Despite the fact she'd been friends with Fleur for over twenty years, and they'd been regularly meeting for coffee or lunch throughout that time, Hermione was nervous as she sat in their favourite café, waiting for her friend to arrive. There was no denying that recent weeks might well have changed her friendship with the Weasleys. In a matter of weeks, they had gone from watching their children get married, to Ron stabbing Draco and Daniel helping get him arrested, and Hermione wasn't sure if that would change anything between the two sides of what was now one family.
When Fleur did arrive, Hermione was on the lookout for any differences in her friend, but everything seemed normal as Fleur gave her a wave as she joined the short queue to grab her drink. Moments later, Fleur joined Hermione at the table and after checking that Hermione herself was okay, she checked on Draco.
"He's struggling with having to rest," Hermione admitted. "He's dying to do something, but he also knows he still needs time to recuperate. That few hours we spent at the Ministry totally wore him out, and all he was doing was sitting waiting for news."
Before the sentence had even finished leaving her lips, Hermione winced as she'd brought up the one topic she was most wary about approaching with Fleur. But now it would seem as though they would have no choice but to address the issue of Ron, and Daniel's role in his arrest.
"That can't have been easy on any of you," Fleur said sympathetically.
"It wasn't," Hermione admitted. "And it's not easy knowing what happened might have changed things between our families. We'd made peace with the Ron issue years ago, but this has to change things. Ron is yet again going to end up in Azkaban, and this time Daniel helped make sure he was arrested."
"Bill and I both agree that Daniel did the right thing," Fleur assured her friend. "Ron needs to be held accountable for what he did to Draco. I can see why you're worried Hermione, but you needn't be. Bill and I have no problem with your family. Although you're also our family now."
"As is Ron," Hermione pointed out. "And Molly. And after everything that happened, I know Daniel wants nothing to do with Molly. I take it you know what she said at the Ministry about it being a shame that Ron hadn't managed to kill Draco."
"Bill mentioned it," Fleur said, her tone of voice indicating her disgust at her mother-in-law's words.
"She said it just as Daniel and I returned from speaking with Ron," Hermione said. "And just before we'd left Ron, he'd said pretty much the same thing. So I'm sure you can understand why Daniel wants to stay as far away as possible from both of them."
"I can," Fleur agreed. "And I can promise you that Bill and I will do our best to support that decision. Daniel has been in our lives for twenty years and he's never had to interact with Molly, and there's no reason for that to change. Obviously, she's Bill mother and even though he doesn't condone what Ron did, or the way Molly has been acting regarding Daniel, he still wants to be there for her and support her. She's taking all of this really badly, and Bill is worried about her."
"I'm sure all of this is tough on her," Hermione conceded. "I don't want her to suffer, but it really does change nothing. As long as she stays out of my life, and Daniel's, I'll be happy. I think it's poor Victoire that's going to be caught in the middle."
"Victoire will find a way to navigate this mess," Fleur said confidently. "Between you and me, I think Molly is on her last chance with her. If she doesn't change her attitude, Victoire might find it easier to cut contact with her completely."
"I hope it doesn't have to come to that," Hermione said, feeling terrible at the thought of Victoire potentially losing her grandmother.
"Me too," Fleur agreed. "But let's not dwell on something that might never happen. I know you've been busy lately, and with the honeymoon being cut short, Grimmauld Place has ended up going on the back burner. But I've still been working on it, and I think it's done. Why don't we go and visit it, and then we can arrange to give Daniel and Victoire their surprise."
"That would be good," Hermione said with a smile. To be honest Grimmauld Place had been almost finished when the drama with Draco had kicked off, but since then it had been the last thing on Hermione's mind.
"I've also bought a large picture frame, and thought we could fill it with pictures of the family," Fleur said. "I've got some pictures from the wedding, and some from our side of the family, so all we need is some pictures from your side."
"I can run home and grab some, and meet you at Grimmauld Place," Hermione suggested.
With plans sorted, the two witches finished their drinks and briefly went their separate ways. When she arrived home, Hermione found Draco lounging on the sofa with a book, but she could tell her husband was bored. Telling him about her meeting with Fleur, she invited him to join them at Grimmauld Place.
"I was thinking I might make a start on dinner," Draco admitted after declining Hermione's offer. While he wanted to be there when Daniel and Victoire got to see what they had done to the place, he didn't fancy spending the afternoon sorting photos with his wife and Fleur.
"Okay, but don't push yourself," Hermione cautioned.
"Don't worry, if I get tired I can always resort to using magic," Draco assured her.
Giving Draco another warning about taking it easy, Hermione found the family pictures and selected some of the best ones. She even dug out her old school photos to find a few of her favourite snaps of Harry. If they were making a frame of Daniel and Victoire's family, it was only right that Harry was included.
With the pictures in hand, Hermione headed back off to meet Fleur, where they spent the next few hours putting together a frame of pictures showing all the important people in Daniel and Victoire's lives. They then hung the frame above the fireplace in the living room, which they both agreed with the final touch to the house. Now it was ready to show to Daniel and Victoire, and all they could do was hope that the newlyweds liked their surprise.
When Daniel received a request for him and Victoire to meet his parents in The Leaky Cauldron for lunch, he couldn't quite work out what they had up their sleeves. Especially when it transpired that Victoire's parents would also be at the lunch.
