"Dra-" She felt her cheeks brighten as blood rushed to it and Draco's expression mirrored her own. She inhaled a sharp breath and looked at Luna and her bemused smile. "Luna. I think the elf- I should have gotten her name- wanted me up here?"
"Yes." Luna's voice was airy and happy, accomplishment peppered her tone.
There was a long stretch of silence. Draco cleared his throat.
Hermione's eyes darted to him and she caught his glance at Luna whose hands were clasped behind her back as she rocked on her bare feet.
"I think-" Draco looked at Hermione, valiantly trying to keep his face passive. "She would like to know if you would be her Maid of Honour."
Hermione remembered Harry's question and she laughed, an unexpected blurt of it, so she covered her mouth and let her eyes dart between the two silvery haired, silvery eyed people, they could almost be cousins.
Draco shot Luna a worried look and Hermione swore she saw apology flit across his expression and then reassurance. When did she get so good at reading him? Where was his usual haughtiness?
"But, Ginny?" Hermione asked. Ginny and Luna had been undeniably closer than Hermione and Luna, though Hermione was very fond of her and vice versa.
Hermione looked at Luna expectantly but Draco's voice pulled her attention, again.
"Potter's to be best man. And Ginny can't be Maid of Honour. It might put them together and cause awkwardness." Draco explained in a slightly pained voice. He didn't want to be saying any of this. "And…" Luna nodded before her eyes drifted to the ceiling. "Whatever's to happen between them needs to feel natural and not like a manufactured situation."
"Right, of course." Hermione looked between them both. Luna did plan this and Draco was as blindsided as she was. But he knew more about this wedding than she did. Seriously, how close are you two?
"And…" Hermione hesitated. "Are you sure you want it to be me? I'm honoured, but, I couldn't take this away from who you really want."
"Oh, it's alright that it's you. Ginny and Harry will make up by the end of tonight." Luna smiled dreamily now and stopped rocking to slip her bright yellow sandals onto her feet. "And you're gorgeous in that dress." Luna looked at Draco with a sparkle in her eyes. "Isn't she Draco?"
Hermione felt blood rush to her face and her skin burned hot. Draco glanced at her and away again, his lips tight and cheeks pinkening.
Hermione cleared her throat and ripped her eyes away from Draco's blush and very obvious attempts not to look at her.
"You look absolutely brilliant, Luna." Hermione observed her. Her dress was a beautiful yellow that seemed to glow in the low light of her bedroom. The bodice had bright blue stitching in intricate patterns. It hugged her to her waist and then stopped short just above her hips so that the soft dress floated around her. It was like fluid sunshine. Her veil and hair almost melded into one. Luna smiled happily at the compliment.
"Do I need to give a speech?" Her voice sounded small and breathless.
"Oh no, we won't be doing speeches." Luna swayed in spot now, Draco fidgeted, Hermione felt awkward.
"Oh. Okay. So what do you need me to do?" Hermione felt her shoulders deflate with relief because public speeches weren't on her agenda today, let alone ones made up on the spot.
"Hold my bouquet, Have fun." She glanced at Draco and Hermione and smiled a little mischievously. "Help Gin and Harry along."
"Why does this feel like the world's most absurd spy movie, disguised as a romance?' Hermione said mainly to herself. Draco cracked a smile, flashing some teeth. He turned away to hide it.
"Movie?" Luna asked, her eyes suddenly lit with fascination.
"It's like a play, Luna. But not performed live. Like our portraits move, but with sound, and it's projected on a big screen." Draco explained gently, to Hermione's surprise.
"You…" Hermione would need wine, or champagne. Her head was light with all this mind bending information. Luna's eyes widened in wonder and Draco smiled fondly at her.
"Can we go?" Luna asked. "Where is it?"
"How about we get you married first, then we go see a movie." Draco chuckled and held his arm out to her. She took his elbow with her hand and they looked at Hermione expectantly.
It was only then as they stood side by side that Hermione noticed Draco was wearing a richly yellow jacket over a white shirt.
The stitching matched Luna's but adorned only the cuffs of his jacket and the ends of it, giving it an ombre effect. Hermione found herself amused to see him in such a happy colour when she had only ever known him to wear black and green. And white, that one time at the Vie Ball. She was staring. His hair was casually combed back, but not held there with his usual slick gel. A wisp of his hair fell onto his forehead and the curve of his hair tucked longer strands behind his ear.
"Ah, yea. I'll get Harry and Neville out. Then… um, you can come down?" Hermione steadied herself and forced her mind to focus. She hesitated. "Did the Weasleys all RSVP?"
Draco's eyes didn't leave her, so Hermione met their cool grey with some surprise and he nodded just barely.
