Hermione and Draco

Disclaimer: These characters are not of my creation (I wish!). Everything belongs to JK Rowling, I'm just delving into the Pensieve and playing around with the memories a little!

Chapter 7 – Don We Now Our Gay Apparel

“Harry! Hermione! It’s great to see you again!” greeted Kinsley Shacklebolt as they opened the door to Arthur Weasley’s office.

“Hi Kingsley!” They both chimed in. Harry shook his hand and Hermione gave him a big hug.

Arthur smiled at his two ‘children’. “Hey, you two! To what do I owe this pleasure?”

“Well, I needed to talk to you, Da- uh, Minister,” responded Hermione.

“And I actually came to talk with Kingsley, if he’s got a moment to spare,” explained Harry, giving the Auror a look.

Kingsley nodded. “Sure, Harry. Why don’t we go to my office? We can leave Arthur and Hermione to their talk.” With final handshakes and goodbyes, Kingsley let Harry from the room.

“Okay, Hermione,” started Arthur. “What can I do to help?”

“Dad, I – I need to talk to Draco’s assistant.” Hermione stammered. “Without Draco knowing about it.”

“Of course, dear,” smiled Arthur. “I’ll send for her at once.”

Arthur wrote a brief note, folded it into a paper airplane, and threw it at the ceiling. It caught the magic in the air and flew off.

“Parkinson was Draco’s assistant.” Arthur explained.

“’Was’?” asked Hermione.

“Why, yes, didn’t Molly or Harry tell you?” When Hermione shook her head, Arthur sighed. “Well, Draco quit on Monday. From everything I’ve heard, he’s left Britain.”

“Left… Britain?” Hermione winced.

“I’m sorry to be the one to tell you, but, yes. He went somewhere in Western Europe, though no one seems to know where. – Ah! Ms. Parkinson. Thank you for coming in! I’m sure you remember Hermione Granger?”

Hermione turned around and came face to face with Pansy ‘Pugface’ Parkinson.

“Minister I got your message and came right away!” smiled Pansy. “And of course I remember Hermione. You and Ron tied the knot yet?”

Arthur winced, but Hermione stayed calm and smiled back at Pansy.

“No, actually, Pansy, we’re not marrying anymore. I do have a question for you, though, if you don’t mind?”

“Why, not at all! What can I help you with?”

“I need to know what happened on Saturday when you owled Draco to come into the office.” Hermione spoke quietly.

Pansy just stared at her, surprised. “I didn’t owl Draco on Saturday – not from here or anywhere else. We don’t, unless it’s a dire emergency, work on the weekend. Draco enjoys his free time too much!”

This time it was Hermione that stared, stunned.

“Draco got an owl from someone he said was his assistant – twice, as a matter of fact. He said it was quite urgent. Does he have another assistant, maybe?”

Pansy shook her head. “No… I’m the only one. We don’t even have a Junior Assistant.”

Hermione regarded the Slytherin girl for a moment, trying to find something that told her that what Pansy was saying was false. She could find no evidence of her lying.

Well, if it’s not that, then it’s time to ask the big question.

“Can you think of anyone he would have gotten an owl from that he’d feel it necessary to lie about whom it was from?”

“I’ve only seen him do it once – and it might not be the same – but…” Pansy paused.

“But?” asked Arthur and Hermione together.

“Well, he got an owl from Warden Johnson at Azkaban about 3 years ago. When he read it all the color drained from his face, and he looked kind of – I don’t know – nervous? Scared? Well, anyway, when he went to his supervisor and told him he’d gotten an urgent owl from his mother and took off.”

“But who would make him that nervous? And why would he feel the need to lie…” Hermione looked first at Arthur, then at Pansy. The dawn of understanding lit all of their faces.

“Lucius Malfoy.”

*************

Harry sat down on the comfortable divan in Kingsley’s office, with a fresh cup of tea at his elbow. Kingsley was pacing his office, a look of consternation on his face.

“I can’t believe it – after all this time that Draco and Hermione have been attracted to each other, then after one day he breaks it off, leaves his job, and moves out of Britain? Why?”

“I don’t know,” Harry shook his hair out of his eyes. “I think it probably has something to do with Lucius, but all I’ve got is a dream to go on, and…”

“Wait a moment,” the Auror held up his hand. “You had a dream? When?”

