Closer

Hermione blinked, utterly perplexed. “I beg your pardon?”

“Your dress,” repeated Draco. “Take it off.” He stepped towards her, an amused looking playing on his face as she backed away a few inches. But the young man walked right past her and towards the snake-engraved mahogany wardrobe. “You’ll find a change of clothes in here. Wear what you prefer and meet me outside. I have something I’d like to show you.”

The former Head Girl gaped, a wave of relief passing through her as her new husband left the room with that infamous smirk tugging at his lips. Her eyes lingered on them for a short while before she shook her head and stepped towards the wardrobe. Inside she selected a pair of jeans, a camisole and a cardigan. It was very sensible, very Hermione.

Yet through the corner of her eye, she spotted her reflection in the mirror and paused. The dress felt foreign on her skin, but in a very, very good way. Strange as it was, she didn’t want to take it off.

“Is everything all right?” Draco called from outside.

“Erm – yes. Just changing.” A soft blush crept up on her cheeks as she slipped out of the wedding dress and into her new clothes. She wondered where he had got them. A muggle shop, perhaps?

Nevertheless, they fit well.

~

Draco could feel her eyes on him the entire time. It was strange to think they had come so far in the space of one day. Hermione had gone from shaking in his presence to walking comfortably side-by-side. She was never one to crumble under pressure, anyway. That was the primary reason her name had left his lips.

She had an inexplicable confidence about her. The sort of confidence acquired after decades and decades of hardship. He figured the goings on of her adolescent years had provided enough hardship for one lifetime and the next. Deep down he admired her courage and the courage of her friends. They had everything, in a way he could never dream of.

“Where are we headed?” asked the bride.

He blinked several times over, having forgotten the purpose of their midnight sojourn. “It’s something I thought you might enjoy,” explained Draco. “This entire ordeal can’t be easy on you.” He watched her face screw and then relax as they proceeded towards a door marked Library. It had been years since he’d stepped foot in the Malfoy Manor, let alone the library, but Draco knew it like the back of his hand. It was his favourite place. Having grown up as an only child, the only friends he had were fictitious characters.

He figured it was a nice gesture to offer his place of calmness to his new wife, even if their marriage was a sham.

Her eyes widened as they entered the circular room. It was magical in the most extraordinary way. She didn’t smile, but he could tell there was pure joy behind those milk chocolate orbs. In that moment he saw a different side to Hermione Granger, a side that scared him and intrigued him all at the same time.

“Muggle literature is on the shelf closest to the fireplace. Everything else is wizarding.”

She turned in his direction. “Muggle literature?”

“I know,” he smiled. “It was a recent addition. My own.”

“Ah,” Hermione turned back around and proceeded towards the nearest shelf, having a stack of books in her arms several seconds later. “This is amazing. It’s almost as large as the Hogwarts library.”

“That was the aim. You know us Malfoys. The bigger and more expensive, the better.”

A strange expression danced across her face as he uttered his surname. It was then that it occurred to Draco. She, too, was a Malfoy. Hermione Jean Malfoy. It didn’t flow quite as well, but at least it sounded better than Hermione Jean Weasley. That was a catastrophe he was glad to have evaded on her behalf.

“Shall I leave you to your books?”

“Erm – I – Thank you.”

“It’s no problem. I dragged you into this. Offering my collection is the least I could do.”

Hermione arched an eyebrow. “So all of this is yours?”

“As of last week – yes.”

He couldn’t tell whether she was impressed or amused. It was probably a mixture of both, but there was no time for him to gauge her expression. She immediately plopped onto the nearest armchair and turned the first page to the first book. Her eyes followed the words from left to right with astounding speed. Before he had time to blink, she was onto the next page.

Draco silently headed for the door, barely brushing the handle before he heard one of the books slam shut.

“Where are you going?”

He turned around. “I thought I’d leave you to it.”

“On our wedding night?”

This time he arched an eyebrow. “Er – I –”

The girl laughed, strolling towards him. “The books can wait. How about a tour of this place?”

“A tour?”

“Yes, a tour. You know, as in show me around.”

Draco nodded. “Of course. I just – I didn’t expect you would –”

“ – Want to acquaint myself with the Manor?” she asked. “Our marriage may be fake but I still have to live here, don’t I?”

“You do.”

“So there you have it. Get on with the tour.”

He felt a smile creeping up. “Right this way.”

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