April 1980

Marauder House

"Do we have to go?" James Potter was currently throwing a tantrum, splayed out over her duvet in his dress robes with one arm tossed lazily over his face.

Snorting, Hermione slipped her dress on and fixed it over her shoulders. Marley had been gracious enough to lend her an outfit for the evening and while Marley's curves were fuller and her legs far longer, Hermione had been able to find something more than suitable. The hem of the lavender garment kissed just below her knees and had flowing short sleeves with a tie around the waist. For being fashion she was completely unused to, she had loved it at first sight.

Two of James' school friends were getting married and while at first, he'd no intention of going, the possibility of seeing Regulus and fixing what she had previously botched at the Leaky Cauldron had been too tempting for Hermione and Sirius. Thus was the thrilling tale of why James Potter was wearing his finest robes and sporting a scowl.

"Weddings are fun! I thought you Marauders were supposed to be all about fun."

He groaned, throwing his arm away from his face and against the mattress with a thump. "Normal weddings are fun. Weddings for the Sacred Twenty-Eight are torture. Weddings where the eldest brother is marrying a Half-Blood and essentially ruining their bloodline are decidedly less fun."

Hermione reeled on him, her eyes narrowing. "Oh, and I suppose ending one's pure-blood dynasty by sullying it with the lower class is so abhorrent to you?"

Propping up on his elbows, James levelled her with a heavy stare. "You know full well that's not at all what I mean. What I meant was that the rest of his family is vehemently against their marriage; Graham Selwyn is a good bloke. He was the first of his family not to be sorted into Slytherin in a fucking century, but his family is still stuck in the old ways. Which means that half the wedding will be pissed off pure-bloods and the other half will be nervous half-bloods."

Lips folding in a thin line, she allowed a bit of her indignation to wane, and before she could further chastise him, he was on his feet and capturing her tight around the middle. "You know," he continued, "I can't wait until the day I get to sully my fancy family tree with a Muggle-born wife of my very own."

The thundering in her chest must have been audible as she stared up at him, and awkwardness ran in her veins like a stampede of centaurs. She made a strange little noise, poking him in his hard belly. "Don't tease me."

Something between them sparked and then stilled, leaving her breathless as he tucked a curl behind her ear. "Who says I'm teasing?"

Surely there were words she could speak that would make her sound enchanting and feminine but none of them came. In their absence, she lifted onto her toes and brushed her lips against his, letting her fingers curl around the back of his neck as her tongue traced the full swell of his bottom lip.

He hummed, arms locking around her waist and pulling her off the ground as he tried to further the kiss. Breaking free from his hold, she scolded him with simply a hard glare. "You are not getting out of this wedding. Not even with sex."

Mashing his lips together, his gaze travelled the length of her body and his brows pitched together, his features transforming. "I've been remiss… I think I forgot to tell you how incredibly beautiful you are."

A blush blossomed to life on her cheeks, and she shifted nervously. "You're just trying to charm your way out of the wedding and it's not working."

"Maybe." He smirked. "But it's still true."

From beyond the door, Sirius called for them, and with a final long lamentation, James trudged for his bedroom door. "Let's get this over with."

xXx

The Selwyn family home was modest but stunning. Hermione had recognised the surname from her time in the war and it came with certain negative connotations. As such, she had assumed she would be attending a wedding in a Victorian gothic mansion with Dark Magic billowing off the ground.

However, they'd been greeted immediately by a very proper house-elf wearing a crisp, ivory pillowcase cinched at the waist and then guided around the back of the home to the gardens. A semicircle of chairs faced a beautiful arch with vines crawling through the lattice.

Champagne floated on silver trays and while James grabbed two glasses for her and Marley, Sirius pulled out a flask and took a long pull before handing it to his friend.

"I can't believe Graham is taking the plunge," Marley said around the lip of her champagne flute.

"Ah, he was mostly married seventh year. He and Delpha have always been inseparable." Sirius craned his neck as he spoke, searching the crowd. "Frank and Alice were together less time and hitched about as soon as they could."

Sipping on her champagne and swaying to the gentle melody of the string quartet, Hermione couldn't figure out why James was so against attending. "This doesn't seem quite as tense as you painted it, James. Everyone seems to be getting along fine."

"That's because the riff-raff is just arriving." James jerked his chin towards where they had just entered, and the breath in her lungs turned to ice.

