DISCLAIMER: I don't own a thing except the plot.
A/N: Well, it's been almost forever since I wrote something. This is kinda random cause my weird friend of mine gave me a fanfic challenge. And I can't deny a challenge. :D
But she gave me random stuff that needs to be mentioned in this fic so it could get a bit weird alright.
Prompts:
A word and meaning from urban dictionary, something French, something Latin, wedding, coffee, catfood, Egotistical!Draco and Romantic!Draco, Crookshanks, fireworks, something relevant to the movie Toy Story, two songs, at least rated T, rain, and a happy ending. whew, that's a lot okay.
Well, enjoy~
Hermione's POV and one POV of Draco.
UPDATE. FEB 15 12. My 2011 self was weird. And writes too long sentences or too short and also couldn't understand the difference between your and you're apparently. *grumbles* Oh and there's Ron bashing, sort of, but it depends on how you think of it.
Would you be depressed?
If I attend that wedding
But only as a guest
Make eye contact so you know I care
No Trivia; From Autumn to Ashes
"You're getting married?"
"Mmhm," I replied while sipping my coffee.
"Why?"
I placed my coffee cup down gently on and table and looked at the handsome, blonde haired man in front of me.
He looked almost the same since he left last year: Breathtaking. And I didn't need a lot of my female colleagues staring at him to prove that.
"I've been engaged for 2 months now, not like you knew, of course. I've been dating and sleeping with Ron Weasley for 4 years and he finally had the guts to propose 2 months ago. I love him and he does too," I say as matter of fact.
"No ring?"
"I left it at my flat."
At first he stared at me incredulously then laughed.
Laughed.
The sudden outburst caused some Ministry workers on the tables beside us to look at our table. I had to hit Draco Malfoy on the head with a folder I decided to carry with me to shut him up.
After he shouted curses and glared at me, we then both started a glaring contest.
Ah, the memories.
He cleared his throat formally, and started speaking before I could.
"Well, that was humorous," he then smirked. "You know what was funny? The way you emphasized sleeping with Weasley. I remember clearly that about two years of those four years together with him were…" He leaned closer to me which I pulled myself back instantly but he grabbed my hand and pulled me close and then whispered onto my ear to what I've been dreading for him to tell, "…with me."
I felt like my whole body went rigid, and my heart froze for a second. Maybe I was having Cardiac Arrest? I've been having too much stress and he certainly was not helping. Draco leaned back onto his chair, his face with his infamous smirk and agonizing eyes. He always smirks.
I also felt myself burning up by remembering the unwanted past. My emotions were going haywire: I was mad, annoyed, embarrassed, ashamed and a slightly nostalgic. I shook my head to get rid of the latter emotion.
I didn't know what to reply to that.
"And the you loving him part, now that was funny," he added in an afterthought.
"We all make mistakes, Malfoy," I said and then sighed after a few tensed moments.
He cocked an eyebrow at me while I took another sip of my coffee. It tasted bitter on my tongue.
"Well, when we were...together. It didn't feel like a mistake."
He stretched his long arms and dragged a hand through his now longer hair, his chair rocked and he looked like he was on a memory train. A small, charming, contented smile replaced the smirk.
"Remember that time in Paris? I made you changed your mind with the rain. Ah that was fun. And when celebrated your anniversary with Weasley, which he forgot. Oh and your birthday, wouldn't forget that, eh?" he chuckled.
"Shut up. Don't be such a jerk, Malfoy." She felt like she was about to break, her and the cup on her hand.
He just shook his head and had a faraway look.
We just sat with our own minds. He was looking around carelessly, but I knew that he wasn't really there, whilst I tried to read at my notes for my next Wizengamot case.
I read the same line twelve times.
Breaking the silence, "You left me for a year," I said softly.
His eyes had a flash of regret, or sadness, but I wasn't so sure. He was perfect with his unscathed mask of emotions, yet it was odd that I can still catch parts of his real skin after a year.
