Beta love to the lovely CarbConnoisseur

"Hey," Lily said softly as she sat down beside Hermione on the grass, having left Remus to handle Draco. "How are you doing?"

Hermione shrugged. "I'm…ok. I think. It's just hard. I miss them all so fucking much, and I don't think it had hit me before that they were gone. There was always another battle, another plan, another location. We didn't stop. We couldn't. And now…now I have, and it hurts. I almost wish there was something to plan, someone to fight, because I don't know how to do this. How do you come to terms with your entire life being gone?"

"I don't know," Lily confessed sadly, wishing she had words, scared she was going to say the wrong thing. They'd barely seen Hermione recently, and she was terrified she was going to undo whatever Severus had done to get her to the point where she was interacting with them again. "Will you tell me about him?"

"Harry?"

"Yes. I…only if you want. I don't want to push."

Hermione gave her a sad smile. "He was….my best friend. He was so unassuming most of the time, although every now and then he'd say something that reminded me of Sirius and I'd have to knock some humility back into him." Lily snorted, watching Hermione intently. "He was nosy and couldn't leave an adventure alone, but he was also…brave and gods, it seems like such a little word to encompass everything he was, but I don't know how else to say it. He was willing to sacrifice himself for whoever needed it. He didn't think twice about barreling in head first. He was the person things always happened to, if something was happening, Harry was always in the middle of it." She huffed out a laugh, "Of course he put himself there half the time. He…when he loved you, he loved you completely. He was a bit of an arse at points. Third year was probably the most memorable and we fell out over a fucking broomstick, but on the whole, he was the person who was there to make me feel better then things were shit. I… We never thought he could lose. The world without Harry in it was so fucking inconceivable. I couldn't think about it because it didn't make fucking sense. It doesn't make sense." Lily reached out, wrapping an arm around the other girls thin shoulders, offering what little comfort she could as Hermione tried to gather herself back together. "He…he was quidditch mad, youngest seeker in a century and all. His favourite sweetie was chocolate frogs, although he prefered treacle tart over just about anything. He was unwaveringly kind to the younger years and house elves. He had a particularly special relationship with Dobby. He was a Malfoy elf that Harry freed in second year. He….he was clueless with girls. It took him fucking ages to realise he liked Ginny and he totally neglected poor Parvati at the Yule Ball. He had a mischievous streak a mile wide. He loved exploring under that damned cloak. He…he just…gods. I don't know. I just fucking miss him so much."

"He sounds amazing," Lily replied softly, her arm tightening around Hermione's shoulders as she cried, silently fantasising about how she'd murder the Dumbledore for allowing this to happen.

"He was," Hermione whispered eventually.

"Princess?" Draco ventured quietly, not entirely sure how responsive Hermione would be. He knew she'd left the room at least for a little while, which was a vast improvement, but he was still worried.

"Yes?" Hermione shifted so she was sitting on the bed, her face pale and her eyes red-rimmed, but looking more alert than he'd seen her. He'd have to send Severus something. Gods, he hadn't realised how much he had missed her until she was finally looking at him again.

"How are you?"

Hermione shrugged. "Lost," she admitted quietly. "I'm sorry. I know I've been….not here. And…I know you're struggling too and…I just…"

"Hush, Princess. It's alright. Just…please don't leave me again? The others are…trying, but they don't really understand and I've missed you. Salazar Hermione, I've missed you so fucking much."

Hermione nodded, throwing her arms around him. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Don't be," he murmured into her hair, luxuriating in the feeling of her responding to him again. "You're allowed to grieve. Just stay with me next time."

He felt her squeeze him tighter. "Promise."

They sat in silence, neither sure that they had the words to make the other feel better as they simply allowed themselves a moment to breathe.

"Draco?" Hermione murmured into the silence several moments later.

"Hmmm?"

"We need to talk about your mother. What happens if she looks at her tapestry?

"Fuck," he hissed. "I'd forgotten about that."

"Maybe… maybe we could ask Severus to help? She'll trust him, at least a little. Maybe it's time to speak to her."

Draco nodded slowly. "Ok. I… I don't know how I'm going to face her," he whispered finally.

"Oh, Draco. It was not your fault," Hermione soothed, the arm flung over him tightening as if she could force the guilt out.

"I… logically I know that. And the guilt is part of it, but Hermione… she watched as my psychotic Aunt tortured you in fucking front of us. I feel guilty but I'm also…fucking furious with her. And we both know that's not going to work if we're attempting to get her to see our side. Not that I'm convinced she will," he sighed. "Maybe the fact she ended up dead will make her listen, but to be honest, I think we're going to have to come up with a plan to silence her or at the very least manipulate the tapestry."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," she replied softly, already wondering how the fuck they were going to manage that. "When is the Order back?"

