After the trip to Diagon Alley, Hermione, Draco, and Theo returned to the townhouse, and had a quiet afternoon with Hermione reading her novel on a sofa, and Draco and Theo quietly debating the outcome of a quidditch match that had happened in Egypt earlier that year. Around five o'clock, she shut her book, set it on the end table next to the sofa, and stood up. "Well, I'm off."

Theo and Draco stopped talking and turned towards her. Draco stood up, while Theo stayed seated. "Are you sure you don't want one of us to go with you?" Draco asked her.

Hermione shook her head, smiling. "No. This really needs to be a conversation between the three of us."

Theo frowned. "After their reactions on the platform, and Potter's response in October, I'm not too optimistic about this conversation."

Draco nodded in agreement with Theo, but Hermione rolled her eyes. "It'll be fine. This is hardly the first time we've argued over something. They're both hot-headed idiots, but at least in this, they mean well and its coming from a place of concern for me."

Draco and Theo exchanged a look. "If things go south," Draco started.

"Let me know, and I'll kill them." Theo finished grumpily.

Hermione threw her head back and laughed. "Please! Those two would fall over laughing if you two tried anything. Trust me, if anyone can put the fear of God into them, it's me."

She kissed both of them on the cheek, and then made her way to the little floo room. After grabbing a small handful of floo powder, she stepped into the grate, threw it down, and called out "The Burrow!"

When she stopped spinning, she was instantly greeted by the loud noise, and delicious smells that meant she was at The Burrow. She stepped out of the fireplace, and immediately her name was called out by around three different voices in greeting. She smiled warmly and walked further into the kitchen. Molly, who was standing over a pot on the stove. "Hello Dear," she greeted warmly, not looking up.

Hermione walked over to the older woman and looked in the pot. "It smells delicious, Mrs. Weasley."

Mrs. Weasley looked up at her. "I made extra in case you wanted to stay for dinner."

Hermione nodded, her throat feeling tight as the warm nature she had grown up knowing from Molly conflicted with what Theo and Draco had told her. She took a deep breath and let it out. "Thank you, Mrs. Weasley. Where are Harry and Ron?"

Mrs. Weasley turned back to the stove and gave the contents of the pot a stir. "They're upstairs in Ron's room. Go easy on them. They care about you so much, and they're just worried about you." She turned back to look at Hermione and put a hand on her cheek, taking a breath. "We all have been."

Hermione nodded, feeling tears prick her eyes, not trusting herself to speak. She turned around, and made her way out of the kitchen, and up the stairs, climbing higher and higher until she reached the landing where Ron's room was. Hermione raised her hand, formed a fist, and knocked on the door.

"Come in!"

Hermione opened the door, and stepped inside, her heart warming at the familiar sight of her two best friends sitting on Ron's bed, engaged in a game of chess. "Who's winning?" she asked softly.

"Mione!" In an instant, Harry and Ron were off the bed, and she found herself squished in a hug struggling to breathe.

"Can't breathe!" She gasped out, pushing the two boys off her, a huge smile on her face at the familiarity. She put a hand on each of their upper arms. "How have you been?"

Ron crossed his arms. "We've been fine. But what the bloody hell has been going on with you? We dropped you off at the train in September and everything was normal, and then the next thing we know Skeeter's publishing an article saying you're related to Nott and engaged to Malfoy. Then you get off the train yesterday and you're all kissy with Malfoy, and you leave with Nott!" Ron's ears had started to get red. "I mean what the fuck Hermione? So, what if you are related to him? That doesn't mean that you have to get all close to him. His family is nothing but a bunch of dark wizards. Wizards who we spent the better part of a year running from!"

Ron paused, taking a deep breath, and Hermione felt her blood start to boil at the accusations he was throwing at Theo. "And Malfoy? Have you completely forgotten everything that he did to us, to you, for the last seven years?" He uncrossed his arms, and grabbed her left arm, and shoved her sleeve up, exposing the scar. "He watched this happen to you, and he did nothing to help you!"

"Enough!" Hermione finally shouted back at Ron, yanking her arm back. "If Draco-"

"Draco?" Ron sneered at her.

