Hi everyone.
I apologize for the long hiatus. This summer had been one of misery and healing, trauma and growth. I lost two dogs within two weeks, suffered with a horrible experience of COVID-19 and it's miserableness of recovery. I got a puppy, my beloved Tullie Mae, who is a total terror. I started my dream business, but slowly realized that it's a lot more work that I originally realized. Writing was not on my radar for a while. But now I'm back! I really hope you enjoy this new chapter. I've missed you all greatly. So please, sit back and enjoy, and let me know what you think.
Best,
E
Thursday night found Hermione seated at a table in the dining room of the Leaky Cauldron, where she, Ginny, and Luna had decided that a girl's night was in order. Hermione was currently nursing her second Butterbeer, her eyes watching her surroundings with disinterest as Ginny yammered on about drama that had occurred with the Harpies.
"Hermione, are you even listening?" Ginny asked, catching the curly haired witch on her lack of attention. Hermione smiled sheepishly, knowing that she had been caught.
"Sorry, Gin. I'm just out of it today. What were you saying?" Hermione asked her friend. The redhead rolled her eyes in annoyance, before deciding to change her topic of conversation all together.
"Nevermind. How about we talk about something you'll actually have commentary on. Like your engagement ball? Announcing your marriage to the one and only Draco Malfoy?" Ginny suggested, making large movements with her Butterbeer bottle as she spoke, being her usual dramatic self.
"There's not much to say. It's a ball. An expensive, tradition fuelled event, riddled with stuffy formalities and social niceties. But it's something that has to be done if Malfoy and I are going to make this very strange arrangement work."
"Well, you're selling it alright. Everyone is pissed. My brother especially." Ginny agreed, once again reminding Hermione of her fiance's little run in with the law. Ronald had not stopped rambling to his parents and siblings about how horrible of a person Malfoy was, and how he had to have Hermione under a curse. Harry was even brushing off his best friend's accusations, which was angering Ron even more.
"Your brother needs to keep his temper in check. He's causing more drama than is remotely necessary. And for everyone else, well, screw them." Hermione took a hard swig of her butterbeer, before wiping the sticky liquid from her lips with the back of her hand.
"And the lioness had regained her roar!" Ginny cheered, taking a drink from her own glass in celebration.
"I think that it's going to be an enchanted affair." Luna phased into the conversation, holding the shimmery cocktail that she had ordered earlier that night.
"It's going to be something, that's for sure. I still cannot believe that Malfoy had bloody fucking Pansy Parkinson help pick out a dress for you. I don't know if it's chivalrous in thought, or a controlling wanker move. Maybe he's scared you'll embarrass him in front of all his Pureblood friends." Ginny had brought up similar points over their phone conversation when Hermione. She had made some valid points, reminding Hermione that even though everything seemed like it was going well between her and Malfoy, to still keep up her guard.
"I don't know why he thought to do such a thing, to be honest. Maybe it's kindness. All I know is that I didn't have to scramble to find some ridiculous gown to wear. I hate shopping for formal dresses." Hermione mumbled. Shopping for her Yule Ball dress had been a traumatic enough experience. While her final selection had been a stunner, she still had hated going through the racks at Diagon Alley.
"I think you'll look beautiful. And I'm going to look smokin'." Ginny chuckled. The redhead had shown Hermione a polaroid of her selected dress, which was a show-stopping mauve hue that complimented her hair in some impossible way.
"I think Hermione's dress is a good fit. The periwinkle matches her aura." Luna mused.
Both Hermione and Ginny gave Luna a surprised look, before changing the subject to something a bit cheerier. All three women were conversing about the change in Hogwarts uniform when Ginny caught sight of a group of familiar Slytherins coming through the tavern door.
"I just believe that requiring tights with uniform skirts is practical. It's covering enough for the winter months, but also shields for modesty." Hermione argued, but her comment was lost on the youngest Weasley, whose attention was captured by one Theodore Nott, Daphne Greengrass, and Blaise Zabini ordering a round of drinks from the bar.
"Hermione, love, quit yammering about tight functionality and take a look at who just made an appearance." Ginny quipped, and instantly Hermione's attention was directed to where Ginny's head was tilted in a particular direction.
Hermione's eyes nearly bulged out of her head when she spotted the familiar Slytherins. There was not a platinum headed heir amongst them, Hermione noted, but their sudden appearance was still unnerving. Draco and Hermione had not yet reached the point that they had introduced one another to their respective social circles, so the only information Hermione had on the gang of Slytherins was what Draco had briefly mentioned in their conversations.
