The Aftermath

The Burrow, Ottery St. Catchpole, Sunday, February 15th, 2004, 3:00 PM

The tents were still up from the night before, as were some of the decoration. Molly had outdone herself the night before cooking for all of her guests, but today she was back at it. It seemed that the usual Sunday dinner would include a bit of news. No one knew what the news pertained, but Hermione had made it quite clear that she wanted everyone that attended the party the night before to be there to hear it.

Molly had her theories on why the young woman wanted everyone to hear the news she intended to tell them, but she kept them to herself. Whenever she would bring it up to Arthur, he would peer at her over the paper and shake his head minutely. He knew how carried away her theories could be when it came to speculating what her family wanted to share and most of it was farfetched. So, Molly kept the theory that Hermione had been so besotted with Draco last night that they eloped. A middle-aged woman could dream. She had done the very same thing with Arthur all those years ago.

She turned to the man she was now thinking of and smiled fondly. They had been young, younger then Hermione and Draco were, when they married. It saddened her a bit that Hermione would never be officially apart of her family like she hoped and prayed if her theory was correct, but she was fine with it as long as Hermione was happy with her choice. Molly sighed wistfully as she continued to whip the mashed potatoes. She would have to wait three more hours to see if her theory was correct or not.

Malfoy Manor, Whiltshire, the same day, 3:30 PM

Narcissa Malfoy was usually a patient woman, but not today. She continued to tap her dainty foot over and over again as she sipped her tea. She kept turning over the questions in her head about what Draco needed to tell her and Lucius and why they needed to be at the Weasleys' home in a few hours.

It was true that the Malfoys and the Weasleys never got along over the years, but last night they had put their differences aside to work together to get Draco and Hermione together. Narcissa's crystal blue eyes lit up. Maybe that was what her only son was going to tell them; he and Miss Granger had finally stopped pussyfooting around and confessed their mutual attractions. Narcissa set her tea cup down hurriedly as she practically dashed out of room to find her husband.

She found him sitting at his desk looking over documents. She cleared her throat and waited for the man to look up at her. He set his quill down and looked up at his wife's excited face. "Yes, Cissa?"

"Lucius, I think I know what news Draco wants to share!"

Lucius sighed and held out a hand to show that his should indulge him with her theory.

"I believe he and Miss Granger have finally taken our advice and have confessed their feelings for each other. Why else would they want us to go back to The Burrow and listen to their news?"

Lucius thought about. He was shocked that Draco had owled them that morning asking for them to meet him at the Weasleys' home. Unlike his wife, Lucius wasn't a very patient man. He had decided to busy himself with paperwork so that he wouldn't have to think about this impending news from his son, but of course his wife had other plans. She was always speculating about what anyone had to tell her, so he didn't know why this should be any different. He was surprised that she had waited this long to come up with anything though.

Lucius tilted his head to the side. "It's a very plausible theory, dear, but we won't know for sure until we go there for dinner." Lucius knew that his answer wasn't going to appease his wife, but he didn't want to get caught up in the hoopla.

"Spoilt sport," she said good naturedly.

"I'll leave the guessing games up to you, Cissa."

"And I was hoping to make a bet."

12 Grimmauld Place, Islington, the same day, 4:00 PM

Three couples sat in the living room of 12 Grimmauld Place puzzling over the owl they each received from their respective friend. They wanted to share news with everyone from the party, together. All the girls in the room―mostly Pansy and Ginny―squealed. Luna had a serene smile on her face as if she knew something that the others have finally cottoned on to recently. Harry, Ron, and Blaise shook their heads at their other halves. They had been talking non-stop about what Hermione and Draco were going to share with the lot of them, while the boys talked about other more important things, such as Quidditch.

"Do you think they went back to Hermione's and consummated their new relationship?" Pansy asked bluntly.

Ginny threw a throw pillow at the raven haired girl's head. Pansy ducked just in time so the pillow sailed over her head and on the floor behind her. "What?! I was just wondering. This has been in the making for so long that I could have cut their sexual tension with a bloody knife."

