A/N: So I'm going out of state for a few days for a wedding, and won't be posting for the next four days. I'm sorry!
Chapter 29
The next morning Theo and Hermione were arguing about breakfast when Draco flooed over.
"Why can't you just use syrup like normal people?!"
"Because I like frosting. They're pan-CAKES, Hermione. Clearly, frosting is necessary." Theo argued.
"Theo, that looks so gross."
"Hey! Don't judge me." Theo pouted.
Draco could hear Hermione's giggles as he walked further. "Save some for me?"
Hermione spun around in her chair. "Draco!"
The way her face lit up when she saw him was something he would never tire of. He held his arms out and welcomed her as she came over to hug him.
"How are you?" She asked as she nuzzled into him.
"I'm tired. And aggravated. I don't know what to try because I've already tried everything."
"Come, have breakfast with us." She tugged his hand and guided her into a chair next to her. She filled up his plate with pancakes and bacon.
"I got a response back from Pansy." He said as he pulled out the still sealed letter.
"You haven't read it?" Theo said surprised.
"No. You want to?"
Theo just looked at it.
"Oh, give it here." Hermione said as she snatched it out of Draco's hands. "Dear Draco." She read aloud. "I would very much like to join you both for dinner. I feel there are things that need to be said. I will be coming alone, my boyfriend has a hard time getting time off of work and we both want to be at the wedding. How's tomorrow night? 6pm? Please let me know if that will work, or if it's too soon. Looking forward to seeing you. Pansy."
Hermione folded the letter back up. "That was very pleasant."
"Tomorrow?!" Draco croaked out.
"Draco, the wedding is two weeks away, you knew it would be soon."
"Hermione suggested I come." Theo said as he sliced off a piece of pancake loaded with frosting.
"What for?"
Theo shrugged. "Clearing the air and all that. You think she would mind?"
"Probably. It's Pansy. She minds everything, and you can't stand her."
"That's not entirely true." Theo looked up at Draco and saw the confusion. He sighed. "She should have been there for you. I liked her, before sixth year. After that not so much, but I don't hate her... and I want to tell her that."
Hermione wrote a response back to Pansy saying tomorrow was prefect, and that Theo would also be there. She sent the owl off before either of them could change their mind.
"This was a terrible idea! Why do I let you talk me into these horrid things!" Theo was pacing the bedroom, while Hermione picked out a change of clothes for herself.
"Theo, how bad could it be?"
He stopped and stared at her. "It's Pansy..."
"Okay, fair point. But I think this will be good. She seems nice enough now."
She grabbed her new outfit and went to change. She chose a simple wine red sleeveless dress and paired it with her cream heels. She left her hair down that morning and straightened it. Walking out of the bathroom she eyed Theo pouting on the bed.
"I'm going over early, are you coming with me?"
"I guess so." He grumbled. "I'm not changing."
"Good, because I like you in suits." He did look rather dashing. His navy blue pants and matching vest and crisp white shirt brought out his eyes so well.
"Smells good in here." Hermione said as she walked into the kitchen.
"Pork chops and garlic butter potatoes. Too much?" Draco asked nervously.
"It's just fine." She gave him a kiss. "You look very handsome." His black pants and dress shirt looked so good next to this light complexion.
"You look beautiful." Draco gave her a soft kiss.
"Dessert?!" Theo called impatiently from his spot at the kitchen island.
"Carrot cake." Draco said loudly. He bent down to whisper into Hermione's ear. "Why do we keep him around?" Which made her giggle.
Theo must have been satisfied with this answer, because he moved on. "This is going to be awkward."
"No it won't! You two are being silly." Hermione said to them both. "She is probably just as nervous, do not make this worse."
Hermione set a bottle of wine at the table and heard the familiar sound of the floo.
"Hello?" A shaky voice called.
Theo and Draco stood frozen.
"Oh for the love of-" Hermione huffed and strode out of the dining room.
"Pansy." She said warmly.
"Hello... Hermione?"
Without hesitation she enveloped Pansy in a hug. She stood rather stiffly, and Hermione didn't know if it was from nerves or because she just didn't like her. "The boys are super nervous and being complete idiots." She whispered.
