Prophecies- a Dramione Fanfiction

Chapter Nineteen: Reactions and Wedding Bells

While the Grangers had been overly delighted about their engagement, both Draco and Hermione worried about Narcissa's reaction. Lucius, they knew didn't approve and as far as news got to Azkaban, they still hated each other. Narcissa hadn't owled Draco much, even while they were trapped in the broom cupboard.

So when they arrived on the doorstep of Malfoy Manor, Hermione was several steps behind Draco, who also seemed to be taking his time. Of course, the last time they had visited was to rescue the Headmistress, so technically this time, they were under better circumstances, though it certainly didn't feel that way.

In fact, Narcissa, with Charlotte, had assumed they were going to meet at Rosa Lee's tea shop in Diagon Alley, an old favourite of hers. When they did not show up, Narcissa merely raised and eyebrow and ordered some tea from the patient (slash terrified) tea maid, who had been waiting nervously.

After a house-elf (wearing clothes) opened the door, claiming that Narcissa had left to visit a tea shop, Draco groaned.As a child he had spent many hours being cooed over there and he had a feeling that there would be some sort of repetition.

"Well..." Hermione prompted from where she was admiring a pebble. "Mother has gone away for awhile. She thinks we are meeting at Diagon Alley, at Ross Lee's."

Hermione smiled. "I love Rosa Lee's! What are we waiting for?" Suddenly Draco found himself in a side alley from the main street. "Tidy yourself up a bit, Draco. If we are arriving twenty minutes late, we have to look presentable." Draco shot up from where he had been crouched over. "Twenty minutes?!! My mum will never forgive me!"

"She will if we don't come in looking as though we've just had a snogging session on top of a windy hill." Hermione told him, applying some lip balm. Draco sighed and began to straighten his suit.

"You look wonderful." Hermione pecked him on the cheek , causing him to blush as she pulled him out and rested her arm on his. They headed in the direction of the tea shop quickly and were quickly shown to Narcissa's table by the still-terrified tea maid.

"Here you are, Draco. What on earth took you so long?" Narcissa cast an eye over the creaseless clothes, perfect hair and tidy make up and came to the conclusion that they had not been snogging on a hill.

"I thought we were meeting at the Manor, Mother." Draco replied his voice quiet. "Anyway, Mother, this is Hermione." Hermione nodded respectfully as Narcissa cast out the eye of judgement once more.

"Please sit down, both of you. Draco, I have brought Charlotte with me. Hermione, this is Charlotte Zabini, Blaise's mother. Charlotte, this is Hermione, Draco's girlfriend."

"Actually, Mother..."
"What is it, Draco?"
"We got engaged." Narcissa sat straight up and trembling put the teacup back on saucer. "When did this happen?" Her voice was trembling too and Draco flinched slightly. "Awhile ago?"

"And you did not think to tell me before? When will it be? Have you sorted everything out?" Hermione gave Draco a look that said "This is your problem not mine." and cleared her throat. "Excuse me, I need to visit the ladies room." And hurried off.

Draco slouched in defeat. "Look, Mum, I'm sorry but we got engaged in a rush and we didn't want the press to find out and all..." He was surprised when his mother stood up, walked around the small table and hugged him tightly. When she looked up, he realised she was crying. 

"Shhh... it's okay Mum. Why don't we drink some tea?" He sat her down and she tearfully sipped the chamomile tea. "Oh my baby boy is getting all grown up. It seems only like days since you were running around the garden in nothing but your nappy."

Hermione entered in time to hear this statement and was soon back in her seat. "Oh do tell, Mrs Malfoy." She smiled as Draco paled. "Call me Narcissa, dear. Anyway, there was a time when Draco..."
Hermione was in full shock that Narcissa Malfoy had actually called her 'dear' but it was made up for the great mental list she made of  Draco's embarrassing moments. "Oh Mother, well we have decided on the date but we haven't sorted anything else out."
"When is it? "
"25th July."
"Well then the Manor garden will be plenty sufficient. "
"The only thing is, Mrs Malfoy, is that I have a lot of muggle relatives and having it at the Manor may cause slight difficulty for them." Hermione pointed out. "We were hoping you would have other suggestions. "

"Hmmm..." And so the debate began.

***
Meanwhile, Ginny (and Harry) were busy wedding planning. Or rather, wedding preparing. They knew Hermione and Draco were out and wanted to surprise them with the wedding when they got back. Yes, Ginny and Harry were hoping to have a sunset wedding, in the exact spot where they got engaged, they were getting married.

Flashback
It was the night after the rescue of Minerva McGonagall and Harry had managed by some miracle to sneak them out of the castle without the press' detection. They had gone to an old favourite spot of theirs, on the cliffs of Devon in the south. The sun was seeing and at Ginny's favourite point, a romantic ballad played out of nowhere.

They began to dance a slow dance, practising the moves they had been told to practise in preparation for the upcoming ballroom dance class and just as the sunset hit its peak, Harry twirled Ginny so that he was facing her and she looked over the calm sea with the golden rays of sunshine reflecting off it.

"Ginny, I don't know what to say. I love you so much, it hurts to be away from you for too long. I don't know if you feel the same way but will you marry me, here in this spot whenever we can arrange it to be." Ginny didn't have to look at Harry, with the gold coloured air shining around him to say yes.

She launched at him and hugged him then kissed him so hard, he toppled backwards and off the cliff. It was then that she knew what the lines "to love and to cherish, till death do us apart" meant. She allowed herself to be pulled with him and laughing and screaming at the same time, they tumbled into the water together.

They had fallen over 15 metres and it took them awhile to resurface but once they found each other, they couldn't stop laughing because they were happy. If they had to get engaged this way, then so be it. And doggy paddling, Harry slid the ring (also by a miracle, he hadn't lost) now wet onto Ginny's finger and they swam for the lone rock, together.

From there, Harry levitate Ginny up who then levitate him up. They be dried themselves and are a picnic as they watched the last rays disappear.

Of  course everything had changed since then. Marquees had been set up, with chairs and an aisle. Harry had gone to wait for Hermione and Draco to return and to bring them, blindfolded to the event while Ginny got ready. There was a raised platform where they had fallen in, magically reinforced, with another to the left for the band. Snowdrops, roses and lilys adorned tables, chairs and well, everywhere. Guests were getting seated as the sun began to set.

When Hermione and Draco returned, thoroughly exhausted, they did not expect to see a smartly dressed Harry waiting for them.
"Put on clothes you would wear to a wedding." Soon enough, they were dressed and very reluctantly blindfolded .

Hermione was guided to the tent were Ginny was waiting, where she was shoved into the Maid of Honour's dress and Molly quickly did her hair and make up. Draco was shoved into position as second Best Man, behind Ron, who was smug.

All too soon, Ginny was proceeding down the aisle, with an unsure Hermione behind her. The ceremony was quick and the pastor married them officially as the setting sun reached its peak in beauty.

Bells rung to signify they were married and everyone moved into a night of partying. It was amusing to watch Hermione catch Ginny 's bouquet and be the next to marry, as Ginny finally properly noticed to ring.
"OMG, Hermione you got engaged and you did not tell me?"