Disclaimer: If you recognize it from a J.K. Rowling book- it isn't mine. I've borrowed it.
The next day, Hermione was clearing the lunch table when Ginny knocked on the side door. Smiling, she went to let her friend in.
"Hi!" She said. "I thought you were in Ireland?"
Ginny, Seamus, and their ever-growing family had been living near Dublin while Hermione and Draco were in Brazil and France. However, since the family now spent months alternating between their London home and the other one for various reasons.
"We were, but plans changed." Ginny said, hugging her. "Hope you don't mind me dropping by without warning."
"Of course I don't mind, I haven't seen you in nearly a month. How is everyone?" Hermione asked as Ginny began to help her clear.
"Fine! The children are all great. House is never silent." Ginny beamed. She and Seamus now had four children overall. Jack was twelve already, and looking so much like Harry. Clair was nine. And the two littler ones, Evelyn and Madison, were four and one respectively. "But how's Aden?"
"Better." Hermione replied. "Recovering pretty fast, but she's still tired all the time and limp."
"Are you doing alright?" Ginny asked anxiously.
"I guess so." Hermione replied evasively.
"'Mione." Ginny said firmly.
"I don't know. I'm... down all the time. Sad. Nervous as hell."
"Are you depressed? Do you want a doctor or healer or something?" Ginny asked.
"I don't know what I want." Hermione sighed, putting away the tablecloth. Ginny helped her load the muggle dishwasher- an appliance without which Hermione couldn't live- in silence.
"Where are all your children?" Ginny asked.
"Max is at a friend's house, Sam is at a piano lesson, and Aden is sleeping next door." Hermione replied. "Do you want anything to drink?"
"No thanks, I'm good. I need to get going, actually, because I don't like leaving the children with Mum for too long. Do you think you'd be free for dinner one night? Just you me and Lav, a girl's thing?" Ginny asked hopefully.
"I don't know... I don't like to leave Aden." Hermione said dubiously.
"I understand that. But I'll talk to Lavvy and call you about it later, okay? It would be so much fun to do something; you know Draco would take more than perfect care of her." Ginny smiled.
"I'll talk to Draco about it."
"Talk to you soon, Herms. Take care of yourself." Ginny hugged her and disapparated.
"I think you should go. It'll do you some good to get out of the house." Draco said. Hermione glared at him. Ginny had called earlier saying that she and Lavender were going out the next evening and that Hermione should be at Lav's flat around eight if she wanted to come.
"You make it sound as though I have no life." She growled, crossing her arms.
"That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying that I'm capable of looking after the children while you have some time to do something with your friends." Draco said, taking off his work robes.
"I'm not a little bookworm any more. I do have fun, you know."
"Mione, please! All I'm saying is, you haven't seen Ginny and Lavender in a hell of a long time, and it will be good for you. Alright? I'm not making you go. I think you should, but it's up to you." Draco said, pulling on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt before sitting down on the bed behind her.
"If I went, what would you do with the kids?" Hermione asked.
"I'd probably play with Aden is she was still awake- unlikely- then watch a film with the other two. Or something. I don't know Mione, but I'd take care of them." Draco sighed. Hermione tipped her head back to kiss him.
"Ginny asked me if I was depressed today." She said. Draco didn't look surprised.
"Are you?"
"I don't know. Do you think I am?" She asked worriedly.
"You seem over-tired, stressed, a little obsessive... worried, sad, crying... I don't know, love, maybe you are." Draco said gently.
"Do you think I need to see someone about it?"
"That," Draco said, getting up to find a comb, "Is your choice. Completely your choice."
"Do you think I should?"
"Yes." He said, not hesitating at all. "But what I think doesn't matter right now." There was silence for a while as Draco combed his hair and washed his face.
"I'll go with Ginny and Lav tomorrow." Hermione said after a while.
"That's good." Draco smiled, coming over and kissing her cheek. "I'm sure you'll have a great time."
"Herms!" Lavender squealed. "How /are/ you?"
"I'm fine, how are you? You look great!" Hermione cried. Considering that Lavender was twenty-eight, she looked stunning. She could have easily been mistaken for someone five years younger- her figure was still perfect as she had no children yet.
"I'm happy. Steve and I are planning to have kids in the next year or so." Lavender smiled, blushing, as she led Hermione into the flat.
"You are? That's fantastic." Hermione said sincerely. "Is Ginny here yet?"
"She said she's running late since she didn't know what to wear." Lav replied.
"Right. Where are we actually going?" Hermione asked, taking in Lavender's black dress.
"A bar." Lavender replied, hunting around in her closet for some shoes.
