A/N First,I just want to thank everyone who sent me kind words of comfort after the last chapter. It was very nice and much appreciated. I also want to thank all of you who read and review or put this story on your favorites. This is definitely the greatest motivator of all.

About this chapter, fluff alert! As I've mentioned before, I'm in the middle of massive reviewing in preparation for an exam. I needed some escape from this so this chapter got a bit on the lighter, although there's enough Malfoy in there for not all fluff (Draco isn't ready for fluff yet). I hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I must not tell lies... Harry Potter is not mine.

Chapter 13: Reunion

Billowing smoke could be seen from far away, getting closer by the second. The three young men stood on the hidden platform of King's Cross station, waiting for the scarlet steam engine to finally appear.

The tallest of them was pacing like a lion stuck in a cage, marking his impatience with every resolute step. The other two just stood there, chatting amiably about Christmas plans and open cases.

At last, the train made its appearance in the station and Ron could barely stand still, as he listened absentmindedly to Harry and Neville's conversation. All he could think of was that Hermione was now only a few feet away from him, that he would be able to hold her soon ... and hopefully do a lot more now that he was fully recovered. While his mending wrist had prevented him from writing too much, she had written to him, filling letters long enough to make up for his brevity. And she had tried, and succeeded, to cheer him up by being naughty enough for the two of them too. Knowing himself and what devious little things he had written to her in the past, that was some tall order. But he did have a brilliant girlfriend, didn't he?

They had to wait for the students to exit the train, even though only three girls really held their interest. Ron sighed as another pack of tiny first year students made their way out. Still no sign of Hermione. He reckoned that because of her head girl duty, she would probably be the last to exit, tormenting him just a tad more.

Luna was the first to make her appearance. She descended the stairs from the train to the platform and skipped toward them, radish earrings dangling with every step, and a dreamy smile gracing her oddly pretty face. She actually looked quite serene as she pecked a slightly pink Neville on the lips. Neville just beamed and Ron couldn't fathom what he saw in Luna.

Ron liked Luna, he liked her a lot, and not just because she could be relied upon for good entertainment (although he enjoyed that too about her). No, Luna was courageous and above all, he envied her ability to just be herself and not give a rat's arse about what other people were thinking. Still, the girl was barmy half the time. As if he could talk about falling for a girl who was mental half the time.

Ginny appeared next at the train door, talking animatedly with Hermione. That was until she saw untidy black hair and just left Hermione's side to run in Harry's arms. Ron had to suppress a groan as he saw his little sister, his baby sister really, snog Harry with so much eagerness she might swallow his tongue. At least, Harry had the decency to blush a red that would have made any Weasley proud. Yet, the git didn't take his hands off from around Ginny's waist and they were actually going south, resting firmly on Ginny's backside.

Ron was about to cough when he was distracted by a sweet smell, brown bushy hair, and a familiar bossy tone:

"Are you gonna stare at them until your eyes fall off or are you going to give me a proper greeting?"

A slow crooked smile formed on his lips as he reached for Hermione and bent down to give her the proper greeting she had requested, taking her mouth in a searing kiss that had her wanting for breath and for all the other things he wanted to do.

As he emerged from the kiss, a giddy grin plastered on his face, Ron saw four pairs of eyes focused on Hermione and him.

"What?" he asked defensively. "I haven't seen her in ten days and last time I did I was not in great shape, now, was I?"

Hermione blushed to a pretty pink but he could see the keen look of approval in her chocolate eyes.

"Yes, that's really nice you're well now," Luna said sincerely. "I'm sure you must have missed having intercourse with Hermione," she added dreamily but seriously.

Here they were again. You could always depend on Luna for entertainment, Ron thought darkly as he saw Harry and Ginny fighting very hard to suppress a laugh while Neville seemed to have suddenly found the ceiling of King's Cross station absolutely fascinating. And Hermione looked like she wanted to find a hole to crawl into.

