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“You want to see other people?” Hermione incredulously asked and Ron gave her a weak lopsided smile with a nod.
”Yes, well…” He trailed off, but Hermione battled his eyes, daring him to finish his sentence. “Just for a little while, at least.”
Hermione was fuming but she tried her absolute best to contain it. She had a somewhat calm composure but on the inside she was ready to burn it all to the ground. “For a little while?”
He nodded, slowly, and Hermione felt that he was rightfully terrified. “I just think it’s what we need, you know?”
She scoffed in disagreement. Ron Weasley was her boyfriend of three years and he thought that now was a good time to ‘see other people’? What did that even mean? Just a few minutes prior, Hermione was so sure that her and Ron were just months from finally being engaged. But yet, here he was, insisting on a break. ”I don’t understand where this is all coming from.”
Ron gulped and his eyes searched hers. “It’s just that…” he was avoiding her eye now. “We’ve been together three years, Hermione.”
“Yes, it’s quite a miracle isn’t it?” She replied, unsure of just what her boyfriend - ex? - was getting at.
He nodded, too quickly, but then licked his lips and kept speaking. “I just want to spend some time alone…before I commit.” The last part was muttered but Hermione had heard it all. He wanted to be single…to see other people…before he settled down with Hermione. Right.
She felt the heat rise into her cheeks and she wasn’t really too sure on what she should say to him. She actually felt like everything had already been said, he’d said it all and Hermione had nothing to fight for. If Ron truly loved her, and wanted to marry her, he wouldn’t need to spend time alone before proposing to her. “You’re an arse, Ronald Weasley.” She spat, spinning on her heels and promptly leaving his vicinity.
…
It would piss him right off, wouldn’t it? If she brought a date to Harry and Ginny’s wedding. Would he be bringing one? She didn’t know and she was honestly too afraid to ask. Surely Ginny would be aware if Ron had reserved a spot for two, but Hermione could never find herself to satisfy her curiosity.
She had it decided then, she’d bring a plus one. She stared at the invitation in her hands, dipping her quill into its ink and gently marking herself as bringing a date. She knew she didn't have one now, but finding a date for a wedding in a month shouldn’t be too hard of a quest, could it?
Except, that it was. Hermione didn’t account for the fact that she’d actually have to talk to guys that she didn’t know to even consider asking them to be her date. Finding any one even worth the effort was hard enough and Hermione was beginning to feel quite hopeless. It would be too embarrassing to fail now, after Ginny had already bombarded her with a squeal and a twenty minute questioning on who she was bringing.
Little did Ginny know, Hermione didn't even know yet. But after tonight she will. She scanned the entire building, taking in all of the chaos that was the club she was at. It was loud, and dirty, and honestly kind of smelled like B.O. Hermione could even count the number of cute guys on one hand, much of the occupants were quite appalling and made Hermione feel quite uncomfortable.
After a useless hour and a half of searching through eligible bachelors, she decided that maybe the nightclub just wasn’t where she was going to find her wedding date. So, she left behind all the disappointing potential and exited the building with not a single second thought.
The outside air was cool and she wished that she’d brought a jacket along, but she didn't, so she just endured the cold and began walking down the sidewalk. She didn’t really have a plan for the night, all she knew was that she was desperate to find herself a date. She’d procrastinated, of course, and now she only had a week to find someone willing to attend the Harry Potter’s wedding.
She wasn’t really paying attention to the path, instead busy with racking her brain for places that could have a fairly good catalog of men. It was still early enough in the night that she could make it to her favorite coffee shop and scout out the wizards there, or she could make another wrap around the block hoping to find anyone that seemed semi normal on her way.
Or…she could just go home and accept the defeat. She could ring Ginny and give the embarrassing news that she’d not be bringing anyone to the wedding after all. Then, she’d show at the wedding alone and Ron would have a hay day with his plus one knowing that Hermione was by herself -
“Pardon me, miss.”
Hermione only caught a glimpse of the person that passed her by as he muttered next to her. But she saw the sliver of strikingly white hair and the fabric of a sleek satin shirt and instantly her eyes remained glued to him as she kept going forward, her head turning and taking in the sight of one Draco Malfoy walking in the opposite direction.
Her feet stuttered and she instantly fell to the ground, tripping over herself and her own clumsiness. She hit the cement with a hiss and it took her a second to understand what had just happened.
“Granger? Is that you?”
Damn, Hermione thought to herself, Draco Malfoy noticed her, too. She used her hands to push herself upwards, turning in the process to see a grown up version of Malfoy walking her way.
Her eyes raked over him as she nodded. “Obviously it’s me, Malfoy.” He approached her and she was shocked the moment he stuck out his hand to help her up. Hermione eyed it in front of her face and then she wiped her own on her jeans before she took the helping hand.
He lifted her from the ground with ease and they were eye to eye a few moments later, staring at each other. “It’s been some time. You look the same.” He spoke to her with the same bored tone that she was used to, but now the venom had since left and his voice was instead coated in a pleasant new drawl.
“As do you,” she said back. But it wasn't true, not really. His shoulders were broad, much broader than she remembered, and his jawline had sharpened while his cheekbones rose. He was handsome - but also Malfoy. “Thanks for the help…Didn’t really expect that you would.”
He shrugged, taking a look around the two of them. “Are you always on this side of the city? I’ve never seen you around.” No, Hermione was never on this side of town. She’d never really had a reason to be…but, unfortunately, she did tonight.
“Not really, just…trying some new things.” Hermione sighed as Malfoy nodded slowly at her. She felt his icy eyes bore into her own and held back from looking away as quickly as possible. “I take it that you're here often?”
