Their Greatest Mistake

A/N: I just remembered that I forgot to say this in the last chapter: I made up Saxe-Coburg Manor. It is entirely, entirely, entirely made up, as well as anything to do the Duchy of Windsor, because as of right now, there is no Duke of Duchess of Windsor. So, yes, it no longer exists. All of this is made up. Yes, quite so. As well as all the nonsense of how Saxe-Coburg Manor was built.

Also, thanks for the tremendous support, guys. You’ve all been so terrific.

**

Ginny Weasley sat at her kitchen table, up at the crack of dawn as she was expecting Hermione to come and pick her up early to go out for a day of shopping and an excursion to the spa. The entire family was going to Hermione’s new home – one she owned all herself, the Saxe-Coburg Manor – for dinner that night so that Hermione could talk to them, but in an intimate letter, Hermione had asked that the two of them go out that day so that Ginny could be told what was happening before anyone else.

Confused and excited, Ginny had been up early for her, although they were meeting early for breakfast at the Manor. Trying to gleam one last bit of information from her friend, Ginny took out the letter one last time and reread it.

Dear Gin,

I know that I’ll be able to tell you what is going on – or rather, what has happened – Friday night at dinner, but it would mean the world to me if I could tell you before. Knowing that I have a supporter and a friend who already knows will make it so much easier, although I know it will be hard anyways.

Could you possibly come to the Saxe-Cobug Manor (the Floo is “Saxe-Cobug Manor,” and there will be someone there to greet you) Friday morning at 8 o’clock? I know it’s early, but I would like to tell you what’s happened, show the Manor to you, and then we have appointments at Anton’s Relaxation Spa at 10 o’clock. We could go out to lunch at Madam Malkin’s before shopping for dinner party.

Thank you so much and I miss you tons!

Love,
Hermione

Overall, Ginny was excited at the prospect of the day. Finally she would find out what was going on with Hermione, and she would be able to visit Anton’s, a well respected spa and salon, as well as madam Malkin’s, which had grown to economic proportions now that You-Know-Who was gone. With a look at her watch, Ginny sighed, finished off her tea, and Flood to Hermione’s.

* * *

“Ah, Miss Weasley, I presume?” came a nasally voice as Ginny stepped out of the fireplace in a small sitting room. She looked around after wiping the soot off of herself, and saw a tall man with slicked back dark hair with steaks of gray, an extremely stiff and upright back, and who wore what appeared to be a tight-fitting pair of dress robes (A/N: okay, so he’s wearing a Muggle suit which happen to be tighter-fitting than Wizarding dress robes), although they were not very formal.

“Yes, and you are?” Ginny prompted as the man moved forward to take her cloak.

Sniffing at the shabby quality of the cloak, the man said, “I am Benjamin, the Lower Butler here at the Saxe-Coburg Manor. I am a Squib, as are many if not all the servants here. Those who are not Squibs are poorly-educated wizards. Do not look so shocked, Miss Weasley,” he admonished at the drop of her jaw. “The Queen Victoria herself was a witch who did not receive a chance to properly become trained.”

While Ginny digested this little piece of information, Benjamin turned and rang a bell, and a boy who looked to be about Fred and George’s age came in, wearing a pressed Ravenclaw-blue uniform. “Geoffrey,” Benjamin said imperiously, “please bring Miss Weasley into the Breakfast Room. If Her Grace has not yet come down for breakfast, please send Anita up to get her.”

Geoffrey nodded in comprehension. “Right away, Ben. Miss Weasley,” he said indicating that she follow him with a bright smile as Benjamin scowled at him. “Ignore him,” Geoffrey said once they were out of the sitting room and in corridor that was lined with portraits – that didn’t move!

“He’s just put out because Her Grace is so informal. But she certainly knows how to be formal when she needs to, so that appeases him.” They had passed quite a few beautiful rooms on their way, and now walked into what was clearly the main entrance, as there was a pair of huge double doors, marble floors, and as they went up the marble staircase that rivaled that of Hogwarts, it became clear to Ginny that Hermione was rich. Filthy stinking rich.

