THANK YOU for reading and enjoying! I am so glad that I have readers like you! I will try to take your requests into consideration :)
Next chapter, for your reading pleasure!
-eedie
Hermione stepped into the familiar house. She took a deep breath, remembering the smell and feel the house exuded. When she opened her eyes, she heard voices in the sitting room off the dining room. Hesitantly, she leaned against the doorframe. She saw Molly and Arthur sitting with Harry and Ginny. A very pregnant Luna, Neville, and Charlie sat on the opposite side of the room talking quietly. Hermione stepped forward and cleared her throat. All conversation stopped and all eyes landed on her. She stood, unmoving, as looks of shock, confusion, and some disgust passed her old friends' faces. Unable to take it anymore, Hermione walked over to Molly and hugged her tightly. She did the same for each of the others, although no one said a word. Ron and Megan soon joined them, followed quickly by Bill and Fleur and their children, Victoire and Louis. Finally, after the initial shock of Hermione's sudden reappearance and her, well, different look, a comfortable conversation settled over the crowd. Molly was the first one to speak up.
"Hermione, dear, it is so nice to have you back. If I may ask, where have you been all these years? We tried our best to find you. It broke my heart when we couldn't. I thought the worst. But I see you are safe now, and I'm so glad."
Hermione shifted uncomfortably, but Harry patted her hand and retold her story to the small crowd at the house. Hermione was grateful for friends like Harry. He told her story the exact way she had first told him, leaving out the frequent expletives that would have come from her mouth. Once her story had been told, the Weasleys were shocked by her story. Arthur and Molly whispered quietly to each other, and Bill and Fleur talked quietly with Ron about the events that had transpired. Hermione looked around the room, eyes narrowed. No one here has the right to judge me. Hermione stood up slowly, but at that moment, Luna and Neville approached her. Luna smiled her dreamy smile and took Hermione's hands in her own.
"I'm so glad that you got to get away, Hermione. I think you deserved it. I only wish we had known where you were... but then again, maybe I would've followed you, so it's good you didn't."
Neville snorted with laughter at his wife.
"You in Las Vegas, honey? No, I don't think you would've liked it there. You're much too innocent to be in a city like that."
Neville clapped a hand over his mouth as soon as he'd said it. Both Hermione and Luna turned on him, narrowed eyes and fiery stares. Hermione opened her mouth to put Neville in his place, but Luna stepped in first.
"Neville Longbottom, how dare you! Use your brain before you open your mouth! Innocence has nothing to do with Hermione moving to Vegas. Also, I don't think you can say that anyone has kept their innocence after the war!"
The room was silent. Everyone looked on, and Neville looked chagrined. Hermione turned back to the rest of the room and giggled, inviting the rest of them to laugh off the tension as well. Soon, the whole room was settled back into easy conversation with each other. Every once in a while the Weasley clan was taken aback by Hermione's abrupt attitude and strong language. Molly escaped to the kitchen with Fleur following, and soon delicious smells filled the house. As Molly was calling the household for lunch, the door banged open again.
"Blimey, we are always good with timing! Hello family, Georgie is here! What's the big surprise, dear sister?"
George Weasley walked through the door, followed by none other than Draco Malfoy. Hermione entered the dining room at that moment, and giggled at the sight before her.
"Now I know I've been gone a while, but DAMN. Hell must've frozen over if Draco Malfoy is hanging out in this house."
George and Draco turned on Hermione, blank stares in their eyes. Hermione walked toward the duo, grinning wickedly. She stopped between the two, her enlarged breasts rubbing against their arms. The past four years had been kind to them both. George looked strong and grown-up. He no longer looked like the lanky boy that Hermione remembered, but he had become a man. Hermione smiled as she felt the muscles rippling in his arms. Draco didn't look as pompous as he used to. In fact, Hermione found herself rather attracted to his scruffy look. He hadn't shaved in a day or two, but it looked nice on him. Hermione leaned in close to his ear and whispered softly.
"Like what you see, Malfoy? We don't all stay the same after Hogwarts, you know."
Draco stepped back and met her brown eyes with his gray ones. A look of shock came over his face..
"Granger?! Is that you? Merlin's Beard, you look fantastic! I didn't even recognize you!"
Hermione let out a tinkling laugh. George turned her to face him, searching her face for the familiarity that Draco saw. A huge grin spread across his face and he pulled her into a bear hug.
"It really is you! Where have you been all these years?"
Harry laughed from the table, shaking his head as Hermione, George and Draco joined the party.
"She's been in Las Vegas, George."
George sat next to Hermione. He turned on her in surprise at Harry's comment.
"What are you doing in Vegas?"
Hermione picked up her fork and started eating along with everyone else.
"I'm a stripper."
George and Draco sputtered in unison. Draco covered it up with fake coughing, while George took a long swallow of his Pumpkin Juice. His eyes raked over Hermione's body and lingered on the large swell of her perfect breasts before shrugging.
"I could see it. So what brings you back?"
Ron started laughing this time.
"She gave Harry a lap dance and we convinced her to come back with us."
The table broke out in an uproar at that comment. Hermione and Harry had left that detail out of the story they told everyone else. Weasleys were yelling across the table and Hermione laughed heartily. The noise was what she remembered from being in the Weasley's house. She finished eating and slipped out of her seat quietly, escaping to the back gardens she used to love when she was younger. When she found the white gate, she noticed the gardens had expanded. There were rows of produce on one side, and the other side had flowers and trees. A simple bench sat under the shade of a cherry tree. Hermione pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter and lay down on the bench. She lit one and took a long drag. Oh yeah. This is what I needed. She thought about the Weasleys, and how accepting they had been of everything she had told them. Molly didn't even bat an eye when she said she was a stripper. Maybe coming back to England hadn't been all bad. Or maybe they're just waiting to talk about me when I leave.
