The last couple of days went by in a blur – filled with joyous congratulations from Harry, Cho, and the other members of our tiny circle of friends.
"Draco? Have you ever noticed how small our group of friends is?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, we have Luna and Blaise, Harry and Cho, Hannah, and who else?"
"Who else matters? It's about quality, not quantity, Granger. Anyway, what does it matter?"
"I was just thinking that I have a lot of enemies."
"We have a lot of enemies, Granger. That's how it works – what's mine is yours and what's yours is mine."
"Well, that's great because I bring all the drama into the relationship."
"And that award-winning arse... and mind," he added as I cocked an eyebrow.
"Regardless, I feel like we need to branch out a little, maybe reconnect with some people. Who are we going to have at our wedding? Eight people tops, including children?"
"Listen, love, if it were up to me, it would be just me and you alone. The where is irrelevant. Isn't that what everyone is looking for? That great love that eclipses all others? Well, we've got that, and we can have 5, 10, 100, 1000 people for all I care."
After a whole day of wedding prep, the air conditioning and the quiet of the coffee shop were exactly where Luna, Hannah, and I were all too thankful to be. We sat at a table with iced coffees and stacks of binders, working on finalizing all the last details before Luna and Blaise's big day – just two weeks away!
It made me chuckle watching Luna take a big drink and then put her game face on. "Ok, Hermione, where are we on the wine?"
"I've got bottles of dark red and honey white, 15 of each. More than enough for the party and then some for each of us to take home at the end of the night. I've also confirmed the catering order, so the buffet spreads include rib-eye steak, Cornish hen, and sushi, as well as two large veggie and fruit platters. Hannah, how are we with the decorations and lighting?"
"Perfect, right on schedule. The crew cleared up the club floor, and we've got twinkly lights everywhere! The stage is ready for the DJ set up, round tables, chairs, and all the draping are being set up tomorrow. That's the beauty of a Wednesday wedding... We can have a cleanup crew in after the party and still be on schedule for the weekend rush."
"That's amazing, you ladies are beyond phenomenal. I'm just happy that Blaise and I agreed on something small and semi-casual. The last thing I wanted or needed was a huge shindig."
"What, no Woodnymph theme? Where are the fairies and magical creatures?"
"Haha, maybe 15 years ago, teenage Luna. Hell yeah, unicorns and everything. But I would like to think that I'm adding a little of who that awesome girl was with the awesome woman I am today. It's so funny how time changes us all, in certain ways. I'm just happy that Blaise and I found each other so early on... we've grown together."
"So, Hermione, when are we starting wedding prep for you? Is Draco looking forward to a huge gala?"
"You know Draco, if it were up to him, we'd get married at home in the living room. I honestly don't know. I'm just living in the moment, but when it's time, I know who to come to," I said, pointing to the mountains of vision boards and binders on the table.
"You know it. We'll make your special day one to remember. Speaking of change, give yourself some credit, Hermione. You're sooo much more than the girl you were at Hogwarts. A business owner, a total badass, and a super hottie. You've made such a change, always aiming to better yourself."
"A big change, that's for sure. Here I am," I looked down at the big diamond on my ring. "About to tie myself up to the Serpent King, haha. We grow up and we see people differently, sometimes for the better... sometimes for the worse."
Hannah squeezed my shoulder as she sat down next to me, placing a hand on my knee. "Are you thinking about Ron and that Theo guy? Girly, you have to let go of those monsters and look forward to your life with that platinum hottie of yours."
"I'm not, it's not... I don't know. I'm so happy, and I can't see myself being with anyone else. I'm just overwhelmed with all the aspects of my past bleeding into this new, better world I've worked so hard to put together."
"Have you talked to Harry about all of this?"
"Harry? Why would I? He's Team Malfoy 100%. But we haven't gone into any details about recent events."
"And tell him what? He's been estranged from Ron for years now, and what's he supposed to do about Theo? He technically hasn't done anything. I honestly think it's just me. I'm happy, and nothing's happened in a hot minute, so why tempt fate?"
I spent the rest of the day with that thought written all over my face because Draco picked up on it when we were in bed, eating dumplings and watching some scary movies about teenagers in a cabin.
"Granger, what's wrong?"
"I don't know. It's just this feeling of unease. We've got the wedding this weekend, and I just feel like we've had it too good."
He arched an eyebrow at me.
"And that's a bad thing? Surely we've earned it, don't you think? Hermione, stop looking for problems and just be happy. Whatever comes our way, we will handle it together."
"You're right. I love you."
"I love you too. Plus, if it makes you feel any better, why don't you talk to Potter about it?"
"Luna said the same thing."
"See, there you go. Listen to the blondes. Go talk to Potty and tell him I said hello. It'll give you a chance to fill him in on the roles those girls will be playing at our wedding."
The next day, Harry and I met at a bistro near the Ministry.
"First of all, congratulations are in order, I hear?"
"Thank you. I was going to call or floo or something. I've just been so busy with Luna's party, I've lost track of time altogether."
"Don't worry about it, Hermione. I truly am happy for you. You deserve this. Plus, can you remember anyone being too thrilled when I married Cho? Excommunication from the Weasley Clan is hard. I can attest to that better than most. Those people were my family, but you can't please everyone, Hermione, and at the end of the day, you have to do right by yourself. I take it by the look on your face, you didn't know that I knew about your visit. Don't worry about it; I spoke to Bill and Charlie afterward. They filled me in on the details. It's disgusting, Molly's behavior, and as much as I love Arthur, his complacency in regard to all his children's behavior has only fueled the fire. They can't look past the events of the past, but in what way does that make them better? I have to believe in redemption, Hermione, or else what else was this all for? People's sacrifices should mean something."
