Love Songs

I am officially Muse-less, as she went on strike and won’t come back. She’s a fickle cow and has been a recent pain in the backside. I haven’t been able to write much since I came home from uni.



So… lock up your muses people!



I’m offering a free-range plot-bunny farm; five-star accommodations; a diet completely free of artificial colours and flavours and a free reign on my dreams and subconscious. All I require is a muse competent in plot-bunny husbandry; clear ideas and an ability to clearly communicate a plot to me. (All CVs to be sent to me, the position is vacant and available for immediate start).



Anyway… before you call the men in white coats and buy me ten walls of rubber wall paper and a lobotomy (don’t own Red Dwarf – where I’ve quoted the line from)…



This song isn’t a pop/rock song, and I had to check the rules to see if I’m aloud to use it… Rules from chapter one say Alright, here is the challenge. Write a oneshot song fic using the cheesy love songs of the 80\'s and 90\'s. And this is so cheesy that it’s as if a rather large block of stilton has taken over the room!



So, from Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s ‘Sunset Boulevard’ – I present ‘Perfect Year’ (Dina Carroll version – December 1993)



Warnings: AU/AR, kisses at midnight, pretty dresses, sappy romance, no smut, WAFF, OOC.









PERFECT YEAR



The United Kingdom’s Minstry of Magic’s New Year’s Eve Ball was the event of the year. (And the event of the year with the most apostrophes too, but only the Ministry’s secretaries – whom designed the invites and banners, and the journalists paid any attention to that).



It was a time of hoping for a fresh start; the making of resolutions; seeing family and friends not visited with for a long time; getting dressed up and having a jolly good knees up.



It was also where you could be made or broken by the media for your outfit – the women especially, as your NYE ballgown was as talked about as your wedding dress – and seen by more people. The fashion columnists (who normally all looked as if they had no taste and dressed in the dark) had a field day with their scathing comments of frock-horrors and bounteous praise of the beautiful couture.





Ring out the old, bring in the new

A midnight wish to share with you

Your lips are warm, my head is light

Were we in love before tonight?







The floo network opened onto a red-carpet which resembled a five-pronged fork. A quintet of lanes lead to the single promenade to the entrance of the ministry ballroom from the entrance hall. The Weasley twins had earned millions in the sale of their ‘squeaky clean floo powder’ that didn’t leave a trace of any dirt from travel upon the traveller.



Hermione arrived to the event on the arm of… well, what word was appropriate for her relationship with Lucius Malfoy? Boyfriend was ridiculously inaccurate – Lucius was no boy! Suitor was a ridiculous notion – as the pair did not suit politically or socially – and their arguments were as fierce as their passions!



Lucius detested as being referred to as her partner, mostly because ‘partner’ was a term that the unmarried gay community used – not that Lucius was in any terms homophobic. Lover was most definitely an appropriate term – but made their relationship sound purely sex-based… though, if you were a fly on the wall of Malfoy Manor’s Master Bedroom, you’d agree with the word.



Beau was the nearest word Hermione had to describe their attachment – and only because the word was French and the Malfoys were originally from France!



They stepped through the fifth fireplace with their heads held high and genuine smiles upon their faces. Admittedly they were also laughing at the hideous, heavily sequined, royal blue fishtail dress on the woman in front of them on the central ‘promenade red carpet’. She couldn’t look more like a mermaid if she’d tried, and the colour did absolutely nothing for her complexion and hair colour.



Hermione wore a daring, heavy cotton dress of very pale lavender, the colour complementing her pale skin and brunette curls piled high upon her head.



The dress had a quite low, rounded V neckline, that just hinted at the swells of her breasts, but did not hide them. The wide straps passed over her shoulders to dip into a deep V that fell softly to her lower back. The skirt nipped in at her waist and cascaded over her hips and skimmed straight down from her thighs to brush against her ankles; a small train puddled behind her at the back. The outfit was completed by cream shoes and a cream beaded sash tied at her waist and added just enough embellishment to the simple dress.



She wore no jewellery and no hair ornaments, but her eyes sparkled like amber in her amusement at some hideous outfits.



Hermione bypassed the reporters easily after smiling for the cameras. A manicured hand was carefully woven into Lucius’s much larger (manicured) hand – there was no polite and socially acceptable presenting of one arm from Lucius; and the aristocrat happily held his witch’s hand like a schoolboy.