That seemed to relax her, and she gently hugged back. "I'm so nervous." She said as she pulled away. "I want to apologize-"
"It's alright. Wait until you've talked to them. They are both very different, too."
Hermione grabbed her hand and lead her into the dining room.
"Love your dress."
"Oh, thank you. I made it myself."
Once they entered both men stood up as they walked in.
"Narcissa would be having a fit right about now that you did not greet your guest properly, Draco." Hermione said sternly.
"Pansy." He said nervously as she walked over to the table.
"You can sit next to me." Hermione said right away.
They all took their seats then. Hermione and Pansy on one side, Theo on the other and Draco at the end. They served themselves and the silence seemed to drag on.
"So..." Draco started.
"So." Pansy repeated.
Hermione had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. "What have you been up to, Pansy?"
"Oh, well, I'm a designer." She said shyly.
"Really?!" Hermione sounded excited. "Where are you based out of?"
"Oh, I have studios in London and Paris, and I'm working on another."
"Impressive." Draco said honestly. "How did you come into that?"
"After the... the war I didn't really know what to do with myself. I applied for an internship at a bridal shop in Paris and they seemed to think I had potential. I design all kinds of clothes now."
"Well, you certainly knew how to make your presence known." Theo said with a warm smile. "How have you been, since everything?"
"I'm good now." She said honestly. "It was hard, you understand. My name carried a lot of... bad press. I tried to rebuild myself on my own, thinking it would show that I'm not that bitch everyone remembers. I was a seamstress at first. Boring work if you ask me, I wasn't allowed to deal with the customers. I can be... blunt."
Theo snorted, but otherwise didn't say anything.
"I carried that attitude of superiority with me, and it wasn't really getting me anywhere. At least in Paris no one knew my name, so that helped. I had to change a lot. Once I started my own business it hit me hard."
"You seem very successful now." Hermione said with a smile.
"I'm okay. I like fancy things, so I tend to work hard for the simple fact that it gives me what I want, I didn't really care about anything else."
Draco thought how much of a Pansy statement that really was.
"How about you? Blaise says things are pretty different now."
Draco cleared his throat. "You have no idea. Nothing's like how we thought it would be years ago."
Draco told her about his work. How he's head over heels in love with Hermione, how she makes him a better person. How he's become friends with Potter of all people, and how all of his Slytherin friends are now mixed in with those rowdy Gryffindors they could never tolerate.
"And how did you meet Theo?" Pansy asked Hermione.
"Oh, we work together. At the Ministry. We run a research division for the aurors."
"You do?" She looked at Theo.
"We do. I love it. It's... liberating to be useful. To be appreciated." Theo said warmly.
"And how have you been Theo?" She asked quietly.
"Well. I live with Hermione. I've met a good guy and I'm happy with my job. Things are good."
Pansy looked a little surprised. "Things have changed."
The rest of the meal was spent on catching up and talking about what they were all doing now. It seemed to lessen the tension in the room a bit, now that they knew more about one another. Draco and Theo still looked awkward, but the hard stuff hadn't been brought up yet. Once dinner was done Hermione not so subtlety excused herself to clean up dinner.
"I can help-" Pansy started but Hermione pushed her back down into her chair.
"You all need to talk. Just get it over with so we can talk about the wedding already. I'm not coming back with dessert until you've all straightened this out." She said sternly.
They all stared at her as she walked out.
"Gryffindors." Pansy muttered once Hermione was out of earshot.
"You have no idea!" Theo hissed. "They're exhausting!"
The three of them shared a laugh and just like that the ice was broken.
"Look Pansy." Draco started. "I was a prick, I'm still one. I screw things up all the time and I tend to have tunnel vision when I'm confronted with something I don't know how to handle. We could have worked, and I'm sorry I didn't put any effort into our relationship."
Pansy just stared at him, her mouth hanging slightly open. "You're joking... Draco! I was a self centered bitch back then! I could have helped you but I didn't because I was scared, out of sight out of mind kind of thing."
"There wasn't anything you could have done, my fate was sealed. I didn't want to drag you down with me."
