Chapter Text
The remaining week before the wedding had gone by incredibly fast. With the last minute planning, going over the guest list, making sure the flowers and catering were all in order, among the many other things that Hermione wanted to oversee herself, she felt like she barely had time to breathe. Even with the help of two wedding planners, it was a lot for the pregnant witch.
The day had finally come, though, and whatever was going to go wrong couldn't be helped, unless by magic. Hermione had gotten up early to prepare for the wedding. She was grateful for her bridesmaids, her mother, and Mrs. Weasley, who were all fussing over her hair and makeup, making sure she looked perfect for the ceremony. Her bridesmaid's consisted of Ginny, Luna, Fleur, and Astoria. She had considered not asking Astoria, but she had found she actually didn't mind the girl. Even with her crude sense of humor, and general Slytherin attitude, she owed the girl a lot. And she had been present at Astoria's wedding.
Ginny and Fleur were currently fighting over how her hair should be done. "I say we straighten it, or do it up in an elegant bun," Fleur was saying, to which Ginny shook her head.
"No, no, she should have some loose, tame curls. We can pull part of it back, that way it's not too different from how her hair usually is, but still elegant." Ginny suggested. She held up a silver hair pendant with many sparkling gems, "We can use this," she added.
Hermione thought over the three options, glancing over her shoulder in the mirror at the dress she was to wear, pursing her lips in thought. "Sorry Fleur, I kind of like Ginny’s idea." Hermione said regretfully, which Fleur waved off.
"It's your day, do not be sorry." Fleur told Hermione with a smile.
The two of them set to curling her hair, as Ginny had suggested they did loose, intentional curls. Hermione's hair had grown quite a bit, and was especially healthy looking from all of the vitamins she was taking for the baby, and she wanted to show that off. Luna stayed back, being useful when she could be. Molly and her mother were fussing over the rest of the girls, making sure they were getting themselves ready as well, while Astoria hung back and got herself ready.
When all of their hair and makeup was done, Hermione began to really grow nervous. She was getting her dress on now, with the help of Ginny. Her dress was form fitting, down to about her knees, where it flared out with lace that dragged on the floor. The long sleeves were also completely lace. Hermione had debated on what style dress she wanted, and in the end she decided that she was going to show off her baby bump, and looking in the mirror, she was glad she had. There was no hiding it at this point, anyways. While they had all been getting dressed, Molly left the room to get herself ready.
"Mione, you look so beautiful," her mother said, smiling proudly as she helped her with her veil. Once it was secure, she placed a hand on Hermione's stomach, smiling teary eyed at Hermione in the mirror from over her shoulder.
"Thanks, mum," Hermione said, smiling back at her. Just then, Molly burst into the room again. "It's time, everybody ready?" She asked excitedly. Hermione hurriedly got her shoes on, she had chosen to wear heals, just until the ceremony was over. After, she had a nice pair of flats picked out for the rest of the night.
Hermione was led to her father, who was ready, and looking quite dashing in his suit. Her mother and Molly went to find their seats, while the rest of the girls went ahead of her and her father.
Draco couldn’t shake the feeling of dread that had plagued him since he woke that morning. It was all just too good to be true. He’d never looked forward to anything more in his life, making Hermione his and only his. And she wanted to be his. Which seemed… impossible. But thus far, the day had gone by, from what he knew, without a hitch.
He made it all the way to the altar, dressed in a freshly tailored tuxedo, as it was too warm for dress robes. The Zabini Vineyards were a perfect venue for both the ceremony and the reception, and he was glad that Blaise had convinced his mother to allow the event on their private property. Blaise Zabini himself stood at his side, along with Potter, Goyle, and Silva, all the same blokes who’d attended his bachelor party. A hundred white wooden chairs, adorned with flowers, were set out before him, with a long aisle set down the middle, a white runner covered in pink and white rose petals leading to where he stood. The seats were filled with friends and family. Even his mother had come, which shouldn’t have surprised him as much as it had. Weasley had shown, as he’d asked permission to do, though Draco had hoped he’d chicken out.
