A/N: I really enjoyed writing this part. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it. Also this part is part of the wedding day, not the wedding. I couldn’t fit them both in one part.

The Prince and the Slave

Part 21

By Shinri

       

Harry snuck through the halls of the castle. Every few moments he would stop and look around to make sure no one caught him. Today was his wedding day, and, keeping with tradition his mother had hidden Draco in the castle so Harry could not see him until the wedding. But that was not going to deter him. He had found out from Ron that Draco was in the west tower. Harry knew if he was caught, his mother would be very mad, but he couldn’t help himself.

Over the past month since he had found out Draco was a prince, a lot of things had happened. It was decided that the wedding would be in a month, so that the alliance was finalized. Snape had come back with the generals of Slytherin a few days ago, and, after talking with Draco, they were all in meetings with his father. They were going to stay until the wedding before returning back to their troops with the news of the marriage.

Also, over the past month, he and Draco had become close. They were always escorted and were never left alone. Upon asking his parents about this, he had the embarrassing duty of hearing a speech about no sex until after the marriage. He didn’t think he was going to be able look his parents in the eye ever again. As for Draco, Harry could tell he was very nervous about the wedding and his upcoming pregnancy. The most they had shared were a few heated kisses. Harry knew it was mostly due to their escort but he also sensed a little hesitation in Draco for anything else.

Harry let out a sigh as he turned the last corner. He took a quick look around before walking towards the door at the end of the hall. He quietly opened the door and slipped in. He looked around and noticed that he was in a suite of rooms. He was currently in the sitting room and felt the warmth from the fire. He took another glance and noticed a few doors on the other side of the room. He snuck up to them, being very quiet so as not to alert any occupants. He couldn’t wait to see Draco. He knew he had last seen him last night before bed, but he still missed him.

He stood at the first door for a moment and put his ear to it, to see if he could hear anyone inside. He was so intent on listening that he didn’t hear the main door open and close, or the footsteps walking up to him. After a moment, he heard a conversation inside and brought his hand to the knob to open the door. He only got the knob halfway turned before a yardstick came crashing on to his hands. He let out a pained and shocked scream before turning around and looking into enraged green eyes. “Mother?”

Queen Lily Potter was looking at her son with an angry expression. “Just what do you think you are doing?” She crossed her arms, but kept the yardstick firmly in her grip.

Harry looked at his mother with a nervous expression. He racked his brain for a proper excuse. “I… I was just coming to see if I could do anything to help.” He could tell his mother was not buying it. He looked at the door behind his mother and taking one last glance at her, he went to rush around her but the yardstick came down on his bottom.

Harry kept running towards the door while getting swatted by the yardstick the whole way. He kept letting out loud yelps and owws the entire way and Lily was right on his tail. He threw the door open and ran into the hall. It took him a moment to notice his mother was not chasing him anymore and he turned and looked back at the door only to find her mother standing there.

Lily looked at him for a moment. “You come in here one more time and you won’t be able to sit the whole night.” With her threat given, she turned and walked back in the room, slamming the door behind her.

Harry just stood there a moment with his mouth hanging open. He couldn’t believe what just happened. He hoped Draco never found out about this, or he would never be able to live it down. He was brought out of his thoughts by laughing behind him. He turned and stared embarrass at his father. “What do you find funny about this?”

James stopped laughing for a moment before turning an amused glance at his son. “I just remember my wedding day. My hands and bum were completely black and blue before the day was over. Your grandmother watched me like a hawk the whole day and anytime I tried to get near Lily she seemed to jump out of nowhere and give me a beating.”

Harry couldn’t help but chuckle. “Like father, like son, huh?” James only reply was a grin.

       

Draco had his head against the window in the room watching the people outside. Up this high, he couldn’t make anyone out and, to tell the truth, he wasn’t really paying much attention to them. Instead, he was thinking. His life had changed so much in the last month and a half. He had found out what his father had planned. He had run away only to be captured and turned into a slave. And now, he was engaged and about to be married, not to mention that he was going to be pregnant within the next few months if not the next few days.

He was a little scared about the consummation of their marriage. Being locked in a set of rooms for his whole life didn’t allow him to learn certain things. He knew the basics of what was going to happen, but he was scared of it. He was afraid that it would be painful and he still didn’t know what it was going to be like being pregnant. He had asked Dumbledore a few questions and the answers had shocked him. He was going to bear and have the child naturally. At first he was confused, since he didn’t have the right parts for giving birth. He almost fainted when he found out that the spell would help him have the child the same way he was impregnated. He still winced when he thought about it.

He turned when he heard the door open and looked at his best friend. He nodded towards her. “Granger.”

Hermione just shook her head. “That’s all you have to say? Draco, it’s your wedding day! You should be happy.”

Draco let out a sigh before bringing his hands up to massage his shoulders. “I know, it’s just… I am nervous about the whole thing.”

