A Wizard's Debt

A/N: Does nobody like camp Draco? Or is it just me on that front? Lol.





Hermione



Severus had walked in to the shop and a woman who reminded me of Molly dropped everything and pulled him into a firm hug. After I was introduced as the future Mrs. Snape he was unceremoniously shoved next door and told to go bother Zhi and not come in until he was told to.



“Now then, now that he’s out of the way – what would you like, dearie?” she said, grabbing a sketch book and flicking through to find a fresh page.



“I think I designed my ideal wedding dress when I was nine, but then I met the wizarding world; and the design was adapted to something more magical – but still keeping the muggle elements. I have my own sketch book, it’s the one with the sticky tab coming out of it.” I said handing over my drawings.



“Oh! Oh! This is simply wonderful! I can certainly see medieval and Renascence elements in this design – oh and some Tudor in there too.” She turned to me and grinned, “I do like it when a woman comes in and knows exactly what she wants, it makes my life so much easier.” She continued to look for a few moments before using a spell to copy my design to her own book.



“Hmm. I think the place to start is the underwear – what were you intending on wearing under it, dearie?” she said, bringing forward a tailors dummy and making it my exact body shape.



“Erm, I hadn’t thought about that? What do you think?”



“A wide-strap, white cotton chemise with a corset over the top, and whatever you want on the bottom. I can make a nice pair of matching knickers.” She said, summoning the required garments and placing them on the dummy, lacing the white corset at the back. “Yes, this will push you up at the front and give you the perfect shape for under the dress.” She tugged at the lacings of the chemise to draw it over the bust of the dummy that was now barely held by the corset.



“Now, the bodice is rather seventeenth century, straight across the bust giving a square neckline, it laces up both sides, and goes to a small point at the front… simple and elegant.” She looked at me for a moment. “What colour and fabric dearie?” she asked, turning to the wall of fabric in every conceivable shade and type available.



“White, please. Though, I’m not perfectly sure I get to wear white…” I said, trailing off.



“Doesn’t bother most witches these days – I’ve had pregnant brides wear white – what a oxymoron that is!”



“Oh! I haven’t… well I haven’t had… but its broken for a spell…” I mumbled, not really wanting to tell the woman this.



“Oh! Don’t worry dearie – Zhi has mentioned virgin blood is a powerful potion’s ingredient – I presume that’s where it went?” she said, pulling roll after roll of white fabric from the wall.



“Yes.” I said, smiling shyly.



“Well – I don’t see a problem with white! Not a problem at all! What fabric would you like?” she said, standing the rolls up around the sofa where I was sat.



“That’s nice – though I wouldn’t normally pick it.” I said, running my thumb over the heavy white and silver brocade.



“Hmm… lets have a look then.” With her wand she cut the appropriate pieces of pattern and pinned them to the corset. “Oh, yes – a good choice, the silver roses look wonderful, and they’ll catch the light perfectly… silver satin ribbon to lace the sides, and the same colour…” she turned, summoning the matching edging from the wall and sewing it to the top edge of the bodice. She laced the sides quickly, leaving a yard of ribbon trailing on both sides.



A flick of her wrist and it was no longer pinned to the corset.



“Oh – that does give a lovely neck line! Your bosoms are ever so slightly on show, but certainly not in the shop window! Just hints at them. A nice even waist and hips that flair a little… you certainly know what suits your figure! This is probably the quickest wedding gown I’ve ever produced!” she stepped back, comparing my drawing to the dummy. “Now – explain the skirt to me.”



“Its basically a full skirt, but without petticoats or hoops.” I answered, already looking at the fabrics.



“Marvelous! Ever so simple, and it will fold nicely around you if I put a few darts at the waist.”



“I don’t know which fabric to go for.” I said, looking around at the masses of white rolls.



“Hmm… you chose heavy cotton for the bodice, so I’d stick with that. This is a nice one – plain and simple.” She picked up the roll, holding it next to the dummy.



“I think that will work.” I nodded.



“Right, four yards of this then – and while the magic gets to work on the skirt, I think we should have a cup of normal tea and chat over this sketch book!”



***

“Right, the gown is more or less finished, what about the cape going over it?” Marcia asked, once again picking up her wand.



“I wasn’t sure on that, perhaps white velvet with a silky lining, I know it’s a Summer wedding, but it would probably rain anyway – plus I could wear the cape again.”



“Yes, A good idea – And how about a hood – you can’t not cover your head at your wedding ceremony, its rude to show your hair in the temples for some reason… I think it’s the reason why the priests are bald.” She muttered, waving her wand to cut the heavy, ridiculously soft white velvet.



“Draco and Oliver’s wedding was in their pyjamas and none of us had anything over our heads!” I exclaimed, thinking I’d done something very wrong.



