Please read the text at the end of the Chapter for my heartfelt apologies and explanations for not updating in such a stupid amount of time. For now, please enjoy this second to last chapter and note that I will post the Epilogue in a couple of days (it is already written, but I want to give people a chance to be able to read this first).
Chapter 26
Promises
The school had fallen quiet in the remaining few days. The first through sixth years had left, only a sparse few remaining behind as dates to the Ball. Despite the growing anxiety and excitement of the Seventh year students, the school was relatively quiet and at peace. The gossip of betrayal, pain, and love had fallen away, slowly fading into the background as the excitement over the Graduation Ball grew near.
The Prefects and Heads were feeling frayed, having spent endless days and nights preparing the festivities, using up almost every free moment after the exams to finish the last minute details of their spring themed Ball. The trees had been moved into place, the walls decorated, floors and floor plans altered, and every little decoration was now in place. All that was left was for Professor Flitwick to alter the charm on the ceiling and everything would be perfect.
It was with a heavy sigh of relief that every student involved in the planning collapsed to the ground, groaning in unison about needing sleep.
Of course, it was after much sleep, and more frayed nerves, that they finally came to the day. Their last day at Hogwarts.
Hermione looked longingly around the Head's Tower, relishing in her memories of the past year as she tidied up and packed her trunk. All she needed was the clothes for sleeping, tomorrow and basic toiletries. Everything else had been packed, begrudgingly, into her trunk and stuffed into her purse. Her heart hammered softly against her chest, eyes stinging as she reached forward to gently run a hand along one of the posts of her bed before she glanced down at the pillows.
One last night in this world, one final day here, of resting her head on the pillows, of being gently cradled in the arms of Draco as they sleep, and it would all be over. Seven years, seven amazing, painful, beautiful, and magical years, all gone. Yet still there, at the back of her mind, in the most world kaleidoscope of memories she could ever wish to hold.
Letting out a soft sight, she stepped out of the room and slowly walked down the stairs, stepping away from her past and edging into the present. Down, in the Common Room of the Head's Tower, waited the group of people that had managed to forever change her life. Harry held Ginny tightly in his arm, looking splendid in a basic, black suit as Ginny glimmered brilliantly in her strapless gold dress. Luna was every inch fairy-like in her off-the-shoulder dress, coloured with every hue in the rainbow that flowed like a waterfall of colours, fading gently from one into the next from the tight bodice to the layered bottom. Blaise stood next to her, gently holding her hand in his, and Hermione couldn't help but smile at the sight of Blaise wearing a shirt that matched Luna's dress. It was sweet and showed just how much she meant to him.
Her eyes then fell on the one man that truly mattered. He had truly affected her in every sense of the way; his bullying had morphed her into an independent, strong woman who was able to take blows with ease. His sneering attitude had served as a reminder to stand up for who and what she was, regardless of what everyone said. His friendship spoke volumes in that it taught her to forgive and understand that people change. His love made her feel beautiful and whole, it made her powerful and content, and completed her as a person.
He had made her into everything she could ever wish to be.
He looked simply dapper in his suit, a lovely black that made his pale skin almost glow in the light and his silver shirt rippled in the firelight, shimmering as if made out of the precious metal.
She was careful as she walked, unused to the heels that had her feet trapped, but glad that she had chosen relatively modest ones in contrast to Ginny's terrifyingly high ones. As she stepped onto the floor of the Common Room, she held her breath, waiting for Draco to say something, anything.
What she didn't realize was that he was rendered speechless. He loved every part of her, every image of her, from when she had her lazy days wearing nothing but loose pajama pants and an old, worn out sweater, to when she 'dressed up' in long skirts or comfortable jeans and form-fitting tops. He loved her body, regardless of what it was put into, every little curve, every smooth touch of flesh, even the faint scars and especially the way her abdomen was just a teensy, tiny bit fleshy. He loved how human and feminine she was, and it didn't matter what she wore, because he always saw her in the same way.
