The sun was shining brightly through the stained-glass windows, colouring Ginny's face in red, blue and yellow. It was half nine and Hermione had done something she had never done before, she had owl-ed in sick even though there was nothing wrong with her.
Well…maybe not noting. After her phone call with Ginny, Hermione had been lying in bed, awake, for hours before she decided to shower and crawl up on the sofa with a good book. With a purring Crookshanks on her lap she hadn't fallen asleep until almost five in the morning.
Harry had taken Teddy to school that morning, wishing his wife good luck with Hermione and now that she could see the girl, Ginny was worried. Hermione looked awful. She was pale, with puffy eyes and red splotches on her cheeks. The bags under her eyes were deep purple and she kept yawning.
'Thanks for listening Gin', Hermione said, warming her hands on her mug of tea.
'No problem', Ginny said and she pushed a plate of chocolate chip cookies Hermione's way. 'Have some. You look dreadful'.
'I look dead', Hermione agreed and she took a cookie.
'Why is this bothering you so much Hermione?', Ginny asked, unable to keep the question to herself any longer. 'You hate Draco Malfoy'.
'I don't hate him', Hermione protested. 'I just…I wish that he had treated me with the same decency he did this fling. If he can take pretty Pureblood girls out on dates, why was getting me drunk good enough?'
'How do you know she was a Pureblood?'
Hermione waved her hand. 'Oh please! You can always tell'. She stuffed the cookie in her mouth and took a second one.
'Do you think he doesn't think mudbloods are worthy of dinner in a nice restaurant?'
Ginny smacked Hermione over the head.
'Ouch! Ginny!'
'Don't ever call yourself that'.
'It's what I am, is it not?'
'It doesn't define you', Ginny said, shaking her head. 'Are you mental? Most Purebloods can't do what you do. Be proud of yourself'.
'I am…usually', Hermione added. 'I don't know why I care so much what he thinks of me. It's just…I can't seem to control myself around him'.
'What do you mean?'
'Remember last time I was here? There was something you…found out, that I haven't told you the details of?'
Ginny nodded, grabbing a cookie before Hermione would finish off the plate.
'Well…Draco and I kissed'.
Ginny choked. She spluttered and coughed and spew some bits and crumbs over her counter. Gasping for breath she stared at Hermione. 'No…'.
Hermione shrugged with a shameful look on her face.
Ginny had calmed herself down to the point she was capable of breathing again. She took a large gulp of tea and stared at Hermione in disbelief. 'You…you're in a relationship Hermione. With the most decent guy I've ever met'.
'I know', Hermione groaned and she dropped her head on the counter. 'I'm the worst'.
Ginny rubbed circles over her best friends back when the bell clung. Looking up in wonder, Ginny got to her feet and waddled to the door. There was no denying it anymore, at almost thirty-four weeks pregnant, Ginny Potter waddled.
Hermione could hear her surprised voice drifting into the kitchen, the slamming of the front door and two sets of footsteps leading to the kitchen. Wondering who had come calling, Hermione took another cookie. Ginny's cookies were the best.
'Luna!', she yelled in amazement, giving de blond girl a big hug when she entered the kitchen.
'Hello Hermione', Luna said as she hugged back and then settled herself on the barstool next to Hermione.
Ginny entered the kitchen and made her way to the stove to put on the kettle again. 'Luna had sent me an owl, asking if she could come over', Ginny said. 'But I forgot. Sorry Hermione'.
'That's okay', Hermione said, smiling. 'I could use some distraction'.
Luna smiled serenely and took a cookie while Ginny poured hot water in a third mug and pushed the box of teabags Luna's way.
'So, what's new with you Luna?', Ginny asked.
'I just met the most amazing man ever', Luna sighed as she dunked a teabag into her mug.
'A new boyfriend?', Hermione asked, sipping her own tea amused. 'One to keep around for longer than a week?'
Luna had a new "boyfriend" almost every week. The dreamy girl had a way with men, even Nicolette couldn't match at times. Combined with the fact that Luna was just having fun and wasn't looking for a relationship, the number of guys she had been with was one Hermione didn't need to know.
'Maybe', Luna pondered. 'He really is a great guy. Who knows?'
Ginny and Hermione gasped. 'Tell us more!', Hermione shrieked.
'Who is this mystery guy?', Ginny asked. 'Where did you meet? What is he like? Do we know him?'