"Draco, let's face it we never would have worked out. It never felt right, you know that."
"If you knew that then why didn't you just say that?" Theo asked.
"Pride? I don't know. You were all so close, it was damned intimidating! You already hated me, what would have happened if I said I wasn't happy with Draco? The same thing that happened anyways I guess."
"Pansy, I never hated you. Things were heavy and we were kids and my moron of a best friend was in serious trouble and I couldn't do anything about it. I took it out on you, and I am very sorry." Theo said sincerely. "For the record, I always liked your blunt attitude. Made things interesting."
Twenty long annoying minutes later Hermione heard laughter and decided that she could go back into the dining room. She grabbed the cake and fresh forks and walked in.
"What have you been doing, love?" Theo asked, as if he forgot she was here.
"I raided the wine cellar." She said with a smile. "Carrot cake anyone?"
The conversation seemed much more relaxed now, and Hermione was grateful. She was debating calling Ginny and bringing her over here to sort this out if they couldn't do it themselves.
"Pansy!" Hermione shouted, making the other woman jump.
"What the hell?"
"Luna doesn't have a dress!"
Pansy saw where she was going with this. "I don't know Hermione..."
"You don't have to make one, but you should definitely come shopping with us! We're going Saturday, as a group."
"Define group."
"Well, Luna and me, then Ginny Weasley, Fleur Wesley, then Daphne and Astoria Greengrass. The boys will meet up later. Daphne is dating George, and Ginny of course is w-"
"George..."
"Here we go." Theo sat back with a smile.
"George Weasley. And Harry is dating Ginny, and then there's-"
"You're kidding. A Greengrass and a Weasley?!"
"It works quite well to be honest." Draco said to her. "You'd be surprised."
"Who else?" She asked, clearly interested now.
"Oh, you haven't heard the best one!" Theo said. He reached over and grabbed her hand. "Brace yourself." He said with a wink.
"What could be more shocking than Blaise and Lovegood, Draco and Granger, and Daphne with a Weasley?" She smirked.
"My boyfriend is Neville Longbottom."
If Pansy's jaw could have hit the floor it would have. "Neville Longbottom? Hero of seventh year?"
"Mhm."
"Holy shit." She said with a broad smile.
"What about you? Who's your guy?"
"Oh he's amazing." She answered in a dreamy voice. "He just took me for who I am. Really am. He's not at all what you would expect from me. So I guess I'll fit right in!"
"So you had dinner last night with Pansy Parkinson..." Ginny said in disbelief over lunch the next day. She had stopped in to meet up with Harry and ended up in Hermione's conference room with Harry and Draco there as well.
"Shes different, and the same all at once." Theo said. "I can't really explain it. She wants to be accepted. I think in the end that's all any of us really wanted."
"Who tuned you into a sap?" Ginny said to him as she gave him a shove on the shoulder.
"I'm smitten with romance lately." Theo said with a smile. "Blame him, not me."
"I've invited her to come shopping." Hermione said excitedly.
"Fine." Ginny grumbled.
"It will be fun! She seems a lot like Daphne, and you get along with her well. Just be your usual self, and things will be fine."
After work that day Hermione went directly to Draco's since they had an appointment with the head chef from his restaurant at the winery.
"Draco?" She looked around but the house was silent. She checked the library and the bedroom but found nothing. He wasn't home. As she walked back down the stairs she heard the floo.
"Ginny?"
"Hey! Sorry if I'm late. He didn't give me very much notice."
"Notice for what?" Hermione was very confused.
"Draco sent me an owl about an hour ago asking me to meet you here. To check out the caterer? He won't be able to make it, says he's found something and just can't walk away."
Hermione let out a small sigh. She really wanted to do this with Draco, but she also knew how important it was that Narcissa be there for the wedding. She couldn't possibly be upset with him for this.
"Okay, it's just a short walk. Did you dress up for this?" Hermione eyed Ginny's clothes. She wore a dark green skirt and a caramel colored blouse with three-quarter sleeves.
"He said I have to look presentable. Git." Ginny huffed.