"I know."
He reached for my hand on the table, but I pulled it back.
"No message. No explanation. I just woke up one morning and find an empty side of the bed beside me."
"I can explain-"
I didn't let him continue. "Oh and my rent was fully paid for the remaining years and I received a year supply of cat food through the floo. Crookshanks favorite by the way," I continued, "I got an owl from my publisher that my book is going to be a bestseller, and since you're feeling funny well then the funny thing was that I didn't even have a publisher for my book yet. My manuscript was still in my bedside drawer. And did I mention no message?" I hissed at him.
He raised him arms as a sign of surrender, but he only looked slightly fazed for a moment. I gathered my anger back.
"You didn't care at all."
"Of course I cared."
Cared.
I shook my head, took my notes and then stood up to head back to my office in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
He didn't stop me. If he did, I wouldn't know what to do. But I felt his gaze on my back, burning through my skin.
Before I could stop myself, I turned and said, "I don't care anymore, Malfoy, just so you know."
Then I headed back to the exit, but sadly, his voice stopped me.
"Hermione," His silky voice echoed in the cafeteria and I mindlessly shivered quite slightly as I heard my name from his lips. So different, yet almost the same...
No one was in the cafeteria anymore since lunch break was over minutes ago, and I stopped but didn't turn to face him.
"If you don't care anymore, explain the chain on your neck." That he said it in a mocking tone and with something else that I didn't recognize since I felt my mind go numb.
I slowly placed my hand to the necklace which was supposedly hidden under my dress shirt. Of all the days.
"It was a gift from Ginny, a sign of friendship," I said thoughtlessly then kept walking to my office feeling slightly numb and my brain off somewhere else.
When I finally came to my office, my knees buckled, I locked the door, and then slid onto the floor.
I unclasped the chain on my neck and stared at it with resentment and those forbidden and unwanted memories were flooding back.
It was a platinum, infinity necklace. Absolutely simple, it was. Yet meant so much more.
I didn't cry. I couldn't. All my tears for him were finished. I cried them all for months after he left.
But I felt my heart tug a bit and a covered crack widen.
It was I lie what I said to him. We both knew it was. Draco Malfoy gave it to me for my birthday, which Ron had gladly forgotten.
I just stared at her back. Just stared. Useless me.
My hands were sweaty. I wasn't prepared for this encounter. I didn't even know why I was in the damn Ministry where I knew she would be working.
I ran my hands through my hair in frustration. I felt a migraine was coming on.
She was still beautiful, looking almost the same since the last time we met. Still easy to read like an open book, and small bags under her eyes meaning that she's working on a new case. The thing that made me hurt a little was that I could see a touch of pain in her eyes and that her smile didn't reach them also when she saw me. I could also see a bit of jealousy in her eyes when her colleagues glanced at me and gossiped. I smiled. Her jealousy and denial was a fun thing to see. And whenever I agonized her too. Those were some of the things I love about her.
After I rubbed my temples and muttered incoherent swears, I went to the Atrium of the Ministry and reached the Apparation points.
Reaching into my right pocket, I felt a leather box. Of course, it was too late. Wasting my time running when I thought I went too far with the affair.
I left her because I knew I've fallen hard. The people I've ever loved left me. So I needed to gather my thoughts then. And when I finally made up my mind about what to do next, I lost my chance.
When I disapparated back to my flat, an idea came to mind.
A smirk formed onto my lips, and maybe it isn't too late at all. After all, a Malfoy always gets what he wants. One of my family's proverbs.
And I was completely and positively sure I'll get what I want during Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley's wedding.
If a bride would say that their wedding day was the happiest day of their lives, I would say otherwise. Because one, it was nerve wracking and two, I didn't feel happy.
Yes, the Bachelorette party was fun even if I had a nagging regret at the back of my mind and a sick feeling at the bottom of my stomach. I had to still look happy in front of my friends and family.
