Chapter Ten
A Reason To Celebrate
The morning dew clung to the overgrown grass. It dampened Hermione's socks, causing chills to ripple over her skin. She draped her fuzzy blue bathrobe over her nightgown, and wished she had properly dressed, perhaps in something warmer, though the summer air was muggy. It was early enough that the sun hadn't made an appearance, and the gnomes were still in their holes.
"I'm going to curse, Potter," Draco yawned grumpily. He wasn't a morning person by any means. He wrapped his school robe tighter around him.
It was four in the morning when Harry rapped at Ginny's door, sliding a note underneath. He wrote that he wanted to see her, and Draco in the shed in Burrow's backyard. It was too early to come up with detailed guess, but it was a good chance that it was about the living situation they all shared.
The shed was barely standing, the wood splintering, and the door only just hung on. Hermione carefully opened it with the toe of her trainers, and was greeted by... Junk. There were crates of plugs taking up two corners, an old radio with parts splayed across a workbench, and a busted television. Leaning against one wall was Sirius' bike, the same that Hagrid used to take Harry out of the rubble that was his first home.
Harry sat on the bike fully dressed in jeans, and a shirt that was two sizes too large. It looked as though he had been up for a long while.
"You better have a good excuse for this, Potter," Draco warned.
He ignored this, and addressed Hermione. "Do you remember Grimmauld Place?"
"The house Sirius left you," she answered. There was no forgetting that house. It was dark, and in more ways than a lack of lighting. There was no complaining, however, because it was safe, and that was as much as they could ask for when they were staying the summer with the Order in their fifth year.
Harry held up a small rustic key. "I'm giving it to you." He pressed it into her palm.
She shook her head, "oh, no, Harry. I couldn't -"
"Yes, you can."
"Why," Draco asked suspiciously, and rudely.
"Sirius hated it there, and I can't... It should be put to use, the Order's done with it, and I've found a place, so please, take it."
"What's wrong with it?"
"Draco!" Hermione rolled her eyes. "Sorry, Harry -"
"No, it's fine. I'll be honest, Malfoy, there's a lot of work that needs to be done, but it's livable."
"What's the catch, Potter?"
"Aside from keeping my friend happy? When you get a job, you pay me monthly rent." Harry glanced from one to another. "Is it a deal?"
Draco grinned at Hermione, and she grinned back. "Sure," he said, quickly shaking his hand.
Hermione knew that Harry didn't need the money. If it was just her, he wouldn't even ask for it, but he knew there was no way Draco was going to accept on any other terms. She threw her arms around Harry's neck. "Thank you," she whispered, meaning more than for the house, but for the promise he made her on her first day at the Burrow.
The rest of the morning Draco, and Hermione were packing. Hermione didn't have much since it was only yesterday she got her things from her parents, and she was able to join the rest of the family for breakfast. Draco declined help, and refused food while he was ready to walk out the door, even though they agreed to wait until tomorrow.
Hermione sat between Ron, and Harry in the bustling kitchen. Plates clattered, family happily chatted, and the aroma of buttered toast, eggs, and bacon.
Hastily Ron swallowed whatever was in his mouth. "Hey, Hermione. Ginny said you're leaving?"
She spread a thin layer of marmalade over her toast. "Harry gave us Grimmauld Place, we're leaving tomorrow."
Mrs. Weasley who overheard this cried out in surprise. "You don't have to leave."
"That's really kind of you, Mrs. Weasley, but we don't want to overstay our welcome."
"Nonsense, dear."
She decided to reword it. "We don't want another incident."
Mrs. Weasley sighed. "That is true. Our Ronnie appears to have forgotten his manners since he's become a hero." She said the word 'hero' with disdain.
Ron's ears turned red, and he began to push his food around with his fork. Hermione would have felt bad for him if his mother hadn't been right.
Mrs. Weasley continued, "since it's your last day we should make it special. We'll have a big dinner -"
"What dinner here isn't big -" George muttered.
She smacked his arm, "and we'll set it all outside. Music, and dancing. It'll be fun!"
