Merry Yuletide
As soon as Athena, her little owl, had left to deliver her missive to Malfoy, Hermione panicked. It was too late to recall the small bird. Merely a speck in the sky, Hermione knew it would not hear her call. She hastily scrawled a new note complete with ink splotches from the pen smearing. She paced. Threw the note in the fire. Another quickly written letter was penned. She paced some more. Ten minutes passed. Realistically, she knew Athena would be a few more hours at the earliest, even with the magic speeding her along. She looked out the sitting room window anyway.
For heaven’s sake. What was I thinking? Agreeing to marry Malfoy! I am a bloody fool.
Before she could stop herself, Hermione threw a handful of floo powder into the hearth to call on Ginny Weasley. Closing her eyes, she stuck her head into the fire and waited.
“Hello? Is anyone home? Is it safe to open my eyes?” Hermione shouted, the flames were roaring in her ears (a dreadful part of floo calling) but she also needed to announce her presence in the hearth. The last time she had called on Luna and Ginny, she saw a full expanse of skin and some mind-boggling positioning she couldn’t quite forget.
“Oh, Hermione, your hair looks glorious like that.” Luna’s dreamy voice came from a distance and Hermione slowly eased one eye open. Luna walked towards her, a flowing patchwork skirt wrapped around her hips and a bright blue top that exposed most of her midriff. It was a very Luna outfit.
“Hi Luna, may I borrow your owl to send a letter? I just sent Athena off and well, I need to retract something in my previous letter. Immediately.” Hermione scanned the day room, with its large windows and natural light, during the daytime, it was a sight to behold. Paint brushes, easels, blank canvases, and hundreds of paint canisters littered the room. What had once been a summer porch was now Ginny’s studio. Quidditch took up much of her time but in the off-season, her friend would spend hours in this room. Luna would join her on most occasions, and if the countless portraits of Luna in various forms of undress were any indication, Ginny’s main source of inspiration.
“Luna love, are you talking to yourself again? You know the nargles…Oh, Hermione! How lovely!” Ginny stood in the doorway in tight pants that hugged her legs and an oversized purple and orange sweatshirt boasting three interlocking W’s, her hair looked wind swept and her freckled face was red with the cold. She must have just come in from flying, whether returning from a match or just practice, it was not good timing. Hermione groaned inwardly. She had hoped Ginny would be still with the Harpies. Luna would not ask questions, but Ginny was the youngest of seven children. Busybody was her middle name.
“Oh, look at that, I must be going. So nice of you to have a quick chat! Thank you, Luna! Talk–” Hermione was cut off as Luna turned to Ginny.
“Hermione forgot to include something in her owl. She would like to borrow Pig.”
Suddenly there was a glint in Ginny’s eye that Hermione did not like. Ginny may be one for gossip, but she was also the keenest witch Hermione knew, if she did not leave now, she would have the entire story from her within minutes.
“I, ah, nevermind Luna. You were a dear for offering, but I must be going.” Her friend opened her mouth to reply, but Hermione quickly withdrew her head from the hearth and sat back on her heels. There was an unfortunate smell wafting through the cottage and Hermione jumped to her feet. While worrying about her letter to Malfoy, she had completely forgotten about her supper.
As she cleaned the mess, her thoughts slowly organised into two little columns. As she slowly scrubbed the dishes in the sink the muggle way, she felt herself calm down. She could do this. No one would need to know. They would go to the ministry, sign the papers and then sign the papers for an annulment. They should not be married for more than a few minutes. As she talked out her plan, Crookshanks sat on the stool in the corner slowly blinking at her.
Bloody hell, even the cat doesn’t believe me. There were so many ways this could go wrong and if Hermione was sure of anything in her life it was how terribly wrong things could go when magic was involved.
As she was turning down the lamps for bed, Athena swooped to the kitchen sill, gave a quick tap and then took off again. Hermione turned about to call her back to send her second letter to Malfoy but then a much larger owl took Athena’s spot, letter attatched to his leg. Sighing, Hermione cast a quick lumos to illuminate the area by the window to retrieve the scroll. She gave the creature a quick pet between its tufted ears and sent it on its way with a treat. While the owl was unfamilliar, the penmenship on the letter was not.
Do not goose out.