Everything was set at the - usual - Weasley backyard. I was in a new bedroom in the Burrow, which was facing the place where the ceremony would be held. The big tent was placed and the décor was beautiful. Basically, everything looked perfect.
"HERMIONE! You look BEAUTIFUL!" shouted a Ginny Weasley who entered my room.
"Thanks, Ginny," I said, appreciatively. I was wearing a simple wedding dress, nothing too fancy and my hair was up in curls.
She hugged me and I hugged back sort of awkwardly. She had some tears in her eyes when she let go and wiped them off after. I raised my eyebrows at her.
"I'm sorry, Hermione!" she sniffed. "You're my best friend and like a sister to me, which you will be!" I chuckled and hugged the young, giddy witch.
"Hey 'Mione," Ginny said while adding some finishing touches to my makeup, "why aren't you...emotional?"
I looked up at her, "What do you mean? Do all brides need to be emotional?"
She shrugged. "I don't know. When Fleur was getting married she was all teary and jumpy and happy at the same time. But you…you're reading a book!"
I closed the book on my lap and sighed, "I'm not Fleur, Ginny."
"I know," she said indignantly.
"And I don't know why I'm not…emotional today."
She stared at me. "Hermione Granger, are you having regrets?" she said in a motherly tone, hands on her hips.
"What? No. I am not! Now stop being silly Gin." I slap her arm playfully.
We laughed after and then she continued checking if I'm all set for the 'big day'.
I continued on slightly reading my book as she fussed on my dress.
The uncomfortable nagging feeling in my head was getting louder. No, I'm not having regrets. I love Ron. I know that. We're perfect for each other. We rarely even fight anymore. Everyone expected this day to happen sooner or later.
But am I in love with Ron? That was the annoying question in my head.
I just had doubts, that's all.
And the flashing images of a blonde haired man too.
To be honest, I didn't feel anything through the wedding, erm, my wedding. I felt stares on me while I was walking down the aisle with my dad, a few butterflies in my stomach a bit then and there, that was basically it. I was more anxious in my graduation than this.
I didn't know why I felt indifferent through the middle of the ceremony. Maybe it was because I'm marrying Ron and that it would seem normal already. Or something like that.
The minister broke my thought bubbles and ravings when he asked for our vows. We didn't write personal ones. We just had normal wedding vows about promising and etcetera. Ron looked dashing by the way. I smiled slightly.
My mum and Molly were silently crying, I smiled at them.
I turned back to Ron while it was his turn to say the vows, I smiled at Harry giving him a thumbs up. My smiles were beginning to hurt.
Something though caught my eye behind Ron and his best man, Harry.
And there was Draco Malfoy, leaning with his arms crossed on one of the tent poles looking calm and collected. With his I-know-something smirk in place.
I blankly stared at him, then blinked. What the hell was Malfoy doing here? I ignored the fact that my heart was beating faster than the usual pace.
No one seemed to notice, he was just there, leaning. Like he owned the place and was invited.
Then he started tossing something and catching it again and again. Damn those Seeker reflexes.
I had to casually step closer to Ron to get a better look on what it was without squinting my eyes. I had to remember that I was in front of a bunch of people. And that I was supposed to be paying attention to my own wedding.
I got sight of it and it was a ring.
My eyes widened, my heart rate quickened.
Brown met silver and his smirk turned into a small grin.
"Do you, Ron Weasley, take Hermione Granger as your lawfully wedded wife?"
The connection broke when he turned to the Minister as the man asked those words to Ron.
Ron cleared his throat then said, "I do."
I was still staring intently at Malfoy. Just, waiting.
He took his wand and started waving it for a spell. I wanted to raise my eyebrows so badly but remembered that Ron was smiling in front of me.
"Do you, Hermione Granger, take Ron Weasley as your lawfully wedded husband?"