Hermione glared at him. "Yes, Draco! If Draco had even tried to help us, he would have been killed. And have you forgotten that we testified at his trial that he refused to identify us?"

Harry held up a hand. "Hermione, we just don't understand how you could go from hating him to whatever it is your doing with him."

Hermione took a deep breath and pulled her sleeve back down. "I never hated him. I thought he was an arrogant bully, and was angry with him a lot of the time, but I never hated him."

Harry took a step back and shook his head. "I don't believe that. You punched him in third year!"

Hermione waited a minute, debating with herself, before walking in between them, and going to sit on the bed. She took another deep breath and looked down at her hands before speaking. "I met Draco in July before we started school in Flourish and Blotts. He was nice to me, said that we could be friends."

Ron took a sharp breath, but Hermione ignored him, and continued. "He's actually the person who told me I should read Hogwarts: A History. He'd read it and he said it had helped him. The copy I had until fifth year was the one he gave me. I still have that one in my trunk, under a protective charm." She looked up at them and gave them a small smile. "I never hated him. I was angry with him because I thought that he was going to be my friend, but instead, I started school with no one, until you two came to rescue me from the troll."

Harry came and sat on the bed next to her. "You helped us brew Polyjuice to try and prove that he was the Heir of Slytherin in second year though."

Hermione chuckled. "I was pissed that he'd called me a mudblood, and I didn't know what else to think."

Ron sat on the floor in front of her. "And third year when you punched him?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "He deserved that. He was being a toe rag."

"And fourth year when he jinxed you?" Harry asked.

Hermione blushed slightly, and the two boys exchanged a look. "Hermione," Harry started slowly. "Did something happen in fourth year with you and Malfoy that we didn't know about?"

Hermione put her face in her hands and groaned. "If I tell you to drop it will you?"

Harry and Ron exchanged another look, and said in unison, "No."

"I miss the days when you had the emotional range of a teaspoon," she muttered lifting her head back up. Harry and Ron gave her an expectant look, and she sighed, before crossing her arms, and looking down at her feet dangling off the bed. "We made out in fourth year after the Yule Ball."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Ron yelled, then pointed a finger at her. "Did he force you to do it?"

Hermione lifted her hand and stared at Ron incredulously. "Are you being serious? Like anyone could force me to do anything I didn't want to do, especially Draco." She shook her head. "It was completely consensual!"

Ron leaned back. "Why would you snog Malfoy though back then?" he asked in a slightly disgusted voice.

Hermione turned bright red. "I was upset. It was right after we argued, and I was crying because the night had ended so awfully, and he found me, and I told him to go away, and he wouldn't, so I got up to leave, and then he pulled me back down, and then the next thing I knew, we were kissing."

Ron's eyes had gone very wide. Meanwhile Harry, who had been silent the entire time, finally spoke up. "You've liked him all this time, haven't you?"

Hermione turned to look at him. "What?"

"Malfoy." Harry said, his face unreadable. "You two avoided each other like the plague fifth year, but sixth year, you were always saying I was wrong about him, and then when I used sectumsempra on him, you were furious with me, and I could never figure out why. I mean, I expected disappointment, but not that."

Tears pricked Hermione's eyes, but Harry continued. "And last year, I've been wracking my brain trying to figure out why he never identified us, but it had nothing to do with me or Ron did it? It was you he was protecting."

The tears finally fell, and Hermione nodded her head slowly. "He almost did step in. I saw someone grab his arm and stop him, but he used legilimancy on me, and he pulled all these happy memories to the front of my mind," she finished, a sob escaping her.

Harry wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in. Ron looked up at Harry confused. Finally, Hermione pulled back, wiping her eyes. Harry put one arm around her. "So, you really like him then?"

Hermione gave a watery chuckle and looked up at the ceiling. "Merlin help me, yes. I love the stupid prat."

"Fucking fabulous." Ron groaned, rubbing his hands on his face. "And the marriage contract from Skeeter's article?"

Hermione grimaced at the mention of the article. "Apparently, I was the first girl born in a few generations to the Nott's so Thoros and Lucius decided to tie the Malfoys and Notts together through me and Draco."

"And there's no getting out of it?" Harry asked.