Until now.
He knew that the dress would look good on her, but he had not realized just how well it would suit her.
It was a deep scarlet, one-strapped dress that fell to the floor. The top was tight and form-fitting with a sweetheart neckline that dipped precariously between her breasts. The bottom of the dress flowed out gently, in a smooth line that gently hovered just above the ground, and one side had a slit that ended just above her left knee. The strap on the right side was studded with silver crystals that flowed down to her waist on the right side like a snake attempting to twist and wrap itself around her torso. The waist was broken with another belt of smaller crystals, accentuating her hourglass figure.
He was glad that she had asked Weaselette to do her make-up; even though the Ginger Queen was decorated to the nine, from her ostentatiously and overly sexy gold number to her vibrant, deep make-up, she had remained subtle with Hermione, accenting her natural beauty. He was not longer afraid that he would not be able to kiss her without getting lipstick all over his face.
He stepped forward and gently took her hand in his, watching as her eyes focused solely on him, anticipation and worry etched into her face. He knew that she was unsure, that she needed a confirmation that the dress fit her, that it wasn't too much or not 'her.' She had never been one to dress-up, never been very confident in her ability to wear elaborate clothing or look overly feminine, and he knew that she needed to be told otherwise.
Leaning forward, he pressed a kiss to her neck and whispered softly in her ear, "You look so beautiful, I wish that we could spend all evening in your bedroom."
Shivers rushed down her spine and she gnawed on her lower lip as a warm fire spread in her belly. Taking in a deep breath, she willed her body to calm down before responding. "Thank you."
"I have something for you, by the way," he said quickly, pulling away to take a couple of small boxes from Blaise. "Close your eyes."
She waited patiently, eyes shut as he opened the boxes. Suddenly, she felt him wrapping his arms over her shoulders, draping something cool and metallic against her chest. A chain pressed against her neck, cold against her flushed skin and her curiosity was piqued. He slowly tugged the loose curls that tumbled from her bun out of the chain to drape them on her back.
"Can I open them now?"
"Not yet," he chuckled.
What she had not been expecting was to have him suddenly take her hand and place two cool, metal objects into the palm of it.
"Now."
She first looked into her hand and found a pair of delicate, silver teardrop earrings with a ruby in the center of each. Smiling, she looked over to Draco. "Another little union of our House colours, eh?" she teased.
He rolled his eyes at the comment and, when he asked her to, she removed her current earrings, which suddenly seemed terribly inferior to the new pair, and slipped on the new ones. She then looked down at the necklace, gasping softly in surprise at the ornate, silver phoenix feather and hung just above her breasts, the ruby eye glinting merrily in the light.
"It's beautiful, Draco," she gushed, turning to face him with a shining face. "I love it."
"I was hoping you would," he returned with a grin before holding an arm out to her. "Now, let's stop with these pleasantries and get on with our little Ball. We did, after all, plan the whole thing, and, as the hosts, we are required to show up."
Blushing softly at his attention, she slipped her arm around his and they made their way out of the Common Room, ready to enjoy the last night they would ever spend at Hogwarts.
To say that they had outdone themselves was an understatement. The hall was gloriously decorated. The tables looked delicate, like spring tea tables fit for a garden, yet large enough to seat up to ten students. They were covered in white cloths that were dotted with pink and orange petals and decorated with centerpieces of pastel-hued flowers. One wall was lined with a massive table that held hors d'oeuvres and miscellaneous treats that could be eaten throughout the night, decorated with a massive fountain in the middle that pour out was looked to be some kind of red fruit juice. The Head table was in its place, decorated to match the smaller, student tables, and in the each corner was a massive cherry tree, enchanted to have petals falling endlessly to the ground to slowly fade away, creating a pink snow that swirled and played in the air.