“Sometimes.” Malfoy responded, coolly. “I’ve got a few spots here I like to frequent.” He scanned her up and down, suddenly taking in her appearance. She felt herself shy away, crossing her arms over her chest to protect herself from Draco Malfoy’s roaming eyes. “What are you doing here, Granger?”
“Trying new things, like I said.”
“Like what?”
Hermione gave him a challenging glare. “It’s not quite any of your business, now is it, Malfoy?” She argued with him and almost felt flashbacks to their younger days, the ones where Malfoy had endlessly bullied her for things she couldn’t have even helped.
His eyebrows rose at her and he nodded, looking away. “Guess it’s not. I’ll leave you to it, Granger. It was an honor running into your likeness.” It was teasing, and playful and Hermione found it actually pleasant.
She bit back anything snarky she had lined up and watched him tip his head to her before swiftly turning on his heels and walking away. Hermione bit her lip as he got further and further and she didn't know why, or how she’d even gotten the courage, but she yelled out for him.
“Hey, Malfoy!” He stopped in his tracks. “What are you doing on May 27th?”
He turned around and Hermione watched helplessly as her breathing had completely faltered and her entire body felt tight in anticipation. It was silent just long enough for Hermione to begin wondering if she should just run away and make a promise to herself to pretend as if this never even happened.
“I’d have to check my calendar.” He replied from however many feet apart he was from Hermione and she felt the trapped breath heave out of her body. He stepped a foot closer to her, “What’s the occasion?”
She licked her lips. Your archnemesis’s wedding to my ex’s sister. “Oh, nothing, really.” Her voice was pitchy and she cleared her throat before she said anything more. “Just a celebration.”
He was still stepping closer to her and she finally could see the details of his face again as she straightened her back. She had asked, and now she had to finish strong. Was she really about to invite Draco Malfoy to Harry Potter’s wedding?
“You’re inviting me to a celebration?” He asked and Hermione nodded, her eyes staring wildly into his, waiting on a painful, agonizing answer. “What kind of celebration?”
“Merlin, Malfoy, does it matter?” She spat and he seemed rather unsurprised at her outburst. “I just thought I’d ask.”
He eyed her and she began to feel so very small under his gaze - much like she did when she was younger and under the blonde's attention. But yet it was quite different because this time his eyes shimmered with interest and entertainment rather than with hate and disgust.
“I’m going to need a little more to go off of here, Granger, what’s the occasion?”
She huffed, frustrated by the way Draco Malfoy carried himself. “It’s really not important. But Ron will be there and-“
“And you two broke up.” He accused.
She glared at him but continued. “We’re seeing other people.” She corrected, but even she felt silly saying that in an attempt to defend her relationship to Malfoy. “I guess.”
He was interested now, a smirk toying at the edge of his lips. Hermione desperately hoped he would just agree instead of continuing this endless, horrible questioning. Draco Malfoy didn’t need to know anything more, he just needed to trust her and attend the bloody wedding.
But, of course, it was Draco Malfoy, who probably aimed to do quite literally the opposite of everything she just said. “Seeing other people?” He asked, disbelief on his lips. “The Weasel actually thinks he can get other people?”
Hermione couldn’t help the laugh that came from her but she hid it behind her hand. “I suppose, yes.” She said with a hidden smile. “He said he wanted to spend time alone before he committed.”
She watched Malfoy’s eyes as he listened to her and she couldn’t help but like the way his entire attention was glued to her, and her only. Ron had never paid her any attention, really. He never, ever looked at her the way that Draco Malfoy was looking at her right now. ”What a ridiculous ninny.” Malfoy said and Hermione found herself laughing again because, yes, Ron was quite the ninny. “So you want to bring a date to the,” he paused, hoping Hermione would fill in the blank that he left, but she refrained and stared at him with an innocent smile. “-occasion?” He lamely finished, earning a nod from Hermione.
She licked her lips before leaning a bit closer to Malfoy. “I just need to have a date. We don’t have to dance, hold hands, or even speak. I just - he needs to-“
“I’ll do it.” Malfoy said and Hermione’s words stopped flowing from her mouth.
“You will?” She asked and he nodded back to her. Hermione felt a wave of relief wash over her before the realization that it was going to be Draco Malfoy at Harry’s wedding hit her.
“Well, now I’ve been invested. I want to be there when the dirty Weasel shows up, inevitably dateless.” He had a sinister smirk plastered to his face and Hermione didn’t quite mind the evil agenda of Malfoy agreeing to be her date because she was too caught up in being grateful that she had least had one.
“May 27th, Draco Malfoy.” She pointed a finger in his face and he rolled his eyes but gave her a look of I know.
“It’s a date, Granger.”
…
Hermione was a downright mess. It was only an hour before the wedding and she thought she could just about throw up. But Ginny needed help with pinning the final curls to her updo, and Hermione was there to help. She felt her heart beating out of her chest as she finalized Ginny’s wedding hair and smiled at her best friend in the mirror.
She was minutes from having to step outside to find her date - Draco Malfoy - and direct him somewhere safe to wait until the ceremony was over and she could take him under her wing and their little show will be put to the test.
“You really still won’t tell me who you brought?” Ginny whined as Hermione backed up, admiring the work she’d done.
Hermione let out a shaky breath disguising it as a cheeky laugh. “You’ll just have to see, Gin.” She really had no idea how people were going to react seeing Draco Malfoy at the Potter wedding, what had she done?