Lucius looked rather daring in his dress robes. They were not of a traditional style – and for once not black either. Hermione had mentioned that Lucius might be channelling Snape – and he’d instructed his tailor to rectify the situation.



The trousers were a dark grey, with a silver pinstripe, the vertical lines making him appear even taller and slimmer than he already was. A ‘chinchilla-grey’ and silver brocade waistcoat (that ended at his waist – rather than the longer style traditionally worn) was atop a crisp white shirt adorned with a mercury-like tie.



His over-robe was the shade of a stormy sea – very snugly fitted and open at the front to reveal the trousers and waistcoat, with the hood pressed into a neat triangle at his back. The grey made his eyes practically leap from his face and gave his blonde hair a shimmering sheen previously unseen.



Gone was the, girl Hermione Granger, who only looked like a girl once every blue moon… here was the woman who was happy to flaunt her feminine figure (within reason, there was a fine line between gorgeous and slut, in Hermione’s opinion; though, Lucius quite liked her to behave like a total tart on occasion in private).



Gone was the opposing and dismal shade of black from Lucius’s form… here was a much more approachable wizard (though, not that he approved of being approached by anyone other than Hermione, his family and most importantly his one-year-old Granddaughter).



This was definitely the last year either would turn up solo.







I don\'t need a crowded ballroom

Everything I need is here

If you’re with me next year will be

The perfect year.







“If looks could kill, there’d be flashes of green light coming my way from just about every single woman walking down the carpet!” Hermione whispered; she was glad of the heels that gave her that little bit more height to whisper nearer his ear. She’d turned out quite tall at 5’6” – but Lucius’s 6’4” still gave him the advantage.



“Only because they are so jealous of you, my love. They would kill to be so beautiful as you and be able to come across with such effortless elegance.” He said softly, stopping their promenade to gently brush the back of his fingers against her cheek, letting the long digits absently play with a few curls that had escaped their pins already.



“Flattery will get you nowhere!” she chuckled quietly, a breathy little laugh that had Lucius hoping these trousers would hide his reaction to that laugh.



“Hmm… how about truth? Where will that get me?” he purred, reverently kissing her lips before pulling away.



“Truth will open many avenues.” She replied, breathless (and completely unaware of the photographs being taken of them, and reporters recording every word with ‘quick quote quills’).



“Hmm… well, in that case…” he said, taking her other hand and resting it upon his heart, his covering it protectively – as if she’d pull it away with what he was about to say. “Hermione, you are a vision of exquisiteness this evening. You look magnificent in that colour, and the simple cut of the dress lets your natural loveliness speak for you. You make me want to hide you from the world and the prying eyes who’d look at what’s mine! I want to hex so many people for their stares at you!”



She laughed, that breathy, gasping sound that sounded like her voice did when she was hoarse from screaming his name! “Oh, Lucius! I told you flattery would get you nowhere!” she said.



“Indeed!” he laughed softly, “Indeed you did – which is why I told you the truth!” he brought her other hand to his lips and kissed her inner wrist, keeping her other hand firmly over his rapidly beating heart.



“Have I told you I love you today?” she whispered, angling her head for a small kiss.



“Mmmm.” He replied, pressing his lips to hers and relishing in her taste. “Seven times today.”



“Make that eight… I love you.” She whispered, amber eyes meeting pyrite as she spoke.



“And I you, my love.” He said in reply, looking down to see a notebook hovering next to his left shoulder, a purple quill scribbling away. “Eh hem… would the owner of this like to get it out of my way before I reduce it to a little pile of ash on the carpet?” he said.



The parchment and quill zoomed back to a reporter, and the couple suddenly remembered they were still stood on the red carpet.



“I wish we were at home, I don’t like crowds like this.” Hermione mumbled.



“I agree, my love. I’d prefer to welcome the new year away from the throng myself.”





No need to hear the music play,

You eyes say all there is to say

The stars can fade and they can shine

\'Long as your face is next to mine





Lucius and Hermione were met in the entrance by Draco and his wife, Catherine, holding their daughter; little Althea was sucking on a dummy that was attached by a satin ribbon to her tiny pale green ballgown. Draco had a small pink rabbit poking out of his top robe pocket, and it looked like it was munching on his carnation buttonhole.



“Ah! There’s the most beautiful girl in the room!” Lucius said, waiting for the little one to reach for him before taking her in his arms. The tot was rather funny about being picked up – she’d go bezerk if she was picked up by someone she didn’t want to be held by.



