After The End.
For the first time in several months, Hermione Granger, entered Gryffindor Tower. Following her break-up, and then subsequent showdown with Ron, she'd avoided the place which had been her home for six years. But now entering the familiar common room, Hermione regretted letting Ron drive her away. This was now going to be her last visit to Gryffindor Tower as they left school the following day, and since it was their seventh year, they wouldn't be back.
Shaking off her regrets, Hermione passed through the common room, greeting people as she went, and headed towards the stairs that led to the boys dorms. Last time she'd made the trip up to the boys dorms she had found her boyfriend in bed with another witch, but this time it wasn't Ron she had come to see. This time she was here to see Harry, and she knew she couldn't be finding him in a compromising position. In fact when she entered the dorms, she found him sticking out from under the bed.
"Harry," she called with a slight laugh. "What are you doing under the bed?"
"Making sure I haven't forgotten anything," Harry called back, his voice muffled slightly from being half hidden under the bed. "I've found a sock from years ago under here."
"How do you know it's from years ago?" Hermione questioned, perching on Dean's neatly made bed.
"I can remember throwing the other one away when I realised I'd lost it's mate," Harry answered as he wriggled out from under the bed, clutching a handful of junk. "It's surprising what you accumulate after living somewhere for so long."
"More like it's surprising what junk collects itself under your bed when you don't clean up in years," Hermione retorted as she pulled out her wand and cleaned the dust from her best friend.
"I always thought the house elves cleaned under the bed," Harry admitted sheepishly.
"Maybe the elves have learned it's better not to pry under a teenage boys bed," Hermione remarked with a mischievous smirk.
"Are you implying they would find something rude?" Harry chuckled. "These Slytherins are rubbing off on you, Hermione."
"Like you can complain," Hermione retorted. "You seem quite happy to be getting hot and heavy with Pansy."
"You were right about her, she's lovely once you get to know her," Harry replied with a smile. "Not to mention a complete firecracker in bed."
"Now who's been spending too much time with the Slytherins," Hermione laughed.
"Considering we're both happy with Slytherins, I would say spending so much time with them is a good thing," Harry said, dumping the junk he'd found under the bed in the bin and sitting down on his own bed, facing Hermione.
"It is," Hermione agreed.
She still had her other friends, but since Christmas most of her time was spent with Draco and the other Slytherins. Harry had also drifted into the group, and although he was still friends with Ron, things had never been quite the same between the pair of them. Ron saw Harry's support of Hermione, and his subsequent friendship with the Slytherins, as a betrayal and he constantly trying to force Harry to chose between him and Hermione. Not that Harry picked either side, but he naturally gravitated towards Hermione, and since starting to date Pansy, he was very much part of the Slytherin gang. Although despite his threats, Ron didn't end their friendship when he continued to be friends with Hermione.
"So, is there a reason for your visit?" Harry asked. "Because this is the first time you've been here since before Christmas. And weren't we all meeting in the head dorms to discuss our plans?"
After leaving Hogwarts for the final time the Slytherins had planned a relaxing holiday before they had to face the real world and start their lives as adults. Draco had persuaded Hermione to join them, and Harry had also agreed to join the fun. However, final decisions still needed to be made as to where they were going and for how long they were going.
"I wanted to talk to you in private," Hermione said. "To be honest it's a talk we should have had months ago. I should have bene honest with you from the start, but I didn't want to lose you Harry. After what happened with Ron, I couldn't bear to lose my best friend, so I didn't tell you the truth. I lied to you."
"I know," Harry said softly.
Hermione was so shocked that for several seconds all she could do was gape at Harry. "You what?" she finally managed.
"I know," Harry repeated.
"Know what?" Hermione whispered.
"I know that when we came back after the Christmas holidays, you weren't really with Draco," Harry answered. "I know it was a ploy to get back at Ron."
"How do you know that?" Hermione questioned. "Have you always known?"
"No, I hadn't always known," Harry replied. "Even at the beginning when I was really shocked by your new romance, and the speed at which it had developed, it never occurred to me that it might not be genuine. Mainly because I could see you were truly happy. And I could certainly see the sparks between you and Draco."
"I guess the sparks had always been there," Hermione admitted. "And even though it started as an act, I was happy. But it's not an act now, Harry. We are truly together, and I love him."