She was so nervous that she could feel her nerves manifest in her stomach, causing her to grip her stomach - blanching. “Are you alright, Hermione?” Ginny asked, reaching out to help her friend if needed.
But Hermione just waved her hand. “Nerves, is all. I’ve never been a part of a wedding.” She lied, sure, but it was better than telling Ginny about-to-be-Potter that she had brought Draco Malfoy to her wedding just minutes before she was meant to marry Harry Potter.
Ginny gave her a sympathetic look. “Imagine how I feel,” she giggled. “I’ve never gotten married before.”
Hermione laughed, too, but it sounded too forced and too scared and Hermione needed to get out of there. Draco Malfoy was surely arriving, scouting the area for Hermione and she could not risk letting anyone else see him before the actual wedding.
“Sorry, Ginny, I’ve really gotta use the loo. I’ll only be gone a minute!” She declared and Ginny nodded, watching Hermione flee the room, lifting her dress tail so it didn’t drag on the floor.
It didn’t take her long to spot him. He was scanning the dessert table, eyes taking in each of the pastries and lemon dishes that Hermione had helped Ginny hand pick just months prior. “Malfoy,” she whisper-yelled, causing him to turn swiftly and take in Hermione. “I told you to stay outside.”
“I thought I was a guest, Granger. This is a wedding, after all.” He was smirking largely and Hermione felt her cheeks begin to heat once more. She had only informed him to dress black tie and that the occasion was very important and that he needed to take it ‘irrationally serious’. “Who’s the lucky couple?”
Hermione rushed to grab his wrist, pulling him towards an unoccupied hallway. “You’re so lucky everyone is already seated, Draco Malfoy. How foolish of you, anyone could’ve seen you.”
“I’m your date, Granger, remember? You invited me?”
Hermione eyed him for a split moment before she hastily reached for the doorknob of the brown door behind Malfoy and pushed it open. “Sorry, Malfoy, you need to wait here.”
She used his shoulders - the ones that were now quite broad - to push him into the dark room. He exclaimed out with a ‘hey-‘ but Hermione quickly shut the door and held it closed while he attempted to open it back up.
“You have to stay here for now!” She all but yelled through the door.
“Granger, if you leave me here I will personally-“
“Sorry, Malfoy! I’ll be back soon.” Hermione mumbled a locking charm and an extra one for security purposes before rushing away, ignoring Malfoy’s calls for her. She whispered a silencing charm.
Hermione arrived at Ginny's dressing room right on time. Molly Weasley was enveloping her daughter into a tight hug while Mr. Weasley was watching with tears in his eyes. Hermione smiled at the loving sight and fought down any anxious feelings she had felt just moments before.
“Let’s get you married!” Molly said with such a ray of excitement that it radiated over to Hermione and she felt herself calm a bit. The mother gave one last pinch to Ginny’s cheeks before she fled the room, off to take her reserved seat. Hermione gave a quick nod to Ginny and it was finally time to begin. It was time to watch her very best friends make it official. (And also see Ron Weasley, which added to the nerves in her stomach)
The walk down the aisle was just as nerve wracking as Hermione had expected. She unfortunately had to link arms with Ron, who had given her the most awkward, helpless look while they had first met approached each other. She tried not to think about it as her and Harry’s best man (her ex-boyfriend) walked between the rows of friends and family.
Hermione thought she’d be able to breathe easier once she had reached the front, but she was absolutely wrong. Now, she could see every single face in the crowd and it made everything so, so much worse.
Because there was Molly Weasley - while Hermione had hid Draco Malfoy in a room just a measly fifty yards away. Because there was George, and Percy, and Charlie, and Hermione was hiding Draco Malfoy inside. Because there was Harry Potter, standing ever so elegantly at the alter, awaiting the love of his life’s arrival, and Hermione was about to unveil the attendance of Draco fucking Malfoy.
Merlin, Hermione, what have you done?
Ginny was a beautiful, glowing angel as she drifted her way down the aisle towards Harry. Harry, who was wiping tears from his eyes while Ron pat him on the shoulder from behind with friendly support. Hermione watched the sweet interaction and then looked back to Ginny coming down the isle. Gorgeous, flawless Ginny - and Hermione immediately noticed Draco Malfoy in the back of the room, leaning against a pillar and smirking that horrendous, infuriating smirk.
Hermione’s anxiety immediately spiked. Harry could see - Ginny could see - anyone could see. He could cause a raucous, and Hermione half expected the git to do so. If he did anything to ruin Ginny’s perfect day, she’d never forgive herself for inviting him to their wedding. Honestly, what was she thinking?
She gave him the most threatening look she could possibly muster while still maintaining a pleasant facade in front of the entire crowd of people between them. Hermione was furiously panicking and she didn’t know what to do. No one had seen anything yet - she didn’t think - and hopefully the honored couple would be so engrossed in each other that they’d never even notice the bright, shining blonde hair that is….so totally noticeable.
Hermione grimaced at the thought but forced herself to focus back into the wedding at hand - her best friends’ wedding. The ceremony wasn’t necessarily long, but the anticipation of what was to come afterwards made Hermione suffer each second that she was standing, waiting for her destiny.
She had a smile on her face but she’s not too sure how believable it was. So much was going through her head that she’s not even sure she’d remember the ceremony after the day itself. Hermione could only see Harry’s face, so she watched as he looked lovingly into Ginny’s eyes while proclaiming his vows to her.
Sniffles came from the crowd and Hermione already knew that it was Molly before she even looked. As she did, she saw Mrs. Weasley wiping tears with a handkerchief and Arthur had his arm around her, holding his wife close. His eyes were wide with admiration and love as he witnessed his daughter marry Harry Potter.
