July 3rd 1997

July 3rd dawned bright and sunny – not that the weather mattered a great deal.

Jen and Remus would be getting married in the ballroom at Ravenscroft Manor and then staying there for a week or so in lieu of a honeymoon, while Addie and Sirius returned to Potter Manor with the students to start training.

"How do I look?" Jen asked, fussing with her hair.

Addie rolled her eyes. "Jen, for the thousandth time, you look beautiful. Now would you relax and stop doing that?" She pulled Jen's hands away from her hair and carefully pinned the wayward strand back into place.

Jen had chosen to wear her hair down, but scooped back away from her face. It trailed in curls over her shoulders, which had been left bare by her dress robes, styled to look like a Muggle wedding dress.

In contrast, Addie had twisted her hair up into an elaborate topknot and she had chosen a purely Muggle dress in blue satin.

There was a soft tap on the door, and Hermione's voice floated through the wood. "It's us, the boys are downstairs."

Addie opened the door for them and Hermione and Ginny entered, stopping short almost immediately.

"Wow," Ginny whispered. "Jen, you look stunning."

Jen smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. Reading her expression, as she had so many times at Hogwarts, Addie reached out and took her hand. "What is it?"

"Lily should be here," Jen whispered, conjuring a tissue and dabbing her eyes. "It's her wedding day all over again. I wasn't supposed to be her maid-of-honour, you were. Like I'm not supposed to be Harry's godmother, you are."

"And I'm not supposed to be your maid-of-hour, she is," Addie finished. "But here we are." There were tears appearing in her eyes now as well. "I know it's hard Jen, but …"

"Oh, for heaven's sake!" Lily's voice said. "We had enough of this on my wedding day!"

Both women turned to see that Hermione's eyes were now emerald green.

"Jen?" Addie asked.

Jen gave a watery smile. "It's Lily. She can't do it often or for long, but Hermione can let her in like this from time to time. She did it last Christmas."

'Lily' was smiling at them. "You look lovely, Selena."

Addie cleared her throat loudly.

'Lily' rolled her eyes in a painfully familiar fashion. "And so do you, Shadow. You are not doing this today, ladies. I am not dead, I'm just not here. And yes, that's horrible, but we'll get there. Now go and knock them both dead." She blew them a kiss, a shiver passed through Hermione's body, and her eyes faded back to brown.

Jen swept her into a hug. "Thank you, Hermione."

"No need to thank me," Hermione told her, sniffling slightly herself. "If you really want to thank me, talk to Ginny about telling her parents about Gringotts; she's giving me a headache."

Jen chuckled, turning to the younger girl. "Nervous?"

Ginny fiddled with the skirt of her dress. "Mum's going to kill me."

"She can't kill you for something you have no control over," Addie said fairly.

"You don't know my mother," Ginny said.

Jen patted her on the shoulder. "The longer you put it off, the harder it will get Ginny, trust me. Just do it quickly and get it over with – just like ripping off a plaster."

"Easy for you to say," Ginny muttered under her breath.

Addie chuckled and turned her attention to Hermione, who was standing in front of the mirror, twisting her hair on top of her head experimentally, then giving up.

"Having trouble?"

Hermione met her eyes in the mirror. "I don't have fifty gallons of Sleakeezy to spare."

Addie chuckled. "Maybe you should have checked Potter Manor. Harry's great-grandfather invented the stuff."

"Did he really?" Hermione asked. "It makes sense, I suppose. Potter Hair is ridiculous."

"It is," Addie agreed, carefully untangling the knots that had formed in Hermione's hair, just from her twisting it. "You got your mother's hair, I see."

Hermione grimaced. "For my sins."

"I'm surprised actually," Addie commented. "I would have expected the blood adoption to bring the Black out in you a little more."

"It did," Hermione said. "I'm wearing a Glamour Charm."

"It's more or less self-sustaining by now," Jen added, helping Ginny with her make-up. "It fell in the Department of Mysteries, but I put it back on for her."

"I've thought about dropping it completely," Hermione admitted, "but I can't do that at school. And I'm not sure I'm ready."

Addie hummed in agreement. "Well, I can partially remove it today for you, to see if it makes this any easier."

Hermione sighed in relief. "Yes please."

"Alright, hold still," Addie said, resting a hand atop her head. "Let's see what we can do."


While the girls were getting ready, Harry and Draco were lounging downstairs in the ballroom, watching Remus pace and Sirius trying to calm him down, but doing more harm than good.

Amelia, who would be presiding, and Augusta were sending streams of flowers and lights around the room, creating a soft, romantic atmosphere. Susan, already resplendent in pale-green, was helping them, but Neville had spent the night with the Weasleys and would be arriving with them.