The ceiling was the colour of an evening sunset, pinks, oranges, purples, and yellows glowing gloriously above their heads as various petals of all sorts of colours rained down on them, fading away just a few feet above their heads. On the opposite side of the room, the band was set up with a massive dance floor erected. The band had not yet arrived, but Hermione was quite pleased with the unanimous choice of having a female group playing that had a broad collection of slow and upbeat songs. She just couldn't quite remember their names…she had always been awful with band names.
She couldn't help but glow with pride as every student gushed and exclaimed loudly over the elaborate decorations, from the trees to the fountains, from the inside of the castle that had been decorated with ribbons, flags, and flowers, to the garden erected outside that mimicked a Japanese spring garden, with blooming bushes, cheery flowers, and several different kinds of blossoming trees, from orange to almond blossoms, all surrounded a pond that was crossed by a bridge. Occasionally, a fish would jump out of the water, a koi that got overexcited and decided to show itself off to the students hovering over the edge of the bridge.
"You did a wonderful job," Draco commented as he led her to their reserved table near the front of the room, at an ideal midway point between the hors d'oeuvres table and the dance floor.
"We did a wonderful job," she corrected.
She waited, patiently, as the remainder of the Prefects entered the room before gathering them at her table. "First, you all look wonderful this evening," she complimented with complete honesty. She waited for the murmuring of thanks to cease before continuing. "Secondly, I want to commend you for the amazing work you have all put into this. I know that most of you are not graduating this year, but I want to thank you for all of the hard work you put in nonetheless. Without you, this would not have been possible." She glowed at them, pleased with everything these individuals had done despite this year's repeated obstacles, what with losing two Prefects and the other struggles they had encountered. "Thank you all. Now, please, enjoy the evening, you are all free to have fun. Let the teachers worry about being the chaperones."
At this, they all scurried back to their tables and the chatter increased in volume as students seated themselves and joined with groups of friends. She sat at her table with her usual group, Draco on one side and Harry on the other, and eventually Neville came to join them with Hannah Abbott.
From that point onward, the evening passed in a colourful, vibrant, and relaxed blur. There were a few awkward moments, where the previous tensions between Slytherin and the remainder of the school came to the surface, but the calming music and overwhelming sensation of joy at graduation put insecurities and distrust at bay.
They ate, they danced, and they listened to entertaining and boring speeches together, as one mass of students, rather than a collection of divided groups. As feet shifted on the dance floor, the words exchanged were teasing and light, and partners switched without a care in world. All that mattered was that, at the end of the night, they wound up in the arms of the person they loved most, regardless of what house and family they came from.
Everything merely became this wild whirlwind of colour, laughter, and emotions. Tears were shed as couples realized that this would be their last night at school together, friends loudly guffawed as they reminisced, and teachers watched on with pride and joy as the children they helped raise became adults before their very eyes.
It was emotional, heart-wrenching, joyous, and beautiful at the same time. A night of memories, both new and old, a night where new friendships were made and old friendships were strengthened.
Overwhelmed by the heat and crowd, Hermione found herself slipping out of the Great Hall and into the night air, sitting down on the nearest bench to relieve her aching feet and cool down her body.
She had barely removed the first shoe before Draco found her. She smiled; he was like a needy puppy, never far from the one he loved. It was endearing, and she only hoped that it didn't get too frustrating once they left Hogwarts. She wouldn't be able to deal with him following her all day whenever she went to work.
"Miss me?" she teased, tugging off the second shoe to let it plop unceremoniously onto the ground beside the first. She wriggled her toes in the grass, enjoying the feel of it on her feet.
"Whenever you're away from me, I always miss you," he answered softly, moving forward to sit beside her.
"You're such a romantic," she chuckled, resting her head on his shoulder. "Do you think everyone is enjoying ball?"
He eyed her and let out a soft laugh. Only she would be concerned as to whether or not they did a good job planning the ball, the ever analytical and professional Hermione. "People would be leaving if they weren't enjoying themselves," he answered.
She snuggled more against him, smiling and relaxing as she realized that he was right. Closing her eyes, she enjoyed the feel of the night breeze on her warm face, the cool grass between her toes, and the soothing sound of the wind fluttering around the trees. They sat in silence for a while and only the occasional jumping koi disturbed the calm in the air.
