AN: Hello all, I know its been forever since I last posted anything, but here is something I've had sitting around for way too long. I hope you all like it.
Special Thanks: To my beta TabiPrewett, you have done an amazing job and I very much appreciate your hard work and dedication. Even with all the drama, yours and mine. =)
Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to the Harry Potter universe, nor do I make any money from this. I simply like to play with the characters for my own amusement and hopefully for other people's entertainment as well.
Chapter 1
"Oh Ron." Hermione sighed for at least the tenth time that night. She had been trying to get him to understand that they couldn't do it again. They couldn't bail on another party thrown by the Minister of Magic. The Minister was one of their friends.
"Don't, 'oh Ron,' me. I don't want to go, Mione. I'm a hero. I'm a hero that saved the wizarding world. Kings won't mind if we miss one party." Ron said while stretched out on their bed.
It wasn't just one party, it was several. Kingsley wouldn't understand another party missed without a good reason, mainly, because they hadn't been to a single party in years. The last party they had attended was shortly after the rebuilding of everything. Kingsley had thrown a huge gala for everyone in the wizarding world that had lasted for three days and nights.
There had been dancing, speeches, and more fun than many of the wizarding world had seen in years. It had been wonderful. Just what everyone needed to move on from all the horrors of the war. It had taken over two years to rebuild everything, even with magic involved. Not only had Hogwarts needed repairs, but Hogsmeade had been mostly destroyed before the final battle on the school grounds commenced.
Several buildings in Diagon Alley had not only burned due to raids that happened throughout the year leading up to the last battle, some even had parts of their structures demolished as well. Many buildings hadn't even had a chance to be repaired from the blast damage that came from spells thrown about from both sides of the war, before the next wave of magic hit them due to a new battle. Several were almost completely knocked down from the spells and hexes that were cast. The final round up of Death Eaters had done so much damage, more than anyone could have anticipated.
Homes had to be repaired or rebuilt, people that had been lost or in hiding were brought home to their families. Though many that had disappeared before the final battle never made it home, they instead were now part of the mass memorial for those whose bodies were never found.
It had taken so much time, effort, and money to fix everything. The Ministry had helped to cover the cost of what it could for those that needed it. Large donations had been made to help the repairs too.
Money had been also spent to help the families that lost their only source of income with the death tolls being so high. The survivors of the family taken care of so they wouldn't lose any more in the horrible war. Help in the forms of repairs of their homes, new clothes, jobs, or food had been given to those that were in dire need.
The huge ball to celebrate the return of normalcy had been the very last thing she and Ron both had attended together. Oh, she had gone on her own a few times, but still she hadn't made a real effort to go to most of them either. She'd hated having to explain each time why Ron wasn't with her.
"Ron, you and I both know it's not just one party. It's been several years of parties. Please. I can't go on my own again and I can't miss another one. Kingsley would never forgive me if I did." She pleaded with him.
Ron rolled his eyes. "Mione, I already said I don't want to go and that's final. I'm telling you, Kings won't mind. Being a hero like me has certain perks. One is being able to not attend a party if I don't want to. Kings will understand if you and your hero want to spend some quiet time at home."
Hermione frowned at him. Does he even realize that the longer he talks about how much of a hero he is, the more it sounds like he is the sole hero in the war we all fought? Either way she didn't care. She was getting tired of his attitude about it. Fiancé or not, she wouldn't stand there and let him keep going on like he won the war single-handedly.
"You're a hero? So, I take it you defeated Voldemort all by yourself, then?" She asked, crossing her arms.
Ron sighed and rolled his eyes again. Hermione wasn't going to just let him be, so it was time to placate her so she would just drop this whole silly thing. "Mione, you know you and Harry helped too."
Harry and I helped him? Hermione remembered she and Harry saved him on several occasions. Did he really see it that we just helped him be a hero? More like Hermione helped Harry become a hero, and Ron just tagged along for the ride for the most part. Oh, he helped too, but he also bailed on them as well.