-DM
Hermione huffed. Was he trying to call her a chicken or a silly goose? Her frown tightened at the thought of Draco Malfoy calling her a coward and solidified her decision, she would marry Malfoy and damn the consequences. She refused to acknowledge that it was a simillar challange that started this mess to begin with and went to bed.
✧✧✧
Hermione moved through the Ministry in a trance. She drifted through the floo and the lift, slid into her chair at her cubicle. Piles of paperwork precariously placed about her desk stared at her, the words blurring into black lines. When she finally couldn’t stand the office chatter, she left her tight cubicle to make a cuppa. She spilled the first cup of tea and then the second. Hermione snapped at several Ministry employees, including Ron when he came to ask her to lunch. She kept reliving her hand clutched in Malfoy’s vowing herself to him if neither of them Her distraction was so terrible, Kreller sent her home early.
“You seem so out of sorts today, love. Maybe best to take an early holiday. Lay low and just rest. Nothing pressing over the holidays.” When Hermione tried to protest, the elderly man simply shrugged.
“Those files will sit until the ‘Gamot feels like lookin’ any how. Best enjoy your holiday. Come back in the New Year well rested.” He patted her on the hand like a child and ushered her from the third level. “The New Year my dear, everything will be better then.” He gave a cheery little wave and shut the door to their section in her face. She always knew Malfoy would ruin her, but she had hopes it would have been something other than her career. Instead of hexing her way back into the office, Hermione hefted her coat on and trudged out into the snow of muggle London.
While she successfully begged off previous invitations to the Malfoy Yule Gala, Hermione did not have to be a seer to know that Pansy would drag her by the hair through the floo to her engagement party if necessary. She responded to the invitation late, hoping that they just would not have room for her however Narcissa had responded almost immediately with directions to apparate just outside the estate and come in through the front gate. Hermione could see the wisdom in not opening ones floo to what she would assume would be hundreds of guests and silently she was grateful not to be thrust into the drawing room upon first arrival. With any luck she would not have to step a toe over that threshold.
✧✧✧
In the days leading up to the Parkbottom Soiree (Theo’s decision, not Draco’s), there was a constant flow of traffic through the Manor; the decorators, Pansy, caterers, florists, Pansy, the manager of the string quartet Narcissa had hired, the personal shopper Pansy had hired to hand out gifts to all the guests, Pansy with Longbottom trailing after her. The first days of Yule came and went and Draco did not have much time to think about Granger or her aqusistence of their upcoming nuptials. He also managed to keep his mother from questioning his good cheer by revealing in his friends’ engagement. Oh, she knew he was up to something, but he could tell she did not want to ruin his mood.
“Draco Darling, have you spoken to the Ministry official who was connecting the Manor to the floo network? Dorthea tried to come through earlier and it was still closed.” Narcissa kissed his cheek as he came into the parlour. His stomach dipped. He forgot that he cancelled the floo connection. They had originally planned to have guests arrive by floo, but then Granger’s RSVP came through.
“Ah, yes. About that, Mother.” He raised a hand before she could protest his lack of action. “No, no, do not be alarmed. I’ve spoken to Pansy and we have decided to receive guests at the gate. Allow for a more dramatic entrance than coming through a dusty grate.” He went on the describe Pansy’s new plan to have each guest greeted at the wards with a solo violinist and falling flowers to symbolise snow falling. He painted an elegant picture of welcoming guests into their protection for the night just as Freya and Njord would have wanted. Ever the host, Narcissa Malfoy did not object.
“If that is what Pansy and Neville wish, then we shall make it so!” She clapped her hands and floated off calling for Bristel.
Draco may have failed to mention taht it was his idea to keep the floo closed so all the guests had to arrive at the gate simply because he wanted Granger to have a chance to decide to walk over the entrance. Draco leaned his head against the wall. He could not imagine the bravery it would take for her to come. Part of him wanted her to stay home, cosy in front of her fire with a book in hand, tucked safely away from the trauma this house had caused her. He knew she was attending due to her friendship with both Pansy and Longbottom and vowed to himself and made Fidel promise as well, Granger would not be left alone in the Manor. She would not step a foot towards the drawing room where she had been tortured.
“Master Draco, Miss Pansy is here.” The small voice of Fidel brought Draco back to the moment at hand and much needed to be done, including finalising his speech for the night. Draco smiled down at the elf, dressed in a neat green shift, giant bow on his head like a Yuletime present. Pansy was diabolical.