Sliding his arm across her shoulders, Draco leant down and pressed a kiss to the top of her head, taking in her scent. Gods, he loved how she smelled, so fresh, so clean. If he could smell anything for the rest of his life, it would be her, as creepy as that sounded.
His voice broke the silence; "Tonight is our last night at Hogwarts."
"I know."
There was a wistful note to her words, as though she didn't want to leave, yearning to stay at the castle for as long as possible. He knew how she felt; even though his memories here might not be as fond as hers, he had been able to accumulate quite a few wonderful ones in the past year, all thanks to her. If she hadn't come into his life, hadn't accepted him for who he was, then he was sure that he would have finished his time here unhappy, frustrated, and alone.
It was their last night.
Fear suddenly clenched at his heart.
Last night.
What would he do once he left Hogwarts? What would she do? Where would life take them once they left the school grounds? He already had ideas of what he wanted to do for an occupation, but what about Hermione? Where did she want to go? What did she want to do? Never before had he been forced to take someone else into consideration.
It was terrifying.
The thought of being separated from her, for any length of time, made his heart ache. He didn't want to leave her, didn't want to be away from her. He wanted to spend every moment of every day with her, for the rest of his life.
This realization shocked, scared, and amazed him at the same time.
He had always thought that he would find a wonderful woman to marry, but never, in his wildest dreams, would he have ever considered that woman to be Hermione Granger. But now that he knew it, he felt it within the depths of his heart and soul, and as much as it scared him, he felt a sense of joy and relief wash over his mind.
He wanted to marry Hermione Granger.
The question was whether or not she felt the same way.
'Let's not get too ahead of ourselves,' he reminded himself. They hadn't even been together for a year, things like this took time, patience, and experience. He had seen too many people jump into marriage early on and regret it. He didn't want to regret anything.
Start slow.
"What do you want to do after school?" Basic, simple, straightforward, and it allowed him to subtly test the waters.
"Hmm, probably spend a bit of time with my family, and then work. I was thinking of taking a teacher certification course and teach here."
He chuckled at her answer; how typically Hermione. He could most definitely see her as a teacher, stern and wise, but caring and considerate. She would definitely be demanding and a hard grader, but willing to help when asked.
"What about you?" she asked, lifting her head off of his shoulder to sit back on the bench and stare at him.
He had to be careful with the way he worded things, not only because of his desire to marry her, but because of what had been going on in the Manor since the war. He had been wanting to tell her for a long time, to explain his actions and finally let someone else know about what was happening at home. Only Blaise knew, and no one else. But he knew that if he wanted to deepen his relationship with Hermione, he would have to be honest with her, about everything.
"Well, I have to settle affairs at the Manor," he began softly, leaning back to stare at the stars glittering through the leaves of the trees. "Nobody really knows this but…my mother…she hasn't been well since the war. Things happened, were done to her that shouldn't be done to anyone, and one day it was enough. Her mind is broken. Some days are good, and others are really bad, and I try so hard to help her, take care of her." He swallowed thickly, closing his eyes as he opened his heart. "I know that I can't take care of her for the rest of our lives, so I think that the first thing I have to do is find a new home for her, a place that doesn't have so many memories, and find someone to take care of her. It may be selfish of me, but I won't be able to live my own life if I spent all of my time watching over her. And I know that she wouldn't want me to forever be her caretaker. It's going to be hard; she's my mother, the woman who raised me, and I feel terrible knowing that I can't always watch over her."
Her hand reached over to squeeze his and she smiled softly at him, even though he couldn't see her. She felt his pain, understood that he loved his mother deeply, and she felt heartbroken that his mother would never be the same. She couldn't imagine how she would feel if she lost her mother like that.
"What about Andromeda?"
