Hermione squealed as the doorbell rang clearly throughout their loft apartment.
"Pans, Gin! She's HOME!"
Pulling the heavy oak door open, the young blonde screamed with delight as she flung herself at the fairy on their doorstep. Dressed in pastel pink cotton harem pants, a black, shimmering belly dancing top and wavy hair loose to the wind, Luna looked incredible. Feeling the weight of two more people, Hermione knew Ginny and Pansy had descended on their hug and could feel Luna straining under the weight of three extremely excitable girls. Pulling her arms slowly from around Luna's neck, Hermione welled up at the sight of her closest friends back together under one roof.
"Ladies, LADIES!"
Luna half shouted above the happy giggling and screaming coming from Pansy and Ginny.
"I've been here 5 minutes and there is still no Champagne glass in my hand... What has become of you all since I've been away?!"
Laughing and wiping away tears Hermione waved her wand to levitate the numerous suitcases into the loft.
"Oh god, how I've missed this place."
Luna wandered around the spacious loft, glowing with bright sunshine. Murmuring quietly she brushed her fingertips over the photos on their mantelpiece. Each told a different story of the foursome's friendship, however centre stage stood their most treasured one. One year ago, Ginny had been signed to arguably the most prestigious dance company in the world, Roma Art Studios. However, the entry process was grueling to say the least. She had been long gone before the sun had risen and returned home as it was just rising again. Dancing became her nourishment and every new routine sustained her for another month of mayhem. After watching Ginny spiral into a pit of dance despair, the girls decided enough was enough. Surprising her at the practice studio Pansy, Hermione and Luna coerced a less than willing; leotard clad Ginny into a pair of joggers and pulled her into the nearest bar. An hour later she had received the call. Pansy drummed her perfectly manicured fingernails on the bar. Hermione bit her nails convulsively and Luna smiled serenely at the terrified young performer. Looking up slowly through her long curtain of dark hair, Ginny had broken into a smile that seemed to stretch beyond her small face.
"…I got it"
"OH MY GOD! OH MY GODDDD!"
Screaming so loudly to be heard over the music, Pansy threw one arm around Ginny's shaking shoulders and punched the air with the other, chanting,
"SHE GOT IT! SHE GOT IT! SHE GOT IT!"
Unbeknownst to the celebrating foursome, a keen paparazzo had spied the group as they had surreptitiously entered the bar. Clicking away, he had managed to capture the pure happiness of the moment in one photograph. One that had been included in most gossip rags the following day.
Framed on the girls' shared mantelpiece was this very photo in question. Pansy was caught mid jump, an arm around Ginny's neck, her poker straight hair flying everywhere. Hermione held onto Ginny's free hand, pulling it into the air in a celebratory stance whilst Luna reached out and held the dancer's shoulder, gazing at her friend with fierce, glowing pride. In the middle was Ginny, the happiness surrounding her tangible.
Turning away from the fireplace, Luna wiped her cheeks, the photo evoking such love in her young heart. Pansy was summoning champagne from the kitchen whilst patting the place next to her on the plush beige sofa for Luna to come cuddle with her. Hermione carefully poured out the bubbly into glasses on their square glass coffee table, Luna collapsed onto the sofa, thoroughly exhausted from international travel.
Pansy rested her head on Luna's, squeezing her tightly to compensate for the seemingly endless months they had spent apart. Handing out the champagne, Hermione joined Ginny on their large circular armchair, crossing her long legs under her.
"Lu I am so happy you're home! To us!"
Hermione raised the crystal glass and smiled widely, her heart swelling at the blessings surrounding her.
Two hours later and the girls were still gathered in their lavish living room, high on the champagne and the feeling of being reunited.
"So his mother then asks, 'Ohhh Ginevra, when shall you two be married, I want so for Blaise to have children whilst he's young!' And I couldn't help myself-"
Ginny broke off giggling, before continuing –
"I couldn't help myself, I told her 'When your son stops drinking alcohol from prostitutes breasts."
Cackling loudly Pansy almost fell off the sofa, taking Luna with her, ensuing a fresh round of laughter. Wildly dramatic, Ginny had recounted the story of her latest encounter with Blaise's parents, which had occurred only a day after the, now infamous, 'photo' had surfaced. Waving her arms, Ginny had recalled how Blaise's father had choked on his whisky whilst Blaise had turned as white as a sheet. Sitting back into their seat, the brunette chuckled at her audacity, her naturally rosy cheeks flushed from the amusement of it all.
"Actually, Mione, have you heard from Draco?"
Luna hiccupped slightly as she turned to the model, the remnants of ceaseless giggling still in her system. Shaking her blonde hair out of her face, Hermione's face crumpled slightly as she admitted that she hadn't heard from Draco since 'that night.'
"Bastard."
Pansy had a tendency not to mince her words and in this instance the girls couldn't agree more.
"To be honest with you Mi, I only think Blaise faced me because he was more scared of what his mother would do to him if she had to endure 3 hours of just me. Even with him there it wasn't great. I think I said, maybe 4 words to him in that entire time. They do feel bad though, he sent Lionel to pick me up rather than one of his other minions."
Ginny tried to bolster her friend, clearly upset at the lack of contact from her on-again off-again boyfriend.
"Personally I think it's selfish. Draco and Blaise both know that when they pull these 'stunts', which is fast becoming more often than not ladies, the repercussions are felt by everyone involved. How many magazines have painted you as the 'helpless damsel, torn apart' by the 'playboys' latest antics? They need to grow up it's pathetic.
Pansy spat her words out angrily, her temper flaring and Spanish accent more pronounced. Grey eyes flashing she sat back into the sofa,, swallowing the last of her champagne, upset at the boy's insensitivity.
"Well, I did have an idea."
Hermione smiled, a welcome change from her previously downcast face.
"Now that Luna's home, it would be wrong not to have a homecoming and it would be doubly wrong if we didn't invite simply everyone we know."
Grinning mischievously her tanned face lit up,
"I think it's time for another of our 'parties."