Author's Note: I forgot to mention when I posted the last chapter, that I posted a one-shot of a moment mentioned last chapter. It was set in Hermione's 3rd year and consisted of the twins helping her understand the unfairness of the wizarding world. It's very quick and in no way a necessary read to understand this story, but it is technically 'canon' for this story. The one-shot is called "Hermione's Education Crisis"

Hermione had been both dreading and looking forward to lunchtime. She had hoped Malfoy's reaction would reveal a direction for her unplan that was currently floundering. Ginny's warning about Harry and Ron's reaction after she'd left breakfast did not leave her very hopeful to have a peaceful lunch though. She'd managed to hide from her two best male friends between her dorm room and a corner of the library hidden slightly from her usual table all morning.

Now she sat picking at her food and wishing she'd just skipped lunch. Harry and Ron had ambushed her with half-cocked plans to get her out of marrying Malfoy. The 'conversation' had not ended well. In fact, Harry had stormed off with both Weasleys close behind, leaving Hermione to stare morosely at the Slytherin table on her own. Malfoy seemed to have had the foresight Hermione had lacked and skipped lunch.

"Parvati, who did you get?" A rude question from a younger student pulled just enough of Hermione's attention that she processed it through her haze of angsty thoughts.

"I don't know yet," muttered the unnaturally shy girl.

"What do you mean? We've all received our letters."

She shrugged. "There was a complication with my match apparently."

"A complication?" spoke up Hermione, interested in this anomaly now. "What kind of complication?"

Parvati just shrugged. Hermione took a good look at the downtrodden girl. She had bags under her eyes, not a trace of make-up, and her hair was pulled back in a plain, but neat ponytail. If this was anyone else, the girl in front of her would look perfectly normal - if a bit sleepy. But this was Parvati, and Hermione realized at that moment that the girl in front of her was about as far from normal as she could be at this moment.

Speaking over the others at the table who had continued to pester Parvati for information, Hermione asked, "Parvati, I could use some help up in our dorm for a bit. Could you spare a few minutes for me this afternoon?"

Without much of a change in expression, Parvati shrugged her shoulders and said mildly, "sure."

A few moments later, after Hermione established that Parvati wasn't actually eating any of the food on her plate, she ushered the girl back up the stairs toward Gryffindor tower.

Hermione's attempts at conversation were met with friendly - if short - replies and as soon as they reached the privacy of the girls dorm, Hermione spun around, gently gripping Parvati's shoulders.

She observed Parvati's features, searching for the truth of Parvati's state. Depression, grief, and guilt rolled off of the girl in waves that felt almost physical to Hermione. She brushed aside a slight headache forming to focus on her roommate for once. She wasn't going to let Parvati down as she'd let Lavender down.

Hermione didn't even get the chance to speak before Parvati groaned, "Oh Hermione, not you too."

"Yes, me too. You look awful Parvati, and I feel completely justified in saying that since you've definitely said it to me in the past - several times."

A small upturn of the other girl's lip indicated to Hermione that the other girl at least was more amused than insulted by her words. That was a good start and was encouraging.

In a moment of spontaneity Hermione announced, "We're taking a girl's day today."

That caught Parvati's attention, she gazed at her bookish roommate in confusion, before a pained expression crossed her features. Hermione internally cringed as she concluded that the suggestion had sparked a memory of their missing roommate. Not willing to back down though, Hermione asked gently, "Would you like to invite Padma to spend some time with us too? I really think it will help the two of us, but I don't know about your sister…"

"Um, yeah. That might be a good idea," agreed Parvati distractedly.

"Ugh," Ginny groaned as she shifted so the jets in the jacuzzi hit a different spot on her back. "I didn't even know how much I needed this."

"Have I ever mentioned how brilliant you are Hermione?" Ginny continued without even bothering to open her eyes.

Hermione smiled indulgently at her friend as she too shifted to allow the jets to give attention to another muscle on her back. She hadn't planned her 'girls day' ahead of time, but it still turned out beautifully so far. It had grown to include Ginny in addition to Padma and now they all found themselves in the Room of Requirement in a room that looked like Hermione's best guess at a day spa set up. They had all quickly gathered in the oversized jacuzzi and each claimed their own set of jets.