“Friday night. Well, it would have been more like Saturday morning.”

“Okay Harry – tell me about your dream.” Kingsley sat back in his chair.

“Well, we were all at Hermione and Draco’s wedding,” Kingsley sat straight up with his eyebrows raised, Harry nodded. “Well, they had just sung their vows, when a strange wizard stood up and cursed Hermione. Then, as he’s walking up to Draco, he pulls off the robes and it’s Lucius. He yells at Draco ‘Choose Draco! Choose who dies! You or your mudblood whore!” Draco steps in front of Hermione to protect her, but before he or anyone else can do anything, Lucius curses Draco and he drops dead at Hermione’s feet.” Harry shuddered with sudden premonition. “Then I woke up. I didn’t tell them at the time because I didn’t remember it all until this morning. I need your help, Kingsley. I need to know where Draco is so I can talk to him. I need to know what’s going on – for his and Hermione’s sake.”

“You got it, Harry!” Kingsley assured him. “I’ll get some people on it right away. How about – Tonks and Bulstrode?”

“That’s perfect, Kings,” relief flooded Harry’s body – at least he’d have answers – and soon. “Just owl me when you have any information and I’ll come to you. I don’t want Hermione getting wind of this yet. I need to have as much information as possible before I talk to her.”

*************

Thanking Arthur and Pansy for their help, Hermione left the office and went look for Harry.

She ran into him as he was walking out of Kingsley’s office. After sketching in the revelation she’d had in the Minister’s office, she told Harry that she needed to find Draco.

“Do you think Kingsley would put a couple of people on it if I asked him to?” Hermione suggested.

“Well, Hermione, I kind of had the same idea about Lucius, so I went ahead and already asked Kings to do just that.” He grinned at her. “He’s putting Tonks and Millicent Bulstrode on it. If anyone can find him, it’ll be Tonks.”

Hermione looked hard at Harry. “There’s something you aren’t telling me… c’mon! Out with it! What do you know?”

“Not here, Mya. Let’s go back to the Burrow and I’ll fill you in there,” hedged Harry.

Once back at the Burrow, they found that Molly and Ginny had gone shopping at Diagon Alley. They also found that they weren’t alone. Ron sat at the kitchen table, looking very disturbed and shaken.

“Hey, Ron,” greeted Harry. Hermione just looked at him and nodded.

Ron jumped ay the sound of Harry’s voice, but when he looked at Hermione, a flash of guilt came into his eyes and he flinched. He stammered an excuse to leave and Apparated away quickly.

Hermione looked at Harry thoughtfully. “If I didn’t know Ron wouldn’t betray either of us, no matter how pissed and embarrassed he was, I’d almost suspect him of being in on whatever is going on.”

Harry returned the look. “You, know, I’d almost be inclined to agree with you.”

“Well, whatever it is that’s going on with him, he’ll come to one or the both of us eventually to talk it out. He always does.” Hermione sighed. She was getting tired of being mad at Ron and wished that he’d just grow up and deal with it like an adult. “Well, we can’t do anything about that. Now, spill it! What do you know that I don’t?”

Harry opened his mouth to share the dream he had, but as he started talking Molly and Ginny Apparated into the kitchen, arms full of bags from shopping.

The Weasley women took in the looks on Harry and Hermione’s faces then looked at each other.

“Alright, you two.” Ginny demanded. “Give! What’s going on?”

“Well, we have a theory, albeit not a complete one, of why Draco left. We at least have a suspect behind him just up and disappearing.” Hermione offered. “Let’s get some lunch thrown together for the four of us, first, and then Harry and I can tell you our stories.”

Hermione and Ginny flew around the kitchen getting lunch ready while Harry set the table and Molly Weasley went to put the packages away. Soon everything was ready and they sat down to eat and talk.

Hermione went first, telling the other women the enlightenment she received with she got the news from Pansy that Draco did not go to the office Saturday afternoon. Then Harry filled them in on the dream he’d had that morning, and that Kingsley already was working on finding out where Draco was.

By then Hermione had left her half-eaten lunch on the table, forgotten. She paced the room, her hands clenching and unclenching the sides of her pants. She had tears in her eyes, and she looked like she could have chewed iron and spit nails. In short, she looked pissed off!

