Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter
Building Bridges
She didn't know whether to laugh or cry, stood in front of her were her three babies, the three toddlers she had looked after and put so much love and energy into were now adults. She could see the awkwardness between the groups growing and wondered if she should break the ice. But it appeared she wasn't the only one who had the same thought.
"Hey," Draco said and she smiled, he was rubbing his neck clearly uncomfortable with the situation, but there was something about him, something she hadn't seen before.
"Hey," said Harry but Hermione continued to eye up the blonde. He was wearing the pyjamas that had grown with him and he looked good, in fact, he looked very good and the thought startled her. She moved from the blonde to study Blaise.
Her adorable chunky little Italian was gone, her precious little baby wasn't here anymore and she wondered if this was how a mother felt when she watched her child grow up. She was desperate to wrap her arms around him and squeeze him tight. Listen to him tell her a story of something in his high pitch voice, watching his eyes light up in excitement but it would never happen again because her little Blaise was a grown up again. She had always thought Zabini was handsome, she was perfectly aware she wasn't the only one who had thought that having heard the conversations from other girls in the Gryffindor Common who swooned over the attractive Italian. But his arrogant demeanour had always been off putting to her, but stood in his child pyjamas with a soft frown on his face and uncertainty in his eyes her heart melted. She wasn't certain what she was feeling right now but as she looked at the two boys in front of her she knew something was different, but what it was she wasn't sure.
Hermione looked between the two of them to Pansy, she had always hated the girl, there wasn't a person in the school she wanted to punch in the face as much as she once wanted to punch Pansy. The two girls had been at war for several years now, but over the last two weeks Hermione had seen a different side of her. She was an exciting little girl, and was into anything girly and loved the colour pink. The immense dislike she had for Pansy had dissolved into nothing after the few weeks and seeing her standing their clearly uncertain, embarrassed and even a little shy was something completely new to her.
Tears began to prick at Hermione's eyes but she quickly wiped them away, but Blaise had noticed and he sighed. Two weeks in their company and he could feel some of that Gryffindor courage rub off of on him. All eyes were on him as he stepped forward.
"C'mon Granger, no tears." He said and Hermione laughed, relived he continued his walk opening his arms when he reached her. He wrapped them around her small frame and she instantly returned the favour.
She clung to his pyjama shirt burying her head in to his chest, she had been able to keep the tears away but with him hugging her so tightly she was no longer able to hold them in.
The shaking of her shoulders were the first sign that she was crying and Blaise tightened his hold on her, It was a weird feeling hugging someone who he was supposed to hate but the memory of his mother leaving only a day into him being a toddler and the comfort he had received off of Hermione made him hold on to her. She had been there for him when he had been small and now she was small he would comfort her.
Draco watched the twos embrace with a smile, he glanced to Harry who was also looking at the hugging couple before he took hold of Pansy's hand. Together they walked towards Harry.
"You wanting a hug too Malfoy?" joked Harry and the blonde laughed.
"Not off you," he said and Harry's grin grew.
"I'll take a hug," said Pansy quietly and Harry smiled. He stepped towards her and wrapped his arms around, he buried his head in her hair and she clung to him.
"That's better," said Blaise as he pulled away. "You're not the prettiest crier." He teased and Hermione laughed. She turned to face Draco who was stood awkwardly in between the two couples. She nudged his arm and he looked down at her with a frown, his frown turning into a smile as she opened her own arms. He sighed and welcomed the hug, he wrapped his own arms tightly around her shoulders and buried his head in her hair. In that second he felt like that small boy who was so desperate for her attention and he didn't want to let go.
"I know they say kids grow up fast but I think this is ridiculous," said Harry, and Hermione laughed, she pulled away from Draco and pointed to the sofa.
Everyone nodded and they walked to the seating area and all took a seat.
"I drunk my milk," said Pansy with a smirk and the others laughed.
"One thing I can't quite put together, why were we placed with you?" Draco asked as he got comfortable in his chair.
"Well you weren't placed with us, you actually chose us." Said Hermione and the group frowned. "Pansy introduced herself to me and demanded to be picked up, upon seeing Pansy being picked up Blaise you demanded the same thing. Draco you weren't receiving the attention off Professor Snape like you wanted and you approached Harry to be picked up."
"Guess its fate," chuckled Blaise.
"How much do the three of you remember?" Harry asked and the group grinned.
"Everything," said Draco, he turned to Hermione with a smirk. "Granger, nice thong," he winked and Hermione closed her eyes.
"Least I'm not the one with Chlamydia," she replied causing Blaise, Pansy and Harry to laugh.
"Touché," he replied.
"Professor Snape has told him he needs to inform all the girls who he has slept with in the last three months about his little problem," said Pansy and both Hermione's and Harry's eyes widened.
"You're joking?" spluttered Harry and the three Slytherins shook their heads, only two of them were grinning.
"But what if the girl you caught it from has slept with several other boys and they've caught it and there's this STI spreading rapidly around Hogwarts, so many people could be infected and not know it." Said Hermione.
"Draco mentioned that earlier, looks like Draco may need to inform Dumbledore of this growing… infection." Chuckled Blaise
"Are you all finished taking the piss out of my small set back."
"Small… you said it," teased Blaise and Draco scowled, he raised the cushion ready to hit Blaise with but froze upon seeing Hermione and Harry laughing.
