Chapter 19: Sweet and Sour Thoughts
It was 10 o'clock in the morning when Hermione returned to her apartment after what could only be described as a whirlwind night. The sun was bright, filtering through the clouds, and everything around her seemed to have a warm, golden glow, a stark contrast to how she had been feeling the day before.
This morning, Draco had been more caring than ever before. He had woken up early with her, helping her through her morning sickness the way he had so many times before, but this time, something had shifted. There was a deep sense of connection between them—one that was no longer just about the baby. For the first time, Hermione felt as if she could truly fall in love with him.
It was a strange and powerful realization. As she flew back to her apartment, thoughts swirled in her head. Her heart felt lighter, her body less tense. She landed with a soft thud in her living room and stepped out of the Floo network, dusting off her clothes. Just as she stood to compose herself, a familiar voice echoed in her ears.
"Oh merlin, is this what the Muggles call the 'walk of shame?'"
Hermione's eyes widened in surprise, spinning around to find Ginny standing at the door, arms crossed, an amused grin plastered on her face. Her heart raced, and for a moment, Hermione couldn't find the words.
"Ginny!" Hermione blurted out, her voice betraying her surprise. "What are you doing here?"
Ginny's grin widened as she leaned casually against the doorframe. "We were worried about you," she said, nodding her head in Harry's direction, who stood nearby akwardly. "After you left last night, well… after we managed to throw Ron out, Harry and I came to check on you, but you weren't here."
"Oh, I'm sorry," Hermione apologized, her cheeks flushing as she fiddled with her hands. "I just… needed to talk to Draco. After everything that happened, I—"
Ginny raised an eyebrow, her smile softening. "Oh, I bet you needed to talk to him," she teased, shooting Harry a quick glance. "By the way, you owe me for stopping Harry from barging into Draco's place to 'check' on you."
Hermione went scarlet, her hands fidgeting with her robes. Even Harry looked equally flustered.
"Looks like you were right, Ginny," Harry chimed in, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "I don't know what I would've walked into if I had gone…"
Ginny burst into laughter, and Hermione felt utterly mortified as her face burned red. She had always been the composed one, the level-headed one, and yet here she was, struggling to form coherent sentences.
"Well," Ginny continued, thoroughly enjoying Hermione's discomfort, "How did it go with Draco?"
"Ginny!" Hermione shrieked, her hands covering her face in an attempt to hide her embarrassment.
"Okay, that's my cue to leave," Harry said, raising his hands in surrender. "I'm just glad you're okay, Hermione. I was worried about you."
Hermione managed to regain some composure, smiling at Harry. "I'm fine, Harry. Everything's fine." She took a deep breath before continuing, "In fact, Draco and I decided to get married next month."
There was a stunned silence. Ginny's mouth dropped open in surprise, while Harry blinked, processing what she had just said.
"What?" Ginny exclaimed, her voice shooting up an octave. "You're getting married?"
Harry raised his eyebrows, equally surprised. "Really?" he asked, glancing at Hermione. "But you have more time… don't you want to, you know, explore those other options that Parvati suggested?"
Hermione shook her head, her expression softening. "No. I don't think anyone would love this baby as much as Draco does," she said quietly. "And for some reason… I feel that I could love him too."
Ginny shrieked, clapping her hands together as she jumped up and down with excitement. "I knew it!" she cried, her eyes sparkling. "After everything Harry told me, I just knew you two would make a great couple."
Harry looked slightly perplexed. "Is that why you never offered to set her up with someone else?" he asked, turning to Ginny with a curious expression.
Ginny grinned mischievously. "Maybe," she said, shrugging. "What was your reason, Harry?"
Harry opened his mouth, clearly at a loss for words. "Well… I guess I didn't really realize that was an option," he admitted with a sheepish smile.
Hermione, Ginny, and Harry all burst out laughing, the tension easing as the conversation turned lighter.
"Anyway, have you set a date yet?" Ginny asked, her excitement bubbling over.
"Not yet," Hermione replied, "but I think we'll talk about it more during our next date—tonight."
Ginny squealed again, her joy for her friend palpable. "Oh, I'm so happy for you!" she exclaimed. "Now, tell me everything."
Hermione blushed again, but before she could respond, Harry raised a hand. "Okay, I'm leaving," he declared. "I definitely don't want to hear this." He turned toward the fireplace, waving goodbye before disappearing through the Floo.
As soon as Harry was gone, Ginny turned back to Hermione, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. "So," she began with a wicked grin, "how was it compared to the first time?"
Hermione's cheeks flushed a deep red as she let out a small laugh. "Ginny!" she protested, though her smile betrayed her embarrassment.
"I mean, you're getting married, so I'm guessing it wasn't bad," Ginny teased, winking.
Hermione laughed, shaking her head. "It was different," she admitted, her smile softening as she thought back to the night before. "But… it was equally amazing.
