Chapter 3

Another week had passed and it was time for Girls Night again. Hermione and her friends had all decided since the weather was nice that they would meet at a park and let their great-grandchildren play while they talked, or in this case read more of Hermione's Journals. Hermione knew what she wanted to read today and was hoping that Ginny would be okay since a lot of the information had to do with Ron.

Before she could start reading, Luna's youngest great-grandchild came up to them holding something in her hand. "What have you got there Cira?" Luna asked the child who reminded everyone of Luna when she was a girl. "It's either a Snorkack toenail or a wracksprut fossil. Gran, what do you think it is?" Luna looked at what Cira was holding and told her "I do not think it is either, you may have discovered a new creature! After the girls and I talk a bit we will do some investigating, now run and play darling."

Pansy looked at the little girl, then at Luna and stood up from the bench they were all sitting on. She picked up two rocks and transfigured them into a pair of childrens shoes. "Luna, too often I stole your shoes when we were children, these should look like the last pair I stole from you. They are for Cira."

Luna smiled at Pansy. "I remember telling Harry years ago that things have a way of returning to us, just not often in ways we expected. It is nice to see that I was right."

When the laughter died down a bit, Hermione began reading.

September 1st, 1998

Draco and I have spent the last five days working on the school. It is almost done and ready to have students return. I have to say that Draco Malfoy looks damn good without a shirt. I could go on about his muscles and abs and the way he looks with sweat dripping down his chest towards the waistband of his pants, but that would really get me distracted and I have a lot to write about.

Lucius found out that Draco was helping to rebuild the school and had him and Narcissa petition the ministry to release some of the Malfoy's gold to aid in the restoration. I was completely shocked by this, but Draco thinks that it was done in hopes of getting a lesser sentence. The ministry agreed and thanks to the Malfoy's a memorial will be set up for all whose lives were lost in the last wizarding war.

Draco and I have spent a lot of time helping clean out the debris from the battle and get the classrooms ready for students. He seemed happy for me when I told him I was going to be transfiguration teacher after my internship.

When we haven't been restoring the school, Professor McGonagall has been talking to me about what my responsibilities will be. She suggested taking 7th year transfiguration with Ginny's class to help prepare me for my NEWTS. I also asked if it would be possible for me to occasionally sit in on other 7th year classes. I have already read all the text books for year 7, I just want to pass the NEWTs. I think it is likely that I will be teaching as well as taking some classes.

I still haven't talked to Ron about "us." I know it is wrong that I am putting off the conversation, but I am afraid to distract him from his training as an Auror. He and Harry will be going on their first mission next week. I really need to talk to Ginny and see what she thinks about when to tell him. If Ginny agrees, I will tell him the next time I see him and hope that he has realized that since the war ended we have grown apart, and if I am honest, should never be more than friends.

OK, I feel better now having written a little bit about what has been on my mind. I can go back to writing about Draco. I feel like a silly little girl writing about some sexy man, but I cannot seem to help myself. He caught me staring at him the other day. The look he sent me was not one of disgust thankfully, but it was still typical of someone with a huge ego. He seemed to say "like what you see Granger?" It is probably a really good thing he didn't say that out loud, I do not think I would have refrained from screaming "Hell Yeah!"

More importantly than my lusting after Draco has been the fact that I consider him a friend now. We were sitting down to dinner at the Burrow and he and I had a rather interesting discussion about books. I was going on about my favorite Muggle series, Lord of the Rings, and he seemed knowledgeable on it. I was shocked that he would have read anything written by a Muggle. A few days later I was getting ready for bed and on my pillow I found a first edition copy of the entire LOTR set. He wrote a note too "I figured you would appreciate these, but I did want to correct you. Tolkien was a wizard! ~Draco"

Draco is starting to get along with Ginny and by extension Harry. I doubt he and Ron will ever get along but I still am pleased that the others are starting to see that Draco is not near the prat he was when we were all at school together. Draco even has been helping Mrs. Weasley with some of the cooking. However we both made Mrs. Weasley rather upset with us when he and I decided to make cookies without asking her first. Cleaning up that mess reminded me of detentions at Hogwarts, we had to clean the kitchen without magic!

I guess I should explain why we had made a mess in the first place. Draco has rather large feet, and I was carrying some flour and he accidentally (so he claims) tripped me! The flour flew straight up in the air and landed on me, covering me in flour. Draco found this extremely funny. When I shot him a look he just smiled (his smiles are almost as sexy as his abs!) and said "you look like a bushy haired snowman!"

Being me, I did not want to have Draco feeling left out in regards to wearing the cooking ingredients, so I accidentally on purpose tripped into him and "attempted" to catch myself on him. He too was covered in flour. After that it became a food fight that did not stop until Mrs. Weasley came into the kitchen and started yelling at us. The nicest thing about the whole situation was that Draco and I were laughing together. Although the girly part of me is thrilled that I kind of hugged him too.

As Hermione finished reading, Ginny smiled at her. "I remember that, it was rather bittersweet. I could only remember Mum yelling at Fred and George like that. I also remember you fretting about Ron, did you write about what happened when you talked to him?"