"No one told me that!" Hermione sighed. She felt completely underdressed in jeans and a cashmere jumper.
"I think you look nice. But if you want, you can borrow something of mine." Lav offered.
"I doubt I'd fit into your clothes." Hermione said morosely.
"Come on, I have a million tops in here you could wear. Come have a look. And I'm sure we're still the same shoe size." Lavender persuaded her. By the time Ginny arrived, Hermione has switched the jumper for a red silk top and her ballet flats for killer scarlet heels Lavender had.
"I'm so glad you decided to come, Herms!" Ginny cried, twisting around to look at Hermione in the back seat. Ginny was one of those annoying people who also looked younger than their age. Hermione was constantly wondering how Ginny could remain a size six after four children.
"Well, Draco said I should." She smiled faintly.
"Good on him." Lav said from the driver's seat. "It'll be just like old times, girls." She cranked up the radio and Hermione couldn't help but smile at her two seemingly eternally youthful friends as Ginny started to dance and Lav sang along loudly. When they reached their destination, Ginny was out of the car like a lightning bolt in her gold net skirt and little white top. Lav and Hermione followed more slowly.
The bar was a nice place- fairly classy and with a crowd of people mostly in their mid-twenties to thirties. Ginny and Lav had apparently been here before, as the bartender knew them and asked after Ginny's children, etc. For the first half an hour or so Hermione just sat with her drink, feeling extremely out of place as Ginny chatted to the bartender about Jack going to Hogwarts, and Lavender talked on and on about the new bars and restaurants that were supposed to be good.
"Herms, how're you doing?" Ginny giggled, sliding onto the bar stool next to her.
"Are you drunk already?" Hermione asked.
"No, I'm just happy! Smile for me, Mione?" Ginny asked. Hermione smiled obediently before leaning over to Lavender.
"Who's driving home?" She asked.
"Oh, we'll take a taxi. Steve works near here and he usually Apparates, but I'll ask him to take my car home." Lav replied.
"Ok." Hermione said. Ginny started nibbling a few of the peanuts happily, singing a little to herself.
"What did she drink?" Hermione asked Lav. "It must have been strong to get her like this in about 20 minutes."
Lavender shrugged.
"Joel probably gave her something on the house."
"Joel?"
"The bartender." Lav explained. "You're really quiet- are you alright?"
"Yes... just worried about Aden. I'm just going to call home and check on her... be right back, Lav." Hermione went outside where it was quieter and called home on her mobile.
"Hello?" Max answered.
"Hey honey, it's Ma... can I talk to your father?" Hermione asked.
"Just a sec." Max replied. A few seconds later, Draco came on the line.
"Hi Mione." He said. "Having fun?"
"Yes... how's everyone doing?"
"Fine. Aden's sleeping and now Max is beating the pants off Sam and I at Monopoly." Draco replied.
"Okay. Well, I'll be home in a few hours."
"No hurry, stay out as late as you want."
"Well. See you then."
"Bye, love." Draco said, hanging up. Hermione went back inside, where Ginny handed her a weird red and blue striped drink.
"What's this?" She asked. Ginny just giggled.
"Atomic Swirl." Lavender said. "Try it."
"I don't think so." Hermione said doubtfully.
"It's good!" Lavender insisted. Hermione took a tiny sip and found that it was pretty good. Soon the entire glass was empty and she was laughing hysterically, chatting to Ginny and Lav nonstop and feeling more happy than she had in a while.
Two more drinks and several hours later, Lav found them a taxi and they piled in. Ginny was dropped off first, then Lav, and finally Hermione. She stumbled into the house, still giggling a little. Draco was sprawled out on the sofa, asleep.
"Wake up." Hermione whispered in his ear before hanging up her bag and checking her reflection in the hall mirror, realizing she was still in Lavender's top and shoes. Draco sat up sleepily.
"You're back." He remarked, yawning. "Did you have a good time?"
"Mm hmn." She smiled, sitting next to him. "Are the kids asleep?"
"Very much so." He replied. She kicked off Lav's pointy shoes and waved them into a corner with the flick of her wand.
"Painful heels." She mumbled, the energy and hyperness being replaced with a very sleepy feeling. She moved over and cuddled up against Draco, putting her arms around his neck and burying her face in his shoulder.
"Someone's sleepy." Draco yawned, kissing the top of her head.
"Look who's talking." Hermione protested as he put an arm around her waist. He started to say something else, but Hermione was already asleep.
Yes. Fluffyish, slightly useless chappie... I don't know, whatever. Thanks for all the reviews, people! Love all of you.
-pineappleeskimo