"Should we invite them over to join us? They're going to be hanging around more anyway, since you and the ferret are engaged after all." Ginny suggested, and almost instantly Hermione began to tell the fiery haired witch no.
"I haven't even been introduced to them through Malfoy yet, Gin. Let's not get ahead of ourselves, please. I would like to wait." Hermione pleaded, but the youngest Weasley gave her friend a mischievous smile, before completely ignoring her request.
"Oi! Nott! Come have a drink, and bring your friends." Ginny's voice bounced obnoxiously against the walls of the pub as she shouted out her greeting to the group situated at the bar. The blonde Slytherin turned in surprise at Ginny's call, before surveying the group. Theo's head swiveled, catching Hermione's gaze. He offered her a small smile, before turning his attention to his companions. Hermione saw him speak briefly to Daphne and Blaise, before they all headed toward the girl's corner table.
"I'm so going to kill you, Ginevra Molly Weasley." Hermione muttered under her breath, only loud enough for Ginny to hear. She chuckled, before throwing back her own quip.
"Suck it up, Granger. These are your fiance's friends. So pull on your big girl knickers, and get ready to socialize." Hermione had to keep herself from snarling at the red headed devil, making sure to mask her frustration.
"If it isn't the infamous Harpies Chaser Ginny Weasley, the undoubtedly brilliant Hermione Granger, and…?" Theo mused, realizing that he had no idea who the third, wispy looking witch that was seated at the table was. Luna gave him an airy stare, waiting expectantly for Theo to recognize her.
"That's Luna Lovegood, mate. She's Editor-in-Chief of the Quibbler." Blaise Zabini was surprisingly the one to instantly recognize Luna, much to Hermione and Ginny's surprise.
"Oh, Luna. Yes. I knew that." Theo stuttered, a small spread of red coloring his angular cheeks. He quietly took a sip of his whiskey to hide his embarrassment.
"Sure you did, you git." Daphne commented, rolling her sapphire toned eyes at her boyfriend's idiotic behavaior. Hermione had to keep herself from snorting at the witch's remark.
"How are you ladies tonight? I hope that we are not interrupting anything substantial." Blaise asked, and the three witches shook their heads.
"Just a girls night out. Harry is out doing something for Auror work, and Luna had the night off from editing. We wanted to drag Hermione out to get her to have some fun. What are you guys doing on this fine Thursday night?" Ginny questioned Blaise, but it was Theo who answered.
"Well, it is our tradition, on occasion, to have a Slytherin family reunion. Get a few drinks, reminisce about how terrible our families are, the usual. It's normally on a Friday, but since a certain blonde friend of ours has an engagement ball on Saturday, my beautiful girlfriend just insisted that she would need all night Friday to prepare. So here we are."
"Speaking of friends of yours, aren't you short a couple of vipers from the den?" Ginny remarked, pretending to glance around for a missing Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson.
"Oh, yes. Well, after our beloved Draco's small little run-in with the law yesterday, he thought it best that he remain at home for the evening. To avoid any conflict. And Pansy, well, she's off doing whatever Pansy Parkinson does. She hasn't been around much." Theo replied.
"Yes, well, we are all well versed in Malfoy's little trip to the DMLE. I have to say, my brother deserved what Malfoy gave him. Getting decked by him should be the least of Ron's worries once I get a hold of him." Ginny knew what Ron had said, and had already vowed to Hermione that next time that she saw her brother, he had it coming again.
"I need another drink." Hermione needed to separate herself from Theo and Ginny's conversation, and had decided that getting a refill on her Butterbeer seemed like a good excuse. Getting down off the stool that she had been perched on, she headed towards the bar.
The barmaid gave her a nod when Hermione held up her nearly empty bottle, popping to top off a new glass before handing it to the young witch. She didn't hear Theo approach her from behind with the commotion that filled the dining hall of the pub.
"Can I get another Firewhiskey?" Theo asked the barmaid, placing his empty glass down on the worn wood of the bar. Hermione remained quiet, not really knowing what to say. She was clutching her bottle of Butterbeer tight in her left hand, her right nervously pulling on one of her curls that had fallen loose from her braid. Theodore broke their silence with a motion of his hand.
"I see that the ring is up to your standards. Looks good." He complemented, and Hermione gave him a nod of thanks.
