Their Greatest Mistake
folder
Harry Potter › Het - Male/Female › Draco/Hermione
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
19
Views:
38,022
Reviews:
132
Recommended:
1
Currently Reading:
3
Category:
Harry Potter › Het - Male/Female › Draco/Hermione
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
19
Views:
38,022
Reviews:
132
Recommended:
1
Currently Reading:
3
Disclaimer:
I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Chapter 7
WOOHOO! new chapter! and a longg one, too!
see the lenghty a/n at the end for more details once you have finished reading
**
A few nights later, a Monday night, Draco and Hermione were just setting down with a cup of tea each in the rose garden when a House Elf popped out of thin air to tell them that Madam Malfoy had arrived from Paris and was settling into her rooms before coming out to join them.
“He can’t be serious,” Hermione blurted, terror written all over her face as soon as the elf had disappeared. Over the past week, she had tried to convince Draco to let them out of their slavery, but when it became clear that they would end up worse than Winky if that happened, she stopped. Draco was convinced she had a new plan, but that was another story.
With a sigh, he looked over the acres and acres of land that was Malfoy Estate, set down his tea, and said, “He is. Considering how quickly Mother arrived, she might be coming out her depression, which would be lovely. Now, Hermione,” he cautioned, turning to her. “Just be prepared that my mother knows that she can’t change the past, but has recently gotten very into changing the future. Just be aware of that.”
Before his bride could say anything in response to that, Madam Narcissa Malfoy came out of the back doors and into the rose garden, and although she was not close enough to hold a conversation with them yet, they could see her and she could most definitely see them.
Suddenly, Hermione felt self-conscious of her blue jeans and sea-green button-down shirt, which was dressy for her on a summer’s eve when she wasn’t going anywhere. Her toes, bare in a pare of worn in sandals, were not manicured and her curls were hastily tied back in a bun.
Madam Malfoy wore a knee-length gown with of the shoulder short, billowy sleeves and square neckline. It was a deep plum color, the type Hermione associated with royalty, and there was a crème shawl that the older woman wore around her shoulders. Matching crème peep-toe pumps were on her feet, and as she arrived at the newlyweds tea table in the middle of the garden, a French manicure was visible on the toes. If Hermione didn’t know better, she would say that this was a relative of the Muggle queen, perhaps a niece or a great-niece, for because she was a Witch, she looked thirty, not forty-six, her correct age, as Draco had informed her.
Quite honestly, Hermione was so very glad that wizarding robes had progressed to be equivalent to Muggle clothing, although it was made of better material, lasted much longer, and would always be called robes.
When Draco bowed to his mother, Hermione instantly dropped a curtsy, and prayed to Merlin that something good happened.
“Ah, Mother, how glad I am that you finally made it!” Draco cried after his mother raised him from his bow. “May I present to you, Mrs. Hermione Malfoy.”
Hermione looked for any signs that the woman recognized her from the Quidditch World Cup two years prior, but saw none. In fact, she was like a completely different person. A sheet of blond hair not unlike a Veela’s hung down her back, and the look of something foul being under her nose was gone. Probably the stress of having Voldemort control her family, she thought, admiring her beauty.
I kind smile lit up Madam Malfoy’s face and Hermione moved forward hesitantly, nervous and insecure. “Welcome to the family, Hermione. I’m so pleased to meet you at last, as I have heard so much of you.”
This confused Hermione, as they had met before, and had Draco really spoken of her? All in all, it was an odd remark, and it must have shown on her face, as her mother-in-law added, “Have we met before?” At Hermione’s slight nod, she continued. “So sorry, dear. It was before the Dark Lord’s demise, correct? Due to an unfortunate and foolish choice of my late husband--” her voice warbled a little “—we were doomed to almost twenty years of pain and sorrow, especially if we acted aversely to the Dark Lord’s wishes.”
While this answer was cryptic, Hermione thought she understood. “So you were unable to acknowledge me because of my blood?” she prompted, attempting to make sense of her confused brain.
Madam Malfoy beamed at her, and then almost bounced with glee as she said, “Come, dear, let us go in and have tea and discuss your new life.” She took Hermione’s arm in her own and began to lead her up the path to the house, before calling back to her son. “Draco, you had best come in, as well, if you want to know what will be going on.”
