Author's Note: This is a shorter update than last time, the next chapter is going to be more chunky and it taking more editing so I wanted at least this little part out.

Much love xo

In which relationships are revealed, and feelings begin to grow.

Summer 2007

Draco walked on to the floo while Hermione quickly grabbed the invitation to the party so they would have a copy of their address to get back. She noticed with some satisfaction that she had not in fact changed her name. She remained, Hermione Granger.

"Got it." She said when she joined him. "Are you ready for this?"

"No. Are you going to explain what the hell a Burrow is?" She smirked and threw the powder into the fire.

They stepped through to an inviting sitting room, empty of other people. It certainly looked like the Weasley's house…but it was larger than it should be. The furniture was still full of warm tones, cozy and comfortable, but it looked new. She would have assumed they were in the wrong place if not for the clock on in the corner showing the status of the family, and the pictures covering the walls of various redheaded family members.

"It looks like Godric Gryffindor threw up in here." Muttered Draco, though with less sneer than she was used to.

"This is the Weasley house, but it looks…different. I don't understand, I was just here last week."

"The house you remember was from 5 years ago. They could have done it up since then."

"Right. I keep forgetting about that." She murmured. Though, she thought, with what money?

They followed the sounds of people to where Hermione knew the back garden should be. Even if it seemed off, this place was like a second home to her. She knew her way around.

"Remember." He turned to her, hand on the door, "Try and figure out as much as you can, but we need to and act natural. No Grangery lists of questions"

"Right. Natural. Married to Draco Malfoy. What could be strange about that?" She mentally got rid of the lists she had been coming up with. He grinned and pushed the door open.

"Well, fuck me." He said under his breath, when they got outside and took in the collection of people waiting for them.

The garden was full of Weasleys and…Slytherins? Blaise Zabini was talking to Harry, Fred and George. Pansy Parkinson was bouncing a redheaded baby on her lap, while carrying on a conversation with Luna, and rushing up to them was Theo.

"That was faster than I expected." He grinned, waggling his eyebrows. Draco rolled his eyes and Hermione felt herself flush again. "Let's get started, we want to get a couple games in before we have to go get ready." They started to walk away from her, and she heard Draco teasing,

"Based off previous experience, I would think you'd have already started primping."

"Very funny, very funny. Where the fuck is my husband with the game balls. Oh, there he is. Come on then!"

He was dragging Draco down the hill towards a reasonably sized Quidditch pitch. It wasn't anything like at Hogwarts, but it was a lot nicer than the one she'd spent summers watching the boys play on. Walking out of a small shed to the side of the pitch was Charlie Weasley, holding a large chest.

Wait.

Theo Nott and Charlie Weasley?!

As if in confirmation, Theo walked up and pinched Charlie on the bum before pushing off into the sky with the rest of the waiting players.

Well, she thought to herself. It's not any stranger than her and Malfoy. She tried to peel her eyes away as he tugged off the light jumper he'd worn there, revealing a fitted black t-shirt. She was definitely not noticing how his arms looked gripping the broom as he kicked off to join the rest.

"Hermione!" Ginny's voice snapped her out of her reverie.

What the hell is wrong with me?

"Quit perving and come sit with us!" She had the immediate thought of wondering why Ginny wasn't up playing with the rest of them, but when she got to the cozy outdoor table it was very clear. She was heavily pregnant.

"Oh my god Ginny!" she started before she remembered that she would know that Ginny was pregnant, "You're….glowing!"

Smooth, Hermione.

Thankfully Ginny didn't seem to notice, she just placed a gentle hand on her swollen tummy and laughed, throwing her head back.

"If that's what you want to call it sure! I am so ready to be done with this. Never let me have a summer baby again!"

Hermione sat next to Luna at the table and took an inventory of who was there. Molly, Pansy, Luna, Neville, Fleur, and Lavender. Blaise was walking over to join them and took the open seat next to Luna, arm draped over the back and began drawing lazy circles on her arm. Hermione filed that information away for inspection later.

"So, how is everyone! It feels like ages since I've seen you all!" she tried. Hoping it sounded normal and not like she was having an internal meltdown at this insane assembly.

"Hemione, we saw you yesterday for the baby shower." Pansy said, raising a brow. She did not however stop bouncing the delighted child on her knee. Perhaps Ginny's first born? Or one of the twins? Surely not Ron…

"Right. Yes. Well…everyone else then." She stammered.

"Hermione are you alright? I know you said you didn't need me to check for Nargles, but I'd be more than happy to." Luna said airily.

"Thanks Luna, maybe I will take you up on that. I just didn't get much sleep last night, that's all. I'm feeling a bit off." Shit, she was supposed to say she was hungover.

"I'll say." Ginny muttered under her breath, winking at her.

"Ginerva Weasley!" Molly admonished, though she was smiling.

"Mum, I'm about to have my second child. I think we can accept I know how babies are made."

