I don't own Harry Potter, it's characters, or any of the magic. But a girl can dream can't she?

Ginny's POV

Three months later…

"You must be terribly excited,"said Hermione.

"Me? You must be thrilled. Your wedding is only days away. Sometimes I wish Harry and I had a big wedding, but I had to go on tour so suddenly." I replied," Besides I'm more terrified of being a mum than I am excited at this point."

"Mum..." she trailed off.

"I'm so sorry. I know you must miss your mother dreadfully now."

"I do, but it doesn't stop me from being excited for you. Besides, you're already a wonderful mum to Teddy." she was right. Harry and I had been raising Teddy since the night after the Battle of Hogwarts.

"Are you alright? When we got engaged I was floating on cloud 9. You seem almost depressed. Is it because your parents can't be there?"

"Uh…sure that must be it. I am looking forward to the next chapter of our lives. We're just in a disagreement over the guest list."

"Is this about Malfoy," from the shocked look on her face she must not have realized that Ron told me about the whole ordeal," He's a death eater, and not welcome in our home."

"Well," she was gearing up for an argument," If this family cannot accept that people can change, then we will hold our wedding elsewhere! I deserve to have friends that I choose. I deserve freedom. I deserve the life that I choose!" Hermione apparated.

Ron came barging into the kitchen. Clearly the stress of planning a wedding was getting to them both. Ron's eyes were heavy, and his beard unshaven.

"She left again, didn't she?" he shook his head.

"Yeah, sorry. I didn't know the wedding planning was so stressful. I think she misses her parents."

"Maybe. We've been fighting a lot lately. She wants to force me to be part of this charity that she's started for 'recovering' dark wizards. She's actually going in front of the ministry next week to encourage laws to protect them from hate crimes. That girl is seriously buggered."

"Must be. She's agreed to marry you."

Ron wrapped me up in a hug before checking on my barely beginning to show tummy. As he cooed and sang to his little niece or nephew, Harry came home.

"Damn it!" he shouted.

"Geese, mate. Everything okay?" Ron asked.

"No it's not. Malfoy has apparently created some sort of potion or salve to treat both magical and muggle ailments. I've spent the day pleading with the ministry not to allow him a business license." I rubbed Harry's shoulders as he took off his boots.

"Does it work?" I asked.

"Does it matter? It's Malfoy. He's got to be up to something." Ron argued.

"I wonder if it's the salve he used on Hermione's arm..." I mumbled.

"What salve?" Harry asked.

"That worthless git managed to find a way to undo the scarring that his bitch aunt caused on Hermione's arm. I'm sure that Hermione found a way to remove it herself and is just crediting that piece of..."

"Ron!" I chastised," Hermione herself told me that it was the salve. I don't think she'd lie."

"I don't know anymore. I've caught her a couple of times at the Manor trying to check up on him. I remember the first few months after she couldn't even fly near Malfoy Manor, and now she's rapping on the door trying to get in." Ron seemed troubled.

"None of us know what it was like going back there. She was alone. Draco was the only one from her year that returned besides her. The only letter I got from her that mentioned that she was lonely and spent her nights all alone until she took up tutoring." It must have been Draco she began tutoring.

"That's just it. She was alone, and instead of coming home to me she stayed there!" Ron slammed his hand on the table, knocking off a tea cup.

"Ron, you need to go walk it off. The simple truth is Draco somehow made amends with Hermione. You and he had some sort of altercation, and you're lucky she is still willing to marry you, mate. I'll clean this up. You go get a handle on yourself." Harry clapped Ron on the back.

Ron left in a huff, and Harry began sweeping up the broken teacup. Teddy could be heard in the living room making the neighbor kids howl with laughter. No doubt he was making pig faces at them again. He shared his mother's gift for transfiguration.

"Do you think they'll make it?" Harry interrupted my daydreaming.

"I think if Ron can pull his head out of his duff they will at least make it to the wedding. Why can't he fathom that Draco may have changed?" I sipped from my cup of tea.

"Because he didn't. Draco Malfoy can't change. He has some sort of ulterior motive for befriending Hermione. I bet it's how he stayed out of Azkaban after trying to curse Ron." Harry still couldn't see past his own prejudice for Draco," I think your pregnancy is making you soft, sweetie."

He kissed me and rubbed my baby bump. I am a lucky woman. I have a husband, a son, a child on the way, and a wonderful career. I only hope that my dear friend can find the same.

Draco's POV

It's been months since I left Hogwarts, and returned to Malfoy Manor. My mother has been living in London with her beau, and it's left me alone with only myself and a couple of members of our staff.

Hermione was by every day for the first week. She was jumping the fence and running up to the large double doors. She would spend an hour outside knocking before she finally went away. So often I spent that hour sitting on the floor with my back to the door; listening to her cries. I wanted more than anything to let her in, scoop her up in my arms, and never let go… but I knew I couldn't. I had to let her go for her own good.

After that week I had the grounds sealed. I had the wrought iron gate replaced with heavy wooden gates, and charmed. No one would be able to even see past without an invitation. That didn't stop her visits though. Now she comes 2 or 3 times a week and waits by the gate ringing to be let in. After I don't I allow my butler to let her in, I find letters tucked into a loose stone in the fence walls.

She talks about her day, what has happened in her life since we last spoke, and always about how much she wants to be able to talk to me. Hermione calls me her best friend. I don't know how accurate that is. Could a friend cause her so much pain?

From her letters I know that she has agreed to marry Weasley. She doesn't seem happy about it. As she says, she feels she has unfinished business to discuss. She wants to close the door on us before she opens a new door. A few times I have been tempted to drop the charms around the Manor and let her in; to let her have the closure she wants, but to do that is to risk throwing that door wide open again. I need her to move on. I need her to have a good life… one I can't provide her.

The daily prophet has also been keeping me up to date on her life. Ron and Hermione's wedding has proven to be great fun for Rita Skeeter. She's written stories about cake tastings, music selection, and even about why Hermione chose Ron over Harry. It seems everyone is excited to see the last 2 members of the chosen 3 marrying each other. It just seems no one told Hermione's face to be happy.

All pictures of them show a genuinely happy Ron accompanied by Hermione; her face plastered with a fake smile and sad eyes. I wish I could make her happy. I want to wipe her tears away and tell her I love her, but that would only make me happy in the long run. I know that eventually her hurt will fade, her tears will dry, and she will build a life with Weasley. It was the life she planned on before I came along and destroyed everything.

Today's prophet is no exception to the rule. At the bottom of the front page is a picture of a broken Hermione with a pregnant Ginny under the header of 'Sisters at Long Last'. Ginny looks beautiful, and there was Hermione is a pastel suit sipping tea. Even her teacup could not hide her sadness.

"Sir," Montague my butler spoke out," She is here again. Shall I let her in… she's crying."

"No. Collect her letter after she leaves."

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