"Do you think it could be about Ron?" Victoire asked as they got ready to go and meet their parents. "Maybe his solicitors has managed to get the charges reduced to assault."
For the last week, Ron's solicitor had been trying to convince the Ministry to downgrade the charges against Ron. Instead of him being charged with attempted murder, which he was still denying, they wanted him charged with assault, which apparently he was ready to admit. Although so far the Ministry were holding firm in their decision to charge Ron with attempted murder, and time was running out for him to submit his official plea.
"I'm not sure why they would take us out to lunch to tell us that," Daniel said with a shrug. "I think it has to be something else."
"We'll find out soon enough," Victoire said with a smile as they headed off to meet their parents.
Lunch was a pleasant affair, but annoyingly neither couple would reveal the real reason for the lunch. It was only once they had finished dessert that Hermione admitted that they had a surprise for the young couple. Although again they wouldn't be drawn on what was going on, and insisting on keeping the surprise going, Hermione took charge of apparating Daniel to their destination, while Bill took Victoire.
"Where are we?" Victoire asked when they arrived in a pleasant looking square of houses.
"Grimmauld Place?" Daniel questioned with a frown, recognising their location.
"Grimmauld Place," Hermione confirmed with a smile. "You do the honours, Daniel. Uncloak the house."
Still not sure what was going on, Daniel did as his mother requested and lifted the cloaking spell on the house he'd inherited from his father. Once the house was in full view, Daniel and Victoire led the way up the stairs and Daniel unlocked the door with the key Hermione had with her.
"Beware of the dust," Daniel whispered to his wife as he pushed open the door and led the way into the hallway.
However, he'd barely taken one step inside the house when he realised that something was very different to the last time he'd been there. For a start the hallway was light and airy, rather than dark and dank and there was no dust mites floating in the air. There was also no moaning from the horrible portrait of Sirius's mother.
"What is this?" Daniel asked, stepping further into the house he no longer recognised.
"This doesn't seem like the house you described, Daniel," Victoire commented.
"That's because it isn't," Daniel said, moving to the bottom of the stairs and gazing around the newly decorated house.
"After our visit, and seeing how much you wanted to live here, I suggested to your Mum that we do something about it," Draco said. "Everyone has chipped in and helped turn the place into somewhere habitable."
"We tried to keep things neutral, so you can decorate to your own tastes when you're ready," Fleur said.
"And if there is anything you don't like, feel free to say," Hermione added. "No-one will be offended."
"I'm sure we'll love it," Victoire said with a smile as she took hold of Daniel's hand and they began exploring the house.
Starting upstairs, Daniel was blown away by the transformation. When he'd visited the place a few short months ago, the house had been in a terrible state, but it was like a whole new house now. Clearly a lot of work and effort had gone into turning the house into a home he and Victoire could be happy in. He was especially impressed by the removal of the portrait of Sirius's mother, and the restoration of the Black family tree, which was now focused on the portion of the family he was a part of.
Victoire was a huge fan of the garden Neville had created for them, and given the stunning kitchen they were also equipped with, she vowed to make more of an effort with her culinary skills. But what touched them the most was the large frame hanging above the fireplace in the living room. Every single person who mattered to them was featured in the frame, including Harry, whom sadly neither Daniel nor Victoire had met.
"I don't know what to say," Victoire said as the tour came to an end. "This is amazing."
"It is," Daniel said, his voice thick with emotion as his gaze was focused on the picture of his dead father. "Thank you so much. I can't believe you've all done this for us."
"Call it a wedding present from everyone who loves you," Bill said with a chuckle.
"We love it," Victoire said, hugging her parents before turning to Draco and Hermione and giving them a hug as well.
"We do," Daniel confirmed, following his wife's example of hugging his parents and parents-in-law. "And we can't wait to move in and start the next chapter of our life here."
"Does the next chapter involve children?" Fleur asked with a teasing smile. "I think I may be slightly too young to be a grandmother, but I'm sure I'd cope."
"I'm sure you've got a few more years before that happens," Victoire informed her mother with a chuckle. "There will be no children until I'm a fully qualified healer. Besides, Daniel and I want some time alone before we start a family."
"But at least when we are ready to start a family, we have a lovely home behind us," Daniel said.
"And a penthouse to escape to when things get too much," Draco joked.
"Oh, I'd never thought of that," Victoire said, turning to grin at her husband. "We could keep the penthouse as our private sanctuary. When we do have children, we can enlist the babysitting duties of their doting grandparents and take some time for ourselves."
"Sounds like a good plan to me," Bill laughed. "Taking time for yourselves is important."
"I don't think we need to worry about that just yet," Daniel said with a chuckle. "For now, let's focus on getting us moved in."
"I would offer to help, but I'm not sure your mother would let me," Draco said from where he's sat down earlier to rest. Even though he hadn't done anything major, he was still tiring simply from being out of the house.
"No, I wouldn't," Hermione said with a tut. "But I'll help you, your grandparents will help, as will your brother."
"And we're here to help as well, and I can rope George into lending a hand," Bill added. "We all helped get the house ready for you to live in, so we can all help you move in."
"Thank you," Daniel said, genuinely touched by how many good people he and Victoire had in their lives. They were surrounded by wonderful people, and Daniel felt grateful to know each and every one of them.