"Right," Harry finally said as he regained enough composure to keep at bay the laugh threatening to overcome him. "What about we head for the Burrow? Will you join us, Neville, Luna?"

"Not today," Neville replied. "We're going back to Gran's. But we'll see you for Christmas. Two days. I can't wait to see your new place, Harry."

They bade good bye to Luna and Neville and made their way to Disapparate from a quiet spot at the train station.

As she saw the outline of the Burrow, Hermione couldn't help the feeling of elation that filled her. She had come to associate the odd-looking house with happiness and could see what haven it could represent for Ron, even if he had decided to move to Twelve Grimmauld Place with Harry.

Mrs. Weasley greeted them warmly with a tight hug, a hot cup of tea, and some freshly baked shortbread biscuits. Hermione found her in much better spirit than she had been two weeks ago when she had last seen her in St. Mungo's, even if there was that unmistakable latent sadness in the Weasley matriarch's warm hazel eyes. Hermione thought that it probably would never vanish and felt a rush of sympathy and affection for the woman who had become like a second mother for her.

"Hermione, dear, why do you look so sombre?" Mrs. Weasley interrupted her thoughts.

"Oh, sorry, Mrs. Weasley," she replied sheepishly.

"Molly, please. Have a biscuit. They're fresh from the oven," she invited as Hermione took one and saw Ron shove two whole ones in his mouth. "When are you going to see your parents?"

Hermione swallowed the piece of biscuit before replying:

"Tomorrow. Ron and I will have lunch with them."

"Will they be joining us for Christmas dinner?"

"I'm afraid not. They are flying to Jamaica for a holiday," Hermione answered truthfully. After a year spent in Australia, her parents had discovered that they enjoyed foreign locales and wanted to travel more. "They should be back for new year though."

"Wonderful, you'll have to invite them then."

"I most certainly will. They'll be delighted to see you and Mr. Weasley."

"That's sorted then. Well, I have a few things I need to finish before dinner. Why don't you four get comfortable," Molly said before leaving the room, using her wand to levitate in front of her a basket filled with dirty clothes that probably needed washing.

Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione chatted for a few minutes about Christmas plans, Hogwarts, Ron's speedy recovery, all obviously happy to see the rest of the group but also quite eager to be alone with only one other person. Ron finally feigned a yawn and stretched before saying:

"Well, I should help Hermione unpack before dinner."

He just rose and started levitating Hermione's trunk up the rickety stairs of the Burrow, toward what was for a few more days his orange room, and not seeing Ginny snigger knowingly or hearing Harry mutter under his breath "yeah, unpack." Hermione was behind him, carrying Crookshanks's kennel. Why she needed to bring the beast with them, he couldn't tell, but he knew how much she liked the squashed-face feline.

The minute they entered the room, Hermione noticed two things: Ron had made a significant effort to tidy it up and his hands were suddenly all over her the moment he closed the door and cast an imperturbable charm on it.

She was just as eager and let her small hands roam under the many layers of clothing he was wearing.

He was raining kisses all over her face, her eyelids, cheeks, nose, and lips.

"I've missed you," he panted, between two showers of butterfly light kisses.

"Me too, she replied as her hand went around his neck to bring him closer. "You are fully recovered, you said."

"Think so," he whispered in her ear before gently nibbling the lobe. "Except for the brain injury, but you already know about that, don't you?"

"Prove it," she dared him in her bossiest tone as she dropped the kennel with a very unhappy Crookshanks on the floor.

Ron lifted her and carried her over his shoulder as she screamed in delight and Crookshanks hissed madly in the confine of his kennel. Ron used his wand to put a silencing charm on the kennel, thinking there would be hell to pay for that later, from both cat and owner, but that would be later. He also used the wand to perform a quick contraceptive charm as he had a pretty good idea of what they were about to engage in.

He dropped Hermione on his bed, none too gently, and she bounced on the tired bed, eliciting more laughter. He covered her with his large and warm body, which unfortunately still wore too many clothes for her liking.