✧✧✧
The entire ballroom smelled like pine and juniper. The soft orbs of light floating high above the partygoers head set the ambiance but the scent of winter wafting through the air as guests mingled made Draco feel light. He ran a hand down his dark green lapels and turned towards Blaise. The tall dark-skinned man casually directed his attention towards the entrance to the chamber. Potter stood in the entryway, a hand running through his hair in that insufferable way he had, but on his arm was a goddess. She was wrapped in dark blue satin, her curls pulled to the top of her head in a braided crown, and Potter’s arm was wrapped around her waist.
Draco’s entire body clenched as Potter bent his frame down to whisper something in her ear and she threw her head back and laughed. She placed a delicate hand on his chest and looked up at Potter with such admiration that Draco had to turn away. Did she tell Potter about her new engagement? Did he know that she was planning on marrying Draco in less than a week? He had no right to be jealous, but that did not stop the warmth that moved through him. He could just pull out his wand and hex Potter now. He could fire off an Avada before anyone could stop him. His heart was racing. He watched as Potter bent his lanky frame down and…did he just kiss her temple? Draco felt his fingers tighten on the shaft of his wand. Why were her cheeks flushed? That was his witch…Draco continued to watch as Potter placed his hand on her lower back, bare skin down to her backside
“You’re going to give yourself away.” Longbottom had materialised next to him. Taking the champagne flute from his proffered hand, Draco made a noncommittal sound. Did everyone know about his stupid infatuation? Tipping the flute to his lips, he tried not to stare as Potter steered Granger through the crowd before one of those Weasley twins maneuvered his way between the pair. The distance prevented him from being able to distinguish which twin it was. The whole place was infested with gingers. He even saw the Weasley patriarch chatting up his mum earlier.
Draco flexed his aching fingers as he dropped the glass on a tray floating pass. The twin smiled down at Granger who beamed up at him as she placed her small hand in his and he led them to the crowd of dancers. His blue robes matched hers and Draco briefly wondered if she was here with Potter and the Weasley. Though maybe she just needed the support of her friends to walk through his doors. Tonight could not be an easy one for her and a flash of gratitude towards Potter and his motley crew of wizards rolled through him.
“Mate, do we need to confiscate your wand?” Theo had somehow snuck up on him and was standing to his left. He rolled his eyes. Of course he would be wearing a velvet red muggle suit. Theo was never one to shy away from drawing the eye, even at someone else's engagement party.
“Just ask her to dance. This is getting tiring, watching you moon about.” He did not respond and eventually Theo chucked his chin at the edge of the dance floor. “Incoming.” All three men turned to see Pansy gliding towards them, her bright pink gown trailed slightly behind her, drawing every eye in the room. Her eyes glinted as she latched herself to her fiancé, enjoying the attention.
“It is almost time for us to dance. Are you ready? We do not have to be a spectacle.” Longbottom and Draco both exchanged a look. She was wearing a gown of fuchia and it had a Salazar forsaken train. She was a damned spectacle and she knew it. Her voice was softer than Draco knew she could be. Longbottom brought out the kitten in her where he had only ever received her claws. Wanting to keep her pleasant, he chose to keep his thoughts to himself. She glanced at Draco as if she could hear him, but nodded once and then eyed him shrewdly.
“Draco. Do not let Potter’s speech be better than yours.” She gave him a smile that was all teeth before sauntering off with Longbottom at her side.
Theo spotted a flash of red beard through the crowd and turned towards Draco, who raised an eyebrow at the man. Nott’s face had taken on a childlike wonder when he realised the man in a dark blue muggle suit was none other than Charlie Weasley.
“Been meddling Malfoy?” Theo’s blue eyes twinkled as they followed the dragon tamer’s form through the throng of partygoers.
Draco raised a champagne flute and tipped it towards Longbottom and Parkinson, cocooned in a bit of glittery magic of their own making.
“I did not create the guest list Nott. Might want to extend your gratitude towards the pair of old biddies about to be bonded.”
“Should have known they wouldn't have stopped at G—” Theo quickly closed his mouth, tossed back an entire flute of bubbles in one gulp, nodded to himself and straightened his black robes. “Right. Nevermind that. Off to woo a wizard.” He clapped a hand to Draco's shoulder and made a direct line towards the elder Weasley.
Draco sighed. Everyone was pairing up and he was stood against the wall like a piece of decoration.