* * *
Once everyone was settled in the Family Palour nicely, Madam Malfoy perched platinum rimmed reading glasses o her nose and set out a Quick Quotes Quill – Hermione shuddered involuntarily – and a piece of parchment.
“Now, first thing, since you eloped, we need a wedding party,” Madam Malfoy said, and the quill scratched out “1. Wedding Party.”
Narcissa looked up expectantly at the young couple. Taking the lead, Hermione began, “Well, Madam Malfoy--”
“Please, Hermione, Narcissa.”
“Well, Narcissa, I’d prefer to invite only those closest to us in a small, intimate gathering. Perhaps an intimate dinner party.”
Draco and Narcissa’s mouth’s dropped. “Love, we can’t do that! Maybe that as well as an extravagant ball, but if we don’t have an extravagant party then we’ll never live it down,” Draco cried, voicing both his and his mother’s thoughts. What did Muggle’s do when they got married, sit around and share stories?
Narcissa, however, noticed Hermione’s eyebrows raise, and she sighed, realizing thing there were some things her daughter-in-law would have to learn about being married to a Pureblood. And, in spite of her dislike of her son’s marriage to a woman of less financial and blood status, she was determined of keeping the peace between herself and this new woman in Draco’s life.
Quickly, before Hermione killed Draco for telling her what to do, Narcissa moved to sit on the pale blue divan next to Hermione. “Dear, I understand that our backgrounds are going to clash on many a subject, and it would appear that this would be one of them. So I propose we lay all the cards on the table. I’ll say the things that, if we were to do things entirely my and Draco’s way, would happen, and then you’ll say what about those things you find ludicrous, and then we’ll meet half way.”
Hermione eyed the woman sitting next to her carefully, and then slowly nodded. “Yes, sure, of course, that sounds wonderful.”
Beaming at her, Narcissa began from the beginning. “Well, the party for your wedding – or your coming out party, whichever you decide for it to be – must be the first time you are formally introduced as a married couple, and among your family and friends you must have every Member of Society (that is, the good one, there are some who simply shouldn’t be invited) invited.
“Then, at Christmas time, you must have a Christmas ball. Seeing as you’re still at school,” she tsked, “then I suggest it be Christmas Eve. That’s usually the night of the Malfoy Christmas Ball, after all. Then there must be teas with the Ladies of Society that are your rank, and intimate get-togethers with the Ladies of Society that are your rank and you enjoy their company.”
She paused to sip at her tea, and Hermione thought she was finished, but clearly she was mistaken. “Once you have children, they must be presented to Society the summer that they are sixteen, and they must learn this system, as well.”
Satisfied that she had remembered the large events that were most important, Narcissa sat back, ready to hear her daughter-in-laws thoughts.
Hermione, on the other hand, was livid. These ideas were perfectly Victorian, if not from the Regency Era! (A/N: Victorian: approximately 1830s-early 1900s, Queen Victoria’s rule; Regency Era: approximately early 1800s-1830s).
“Narcissa,” she began, setting her tea cup down for fear of spilling it. She did not want to do that, as she had quite a lot to explain to her mother-in-law, and her husband, and was quite angry.
“My parents may be Muggle dentists, but I come from a very well-to-do family. My mother was practically disowned for following her dreams and not her mother’s, and she and her mother had only just been able to speak to each other civilly for about a year when my grandmother died a few months ago.
“Although my mother and grandmother had not been close as of recently, I have always been close with my grandmother, and upon her death, I was the soul heiress of her fortune, as she had only one child and only one grandchild. I have always been involved in my grandmother’s life, and have been a part of Muggle Society since I was thirteen, during the summers, that is. However, in recent years, it has been rather difficult for me to attend to my social duties, and so I have gained the nickname, ‘The Elusive Countess.’”
Draco’s mouth dropped open in shock. He had never considered that Muggle-borns could be rich and prevalent in society! It was absolutely shocking for him to consider that someone, anyone, would rank higher than him anywhere, other than the Minister, of course. But was it true? If he met her in Muggle society, would he have to bow down to her?
Narcissa, on the other hand, was handling her shock gracefully. This meant that Hermione was bringing power and wealth as well as brilliance! What a wonderful match it was after all!
“But then, upon my grandmother’s death,” Hermione continued after judging her listener’s faces, “my official title changed to the Duchess of Windsor, and in this case, Draco’s title would be Duke of Windsor, although I would still rank higher than him.”