Hermione smiled sadly at the sister of her heart. "Yes, I do not have to read that if you would prefer."

Pansy reached over and squeezed Ginny's hand. "Read it Mione, it was difficult for you both, but look how everything turned out. Had that not happened, the four of us would likely not be friends, nor would we have had the wonderful lives we had!"

The four women looked at their great-grandchildren and then at each other. All of them silently agreed that they did in fact have very wonderful lives. Hermione took a deep breath and started reading again.

September 12th, 1998

I AM A HORRIBLE PERSON. I am sitting here at St. Mungo's waiting for the healers to update me, Draco, Harry, and the Weasleys about Ron. It is all my fault. I knew he was going on another mission, and yet I still told him I only considered him a friend. If I had not said anything we would not be waiting to see if they can even save Ron. Merlin's saggy balls, I am horrible!

"Give me that journal!" Pansy grabbed the journal and starts to giggle. "Mione, I cannot believe you actually wrote "Merlin's saggy balls" I know this is serious but that is really funny!"

Hermione grabs the journal back from Pansy and continues.

I probably should start at the beginning. Three days ago Ron and Harry visited me at Hogwarts where I have been preparing for students to arrive on the 20th and classes to start on the 21st. Harry had wandered off to spend some time at the memorial, so Ron and I were walking by the Black Lake. Both boys were excited about the success of their first mission and looking forward to the next one. They couldn't tell me much, but I was guessing that they were going to be hunting down Death-Eaters. They had only a day of free time, but I knew that I had put off the inevitable for too long.

Ron turned me towards him and was going to kiss me when I stopped him by telling him that it wasn't working. "What isn't working Mione?" It was times like these (and I feel guilty for this too) that I wanted to slap Ron for being so dense. I told him that "we" as a couple were not working. After saying that, it was like a dam broke, and all my thoughts and worries came rushing out of my mouth. I told him that I loved him like I loved Harry. That I thought of him as a brother and a friend, not as a lover. I also told him that it was time for him to let go of his school-days crush and find someone else. "This is about that Death-Eater Malfoy isn't it?" Ron spat at me.

I could not understand how after all I had said, that he would think Draco had anything to do with it. Before I could respond Ron continued "I have seen the way you look at him! It's disgusting. Hermione Granger, you can either be my girlfriend or be nothing to me!" He then turned and stormed away from me. After I got over my initial shock, I called after him "I can't be your girlfriend Ronald, but I will always be your friend, hopefully someday you will see that."

I ran off in the direction of Hagrid's hut. I knew he was visiting Madame Maxine until the school opened so I would have some privacy there. I was utterly broken, yet at the same time I wasn't surprised at how Ron handled the conversation. He has always over reacted.

I should have known better though, I KNEW he had a dangerous mission, and yet I did something that likely distracted him and caused him to get hit by some unknown curse. So here I sit, waiting for the worst. Oh the healers just came into the room and are talking to Mr and Mrs. Weasley. Both of them are crying even harder now, this is all my fault, they will hate me forever for this!

September 13th 1998

The Weasleys don't blame me, and I think that Harry wants to hex me for blaming myself. The Healers were all at a loss for what to do. When they talked to Ron's parents, they had told them to say their goodbyes. When Mr. and Mrs. Weasley told us this Draco jumped out of his chair next to me. "Potter you need to tell me everything that happened, and tell me now!" So Draco questioned Harry until Harry was ready to punch Draco. Draco rushed out of the room saying he needed to find the healers.

I don't know what happened between the time Draco left the room and the time he returned with the healers. "Arthur. Molly," the head healer started, "Mr. Malfoy has informed us of the curse that was used on your son. You have a decision to make. The counter curse will keep him from dying, but the damage done to Ronald's brain is extensive. If we cure him, it is doubtful that he will ever be able to leave St. Mungo's. The damage done to his brain will make him much like a young child. We are not sure on how much of anything he will remember, or if he will ever return to how he was..." the healer was interrupted by Mrs. Weasley. "If it can save him, do it, don't just stand there flapping your gums, save my baby boy!"

The healers quickly left the room to try to cure Ron. Mr. Weasley took all of us back to the burrow. Mrs. Weasley stayed with Ron. We just received an owl from Mrs. Weasley that the curse was lifted but Ron was in a coma. Mr. Weasley left us at the burrow and returned to St. Mungo's to be with his wife and youngest son.

All of us were sitting in Ginny's room. I had started crying again and was surprised when I felt strong arms wrap around me and pull me close. I looked up at Draco and then buried my face into his shoulder and cried. I barely noticed when Harry grabbed Ginny's hand and said "we need to talk." They left the room and I continued to cry until I fell asleep. I still feel guilty, and what adds to the guilt is that I fell asleep in Draco's arms. He held me through the night. I need to talk to Ginny later to find out what Harry wanted to talk to her about, but right now I need to see if there is any news on Ron. I am such a bad friend.