"Did you know about the boy, Harry?"
"Absolutely not. Had I known, you would have been the very first person to know. Unfortunately, I don't know how to begin to press that issue. Do you have any idea who he might be? I've connected with some, and my biggest lead was Lavender, but she's happily married and has been living in the States for some years."
"No, I don't, and I don't know if I care, Harry. The child's age just further cements infidelity, so the 'who' doesn't mean anything. With the drinking and the womanizing, it could honestly be anyone. I just hope he's a good father to that child. He's got Arthur and Bill to guide him, so there's that at least. But he's not really the person I wanted to pick your brain about."
"Oh. Ok, then who are we talking about?"
"Theodore Nott."
"Hermione. Has he done anything?"
"He hasn't done anything; it's just this underlying feeling like something is right in front of me, and I just can't see it. That's what I'm most afraid of. I'm wrapped up in helping Luna and work and life, and what if he's right in front of me, and I'm just so crazy and not focused? What's to stop him from infiltrating or finding a way – any way – of getting in and hurting somebody that I love or destroying everything that I've worked so hard to build? I know it sounds insane like I'm just crazy and rambling, but I can't help it. It's just fear that everything I've worked so hard for is going to crumble."
"Okay, Hermione, breathe. I understand, just relax. I can make a couple of inquiries and see what I can find. Everything has been silent on our end, and relax in the knowledge that if there were something, you would be the very first person to know. I have people working around the clock on these types of people, and unfortunately, until he does something, we can't really make any moves. So I promise you I will keep my eyes and ears out. Right now, just relax and enjoy being happy. You, my friend, are one of the most deserving people. You help everyone, and it's hard. I find myself jaded after all this time, I find it hard to be relaxed and take life in. I have two beautiful girls and a wife that I love more than I could ever imagine, and still, I'm always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Waiting to wake up as that 11-year-old boy underneath the staircase. But we deserve happiness too, Hermione."
"You're right, Harry, I know you are. Thank you so much for talking to me and letting me rant. I know it wasn't easy with everything going on. I'm just sorry that you've been dragged into so much of this. Draco, by the way, is so excited to have the girls be a part of our special day. It makes me so happy just to see him embrace everyone."
"Have you two talked about children?"
"No, I mean, I know that he would make a wonderful father. He's so lovely with your kids. It's obviously something that I hope we can have together. But I don't want to get ahead of myself. I just want Luna to have the most magical day possible, and then I can start planning ours."
"Well then, it's set. You can expect the Potter clan Wednesday night. We can't wait."
"How'd it go?"
"We talked for hours about Ron, about being ostracized by the Weasley clan, and about Cho. I told him how worried I was because I'm so happy and everything is going so great with us, so I might be a little worried that it'll all fall apart. About Luna's wedding and priorities and stuff."
Draco raised an eyebrow as he sat across from me, his leg tangled on the couch.
"Don't look at me that way."
"Things falling apart, Hermione? Why do things have to fall apart? Is there something you aren't telling me? Because I'm ready to spend the rest of my life with you. I was ready that night at the club, and I will be tomorrow and the day after that."
"No, Draco. God, no. I'm so in love with you; it's ridiculous. It's because of how much I love us and this life we're building that I'm afraid."
"Come again? What is it? Does this have to do with Theodore? Because you are safe. He's no threat to us."
"How could you possibly know that?"
"What can he do to us, Hermione? Kill me? Ha! That bloke couldn't hurt me if he tried. What he did to you will never not have happened. I understand, but I can stop him from hurting you again, and I'll make it my mission until the day I die. And we Malfoys are a difficult bunch to stomp out. Hey now, shouldn't you be getting ready for Luna's girls' night thing?"
"It's her bachelorette party. And you're right."
I leaned across and kissed him tenderly, then sat on his lap.
"I love you so much, you ferret."
"Right back at ya. Now go before I ravish you, and those hens come breaking down our door."
Luna was very specific about her bachelorette party, which is why at this very moment, Luna, Hannah, Cho, and I, along with some old friends from school, were all sitting in a brewery in the middle of the forest. String lights lit up the woods. It was beautiful.
"Luna, what is this place?"
"It's called 100-Acre Brew, sort of a play on the Muggle Winnie the Pooh children's book. A patron of our club owns the place. Blaise and I came here once a while ago, and it took my breath away. Plus, they've got a great ale."
"So what, no strippers? No cock pops? Woman! It's your hen night, why aren't we going crazy?"
"Hannah, we live in a club. All I do is see those types of bints getting sloshed and making fools of themselves and destroying my bar stools. No, I want to have a pint or two with my girls, eat some fantastic spreads, and get married in the morning."
"Booo! But fine, what were you saying about a spread?"
An hour later, we were a little tipsy and full. Seeing everyone come together to celebrate such amazing people made me so hopeful for the future.
"Hannah, come help me find the bathroom; I really have to go."
"Of course, I have to go too."
Hand in hand, we went through some people at the bar, and I waited outside while Hannah did her business. That's when I noticed someone sitting at a booth, lantern light bouncing off his face. My whole body went cold. I knew that face.