"I don't think we've ever really been properly introduced. I am Theodore Percival Nott II." Theo extended his hand to Hermione in greeting, making the witch chuckle at his ridiculousness. But she took his hand anyway, shaking it gently.
"Hermione Jean Granger. It's a pleasure to meet you, Theodore." Hermione responded, slowly warming to the goofy Slytherin that stood next to her.
"Please call me Theo, I beg of you. Theodore was what my father called me." Theo joked, making Hermione smile.
"Theo it is, then."
"I mean it when I say that the ring looks good, Granger. Draco was a right mess trying to find you the right one. There must have been thousands in that vault. But he insisted that we pick the right one." Theo rambled, and Hermione was surprised by his revelation. She had no idea that Draco had been so particular about the selection of her ring.
"You went with him to the vault?" Hermione questioned, and Theo nodded.
"Against my own preferences. I hate that place. But Drake was insistent. I think he did well though, don't you?" Theo asked, and Hermione agreed. It was the perfect ring for her. Understated yet elegant.
"You and Draco must be very close." Hermione commented, causing Theo to chuckle as he took a long sip from his freshened tumbler of Firewhiskey.
"We've been best mates since nappies. Our fathers were in the 'business' together, if you know what I mean. We were there for each other during some really dark shit. Draco took the brunt of it though." Theo described his and Draco's relationship. Hermione had to keep herself from visibly recoiling at the thought of what Malfoy had suffered at the hands of Voldemort and his aunt. While they hadn't necessarily spoken about it to one another, Hermione knew that the trauma ran deep for them both.
"How did you escape the Mark, if you don't mind me asking?" Hermione was curious as to how Theo had escaped the same fate as Malfoy, serving Voldemort as a loyal follower.
"It helped that my father was an egotistical bastard who thought that I was a disgrace to the Nott name. He was too ashamed of me to suggest me as a candidate." Theo mused, once again taking a long drag of his cocktail. Hermione instantly felt bad for asking such a question.
"I'm sorry, Theo. I shouldn't have asked. Please forgive me."
"It's alright, love. It's a perfectly understandable wonderment. I'm alive and I am happy. That's all that matters. And now, with your help, Draco gets the same chance. I can never thank you enough for that, Granger." Theo reassured her, expressing his own thanks for her actions.
"It's nothing, really. I agreed to marry him to save his life. Anyone else would have done the same." Hermione tried to downplay the importance of her choice, taking a sip of her own drink.
"Would have they really, though? When people look at Draco Malfoy, they don't see the scared and battered young boy who had no choice but to serve a power hungry psychopath. They see a boy who made all the wrong choices, who did unspeakable things. A boy who fought for the dark. But you saw beyond his damage, Hermione. You saw something underneath all that scarring and trauma. You saw a human who needed another chance. You saw him. Draco. And for that, I will be forever thankful." Theo's speech was emotional and deep, and Hermione couldn't help but let a small tear escape from the corner of her eye.
"I didn't mean to make you cry, Granger." Theo chuckled, and Hermione quickly wiped away the moisture, chuckling herself.
"Draco is very lucky to have you as his best friend, Theo." Hermione responded, and Theo acknowledged her comment with a smile.
"And I am lucky to have him. But seriously Hermione, thank you for what you're doing. It means everything to us." Theo placed his thin hand on her own.
"Of course." She smiled.
"Now, we better get back. We need to make sure that our friends aren't about to murder one another." Theo said cheekily, before swiping up his drink and heading back to the table. Hermione followed after him, watching from a distance as her friends interacted with the group of Slytherins. Ginny and Daphne were immersed in what seemed to be a very jovial conversation, which had Ginny making wild movements with her arms as she explained something. Blaise and Luna were speaking to one another in hushed tones, and Blaise almost seemed like he was flirting with the light haired Ravenclaw.
Once again approaching the table, Hermione entered the conversation that Ginny and Daphne were having.
"Hey Hermione. Daphne and I were just talking about how absolutely bloody miserable it is to update and restyle old Pureblood family homes. She was telling me about how awful Nott Manor has been for updates." Ginny greeted the witch, before returning to her previous conversation.
"Oh yes. It's been a total nightmare. Boggart worthy stuff, if I'm being honest. No offense to Theo's grandmother, but her taste was horrid. Floral wallpaper. In. Every. Room. Ugh!" Daphne growled in frustration, making Hermione laugh.
It was at that moment that Hermione had a very strong realization. Her marriage to Draco. His and her worlds combining in all aspects. Their friends becoming friends. It just might work.