Hermione shook her head. "We can push it back, but we can't end it. They sealed it with blood magic so if we tried to end it, it could kill us."

"So does this mean that we have to put up with the Ferret then?" Ron asked grimacing.

"Don't call him that," Hermione frowned at him. "And yes. It would mean a lot to me if you two would try to get along with him."

"And Malfoy's fine with us?" Harry asked, raising an eyebrow at Hermione.

Hermione sighed. "He recognizes that the three of us are a package deal, and I think he genuinely likes Ginny now. He's scared of her, but he likes her. He also loves me, so I'm pretty sure he's willing to put up with you for my sake. He'll just complain to Theo about you when I'm not around."

Harry and Ron exchanged another glance. "Speaking of Nott," Ron said slowly.

Hermione tilted her head, and gave Ron a look that clearly said, try me. "What?"

"How sure are you that you're safe with him? I mean, his dad was a death eater who tried to kill us fifth year." Ron finished quickly.

Hermione shook her head. "The only person who hates Thoros more than us, is Theo."

Harry looked like he didn't quite believe her, so Hermione sighed. "Thoros killed our mother by shoving her down a flight of stairs in front of Theo on our eighth birthday."

Harry and Ron both gasped, but she pressed on. "Theo decided then that he would never end up like our father. His mother used to sneak him out to Muggle London to visit the West End, so he grew up not caring about blood status. He thinks the whole blood purity thing is bullshit."

"But didn't he used to make fun of you?" Ron asked.

Hermione smiled and shook her head. "No. We shared a couple of classes, and he was polite in those if we had to interact, but otherwise, he usually just ignored me. I think it was his way of protecting himself."

Harry nodded. "And he's been good to you?"

Hermione nodded enthusiastically. "He grew up trapped in that house with Thoros, completely alone, thinking I was dead. He's been ecstatic that I was alive ever since he realized I was, so he's just trying to make up for lost time. He's also extremely over-protective. It's sweet most of the time."

Ron snorted. "He does know who you are right? I mean, no offense Mione, but you are hardly the one who needs protection. Most of the time, people need protection from you if you're on a warpath."

Hermione laughed. "That's why it's sweet most of the time. I told him about our adventures in school, and it terrified him so now he's made it his mission to ensure that I don't have to do any of that anymore."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Nott hasn't figured out that you were leading the charge half the time then."

Hermione smiled. "I think he has, and that scares him even more. He actually shouted at me once saying that I shouldn't have had to do all of that, and I should have been safe with him, so I go easy on him." She leveled a look at both boys. "And I expect you to be nice to him as well when you meet him properly."

Harry rolled his eyes. "What, are you expecting us to sit for high tea with him at his house? Cause no offense, Hermione, but I don't see that happening anytime soon."

"I asked both him and Draco to come here so that they can meet you all properly and start to make nice." Hermione said smirking.

Ron laughed. "No offense Mione, but that might be the dumbest thing you've ever done. Mum won't let them step past the boundaries."

Hermione turned to look at Ron and smiled sweetly. "Your mum has already agreed to let Draco come over."

Ron stopped laughing, and his jaw dropped. "She's gone bloody mental."

Hermione laughed. "Please say that to her face. Preferably in front of me and Ginny so we can enjoy the show."

Harry grinned at Ron's horrified expression, and Hermione shook her head. "Ronald, your mum just cares about me, so she's willing to give him a chance for my sake."

Ron groaned. "I'm never going to have a Malfoy free life, am I?"

"Sorry Ron," Hermione chuckled. "If its any consolation, at least you'll like at least one Malfoy."

"Who?" he asked, confused.

Harry hit his face with his palm, groaning. "She's talking about herself, mate."

Ron scrunched his nose in distaste at the reminder. "Nope, you will always be Hermione Granger to me."

Hermione laughed, and stood up, holding her hand out to Ron to pull him up. "For what it's worth," she started, wrapping an arm around Ron's waist, and looking up at him, and then back at Harry. "I'm sorry that you heard about it from the prophet. I was still trying to wrap my head around everything, and I was going to tell you over the break."

Harry nodded. "And we're sorry we haven't written more. We were busy, and then everything happened, and we got upset, and then we didn't know what to say."