All that he was waiting for now was for Hermione and her father to come walking down the aisle, and the music had just begun. Any moment now…
Hermione held onto her fathers' arm, watching as her bridesmaids went down the aisle one by one ahead of her. She took a few deep, steadying breaths as she watched Astoria disappear behind the curtain, she was the last one to go before Hermione. "Ready?" Her dad asked, smiling down at her. She nodded nervously, and then began to walk. Her dad held the curtain open as they passed through into the bright outdoors, where she was surrounded by the wedding party that was made up of both of their friends and family. At the end of the long walk she saw Draco waiting for her, and couldn't help but grin.
As she walked, she spotted a certain head of red hair that made her panic momentarily. But as she looked at him, he looked back with a sheepish smile, and she decided there was nothing to be done about it at that very moment. Soon, her father placed her hand in Draco's, and she was standing face to face with her love. Before he departed, her father gently moved the veil back to reveal her fully, and then he went to sit with her mother.
The sight of his bride coming down the aisle toward him was… startling. She’d always been beautiful, but to see her now, in that lace dress, with her belly proudly on display, well, he’d never seen anything so precious. His knees buckled for a moment as she came nearer, and when her father passed her off to him, he gave her hands a squeeze. “You look… amazing,” he whispered to her in awe.
Hermione grinned at her soon to be husband. "So do you." She told him quietly, squeezing his hands lightly, before turning her attention to the officiant. He began the ceremony, and she listened as he spoke, they had opted for a traditional ceremony, and to write their own vows, which she had been working on in her free time obsessively. Before she got to do hers, however, Draco was asked to read his vows. She turned her attention back to him, prepared to cry. Luckily they had charmed her makeup not to run or smudge.
Draco looked at his beautiful bride and took a deep breath. He’d been preparing his vows in his head for a few weeks now, but it wasn’t until that morning that he’d fully memorized the words he wished to share with her. He wished he could have done so more privately, but that would defeat the purpose of this public declaration. So, he gave it his all.
“Hermione, from the first day we returned to Hogwarts I could tell that things were going to be different between us. Our battle was over, along with all of the preconceptions and prejudices that came with it. For the first time I didn’t see Hermione Granger the muggleborn, the Gryffindor, the best friend of the Chosen one. For the first time I saw Hermione Granger the genius, the compassionate, the woman. Before I knew it I was addicted to you and everything you brought into my life. I didn’t even notice at first when that shifted into something more. And the day I learned that we were going to be a family I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that this was what I wanted, this moment here, now, and every moment that we will come to share for the rest of our lives.” He stroked his thumb over her hand slowly. “I love you, Hermione.”
Hermione stared at him, tears welling in her eyes as he spoke his vows. She kept her eyes on him, not wanting to be distracted by the many people that were watching them in such an intimate moment. She squeezed his hands, trying to collect herself to speak.
"I love you, Draco. Words I never imagined I'd say, in all our time knowing one another. Returning to Hogwarts this year was the best decision I've made in a long time, I was in a dark place, and when I think back and remember how close I was to not returning, I imagine how different my life would have been. I never thought you would be the one to pull me out of that darkness, to put me back together, to put my family back together, and then help me create an entirely new family, and future. I found love in a snow storm, and when that storm cleared you were there, with love, and support, and everything I've ever wanted in life."
Her voice cracked and wavered several times as she spoke, but she powered through, and when she had said all she had to say, she took a deep, calming breath, happy to have that bit over with.
Draco might have been the only person, save for perhaps Potter, who had any idea what she meant by “snow storm”, but he couldn’t have thought of a more accurate way to describe it. He wanted to kiss her, now, but it wasn’t time yet. He was barely listening to the officiant who was talking. When he heard something about a ring, Draco turned his attention to Blaise, and took Hermione’s wedding band in hand, turning back to his bride. He repeated the words that were dictated to him. “Hermione, with this ring, I make you my wife, to love, honor, charish, and protect for the rest of my days.” He slipped the ring onto her finger.