Her hands busied themselves with removing his jumper while his worked on the cardigan she was wearing. Their respective t-shirts and jeans were the next casualties of their eagerness. Then came their undergarments, the last obstacles to the full body contact they were both craving.

"I see your wrist is fully healed, even if you didn't write that much to me."

"You wrote enough for both of us... and were wicked for both of us," he added as his lips traced her collarbone. "You can't write letters like that to a bloke with a broken wrist, Hermione."

"Can't I?"

"Nuh uh. I had to use my left hand and I'm just not that good with my left hand."

"I beg to differ. Your left hand is just as good as your right one. How are you feeling now?"

"Randy," was his brief answer.

"Are you, now? Funny, I didn't see that," she answered as her hand moved from his left arse cheek to between them, gently teasing his throbbing erection."

He let out a groan.

"Is that some of the things you promised you'd do to me in your bloody letters?"

"Might be," she answered playfully.

"Fine, then, I'm still recovering. Why don't you take things ...in hand?" He invited her as he rolled off of her and on his back, offering her an unfettered view of his long, pale, and oh so enticing body.

"You just said you were fully recovered, not a minute ago" she tsk-tsked him gleefully as she climbed atop of him.

"Yeah, yeah..." he started and held his breath as he felt her mouth start a descent down his torso, to his navel, and down further to his very erect member.

"Fuck," was all he could manage as he felt her mouth enclose his length in hot and wet hold.

His hand tangled itself in her wild hair as she gently bobbed up and down his length, applying just the right amount of pressure to turn him into a completely incoherent man.

She let go of him and sat up, moving upward until she straddled him.

"Feeling better?" She asked cheekily.

He just nodded, any notion of spoken language now totally foreign. She lifted her hips and slowly impaled herself on his hard length eliciting a long moan that sounded like her name. She started at a slow, tortuous pace, savouring the feel of him in her, the look on his face. But it didn't take long before both their needs took over and she accelerated the pace, while his hands and lips went to touch every part of her skin they could. She rode him into complete oblivion.

He encircled her in his arms as she came down from her own peak and relished the closeness. A mix of exhaustion and exhilaration went through her as she lodged her head against the crook of his neck, just close enough for her lips to gently nib the tender skin of his neck.

"Was that enough proof I'm fully recovered," he asked her between two rapid breathes.

"I did all the work," she remarked. "But yes, I'd say it's enough. And I expect a payback," she added mischievously.

"Naughty girl!"

The half-empty cup hit the saucer plate with a light clinking noise as Draco put it back and rose from the elegant if somewhat simple armchair he had been sitting on. He started pacing around the small room, pondering what his mother had just said. She wanted to go and visit her remaining sister. A sister she had not talked to in over twenty-five years, save for that brief encounter after the hearing.

"Why would you want to visit Andromeda?" he addressed his mother, still perplexed.

"She was good friend with Greengrass. A fellow Mudblood lover, it seems."

For a reason he couldn't explain, Draco couldn't help cringing at this pronouncement. Hadn't Andromeda's husband perished during the war, his only crime having been born a Mudblood? He quickly pushed the thought out of his mind as Narcissa resumed.

"I'm sure she still maintains the relationship with Greengrass. Andromeda has her loyalties, even if not to her family."

"And you want to exploit the relationship to convince Greengrass to help us?"

"Yes," she confirmed his suspicions.

"And you think she's gonna welcome you with open arms when you haven't exchanged a word in over twenty years?"

"We'll have to work on that," Narcissa admitted "but until she went and married that Mudblood, she was my favourite sister."

Draco could detect a hint of regret in his mother's voice and didn't voice aloud his thought that anyone, even a troll, would qualify as favourite sister when the alternative was Bellatrix.

"The reason I'm asking is that I think Greengrass was the biggest prat there was. I don't think he'll help us make a donation. Mother, why don't you just make an anonymous donation, like Hogwarts, and be done with it?"