Draco lifted his head and looked down at Hermione. Andromeda Tonks, née Black, was Narcissa's sister, and only surviving member his mother's immediate family. Even though she had been removed from the Black family tree, Draco remembered his mother fondly telling stories about all of the things she and Andromeda would do when younger. The hijinks they would get into when teenagers, and how they had always supported each other.
Maybe Hermione was on the right track…
"I can't just dump her on them," he sighed softly.
"No, but we can talk to Ted and Andromeda, see if we can build an attachment to their home or a guest house, a place where your mother can get away from all of the bad memories in the Manor and spend time with her sister. We can trust Andromeda, she's a wonderful woman, and Tonks will help out, too. We know that Narcissa was not Bellatrix."
Draco pulled her close and pressed a hot kiss to her lips. "You are a wonderful, beautiful, and amazing woman, Hermione Granger." She may not have realized just how hopeless he had felt, and probably had no clue just how much her reaction meant to him. Now he had some hope for his mother's situation, he could feel less guilty and could look forward to what would come. He knew that it was going to be hard, anything involving his mother had become increasingly difficult, but with Andromeda and Hermione, it might help the situation.
She giggled softly against his lips as they pulled apart, smiling on his mouth. "I'm glad to help. I only want what's best for the man that I love."
"Say it again."
"Say what?"
"That you love me," he teased, nibbling on her lower lip.
"I love you, Draco Malfoy," she murmured, sliding into another kiss.
He nibbled at her mouth and gently teased her with his tongue, reminding her with a kiss just how much he loved her, pouring every bit of love and care in his heart into the embrace. Gently, they separated, and, his heart hammering wildly in his chest, he knew that now was the right time.
"Hermione," he began softly, "I have a question for you."
She stared up at him, arching a brow with curiosity. "Yes, Mr. Malfoy?"
He wiped his hands on his pants, trying to calm down enough to not fumble over his words. "I was wondering if, after we spend time with our families and my mother is settled in, we could…move in together? Of course, it wouldn't be in the Manor, but maybe a smaller home near London? We have quite a few and there's a particularly lovely one close to London that hasn't been touched by Death Eaters or the Dark Arts. I was hoping that you might want to move in with me there."
She stared at him for a moment, stock still, before letting out a sigh of relief. "For a second there, I thought you were going to ask me to marry you."
His heart tightened at her words.
She saw his face fall and quickly moved to rectify the situation. "What I mean is that it's a bit too soon to get married, don't you think? I was hoping that we could spend more time together, move in, and then get married once we're all settled. I'm a bit of a traditionalist about that stuff," she admitted. "It's not that I don't want to marry you, I just want to take my time. I do think that, one day, we could get married," she finished, reaching up to give him a tender kiss.
At this he breathed a sigh of relief. She had the same train of thought as him, take things slow, spend time together, and then get married.
She wanted to eventually marry him.
It made his heart jump with joy and he crushed his mouth to hers.
When they came for air, hearts wild with passion, flesh flushed with lust, he pressed his hands to her cheeks and gazed into her eyes.
"Hermione Jane Granger, will you move in with me?"
"Most definitely."
They sealed it with a kiss.
Four months later…
It was quiet, had always been quiet, and it was unnerving yet calming at the same time. She would never be able t get used to it, the overwhelming silence occasionally broken by the clacking of heels or fluttering of paper notes as they flew down the halls.
St. Mungo's always had this strange atmosphere; like they were trying too hard to be quiet and it came off as awkward. Hermione didn't like it; it was very unlike Muggle hospitals that were filled with busy noises and loud beeps. It felt lifeless.
She had met Draco here an hour ago, when he had brought his mother in for a check-up. It had taken some time, but she had become willing to travel to the hospital to see her doctor. It was a huge step forward and meant the world to Draco. Narcissa had also become strangely attached to Hermione during the moving process. She wasn't sure if it was the woman's true nature coming out, or if guilt was making her behave in such a way, but she always seemed happy to see Hermione. According to Andromeda, Narcissa had begun talking more, and Hermione was almost always brought up in their conversations.