Hermione looked down at her simple mauve colored shirt dress. It had a matching belt that she tied off center around her ribs and rolled the sleeves up to her elbows. It ended mid thigh, and wore simple black flats.
"I'm sure you could show up in sweats and Draco will still say you looked amazing. Let's go." Ginny rolled her eyes. "Why are we walking?"
"Because it's right next door. Well, down the hill actually. Draco owns that vineyard."
Ginny laughed. "Of course he bloody does!"
Once they got there Hermione gave her name to the girl at the counter and waited while she made a phone call.
"Miss Granger." A familiar voice called to her.
"Hello Oliver." She said brightly. She turned to Ginny. "Oliver, this is my friend Ginny. We have an appointment with the head chef."
"Pleasure." He gave her knuckles a small kiss. "I've been asked to escort you to the tasting room. Right this way ladies."
He led them to a room off the bar that was small and quiet. It was very nicely decorated with tans, creams, and light blues. There was a heavy table set up along the far wall that already held several dishes of food. The girls took the small love seat that was across from two chairs.
"Chef Christopher will be in shortly." He motioned to the champagne and flutes sitting at the table in front of them. "Care for a glass while you wait?"
They each took the offered glass and thanked him as he walked out of the room.
"This place is nice." Ginny said as she looked around.
"It is. He brought me here on a date. In the beginning. It was amazing."
Just then the door opened and a surprisingly young man walked through with a woman. He was very well dressed in a tailored dark blue pinstripe suit with a bright teal tie. His dark hair and blue eyes were a startling contrast. Hermione guessed he new exactly how attractive he was. He wore a lazy smile that gushed confidence. Hermione thanked the stars that Draco had sent Ginny instead, he would no doubt be overbearing and overprotective.
The woman he was with seemed much more non-complex. She wore a simple fitted grey suit with a white shirt and black heels. Her honey colored hair fell in waves down her back. Hermione liked her very much.
"Chef Liam Christopher." He introduced himself, giving each of them a kiss on the hand. "This amazing woman," he gestured behind him. "Is our event coordinator and my wife, Anna."
Hermione relaxed at that statement. "Pleasure to meet you. I'm Hermione Granger and this is Ginny Weasley." She shook the woman's hand warmly.
"Liam will get things set up, and for now I'd like to hear more about your event." The three women sat down as Liam left the room to bring in a few more selections.
"Oliver said your boyfriend is quite possessive, and suggested I be here." Anna said leaning forward.
Hermione and Ginny laughed at that.
"Understatement." Ginny said to her. "He was unable to make it, but you seem to know how to handle... confident men."
Anna smiled broadly. "That I do, Miss Weasley."
"Have you never met him?" Hermione asked.
"I haven't. Oliver seemed to like him well enough though. So I imagine I will too. Now, tell me about this wedding. I understand it's in less than two weeks? That's not a lot of time."
"No, in fact, we were only told about it a few days ago. Draco is more than willing to pay whatever it costs to make this happen."
"Is he?" Ginny said with a devious smile.
"Of course he is. I want it, so therefore he will do it."
Hermione and Ginny did their best to describe the bride and groom. "Luna is very... free spirited." Hermione said. "And Blaise is..."
"Chivalrous?" Ginny offered.
When Anna looked confused Hermione felt the need to elaborate. "They are quite the odd couple. No one would have expected them to hit it off, yet alone be so infatuated with each other. They come from very different backgrounds."
"I see, what do they like? Their interests? Tastes?"
"Blaise seems to like whatever Luna likes. I've never heard him say anything otherwise. And she's a whimsical soul. Very kind and gracious. Loves animals." Hermione said.
Ginny tried to hide her smirk.
"I know Blaise is a protective man. Tries to stay out of the way but is very loyal to the people he loves. Very funny and bright. I know he secretly loves chocolate. He had a... sophisticated upbringing."
"Oh! And Luna loves desserts." Ginny added.
"Ice cream too. We met them at a shop once. Luna doesn't like things that are bitter or sour. During meals at school she always chose rich dishes."
"Excellent." Anna wrote everything down. "The venue?"
"Tuscany, Italy."
Anna snapped up. "What? Italy?"