"What?" they snapped.
"You two, Blaise always wound you up when you were kids. The two of you haven't changed at all." Said Harry and the boys looked at one another.
"Did you find it hard to raise us for that short time?" asked Pansy as she looked at both Harry and Hermione.
"It wasn't easy that's for sure, but it was rewarding at the same time, you guys were really cute when you wanted to be."
"You fail to realise that we are still very cute," said Pansy to Hermione's answer. Hermione rolled her eyes but looked at the three of them.
"Did Professor Snape say when you'd be back in class?"
"Tomorrow, tell us, how bad it is going to be for us to walk into the Great Hall tomorrow?" asked Draco, Hermione and Harry looked at one another and grinned.
"Probably very bad, I think the last time we were in the Great Hall Draco had his hand smacked, Blaise was crying cause of his dessert and Snape had sent you back to us. Since then between the three of you, you've been turned into a ferret, nearly been eaten, destroyed Professor's Snape's stock room, literally turned an entire common room upside, been desperate to be a Quidditch player, wanted to go live with Dragons, and in one's case wanted the two of you to be fed to a dragon," she looked at Pansy and Pansy grinned, "you've declared George Weasley as the best Weasley which he'll never let you live down, introduced Dragon to all the Weasleys. Refused to take baths, eat your dinner…"
"So in other words I'm to hibernate until the summer and then immigrate to Australia?" said Draco.
"Pretty much," chuckled Harry. "If I was you, I'd get it over and done with as soon as possible."
"You never know though, it may be a good thing for you all. People may actually start liking you," said Hermione who winced. "Sorry that sounded better in my head then out loud."
"Thanks Granger," said Pansy sarcastically but she knew the bushy Gryffindor had a point, they were not the most liked students so maybe their journey to childhood would help them out a little more.
"Unlike them Hermione, we've got class in 10 minutes," said Harry as he looked up at the clock. "All our stuff has been removed from this place, so Hermione and I won't be returning here again. It's up to you if you want to hide here for another day or face your housemates."
"What happens now?" rushed Blaise as Hermione and Harry stood.
"I guess that's up to you three really. We can be friends or go on like none of this ever happened?" she hoped that it would be the first, going back to how they used to be would break her heart and right now she couldn't bare it.
"I'd like to remain friends," said Blaise after a moment, "obviously if you want too," Hermione's smile answered his question and Harry nodded. They all looked to Pansy and Draco who were frowning.
"I guess going back isn't even an option, you've seen my bare arse more times then any other girl Granger,"
"And it was a pale one at that," she retaliated and he grinned.
"Friendship sounds good to us," said Pansy and the group nodded. With final hugs Hermione and Harry left the common room feeling lighter than they did when they had first arrived.
The trio kept themselves to themselves as the afternoon progressed, but they had agreed to face the rest of the student body at dinner.
Dinner seemed to arrive quicker than any of them had hoped and they walked to the Great Hall side by side, heads held high and their hands hidden from sight to hide how nervous they really were.
The Great Hall fell silent as they walked inside, it had already been announced by Professor Dumbledore that they had returned but to actually see them standing tall was weird and whispers started to fill the hall.
"Nothing like being talked about," muttered Blaise as they sat at their respected seats at the Slytherin table. Their housemates greeted them in gusto and soon the whispering started to disappear.
From across the hall Hermione watched Draco turn to Daphne Greengrass and started up a conversation but as she watched from the corner of her eye she knew the conversation had turned serious. She watched as the blush slowly appeared on his cheeks as he spoke and Daphne's expression turned from polite to shock in seconds.
"WHAT!" Daphne screamed and all eyes fell on to pair at the Slytherin table, Daphne's hand collided with Draco's face at such force that many winced from the sound, his face swung to one side from the blow. Daphne grabbed her bag and stormed out of the Great Hall. Hermione bit down hard on her lip to stop her from laughing uncontrollably something Blaise was failing to do. He was bent over, his head resting on the Slytherin table with his shoulders shaking. Pansy wasn't fairing much better and she was laughing openly at Draco.
She reached for her drink to hide her growing grin. "Looks like we've learnt of one victim seduced by the Malfoy charm," muttered Harry in her ear and she spat the drink out of her mouth coating Dean and Seamus seated in front of her.
"Thanks Hermione," they said, disgust spread across their faces. Horrified Hermione, stared at the two of them in shock as they wiped down their faces. She nudged Harry deep in the ribs as he continued to laugh, but now at her expense.
Draco reached for his spoon and smacked Blaise at the back of the head but the Italian continued to laugh, he could see Potter laughing at the Gryffindor table and Hermione very red faced, rubbing his cheek he looked up at Professor Snape who was smirking down at him clearly amused at the scene that had just unfolded, as he glared back up at his Professor only one thought ran through his mind… right now Azkaban was looking very appealing.
Firstly, after so many reviews (83! To be exact) the resounding vote was for a trio pairing and that is how the story will go, thank you for all those that inputted what they desired it was a great help and understanding for me as I now know where this story is heading.
Secondly, I'd love to thank every person that's reviewed, never have I had so many reviews for one chapter, it's just crazy but I've appreciated them all, and I hope this new chapter has been just as enjoyable!
Until next time: Lottie!