She turned to him expressively, saying softly for a moment, “I haven’t told you because I didn’t know how you would take it. I’ve been introduced to Her Majesty the Queen, being as I am a relative of the Royal Family, but my mother declined the title and passed it on to me.
“Due to being a witch, I intend to keep my elusive reputation, but I am trained in all aspects of a proper social woman’s life,” she finished, eying Narcissa disdainfully. And she dared to think I didn’t know how to handle myself, she thought to herself triumphantly.
Clearing her throat, she added, “All of my feelings against leading a public Wizarding life are because I’m afraid of being found out as a British peer.
“Therefore, I propose that we have a small, intimate dinner party to tell our friends about our marriage, and then an extravagant ball to tell Wizarding society,” she finished at last, taking up her cup of tea.
Wanting to jump into the conversation so that he wasn’t completely ignored, Draco pointed out, “What about your appointments with the Weasleys and Potter?”
She pondered that for a moment, momentarily empty of ideas. Then, “Well, we’ll send out the invitations for the dinner party tonight, to be held on Friday. We should have it at my family’s estate, so as not to let on to anyone what’s happening.”
That agreed upon readily by Narcissa and Draco, the three of them set about writing the invitations.
The Duchess of Windsor
cordially invites you to the family estate,
Saxe-Coburg Manor,
on Friday August the sixth
for a dinner party
in which a Matter of Great Importance
shall be discussed
read the invitations that Harry, the Weasleys, and the members of the Order received.
The Head of the Malfoy family
cordially invites you to the new acquirement of
the Saxe-Coburg Manor,
on Friday August the sixth
for a dinner party
in which a Matter of Great Importance
shall be discussed
read the invitations to Pansy and Blaise Zabini.
**
A/N: okay. so here's my thought process on this: Hermione is decessended from one of Queen Victoria's children, and therefore is a relative of the royal family and not a member of it. After the death of Wallis Spencer, the Duchess of Windsor who was married to Queen Victoria's grandson who abdicated the throne to be with her, Queen Elizabeth II gave the title to Hermione's grandmother, who would have been raised with little or no royal title although a small fortune, and who would have received more money upon becoming a Duchess. Hermione's mother didn't want the title and was a Muggle dentist, so they had a falling out, although Hermione and her grandmother never did. Upon her grandmother's death, the title and fortune and estate were left to Hermione in the will.
Thoughts about the chapter? Please review! Thank you!
xx
Suzz
see the lenghty a/n at the end for more details once you have finished reading
**
A few nights later, a Monday night, Draco and Hermione were just setting down with a cup of tea each in the rose garden when a House Elf popped out of thin air to tell them that Madam Malfoy had arrived from Paris and was settling into her rooms before coming out to join them.
“He can’t be serious,” Hermione blurted, terror written all over her face as soon as the elf had disappeared. Over the past week, she had tried to convince Draco to let them out of their slavery, but when it became clear that they would end up worse than Winky if that happened, she stopped. Draco was convinced she had a new plan, but that was another story.
With a sigh, he looked over the acres and acres of land that was Malfoy Estate, set down his tea, and said, “He is. Considering how quickly Mother arrived, she might be coming out her depression, which would be lovely. Now, Hermione,” he cautioned, turning to her. “Just be prepared that my mother knows that she can’t change the past, but has recently gotten very into changing the future. Just be aware of that.”
Before his bride could say anything in response to that, Madam Narcissa Malfoy came out of the back doors and into the rose garden, and although she was not close enough to hold a conversation with them yet, they could see her and she could most definitely see them.
Suddenly, Hermione felt self-conscious of her blue jeans and sea-green button-down shirt, which was dressy for her on a summer’s eve when she wasn’t going anywhere. Her toes, bare in a pare of worn in sandals, were not manicured and her curls were hastily tied back in a bun.
Madam Malfoy wore a knee-length gown with of the shoulder short, billowy sleeves and square neckline. It was a deep plum color, the type Hermione associated with royalty, and there was a crème shawl that the older woman wore around her shoulders. Matching crème peep-toe pumps were on her feet, and as she arrived at the newlyweds tea table in the middle of the garden, a French manicure was visible on the toes. If Hermione didn’t know better, she would say that this was a relative of the Muggle queen, perhaps a niece or a great-niece, for because she was a Witch, she looked thirty, not forty-six, her correct age, as Draco had informed her.
