***
See disclaimer in Chapter 1. I own nothing other than a laptop and an overactive imagination.
Author's note: Sorry for the delay in updating. *toes ground sheepishly* I'm a writer in RL, too, and I was swamped with deadlines this week. Gotta go with what pays the bills, which unfortunately isn't slash. But I'm back now, so no hard feelings, right? *gives her best winning smile*
***
Luna wasn't startled to find Hermione sleeping on her sofa in a rumpled set of what looked like extremely expensive dress robes. She merely tiptoed around her, deciding it was best to get a pot of coffee started before waking the Gryffindor. As she waited for it to brew, Luna studied the light blue silk and deep blue sapphires the girl was wearing.
"Morning," Luna said casually, settling herself on the sofa next to Hermione, taking care not to sit on her robes. She handed the tired girl a steaming mug, nodding at her encouragingly. "You found out about the engagement, then?"
Hermione's lips drew together tightly, her normally warm brown eyes turning cold.
"So you knew about that as well, did you?" she spat, the muscles in her jaw twitching as she clenched her teeth together painfully. "I suppose it was a grand joke. Look at the stupid Mudblood, engaged and she doesn't even know it!"
Luna shook her head, and Hermione noticed the normally dreamy girl wasn't wearing her radish earrings. Somehow it made her easier to take seriously.
"Not at all," she said simply, taking a quick sip of her own sweetened coffee. She preferred tea, but she knew Hermione turned to coffee in times of emotional upset. This definitely qualified. "Not to mention the fact that no one here would call you a Mudblood."
Luna studied her carefully, watching Hermione take a reluctant sip from the mug in her own hands. She saw the surprise in Hermione's eyes at finding coffee in the cup, mixed with two sugars and a dash of cream, just the way she liked it. Luna nearly smirked. She could easily have been a Slytherin, and she knew it. The crazy antics that had earned her the name Loony Lovegood were a blend of acting and retreating from the world; she'd have gone mad like her mother years ago if she hadn't erected careful mental shields.
"Teacher's pet, brown-noser, know-it-all, good-two-shoes –" Luna broke off with a smile "well, not that last one, at least not lately. At any rate, of all the things your friends could call you, Mudblood or stupid definitely don't make the list."
Hermione took another sip of coffee and Luna let the girl sit in silence for a few moments. She hadn't missed the glaze of tears in Hermione's eyes, nor the way the brown-haired girl had steeled herself against them.
"That's exactly why you were a good fit for the water element," Luna said in an off-hand manner, her unusually focused blue eyes pinned on Hermione's robes. "You and Theo both have very fluid personalities. You adapt to the unexpected well."
Deciding her conversation with Luna had surpassed odd long ago, Hermione chose not to pursue the fact that Luna apparently knew all about the ritual they had performed the night before. She wasn't surprised, not really. Hermione knew much of Luna's lunacy, for want of a better word, was an act. She rather suspected the girl used the façade to hide some ability or gift, but she hadn't figured out what yet. Though Luna's comments did give her a bit more to go on. Could she possibly be some sort of Seer? Hermione wondered, her brows drawing together as she looked at the blonde.
"Yes and no," Luna said, looking completely unconcerned. "I am, but I am not."
Hermione's frown grew as she tried to puzzle out Luna's cryptic words. Did she really just pluck a question out of my head? she wondered, worried at the implications.
"Not exactly," Luna answered cheerfully, taking another sip of her coffee before placing it on the low table in front of them. She folded her legs underneath her, leaning in so she could be sure Hermione's attention was focused on her. "None of this is a surprise, Hermione."
Hermione stiffened, but Luna wouldn't be deterred.
"You know the customs of the wizarding world. You knew what it meant when you agreed to move in with Theo, you just didn't want to admit it to yourself," she continued gently. "I know. You're not 'that girl'. You aren't sure you want marriage at all, let alone straightaway after finishing school. Education, career, academic acknowledgement, that's what's important to Hermione Granger."
Hermione opened her mouth to protest, but Luna barreled on ahead, certain that the path she was following was the right one. Several had presented themselves, and loath as Luna was to get involved, she felt she was actually meant to be Hermione's guide this time.
"Those things are important to Hermione Granger-Nott as well. Her husband is no slouch, either. He'll earn several degrees and make important discoveries that advance both the wizarding and Muggle worlds, as will you. Together you'll be powerful team. Apart," Luna's eyes became unfocused, and Hermione recoiled slightly, wondering exactly what her blonde friend was seeing. "Apart your future is not so defined."
Luna blinked several times, clearing her head. Trying to follow paths not yet taken was difficult business, which is why she took careful precautions to guard against it most of the time. This was important, though, and worth a bit of mental muddiness.
"Hermione," she said, her blue gaze clear once more. "You have no faith in the art of Divination, as well you shouldn't. And you certainly can't be expected to have faith in me. But have faith in yourself. The answers are all inside you. Your true path is certain. You should embrace it instead of running from because of baseless fears."