George groaned, and his father eyed him carefully.
"This isn't necessary -"
"Let her do this, Hermione," Mr. Weasley said slowly. "We haven't had much reason for a party."
Hermione didn't argue further. She didn't think staying there for less than a week was call for a party, but she suppose that they wanted this. Any excuse was enough.
With little help from Mr. Weasley, and George, and plenty from Ginny, Mrs. Weasley set up the party she insisted by nightfall. Large tables sat out in the backyard covered with numerous foods, with small balls of light floating in mid-air over it. The Weird Sisters played by where Hermione assumed was the shed.
Somewhere amid the meal Angelina Johnson came through the back gate. She was a tall dark girl, with a smile brighter than the sun. George kissed her cheek, and pulled out a chair for her. This shocked Hermione. She didn't remember seeing George being a gentlemen, at least not without a goofy smile on his face.
Mr., and Mrs. Weasley were the first to stand up, and dance out by the garden. Harry took Ginny out next, and then George, and Angelina. Hermione watched, her stomach stretching with the food she consumed. She was starting to feel quite sleepy when Ron grasped Hermione's hand.
"Dance with me," he said dragging her out beside Harry, and Ginny.
Draco glared daggers, and instead of cutting into his potatoes he stabbed them, breaking through the plate, but Hermione shrugged her shoulders helplessly, and put her hands politely on his shoulders, while his were at her waist. It was almost too close for comfort, the feeling that it was wrong, but she danced on.
"Why Malfoy," he asked quietly for only her to hear. "Was it because neither of you could leave the house? I have to know."
Hermione considered this. She recalled where she said that it may have been a biological human condition, love, or kill. Draco differed with her. Neither one of them could explain it well, but they acknowledged that there was more between them than roommates, or even friends.
"I think that maybe it was always him. We just didn't see it."
Ron didn't ask any more questions. He seemed to have heard more than he could bear, and he enveloped her.
By the third song, Draco interfered. "My turn, Weasel, she's my girlfriend."
Ron kissed her cheek, and left to the tables.
Possessively he gripped her hips, intently looking into her eyes. "It's odd," he commented.
"What is?"
"This'll be our third time living together, and neither one of us has asked the other if they wanted to. It seems that fate has this way of bringing us together faster than we intended, or wanted."
Worry hit her gut. "Do you want this?"
He smirked, that Malfoy smirk. "More than I wanted anything in my life. I want you - need you, in my life. Without you all I have is this mark on my arm; my past. You're the only one who can see beyond it, even when I can't." He brushed her hair away, running a thumb over her cheek. "It'll be nice to snog you whenever I want, to share a bed with you, wake up to you every morning."
"Mmm," she mumbled, leaning her head back so he could kiss her, his lips melting her from the inside out, the music fading.
A squeal from Mrs. Weasley is what broke them apart. They looked wildly around, Draco's hand nervously on his wand until they saw Harry down on one knee in front of Ginny. His hands shook, holding a silver ring. Ginny's brown eyes were wide. Harry's mouth opened several times, before croaking out his question, "will you marry me," and Ginny nodded throwing herself at him, and they tumbled in the grass. Somewhere in the middle of that Harry slid the engagement ring on her finger.
Once they stood they were attacked by a crying Mrs. Weasley, and Mr. Weasley who shook Harry's hand roughly, but caringly. Hermione, and Ron ran up, and congratulated them. Hermione hugged Ginny, and then Harry.
"This is so great, for the both of you," Hermione said enthusiastically.
"This is one thing out of the way, Harry," Ginny said. "You found your best man, and I found my maid-of-honor."
They hugged again, and moved for George, and Angelina to give their wishes. Draco pulled Hermione back, particularly away from Ron, who in his opinion was too close. He enfolded her from behind, his lips near her ear, blowing softly in it. She giggled, and leaned into him.
George set off multi-color fireworks, and a sparkling red dragon that swam around them, lasting for hours until it finally faded into the sky. For the night they had a new reason to celebrate. A real one.