Just weeks after Draco’s 21st birthday, he was forced to be wed.
He always knew he wouldn’t get to experience a love story of his own - his future wife was never going to be of his choosing - but he wasn’t expecting the Ministry to make the decision for him. His mother and father were supposed to find him a well-bred, pureblood girl to marry and create children with.
It wasn’t supposed to be Hermione Granger.
Draco’s initial reaction was relief, as selfish as it was. Granger is familiar. She’s full of life and she’s interesting - she could give Draco a life worth looking forward to, not dreading.
But, then, he remembered she didn’t choose him. She was being forced into a marriage she didn’t want. He felt guilty and sick to his stomach at that realization.
She’d never be happy with him. She hates him.
They met up only once before their wedding, to discuss finances and living situations. The marriage law forced them to live together, and Draco was already prepared to move out of the Manor.
Hermione sat awkwardly across from Draco at a table in a Ministry meeting room. She was fidgeting nervously and wouldn’t look him in the eyes. Was she scared?
“I will buy us any home you’d like. I don’t expect you to move into the Manor.” Draco tried to send her a warm smile, but she didn’t look away from the contract on the table in front of her.
“You choose,” was all she said.
Draco nodded.
A few moments of silence passed.
“Granger.”
She finally - finally - looked up at him. Her eyes looked so sad.
“I don’t want you to be miserable. I can make you happy, if you let me.” Draco’s tone was genuine.
She gave him a nod and sniffled once, looking back at her contract.
Their meeting ended soon after. Draco promised Granger full access to his vaults and made sure she wouldn’t have to work if she didn’t want to. He refused to force her into any sort of payment agreement. She will never owe him anything.
Their wedding happened two weeks later. Granger looked beautiful, even though her dress was dark gray and simple, not white and intricate.
She didn’t look at him at all throughout the entire ceremony, while Draco couldn’t tear his eyes away from her.
He was always intrigued by her, and now she was his, essentially. She would never belong to another.
The thought brought him both intense pleasure and shame. Granger should’ve been able to marry someone she loves.
He kissed her cheek instead of her lips after they were wed. She seemed frozen at the altar, so Draco gently took her hand and led her down the aisle.
Draco had a honeymoon planned, if she wanted one, but he highly doubted she’d want to go anywhere with him. So instead, he apparated them to their new home.
It’s smaller and more homey than the Manor, but still large and elegant.
Granger let go of his hand and surveyed the entryway they landed in. She didn’t say a word to him before walking off, probably to explore the rest of the house.
Draco stood, unmoving, for several minutes after she left. He felt frustrated - with himself, not her - and empty. He couldn’t blame her; he was horrible to her when they were children. But he has changed. He only wanted her to be happy, now. Preferably, happy with him.
Draco found Hermione standing in the master bedroom once he got control of his emotions.
She was staring at both of their boxes of clothing, next to each other in the corner. Draco cursed under his breath. She must’ve thought he was making her share a room with him.
“Are we meant to… ?”
Draco sighed. “No. No, you can pick any room you’d like. I’ll stay in a different one.”
She picked the smallest bedroom, at the end of the hallway. It’s decorated with warm colors and a double bed and has plenty of room for her books and relatively small amount of clothing.
Selfishly, he chose the room closest to hers. Anything to feel less alone.
If she noticed, she didn’t say anything. He didn’t see her again until breakfast the next morning.
She disappeared again after they ate. Draco spent the time she wasn't around filing paperwork, adding her name to his vaults, making sure she’ll have access to any of his assets she might need.
Right before dinner, he’d come across the paperwork to change Granger’s name. He wondered whether or not she’d allow him to give her his name. The thought of her being a Malfoy sent his blood rushing - he couldn’t tell if it felt perfectly right or incredibly wrong. A spark of possessiveness shot through him nonetheless. He stared at it for a long while, contemplating, until he realized he was nearly late for their meal.
They ate in relative silence, only a few words spoken between them the entire half hour. He meant to bring up her last name, he really did, but she didn’t seem exactly keen on him during dinner, so he put it off.
He didn’t mention it the next day, mostly because he didn’t see her at all, aside from a brief run-in in the library he stocked for her. As soon as she saw him, she put her book away and left the room.
Draco would be lying if he said her absence didn’t affect him, but how can you miss someone you barely know? He never had her, not really. It’s not as if her avoiding him is anything new.
The next two and a half weeks passed in a similar fashion. Sometimes she dined with him, sometimes she didn’t. He saw her every once in a while, passing by in the hallway outside of their rooms, or in the library where she likes to read by the window.
Draco felt lonely. Not that he wasn’t before, but he was married now. He has a wife, and, yet, he feels utterly alone.