Quite honestly, Hermione was so very glad that wizarding robes had progressed to be equivalent to Muggle clothing, although it was made of better material, lasted much longer, and would always be called robes.
When Draco bowed to his mother, Hermione instantly dropped a curtsy, and prayed to Merlin that something good happened.
“Ah, Mother, how glad I am that you finally made it!” Draco cried after his mother raised him from his bow. “May I present to you, Mrs. Hermione Malfoy.”
Hermione looked for any signs that the woman recognized her from the Quidditch World Cup two years prior, but saw none. In fact, she was like a completely different person. A sheet of blond hair not unlike a Veela’s hung down her back, and the look of something foul being under her nose was gone. Probably the stress of having Voldemort control her family, she thought, admiring her beauty.
I kind smile lit up Madam Malfoy’s face and Hermione moved forward hesitantly, nervous and insecure. “Welcome to the family, Hermione. I’m so pleased to meet you at last, as I have heard so much of you.”
This confused Hermione, as they had met before, and had Draco really spoken of her? All in all, it was an odd remark, and it must have shown on her face, as her mother-in-law added, “Have we met before?” At Hermione’s slight nod, she continued. “So sorry, dear. It was before the Dark Lord’s demise, correct? Due to an unfortunate and foolish choice of my late husband--” her voice warbled a little “—we were doomed to almost twenty years of pain and sorrow, especially if we acted aversely to the Dark Lord’s wishes.”
While this answer was cryptic, Hermione thought she understood. “So you were unable to acknowledge me because of my blood?” she prompted, attempting to make sense of her confused brain.
Madam Malfoy beamed at her, and then almost bounced with glee as she said, “Come, dear, let us go in and have tea and discuss your new life.” She took Hermione’s arm in her own and began to lead her up the path to the house, before calling back to her son. “Draco, you had best come in, as well, if you want to know what will be going on.”
Once everyone was settled in the Family Palour nicely, Madam Malfoy perched platinum rimmed reading glasses o her nose and set out a Quick Quotes Quill – Hermione shuddered involuntarily – and a piece of parchment.
“Now, first thing, since you eloped, we need a wedding party,” Madam Malfoy said, and the quill scratched out “1. Wedding Party.”
Narcissa looked up expectantly at the young couple. Taking the lead, Hermione began, “Well, Madam Malfoy--”
“Please, Hermione, Narcissa.”
“Well, Narcissa, I’d prefer to invite only those closest to us in a small, intimate gathering. Perhaps an intimate dinner party.”
Draco and Narcissa’s mouth’s dropped. “Love, we can’t do that! Maybe that as well as an extravagant ball, but if we don’t have an extravagant party then we’ll never live it down,” Draco cried, voicing both his and his mother’s thoughts. What did Muggle’s do when they got married, sit around and share stories?
Narcissa, however, noticed Hermione’s eyebrows raise, and she sighed, realizing thing there were some things her daughter-in-law would have to learn about being married to a Pureblood. And, in spite of her dislike of her son’s marriage to a woman of less financial and blood status, she was determined of keeping the peace between herself and this new woman in Draco’s life.
Quickly, before Hermione killed Draco for telling her what to do, Narcissa moved to sit on the pale blue divan next to Hermione. “Dear, I understand that our backgrounds are going to clash on many a subject, and it would appear that this would be one of them. So I propose we lay all the cards on the table. I’ll say the things that, if we were to do things entirely my and Draco’s way, would happen, and then you’ll say what about those things you find ludicrous, and then we’ll meet half way.”
Hermione eyed the woman sitting next to her carefully, and then slowly nodded. “Yes, sure, of course, that sounds wonderful.”
Beaming at her, Narcissa began from the beginning. “Well, the party for your wedding – or your coming out party, whichever you decide for it to be – must be the first time you are formally introduced as a married couple, and among your family and friends you must have every Member of Society (that is, the good one, there are some who simply shouldn’t be invited) invited.
“Then, at Christmas time, you must have a Christmas ball. Seeing as you’re still at school,” she tsked, “then I suggest it be Christmas Eve. That’s usually the night of the Malfoy Christmas Ball, after all. Then there must be teas with the Ladies of Society that are your rank, and intimate get-togethers with the Ladies of Society that are your rank and you enjoy their company.”
