AN: So Ron finds out in this chapter - I hope you like it :)

Chapter Eleven – Out In the Open

Several weeks had past and the holidays were fast approaching. Hermione was going home to spend them with her family. Draco was planning on staying at Hogwarts. Hermione didn't want him to be alone, but he had told her to be with her family. They had agreed to disagree for now, as today was the day of the last Hogsmeade visit of the term.

Hermione had agreed to meet Ron and Harry for lunch, and Draco was coming too. Both were nervous. While they knew Ginny had told Harry, everyone was on edge over Ron's reaction. He hadn't been happy when Hermione had told him that she was friends with Draco and that she though he should give him a second chance too.

"Ready" Hermione asked

"No" Draco answered honestly "But lets go".

They walked to Hogsmeade together, close enough to look like friends, but not too close, as their relationship was not out in the open yet. There had been gossip around Hogwarts about the friendship between the Head Boy and Head Girl, and how close they appeared to be. Draco and Hermione had expected this, and had ignored it. Most of those who knew them during the war had accepted it and most of the teachers saw it as an example of how things had improved since the end of the war.

They arrived at the Three Broomsticks and Hermione stopped outside, and looked at Draco. He smiled at her and said "let's do this, before I change my mind".

Hermione smiled back at him and quickly squeezed his hand, before leading them into the pub. Harry and Ginny were sitting in a booth in the far corner. As she saw Hermione enter the pub, Ginny turned to Harry and said

"Remember she's our friend and he makes her happy, and she deserves to be happy".

"I know" replied Harry "and like I promised, I'll make an effort, for Hermione"

"Good." Ginny smiled.

Draco and Hermione walked over to join them. Harry embraced Hermione and then extended his hand to Draco, who shook it. The four of them sat down.

"Where's Ron?" Hermione asked.

"With Fred and George" Ginny answered.

"So you're together then." Harry asked, wanting to have his say before the inevitable fireworks that would happen when Ron arrived.

"Um, yeah"

"You trust him?"

"With my life" Hermione responded, smiling at Draco.

"I'll never hurt her" Draco said, looking directly at Harry. Harry could see the sincerity in his eyes.

"Well, I'm not saying I totally understand, or trust you Draco, but I am willing to get to know you, just understand that if you hurt her…"

"I won't, and I understand. I've already given Ginny permission to hex me if I do".

"And I've promised it will be a really good one" Ginny replied with a smile.

The table erupted into laughter, and it seemed as though the tension had been broken. As the butterbeer was delivered to the table, the conversation continued, albeit on safe topics, such as Quidditch.

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Ron entered the Three Broomsticks after catching up with Fred and George at their new joke shop in Hogsmeade. He was looking forward to catching up with Hermione as well as Harry and Ginny. It was the first time that they had all been together in a long time.

Ron scanned the room looking for his friends, and found himself doing a double take when he saw them. Sitting with them was a blonde haired boy who he would recognise in an instant. Draco Malfoy was sitting at their table and they all looked like old friends.

He stood and watched them wondering when they would notice him, but it soon became obvious that they hadn't seen him. He walked up to the table

"So anyone care to explain?" he asked

"Ron" Hermione cried, as Draco moved out of her way to allow her out of the booth. "I'm so happy to see you" she said as she hugged him.

Ron didn't hug her back, "I'm still waiting for an explanation as to why he is sitting at our table" he stated as Hermione pulled away.

"Why don't we all sit down" Harry said diplomatically.

Ron looked at him quizzically, before Ginny jumped up and pushed him into the booth, and then sitting back down, leaving Ron trapped between her and Harry. Hermione and Draco sat back down on the other side.

"Well you know we're friends" Hermione started "And we have obviously spent a certain amount of time together and…."

"I still don't see why he's here" Ron interrupted, getting more and more agitated.

"I know you didn't expect me to be here, but I have become close to Hermione and I wanted to meet the people who were important to her, and hope that they would give me the same second chance that she had" Draco said

Hermione squeezed Draco's hand under the table, as he turned and smiled at her. Ron looked at the two people sitting opposite him, and then to Harry and Ginny. There was more to this meeting, he was sure of it. Well best to be direct he thought.

"How close exactly?" Ron asked.

"We're together" Hermione said, quietly and quickly, before she lost her nerve.

This time it was Draco's turn to squeeze her hand under the table.