But she knew that it would be more comfortable if the appointment had been just Draco and his mother, so while they spoke with the Mediwitch, she made her way to the wing dedicated to psychological injuries.
It had been quite some time since she had seen him, and even longer since she had spoken to the real him. She was told that he had made great progress, that things had drastically changed and he was getting better and better with every passing day.
Then Molly told her that the Mediwitch said that Hermione could see him.
She hesitated at first and Draco made sure to voice his reasons why Hermione should not go, but he also supported her final decision to pay him a visit.
He was one of her best friends after all.
"Hey there stranger."
He had lost some weight and his freckles stood out starkly on his paler skin, but he looked healthy, in mind and body. His eyes were clear, movements deliberate, and the fog had been lifted.
Ronald Weasley was sane once more.
"Hermione," he choked out as she stepped into the room, smiling and holding a small box of chocolates.
She smiled in spite of the pain in her heart. It had been too long since she had seen him this clear, this happy. He had been suffering for so long, struggling and unable to find a way out, and in the process he had hurt so many others. She would always feel a sense of guilt at being unable to spot the signs, oblivious to the fact that her friend was suffering. But she knew that it was nothing compared to the guilt he felt.
She knew that as he healed, his mind cleared, and as his mind cleared, he would begin to realize just what he had done. And she knew that she could never blame him.
"How are you feeling?" she asked, stepping forward to stand beside his bed. He had a collection of comic books and Quidditch magazines on the nightstand and the room was decorated with bright, lively flowers and balloons. She noticed that one table there was a heavy looking book placed on top of a card and she wondered if Ginny, when Ron started feeling better, had made one of those awful singing cards just to brighten his spirits and remind him of the good old days.
He still seemed startled into shock, unsure of how to continue the conversation. She knew that it was all coming back to him, that he was remembering how awful he had been to her, and she knew that he was struggling with how to cope.
"Ron," she began softly, placing the chocolates on the nightstand and taking a seat in the chair by the bed. "I want you to know something very important. I know that this has been very hard on you, and I'm sure that you feel really bad, but please don't. You…you weren't yourself, and I know that now. I didn't at first, I had no clue, but now I do. And," she swallowed thickly as tears welled up, "dear gods, I'm sorry, Ron. I'm so sorry I hadn't seen it sooner, so sorry that I hadn't been able to help you. I…if I had known sooner, then we could have helped you, I could have helped you."
She wanted to be strong, wanted to show her support and tell him that she was there for him, but the guilt that had been slowly eating at her broke through and she found herself crying into her hands. It all came out at once, the pain of watching him fall apart, the memories of what he had said and done to her, and the regret that she had done nothing to help him. It came out in an explosion of tears and pain and he was unsure how to react.
Slowly, gently, he reached out and placed a hand on the top of her hair, rubbing her hair affectionately, a technique his mother had taught him when he was younger. It always managed to soothe Ginny when she was upset and he hoped that it would help Hermione relax. He felt awful that she was crying for his sake, but a little part of him was happy. If she was so upset, then she wasn't mad at him. But seeing her upset made his heart ache.
"It's not your fault, 'Mione."
"I know," she mumbled through her tears, "I know…but I feel so bad. We should have known, should have seen; we could have helped you sooner."
His smile was bittersweet; he loved that she cared about him so much, but he hated that it made her cry. He was finally able to see clearly for the first time in months, and he hated that the first thing he saw was Hermione sobbing. She was his best friend.
"I didn't even know something was wrong," he admitted quietly as her tears slowly stopped. "I had no clue, Hermione. If I couldn't tell, then how could you? My own parents couldn't tell, Hermione, so I can't blame you for not seeing it. Nobody did, we had no idea until it was almost too late. But you did see, you figured it out, and you're the reason I'm here, getting help. It's thanks to you that I'm healthy again, 'Mione. Not the other way around."
