Returning to her hotel, Hermione decided to check and see if any of her friends were still having breakfast. She didn't see the need to broadcast her business with the entire group, so she was hoping to catch Harry and Ron and arrange to meet them in a little while. As luck would have it when she entered the dining room, Hermione spotted Ron and Harry right away. The pair were sitting at a table with Ginny and Lavender, and George and Angelina were also at the same table.

"There she is," Angelina cried, spotting Hermione as she entered the room. "And what happened to you last night? Don't try the early night excuse, because you're still wearing last night's clothes."

"Did you get lucky?" George asked with a mischievous grin.

"You could say that," Hermione replied, unable to help the smile that spread over her own face. "But I don't want to discuss it here. I was hoping we could meet in the bar before you all headed home."

"Before we head home. Are you not joining us?" Harry asked with a frown.

"Please don't say you're staying on with whichever loser you picked up last night," Ron moaned. "That's so tacky."

"I'm going home today, just not with you lot," Hermione replied. "But before you go, I want to talk to you about something."

"Sure, we'll be in the main bar in about an hour," Harry said. "You can talk to us then."

Thanking Harry, Hermione extended the invitation to George and Angelina as well, before heading off to her room to pack. Packing took all of five minutes using magic, so she spent the rest of her time staring out of the window as she wondered how Draco was getting along. Half an hour later she got her answer when there was a knock on the door and her husband entered the room.

"What the hell?" Hermione was immediately worried when she spotted Draco's face sporting several nasty red gashes. It looked like he'd been clawed at by a wild animal. "What happened?"

"Astoria," Draco answered. "She didn't take things well. She almost scratched my eyes out, then she hexed my balls."

"Are you okay?" Hermione asked in concern as her eyes flitted down to Draco's crotch.

"A bit sore, but everything is still attached," Draco replied with a slight smile. "I suppose it could be worse."

"I suppose it could," Hermione agreed. "Hold still and I'll sort your face."

"Thanks. I hate performing medicinal magic on myself, I'm always scared something will go wrong and I'll end up scarred."

Hermione rolled her eyes slightly as she got to work smoothing out the fierce scratch marks Astoria had left all down Draco's face. After a couple of minutes work, Draco was back to his normal self.

"How did things go with your friends?" Draco asked as Hermione slid her wand back into her bag.

"I didn't tell them anything yet," Hermione replied. "They're waiting for us in the bar."

"How do you think it'll go?" Draco questioned. Personally he couldn't care less what Hermione's friends had to say, but he knew their opinions mattered to her, and he wanted everything to run as smoothly as possible for Hermione's sake. They were going to face enough opposition from his parents, without having to contend with her friends as well.

"I'm not expecting much to be honest," Hermione admitted. "Ron and Ginny were amongst the most vocal objectors last time, and I doubt that will have changed. George and Angelina will be there, and I'm confident they'll both support us. As for Harry, I'm hoping he can see things from my perspective."

"And go against Weasley and Red?" Draco scoffed. "I don't want to burst your bubble Hermione, but I don't see that happening. Don't get me wrong, I don't think Potter's a bad guy, I just don't think he's capable of standing up to people and forming his own opinions. He's always been easily swayed by others."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, wondering what observations Draco had made about her best friend.

"Take what happened when we started school," Draco said. "I'd actually met Potter in Diagon Alley, and we got along fine. However, by the time we re-met up at school he'd befriended Weasley and no doubt heard how all Slytherins were evil, especially us Malfoys. I admit when I extended the hand of friendship, I was a bit high-handed about it, but he just shot me down. He didn't even know me, and he'd decided I was no good because of what someone else had said. And it was the same with other people. If Dumbledore or the Weasleys said someone was bad, he just believed them. When have you ever known him judge someone for themselves? I'm sorry Hermione, but unless he's changed a hell of a lot I can't see him offering a different opinion to Weasley and Red."

"You could be right," Hermione admitted quietly. "Although you've clearly given this a lot of thought. It really bothers you, doesn't it? The way Harry dismissed your offer of friendship."

