Ginny strode through the front door, her eyes bright with urgency. "You will never believe what just happened."
Hermione, who was curled up on the couch reading, looked up in surprise. "What?" she asked, her curiosity piqued by Ginny's tone.
Ginny closed the door behind her, took a deep breath, and said, "Ron confessed to Mum about everything."
Hermione and Draco exchanged stunned glances. "What?" they said in unison, Draco's eyebrows shooting up.
"You heard me," Ginny replied with a nod, her expression unreadable. "He confessed. About everything."
Draco crossed his arms, trying to process this new development. "Are you saying he actually admitted to… the potion, the manipulations, all of it?"
Ginny shook her head, her voice a little softer. "Well, he complained about how the universe is conspiring against him."
"sounds like Ron," said Hermione chucking to herself.
"Turns out, after his plan with your parents backfired, he was devastated," explained Ginny. "He ended up at the Burrow, moping around, and Mum saw right through him. She wouldn't leave him alone until he finally broke down and told her everything."
Hermione let out a low breath, her mind reeling. "How is Molly?" she asked, already feeling the answer in her gut. This couldn't be easy for the woman who had done everything she could to hold her family together.
Ginny's face softened. "She's… a bit distraught. It hit her hard. But honestly, I think deep down she knew. Mum has always had a sense for these things, and I think it was weighing on her too, knowing something was off with Ron." Ginny paused as if considering her next words. "But there's more," she added, her voice firm.
Hermione leaned forward, her eyes widening. "There's more?"
"Mum took Ron to a mind healer."
Hermione's mouth dropped open. "You're serious?" she whispered, a wave of relief and disbelief flooding her all at once.
"Yes," Ginny said, nodding emphatically. "She's taken him to get treatment. He's seeing a healer regularly now. They're hoping it'll help him work through… well, everything."
Draco looked thoughtful, his arms unfolding as he absorbed the news. "Do you think it'll actually help?" he asked, his voice guarded.
Ginny sighed. "I hope so. If nothing else, it's a start. Mum told me she regrets not getting him help sooner. She said she wishes she had listened to you, Hermione."
"To me?" Hermione said, genuinely surprised. "What did I have to do with this?"
"Well," Ginny continued, "remember when you first suggested that Ron see a mind healer, right after the war? You were the only one who saw that he wasn't… quite himself. But he was so stubborn about it, insisting he didn't need help, that he was better off than the rest of us."
Hermione's gaze dropped as memories of those conversations with Ron resurfaced. "I remember," she said softly. "He always seemed to brush it off, telling me he was fine, that he didn't need any of it. I wanted to believe him."
"We all did," Ginny added quietly. "Back then, we were so wrapped up in our own recoveries. Ron wasn't haunted by nightmares the way Harry was, and he didn't have scars like George. In a way, he became the rock for Mum and for the rest of us because he seemed okay."
Hermione nodded. "But looking back, I guess that was part of the problem. Everyone assumed he was fine just because he wasn't showing it outwardly."
Draco wrapped an arm around her, giving her a reassuring squeeze. "People deal with things in different ways," he murmured. "It's not always obvious when someone's struggling."
Ginny looked at Hermione, her face serious. "Mum regrets not listening to you back then, Hermione. She thinks if she'd backed you up on getting him help, maybe none of this would have happened."
Hermione shook her head, her expression thoughtful. "I don't blame her. Honestly, Ron had me convinced half the time that he was fine and I was just overthinking things." She let out a small sigh, glancing at Draco. "But you know, everything worked out for the best in the end."
Ginny's lips curled into a small smile. "Yeah?"
"Yes," Hermione said, her face softening as she looked up at Draco. "If Ron had gone through treatment back then, maybe we would have stayed together. But even at his best… I don't think he would have made me as happy as you do, Draco."
Draco's cheeks flushed slightly, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "So you're saying I'm better than Weasley?" he teased, though there was a flicker of vulnerability in his eyes.
Hermione smiled, meeting his gaze. "Much better," she said. "With you, it's… we just click. I don't have to hide parts of myself, and we can have those long, nerdy conversations without either of us getting bored."
Ginny chuckled, folding her arms as she watched their exchange. "She's got a point, Draco. You're probably the only person who can keep up with her when she goes off on one of her intellectual rants."
Draco raised an eyebrow, pretending to be insulted. "Hey now, I wouldn't call myself a nerd," he said with a smirk.
"Oh, you absolutely are," Hermione retorted, grinning up at him. "Don't even try to deny it."
He feigned a sigh, giving in with a slight chuckle. "Alright, alright. Maybe I am a bit of a nerd. But only for you."
Ginny laughed, shaking her head. "You two are ridiculous."
Draco grinned, planting a light kiss on Hermione's cheek. "Well, ridiculous or not, we make a pretty good team."
They all laughed, and Hermione leaned against Draco, feeling a sense of calm settle over her. For the first time, the lingering tension around Ron seemed to dissipate, leaving only the certainty that she was exactly where she was meant to be.
"Oh!" Ginny exclaimed suddenly. "I almost forgot to tell you the best part."
Hermione blinked. "There's more?"
Ginny nodded, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Mum has arranged for Ron to have one of his treatment sessions scheduled at the exact same time as your wedding."
Hermione's jaw dropped. "You're kidding!"
"Nope," Ginny replied with a triumphant grin. "Mum wanted to make sure he wouldn't cause any drama on your big day."
Draco laughed, shaking his head. "Now that is brilliant."
"I can't believe it," Hermione said, a huge smile spreading across her face. "I was so worried about some kind of scene, but now… oh, this is perfect."
A/N: As you can probably guess, we are approaching the end of this story. The next chapter will be the last one. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review.