Then fireworks. No, not figurative. Loud, consecutive, booming sounds were heard. It came from the entrance of the tent: Small green fireworks exploding and making the people near the tent move away. Everyone looked back to see what was happening. It looked like normal fireworks, set at the wrong time and place.
But I caught a flash of words in the flashing lights: veux-tu m'épouser?
It was in French. During the war, I stayed in Paris for a few weeks on a mission by the order. I didn't need a dictionary to know what those words meant. Fleur must have saw it too because she was a bit wide eyed, and I didn't care - as long as nobody else knew.
Then the fireworks stopped.
While everyone was still looking at the entrance, I stared back at Malfoy. He stopped leaning and stood up tall and proud. He winked at me then smirked.
After the ruckus was over and everyone's attention was back at me and Ron, the last part of the ceremony continued.
The Minister cleared his throat, "So again, do you, Hermione Granger take Ron Weasley as your lawfully wedded husband?"
I knew it was my cue. I said the two words almost a million times to myself in practice.
"I do" I felt my mouth say.
But everyone was still staring at me. The words didn't go out.
"I do" " I do" " I do" "I do" I felt myself say over and over again, but no sound came out. It felt like a Silencio has been placed on me, but no, it was a different spell.
Everyone was silent. The silence where you could hear a pin drop. I glanced at the blonde in the shadows and he smiled. Not smirk, smiled. A knowing smile. Damn him.
He was the one who conjured the enchanted fireworks, of course. He was my partner during the mission in Paris. He was the one who taughtme how to speak and read French. It was where it all started. He winked at me, one of his signature actions that could make school girls blush, turned and made a hand signal to follow him out of the tent. He stopped though, his facade of smugness faltering slightly.
I smiled a little. I knew that I wasn't supposed to be here.
He probably saw the smile so he continued to leave outside, letting me handle what has to be done.
I wanted to chase after him immediately, but I remembered that I was in a room full of aghast people.
I turned to the guests and my family and said, "I'm sorry. But no, I can't."
It was utter chaos. Ron's feet gave away and Harry had to hold him up, my poor mother fainted and others started talking fast and loud. I didn't bother to look back though when my name was being called repeatedly.
I ran to the side of the tent and pulled up my damn dress so I could get out and run properly.
Draco was sitting on the grass a bit far away, that smug bastard.
I ran to him. He stood up, hugged me and spun me around. I missed the feel of his arms around me. I missed lots of things.
"Draco…"
"Shh, love. It's not yet over."
I raised an eyebrow at him and at the exact moment a loud female voice, which sounded like Mrs. Weasley, filled up the Weasley land.
"HERMIONE JEAN GRANGER!"
Draco and I looked at each other in with slight worry and suddenly, random spells were coming out of the ceremony tent.
The next thing I knew was that I landed on a red and soft rugged floor.
The blonde helped me up and dusted off some dirt on my wedding dress.
"Your dress is too simple," he said as he looked at me from head to toe.
I raised an eyebrow at his random outburst. "I like simple."
He shook his head and smiled. "But it doesn't match your beauty."
"Oh sod off, Malfoy," I replied to his regular teasing, but I knew I was blushing.
He Accio-ed some tea and we sat down. It felts odd and awkward.
"So I guess it's a yes then?"
"How would you know it was it was yes?" I say while accepting the tea he gave me.
"Well, you did leave your own wedding."
"How would you know that I just didn't want to get married yet?"
I knew that I was playing with him. I wanted to hear the words from him.
He let his hand run through his soft, blonde hair and shook his head. "You are a sap that makes things harder for me, you know Granger?"
"Wasn't the fireworks enough?" he murmured.
I smiled. Oh he knew what I wanted.
He exhaled and knelt on one knee, "Hermione Granger, even though I had to go through the trouble to crashing into your boring wedd-"
"Draco." I say with a hard tone.
"Right, right."