Ginny laughed behind her hand. "You could say that again."

"Honestly, hasn't it been like that for all of us though? Whenever we all try to concoct a plan to get two people together we always say that tension was thick enough to cut with a knife. What if we didn't do anything to help? It was inevitable for them to get together, I think."

Everyone in the room had to agree that it was true that every time they all sat down and planned to get people together, they always said the same thing. This time was different though. They had never had so many people in on the plan, especially the Malfoys.

"I think it was inevitable for those two to get together, but they needed a bit of guidance from us or they would have been dancing around each other for who knows how long," Pansy added as she fussed over her nails.

"Maybe not. I have a feeling they beat us to the punch and are finally letting us in on the joke," Luna said in a matter of fact manner.

"Well, we have an hour until dinner and for those two to either thank us or tell us how late we were on the uptake."

"Good, I'm starved," Ron muttered from his spot next to Harry.

"Is that all you care about, Ronald? One of your best friends could have life-changing news and all you can think about is your grumbling stomach."

"How could I appreciate my best mate's news if I'm on my death bed because I'm half starved?"

Everyone in the room was quiet. It was almost a valid point, but they all knew that Ron had eaten not even an hour beforehand.

"Oh, Ron," Luna said shaking her head.

"What? It's a perfectly valid question."

"Yes, but not coming from you," Ginny told him.

Ron crossed his arms with a huff.

Pansy shook her head at her boyfriend. Some days she just didn't understand his logic. She quickly roused Ginny and Luna with a change of topic until it was time to go to the Burrow.

The Burrow, Ottery St. Catchpole, 6:00 PM

Everyone was arriving just as the clock chimed. Molly had been practically doing a jig as the clock drew closer to dinner time. Arthur had to remind her every few minutes to stop tapping her feet or her nails. Arthur was more than happy when people started to arrive so he could have someone else distract Molly for a bit until Hermione and Draco arrived.

The table was being set by Angelina and Audrey, while their other halves relieved their father of his duty. Fleur and Bill were bringing the food outside as the rest arrived. Narcissa and Lucius arrived via Floo looking just as out of place as they did the night before. Molly quickly greeted them before she grabbed Narcissa by the hand and drug her to one of the tables so they could talk about what would be revealed soon enough. Arthur clapped Lucius on the back and started talking about how Molly was practically jack hammering out of her seat all day while Lucius told Arthur how Narcissa wouldn't stop nagging him about what he thought about this news. They discovered they had more in common than previously thought.

Hermione pulled up in front of the Burrow. It hadn't been easy getting her parents to agree to get in the car and come to a brunch with the Weasley clan and the Malfoys, but after explaining that she had life-changing news to tell them, they agreed to come. The three Grangers got out of the car and started walking toward the house that Hermione had spent majority of her summers after the age of 12. Hermione quickly explained how the structure of the house stayed the way it was and reassured her parents that it was safe.

As she continued to explain things to them, she hoped that Draco had already arrived or was about to arrive. She didn't want everyone staring her down while she waited for him to get there. She was already afraid to hear her family's reaction, but she would stand by what they did. She was glad she married Draco, even if it wasn't planned.

Hermione opened the door and ushered her parents inside before following them in. No one was in the kitchen, so they proceeded to the backyard where everyone seemed to be sitting close together. Molly looked up and spotted Hermione and her parents. She felt a surge of déjà vu, but she tamped it down. This time it would be worse than the night before. Before she could sit down, everyone looked behind her. She turned to see her husband walking towards everyone.

Hermione gulped. The time had arrived.

Draco greeted those he passed before he got to Hermione. He gave her a tin smile before taking a seat by his parents. Hermione sat down next to him, her parents sitting on her left side. Everyone was quiet, waiting.

"Should we eat first before we, uh, tell you what's going on?" Hermione asked everyone.

Her question seemed to animate everyone into action. They began conversation amongst everyone and started piling their plates with food. Hermione felt relief in that moment. She could delay the inevitable for a few more minutes. She started when she felt a hand grab her hand and give it a squeeze. She looked over at Draco, but he was too busy speaking to his parents, but he was holding her hand. She felt rather grateful for him in that moment.

