Once again thank you everyone who has reviewed or is following this story.
Harry sat in the lounge room of his modest home, calmly awaiting his best friend's arrival. Ron sat opposite him fidgeting with his pants, whilst Ginny , clearly annoyed, sat on the single sofa.
"I really don't see why we have to do this" Ginny huffed.
"Hermione requested us here today Ginny" Harry pointed out.
"Only because she knows what you two are like!" She argued.
"How would you feel if I hadn't told you about Victoria?" Ron asked.
"That's different and you know it. Hermione wasn't seeing him seriously there was nothing to tell" Ginny rolled her eyes.
"Looked serious to me" Ron argued back.
"Well now it is" She shook her head, "You look me in the eye Ronald and tell me this has nothing to do with the fact that it's Draco Malfoy"
"Of course it has to do with that!" Ron shouted.
"Calm down both of you" Harry roared, fed up with their behaviour.
"All I'm saying is she should have told us as her friends" Ron sighed.
"We both know you two aren't just friends anymore Ronald, you're ex's so forgive me if it sounds to me to be a case of sour grapes"
Ginny rolled her eyes again.
"Harry's angry too"
"That's because we blatantly lied to him over The Prophet article" She said quietly, shooting her husband a grimace.
"Look at that situation, clearly you weren't his biggest fan" Ron trudged on.
"You do realise what he's done for her, don't you?" Ginny asked, directing the question to both men.
Harry looked at her blankly not really understanding what she was getting at. Ron who had had a lot to say only moments previously waited in silence.
"He's turned his back on his family, Malfoy Industries and let's not forget a lot of money" She told them.
Harry sighed, his wife always knew what to say to him to make him feel like he'd been acting like a complete fool.
"He gave us the funding for the new stock" Ron revealed, feeling a little chastised.
"All I'm asking is that we act like her friends and not like the Wizengamot. Think of him as a complete stranger if you must" She pleaded.
"Fine" Ron huffed.
Harry nodded.
As if on cue the fireplace erupted, Hermione stepping out a moment later, a weary look on her face.
"Hi everyone" She greeted.
"Hey Hermione, how was your weekend?" Ginny asked brightly.
"It was fine" Hermione replied quietly.
"So where do you want to start?" Harry asked in what he hoped was a neutral tone.
"Well what do you want to know?" She asked, averting her gaze from Ron.
"Are you happy?" Ron suddenly asked, shocking everyone present.
Hermione turned to look at him just as shocked as the other two, clearly she'd been under the impression he'd be the most difficult.
"Yes, Ron. I'm very happy" She whispered.
"That's all we need to hear then. Now who's up for lunch I'm starving?" Ron asked, rising abruptly from the couch.
They all stared at him with mouths a jar, each one wondering if someone had cast an Imperio on him.
"I am a little hungry, let me prepare some food" Ginny was the first to recover.
"I'll lend you a hand" Ron suspiciously offered.
Harry and Hermione both watch him as he followed Ginny.
"Is he drunk?" Hermione asked Harry.
"He didn't appear to be" Harry chuckled.
"I was expecting the worst" She laughed.
"We do care about you Mione. Even though you chose to keep this from us we still care" Harry said softly.
"I'm sorry about the article.."
"It's ok Mione, water under the bridge. Now when do we get to visit the Manor?" Harry grinned cheekily.
Hermione couldn't help herself, she burst into laughter. No matter how much they had been through together, her friends always seemed to surprise her.
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"I'm not doing it!" Draco bellowed, walking out of the kitchen in a huff.
"You're being childish" Hermione rolled her eyes, following him.
"No, I simply refuse to sit in a room full of people who despise me" He shot back.
"It's just lunch" She said annoyed.
"Yes, lunch at the burrow with people I tried to off" He sneered, collapsing on his couch.
"Will you be bringing that up?" She grinned.
"That is not funny Granger"
"Oh so it's Granger now is it?" She continued to grin, slowly sitting on his lap.
"How would you feel if I invited you to the manor and you were surrounded by people who would have killed you the first chance they got?" He asked sullenly.
"Well I wouldn't like it but I would still go for you" She battered her eyelids.
"Stop with the emotional blackmail" He groaned.
"Please just do this lunch for me, I swear no one will say anything about the past" She pulled a sad face.
"I finally see how you had Potter and the Weasel wrapped around your …ouch" He yelped, rubbing the area where she'd elbowed him.
"Fine don't come, but don't you dare blame me when you're sitting at home doing nothing" She sulked, getting off him quickly.
"Alright, I'll go" He sighed heavily. "But if anyone calls me a ferret…"
"They won't, now come on we're already late" She interrupted, holding out her hand to him.
Groaning as loudly as he could so she knew how much he was against this, he took her hand allowing her to lift him off the couch.
"Come one grumpy bum" She smirked, apparating them both to the burrow before he could retort.
Draco stopped himself groaning again when he laid eyes on the burrow. There was no getting out of this.
Fred opened the door for them, smiling widely. Draco felt the urge to ask him whether he was the official doorman.
"Good morning Hermione, Ferret" Fred greeted.
Draco narrowed his eyes at Hermione.
"Morning Fred" She greeted ignoring Draco.
Draco stalked in behind her, shooting daggers at the red head as he did so. He knew this was a bad idea from the moment she'd blind sighted him.
He felt even more uncomfortable when they walked into what looked to be a cramped dining area, everyone turning to ogle them.
The matriarch was the first one to wander over, smiling at him as though she'd known him her entire life.
"So nice you could make it Draco" She beamed, giving him an uncomfortable hug.
"My pleasure" He replied, it might not be his pleasure but he had been raised with manners.
"Thank you for inviting us Molly" Hermione smiled warmly.
Draco had the distinct feeling the two women had a very close relationship judging by the way they looked at each other.
"Of course dear" Molly replied, gesturing for her to sit down.
Draco sat next to Hermione and by default across from Potter.
"How's everything with you Malfoy?" Harry asked.
"Fantastic, how are you?" Draco drawled he'd always been uncomfortable with small talk.
"Usual" Harry shrugged.
Draco did not know if the other man's intention was to make the situation more awkward then it had to be, but he accomplished it well.
"So Hermione are you attending the Ministry Ball?" Ginny asked.
Draco stiffened at that, he did not relish attending an event his mother had planned where he was sure his father would be present also.
"Yes, we're hoping for a donation for St Mungos this year" Hermione nodded, oblivious to his discomfort.
"I'm sure the Witches' Society will deliver, who is the president this year?" Ginny asked.
"My mother" Draco drawled, noticing the way everyone squirmed, even Hermione appeared shocked.
"So about that little hiccup we had at The Ministry the other day…" Arthur began telling them all about the exploding book that had caused quite a stir in the Department of Records.
Though Draco was not at all interested in the conversation that was taking place, he still appreciated the gesture. For the rest of the afternoon he found himself watching Hermione closely as she interacted with her friends, loving the way she seemed to let go with them. In that moment he decided to try and take a page out of her book, what did it really matter what he had done in the past if she was willing to let him become part of her future.