Blood Soaked Wedding Dress
Blood Soaked Wedding Dress
“I’ll kill her. I’ll rip off her arms and beat her with them.” Pansy was muttering to Hermione’s left, viciously stabbing her potatoes like they’d personally wronged her.
“Pansy please. The blood would ruin your dress.” Hermione replied dryly, relishing the cold glass of wine she’d finally been allowed to drink.
“It would be worth it.” She shot back, as Neville rejoined his bride, kissing her on the temple before he sat.
“She’s placated for now. Don’t know why you wouldn’t let us poison her, Mione, that would have been such a good wedding gift.” He said, taking a long drink of his own wine.
“I just wanted your day to be about you two, not overshadowed with drama. I’m sorry.”
“Oh, don’t apologise, we got to do the important bit drama-free. If I have to jinx someone before we get to have our first dance, then so be it.” Pansy shrugged, and Neville chucked, placing a lazy arm on the back of her chair.
“Why did it have to be her? Of all people?” She grumbled, cutting up her chicken with slightly more force than was necessary.
“Merlin, I know. This reeks of Lucius, I’ll be honest, but Draco won’t tell me anything about it without getting defensive and declaring his undying love for the cow. He was utterly besotted with you, and you could not be more different, I just cannot fathom what he possibly sees in her.” Pansy drained her wine, and did an admirable job of not staring at Draco and Astoria, looking around the other tables with false interest. The wedding party were at their own table, sitting in a long line with Hermione in between Pansy and Theo, who had been uncharacteristically quiet since the surprise arrival of Astoria. Anger was radiating off him in waves, and he refused to engage anyone in conversation, not even Harry, who was on the other side of Neville.
As the night progressed, Hermione found her anger turning back to sadness and longing. She watched from afar as Draco danced with Astoria, both of them looking so irritatingly happy. The tables floated away after dinner was finished, revealing the large dance floor. As it turns out, Pansy and Neville had managed to have their first dance before the raven-haired witch had felt it necessary to jinx anyone, and Hermione looked on with a soft smile, feeling content as she watched Neville spin his wife, broad smiles on both of their faces.
She knocked back the rest of her drink, having lost count of just how many she’d had at that point, and joined Harry on the dance floor, feeling safe in his strong arms. His speech had been brilliant, as she knew it would be, and Pansy had even cried at one point. She had vowed that she’d make Harry pay for making her cry in front of a crowd, and Hermione had no doubt that she’d meant it. As she swayed along to the music, she could feel so many eyes on her. Everyone was just waiting for her to break down, to cry and run, or scream and try and pull out Astoria’s hair, but she just didn’t have the energy for either of those things, even though she felt like doing both. Harry released her with a sad smile. They didn’t need to exchange any words, he knew her well enough that he could tell exactly what she was thinking, and that she definitely didn’t want to talk about it.
She’d accidentally caught Draco’s eye a few times during the reception. He’d been occluding on and off throughout the night, she could always tell when he was, and it made her feel so disappointed in him that he’d thrown away all the work he’d put in to kick the habit. He’d relapsed a few times since they left Hogwarts, only once seriously, and she’d been there for him every time. Eventually, she reached her limit.
As Astoria was preoccupied dancing with a perturbed looking Blaise, with Ginny watching on with murderous eyes, she decided to approach Draco.
“Hi.” She said quietly, standing at his side, looking forwards. His eyes never left Astoria.
“Hi.”
“Today’s been nice, I’m glad Pans and Neville got their day.” Her tone was neutral, it didn’t betray her warring emotions.
“Really nice. The weather held out, that was good.” He replied in kind. Bland, meaningless. As if they didn’t have the past that they did.
The silence was deafening, and she’d never been one for small talk, so she ploughed on.
“Sorry, I need to know. You’ve been occluding, why?”
“You honestly have to ask me that question?” He finally turned to her, a look of slight disgust on his face.
“Well I don’t know why you’re doing it, so yes, I do. Whether you want to remember or not, I was there for you when you relapsed the first time.” She replied defensively, just wanting him to know that she would be there for him again if she could. If he just asked.
“It’s not a relapse. It’s just today.”
“If you’re sure.”
“Well it’s really none of your business, is it?” He snapped, turning back to watch Astoria being spun by Blaise, who looked like he’d rather be anywhere else than here right now.
“Guess not. Have a nice night, Malfoy.”
“You too, Granger.”
It took everything she had not to bolt for the door to the gardens. She forced herself to walk at a normal pace, right up until she reached a secluded part of the grounds where she was certain nobody would see her, and she finally allowed herself to lose it.
