** I don't own these characters or the stories they belong to **
Draco and the twins, instead of exiting with the crowd, snuck up to Harry, Hermione and Severus as alterations were being made to the room.
"Good job mate," Fred said.
"Very impressive speech," said George.
"It could even have been called intelligible," said Draco.
Hermione laughed. "You had help," she told Harry.
Severus snorted amusedly, "Obviously."
"Hey!" said Harry, "But yeah, okay. Maybe a little, for you know, polish."
Severus was well aware that Harry had come up with the bulk of it, having previously heard Harry's short version of the tale, knowing Harry had picked up most of what he'd known through the memories, but it was still amusing to pester him.
"It was wonderful, and very kind, Harry. Don't let them give you a hard time. It actually made me think," Hermione assured him. Unfortunately the last bit sounded a bit like an unexpected revelation.
The twins snorted. Harry looked no less chagrined for Hermione's supposed reassurance. "If I were Ron I'd be saying, "Always the tone of surprise," Harry finished in a surprisingly good imitation of Ron.
Hermione gave a slight grin. "I mean it, Harry. Sev told me your shorter version of the Tale of the Three Lost Boys before. I had an idea playing around in my mind that we should write down other similar stories - morality tales, you know, about things we learned from Dumbledore and the war. Your speech has convinced me it's a good idea. There are important lessons our world needs to learn and remember."
"Sure, Hermione. Have fun with that," Harry told her.
Completely used to Harry's blasé attitude about her studious endeavors, Hermione rolled her eyes and shook her head. It made for a nice change to have a kindred soul in Severus at her side. His response was more subtle, but carried the same sentiment.
Fred changed the topic. "So, how did it feel to publicly heap some dung on Umbridge?" he asked.
Something like vengeful or righteous glee lit Harry's eyes. "Unbelievable...you have no idea. I've also had the very great pleasure of ensuring she's in rehab and under the watchful eye of the Ministry and that she'll never be in the employ of the Ministry again. Worse than any death eater in my book...her evil never served any cause but her own. It's almost worth making the effort to stay on the good side of public opinion just to make sure she'll never come into a position of power again." Harry finished the last two sentences with an angry mumble.
Not that he'd ever cared for Harry Potter's good opinion before, but Severus could acknowledge, if only slightly, that he was glad to have come out of it all on Harry's good side. He couldn't deny that his life was easier, incarceration-free, and even possible because of it. Draco's thoughts wandered in the same direction.
"Ear, ear!" said George as people started filing back into the room.
"Oh, George!" Hermione laughed, "not that one again."
"She's right, lad. Poor effort, that. Your repertoire could use updating," said Fred.
"Any ideas, mate?" George asked Severus. "It is thanks to you, after all, that the wide world of ear related humor has opened before me. Fred suggests my efforts have gone dry."
Draco looked a little unsure, and Severus had gone still. Until the George said "No? How about..." and twins started trading ever increasingly outlandish ear quips. Draco was now rolling with laughter. Hermione hugged Severus, thankful he had relaxed as the jokes had begun.
"Hermione," Harry groaned. "Why did you have to encourage them?"
"Sorry," she laughed, not sounding sorry at all.
As everyone began to make their way into the reception following the Order of Merlin ceremony Ginny heard a familiar voice call her name.
"Oh, hi Luna! How are you?" Ginny asked the blonde girl. She noted the dark haired Ravenclaw girl standing beside her friend.
"Exceptional. Harry gave a lovely speech, don't you think?" Luna asked dreamily.
"Yes, I was actually surprised by how good it was," Ginny admitted, looking questioningly over at the other girl.
"I think I can help you with what you've been looking for," Luna said mysteriously. Ginny had mentioned her active eye on Draco's behalf, and odd as Luna was, Ginny had come to trust her exceptional ability to read people. She listened seriously when Luna continued in her dreamy voice, "This is Astoria. She's in sixth year and she's nicer than her sister."
Astoria grinned. "Nicer than most of my family, I'd like to think. I'm the oddball."
Ginny asked her, "Who is your sister, your family?"
"Daphne, Greengrass - Slytherin, like the rest of my family - she was in Draco Malfoy's year." Astoria explained.
"Ah," answered Ginny. "I remember her."
Spotting the redhead's distaste, Astoria hastened to add, "Yes, well. Please don't hold it against me. Like I said, I'm the family oddball, especially now, since the war turned me completely off the blood superiority agenda. My family never joined ranks with You Know Who, but they spouted the blood purity sentiment all the same. Utter nonsense, but there you have it." She looked up at Draco. "I wanted to ask you about Draco, actually."
"What about him?" Ginny asked, trying to suss the girl out.
"He's changed a lot hasn't he? I never thought I'd see him make friends with your family, nor his parents become familiar with the likes of Hermione Granger. It's good to see, but what on earth has happened to bring that about?"
Ginny looked up to see the elder Malfoys standing by Severus and Hermione and Draco laughing with Harry and the twins. She considered Astoria's question.
"He still has a very sad and haunted soul." Luna mused. "Perhaps he needs the same thing that Professor Snape has now. He's much better, isn't he?."
"I'm sure you're right, Luna," Ginny said. She turned to Astoria and asked, "Why do you ask about Draco, I mean, what's your interest?"
"I'm interested in him, actually. The pureblood families always try to toss their kids at each other. Daphne was amenable, but I never could tolerate the sort he was before, however...beautiful he was," Astoria blushed. "But there's more to him now; he's much different than I remember, and a bit sad, like Luna said. Since he seems to be...close..to your friends and family now, I was wondering what you could tell me. Maybe introduce me, maybe give me an in with his parents. I remember his Mother as being hard to please."