"Right." Hermione turned, lifting her hand at her hip again to say bye and disappeared downward.
Harry and Neville weren't behind the room separator, so she continued to the ground floor and found them with alcohol in glasses. Neville looked simultaneously giddy with happiness and absolutely terrified.
"You boys better drink that up. The bride's about to come down." Neville nodded.
"Cheers, mate." Harry lifted his glass. Hermione looked longingly at the amber liquid as it disappeared into their mouths. She didn't drink, but she really wanted to.
"Oh. Okay. I'm ready. Let's go." Neville grimaced as he swallowed the liquid.
"Let's go get you a wife." Harry moved to the doorway and Neville followed him. Before he exited the door, he straightened his back to his full height, straightened his tie, and smoothed his pants.
It took a moment to notice that the bright thin lines in lacey patterns across the initially dark surface were various plants imprinted and linked together. Neville's shoes were bright red. It looked seamless and loud, but subtle enough that beside Luna, they would be the stars of the show.
As soon as Hermione followed them, a bright flash blinded her. Dennis Creevey smiled apologetically and then waved excitedly when Hermione showed that she recognised him. She smiled.
Walking down the now flower strewn aisle toward the floating archway, Hermione felt the entire event hit her square in the chest. Excitement welled inside her as she saw Harry beside Neville who was looking fixedly at the door of the Lovegood house, and Harry looked at her and smiled.
The people assembled in all the chairs were hushed, eyes on Hermione or the door like Neville. There were maybe a total of thirty people present. Hermione didn't look for the red headed beacons, because she needed to be here, right now.
Harry shifted and Hermione knew he was thinking of Ginny somewhere in the crowd.
Excitement pulled at her skin, tingling everything. She felt absolutely enthralled to be there, her body could float like everything around her. Everyone held their breath as birds whistled in a melody that suspiciously sounded like 'Here comes to bride".
Xenophilius Lovegood held onto his daughter's hand where it was linked at his elbow and grinned widely down at everyone as they walked the flower strewn pathway. Luna's dress trailed behind her as she stared dreamily ahead, her eyes only on Neville. The bouquet she held was small but consisted of the same floating flowers around them.
Hermione doesn't remember ever seeing Luna break into a toothy, face splitting smile before. But she did, and she could feel everyone's breath leave their body. Luna's hair was as long as her veil, all the way to her hips. It fluttered in the wind behind her, and suddenly the birds were chirping in chorus, loudly and melodiously; excited to see her like they had all become her friends.
Finally, Luna was at the archway and Hermione took the bouquet. She hadn't noticed before, but there was no officiator. It was then that Xenophilius stepped between Luna and Neville and Hermione couldn't help but giggle. Harry laughed too.
When he started speaking and Hermione became lost to his words, she looked around and found the Weasleys sitting together. Ginny was in a bright blue gown that looked electric in the sunlight. Molly was in a simple knee length dress, Bill and Fleur looked absolutely stunning in their matching crimson dress, dress shirt, and trousers. Charlie wore a henley with a blazer. George and Ron both wore dragon hide jackets with matching dress boots, their soft pants darker colours.
There was no Draco.
Hermione fought the disappointment and refocused now on Luna and Neville who were sliding their respective rings onto their fingers. The words 'you may kiss the bride' were drowned out by the eruption of cheering from the cheers.
With a gentle squeeze to Luna's arm as she retreated down the aisle, her body leaned against Neville's, Hermione looked at Harry and shrugged. They laughed. It had been an absurd day.
She reached for him and guided him to the side as the crowd of people trailed after Luna and Neville, showering them with sparks and colourful confetti.
Bright flashes of Dennis Creevey's camera captured every moment. It sparked the memory of her conversation with Luna about movies and she leaned against Harry, and propped her chin onto his shoulder.
"We might get roped into movie nights with Luna." Hermione's jaw remained a little shut from her position. Harry's eyes looked at her then back up to everyone. Hermione could feel that he wasn't as happy as she was, being here. Then remembered she was to push Harry and Ginny together whenever she could.
"What do you mean, movie night?" Harry looked to the sky, a couple flowers had broken free and were floating slowly into the blue vastness above them.
"Draco told her what movies were-" Hermione started to explain.
"Draco?"
"-when I said something and now she's interested." Hermione forged on, ignoring the flame in her cheeks as she pressed one to his shoulder and closed her eyes at her momentary lapse of tongue.
"I repeat. Draco?" Harry wasn't letting it go.
"It's nothing." Hermione felt panic rise. Shit, bollocks, fucking hell. He can't know about the letter, the confession.
"You and him finally got friendly?" Harry teased. Hermione reeled away from him.
