Chapter 20

Disclaimer: The characters depicted in this fiction belong to JK Rowling, her heirs and assignees, except for those who belong to me.

Author's Notes: I want to thank noybate for stepping in as beta for this story when GrammarPolice went MIA. This chapter has not been Britpicked, so any mistakes are my own. Now that the madness that is NaNoWriMo is over, I hope to update more frequently.

Chapter Twenty

Is There Trouble Brewing in Paradise?

by Rita Skeeter

Correspondent, Daily Prophet

Sources close to this reporter have mentioned a small altercation in the Great Hall at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry last week after this paper reported seeing Draco Malfoy wooing Hermione Granger, a professor at the school and one third of the Golden Trio.

Mr Ronald Weasley, another third of the Golden Trio and best friend to the Man- Who-Lived-Twice, is reported to have stormed into the Great Hall at the dinner hour and demanded that Professor Granger explain her actions as to why she was throwing him over for Mr Malfoy.

While my sources did not hear Miss Granger's answer, it is said that Mr Weasley was sent away with a flea in his ear. Has Miss Granger succumbed to the lure of the Malfoy riches rather than the love of a good man? Keep reading this paper for more developments as they occur.

* * *

"More Skeeter trouble, Professor Granger?" Severus murmured in her ear as he slipped into his chair for breakfast.

Hermione glared at him as she crumpled the paper in her hands. It was the first day of the new term, and the students were noisier than usual as they greeted friends they hadn't seen for two whole weeks. Their noise covered the low conversations at the Head Table.

"Her innuendo is driving me mad!" she said through gritted teeth. "Can you help? Draco suggested I ask you."

"Let me think on it," he said, eyeing the pile of mail in front of her. "Is that an invitation?" The snowy white envelope was embossed with her name in gold.

"Neville and Hannah's wedding," she affirmed. "I think all the teachers got one." She winced as she noticed the empty spot in front of him. "Sorry."

"Not to worry, Hermione," he said with a sneer. "Longbottom knows I wouldn't have attended even if I were allowed off the grounds. But this does give me an idea, though. Minerva, a moment of your time, please?"

"Hmmm," Minerva hummed as she sipped her coffee. "What is it, Severus?"

He picked up Hermione's wedding invitation between his fingers as if it were contaminated. "You are aware of Professor Granger's recent problems with the Skeeter woman?"

"After Mr Weasley's performance last week, I'm sure everyone is," Minerva snapped at him. "Why?"

"Because I have an idea on how to swat a Skeeter." He smirked. "May we have the use of your office after dinner for a strategy meeting?"

"Why after dinner?" Hermione asked.

"Because I will want your parents, the Malfoys, and Draco there as well," Severus said, plotting out the plan in his head. "Oh, and Filius?"

"Yes, Severus?" Flitwick said from his place further down the table.

"I will need you at this meeting as well. We could use your cunning."

Flitwick rubbed his hands together with glee. "I'll be there for sure if it means humiliation for that odious Skeeter woman."

"Okay, but why my parents, Draco, and his parents?" Hermione persisted.

"Didn't you once tell me that your mother and Narcissa had become...what was the term you used...pen pals?"

"Y-e-essss...?"

"Then that will fall right in with my plans. I will take care of the letters to Draco and his parents if you will send them for me. I think Lucius and Narcissa will be willing to bring your parents along with them. You can owl your parents and let them know to expect the Malfoys."

"All right, I can do that. They were pretty upset about last week's articles anyway. I'm sure today's will upset them even more."

* * *

"Hermione, dearest, just what is going on?"

"Indeed, Miss Granger, what has that hideous woman been blathering about?"

"Mum, Mrs Malfoy, if you'd let me explain..."

"Herms, did you know your Dad is out there talking to my Dad and Severus?"

"Yes, Ferret, I did..."

"Draco, why did Hermione call you 'Ferret'? That was rude."

"I'll explain later, Mother."

"If everyone will come in and sit down," Minerva's voice rose above the questions being piled on Hermione by their summoned guests, "we can get started with this summit meeting to try and put paid to the rumours being put about by Rita Skeeter and maybe gain a little payback as well. Severus, bring Mr Granger and Mr Malfoy in here this instant."