She continued the tale of the lie that Draco told to his supervisor in the past and the conclusion that she and Harry had arrived at. That somehow, some way, Lucius Malfoy had an outside contact and he was using them to influence Draco. They did not, however, mention Ron or his reaction to Hermione’s presence before he ran, or how, for one brief moment, they had both suspected him of betraying them.

After watching Hermione pace the kitchen floor for a few minutes, Ginny broke the silence. “Well, I think the first order of business is for Harry to talk to Draco. Maybe he can get something out of him. Hermione, you look positively green, why don’t you go lay down for a while?”

“I’m just so mad, I get a good look at my future and Lucius chases him off!” Hermione flung her hands up in the air. “I’ll tell you one thing. If we can prove that Lucius is behind this – I’m going to exercise my right!”

“What right is that, dear?” Molly asked quietly.

“To kill Lucius Malfoy.” Everyone looked at her in shock. “I never told you this, but before he was apprehended and put into Azkaban, he tried to kill me. Well, part of his punishment was that if he ever tried to harm me in anyway, even threatens it, I get to go to Azkaban and kill him.”

“Mya, why didn’t you tell any of us about this?” Harry asked.

“Because Albus thought it was a good idea. He and Severus were the only two there with me, so we talked it over and decided that it would be best to keep this quiet. Besides, I never thought I’d have to deal with that maniac again. I’ll tell you this – if he is behind this, and I’m able to prove it, I’m going to kill him and nothing anyone says will be able to save him.”

*************

Ron stood on the other side of the kitchen door, listening to what the four of them were talking about. How could he have been so stupid? With a sad shake of his head he Apparated away from his two best friends and his family, hoping they’d never find out what a mess he’d made of things. He should be helping Hermione and Harry find Draco! Instead, all he could do was go home and get drunk… again.

“Hey, Ron! Where you been?” asked Neville Longbottom, looking up from the book he was reading on the couch in the front room of Ron’s flat.

“Oh, just trying to sort some things in my head.” Answered Ron.

“Have you told them yet?” questioned Neville.

“About what?” shot back Ron, walking into the kitchen to get something to drink. He’d been drinking a lot lately. He knew it wasn’t the answer, but it was the only way to shut up the voices that kept screaming at him in his head.

Neville walked into the kitchen and watched Ron pour himself a heavy dose of fire-whiskey and down it. “About why you really called off the wedding.” He stated simply.

“I told you, Neville, they’d never understand. Can we just drop it now?” he poured himself another shot and quickly downed that one, too.

“No, we can’t just drop this now. You need to tell them Ron – if for no other reason than so you can be yourself again.” Neville looked up at Ron from where his eyes had been on the floor. “It tears me up to see you like this, drinking yourself to sleep every night. Ron, if you’d just tell them… about us, you wouldn’t feel like you have to drink yourself unconscious every night!”

“And what am I supposed to tell them?” ‘Sorry about the whole wedding fiasco, but I’ve fallen in love with Neville and that’s who I really want to be with?’” Realizing what he’d just admitted to, he took a drink directly from the bottle of fire-whiskey.

Neville went very still. “Have you, Ron? Have you really?”

“Yes, Neville. I didn’t want to. I tried telling myself it was just lust – an infatuation. Just some fun. But the more time I spent with you, the harder I fell.” Ron looked into Neville’s eyes, afraid of what he might see there, but compelled to look anyway.

Neville looked into Ron’s eyes, trying to judge if Ron was being honest. He smiled when he saw that Ron was indeed being truthful. “I love you, too. I have for a long time.”

Ron felt his jaw go slack with surprise, then shut it with a snap. “Well, I guess we’re done for! I don’t know what they’re going to think or what we’re going to say to my family. Can we – just put it off for a little while longer? Just until they’re not so mad at me for trying to ruin Hermione’s life, and until I’m a little more comfortable with… this. Me, you, all of it.” There were tears spilling from his eyes and a pleading for understanding.

Neville walked over to Ron and took the bottle out of his hands. “Of course, love. I know how it is to be something that you think everyone will hate you for. How uncomfortable it makes you feel. I won’t press it anymore – at least not for a while.” Neville smiled, wiping Ron’s tears away, and kissed him. “Now, why don’t we go to bed? I want to show you how much I love you, and how right we are for each other.”