"What do you mean finally ?" She placed a hand on her hip and cocked her head to the side.
"Nothing." Harry said quickly, a shadow of a grin on his face.
"Harry James Potter." Hermione pinched him through the thick sleeve of his suit and Harry yanked his arm away. Harry opened his mouth to retort but they were interrupted by the tiny elf.
"Can miss and sir please step to the side?" the elf asked with her voice quivering.
Harry pulled Hermione back and with the snap of her finger, there was a dancefloor on the grass and all the mismatched chairs were gone.
"This is moving quickly." Harry murmured. Two seconds later, a band of house elves began playing a variety of string instruments and Luna and Neville waltzed gracefully onto the floor.
The small crowd watched them as Neville's impressive frame and weightlessness carried Luna in twirls across the floor. After Dennis's camera flashed ten times, couples filed in. Harry looked at Hermione and smiled. He held his hand out and Hermione glanced around quickly, searching for blue.
"You should ask Ginny." Hermione glanced at him, hoping to catch his reaction.
"Hermione-" Harry began to protest.
"Listen. Go find her and talk your shit out okay?" Hermione thought she should have been gentler. But then pressed on when Harry's cheeks turned pink. "She needs to hear from you."
"I don't-" Harry's voice was strangled as he looked into the crowd for Ginny.
"You and her belong together, Harry." Hermione said, finally gentler. Harry made a small whimper like sound. Hermione reached for his hand and squeezed. "I'll tell you about this later, but, a lot of people are rooting for you both."
Harry raised a questioning eyebrow when Hermione spotted Ginny's blue dress, grasped Harrys' shoulders and pushed him in her direction.
"Trying to get them back together, are you?"
The voice was instantly recognizable and at the same time, very unfamiliar.
"Ronald." Hermione turned to him and smiled, however hard she had to try, she would. She looked at Harry who was mussing his hair as he talked to Ginny; his usual nervous gesture. Ginny glanced at Hermione who waved and grinned, ignoring the brooding mass beside her.
"Why is it you think they could get back together, but we can't?" Ron stepped beside her so that their shoulders brushed. Hermione felt cold brush her exposed skin but fought the shiver.
"Ron. When was the last time you spoke to me without looking at me as though you hate me." Hermione spared him a sad smile before returning her gaze to Harry and Ginny who were walking arm in arm to the edge of the dancefloor.
"I don't hate you." Ron's voice was mixed with emotions Hermione was having a hard time understanding. Regret, longing, tenderness, a sprinkle of absolute fondness. Hermione bumped her shoulder into his.
"Ron. I'll always care about you. But you and I? I can't do that again." Hermione let her eyes wander to the floating flowers and the absolutely glowing Luna, joined by a radiant Ginny. Then Fleur and Bill melted into the dancing couples and everyone's beauty tripled. Dennis would get amazing photos of today.
"What can I do, Mione. What can I do?" Ron shifted beside her and she knew he was looking at her.
"Ron. You were important to me, you still are. Your family has been the only family beside Harry in the wizard world that knew me and accepted me without skipping a beat. You are smart, kind, observant, you'd make someone very happy someday." Hermione tried again.
"I don't know anyone like you." Ron said after a long silence. "I'll never know anyone like you."
"And I'll never know anyone like you." Hermione mirrored. "You can't wait for me. I'm never coming back. Harry misses you. You can't keep avoiding me."
"I haven't been trying to." Ron squeezed his palms together before twiddling his thumbs.
"Literally every event this year?" Hermione hoped it sounded teasing enough. She couldn't gauge their comfort level but she wanted to try to return there.
"I-" Ron's ears turned bright red. "I saw you with Malfoy that time at the Vie, it pissed me off. Then The Prophet reported that you two danced, and there were photos." He audibly swallowed. "I should have known that it was just Skeeter's stupid reporting."
Hermione's mind drifted back to Draco and all their interactions and she blushed. She ducked her head quickly and studied her flats.
"I was just tolerating him for Gin." Barely tolerable , echoed through her mind, but then was replaced by Draco's signature in his letter, seared across her vision.
"I know." Ron's voice was small, defeated. "D'you reckon you'd like a dance with me?"
Hermione looked up at him, her eyebrows meeting in a sorry frown. Understanding crossed his face and he smiled.
"Maybe at the next ball?" Hermione suggested. "I- I can't have you thinking there's hope."
"Right." Ron nodded. "Right. That makes sense."
"Are you going home?" Hermione's voice stopped him from leaving. His shoulders rose in a shrug.
"There's one of Fleur's cousins, I'll probably ask her to dance before I go. She looks pissed that Charlie and George haven't asked her. And Perce brought Audrey." Ron smiled over his shoulder and continued walking.