Hermione swallowed, a cold chill running down her spine at Luna's words. Her tone was sharp; there was no trace of the dreamy vagueness with which she normally spoke. The brown-haired witch wondered if she was finally getting to see the real Luna Lovegood, and she was a bit scared to truly consider what that meant. Was Luna a Seer of some sort? Was she what Seamus' grandmother called touched, existing in some half-realm between the reality of the world and somewhere else?
"It's none of your concern," Luna answered calmly, collecting Hermione's long-discarded mug of cooling coffee. The directness of her gaze was already fading as she let mind slip back behind its defenses. "Truly."
Hermione nodded, surprising herself by pulling the smaller blonde into a fierce hug before stepping back and Disapparating.
Luna shook her head at the empty space Hermione had occupied only a moment before. She continued on to the kitchen, placing the dirty dishes in the sink and murmuring softly to herself about Nargles.
***
Theo jumped when the silence of the room was broken by the sharp crack of Apparition. He spun quickly, his heart clenching when he saw Hermione standing in the middle of their suite. Her ruined dress robes flowed around her, the silk irreparably crushed by her night on Luna's sofa. His own hung slightly creased but presentably around his lanky frame, since he'd spent the night pacing their generous suite after her sudden disappearance.
"Hermione," he rasped, his throat tight with emotion. Was she here to formally end things? To forgive him? "Hermione, I –"
"Are a sneaky, underhanded bastard," she cut in, advancing on him slowly. "I'm sorry. I lost my head. I wish you'd warned me, but that's not an excuse. I'm sorry."
Theo was shell-shocked, frozen in place. He'd expected bitter accusations, not apologies.
"I don't deserve it," he answered, his muscles relaxing slightly as he forced himself to move forward, wrapping his arms around her. "Your apologies. I-I should have told you. It was the wrong way to handle things. It was just – I wanted it, that future with you. And I wanted to do it right. I shouldn't have lied to you. I'm the one who should be sorry."
Hermione felt a heavy weight lift from her shoulders, and she knew she had Luna to thank for it. The terror she always felt from having too many choices, too many options laid out in front of her was suddenly gone. She saw one future, one choice.
"Theo," she said softly, burying her tear-stained face in his robes.
***
A timid house-elf squeezed between Draco and Harry, Levitating a large platter of bacon and eggs onto the table. The magics they had worked – and the after-effects of the ritual – the night before had left them all ravenously hungry, and the Zabini elves had planned well for it.
"Is your mum not joining us?" Harry asked, earning himself a slap on the wrist from Draco for waving a sausage-laden fork in Blaise's direction as he spoke.
"No," he answered, smirking at the glare Draco was shooting the oblivious green-eyed wizard. "She's already gone. The second part of the blessing ritual we performed last night is a two-month spiritual journey."
"Though she's likely to spend the two months cruising for available men," Bastien added, rolling his eyes at his brother.
Pansy made a reproachful sound, shaking her head at the comment.
"The ritual wouldn't have worked if she wasn't serious in her intentions," she pointed out, flushing slightly as she remembered just how well the ceremony had worked. "I think you boys may have a new daddy soon."
Blaise laughed, making a soft gagging sound at Pansy's words.
"We hardly need an ancient ritual to cause that," he sniped, grimacing when Hannah smacked him on the arm. "Seriously. Mum has married scads of men, and none of them have ever been serious. Even our father."
Bastien nodded as he chewed his toast, ignoring the censorious glare his wife sent at him. Their mother had never been truly in love with any of the men she'd married. Lady Zabini approached marriage like a business transaction, and it had worked very well for their family.
"Perhaps it just took her awhile to realize she needed something more," Hermione said from the doorway, startling everyone in the room.
Theo had a possessive arm wrapped around her shoulders, and Blaise nearly sighed in relief. He and Bastien had felt the wards part for her when she left the night before, and though he knew she was back he had no way of knowing if they'd patched things up or not. It looked like they had.
***
The week after Midsummer was an awkward one. Hermione had surprised everyone by moving in with Luna after returning from the Zabini estate, despite the fact that she and Theo had made up.
"It's not so different from the wizarding world, actually," Dean explained at lunch a few days after the move. "Many families take a traditional approach to engagement, meaning the man has to ask the woman's father for his permission to propose."
Ginny wrinkled her nose, her forkful of salad pausing half-way to her mouth.
"That's ridiculous," she said, darting a glance down the table toward Hermione, who was sitting between Harry and Draco. "She's already accepted his proposal. It's already recorded at the Ministry. What's the point of making him ask her father for permission when it's already done?"
She flinched when she saw Theo slide into the seat beside her with an apple and a sandwich. He'd been spending most of his free periods in the library reading up on Muggle traditions to prepare himself for his tea with the Grangers next week.