He sighed. "I've always loved you and will always will, my family's honor. Will you marry me?" he pulled out a platinum band ring with a beautiful princess cut diamond in place. Beside the diamond were smaller diamonds mixed with emeralds which made an intertwined vine like effect. It looked like an infinity symbol. Soon later after my next wedding, I would see that the inner part of the band was engraved with a fancy script of latin words: Te semper et in perpetuum amabo.
"I'll love you into infinity and until the end of time," Draco swore softly, his grey orbs staring deeply into my eyes and probably my soul. Pleading for forgiveness, showing his regrets, asking me for redemption.
I reached the necklace he gave to me on my neck. I wore it on my wedding day. I was asked by my mother why but I just shrugged it off. Surprisingly, no one questioned about it—they probably thought Ron gave it to me or so. I should've felt guilty, but I didn't.
I felt tears in my eyes. Damn, I really am a sap on the inside. The time of our affair, I knew that I was falling for Draco Malfoy. He had never said the words 'I love you' to me though, and me neither. Those words are easy to say and some people would say it without any meaning, but I'm perfectly sure he meant it.
"I'm not making this up, Granger. A Malfoy doesn't take back his words."
The times he had called me Granger were either during fights, a tease, or that he's dead serious.
He looked uncomfortable seeing me cry, and that I haven't said a thing after his proposal.
I knew that I gave him enough pain for today.
I closed the space between our lips.
That was my answer.
I knew that I had to face Ron, my family and friends soon, but I didn't mind. I was contented. I was happy. And the most important of all, I didn't have any doubts.
Draco Malfoy is a git, a jerk and everything else that is rude.
He was a jerk by making conceited comments when I was explaining to my family and friends about us. He was a jerk with instantly agreeing with me of having a 2 year engagement. He was a jerk by not telling me that his parents knew about us. He was jerk during our wedding when he pretended that he had a coughing fit before he said his 'I Do' just for payback. He was a jerk when he wrote the most tear jerking and personal wedding vow.
And also was a jerk when he invited the media, from the Daily Prophet to The Quibbler without my concern.
He was jerk when he started a very long, heated kiss in front of our guests in the ceremony. He was a jerk when he smirked at Ron after.
He's a jerk for silently hexing men who looks at me for more than 4 seconds. He's a jerk for surprising me always at work. He's a jerk when he winks at other women and makes them blush in front of me and kisses me passionately after.
He's a jerk for making me pregnant to twins (and that hurt). He's a jerk for spoiling our 5 children badly. And grandchildren too. He's a jerk that he makes me let him.
He's a jerk that he always likes to hug me from behind to creep the hell out of me. He's a jerk for making me like it.
He's a jerk when he makes me chase after him in the rain so he would kiss me. He's a jerk for making me love it. He's was jerk for secretly buying me a new cat to not make me know that Crookshanks passed away when I was at work. He's a jerk for making items in our house port keys, so before I touch my coffee mug I had to make sure that it wasn't a port key to Paris or somewhere else around the world for a simple breakfast.
And the list will go on and on.
But after all those things he has done to aggravate me and the 60 years we've been married, I'm still definitely sure, that I, Hermione Malfoy (nee Granger), is and still in love with a jerk for a husband.
Fin
And I will love you 'till the end of time.
Into Infinity. Until the end of time.
Until The End Of Time; Ring of Fire
JERK: (from urban dictionary)
The kind of guy most girls actually want when they say they want a nice guy. A very cocky person. Most women's openly discussed concern, yet most women's secret love. The man most girls are attracted to.
Te semper et in perpetuum amabo – I shall love you always and forever.
Infinity necklace meaning: The infinity necklace can symbolize unity, eternity, empowerment or everlasting love.
A/N: So...that's that. :)
And if you don't get what's with all the infinity stuff in this fic, it's for the prompt, Something relevant to the movie Toy Story (ya know, To infinity and beyond!)
I think I've completed this challenge right. Though it is cheesy.
Updated A/N: ...it's better than the old one, trust me. Anymore errors/does it still suck? Then please to do tell and review. :D