Ron nodded, allowing Neville to lead him into their bedroom. They stripped the clothes off each other and crawled into bed. Then Neville showed Ron everything he promised – and more. They fell asleep in each other’s arms, murmuring their love to one another with smiles on their faces.

*************

Hermione had had enough. She’d been wearing the same clothes she’d transfigured of Draco’s on Saturday. They still smelled of him and it was driving her crazy! She needed to just grit her teeth and go to Ron’s flat to pick up some clothes. She’d worry about all her other stuff later, once she found a place of her own.

So she woke early, before Harry and Ginny, and went down to join Molly and Arthur for breakfast before setting out for Ron’s.

“Good morning, Mum and Dad,” she greeted her surrogate parents with hugs and kisses.

“Good morning, Hermione.” Arthur responded gaily.

“Good morning, dear,” smiled Molly. “What are you doing up so early?”

“Well, I’ve decided I can’t keep wearing the same clothes I’ve had on for the last five days, so I’m going to the flat to pick up my clothes and a few other odds and ends. I’ll worry about the rest later.”

“Hermione, are you sure you want to go there right now? Why don’t you wait for Harry to get up and he can go with you?” Suggested Molly.

“No, Mum, I can’t continue to hide behind Harry when I’m around Ron. I still want to be friends, you know. It’s about time to sit down and have a long talk with him. I’ll be okay, if he starts anything I’ll just put the Full Body-Bind on him.” She shrugged. “It’s not like I’ve never had to do that before, you know.”

“All right, dear,” chuckled Molly. “Just be careful, you know how he gets.”

“If you need anything, just call on the Floo,” Arthur told her. “I’ll be there in the blink of an eye.”

“Thanks, Dad.” Hermione replied as she drank the rest of her coffee and stood up. “Well, I’m off. That was a wonderful breakfast, Mum, thanks!”

Molly smiled at her surrogate child and went to make another pot of coffee.

Hermione walked into the living room and Apparated to Ron’s flat.

“Ron?” called Hermione. “Hello?”

The lights were off and she couldn’t hear anyone moving around. He must already be gone – or he hasn’t made it home yet. She thought. That’s probably it. He’s probably off with that American witch somewhere, drowning his conscience.

She shook her head in disgust and walked towards the bedroom after gathering up her schoolbooks. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. This was the first time being back, and it made her feel odd. Like she didn’t belong, like she was an intruder. She took herself firmly in hand and grabbed the door handle and opened the door.

What she saw made her gasp.

Ron was indeed at home, in bed, and not alone. Wrapped up in each others arms and very naked were Ron and… Neville? Neville and Ron? So many things clicked together in her head that she spoke before she really thought about it. She walked into the room and to the closet, pulling open the door.

“Hi Ron! I hope I’m not disturbing you, but I need some clean clothes. I’ve been wearing the same thing for almost a week!”

At Hermione’s first words both Ron and Neville woke with a start.

“Good morning, Hermione.” Neville grinned as he reached for his robe and pulled it on.

Ron didn’t handle it so well.

“Hermione! What are you doing here? I mean, we were just – that is, we are – uh…”

Hermione turned back to watch Ron with open amusement. As Neville walked by, she looked up and gave him a big smile. He reached out and hooked an arm around her shoulder, pulling her in for a hug. “Ron is very nervous about you finding this out. He thinks you’ll hate him.”

“Thanks, Neville,” she replied, hugging him back.

Neville turned, walked back over to the bed and sat down next to Ron. Ron looked lost and Neville’s heart went out to him. He reached over and caught one of Ron’s hands in his own. “Love, you should talk to her,” he said quietly. “She’s known longer than anyone else about me and my – preferences. She’ll understand, Ron, but you have to give her the chance.” He bent and kissed his lover on the forehead and stood up. “I’m going to leave you two alone. You have a lot to talk about.” He smiled down at Ron and walked out of the room.

