Hermione glided into the Great Hall. A small confident smile hovered on her lips. She hadn't seen her friends in ten years, and was looking forward to seeing what some of them were doing.

Others not so much.

Ron she didn't particularly care to see.

Harry, hmm, she wasn't sure. That would depend on him.

***Flashback***

10 and a ½ years ago

The war had just ended, and she and Ron were together, as were Ginny and Harry. She was full of life - living in the triumph of winning the war and being in love - laughing, happy, and with the world at her feet. However, reality set in, and she soon discovered that if things seem to be too good to be true they probably are.

In the aftermath of the war, it became apparent just how much so many had lost. Friends, family, homes, businesses, and least of all, people left with physical and mental injuries. The death toll was finally announced, and tensions among the survivors began to rise; either by remanent feelings from the war, competition to survive, or just plain stubborn immature antics. It was common to hear verbal abuse in the streets between individuals, to see businesses closing down, to see orphaned children on the streets.

Hermione had decided to work in the Ministry to try and help put the world back together. But she was faced with blockade after blockade. She hadn't expected that. While she didn't have a huge ego, she was a war hero and labelled as the 'smartest witch in a generation'. She was turned away with the ever repeating comment, "The other candidates had more experience than you."

Her frustration turned to determination to achieve the necessary experience. She had worked as volunteer and studied even more than she had at school. It had been an exhausting workload. It was another few months before she realised the closed doors were from a mixture of dislike of muggleborns (or her specifically, given what she had accomplished in the war and the resulting losses for others) or due to her meddling boyfriend, Ron.

Apparently, he had been visiting her future employees and feeding them false information. First saying he planned to marry her shortly and she would not be working after that, too busy raising his children and being a traditional wife. And when that did not work, he began saying she was not loyal, having abandoned Harry during the war (that was Ron thank you very much) and was under investigation by the Auror Department for giving secrets to the Dark Lord's side (which, of course, was ridiculous).

Either way he had gotten what he wanted - a girlfriend with no job who had to rely on him for, what he hoped, would be companionship and support. Well almost, he seemed to have forgotten she still had muggle friends, as well as a sizable bank account from smart investments during school – her parents had not been short of money.

Hermione had always been independent and the lack of work infuriated her. Add to that Ron's lying sneaking part in her lack of job… well she was less than impressed. She confronted him as soon as she had proof of his selfish deceit.

The following argument had been explosive and cruel. Ron had called her all types of foul names, belittled her and their time together. He said just how much he thought he was settling to date and marry her. He obviously did not love her, support her, or cherish her as she first thought. He was focussed only on his own desires and trying to force her into his dream world.

Hurt to the point she felt shattered, her voice had been laced with sarcasm and venom as she drawled the only response she could, "Well I am so very sorry you had to go through that. It must have been truly horrific for you. I know, I'll make it easy for you. Goodbye and good riddance, Ronald Weasley."

"You can't do that," Ron had snarled grabbing her hand. "I bought this ring and it is expected we marry. Now put it on so we can tell everyone we are engaged."

Utter disbelief washed over her. How could he think after everything he had done and said she would give her life to him? In a dazed state, she had simply shaken her head, uttered "no" and then walked into her room. With a sweeping wave of her wand, she had packed her belongings and then Apparated to Diagon Alley. Closing her bank account, she left through the Leaky Cauldron and took a cab to the airport.

She was going to find her parents; a long overdue task she had put off for Ron. While at the airport she wrote to Harry, Ginny and her other friends, letting them simply know she and Ron had broken up and she was leaving the country. She had found her parents quickly and decided to stay with them while she decided what to do with her life.

Her subscription to the Daily Prophet continued for a short while, until the articles about her started to come in a flood - her breaking Ron's heart, having an affair, aborting a child,abandoning Harry and feeding information to the Dark Lord. It went on. All false of course, but all apparently from Ron and Molly. It had hurt that those she thought of as almost family had betrayed her in that way. She waited to see a rebuttal by Harry or Ginny, condemning the lies and supporting her. None came.