"Blaise is Italian." Ginny answered. "Tall, dark, and Italian." She breathed.
"Jealous much?" Hermione said playfully.
"Oh shut it." Ginny smacked her arm. "You know my taste leans towards pasty and disheveled. Anyway, yes. Italy."
"We will fly you all there, and bring whatever supplies and set up you need. It's an outdoor wedding, I'm sorry I don't have more information. I believe it's literally in the middle of a field."
"You're joking." Anna said.
"I would expect nothing less from Luna." Ginny said with fondness.
Liam walked in then with a tray of small dishes and put them on the table in the back.
"Are you ladies getting anywhere?"
"This will certainly be a challenge." Anna answered him.
"Love a good fight." He said without looking up.
Anna held her finger up, as if to say Wait for it. "The wedding is in two weeks, in Italy, and outdoors in the middle of a field. The bride and groom generally prefer rich dishes and love desserts."
He whipped around with a look of shock and faced his wife. "Well done." He said after he composed himself.
Anna seemed a little smug with the fact that she could shock him. "Let's get to work."
Over the next hour Hermione and Ginny tasted at least twenty different dishes. The menu they had finally decided on was stuffed mushrooms, cranberry and feta stuffed puff pastries, bacon wrapped asparagus, and garlic butter shrimp as appetizers. An entree of filet mignon with a mushroom sauce, steamed broccoli and a purple potato purée. Hermione knew Luna would love that. The desserts were a bit tricky. Since so many guests likes sweets Anna came up with the idea of a dessert table along with a traditional wedding cake. The table would have rich chocolate truffles, fruit parfaits, individual tarts and puddings, and miniature cannoli's with powdered sugar. The wedding cake was to be a champagne cake with strawberry buttercream frosting. They left the design in Liam's hands, saying anything he decided on would be perfect.
As they were wrapping up Hermione had made another appointment to go over costs and equipment needed, also promising more details about the venue.
"That was fun. Makes me want to get married now." Ginny said as they walked back up to the house.
"Why aren't you married yet?" Hermione asked her.
"We want to have the house finished first." Ginny said simply. "I'm not going to be a married woman sharing a flat with my brother."
"Point." Hermione laughed.
Once they got back to the house Hermione fire called Luna, who said they should just come through.
Ginny and Hermione stepped foot into Luna and Neville's house to find her, Neville, Theo and Blaise.
"Well hello, Ladies." Blaise said kindly as he stood. "We were just about to have dinner. Care to join us?"
"Oh no thanks." Hermione held up her hands. "We've just come from a tasting with the caterer for the wedding, and I had a few questions. I can come back later."
"Nonsense. Sit down anyways. We can talk while we eat." Blaise insisted. "Ask away."
"Might not be the best thing to say to Hermione Granger." Theo drawled.
Sure enough Hermione pulled out a notebook and pen.
Two hours later they were still sitting around the dining room table. Blaise was now getting quite annoyed with Hermione and Astoria, who apparently just had to be here as well since she was more or less their wedding planner.
"Stori! I don't know what else I can say!" Blaise nearly shouted.
"We need details, Blaise! These people are muggles, we have to prepare."
"Who's idea was this, anyway? Muggles. We're going to have to obiliviate them after the fact!"
The room got quiet then. Neville, Ginny and Luna all looked to Hermione to see her reaction.
"Well, that's the reason for all the questions. So it doesn't come to that." She said tightly. "Now-"
"What did I say?" Blaise asked her, a concerned look on his face.
"Nothing." She looked up at him. "I don't want to talk about it."
"Hermione-" Neville started.
"I said I'm fine. It's late, I'm just going to go home." She threw her notebook in her bag and headed for the fireplace without a single word to anyone.
"I'll come with you." Theo stood abruptly.
"No. I want to be alone."
He stared at the now empty fireplace. "What just happened?" Theo turned with a surprised look on his face. "She never wants to be alone."