Hermione sighed again. What good would it do me to correct him? He would always see it the way he does no matter what anyone says to him. Personally, she always thought Ron was jealous of Harry and his fame.
Sure, Ron was famous too, as was Hermione, but not like Harry. Hermione didn't care for fame and fortune like so many people did. She was happy with her job that was probably underpaid. Probably? She thought fighting back a snort.
It wasn't like she needed the money anyway. She didn't pay rent, so all her money, minus what little bit she spent here and there, went into her Gringotts' account. She didn't have enough in her savings to need for a whole vault, like Harry, and she was fine with that.
She was happy living in her room that she shared with Ron in Grimmauld Place. Ron talked now and then about getting a place of their own, but he also liked that they didn't have to pay rent. That gave him more money to go play with. Ron played and Hermione saved, not much surprise there.
Harry didn't need money, his house was paid for, he only wanted his friends to be happy with him and live close by, so they could be together just like they had been at school. This, so far, had worked out for everyone.
Sure, at times Hermione would have loved some privacy now and then. Would have loved to not have to worry about what she was wearing before leaving her room. Would have loved to just have some peace and quiet at times, but Ron was happy, and she loved her friends.
She focused again on her fiancé. The man she loved. She loved him. She had to love him. She had been with him for so many years. He was her Ron. She was his Hermione. They would get married one day like everyone expected them to and have kids.
Hermione refused to have any kids before she got married. She had been raised to believe that you married first, and then had children. It was what her own parents expected of her, or would have expected, had they still been alive, if they hadn't died in the car accident so many years ago
She wouldn't consider having children without marriage, but she couldn't get Ron to set a date for their wedding. He always had a reason each time she brought it up. Those reasons always seemed like good ones while they talked about it, but afterward, she wondered if they were really good reasons after all.
When they went to the Burrow, Molly always asked when they were going to finally tie the knot and Ron always pawned it off on Hermione. It was Hermione that was making them wait.
Hermione would get angry later at home again. Ron would apologize profusely and explain that he couldn't tell his mum that he just wanted to wait until it seemed right.
He had begged Hermione to please not rat him out to his mum. Hermione had of course rolled her eyes and said she wouldn't say anything. Relationships are about compromise, right?
Now, Ron wouldn't even compromise with her on something simple. He had dress robes, and he had the night free. What is the big deal? Why can't he just help me out on this? She didn't want to go alone. She didn't want to have to ditch the party for another year in a row.
Feeling at the end of her rope, she glared at Ron. "Ronald, this is the annual Christmas Ball that Kingsley throws every year. We haven't gone together in all the years I have worked for him. That's been six years. I've either gone by myself or not at all. Please Ron. Please, go with me."
Ron turned on the whining voice. He knew it would get her to stop. She hated to listen to him whine. "Hermione, I just don't want to. They're always so boring. Always full of stuffy people that talk about dumb stuff I have no interest in. I'd rather go back to school and deal with Snape again, than suffer through one of those daft parties."
Hermione narrowed her eyes. She was tired of fighting with him. This wasn't the worst thing that Ron had done, it was just the straw that broke the camel's back. She flung up her hands and stormed out, muttering about him being a prat on her way out.
She stormed down to the kitchen. Inside the cozy room, she pulled out a mug, filled it with water and feeling lazy, flicked her wand and made it hot. Slipping in the tea bag, she stood at the counter as it steeped, and she seethed.
That was when Ginny came in. The redhead saw Hermione, quickly took note that her friend was upset, and she wondered what had happened. Though, Ginny suspected her idiot brother was to blame, he usually was these days. "Hey, Mione."
Hermione glanced her way with a scowl. "Hi, Gin." She said, before she went back to glaring at her teacup.
Ginny waited, but Hermione didn't say anything more. "Are you okay?"
Hermione glanced back at her friend. "Yes, I'm fine. I'm simply mad at Ron. Again."
Ginny nodded, not the least bit surprised. "What happened now?"