"Yes, Minerva, we're coming."

Once everyone was seated and the house-elves had delivered their choice of beverages, Minerva called the meeting to order. "You said this morning you had an idea, Severus, of how to rein Miss Skeeter in. Would you please share it with the rest of us now?"

"Of course." He smirked. "Mr Longbottom and Miss Abbott's nuptials are upcoming, are they not?" As everyone except the Grangers...who just looked puzzled...nodded, he continued, "From looking at the envelope that held the invitation Miss Granger received this morning, I would imagine Augusta Longbottom and Miss Abbot's father are planning to make this a wedding to remember..."

"Narcissa and I also received our invitation this morning," Lucius said with a smug look. "Since the Malfoys are still considered part of the Wizarding ton, as it were, Mr Abbott would look foolish in ignoring us. I'm sure Augusta pointed that out to him."

"Splendid," Severus said. "Draco?"

"Not me," he said with a shrug. "I guess Mother and Father are the ones who rate."

"Then you'll go as Hermione's date."

"Wait just a minute," Hermione protested. "Suppose I wanted to ask someone else or go by myself?"

"Not a part of the plan, Hermione," Severus said smoothly. "Draco needs to be there for this to work. Now, do you think you can get an invitation for your parents?"

"From Neville probably, yes," Hermione mused, "but we'd have to let him in on why I'd want one for them. They've never met either him or Hannah."

"Can he keep it to himself?"

"Severus, have you forgotten what that boy did the last year of the war?" Minerva scolded.

"Be that as it may, Minerva," Severus said with a sneer, "if the boy...man...can't keep it to himself, then my plan is useless."

"Can't he even tell Hannah?" Hermione asked. "She'll want to know why he needs an extra invite because of the reception dinner. It's being catered, you know."

"I believe we can rest assured that if I speak with Augusta and tell her what's being planned, she'll be happy to cooperate," Minerva mused. "We won't have to bring Mr Longbottom or Miss Abbott into this at all."

"That's all well and good, Severus," Flitwick protested, "but what's the plan? And what about the Weasleys? They're bound to be invited, being friends of both the bride and the groom."

"Excellent," Severus said. "We need to get Skeeter to raise the ante, as it were, with her rumours and innuendo. Then we make an extremely strong statement at the wedding...after the newlyweds have left, of course.

"Minerva, we need to have the wedding here, if possible, so that I can attend as well," Severus continued, "possibly as your escort. Do you think you can convince Miss Abbott that her wedding would be best served by being held where she and Longbottom fell in love?" He practically sneered the words, his face twisting into an expression of disgust.

"I believe they had planned an outdoor wedding as the weather should be nice," Minerva said. "That being the case, I can probably make a case for using the grounds here at Hogwarts. Especially since Pomona has offered Mr Longbottom an Herbology apprenticeship starting next fall when they return from their honeymoon."

"Good." Severus rubbed his hands together. "Narcissa, I need you and Mrs Granger..."

"Elizabeth."

"I beg your pardon?"

"If you can call my daughter by her first name, my name is Elizabeth," Hermione's mother spoke up.

"And I'm Matthew," her father said. "If this is going where I think it's going, we're going to have to be on a first-name basis to make it work."

"Indeed," Lucius agreed. "Our wives are already on a first-name basis due to their ongoing correspondence, so I am Lucius."

"If we are finished with introductions," Severus sneered sarcastically, "then may I continue?"

"By all means," Lucius said with a smirk and a small bow. "Please continue."

"Narcissa, can you take Elizabeth to Diagon Alley for new dress robes suitable for a wedding?"

"It would be my pleasure," Narcissa said, laughing. "I would imagine we're supposed to be overheard discussing what to wear but not mention who's getting married."

"Correct. I want to fuel the rumours about Hermione and Draco."

"Oi," Draco said. "I'm getting grief enough about that at University. Everybody remembers the 'Brain Trust' and wants to know what she sees in me."

"See, Ferret," Hermione giggled, "I told you I was too good for you. I take it we're going to pull the rug out from under her at the wedding?"

"Yes," Severus said. "That's the general plan. Lucius, you and Matthew can do whatever it is that men do when subjected to wedding plans."

