If Ever You’re in my Arms Again

Disclaimer: I don\'t own any of these characters, settings etc etc. I make no money from writing fanfiction etc etc. Please don\'t sue me etc etc :)
Rated: NC-17....just in case :)

Venetia Carianna

Chapter 1: Her Wedding Day?


The church was packed to the brim with famous faces, actresses, playwrights, singers, professors and the like. Flowers adorned every pew and festooned the altar. A string quartet, one of the few concessions to muggle music, played softly off to the side. Hermione stole a glance at the legendary chanteuse Celestina Warbeck who was warming up by the organ. She\'d owled Hermione graciously volunteering to perform at the wedding, citingavouavour to a dear friend as being her primary motivation. The identity of the benefactor as yet remained a mystery. Hermione hadn\'t been quite able to comprehend the utter shock of finding La Celestina on her doorstep two days after the owl. She privately suspected that Celestina\'s song was to be a gift from Ron, and that he\'d reveal the surprise at the reception.
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Hermione turned from her peephole at the back of the church pressing her warm hands together and inhaling deeply. She felt somewhat puzzled at her own lack of nerves. Weren\'t brides supposed to feel some sort of anxiety moments before the ceremony? Yet here she was, cooler than a summer cucumber and perfectly composed, it was utterly baffling.
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Off to one side stood her father, dressed oddly enough in the formal robes of a wizard under which lay a smart suit. She twisted back towards her resplendent reflection in the long oval mirror set to one side of the hall. She had to admit the dress was stunning, a marvelous confection of lace, silk, and organza. Not quite to her taste, but she\'d succumbed to pressure from many fronts and agreed to wearing it. She\'d have preferred something simpler, and a minimum of accessorizing. As it was an almost ostentatious amount of diamond jewelry dripped from her throat, wrists and ears. It had all been a gift from Harry. She\'d protested in disbelief and utter shock at the extravagance of the present to no avail. He had insisted however that he had nothing better to do than blow money from the thousands of galleons he made at professional Quidditch on one of his best friends. \"They\'re for your wedding Hermione, I wouldn\'t have you look anything less than perfect for Ron.\" Dear Harry! The bride turned once more to her peephole searching for the broad shoulders of her best friend. He wasn\'t by the altar \"He must be with Ron\" she mused pensively, her eyes continuing to sweep the congregation, absently reviewing the throngs of people amassed.
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Draco Malfoy shifted uncomfortably in his seat, the wooden bench of the pew felt uncomfortable and he felt certain someone had bewitched his tie to suffocate him. He inserted a finger in between his collar and the tie in an attempt to loosen it.
\"Draco don\'t fuss about so much darling,\" whispered his companion, her scarlet painted mouth pouting a little at the forbidding expression on his face.
\"Why did you make me come Annalise!\" he whispered back frustrated. \"Its so bloody hypocritical for me to be sitting here! The things I do for you!\" he expostulated.
\"Darling don\'t flatter me, you came to satisfy your own curiosity. You haven\'t seen any of these people in over four years, so you can\'t honestly tell me I coerced you here against your will \", she responded archly. \"Besides which Hermione is my colleague, and I was allowed to bring a guest to her wedding\" she finished. He grunted noncommittally and fixed his eyes on the altar ahead, scowling as a beaming Ron took his place on the dais.
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Hermione started in sheer astonishment and bewildered amazement as her eyes lit on a sleek blond head at the very back of the church. \"Sweet Merlin no!....It can\'t be Malfoy!\" she gasped. The world tilted on its axis for an endless moment as her eyes devoured the familiar contours of his face. Thanking her lucky stars that she\'d been left alone for five minutes she sank weakly against the door her gaze never leaving Draco. The man in question ran a lean hand through his hair impatiently and fidgeted with his collar. In her alcove Hermione tried to suppress the memories that his simple gesture sent flooding back into her. It had been years since she\'d seen him, since they\'d been lovers, since she\'d fled his bed in shame and horafteafter learning that she d nod not then nor ever change him or his destiny.
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No one had ever known their secret and no one ever would. He\'d die before admitting his sordid affair with a muggle-born witch. No matter how he\'d stirred her soul, no matter that no one could ever hope to move her as he had, no matter that he\'d been her first lover, they were worlds apart and not even love (though they never had it) could hope to reconcile them to each other. Hermione\'s entire bohrumhrummed like a finely tuned instrument and she watched the supple movements of his body as he rose in the pew to the first strains of the quartet and Celestina\'s phenomenal voice. She was hardly aware of herher her extending his arm to her and the wedding procession, trooping out before her. The veil hid her eyes and she was infinitely grateful for its shielding protection as she began the interminable journey down the aisle Like a old muggle film reel replaying itself in her head, memories of the last night they\'d spent together tormented Hermione during her torturous trek to the altar. Her trembling legs threatened to buckle beneath her and she perversely recalled another time, when this emotion had almost brought her to her knees.
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He ran his tongue up the length of her thigh, from the crevice behind her knee to the soft inner skin at the apex of her legs. Hermione shuddered beneath him grasping his nape in one hand and a handful of his fine blonde hair in the other before hauling him up the length of her body. She commenced a ferocious assault on his lips and face with her own fevered mouth although she could feel him smiling through the kisses. \"Relax Granger,\" he whispered into her mouth. \"We\'ve got all night\". He moved his mouth to her neck softly nipping and caressing the skin with his teeth and tongue before working his way back down her body. Hooking one finger into the hem of her underwear he proceeded to slowly pull it down her thighs, kissing and licking the taut skin across her hips which he\'d revealed.. She gasped at the feeling of his mouth on her, and pulled him back for another kiss. \"Draco I..I...\" she quivered caught in a paroxysm of fevered sensation as his clever mouth returned to her lower body beginning yet another torturous stimulation of her senses. She grabbed hold of him forcing him onto his back. Swiftly straddling his stomach she shook free the masses of her hair around them. \"You\'re gonna get as good as you give Draco, she gritted through her teeth, body still quaking from his sensuous plundering. He smirked lazily up at her, crossing his arms behind his head, \"oh I haven\'t the slightest doubt of that Granger.\" \"Hermione!\" she rasped ...\"not Granger\". He chuckled \"Right then Hermione....\"
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\"Hermione!\" whispered her father urgently, \"take Ron\'s arm.\" She snapped out of the trance to find her father\'s anxious eyes peering through her veil. \"Yes, Daddy, I know.\" She responded with a falsely brilliant smile. Moving forward she linked her arm with Ron\'s, and walked up the steps of the altar.
In the audience Draco averted his gaze from the scene before him, trying to look anywhere but at Granger. She was barely recognizable beneath the layers of white fabric and jewels. Draco wrinkled his nose in polite distaste. He preferred simplicity, though she was a sight to behold. Letting his eyes roam the church, he caught sight of a furtive movement behind the organ. Frowning he turned to the gallery behind them and noticed unusual shadows back there as well. His finely honed battle insts qts quickly grasped the notion that all was not well around them. Something felt distinctly wrong and it was undoubtedly not the florist who stood concealed around the congregation. Before Draco could formulate any plan of action, chaos erupted around them.