Hermione continued to pack up her clothes in silence, waiting to see if Ron would start the conversation or if she would have to. Ron was usually pretty good about it, but when he still hadn’t started talking, or moving, when she was done packing, she decided she probably would have to start this one. He must be mortified. His ex-fiancé walks in on him and his gay lover asleep in the same bed. He’s probably waiting for a lecture, or for me to hex him and his bits – again. Poor baby.

Hermione walked over to where Ron was lying in bed, with his back to her. He was in the exact middle, so she lay down and hugged him to her. At first he was rigid with shock, but soon he relaxed and began to cry.

“Hermione…” he started. “I’m so sorry for everything I’ve done to you in the last 4 years. I made you believe that I was in love with you, even while I was with Neville. I kept telling myself that it was you I loved – not him.” He took in a deep shuddering breath. “Then he said he was going to leave, that he couldn’t take all the lies anymore. I begged him not to go, that I wanted, needed him to stay. He told me ‘Fine – but you need to tell Hermione about us. Whether you still marry is up to you both, but she needs to know, Ron!’ I promised him I’d tell you, but when you answered the Floo, I lost my nerve. I couldn’t tell you I was,” he swallowed hard. “I couldn’t tell you I was g-g-gay. So I told you about an imaginary witch and broke it off. I’m so sorry. Can you ever forgive me?”

“Ron – what am I supposed to forgive you for? The fact that I’m the wrong sex for you to find attractive? The fact that I’m a woman, and you need, want Neville?” She shook her head. “I can’t forgive you for that.” At those words, Ron whipped his head around, but Hermione shook her head again. “Listen to me, Ron. I can’t forgive you for that because there’s nothing, and I mean nothing, for me to forgive. You can’t help who you love, no more than I or Harry or Ginny can.” She smiled at him, but it faded a little before she said. “But you should have said something right away when you knew that your feelings for me had changed. You didn’t. You kept right on allowing me to believe that you were in love with me, knowing that it was Neville that you wanted. I’m very angry at you for that.” Ron flinched at the anger in her voice. “But I do love you. And I’m as guilty as you of not having those same feelings and going through with the marriage anyway. I’ve already forgiven you, Ron. Standing me up, lying, all of it. And I don’t think you have anything to fear from your family. They love you, Ron. They’re mad as Hell at you, but they still love you.”

“Thank you, Hermione. It tore me up to lie to you – to everyone – like that. Would you go to the Burrow with me and Neville today so I can tell my family?”

“You bet. I’ll be here for you Ron. You’re one of my best friends. My brother. I’ll always be here for you.” They were both crying by now, and she kissed him on the nose and hugged him.

“You were going to marry your brother?” came Neville’s laughing voice from the doorway. “That’s just sick, Hermione. And people call us perverts!”

Hermione turned to smile at Neville and mock-snarled at him. “You are perverts! Just look at whom you’re bedding!” she smiled cheekily at Ron, who grinned sheepishly, then laughed. “Now get over here you shameless reprobate and join in on the hug!”

Neville went over to his side of the bed and lay down, wrapping his arms around Ron.

“I told you,” he said. “I told you that she wouldn’t have a problem with it. She knew before anyone else did that I was gay, and she never turned her back on me, not once.” Neville first smiled at Hermione, then leaned over and kissed Ron on the lips. “I love you, Ron.” He said as Hermione got up from the bed to fetch her suitcases.

“I love you, too.” Ron said with more feeling and conviction than Neville had ever heard in his voice before. He gave Ron a smile full of sunshine and the one that Ron returned was just as sunny.

“And I love both of you twisted sickos,” laughed Hermione. “Now, get dressed, because we’re going to the Burrow to take on the rest of the Weasley clan!”

*************

Draco wandered restlessly from room to room in the huge manor his family owned in Venice. All he could think of was Hermione. What was she doing? Where was she; was she still at the Burrow, or back at his – their – cottage? How had she reacted to his letter? Was she okay?

These thoughts swirled around inside his head until it ached. He welcomed the ache; at least he could tell he was still alive. He was miserable. He didn’t want to be hiding out in Venice, trying to keep his fath – Lucius – from Hermione. He wanted to be with Hermione, having nothing to worry about but loving her.

