It Happened One Night

CHAPTER 18: New Years







Hermione walked into the bedroom and smiled. Remus was fussing with his cuff links as he dressed for the New Years Gala at the Ministry of Magic. Every year it was expected that she attend as a member of the famous trio and this would be the first time that she would be there without Ron as her date.





“Do you need help?” She asked. Remus looked up at her and his jaw dropped. Her dark curls were piled atop her head with several silky ringlets left free to caress her shoulders and neck. She wore a long black silk sheath of a dress with thin straps, a plunging back and a side split that revealed the silky skin of her leg with every step.







“I…..uh….wow.” He said, almost dropping the pewter cufflink in his hand. Hermione laughed softly and fastened his cuffs. “I know you aren’t wearing knickers under that dress.”





“No detours tonight.” She said, straightening his tie and smoothing the front of his shirt. “You look very handsome in your dress robes.”





“And you look like a goddess. Are you certain we can’t get out of it?” He asked, sliding his finger over her bare shoulder.





“Sorry to disappoint you, sweetheart. I know you don’t particularly care for such large gatherings but I’m glad you decided to come with me.” She said, smoothing his slightly tousled hair.





“Well I couldn’t very well let my wife go alone now could I?” Remus didn’t add that he refused to let her be anywhere Ron was going to be without him.





“You know that everyone who is anyone in the wizarding world is going to learn that we are married tonight.” Hermione tucked her wand into her handbag and followed Remus into the living room where he held her cloak out for her.







“I’m certain the news will set more than one tongue a wagging since I was once your teacher.” He said, pulling her close. “They are going to wonder just what I was teaching you.”





“No offense, but it was not nearly as interesting as the things I’m learning from you now.” She said, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.





“Perhaps we can have a private lesson after the gala?” He asked, leaning in to rub his nose against hers. He wanted to kiss her but figured it wouldn’t be a good idea to start something that couldn’t be finished until later.





“I think we better go before you start getting ideas.” She laughed and apparated them to the receiving hall of the Ministry building. They ignored the curious stares and whispers of the other people arriving. Most were wondering why she wasn’t with Ron as she had been for the previous five galas, and several recognized Remus and wondered why she was with him.





They entered the banquet room with their hands clasped stopping only to check Hermione’s coat. They knew they would be sitting at the front of the event and unfortunately that meant making their way through the crowd.





“Is that you, Granger?” Hermione winced at the familiar, needling voice from her past.





“Yes, I’m afraid it is…..Malfoy.” Hermione said. Draco stepped in front of them and stared at Remus.





“Professor Lupin? What on earth are you doing here with Granger?” He asked. While Hermione couldn’t say that she and Draco were friends, they were civil to some degree, when they bumped into one another on occasionally.





“It’s no longer Professor, Draco.” Remus said tightly. He hadn’t much cared for the young man as a child and he definitely had no love for his father. Unfortunately for Draco, he had grown into an exact replica of his parent.





“That’s right, you publish fiction novels. Murder mysteries right?”





“That’s right.” Remus said.







“So why’d you come with him, Granger? Where is Weaselby, doesn’t he usually bring you to these things?” He asked, looking around the crowd for the redhead he had despised his entire life.





“I’m certain that Ron is probably with his date. We aren’t together any longer and my name is no longer Granger.” Hermione had always wondered how a young man as handsome and intelligent as Draco could be so horribly rude. She had met his parents and while Lucius was an arrogant git, he had very proper manners.





“So you managed to leg shackle some poor wizard did you? Not the blood traitor?” He asked with the same cocky grin that had made her strike out at him more than once in their youth.





“I am a married woman. My name is Hermione Lupin now.” Hermione discovered that she was a semi-sadist in that moment as she took extreme pleasure in the shocked look on his face.





“You married a teacher?” He asked, looking between Remus and Hermione with a horrified expression.





“I am no longer a teacher.” Remus reminded him, wondering if their entire evening would be filled with such reactions to their marriage.





“But you were and now you married one of your students? That’s just…..” Draco shook his head. He smirked and turned to yell over his shoulder. “Father, come here!” Lucius appeared beside them, his smile not quite reaching his eyes.





“Good evening Ms. Granger, Lupin.” Lucius said, looking down his nose and curling his lip as though he smelled something distasteful.





“You have part of that right.” Draco said. “It’s Mr. and Mrs. Lupin.”





“Good god man, you were her teacher!” Lucius said, his eyes wide.





“Is this going to be the theme of the night, love?” Remus asked Hermione in irritation. Hermione smiled at him and chuckled.





“We knew it would be.” She said before turning her smile on the two blond wizards. “When Remus was my teacher he was only that, my teacher. We have however been friends for a very long time and that led to more. Now be nice and congratulate us.”





Lucius was staring at the cheeky little witch with an odd half smile on his face. He actually kind of liked the little termagant and couldn’t blame Lupin for wanting her. She did look kind of fetching in the black gown.





