Chapter Text
Hermione awoke to a whisper in her ear, “Good morning, Miss Granger.”
Rolling over to face Draco, she smiled sleepily, “Miss Granger? Why so formal?”
“Because when I wake you up tomorrow, I’ll be calling you Mrs. Malfoy,” he pushed a curl out of her face and kissed the tip of her nose.
“Ah, yes, and where will I be waking up tomorrow?” She asked, stretching her arms over her head.
“I’ve told you, love, the honeymoon is a surprise,” he said, admiring her chest as she stretched.
“I hate surprises,” she grumbled, snuggling into him and running her fingers through his chest hair.
“No, you hate bad surprises. This is a good surprise. You’ll love it,” he insisted, dropping a kiss on her head.
“I got you something to wear today,” she said, retrieving her wand from the nightstand and summoning a small package. He eagerly sat up and tore at the wrapping.
“Oh, wow, Hermione,” he breathed. He stared at the fine silver cufflinks, engraved with the Draco constellation and glittering with tiny gemstones.
“The stars are a mix of your birthstone and mine. I had them charmed so if we have children, their birthstones will be mixed in as well.” He gathered her close to him, kissing her sweetly.
“They’re perfect. I love you,” he whispered.
“I got you something too,” he borrowed her wand to summon a slightly larger parcel.
Hermione, having much experience in the matter, knew the wrapped gift was a book. She opened it carefully, and then gaped at the cover. Proper Behaviour of a Pure-Blood Wife.
She turned her head slowly to her fiancé, who was strangely blank-faced. A fury rose up in her chest, and she opened her mouth to start yelling.
Then Draco burst out laughing.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he said defensively as she began swatting at him. “I found that in Mother’s library a few months ago, and I couldn’t resist. I got you a real present, here.”
He waved her wand again and another package landed on her lap.
“But seriously, you should give it a read, it’s bloody hilarious,” he said. She swatted him one more time and gave him a sour look.
She opened the second gift, and her hands stilled.
”Oh, Draco,” she whispered.
”I had some help,” he said simply.
It was a wooden box, the perfect size to hold four small bottles. Engraved on the outside were four words - Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme. She opened the lid, and strains of music filled the room.
“I didn’t know what your mum’s spice shelf looked like, so I didn’t really know how to recreate it. Luna had the idea of a music box, and Lisa knew the song and enchanted it to play. Do you like it?”
She placed the box reverently on the nightstand, then pounced on him, straddling his lap and yanking off her top.
“Love, Ginny and Pansy will be here in about twenty minutes,” he gasped out as she sucked on his neck.
“Then hurry up,” she said, pushing his boxers down and palming him.
“Shouldn’t we wait for tonight?” He said between fevered kisses.
“Draco,” she whined. “Please let me thank you properly for my gift.”
Fifteen minutes later, they heard the floo engage, but were too distracted to care. Even as they heard voices in the other room, they could not tear their bodies apart.
“Oh, gross, I can hear the headboard hitting the wall,” Ginny said. “Oi! Finish up in there, Draco, and let the bride get in the shower!”
The pounding grew louder. “Granger, just fake it already! I need to get Draco ready!” Pansy called.
A few moments later, the pounding stopped, and Draco eventually emerged. He was dressed and smirking, a flush still lingering on his skin.
“Ladies,” he said, sidling past them and inclining his head. He casually popped two pieces of bread in the toaster.
***
Several hours later, Hermione watched Harry escort a very pregnant Ginny Potter down the aisle, followed by Greg and Pansy. They had decided to eschew bridesmaids and groomsmen, and each chose to have their two best friends by their sides. Crookshanks trotted down the aisle with the rings tied to his collar. She took a deep breath as the music changed, and George offered her his elbow.
“Ready?” He asked.
“Ready,” she confirmed, taking a confident step forward.
George led her slowly down the aisle. She smiled as she walked past so many people she loved -
Hagrid, seated in the very back with Madame Maxime, tears streaming into his beard.
McGonagall wiping her eyes with a tartan handkerchief.
Luna and Hannah, holding their sleeping daughter, Xena.
Neville, Susan, Cho, Seamus and Dean who had clearly been celebrating for hours, drunkenly laughing together.
Lisa Goyle holding her son, Vincent, bouncing him on her knee.
Angelina Weasley, sitting with Lee Jordan, winking at George.
Narcissa Malfoy, eyes focused on her son, glowing with pride.
In the front was a group of redheads, all looking at her with love.
In the center of that group sat Ron, smiling gently and giving her a little wave. She returned both.
The day after her engagement to Draco was announced in the Prophet, she had been surprised by a knock on the front door of their new home in Godric’s Hollow. Her surprise only deepened when she saw Ron standing on the porch, with his arms full.
“Can we talk?” He said, watching her wand hand. They hadn’t seen each other in months, hadn’t spoken in over a year.
Hermione almost slammed the door in his face, but something about his hesitancy reminded her of a much younger Ron, the boy with the smudgy nose that she met on the Hogwarts Express.
“I suppose,” she said stiffly.
“Is, er, is Malfoy here?” He asked, shuffling his feet.