"Because that would make your father right," she sighed.

"Ha," he interjected as his mother's motives suddenly became crystal clear.

There was a brief silent pause between mother and son before Draco pursued:

"He owled me, after I left St. Mungo's."

"Did he?" she asked.

She had told Lucius about what had happened when he had asked her where she had been upon her return from St Mungo's, two days after she had left the Manor. She had seen the worry in his demeanour, the worry for what might have happened to her but also the worry that she might have decided to leave him and he would be all alone. Of course, he hadn't attempted to come and find her. Lucius had also inquired about Draco and this time, the worry had genuinely been just for his son, even if the father was still too proud and stubborn to admit it.

"Yeah, he did, wishing me a prompt recovery," Draco said. "Of course, he didn't bother with a visit," he added dejectedly as he absently rubbed the forearm where the dark mark had been branded.

Somehow the distance and remote treatment had hurt more than having no news from his father.

"Is he treating you well?" he suddenly asked his mother.

"Draco," she let out a tired sigh. "This is between him and me..."

"You're not happy, are you?" he interrupted.

"Your father is a different man these days. He's bitter..."

And she wasn't, Draco thought sarcastically.

"I know we'll work this out in the end."

"Do you, now?" he countered.

"Yes, and that's the end of this conversation," she added with finality. "So, to get back to Greengrass, we'll go and visit Andromeda. Will you help me?"

"Yes," he replied with conviction. "We don't want Father to be right, now, do we?"

His mother offered him a sad smile. This wasn't going to be an easy endeavour and Draco dared think it would take a lot more than gold to restore their name. Once again, he had to admit that the plan crafted by Granger was a clever one.

Harry woke up slowly as the rays of the setting sun pierced through the window. He looked around slowly and reached for his glasses left on the bedside table. He turned back and saw the beautiful redhead sleeping quietly next to him, her face turned toward him and a wave of euphoria went through him as he remembered what they had just done.

They hadn't planned this. At least, he hadn't. He wasn't so sure about Ginny. Like he would lie to himself and deny he was bloody happy right now to have a warm and naked Ginny Weasley in his bed, and he hoped, in his life to come. It felt real now, he could think of the future, his thoughts no longer encumbered by a sinister dark wizard.

He heard her moan something in her sleep and saw her roll over on her back, the sheet sliding down and revealing a very tempting pink nipple.

Harry couldn't believe what they had done. Well, yes, he could. It had been absolutely fantastic, despite, or maybe because of their inexperience. But there had been no regret, no hesitation as they had slowly undressed each other, as they had touched, caressed, tasted. He had had no bloody clue what he had been doing. But no, inexperience hadn't mattered. Things had come naturally, like flying once had, and while it had been short and had probably lacked technique or finesse, it had been sweet and tender and Harry was looking forward to doing it again, and again, and again.

It was the middle of the afternoon and it was just the two of them in the expanse of Grimmauld Place. He had wanted to show her the house where he was going to move in a few days and how much it had changed since she had spent Christmas there three years prior.

She had been delighted by the new look of the house and one thing had led to another and without planning it, they had ended on the bed, naked and sweaty and she had fallen asleep in his arms, bearing some resemblance to a very relaxed cat.

He knew Ron and Hermione were supposed to join them at some point as Ron was as eager as Harry had been to show her his new digs. Hermione would also have her real look at the house since they had fled from it after their break-in at the ministry.

He was lost in his thoughts when he heard the noise in the stairway. Before he had time to think, he had leapt out of bed, completely bare and wand at the ready. He tripped on one of the trainers he had quickly discarded in his haste to get undressed, and let out a yielp of pain as his knee hit the foot of the bed. He merely had time to stand back up before he saw the door being blasted open.

"I'm telling you, Hermione, your Dad wanted to kill me. He had the same look Crookshanks has each time he looks at me. And you know how your fucking beast'd love for me to be dead."