Inside the house, Harry pulled George aside. The two escaped to an empty bedroom upstairs so they could talk without being interrupted.
"So, George, I have a proposition for you. I know you can't resist a bet. I want Hermione to come to the Survivor's Banquet in May. That's three months from now. The problem is, I don't want Stripper Penelope to show up. I want the old Hermione to be there. So I want to make a bet. I bet you can't turn Hermione from Stripper to Classy in three months. If you succeed, I will personally finance the new Weasley's Wizard Wheezes you want to open in France. If you lose, you have to pay for Ron and Megan's wedding in June. What do you say?"
George thought the deal over. He didn't see anything wrong with this version of Hermione. But he also didn't know anything about her anymore, so maybe she was downright awful. How bad could it be? And he really didn't want to have to finance a new Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, even though he know it was time to expand. But he also didn't want to pay for Ron's wedding, especially after Harry had offered to help them pay previously. But he was George Weasley. He never backed down from a bet, because he was not a chicken. He grinned and extended his hand toward Harry.
"You're on."
Outside in the garden, Hermione took her last drag from her cigarette and put it out with her shoe. She stretched herself out on the bench and stared up at the leaves of the tree overhead. She heard someone approaching and closed her eyes.
"You know it's rude to sneak up on people."
Draco stepped into her line of vision and smirked. Clearly not everything about him has changed. He still has that arrogant-as-shit smirk on his face. He motioned for her to sit up, and she leaned forward. He sat down on the bench, and she lay her head down in his lap. His eyes widened for a second, but he got himself under control. Draco stretched his arms out along the backside of the bench. Hermione felt the warmth coming off his legs and grinned. He scanned the garden before dropping his gaze to meet hers.
"So, Granger, what made you choose Vegas?"
She laughed. She knew that sooner or later someone would ask.
"Simple, really. Where else would you go if you just wanted to be completely obliterated for days on end? A place that your friends would never think to find you? A completely different place where no one would recognize you for being part of the 'Golden Trio' and defeating the Dark Lord? It had to be a Muggle city. It had to be a different country. And there had to be alcohol, drugs, and just plain tomfoolery to distract me every day. It only took me a total of 10 minutes, maybe, to decide on Vegas. And look. It's taken 4 years for anyone to find me. And that was completely on accident."
Draco smirked down on her, a very Slytherin-like look gracing his features. She sat up and spun around to face him, eyes dancing.
"And you, Malfoy? I know I've missed a few things in the past few years, but what brings you to the Weasley abode? And you're awfully fucking chummy with George as well! Wait- are you two fucking?"
Hermione could've sworn Malfoy's face turned slightly green at the accusation, and a wicked grin spread across her face as Draco attempted to correct the situation.
"After the war, hardly a night went by when I wasn't sloshed. I was a fucking pansy, running away from the end of the war. It took me a while to notice that George was gracing the same barstools as I was. He was in bad shape after Fred's death. We started talking about nothing and everything. George needed a business partner, and I happened to be highly adept in business plans and such. We made a deal that if I could turn a profit in three months, George would hire me on as his Business Executive. I did, and we've been in boomin' business ever since. Once I got over my high and mighty attitude, I realized the Weasley's were actually great people. And just for your information, Hermione, I am as straight as they come. There's nothing I love more than a beautiful woman."
The emphasis wasn't lost on Hermione. She lazily traced a finger up the inside of Draco's thigh, sending an involuntary shiver up his spine. Hermione leaned forward into Draco's space. He felt her soft cheek rub against his stubbly one, and her plump lips caressed the outer lobe of his ear as she whispered.
"I am always looking for a good time. I can make you very happy. Remember that."
Another shiver racked Draco's body as Hermione's tongue darted out and slid languidly up his earlobe. He barely registered the sound of footsteps coming up the path as Hermione leaned back against the bench, grinning at the newcomer to the group. It took another minute before Draco realized George was standing next to him, giving him a look like he'd just grown three heads.
"Erm, what was that?"
His cheeks were tinged pink, ever so slightly. Hermione grinned wickedly and absentmindedly ran her boot up Draco's leg while George repeated himself.
"The family has made some decisions about Hermione, if you want to hear them."
Hermione waved her hand flippantly and Draco nodded, adjusting his sitting position so Hermione's foot couldn't touch his leg. He couldn't keep his concentration. George paced in front of the bench, rambling on.
"Well, I guess Harry and Ginny don't have room for Hermione to stay at their house, because they'll have Teddy for the next week or two. Ron and Megan weren't willing to let Hermione stay there- sorry- because Megan doesn't 'trust her.' So that leaves either my parents house or my flat. And to be frank, I don't think my parent's residence is the proper place for Hermione. So for the next few weeks, Hermione Granger, we are officially bunk buddies. What do you say?"
Hermione stood and stretched, allowing her skin to show even more in her already skimpy outfit.
"Sounds fucking fantastic, Georgie. I'm not so sure anyone will be able to keep up with me here, but I know you two will have the best luck trying. I need to go retrieve my things from Harry and Gin's then."
Hermione turned and walked off toward the house. Draco turned to George, wide-eyed from his encounter. It shocked him to see the same look reflected in his best friend's eyes. Quickly, George explained about the bet, and Draco explained about Hermione's actions. George laughed at the situation, and Draco agreed to assist in the bet. George clapped a hand on Draco's back as they walked back to the house.
"I think we're in for a bumpy ride, my friend."