She looked up at him, eyes watery with tears, cheeks stained and flushed. Seeing the honest look in his eyes, the pain and desire to see her relax, had her choking on her words. "Oh Ron," she sobbed, lunging forward to wrap him into a tight hug. "I missed you so much."
He hugged her back, pulling her as close to him as possible. "I missed you too," he mumbled, squeezing her tightly.
They remained like that for some time, hugging and consoling, remembering the times when things were normal and they hadn't suffered. Just as she began to calm down, the tears ceasing and her cheeks slowly drying, Ron struggled to find the words to say.
"Hermione…I'm so sorry…for everything I've done. I…I really never meant those things, you're a wonderful and amazing person, and I'm so sorry for the way I've treated you."
She pulled away roughly, grabbing his shoulders tightly and forcing him to look her in the eyes. They were bloodshot and watery, but they were determined and brilliant. "Ronald Weasley, don't you ever apologize for those things. I know, we know, that you didn't mean it, that you weren't yourself. So don't you ever feel bad. Just get better. As a way of apologizing, get better for us."
He didn't realize that he had been crying until she brushed a tear away with the back of her hand, a delicate and soothing touch that eased his heart. She had always been there for him, always the strong one of the group, ready to pick him or Harry back up again whenever something went wrong. She was their rock, their strength, and he had no clue who or where he would be without her as his friend.
"Just…please forgive me."
Her eyes softened with fresh tears and she gave him a watery smile. "I will always forgive you, Ronald."
They hugged and cried again, laughed, and then cried some more. It was a painful but beautiful reunion, and eventually they managed to sit back, relax, and share wonderful memories. She told him about the ball, how the exams went, and told him about all of the silly things that happened since he had left. She avoided the topic of Draco, and most definitely did not tell him about Pansy. All she said was that Pansy had been expelled. She knew that he would be furious with himself for not being there to protect her.
He regaled her with stories of the ward, telling her about the more unique characters. He wasn't far from Frank and Alice Longbottom and had become friends with them, but always avoided the topic of Neville. Instead, he had created a character based off of Neville and told them stories about him. It made Hermione happy that Alice and Frank were getting to know their son, in a sense.
Eventually, they were laughing and sharing the chocolates she had brought, enjoying each other's company as they would in the past. Things felt normal again, back to the way they used to be, and her heart felt lighter.
As she popped another chocolate into her mouth, an origami, paper bird fluttered through the open door and landed in her lap. Excusing herself, she read the note and discovered that Draco's appointment with Narcissa was done and he wanted to know if they should wait or head back to Andromeda's.
Hesitating, she glanced up to Ron and noticed his curious expression. Swallowing, she crumpled up the note and knew that she should at least attempt to tread this thin ice.
"Ron…what do you think about Dr…Malfoy?" It was the first step; if he showed any signs of instability, she would not move forward.
Snorting through a mouthful of chocolate, he swallowed and answered; "He's a right git and an annoying ferret."
She breathed out in relief; he had answered like he normally would.
Staring back at the note, she missed the way his mouth curled into a smile. "But I know that you seem to be fond of the bastard, so I might have to try to be civil with him in the future."
Within seconds tears were streaming down her face and she pulled Ron into another tight hug. She cried into his shoulder as he rubbed her back. "I thought that you would always hate him."
"Oh, I will, don't get me wrong," he teased, "but it doesn't mean that I shouldn't be civil with him in public. I'm not calling him my best friend nor will I hang out with him."
"That's fine."
"And I can't say that I approve of the ferret."
"I'm okay with that."
"But…if you care about him that much, then I can't really do anything."
"Thank you."
She pulled away and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Thank you so much, Ron. You have no idea how much that means to me."
"Hermione, he's just a ferret. I'm not willing to lose your friendship over an idiot."
She laughed at that, wiping away her tears. "I'm so glad to have you back."
"Me too." He paused and looked down at the note. "I'm assuming he's waiting for you?"
She nodded, "Yeah, he, uh, had an appointment today so I came with him."
