Hermione walked into the busy Italian restaurant and scanned the room looking for Lucy. She found her at a table near the back, waving frantically to gain Hermione's attention. Chuckling, Hermione headed to the table and sat opposite her friend.
"I ordered us a bottle of wine already, before you had the chance to say no," she said with a grin.
"Who's saying no?" Hermione replied, picking up the bottle and pouring herself a large glass.
"Oh dear, what's happened now? Let me guess: The Bum?" Lucy's nickname for Malfoy had stuck, much to Hermione's annoyance.
A young and overly-nice waitress approached their table and the two women ordered their meals. As soon as she left, Lucy prompted Hermione to continue their conversation.
"So, you were saying, it's The Bum isn't it?"
"Yes, actually. Malfoy and I," she emphasised his surname, "have a bit of an...issue."
"Oooh, it's 'Malfoy and I' now is it?" Lucy winked. "Please, do tell!"
Hermione sighed. The situation with Malfoy was confusing and stressful, working with him was bad enough but their little trips down memory lane were making things much worse. She hadn't wanted to tell anyone what was happening due to Duggen's trick, but now she wasn't sure if she could keep it to herself a moment longer. She took a large drink of her wine, set down her glass and began to explain everything. Once she started, it was like the flood gates had opened. She told Lucy about each memory, her feeling sorry for young Draco, her frustration with him and her annoyance that he and Harry were practically friends.
"Wow," Lucy stared at Hermione open-mouthed.
"Yep."
"That's...wow."
"Yep."
"So, what, you just keep getting sent off to random memories with each other?" Lucy asked.
"Pretty much," Hermione replied.
"Why though?"
"Jarvis' clever plan apparently. I think it's supposed to make us learn to get along. It's doing the complete opposite though, you should have heard him in the last one. As if my being half-naked wasn't bad enough, he had to-"
"You were half-naked in front of him?!" Lucy shouted, interrupting Hermione and gaining the attention of several nearby diners.
"Keep it down will you?" Hermione hissed. "Yes, I was in the shower when I was pulled away, luckily I managed to cover up before Malfoy got there, but only barely. It was mortifying."
"You never know, maybe next time you'll get lucky and he'll be pulled out of the shower," Lucy said with a wink and a giggle. Even Hermione couldn't help but laugh.
Their food arrived, ending their conversation there. Hermione ate in silence, feeling slightly better knowing she had someone to talk to about her odd situation. She would eventually tell Ron and Harry but for now, Lucy's views were exactly what she needed; lighthearted and amusing; something to help her get through more inevitable trips with Malfoy.
By the time Hermione arrived back at her flat several hours and three bottles of wine later, she was feeling a great sense of relief. Whether this was down to the wine or the freedom of finally telling someone of her predicament, Hermione did not know; nor did she care. She did, however, resolve to be more accepting of the situation. The logical side of her knew that the less she fought against it, the more likely it would be over with quicker.
The following morning, Hermione enjoyed a rare lie-in, she slept better than she had in a long time. She took her coffee and toast over to the sofa; she was planning on watching mindless television with her feet up. Her plans were interrupted however, by Ron's head appearing in her fireplace.
"Hey, Hermione! Are you busy? We need you to come over."
"No, I'm not busy. I'll have to shower and change though. Is everything alright?" Hermione asked, concerned; Ron never usually flooed in unannounced.
"Yeah, everything is great, see you in a bit," his head disappeared with a mysterious grin.
Curious, Hermione quickly showers and dressed. Admittedly, all of her showers were quick since the unfortunate timing of the last memory, but this one was due to her eagerness to find out the reason for Ron's invitation.
She threw the green powder into her fireplace and stepped in whilst shouting Ron and Juliette's address. On exiting, Hermione noticed that Harry and Ginny were also there, sitting on the sofa.
"Hello you two," she said, pleasantly surprised.
"Hi," said Harry, standing up to greet Hermione with a hug, "I see we're not the only ones who received a last minute invite."
"Apparently not, any idea why we're here? Or where Ron is?" Hermione looked around but there was no sign of Ron or Juliette.
She turned her attention to Ginny. "Look at the size of you now! I'm sure that bump has doubled in size since I last saw you..."
"That was only last week!" Ginny replied indignantly. "You're right though, I'm starting to lose sight of my toes now. Only three months to go."