She made good on her word to Daphne earlier and lost her dinner into one of the bushes. She collapsed onto her knees, dress be damned, and sobbed. The cold civility had been so much worse than anything else could have been. She would have preferred a screaming argument, angry words thrown her way, anything but the indifference he’d shown her. The worst part of all of this was that it was entirely her own fault. This had been her choice, she’d thought it was for the best, but what if she’d been wrong? Maybe they could have worked it out? She hadn’t wanted to hold him back, and he’d moved on so quickly with Astoria that it made her question their entire relationship. Had any of it been real? She’d always doubted the speed with which they’d moved, maybe she should have paid it more attention.
All she wanted was to disappear, be absorbed by Neville’s garden, never to be found. She wasn’t granted that wish.
“Why were you talking to her?!” Astoria screamed, her carefully curled hair sparking with magic.
“She approached me, what was I meant to do?” Draco shot back, arms gesticulating wildly, something he only did when he was incensed.
“Ignore her! Walk away! Tell her to leave you alone!” She shrieked, finally turning to face him.
“Astoria, you're being ridiculous.”
“Am I? If my doubts were completely unfounded then maybe, but they aren’t, and we both know it. You’d go crawling back to her in a second if she asked.” Astoria yelled, pointing towards the house. Neither of them knew Hermione was only metres away, listening to every word.
“Of course I fucking would!” He bellowed, apparently having reached his limit. Hermione sobbed, hand covering her mouth. “I will always love Hermione, with every single part of me, with my entire fucking soul, but you knew that when you entered into this! You belittle her, you belittle my friends, you belittle me! What, exactly, am I getting out of this relationship, hmm? You want the money? Fucking take it, have it all, I don’t care. You’ll never be her, and I’ll never be happy without her.”
“What is it that’s so special about her? She’s an ugly, irritating, know it all! She can’t even give you children!” Astoria screamed, and Hermione finally stood, shaken from her trance.
“How do you know that?” She asked as Draco gaped at her with wide eyes. “I sent that letter to Draco, not to anyone else. You shared that with her? Do I mean that little to you?” She looked at Draco, who was gaping at the two of them, confusion dancing in his eyes.
“What letter? I never got a letter, Hermione, I don’t know- what do you mean she can’t give me children? Is that true?” His tone was gentle, betraying all of the hurt he felt. Astoria was white as a sheet.
“You don’t know, do you? You’re not lying to me, I can tell. You really didn’t get my letter?” She asked, and he shook his head, tears forming in both of their eyes.
She whirled on Astoria, wand to her throat in a second.
“What did you do?” She asked, voice calm and threatening.
Astoria was shaking, her eyes wide in fear. She put on a tone of confidence nonetheless. “I was protecting him from you, mudblood.” She sneered, but her eyes gave her away. She knew exactly how powerful Hermione was, what she could do if she was so inclined. “He never would have left you, even though you asked him to, so I did you both a favour and replied on his behalf.”
“I knew he’d never say those things to me. I should have trusted-. Fuck. How long have you been planning this? I assume you’ve been communicating with his father in Azkaban? Are you really that desperate to get your hands on their money?”
“It’s what I deserve! I was promised this life, and the minute the law was repealed, I knew I needed to get your filthy hands away from him, before it was too late and you sullied the family line. Imagine my surprise when you offered me the peace of mind I needed? That you’re as barren as you are insufferable.”
“Hermione?” Draco said quietly, voice cracking. She ignored him.
“I was leaving him anyway! To give him a chance at having a family! Why hide it? I wouldn’t have stood in your way, hell I might have helped you.”
“He never would have left you, this was the only way. I had to alienate him from you, to remove you from each other’s lives.”
“Can you two stop fucking talking like I’m not standing right here?” Draco yelled suddenly, his hands clenched in fists. Hermione sighed and dropped her wand, stepping back a few paces. “Astoria, tell me it isn’t true? I thought we were friends, I thought we were working something out?”
“Well we could have if you weren’t so infatuated with a dirty mudblood!” She yelled, and immediately regretted it upon seeing Draco’s face.
“Do not use that word, especially about her.” He said coldly, pulling his wand, weighing the wood in his hand. “Don’t test me right now, not when I have nothing to lose. You seriously thought I would ever love you? You could never compare to Hermione, she is worth so much more to me, more than anything. Certainly more than you. The fact that you kept something like this from me? You thought you could scheme your way to the family riches, exploiting my broken, bleeding heart for your own gain? My apologies, Astoria, you came close, but not close enough.”
“You think your family will stand for this? Knowing that she’ll never give you an heir?” She sneered, but suddenly baulked at the demure woman making her way over to them.