Ginny knew that her dear friend and her brother were not the best of couples. Ron was a bit selfish, and nowhere near able to keep up with Hermione's intelligence. Hermione tried to be patient with him, but Ron didn't even attempt to keep up with current events so he could follow along when Hermione spoke about something going on in the wizarding world. The only thing he read anymore were Quidditch magazines.
Ginny wasn't sure why they were dating since they didn't seem to have anything in common, but she loved them both. She wanted them both happy, so if that was with each other, though Lord knew how that was possible, she tried to be supportive. Harry too, though he didn't see as much of their fighting as Ginny did, what with him working as much as he did. Being an Auror definitely took a lot of hours away from one's personal life, though Ginny didn't mind. She knew Harry loved his work.
Hermione sighed. "Ron doesn't want to go to Kingsley's party this weekend. I tried to get him to see that we needed to go this time, but he just won't see reason. I don't want to go alone again."
Ginny moved closer and patted her friend's shoulder sympathetically. "I'm sorry, Mione. You could always join Harry and me. You wouldn't be alone then."
Hermione shook her head, though she covered Ginny's hand on her shoulder. Appreciative of the gesture of friendship and support, especially when it was her friend's brother being the prat. "No, I don't want to be a third wheel. You two go ahead and if I go, I'll see you there."
Ginny frowned. She loved her brother, but he was an idiot sometimes. She knew they were engaged and also knew why they weren't married yet. Ron tried to play it off as Hermione who wouldn't set a date. However, it was hard to keep secrets when you lived with someone. She had heard many times where Hermione tried to get Ron to set a date and he just gave one excuse after another why they should wait. Her mother might believe that it was Hermione dragging her feet, but Ginny knew better.
Part of Ginny wished the two would just see that they didn't make a good couple and end this horrible relationship. She just wanted them to go back to being just friends, instead of constantly fighting.
Ginny sadly knew way more about their relationship than she ever wanted to know. She knew Ron always gave Hermione grief for reading thick books in bed while he tried to sleep, especially on subjects Ron considered boring or useless. She knew that Hermione tried her best to listen to Ron when he spoke of his favorite sports team, The Chudley Cannons, but her eyes would glaze over halfway through it and Ron never noticed. She knew that Ron rarely compromised on anything in their relationship, and he refused to try anything new in any aspect of the relationship. Lastly, she also knew that Ron wasn't satisfying in bed either, or least Ginny suspected he wasn't. This last one, she wished she didn't know.
It wasn't that Hermione ever said anything to Ginny about their sex life, but she again heard things, things she wished she didn't. The couple sometimes forgot to use silencing charms. She would hear Ron calling out his release and Hermione staying silent. Sometimes she would hear Ron apologize afterward too. Saying Hermione just got him too excited.
Maybe it wasn't as bad as Ginny thought it was. She was sure Hermione had to finish sometimes before Ron. There was no way her friend would deal with Ron leaving her hanging for too long. Maybe it was just that during the times they forgot to use the silencing spells that Ron did get too excited. Maybe other times it was different and better.
Shaking herself from her thoughts, which she really didn't want to be thinking about anyway, Ginny looked at Hermione. "Well, honey, if you change your mind, we'd love for you to join us. You know that you're always welcome."
Hermione nodded and went back to her tea. Ginny took her snack she'd originally come in for, and left Hermione alone. The brunette didn't seem to notice her friend leave, as she let her thoughts drift while her tea cooled in her cup. Her mind wandered to questions about whether this is what her life would be like if she stayed with Ron.
Hermione loved Ron. They had been together for years now. Since she kissed him in the Basilisk chamber during the war, they had been a couple. They had their ups and downs, just like every couple did. He had been the only man she had been with.
He took her virginity shortly after the war. It hadn't been great. Nothing earth shattering like she always heard about from other girls, but who said they even knew what they were talking about or even telling the truth. It wasn't unheard of for the girls in the dorm to stretch the truth when they whispered about all the things they'd done with their boyfriends.