She paused to sip at her tea, and Hermione thought she was finished, but clearly she was mistaken. “Once you have children, they must be presented to Society the summer that they are sixteen, and they must learn this system, as well.”
Satisfied that she had remembered the large events that were most important, Narcissa sat back, ready to hear her daughter-in-laws thoughts.
Hermione, on the other hand, was livid. These ideas were perfectly Victorian, if not from the Regency Era! (A/N: Victorian: approximately 1830s-early 1900s, Queen Victoria’s rule; Regency Era: approximately early 1800s-1830s).
“Narcissa,” she began, setting her tea cup down for fear of spilling it. She did not want to do that, as she had quite a lot to explain to her mother-in-law, and her husband, and was quite angry.
“My parents may be Muggle dentists, but I come from a very well-to-do family. My mother was practically disowned for following her dreams and not her mother’s, and she and her mother had only just been able to speak to each other civilly for about a year when my grandmother died a few months ago.
“Although my mother and grandmother had not been close as of recently, I have always been close with my grandmother, and upon her death, I was the soul heiress of her fortune, as she had only one child and only one grandchild. I have always been involved in my grandmother’s life, and have been a part of Muggle Society since I was thirteen, during the summers, that is. However, in recent years, it has been rather difficult for me to attend to my social duties, and so I have gained the nickname, ‘The Elusive Countess.’”
Draco’s mouth dropped open in shock. He had never considered that Muggle-borns could be rich and prevalent in society! It was absolutely shocking for him to consider that someone, anyone, would rank higher than him anywhere, other than the Minister, of course. But was it true? If he met her in Muggle society, would he have to bow down to her?
Narcissa, on the other hand, was handling her shock gracefully. This meant that Hermione was bringing power and wealth as well as brilliance! What a wonderful match it was after all!
“But then, upon my grandmother’s death,” Hermione continued after judging her listener’s faces, “my official title changed to the Duchess of Windsor, and in this case, Draco’s title would be Duke of Windsor, although I would still rank higher than him.”
She turned to him expressively, saying softly for a moment, “I haven’t told you because I didn’t know how you would take it. I’ve been introduced to Her Majesty the Queen, being as I am a relative of the Royal Family, but my mother declined the title and passed it on to me.
“Due to being a witch, I intend to keep my elusive reputation, but I am trained in all aspects of a proper social woman’s life,” she finished, eying Narcissa disdainfully. And she dared to think I didn’t know how to handle myself, she thought to herself triumphantly.
Clearing her throat, she added, “All of my feelings against leading a public Wizarding life are because I’m afraid of being found out as a British peer.
“Therefore, I propose that we have a small, intimate dinner party to tell our friends about our marriage, and then an extravagant ball to tell Wizarding society,” she finished at last, taking up her cup of tea.
Wanting to jump into the conversation so that he wasn’t completely ignored, Draco pointed out, “What about your appointments with the Weasleys and Potter?”
She pondered that for a moment, momentarily empty of ideas. Then, “Well, we’ll send out the invitations for the dinner party tonight, to be held on Friday. We should have it at my family’s estate, so as not to let on to anyone what’s happening.”
That agreed upon readily by Narcissa and Draco, the three of them set about writing the invitations.
The Duchess of Windsor
cordially invites you to the family estate,
Saxe-Coburg Manor,
on Friday August the sixth
for a dinner party
in which a Matter of Great Importance
shall be discussed
read the invitations that Harry, the Weasleys, and the members of the Order received.
The Head of the Malfoy family
cordially invites you to the new acquirement of
the Saxe-Coburg Manor,
on Friday August the sixth
for a dinner party
in which a Matter of Great Importance
shall be discussed
read the invitations to Pansy and Blaise Zabini.
**
A/N: okay. so here's my thought process on this: Hermione is decessended from one of Queen Victoria's children, and therefore is a relative of the royal family and not a member of it. After the death of Wallis Spencer, the Duchess of Windsor who was married to Queen Victoria's grandson who abdicated the throne to be with her, Queen Elizabeth II gave the title to Hermione's grandmother, who would have been raised with little or no royal title although a small fortune, and who would have received more money upon becoming a Duchess. Hermione's mother didn't want the title and was a Muggle dentist, so they had a falling out, although Hermione and her grandmother never did. Upon her grandmother's death, the title and fortune and estate were left to Hermione in the will.
Thoughts about the chapter? Please review! Thank you!
xx
Suzz