"Tomorrow," he sighed. "We need to discuss Regulus."

"I know. I'll talk to Severus when he comes next. We'll need him for that, too."

Draco let out a huff of laughter. "I'm sure he'll be thrilled. At this rate, he'll be the hardest working member of the Order. The rest of us can just put our feet up."

"You're awake." Dorea's voice came from the door, watching them with trepidation.

"Yes," Hermione agreed. "I…I'm sorry for how I've behaved over this past week."

"No," Dorea cut across her sharply. "Do not dare apologise. I won't deny that we were worried, but I think I'd have been more worried if you hadn't grieved at all. It is going to be difficult and I wish more than anything I could spare you it, but please don't ever apologise for needing to mourn. You are going to have days where it seems unbearable. We understand. Now, if you're up for it, Lily and James are arguing about their wedding and we could do with an extra couple of mediators."

Hermione smiled softly. "Sure. I imagine it'll be fun to see Lily hex him."

Dorea snorted. "I'm impressed with her restraint thus far. Your Severus is here and appears to be enjoying it immensely. He's rather adept at subtly stirring the caldron, is he not?"

Draco laughed. "You have no idea. Come on Princess, this might actually be fun."

"We are not having wedding crups carrying the rings!" Lily's voice rang out as they neared the living room.

"But Lils! It'd be adorable! Tell her Pads!"

"It really would! We could get them little bow ties and jackets, and it'd be like the wedding that keeps on giving because we'd have to bloody keep them! I want to call one of them Maurice. Moony, we can have a crup, can't we? Can you imagine it?"

Hermione bit her lip, stifling a laugh for what felt like the first time in forever. They were utterly ridiculous, she thought as she took in Sirius' pleading expression, Remus' fond exasperation, James' earnestness, and Lily's rapidly building exasperation.

"Maybe save that for your wedding, Pads?" she suggested lightly.

"Kitten! Kitten, we've missed you!" At that he flung himself out of his seat and enveloped her in a hug so tight it stole her breath.

"Pads! Can't breathe."

"Right, right. Sorry, Kitten," he mumbled, releasing her slightly. "Are you back now?"

Hermione sighed. "I think so."

"Don't leave us again," he demanded.

Hermione bit her lip against the tears that threatened. "I'll try not to Pads." He squeezed her tightly again in response.

"Now, come on. We're discussing Prongsie's wedding, and seeing as we're apparently not allowed the crups, we need some ideas," he exclaimed, dragging her towards a seat.

Hermione smiled slightly. "Haven't James and Lily got ideas of their own? I don't believe for a second that the crups were his idea."

James grimaced. "None that suit Pads' exacting standards or that Lily and I agree on," he muttered, standing up to give Hermione a hug that was so tight it bordered on painful. "Don't scare me like that again," he muttered into her hair. "I'm still your Dad you know."

She whacked his arm. "You are not my dad!"

"Am too," he grinned, releasing her, his eyes scanning her face. "You are alright?"

She shrugged. "No. But I'm….better than I was."

He nodded. "I'll take that. Now come and rein your Uncle Sirius in."

"No! No, absolutely not!" she spluttered as the others laughed at her.

"Welcome back," Severus murmured into her ear, reaching to squeeze her hand.

She smiled wanly. "Thank you…I…" she sighed, "Just thank you."

He nodded before sending her a smirk. "You know in the muggle world they use doves at weddings."

Hermione bit her lip hard at the look of betrayal Lily sent him as James and Sirius' eyes lit up. Beside her, Draco sniggered.

"You could get married too," James voiced into a lull looking pointedly at Draco. "Take some of the pressure off. Not many people can say they got married on the same day as their parents."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "For the love of Merlin," she muttered. "We couldn't possibly take away from your big day."

"No…no! Seriously! Think about it. Two weddings…we're not allowed crups but you are!"

"I'm not having ring-bearing crups!" Hermione exclaimed exasperatedly.

"Spoilsport," he grinned. "Fine, crups are for Padfoot's wedding. Fitting really. Looks like our wedding will just need to be boring, no crups."

"Or doves," Lily cut in, shooting another glare at Severus who just grinned back.

"Or doves," James sighed. "Just you, me, our darling daughter, and her fiance. Perfect."

"James!" Hermione exclaimed exasperatedly.

"That's Dad to you, young lady!"

"James, I swear to Circe."

Beside him, Lily looked thoughtful. "It's not a bad idea, you know."

"What? He's not old enough to be my dad! It's ridiculous!"

Lily frowned, looking confused for a moment before her face cleared. "Oh..no not that. I meant a joint wedding."