Lucius led a small troupe of elegantly dressed witches and wizards, each one with sharp aristocratic features and their chins tilted just so. On his arm was plausibly Narcissa Malfoy, her pale hair twisted into a chignon and flowing pale blue robes draping over her pregnant belly.

Just a step behind her was her wild sister, and Hermione's gaze darted nervously to Sirius, whose lip was pulling into a scowl. She had curls more wild than Hermione but the deep color of squids ink, and as she surveyed the gardens with a severely arched brow, Hermione couldn't help but think how utterly normal she looked. The wild glint of madness was missing from her dark eyes, Azkaban having sent her spiraling into insanity after the war. The wizard escorting her, however, stuck out a bit like a sore thumb. His hair was wiry and a dull orange, his features gaunt and grey.

The small group entered and Narcissa blossomed, smiling and waving at the crowd milling about while the rest of them remained stoically silent.

Just a moment later, Theodore Nott Sr. swept grandly into the space, a long black cloak dusting the ground though it was April and sunny. As if he could sense her very stare, his dark eyes shot to hers, and he stared for a long moment before his lips twitched into a crooked smile and he ducked his chin in a silent greeting.

Hermione's stomach flopped dangerously and she swallowed the rest of her champagne simply for something to do.

"Come on," James said in her ear, "Let's get a seat near the back."

xXx

The ceremony was beautiful, despite the mother of the bridegroom openly weeping into her handkerchief with her husband looking on at the matrimony as though it were an execution.

Finally they arrived at Hermione's favourite part: the magical handfasting. She'd been just as enamoured with it during Bill and Fleur's wedding, and she found herself teary eyed as she watched.

Winding his arm around Hermione's shoulder, James leaned into her, lips just barely brushing the curls twisting around her ear. "Do you know much about it?" he asked, alluding to the ethereal silver magic twining around wrists of the bride and groom.

Hermione shook her head but didn't tear her gaze from the sight.

"Not every couple does it, as it's a bit archaic honestly, but the spell binds their magic; they're linked. It's like claiming your own soulmate—they're yours forever."

She snapped her face towards him, studying the delicate curve of his lips and the gold dusting his hazel eyes.

Forever.

She let the word bounce around her mind, testing the weight and feel of it. They shared a private smile, and he leaned in to press a kiss against her lips, letting it linger for an extra heartbeat before pulling back and resting back in his chair.

As she dragged her attention back to the couple, she caught sight of Narcissa Malfoy staring daggers in her direction. The facade she'd donned upon entering the gardens had faded into a glacial glare aimed just at Hermione. She was a stunning witch; there was no doubting that, and with the slightest of sneers, she shifted in her seat and locked her eyes ahead.

The ceremony concluded and the guests made their way to a tented area with linen-covered table cloths and giant silver candelabras. The four of them found their seats and waited, falling into easy conversation as they finished drinks and new ones arrived.

After a short time, the newlyweds entered the tent and everyone rose to greet them as they made their way to a small private table in the front.

"She's pretty enough," Hermione overheard a tired voice say from the table behind them. "It's a shame she's only half." The woman made a clucking noise, and Hermione couldn't help but whip around in search of the bigot.

James was faster, twining his arm around her shoulders and bringing her back. "Love, that's a very good way to get yourself a whole bunch of unwanted attention. You won't be changing her mind."

Huffing, Hermione fell back into her seat and Marley was quick to reach over and pat her thigh. "S'Okay, Hermione. You'll find quiet payback is far more fun." With a wink, she covered her mouth with her fingers and disguised a quiet spell with a fake cough. The witch behind them shrieked, shouting about spilled champagne.

Biting back her laughter, Hermione's attention caught on Sirius shifting nervously from the far side of Marley and jerking his chin towards a table clear across the tent. "Reg is here… and sitting with those Death Ea—"

"Padfoot!" James shot nervous glances over his shoulders before leaning in over the table. "Not here."

Grumbling, the eldest Black settled back, muttering something unintelligible about kidnapping his baby brother.

Before long, the happy couple swung into an easy embrace and shared their first dance together as husband and wife. Their love for each other was etched deeply into their features, and Hermione was lost in the beauty of their love. James curled around her, pressing his chest against her back and swaying them gently as he hummed along to the familiar tune.

As the slower melody ended, the band lifted into a jovial tempo. Within moments the boys were grinning at each other and moving to the beat. Hermione choked on her laughter at the sight. James Potter, for all his physical prowess and boasting, was a gods-awful dancer. He jerked and jumped about, lost in the music and uncaring that he looked like a complete and utter fool.

