FIVE YEARS LATER-2003

"Hey Hermione, um, did you notice where I put my wand?"

Hermione couldn't help but laugh. "Neville. You are a grown man, a husband, a war hero, and a Professor. HOW can you possibly lose your wand?!" Neville smiled shyly and shrugged and for a minute Hermione could see the eleven-year-old inside. "Accio Neville's wand!" It came flying out from under a tablecloth directly to Hermione, who re-directed it to Neville.

"Thanks! Hey, why are we the only ones setting up?" Neville asked while he checked the spells that levitated the candles around the tables and accidentally dropping one.

"Does it really surprise you that Harry and Malfoy both found ways to get out of extra work? Because it shouldn't. When is Hannah coming up from Hogsmeade?" When there was no answer she looked at Neville and found him balancing on a ladder barely holding on, with three candles in his mouth. She rolled her eyes and went over to help.

"She's coming up a bit late since Susan is with her."

"Susan Bones? The Hufflepuff from the D.A.? Her Aunt died early on…?"

Neville nodded. "She just moved back from the States and she's crashing with us until she finds her own place in Hogsmeade."

"I remember her. She was so sweet."

"Tough fighter too. She was training witches who couldn't afford school in America in basic defensive spells."

"Wow. Why did she move back?"

"Wanted to come home, settle down, all that."

"In Hogsmeade?"

Neville smiled. "That's Hannah's fault. Susan is kind of Hannah's Ron, or Harry, you know?"

Hermione matched his smile. She did know. Working with Harry every day had improved her life immeasurably.

"She wants to open her own school for Squibs. She's got a little sister who is one so she knows how to teach them enough to get by and transition into the muggle world."

"That's amazing….and she's single?" Hermione was growing an idea.

Neville climbed down from the ladder and bit his lip, frowning. "Um, Hermione, I…don't think you're her type. Sorry." Hermione laughed as they continued to set up the hall.

Hermione was determined to enjoy this year's ball more than last year's. Harry and Ginny were married, Ron wasn't bringing a date, Neville was working at Hogwarts, and Luna, who was perfectly lovely but was also very good at making perfectly lovely situations into awkward ones, was out of the country again. Ginny had gone with her to find their dress robes and had insisted Hermione buy robes that were a rich, royal blue and admittedly more revealing than she would usually choose. She may be going home alone and probably not dancing, but she would look amazing while doing it. She deserved it for surviving her first full year of teaching. She deserved it for surviving a war five years ago.

"Harry! Ginny!" Hermione rushed down the last staircase towards her friends.

"Hermione! Oh I'm so glad we went with that one. The fit is amazing on you."

Harry seemed to stutter a bit, looking at his friend. "Blimey Hermione. You don't usually look like…" he drifted off and Ginny laughed very hard. Hermione blushed and thanked him.

"Wait. Where's Ron?"

Ginny shrugged. "We lost him."

She jumped immediately into panic mode. "What? Where did you see him last? Does he have his wand?..."

She felt Ginny's hand on her arm. "Hermione. Not like that. Goodness. We just meant, he and George were right here and then they said they had to go do something and they left. It's him and George, and he's been working at the joke shop. We're merely hoping nothing is about to blow up!" Hermione breathed out, embarrassed.

Harry walked up to his best friend and put both hands on her shoulders, looking her directly in the eye. "Hey. War's over, yeah? Don't go on and have a nutty, I don't want to be Head of House." Hermione nodded, then rolled her eyes at his bad joke. "Should we find ourselves one of those lovely gold tables that someone didn't help set up?"

"I realize this isn't right, but I kind of like the copper…"

"Ginny! Bad Gryffindor." Hermione teased.

They sat at a large golden table in the back of the hall. Hermione checked to confirm that the ceiling was its requisite summer night sky, a mix of blues and blacks that she now realized reflected her dress beautifully.