"I believe we could go to my club," Lucius said. "I'm still a member, and the place is a hotbed of gossip. If necessary, I can start a few rumours myself."

"Good. Filius?"

"Yes?"

"I need you to spread rumours at the Three Broomsticks and the Hog's Head. If you can get others from the staff involved without telling them what's going on, that would be excellent.

"I'd ask you to do it, Minerva," he said with an apologetic look towards the Headmistress, "but it's necessary that you appear to be above it all and totally ignorant of any plans other than the wedding is to be held here on the grounds."

Minerva held up her hand in a stop gesture. "I understand, Severus. I'll talk to Miss Abbott and Augusta Longbottom tomorrow. Luckily, there's still time for the guests to be notified of a change in location before the wedding as it's not until the end of June."

* * *

Wedding Plans in Motion?

by Rita Skeeter

Correspondent, Daily Prophet

Narcissa Malfoy, wife of Lucius Malfoy and mother to Draco Malfoy, has been seen shopping at Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions with the Muggle mother of Hermione Granger. Madam Malkins stated when questioned that Mrs Malfoy and Mrs Granger were discussing what robes to wear so they did not clash at the wedding. Mrs Malfoy chose ice blue robes with silver over-robes while Mrs Granger chose teal blue robes with silver embroidery on the sleeves and hems.

Lucius Malfoy has also been seen in Diagon Alley lunching at the Wizards' Club with Mr Granger, the Muggle father of Miss Granger. Sources report they toasted the engaged couple and wished them all happiness. They then strolled up to Twilfit & Tattings, but it is unknown just what transpired behind the doors of that august institution. Perhaps purchasing formal robes for the father of the bride?

It is certainly apparent that wedding plans are in motion for Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy. It is the policy of this paper to wish the newly engaged couple all the best even though a wedding announcement has not been printed in our society pages.

* * *

Severus chuckled to himself as he read the story in that morning's Daily Prophet. It made a good accompaniment to his eggs and sausage. "She's practically salivating over this," he murmured to Hermione.

Hermione grinned. "And she's as irritated as hell that it's me," she said. "She's had it in for me since I bested her in fourth year."

"Mmm, yes," he said. "I always wondered how you managed to leash her vitriol."

"I trapped her in a jar," Hermione stated simply.

"You did what?" Minerva said, her words unfortunately falling into a rare calm in the Great Hall. She glared at the students who were staring at the head table, and they quickly turned back to their breakfasts. She lowered her voice. "Why did you...? How did you do that?"

"She was an unregistered Animagus," Hermione explained. "A beetle. That's how she was getting information about Harry. Of course, Draco and the other Slytherins were helping by giving her information she could use in her innuendo. That's also how she found out about Viktor inviting me to Bulgaria for the summer.

"I caught her in the jar and kept her there for a couple of months. When she agreed to stop writing false stories, I let her go. Then I blackmailed her into writing that story for The Quibbler during fifth year when nobody would believe Harry."

"Why were you not in Slytherin?" Severus muttered in appreciation of her tactics. "That was positively inspired."

"Is she still unregistered?" Minerva asked indignantly. "If she is..."

"No, I'm sure she probably isn't." Hermione sighed. "She took advantage of the general amnesty that was instituted after the war and just paid the fine and registered. Now she's free to write whatever she wants about me so long as she cloaks it as innuendo and rumour. You know, the usual tabloid stuff."

"I hate to show my ignorance," Filius piped up, "but what's a tabloid?"

"This is." Hermione giggled, holding up the Daily Prophet. "It has no stories of any redeeming value, but prints gossip, rumour and whatever the Ministry wants printed. The Quibbler has developed into a serious newsmagazine since my fifth year because Mr Lovegood doesn't print just what the Ministry tells him to. That's called 'Freedom of the Press', and it's sorely lacking in the Wizarding world."

"Peace, Hermione," Minerva said soothingly and patted her journeywoman's hand. "You're becoming obsessed with this matter."

"I'm sorry, Minerva," she apologized. "It just makes me so mad when I see something like this and can't do a thing about it without falling into Rita Skeeter's little traps."

"I understand completely, dear," Minerva consoled her, gently patting her hand again.

* * *