"Together as in…" Ron couldn't finish the sentence, and was turning as red as his hair.

"I love her and will do everything I can to make her happy" Draco answered, before Hermione had a chance.

"Have you lost your mind" Ron yelled, finally needing to release some of the anger inside him. "You're with him" he continued standing up "Draco Malfoy, the one who used to call you mudblood, and made your life hell. You're with him, and you think he loves you"

Everyone in the Three Broomsticks was watching the table, and the other Hogwarts students started whispering between themselves, unable to believe the latest gossip.

"Ron sit down" Ginny said in her best don't-mess-with-me Mrs Weasley voice.

Ron looked at his sister, and then at the rest of the pub, before looking at Hermione and seeing the tears in her eyes. Draco had his arm around her and was obviously reassuring her. Ron sat down.

Hermione looked at him, and he could see the hurt in her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she started

"No Ron I haven't lost my mind, and yes I am with him, but he is not the same person he used to be. I was like you, I didn't want to know him at first, but then he made me realise that everyone deserves a second chance, and in the end he made the right choice, and fought for the right side".

Looking at Draco and feeling him hold her tighter, she continued

"He has been there for me these last few months, he's helped me, and I don't know what I would have done without him. And your wrong, I don't think he loves me, I know he does, and I love him."

Ron sat there, and looked at the couple opposite him; he couldn't take it all in. They were serious.

"And you knew?" he asked the couple either side of him.

"Yes" Ginny answered "And Hermione had already convinced me to give him a second chance, and I have, and I think he has changed. Plus if he makes Hermione happy, then we should give him a chance, for her"

Ron looked at Harry, hoping he'd have an ally.

"Sort of, for a few weeks, Ginny told me"

"And"

"Well like Ginny said, we owe it to Hermione to trust her judgement, and I'm prepared to give him a second chance."

Ron shook his head, not really believing what he was hearing

"Ron, I was as sceptical as you, but having spent a little time with him, it does seem like he's changed, and more importantly Hermione seems happy." Harry looked at Hermione and said "and that's good enough for me".

"I need some air" Ron said, before pushing past Ginny and walking out of the pub.

"Give him time Hermione" Ginny said to her best friend "we all know how stubborn he can be, and what he's like with change". Hermione nodded and smiled a sad smile back at her.

"It could have been worse, I suppose"

"Yeah, for one thing I'm glad to still be breathing" Draco added, before kissing her forehead.

"Oh he wouldn't have killed you, cause he's too scared of Hermione to do anything like that". Harry added

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Harry, Ginny, Hermione and Draco spent the rest of the day together. They finished their drinks in the Three Broomsticks and went for a walk around Hogsmeade. Draco and Hermione walked hand in hand, which caused stares and whispers amongst the other Hogwarts students. Eventually they came to Fred and George's shop.

"Come on, if you can face Ron, you can face them". Ginny said with a smile

Hermione looked at Draco, he smiled, kissed her hand, and said "Come on then."

The four entered the shop, to find it full of more Hogwarts students, and looked around for Fred or George.

"So its true then" a voice came from behind them

They turned round, and saw Fred standing there

"Um, yeah" Hermione said, not letting go of Draco's hand "I guess Ron's here?"

"Yup, he's out the back with George"

Hermione nodded and then looked at Fred

"Don't' worry Hermione, we'll welcome him to the family in the same way we welcome everyone" he said with a smile

Hermione and Draco looked at each other, and then back at Fred, while Ginny and Harry tried not to laugh.

"No need to look so scared Draco, it just means you get to be the but of all their jokes for a few months" Harry said between laughing.

"Yup anyone who dares to date a Weasley gets the same treatment, and Hermione is as good as a Weasley" George added, as he joined the group, along with Ron.

Everyone looked at Ron, who mumbled a "sorry" before holding his hand out to Draco, saying

"I'll try but I'm not promising anything."

Draco shook his hand, and said "Thank you and I'll make an effort to".

Draco and Hermione arrived back at Hogwarts hand in hand, their relationship was well and truly out in the open, and they couldn't be happier. They both knew that some people were sceptical, and some wouldn't accept their relationship, but they had each other. Hermione's friends had also agreed to try and get to know Draco and to give him that second chance.

THE END

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AN: Hope you liked it - I'm thinking of adding an epilogue - do you want one ??