At first, the two young men didn't speak, engulfed in a heavy – yet not awkward – silence, occasionally ducking the occasional wayward sweet pea.

After a good ten minutes, Draco cleared his throat. "So did you ask about the Gryffindor line at Gringotts?"

Harry sighed. "No, but I didn't need to. Hermione learned more than enough from Ragnok. Rowena wasn't the only founder who wanted her Heir to prove themselves first. You'd think pulling the sword would have done that."

"Maybe it means something else," Draco said. "Gryffindor was all about chivalry as well as bravery. I mean, you did all that to rescue your best friend's sister. Would it have been as easy if it was, say, me down there?"

Harry pulled a face. "Well, I like to think I wouldn't have left anyone down there, but I suppose you've got a point."

"Alice!" Augusta suddenly exclaimed. "What are you doing out of bed?"

Both started and looked around. A thin, pale woman stood in the doorway, taking in the happenings with a vacant expression.

"That's Neville's mum," Harry whispered. "What's she doing here?"

"Madam Longbottom had them both discharged from St Mungo's at the beginning of summer and moved them here," Draco answered quietly. "I overheard Jen mentioning it."

The two older witches had now abandoned their decorating in favour of trying to convince Alice to go back to bed.

Before he had really thought it through, Harry stood up, brushing his dress robes down, and headed over to them. "Do you want me to take her?"

Amelia gave him a tired smile. "Yes please, Harry. I know Jen said she'd like Alice there if she could cope, but she won't, not really."

Harry nodded, taking a step towards his friend's mother. "Alice? Why don't we go back? You must be tired."

Alice turned to look at him. For a split-second, he thought he saw something flash in her eyes, but it disappeared too fast for him to be sure.

She took his arm without fuss, and Harry gently steered her out of the room and towards the East wing, where Augusta and Amelia were living. Trying to keep her moving, he chatted away, telling her all about Hogwarts and Neville, until they finally reached a large white room that held two hospital-like beds, one of which held Neville's father, awake but gazing at the ceiling.

As Harry released her, Alice walked slowly to the empty bed and turned to look at him expectantly. He hesitated, but followed her, helping her under the covers and tucking her in.

Before he could move away, she caught his arm, her grip surprisingly strong for such a frail woman. Her pale eyes locked on his face. "James …"

Harry froze. "No, Alice, I'm Harry. James's son."

"James," Alice repeated, her voice firmer.

Her hand was trembling and he could see her getting upset. "Yes." He covered her hand with his and squeezed gently. "Yes, I'm James."

A ghost of a smile graced her face as her grip loosened and her eyes closed.

Harry waited for her breathing to even out, before carefully pulling his arm free and leaving the room, wondering if that was some sort of break-through in her condition.

Halfway back to the ballroom, he came across Hermione and stopped dead in his tracks, all other thoughts flying out of his mind. "Mione, you look … Wow."

Hermione smiled shyly at him. "Yes?"

"You look amazing," Harry told her honestly. "Did you … Did you do something with your hair?"

To his relief, Hermione's smile didn't waver. If anything, it got bigger. "Actually, no. Addie helped me remove part of the Glamour Charm so my hair was a bit more manageable."

"How did she know it would do that?" Harry asked.

"Apparently, Black blood outs," Hermione said dryly. "You really think I look okay?"

Harry sighed. "Hermione, you are beautiful. It doesn't matter how many times you ask me, my answer is not going to change."

"I'll second that," Draco said from behind him.

Hermione started. "Really?"

"Of course." Draco turned to Harry, shaking his head. "You really need to do something about her self-esteem, Potter."

"I don't see why she has such a problem," Harry agreed. "She's stunning." Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Hermione's complexion turning bright pink.

Draco also caught it and smirked. "Well, that's my goal for today reached." Before she could protest, he bowed formally to her, took her hand and kissed it. "Lady Ravenclaw, allow me to extend my compliments – you will be one of the most beautiful girls in the room today."

"One of the most?" Harry repeated, wondering how red they could make her. "Surely the most?"

"Well, I would agree with you," Draco said, "but I do have to include Ginny in my reasoning."

"Oh, of course," Harry said, nodding sagely. "And obviously no one can outshine the bride."

"Obviously," Draco agreed. "Well, I'd love to stand and chat all day, but Ginny's a little nervous, what with her parents coming, and her internal monologue has reached a pitch that only dogs can hear, so please excuse me."

"I'm beginning to agree with Ron," Harry commented, as soon as he was out of earshot. "He's actually acting normal."

Hermione laughed. "Calm down!"