Hermione was enjoying their moment, and suddenly noticed in the far back that Malfoy was gone. Just like that - the pillar was clear and no shiny haired wizard was to be seen. She felt her entire body release a million pounds of tension and she sighed, quiet enough that she hoped no one noticed.
“Ginevra Molly Weasley, do you take Harry Potter to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
Hermione snapped her eyes back to the couple and she caught the wonderful look displayed on Harry’s face as Ginny responded with ‘I do.’
“Harry James Potter, do you take Ginny Weasley to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
And Hermione wished more than anything that she was able to see her best friend’s face as Harry repeated the same, lovely words as she had. Harry was instructed to kiss the bride and he pulled Ginny into an excited, grateful, picture perfect kiss and Hermione couldn’t help the enormous smile that crossed her face.
They parted with smiles and everyone in the crowd clapped for them. Hermione watched, amused, as the Weasley brothers all pretended as if they were grossed out by seeing Harry kiss their little sister and she noticed a handful of her Hogwarts friends, Luna and Neville were sitting side by side, happily cheering for the two newlyweds.
Mr. and Mrs. Potter promptly took each other’s grip and made their way back down the aisle, giggling together in their own little world of euphoric love. They were so happy and carefree - and…. Hermione brought Draco Malfoy to their wedding. To their happiest day. Gods, she thought. Maybe this is a bad horrible idea.
But Draco Malfoy was already here - somewhere - and she desperately needed to find him. She watched as the crowd began to disperse, heading towards the ballroom for the reception while Hermione scanned the group of wizards for Malfoy.
With no sight of the blond, she sucked in a breath and headed for the main doors as well. While the group took a right for the ballroom, Hermione turned the opposite direction and sought after the room that she had (unsuccessfully) locked Malfoy in - in hopes that he’d have gone back to his rightful spot.
“Are you embarrassed of me?” Hermione heard his voice from around a corner and she quickened her pace up to catch him. She turned the corner and Malfoy was leaning against the wall with ease. He had a cool, collected aura that Hermione found quite upsettingly enticing. “That’s why you locked me away? Pity that I mastered Charms.”
Hermione huffed and she felt her nostrils flare at him. “I told you to stay put. Don’t you know you could’ve ruined everything?”
“I’m not your dog, Granger.” Malfoy straightened up, setting his foot back onto the ground and took a step closer to her. A whiff of his cologne wafted towards her and, Merlin, he smelled delightful. Her eyes begged to close and just let herself bathe in the scent of Malfoy but she fought it and stared at him instead. “I should be the one pissed off, actually. You don’t invite someone to a wedding and then lock them in a room.”
“I don’t know if you’ve noticed or not, but this is Harry and Ginny’s wedding. I can’t have you just running around, showing off your -“ she gestured at him, “-your Malfoyness.”
“My Malfoyness?” He asked, a smirk toying on his lips once more. “I actually quite like the sound of that.”
“Shut up! That’s not the point,” Hermione angrily whispered, peeking back out around the corner to make sure no one was around and listening to them. She looked back at Malfoy. “Listen, we’ll only have to do this for a couple of hours and then you can run off and do whatever you usually do-“
“Oh, I usually do this. Wedding crashing is my favorite-“
“Shut up, Malfoy!” Hermione scolded him again. “Just- be on your best behavior-“
“Didn’t I just say-“
“You’re not my dog, I know.” Hermione was frustrated already and she and Malfoy had only spent approximately six minutes together. He smirked at her again, but she ignored it, “Seriously, this is important to a lot of people. Don’t. Screw. This. Up.” She pointed her finger at him and bumped it against his chest.
His eyes looked down at her with his nose held high. He snarled his lip, “Fine, Granger. I’ll behave. Is that what you wanted me to say?”
“Yes, actually.” She mused, a small, content smile forming on her face. “Okay, I think I’ve been gone far too long. We have to go in now.” Her heart was beating so hard that she could feel it in her throat.
Malfoy noticed her suddenly tense and he offered his arm out, inviting hers to link with it. She eyed him and it all came crashing down once more that she was about to attend Harry and Ginny’s wedding reception with Draco Malfoy. Good fucking gods.
They opened the door upon arriving and every single fear of Hermione’s happened at once. The entire dining hall quieted while Hermione and Malfoy were the only ones standing, making one hell of an entrance.
Her eyes immediately went to the table where Harry and Ginny sat, eyes wide and mouths hanging open at the sight before them. Beside Harry sat Ron, who had absolutely no expression on his face whatsoever and Hermione’s hand tightened around Malfoy’s bicep.
“Well, this is really awkward.” Malfoy muttered from beside her and she felt many, many emotions all at once. Kind of like she wanted to slap Malfoy for that one, or just run out of the room, or perhaps just break down into tears.
Hermione took a huge gulp of air and finally stepped forward, directing herself and Malfoy to the empty two seats next to Ginny. She chanced another glance at the bride’s face and Hermione could’ve sworn that she was beginning to see the beginning of a smirk forming around the glued ‘O’ to her lips.
She chanced another look at Harry as they approached and he had a hardened stare on Malfoy, but his brows were furrowed in what Hermione could suspect was just utter confusion. She had kept the arrangement between her and Malfoy so secret that no one at all in a million years would have guessed who she would've walked through that door with.
Next, Hermione looked at Ron. Ron was still eyeing them, expressionless, and that’s exactly when Hermione noticed the empty chair next to him. He hadn’t brought a date. Oh dear gods, Hermione Granger had brought Draco Malfoy to Harry Potter’s wedding simply because Ron Weasley had insisted they see other people and - and now he showed up alone.