“I’d thank you not to make assumptions, Miss Greengrass.” Narcissa said, approaching the group with her usual calm confidence.
“Narcissa! So lovely to see you again!” Astoria said, reaching for the witch’s hands. Narcissa’s hands remained clasped behind her back as she looked down her nose at the woman.
“Miss Greengrass, I do believe there has been a misunderstanding. You see, from the moment my son wrote to me and told me that he was in love with Hermione, I have considered her my daughter. That happened when they were still at Hogwarts, long before you started scheming with my husband. I do apologise if you were under the impression that you would soon be joining our family, I must confess that I would never have allowed that to happen. Now, this wedding is a very special occasion, and I am told that you were explicitly asked not to attend. I assume that is because this is a celebration for friends and family, and you are decidedly neither of those things. You never have been, and you certainly never will be.”
“But Lucius assured me-“
“My husband is currently incarcerated in Azkaban, Miss Greengrass. I do not know what he promised you, but whilst he is in prison, he is not recognised as the head of the family. In his absence, that role falls to me, until such a day as I decide to pass it onto my son. Let me be explicitly clear, as I wonder if you are struggling to understand what is happening. Whilst I am alive, you will never get your hands on a single knut from the Malfoy vaults, you will never marry my son, and you will never live up to the standard that Hermione has set. You could never hope to be half such a witch, even if you devoted the rest of your days to the task.” Astoria turned to Draco with wide eyes. Narcissa had a reputation for protecting her family, but Hermione had never had a front row seat before. The woman had never raised her voice, she didn’t brandish her wand, she used only her words. Words that cut like the sharpest knife, right down to the bone. The sheer power that exuded from the Malfoy matriarch was enough to make anyone cower in fear. She was indomitable, to say the least. Hermione felt her tears return at the open display of solidarity from the woman that once wanted to see her and her kind slaughtered.
“Drakey you can’t let her talk to me like that, surely you see-“ Astoria simpered, but Draco interrupted her in a harsh tone.
“Astoria, leave. Now. It goes without saying that we are over, and if you contact me again, or Hermione for that matter, I will personally ensure that your life is a living hell. I will have you blacklisted from every single establishment in the country, I will have your name disparaged so completely that you will never be able to show your face again. You wanted to be a Malfoy for the influence that name holds? Well I would love to give you a demonstration of exactly how influential a man I am, particularly when you have stood between me and my family. Leave, I won’t ask again.”
Astoria whimpered slightly, before promptly apparating away. Narcissa quickly moved to Hermione, grabbing her hands as her tears fell.
“Mother, did you know?” Draco asked, staring directly at Hermione, his face blank with shock.
“I did. What I said to Miss Greengrass wasn’t a lie, I have cared for her like a daughter from the moment you told me how important she was to you. We both had a lot to make up for, and I started in earnest as soon as I could.”
“Could I speak to Hermione alone please, mother?” He said in an alien voice, his words stilted.
Narcissa looked to Hermione, who nodded slightly, before she moved away. She placed a gentle kiss on her son’s cheek before disappearing inside.
The second she was gone, his facade broke. She’d never seen him cry before, and it was so unsettling that it set her off once more.
“Hermione, what were you thinking?” He asked, his tone one of devastation.
“You’ve always wanted kids, I know how important that was to you, and I can’t have them. Whatever curse Dolohov hit me with, there’s too much damaged tissue inside me to support a baby. I wasn’t going to hold you back from having a family, I couldn’t do that to you.” She sobbed, deliberately maintaining the distance between them.
“Hermione, I don’t understand. You think I only see you as some sort of baby-making machine? One that I’d toss aside if I deemed it broken? You really think you mean that little to me?” He questioned her, his eyes red. He certainly wasn’t occluding any more.
“I knew you’d never leave me, Draco, Astoria was right. That’s why I said all those things, I had to push you away. I couldn’t be selfish and not give you an out, the chance to have your own children. You’d resent me eventually for keeping you from being a father, and I couldn’t let that happen.” She shook her head, covering her mouth with her hand as she gasped. Her tears continued to fall as he looked at her incredulously.
“That night, by the lake. When you dosed us all with the veritaserum? Your worst fear was that I’d push you away to protect you, that we wouldn’t face our problems as a team and I’d go it alone thinking I knew what was best for you. You’ve done exactly that to me, Hermione. Why are you so convinced that we wouldn’t have worked this out? We could have adopted, or used a surrogate, there are so many things we could have done, if you’d just given me the chance to help you.” His voice was desperate, pleading, and it was hitting Hermione like a thousand knives stabbing directly into her heart.