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A dozen men in black masks and deep green robes, sprang from the sacristy, the gallery, behind the organ and alcoves around the church. They each had a wand and began hurling hexes and spells throughout the crowd. Panic erupted around the bridal couple as the congregation stampeded towards all available exits. Those that had brought wands were unsuccessfully attempting to defend themselves and others. Hermione had frozen by Ron\'s side. Her husband-to-be had taken a body-binding curse full in the chest and lay motionless on the floor. She was hazily aware of two of the green robed intruders making their way towards her. Knowing she was unarmed and helpless Hermione opted to fling herself over Ron\'s prostrate and unmoving form, attempting to drag them beneath the altar. She was roughly hoisto heo her feet moments later.
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Draco watched the scene unfolding with a kind of helpless horror; he had his wand out and had the presence of mind to use it to protect people rather than dueling with the attackers. Annalise had already fled the church under cover of another friend.
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Hermione could almost taste the fetid odor of her captor\'s breath. He pressed his body against her as his companion began to forge a path to the large entrance doors. \"Please please...don\'t\" she begged as the man kicked Ron in the gut passing over him. The lights in the place were suddenly extinguished bringing the panic around them to a screaming crescendo. The brute carrying her bumped his knee against a pew stumstumbled dropping her. Almost immediately she was picked up again and this time rushed onwards with greater urgency. Enfolded in the man\'s robes, Hermione realized that the fellow carrying her was not the same person as the one who\'d initially grabbed hold of her body. The scent of expensive cologne and rich leather was heady and familiar. Her mind reeled tumultuously as she recognized the firm grip of the hands clasping her and the contours of the body against which she was so intimately pressed. Dear God! \"Draco....\" She gasped as she felt a jerk behind her navel and as the world spun around her.

To be continued......

A/N: So tell me what you think guys! Never written a fic like this. Need feedback please:)