Hermione felt sick.
But she had a meal right in front of her as she sat down so she needed to pretend as if she actually had an appetite. Malfoy took the seat next to her and Hermione felt herself ease into the chair despite the many pairs of eyes that were still on her and her date - including every member of the Weasley family. She wished she’d just disappear.
“Oh…my gods.” Hermione heard Ginny say as she remained looking forward, still in complete shock. She winced, hoping that Ginny wasn’t angry - and that Hermione didn’t ruin her wedding. “Did you just bring Draco Malfoy as your date?” She said it low, softly, and Malfoy would’ve been none the wiser.
Hermione nodded weakly next to the bride, picking up her fork to pick at her food. “I- yes. I did.”
Ginny finally looked at Hermione and she still wore the half smirk/half shocked-as hell-‘O’. “Hermione Granger, I didn’t know you had it in you.”
Hermione couldn’t even express the amount of relief she felt rush through her body. It was a lot - she had been so very worried that the night would go to completely shite because of her major fuck up. But, here Ginny was, gasping about how Hermione had balls to bring Malfoy as her date.
Hermione blushed, shrugging at her friend. “It was luck, really. You’re not mad? And I hope Harry’s not either?”
Ginny shook her head and Hermione smiled brightly. “No way,” Ginny said before taking a quick glance past her to get a look at Malfoy now that they were all far past teenagers. She looked back at Hermione and mouthed ‘he’s hot’ with an inconspicuous thumbs up. Hermione felt the blush intensify on her cheeks because she knows that, she’s thought that a couple times tonight already.
Her meal was left almost untouched, and once the guests had begun moving around and conversing, Hermione was bombarded immediately.
First, it was George. “Never thought I’d see the day Hermione Granger was late. Stranger, then, that I also encountered the day that she walked in late with Draco Malfoy. Quite the sight.”
George and Malfoy shared a handshake and he was off, leaving Hermione to then face the wrath of Molly and Arthur.
“Ah, Mr. Malfoy, nice to see you,” Arthur began, lending his hand to be shook. Hermione pressed her lips, thinly, watching her ex’s parents converse with her date. “How is your father doing?”
“Swell, thank you for asking, sir.” Hermione was impressed with the suave that Malfoy was handling everything with. So far he was behaving (quite well, in fact) and Hermione was relaxing more and more each time they finished another questioning encounter.
“Your suit looks very nice,” Molly then complimented him and he thanked her graciously, a boyish smile at his lips. “Hermione, it’s so good to see you dear. We miss having you around the house-“ but then she took an awkward glance at Malfoy, who was supposedly Hermione’s date and she shook her hands, hoping to erase what she had said. “Nevertheless, you look wonderful and are always welcome at the burrow whenever, you know that, of course!”
Hermione stood to give each of them a tight hug, sending them off with loving comments. Molly left her a kiss on the forehead and she was grateful that even while her and Ron were…seeing other people…Molly still loved her like a daughter.
“The in-laws seem to like you.” Malfoy said as soon as the Weasley’s were out of hearing distance.
Hermione scowled at the wizard. “Very funny, Malfoy.”
“What?” He asked, innocently, but Hermione knew that he was anything but innocent. “You don’t expect them to end up as your in-laws?”
She didn’t have to answer that, so she changed the subject. “None of that matters right now,” but he smirked, knowingly. “We’re doing great, everything is going just as planned.”
“Did you happen to notice who had an empty seat next to him?” Malfoy asked and Hermione couldn’t help the smile form on her face as she watched Malfoy shrug. “Seems like he couldn’t get anyone else - just as I suspected.” He was entirely too smug about it, but Hermione couldn’t bring herself to care.
“Hermione!” Her name was called and she suddenly turned around to see Harry approaching. He had a smile that seemed a little forced, but Hermione smiled nonetheless. “And Malfoy,” he said, trailing off as he said her date’s name. ”It was, er, shocking…to see you here.”
Malfoy, however, straightened his back and stuck his hand out to Harry, much to Hermione’s surprise. “Congratulations on your matrimony, Potter. I’m sure she’s a real keeper.”
Harry hesitated just a moment before he took Malfoy’s hand, shaking it one firm time. “She sure is.” He turned his attention to Hermione politely and, after knowing Harry for so long, she could tell that the look on his face very much said we will be talking about this later. He then smiled warmly, bringing her into a hug.
“Oh, congratulations, Harry! It was such a beautiful ceremony.” She mused, hugging him tightly back. He nodded once they released each other.
“It was! I agree. It went as good as we could’ve hoped. And hey- you know what’s funny?” He asked, and Hermione shook her head, allowing for him to continue. “I thought I had seen a certain blonde way in the back, but the next second…he was gone. I assumed I was seeing things. Turns out-“ he cut himself off, letting out a laugh that seemed ingenuine and Hermione scrunched her face ever so slightly, grimacing, worried about what was going through Harry’s mind. He looked at Malfoy once more. “I just ask that you’re respectful, that’s it.”
Hermione watched Malfoy nod to him. “I will be, Potter. I’m hateful, not an asshole.”
Harry looked Malfoy up and down once more before nodding. “Okay. Alright.” He then looked back at Hermione. “Ron’s not very pleased. I’d stay a distance if I were you.”
Hermione gave him a grateful look and nodded. “Thanks, Harry.”