Ron and George were still missing when McGonagall walked in and readied to give her speech. Suddenly, she stopped and smiled. She looked down at the ground, seemingly waiting. Then they all heard it, in their own heads. It was eerily like when Voldemort had spoken to them five years ago, but this was pleasant. It reminded Hermione of folk music or the taste of marshmallows. She knew the voice, and the words were familiar too:

"Every guest in this Hall will be welcomed back here at any time, should they wish to come. I say to you all, we are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided. We can fight only by showing a strong bond of friendship and trust. Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open."

The words ended and everyone raised their heads to find McGonagall once more. She was still smiling, and Hermione thought there might have been tears in her eyes. Or maybe that was just her own. The Headmistress waved her wand, making food appear and music begin. She walked to the doorway and greeted Ron and George, who had appeared there, warmly, shaking their hands. "Well done boys." Both men blushed.

"Oh Ron, have you seen Neville tonight?"

Hermione hoped she was being casual and was assured when Ron answered with half a mouthful of food. "No? Should I have?"

Hermione smiled. "Let's go see them. I'd like a dance with Neville, he really is the best of all you boys." She stood and gestured to Ron, who swallowed and stood up, very confused.

"Hermione, are you about to take advantage of me because don't get me wrong I am fine with that but could I finish my meal first?" Hermione hit him. "Ow!" Then she straightened his tie and double checked he didn't have food on his mouth.

"You just be nice." Ron chuckled in response.

Hermione rushed up once they were in view of Neville, Susan, and Hannah. Hermione looked at Susan and cheered internally. She really was beautiful, but not in the showy, confident way that Fleur or Ginny were, and she wasn't playing as though she didn't know how pretty she was, the way Lavender used to. Susan had long ash blonde hair, brushed out soft and thick. The pale, creamy yellow of her dress robes made the blonde glow. Hermione thought, probably prematurely, how nice her cornflower blue eyes would look next to Ron's dark blue pair. "Neville! Hey! Oh you all look lovely." The two Hufflepuffs and Neville rose to exchange hugs. "Susan! You look beautiful, I haven't seen you in so long!" The women exchanged a polite but earnest hug. "Neville told me you were doing something amazing in America?" Susan began to answer but Hermione had conspicuously moved on to the couple, leaving Susan and Ron staring at each other very awkwardly.

"Um yes, actually I was… oh" Susan realized Hermione was no longer there.

Ron gave her a small smile and gestured to her seat and the empty one next to it. "Um, I'd love to hear about it. Never been to America myself."

Hermione's grin at Neville and Hannah might have disturbed them. She didn't hear a word they said about how business at the pub was. She excused herself as quickly as she could, glancing over her shoulder at Ron and Susan, who were already flirting, if she did say so herself.

Walking back to her table, Hermione reminded herself that she should eat, but found herself only mildly hungry. Perhaps a roll or a small pudding. She looked to a random table to see if food was still available and found her eyes looking right into a pair of sparkling gray eyes that were staring at her. She gave a tiny gasp, then tried to hide the small grin that immediately tried to crawl onto her face. He nearly pulled off the casual way he was walking over, but she could sense the swagger underneath his pretense. When he reached her, he stood beside her, not touching her, not looking at her. "Granger."

Hermione continued to avoid looking at him. "Malfoy."

"Has anyone told you how unbelievable you look tonight?"

Hermione chided herself for the blush she couldn't fight. "As a matter of fact, Harry did."

Malfoy huffed and turned to look at her squarely, glancing slowly down her entire body and then back up into her brown eyes. "Potter may not be as much of a prat nowadays, but he can't possibly have any real idea what you look like right now." Then he leaned into her, and almost imperceptibly whispered, his breath warm on her ear, "He's not smart enough to imagine what's underneath."

Hermione threw her head back laughing, ending the game and glaring at her friend, hitting his arm teasingly. "Malfoy, you're terrible, you know that?" He laughed at her ineffectual violence. "You're going to give people the wrong idea!" Malfoy only grinned mischievously. She locked his arm in hers. "Did the prefects escort the younger kids out yet? I need firewhiskey and some kind of bread."

SIX YEARS LATER-2004

"I really, really think I'm going to puke."

Hermione didn't blink or stop what she was doing. She levitated a bowl to Ginny without looking at her. "You always say that."