She cancelled her subscription a month later after reading an article about Lavender being four months pregnant with Ron's love child, which was accompanied by a photo of Ron and Lavender smiling, with Lavender waving showing the engagement ring on her finger.

Four months. The bastard had cheated on her before she left for at least two months.

*** End flashback ***

Shaking the memories away, Hermione focused on happier ones - finding her parents and the day she tripped into her now husband's arms, literally.

She had arrived in Australia, quickly found her parents, and restored her their memories. Despite the setbacks in England, she was highly accomplished in her field, renowned and brilliant. She also had four beautiful children and a loving, supporting husband who cherished her as much as she did him.

She felt eyes on her and glanced around. She saw confused faces, as though they were trying to figure out who she was. Hermione huffed. Honestly, she hadn't changed that much, perhaps more finely tailored clothes and tamed hair, but that was all. With a roll of her eyes she turned and looked around the rest of the room.

She saw a strong male figure with black hair surrounded by another male and female she knew well. Smiling she headed towards them.

Covering the black haired man's eyes she lilted, "Guess who."

"Too easy, Hermione."

Hermione laughed as Blaise Zabini turned around and engulfed her in his arms. "I've missed you," he said.

"Please, I saw you three days ago," Hermione replied.

"Where's Drake?"

"He was dropping the kids off with Cissa. He should be here soon," Hermione replied with a fond smile. She and Draco Malfoy had been together for nine and a half years, and married for eight.

"Shove out of the way," Pansy said, and Blaise was sent careening leftwards, dangerously close to a cheese fondue pot. His arms waved back madly as he tried to avoid falling in the hot yellow goo. Hermione was then enveloped in Pansy's arms.

"How ladylike," snarked Blaise once he had saved himself. Everyone in the group just laughed in response as he straightened his clothes and slunk back to his previous position beside Hermione.

"Oh poor diddums," Pansy sneered, "it's not my fault he has poor balance."

"Now sweetie, be nice to Blaise. He's still sleep deprived," Theo chided Pansy.

"Oh boo frigging who, nothing compared to childbirth," Pansy responded"

"Of course, but we men just aren't as strong as you Amazon women, so have some pity on us weak souls, my sweet," Theo cajoled.

"I suppose you have a point," Pansy acknowledged.

"That must be a first," drawled a masculine voice behind them.

"Did the children get settled alright?" Hermione asked as she turned and bestowed a smile on her husband.

"Of course, however my mum is in for a long night. Caroli got into the cookies while I was with Nicolaus. She was a good girl and shared," Draco responded.

"Oh dear," Hermione sighed, "how many?"

Draco just raised his eyebrow in a response.

"It's called hope in my children, Draco," she scowled.

"It's called optimism in the extreme," Draco replied.

"Okay, am I the only one who's lost?" Theo asked.

"Yes," came the in-unison replies of Pansy, Hermione, Draco and Blaise.

"Have you ever seen my children leave any sweet whatsoever on a table?" Draco asked.

Theo thought for a moment and realised that no, they usually disappeared before he got any and that took effort to beat him. "Right, caught up. You and Hermione staying here tonight?" Theo asked Draco.

"Thank Merlin," Draco muttered with a nod. Draco wrapped his arms around Hermione and kissed her neck, "Love you Mia," he whispered in her ear, before turning to greet his friends with warm embrace.

The group was close and were very supportive of Draco and Hermione. They had first decreed this was because she was the only one to keep him challenged as his equal in intelligence, wit, and stubbornness. This meant he wouldn't turn his malicious mind on them as much as he was too busy winning Hermione over and later being wrapped up in her. Unfortunately, it was often literally rather than figuratively, which the group found out the hard way when they arrive early for a dinner the pair were hosting. They were always at least five minutes late after that episode. They all had dinner together once a week, rotating the location. Thanks to magical advancements, combined with money and influence, it was easy to travel between Australia and England quickly.