At last they reached the Breakfast room, which was a small room in comparison to the rest of the house that had a round table with six or so chairs and Hermione with her nose in a book (Wuthering Heights, Ginny read) while she chewed on a piece of toast. As she was clearly unaware of their presence, Geoffrey cleared his voice before stating loudly, “Presenting Miss Ginny Weasley of Ottery St. Catchpole, of Devon, England.”

This caused Hermione to look up, and jump up, as she ran toward her friend and engulfed her in a hug. “Oh, Gin, I’m so glad to see you! You have no idea how lonely it has been without a proper female companion. I just arrived here last night – it’s the first time I’ve been here since June, after we got off the train and my mum told me that Grandmother had died – and it’s been so lovely to see it again!”

Hugging her back, Ginny laughed and said, “So, where have you been, anyways? And I know Ron’s an idiot, but you have to explain what happened!”

A cloud crossed Hermione’s face, and she looked into Ginny’s eyes and her friend could see the pain that was there. “I’ve made an awful mistake,” Hermione whispered, but before Ginny could ask for an explanation, a maid came bustling in with a tray of breakfast food.

After she had left again, Hermione, sealed the doors with a variety of spells, before sitting down to explain the situation to her best friend. “The issue with having a Squib and Wizarding staff is that they know of you brothers’ shop,” she explained. With a sigh, she sat down again with a flounce, the skirt of her pretty pink robes bouncing. “So, after Ron and my argument . . .”

* * *

Forty-three minutes and twelve seconds later, Ginny sat at the breakfast table, her mouth open. “You’re bluffing,” she whispered after a few moments. In response, Hermione simply shook her head and held out her left hand, upon which her wedding ring was on.

“I know, it’s hard to believe,” Hermione added after a few more moments of silence. When Ginny continued to stare at her in shock, she slyly added, “Would you like to meet His Grace, Draco Malfoy the Duke of Windsor?”

Her best friend’s eyes got as wide as saucers as she squeaked, “He’s here?”

Giggling slightly, Hermione said, “Well, of course he is. We have to share living quarters every other night, don’t we? And we’re staying here through Sunday.”

Again, Ginny’s eyes became wide as she asked, “What are you going to do about Hogwarts?”

“Well, we’re Head Boy and Girl this year, so the Head Boy and Girl quarters are just going to be changed from a common room, two bedrooms, and a bathroom to a common room, one bedroom, a larger bathroom, and two walk-in-closets,” she said, avoiding Ginny’s eyes as she hadn’t shared that bit of news with her friend yet.

Hermione felt so uncomfortable in the silence that prevailed. She and Ginny had been close for years, and now for once something was separating them; neither girl liked it one bit. But Hermione had done her part, and now it was Ginny’s turn to react so that Hermione could know that she wasn’t alone in the world, which was how she felt now.

“Congratulations, Hermione,” Ginny finally said, and Hermione looked up with a watery smile that matched Ginny’s, and they both knew she wasn’t just congratulating her on making Head Girl. “So, are you ever going to show me this manor?”

Standing, Hermione beamed at Ginny and took the wards down on the doors. “Laura,” she called, and a woman that looked to be in her mid-thirties came bustling into the room.

“Yes, Your Grace?” she asked, with a brief curtsy to Hermione.

Motioning for Ginny to stand, as well, Hermione said, “Laura, I will be showing Miss Weasley the Manor and the grounds now, but at nine-fifty-five we will need to be leaving to make our appointments at Anton’s and Madame Malkin’s. Please have His Grace woken up and ensure that he is dressed before Miss Weasley and I enter that wing of the Manor.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Laura replied with a curtsy, and Hermione, taking Ginny’s arm in hers, began the tour of the house.

Ginny saw more Muggle things than she could ever imagine! Portraits that didn’t move and ell-eck-tricks-ty were two items that she saw, but she was even more amazed by the high ceilings, the ballroom, the formal dining room, the informal dining room (which was much smaller and would be used that night), the multiple sitting rooms and parlors (all with an individual purpose), the library, the multiple guest rooms, and the kitchen were all sights on the tour.

