Love Thy Enemy

CHAPTER 30: A Midsummer’s Night





“What takes them so long to get ready?” Harry asked slumped in a chair in one of the various sitting rooms of Malfoy Manor. It was bad enough that he had to wear his dress robes, which he hated, but Ginny had decided to come over early and get ready with Hermione. So, Harry ended up sitting with Lucius, a wizard with whom he had nothing in common other than Hermione and a rather nasty battle in the Department of Ministries a few years back.





“Who knows?” Lucius was sipping his fire-whiskey as he waited. “I think they spend most of their time chatting.”





“About what?” Harry asked grumpily, tugging at his tie again.





“Us.” Lucius wondered if the boy always fidgeted so much. It was rather annoying.





“What about us? How much fun they have at our expense? Wondering how long they can leave us down here before we go nuts?” Harry got up and began to pace the room.





“My guess is they talk about us and sex. Among other things, such as how impossible we are, all of the little things we do to annoy them and occasionally about one of the sweet things we have done that was most likely by accident.” Lucius said, holding his glass up in mock salute.





“Surely they don’t discuss…that. Girls don’t compare notes, that’s a guy thing. Isn’t it?” Harry looked a little horrified that Ginny might me discussing their sex life with Hermione.





“Of course they do, Harry. I’d wager a bet that my wife knows every detail about you and vice versa. Women talk about everything, my boy.” Lucius hoped they came down soon. He was getting bored quickly sitting there alone with Harry.





“Doesn’t it bother you? You know, that she might tell Ginny….details?” Harry slid back to his seat on the sofa.





“Why should it bother me? I have no reason to fear what my wife may have to say.” Lucius smiled arrogantly. He could see that Harry was afraid of just what Ginny may have told Hermione, and the Slytherin in him wanted to poke him with his walking stick.





“I’m sure you are wrong. Women don’t talk about things like that, I’m sure they are chatting about their clothes and jewelry and what they want to name their future babies.” Harry said, pursing his lips. He just couldn’t get his mind around the idea that his Ginny would be telling Hermione anything so personal. Although, he had found them in his bed, giggling and trying to convince him they wanted a threesome and were in love with each other, so maybe Lucius was right.





“If it makes you feel better to believe that, then go right ahead.” Lucius smiled. “I believe I’ll go out in the hall.” Lucius stood and adjusted his dress robes around him. He made his way into the hall, smiling at the portrait of Draco, wondering if his son would show up to see all the people coming to the ball.





It wasn’t long before Lucius looked up the stairs to find Ginny descending. Her tall, athletic body draped in midnight blue and her hair pinned into a twist at the back of her head.



“You look lovely, Mrs. Potter.” Lucius said, bowing his head politely in her direction.





“Well, thank you very much.” She smiled. “You should see your wife.”





“I would very much like to, may I inquire as to where she is?” He asked, looking up the stairs expectantly.





“She went to check the ballroom and banquet hall to make sure all was ready. Really Lucius, most people rent facilities for this sort of thing, I can’t believe you have them in your home.” Ginny said, smiling when Harry walked into the hall and gave her one of those long, heated looks that always made her shiver.







“Well, most people do not have estates that are over three centuries old either.” Lucius set his glass aside. “I think I will go and offer my assistance, if you would excuse me.”





Lucius left the hall gladly. He found it awkward to socialize with Hermione’s friends with her right beside him. It was nearly impossible to do when he was on is own. What did he have in common with people their age? Hermione was an anomaly as far as he could tell.





He looked into the banquet hall where a staff of black and white attired serving people was setting the tables. Large brightly colored flower arrangements were being placed in the center of large, round tables covered in silver damask cloths and set with silver and white place settings and cut crystal glassware.





He stepped through a large, arched doorway and into the ballroom. There had not been an event held there since his wedding reception when he had married Narcissa. But it had been nothing like what he walked into. Flowering vines and creeping ivy hung from the ceiling creating a canopy of color and scent. Large pots filled with flowering trees lined the sides of ballroom, along with several settees, chaises and chairs for those in need of a place to rest. Warm candle light accompanied tiny, twinkling spots of magical light that were embedded within the colorful canopy.





Lucius found Hermione at last as he walked along the back wall which was lined with several sets of French doors that opened onto a wide, sweeping terrace overlooking expansive gardens and a small pond. The sun had just begun to set and she stood in the quiet watching.





When he told her that they would be holding the ball, he asked that she look bridal. She wore a gown of champagne damask. It was an off the shoulder gown with tiny silk rosettes on the shoulders and at the small of her back. She wore her hair pulled back, and draping down her back in long ringlets, tiny, real cream colored roses tucked in her curls.





“People will begin arriving soon.” He told her quietly, still entranced with the sight of her.





“I know. I’m just enjoying the calm before the storm.” She said, smiling at him over her shoulder.





“You do not like crowds do you?” He asked, reaching out to finger the cameo pinned to a satin ribbon choker around her throat.







“Not really. They became difficult to navigate for awhile after the war. People talking at me all the time, trying to get close to us. I just hope the furor over our marriage doesn’t interfere with the evening.” She looked back at the sunset and toyed with the rings on her finger.





“I will not allow it to be anything but wonderful. Now, come with me, I have a surprise for you.” He took her by the hand and pulled her along behind him.





“It better not be what I think it is, I don’t want my dress mussed.” She laughed.