"Oh yes, I'm very aware Hermione. I want this thing OUT already." Ginny put her hands on her, frankly enormous, stomach.

"You have another month Ginny. Are you going to be in this bad a mood for a month, because I'll see you a few hours after you have the thing in that case."

There was a pause in the room, Hermione waiting to see how Ginny reacted to her frustration. It broke with laughter from both women. "I'm so glad you're not one of those 'beautiful, creation, life inside of you' nonsense people. Between mum, dad, and Harry I'm about to wring the neck of the next optimist that dares talk to me about what a wonderful mother I'll be."

"I mean you will-" Ginny cut her off. "Nope! No beautiful motherhood here!"

Hermione laughed. "Deal."

"What are you looking for, anyway?" Ginny glanced around the once tidy Hogwarts flat. Boxes and tubs that were usually tucked away were out, clothes and a surprising amount of junk spilling out. The desk drawers were all opened and it looked like papers that had been meticulously organized were now…very much unorganized.

Hermione stopped pulling things out of the dresser drawer she had her entire head in and threw her arms up in the air. "My God Damn Necklace!"

"What god damn necklace?"

Hermione whipped around to glare at her. "My! The one!" She emphatically gestured at her neck as though this would help specify. She pointed to a specific spot on her chest as though to signify length. "It's got a little triangle on it with a diamond thing in the middle. YOUR- "she pointed at Ginny as though this were all her fault-"stupid husband and brother got it for me."

"Okay…sounds lovely. Why do you need it today?" Ginny was trying very hard to get comfortable on Hermione's bed, which looked like it involved a lot of rolling over and trying to tuck her feet in directions they didn't want to go.

Hermione stood and threw her arms up in defeat. "I don't" she sighed. "I just. I wanted to wear it tonight. That's it. And now it's driving me crazy because I love it and I can't find it and you have to know how that is!"

Ginny nodded, thinking privately how much better Harry and Ron were at calming her when she got like this, all squeaky and frizzy and upset. There was a knock on the door and Ginny looked over at Hermione, then began to attempt to get herself off of the bed.

"Oh my goodness Ginny don't try to move your crazy body."

Ginny breathed out and relaxed again. "Oh thank Merlin."

Hermione answered the door to a pale and smirking face, to the left of which was her necklace, dangling. She grabbed it immediately, then hugged Malfoy excitedly. "Malfoy! Where? How? How did you know I couldn't find it!? Oh thank you!" Malfoy barely returned the hug, his body stiff and unsure how to react to affection. He could also see Ginny stretching her neck to see the commotion in the doorway.

"Granger." He picked her up and set her down away from his body, his considerable strength treating her like a large child. "You told me at breakfast that you wanted to wear it tonight and I remembered seeing it in my flat." Ginny raised an eyebrow neither of them saw. "The other night it was bothering you and you took it off." Hermione sighed contentedly. Malfoy reached his head around her. "Oh, hey Weasley, you look gigantic."

"Charming, Malfoy."

"Blimey Granger, what happened to your place?"

Hermione held up the necklace in answer. "Thanks Malfoy. Really. I owe you a dance. Now leave, so I can get ready for this damn thing." He growled a response as he left.

Hermione closed the door behind him and sighed heavily again, holding the necklace to her chest. She opened her eyes to see Ginny giving her a very suspicious look. "Don't. Just. I know what you're going to say and I know what you're going to ask and I know you're going to promise not to tell Harry and you will anyway so just don't. We're FRIENDS. Which is weird, but fine and kind of nice." Ginny pointed at her tightly closed mouth and then immediately grabbed the bowl and got sick. "Lovely."

By the end of the feast portion of the evening, Hermione had forgotten she was even wearing the necklace. Predictably, neither Harry nor Ron had noticed it. She certainly hadn't expected them to, but she was now confirming in her head how much it wasn't worth the trouble of losing an afternoon. Ron was completely lost in Susan. His smile when he was with her was consistently genuine and happy. It reminded her of the two of them when they were…oh it would have been 18 years old? 19? Goodness. She wasn't even sure he had ever looked that free with her. And all the better for it, because Susan looked happier with him than she ever had.