Luna sipped her tea and nibbled a cookie before she answered. 'He is wonderful. He's nice and strong and adventurous. He travels the world for his job and he knows his way around the bedroom too by the way', and she winked at Hermione.
'Where did you meet him?', Ginny asked again.
Luna smiled coyly. 'At your baby shower actually'.
'Ohh, is he a member of the auror squad?'
Luna shook her head.
'A member of the DMLE? There are some cute guys there'.
'No…he doesn't work for the ministry in that way', Luna smiled as she dipped her cookie in her tea, a habit Hermione hated.
'I don't understand', Ginny said, slowly. 'The only other men at my party were Draco Malfoy or my brothers. It's not Draco is it?'
Luna bit her lip and looked away. Crash, Hermione had dropped her mug.
"No…no…oh Merlin no…', she thought as she ducked to the ground and grabbed the broken pieces of her mug.
'Of course not', Luna said, giggling loudly. 'How can you say that Ginny?'
'But that leaves…'.
The silence was ear-splitting. 'No way', Ginny said with a grin. 'It's not…you didn't'.
Hermione came back to her feet and, pulling out her wand and repaired the mug with a firm tap. She stared from Luna to Ginny and back again. Comprehension dawning on her face.
'You slept with…'.
'Charlie', Luna said, her expression somewhere between a grin and a guilty confession.
Ginny grimaced. 'Really? My brother Charlie?'
Hermione walked over to the stove and got herself some more hot water to make tea. 'He is a handsome bloke', she commented as she settled herself between Luna and Ginny again.
'Will you two stop sleeping with my brothers!', Ginny shrieked, sounding both horrified and amused.
'Well…it's not our fault they're nice and handsome men', Luna commented before she gulped her tea.
'Luna…', Ginny groaned, 'they're my brothers'.
'How did it happen?', Hermione asked, ignoring Ginny's pained expression.
'Well after the baby shower we got to talking and found out we have a lot in common. Besides he was drunk and he said I looked fit. One thing led to another and before I knew it, he pulled me into his lap and we were kissing'.
'Did anyone see?', Ginny asked, her head in her hands by now, her voice sounding muffled.
'No', Luna assured her. 'We were the last in the room, the rest had gone up to bed'.
'Good', Ginny sighed.
'Though I think they suspected something when I was sitting at their breakfast table', Luna went on. 'Your mum has a nice dressing gown Ginny'.
Hermione was howling with laughter. So much so, she almost sent her mug flying again. Ginny looked at her friend in disbelief. 'You're joking?', was all she could stammer.
'And Mrs. Weasley said nothing?', Hermione asked, when she had calmed down a bit. 'He's almost ten years older than you Luna'.
'We're both of age', Luna said, undeterred as she drank some more tea.
'I can't believe my mother let that go', Ginny said, a smile across her face. 'Charlie has always gotten away with everything'.
'Well…we may have had to promise her we would go on a date', Luna admitted. 'You know…to see if there isn't something there'.
'Those are my mother's words', Ginny nodded.
'Well, no need for that though, right Luna?', Hermione said stifling a giggle. 'Either of you cancels and you can just let the whole thing pass, water under the bridge, no harm done'.
'We went on a date this weekend', Luna said. 'He took me out for dinner and a walk in the park. It was freezing but with all the Christmas lights, it was magical'.
'You're smitten!', Ginny shrieked.
Luna shrugged. 'Maybe a little bit. He's really nice Gin. And a really good…', she caught Ginny's murderous look, '…kisser', Luna finished quickly.
Ginny sighed. 'Well he is ten years older. Maybe a nice, steady guy is what you need Luna'.
'It would make your mother happy', Hermione point out. 'All her children married off before she died'.
The girls looked at each other and started laughing again. This time Ginny joined in.
Resolved by the kind words and patience of her best friend, Hermione walked into the ministry the next morning. Determined to ignore the awkward encounter she and Draco had had in the Golden Lotus restaurant. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of him knowing he got to her.
But her resolutions were for naught. Draco wasn't there. Not wanting to work on the potion books alone, Hermione grabbed some of her other stuff and moved to the office Emma, Meg and Charlie shared. It seemed it would become an enjoyable day.
It even became an enjoyable week, then two weeks as Draco continued to not show up for work. Via some other Unspeakables, Hermione learned that Draco was nowhere in the department.
When asked, even Harry had no idea where the man was.