"I know." Hermione took Harry's hand in her free one and squeezed it. "But if I don't get a letter every other week from both of you when I go back to school, I will sneak off school grounds and kill you myself. Understand?"

Harry and Ron grinned at her. "There's our Hermione," Ron said laughing.

Together the trio made their way out of Ron's room and down the stairs. As they reached the landing where Ginny's room was, she opened her door, and poked her head out. "You three friends again?"

Hermione laughed. "We never stopped being friends."

Ginny grinned, and came all the way out of her room, and leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed over her chest. "Oh right, that was me."

Ron looked between his best friend and sister. "Not that I loved the idea of my best friend dating my sister, I think I like you two broken up less."

Hermione snorted, and Ginny stuck her tongue out at Ron. "I don't recall asking for your opinion on my love life."

Ginny stopped leaning against the doorframe, and pulled her door shut behind her. She grabbed Hermione's arm and tugged her down the stairs with Harry and Ron following behind her. Quietly, she leaned in and asked, "So are things really okay with the two of them?"

Hermione nodded. "Yeah, and I also said that they better write me every other week, or else," she drew her finger across her neck in a slow slashing motion, and Ginny threw her head back and laughed.

As they entered the kitchen, Mrs. Weasley turned around, an annoyed look on her face. "Oh good, you four can help set the table." She turned back to the stove. "Get an extra bowl though, your brother decided to bring his new helper along to dinner."

Ginny and Hermione exchanged a look, and then peered around the corner to the living room, only to see George sitting on the arm of one of the armchairs, chatting quietly with Pansy who was sitting in the chair, her hand resting comfortably on George's upper thigh. "That lying bitch," Ginny muttered, pulling back from around the corner, and getting a stack of bowls. "She said that she was only interested in George physically, not romantically."

Hermione, who had grabbed some spoons, and was following her raised an eyebrow. "Spend a lot of time discussing your brother's love lives with their partners?"

Ginny shuddered. "Absolutely not. But I was going to warn Mum to play nice if there was anything going on between them," she answered quietly.

Hermione shook her head. "He looks happy with her though."

"Seriously?" Ginny stopped and gave Hermione a look. "I know you're happy with your snake, but I don't know if I am really up for having Parkinson as a sister-in-law."

Hermione chuckled. "I don't know, you two seem to get along well enough."

"She did give me some tips for how to get back at Harry," Ginny said, resuming her task. "And she said that if we do decide to get back together I should have him try using parselto-"

"Lalalalala!" Hermione put her hands up over her ears. "I already know way too much about you two. It's gross."

Ginny grinned shamelessly. "Well, when you and Malfoy finally do the dirty, you tell me everything."

Hermione shook her head, and opened her mouth to respond, when Mrs. Weasley yelled, "Dinner!"

The two girls sat down, and Harry and Ron sat across from them, and the rest of the family made their way into the kitchen and sat around the table. When Pansy and George came in, Pansy took the seat right next to Hermione, and George sat next to her. Ginny leaned around Hermione and hissed at Pansy, "So what was that about you not being interested in my brother?"

Pansy turned her head and shrugged. "Completely true. I helped him out at the store all day, and he is paying me with a meal."

Hermione stifled a laugh, and Ginny narrowed her eyes at Pansy. "Get paid with money, Parkinson. Don't come to my house."

Pansy put her hand over her chest in mock indignation. "And here I was thinking we were becoming best friends. I was all set to have slumber parties, braid each other's hair, and gossip about boys."

Hermione couldn't help the snort that came out of her at that, and Harry and Ron eyed Pansy suspiciously. "What are you doing here Parkinson?" Ron asked.

"If I had known this was waiting for me, I wouldn't have bothered coming." Pansy sighed. "I'm here because George invited me. We thought it might be a good idea to bring a Slytherin round that your mother definitely hates before Granger sprung Draco and Theo on your family."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "And you volunteered to do this out of the goodness of your heart? Doesn't sound like you."

Pansy pulled her hair up into a ponytail and gave Harry a bored look. "If you're asking if I did this for Granger? No. But I would do this for Theo who cares about his sister, or for Draco who is hopelessly in love with her." She turned to look back at Ginny and Hermione. "Honestly, I'm a bit surprised Theo hasn't killed Draco yet for all your sneaking around the castle to make out with each other."

