Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and related characters.
The letter invited me to Hogwarts' ten-year reunion. I knew my husband had received one, too.
I didn't want to go, mainly because none of my friends had seen me since I graduated from Hogwarts.
My husband still went out for dinner with his Hogwarts friends sometimes. But since I had changed so much, I didn't want to. My appearance, voice, and personality had changed drastically. It was now extremely similar to his. However, I wasn't willing to take the risk, in fear that I would be recognized.
But we had missed the fifth year reunion. We had to go to this one.
I strode down the hall, stopping at his study. I knocked on the door.
"Yes, love?" he asked.
"I just received the letter. The reunion one that comes every year, you know?" I told him.
"Oh, that one? We shouldn't go," he said.
"Oh, come on. We haven't gone for ten years. It's impolite to miss another one."
"Fine. We can go this year. We're just going to have to pretend."
"I know."
I put on an elaborate and expensive silver and green dress. I applied some makeup, not too much but just enough to make my eyes smokey and my lips red. Then, I Apparated to the entrance of Hogwarts. Two house-elves greeted me, but I walked past them without a glance.
I strode into the Great Hall with my head held high and silence fell. I heard whispers all around me.
"Who is she?"
"Must be a Slytherin; she's in green and silver."
"Never seen her in my life."
Ginny Weasley was standing close to me, whispering to her brother and husband, no doubt about me. Then Ron and Harry left, which gave me the perfect chance to talk to her.
"Hey, Ginny," I said.
She looked alarmed. "Umm...hi?"
"Oh, Ginny, don't you recognize me?" I smirked.
She stared at me for a long time. Then she exclaimed, "Oh!"
"Finally!" I said, a little bit of my old bubbly self leaking out.
"We haven't seen you for ten years! Ten years, Hermione!" she cried.
I sighed. "I know, I know."
"What have you been doing all this time?" she demanded.
"Working," I said simply, not offering any more details.
We chatted for a long time, me never elaborating on any aspects of my life. Then Ginny caught sight of the large, ornate, and expensive ring on my left ring finger.
"Hermione!" she exclaimed.
"What?" I asked, feigning unawareness.
"That!" she screeched, pointing. "You got married! And you never told me!"
I sighed again. Ginny could be a little overexcited at times. "Yes, I know."
"But to who?" she wailed. "How come I never knew?"
I smirked. "Because I didn't tell you."
"Why not?" she whined.
"That's for you to find out," I said, my smirk growing more pronounced.
Ginny studied my wedding band carefully, then proceeded to check out every supposedly unmarried Gryffindor guy's hand.
"You'll never find out that way," I muttered.
She heard me. "Tell me who it is!" she cajoled.
I was defiant. "No," I said firmly. "You'll just have to find out yourself."
Just then, Ron came over. "Hi, Ginny," he said. "Who's your new friend?
"Don't you recognize me, Ron?" I asked, just like I did with Ginny. I detested Ron. He was the one who always annoyed me in school, the one that forced me to become his girlfriend. He was a million times worse than his greatest rival, Draco Malfoy.
"Never seen you in my life," he said. "Mind introducing me, Ginny?"
"Ron, this is Hermione…" Ginny stopped. "What's your new last name?
"Not telling!" I laughed. "You really thought I would fall for it that easily?"
Her face fell. I couldn't help but snicker.
"Wait. Ginny, this is our Hermione?" Ron interrupted.
"Yes, Ronald," I said coldly, placing an accent on his name.
He gaped at me. "You got married?" he asked incredulously.
I nodded, smirking.
"To who?" he asked weakly.
"Well, I'm not going to tell you," I said. "Ginny's been trying to figure it out for half an hour now!"
"Hermione," Ron wailed, "I thought you loved me, not somebody else!"
My face grew stony. I truly hated Ron. I turned my iciest glare upon him and he involuntarily took a step back.
"Do you really think mentioning that is a good idea with your wife standing two feet away?" I smirked, gesturing at Lavender, who indeed stood quite close. At Ron's comment, she had already started to tear up. Now, she fled, sobbing, out of the Hall. Ron made no move to stop her or to follow.
"Besides," I added, "did you truly think I liked you at all?"
"Yes," he whispered.
"Well," I said cruelly, "I don't. I absolutely detest you, Weasley." I sneered.
Ron was astounded. He'd never seen Hermione this way. She sneered and acted just like his arch-enemy. She'd even called him Weasley instead of Ron.
"Who exactly did you marry?" he roared.
I smirked, unfazed. "I married…
"Draco Malfoy."
Complete silence fell. Then Ron shouted, "You married the ferret?! You're such a big traitor and a-"
"Yes, Weasley, she did," a cold voice spoke from behind me. "And if you don't want to be hexed into the next century, it would do you good to keep your mouth shut."
He led me away to the refreshments table, leaving a stunned crowd in our wake.
It was Ginny who broke the silence. "Oh my God. That was such an unexpected surprise."