Meanwhile the weather grew colder and greyer. The sun hardly popped out anymore and by five o'clock at night, it was pitch-black out. The shops on Diagon Alley had put up their Christmas decorations and while the wind was howling and pulled on winter coats and scarves, it felt like a magical time.
Laden with parcels for her Christmas shopping, Hermione stumbled out of Flourish and Blots, excited over the new copy of New Theory of Numerology, which would be an interesting read this season.
Not being able to properly see where she was going, she bumped into several people before hitting a person so hard, she fell backwards.
'Can't you see where…Granger?!'
Hermione brushed the hair from her eyes and looked up. Looming over her, wrapped in a warm cloak, was Draco Malfoy.
'Draco!', Hermione said in surprise as she grabbed the hand he extended to her. Draco pulled her up with ease and Hermione stumbled a bit before finding her balance.
'What are you doing here?'
Draco raised his eyebrows. 'Shopping for Christmas presents, same as you I suppose?'
Hermione smiled as she looked down on the disorganized mess of wrapping paper, bags and parcels that was at her feet. 'Just wanted to get a head start on my shopping', she explained. 'Last year is was so far behind, I had to get my dad socks'.
'What did you get him this year?', Draco asked as he bend over to help Hermione gather her stuff.
'Well…socks', Hermine sighed. 'He loved the ones I got him last year, so I got him some more. They're magical socks though. They sing when they're dirty'.
Draco started laughing. 'That's rich Granger'.
'Hermione', she corrected him sternly.
Draco raised his hands in an apologetic manner. 'My apologies', he said. 'But getting your dad socks…that's not much'.
'Well I also got him a new book and some sugar-free sweets from Honeydukes'.
'That's more like it', Draco said approvingly as he handed her some bags. 'What did you get me though?'
Hermione spluttered and turned a bit red. 'You?'
'Surely you get your co-workers something?'
'Well…I bake cookies for all of them', Hermione explained, hoisting some bags up her arm so she could actually see where she was going and started walking down the street. Draco followed her.
'Cookies huh?'
'Yes, I bake and decorate sugar-cookies', she said. 'And sometimes gingerbread too'.
'Sugar-cookies are my favourite', Draco grinned and for some reason Hermione felt herself grow warm when he said that. 'Can you manage all by yourself?'
Hermione smiled. 'I don't have that many co-workers. Emma, Meg and Charlie and I bake some for Mr. Cheswick, my boss'.
'And some for me', Draco said, almost begging. 'We're working together aren't we?'
'Are we?', Hermione asked him, bothered now. 'You haven't shown for two weeks. I was beginning to think you got bored with me'.
She blushed furiously as she said it, but it was the truth. Draco's cheeks turned slightly pink. He grabbed her arm and pulled her to from the street, into an alley, pressing her against the side of a shop.
His hands on either side of her head, his face so close she could feel his warm breath on her cheek. 'I'm never sick of you', he said, grunted almost. He came so close to her, it was torture. When he was this close, she could see all the little lines in his face, could count the lashes of his eyes.
She could see the smoulder in his eyes, felt a powerful need rise up in her body. With the utmost difficulty Draco restrained himself. He wiped a bit of dirt off her collar and stepped back.
Confused she looked up at him, not wanting him to leave her. Then she remembered Amelia and the burning sensation in her belly turned ice-cold.
'I…ehh', Draco began. 'I've been away'.
He grabbed a few of her parcels and carried them for her. Hermione had no choice but to walk besides him, listen to him explain.
'Where have you been?', she asked, almost irritated that he fell silent now they were walking again.
'Aboard', Draco said, rather vague.
'That doesn't help', Hermione snapped.
'I was in China', Draco smiled. 'I was looking for an expert in dead languages. You know…for our potion books'.
'I thought you wanted to investigate the ingredients and potions they've found?', Hermione asked, almost hurt he didn't seem to want to work with her anymore.
'We can do both', Draco said. 'But I was able to get an appointment with the people I wanted to see last week. I thought it would help us'.
'And?', Hermione asked. 'Did it?'
'No', Draco admitted and he dropped his head, defeated. 'They had no idea'.
Hermione patted his arm comforting. 'We'll get there Draco', she said smiling. 'You'll see. In the meantime, let's just get back to the potions'.
Draco looked at her and smiled a bit. 'Thank you', he said. 'I was afraid I had wasted my time, but you made me feel better about this'.
Hermione smiled back. 'Anytime, partner'.
'Of course, partner'.