"I'd rather not start out our marriage with her parents hating me, thanks," he said wryly, his smirk making it clear he wasn't offended. "They know nothing of wizarding traditions, nor do they know we moved in together already. We'll do it the proper way, and then Hermione will feel better about it and her father won't come after me with a gum."
Dean blinked, staring at Theo in confusion.
"Gum?"
Theo nodded, swallowing his bite of apple.
"You know, that Muggle device that acts like the Cavum Curse?"
Ginny's eyes went wide. She had no idea Muggles could mimic the Dark curse that punched holes through skin and bone. She'd seen several Death Eaters use the curse during the final battle, and it had been a horrific sight.
"Ah," Dean said, his brow clearing. "A gun. I don't think you have to worry about Hermione's father having a gun, Theo."
The Slytherin looked relieved, focusing his attention on what was left of his lunch.
"He's a dentist. He'd be more likely to use a drill."
***
"I can't believe this is what Muggles think magic is about," Draco whispered, his eyes riveted on the film that was their Muggle Studies homework for the night. The entire class was gathered in a transformed Great Hall, sitting on sofas and watching The Craft on an enlarged screen at the front of the room.
Hermione laughed, tossing a handful of popcorn at him over the back of the sofa.
"You're just jealous that there are no wizards in it, only witches," she teased, giggling when Draco frantically batted the pieces of popcorn out of his hair.
"You got butter in my hair!" he growled, launching a few of the salvaged pieces back at her. "And I'm not jealous. As if I'd want to be anything like them. Those stupid rituals, and that make-up! Is she a witch or an Inferi?" He gave a mock shudder, drawing a laugh from Ginny and Luna, who were sitting nearby.
"It's not supposed to be realistic, Draco," Harry chided, rolling his eyes. "I'd be more worried if it was. That would mean the Secrecy Act isn't working."
"Oh, shut up, Potter," Draco replied, resettling the parchment he was taking notes on in his lap. They were meant to be cataloguing the Muggle attitude toward magic in the movie, as well as the discrepancies between the way magic was portrayed and how it actually worked.
"Why don't you shut me up, Malfoy?" Harry murmured, leaning over to nip at Draco's ear.
"Harry," Draco whined, a familiar heat shooting through his stomach. They were in the middle of the Great Hall, for Merlin's sake!
"Draco," Harry answered, erecting discreet Notice-Me-Not and Silencing spells around their sofa. Hermione snickered; she and Ginny were inside the bounds of the spell, since they were both touching the sofa the boys were sitting on.
"Harry," Draco said again, the name sounding more like a hiss as Harry slid his hand down the front of Draco's trousers, his fingers molding themselves around Draco's hardening cock. He looked around wildly, surprised that no one had turned to look at them.
"Spells," Harry muttered, his breath hot against Draco's ear as he bent to lick and kiss his neck, sharp teeth scraping against the tender skin at Draco's hairline.
Draco gasped when Harry began to stroke him, the movement constricted by his still-fastened trousers. It felt illicit and wrong and very, very good.
"Don't stop," he whimpered, burrowing his face into Harry's neck as the strokes started to get harder. He couldn't believe Harry was wanking him off in the middle of the crowded Great Hall, but he wasn't about to stop him, either.
Harry let the flat of his thumb skim over the weeping head of Draco's cock on the next stroke, sliding easily against the velvety skin. It was enough to send the blond over the edge, and he covered Draco's mouth with his own, swallowing down the sounds of the boy's climax in a rough kiss.
Draco sank down against the back of the sofa, panting lightly as he struggled to regain his composure. He was sure the spells had held, but he also knew it wouldn't be too long before someone – likely one of their friends, but still – figured out what was going on. He jumped slightly when Harry pulled his hand out of his trousers, tugging on the waistband to pull them up where they'd ridden down. A muttered Cleaning Charm erased all evidence of their amusements, leaving their flushed faces and heavy breathing as the only clue as to what they'd just gotten up to moments before.
"Should I –" Harry shook his head, cutting Draco's words off. He shot the blond a guilty smirk before pulling his hand from his own trousers. Draco grinned. "Well, then."
"Since you're all sorted, maybe you could lift the spell so we can finish watching the film?" Hermione said archly, startling both boys.
Ginny giggled, reaching across their legs to swat at Hermione's shoulder.
"You bint," she teased, wrinkling her nose. "They might not have been done. You might have cheated us out of a show!"
Hermione laughed, part of her noting that Harry didn't look entirely surprised that they'd witnessed their little indiscretion. She raised an eyebrow when he raised his eyebrows, the glint in his eye making it clear that even if he hadn't known, he certainly wasn't bothered by it.
"I dare say that was more magical than the stupid film," Draco sniffed, raising his hands in defense when both Ginny and Hermione pelted him with popcorn.
***
Coming up next: The Wizarding Traditions class gets a visit from a very special guest, Theo meets Hermione's parents and Harry and Draco go furniture shopping, Malfoy style.