"What?"

"A joint wedding. It's not a bad idea."

"I…I don't…" Hermione looked helpless at Draco who shrugged, a small smile on his face.

"Suits me," he admitted with a shrug.

Hermione's jaw dropped. "You're not serious."

"Nope, I'm Sirius," Sirius piped up, earning an eye roll.

"It wasn't funny the first time Pads," she groused.

"Deadly serious," Draco interjected before Sirius could protest. "Why not? We've wanted this for years, Princess. Why the fuck not now?"

"Because we're hijacking someone else's wedding and it's in less than two months?"

Lily waved her away. "You're hardly hijacking. We're offering. And it just means lots of the boring stuff is done, unless there's something you specifically wanted."

Hermione frowned, shaking her head. "Not..not particularly."

"Then we're sorted. We need to arrange a dress and some dress robes, but that's easy enough. Shopping tomorrow. No excuses." She pinned Hermione with a glare before she grinned impishly. It took Hermione's breath away as she saw her best friend's smile replicated on his mother's face. "I can't have my daughter getting married in anything less than something spectacular."

Hermione looked back at her, utterly betrayed. "Not you too!" Lily laughed.

"Right, two weddings," James grinned before he frowned. "Although I can't give you away if I'm getting married too. And Dad's giving Lily away…"

Hermione rolled her eyes, silently communicating with Draco who gave the smallest of nods. "I think I'd like Severus to give me away," she said softly, ignoring the way his jaw dropped.

"I…are you sure?" he rasped.

Swallowing down tears, Hermione turned to him. "There's no one else I'd want."

"Then I'd be honoured," he replied, his eyes suspiciously glassy. He barely flinched as she threw herself at him.

Sirius rolled his eyes, muttering something about bats and hugs before he grinned. "Then you need a best man," he pointed at Draco.

"I thought I'd ask Remus," Draco replied with a shrug.

"What?" Remus gulped. "Surely…"

"Who?" Draco shot back. "I've spent more time with you than anyone else here. I understand if you don't want to, but…"

"No! No, I want to…I just…" Remus took a deep breath. "Thanks."

Draco nodded just as Dorea stuck her head around the door cautiously, as if expecting a fight. "Everything alright?"

"Perfect," Lily smiled. "Draco and Hermione are getting married too."

Dorea blinked, taking a moment before she nodded. "Of course they are. I'll inform the officiant. When are we dress shopping?"

"Tomorrow."

"Good. I trust that the rest of you can be trusted to organise dress robes?" They all nodded solemnly under Dorea's gaze. "Wonderful. Charge them to our vault. And Sirius. Nothing ridiculous and no leather."

Sirius gaped at her for a moment before he capitulated. "Yes, Mum," he muttered.

"And Remus…new ones."

Remus floundered under her gaze. "Yes, Dorea."

"Wonderful," Dorea grinned. "I look forward to seeing them," she announced before leaving them to plan the last-minute details.

"Severus? Can we have a word before you go?"

Severus looked at Hermione suspiciously. "I'm not going to like this am I?"

She smiled slightly. "We need to arrange that meeting with Regulus now. And we need one with Narcissa Malfoy."

"Why?" he all but wined.

"She has a magical tapestry of her family tree. We have no idea if Draco is on it."

"Fuck," he swore. "I haven't heard anything."

"That's…that's good." Draco let out a breath he hadn't been aware he'd been holding. "We still need to be sure. Our marriage might show and it could jeopardise everything."

Severus nodded. "I…Regulus first, I think. You'll need more than me to get Narcissa onside."

"We'll trust your judgement. How soon can you arrange it?"

"How long is dress shopping going to take?" he asked pointedly.

Hermione sighed. "The Order is meeting tomorrow at eight. What about before dinner? I'll tell my grandmother and Lily I need to be done by three?"

Severus nodded. "I'll owl you once I've spoken to him."

"Thanks, Severus," Hermione sighed. "Everything is alright, isn't it? You've been here a lot. He hasn't noticed?"

"No. As long as I complete the potions he asks of me he leaves me alone. I spoke to him about the job at Hogwarts though. He is all for it. He suggested I approach about joining the Order without me mentioning it. I don't imagine I'll be allowed this grace indefinitely, but it's alright for the moment."

Hermione hummed, "Well discuss something you can give him tonight then. I'd rather you had something for him the moment he asks."

Severus nodded gratefully, feeling the tension he'd been hiding lessen slightly. No one had mentioned his position yet, and he was beyond grateful Hermione intended to ensure he was protected. "Thank you. I…I don't imagine it will be pleasant if he asks and I have nothing."

"No," she replied softly. "I don't imagine it would be."