A/N: First and foremost, I want to say that I don't know how often this story will be updated because I don't have a set writing schedule for it or any of my other works in progress. I've been working on this prologue for a little over six months now and I finally have it in the way that I want it to be.
Alpha love is going out to SquarePeg72 and beta love goes to the one and only xxDustNight88. xxDustNight88 also helped me to come up for the summary of this story as well. I'm eternally grateful to both of these amazing authors for everything that they have ever done for me.
That all being said, this story originated from my drabble, We Need to Talk, from my Interstellar Novella collection. The main pairings in the story will be Theo Nott/Millicent Bulstrode and Draco Malfoy/Hermione Granger. Curious as to the endgame pairing? You'll have to wait until the end for that to be revealed.
The only warning that I have for this story is that the plot focuses around an affair. If you have a problem with that, I don't recommend following this story.
The title comes from the lyrics to Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler as covered by Sleeping At Last. Once I get a playlist up and running for this story I will share it all with you.
All usual disclaimers apply. I don't write for profit and I don't own the characters that I write about. I just love adding my own little twist in the tales that J. K. Rowling has woven.
If you are interested in checking out my other works or keeping up with me in general, consider checking me out on Facebook! I have an author's page (starrnobella Fanfiction) as well as a group (starrnobella Fanfiction Friends & Fans) that I post in regularly. I'm also on Tumblr (starrnobella)!
Be sure to drop a review and let me know what you think!
Love always,
~starr
~ Two Years Prior ~
"Do you, Millicent, take this man, to have and to hold, from now until your days on this earth come to an end?"
She smiled at her soon-to-be husband and nodded her head. "I do."
"And do you, Theodore, take this woman, to have and to hold, from now until your days on this earth come to an end?"
He squeezed her hand gently as a smile tugged at his lips. "I do."
The priest looked at the couple in front of him and smiled before he addressed the crowd. "Is there anyone here this day that does not believe this beautiful couple standing in front of us should be married? If so, speak now or forever hold your peace."
Both Theo and Millie glanced around the room out of the corner of their eyes. Happily, they didn't see anyone opening their mouths to say anything. All they saw were the faces of people smiling and it was all for them.
"With no objections to this marriage, I am proud to announce with the power vested in me by powers unknown, the newlyweds, Mr. and Mrs. Nott. You may now kiss the bride."
Theo dropped Millie's hand and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her flesh against him. She smiled at him as she brought a hand up to cup his cheek. Within moments, their lips pressed together and a thunder of applause roared up from behind them.
Millie smiled against his lips as she wrapped her arms around his neck. With one quick turn, Theo dipped her as he deepened the kiss briefly before standing back up right. He placed a few more chaste kisses on her lips before resting his forehead against hers, smiling down at her.
"I love you," he whispered, squeezing her tight.
"I love you too," she replied quietly. "Let's get this party started."
They turned to face their guests before making their way quickly down the aisle. It was time for a celebration and everyone was ready for a party.
. . . . . . . . .
"You know, that's going to be us in a little over a month," Hermione whispered as they watched Theo and Millie dance together in the middle of the floor. She rested her head gently on his shoulder and smiled when she felt him kiss the top of her head.
"If we make it to the reception hall," he mumbled against the top of her head.
Puzzle for the moment by his comment, Hermione turned to look at him with her brow furrowed. The wicked smile she noticed toying at his lips spoke more than she knew he ever would about the whole ordeal. Rolling her eyes, she shook her head as she rested it against his shoulder once again with her eyes on the dance floor.
"I will guarantee we make it to the reception."
"What makes you so sure?"
"I plan on enjoying the party I've been spending so much time planning. Besides, we will have the entire honeymoon and the rest of our lives to enjoy the things you have in mind. "
Draco laughed, pressing his lips to the top of her head once more. "Well, then, I promise I'll behave enough for us to make it to the reception hall on our wedding day. I won't promise anything about my behavior during the honeymoon. "
"That works for me," she hummed. "I wasn't planning on behaving well on our honeymoon either."
Hermione looked up at him through her lashes and winked as a playful smirk appeared on her face. Draco leaned down, pressing his lips to hers momentarily before they heard the voice of the lead singer overtop of the music.
"Mr. and Mrs. Nott would like to welcome their friends and family to join them on the dance floor."