She had never discussed it with Ginny, mostly because she doubted Ginny wanted any details about her brother's sex life. Plus, Hermione never did girl talk like that. She couldn't talk about sex as easily like other girls did. She never understood the other girls need to share details that Hermione thought should be private. Or their need to ask for details that were, frankly, none of their damn business.
Hermione knew she loved Ron. She had to love Ron with everything they'd been through together. Sure, there were days, like today, that she wondered why she loved him, but that was normal. Right? Everyone had days like that. Didn't they?
Ron did things that annoyed her greatly. What man didn't annoy the woman they were with sometimes? He talked about Quidditch more than she cared to hear about it. Hermione would sometimes start to talk about other things with him, and he tried to listen sometimes, but he would start to glance at something else after a while. It wouldn't take long for her to realize he wasn't listening anymore, to see that he'd phased her out completely as she'd jabbered on about whatever topic she was speaking about.
Hermione would try to coax him into going with her to museums or art galleries, but they bored him. He would go to the bookstore with her, but only if she left him to wander in the sports section and left after he was done. Which meant, she normally only had about twenty minutes to find something for herself, before he was ready to go.
Which granted, in the grand scheme of things, Ron wanting to read sports magazines, or Ron not having interest in current events in their world were not big issues. They didn't have big issues, just a handful of small issues that annoyed her. She knew she was annoying at times too, and Ron put up with her annoying traits that she knew had to drive him crazy. That was what a couple did. They put up with each other.
No, wait that can't be right. She thought to herself. We do more than just put up with each other. We love each other…don't we? She shook her head at the question. Of course, they loved each other. They'd been through hell and back, they obviously loved each other. Deeply.
As much as any couple who is getting married should, she decided with a firm nod. Then, she paused, before she corrected herself. Well, as much as any couple that will one day get married should. They would too. Get married. One day. If Ron ever picks a date, she thought sourly.
Frowning at where her thoughts were headed, she picked up her cooling cup and dumped it in the sink. Getting herself a fresh cup of tea, she let her thoughts wander again. She knew they didn't have much in common, but they had been through so much together. Everyone expected them to get together after the war and they did. Everyone expected them to get engaged, so they did that too. Now everyone expected them to get married, only...they hadn't.
There were days, like today, that she just wanted to throw in the towel, so to speak. Only, how could she walk away, simply because of a few little things? Well, if she was being honest, there were a lot of little things that made her mad about him, but still they were only little things. He would grow up eventually, granted they were both twenty-six now, but it could happen. He just needed a bit more time and then…then he'd be on track. They'd be on track.
She sighed as she drank her new cup of tea. These thoughts were not productive. They weren't getting her anywhere. She knew she couldn't leave Ron. She loved him. Don't I? There was a small amount of doubt, but she brushed it away. Of course, she loved Ron.
Over the next few days, she tried several times to talk Ron into going with her to the annual Christmas party that Kingsley threw every year. Every time she tried, Ron shot her down, saying he didn't want to go and that was final. If she wanted to go so bad, she should just go and leave him in peace.
The day of the party, Harry had been called away on urgent Auror business and wouldn't be there for the party that evening. Realizing that both of them would be going stag, Ginny had grinned and pulled Hermione into the kitchen after everyone else had left.
"Mione, I think you should be my date for this party tonight." Ginny stated matter-of-factly.
Hermione had frowned in confusion. "What?"
Ginny grinned again. "I said you should be my date. You want to go, I want to go, and neither of us have a date. So, we should just go together."
Hermione chuckled at her friend who was more like a sister anyway. "Gin, don't you think it would be a bit weird if you and I go as dates to this thing? I mean, everyone knows you're with Harry. You two are married. What would that look like?"
Ginny shrugged. "I don't care. Besides, it would look like two friends who didn't have a date and wanted to go out and have fun."
Hermione smirked. "Do you even know what Rita Skeeter would do to us? She hates us and would love a chance to get back at us for forcing her to write the truth years ago about Harry. There would be a story the next morning about how we are suddenly lesbians and that we're both cheating with each other."
Ginny wiggled her eyebrow. "So, does that mean I get to dance with you, and grope you inappropriately at this thing? Maybe we could pose for a picture just for Rita, you know, give her a shot of us snogging or something."