"It's not one of my best memories," Draco confessed with a shrug. "I may have been a brat when I was eleven, but I was still just a child. I was starting Hogwarts and I just wanted to make some friends. Sure I had Vince and Greg with me, but at that time they were just some kids I knew through my father. It wasn't until later that we become really close and we got to know Theo and Blaise. At that point, I just wanted to find my feet and make some friends. I'd thought since I'd already met Potter, he might want to be friends. I didn't expect to be shot down so publicly. After that, it was all too easy to hate him."

"I can relate to that," Hermione said quietly. "That's all I wanted when I started Hogwarts. Luckily I got friends in the end, I just hope they're good enough friends to stick by me now."

"If they're not, they're not worth having," Draco replied as he pulled Hermione into his arms and gave her a gentle kiss. "Now are you ready to go and face the music?"

Hermione gave Draco another quick kiss before nodding her head. By her reckoning they would have time to break their news to her friends, before checking out and heading back to Draco's hotel to see what was happening over there. Chances were, Hermione would come face to face with Astoria, but she didn't want to worry about that right now. Right now, she was more concerned with Harry and Ron.

Hand in hand, Hermione and Draco left Hermione's hotel room and headed down to the main bar. Entering the room, Hermione easily spotted her friends sitting in the corner. As they made their way over to them, it was easy to see when they spotted Draco as one by one they each stared in total shock at the blond wizard at her side.

"No bloody way," Ron grumbled when Hermione reached her friends. "What's he doing here?"

"Always a joy to see you, Weasley," Draco said sarcastically.

"Now I see why you went missing last night," Angelina remarked. "Sit and tell us what's going on."

"Do we even want to know what's going on?" Ron grouched as Draco and Hermione settled down beside George and Angelina.

"I do," George said. "I take it, you two are back together."

"We are," Hermione confirmed as she grasped Draco's hand in hers. "We ran into each other last night and decided to give it another chance."

"But aren't you engaged?" Lavender asked Draco.

"I was, but not anymore," Draco replied.

"Now, we're married," Hermione declared, deciding it was best to get everything out in the open right away.

"Married?" Ron exploded, turning a nasty shade of red. "Are you nuts, Hermione? Have you forgotten what he did to you?"

"Did to me? Draco didn't do anything to me," Hermione argued. "We were manipulated when we were grieving and we made a mistake."

"Please, losing the baby was the best thing to ever happen to you," Ron scoffed.

Without thinking, Hermione leapt to her feet, leaned across the table and slapped Ron across the face. "How dare you. Losing my baby was the worst moment of my life. It tore my life apart, and now I'm finally starting to put it back together."

"No, you're tearing it back down again," Ron snapped. "You got your life on track when you were finally free of him. When you were with him your life was a mess. Without him, you never would have been attacked. Then there's your job. Do you really think it's a coincidence that as soon as you ended things with him, you started to achieve things?"

"My career was just starting when I was first with Draco," Hermione protested. "And I progressed so quickly in recent years as I've dedicated my life to my career. Without Draco, I didn't have a private life, so I focused on work and it paid off. I now have a brilliant career, and now I've got a love life again."

"Don't be so bloody naïve, Hermione," Ron snorted. "You weren't getting anywhere because the Ministry didn't like your association with him. Sure, his money and fancy lawyer got him off his charges after the war, but the stain lives on. No matter what, he'll always be a Death Eater. And that's why you've just flushed your career down the toilet. That new promotion you were telling us about, it won't happen now."

"Don't be so ridiculous," Hermione replied. "The promotion is already mine. My personal life will not affect my job."

"Wait and see," Ron sneered as he got to his feet. "You're going to lose everything, Hermione, and I for one won't be there to pick up the pieces. We warned you that getting involved with him would ruin your life, and now you're going to see how right we were. I'm just sorry that you didn't listen to us when you had the chance."

Without another word, Ron turned and stalked off. Getting to her feet, Lavender gave Hermione a disgusted look before she followed after her boyfriend.

"Well that went well," Hermione muttered. "Harry, Ginny, do you have anything to say."

"Yes," Ginny said quickly before Harry even had a chance to open his mouth. "I want to know why you've done this to me."

"Done what to you?" Hermione asked with a frown. In Hermione's opinion the only person that could be considered hard done by in all of this was Astoria.