At long last, Hermione felt that it would be safe to venture into her and Draco’s living quarters, the Master Suite, which overlooked the gardens. As they ventured into the East Wing, Ginny cried, “You mean there is a whole other wing? Hermione, this place much be larger than Malfoy Manor!”

Chuckling, she replied, “Actually, it is. Malfoy Manor was built by local Muggles Imperioused by the Malfoi family from Normandy. It took so long to build – because they were too lazy to find properly trained wizards who would do the work in 1328 – that it was much smaller than it was intended. Now, this was built in 1793 by French wizards fleeing the French Revolution and my ancestor, the Duchess of Kent, had them build it. They weren’t Imperioused, of course; she wasn’t a properly trained witch--”

“Wait,” Ginny interrupted as Hermione placed her hand on the doorknob to her and Draco’s rooms. “I thought you were Muggle-born!”

With a pitying smile, Hermione asked, “Ginny, have you ever read Wizard Kind Through the Ages: A History?”

Confused, Ginny responded with the typical Gryffindor response to a question like this, “No, why bother if you’ve read it?”

Hermione clucked, but smiled a little. “‘Muggle-born’ is defined as someone whose family three generations back has been non-magic folk. Because my ancestors were busy ruling the country, they couldn’t really train their magic, and because the older siblings were not allowed to train it, the younger siblings weren’t. By the time my Great-Great Grandmother was born, the magic just chose to remain inactive because it wouldn’t be trained. If you count the fact that magic has been in my family’s blood since the very beginning on my mum’s side, then I’m a half-blood, because my dad is most definitely Muggle. Technically, according to the National Registry of Magic in the Ministry, I’m a Muggle-born, because of that.”

With that, Hermione went to turn the doorknob so that they could enter her quarters, but she was beat to it by someone on the other side. Shocked, Hermione looked up into Draco’s eyes, and Ginny could tell that they still weren’t prepared to see each other in the same house unexpectedly.

“Er, Ginny, this is His Grace Draco Malfoy, the Duke of Windsor,” Hermione stuttered, and both Draco and Hermione blushed a little until Draco’s upbringing kicked in, and he bowed deeply.

“Miss Weasley, it is of my utmost please to be introduced formally to one of my wife’s close friends,” he said. Ginny was expecting this, as on the tour, Hermione had explained that she and Draco had decided to start over completely, not only with each other but with each other’s friends. Obviously, in some cases this would be hard, but they would see.

With a brief curtsey – Hermione had advised her that she wear a longer skirt – Ginny replied, “As am I to you, Your Grace. I hope that we may be on amiable terms.”

“Draco,” Hermione said once the silence began to become uncomfortable, “I have told Ginny the entire story, and she is aware of the charade we will be playing around those who simply can not know the true story of our marriage. She agreed with me that Ron and Harry will not know at first, but once they’ve calmed down a little bit I will be telling them.”

Draco nodded, and had opened his mouth to answer when Geoffrey came rushing down the corridor. “Your Grace! Miss Weasley! I’m so glad I found you both. Ben has been throwing a fit because it is nine-fifty three and you need to leave in two minutes.”

He stood there, waiting for them, a boy only a year older than Draco and Hermione but who seemed to be younger. At last, Draco said, “Well, dear, I suppose I’ll see you later. Have fun shopping and at the spa; Blaise is coming over to assess the property with me, and I believe I will fill him then.”

Nodding numbly, Hermione called back to him as she and Ginny walked down the corridor behind Geoffrey, “Sounds lovely, darling. See you tonight! Don’t forget to go and get your mother at four!”

**

Sorry, no smut, but remember: it's Friday for them! After the shopping, after talking to Blaise, after the dinner party comes Friday night. Which means. . . SMUT! So just hold in there :)

xxx
suzzz

EDIT:

So, thanks to the idea of a lovely reviewer, I think I'm going to send out an email once I update. Leave yours if you want to get updates! Thanks!