Marley, now pink-cheeked in her inebriation, clutched to Hermione's side, guffawing. "Would you believe it if I tell you that he's actually gotten better since school?"

Laughter spilled through the air as they watched the two Marauders shredding on air instruments. "I'm not sure I can imagine it much worse!" she called over the music and a grin stretched over Marley's lips.

"Trust me… He used to do this move where he— Oh, for fuck's sake. That's it." She pointed at James who was rolling his body like a snake while upright. "That's the stupid fucking move." Tossing her hands up in the air, she turned to Sirius who seemed to be at least somewhat more controlled in his gyrating movements. "You! Come here to me!"

Sirius feigned surprise, pointing to his chest and darting curious glances over his shoulder as Marley crooked her finger in his direction.

The night was perfect, untouched by the stain of dark wizards Hermione knew were still lingering in the outskirts of the reception.

"I'm going to get a drink!" she shouted, and James paused his wild flailings to follow her. When they were safely away from the dance floor she said, "You really like to dance."

Dragging a hand through his wild hair, he smiled broadly. "Well, love, when you've got the moves like I do, it's a shame to waste them."

"I wouldn't have imagined these stuffy pure-bloods having such a modern taste when it comes to music." Even as she said it, she studied the row of disgruntled witches and wizards in the back of the tent who stared at the younger crowd with wrinkled brows.

"Ah, they probably don't. But if I know Graham, this was a surprise for his parents. That's them over there," James said, jerking his chin. "The two with the red faces that look like they've just smelled a pile of hippogriff shite."

Laughter erupted from her belly as she snagged champagne from the bar and he ordered another whisky. "You know what I love about you, James?"

"Hmm, my good looks? My charm?" He stepped into her and his gaze travelled down the crease of her cleavage as he licked his lips. "The way I can make you—"

"Ack!" Hermione planted her fingers against his lips to quiet him but instead he kissed and nipped at them before guiding her back to the table. "You're incorrigible."

For a few stolen moments, they were just James and Hermione. Just two kids who'd gone and done something as stupid as fall in love during a war. In all the ways she had planned and plotted the rest of her life, she could have never in her wildest dreams planned for this. And it was almost like the last six years of Hogwarts had been training for these moments.

Then, as it always did, reality came crashing down again. "Look," James nodded, his face suddenly serious. "It's Reg."

Hermione followed his stare and sure enough on the far side of the tent, Regulus stood—alone. His brow was arched high as if the entire evening was a bore to him, and he sucked on a half drank glass of champagne as he watched.

"I'm going to try and talk to him," Hermione said.

"I'll come—" James made to stand, and her hand darted out, resting on his thigh.

"I don't want it to be an ambush. I just want to make sure nothing has happened to Kreacher and see if I can't get him to change his mind on working with us. I'll be right back."

James shifted uneasily but said nothing as she stood and crossed the tent. Up close she could see the differences that she'd been blind to at first. Light purple circles shadowed Regulus' eyes, his cheeks a bit more hollow, eyes tired and distant. She barely knew the bloke but her heart twisted at the sight of him.

"Hello," she said lamely.

He tensed as she came to a stop at his side. "Good evening."

"Beautiful wedding." Regulus hummed in response, and she grimaced at her own awkwardness. Damn her for not being born with the proper Gryffindor charm. "How have you been? Sirius has—"

"Hermione, wasn't it?" he interrupted, turning to stare down the sharp ridge of his nose at her. "If my brother wants to speak to me, he knows where I am. I don't need him to keep a Mudblood messenger." The apples of his cheeks darkened as he bit out the slur, and his eyes darted around as if he were scared someone might be listening.

"I'm not his messenger—Mudblood or otherwise. He's just been worried about you, and I know you don't know me and you think I'm batty, but I'm not. I can help you if—when—things go bad."

Something indescribable flashed across Regulus' features but he quickly painted his hard mask on, and his lip curled for good measure. "You're naïve if you don't think things are already bad. It's only a matter of when they're going to get worse. Have a good evening." Then he was gone, not sparing a single look back.

Merlin, the man was more impossible than his brother and in entirely different ways. Where Sirius was boisterous and warm, Regulus was cold and calculated. They were only alike in that both of them would succeed in driving her mad.

With a long-suffering sigh, she turned her attention back to their table and nearly gasped when she saw a beautiful blonde in pale blue robes in her seat. Narcissa Malfoy's slender fingers reached out for James' tie and while she could tell that her boyfriend looked uncomfortable, plucking the fabric from her fingers a grimace, he did little in the way of stopping her.