After everyone got their fill of Molly's delicious food, Hermione and Draco looked at each other before they decided it was that time. They both stood up at the same time and faced their friends and family. Draco cleared his throat to speak.

"Thank you all for coming…again. I know we asked you all here on short notice and I'm glad that you all could make it. Also, thanks again to Mrs. Weasley for cooking an excellent meal." The Weasley matriarch blushed and brushed off his comment. "I know that you all have been wondering what we have asked you here for and I want you all to know that Hermione and I are married. We have been for a month now."

It was as if the sound had been sucked out like a vacuum, but soon it returned in full force. A cacophony of voices all yelling variance of shock and anger. Hermione had prepared herself for this moment, but she knew then that she hadn't been fully prepared at all.

"How the hell―"

"When the hell―"

"You have to fucking kidding―"

"I fucking knew it!"

"I'm going to murder both―"

"I told you all."

Hermione took a deep breath before she yelled at the top of her lungs. "SHUT UP!"

Everyone stopped talking abruptly. She smiled to herself. "Now, one question at a time. I can't take all of your chatter at once."

Narcissa was the first to raise her hand. It took everything in Hermione not to laugh. She now knew what she looked like all those years ago in class when she knew the answer or had a question and was the only one brave enough to raise their hand.

"Yes, Mother?"

"I'm going to murder both of you. I've been waiting over twenty years for this moment to happen and you take it away from me?" Tears started gathering in her eyes. "I raised you to be a better person than this, Draco Lucius Malfoy. I am ashamed."

Hermione heard Draco sigh. The guilt rankled at her. She knew the day they decided to go for it that they would disappointing someone and the look on Narcissa Malfoy's face made Hermione almost regret their decision.

"Mother, listen to me. All of you listen to me. Hermione and I decided to elope before we didn't want a huge production and you all know it would have been." He stared at his mother for a moment before his eyes moved around the crowd again. "I know I've hurt you Mother, but I promise Hermione and I will have a real wedding for you all. We wanted to do something just the two of us. We wanted a day that was special where we didn't have to appease anyone else but ourselves and it was the best day of my life." He looked over at Hermione and took her hand in his and gave it another squeeze.

Hermione couldn't have agreed more. The day was about them and she was truly sorry that she had upset anyone, but she would have done it again and again and again because she loved Draco and that day proved it.

"Can someone answer something for me, how long have the two of you been dating before you got married?" Pansy butted in.

"About a year and a half," Hermione and Draco both answered.

"Blimey and we had no clue."

"I knew," Luna said nonchalantly.

"How?" Ginny asked her.

"I saw the two of them meeting up a few times over the last few months. I thought it was just for business, but they both seemed a bit too happy to just be meeting for business reasons and then I saw them kiss and I knew. It's quite sweet, isn't it?" She asked looking around at the stunned faces.

"We're a bit hurt you kept this from us, Hermione, but we're glad that you're happy," Jean Granger told her daughter.

Everyone nodded their agreement after her pronouncement.

"Thank you," Hermione said quietly. In for a penny, in for a pound. "I have something else to tell you all while we're all gathered here."

Draco looked at her confused. She squeezed their still clasped hands.

"I'm pregnant."

The noise felt like it was vacuumed out once again before everyone started talking at once again. As everyone voiced their pleasure and congratulations, Draco wrapped his arms around her waist and whispered in her ears.

"I'm going to be a father?"

Hermione nodded. She didn't trust herself to speak at the moment, trying to hold the tears at bay.

"You always manage to surprise and amaze me, Granger," he said, a smile in his voice. He kissed her on the cheek.

Hermione smiled at him. They had managed to keep one of the biggest secrets of their lives from the most important people in their lives and she had even managed to pull the wool over her own husband's eyes. Maybe Draco was right in thinking she wasn't as Gryffindor as he always taunted her about all those years ago.

Author's note: And there you have it! I had fun writing this and I hope you had fun reading it. Now I am off to focus on my other stories. Until next time. - Devan