"If you're really serious and not just up for a fling, if you're really interested in being with him and not just messing him about, I'll help you," Ginny said seriously.
Astoria's eyes widened, a little astonished at Ginny's vehemence. Finally she answered, "Yes, I'm serious."
"Alright. You want to know what happened to him?...It's amazing what can happen to you when you're forced to witness and participate in horrors you're not cut out for. When your mates turn out not to be friends but fickle sycophants that dump you the moment you lose favor. When the culmination of your ideals presents itself as the ugliest visage of evil you never thought possible and threatens to annihilate you and your whole family. That is what has harmed and humbled him, and made him open to change, and he is the most changed of his family because he feels the most remorse. The changes you see in his family are down to that and the friendships, if you can call it that, between our families are down to Hermione and Severus Snape. Did you know they're desperately in love and soon to be married?" Ginny asked.
"Really? I'd heard, but I wasn't sure how true..." Astoria trailed off looking at the couple in question. They were near each other, but if it was as serious as Ginny said, it wasn't obvious. "..how odd," she finished.
"It's very true. They're the bridge between our families. Luna is right, Draco needs exactly what's healing Snape. Draco needs his own Hermione. Mind you, the most important thing Hermione brought wasn't herself but her persistent heart accepting him and getting him to accept himself. It took Hermione long, hard work to get to the heart of her man, but thankfully, I don't think your quarry will be quite so hard to crack. If you want to be with Draco, it's not his parents you need to ingratiate yourself with, it's Hermione. It's Hermione you need to learn from." Ginny added in an aside, "Though I'm sure being a pure blood will be a help where his parents are concerned."
It took the three girls some time to make their way through the crowd to get to the honored couple who were now making their way around the room looking at the war photos that lined the walls and talking to everyone that clamored for their attention.
By the time they made it to their intended target, Harry was doing his best to fend off as much attention as he could and Hermione, Draco, and even Severus were looking brittle. Hermione was diverted into a genuine expression and response when Ginny and Luna greeted her and Ginny presented Astoria to her. With a pointed glance toward Astoria and then Draco, Ginny clued Hermione in. Hermione assessed Astoria more thoroughly and engaged her in conversation to get a better sense of her.
When Draco became engaged in a side conversation with Severus, Hermione asked Astoria quietly, "Ginny has explained the situation? Your intent is serious?"
"Yes and yes," Astoria answered with a smile and a light blush as she looked in Draco's direction.
Hermione nodded and said quietly to Ginny, "Make sure Harry gives you the journal before you go back to Hogwarts tomorrow. Will you fetch someone who can take us home?"
"Already planned on it," Ginny answered.
By this time Draco and Severus had finished their conversation with some wizard Hermione didn't know and Draco was looking quizzically at the girls. Hermione made the quiet introduction, "Draco, if I may presume, meet your plus one for the wedding, Astoria Greengrass." When the pair had acknowledged each other, Hermione grabbed Draco's upper arm and leaned in to speak quietly to him. "I've got to get us out of here. I can't handle it anymore, and you and Sev aren't faring much better. Why don't you take Astoria and Luna somewhere to talk for a while? They said the of age students were allowed to come and go today by floo so long as they return by six. Just get them back here in an hour or so it should be fine.
"Are you sure?" Draco asked her.
"Yes, I'll get someone to help us home and alert your parents," Hermione answered. She turned to Luna and Astoria, "Promise me you'll get him out of here and keep him from getting waylaid by the crowd?"
The girls nodded. Draco looked exasperated at first and then thankful. He held his arm out to Astoria, said his goodbyes to Severus and Harry and then strode towards the exit with Astoria and Luna in tow.
Harry was in conversation with Molly who had returned with Ginny. Severus look of amusement at Hermione's antics was mitigated heavily by strain, especially when he noted the haunted look in her eyes. She was faring no better in the battle against memories than he was. He put his arms around her and she buried her head against his chest.
"Molly, would you please take us to the Burrow?" Severus asked softly.
Molly looked at them concerned, "Yes, of course. We'll have to leave the room for the apparition point. Off we go then."
Harry and Ginny called out that they would see them soon and received a nod from Severus. He turned Hermione so that she could walk beside him, but kept her tucked close as they followed after Molly. Harry and Ginny turned and begin making excuses for them and blocking those who tried to follow after.
Severus felt simultaneously as if his body was alert and strung taught but his mind was curiously absent. How else to explain it when you suddenly reach a destination without the memory of how you got there? Except that he felt ready to spring into action against the images that filled his mind. He briefly registered Molly transforming and enlarging the sofa beside the fire for them and urging them to rest. At some point he noted that Hermione was tense but checked out as well. It was the long absence, the sudden return, the pictures and everyone telling their stories that had done it.
This felt similar to innumerable trips returning to Hogwarts after audience with the Dark Lord, except that currently, without magic to aid his occlumency, he felt unable to sort through and organize his thoughts. This added to the sensation of feeling too out in the open was unexpectedly overwhelming. Severus wasn't sure when he'd last had a reaction this bad. He thought briefly as he lay down next to Hermione and covered them with a quilt (his frock coat and their outer robes were off, had he done that?), that it was a good thing his magic was bound, as he was so on edge that he could all too easily attack anything that startled him at the moment. The only thing that helped was having Hermione in his arms. He worried for an instant that he might harm her on accident in this state, but then realized that if anything, she was relaxing him, so he eased down beside her, holding her as she shuddered from time to time, and tried to banish the images from his mind.
