Bit of a longer one this one, hope you like it x
The next morning she and Ginny went to Diagon Alley to buy dresses for Harry's birthday party that evening.
Hermione didn't see Fred that morning as he did not leave his room, unlike George. Was George looking at her oddly or was it just her? Had Fred said something to him?
Either way, a breakfast of scrambled eggs seemed to settle her questions along with her appetite. Ginny was very excited for the party- Hermione knew that she was particularly looking forward to their shopping trip as an opportunity to buy some lingerie with which to surprise Harry on his 17th birthday. Hermione was a little apprehensive herself, she couldn't ever quite shake the awkwardness of buying underwear, though she pretended otherwise.
Once alone in Diagon Alley, they made a beeline to 'Bewitching Apparel'. Since the war finished, business was booming in Diagon Alley with several new, and highly fashionable shops.
In the shop, Ginny and Hermione browsed the many beautiful dresses. There was an endless array of silk, chiffon, lace, beads and flowers. Despite Hermione's opinion that it was most important for Ginny to find a perfect dress, Ginny herself seemed to be taking a significant interest in hermione's own choice.
"What about this?" She held up a showy red dress with a velvet lining. Hermione laughed, assuming she was joking.
"I'd look ridiculous." She said, part of her wanting to try it on but none of her wanting to wear it to the party. Ginny looked exasperated.
"You'd look beautiful Hermione!" But she put it back none the less. "But perhaps it might be a bit much for this party."
Hermione was trying on a navy blue dress when a freckled arm slipped in past the curtain and handed her a golden dress. Ginny didn't say anything from the other side of the curtain, she didn't need to. The dress glittered slightly, enticingly. Hermione changed quickly from the dress she was wearing into the new one. It was perfect.
It was surprisingly subtle. A lightly shimmering skirt lead up to a v-shaped bust and crepe sleeves with the occasional fleck of glitter stitched in. Modest, but not too modest. Elegant rather than showy.
Ginny herself looked stunning. She had selected a black dress with green beads attached in an intricate and swirling pattern.
Later on in the 'Bewitching Intimates' section, Hermione was pestered by Ginny into buying some pale pink lingerie. While Hermione thought it very pretty, she dreaded seeing Mrs Weasley's face should she see them go through the wash. Hermione decided to learn a cleaning charm as soon as possible.
With Hermione and Ginny completely exhausted from shopping, they stopped in Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour for an ice cream sunday before returning to The Burrow.
"Remind me why I needed these again?" Asked Hermione, gesturing to the bag containing her new bra and panties.
"You never know when you need sexy underwear." Said Ginny, wisely. "Plus they're just as much for you as any lucky guy you take a shine to."
Hermione frowned slightly but opted for ice cream rather than an in depth conversation about pants and who might see them.
"What are your plans Hermione?" Asked Ginny casually.
"Go back to school I guess..." Hermione didn't really know anymore. There was so much she could do, but she didn't know what it was she wanted to. She had her OWL's and she knew she was smart. But even as she had worked so hard, the fear of war prevailed over that of exams. Without that weight on her shoulders... it just seemed not pointless, but worth less. " Still have to get my NEWTS." She finished. Ginny looked a little confused.
"What's happened Hermione? I thought you were all about studying?"
"I am, really." Hermione assured her, wondering if it was true. She loved reading, she loved learning but she also loved having purpose... something she hadn't quite deciphered just yet. But she had the rest of the summer before facing going back to school alone. Ginny would be there too of course but classes would drag more than usual being without Ron and Harry.
Before the party, Ginny did Hermione's hair. She used her wand to add thin streaks of glitter to her hair before twisting it up into an elegant up-do. Ginny let her own hair flow loosely, long and shining.
A large table had been set up outside by Bill and Mr Weasley and pastel-coloured candles hovered a few feet above, casting a warm light down on them. The table was set with food even better than that at Hogwarts. There were small pies, crisp salads, delicate tarts, plates of brazed vegetables and a creamy potato salad. Harry sat in the middle of the table, looking amazed. He couldn't seem to stop thanking Mrs Weasley.
Just before everyone sat down to eat, Fred turned up, fashionably late. He scanned the table and stating walking quickly towards her. Hermionie couldn't help but notice how good he looked. Tall and broad-shouldered he looked more grown up than usual. He slipped into the garden chair next to hers and smiled.
"George, 'ou haf sat in my seat!" came an exasperated Fleur from behid them.
"Sorry Fleur!" He said jovially, showing no signs of moving. "Finders keepers." Fleur walked away muttering to sit with Ron who had come over for Harry's birthday. He looked quite pleased at Fleur's presence as it separated him and Percy. Hermione waved at him down the table and he waved back.
Turning back to Fred, she found that Fred had instead engaged in a deep conversation with Bill on his other side about Kingsley's most recent changes to the Ministry of Magic.
"You see-" Bill was telling Fred through a mouthful of pie and potatoes "Kingsley understands the importance of removing the dementors from Azkaban."
"I have to say," interjected Percy, "While I greatly admire Minister Shacklebolt for the leader he is, I cant say I agree with him there." Percy seemed to be in the minority.
"It's inhumane." Said Bill bluntly, giving his brother a cold stare.
"That's the point dear brother." Replied Percy with a patronising sneer.
"Dumbledor himself said that we must face what is right rather than what is easy. I think it is easy to hate the death eaters but right to understand that they are human too... they were probably just as afraid as we were some of them." This instilled a silence as Percy turned a deep red. Fred looked her directly in the eye and slowly raised his glass.
"To Dumbledor." He said simply. Everyone said it back before drinking, whether out of agreement for Hermione's words or respect for the dead. Either way, respecting Dumbledor put you on the road to a kind of gentle understanding of others.
"Come on Perce, you just got here, don't fuck it up now." said George, elbowing him in the ribs. Everyone laughed a little but before Percy could become too embarrassed, Mrs Weasley appeared holding the largest cake Hermione had ever seen. It was a snitch.
Long after everyone had eaten their fill, they remained seated at the table. The atmosphere was perfect. The warm evening air was thick with the jokes of the cheerfully-tipsy and the war seemed like years ago. Hermione was sitting between Fred and Ron, who was telling a story from work.
"And then-" He said, trying he best not to let his own laughter interfere with the story "-It turns out Percy had sent the letter to Mrs Bigsley from foreign affairs! So she got the date invite and Miss Price got the stock room inventory instead!"
They all laughed but were forced to a little quieter than they otherwise might have because Percy wasn't all that far off.
"Oi, Fred!" George called down the table. "C'mere!" He waved him over a little drunkenly. Fred through her a regretful look before rushing over to him.
"Back in a second." He hissed impatiently.
There was an awkward silence between Ron and Hermione.
"I guess you heard me and Lavender broke up." Hermione had hoped the conversation wouldn't go this way.
"Yeah, how did she take it?"
"Oh... you know." There was a pause. "Not great."
"Still, work sounds like fun." Hermione did her best to steer the conversation back to Ron's work, to no avail.
"How come we never made a match of it Hermione?" He asked. Clearly the alcohol had given him more courage than usual.
"There was a time where we might have done." Hermione conceded. Unbeknown to her, alcohol had given her more relaxed honesty than usual. "But I think we're different people now." Ron nodded in agreement.
"A lot can happen in a year." Said Ron, suddenly sounding tired. Hermione leaned over and ruffled his hair affectionally.
"But friendship is eternal."