“Don’t worry, as far as I can tell that wedding was rather unique and you could be forgiven for not following tradition.” Marcia said, draping the cape over the gown and stepping back. “Something missing… ah! Ribbon ties.” With a swish the same ribbons that laced the sides tied in a neat bow at the neck.



“The only other wedding I’ve been to was in a garden.” I said, trying to understand what was going on.



“Ah – but with you-know-who on the loose, you’d want to be close to home and nice and safe.” She said, once again stepping back. “Still something missing from the cape…” looking to the trimming wall she summoned something and added it to the edge of the hood.



“Please tell me that isn’t real fur.” I pleaded, looking at the fluffy white edging.



“Sorry to tell you it is real, its rabbit. Actually it’s a waste product – I work with the local butcher, any leather is from him, and all my fur is rabbit and would otherwise have been thrown away. I don’t go killing animals just to make my robes look nice – I’m just a… creative recycler.” She said, sitting next to me. “I can take it off if it upsets you.”



“I don’t object to leather shoes because the cow will have gone into the food chain; I guess its just the same with the rabbit”. I said, remembering the pet bunny I had as a little girl.



“Yeah, Godfrey, that’s the butcher, he said nothing suffers at his hands – but I had killer indigestion after my hubby cooked it in a really spicy sauce! It was ever-so tasty, but was spoilt by his indigestion potion!”



I laughed, walking around the combination and smiling – it was my dream made real, my sketch come to life, and it was perfect.



“Thank-you so much!” I whispered, hugging Marcia.



“A pleasure dearie, a true pleasure to work with you on this gown – now just a matter of payment…”



“I can write you a withdrawal slip for Gringotts…” I said, rummaging in my robes for the slip. My parents insisted on leaving me enough money to pay for my dream dress. “Find your prince charming and look like a princess.” My Dad had said.



“Well, normally that would cost two-hundred galleons; but I’ll let you have it for one-hundred if you let me have your sketch book. The designs are brilliant and I could do with some fresh inspiration!” she said, making minor adjustments to the dress.



“Oh! Of course – they’re only sketches to keep me happy when I’m bored. I didn’t think they were that good, to be honest.” I shrugged. Pulling the shrunk ballet shoes from my pocket and tapping my wand against them to bring them back to full size.



“Those shoes will be fine for dancing all night – but you can’t go outside in them – you’ll have to find something else for walking between places.” She looked back through the sketches, “They are more than good, they are marvellous!”



“Thank-you.” I blushed.



“Go try on for me, lets have a look at it on you.” She said, ushering me to the huge fitting room and carefully undressing the dummy – passing me the garments in the wrong order. “Right – chemise goes first – over those rather interesting knickers! Take the bra off! You don’t need a bra with a corset!” she chuckled, taking my pale blue bra with pink polka dots from me and shaking her head at the matching knickers.



“I’m going to have to find something a tad more romantic than that for you!” she scurried away and left me navigating my way into a floor-length under dress.



“How about these?” she asked, holding up a pair of short silk boxers with silver roses embroidered over them.



“Pretty.” I said, letting her help me wriggle into the chemise. I can’t manage the first bit on my own – how do I get into the corset.



“Don’t worry, I come with the dress on your day and put you into it – I’ll trust your husband will be able to get you out of it!” she giggled, placing my arms around a pillar while she laced me into the corset.



“My Dragon?” called Zhi from the door, “Can we enter?”



“No! Out! Out! Out!” she yelled, “No seeing the bride in her dress before the day!”



“I shall go to Gregory and purchase a duck – I shall cook a feast for the new couple, and us – an old couple, how does sweet and sour pork sound as the main course?” he said, from the door.



“Lovely – indigestion on a plate for me!” she grinned, “I think it’s a good idea, Severus has got thin, he needs feeding up. Keep him out of here for me though!”



“The groom cannot see, but may I?” he said, shuffling over to the changing room where I was being laced up.



“I’m in my underwear at the moment…” I said nervously.



“Ah – then I shall wait until my Dragon tells me I can look.”



The skirt went over my head and fastened at the back with a drawstring ribbon; it was followed by the bodice and a quick lacing up. Then finally the cape.



“Alright, you nosey so-and-so, have a look. But don’t let Severus see her! Then go and get that duck and pork from Godfrey before he closes.”



“Its perfect,” I said, looking at my reflection, “But my hair is an utter mess.” I said, pulling up the hood of the cape to hide my aggressive curls.



Zhi gently pushed down the fur and velvet hiding my hair down before looking up into my eyes: “A diamond with a flaw is better than a perfect pebble.” He bowed before leaving the dressing room and taking Severus along to choose his duck.