking her children away from her…”

“All a ruse. I would never knowingly hurt Hermione. I respect her too much, despite the differences we had during our school years.”

“And we’re supposed to believe that?” This from Ron. Ron, who’d never quite gotten over the slug incident, or the names that Draco had called Hermione during their childhood.

“You don’t have to believe it, but it’s too late, now. We’ll be bonded together for life in just a few short hours.” Draco had said, matter of factly. “I liked Hermione the way she was. Sharp as a tack and willing to be pulled into any verbal battle I cared to start with her. I think she might have even consented to the fact that we could be considered friends, until this whole ceremony contract thing began.” He smirked, weakly. “I do believe she hates me, again. I just wish she’d show it. Something. Anything.”

“You do care for her.” Harry said, suddenly.

“I care about her, which is different. I want her back the way she was. Work was considerably more interesting. Now it’s so unbelievably dull I despise going to the office each day.”

“If you say so, Malfoy,” was Harry’s reply.

Draco hadn’t liked the way that had sounded. But at the very least, they understood, now. Friendship hadn’t helped her to express the pain she felt over losing her parents. Perhaps what she needed was someone to draw her into a good row. And no better person to do it than Draco Malfoy, her arch enemy.

Draco had blinked and she was there. Hermione stood next to him, hands clasped before her, serenely, with her three attendants at her back (to keep the female from running, the old texts stated).

As if she would… thought Draco, with a small smirk. This Gryffindor wouldn’t know when to run if it meant saving her life.

As lovely as she was, her expression showed no more emotion than she’d let slip the last month. Draco was determined to change that, today. If not during the ceremony reception, than during the consummation. There was no way she’d be able to remain stoic while he-

Draco took a deep breath and reached forward to clasp the other end of the silver ribbon that was offered to him by the ceremony master. Time enough to think about that, later. There were reporters, here, and if he didn’t pay attention, the Malfoy name would be strewn across the front pages, tomorrow, with him as the laughing stock for screwing up the ceremony. That was the last thing he needed.Finally, the knots were tied, the words spoken and the ceremony completed. The participants all felt the tug of power that swelled in the room as the ribbons were sealed around the hands of the couple at the alter. As their homes, lives and bodies shared, so be their magic. It was done.

Hermione Granger was now Hermione Malfoy, forever.

**********************************************************************************************

Reviews are lovely as are the reviewers.

~§~ Duchess ~§~
- 3
- 4
- 5
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

State of the Union