Hermione jumped up quickly from her set and extended a hand to Draco with a large smile beaming from her face. Laughing, Draco took the hand and allowed her to pull him up from his seat, leading him to the dance floor.
They found a place and Hermione wrapped her arms around Draco's neck while his hands found purchase in the small of her back. Together, they swayed to the music as the dance floor filled with more couples until they were completely surrounded.
. . . . . . . . .
"Congratulations!" Hermione cheered, wrapping her arms around Millie's neck as she hugged her tightly. "You look beautiful!"
"Thank you," Millie responded, wrapping her arms around Hermione momentarily. "Thanks for coming to celebrate with us."
"We wouldn't have missed it for the world. You have to tell me who your caterer was because the BBQ idea was amazing! I don't think I've ever tasted a pulled pork sandwich so delicious."
Draco and Theo shook their heads as they listened to the ladies discuss the venue and the food. If they knew one thing for sure, those two would never run out of things to talk about as long as they were all friends.
"Congratulations, Nott. You're the first one to tie the knot. How's it feel?" Draco asked with a laugh, extending his hand to his former classmate and best friend.
Theo took his hand happily and smiled. "Thanks, Malfoy. I'd have to say it feels pretty damn good."
"Just think, Malfoy," Millie chimed in, pausing her conversation with Hermione momentarily, "you're next."
She reached over and squeezed Hermione's hand, winking at her with a laugh. She watched as Draco's expression changed from his usual teasing demeanour to one filled with genuine happiness when he glanced over at his bride-to-be. The look reminded her of one very similar to a look she was used to seeing on Theo's face out of the corner of her eye when he thought she wasn't looking.
"We really are the lucky ones," Hermione sighed happily before she and Millie burst out into a fit of laughter.
. . . . . . . . . .
~ A Month Later ~
"I choose you to be none other than yourself, loving what I know of you and trusting who you will become. I will respect and honor, always and in all ways. I take you as my husband, to have and to hold in tears and in laughter, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward in this world and the next, " Hermione said, wiping away the stray tear rolling down her cheek.
When her brown eyes met his blue, she smiled. He looked so handsome standing in front of her. She still couldn't believe that they were actually getting married. No one ever believed that they'd make it this far, except for the two of them.
"I didn't fall in love with you. I walked into love with you, with my eyes wide open, choosing to take every step along the way. I do believe in fate and destiny, but I also believe we were only fated to do two things that we'd choose anyway. And I'd choose you; in a hundred lifetimes, in a hundred worlds, in any version of reality, I'd find you and I'd choose you," Draco said, squeezing Hermione's hand once again as he watched a stray tear roll down her cheek.
The minister looked between the two of them and smiled as he placed a gentle hand on each of their shoulders. "Ladies and Gentlemen, in front of you this day is a couple so truly in love. A couple who has chosen each other time and time again over anyone else.
"If there is anyone here who believes these two should not be married, speak now or forever hold your feelings on the subject to yourself."
Out of the corner of her eye, Hermione noticed a few heads turning from left to right, looking for someone ready to speak out. She could feel the eyes of those in attendance watching her out of the corner of their own eyes.
Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and focused her attention back on the handsome man standing in front of her. As she opened them again, she saw his smile and it brought one to her own lips. It didn't matter what was going through anyone else's mind at that moment. All that matter was her love for Draco and his love for her.
"With no objections from the crowd gathered here today, it is my great honor to introduce to you this day, the newly betrothed Mr. and Mrs. Draco Malfoy!" the Minister announced to the crowd. Turning his attention back to Hermione and Draco, he smiled. "You may now kiss your bride."
Draco pulled Hermione into him and slipped his arms around her waist, crashing his lips against hers roughly. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she turned her head slightly, allowing him to deepen the kiss momentarily before they separated.
He interlaced his fingers with hers and squeezed them tightly once more. "We did it," he whispered in her ear, leaning down slightly.
She turned and kissed him softly on the cheek. "Yes, we did, and now we get to celebrate!"
. . . . . . . . .
"Look, they made it on time," Millie whispered, pointing towards the door as Hermione and Draco entered the hall.
Theo glanced over at the door and laughed as he noticed the large smile on both of their faces. "Apparently Draco's distraction techniques weren't as effective as he had hoped them to be."
She laughed and leaned against him, tipping her head back to rest it on his shoulder. She smiled when she felt him wrap his arms around her waist."Only Draco would try to get frisky before the reception."