He ground his teeth together. “Damn you, Lucius, and damn you Weasley!” he screamed at the empty manor. Why did it seem that those two in particular were out to ruin his happiness? Harry wasn’t thrilled about him being in love with Hermione, but he was willing to accept it and work on making a friendship with Draco. Why couldn’t Lucius and Ron do the same? All he wanted was for them to accept it and leave him and Hermione the hell alone.

“Fat chance.” He muttered to himself as his melancholy reverie was interrupted by a knock at the door. “Who could that be? No one but Lucius knows I’m here, and I know it couldn’t be him.”

He walked to the door and opened it to find the one person he would have never expected to come find him.

Severus Snape.

“Please come in, Professor.” He ushered in his friend absentmindedly.

Severus raised an elegantly long eyebrow at the form of address from Draco, but Draco didn’t seem to notice. “So formal, Draco? You haven’t been my student for 5 years now.”

“What? Oh, sorry, Severus. I’ve just got things weighing on my mind right now.”

“Yes. I can see that.” Severus agreed ironically. It must be a woman. Severus thought. Only a woman could make him this distracted.

“I’m in a spot of trouble, and I can’t seem to find a way out of it, I’m afraid.” Draco explained half-heartedly.

“Why don’t you trot it past me, then? Perhaps I can be of assistance.”

“No offense, Severus, but no one can help me with this. This is something I have to figure out on my own.”

“Secrets, Draco? You haven’t kept any secrets from me since…” his eyes narrowed dangerously. “Lucius. I see. What, pray tell, is the illustrious Lucius Malfoy up to now?”

“I can’t explain it. Let’s just say that he found out I am – was – in a relationship with someone he would prefer to torture and kill than have me looking at her sideways.” Draco informed him with a bitter twist to his words.

“Ah.” Was all Severus said. I wonder who it could be? He thought hard for a moment, thinking about all the females, and males, that Draco had been with. Who could his father be that upset about?

“Well, Draco, don’t worry too much. I’m sure this – person – that you’re seeing couldn’t have gotten to Lucius that bad.” Severus lifted a sardonic eyebrow, waiting for Draco to respond. He’d always known how to goad his godson into sharing the one thing that Draco didn’t want to share.

And it looked like he hadn’t lost his touch.

“Not even the Gryffindor Know-It-All?” Draco grated between his teeth. He hated it when his godfather made him reveal things like that. He didn’t force it out of him, but he always ended up sharing the secrets he didn’t want to reveal.

“Oh… dear.” Severus covered his eyes with his hand to keep from showing his amused satisfaction. “Miss Granger, Draco? I thought she was marrying the youngest Weasley male last week?”

“She was, until he stood her up.” Draco took in a deep breath. “Now, stop it! I don’t want to talk about it, Severus. I can’t be with her, Lucius made sure of that, and there’s nothing I can do about it. So let’s just drop it, all right?”

“Draco, my dear boy, there is always something that can be done. You are, after all, a Slytherin. When you’re ready to figure it out, why don’t you owl me? I’ll come back and see if we can figure out something.” Severus stood to go, but paused as a thought crossed his mind. “You love her, I suppose. And she loves you. Don’t let that go, Draco. There are times I wish… never mind. Just know that love always wins out. That’s just the way it’s always written.” A pained look crossed his face briefly. “Just owl me, Draco, and I’ll be here as soon as I can.”

And with that, the revered Potions Master of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, swept from the room and out of the manor, leaving a very shocked and dazed Ice Prince of Slytherin.

*************

Hermione, Ron and Neville Apparated to the Burrow after Ron and Neville had gotten cleaned up. Ron had Hermione’s books and Neville had her clothes trunk. The three were talking and laughing together as they walked into the kitchen.

It looked like Harry and Ginny had just gotten up and Molly was telling them where Hermione had gone when she walked in on them laughing at something Ron had said.

She took the books from Ron, put them on top of the trunk and asked Neville to take them upstairs for her. Neville raised an eyebrow at her, but nodded and went upstairs.

The three who had been in the kitchen were totally blown away by how Ron and Hermione were acting towards each other. There was nothing lover-like in their posture, but, rather, they acted like a brother and sister who’d had a row and had finally patched things up. Harry was the first one to speak up.

“So, made up, have you?” he asked.

“Yes, we have, Harry,” answered Hermione. “And when you hear his story, you’ll understand why. Ron, do you want to tell the whole family at once, or just these three first?”