Hermione waited until it was her turn, turning to Ginny to get the ring, and turned back to Draco. "Draco, with this ring, I make you my husband, to love, honor, cherish, and protect for the rest of my days," she repeated the words. At this point, the officiant asked if anyone wished to object, and she suddenly remembered that Ron was there. She held her breath, her eyes falling on him, but he was sitting there calmly, and no one spoke up to object.
“Well then, by the power vested in me by the Ministry of Magic, I pronounce this witch and this wizard husband and wife. You may kiss your-.” Draco didn’t need to hear the words to know that it was finally time to seal this ceremony with a kiss. He dropped her hands and brought her face to his in a tender but steamy kiss, uncaring who saw. She was his now. “Bride…”
Hermione was looking at the officiant when Draco grabbed her face, kissing her prematurely. She grinned against his lips, throwing her arms, bouquet and all, around his neck. She let the kiss linger, and when they broke apart, she was still grinning. "We did it," she said happily. For a moment she had been scared that Ron was there to wreck the whole thing, but now she couldn’t help but wonder why he was there. But the ceremony was over, it was official, and all that was left was to celebrate their union.
The next hour consisted of the bride, groom, and bridal party posing for what felt like hundreds of wedding photos. It was nearly sunset before they made it to the reception, where their guests had been enjoying a well catered cocktail hour. The couple was announced as Mister and Misses Draco Malfoy, and Draco escorted his bride out onto the dancefloor. He wrapped his arms around her as their first dance song began to play.
“I still can’t believe we managed it,” he spoke to her with a smirk. “We got through the whole ceremony without any sort of drama, or tragedy. Of course, the verdict’s still out on Father.” For all they knew he was lying dead in the manor somewhere.
Hermione was happy to have the photos over with, but she knew she'd be even happier when she actually got them. She had gotten many compliments on her dress on the way to get them done, and was feeling pretty confident with her dress of choice. If she was going to get married when she was about to pop, why not show it off?
As they began their first dance, she laughed at Draco's words. It was true, there was no way for them to know if his father had keeled over, his mother was still at the wedding reception, after all. "Ah, who cares!" She said with a grin in regards to his father's well-being. They had done enough to try and prevent him from dying, after all. "But, speaking of drama, did you see Ron at the wedding?" She asked him as they danced. She hadn’t had the chance to really talk to him about it until now, and she was still wondering what that had been about, and if he was still around somewhere just waiting to stir up some drama.
Draco nodded. “Yeah, Weasley made a special request to attend,” he informed her. “He’s here to see you, to apologize. And if that’s not his intention I’ll still kick his arse,” he told her with a smirk. She’d probably be upset that he hadn’t told her sooner, but she might have refused, and he’d promised the weasel a fair shot at an apology. “I’ll let him make his own case for himself.”
Hermione was actually pretty surprised to hear that Draco knew about him coming, and had allowed it. And if she weren't so happy that the day had gone so well, she might have allowed herself to be mad about it. "I'm surprised you allowed that, I think you've gone soft." She told him with a teasing grin. If Ron wanted to apologize, and had waited until after she was married to do so, she didn't think he would actually try anything funny. But it would have to be one hell of an apology.
Draco let one of his hands slip down, and squeeze one of her lace-covered cheeks firmly but quickly. “Going soft, am I? I’ll show you how soft I’ve gone tonight.” He couldn’t wait to celebrate their nuptials with his new bride later that evening, after all the festivities. In fact, he might not even be that patient.
Hermione grinned at her husband, "I can't wait," she told him, not minding that people had probably seen his hand on her rear. It was their night!
They danced, and socialized, and danced some more before Hermione finally needed a break, and went to sit down and enjoy the one glass of wine she would allow herself that night. She had told Draco he should ask his mother to dance, not wanting to make him sit on the sidelines as well.
Watching Hermione get married to anyone, much less the former death eater Draco Malfoy, made Ron’s stomach turn, but he’d attended with the intent of seeing it for himself, for closure. If he was going to try to be her friend, he needed to accept that they loved each other. And if he had to be honest, seeing them at the altar together, hearing their vows, even he was moved.