As he walked away, Draco knew that Potter – Harry – would make some comment, but didn't bother to wait and hear it. He was more focussed on trying to soothe his soul-mate, even though he knew she was trying to shield her worry from him.

He knew he was acting very 'un-Draco Malfoy', but then again, it was very 'un-Harry Potter' for the Gryffindor to just turn his back on the four years of enmity between them.

Recently, however, much of Draco's behaviour had been an act of self-preservation – the general opinion of the Slytherins was not incorrect; many were pureblood supremacist, if not outright supporters of Voldemort, and Draco was a Slytherin for a reason. If he had been prepared to announce that maybe he didn't agree with that line of thinking, he would have been a Gryffindor.

His father had certainly done his best to raise a future Death Eater, but his mother, on the rare occasions she was permitted to spend time with her son in private, had done the exact opposite, telling him stories of a Muggle-born Gryffindor, who had been Narcissa's only true friend and, Draco only realised later, become Lady Lily Potter, the Countess of Richmond.

Ultimately, unfortunately, his father's teachings had broken through, and he had arrived at Hogwarts believing that the world should be served up to him on a platter.

That attitude had not lasted long.

He had been beaten to the top of his year by a Gryffindor and a Muggle-born at that. What was worse, no matter how he tried to justify it to his father, the fact of the matter was that she was just … better than him.

Humiliated, Draco had spent the next year desperately trying to undermine the so-called 'Golden Trio', but nothing bothered them: they were a team, a unit … friends.

He would see them down by the lake, laughing, joking, willing to do anything for each other … and then he would look at his own 'friends' – nothing more than political links to appease his father.

He found himself watching them, wishing he was a part of something like that.

Third year, he stopped trying to antagonise them so much – who knew that they were as loyal as Hufflepuffs when it came to Hagrid? (With hindsight, he had to admit that he should have done.) On a bad day, he could still feel the sting where Hermione had punched him; just the fact that she made contact earned her his grudging respect.

And that was all that led him to trust her in his fourth year.

Draco was, if nothing, the perfect Slytherin. But Hermione Granger had him beaten at every turn.

Sometimes he wondered how the Hat sorted her at all.

Analysing his thoughts, he chuckled to himself when he realised that an outsider would mistake his opinion of the young woman for a romantic interest.

But the affection he held for her – because there was affection, he wasn't going to bother denying that – was strictly platonic. She was a friend – a sister, even.

Reaching Jen's bedroom drew him out of his thoughts, and he tapped smartly on the door. It opened just enough for Addie to peer out.

"Good morning," Draco greeted. "May I borrow Ginny?"

Addie smiled at him. "Good morning, Draco. Yes, of course." She beckoned over her shoulder and Ginny took her place, shutting the door behind her.

"What's wrong?"

"Really, Ginny , does something have to be wrong?" Draco asked, offering her his arm. "You look stunning."

"Oh, thank you," Ginny said, glancing down at her dress as they set off downstairs. "I was a bit worried about this dress actually; blue isn't really my colour …"

"Gin, you're not worried about the dress," Draco said, cutting in smoothly. "If you are, you shouldn't be. I can feel you in my head. What's really bothering you?"

Ginny smiled wryly. "Like you don't already know."

They emerged into the entrance hall and came to a halt, the only sound the distant murmur of Augusta's voice as she gave instructions.

Ginny sighed heavily. "I'm worried, Draco. Mum still isn't happy about this, and she only knows about the bond – she doesn't know you have feelings for me, she certainly doesn't know that I have feelings for you, she doesn't know about Gringotts and she doesn't know that we're …" she trailed off, looking around as though hoping the correct descriptive would fall from the ceiling. "… that we're whatever the hell we are."

"What about your father?" Draco asked quietly.

"Oh, he'll be alright," Ginny said dismissively. "At least, I hope he will. But Mum likes to be in control of every situation, and she's not in control of this, she could easily forbid me from coming here, I'm still underage, and with the bond we have …"

Draco could see her getting upset now and, taking her hands, he pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. "I'm not losing you, Gin; you're jumping to conclusions."

There was a soft pop, and he glanced up to see her family appear behind her. Their invitation acted as a portkey, so they didn't need to worry about finding the transportation stone.

Neville was with them, but he just gave them a smirk and a wave, and vanished into the ballroom to find his grandmother.

Ron looked oddly smug, a sharp contrast to the anger and confusion on the rest of her brothers' faces. Molly looked about ready to explode.

It didn't matter though; what did matter was the fact that Ginny was still upset. "Ginny, your family's here."

I don't want to deal with it. Can't I just stay here?

Draco sighed and extended a hand to her father, pretending he couldn't read the mistrust on his face. "Mr Weasley, good to see you again. I'd just like to apologise for everything my father has said and done over the years. And thank you for giving him a black eye a few years ago."