Hermione spent some time catching up with the group of Slytherins before excusing herself to get a drink and find Luna, Blaise's wife.

The Great Hall was now packed full of people and it was getting warm. It took her a while to wind her way through the people, stopping every once and a while to talk to old classmates. She was surprised to find no one mentioned the old articles or Ron. They treated her well, genuinely pleased to see her. Perhaps Draco's and her Slytherin friends were correct, that the hate and lies were forgotten and dismissed after Lavender's love child was announced.

It seemed the people she spoke with also knew of the strides she had undertaken to put wizarding England back together (although they didn't know she did so largely from Australia); she had founded orphanages and developed equal rights and humanity legislation for implementation by the Ministry.

She eventually found the bowl of punch and gulped a full glass down, spiked by someone. Refilling her glass with more punch she jumped when a voice sneered, "Hello bitch."

Slowly turning around, dismay building in her. She knew that voice and it caused her to feel like a troll was sitting on her throat.

Behind her Ron was standing, chest thrust outwards, although not quite as much as his stomach. A thin Lavender with a pinched face stood on his right, arms crossed across her barely there dress. Ginny and Harry were standing on Ron's left. Harry's shoulders slumped in defeat and an overweight Ginny gripped his arm.

They all had varying levels of hatred across their face.

"Oh Ron, you shouldn't talk to your wife that way," Hermione sighed, straightening her spine and raising her chin, deliberately misunderstanding Ron's attack on her.

Lavender spluttered.

Ginny stepped up to Hermione and shoved her face into Hermione's. "He was talking to, you thickhead, and they're divorced," Ginny spat.

Saliva hit Hermione's face. She raised her hand and flicked it away from her face. Drawing herself up even further, she narrowed her eyes at Ginny, giving her Draco's best bored sneer. "I don't believe I ever received anything below an O in school, so coming from you, who I tutored after you received a T in four courses, that's more than a little weak. But then the intelligence genes in your family were running thin by the time you and Ron were born, so I guess it's not your fault."

"How dare you imply I'm dumb," Ginny snapped.

"Oh sweetie," Hermione said in a sugary syrup voice, "that is a fact, not an implication. Now if you don't have anything nice to say, or any apology to offer, I'll be leaving."

"What? Running away, cow?" Lavender taunted.

Hermione raised her eyebrow, responding, "From you lot? Hardly. I find you as threatening as a drunk ladybug. I simply don't see the point in wasting my time on those who made up lies and fed them to the Daily Prophet."

"Hermione, you can't expect us to be your friend after the way you treated Ron. Cheating on him. Leading him on. And let's not forget giving information to Voldemort," Harry growled.

"Harry, I didn't cheat on Ron, but clearly given Lavender and Ron's baby, who was two months into development when I left, he did. I didn't lead him on. He betrayed me by spreading lies to stop people employing me. And as for Voldemort – I was with you the entire time how could you think that!" Hermione exclaimed.

Harry remained silent, forehead creased in thought.

Ron suddenly stepped up next to her. "I get it now," he said.

"Get what?" Hermione snapped.

"Why you're here tonight," he said leering at her, "okay I suppose I can."

"Can what, Ronald?"

"I mean you're getting on in years, but I suppose you don't look too bad."

"Excuse me," Hermione responded rather affronted at his attitude and unsure of where this was going.

"I'll take you back bitch. I need help with Ron the Second anyway," Ron replied.

"What!" Hermione exclaimed.

Suddenly Ron was beside her wrapping his arm around her waist and groping her backside.

Shoving her arms against him Hermione tried to push him away, despite Ron's obvious fat he was still physically stronger than Hermione. "GET OFF ME!" she shouted.

The Great Hall was suddenly silent and then murmurs started.

Ron tightened his grip saying, "Come on, let's go to my room and you can show me how much you want me to take you back."