"This," Ginny said angrily, gesturing to where Draco and Hermione sat holding hands. "You just had to go and spoil my hen night, didn't you? Now all anyone will be interested in is you two. No-one will remember this for what it was, which was mine and Harry's weekend. They'll just remember it was weekend you two stupidly got married."

"You're jealous?" Hermione declared with a laugh. "Grow up, Ginny. This isn't about you. Not everything revolves around you."

"I hope Ron's right," Ginny snapped as she got to her feet. "I hope your life falls to pieces. And like Ron, I'm not sticking around to pick up the pieces. You're on your own Hermione, it's just you and your Death Eater."

As Ginny turned and stalked out the bar, Harry sheepishly got to his feet. Muttering an apology, he hurried off after his fiancée. Hermione shook her head at Harry's actions, hardly able to believe what she'd just witnessed. Not only had Harry not stood up for her, he hadn't even voiced his opinions. He'd just let Ron and Ginny vent, before rushing off after Ginny like an obedient puppy.

"I don't know what to say," George said a bit sheepishly.

"I do, your brother and sister are out of line," Angelina said. "Sorry George, but there was no need for that. They were horrid to Hermione."

"I agree," George said with a nod. "Right now, I'm ashamed to call them family."

"I always knew they wouldn't like my news," Hermione said with a sigh.

"Balls to them," Angelina said firmly as she gave Hermione a smile. "There's only two people that matter here, and it's you two. If you're happy, and you certainly look it, then don't listen to what anyone else has to say. It's your life, I say you live it how you want."

"Here, here," George agreed. "And for the record, we're happy for you Hermione."

"Really?" Hermione checked, taking in the couple and seeing that they were being genuine in their congratulations.

"Really," Angelina confirmed. "You're our friend Hermione, and we just want you to be happy. We all know you haven't been too happy these last six years, but it looks like that's all set to change."

"It is," Hermione said, exchanging smiles with Draco. "We're right back where we should have been all those years ago. And this time, nothing will tear us apart."

Angelina and George offered more congratulations and the two couples arranged to meet up for a proper get together once they were back home, before they headed off for check-out. Hermione also headed off to grab her bags and check-out, while Draco waited for her in the bar. Obviously with the whole party checking out, reception was pretty hectic and Hermione was stuck in a queue as she waited to check out. Although word of her marriage had spread fast and several people asked her about it. Luckily no-one had such extreme reactions as Ron and Ginny, and some people like Charlie, Neville and Luna congratulated her.

Just as Hermione had checked out and was about to head back to the bar to grab Draco so they could return to his hotel, Harry popped up and asked if he could have a quick word. Wanting to know what her best friend thought of things, Hermione agreed and they stepped out of the front door to get a bit of privacy.

"I'm so sorry for Ginny," Harry began. "She had no right to talk to you like that, neither did Ron."

"I'm a big girl, I can get over it," Hermione replied with a shrug. "Although I would like to hear what you think."

"You know I was just as against you being with Malfoy as the others all those years ago," Harry said. "However, I've seen how you were affected when things ended. These last six years it's been as though you're just going through the motions of living your life. You work far too much, and your personal life is non-existent. I miss my happy, vibrant best friend. I lost her six years ago, and I'm just hoping this brings her back. I have no idea if you and Malfoy will work, but if he makes you happy, then I hope it does. All I want is for you to be happy, Hermione."

"I am happy," Hermione said. "I love Draco, I always have. I know things aren't going to be easy for us, but it'll be worth it. I'm just pleased I've got you on my side."

"Always," Harry vowed. "I'll talk to Ginny and Ron when they calm down. But no matter what happens, you're my best friend, Hermione. I love you, and I will never abandon you."

Hermione wrapped her arms around Harry, hoping he could keep his promises. She didn't want to lose him, but deep down she knew it was a very real possibility. It was easy for him to say he was going to stand by her now, but what happened once they got home and Ginny and Ron refused to back down? Hermione didn't think he'd go against his best friend and his fiancée, therefore she would be the one missing out. All she could hope was that Ron and Ginny calmed down enough so that Harry never had to make a choice between Hermione and the Weasleys. Somehow losing Ron and Ginny didn't seem half as bad as losing Harry.