"Not true, Crookshanks likes you."

"I could've been fooled," he replied dryly as he remembered the nasty scratch the cat had inflicted on him after having been under a silencing charm in his kennel.

"And Dad was only this way because you beat him four times in a row at chess. Dad has a little competitive side," Hermione pursued.

"You don't say!" Ron added sardonically.

"But he liked you, I could tell. Of course, you're the first boyfriend I've ever introduced." She said sheepishly. "And he's known you as my best friend for the last seven years, well six really since he didn't remember last year," she added with heavy guilt in her voice.

Hearing her still reel about what she had had to do to protect her parents took his attention away from his somewhat petty problems and focused him back on her instead.

"Hermione, you did it to protect them. You have to stop that guilt shite."

She could hear the genuine concern in his voice and bit her tongue not to tell him about how he could just take his own advice. She knew Ron had still not forgiven himself for leaving during the Horcrux hunt. She changed the subject instead.

"Here we are," she said as they approached the large house, visible to them only. "Are you sure it's safe?" she asked him.

The last time she had seen the house, she had been in the middle of Apparition and was trying to shake Yaxley away from her.

"Harry says so. He worked with Kingsley so I'd say yes."

"Isn't he supposed to meet us here with Ginny?"

"Yeah, that's the plan. Then we have to go and get Teddy from Andromeda. Ginny is all gaga about him. I don't get what it is about babies. I mean, they just spend their time eating, pooing, and crying."

"I see babysitting Teddy with Harry didn't go so well," she said humorously. "But I can't see what's the craze either. Maybe when we have one of our own, it'll be better," she said absently and felt him freeze next to her.

"You... you just said... 'we'," he whispered the last word.

A nice pink colour crept on her cheeks.

"You haven't thought of it?" she asked timidly.

"Yeah, I have," he admitted as he felt the top of his ears heat up. "It's mad, isn't it?"

"No, it isn't. It's just I'm not quite ready right now."

"Well, me neither. But see the bright side, Hermione," he told her as he used his wand to unlock the door or Grimmauld Place, "we can spend some quality time practicing the making part," he said with a wink.

This earned him a swat on the shoulder and a small laugh. It died as she entered the renovated house and was suddenly awed by how dramatically Harry had changed the place.

"This is amazing," she said in wonder. "Harry really did a great job, didn't he?"

"Yeah, he did," Ron agreed. "Speaking of Harry, I wonder where the wanker is. He should be waiting here with Ginny."

They started walking through the house, looking for Harry and Ginny. Ron felt anxiety rise in him as he went room by room and floor by floor. Still no sign of Harry and Ginny and Ron started seriously worrying. He saw in Hermione's face that she wasn't at ease either, her eyes darting rapidly from right to left and her body quite tense.

They finally reached the last floor and found the bedroom door locked. Ron was about to knock and call for Harry when he heard a loud yelp of pain. He didn't take the time to ponder about what he was doing and just blasted the door open with a flick of his wand. As the smoke cleared, Ron found himself wand to wand with Harry, a very naked Harry.

As he realised his mistake and wanted to burst into laughter at the incongruity of the situation, Ron heard Hermione:

"Would you mind covering up Harry," she said in a very embarrassed voice and Ron saw her averting her eyes.

He certainly didn't want her to see another man naked, even Harry, especially Harry. Yet, he couldn't hold the laughter any longer and let it out as he lowered his wand and Harry did the same:

"Mate, we've been looking for you all over. What are you doing here all naked? Fancied a wank in the afternoon?"

He heard Hermione groan at the pronouncement and a sleepy, extremely familiar voice ask:

"Harry, what's going on, Luv?"

Ron peeked beyond Harry and saw his sister in the bed, holding a sheet prudishly to hide her naked form. And it all made sense at once. He turned back to Harry, a murderous look in his eyes.

"What did you do to her?" he asked Harry coldly.

