This is it. I take a deep breath to calm myself down before me apparate to Harry's house. It's been about a year since I've seen him or any of my friends from school. I went travelling almost as soon as I could after the war. I couldn't handle the attention. Everywhere I went everyone seemed to recognize me, want something from me.

I didn't tell many people I was leaving, Harry, Ron and Ginny that's all. Ginny tried to convince me to stay. Harry understood and Ron was his usual self, not saying anything. He had retreated back into himself after the war and he had never tried to follow up what had happened between us in the chamber of secrets. I remember calling him out on it. I'd had enough I demanded he tell me what he wanted. Did he want me or not? He had stood there a look of utter bewilderment on his face before turning and leaving in the opposite direction to me. I left a week later it had been the last straw.

I didn't know where I was going and I didn't care. The ministry had awarded us each a large amount of money for our help in the war. I felt disgusted at first had disputed taking it. It made me feel dirty like my only reason for helping in the war was the hope of getting money at the end. Nobody understood how I felt, not even harry. In the end Kingsley, the new minister of magic, had convinced me to take the money he told me to give it to the relief effort. So it had sat in my vault for two months before I decided to use it for myself. I'd always wanted to travel, see different muggle and magical cultures. What better time to do it?

My first stop had been to Viktor Krum in Bulgaria. He had begged me for years to visit him. We'd kept in touch throughout everything.

I stood outside the house for a minute bracing myself. We hadn't kept in touch very well. It was mainly my fault. I'm here because harry and Ginny are getting married. I should be here. I lifted my fist and I knocked. I waited hearing voices behind the door. When it opened I was stood there in utter shock. I must have knocked at the wrong house I was about to turn round and check I was in the right place then he spoke.

"Hello Granger." The blonde haired wizard said. He moved to the side motioning for me to come inside. Still speechless and unable to move I just stood there. Draco Malfoy had answered the door. "I knew this would happen." He said shaking his head to himself. "Gin!" He shouted.

At his shout Ginny popped her head round a corner. "Hermione your here!" She screamed as she ran at me I managed to take my eyes away from him just in time to see Ginny throwing herself at me. I managed to get myself together just in time to catch her. "It's been way too long." She said hugging me close. My eyes drifted back to Malfoy. Had I landed in a parallel universe? She pushed away and held me at arm's length. "You look fantastic? Doesn't she Draco?" That brought my gaze back to her. Draco? The look on my face must have spoken volumes because she whispered. "I'll tell you later." Then she raised her voice again. "Well Draco? Doesn't she look great?"

"As always." He said as if bored before making his way back into the house.

"What the fuck?" I whispered to her. Probably could have said something better seen as I hadn't seen her for a year but this had knocked me for six.

"He's Harry's best man." She said, with a straight face.

"I repeat, what the fuck?"

"It's a long story." She said. "Can we talk about it later? We should catch up better and Harry can't wait to see you."

"Fine but you're not weaseling you way out of this one Weasley." I smiled at her. "Shit I've missed you." I brought her into another hug.

"Wine?" She asked as I followed her into the house.

"Always." I laughed. "Where is Harry?"

"He had to nip into the ministry for an emergency meeting or something." She rolled her eyes. We reached the kitchen and she reached for two wine glasses. "White or red?"

"White. Please." I sat down at the table. "How's the quidditch going?"

She had signed for the holy head harpies not long after leaving school.

"Fantastic I love it. I got some good news the other day too." She handed me a glass with a huge grin on her face.

"And?"

"I got called up for England." She said.

"Ginny that amazing!" I jumped up and hugged her.

"What's amazing?" Malfoy said making his way into the kitchen and reached into the fridge grabbing a beer. He didn't even ask. He must feel comfortable here.

"My England call up." Ginny grinned.

"You still going on about that?" He said but I caught him give her a wink. He leaned against the counter. "What time we going to The Burrow?" He asked.

"What? You're coming too?" I said shocked.

"Obviously. I am the best man after all." He raised his eyebrows at me.

"Where's Ron?" I asked. I saw them both physically stiffen.

"Again a story for later." She said taking a bug gulp of wine.

"Seriously?" I said looking at the two of them. "You either tell me what's going on with Ron or you tell me why the fuck Malfoy is Harry's best man."

"Well we can't tell one without the other." Ginny said staring at her wine.

"This is unbelievable." I said shaking my head. "I have apparated into another fucked up dimension."

Just then harry came through the fireplace.

"Hermione!" He said when he saw me. He started walking over then something made him stop probably the tension. "What's wrong?"

I stood up and turned to harry. "I know I've been away a while and that's my fault, but harry what the hell is going on?"

