Disclaimer; I don't own anything sadly.

A/N Hi all! Happy MLK day! Lol. Here is the next chapter. I hope you all enjoy. Happy reading and don't forget to review.

Harry's advice

Hermione threw herself onto her bed next to her wedding dress.

'How dare he accuse Ron of cheating on me! He ruined what was supposed to be the happiest day of my wedding plans.' she thought bitterly. The thing was deep down Hermione knew what Draco had said could be true. She had been suspicious ever since Lavender's overly affectionate greeting at the reunion party. But Ron? He would never give in to temptation would he? No. He loved her and that was that. She hung her dress in the closet and stared at it for what seemed like hours. Hermione decided she needed to talk to someone. Her other best friend Harry. She walked to her fireplace, grabbed some floo powder and said;

"Harry Potter's house." the fire swirled green and she stepped into the flames. They whirled around her and soon she found herself standing in Harry's kitchen fireplace.

"Harry? Harry are you home?" she yelled brushing ashes off of her clothes. Harry walked into the kitchen and saw Hermione standing there.

"Hermione, what are you doing here?" he asked.

"Do you have a minute?" she said. He motioned for her to sit at the nearby table.

"Just a minute, I have to grab Lily." he replied before heading out of the kitchen. A minute later he returned with the baby.

"Oh, let me hold her." Hermione said holding her arms out for her. She was in fact Lily's godmother. Harry handed the chubby baby to her and she cuddled it in her arms.

"She is getting so big." Hermione said looking over Lily in amazement. The baby had inherited Ginny's auburn hair and Harry's emerald eyes. She looked much like Harry's mother might have when she was a child. Baby Lily cooed at Hermione and promptly fell asleep in her arms.

"You look so natural holding her Hermione, I can't wait for you and Ron to have one of your own." he said smiling. "Then I will be an uncle!"

"Don't rush things, we are not even married yet." she said softly stroking the baby's hair.

"I know, but it's only a matter of time right?" he asked, eyes sparkling under his glasses.

"I guess. Look Harry, I have to ask you something. Has Ron mentioned Lavender Brown recently?"

"What? Lavender Brown? Hermione you aren't still on about that little episode at the reunion are you?" he asked.

"Well, it's just I have an uneasy feeling about it. Ron has been acting strangely and an old acquaintance mentioned seeing them together at the Leaky Cauldron today." she suddenly felt sad and queasy.

"Who?" Harry replied.

"No one you know, just someone that works at that little tea shop that just opened." she lied.

"Well if Ron is carrying on with Lavender he hasn't told me about it and that's the truth." he said honestly.

"Alright." Hermione said.

"What is this all about really?" Harry asked.

"I told you. Someone mentioned seeing them, I was just checking up." she said.

"Are you having second thoughts about the wedding?" he asked.

"Honestly, yes." she replied, biting her lip nervously.

"Don't worry about it; everyone gets nervous about their wedding before it happens. I know I did. And so did Ginny. Ron loves you. He has loved you ever since I can remember. Now stop all this nonsense about Ron and Lavender." his eyes sparkled with sincerity.

"You are right. I am just being silly aren't I?" she laughed.

"First time for everything." he replied. Hermione handed a sleeping Lily back to Harry before returning home via the floo. When she got there an owl was waiting for her. It had a sample invitation for her wedding. She read it aloud;

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Granger

And

Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Weasley

Request the honor of your presence

At the marriage of their children

Hermione Jane

And

Ronald Brian

Saturday, September 19

At 2 o'clock in the afternoon

Hogsmeade outdoor chapel.

Reception to follow at Hogsmeade Hall.

R.S.V.P to Molly Weasley by August 31

She read and reread the invitation. Once these were sent out it was over. The plans were set in stone right? She wrote a quick note to Molly okaying the invitations and sent it back with the owl before collapsing on the chair. She couldn't explain the foul mood she was suddenly in. She felt angry and sad at the same time.

'Was Draco…I mean Malfoy telling the truth?' she thought to herself. She knew that Ron and Lavender had a thing before he took notice of her in their seventh year. Was he still carrying a torch for her.

"Damn" she swore aloud.

Over the next few days Hermione's foul mood continued. By the end of the week Ron had cancelled their plans twice stating that he was too tired from Quidditch practice.

"Codswallop" she said as she threw Ron's latest note into the fire.

On Saturday they were supposed to go to the burrow to taste different wedding cakes Molly was baking and pick the one they liked the best. Hermione arrived first and was met with an ecstatic Molly.

"Hello dear, come in. Ron isn't here yet, he might be a bit late. I think they make them practice just a little too hard." she said as she ushered Hermione in and sat her down at the table. On the kitchen counter were no less than 10 wedding cakes, smaller versions of course, for Hermione to taste.