When Hermione was alone, Ron decided that now was as good a time as ever to talk to her, one on one. He was nervous, so he brought the bride a peace offering in the form of a plate of appetizers. “You look beautiful,” he told Hermione by means of greeting, offering her the plate. He’d heard that brides sometimes didn’t get the chance to eat at their own weddings, and she needed to eat for two.
Hermione looked up at Ron, who offered her a plate of appetizers and a compliment, and she smiled. "Thanks," she said, taking a piece of food from the plate to take a bite. She was definitely hungry, so the food was a welcome peace offering. "You want to sit?" She asked him, gesturing to the chair beside her. Having known why he was there, she had been wondering when he would approach her, or if he would lose his nerve and just not say anything at all.
Ron moved to sit next to her as she offered. “Hermione… I know that the things that I did and said to you were… unforgivable. I just want you to know, it wasn’t because I hated you, I could never hate you. I was just jealous. I was losing you and I didn’t understand why and…” He shook his head. “But I only lost you because of the things I said, and you didn’t deserve any of it. It’s not your fault you fell in love with someone else. I want you to be happy, and I see it now. You are.”
Hermione listened to his apology quietly, leaning close to hear him over the music and talking. When he finished speaking, she gave him a slight smile. "I appreciate you saying all of that." She told him. "It was… pretty brave of you to ask Draco if you could come here today, and while I was surprised to see you, I'm glad you could be here." She told him. "And I'm sorry too, it wasn't just you. I said some pretty horrible things too, and I'd Iike to put all of that behind us," she said with a slight smile.
Ron smiled back at her. “I’d like to put all of that behind us too.” He sighed, building up a bit more courage. “I mean, if Harry can stand up there next to him at your wedding… he must see something in that snake that I don’t.” He smiled, showing that he was only teasing in calling her husband a snake.
Hermione shoved his shoulder playfully, but laughed. "They get along alright, actually," she said. Harry had been at the baby shower, the bachelor party, and one of Draco's groomsmen, and from what she could tell they actually didn't mind each other. She took another appetizer from the plate and popped it in her mouth, chewing and swallowing. "I have missed having you around, even after everything that was said," she informed him with a sad smile.
Ron offered Hermione a sheepish smile. “Do you think we can ever be friends again?” he asked her, genuinely hopeful, but also doubtful. It was one thing for her to accept his apology, it was even one thing to admit to missing him, but being willing to be friends again, that was a whole other story.
Hermione thought about his question for a moment. He had said a lot of things, threatened even worse things to try to keep her. She had done some pretty horrible stuff as well, she'd risked her own child's health just to keep having a good time, and here she was, about to have a healthy baby, and she was now married to the man she loved. It seemed only fair to give Ron a second chance as well. They had been best friends at one time, and if Draco was fine with her making up with Ron, she didn't see any reason not to give him that chance. After a long pause, she smiled at him, "I think it'd be a shame not to try." She finally answered him.
The celebration, while fun, felt as though it would never end. Thank Merlin for the wedding planners who were able to handle all of the cleanup and free the bride and groom to head to their final destination of the evening. Draco and Hermione had booked a couple nights at a resort not far from the Zabini family vineyards (where Hermione had spent the previous night leading up to the wedding) in order to indulge themselves in a mini-honeymoon. They would have their real honeymoon at a later date, sometime after the baby is born, perhaps for their anniversary. So when at long last the party was over, Draco escorted his new bride to their suite, which featured a luxury bedroom, a private pool and, one thing that he was especially looking forward to, an oversized tub that would comfortably fit them both.
Ever one to maintain tradition, Draco lifted Hermione into his arms and carried her through the threshold of the suite, delivering her to the center of the room before gently placing her down again. It was a different room than the one she’d stayed in the night before, in order to maintain the element of surprise.
“Wow, this is really something,” Draco expressed, looking around the suit as he rid himself of his jacket. With a flick of his wand the piece floated off to hang itself in the closet. “Remind me to thank Zabini for the hookup later.” He was unbuttoning his vest now, and it, too, flew into the closet. He started on the tie.