Ron smiled gratefully at Hermione for not summoning his whole family as soon as they got in.

“Uh – just them for right now, Mya. After that, we’ll see if there’s any point in telling everyone else. I’d like Neville to be down here, though.”

“Your wish, my command,” Neville spoke from the stairs doorway. He walked over to Ron and put an arm around him. Hermione followed suit, putting her arm around his waist.

“This is big, isn’t it, Ron?” Ginny asked quietly.

“Yes, it is.” Ron smiled at his little sister. “It might change everything – even the way you feel about me. For good or bad, I don’t know. I hope for the good, but I’m afraid it’s going to be bad.”

Ron looked first at his mum, then at his sister and brother-in-law, then at Hermione. He then looked Neville in the eyes. Neville smiled, nodding, and took one of Ron’s hands.

Ron looked at the part of his family sitting around the kitchen table and took a deep breath. No, this was not going to be easy.

“Well, I guess I should start at the beginning. I will ask only that you not interrupt me, and wait to say anything until I’m finished,” he smiled when everyone nodded their agreement. He took another deep breath. “A year and a half ago I started having an affair on Hermione. I tried to convince myself that it was just for “fun”. Just a way to pass the time.” He paused before plunging on. Molly had a horrible – well, not horrible, but strong feeling that she thought she knew where this was going. “Well, anyway, I told myself, after each of our encounters, that it would be my last one, the last time I would cheat. But after a few days I’d find myself going back, because I didn’t want to stop. The longer the affair went on, the more I fell in love with this person. They were everything that I wanted in a person – and they had one thing that Hermione would never have.” He licked lips suddenly gone dry. “So I continued to see this person, to try and delude myself that it wasn’t love, but lust. The night before the wedding the person I’m having this relationship with gave me an ultimatum. To tell Hermione – not leave her, but tell her about us, or they were walking away. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing him.” Now Ron blushed, as his mum, Harry and Ginny looked at him in surprise, with their eyes round and their mouths hanging in their laps.

“So, I Floo’d Hermione and broke it off, telling her it was a witch that I was leaving her for. But it wasn’t. It was a wizard. Mum… Harry, Ginny – I’m gay. And I’m in love – with Neville.” As he said this he gripped Neville’s free hand with his and held on for dear life.

For a few moments they all just stared. Ron – gay? How had they missed that? Then Molly slowly stood up and went around the table to her youngest son. She wrapped him in her arms and hugged him tight.

“Ron, I love you no less now because of your preferences than I did when you were with Hermione. It doesn’t matter to me or your father who you love, as long as you love. I’m still put out with you for the way you treated Hermione, but I think I understand now. Don’t ever think you can’t talk to me, Ron. You may be an adult now, but you’re still my son.”

Ron collapsed into Molly’s embrace when he heard her acceptance, crying on her shoulder. When he was done and looked up, Harry and Ginny were in the hug also.

“We could never hate your for being gay, Ron.” Said Harry as Ginny grinned and nodded. “We love you.” She said.

Then Molly, Harry and Ginny turned to Neville and hugged him. “Welcome to the family, Neville.” Was all Molly said.

Then they all were crying.

“Okay, enough of the waterfalls.” Hermione wiped her eyes. “We need to sit down, eat something and figure out how we’re going to break this to everyone else.”

“Break what to everyone else?” said Arthur from the doorway to the backyard. “Me and the boys thought we’d come home for lunch, looks like it’s a good thing we did – what’s going on? Hello, Neville.”

Neville waved to everyone and he turned to Ron. “Well, it’s now or never. Don’t worry, I’ll be here.”

“We all will.” Hermione, Harry and Ginny said in unison.

They sat down at the table as Molly went about making lunch. Ron sat and told his father and brothers about him and Neville. When he was finished they all looked stunned. Then Charlie laid a hand over Ron’s white knuckled ones.

“Did you really think we would hate you if we knew? You’re our family Ron. We will always love you!” as he said this Bill, Percy, the twins and Arthur covered Charlie’s hand with their own. They all murmured their agreement with what Charlie said.

