Saturday morning found Hermione and Ginny lounging in Hermione's bed. They'd had a sleepover the night prior while the menfolk went out and did whatever it was that they did on Friday nights. Hermione had never been interested in their drunken debauchery and so had long ago started their own girls' night at her flat. Much of the time it was just Hermione and Ginny, but occasionally they'd be joined by Lavender and Luna and on the very rare occasion Pansy. This particular Saturday morning it was just the two of them.
"What have I done?" Hermione sighed heavily. "He hasn't spoken to me in nearly a week. Hell, I've barely seen him. I miss him."
"He's giving you space. He misses you too." Ginny offered. "I can talk to him if you like."
"No, I need to figure out how to do this myself." Hermione shook her head. "Gods" she groaned. "I'm pathetic. How could I not see what was staring me in the face all these years?"
"Because you weren't looking."
"What do I do now?" she whined. "I…" Suddenly, she jolted upright with a gasp. "Gods, Ginny. Ginny, I love him."
"I know." Ginny grinned wickedly. "I've always known. You just had to figure it out for yourself. Now, what are you going to do about it?"
"I don't know." She groaned, throwing herself back onto her bed with her arm over her eyes.
"You're going to dig deep and find that Gryffindor courage and bravery and come to the match with me."
"How's that going to help?" Hermione asked.
"You'll see. I'll be right back." Ginny laughed as she hauled herself off the bed and made her way out of the room. She returned nearly half an hour later with a wadded-up shirt. "Here. You're going to wear this. And after the game is over, you're going to march down to the pitch and talk to him."
"Ginny, where did you…" Hermione started as she took the shirt and let it fall open to reveal a Quidditch jersey with Malfoy emblazoned across the back. It even smelled like him. "Where did you get this?"
"Don't worry about that now. Go. Find something to go with it and get dressed. I'll be downstairs waiting. We've only got an hour before the game." Ginny laughed as she left the room again.
Hermione groaned again and stared at the jersey in her lap. "How am I supposed to just up and tell you how I feel? It took you eight bloody years to do it." She muttered. Glancing toward the door, listening to see if Ginny had indeed gone downstairs, she slowly raised the shirt and buried her nose in it. "Right. Gryffindor bravery." She said resolutely and tossed the shirt onto her bed as she stood up.
She entered her walk-in closet and began rummaging for clothes to wear with the jersey. She finally settled on a pair of silver leggings and knee-high black leather boots. She slipped the red and silver jersey over her head, smiling as his scent surrounded her. Merlin, she really did love him, didn't she? Tossing her hair into a messy bun on her way out of the room she joined Ginny downstairs.
Ginny had changed as well. Sporting a jersey identical to the one Hermione was wearing, save for the number and name. "Ready?" Ginny asked, quirking an eyebrow at Hermione. "We need to hurry so we can make it to the box before the game starts."
"I'm as ready as I'll ever be." Hermione said, wringing her hands. The two girls stepped into the floo together and Ginny yelled out the name of the stadium. They stepped through and Hermione cast a quick scourgify to remove the soot from their face and clothes.
"Ladies." An usher greeted them as they stepped out. "Tickets?"
"Oh, you must be new." Ginny laughed. "I'm Harry Potter's wife. This is Hermione Granger, Harry Potter's best friend. We have a standing reservation in the team box."
"Of course, Mrs. Potter, my apologies." The usher bowed. "This way please." The two girls followed the man to the box. The whole way, Hermione was acutely aware of the whispers through the crowd and the dozens of eyes on the pair of them. She was certain that her face was likely as red as the jersey that she wore, but she held her head high and continued after Ginny.
"Merlin, people are nosey." Ginny rolled her eyes as they settled into their seats. The box dead even with the goals, where they would see the most action. Hermione had never attended one of these games in all the years that Draco and Harry had been playing recreationally. She was nervous being so high up, but also grateful that she didn't have to sit among the rest of the attendees. She wasn't sure if she could keep her nerve listening to them gossip for the entire game.
"So, what's supposed to happen here? It's been years since I've been to a Quidditch game" Hermione asked nervously.
"Harry's a seeker, just like he was in school. I usually play chaser, but Angelina has been flying for me since I got pregnant. Zabini flies as either a beater or a chaser. Today I think he's chasing because Neville's in town. He and George will be the beaters, and of course, Ron is still a keeper." Ginny rambled about the positions and the various players. "They'll fly out from down there, make a loop above the crowd and then meet the other team in the middle of the pitch." She gestured to the opening at the base of the stadium under the goalposts.
"And Malfoy? Doesn't he do the same thing as Harry?" Hermione questioned.
"In school he was a seeker, but he says that was only because his father required it. He loves chasing with me." Ginny answered. "He's one of the best in the recreational league. Oh! Here they come!" she squealed, launching herself out of her seat to hang over the rail.
Hermione could see the players sweeping out of the opening from both ends. She wasn't sure how they didn't collide with one another as they zipped through the air, flying intricate patters across the sky on their brooms. Harry zoomed up to the box where they sat and stole a kiss from Ginny as the crowd roared. Hermione shyly looked up and straight into the eyes of a shocked Draco Malfoy. She gave him a small smile, blushing heavily before he flew off to meet Harry in the center of the pitch.