The few moments he did get to see his wife, he cherished. The few times a day he could ask her how she was, tell her she looked lovely that day – he looked forward to those tiny conversations.
She never looked incredibly excited to see him, but sometimes, he got a smile. He collected those smiles as if they’re the most precious things in the world; tallied them up and tried to get more and more of her smiles each day.
He had no reason to seek her out, sadly, until he remembered the name-change paperwork waiting on his desk for him to fill out. Even if she chose not to make any change, they must turn in the paperwork, and it was due soon. Three days, to be exact.
So, Draco gathered the parchment, walked to Granger’s bedroom door, and raised his fist to knock. Then, he froze, because he’d never knocked on her door before, and he found it sort of ridiculous that he had to knock on his wife’s bedroom door, in their home.
Draco took a deep breath, because there was no use getting frustrated or worked up now. He would respect her privacy, even if they are legally married.
He knocked, then heard a quiet gasp come from the other side of the door. He couldn’t stop a small smile from erupting. She’s adorable, his wife.
The door clicked open and Draco schooled his features, standing up taller. Granger appeared in front of him, and he was smiling again before he could help it. “Hi.”
Granger smiled a tiny smile of her own, and Draco’s chest filled with pride. “Hello, Malfoy. Did you need something?”
Draco nodded and took a deep breath, collecting his thoughts so his words came across calm and unbiased. “I need to submit the paperwork stating what you’d like your last name to be.” He tried to keep his features neutral, but he was certain his tone and expression turned pleading at the end of his sentence.
Granger’s eyes widened and her lips parted, but she hesitated before speaking. “Oh. I - ”
Draco winced, and before he could stop himself, he was rambling, talking way too fast and sounding way too nervous. “I’m sorry, I should’ve brought it up sooner so you’d have time to think about it. It’s perfectly fine if you want to keep your name. I’d understand… But I’d like - No, I’d love for you to take Malfoy, if you want it. Or even a combination… like hyphenated? Malfoy-Granger? Granger-Malfoy? I’d have no problem changing mine, too, if that’s what - ”
Granger was smiling at him, dimples and all, looking way too amused for his liking. He closed his mouth, and stared at her, absolutely in awe.
Her smile turned less amused and more serious, and he couldn’t tell if his heartbeat quickened or slowed.
“You’d love for me to take your name?” She sounded on the verge of tears and horror seeped into Draco’s chest. He took a step forward, almost instinctively.
“Yes. Is that… Is that a problem? Why are you sad?”
Granger sniffed and looked down, fidgeting with her fingers in front of her waist. She shook her head. “I’m not sad. I’m sorry.”
“Sorry? Sorry for what?” Draco leaned down slightly, wanting to look at her. A curl fell in front of her face and he couldn't stop himself from reaching out and catching it in between two fingers. He tucked it behind her ear and immediately cupped her face in his palm. His heart had stopped beating, he thought. He nearly melted at the small amount of contact. “Hermione?”
Granger looked up at the use of her first name, her big, brown eyes tear-filled. “I’ve been avoiding you,” she said.
He raised an eyebrow, one side of his mouth quirking up. “Really? I hadn’t realized,” he quipped, his voice weaker than he intended.
Hermione rolled her eyes, letting out a weak laugh through her tears. “No, I’ve been punishing you for what the Ministry did. You’ve been nothing but kind to me, and I act like you don’t even exist.” A tear fell down her cheek, then, and he swiped his thumb over it to clear it away.
“It’s alright,” he whispered, stepping closer. “I understand, Hermione, I promise. It’s okay. I don’t expect you to care for me one bit, not after being forced into this. I probably deserve to be ignored a bit longer, anyway.”
She leaned her head further into his palm, his hand big enough to span the entire left side of her face. He’d never realized how small she is. That same possessiveness he felt before washed over him again.
“Granger-Malfoy,” she said, speaking into his hand. “That’s what I want.”
Draco smiled, his cheeks hurting from the power of it, and his other hand came up to cradle the other side of her face. He nodded. “Thank you. Are you sure?” He tried and failed to keep the desperation out of his voice and expression.
She nodded, her hands covering the tops of his on her cheeks. “I’m sure. And I think I might like to share a room, too, if that’s alright?”
Draco smiled even bigger, if that was possible. He felt tears fill his eyes, now, too, but he fought them off before they could fall. “Yes. Yes, of course. I’ll move our things right away.”
His hands smoothed back her hair and then wiped away the rest of her tears. She was smiling at him, and he couldn't stop himself from leaning down even further.
She saved him from making the decision when she pushed up onto her tip-toes and planted a gentle, but firm, kiss onto his lips.
This should’ve come before their wedding, Draco thought. But that didn’t make it any less special, now.