Ginny was laughing at this point while Hermione was rolling her eyes. Hermione knew Ginny was kidding. Neither woman was into the other, however, Rita would take any chance to smear their name if she could get one.
Hermione smirked. "I refuse to snog you, joke or not. Rita and her nasty quill aside, Harry would get ideas that I don't even want to contemplate. Besides, I don't kiss on the first date." Hermione could help but add with a small laugh of her own.
Ginny was openly giggling now. "You're right. Harry would never let me live it down. Plus, I don't even want to think about what my mum would do if she saw a picture of us doing it. She would skin me alive. She'd kill you too. Even if we told her it was a joke."
Hermione shook her head. She loved Molly, but she at times, was too much to take. Ginny sobered and looked at her friend. "Come on, Mione. Let's just go together and have some fun. No snogging, I promise. When was the last time you had any fun?"
Hermione shrugged. "I don't know, Gin. I wasn't joking. Rita would have a field day with this if we went together."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "To hell with Rita. Anyone who actually matters, knows she makes up half of her stories anyways. Besides, just because we show up together doesn't mean we are doing anything else. We're just two friends, two sisters whose spouses or whatever couldn't make it."
Hermione sighed. "I don't know...besides, I haven't even really had time to shop for the gala." She'd been swamped at work. Hermione thought about what all was in her closet. "I guess I could just wear something I've worn before."
Ginny shook her head. "No way. I bet I have something you could wear. It'll be fun...come on." She tried for a coaxing tone, not sure if she'd quite managed it.
When Ginny saw Hermione was wavering, she didn't give her a chance to say no, and grabbed her hand. "Let's go see what I have that you could wear. I already have my dress for this thing tonight picked out."
She dragged Hermione up the stairs and into her room that she shared with Harry. It wasn't the master bedroom, that had been Sirius' chamber, and Harry didn't want to live in it, but the room they did sleep in had a huge walk-in closet. Something Ginny loved since she did her best to fill it with all kinds of clothes.
Ginny started looking through all of her evening gowns. This event was formal, so Hermione needed a killer dress. With Hermione's dark brown curls, and eyes that went back and forth between a golden honey color and a shade of brown that looked like a fine aged whiskey, she needed something with color. Something bright that really caught the eye would be perfect.
Dismissing one dress after another, she finally found a sapphire blue dress with halter styled straps and a deep scoop, that would show plenty of cleavage. Turing the dress around to inspect, Ginny remembered that the dip in the back would almost show off the wearer's bum too. Almost being the key word, no use in looking like a total slag, after all. Ginny always believed that when showing off more than one should with your choice of clothing, if it was done elegantly, then it was sexy, and not tartish at all.
With that in mind, and with Hermione's lovely figure, which included much fuller breasts than Ginny had, much to the redhead's envy, it would look stunning on her friend. It also had a slit that ran up the side of one thigh and would show a good amount of leg. It was perfect. With a small smirk, Ginny remembered that it had certainly held Harry's attention all night when she'd had worn it, so maybe it would be the thing to get Ron to get off his arse and take notice of his very sexy girlfriend. Hopefully, he'd stop being a prat and actually offer to escort Hermione in the end.
She pulled Hermione into the bedroom and pushed her to sit at Ginny's vanity. The redhead quickly used her wand to pull Hermione's thick curly hair away from her face. Holding it back with a glittering clip that with the help of some magic wouldn't let it fall. The rest of her hair would hang down her back.
Ginny was glad Hermione's bushy hair had finally settled a little into more manageable soft curls and ringlets as she got older, though it was still heavy. It now was just full, glossy, and downright sexy if fixed properly. If she did it just right, it had a slightly tussled look that was simply provocative and alluring. Like she just got out of bed from being shagged rotten. Something that Ginny still suspected hadn't happened in quite some time, assuming Hermione had ever truly been shagged rotten in her life.