Fred and George's glares dropped and they sniggered at the memory.

Slowly, Arthur shook Draco's hand. "I must admit, Draco, that when Ron told me you were on our side, I was a little sceptical. Apparently, names can be deceiving."

"You sticking up for me?" Draco asked Ron. "Whatever next?"

Ron shrugged. "Seemed like the right thing to do, considering. What's with Ginny?"

Draco glanced down at the top of her head. "What, this? Ginny's a little worried about telling you something. Good morning , Mrs Weasley."

Molly ignored his greeting. "What things? What's wrong with her?"

Draco steeled himself, hoping that Ginny being between them would stop him from getting killed. "I assume you all know about the soul-bond."

"You share a soul-bond?" Bill asked, relaxing almost immediately.

"Bill?" Arthur prompted. "What do you know?"

"Well, soul-bonds are very rare," Bill said. "They rarely form before the couple have begun dating – I assume this is what happened here?"

Draco nodded. "Absolutely. I was unconscious in the infirmary." He briefly laid out what happened, including his exhaustion and Pansy's sudden entrance.

Bill was nodding as well now. "That sounds about right. The thing is, Dad, soul-bonds don't form unless Magic knows the two would never harm one another. Ginny's about as safe as she can be."

"How do you know so much about it?" Charlie asked, looking much happier himself.

"Gringotts lives by the Old Laws," Bill explained, "so they …. Ah."

"Yes," Draco agreed dryly. "Imagine our surprise when I took control of the family and disowned my father, and they started calling her Lady Malfoy."

"What?!" Ron choked out.

Draco nodded. "Gringotts considers the soul-bond a legally binding marriage still, even if the wizarding world doesn't." He turned to Arthur. "Mr Weasley, I just want to reassure you that we are both very aware of the fact that we have been thrown in the deep end, so to speak, and neither of us have any plans to change that until after we have both graduated."

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Is that you way of saying you intend to marry my daughter?"

Draco didn't flinch. "Not without asking your permission."

"And if, for whatever reason, I decided not to give it?" Arthur asked evenly.

Ginny shifted in his arms, and Draco loosened his grip to let her turn to face her family. "No offence intended, sir, but I love your daughter so I'd marry her anyway."

"And I love Draco," Ginny added, "so I'd tell him to ignore you."

"Well, Ginny is scarier than Dad is," Charlie said gravely, "so that's probably wise."

Arthur nodded, finally allowing himself a smile. "Just wait until you've both graduated."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Yes Dad."

"Arthur …!" Molly began, but her husband held up a hand.

"Molly, we can discuss this at home. This is Jen's wedding day and neither the time nor the place for this discussion."

"But …"

Bill and Charlie promptly flanked their mother and steered her out of the entrance hall and into the ballroom, Arthur following close behind.

Ron let out a shaky breath. "Well, this is …" He shook his head and focused on Draco, narrowing his eyes. "Look after her."

Apparently not trusting himself to say anything more, he followed his parents and older brothers, leaving Ginny and Draco alone with the twins.

If Draco was honest, it was these two, out of anyone, that he was worried about; his hands tightened unconsciously on hers and she sent a wave of reassurance back through the link.

"Have you closed the shop for today then?" Ginny asked.

"No, we left Angie …"

"… and Alicia in charge."

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "I thought they were going into professional Quidditch."

"They only got reserve positions."

"So they came to work with us."

"Now, Malfoy …"

"We should probably call him Draco if he's actually dating her."

"Draco then – you should probably know …"

"… Ron spoke for all of us."

"So hurt her …"

"… and we'll hurt you."

In the time it took Draco to put the separate strands into one sentence, the twins had disappeared into the ballroom themselves, and Ginny was shaking her head.

"I'm so sorry."

"Don't be," Draco said, pulling her into the living room so they could talk privately. "That went well."

Ginny hugged him impulsively. "Yes, it did. Mum's going to throw a fit, but when Dad puts his foot down, it stays down. Thank you – that could have been so much worse."

"I meant every word of it," Draco told her quietly. "You know I did. And did you realise that's the first time you've said that you love me out loud?"

That's the first time anyone's said that they loved me out loud.

Ginny sucked in a breath, and it only took a glance for him to realise that he'd projected his last thought to her. "I …"

She reached up on tiptoes and kissed him lightly. "I love you. And I don't have a problem saying it out loud."

Draco gave her a genuine smile, realising as he did that she was a year younger than him, so waiting until they had both graduated meant waiting three years, not two.

As she returned his smile, he wondered whether he'd get through those three years with his sanity relatively intact.