A/N: This should have been included as the last half of the previous chapter, but I wanted to get something out yesterday.

TW: Subtle References to Physical Abuse
TW: Referenced Biphobia
CW: Coarse Language

"It sounds like your mother offered wise counsel."

Draco nodded. He tugged at the end of his sleeve and sighed.

"Penelope, I need to speak with you about something a bit more complicated."

She laughed and replied, "There are very few simple days with you."

"I suppose that's true, but I realized something a couple months ago and have been too ashamed to bring it up. Now that I am looking forward to my life in the future, there is one thing I need to make peace with before making this commitment to Hermione."

Penelope grabbed her quill and nodded, but said nothing. Draco groaned.

"You're really going to make me say it out loud?"

"That is how this works."

"Then, I do not believe my bisexuality is exactly what I believed it to be."

"How do you mean?"

"I always believed it was gender-based. I liked Gabrielle as a woman, Blaise as a man, Astoria as a woman, I liked them as they were. You gave me that whole explanation about the basket and it made me reconsider how I thought of them. Nothing would have changed between myself and Gabrielle if she was a man. Nothing at all. Literally nothing, as we never had sex. My life would have been easier if Blaise was a woman, but I would not have cared any more or less. I had split myself into so many parts, I was using gender as an excuse for why those relationships ended up the way they did."

Penelope scribbled something on her parchment and muttered, "I see."

"It's not, though. The truth was that I loved Gabrielle. I still care for her deeply, in another way. We told each other that we will always keep the other in our hearts, but it is a deep friendship. She is as good as family, to me. And, as much as I believed I wasn't, I was in love with Blaise when we were together."

"Oh?" asked Penelope. "Why do you believe you were?"

"Because I kept pulling myself away from him, refusing to allow him to see what was wrong with me. The truth is that he touched me and I felt loved, and it scared me. I felt cared for and wanted. That was the thing with Blaise, why I loved him, because he wanted me in a way no one else ever had. He wanted Draco and nobody had ever seen value in me like that except Gabrielle, and we just ... weren't meant to be. I have been looking at myself wrong for as long as I can remember."

"Yes."

"Not only physically, but who I am and what I like." Draco huffed in frustration. "I don't know if I am explaining myself well enough."

"Perhaps try using different words."

"I don't want to be crass."

Penelope asked, "Do you believe I am so sensitive you need to curtail your language?"

"No, but it feels impolite."

"All things considered, a few months ago we had an extended discussion about your girlfriend stuffing her hand up your bum. Therapy is not meant to be polite conversation, Draco, it is meant to be honest discussion."

"The truth is that I would have fucked Blaise even if he didn't have a dick, and I would fuck Hermione even if she did. There. Those are the words. When you told me about the gift basket, and how gender is only a small part of a person, I began to realize that even though it goes inside the basket, it changes nothing about the basket itself. I never had the ability to see it like that before because, according to my parents and everyone else who ever tried to talk to me about being bisexual, there is supposed to be a difference. Because everyone else sees a difference, they have an or, you know? You can like men or you can like women. Nobody understands the and. Men and women have to be different to them, so they have to be different to me, too, right? At least, I thought so. Through all of this, I realized there is no difference for me."

"Good, then."

Draco frowned.

"I went through that whole thing and all you have to say is 'good, then?'"

Penelope smiled.

"Would you like a gold star for your efforts, Draco?" she teased.

"No, but—"

"I am so proud of you for recognizing that on your own terms. It takes a lot of introspection to get to where you are. Bisexuality has been the biggest part of your identity for so long, not because you wanted it to be, but because you were a novelty to the papers. When people see 'bisexual' what they read is 'indecisive,' 'whore,' or 'sex addict.' When people see 'bisexual' they use it to define you, and they have been doing it since before you even understood what it was. Until now, you have not understood it at all. This has been holding you back from everything else, because you weren't seeing yourself properly."

"Exactly."

"If I may be so bold as to say, you should take pride in this. Most people are more than content to hide in the proverbial closet because they can pass as one thing or another. You have never lied to anyone about who you are. It cost you dearly. It wasn't safe for you to be so open about who you are, but you did it anyway. The most evil wizard of the millennium tried to use your sexuality to make you feel like less than what you are and you never allowed him to. You stood there and took all that abuse, knowing you didn't have to. All that time you believed you hated yourself, Draco, it was just a reaction to how well you know who you are. Ten years of anorexia and you still built a strong family around you, you still found enough love within you to be a good friend and an even better godfather. When you look at yourself in the mirror, those are the things you should see."

He offered Penelope a watery smile.

"I've never been proud of it before."

"Don't take pride in it, take pride in yourself and your choices."

"Right." Draco nodded and wiped the tears from his eyes. "Of course, you're right."

"Do you still think about skipping meals?"

"I do. When Tracey and Theo told me about Scarlett, my first reaction was that I needed to leave. I wanted to go eat a meal then vomit it back up again. It hasn't gone away, Penelope, all of it is still inside of me. I work every day to overcome it, convince myself that one time leads to three leads to thirty and I am right back where I began."

"That is perfectly normal in your situation."

Draco asked, "Will it ever go away?"