They all laughed, and Pansy said to the baby on her lap,

"Yes, little Rose darling, you're going to get another cousin aren't you. Yes, you are." The baby in her lap giggled as she blew a raspberry on her tiny belly.

What the hell is happening?!

"Neville, I changed my mind, I want one." She said, looking across the table.

WHAT?!

"You always say that, and then as soon as we get home, you're glad we don't have any." He laughed fondly.

"You're right, I'm just going to continue to be the best auntie ever." Neville was looking at Pansy with what Hermione could only describe as complete open adoration.

"What about you Luna dear?" Molly asked in a blatantly obvious attempt to sound casual. Blaise smiled and answered for her, squeezing her shoulder lightly.

"We're working on it." Hermione expected Luna to blush but she just looked up at Blaise next to her with a knowing smile.

Of course, it wouldn't be embarrassing or strange to talk about pregnancy, they were all in their late-twenties now, she reminded herself. They were at that point in life. Unlike yesterday…when she was 23…

"I'm just going to get a drink." She stood abruptly from the table and all but ran back towards the house.

She splashed some water on her face in the sink in the kitchen. Another room that had grown in size since she last visited. Last week but also 5 years ago. Everything was so different. Her head was spinning. It was one thing when she was at the house with Malfoy, it was like a strange little dream. Odd, but not really happening.

But here, among her closest friends, people she considered family, it was too bizarre, and it felt real. Too real.

Holy shit I'm fucking married to Draco Malfoy.

The weight of that realization had just fully crashed into her when she heard the door open and close behind her, and Lavender walked in.

She had always been pretty, but the years had been kind to her, Hermione thought. Almost immediately, she noticed what else had changed. The brutal scars that used to cover her body were gone. She was wearing a sundress for the first time since the war. Before, she'd always been completely covered to hide the raised, vicious remains of Fenrir's attack.

Right. Because she had cured Lycanthropy with her charm. A charm that had apparently made her filthy rich. A charm she didn't even remember how to perform.

She leaned back on the countertop to steady herself, suddenly a little ill.

"Are you really feeling alright?" Lavender asked.

"Yes, just a bit woozy. I think we drank a bit much last night, that's all." Lavender laughed lightly.

"I'd kill for a drink, the first thing I'm going to do when Rose is done breastfeeding is have a giant glass of wine." She smiled fondly, "I just put her down for a nap. Pansy always tires her right out. Maybe Ron and I will get to sleep through the night for once." She flicked her gaze down to the other girl's hand, noting an ornate but unadorned gold band on her ring finger.

"Hopefully!" Hermione replied, trying for a normal tone.

So, the baby was Ron's. It wasn't that she still had feelings for him, she didn't. She hadn't lied earlier when she told Draco that they never got together, but he had still been her first love. In that hopeless teenage sort of way, heightened by a war and all that came with it. However, that small pang of something not quite like jealousy didn't feel as strong as it would have been once.

That brought the new couple total to…four? Neville and Pansy, Theo and Charlie, Luna and Blaise, Lavender and Ron. Merlin, she hoped Draco was pulling his sleuthing weight because she was starting to get burnt out.

They went back out into the garden and Hermione spent the next few hours just listening to her friends talk. It was nice, if jarring to hear them speaking so comfortably with the Slytherins. Soon the boys made the trek back up the hill to them and joined them at the table.

"Are you done then?" Molly asked "Do you want a nibble to eat before you head home? Dinner's not till 7. Not that I don't think your mum will have food there, dear." It took Draco and Hermione a second to realize she was talking to him. Since when did Molly Weasley call Draco Malfoy dear? Was Molly invited tonight too?

"Thank you," He said smoothly, standing behind Hermione's chair, "Something small would be lovely to tide us all over." He'd put his hand on her shoulder and started rubbing his thumb back and forth.

"Speak for yourself, I'm starving." Ron said, flopping down in a chair next to Bill. Hermione noticed as she looked at him that Bill was also missing his scars, same as Lavender. Molly flicked Ron on the head as she passed him,

"Come and help me then if you're so hungry." She said, laughing.

Hermione was very very focused on Draco's thumb, and almost jumped when she heard him mutter next to her ear.

"I have some intel. How about you?" she managed to nod. Arthur had joined them and conjured extra chairs, so Draco took a seat next to her, and draped his arm lazily across the back of hers.

If he found it strange the way everyone had coupled up, he managed to hide it well. Although, Hermione thought, he'd always been a good liar.

The sandwiches were delicious, as per usual, and the rest of the afternoon passed easily. By the time they were getting ready to leave, Hermione thought they'd done a decent job hiding the fact that they had no clue what was going on.

"Thank you again," Draco said to Molly and Arthur as they were saying goodbye, "it was a lovely way to spend a birthday." He said as she pulled him into a hug. He stiffened briefly but recovered quickly.

"We'll see you at the Manor then?" Hermione asked.

"Of course dear, wouldn't miss it." Molly beamed.