“Yes, I am,” Draco said, coming up behind his fiancé and glowering at Ron.
“Um, this is for you,” Ron said, shoving a parchment and a bottle of Ogdens towards Draco. “And these are for you,” pushing the flowers and a second parchment at Hermione.
“Why?” Draco demanded, not taking the offering.
“The whiskey and the flowers, those are to congratulate you on your engagement. Those,” he motioned to the parchments, “are apologies.”
“Apologies?” Hermione asked.
“I owe you, both of you, many apologies. I wrote down as many things as I could think of, but if I forgot anything, I’ll apologize for those things too. You don’t have to read the letters, if you don’t want to,” he paused, and dragged his gaze from the ground to Hermione’s face. “I am so fucking sorry, Hermione.”
Draco finally accepted the whiskey and letter, kissed Hermione on the cheek, and headed inside. “Let me know if I need to hex him, love,” he said.
Draco knew many men wouldn’t leave their fiancé alone with her ex, would hover protectively and try to intimidate. Draco, however, was certain that Hermione could destroy Ron Weasley, both verbally and magically, and did not need a bodyguard.
Hermione sat on the porch swing, and motioned for Ron to join her.
“I’ve wanted to apologize for a long time,” he said. “I was too stupid or proud or something. But Mum and Dad made me start seeing a mind healer a few months ago. Healer Jasper helped me get sober. I haven’t had a drink in months. And once I started talking about everything…the war, Fred, you…everything, I realized how truly horrible I had been. To you more than anyone.”
Hermione nodded, but allowed him to continue. “And the way I spoke to my family, to George and Ginny. The way I embarrassed my parents. The way I tried to make Harry choose between us. The way I left Crookshanks without saying goodbye. The way I slept with Malfoy’s fiancé. God, I was a right bastard Hermione.”
“I know,” she said simply.
“Like I said, I’ve wanted to apologize for a while. I didn’t know how to approach you. But I saw yesterday that you’re getting married, and my first reaction was to be happy for you. I wanted you to know that I’m happy for you.”
“You don’t have to forgive me, ever. I certainly don’t expect that Malfoy will. But, please read my letter. I meant every word I wrote. And if you ever choose to forgive me, I would like to be friends again. If you’re ever ready. No pressure.” He finished lamely.
“Ron,” Hermione sighed, a tremor in her voice. “It may take me a while to forgive you entirely. But this is a good first step. I’ll read your letter.”
She fixed him with a hard stare.
“You have to make things right with George,” she said. “Ginny too, but what you said to George…”
Ron looked miserable, “I think, other than cheating on you, that was the worst thing I’ve ever done. Healer Jasper and I have discussed it for hours…I don’t know what possessed me to be so cruel to him. I love George, he’s my big brother. And to disrespect Fred like that…” his voice gave out.
“I’ll make things right, with both of them,” he said firmly. “Maybe you and I can have tea in a few weeks?”
Hermione was debating her answer when Draco stepped back onto the porch. He approached Ron and stuck out his hand.
“I forgive you,” Draco said, vaguely waving the letter with his other hand. “Your spelling is atrocious, but I forgive you. Thank you for the letter.”
Ron took his hand and they shook once. Draco turned on his heel and retreated inside, Hermione watching him, confused.
“What did you say in that letter?” She asked Ron.
“I apologized for every single interaction with him that I could remember, starting with the first time we rode the Hogwarts Express, all the way through sleeping with his witch. Then I asked him to treat you well and wished you both luck in your marriage,” Ron shrugged. “Healer Jasper said I should just write what I feel.”
***
After the thrilling and exhausting wedding day, Draco delighted in stretching out in a lounge chair, basking in the heat of the setting sun. He reached out his hand to his wife in the chair next to him. As she returned his grasp, he admired the rings on her finger.
“So do you like your surprise, Mrs. Malfoy?” he asked, raking his eyes over her body, clad in a very small bikini. The marriage had already been consummated, twice, but he could be convinced to go for a third. God, she was beautiful.
She laughed, “Oh, I don’t know,” she said. “Being whisked away to a private island with full magical service and drinking pina coladas on the beach with my gorgeous husband? I suppose it’s fine.”
“Witch,” he growled, leaning over to kiss her.
”Don’t get too comfortable,” he warned. “We’re leaving in three days.”
”But I took two whole weeks off of work for the honeymoon,” she objected.
”And I already told Bellamy to add another week to that,” he said cheekily. “A tour of America takes more than two weeks.”
”America?” She shrieked. “But I haven’t read all of my guidebooks!”
”They’re in my luggage,” Draco replied. “We can see whatever sights you fancy, I only have one thing planned.”
”Oh?”
”I booked a private tour of the Library of Congress,” he smirked, pulling her into his lap. She kissed him, then untied the top of her bikini. He groaned and buried his face in her breasts.
”You give me the most amazing gifts,” she murmured, sliding off his swim trunks.
”You’ve given me everything, Hermione. Gifts are nothing,” he said firmly, removing the rest of her swimwear.
“I’m so glad I got pissed and let Ginny talk me into fake dating you,” she sighed as she sank down on him.
“Me too, love, me too,” he said, kissing her.