Ginny's expression softened. "I'm glad, Hermione," she said sincerely. "You deserve to be happy."
The conversation turned more serious as Hermione let out a sigh, her thoughts drifting to Ron. "How's Ron doing?" she asked, her voice quieter now. "Do you think he'll give up now?"
Ginny's face fell slightly as she crossed her arms, leaning against the table. "I don't know," she said with a sigh. "When I came home with James, Ron was still there, trying to convince Harry that Malfoy was bad news. He's definitely not over it yet."
Hermione nodded, her heart heavy. "I don't know why I expected him to just accept this," she muttered. "But… maybe part of me hoped he would."
"It's going to take some time," Ginny replied gently. "Ron's stubborn, you know that. He's not going to let go of this easily. I wonder if mom could smack some sense in to him but, she just got her life back after fred…"
"I know" said hermione. "First the depression, then the nightmares and headaches… she's just starting to find peace again."
Ginny looked troubled, her expression darkening. "I want to tell her… but I don't want to cause her more pain. She's happy again, Hermione. This would crush her."
"I know," Hermione agreed. "But we won't be able to keep this secret forever. Sooner or later she is gonna realise somethings up."
Ginny sighed heavily, shaking her head. "Yeah, she already asked once or twice why you wont come over anymore."
Hermione offered a weak smile, "Just tell her Ron and I are having problems since I started dating Malfoy. Its kind of the truth isn't it?"
"True," Ginny said, her voice still wary. "As long as she doesn't ask too many questions it could work. But how do we get Ron to see reason?"
" I don't know if we could, he is too far gone it seems" admitted Hermione her voice tinged with sadness. "I almost fell for Ron's trick this time"
Ginny shook her head. "But you didn't," she pointed out firmly. "You realized it was him."
Hermione let out a small laugh. "Yes, and no," she said. "I believed him when he said Draco had a girlfriend. But even if Draco did have one… even if I knew he would never love me, I was ready to accept him for the baby's sake. Because I knew, deep down, he would love the baby no matter what."
Ginny smiled warmly. "And that's what makes you so incredible, Hermione," she said. "You always put others first."
Hermione laughed softly, her gaze thoughtful. "I'm just glad it was all a lie," she admitted.
Ginny raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "How did you figure it out, anyway? What made you realize it was Ron?"
Hermione smiled, a little embarrassed but proud of how she put the pieces together. "Well, it was the scent," she said, shaking her head slightly. "He may have taken the antidote for the Polyjuice Potion, and he may have dressed back in his own clothes, but he still smelled like Draco. He still had his scent, that same expensive cologne Draco always wears. And that's when it hit me—it wasn't Draco. It was Ron pretending to be him."
Ginny's mouth fell open. "He used the same cologne? Seriously?"
Hermione nodded. "Yeah, he really thought things through. But looking back, something always felt off. I just didn't know what it was at the time."
Ginny's expression darkened slightly. " I cant believe this is the same brother I grew up with"
Hermione sighed. "I know. I guess it shows how desperate he is. But, in a way, I'm glad. It made me realise how good things are with Draco."
Ginny shook her head. "I'm glad you didn't fall for it. And I'm glad things are looking good with Malfoy and you. But Ron's not going to make this easy."
Hermione looked out the window, lost in thought. "No, he's not. But we'll get through it. I've got Draco by my side now."
Ginny smiled brightly, her eyes lighting up. "And speaking of Draco… How's he? Did he freak out when you told him?"
Hermione laughed. "He was livid when he found out Ron was behind it. He actually wanted to storm off and confront Ron right then and there."
Ginny grinned. "Oh, I can imagine that. He probably would have hexed Ron to pieces."
"Probably," Hermione agreed with a chuckle.
Ginny leaned forward, her eyes gleaming again with excitement. "Okay, enough about Ron. Let's get back to the important stuff—your date tonight! What are you going to wear? How are you going to make this date perfect?"
Hermione laughed, feeling a little more relaxed now. "That's actually why I need your help. I want it to be special. It's our first real date since… well, you know."
Ginny's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait a minute. Hermione Granger asking for help with a date? Wow. You really do like him now, don't you?"
Hermione blushed slightly, feeling a bit self-conscious. "I guess I do," she admitted quietly. "I guess now that we're together, I want him to like me, too. I mean, I know it's a bit far-fetched, but a girl can dream, can't she?"
Ginny reached out and squeezed her hand. "Oh, Hermione, it's not far-fetched at all. I think it's possible. You're an amazing woman, and I'm sure, sooner or later, Draco's going to realize that. He'll fall for you, I know it."
Hermione felt a warmth spread through her chest at Ginny's words. "Thanks, Ginny," she said softly. "I hope you're right."
"I know I'm right!" Ginny said with confidence. "Now come on, let's find the perfect outfit for tonight. You've got a date with Draco Malfoy, and we're going to make sure it's unforgettable."