"It is difficult to say. For some people it does and they recover completely. For others, the thoughts always linger. The voice in your head gets softer and softer until you forget about it for days or even weeks at a time. But, for some people, those thoughts return in moments of vulnerability."

"Okay." Draco nodded to himself and insisted, "I can handle that. I can handle myself, if ... If that is all I can hope for, I will survive. I will live with it."

"I know you will, if it comes to that. You are so strong, as long as you see yourself for the man you are then you will keep your head above water."

"Even if I can't, I have people who will hold me above water."

"That is true."

"Penelope?"

"Yes?"

"Do you know how good you are at this?"

She smiled softly and said, "As much as I am happy to see my clients through the recovery process, those that don't make it hurt me so much more. I have difficulty letting go of that responsibility. However, I am a professional and I enjoy helping people. My mum is Muggle-born, my father is a wizard, and this is how I am able to blend those worlds together. Both of them take pride in what I do as a profession, and I could hardly ask for more satisfaction than that."

"Hmm." Draco hummed, "Blending the worlds together."

"Sometimes when the world doesn't quite know what to do with you, you make your own career path. I looked at the world and decided to do what I want."

"Brilliant."

.oOo.

Hermione walked out of her therapy session on Friday with a massive grin on her face. She was happy. No, she was jubilant. When Draco stood up to meet her, he asked,

"What has you in such a delightful mood?"

"I can't tell you." She jumped up and Draco held her against his chest as she pressed a lingering kiss against his cheek. "But we need to have a family dinner tomorrow."

"You would tell me if it was bad news."

"Of course."

"You would tell me if I needed to know."

"Absolutely."

"Unlike you," Draco teased, "I quite enjoy surprises."

"Which is why you are going to find out my excellent news with everyone else."

"Alright." Draco placed her back on the ground. "Lunch?"

"Lunch."

.oOo.

Dinner parties happened at Blaise and Dean's house. They were the only ones with enough space outside the manor. And Draco was incredibly desperate to leave Malfoy Manor. No matter how much it felt like home, he wanted to show Hermione off to the world. He would be on her arm thinking, "This is my girlfriend. One day she will be my fiancee. Then she will be my wife, the mother of my child, and the best part of every single day." Draco rolled his eyes, acknowledging that he was, indeed, a romantic sap.

When Hermione said party, she meant a party. It was Draco's entire family, though Bastien attended without Padma. Even Pansy appeared, after nearly a yearlong absence. She had let her hair grow past her shoulders and even had a new girlfriend on her arm. She had certainly upgraded her look, and seemed happier.

"This is my girlfriend, Roman Quinn." Pansy was beaming with pride. "We've made our home in the Shadows, but I am so happy to see you again."

Quinn was a thin ginger woman, more than a head taller than Pansy. She had sharp cheekbones and, in heels, was not much shorter than Bastien. Draco pulled Pansy aside and asked,

"Is this going to last?"

"Yeah." Pansy giggled. "Yes, it is. Roman is amazing, Draco, exactly the sort of person I've always wanted to be with."

"Be sure to visit more often, alright? I miss you."

"I miss all of you. I will visit, I only needed time to get over Katie. I really liked her, but ..." Pansy shrugged. "Life in the Shadows isn't for everyone. With Roman, I don't have to choose because there is no separation between life inside and life outside."

"Good. Hermione and I are living together, by the way."

"Oh, I know. Bastien keeps me up."

"Is he still going to the Shadows?"

"Obviously not for the reasons he used to. Good God, have you seen him when he speaks about Padma? He has stars in his eyes. It's like the man married the sun."

Blaise had a dining room just large enough to accommodate everyone. Pansy and her girlfriend were with Theo and Tracey at the far end of the table. The Grangers sat across from Draco's parents. Then Gabriel across from Romilda, Harry Potter across from his wife, Dean across from Blaise, then Hermione at the head of the table with Draco to her left and Bastien on the right.

The meal was excellent. Blaise was always happy to show off his skills, and Draco didn't even think about the food. He ate while making conversation, as if it was second-nature. He was not concerned about anyone watching him eat. He didn't count the number of bites. Draco didn't even worry about how heavy the food might feel in his stomach. He just ... didn't notice.

The Grangers and Malfoys conversed happily between everyone else. Tracey and Roman Quinn were in deep conversation. Blaise, Bastien, and Hermione chatted away while Harry, Dean, and Mrs. Potter held their own conversation. Gabriel and Romilda were still in their newly wedded bliss. After everyone finished their meal, Hermione stood at the head of the table and held up her glass.

"If I may have your attention."

The most impressive thing about Hermione was how her power seemed to encapsulate the space around her. She had always been someone to make people take note of her presence, even as such a small person. She carried herself with authority, and over the past year or so had lost that part of herself. Right then, Draco saw what Hermione would look like on the other side of her recovery. It would be well worth the wait for her to get there. Everyone turned to face Hermione with rapt attention.

"First," Hermione placed her glass on the table, "many thanks to Blaise and Dean for putting this on with limited notice. I wish I could have waited, but I am so excited to share this news with all of you."

Mrs. Granger asked, "Are you pregnant?!"