“No, it’s not that, but with your new interest in public interludes we could always slip away in some dark corner later.” He pulled her into his study and into the company of a photographer. “We are to sit for a portrait. From the photograph a painting will be done.”





“Oh my, Lucius, that’s wonderful!” She had seen the portraits of the Malfoy family in the back parlor. Husbands and wives, young families. She would be the only non-pureblood witch amongst them.





“Madam Malfoy, if you would have a seat in the chair.” The photographer directed her to a small, red velvet Queen Anne chair. She settled her skirts around her and let the photographer pose them. Hermione seated, her back straight and head high with Lucius standing behind her, is hand resting lightly on her shoulder.







When the sitting was finished, Lucius and Hermione made their way to the main hall of the manor to greet all of the guests as they entered. Cocktails were being served in a large sitting room, but they were unable to partake. It seemed that almost everyone who had received an invitation had accepted. Hermione didn’t know half of them and the look on Lucius’s face said he too was having a bit of trouble placing a large majority of them.



From behind her, Draco frequently would make some comment about the person she had just greeted. Warning her to look out for certain men who were likely to talk to her breasts all night or those who might try and grope her backside. More than once he made fun of someone’s clothing, or their hair to the point that Hermione appeared to be choking on her laughter.



“Oh, goodness, watch out, the piranha is coming!” Draco whispered behind her just as Pansy Parkinson and her father came through the receiving line. Pansy greeted Lucius enthusiastically, pressing herself a little too close when Lucius politely kissed her on each cheek. Her greeting for Hermione however was less than warm, hell, it wasn’t even lukewarm, it was borderline freezing.





“Granger.” She said, curling her lips beneath her pug little nose.





“Actually, it’s Granger-Malfoy, but hello to you too Pansy.” Hermione said, smiling.







“You did well for yourself, landing the senior Malfoy. I’m wondering now if you didn’t have your eyes set on Draco after all back in school.” Hermione rolled her eyes and heard Draco snickering behind her.





“No Pansy, I did not have my cap set for Draco.” Hermione tilted her head to the side and eyed the girl.





“How lucky for you that the ministry forced poor Lucius to marry you.” Pansy said snidely. Hermione sighed; she should have known she would have to contend with some twit, even at her own event.





“Yes, it was lucky for me, it helped my plan fall so perfectly into place.” Hermione said. Lucius was barely listening to the man in front of him; he was interested in the conversation his wife was now engaged in.





“What plan?”





“Why I plan to take over the wizarding world by re-populating it with little half-blood Malfoys. I can’t wait to start my very own little army.” Hermione smiled brightly. Pansy’s face flushed and she glared down at Hermione. Oh how Hermione wished she were taller.





“As if you could get him to breed a brat on you!” She snarked.





“Maybe he already has?” Hermione said. “He certainly tries hard enough.”







“Ugh, what is our world coming to when YOU of all people are allowed to marry such an eligible pure-blood?” Pansy huffed and stomped off in a snit.





“Now that was bloody brilliant!” Draco commended from behind her.





“Why thank you Draco. Ill never understand what you saw in her.” Hermione said softly to the portrait.





“She was easy and tolerable when you kept her mouth busy.” He smirked. Hermione started to laugh and looked back at him over her shoulder. He winked at her and she suddenly wished he were there in body.





Lucius slid his hand around her waist and looked down at her.





“World domination by an army of half-blood Malfoys is it?” He smiled. “What an ingenious plan, love. I should have thought of it sooner.”





“She was pushing, Lucius.” Hermione said.





“Maybe he has already? Is there something you want to tell me?” He almost sounded hopeful and that made Hermione nervous.





“No, Lucius, there is nothing you need to know on that front. I only said it to goad her.” Lucius nodded slowly, a little disappointed.





“Well then, we should adjourn to the banquet hall for dinner.” He said, offering her his arm and leading her from the front hall. She waved goodbye to Draco over her shoulder before they left.







A long table was set up at the front of the dining room. Lucius and Hermione, along with Harry, Ginny and Ron who were seated to Hermione’s right and Kingsley, his wife, were seated to Lucius’s left, made up the head table. Lucius addressed the crowd briefly, welcoming them to their home in celebration of their recent nuptials and bade them all to enjoy their dinner and the entertainment following.





Hermione ate her dinner in relative silence. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine so many people showing up to celebrate something so untrue. A wedding celebration should be about falling in love and coming together in honor of the couple’s decision to commit to that love.





That wasn’t what they had. They had a relationship forced onto them by the governing body of their society and they had found a physical connection that made it bearable. She glanced over at Lucius for a moment and toyed with the rings on her finger, the damned band kept slipping, and it was a good thing her diamond ring was so snug.





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Hmmmm, do you think she noticed?









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LaBib - They usually dont post releases any further than 2-3 months out. Its because the dates are still tentative....I can tell you that my editor says June 08 but I cant tell you when in June....we are still waiting for the peer evaluations...though I dont think you can really call them peers since they are published and Im not, yet. Early results have been good, most of them suggesting I work more on details of the environment and world building..Im sure youve noticed I tend to focus on dialogue. The two I have "sold" are contemporary. I would like to explore paranormal, since I mainly read them (I love Christine Feehan). I would like to explore the possability of romantic/horror....but not sure if there is a real market for it. Anyhow, keep looking! I should pop up sometime after the first of the year! I do hope you will read, I would love to have your feedback. Sygnus has been reading some of my other stuff that is currently in developement and gives me great advice and feedback.