"This was brilliant, Hermione. I don't think we give you enough credit over in Ravenclaw tower." Padma said this while glancing over at her twin, who was backward in her seat and putting her feet to the jets with a blissful expression with closed eyes.

Hermione filed that little bit of information away for later, but demurred, "Oh please, needing a break and remembering that the Room of Requirement exists is hardly brilliant."

Padma turned a soft smile toward Hermione, and said cryptically, "Perhaps not your normal sort of brilliant, but appreciated nonetheless."

The slightly awkward moment was broken by Parvati drifting over closer to her sister and Padma's shriek of indignation.

"Stop it, Pad," grumbled Parvati before returning to a relaxed position, but this time with her head resting on her twin's arm.

Padma rolled her eyes while rubbing at a pink patch on said arm.

Ginny giggled, "You guys are so much like the twins, but also so different."

Silence settled over the group for a bit, but instead of being awkward, it seemed everyone was taking a moment to remember loved ones recently lost.

"She would have loved this," Parvati's voice broke the silence, and Hermione was amazed at the emotion laced in her voice without it sounding as though she might cry. "Lav would be so upset at me right now. I- I've been…"

She trailed off, lost for words, but Ginny picked up and leaned forward supplying, "Hey, Parvati, it's- Lavender would understand. We're all having a hard time believing that the world really does go on."

Parvati stared at the faraway look that came across Ginny's face. She surprised the freckled girl as she swam over and enveloped her in a hug. Ginny broke down and cried while Hermione slid over to give the grieving girls room to comfort each other.

It was several minutes later and Hermione was observing Parvati still comforting the bawling Ginny. The brunette's head tilted to the side as she wondered at the strange turn of events. She'd decided on this girl's day to help Parvati, but here Parvati was, helping Ginny. Hermione only just barely avoided jumping as Padma's voice from the seat immediately next to her interrupted her thoughts.

"She needed this."

"Ginny?" Hermione asked, clearly not understanding. Looking over to the Ravenclaw girl, Hermione was indignant to see amused condescension showing in her features. She stopped herself from reacting though and instead waited for the other girl's explanation.

"No, Parvati."

Hermione, obviously not following, waited through a few more moments of silence for Padma to continue to explain.

When the Ravenclaw finally spoke, it was spoken with a soft introspection and with her emotions showing clearly on her face. Pain. "Tia was always the strong one. I can't even count the number of times that she comforted me throughout the years… Gryffindor wasn't a surprise to me."

"Tia?" Hermione hated to interrupt but Padma paused enough that she risked confirming her suspicions.

"Sorry, Parvati. I've always called her Tia when we're alone." She smirked and added conspiratorially, "She objected to Parv - too close to perv."

A soft giggle escaped as Padma seemed to recall some happy memory from her past. Hermione just observed silently and wondered why she knew so little about her roommate and her twin.

"Anyway," Padma seemed to bring herself out of her memories, and she gestured to Parvati comforting a calming Ginny in front of them. "I'm usually Ginny. I- have anxiety issues. When Tia lost Lavender… I- I realized how strong Parvati has been all these years. I had no clue how to help her. I mean, I held her while she cried, but… then she stopped crying. But instead of everything being better… it was almost as though it were worse. It's like she ran out of tears…"

"I wondered why I never saw her crying, but she's clearly not okay. It's like she's screaming for help while trying to let on that nothing is wrong."

Padma nodded sadly and said, "I think Tia's learned to handle grief by comforting someone else - me - and now that she's the one who was hurt the most… Like I said. I didn't know how to help. I'm glad you found a way."

Hermione held both hands up and quickly said, "Oh no. I didn't know how to help. I can't take any credit. I had no clue-"

"Hermione," Padma laid a placating hand on Hermione's shoulder, "Take the appreciation, please."