There were a couple more awkward encounters with Weasley siblings and one quite awkward reminiscing moment with Luna and Neville before Malfoy and Hermione had finally escaped to the dessert table. Malfoy already had made his decisions from his earlier snooping of the snacks and set out to obtain each one. Hermione, on the other hand, was still scanning the room, her eyes looking out for a pissed Ron, but she saw him nowhere.
Maybe it was better off that way, maybe she’d let Ron cool off before she attempted greeting him - perhaps she wouldn’t even approach him tonight at all. That was probably best. Her eyes were scanning, scanning, and scanning but then she was approached from behind, unsuspecting.
“Oh my god, spill!”
Hermione jumped as she felt arms circle her into a hug. She turned to see Ginny with a huge grin across her face. She also saw that Malfoy was still checking for desserts and was far enough away that Hermione inhaled a quick, deep breath before responding.
“I’m so sorry, Ginny. I- I didn’t really have a date this whole time and Ron said he wanted to see other people-“
“See other people?” Ginny interrupted but Hermione had no intention of filling her in on that one right now.
“-and then I was so bad at trying to find a date, but I bumped into Malfoy and he was kind of hot,” which Ginny nodded, excitedly at, “and I was desperate and now here we are.”
Ginny had a wide, entertained smile and just let out a laugh. “Incredible. Truly incredible.” Hermione felt herself relax even further. Ginny was more than okay with it. Malfoy appeared next to them and Hermione gave Ginny a fixed look of shhh but the girl looked right at Malfoy.
“Malfoy! Thanks for coming to the wedding, what a surprise!”
Ginny was quite overly friendly and Malfoy gave her a raise of his eyebrows. “Er, well, yes. I’m very glad to be here, Lady Weasel - or should I say Lady Potter.”
It was quite smooth and somehow Malfoy was acing every single conversation he’d had since he’d been revealed. Ginny gave him a wide smile, “Lady Potter it is. I hope you two have a wonderful evening. The dance floor is opening up soon… just saying.” She gave another open grin before scurrying away.
Hermione watched her friend run off, turning to give Hermione a last thumbs up once more before finding a new guest to visit with. Hermione glanced back at her date, Malfoy, and smiled a cheap, unsure smile.
“I think she likes me.” Malfoy supplied, taking a bite out of a crème pastry and tipped it Ginny’s way.
“Shut up, Malfoy.” Hermione scolded again and he swallowed, shaking his head in return.
“I thought you wanted me to be likable? You’re yelling at me because your friend likes me? Merlin, Granger, you need to make up your mind.”
Hermione was already growing tired of talking to Malfoy. She had enough stress to deal with and he was…well, stressing her out. “You’re irritating me.”
“Yeah, well, you're not such a delight yourself. You forget I’m here doing this as a favor, don’t you?” He said, shaking her head again at her. “I’m behaving.”
Yes, well. That much was true. He was actually behaving a bit too well and that irritated her as well. She had honestly expected much worse, even more bickering, and well, frankly, she had actually expected a disaster.
But here Malfoy was, eating his pastry with an amused smirk on his face. She eyed him with a hard glare and he sent her a look of ‘yes?’ But she only looked away, sighing as she did. “You’re right.”
“I’m what? What am I?” He leaned in closer as if he didn’t hear her the first time. She scoffed and pushed his shoulder lightly, effectively backing him up.
“Shut up, Malfoy.”
“I didn’t hear you-“
“Oh, come on.” She grabbed his wrist, dragging him in the direction of the group of people that were beginning to form. She suspected that Harry and Ginny were about to begin their first dance and drug Malfoy so that she wouldn’t miss a thing. He followed kindly after, letting himself be dragged along by Hermione Granger.
Hermione was right and as soon as she found a good spot for her and Malfoy to watch, Ginny and Harry walked into the middle of the area. A beautiful song that Hermione already knew Ginny had chose began to play and she watched happily as her best friends swayed together.
“How sweet.” Malfoy mumbled from beside her in a sarcastic tone. “I’m having a marvelous time, Granger. You’re so wonderful for bringing me here to this Potter love fest.”
“That’s why I didn’t tell you what it was,” Hermione hissed back. “You wouldn’t have come if you knew that it was Harry Potter’s wedding.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Yes, I do.”
“Yeah…you're actually probably right. A Potter wedding sounds like the worst night of my life. I would not have agreed.” He confirmed, a disgusted look on his face while he watched the newlyweds dance. Hermione elbowed him in the side, knocking the disgust from his face.
She leaned closer to him, “Well, you need to pretend like its the best night of your life.” He gave her a quick side eye before looking forward once more with an expressionless stare towards them. “I guess that works. Just don’t look at my married friends like they make you physically ill, please.”
“Whatever you wish, Granger.” He grumbled, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “But, for the record, they do make me ill.”
“Shut up, Malfoy.”
“You two won’t be joining the couples on the dance floor?”
Hermione’s eyes lifted to see, gods forbid, Ron Weasley approaching the chairs that she and her date preoccupied. She cleared her throat and instantly felt her hands get clammy.
Malfoy responded before she had even come up with a possible comeback. “Funny you ask, Weasley. Won’t you be dragging your date towards the floor- oh wait,” he snickered. “You didn’t bring one, did you?”
Hermione watched in fear when Ron sized Malfoy up, his face becoming red with some type of anger, or frustration, or whatever he must be feeling at the moment. “Oh, piss off, Malfoy. You sure caught yourself a good one, Hermione.” He then turned, directing it towards his ex.
Hermione stood up, angrily. “You have no right to say that to me, Ron. I’m just seeing other people.”