“I wish you all the best.” He said, bowing slightly in Hermione’s direction. “Now if you would excuse us, we are needed at our table.” Lucius shoved Draco in the shoulder with his cane while the younger man snickered at them.





“I don’t like that man. Never have, never will. How is it that even when he tries to be polite he comes off as a pretentious bastard?” Remus asked, taking her hand and pulling her through the throng of people, ignoring the attempts to catch their attention.





“Well if it isn’t the Lupins!” Harry said. “Wow, Mione that….you look…..wow!” Harry put his hand on Remus’s shoulder. “You actually let her out of the house in that dress?”





“I tried to convince her to stay home, but she wasn’t having it.” Remus said, staring at Hermione’s bare back as she hugged Ginny.





“I’m shocked that you made it on time. I know your penchant for getting sidetracked and that dress could definitely make a man get sidetracked.” Harry laughed.





“Don’t you have your own wife to ogle?” Remus asked, fighting the sudden urge to ask Hermione to put on his robes.





“I’m used to seeing my wife look like a siren. Hermione however, has never looked better. You are definitely good for her.” Harry said, smiling stupidly when Hermione glanced at him over her shoulder.





“Harry Potter you had better not be looking at my backside.” She said.





“He can’t help it, Mione. Hell I can’t stop looking at you in that dress and I have never felt the need to ogle another woman.” Ginny said laughing.





“The sales woman in London thought it would be appropriate but now I’m rethinking it. I don’t think I like all the attention.” She said with a frown.





“You look amazing in that dress, Mione.” Ginny said. “We’re just teasing you.”





“You are the most beautiful woman in the room, love.” Remus whispered in her ear, kissing the side of her neck.





“Thank you, but I think you might be biased.” She laughed.





“Perhaps, but it doesn’t alter the truth, you are stunning.” He pulled out her chair and seated her. He sat in the chair beside her and took her hand in his as everyone began to settle.





“Sorry I’m late.” Ron appeared from behind them, his robes were awry and he reeked of alcohol as he stumbled to his chair and basically fell into it.





“Ron, are you drunk?” Harry asked.





“Yes.” Ron said, raising his hand for the waitress and ordering a glass of whiskey.





“Then maybe you shouldn’t be ordering more to drink. In fact, maybe it would be best if you just went home.” Ginny said, glaring at her older brother.





“Not a chance!” He said, sprawling in the chair with his legs stretched out. “I’m going to enjoy the party. Maybe even find some random witch to take home after since a sneaky wolf stole mine.” He said, glaring at Remus. “By the way, you look smoking in that dress Mione.”



“Alright, Ron, let’s go.” Harry said, grabbing his brother in law by the arm and hauling him up from the chair.



“Oi! Sod off, mate!” Ron slurred, fighting against Harry’s grip.





“Look, either you go home on your own, or I will take you in to custody right now and throw you into a holding cell for public intoxication. I’m off duty Ron and I don’t want to be forced to arrest my family.” Harry said through clenched teeth.





“Fine….these things are always lame anyhow.” Ron said, jerking his arm free. “G’night Ginny. Enjoy shagging my girl Lupin.” He said, saluting them before he stumbled off into the hall.





“I’m just going to make sure he gets home, I’ll be right back.” Harry said, following Ron into the crowd.





“I can not believe he showed up here already intoxicated.” Remus said, staring after him in concern.





“I believe it. He drinks all the time and no one says anything to him about it aside from Harry. They all think its just part of him getting the “wildness” out of his system.” Ginny snorted in disgust. “I say he’s a bloody alcoholic.”





“How long has he been like this?” Hermione asked. Ron had always drunk a little but she had never seen him like that.





“Well it’s been getting steadily worse over the last several months. He’s been consistently pissed since just before Christmas.”







“He was passed out before I could get him to his room so I left him on the sofa.” Harry said as he rejoined the table. “We are going to have to do something about him.”







“Why haven’t Molly and Arthur done anything about it?” Hermione asked.







“Mum doesn’t like to think that her sons are capable of anything untoward. Look at how far gone Percy was and no one did anything about it, they just let him go on being brainwashed by the corrupt ministry.” Ginny said with a sad shake of her head. “I hope what he said isn’t going to ruin your evening.”





“Don’t concern yourself with it. It isn’t the first time we have heard his vile comments, it’s becoming routine lately.” Remus said.





“He isn’t taking your marriage well that is for certain.” Harry said. “But it’s his problem, not ours, not tonight. Tonight we drink champagne, we dance and we kiss our wives at midnight to welcome in the New Year.”





And that was exactly what they did. They enjoyed an extravagant four course meal, drank expensive champagne and danced to the music of a wizard band. Remus and Hermione fielded dozens of shocked comments on their marriage and then as the clock struck twelve he pulled her into his arms and they welcomed the coming year with a passionate kiss.







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Rini - I think you will soon understand why the earlier scene with Ron ended rather abruptly…..hang with me, exciting things are coming……..