Ron was quite overwhelmed. He stood up with tears in his eyes, knocking back his chair. He stumbled to his father, who stood up and caught him in a rough hug. Then everyone was there, hugging him, patting him on the back, showing their love and support for him. Then he walked over to Neville who had kept himself apart from the talk and buried his face in his shoulder, crying. Neville wrapped his arms around Ron and murmured comfort to him. One by one all of the Weasleys walked over to Neville while he was comforting Ron, hugged him, and welcomed him to the family. Finally, as Hermione, Harry, and Ginny wrapped Neville and Ron in a huge group hug, Neville couldn’t contain himself either. He leaned his forehead on Ron’s and started crying, too.

The Weasleys watched the five friends wrapped up in a tangle of arms and tears as they lent their support to each other, and went out back to eat lunch and give them some privacy.

Finally Hermione looked up and said, “I feel like I’ve cried more this week than I have in the last 5 years. C’mon, now, Neville, Ron – I told you that you wouldn’t be hated. Neville you’ve been very close to us for the last 12 years, you should have known that if melting 15 cauldrons in Potions over 6 years hadn’t made us hate you, nothing you could say or do would.” Neville raised his head off Ron’s shoulders, surprise at what Hermione said plain on his face. Then he saw the smile playing around her mouth and her twinkling eyes and realized she was teasing him. He noticed that Harry and Ginny’s eyes were sparkling with suppressed mirth, too. He looked at his 3 friends and laughed.

Then he grabbed Ron’s chin and lifted his face from his shoulder. He looked deep into his eyes and said. “Well, it looks like it’s unanimous, love. I’m part of the family, now. You’ll never get rid of me.”

Ron looked into Neville’s eyes and said, “Too right, I won’t. I love you, Neville. Please say you’ll always be mine.”

Neville’s eyes darkened and his voice got husky. “Always, my love… forever and always.” He leaned down and kissed Ron.

Hermione had gone rigid at Neville’s words. Forever and always. Isn’t that what Draco and I said our one night together? Didn’t we promise to be together forever? Oh, Gods. I can’t stand it anymore! I miss him so much… I can’t stand it! She cleared her throat, detangled herself from the mass of bodies, made an excuse to leave that sounded feeble even to her and fled to her room.

The two couples she left standing in the kitchen looked at each other, perplexed. It was Ron that realized what happened first. “Oh, Merlin!” He groaned. “While she’s been here helping me she’s been getting torn apart inside.” He turned to Neville. “I have to go see if she’s alright. I’ll be right back,” and he hurtled off to Hermione’s room.

He opened the door to find Hermione flung across her bed, crying like a child. He walked over to her, picked her up and sat down on her bed. He held her in his arms, whispering words of comfort to her, telling her how sorry he was, and finally just remained silent, allowing her to sob into his shoulder while he rubbed her back and smoothed her hair.

The other three converged on Ron and Hermione, each of them using hands to stroke her hair and words to comfort. She fell asleep in the arms of her friends.

It was that vision again. Of her, Draco and their children. The kids were romping and playing with each other and she was curled up against Draco, both of them happy to watch their children. Hermione moaned in her sleep and tossed in bed. Then the dream rippled, like water poring down glass.

The oldest child, a girl, stopped playing and walked to Hermione and Draco. “I’m already here! Mother, Father! Listen to me! I’m here!”

Hermione sat staring at this little girl, in shock. She looked at the other children; they hadn’t noticed their eldest sister moving away. When she turned to see if Draco noticed, she stopped dead. For Draco was looking back at her with astonishment in his eyes.

“Hermione?”

“Draco?”

“Mother! Father! You must listen!” the blond child stamped her foot. “I’m here already! True Love and Destiny need not convenient timing! You have to figure out how to be together before I’m born!” She ran up and gave them both a kiss and hug, then went back to playing, acting as though nothing had ever happened.

Hermione and Draco looked at each other one last time…

Hermione sat bolt upright in bed, stomach churning. She clapped a hand to her mouth, leapt out of bed and made it to the toilet just in time to throw up. She sat there retching while the four other people in her bedroom came up behind her. Ginny held her hair out of her face, so she wouldn’t get sick in it.

“Hermione, what’s wrong?” Harry asked when he saw tears on her cheeks when she was done retching.

“I’m pregnant, Harry,” Hermione cried. “And it’s Draco’s.”