Ron had asked Hermione a few days ago to help him shop for a ring. He had seemed excessively nervous to ask for her help and she had comforted and encouraged him. "You did put us together Hermione, I trust you more than anyone." He had said. Harry was in full teacher mode tonight, his eyes glued to the newest trouble-makers of Gryffindor and Slytherin house. For this she was eternally grateful because she did not have the energy. Ginny had left early, claiming the usual symptoms and no one had fought her on it. Hermione was enjoying the usual sounds of the Ball and watching George, Bill, and Charlie plot something surely wonderful and terrible. She hoped it wasn't for tonight.

"I'm here to collect." The aristocratic voice directly behind her ear was unmistakable. She looked up to see every Weasley face guarded and ready for a fight, Harry looking completely normal, and Susan looking mildly terrified.

Hermione gave a small laugh and big smile and put out her hand for him to grab and help her out of her chair. He did so and gracefully turned her around to face him. Playing damsel, she announced, "I thought you'd never come!"

He smirked as the table varied in its shocked and offended faces. "I'll be stealing her then. Thanks for not putting up a fight." Hermione lightly smacked his arm for goading them. "Kidding. She owes me." He winked lasciviously at Ron, making Harry burst with laughter.

His upbringing really was noticeable in moments like these. Malfoy guided her to the dancefloor like he was helping her walk on air. Hermione paused. "I'm not actually much of a dancer, Malfoy."

His eyes questioned her. "Yes, you are, I've seen you dance before. You were good at the Yule Ball with what's-his-face." Hermione's brain wanted to stop and wonder why he would have noticed that but she forced it to move on. "No matter. Just don't look down, keep your eyes on me I'll do the work." She smirked a little and he rolled his eyes.

Malfoy placed one hand flat on Hermione's lower back, his fingers just grazing the top of her bum. His other hand held hers, not tightly but warmly. She responded in kind, her left hand feeling the strength of his upper back. "Look up Granger." She hadn't realized she had been looking down at her shoes. She did as she was told and relaxed, laughing at his arrogant, serious expression. "What could you possibly be laughing at?"

"You."

"Rude."

"You take everything so seriously Malfoy. Really, it's a dance. Everyone else on the floor is drunk or sixteen and you act like we're in Cinderella."

"Cinder-?"

"Nevermind. Muggle thing. Relax Malfoy." She moved her hands to his neck, leaving one of his hands stranded in the air. She watched his face betray his momentary insecurity as he slowly placed it above the one on her lower back. He could now control her body just by pressing on her back in certain ways. She allowed him to do just that, relaxing her feet and letting herself look up at him. He seemed to have grown less confident.

"So. Why?" She tilted her head at his question. "Why did you so desperately need that necklace tonight?"

Hermione shook her head. "I don't know."

"Yes, you do."

She smiled at his insistence. "I suppose…" she sighed. "This is going to sound silly. Harry is having a baby, Ron is about to get engaged- don't tell anyone he hasn't asked yet- and I just…I'm so really truly happy for them because they're getting exactly what they want. And I have too, with my projects and my work and my trips, but I realize we're not just the three of us anymore, and I suppose I wanted to say goodbye to that somehow." She looked up at his face, which betrayed no expression. "I guess that sounds rather stupid to you." She looked down at her feet in embarrassment.

He moved a hand to tilt her chin up back at him. "I said, look up Granger." She rolled her eyes with exasperation, but he didn't move his hand and he looked deeply at her. "You three have been the most ridiculous nuisances of my life and probably this school's history. You fought a war together. You could all decide never to see each other again after today and you'd still have all that. So, hush, Granger. Just dance." And they did, Hermione paying her debt three times over.

At some point, they heard a loud explosion which sounded as though it had come from the hall and was followed by expletives from voices she knew. Malfoy immediately stiffened and made to move towards it but she stopped him. "Weasleys" she said, and he relaxed. Hermione smiled and pulled him closer, resting her head on his strong, warm chest.

Yes, those are Dumbledore's words from the fourth year celebration, slightly edited. The reviews and favorites have been making my heart happy, thanks for them!