Theo shrugged, resting his chin on the top of her head. "It's not a terrible plan…"
"Jealous you didn't think of it?"
"I can't say the thought hadn't crossed my mind on our special day…"
Millie rolled her eyes before focusing her attention back to the newlyweds. "They look happy," she hummed.
"Yeah, they do," he replied, pressing his lips to the top of her head lightly.
. . . . . . . . .
"I never thought I'd see this day," Theo laughed, clapping a hand onto Draco's shoulder with a smile beaming from his face. "Congratulations, my friend."
Draco turned and wrapped an arm around Theo, pulling him into a one-armed hug. "Honestly, I didn't think I'd see it either."
Hermione laughed as she gave Millie a quick hug. "Why didn't you think you'd see it?"
"You've been scary for the last couple weeks," he laughed nervously, taking a step out arm's reach. He shook his head when she swung her arm at him, grazing the sleeve of his suit.
"You're overreacting," Millie added, walking over to Theo and wrapping an arm around his waist. She smiled when she felt his arm wrap around her as well. She looked up at him and batted her eyelashes for a few moments, asking, "Was I scary the few weeks before the wedding?"
Theo opened his mouth to respond, but almost immediately shut it again. Draco, having caught the subtle movement out of the corner of his eye, burst out laughing. His enthusiastic laughter carried over to Theo, who soon started laughing uncontrollably.
Both Hermione and Millie's heads snapped in the direction of their respective husbands.
"Would you like to spend our honeymoon sleeping on the couch?" Hermione asked, crossing her arms over her chest. As Draco turned to face her, he was met with narrowed eyes aimed directly at him in utter frustration.
"Of course not," he replied quickly, leaning over and kissing her cheek. "I plan on spending our honeymoon in bed with you."
Swiftly, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into him. As their bodies met, their lips crashed into one another's briefly before they heard a roar of applause fill the room.
Hermione pulled away and smiled as she nervously tucked her head in the crook of Draco's neck. She sighed when she felt him wrap a protective arm around her waist and pressed his lips to the side of her head.
"To the happy couple," Millie cheered, lifting her glass to air. "May their love forever shine as bright as it does this day."
"Here, here!" the crowd around them cheered, lifting their glasses as they toasted the happy couple.
. . . . . . . . .
~ Current Day ~
"We need to talk," she said softly as she entered the bedroom. She had found him lying on the bed staring out the window. It seemed as though he was lost in thought and hadn't heard her. She opened her mouth to speak again when he rolled over to look at her.
He sighed deeply and carded his hand through his hair. "What about?" he asked, even though he already knew the answer.
They were both keeping secrets. It was just a matter of time until one of those secrets broke through the cracks and ruined everything. Those secrets had led to broken promises and miscommunications. Those miscommunications resulted in nights where she would cry herself to sleep and he would drink himself to oblivion.
"You know what," she replied calmly. There was a strain in her voice that only he could recognize. One that he had heard many times before. Every single time she came back after she saw him.
"How is the doting husband?" he hissed as he sat up and scooted back against the headboard, crossing his arms over his chest as his eyes met hers.
"I could ask you the same question about your loving wife," she quipped, plopping herself down at the end of the bed opposite him.
He rolled his eyes and sighed. She was right, but here they were away from their significant others in the presence of their deepest secret. It was the beginning of a conversation they always started to have, but were too afraid to finish. They avoided it like the plague. It appeared that tonight it would be no different.
"We need to figure out what this is," she said motioning back and forth between them. "I don't want to lose you." She reached out and placed her hand on his knee. He didn't move away, but his whole body froze. She sighed and pulled her hand away from him and rested it in her lap. She watched him take a deep breath and relax as he exhaled.
"We already made our choices. Do you think this was a mistake?" he asked shrugging his shoulders as he uncrossed his arms and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. He waited for her answer. He could see the tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. Just like they always did when they had this exact conversation.
"No, of course not," she insisted, reaching out to take his hands. Slowly, she interlaced her fingers with his and pulled herself closer to him, closing the gap between them. The stern look on his face faded away as he rubbed his thumbs over the back of her hands.
"Then quit worrying about losing me," he whispered as he leaned forward and placed his lips against her forehead. She nodded her head slowly before meeting his lips with her own.