Hermione sighed, "Right. I am glad it seems to be working out. And if you're right and Parvati is benefiting from comforting Ginny then… well, I'm glad I decided on a spontaneous girls day too." She ended in a soft smile.

The companionable silence ended a few moments later when Padma asked, "Why did you decide to do this?"

Hermione's eyebrows furrowed as she considered the question. "I- I think it was a bit selfish, really. I saw how affected Parvati was by Lavender's passing and I think I just felt guilty. Guilty for not somehow protecting her? Or maybe guilty for not being as close to her as Parvati was? Honestly, I'm not even sure. Trying to think of it just gives me a headache." She laughed a bit to lighten what she was saying, "Everything these days gives me a headache. Who knew life could be even more convoluted after defeating a Dark Lord?"

"Heh, I don't know about defeating a Dark Lord, but yeah, this is definitely more convoluted than I expected."

Nervously, Hermione ventured, "I- I mean, I don't mean to pry, but I thought… Parvati has hinted that you two were expecting to be in an arranged marriage anyway…"

Padma smiled wryly. "Well, yes. We did grow up expecting to be put into an arranged marriage. Mother sometimes attempted to change Father's mind, but never with too much effort. They were an arranged marriage and that worked out. But well, this law… I'm still not sure why my father entered us. I expect it had to do with not having suitable contracts for us yet or due to The Artifact being used to match… but now even that's gone sideways."

"Pad, stop it. We're not unwanted." Parvati's voice cutting across their conversation made both girls start and look toward her and Ginny. Ginny was composing herself and smiling gently - with the signature Weasley bright red face. Parvati was scolding her sister with a serious expression on her face.

"I know…" mumbled Padma.

"No, clearly you don't. Father did not enter us for the draw because no one wanted us. He obviously had too many offers and decided to let The Artifact narrow it down to the perfect men for us." Parvati adopted a snooty affectation that had been missing for so long.

Padma sent a small almost unnoticeable smirk Hermione's way before agreeing as though begrudging.

"Right. We're a catch, Pad. Both of us."

Hermione smiled too at Parvati's confidence showing through.

Ginny queried teasingly, "Who are the lucky blokes who were paired with each of you then?"

Hermione witnessed the stress through the smiles still plastered on the twins' features. "We don't know." Parvati answered stiffly.

Ginny gasped lightly, and Hermione stated, "That is odd. I heard them pestering you at lunch Parvati, but I thought maybe you just didn't want to say."

Parvati shook her head morosely. "No, we both got letters saying there was a problem with our matches."

"Both of you?"

Nods had Hermione considering the possibilities. "What are the chances that both of you got paired with unsuitable matches? Or… Did you hear anything about others who weren't told today?"

"Nope. Just us."

"Perhaps Father decided to interfere somehow…" suggested Parvati hesitantly.

Padma nodded, "I did consider that. I was honestly surprised at how easily he submitted us when we're clearly going to be marrying muggleborns."

A small exhale from Hermione noted her annoyance at that statement and Parvati quickly amended for her twin, "It's not that he's against muggleborns per se. It's just that… well, part of the reason our parents moved to England was to allow marrying into pureblood lines without inbreeding. It seems odd that Father suddenly just agreed to definitely marry us off to a muggleborn line."

"Maybe he changed his mind and that's why you got letters about a complication?" suggested Ginny.

"Yeah, maybe," agreed Padma without much belief in her own words.

The girls sat in silence, each considering what this turn of events meant for the Patil twins.

"What about you?" Parvati broke the silence and had clearly adopted her gossip-mongering attitude as she leaned in toward Hermione.

Hermione squeaked. "What?"

With a roll of her eyes, Parvati elaborated, "Draco Malfoy? How are you not a hot mess right now or bursting into McGonagall's office?"

Hermione tried to look affronted at the suggestion she'd storm the Headmistresses office, but a giggle escaped at the mental image it provided. "I did consider it, honestly." She sighed, and shrugged, "I'm not sure what to think about my pairing. I mean, I was so convinced that this Compatibility Testing - The Artifact - would be perfect for me. And at first, I was going to go protest. How could I be perfectly matched with him? But as I was making a list to support my argument, I realized I don't really know much about Malfoy. Do you?"

