She was rifling through numerous Muggle photographs and putting them down in envelopes on her desk inside her house.
Out of nowhere, Ginny slammed a hand down the desk, making Hermione jump.
"When do you plan to tell him the truth?" She, Ginny, hissed.
"Tell who the truth?" Hermione shot back, completely annoyed that she was interrupted from work.
"Draco! Merlin, Hermione, he doesn't deserve every single lie you told him!"
"I know, Ginny, but don't forget he did make my life a living hell at Hogwarts – "
"Forget that shit now, Hermione! You managed well on your own!"
"I managed because you guys were supporting me!"
"And we'd have still supported you even without Draco around pushing you!"
At this, Hermione stood up, anger flaring. "Ginny, I don't know where this is going, but I do not want any more."
"This conversation isn't going anywhere! This whole business ends here and now." Ginny stalked off. "I'm going to tell Draco the truth – "
"Langlock!" Hermione cried; her wand was out in a flash. Ginny doubled over, one hand clinging to her throat, making choking noises as she couldn't say anything. Hermione went over, and Ginny met her eyes with hate.
"I'm sorry," Hermione whispered. She motioned to put a hand on Ginny's arm, but she shook it off. "Okay, how about this – you stay quiet, and I lift the spell. You still stay quiet, and I'll be the one to tell Draco. Deal?"
By now, Ginny had doubt in her eyes. She looked everywhere except in Hermione's direction, as though she was asking for support and advice from the coffee machine and the desk lamp. After a few minutes, she seemed to sigh (it was hard to tell since there was no sound) and shook Hermione's hand. The spell was lifted and Ginny found her voice.
"You swear you'd do it?" she asked the instant she found out she could use her voice again without restraint.
"Yes," Hermione replied, "so long as you swear you won't beat me to him in telling the truth."
"All right, I promise. But you should do it soon. Soon, Hermione, before you give him another package of bullshit. If he finds out after that, I guarantee you; he's going to be devastated."
Hermione flinched in guilt. "Yeah, okay, I'll just have to find some perfect timing," she muttered, sitting back down behind her desk and attempting to forget about their little argument by immersing herself in envelopes and photographs (she was in charge of packaging). She failed, however. It wasn't a good thing to try to ignore Ginny, who could break promises even if she was under the Unbreakable Vow.
"So," Ginny said, sliding over beside Hermione to look at how she was doing. "When are you going to tell him?"
"Soon!" Hermione exploded. "Just… Can't you just wait until I actually did it? Ginny, you don't know what's happening inside me – it's like the theory the Norse believed – "
"The who?"
"THE NORSE!" Hermione blurted, flailing her arms, "Haven't we watched the movie, 'Thor', two days ago? Sheesh!" She paced around, explaining. "The Norse believed that a wondrous ash-tree, Yggdrasil, supported the universe. Its roots extended through the worlds. It is said that beneath the first root lives Hel, beneath the second the frost-giants, and men beneath the third. It is also said that one of the roots goes to Asgard.
"The Norse believed that over Yggdrasil, and over Asgard, hung the threat of destruction. A serpent and his brood gnawed continually at the root beside Niflheim, Hel's home. Some day they would succeed in killing the tree, and the universe would come crashing down!
"Now, imagine my life with Draco as Yggdrasil. That lie symbolizes the snakes. When you tell it to Draco suddenly, my life will collapse! Ginny, I'm the only one who can do this! Don't even think about telling him first, Ginevra Weasley, or I'll swear I'd do anything and everything in my power to destroy you."
"All right, all right, sheesh!" Ginny said. Her hands flew up in the air in the universal sign of surrender. "I won't tell. You didn't have to explain the whole 'Ragnarok' thing, you know," she added, looking sullen. "I know it all."
"Ha! You didn't even understand half of the movie!"
"Well, can you blame me? That Muggle playing Thor was perfectly dreamy!"
Hermione snorted, shaking her head. "What is it with you?" she asked her, astonished. "You're dating the most famous hero in the Wizarding World. What more do you want?"
Ginny seemed to rethink her words. "Yeah, you're right. Harry's mine."
"I'm not saying he isn't, Gin."