Hermione's cheeks turned pink, and Harry and Ron both looked like they were going to be slightly sick. "How do you know that we're sneaking around? We could just be in the library studying."

Pansy rolled her eyes and reached out to the table to grab a piece of bread. She pulled a bit off and gestured towards Ginny with it. "Because she and I look at that map to find out where you two are when you've disappeared for too long." She popped the bread in her mouth and leaned into Hermione. "And I highly doubt that the broom closet on the sixth floor is a conducive studying area."

Hermione turned bright red and glared at Pansy and Ginny. "I cannot believe you two are spying on me!"

Ginny had the decency to look slightly ashamed, while Pansy simply smirked. "My my my, Hermione. Surely all that extra-curricular activity must be infringing on your homework time." George scolded mockingly. "So instead of being two months ahead on schoolwork, are you only a month now?"

Pansy laughed at that, and Hermione noticed her hand go to rub George's thigh. "I am staying on top of my classwork just fine thank you very much," Hermione mumbled.

"Not as well as you are staying on top of Draco though," Pansy retorted.

Ginny broke at that one, and Hermione stamped on her foot, which didn't help in the slightest.

"So, are you friends with Parkinson now, too?" Ron asked Hermione, in a desperate bid to change the subject.

"I'm starting to rethink my friendship with her," Hermione grumbled. Ginny kept laughing, and Hermione jerked her thumb at her. "Her too."

Harry smiled at her in solidarity. "Ginny, I want my map back. And the cloak."

Ginny smiled sweetly at him. "I don't have your cloak currently, and I'm not giving you back the map. You don't need it. I do."

"To spy on me," muttered Hermione. "Actually, hold on one moment. I don't want you to have it either. You'll only spy on me like they are!" she said pointing a finger at Harry.

"No, I wouldn't!" Harry fired back.

Ron clapped him on the back. "She's too smart for you mate. Yes, you would."

"Fine, but it would only be to keep an eye on you while you're at school." Harry said taking a bite of stew. "I'm allowed to be protective of you."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Why do idiot boys keep thinking that they need to protect me? I can take care of myself you know."

George nodded in agreement with her. "Atta girl Hermione. Don't let them take the map back."

Hermione turned to look at George. "And what is your interest in them not having the map?"

George shrugged. "I just care deeply for your emotional well-being."

"Liar." Hermione accused, pointing her spoon at him. She looked between George and Pansy. "You've been using it to sneak out of the castle to see him, haven't you?"

Pansy's eyes widened, and George cursed under his breath. "Brightest witch of her age. Course you were going to figure that one out."

"You are not keeping the map." Hermione hissed at both Pansy and Ginny. Harry opened his mouth, but Hermione shoved a finger in his direction. "You aren't either. I am keeping it until the end of the year."

"Even I could see how that one was going to go mate," Ron snorted, and Hermione grinned at him.

Harry threw his hands up. "Well you have to give me the cloak back."

Ginny snickered. "I already told you I don't-"

"I know you don't have it." Harry cut her off. "Hermione does, and I want it back."

Ginny shook her head violently at Hermione, but Hermione looked at Harry. "I give you back the cloak, and I can keep the map till the end of the year?"

Harry nodded. "Fine."

Pansy crossed her arms. "Have fun watching Theo go apoplectic when we can't convince him that you and Draco are in the library hitting the books and not the sheets."

Hermione slammed her hands on the table. "I'm not sleeping with Draco!"

The entire table fell silent at Hermione's outburst. She turned bright red and tried to sink into her chair.

"Well, we are glad to hear that Hermione," said Mr. Weasley kindly. "But I don't think we need discuss our bedroom lives at the dinner table."

"Yes, Mr. Weasley," Hermione mumbled.

"Bloody hell Granger. I thought you had more in you than that," Pansy snorted. "I think I saw your mother stand up to Thoros with more fire."

At the mention of her mother, Mrs. Weasley's spoon fell, and Hermione looked over at her and Pansy smirked. "Oops. My bad."