"Ah right." He looked behind me at Malfoy and Ginny. "Gin will you tell Molly we're sorry but we'll be a bit late. I'm going to take Hermione the pub and try and catch her up."

"But Harry." Ginny began but Harry cut her off.

"She needs to know what she's going to walk in on Gin." OK that made me nervous. "We'll be an hour, hour and a half tops."

"Fine." She said but clearly still not happy. Harry walked over to her and kissed her.

"I'll make it up to you I promise." He said. "Plus I'm sure if Molly isn't happy Draco can cheer her up. He always does."

Harry laughed as he shook Malfoys hand and didn't the whole one arm man hug thing. "Not always." He laughed. "Remember the time George accidently set off his new invention in the kitchen. No one could stop Molly then."

"Oh Good Godric." Ginny laughed. "That was one of her worst episodes."

I stood back and watched them talk for a minute. I was feeling slightly dizzy watching them. It was disorienting watching them talk to each other like this.

"Right." Harry said bringing me back. "Let's go."

I turned and followed him without saying a word.

Ten minutes later we were sat in the pub with a pint each in front of us. "Ok Potter what the hell is going on?"

"Ok." I saw him take a deep breath. "After you left things started getting a little strange with Ron. None of us could figure it out for a while. Until we got a message from Tom in The Leaky Cauldron." He shifted in his seat I could tell this was hard for him. "He was drunk and getting rowdy. When George and I went to pick him up Tom told us he was there almost every day and it was getting worse."

Harry paused and took a sip of his drink. "That's when everything started to click in to place. Ron's mood swings and aggression it all came from drink." Harry just stared at the pint in front of him I didn't know what to say. "I should have seen it. I should have stopped it earlier but I was too preoccupied with Ginny and being and auror."

"This isn't your fault harry." I said putting my hand over his.

"I don't know." He shrugged. "Anyway we all tried to help him but he always managed to get alcohol somehow. Then about a month after this all began we thought he'd turned a corner he seemed to be leveling out promised us he hadn't been drinking and we believed him." He sighed. "One day Ginny was in Diagon Alley with Luna and they went The Leaky Cauldron for lunch and Ron was there completely pissed. When he saw them he got angry Ginny said she could hardly even make out what he was saying. He got up in her face screaming at her he even pushed her to the floor. This is where Draco comes in. If it wasn't for him I'm not sure what would have happened. He stepped in and tried to calm Ron down. Ron tried to punch him but he wasn't quick enough and Draco managed to grab his arms and Luna managed to magically bind him after Draco told her to."

I couldn't believe this I sat there staring at him with my hand over my mouth utterly speechless. Harry continued.

"I thank Godric Draco was there and stepped in. Who knows how far Ron would have gone. Ginny doesn't talk about it but Luna said she was terrified she didn't know what to do." Harry finished his pint mine was still untouched. "Draco helped Ginny and Luna get Ron back to The Burrow. They gave him a sleeping draft and put him to bed. They had to he was still struggling against the bind. Ginny got in touch and I went home as soon as I could. I think I was just as shocked as you when I saw Draco at The Burrow it was such a strange scene. The girls were a mess Molly was still trying to calm them down. I had to get what happened from him. Ever since then we've got closer. Ginny has forgiven Ron she said it's not his fault but I still can't bring myself to completely forgive him."

"Shit harry." I felt tears welling up in my eyes. "I should have been here."

"No you were exactly where you should have been. Traveling like you always wanted to." He hugged me. "Well now you'll be prepared anyway because he will be at The Burrow. Everyone sort of treads on eggshells around him."

I nod and down my pint in one this was some heavy news. "Do we know what drove him to drink?"

"No." Harry shook his head. "I guess he handled the war worse than we thought he did."

I should have been here. I should have stayed and stuck things out instead of running away. There was me running all over the world and my friends were going through this. What type if friend was I?

"Don't Hermione." Harry said. "I can see what's going through that head of yours. You didn't know what was going on you can't feel guilty for going."

I laughed. "You know me too well even after all this time."

"Some things will never change." He smiled before taking me into a hug. It felt good to be with him again.

"How is he now Harry?" I said Pulling back to look at him.

"Mostly good. Sometimes he has a bad day and it can get quite bad. You should be warned you might set him off. He's so temperamental these days."

"Are you sure I should go?" I didn't want to cause any trouble.

"Yes." He didn't hesitate. He stopped me before I could object. "It's best he see you now and kick off than at the wedding don't you think?"

"I suppose your right." I smiled at him. "I can't believe you're getting married already."

"Already?" He laughed. "I didn't see the point in waiting. I waited long enough to be with her."

"I missed you harry." Tears welling up again.

"Ditto Hermione." His hold tightened for a second before pulling away. "Are you ready for this? Molly is extremely excited to see you."