"Right, right." Ginny obviously wasn't listening or understanding anything she said. She was thinking of something deeply. Hermione noticed this, as Ginny's movements went suddenly robotic.
"What are you thinking?" Hermione said cautiously.
"Harry getting a six pack…" Ginny muttered. After a few moments they burst out laughing.
"Ginny!" Hermione shrieked. "Harry's been thin all his life! It's like the curse for the male Potters, like the hair-sticking-up-every-which-way thing."
"Well, is imagining a Taboo now?" the redhead retorted defensively, but she giggled anyway. "Anyways, what have I got to imagine? Harry's already perfect for me as he is."
"That's right. So don't go hunting for that Muggle actor anymore, because you've got more than that as your official boyfriend. Countless women would want to date Harry – look at Romilda Vane! She still isn't giving up! Do you really want to sacrifice Harry for someone who doesn't even love you back?"
"Of course not!" Ginny roared, standing up. Then she hugged Hermione, saying, "Thanks."
"For what?"
"For everything. For not making me feel regret when I accepted Harry's proposal…"
Hermione stiffened. "WHAT?" she shouted. "Ginevra Molly Weasley, spill all the contents out."
"I'm not barfing – "
Not that kind of contents! Tell me everything about Harry's proposal!" Hermione sat down on a chair, excitement radiating from her face. "I swear, you'll only blab to me on what's not important…"
"Okay. Harry invited me to dinner in this Muggle restaurant own the street. It was really fancy – I think it was French, maybe that's why it was so expensive – and the only ones in there where all wearing long gowns and black tuxedos. Naturally we had to be incognito, so we changed our clothes before we went inside. Harry was all gentlemanly, and I could tell he wanted to say something, what with the tense set of shoulders."
"Go on," Hermione urged as Ginny took a deep breath.
"All right, I was just catching up with my breathing. Jeez. So, anyway, we were the last to leave that place, but when the old Muggle couple left, Harry got on his knees and said, 'Ginny, I know we've been through thick and thin a lot of times, and I think tonight's the right time for me to ask you this.' Then he showed me this gorgeous diamond ring, with gold butterflies circling the end!" Ginny squealed, shoving the ring on her finger to Hermione's face.
"Well?' Hermione said. "How did he say it?"
"He never got a chance to say it," Ginny cried happily. "Before he asked, I kissed him and said I'd marry him."
"Aaaaw! That's so cute! Congratulations!"
"Thanks. The restaurant staff was all teary-eyed when Harry and I broke apart. They said congratulations again and again. We had to leave that place soon; else we'd be all loony at the wedding and kiss the best man instead."
"Is my hearing crystal clear?" a voice said, drifting from the hall of Hermione's house. After a few seconds, Draco materialized, smirking. "Ginny Weasley will be a Potter soon, correct?"
"Yes!" Both of the girls screamed.
"Well, then, congratulations," he replied, smiling and hugging Hermione. "I would've asked Hermione the same thing about a week ago, but I hesitated at the last minute. I thought maybe Hermione wanted a little more time to think that through."
"You what?" Hermione squealed to Draco at the same time Ginny screamed the same thing to Hermione.
"I what?" Draco asked, confused by the sudden change of reactions. He looked meaningfully at Hermione. "You know you'd reject, Hermione, and you know you're reason would be that you're not sure yet. I understand, you know. I know you well."
Hermione blushed. "You know me too well," she corrected, smacking him on the shoulder lightly.
Draco's stomach grumbled and he was the one to redden this time. "S-sorry… Didn't get a decent breakfast… Actually, I was going to invite you guys to Florean Fortescue's. The owner's son got new premises after the War destroyed the ancient one. Want to go? Ice cream's on me."
"Well, then, I think a celebration is in order," Hermione said, smirking to Ginny. "And we'd be so hungry as to order the most expensive thing on the menu, as it is on Draco, yes?"
"If you weren't my girlfriend, I would've complained," Draco grumbled.
Just then, the fireplace lit up with brilliant green flames and Harry Potter landed on the carpet, dusting soot and ash from his coat.
"Hey, there," he said casually, smiling. He made a small "Oof!" when Ginny ran and snuggled into his chest. "I take it you've heard about the new Mrs. Potter?"
