Hermione could feel the eyes of the entire hall on her as she entered. She could not help the blush that was blooming in her cheeks, as her eyes locked with Ron's and he winked merrily at her. As she suppressed this overwhelming joy, she reminded herself that after breakfast there was a mess that she had to sort.
"So, I take it you and Ron finally sorted things out?" Ginny asked coyly, her style of dress a little more subdued that Hermione had seen in recent days. Hermione smiled at Ginny as she took a seat beside her. "Well I don't understand why in Merlin's name you're sitting here with me, when my brother is over there swooning," Ginny smirked, gesturing down the table where Ron and Harry were joking around with the other boys in their year. Hermione caught Ron's eye again, and grinned widely as he winked again at her.
"People are staring, Ginny," Hermione stated, trying to regain her composure and filling her plate with eggs.
"Yes because they all heard about as Missus Granger and a Messer Weasley finally getting together."
Several boys stood and walked over to Hermione and Ginny. Dean sat down and smirked, "So I hear you're off the market, Hermione. Too bad it didn't happen sooner, we've had bet going. I had last week."
Seamus laughed, "I had graduation."
Hermione was scandalized at this. She looked at Ginny, who shrugged and announced, "I'm with Harry by the way." Hermione's head swirled with the new information being thrown at her. It was very rushed and too much for her to handle. Everyone had expected her with Ron. Harry and Ginny finally got together themselves. She still had an issue to sort with Malfoy. Ginny had yet to sort out the Daniel situation. Hermione couldn't help but feel like she was still asleep.
Just when she was about to yell at Dean for his despicable bet, Ron swooped in and kissed Hermione on her forehead. There were a few catcalls and whistles at the table. Hermione had never been fond of public displays of affection, but right now, beside her favorite red-haired boy, she couldn't wait to kiss him again. He wrapped his arms around her, allowing Hermione to lean into his warm embrace.
As she was getting a taste of pure bliss, a deep voice growled, "Hands off her, Weasel."
Ron looked up and narrowed his eyes. "Malfoy, piss off." He stood from the bench, and towered over Malfoy. Malfoy refused to back down.
"She's mine. Granger and I had a little agreement." By now all attention had turned to the squabble over at the Gryffindor table.
"Funny, she didn't mention it." Hermione hated the scene they were causing. She hated the theatricality of it all, and she hated the fact that the men were discussing her without any attention to the fully functioning young woman before them.
"Let go of my fiancée," snarled Malfoy. Hermione sighed. This was tiresome.
"Fiancée? Malfoy, you little twat, you honestly-" Hermione snapped.
"Quiet woman. Get over here."
Before another word was uttered, a fist connected with Malfoy's jaw.
"MR. WEASLEY!" boomed a voice in the background. All heads turned around to see Professors McGonagall and Sinastra running forward through the crowd to subdue the young men.
"He deserved it ma'am," Ron stated flatly as he rubbed his fist tenderly.
"Yes, but we'll handle it from here," Professor McGonagall sighed as she restrained Malfoy with magical ropes, and escorted him out of the Great Hall.
Hermione frowned. That was a neat and tidy resolution to something she had blown way out of proportion. She shrugged and turned her attention to Ron, who she kissed gently, much to the delight of the students around them.
Ginny jumped up and hugged Harry in celebration. Harry returned the hug, before asking, "Wait, whatever happened Daniel?"
The doors to the Great Hall flew open once again revealing ecstatic Lavender and a sullen Daniel. "We're getting married!" she shrieked, as girls scrambled to see the large diamond ring now on his finger.
Daniel whimpered. "I had no choice. Her father had my balls quite literally in a vise."
Everyone laughed and someone began humming loudly. As the chorus started to swell, Hermione shook her head in disbelief. What was going on? She stopped a moment to contemplate this saga until a voice broke her out of her reverie. "Hermione," a voice said gently, as if not to disturb her. Hermione ignored it for a moment, until suddenly someone shouted at her.
"Hermione, wake up!" At the sound of her name, Hermione's eyes opened and she glanced around her surroundings. She was on the steps to the Owlery. Brown packaging paper and string were crumpled at her feet, a large book in her lap.
"I've been looking all over for you. You've been working too hard, and falling asleep everywhere. I searched the returning students dormitory, the library, the astronomy tower-"
"Susan?" Hermione asked dazedly. Her forehead was cool from leaning again the cold stone walls. She rubbed her mouth, checking for any other embarrassing remnants of her public nap.
"Yes Hermione?' Susan laughed as she plopped down next to Hermione.
"I think I fell asleep."
Susan laughed. "I think you've seriously been overworking. I mean there are only about fifteen of us overly ambitious 8th years, but you've certainly set the bar quite high." At once, Hermione realized where she was. All she had dreamt, being head girl in her 7th year and living out a surreal fantasy, were exactly that, a surreal fantastic dream. She had gone up to send a letter to Ron, who was currently off in the States trying to expand Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes to an international market. At the same time she had found a package for her from Ron. She had sat down to look at it, when she felt her eyes get heavy.
"What were you reading?" Susan lifted the book off Hermione's lap. "The Great American Musical? No wonder you fell asleep. By the way, Oklahoma was such a rubbish film," Susan observed as she noted the page Hermione was reading.
"I happen to like musical theatre. It's fun. Merlin knows we all need some of that." Hermione smiled. Over the holidays her and her mother had been watching all of the classic old musicals on television, and she had even roped Ron into sitting through Oklahoma. He thought cowboys were hysterical. He also seemed to remember Hermione's nerdish fondness and had sent her a gift straight from the Great White Way, along with a promise to revisit New York City with her and see a show "I think you'd like the new revival of Chicago, it's getting good reviews. I actually checked," he had written in his note. Hermione missed that boy. She sighed wistfully, while Susan stood, ready to get to work.
"All right Liza, come on. We've got a meeting with the Headmistress."
Hermione smiled and followed Susan down the stairs, clutching her book tightly. She was allowed to retreat into the fantasy of musicals; after all, she fully deserved her happy ending.