Hermione glowered, brow wrinkling as she continued to watch the pregnant witch shamelessly flirt with her boyfriend.

"Miss Granger." A dangerous purr sounded in her ear, and the fine hairs of her neck prickled as the now familiar blond wizard came up to her side.

"Malfoy." She rolled her eyes and drained her drink. "Your wife looks lost." An amused hum vibrated from Lucius and suddenly his hand was on her lower back guiding her towards the dance floor as the music turned to a slow melody. "What on earth are you doing?"

"Stealing you away for a dance. Surely your little boyfriend can stand to be parted with you for the duration of a single song."

She wanted to deck him, to lay him out flat like she had his son all those years ago but the phrase unwanted attention rang in her ears. Her teeth ground together as he took a formal dance pose and began leading her through a set of uncomplicated moves.

"Won't this stain your reputation? Being seen dancing with a Mudblood?"

A smirk played on the corner of his lips as he looked down at her. "Not at all. Pure-bloods take mistresses all the time. You're still fine for things like fucking and dancing; it's just the marriage and breeding we take issue with."

The edges of her vision turned crimson, and she was quite close to driving the sharp bone of her knee into his crotch but he continued on without pause. "They used to date, you know: James and Cissy."

Hermione blanched, her rage quickly cooling into confusion as her eyes snapped to the interaction just over Lucius Malfoy's shoulder. "They did?"

"Well," her partner snorted, "they used to have sex. Dating is a novel concept for James Potter, one I'm surprised he's taken up with you."

"You sound like you know him well." The obvious tension between them turned into an almost neutral space, and her defenses lowered just slightly.

"Let's just say his reputation precedes him." Rolling his eyes, he turned them again, his lips pursing in thought. "I'll admit I'm most curious about you, Miss Granger. I found that you now have records on file with the Ministry of Magic."

Her heart galloped in her chest, and she swore her palms broke out in a sweat. "I always have, maybe you overlooked them."

His eyes flashed dangerously. "You appear from nowhere, sinking in with those degenerates as though you've always been. Your clothes are strange as is your dialect—even for a Mudblood. I want answers, Miss Granger, and I want them now." The blunt edges of his nails sank into her hand, and she could see the taut tendons in his throat as his carefully crafted composure threatened to snap.

Swallowing thickly, she managed to extricate herself from his hold. Smoothing down the fabric of her dress, she then pinned him with an unamused stare. "I'm no one, Malfoy. Just another witch who fell for James Potter"

His lips pulled back into a snarl but before he could speak, he hissed and stared down at his left forearm, covered by his expensive robes.

A moment later, James arrived, tossing his arm over her shoulder, Sirius and Marley just behind him. "Hello, Lucius," James crooned. "I thought maybe you'd learned your lesson about harassing my girlfriend the last time. Or do I need to break your nose in front of your boss to teach it to you again?"

The air between them sparked. "You insolent little—"

"Malfoy!" Theo Nott called from the fringe of the dance floor. "We need to go." Just behind him stood Regulus and Bellatrix Lestrange, her eyes sharp and missing nothing as she studied Hermione too closely.

"This isn't over." With a sneer, Lucius swept from the dance floor.

When the Death Eater brigade was finally out of sight, Hermione's knee buckled, and she sucked in her first real breath of air since she'd approached Regulus. The chaos of the reception felt heightened, attacking her senses as she clung to James' arm.

"Can we go?" she managed, eyes darting frantically around the room.

James studied her, palms cradling her cheeks, and he nodded. "Of course, love."

They made for the Apparition line and Hermione felt it again, that nudging at the forefront of her mind from the last time Malfoy tried to enter her mind. She stilled, whipping around until she saw Lucius with his pack of thugs and beautiful wife. Hermione pushed him out of her mind, allowing him nothing.

But even as they arrived at the Marauder House, far from Lucius Malfoy and his horrible attempts at Legilimency, she could still feel the imprint of his magic and the dents in her hand from where he'd marked her.

xXx

A/N: Decided to update this evening instead of the morning because I'll be running around. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and thank you so much for reading and following along! I appreciate all your support!

Big thanks to my BritAlphaBet: Farmulousa, NuclearNik, and Ravenslight for making this all pretty from the garbage I sent their way haha truest MVPs around!

Hope your weekend has been full of rest and your week is beautiful.