Hermione had enjoyed the wedding, and the party that followed it, but she was ready to relax. When Draco carried her through the threshold, she laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck. She didn't think he would drop her, but she was definitely heavier than she usually was. Before he had set her down, she had kicked off her flats. Now that they were inside, she took a good look around. It was a lot bigger than the room she had shared with Ginny the previous night, with one king size bed, rather than the two queen size beds they had in the other room.
"Yeah, he really came through, with the vineyard, and this room. Merlin, look at that tub," she said peeking into the bathroom briefly. She went over to the bed, falling back on it while Draco undressed. "I'm going to need your help with this dress." She informed him with a laugh. There were buttons all down the back of the dress that she wouldn’t be able to manage by herself.
Draco continued undressing until he was down to just his underwear, before stepping over to the bed where Hermione had unceremoniously plopped herself. “Here, let me see,” he offered her a hand to pull her back upright, and, after pulling her hair to one side, including all of the stray locks and curls that had fallen throughout the night, he began to carefully work the little pearl-like buttons that trailed all the way down her spine. “Bloody hell, why are there so many of these?” he asked, awed and amused.
Hermione laughed as he worked at the buttons. "Something about making the fit just right I think. It's pretty standard for the dresses that are meant to fit snug." She would know, she had looked at a lot of different dresses, in a lot of different styles. When he finally finished unbuttoning the dress, she stood up and removed it carefully. The dress floated off to hang itself with his suit, and she was left in the silk slip she had worn under her wedding dress, feeling much less restrained by the form fitting dress she had chosen.
Draco chuckled. “Alright, fair enough.” When the dress was gone, Draco found himself admiring the half-naked woman left standing before him. Even with her swollen belly and tired eyes she was still the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. He approached her, wrapping his arms around her. “Can you believe it? We did it. We actually fucking got married.” Eight years ago he would have pitched a fit if someone would have told him he’d soon marry a Gryffindor, much less a muggleborn!
Hermione rested her arms lazily on his shoulders, grinning up at him. "And I dare say, not a single thing went wrong all day." She added, leaning up to kiss him. It was strange to think she was now a Malfoy, and she was kissing her husband. She actually had a husband!
“Now, before we jinx that, I suggest you finish undressing and get your little arse up on that bed, Mrs Malfoy,” he warned her, smirking wickedly. He couldn’t wait to consummate their union, not that they hadn’t consummated it literally hundreds of times before.
Hermione smirked at him, stepping away to pull the slip over her head, which she let fall to the floor. "Yes, sir," she said, and made quick work of removing her bra and panties as well. She got onto the bed as he had ordered, reveling in how comfortable it was.
Draco swooped in, crawling onto the bed and moving straight between her legs. He spread her thighs with his hands and moved straight in to taste her. He moaned into the heat of her cunt and lapped at the light layer of moisture that lived there. His tongue dove into her opening greedily, licking away the juices that had begun to pool that, and he sucked eagerly on her clit a moment later. With the aid of three fingers, he pumped into her harshly, still sucking and now nibbling on the small pleasure nub. He was going to see just how many times he could make his bride scream his name, which she now shared.
Hermione moaned, her hand moving to tangle in his hair as he began his assault on her sensitive clit. Every time he sucked or nibbled on it he caused her legs to spasm uncontrollably. Her eyes are closed tightly, too tired to try to look over her stomach and watch what he was doing to her. Her mouth fell open as sounds of pleasure escaped her. "Fuck!" She gasped as his efforts pushed her to climax quickly. Her back arched as she clamped down on the three fingers that were moving inside of her harshly. When her body finally relaxed, her grip on his hair loosened, and her eyes did not open.
Draco devoured her orgasm like it was a refreshment offered in reward to a job well done. Her body had stilled, but it wasn't until Draco came up for air that he realized that her heavy panting had turned into very steady, even breathing. "Hermione," he said, to no reply. He moved up her body to hover over her. His rock solid cock was pressing painfully into his underwear trying to escape, but as he looked down at her there was no doubt in his mind. His beautiful, sexy, freshly climaxed bride… was fast asleep.