His eyes flashed with at least a couple of different emotions and he huffed, his gaze glancing between Malfoy and her. “You really had to bring Malfoy? To my sister’s wedding?”
Hermione gulped because she knew, she knew how ridiculous it sounded. How ridiculous it was - but alas, it had been done. “Yes, I did.” And she would own up to it.
“I thought you were the brightest witch of our age?” He asked, scoffing out of the side of his mouth and Malfoy stood up, behind Hermione.
She turned to instruct her date to sit back down but he stepped forward, inching closer to Ron. “Do you have a problem, Weasley?”
“Yes,” he hissed into Malfoy’s face. “You’re here with my girlfriend.”
“Ex-girlfriend, you weasel.”
“Girlfriend,” he declared, but Hermione chipped right back in.
“Ex-girlfriend, Ron.” She said, her eyes filing with tears at the pure frustration she felt towards her ex. “You said you wanted to see other people, so that’s what I'm doing. You can’t be angry just because I found someone to bring and you didn’t.”
Ron’s mouth dangled open and he looked back at her with every emotion she’d never seen him have. He hadn’t cared before, why should he even care now? He hadn’t been afraid to lose her then, why was he now?
Now that Hermione had shown up with Draco Malfoy, with Draco fucking Malfoy who resembled a Greek statue and had a jawline sharp enough to cut gillyweed. Ron looked at Malfoy again and he closed his mouth, grinding his teeth together.
Hermione expected him to say something, do something, but he didn’t. He only looked at Hermione once more before he turned away and left - leaving her behind with Malfoy at her side. She slowly looked at him, and he turned his head to see her, too. “Thanks.” She said, bashfully. “For standing up for me, I mean.”
”He was being an arse.” Malfoy shrugged, forcing his hands into his pockets and Hermione nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly with his statement. “He’s a disrespectful, foul git, Granger. What made you ever want to sleep with him?”
”Malfoy!” She scolded, quickly scanning around them to ensure that no one had heard his naughty inquiry. “Thats not- it’s not appropriate behavior to say things like that at a wedding.”
They were still standing near the chairs on the edge of the dance floor and Hermione’s mind flashed to sit down before anyone thinks you're about to dance with Malfoy. ”It was just a question, Granger, loosen your knickers.”
”Malfoy!”
“What??”
”You two are just the cutest bloody couple,” George Weasley approached from the side. “I think that calls for a dance, doesn’t it?”
”No, I don’t think-“ Hermione shakes her head with a panicked laugh but George took both of their shoulders, pushing them further onto the dance floor and the next thing she knew, she and Malfoy were two awkward wizards standing next to each other surrounded by couples lovingly dancing around them.
Malfoy was stiff as a board, a horrified look on his face. “Granger, we have to get out of here.”
She nodded, “I know. We can just-“ she took a step in one direction but was blocked by Arthur and Molly twirling around them in an embrace. “Maybe we can-“ she took a step in the other direction but got stopped by Neville and Luna. She looked at Malfoy with another nervous chuckle. “Surely we could make it-“ and she was blocked again by Bill spinning Fleur in circles.
She huffed as she faced Malfoy once more. “We’re trapped.”
“Bloody hell, Granger.” He rubbed a hand over his face. “First you invite me to a Potter wedding, then you lock me in a room, and now I’m being forced have a dance with you?” He snickered, and then threw her a quick smirk. “If it were up to me, it’d sound like you like me-“
”Shut up, Malfoy!” She snarled once more and she was beginning to feel like a broken record with that line. “You know the circumstances, don’t be so daft. And there will be no dancing involved whatsoever.”
But, there was. Because what were Hermione and Malfoy supposed to do while stuck in the middle of a never ending dance loop around them. The lights were dimmed and a few spotlights around the area let Hermione just barely see. It all started out quite innocently, to be fair.
Hermione had been awkwardly stepping side to side while she planned an exit, watching for any open space for her to quickly grab Malfoy and dart out from the busy dance floor. She was searching, and scanning, and watching, and suddenly she was knocked into Malfoy’s body.
She let out an oof as she fell into him and he wrapped his arms quickly around her to catch her before she (and him) toppled to the ground. “Woah, Granger, if you really wanted to dance you should’ve just asked.”
Hermione used her hands to push herself off of Malfoy’s chest, but they remained there as she regained her balance. “I was pushed, you bloody moron.”
”Right, I’d say I was pushed, too, if I just wanted an excuse to feel Draco Malfoy’s chest.” He smirked and Hermione felt her cheeks burn when she looked down to her hands, resting on his shirt fabric. She quickly moved to action to drag her hands back down to her own body, but he was quicker and grabbed her wrists before they moved. “They’re supposed to go here, actually.” And he wrapped her arms around his own neck.
Hermione’s mouth dropped open, ready to protest but Malfoy immediately grabbed her hips, pulling her close to his body. “Malfoy, I really didn’t-“
”Weasel is watching.” He muttered under his breath, looking Hermione straight into her eyes and she finally understood. Hermione lightly gulped and Malfoy tipped his head forward, indicating that Ron was surely somewhere behind her. “Over there, sitting by himself.”
Hermione’s eyes widened, “Turn me, so that I can see.”
He smirked at her, “We’d sure be dancing then, Granger. You sure about-“
“Turn me, Malfoy.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He snickered, effectively beginning to sway the both of them so that they naturally danced their way around in a circle and allowed Hermione a complete view of Ronald Weasley sitting in a chair by himself, arms crossed, angrily staring towards her and Malfoy.
She fought back a pleased smile and instead looked up at Malfoy, who in turn looked down at her, too. “Pretend I’ve just made you laugh.”