Hermione flooed to Draco's. It was after nine, and she thought he would have been home by now, but he wasn't. She hadn't seen him in two days. Not wanting to bother him she went to the bedroom and changed her clothes for bed. She glanced at the bed, deciding to stay in the library. She could at least pretend he was home then. Pulling out the couch she made the bed and lit a fire in the fireplace. Once she was snuggled in she let out a deep breath. She over reacted, she knew. Now there would be questions and stares and pity from friends who didn't know the story of her parents.
For the most part she had done really well with keeping them out of her mind. Only on birthdays, or holidays did it really sink in that they were gone. Which was only half a dozen times a year, she could suffer through the rest of it. She didn't even know why she was so upset. Blaise didn't know, he didn't mean anything by it. It's not like the thought didn't cross her mind a time or two if they couldn't pull this off. Just... today it hurt. The tears now rolling down her face soaking her pillow.
She had no idea how long she laid there in a pathetic mess before she heard someone in the hall. The door opened and she didn't even bother to see who it was.
"Theo, please just go away."
"Hermione."
She sat up. "Draco."
He came in and sat beside her on the bed. "Love, what's wrong? What happened?"
"What time is it? How-"
"It's after ten. Theo came to the Manor. He told me I had to find you."
She crawled over to him as he laid down on the bed, resting her head on his chest. She could hear his heartbeat and it steadied her.
"I over reacted. It's... it's really not a big deal. I should apologize to Blaise."
"Tell me." He ran his fingers through her hair, trying to relax her enough to talk to him.
"We were talking about the caterer, for the wedding. And Astoria and I were being pushy I guess."
"No." He said, pretending to be surprised.
"And Blaise was getting annoyed with all of the questions and he said that since they were muggles we would have to... to obliviate them. After."
"Alright." He drew out the word slowly. He wasn't understanding.
She sat up then. "Draco, you don't know. Do you?"
"Apparently not?" He was very confused. "What's going on? Tell me, please?"
Hermione let out a deep breath. "After everything that happened during sixth year, and the war getting worse, Harry, Ron and I decided not to return to Hogwarts for our seventh year. And we went out hunting Voldemort's horcruxes."
"I know all this." He said gently.
"I know. But... before I left. I was seventeen and the trace was broken, to protect my parents... I- I obliviated them."
"You what?" Draco was stunned.
She was rambling now. "I wiped their memories of me and had made them believe that it was a life long dream to move to Australia. I sent them away, hoping that it would be enough to keep them safe."
She glanced up at him. He took her hands in his and was rubbing gentle circles with his thumbs.
"After the war, we all decided we needed the break. A year to... just be. Harry waited for Ginny to graduate from Hogwarts, Ron went to help George with the joke shop, and I went straight to the Ministry to see if I could reverse the spell." She sighed.
"I made several trips to Australia. It took a while to even find them. Kingsley sent several people from the Obliviator Headquarters and also a few mind healers and specialists in spell damage. I learned everything I could about magic reversal. None of it worked. It's kind of like dementia... a muggle disease of the mind. They remember small pieces of their life with me, but it fades quickly. It was heartbreaking and frustrating, so I left. They still live there. I check up from time to time."
"Why have you never told me this?"
"I don't really like to talk about it. It's hard, but I do okay. They're safe and that was my intention."
She sounded like she was trying to convince herself.
"Hermione, I'm so sorry." He pulled her closer to him. "The fact that you could perform that spell so well is truly amazing."
"A lot of people have told me that."
"I didn't mean-"
"I know, I know. It's okay." She let out a long, deep breath. "I don't want to talk about it anymore. Tell me about your day. I've missed you."
"I've missed you." He pulled her up so she was now straddling his lap and he leaned up to kiss her. "I think I'm close. I don't want to get my hopes up, but I know she'll at least be able to travel."
"Draco, that's great news!" Hermione's smile was genuine.
"It is. I'm... cautiously hopeful."
"I'm very excited about this wedding, it will be lovely. Your mother will just adore it. Astoria has done so much. I'd like to visit her, the next time you go over."
"She would love that. Really. Tomorrow evening? We could bring dinner or something."
"It's a date." She whispered as she leaned forward to kiss him.
She could hear the low moan in the back of his throat as she moved her kisses to his jaw, then his neck, working her way down then back up again. "Let me show you how much I've missed you."
