Chapter Three:

Soap

It was about half past one when Hermione heard a knock on her front door. She had owled Ginny and Harry who were coming home from there honeymoon today and asked if they wanted to come over for a late lunch. She had also rung Ron and invited him too; Hermione wanted to get it all out of the way at once. She was most worried about the way Ron would react to the news. It was a known fact that he liked her, he had asked her out on a date a couple of months after the battle, but she had declined. Truthfully, she didn't really fancy him at all, and she didn't want to give him any idea otherwise, it would just lead to disaster.

Hermione was currently standing in the study enlarging it so she yelled, "It's open!"

"Hermione?" Ginny yelled back.

"I'm in the study!"

She finished the charm just in time as her best friend came rushing in the room and almost tackled her to the ground, "I've missed you so much."

"Me too." She managed to choke out as Ginny squeezed her to death. Hermione saw that Harry was now leaning against the doorway to the study lightly chuckling at the eagerness of his wife. Ron was doing the same only he was leaning against the wall of the hallway. "Hey Harry. Hello Ron."

Ginny released her from the death grip and let her go greet her other two friends. "It's good to see you Hermione." said Harry as he hugged her; albeit a bit gentler.

"You too." She walked over to Ron who held out his hand to shake, but she hugged him anyway. "It seems like I haven't seen any of you guys for ages." She commented as she ushered them into the living room.

Hermione took a seat in one of the armchairs, Harry and Ginny took the sofa, and Ron took the recliner beside her.

"So what's for lunch?" both Harry and Ron asked at the same time.

Ginny slapped Harry on the back of the head and glared at her big brother, "You too need to get some manners."

Hermione laughed, "It's fine Gin. There's stuff for sandwiches on the island and there are some bottles of pumpkin juice in the fridge." Her stomach was already in knots with anticipation so she stayed seated while Harry and Ron got up to make sandwiches. "Are you going to get anything Gin?"

"No I'm not hungry, thank you though."

When Harry and Ron came back a few minutes later she asked, "So how was the honeymoon?"

Ginny smiled, "It was amazing! We went scuba-diving and we got to use these cool muggle air tanks. The food was delicious I am officially addicted to Mexican now." She laughed.

"Sounds fun, did you enjoy Mexico Harry?"

"Yes it was beautiful." He eyed her for a moment and she knew that he knew she was hiding something. "So how have you been? Anything new?"

"Well actually there is something I need to tell you guys." It felt like a million butterflies inhabited her stomach as she continued, "I'm getting married."

"Hermione that is wonderful!" Ginny squealed.

"Who?" asked Ron his face slowly turning cherry red.

"What do you mean who?" she knew perfectly well what he meant but she was trying to delay this moment as long as possible.

"Who are you marrying?"

"Oh that who." She bit her lip and mumbled, "Draco Malfoy."

"Who?"

She sighed and said a little louder, "Draco Malfoy."

An audible gasp filled the room before Ron yelled, "And why the bloody hell would you do that?"

"Ron if you'll just calm down I can explain." She pleaded.

"I know I may have asked, but now I don't want to know. There will never be an acceptable reason for you or anyone to marry that arse." He shouted at her. He started to make his way toward the door.

Hermione stood up and put her hand on his shoulder stopping him, "Ron please don't go, just let me explain. I'm sorry."

"No. I can't forgive you for this Hermione." he replied, not even turning around to look at her.

"But you don't even you the bloody reason why we're getting married!"

"I expect it's because you two have fallen in love."

This stopped her. She didn't know how to respond to that question. The logic in her said that she didn't love him and she should tell Ron just that. But a larger part of her wouldn't allow her to do this. It was if some part of her knew this was true. Hermione shook her head mentally, that was impossible. 'I mean this is Draco Malfoy we're talking about' she thought.

In the time it had taken her to think about the whole situation through Ron had already left. She realized this fact and slumped to the floor sobbing.

Ginny was immediately at her side, "It's ok 'Mione. Don't worry about him, he has always been a git." She assured her enveloping her in a hug.

"But he wouldn't even let me explain."

"Why don't you tell us then?" she suggested as Harry came to sit with them.

So Hermione told them about the events that had transpired that morning at the Ministry. The further she got into the story the more evident the anger became on Harry's face.

"I can't believe that the ministry is doing this. It's outrageous. They're reverting back to the middle ages for Merlin's sake." Harry fumed once she had finished.

"That is exactly what I told Kingsley."

"What I can't believe is that he is blackmailing Malfoy like that. I might not like Malfoy, but to force someone into something like this with bribery is just incomprehensible." Said Ginny; a look of disbelief on her face.

"I agree." Hermione glanced at her watch. It was almost three thirty. "Well unless you two would like to have a visit with Draco then you should probably be going."