”What?” He asked, eyebrows furrowed. “No way, Granger.”
“Is it too ridiculous to think that I could make you laugh?” She insisted, and they were both now showing their sides to Ron and staring into each others’ faces instead.
“I just don’t think it would be that believable, is all. We’re putting on a show, shouldn’t it be as realistic as possible?” He snarled, teasing her in a way that made her nostrils flare.
She scoffed, “Fine. Don’t laugh at my jokes then.”
It was silent between the two of them for just a few moments while they spun more, Malfoy’s face now towards Ron again. Unexpectedly, he let out one loud, boisterous laugh and tilted his head back, acting as if she’d made him laugh.
She looked up through her eyelashes at him and smiled - she couldn’t help it. “Thanks,” she mumbled and he returned to looking down at her.
“Was it believable?”
“Almost too believable. I almost thought that I had, in fact, made you laugh.” She couldn’t help but feel herself giggle, too.
He shrugged, “I suppose it could happen. In time.”
“Oh, yeah? Like when, on our next date?” Hermione was now facing Ron again and her eyes missed Malfoy’s reaction to that and instead she witnessed Ron stand angrily from his seat and walk in their opposite direction.
Malfoy hadn’t responded yet so Hermione looked back at the blond in front of her once more. “Next date, eh?” He then asked with a twinge to his lips. “What? Are you going to bring me to the next Weasel family reunion?”
Hermione laughed at Malfoy’s joke and dropped her head, shying away. “Unfortunately, I don’t think that I will be invited to the next Weasley reunion.” She shook her head. “You probably wouldn’t have any fun there, anyway, you seem to have an allergy to redheads.”
“But yet you brought me to a redhead wedding. Surely you weren’t worried for my well being before now, it seems like.” He accused and Hermione had since forgotten that they were even dancing at all. The conversation flow was too smooth, too natural, and it even felt too good.
“This isn’t on me, Malfoy, you should probably be more weary of saying yes to events you don’t have the full details on.” She accused, and she looked into Malfoy’s eyes as he looked into hers.
For the first time, probably ever, she found herself wanting to stare even further into them. He didn’t pull his eyes away, either. “It wasn’t my job to know all the details.”
“Well, it wasn’t mine to tell you about them.”
He challenged her by staring into her eyes even harder. She felt her feet begin to slow, their dancing becoming slower and slower. “I think it was.” He countered with a low drawl in his voice.
“It wasn’t,” she defended. She felt his arms on her hips move, shifting closer to her lower back. “You should…you shoul—“ she wasn’t sure if she even had a comeback planned.
Malfoy was looking into her eyes and it was beginning to feel a way she’d never even considered feeling before about Draco Malfoy. It felt like he’d flipped a switch in his demeanor, he had earlier been irritating, and obnoxious, and rude but in this moment Hermione was beginning to see him entirely differently.
Here, he was quiet and collected. Hermione could smell his cologne again and she simply wished that she couldn’t, the way the boyish scent made her feel was just about criminal. It gave her….thoughts…about Malfoy that she’d rather not have…desires that she’d be quite embarrassed to ever admit.
But then again, his hands were now roaming her back. Her fingers remained stiff around his neck, body tense as his hands explored, slowly, up her back towards her revealed skin. “I should….what, Granger?” Malfoy inquired, referring to Hermione’s unfinished sentence.
Her eyes were still glued to his and she bit her lip, more aware of the feeling of his hands now her skin, overtaking any thought that she was supposed to be having. “You should,” She cleared her throat, trying to bring her brain back to common sense. And she tried, she really did, but his eyes were doing their thing and she felt like she was falling further and further into a Malfoy spell. “…kiss me.”
”What?” He asked, laughing out loud this time. His hands stalled on her back and her eyes immediately widened. She had just told Draco Malfoy to kiss her, hadn’t she? “You want me to kiss you?”
Hermione panicked. What was she supposed to say now? Why hadn’t she thought before she said anything at all? “Ron!” She spat, her mouth just spilling excuses. “He’s over there,” he turned his head to see but Hermione quickly grabbed his chin, pulling it to face her once more. “Don’t look, you moron.”
She knew Ron was definitely not over there. He was not anywhere to be seen, as a matter of fact, but Malfoy didn't need to know that. “You want me to kiss you?” He asked one more time in disbelief, but Hermione still had his chin in her hand and she could smell his cologne, and his eyes, his fucking eyes - she kissed him.
The world froze. At least, Hermione’s did. Their feet were plastered to the ground while they held each other, their lips meeting for the first time. Neither of them moved, frozen, lips enveloped in a tense, awkward kiss. Hermione pulled back, slightly, tearing her eyes open to see the damage she had caused.
Malfoy, however, reached his own hands up to grab onto Hermione’s face, bringing her back into his kiss. She dropped her own hands, reaching out to wrap around his body under his suit jacket. The feeling of his warm body under her hands made her blush, and he kissed her just as intensely a third time.
He pulled back, then, and they remained close. Hermione felt his breath on her tingling lips as he spoke, “I bet Weasel liked that one.”
“I think we could do better than that, actually.” She smirked at him and he instantly leaned back down, taking her lips into another kiss. It was heavy, and sloppy, and Hermione felt her knees try to buckle underneath her. If Malfoy hadn’t been holding her face to his, she’d surely have been a puddle of butterflies on the ground.
“I think,” she whispered as she pulled away, her eyes opening but only to stare at his lips. They were pink and apart, ready to kiss her lips again. “I think I’m going to quite enjoy seeing other people.”