"Ah! You're all here, brilliant," Ron's voice came from the door that lead to the kitchen. Juliette followed him into the room carrying a tray of four glasses of champagne and a glass of orange juice.
"Champagne?" Harry asked.
"Yes, we're celebrating," Juliette replied coyly. She put the tray down on the coffee table and handed out the glasses.
"Celebrating what?" Ginny asked, accepting her glass of juice.
Juliette stood next to Ron in front of the group and took his hand in hers. He looked at her, smiling, and nodded.
"Ron and I have finally booked a date for the wedding! February twentieth next year!" she squealed excitedly.
There was a flourish of hugs and congratulating before Ron settled the group down again by telling them there was more to say.
Juliette spoke again, to Ginny and Hermione. "So, you know I don't have any sisters? Well I was wondering if you two would like to be my bridesmaids?"
"I'd be honoured, Juliette!" Hermione exclaimed, hugging her once more.
"And me!" Ginny said, rising from her seat with a little help from Harry.
The three girls hugged and immediately Juliette began telling them her plans for colour schemes.
Ron shook his head and then turned to Harry.
"Best man?" he asked simply.
"Of course!" Harry replied.
"Cheers. We, er, don't have to hug do we mate?"
"Nah," Harry said grinning.
Hermione, Harry and Ginny ended up staying for lunch which gave Juliette the chance to show the girls the folder she had started to put together with ideas for the wedding.
Though she gave the impression of a tomboy; an avid Quidditch fan and an appetite that even rivalled Ron's, when it came to her wedding Juliette was a typical woman. She knew exactly what she wanted down to the last centrepiece. She, Hermione and Ginny agreed to wait until Ginny had the baby before they went shopping for their bridesmaid dresses but would be going to find Juliette's gown the following month. Hermione said she would help out as much as Juliette needed, knowing full well how little Ron would. Ron acted offended but ultimately agreed with Hermione and then gave her strict instructions to choose dress robes that were the complete opposite to those he wore at the Yule Ball.
By the time Hermione returned to work on Monday she was in a particularly good mood. Even the appearance of Malfoy in her office as soon as she sat at her desk couldn't dampen her spirits.
"Good morning," she chirped.
"Sorry I was looking for Granger, is she here? You might know her; grumpy, usually throws things at me when I come in here, huge hair?" Malfoy smirked at her, waiting for her reaction.
"Ha-ha very funny. I told you, the ink pot slipped out of my hand and just happened to hit you. And my hair is not huge," she smoothed it down subconsciously.
"You're right, it's at least half the size it was in last weeks memory," he winked.
Hermione stared at him blankly, it was the first time outside of the memories that either of them had spoken about them. He seemed to realise this too as he quickly changed the subject.
"Anyway, it's a lucky you're in a good mood; I've got a favour to ask you."
"Go on..." Hermione said sceptically.
"Well, you know me and Potter arranged the Quidditch match to fund accompanied visits to Diagon Alley for Muggle-borns?"
Hermione nodded and he continued. "McGonagall has owled me asking if I'll do one of the visits, the Prophet want to cover it. She said it'll be good publicity to help fund it next year too."
"That's a great idea! So where does the favour from me come in?"
"Well, I was just thinking about that memory...of you. And I wondered if maybe you would-only if you want to I mean, maybe you would come with me? After all, you'll know better how the girl and her parents are feeling and-" he was rambling now, Hermione held a hand up and he stopped talking abruptly.
"Yes, I'll come and help you out."
"It's not that I need help," Malfoy said straightening himself up, "I could do it alone. I just think it would be better for the kid you know?"
"Oh, absolutely," Hermione grinned.
"Thanks," he mumbled. "Well, I'd better get back to work. We've got that meeting with Durmstrang's Headmaster next week, I want to prepare for it; he's going to be tough to convince," and with that he left Hermione's office.
The door swung open seconds after, Hermione didn't look up from the parchment she was reading.
"What is it now, Draco?"
"Ooh, 'Draco'? Do I sense thawing in the frosty relationship?" Lucy's voice made Hermione look up.
"Don't be ridiculous. He's just been here asking for a favour, I thought it was him coming back in."
"Is the favour to lick butterbeer foam from his delectable top lip? If so, I'll do it!"
Hermione laughed and shook her head but said no more on the situation much to the disappointment of her young assistant.