Parvati and Ginny shook their heads or shrugged, but Padma provided, "Well, I know that he's a lot different this year."

"How do you mean?"

Padma shrugged, "I don't pay much attention to him, but a fair few girls in Ravenclaw think he's a catch. They've commented on how much quieter he is this year. Apparently he's also sticking to himself a bit more and not trying to lord it over everyone like he was, er… before."

"Interesting."

Ginny spoke up now. "How are you going to handle him, Hermione? I mean, if he's a monster still can we plot how we'll dispose of his body?"

Struggling to keep her face from displaying her impish intentions, Hermione shrugged casually and stated as nonplussed as possible, "Vanish it, obviously."

Parvati squealed in excitement and asked, "Do you really have a disposal plan? Is that what you're always writing in that journal of yours?!"

Hermione's smile broke across her face, "No!" She broke down laughing, "But you should see your face, Gin!"

After a few more giggles, Hermione admitted that her journal mostly contained her early attempts to get out of the law.

"What did you try?" asked Padma with curiosity borne out of an attempt to live vicariously through the other girl's attempts to skirt the law.

"Well," Hermione blushed, "I considered some pretty ridiculous plans…"

Sensing a scoop, Parvati eagerly asked, "Like what?" At a look from Hermione, she added, "I promise, nothing you tell me leaves this room. I- well, let's just say I'm less of a gossip these days."

"I know one ridiculous plan," provided Ginny. When she didn't see Hermione move to stop her, she continued, "She asked my oaf of a brother if he'd help by knocking her up in time to wriggle out of the law."

"No!" gasped Padma and Parvati together.

"At least tell me it was George and not Ron?" begged Parvati.

Hermione laughed. "If I'd asked George he would have known what I was asking and I'd be in a very different predicament today!"

"He didn't know?" exclaimed Padma in disbelief.

"No! He's so clueless." Hermione smiled, at the now amusing memory, "But I'm so glad that he didn't understand at the time. It was a last ditch desperate thought and I have to admit I was not at my best."

"I'll say!" agreed Parvati enthusiastically, then added with a morbid sense of wonder, "Imagine mini Rons!"

After they'd all got some good laughs out of the way, Padma prompted again, "What else did you try, Hermione?"

The brunette bookworm, took a deep breath and considered how to answer. "Well, I tried appealing my participation to the committee, I tried proving the illegality of the Muggleborn Integration Initiative, I tried contacting the muggle Queen-"

"You did what?"

"You broke the Statute of Secrecy?!"

Hermione frowned as her friends shouted at her all at once. "I was careful. I sent my message with a … hypothetical question. But turns out the muggle Queen was aware of the wizarding Initiative and had approved it anyway. I was offered a position in the muggle world though."

"Is that still an option?" asked Parvati.

"No," said Hermione emphatically, "Well, it is technically still on offer. But returning to the muggle world is out of the question. I've worked too hard attaining all of my knowledge of the wizarding world. I can't allow all that information to be stripped from my mind. There's no way I'd be able to stay friends with anyone in this world anyway. I'd be alone in the muggle world with no connections or personal relationships. No," her voice turned quite sad as she continued, "I already burned that bridge. No going back."

"Wow, I had no idea," said Parvati as Ginny reached over and offered a hug to her friend.

The somber mood was broken as Ginny's emerald green bikini turned back into her school uniform and she shrieked in surprise.

Hermione laughed at her expense and concluded, "Well, perhaps we have been in here awhile, ladies…"

"Yup, that's our cue," agreed Parvati quickly jumping out to cast the drying spells on her own bikini before it also reverted to her uniform. The extra fabric of the uniform would be much more of a pain to dry using only spells.

Author't Note: This chapter was edited a bit less than the others so far. Hopefully I didn't miss too many typos or other errors. Thank you for your reviews so far! Let me know what you think or if you notice any errors! Thanks for reading!