Grabbing her wand, Ginny did a few makeup charms that went perfectly with the dress. It accented her honey colored eyes, and full lips that were now a beautiful glossy red. The charm wouldn't let the lip color wear off or transfer to any cups or anything. Plus, it would stay looking shiny, like she had just licked her lips.
With a nod, she let Hermione see her reflection. Hermione gasped at what she saw. She didn't think she had ever looked more beautiful. She had never been good at makeup charms, so she didn't bother with them that often. She tended to go a more conservative look and use soft colors if she did wear any makeup.
Ginny flicked her wand and the lingerie she wanted Hermione to wear with the dress appeared. With a sigh, Hermione pulled it on. Ginny had given these to Hermione years ago as a birthday present, but she had never had the guts to wear them.
She couldn't wear a bra with the dress, so she put on the black lace garter-belt, and panties that matched the bra instead, along with real silk thigh-high stockings. It must have cost a fortune, but Ginny hadn't cared. Hermione had been informed that the silk stockings were charmed to never run and to always stay in place.
Standing in the delicate, but racy underwear, Hermione was embarrassed. Not embarrassed that Ginny was seeing her in them. They had dressed and undressed enough together over the years that this wasn't the problem. She just didn't wear things like this, and she was shy about so much skin hanging out uncovered.
Ginny sat down and with a few well-practiced twist and flicks of her wand her own hair and makeup were done in mere minutes. Ginny shoved the dress at Hermione to put on as Ginny slithered into her own dark green dress. Ginny didn't care about house colors anymore, she only cared about which colors went well with her flaming red hair.
Ginny's dark dress showed off her own bosom, it may have been smaller than Hermione's, but it wasn't nonexistent. It had magical charms to keep her goods well hidden—at least the parts that were meant to stay hidden, as well as pushed her breast together to give them a fuller look. The spaghetti strap dress had a shimmer to the material that caught the light and glittered even more. Even the straps glittered while resting against her bare shoulders.
Hermione slipped on the dress, felt the magic swirl around her as it automatically sized to her perfectly before glancing in the full-length mirror. She gasped at her reflection. She never wore anything this revealing.
The dress hugged her curves in all the right places and showed off a hint of cleavage. The slit allowed her to walk around even with the straight skirt that hugged her legs. Turning slightly, she glanced at her bare back that showed the dimples at the base of her spine. She couldn't show up wearing this, she would never hear the end of it.
"Ginny, I have to change my dress. I don't want to wear this one. It shows too much. I'll just pick out another dress and change really quick." Hermione said, as she looked in the mirror again. She thought she looked good; it was just too revealing for her taste.
Ginny tossed her a dress cloak in rich black and said they were ready to go as they were. Not about to let her friend change clothes. Looking at the clock, she saw the party had already started. Leaning out her door, Ginny shouted to Ron that they were ready to go and for him to come have a look before they left.
Ron yelled back that he was busy, but for them to have fun. He had heard enough about the party to know that the women wouldn't be back before the wee hours of the morning anyway. He had zero interest in any part of the party too. Hermione would wear what she always did, something long and boring, and Ginny would be wearing something Ron definitely didn't want to see his little sister in, so why bother getting up?
Hermione had her doubts, but when she heard Ron shout back for them to have fun, she was angry. Not that she hadn't been before, Hermione was still upset that he wouldn't go, but was more upset now that he didn't even seem to care that he didn't give her a kiss goodbye or even bother trying to see her before she left. Like he didn't care about her at all.
She knew he was probably looking at an old quidditch magazine. Rereading up on the last match that his team won, not that he hadn't probably read it a half dozen times already, and the dolt didn't want to pull himself away from it long enough to even see her in her dress. Stupid prat, she mentally growled.
Huffing in her fury at her thoughtless boyfriend, she pulled on the rich black formal cloak. Forgetting momentarily that she had wanted to change her dress, Hermione took Ginny's hand and apparated to the Minister's home where he was hosting the party.
A/N: More coming soon. Hope you all liked how this has started. I'll post again in a few days.
Take care everyone and please leave me your thoughts.