“I think you just told the world that Granger is the most beautiful girl, Father.” Draco laughed, teasing his sire; feeling confident to do so now he was confident in himself.



“No, Hermione is the most beautiful woman in the room…” he turned to Draco’s wife, “I mean no offence, my dear – but I am rather biased in this argument.” He offered the woman in the emerald dress a small bow.



“I think Draco would argue that – though, he is also biased.” She said with a smile.



“He doesn’t need to argue it. His eyes say it all, Catherine. Draco looks at you with emotion that can’t be put into words.” Hermione said, kissing both of the other witch’s cheeks as she did the same.



“And he learnt that from his Father.” She whispered in Hermione’s ear with a small giggle.



The infant wriggled to be passed to her Father, pulling the rabbit from his pocket and gripping it with a white-knuckled hold as the Malfoy party went to find their table; the little girl’s eyes were wide as she looked at the decorations and fairies fluttering in the displays.



Lucius offered Hermione his arm – all of it, and he wrapped it around her waist and pulled her close, resting his head carefully on top of her curls.





I don\'t need a crowded ball room

Everything I need is here

If you’re with me next year will be

The perfect year



We don\'t need a crowded ballroom

Everything we need is here

If you’re with me next year will be

The perfect year





The five course meal had been delightful, the catering elves being of a much better standard than the previous years. The courses were delicious but not ‘tarted up’ unnecessarily with strange displays of carved vegetables or any other culinary oddity.



Coffee was served and the celebrators mingled and chatted like old friends – even if many were hardly even acquaintances. Photographers patrolled the room, taking pictures that could be purchased later; one was of Draco cuddling his curious baby who was peering suspiciously at a fairy that sat on the palm of his hand.



Speeches were made by various people; and each one toasted. It would have been possible to become completely trollied on the toasts to speeches alone -- as the wine was of excellent quality this year, that was Lucius’s doing.



Kingsley Shacklebot, the Minister of Magic spoke penultimately. His speech was short and finished with him promising to continue to do his best for the country in this year and any others that he was voted for as Minister.



“Oh, I wish we were at home; cuddled up on the sofa in the library with a good book between us and soft music playing on the wireless. I don’t need something like tonight to celebrate.” Lucius said to Hermione as he once again raised his glass before fishing in his pocket for the prompt cards for his speech as he stood.



The wizard turned to Hermione with a sheepish look before addressing the room, “I do appear to have forgotten my speech, so I shall have to improvise a little.” The occupants of the room laughed at the pink tint that covered his cheeks in his embarrassment; there was a round of applause and whistles – Lucius Malfoy was human, just like the rest of them.



“Old friends, current friends and friends I have yet to make…” he began, discretely taking Hermione’s hand for reassurance. “The financial state of the Magical United Kingdom has improved greatly over the three years since I was made Chancellor of Wizarding Wealth… but you don’t want to hear about that tonight!”



Another cheer went up around the room, and guests created a ringing din by tapping their wands on their glasses.



“I’m only glad that there was enough money for a decent bar this year!” Once more there were laughs and cheers, Hermione squeezing his hand to let him know he was doing alright with his improvisation, “Witches, and Wizards – and everyone in between…



“…eat drink and make merry, and thank-you for attending the celebration to welcome in what looks to be an even more prosperous year! Enjoy your families and friends tonight; and may I wish you all a pleasant evening and morning, and a happy New Year!”





It\'s New Year\'s Eve

and hopes are high

Dance one year in, kiss one goodbye

Another chance, another start

So many dreams to tease the heart





The dance floor was packed with swaying couples; Lucius and Hermione were no exception as they moved to their own natural rhythm to the music, gazing into each other’s eyes.



Kingsley stood on the stage and called everyone’s attention. “Ladies and Gentlemen! We are fifteen seconds away… ten… nine…”



“EIGHT”



“SEVEN”



“SIX”



“FIVE”



“FOUR”



“THREE”



“TWO”



“ONE”



“HAPPY NEW YEAR!!”



Everyone found themselves in the arms of a loved one as the hands of the clock joined in their vertical position; most found their lips occupied by a lover or spouse and their hearts filled with hope and love.



Lucius and Hermione were no different to so many others – lost in the other’s embrace; both had their eyes closed as their lips met and parted, their tongues dancing together and their fingers entwined. Lucius used his free arm to pull her to him firmly and hold her there; she wrapped the hand that was not pressed palm-to-palm with his around the back of his head, polished nails combing through his long hair.