"Ron let me go right n…"

Hermione's voice was smothered as Ron's aggressive peeling lips descended on hers. She hit, kicked, and squirmed, trying to get away. Her wand out of reach from her hands.

"Weasel can't you tell when a woman says get off it means get away from her, not try to shove your tongue down her throat," a cold hard voice snarled.

Ron pulled his lips from Hermione, who was now gasping for breath, furious and embarrassed. "Get lost, ferret," he sneered.

Draco, realising Ron wasn't going to back off Hermione, bounced forward, tore Ron's arms away from Hermione, and punched Ron to the ground. Blaise, Pansy, Luna, and Theo had their wands pointing at Harry, Lavender, and Ginny, keeping them back, although the three also seemed angry at Ron for his attack.

"Listen up, Weasel, because I'm only going to say this once. Don't come near my wife ever again."

"Your what?" Ron gasped.

"Wife. You would think you would understand the term, given you were once married. Leave Hermione alone. That's your only warning from me," Draco said in a voice of steel.

"Why would you marry her?" Lavender said.

Draco gave them an incredulous look before saying, "Why wouldn't I? She is amazing. Caring, strong, loyal, brilliant, beautiful, loving, compassionate and adventurous."

"No, she's not," Lavender whined.

"Yes, she is, now go away, you're not wanted here," Draco scowled, dismissing them with a flick of his wrist.

Draco walked away from Ron, who was on the ground bleeding, to Hermione as he restrained himself from attacking Ron further – he knew Hermione could handle herself.

"Sweetheart," Draco whispered in her ear, wrapping his arms around her. Hermione allowed him to kiss her before pulling out of his arms. Stalking over to Ron, she raised her wand, pointing it at his bleeding face. Ron had the sense to cringe as he fumbled for his own wand. Unfortunately for him, it was broken in his pocket from the fall.

"Mulier cum ad versus tibi semen non vi," Hermione spoke as she waved her wand in a complex formation before allowing the light to knock Ron over. She had put a lot of power into the spell so the effect would probably last at least a year, each time.

Smiling sweetly, she looked at Ron and said, "I suggest you don't force yourself on me or any other woman again. Ever."

Blaise, Pansy, Theo, and Luna looked at her with wide eyes, having been fluent in Latin from infancy. Draco, also fluent in the dead language, smiled.

"What?" Hermione asked, innocence in her face, which belied the malicious flames of satisfaction in her eyes.

"And I thought Drake was evil," Pansy breathed, before quickly realising she did not want Hermione's wand facing her anytime soon, and hastily added, "An appropriate spell for his actions." The other Slytherins nodded in agreement quickly.

Ron moaned.

"What did you just do to my brother?" Ginny demanded, having not taken Draco's earlier suggestion to leave.

"I simply ensured that he can't find a…hmmm…release for about a year whenever he forces himself on a lady like he just did," Hermione responded.

"What do you mean by 'release'?" Ginny frowned.

"He'll figure it out," Hermione replied.

Ginny, Lavender, and Harry pulled Ron up and slowly made their way out of the Great Hall to Madam Pomfrey who, having already heard what happened, was delighted to inform Ron that it was doubtful he would find a curse breaker who could or would help him, and there was nothing the mediwitch could do to remove the curse.

Hermione, Draco, and the Slytherins smiled as they watched the three drag Ron out of the Great Hall.

"Hang on, did you say wife?" a Hufflepuff with momentary courage, probably from the spiked punch, shouted.

"Surprise," Draco said with a satisfied smirk before Hermione pulled his lips down to hers for a searing kiss, which had the Great Hall filling with gasps and stray magic due to the shock. Her ring was on display as it entwined with his hair.

Draco and Hermione smiled into the kiss as they heard the chaos around them. This was a very satisfying way to let everyone know.

The End

Hi all, what did you think? Should I do a story of how Draco and Hermione get together to reach this point?