Hermione was saying Ron's name imploringly while pulling his arm rather forcefully, trying to get him toward the blasted door and out of the room. Ron didn't move and kept staring at Harry.

"I... We..." Harry stuttered, feeling afraid of Ron for the first time in his life.

"What does it look like, Ron?" Ginny asked as she came forward fearlessly and pointed an accusing finger at her brother. She had thankfully managed to put some knickers and a t-shirt on. "And before you say anything else, I'm of age and free to make this kind of decision. And frankly, that's none of your business," she said in a tone laden with finality.

Ron opened his mouth to say something and thought better of it. There was no need to row with Ginny as she had the bad habit to reach for her wand in these cases and he couldn't ignore how gifted his little sister was at the bat bogey hex. No, he would take that with Harry later, he decided as he finally followed Hermione out of the room.

She hadn't appreciated his not listening to her and was lecturing him on the way down the stairs.

"I can't believe you blasted that door, Ron. Couldn't you knock like a sensible person?"

What could he tell her? He had heard the scream of pain and had panicked, thinking Harry was in danger. It wasn't like his best mate wasn't routinely involved in dangerous situations, now was it? Could Hermione understand that? She probably could, he mused but she didn't seem inclined to listen to whatever explanation he might have. Nor did she seem to have any compassion for the fact he had found his little sister in bed with a man. All right, calling Harry a man might be a stretch when it came to love things, Ron thought somewhat pettily.

"She has a right to be with Harry, you know," Hermione went on as they got in the kitchen. "Why can't your brain accept that?"

"Search me," he replied in a tone indicating he was spoiling for a row. Rows were always a good way to vent out some frustration, especially good ones with Hermione. The girl knew how to fight and make it enjoyable. And there might be that extra benefit of make-up sex afterward. "I'm recovering from a bleeding brain injury," he added.

"Don't you dare joking about that, Ron Weasley," she said forcefully as she came closer to him and pointed an accusatory index at his chest. "And you didn't have a brain injury. It's just the way your brain's always been."

"And you love it, don't you?" he replied somewhat amused.

"That's beside the point. You owe them an apology."

"What? They owe me one. D'you have any idea how long that picture of Harry naked is gonna be stuck in here?" he asked her as his index pointed to his right temple.

He had the satisfaction to see her suppress a smile:

"Tell me about it," she answered in a laugh.

"What's so funny?" They heard Harry ask as he joined them in the kitchen, closely followed by Ginny.

Both were now fully dressed and everyone could have pretended nothing had happened if it wasn't for the steely glare that Ron threw at Harry.

"Right, we should go to Andromeda. She must be waiting for us," Harry said sheepishly.

And joining hands, they Disapparated toward the Tonks house.

Draco was walking next to his mother, now much taller than her. They had agreed to go and visit Andromeda on Christmas Eve, thinking it might as good a time as any to try for some reconciliation. To tell the truth, he didn't particularly feel in a yuletide mood. He had never enjoyed Christmas as it had always been the time when he had to go home and endure his father's belittling for having lower marks than the Mudblood Granger. Merlin, the girl really had a history of making his life hell, even more than Potter and Weasley themselves. Actually the three of them really were a nuisance, he thought haughtily, trying to ignore the nagging little voice that told him they had saved his life three times now.

"This is it," Narcissa said as they stopped in front of a modest house. Some might have called it inviting but Draco thought it was just plain and lacking in grandeur.

He stood by his mother as she used the knocker to make their presence known. They heard some voices inside and a ruffle as someone came to open the door. Draco was very surprised indeed to come face to face with Ron Weasley.

A/N As I read a lot of Romione stories, I always see a lot of Harry interrupting stuff between his two best friends. I thought it would be fun to have the reverse for once. (That plot might be used in Harry/Ginny stories but I'll readily admit I haven't read tons of those.)

Thank you for reading and as always, reviews are greatly appreciated.