"I know, and I know he loves you," Harry said with a soft smile. "I think in the end, everyone has worked out how it was meant to. You deserve someone who loves you and worships you the way Draco does. It's mad given all the history, but I don't worry about him hurting you. Unlike Ron, who can be a selfish git, I know Draco would rather hurt himself than hurt you."
"I still don't understand how you know about the act though," Hermione remarked. "And why you're not mad at me for lying to you. I so nearly told you the truth that very first day, but I was so worried that you would disapprove and would end out friendship."
"I won't lie to you, Hermione, I was a bit put out at first," Harry admitted. "I was hurt that you didn't tell me the truth. And I was shocked that you would be part of such a devious scheme. But Pansy made me see that it wasn't about me. It was about you getting the chance to stand up for yourself and prove that you weren't a victim."
"Pansy," Hermione muttered, the pieces falling into place. Of course he'd found out the truth from Pansy, even though it had never occurred to her that the Slytherin witch would tell Harry about their plan.
"Don't be mad at her, she didn't mean to tell me," Harry said. "We were just talking, and when the subject of Ron came up, she let slip about her role in his humiliation. She then told me everything, including how scared you were of losing me if I ever found out the truth."
"I am sorry Harry," Hermione said sincerely.
"I know you are," Harry replied. "And while it's a course of action, I never would have approved of, I have to say Ron deserved it. Over Christmas he kept swearing that he'd made a mistake with Lavender and that he was going to make amends with you. And he promised me that he wouldn't hurt you again. Yet the first chance he got, he showed his true colours and turned on you. You're better off without him, Hermione."
"I really am," Hermione agreed with a nod. "And better yet, I'm with someone who really loves me."
"Pansy knew what she was doing there," Harry chuckled.
"She what?" Hermione frowned. "What am I missing, Harry? You know something I don't know, don't you?"
"Maybe," Harry admitted with a grimace. When Pansy had told him the truth about the plan, she'd told him everything, including her ulterior motive.
"What do you know, Harry?" Hermione demanded.
"Just remember that it's all worked out for the best, and Pansy gave you an opportunity to get even with Ron, something you wouldn't have had without her plan," Harry cautioned.
"I'll remember, now tell me what you know."
"The plan wasn't just about you getting revenge on Ron," Harry admitted. "It was about bringing you and Draco together. Draco's liked you for a long time, and Pansy was hoping that by pretending to be a couple you would see how perfect you were for each other and really fall in love. She wasn't trying to use you or manipulate you, Hermione. She wanted to help you get revenge on Ron, and she wanted to make Draco happy. But if nothing had happened between you, she never would have interfered. Really she just gave you both the nudge you needed to get together."
"Does Draco know this?" Hermione asked.
"Hell no," Harry snorted. "Pansy didn't want him to think she was interfering. To be honest I think she's worried that he might take it personally and worry that the only reason he's got a girlfriend is because of her interference."
"But in a way, that is the only reason we're together," Hermione pointed out. "Without Pansy's plan, we might not be together. Draco might not have told me how he felt. It's only recently he's admitted he liked me long before we got together. And what if I'd never realised I liked him without the plan? Without Pansy, we wouldn't be together."
"So, you're not mad?" Harry checked, hoping that he didn't have to warn his girlfriend that he'd dropped her in it with an irate Hermione.
"I'm not mad," Hermione confirmed. "But I do think it's time we all started to be honest with each other. I'm going to propose a pact tonight. No more secrets. In future if there's going to be any devious schemes, we're all in it together."
"You think there's going to be more devious schemes?" Harry questioned.
"Harry, we're both dating Slytherins, are lives are going to be full of devious schemes," Hermione laughed.
"What are we letting ourselves in for?" Harry chuckled.
"A hell of a good time," Hermione replied confidently.
She had no regrets about getting involved with a Slytherin, and she knew that Harry felt the same. The pair of them were very happy with their Slytherin lovers. And best of all, the guilt at lying to Harry had gone. Now he knew the truth, and he was still her friend, they could move on and forget all about the revenge scheme which had been pay back for Ron for cheating on Hermione, and had brought her and Draco together. After all, what did it matter how she and Draco had ended up together. The point was, they were together, and they couldn't be happier.
The End.