Hermione felt the weight he carried over her leave with him and her chest unwound a little.
She circled the dancefloor as the sun drooped in the sky, it set the horizon aflame with reds and oranges, littered with pink cotton candy clouds dotting the air.
"Hermione." Draco's voice was soft beside her, as darkness clung to her skin and dress while fairy lights started flickering on above them. She found that she had smiled when he said her name, but turned to hide it. "I'd like to ask you to dance."
Hermione turned to look at him and studied him with a train of thoughts barrelling through her mind.
"If you can tolerate me, I mean." Draco gave a shy smile. The lights around them glowed fiercely as they swirled through the night. Hermione couldn't tell if they were magical lights or magical creatures. It bounced the yellow off Draco's jacket and the space between them glowed.
"I'd like to ask you some questions first." Hermione turned now to face him and looked up at him with unshielded eyes. She wanted him to know she was sincere.
"About Luna." Draco stated. He nodded slowly then he looked at her. "What do you want to know?"
Hermione met his eyes, his forwardness shocked her. Her brain short circuited for a second before she regained herself.
"Um." She started, unimpressively. "How did you two become so…"
"Close?" Draco smiled, his lip curling in a familiar way but without the cruelty. "You remember, don't you? She was held hostage in Malfoy Manor."
"Right." Hermione let out a hushed sound; they were the only two people right now, the other bodies and shouts of laughter didn't exist. Draco smiled sadly.
"That was a dark time, I did what I could when I could but I can't tell you how many times I had to watch the Dark Lord torture my mother when I failed." He turned away from Hermione now and faced the dancefloor and twirling couples. Hermione did the same, and found Ron's eyes following her as he danced with a silver haired girl whose head only reached his shoulder.
She felt no guilt about being beside Draco and wondered what that meant. She looked away from Ron and hoped he didn't feel the need to approach her. Draco might have noticed but he placed his hands behind him and held his wrist with his fingers before looking down past his shoulder to her.
Their shoulders brushed, Hermone's bare, tanned, skin against his soft jacket.
"Before the war, he wanted me to torture her myself." Hermione wanted to hold onto him to comfort him but remained silent instead. "It never came to that, the war started. When it came to Luna, she saved me. She planned with me, how I could skim the edge of what they needed me to do and get away with it. How to seem invested. She didn't even care that I couldn't protect her. She was there, always there."
"She was your friend." Hermione said simply.
"She was my only friend." Draco confirmed. "After Dobby saved her, and everyone. I cracked, and they almost tortured the truth from me. But Luna's calm, she kept me sane even when she was gone.
"And she was truly a friend. She never asked me to save her, she never expected me to save anyone but myself. She just kept me human." Draco was speaking softly now. Like he was sharing a secret meant for only her.
"So after the war…?" Hermione wondered how far was too far; how long would he keep answering her.
"I kept in contact with her. I wrote to her. We became friends. True friends. Not friends that only found comfort in each other because it was all we had." Hermione nodded, in awe. Luna was amazing. "The least I could do was help her achieve her happiness."
"She's kind of like your Harry." Hermione said mostly to herself as she balanced everyone's relationships in her mind. Draco laughed beside her, the sound warming Hermione through from the pit of her stomach.
"I can't attest to that." Draco looked expectantly at her. "Is that all you needed to know?"
Hermione nodded. "For now. I have some reading to do whenever I get to the Ministry."
Draco turned slightly now to look at her, his head tilted as he gazed down at her. "You've read my letter?"
She was surprised. He genuinely thought she wouldn't have read it. She turned to face him squarely and looked up at him, fighting a smile. She held her palm out to him, his eyes flicked to it and back to her face.
"You owe me a dance, Draco." Hermione said his name smoothly, pretending she hadn't been practicing it in her head the moment she had heard Luna say it softly and with care. He looked mildly surprised to hear it and in the now low dancing lights around them, it was hard to see his blush, or to be self aware of her own.
His hand cupped her own, dwarfing her palm and he tugged her gently to the dance floor. She let herself be guided by him and tried hard not to look up at him as he looked down at her. She didn't trip, and the smell of him engulfed her in all her comfort smells.
The flowers that floated around them had begun to emit floral scents, throwing them to the wind, and instantly, Hermione was thrown into a meadow where she loved to curl up with a book on a blanket and forget the world.
She forgot the world.
Before they made a full circle around the floor, a patronus appeared and said Draco's name. They paused, their bubble burst. He gave Hermione a look which she returned with a nod and he strode toward it to hear its message. With a twist and no glance back, he disappeared with a crack that echoed through every part of her.