Diamonds - Part Three

Prompt: Could we see everyone's reaction to the engagement/ring? Like the Malfoys Weasleys etc.
for TimeRose

Hermione squared her shoulders as she walked down the familiar, overgrown path to the Burrow. Her new ring, the ring that declared she would one day be Draco's wife, weighted down her finger. Hermione wondered for the hundredth time if she should have tried to break the news by owl, but then she shushed herself. She was many things, but she wasn't a coward. If the wolves on the other side of the door got the slightest notion that she was ashamed of her choice, Hermione would never hear the end of it. She needed to start as she meant to go on. Head held high, resolve on her face and in her heart.

All too soon, Hermione ran out of cobbles. She said a silent prayer to a God she didn't believe in before she opened the door to face the music.

An hour later, most of the initial chaos had calmed. Mr Weasley had righted the knocked down chairs, and Mrs Weasley had swapped the alcohol around the place for hot drinks. Hermione had wondered whether giving them a cup of scalding water each was a good idea, but she had said nothing.

Ron had been taken to another room by Lavender when he was unable to keep his mouth shut despite the protests of most of his brothers. Hermione's former dormmate had brushed past her a little harder than necessary when they left, but Hermione had hardly registered it. Lavender had her pity, but she doubted the blonde would want to know that. She had spent too long explaining again and again that there was nothing between her and Ron. At this point, Lavender's insecurity was her own to manage as was her boyfriend's temper. Hermione had long ago washed her hands of all of it.

Hermione felt herself sag in the quiet of the room. She could still hear Ron's vicious accusations fly. The rest had been equally surprised - though arguably less volatile - and Hermione had begun to feel irritated. She had been dating Draco for two years and while she hadn't been expecting him to propose theirs had hardly been a causal association. Would they have risked as much upset if it had been?

Harry was still looking green around the gills, and Hermione felt his disgust pricking at her skin even more unbearably than Ron's rage.

"I accepted Daphne," she gritted out, and he turned to look at her with awkward indignation.

"I know, but Mione, it's Malfoy," Harry whined.

Hermione's hand bit into the worn tabletop, and she felt her ring again, weighing her down and reminding her of why she was doing all this.

"No, Harry," she said tiredly. "It's me. He's my choice."

"Of all people, did it have to be him?"

"Yes," Hermione replied, determined not to explain herself. They didn't deserve it. "I'm not changing my mind. So I suggest you get on board with this."

"Or what?" Harry asked softly, and Hermione just let the words hang between them. She didn't need to say anymore. She had made her choice.

"Personally, I think it's lovely, though Draco certainly doesn't mind spending his money does he," Mrs Weasley said as she stirred another cup of tea and sat at the table, gesturing at Hermione's ring with a nod of her head. "A wedding," she sighed, "I can't wait. You'll look beautiful, my dear."

Hermione imagined Molly's goodwill would sour rather dramatically when she was apprised of precisely what Narcissa thought comprised a 'simple wedding'.

Narcissa Malfoy had taken one look at the ring her son had picked and within two seconds had pronounced it 'acceptable'. Hermione had wanted to quip about how her acceptance was still pending. But she held it in. She was getting rather used to holding it in around his family. It being her every thought and feeling. Hermione supposed she should feel resentful, but Draco had made concessions in his way. She still remembered how tough he had found babysitting Teddy with her and yet he had done it because she had asked. There was an honour to him, one that he would never admit to, but she saw it.

"Anyway, I best be going," Hermione said, trying for an unconcerned tone as if they had had a regular visit and not one that had resulted in an explosion of revulsion and accusation.

She got to the door before Ginny caught her and wrapped her in a much-needed hug. "I'm happy for you, Hermione," the redhead whispered. "But be careful of that," she said, pointing to Hermione's engagement ring. "You could go to blow your nose and take your eye out!"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Thank you, Ginny, but remember to be nice to me. I'm the only thing that stands between you and what Narcissa Malfoy would call an understated bridesmaid dress."

Ginny scowled, and Hermione laughed.

Hermione had only made it as far as the tree line around the Weasley property when she sensed that she wasn't alone. "Draco," she said tiredly, and almost immediately he appeared in front of her, casually slipping off his coat and wrapping it around her shoulders.

"You're crying," he observed dispassionately, his tone too controlled to be believed. Hermione didn't ask how long he had been there. She should have known better earlier when he had said he was happy for her to go alone.

Hermione raised her hands to her face and was mildly surprised when her fingers came back wet. She hadn't realised. "What is it you always tell me?" she said in what she hoped was a sunny voice. "Don't let them see how much they affect you. I don't think I started until I came out, though I'm not sure."

"How was it?"

Hermione sighed, "Not good."

Draco pulled her into his arms and Hermione stiffened before she sagged into his grip. He wasn't usually one for public displays of affection. Draco could be so emotional with her that it flayed her raw, but only ever alone. She nearly warned him that they could probably be seen from the house, but she stopped herself. He must have known that already. In some small way, she imagined it was an act of defiance. He already knew all they would have said, and most of it centred on how he didn't love her. He wanted to prove them all wrong.

"They finally put you off me?" he asked dryly.

Hermione smiled against his shirt. "No. Not now, not ever."

Draco's grip turned so hard it was almost painful, but Hermione suppressed her wince.

"Can I take you home?"

Hermione pressed her fingers into his jumper and swallowed. The Draco of two years ago - if she was honest even the Draco of last year - would have drawn his wand by now, he would have threatened to go in there and make them apologise. The Draco of now, the one that wanted to marry her, his parents be damned, just wanted her to be happy.

"Yes please," she said firmly and felt him nod against the top of her head.

They apparated away.

Ginny turned from her position at the window and looked at Harry standing next to her with a concerned frown pulling down his eyebrows.

"Well, Harry, you're going to have to do a fair bit to make it up to your friend."

The chastisement in her tone made Harry wince. "What do you suggest?"

Ginny grinned. Harry had dated her long enough to be very frightened of that look. "I think you should ask Draco."

Harry rubbed his hand over his face. "Should I take Ron as well, do you think?"

"Not unless you want him to die, Harry," Ginny replied sweetly before she scampered off to help her mother with the washing up.