Hermione nodded her head. “That’s only natural. This is a big event in your life. You know Harry loves you, and would never let anything happen to you.”

Draco nodded his head. “I know. I will be fine.” He turned to look back out the window for a moment before turning back to Hermione. “Granger… Hermione… there is something I wanted to talk to you about.”

Hermione looked at Draco with a little dread. Draco only called her by her first name when something serious was going to happen. She gulped and looked at Draco. “Y..yes?”

Draco walked up to her and put his hands on her shoulders. “Why didn’t you tell me how my father came about enslaving you?”

Hermione looked away from Draco’s face for a moment before looking back into his eyes. “I already told you, my parents were dead and I was enslaved.”

Draco tightened his hands on her shoulders. “But that wasn’t all was it. Lord Voldemort had your parents killed, and my father confiscated all your lands and stripped your titles. That was land and titles that should have gone to you. Why did you never tell me all that?”

Hermione felt a tear slide down her face. “Because I knew you were not like your father, and I didn’t want you to have to feel guilty about it. How did you find out anyway?”

Draco gave her a quick hug before releasing her. “Snape told me.”

Hermione wiped her eyes. “Oh.”

Draco let out a small smile. “That wasn’t all he told me. It seems he has noticed some looks you and Ron have been giving each other. Care to tell me about it?”

Hermione turned a little red at this news. “Well, he is attractive and nice.” She bit her lip and looked towards the ground. “But you are my master, and slaves are not allowed to date or wed unless their masters give them to someone.”

Draco nodded his head. “That is something I wanted to talk to you about?”

Hermione jerked her head up to look at Draco with wide eyes. “What do you mean?”

Draco let out a smile. “You do realize for the next few hours I am still the king of Slytherin and you are officially property of the Slytherin court, right?”

Hermione gave a small nod. “Y… yes.” Was Draco about to do what she though he was? Her heart started to speed up.

Draco smiled and walked over to his coat that was in the room and pulled out an envelope. He then turned and gave a smile to Hermione. “Hermione, you have been there for me many times when not even my parents were. You are my best friend. I wanted to give you a gift.” He handed the envelope to her and stepped back to watch her reaction.

Hermione looked at the envelope in her hands. Her hands were shaking as she opened it and pulled out two sets of papers. She quickly scanned over the first set. By the time she finished she had tears running down her face. She looked up at Draco. “A royal pardon?”

Draco smiled. “Yes, it is the only way to release a slave of the royal court. You’re free, Hermione. Like you should have always been. And that’s not all; take a look at the next set of papers.”

Hermione was dumbfounded. She looked at the second set and gasped. She shot her eyes up to meet those of Draco’s. “Are you serious?”

Draco nodded his head. “Yes, those are rightfully yours.”

Hermione looked back down to the pages in her hand. It was the titles to all of her parent’s lands and estates. And all of their titles had been reinstated also. She looked up again at Draco and ran over to him an enveloped him in a huge hug. “How can I ever thank you?”

Draco returned the hug. “You can repay me by living a great and happy life.”

Hermione nodded and took a step back wiping her eyes. “God, thank you, Draco. I promise that I will live a happy life.” Hermione stood there for a few moments trying to collect herself before she looked back at Draco. Time to get back to business. She looked around the room. “Where is Queen Lily?”

“She went to get a yardstick to measure part of my suit for tonight.” He was about to say something else when he heard a commotion coming from the other side of the door. He raised an eye at Hermione and started to walk towards the door. But he stopped when heard some loud smacks and what was definitely Harry’s voice. He looked back at Hermione. He was about to take a peek through the door when he heard Lily yelling.

“You come in here one more time and you won’t be able to sit the whole night.”

Draco looked from the door to Hermione before he burst out laughing. Hermione started laughing as well. Draco was on the floor rolling around. He could just imagine Harry’s face. He heard the door open and looked up from the floor to see Lily walk in, but he couldn’t get himself to stop laughing.

Lily looked down at her soon to be son-in-law rolling around on the floor. She sent a glare down at him and smacked the yardstick in her hand. “You better get off that dirty floor, before I take this stick to your behind as well.”

That got Draco’s attention and he quickly stopped laughing and got off the floor. He gave Lily a weird look. “But you are not my mother yet?”

Lily pursed her lips. “Try me.”

Draco decided that he didn’t want to try and push the subject. He raised his hands in a sign of surrender. “Ok, ok.”

Lily nodded her head. “Good. Now let’s start getting you ready.”

TBC…

Please Review

And now for the dreaded teaser:

Draco pursed his lips and glared at the couple. He missed the grin that came from Lily. He continued to glare at Harry and watched as Ginny practically threw herself all over him. Draco didn’t know why he was acting like this. He trusted Harry, but this scene just bothered him. After a moment, his eyes locked with Harry’s and he quickly looked elsewhere. Apparently Harry caught him, since he excused himself and walked up to Draco and took a seat beside him.

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