Hermione frowned. Before she could answer, Narcissa insisted,

"No, Draco would have told me. You're not engaged, are you?"

There was a rousing chorus of "No," and, "Draco would have told us," followed by, "Hermione will be the last to know."

Over the commotion, Hermione said, "I have been seeing two therapists. One for the quite evident anger management and self-esteem issues. I began seeing the other after making the biggest mistake of my life." Hermione glanced quickly over to Draco before she continued. "I tend to hurt the people I love, and I had to take care of that problem before anything else. Ron didn't deserve what I did to him, and neither did Draco. Especially not him, because he is my future. This family is my life, and as of yesterday, I will only see one therapist. Parvati says we have completed that phase of my recovery, and I wanted to tell you all at the same time because it feels wonderful to know all this work has somehow helped me to move forward."

Draco stood up from his chair and pulled Hermione into a hug. He placed his hands on her shoulders and smiled, elated.

"I am so proud of you."

"Really?" she asked. "Because I ... I did it because you needed me to."

"Yes, because you are always going to be here for me the same way I am here for you."

"Shove off, Malfoy!" Ginevra elbowed her way between Draco and Hermione. "I have to hug my friend! This is fantastic news! I told you that you can do anything!"

Romilda joined in the group hug, then the train of hugs began. It warmed Draco's heart to know his family cared for Hermione like that. Hermione was so proud, Draco could see it in her smile. She began to realize she could do anything. The challenge, then, was figuring out what it needed to be.

Dean sidled over to Draco and leaned down to say, "I told you."

"Told me what?"

"You and Hermione bring out the deepest parts of each other. It began with the pain, and now you're bringing up the best. It is the same thing Blaise and I do for each other. I don't have to work to love him, and he does not have to work to love me. I lean on him and he leans on me—"

"Then you shag on the sofa."

Dean laughed and agreed, "Yes. After all that we have sex on the sofa. Also the dining table, but I figured you wouldn't want to know that detail."

Draco groaned.

"I am grateful you at least waited to tell me until after dinner."

"Hermione never would have thought to do this for Ron, by the way. That is how much she cares for you. She didn't even invite Ron to this."

Draco hadn't considered that. He wondered,

"Am I pulling her away from him?"

"No." Dean insisted, "Alicia is pulling Ron away from Hermione. Don't worry, though, he's going to reach a breaking point soon."

"Will it have a negative impact on Hermione?"

"No. It might put a strain on his marriage for a bit, but Alicia will get over it. She's married to the man, I think she's tortured Hermione enough."

"You're right, and there is a reason Weasley is not here. You and Potter need to let him know this shit will keep happening until Alicia stops mucking things up. Hermione and I are together and we are working so hard to be happy. I don't want Hermione worried about keeping him happy, as well. He continues to make this her problem, and it's not right."

"I know."

"Hermione and I have committed to getting married. I haven't asked her yet, but she told me she will say yes when I do."

"Oh?!" Dean's eyes lit up. "Are you planning something elaborate?"

Draco teased, "You know subtlety is not my style."

"Of course."

"Though, I could use your help."

"When and where?"

.oOo.

Just before they fell asleep that night, Draco pulled Hermione close and bent to kiss her shoulder.

"Thank you for what you said tonight."

Hermione placed her hand on top of Draco's and said, "I meant it. The only reason I knew I could get through this was because of what you said to me right before you left. You said, 'How can I respect my body if you don't?' I realized if I was going to be worthy of a second chance, I had to be as strong as you were in that moment. How could you trust me to be your partner if I couldn't trust myself?"

"I love hearing you say that, my phenomenal—"

Hermione yawned.

"—exhausted girlfriend. But I was actually speaking about how you said I did not deserve what you did to me because I am your future. Knowing that you look at your future and see me is a privilege. Now they can see you have atoned for your mistake when they did not quite see it before. There were always questions like, 'How do you know Hermione won't hit you again?' I knew because I know your heart and could see how much you worked. They couldn't see it until tonight, and all of them are finally just as proud of you as I am."

"I feel worthy of it now." Hermione admitted, "With Ronald, my life was always a fight. I wanted it to work so I forced that relationship forward. It is the opposite with you. You hold my hand as we go forward together. You have been gentle even when I was violent. You focused on my heart while everyone else saw little more than my mind. You see me, and I want you to love what you find."

"I do, so much. Though, how did you know where to look for those ballet studios?"

"Dean hates the ballet. Especially as a Muggle-born, Dean doesn't know many people who can navigate both the Wizarding and Muggle worlds. His Muggle friends are footballers, so he asked me for help not long before I began seeing Padma. Most of his sisters did academics or football. Zara, his youngest sister, wanted to do ballet and he had no idea where to go. When someone needs an answer to a problem, they come to me. By the time Theo and Tracey visited, I'd long since solved their problem."

Draco laughed.

"You are incredible."

"And tired." Hermione yawned again. "Very tired."

"Good night, Hermione."

"Good night, Draco. I can't wait to wake up to your rancid morning kisses."

"And I can't wait to wake up with your hair in my face."

Hermione giggled.

"We are ridiculous."

"But never boring."

"Never."