"Congratulations," Draco and Hermione said, beaming.
"Thanks. Oh, by the way – would you like to go to Florean's?"
"That's where we're heading, coincidentally," Hermione answered. "This is a kind of celebration for the future Ginny Potter."
"And don't worry about the ice cream," Ginny added cheerfully. "Draco's going to buy us the most expensive ice cream in the house."
Harry raised an eyebrow at Draco, who shrugged. "I said the whole thing was on me, but these girls won't let an opportunity pass."
"Of course not," Ginny retorted defensively.
"It's free ice cream," Hermione stated in a tone that suggested it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Draco pretended to grimace, took Hermione by the arm and Apparated out of the house.
They popped into the busy streets of Diagon Alley, just outside number 97, four stores away from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. They looked up at the new and polished sign of "Florean Fortescue's" hanging as Harry and Ginny Apparated beside them.
"You know you could have said you were already leaving," Ginny grumbled to Draco.
"Sorry," he said. He entered the establishment and the others followed.
"Ah! Welcome, welcome!" Florean's son greeted from behind the counter jam-packed with people waving their arms.
Another employee greeted them "Good afternoon," and asked, "Table for four?"
All of them nodded, and the employee led them in between chairs and tables being occupied by loud and noisy people to a corner table beside the glass window situated in one wall. The boys took one half of the table, and the girls the other half. Harry, Hermione, and Ginny looked around in confusion.
"Looks like everyone missed Florean's," Ginny muttered as Draco filled the employee in on what they want to eat.
"Of course," Harry said. "Florean's was the only one to make superb ice cream for the masses. Somehow, his son got the right idea and opened up again. The people are truly grateful."
"Isn't old man Florean still alive?" Hermione asked. "Why'd he leave the shop?"
"Trauma. He's still scared. It had been his whole life, that shop. And it was blown to smithereens in a blink of an eye. Surely you'd have the same reaction."
Ginny and Hermione nodded in understanding. Hermione, who was closest to the window, looked out to the busy street filled with people. She caught sight of everything – the shopkeeper at Jigger and Slugs Apothecary arguing with an elderly potioneer about the price of dragon blood ("Twenty-one Sickles a vial! You right in the mind, man?"), the occasional burst of light inside Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, the 'shady folk' blending into the crowd while going down Knockturn Alley.
But what really got her staring was a flash of black hair. Once she saw it, she pressed her nose against the glass, searching everywhere frantically.
"Err… Hermione? Are you okay?" Ginny asked hesitantly, tapping her on the shoulder. "The ice cream's here. C'mon and eat."
"No," she said, shaking her head, her breath creating fug on the glass. She wiped at the portion impatiently.
"Hey," Draco said, putting an arm on her wrist. "What're you looking for?"
Just then, the door to the shop flew open.
"Table for two, please," Kronos Lancer said to a waiting employee politely.
"And may we request that our table be merged with Mr. Potter's over there," Luna Scamander added, pointing over to the small party jammed into the corner, everyone except Harry Potter looking at the visitors with wide eyes.
"I'm sorry if we squeezed you," Luna and Kronos apologized the second they sat down with them.
"Oh, no, no, it's okay," Hermione said quickly, waving away their apologies. "It's great to see more friends."
Harry nudged Luna lightly on the elbow, and she said, "Ah! Sorry. We know who the girl is with the fancy name."
"What are you talking about?" Draco said, starting on his already-melting ice cream.
"It's – "
The door burst open again, and the most unlikely pair they would have ever imagined barged in confidently, holding hands as though it was perfect for them to be having this kind of public display of affection.
"Oh, hey, Harry, Ginny, Hermione, Luna!" Ron Weasley greeted, waving cheerily with his free arm, and ignoring Kronos and Draco completely. "Well, well! It is a small world, isn't that right?" He added, smiling at the person beside him.
"Yes, Ron," Pansy Parkinson agreed, grinning like a Cheshire cat. "I think that old bugger Fate had something to do with this." She squeezed Ron's hand gently, as a long-time lover would.
To say that all of the people in the shop were shocked was the poorest understatement of the century.