The youngest Malfoy slept through the countdown and following cheers, happily gripping her pink bunny as she dribbled down her Daddy’s shirt. Draco and Catherine’s kiss was awkward with the baby between them; but contained no less love and devotion than Hermione and Lucius.



After an age, Lucius and Hermione parted; grinning like fools at each other, light in their eyes. It was then that other well-wishers found them. Harry carrying his sleepy nine-month-old son and managing to juggle him to shake hands with both Malfoy men, while Ginny kissed both Hermione and Catherine’s cheeks.



Ron skulked a little way off – his time with Hermione had been and gone, and there was a barely a slim chance that they’d ever get back together. “Nothing’s impossible.” He muttered as he looked on. His Mother had approached them, and was happily cooing over a sleeping Althea and singing the praises of her own five grandbabies.



Ronald threw back his drink before approaching the couple of the moment – noticing that they hadn’t let go of each other’s hands.



“Hermione, hey… erm… how are you?” he asked with an awkward shrug.



“Oh Ron! I’m wonderful! I’m so happy!” she said with a genuine beaming smile – a smile that had previously been reserved for when she earned Outstandings on her homework.



He’d had a long string of girlfriends who just hadn’t been her; they just hadn’t measured up and were very poor imitations. It was his own fault for not putting his all into their relationship like Hermione had – and it had taught him a valuable lesson, but too late.



“Oh, great.” He mumbled, knowing it was becoming more hopeless. He’d blown it with her, and she had slipped away to greener pastures.



Lucius cleared his throat, causing Hermione to turn to him with a confused look. He smiled at her gently before he dropped to one knee…





We don\'t need a crowded ballroom

Everything we need is here

And face to face we will embrace

The perfect year





“Hermione… you brought hope, happiness, calm and love into my life. You keep my nightmares away and let me live my dream of having an equal in life and devotion.



“Hermione Jane Granger, I love you with all my heart and every fibre of my being. Please, will you honour me by keeping your light in my life by consenting to become my wife?” His words were whispered, but the power and truth in them could not be disputed.



The entire ballroom had fallen silent, with the exception of swishing skirts as the gossips got closer to hear her answer, and the scratching of reporters’ quills.





Oh, we don\'t need a crowded ballroom

Everything we need is here

And face to face we shall embrace

The perfect year





Hermione was stunned, and honestly hadn’t been expecting this; she nodded before whispering a heartfelt “Yes.” As the diamond solitaire was pushed onto her finger. Lucius stood, kissing her with passion un-rivalled by past kisses before picking her up and swinging her around.



Cheers went up around them, waking the Malfoy and Potter infants, and causing screaming protests at the racket and sudden flood of people near them.



Molly rushed forward, hugging a stunned Lucius before pulling Hermione into a crushing embrace as she cried tears of joy. Ginny was next to congratulate her friend, Hermione glad that her mascara was waterproof – as tears of joy fell in emotionally-cleansing rivulets down her face as Lucius once more took her hand in his.





Ahh, the perfect year





Later that morning as the sun rose on a new dawn and New Year; Lucius stroked his fiancée’s bare back as she lay with her head on his shoulder, one leg thrown over his hips and her ring-adorned left hand resting on his heart.



She breathed deeply as she slept soundly, and Lucius smiled as he stroked her mass of curls down her back. He sighed contentedly as he waved his wand to close the heavy curtains on the huge balcony doors that acted as windows for the Master Suite.



He thought that this New Year had begun perfectly as he drifted into a peaceful sleep.



~Fin~







Ring out the old, bring in the new

A midnight wish to share with you

Your lips are warm, my head is light

Were we in love before tonight?



I don\'t need a crowded ballroom

Everything I need is here

If you’re with me

next year will be

The perfect year



No need to hear the music play,

You eyes say all there is to say

The stars can fade and they can shine

\'Long as your face is next to mine



I don\'t need a crowded ball room

Everything I need is here

If you’re with me

next year will be

The perfect year



We don\'t need a crowded ballroom

Everything we need is here

If you’re with me

next year will be

The perfect year



It\'s New Year\'s Eve and hopes are high

Dance one year in, kiss one goodbye

Another chance, another start

So many dreams to tease the heart



We don\'t need a crowded ballroom

Everything we need is here

And face to face

we will embrace

The perfect year



Oh, we don\'t need a crowded ballroom

Everything we need is here

And face to face

we shall embrace

The perfect year



Ahh, the perfect year