Harry observed the easy calm of a well executed plan as the marquee was set up and decorated. It was no surprise that everything was going so well. Hermione's plans always worked. He grimaced and watched Ginny and Lavender from a safe distance. Being too close to them was detrimental to his ear drums.
If he tried, he could almost pretend that everything was right in his world. He hated that it had fallen to him to save Ron's hide. The damn fool deserved what he was getting. Marriage to Lavender would be hell. It was nothing less than Ron was owed. Still, it wasn't Ron that had been sent to convince Hermione to attend this farce.
Nope. The boy that lived more times than most had been the one to face the sad and angry eyes of his best friend. He'd sat there and pushed. He'd seen the pain and bewilderment in her gaze, but he'd clung to the mission and the justifications that had been fed to him.
It was easy to say the words, but he hadn't believed them. Hermione shouldn't have to attend this travesty. She'd been more than accommodating. She'd floated the story that she'd been planning the event for Ron and Lavender. No one really believed it, but it was a barely plausible story.
It should have been enough, but they were never done sacrificing. Ron's coach had been called in by management and questioned. They were worried about their Golden Trio goose laying a scandalous dud. There was talk of morality clauses and dismissals. Ron's coach had guaranteed the higher ups that there was no dissension between the three best friends, and, suddenly, Harry had been cornered by his wife and his mother in law. It had fallen to him to talk Hermione around.
The first real chance he'd ever had to stand by her, to defend her, and he'd frizzled like a spell from a broken wand.
"Everything is so sedate." Lavender planted a hand on one hip and rubbed her chin. "Shouldn't there be more sparkle?"
"There are flowers arriving later." Ginny patted the blonde's arm. "Everything will be perfect for the press tomorrow."
"I hope Hermione doesn't sob or break down." Lavender looked to the chairs surrounding her bonding circle. "She's going to be front and center in the crowd."
Harry moved away. It was time for a walk in the orchard. He didn't want to hear his wife's quiet assurances. Everyone was so careful of Lavender's emotions. It was sickening.
"How's Hermione?" George dropped down from his perch in the branches of an apple tree.
"She didn't hex me." Harry rubbed the back of his neck. "It was a close thing, but she resisted."
"You're a lucky sod." George clapped him on the back. "She has every right to her anger."
"I'm angry with Ron, but I hate myself." Harry kicked a stray rock. "I talked her into coming to this fiasco. I sat there and talked her round. I'm such an arse."
"It's not the first time." George shrugged.
"You didn't see her eyes. All those times she stood by me when no one else even tried. I should have said no. I should have beaten Ron about the head and cursed his bollocks." Harry looked toward the lake and sighed.
"I wouldn't worry too much about his bollocks. Lavender will keep those in a tight grasp." George chuckled. "You could go over to Longbottom House and tell our Hermione all of this."
"I should." Harry nodded and glanced back towards his wife.
"Go." George shooed him away with his fingers. "I'll cover for you."
Harry nodded and darted passed the edge of the wards. He glanced back to see George scrambling back up a tree and disapparated.
Theo knew better than to open his mouth. Draco passed by in that manic, infuriated way of his. The pacing had been going on for the last hour.
"Just cruciate the fool, and let's move on." Blaise huffed. "He was worried about you. That has to count for something."
"She's my wife." Draco slammed the flat of his hand against the table next to him.
"She's your wife, and you're the luckiest bastard in all the land." Theo grumbled. "It worried me. This whole thing happened so fast."
"It was as if I'd had a dose of liquid luck." Draco ran a hand through his hair and looked around his home. "I'm terrified of making a wrong step."
"She won't hold it against you if you do." Greg leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. "She has a temper, but she is just so nice. She helps me when we're at Hogwarts. She takes time to explain things. If she'd been in our house..."
"Pansy would have poisoned her the first week." Blaise chuckled. "Maybe the first night."
"I need to find out about muggle courtship practices. I'm fairly certain none of you would have a clue, so who do I ask?" Draco stared up at the two shields.
"Why can't you woo your wife as a wizard?" Blaise grimaced. "She's a witch. She's spent more of her life in our world than the other one. She might not know what's traditional for muggles."
"Have you lost your mind?" Theo raised a brow. "She may be both a Malfoy and a Longbottom, but she's still Granger."
"There are books." Greg whispered. "I went with her to a bookstore once to pick up books for the muggle studies class. They have books for everything."
"So, since we have our dress robes, should we venture out amongst the muggles in search of research material?" Theo stood and brushed his pants. "Why am I covered in orange hair?"
"That's the bacon stealing demon cat." Draco smiled. "It seems he grows on you. My wife assures me that I will learn to love the beast."
"She may need her head examined." Theo continued fussing with his pants.
"I'll have to stop off at my vault. Hermione should have something befitting her station to wear with her dress." Draco looked down at his muggle clothing and nodded. "I hope this is appropriate for shopping."
"You go gets the booksies." An elf in a bright yellow tunic popped in with a plain wooden box. "The Lady will wear the torc."
"May I see it?" Draco nodded toward the box.
"Posey will shows." The elf smiled broadly and flapped her ears before opening the box. The twisted mithril rested on a dark velvet and seemed to move. The two dragon heads blinked up at him and their bright sapphire eyes at him. "The Lady wears the blue gown."
