Waiting to Exhale

A/N: This chapter did not come out the way I wanted. It moved too fast but the more I rewrote it the worse it got. I finally thought "screw it" and posted it anyway. Next chapter focuses on Draco and Hermione's wedding etc. I just hope that once I get past all of this that my story does not devolve into smut. (My joint writing usually does. HA!)

Anyway~please R&R

Also a shout out to Goddess of Dragons~ Thank you so much for your review. It made me smile.

It seemed that the month of December was filled with weddings; both traditional and quickies officiated by Minister Shacklebolt. Hermione spent a lot of time, flitting from one wedding to another, involved in one way or another. Her own looming nuptials left her feeling shaken and afraid, still, she endeavored to hide her unease behind a cheerful demeanor.

Of course, no one actually believed that she was unaffected but she was determined to avoid having people feel sorry for her. In her mind, her upcoming bonding ceremony was no worse than Harry, Ron or Ginny's and it would be the height of rudeness to pout all through their vows, especially since she was involved in the bridal parties and Draco was too, for at least a few of them. 

In truth, the young man had been nothing but considerate and had tried hard to ease her into some semblance of normalcy. They had spent time talking, and listening, to one another and tried their hardest to at least behave as new friends ought to. Was Hermione still terrified? Yes. Very much so. But she had come to realize that beyond living in the Manor she had only basic maidenly fears about tying her life to that of the pale-eyed wizard. She only hoped that he felt the same.

While Hermione took part in George's wedding, Draco was at home carrying on a conversation which almost eerily matched his prospective wife's thoughts. 

"Mother, I have no idea what to do. She is filled with a deep-seated fear, fear caused by this very house! She was tortured in our drawing room, for Merlin's sake! How can I ask her to push those memories away and live here?" His voice, usually so self-assured and smooth, came out choppy. "I want her to like us or at least to be able to tolerate our presence but she is terrified. I can see it in her eyes!"

Narcissa's heart went out to her son and, to a lesser extent, the young woman who would soon be asked to reside within the Manor. There was no joy to be had in this particular joining. Two people who had loathed each other for years, had fought against one another at every turn, now asked to bind themselves together? It was unconscionable. She could see the sense of it in some respects. The pair were both strong-willed, intelligent and extremely magically gifted which meant that their children would be, too. Yet, the past could not be easily forgotten and between the two, they had a lot of past to work through.

"We do have the Dowager House on the grounds. Maybe you could take her there until the drawing room, well that whole section of the Manor, is refurbished? It might not be as hard for her if she is not surrounded by things that reminded her of that time."

"You think it would help, mother?"

Narcissa shrugged, her slender shoulders lifting slightly. "I think every little bit will help, Draco. Now then, when would you like to start on your wedding preparations. You and Miss Granger will be the last of the original twenty to be joined and it has to happen before the twenty-eighth of January. That is your sixty-day deadline."

Draco glanced down at his hands. "I will ask Hermione. I am not sure if she wants to be involved with any of the planning but it would not do for me to pick a day at random. I will let you know once we return to school. After all, I don't want to ruin her Christmas."

Narcissa nodded in understanding. "Perhaps she and I could meet in Diagon Alley for tea? It would give me an idea of what she would like and I would love to help her pick out her dress and possibly her trousseau for your honeymoon."

Draco smirked. "We won't have much of a honeymoon until our spring break and even that is only a week or so long. How many clothes do you think she will need?"

By the time Winter break had ended and the newest school term had resumed, life in the small dorm had taken on an almost surreal air. Quite a few couples had opted to condense their belongings into one suite so that even less space was used and yet the group itself had grown by at least four people. Pansy and Tracey chose to share a room since both Ron and Harry were in the midst of Auror training and they did not relish the thought of remaining alone. Oddly enough, the rooms that now housed two people grew to accommodate the extra person and needed space, all without changing the dimensions of the still single rooms. Hogwarts was indeed, magical.

On the Saturday after their return, Hermione was awakened by a knock on her door. With a small groan, she rolled from her bed's comfortable confines, wrapped a robe about herself and answered. Draco stood on the other side.

"Yes?"

Bright gray orbs caught her own dark brown gaze as a playful smirk graced his ever so mobile mouth.

"I wanted to know if you'd walk into Hogsmeade with me as my mother would like to properly introduce herself over tea and discuss the logistics of our upcoming wedding since we are officially running out of time."

"Um, could you give me about half an hour to get dressed," was her worried response. How could she have forgotten about the deadline?

He nodded. "Sure. I will wait in the common area for you."