"Does he know that you came to visit me?"
"Of course; we tell each other everything. He's just wondering when I'll be down because his appointment is over."
Ron sent her a small smile. "Tell him to wait for five more hours."
She chuckled, closing up the empty box of chocolates and tossing it into a nearby bin. "I can't do that, it's not fair."
There was a comfortable silence for a moment while she struggled to find the words to excuse herself. He looked at her and shifted on the bed, rubbing at a spot that was stained from melted chocolate. "Does he treat you right?"
She blushed darkly and nodded, looking down at her lap. "He makes me feel like the most beautiful and loved woman in the entire world."
His smile was slightly painful; he still harbored feelings for his best friend, but he realized a long time ago that she was not the person for him. Despite his love, it wasn't returned in the same way, and he had been forced to acknowledge and understand that. It had been tough, and still was, but he needed to be realistic and the only way to move forward was by accepting reality.
"Go to him. But tell him that if he ever hurts you, I will make him suffer for the rest of his life."
Laughing softly, she reached forward and hugged Ron once more. "I will." Pulling back, she stood up and straightened her clothes. "It was really nice seeing you again, Ron."
"It was nice seeing you too, 'Mione."
"Love you, Ron."
"Love you too."
She stepped out of the room and into the silent halls, smiling. She was still smiling when she met with Draco and Narcissa at the entrance to the hospital, the older woman swaying and singing softly, a habit she had developed to calm herself. When they dropped off Narcissa at Andromeda's and had arrived at their home, she slid into Draco's arms and cried tears of joy.
It took some time before she was able to speak coherently, and by then they were sitting on the couch, her body tucked between his legs while he massaged her shoulders and pressed soothing kisses to her cheeks.
She then told him everything, how Ron was doing, how happy she was, and how relieved she felt. She told him every little detail, how many times she cried and how much she laughed, what stories they shared and Ron's reaction to the fact that she and Draco were still dating.
He laughed at Ron's threat, chuckling into her ear as she leaned back against his chest. "So Weasley thinks he can take me on?"
"Well, he is stronger than he looks."
"He's crazy to think that I would ever hurt you."
She smiled up at him and pulled him down for a warm kiss.
"I love you, Mr. Malfoy."
"And I love you, Ms. Granger."
And they sealed it with a kiss.
Hey everyone.
So, first and foremost, I want to apologize for the insane amount of time you had to wait. I struggled a lot with this chapter for a LOT of reasons. One was that I was NEVER satisfied with the way I was writing out the ball scene and I kept scrapping it. I think that scrapping it so much led to reason #2, which was that I developed a major writer's block. It was so bad that I would just open up the chapter, stare, and not even be able to add a word or two. The third was that I got incredibly busy. I finished my Bachelor's degree and worked full time, and now I'm working on a second degree, so I've been very, very, VERY busy.
But, even though, these excuses are still not good enough, and all I can do is say how sorry I am for making you all wait so incredibly long. I HATE it when authors take forever to update, and I hate myself for becoming one of those authors.
I promise that the Epilogue is already written out and I will be posting it in a couple of days, just to give everyone a chance to read this chapter and maybe not hate me quite so much.
I actually wasn't originally planning on writing the scene with Ron, but it kind of slowly came to me and I felt that it was important to show his progress and that Hermione and him were able to reestablish their friendship. Narcissa was also an important topic, but not as prominent as Ron because Ron became very integral to the plot. I like to imagine Narcissa as becoming childlike and lost, someone eternally confused and soft-spoken on her good days, but loud, upset, and savage on her bad days. I also think that she would take to Hermione because of how Hermione had been tortured in the mansion. She would see her as a kindred soul, someone who had suffered the same fate, and she would be drawn to her.
Anyway, enough rambling.
Please review and I promise that the Epilogue will be up by Monday.
Thank you all for being so wonderful, patient, and amazing. I could never ask for a better bunch of readers. You are a great bunch of people and I appreciate every single one of you.
Thank you.