"I thought we could just start without Ronald if it is okay with you dear." she said bringing the first cake to the table. Hermione smiled politely.

"It's fine. I am used to him canceling by now." she said bitterly.

"Oh, you know men and quidditch. Can't pry the two apart you know." she smiled sweetly.

"Yeah, right." Hermione replied with sarcasm. "Let's just start tasting." she said putting on a fake smile for Molly.

They tasted their way through five cakes before Ron finally showed up. He was not dressed in Quidditch practice clothes though, nor was he sweaty or dirty. Hermione looked over his cleanly shaven face and new dress clothes and frowned.

"So quidditch ran over sweetheart?" she said in a mock baby voice. He nodded nervously.

"Sit down Ronald." his mother said sternly. "You are late. We have already gone through half the cakes."

Ron sat down and stared at the cakes. Soon he tasted all the ones Hermione had already tried.

"I like them all honey, you choose." he said with his mouth full.

"We still have five to go." Hermione replied, getting very annoyed with Ron at that point.

They finished trying all the cakes and Hermione decided on a strawberries and cream cake with strawberry cream cheese icing. She stood up and prepared to leave.

"You are not going so soon are you dear?" Molly asked sounding disappointed.

"Yeah, I have to get home. I need to be to St. Mungo's early tomorrow for a teaching seminar."

"I'll take you home." Ron said quickly.

"There is no need." she said sternly.

"No, I want to talk to you." he smiled.

"Fine." she said storming out the door.

When they got outside Ron grabbed her by the shoulder.

"What is the matter with you tonight?"

"You tell me Ronald." she said mockingly.

"Whoa, the whole first name, what did I do now?"

"Let me think, you cancelled all week, you were late tonight, and you do not look like you have been at quidditch practice." she said seething.

"I stopped at my flat and showered and put on clean clothes. I didn't want to try cake stinking like a pig." he said. She wasn't buying it.

"Right. I heard from someone in Diagon Alley that they saw you with Lavender Brown at the Leaky Cauldron the other day, is that true?"

All of the color drained from his face.

"Of course not. Who is saying that?" he asked.

"None of your business. Just someone who was in the pub at the time and saw you come down the stairs with her from the inn." she replied.

"That is a lie. I haven't seen Lavender since the reunion. I know she was a little touchy feely that night but she just had too much to drink. I love you. I always have. Now can we just go back to your place and spend some time together?" he asked nicely.

She looked into his big blue eyes that were sparkling in the twilight. She decided that Malfoy was just trying to break them up. She took a hold of his hand and they apperated to her flat.

Meanwhile Draco was sitting at home drinking heavily. He had screwed up. He had lost her for good. He took another long swig from his bottle of firewhiskey before dropping the bottle on the carpet. It spilled and the bottle rolled near the fireplace.

"Fuck" he said trying to stand up. He staggered over to the bottle and picked it up shakily. He fell over and hit his head on the floor where he promptly passed out.

Draco came into the portrait hole and threw his bag on the table. The love of his life was sitting on the sofa in front of the fire reading.

"Hi" he said leaning in to kiss her soft lips.

"Hey you." she said back running her hands through his soft blonde hair.

"Christmas is right around the corner." he said sitting next to her.

"Yep, it sure is." she smiled.

"Are you going to stay here for the holidays?" he asked.

"Yes. My parents are going skiing." she said.

"Skiing? What on earth is that?" he asked looking confused.

"You put wooden slats on your feet and glide over a snow covered hill." she mimicked skiing movements.

"Never mind." she said laughing. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason. Just thought I would ask you out on a date that night. Dinner, dancing…you know." he smiled at her.

"Oh, well that sounds nice." she said blushing.

"Good, it's a date then." he put his arm around her and kissed her neck softly. She leaned into his arms and let his hands go up her sweater. He loved the way she felt under his touches. He cupped her full breasts as he kissed his way up to her mouth again. Her mouth opened slightly and he took advantage of that by moving his tongue in and lightly moved it against hers. She responded with her own, running it along his lips. He made his move, lying across her body, hand still up her sweater. He lifted her up and pulled it off exposing a lacy black bra. His mouth followed a path from her neck down to her breasts. He left small red marks as he kissed, and she moaned softly at his every move. He made a move to unhook her bra but she stopped him.

"I'm sorry, I am just not ready yet okay?" she said as she pulled her sweater back on.

"That's okay. Just lie here with me for a while. Alright?" he asked her.

"Alright." she said as he nestled his head on her chest and she stroked his hair. They fell asleep that way, breathing in unison.

Draco woke up vomiting on his floor. He had a killer hangover and what was worse is that he had dreamed of her. The very person he was drinking to forget.