"He's coming here?" asked Harry.

"Yes, he has to move his things in before the wedding tomorrow. Speaking of which, Ginny do you think you could come by tomorrow morning to help me pick out something at Madam Malkin's to wear? I would rather just wear a t-shirt and jeans, but I have a feeling Draco's parents are going to come tomorrow and I would rather not give them one more thing to criticize me on."

"I would love to." She smiled.

"Thanks that really means a lot." The three of them stood up and Hermione walked them to the door. She hugged Ginny goodbye and then turned to Harry. "Thank you for being more understanding than Ron was. It just makes this thing a load easier."

He hugged her, "You're one of my best friends 'Mione, if you are ok with this than I am ok with it."

"Thanks Harry." They finished their goodbyes and Ginny promised to be there at 9:00 sharp tomorrow. Once they left Hermione cleaned up the abandoned plates of food and put away the sandwich making supplies.

She walked into her bedroom and entered the master bathroom that was attached to it. Hermione looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her face was all puffed up and red from crying and the little bit of makeup she had put on that morning was now smeared under her eyes.

She sighed and grabbed a washcloth from under the sink, then turned on the tap to warm. Hermione ran the washcloth under the water and grabbed the bar of soap out of the soap dish and rubbed it on the surface of the cloth. She massaged her face, the warm water relaxing her as she did. She looked up into the mirror to make sure she had gotten everything off when she saw Malfoy standing behind her through the mirror.

Not expecting anybody to be there she jumped causing the soapy washcloth to slip and go into her left eye.

"Ah. Crap this hurts." She dropped the washcloth on the floor and then because she could only see out of one eye slipped on it and would have cracked her head on the tile floor if Draco hadn't been there to catch her.

She started to stand up but he grabbed her and set her up on the counter, "Stay still and let me fix it before you cause either of us permanent damage." He looked around the large bathroom searching for something.

"Clean washcloths are in the cupboard under the counter." She said when she realized what he was looking for. She covered her eye with her hand, blocking any source of light out which helped a little, but her eye still stung.

Draco soaked the cloth in warm water and gently removed her hand from her eye, "I know it might hurt but you are going to have to open your eye."

"I'm not daft." She replied repeating the words he had said to her that morning. Hermione opened her eye and cringed at the pain. He put the wash cloth on her eye and held it there for a minute before moving it to the sides of her eye and dabbing out the remaining soap.

He sat the washcloth down on the countertop, "Better?"

"Yes. How did you know what to do?" she asked curiously.

"I got soap in my eye a few times as a kid and my mom had to help me get it out. I guess I just sort of learned from her."

"Oh well thank you." Suddenly she realized that while he had been getting the soap out of her eye she had unconsciously grabbed his and was still holding onto it. Hermione pulled it back as if she had been burnt. Draco also realized what had taken place and he took a few steps back. An awkward silence filled the room.

"I brought my stuff in. It's in the living room." He stated simply breaking the silence.

"Ok, you can go ahead and put your clothes in the closet. I was able to successfully enlarge both it and the study. I don't have an extra desk but-"

"It's ok I brought the one from my room at the Manor."

"How did that go?" she asked hopping off the counter and walking into the living room. Hermione was surprised to see that there wasn't more than the two trunks and a desk sitting in the living room. She had expected him to bring enough useless items to fill her whole apartment, but it appeared as if he had brought only what he knew he would need.

"They didn't take well at first. My father used a few choice words that I don't care to repeat." She laughed at this taking one of the trunks. "That one goes in the bedroom." He said following her with the other one. "Once I explained the Kingsley was willing to drop all the charges against us he calmed down a bit. Mother was as stone faced as ever so I don't what she thought about the whole thing."

"Sounds like it went a load better than what happened when I told Ron, Harry, and Ginny?"

she sighed. Hermione sat herself down on her queen sized bed and watched as Draco began putting his clothes in the closet.

"Yeah? Did Weasley and Potter throw a hissy fit?" he sneered laughing.

"Ron did. He didn't even give me a chance to explain before storming out. Harry and Ginny took a lot better. They were much more rational about the whole situation."

"Really Potter didn't get angry?"

"Well he was angry, but mainly at Kingsley not you."

"That's surprising." A comfortable silence fell over them.

"Well I will let you finish packing. I'm going to go start dinner."

"Ok."

Hermione walked into the kitchen surprised at how nice he was being. Then again knowing Malfoy it wasn't bound to last.

A/N: Ok so I know Malfoy is still being nice but hopefully I will be able to create a situation in the next chapter when his anger flares and he is a git. Hopefully. Please review, it makes my day when I open my email in the mornings and I get awesome reviews from you guys.