"How can you be sure?" Draco smiled at the elf. "I should pick up something neutral as another option."
"The dragons they will match her dress. They knows what she needs." Posey closed the box. "No one will hurt the Lady when the dragons protect her."
"Elf made jewelry?" Theo shook his head. "How did you get that free from Narcissa?"
"This belongs only to our Lady." Posey patted the box. "No snake lady will wear this."
"If you say so." Draco nodded slowly. The elf patted the box and disappeared with a pop.
"Your elves are different." Greg looked puzzled.
"They say we are their humans." Draco shrugged. "Hermione seems to like it, so I'm not going to make a fuss."
"Are you afraid of your wife or the elves?" Blaise smiled and chuckled.
"Both." Theo, Greg, and Draco chorused.
Neville stared at Harry and considered leaving him beyond the wards. The bonds they shared had stretched very thin recently. The boy he had respected floundered as a man. Perhaps that was understandable, but hurting Hermione was not.
"Why are you here, Harry?" Neville stopped just short of the wards.
"I was hoping to talk with Hermione." Harry shifted his weight from one foot to the other.
"I've made a rather large mess of things."
"Just realizing that now, are you?" Neville opened the wards and allowed Harry in despite his misgivings. "She's not here."
"Where is she?" Harry examined the garden as they followed the path toward the house.
"She dragged us to lunch and then took off with her girl friends to shop." Neville smiled widely. "So, Susan is most likely kicking up a fit about trying all the clothing."
"Are you and Susan..." Harry waggled his brow.
"Hecate, No." Neville blinked rapidly before breaking into raucous laughter. "Susan needs a man she can boss around. I'd drive her mental. Well, more mental."
"So, Hermione?" Harry blushed slightly.
"No, Merlin, no." Neville laughed deep and long. This man that Hermione still called her best friend didn't know her at all. The laughter died as his anger grew.
"She's so difficult." Harry shook his head.
"No, she's not." Neville frowned and took a deep breath. "She spent most of our youth keeping your arse alive. When everyone else turned against you, she was there. When you needed help with school, she was there. Even petrified, she managed to provide you the answer. She chose you over her parents, over her own bloody safety. When she was tortured, she continued on with you. What does that say about her?"
"She's loyal." Harry answered easily.
"She's so much more than loyal." Neville shook his head. "You and Ron deserve each other. Insensitive. Imbecilic. Dunderheads."
"Don't waste your breath, Neville." Gran emerged from the house. "The boy never considered anything beyond his own survival. I doubt he has it in him to break free of the cage of self interest."
"She deserves better." Neville clenched his fists by his sides. "The risks she took..." He took a deep breath. "What she survived..."
"We all took those risks." Harry looked between them. "It was war."
"You, Harry Potter, they wanted dead." His grandmother took two steps closer to them. "Bellatrix Lestrange's attentions saved her from being passed around at a revel or raped by a pack of wolves. What tender mercies are those? Did you never think about the risks she was taking? Did it never occur to you how vulnerable she was?"
"You used to claim she was like a sister to you." Neville shook his head slowly. "Family is precious. You should know that. It should be knowledge buried deep in your bones. Your parents put themselves between you and death. Hermione put herself between you and death. How did you repay her?"
"We don't keep track of life debts between us." Harry shook his head.
"Your failure to account for them does not remove the weight." Neville put an arm around his Gran. "You weren't raised with our traditions, and I doubt you have bothered to learn much about them. You claimed to care for Hermione, but you support Ron."
"Ron is Ginny's brother. He could lose his job without Hermione's help. What was I supposed to do?" Harry tossed his hands in the air.
"Hermione is my only concern." Neville frowned down at Harry. "Ron made his choices. He's an oath breaker, the lowest of the low. Let his magic eat him for all I care. Any debts my house owed to you and yours are done. Do you agree?"
"Of course." Harry paused as a soft glow surrounded him. "What in blazes?"
"You acknowledged that there are no debts between us." Neville caught Harry's gaze and kept it. "Do we move on from here as friends and brothers in arms or meet anew as strangers?"
"We're friends." Harry felt a weight settle on him as a golden light surrounded him. "Why do I keep glowing?"
"These things happen." Neville shrugged.
"I'm sure Hermione could explain it if she was here."
"When will she be back?" Harry glanced toward the sprawling manor.
"I have no idea." Neville grinned. "She doesn't live here anymore, but I assume she will visit soon."
"She's got her own place?" Harry slumped. "When? Why didn't she tell me?"
"I think my sister will answer those questions when she's ready." Neville fought off the urge to bounce with glee. "I don't suppose you were informed that she has joined my family."
"How?" Harry looked between Neville and his Gran.
"Adoption is more complicated in the magical world, Mr. Potter, but it is possible." His grandmother smiled. "I must be off. The girls have summoned me to approve their robes. It's so nice of them to include an old witch in their fun."
Neville grinned as his Gran disapparated with a barely audible pop.
"I should go, too. I mean I came to see Hermione." Harry looked lost.
"Why don't you join me for a drink. It wouldn't do to send you off in want of my hospitality." Neville grinned. He'd freed Hermione of her debts to Harry and managed to retain the man as an ally. The least he could do was offer a whiskey.
