Remain Nameless

Chapter 48

February 2010

Growing up, Draco never really gave much thought to the activity of wedding planning. He would have been given very little say in the whole ordeal.

After the requisite courtship period, he'd be presented with a betrothal contract from his intended's family (or vice versa), and then the negotiations would begin between parental units. Narcissa would ensure some clause or other about heirloom jewelry or house elves be included. Lucius probably would have a purity check done on the bride's line and also amass future blackmail material should they prove uncooperative. The bride's family would counter with compensation requirements based on how many heirs the marriage produced and whether they were male or female, and it would all go round and round on a carousel of horrific yet meaningless drivel forever recorded on official parchment and probably then sealed with a blood rite.

Circumventing all that tedium, Draco's time as a bachelor now had an official end date: August 14th of this year. Well, technically, his bachelorhood comes to an end the Saturday before, on August 7th.

He'd not quite come to terms with the event that would occur on August 7th.

"I'd like a Muggle ceremony."

Mother will be apoplectic, perhaps fatally. This initial thought ran through Draco's mind and rendered him temporarily speechless.

Here lies Narcissa Malfoy. She survived the Dark Lord living in her manor only to meet her end upon hearing the news that her only son is to be wed by Muggles in Muggle attire as he takes Muggle oaths.

He'd marry Granger on the bloody moon if she wanted, but every version of a ceremony in his head looked familiar, magical.

"And what does that mean... exactly?" Draco asked cautiously, trying to thread that fine line of curiosity devoid of condescension. He'd no idea how Muggles married one another, but reasoned it probably didn't involve dress robes or bonding rites or protective enchantments. Did it even mean anything, legally? If they just signed a piece of paper couldn't they just go do that right now? Why even bother with the ceremonial aspect? It certainly didn't seem very binding to Draco.

Hermione fidgeted from her spot on the couch and her nervousness became a tiny stab at his heart. She'd replied so firmly when he asked her about the ceremony she envisioned after they'd settled on the August date that he knew she truly desired this.

"I've been thinking and this is something I'd like to do for my parents. My Muggle heritage is very important to me, and though I was hardly the type of girl that fantasized about her wedding day growing up... any time I did visualize my wedding I always saw myself with my parents on each arm... walking me towards my future spouse in their back garden. Nothing lavish just... just my parents escorting me into this new phase of my life."

She hugged her knees to her chest. "They missed out on quite a lot with me, so a simple, traditional wedding is the least I can do, but more than that... it's what I'd prefer. I want to honor the non-magical side of me by celebrating that core part of my ancestry with my new husband."

He'd be a monster to deny her this.

"However," she peered at him through her long lashes, bottom lip drawn briefly between her teeth. "I'm not so selfish that I would deny you your familial history either, Draco. You've every right to want a traditional magical ceremony and I have no intention of depriving your mother the opportunity to plan something more to her taste. So," she took a deep breath. "Let's do both."

"Both?" Draco echoed blankly.

"Yes," Hermione affirmed. "We'll have it on a different day." She flipped open her planner. "How about the week before?"