“You don’t want those things, you want a biological child, Draco, I’m not an idiot. Why can’t you just take the gift I’ve given you?” She yelled, begging him to understand. Trying to justify her actions, to stop the pain she’d felt for nearly a year.
“The gift? What, a lifetime of misery? Yes, thanks for that, I really appreciate it.” He scoffed slightly, wiping a rough hand across his face. “Hermione, I could have a thousand perfect blonde babies and not a single one of them would mean anything to me if they weren’t also half you. You are my family, don’t you understand that? If it’s just me and you for the rest of our lives, I would still feel like the luckiest bastard on the planet because I would be with you! I’ve spent this last year trying to work out how the fuck I am supposed to exist without you and I can’t do it, it’s like I’m missing a part of myself. Hermione, please. We can work this out, please don’t push me away anymore, I can’t do this again.” His voice cracked as he got out his last sentence, and she sobbed, not being able to look at him in so much pain.
“Draco, please, I’m trying not to be selfish, I just want you to be happy.”
“Be selfish, Hermione! For the love of Merlin, I am begging you to be selfish. You are the only thing that makes me happy, I don’t want to do life with anyone else, whatever that might look like, kids or no. All that matters is that I’m with you, that’s all I wanted, it’s all I’ve ever wanted.” He rushed forward and grabbed her hand, his eyes pleading with her to stay with him.
“That’s all I wanted, too.” She admitted quietly.
“Well we are exactly the same, that’s no surprise.” He laughed desperately, tears falling down his face.
“Draco-“ She cut herself off with a sob.
“Hermione, please just come home. I’m losing my fucking mind.” He sounded so tired. She finally met his gaze, and saw just how exhausted he was.
“I’m sorry.“ She collapsed into his arms and he held her close, burying his face in her hair.
“Please never leave me again, it was fucking awful.” He mumbled, his voice muffled. She could feel her hair growing damp from his tears. She was ruining his shirt. None of that mattered as she gripped him tighter.
“I am so annoyed at you, you ridiculous witch.” He added, and she let out a noise that was somewhere between a sob and a laugh.
“I’ve missed you so much.” She admitted, face firmly pressed to his chest.
“Oh, you have no idea.” He replied, inhaling the scent of her like a drowning man finding air.
He finally let go, and moved backwards slightly, rubbing his hands up and down her arms.
“We have a hell of a lot to talk about, but do you reckon we could put it off just for tonight and go and enjoy what’s left of this wedding?” He nodded his head in the direction of the house, the music audible even outside.
Hermione laughed, wiping her eyes gently with the back of her hand. “You think people will notice if we go back in together?”
“Oh, undoubtedly. I’m expecting at least Pans and Harry to hex me, if not the others as well.”
“They’d be hexing me if they knew what actually happened.”
“Nope, we aren’t doing that. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it, but I’m not letting there be sides to take. We’re a package deal, Granger, I’m not letting you go again.” He grabbed her hand, and squeezed lightly, swinging their hands a little. “I am undoubtedly annoyed at you, but that feeling is dwarfed entirely by the overwhelming sense of relief I’m currently experiencing.”
“I thought by letting you go that I was allowing you the chance to be truly happy. Without the burden of me and all my bloody trauma, you could live your life and have everything you ever wanted. The things I can never give you.”
He pulled her into another tight embrace, his arms clamping her to him like he couldn’t get her close enough.
“Please, I am begging you, never imagine that I would be happy without you. You are not a burden, you never will be. We both have a fuck load of trauma, and maybe we should have spoken about it more than we have, but you have to know, Hermione, that with you? I already have everything I ever wanted.” She pulled away, and held his face in her hands.
“Oh, Draco Malfoy, how saccharine we are.”
“I told you it was inevitable, on that very first day I knew. Have you truly been in denial all this time?”
“No, I knew. I knew, with absolute certainty, whilst we were still in school that I would do anything for you. That you’d been dealt the most unfair hand, and I’d do anything I had to for you to be able to live, just as you wanted to, no matter what anyone else said. I found out about my condition, and I couldn’t let you down like that so I blew everything up instead.”
“Look, now isn’t the time or the place for getting into your reasoning, and know that I’m not shutting you down because I don’t care because that could not be further from the truth. It’s just that I want to be able to sit down and properly work through this. I want to know what the hospital said, how you feel about it because all you’ve spoken about so far is how this affects me for some reason, just all of it. We can’t do that effectively if we’re standing in Neville’s bloody garden, with our friends wondering where the hell we are because my mother absolutely will have told them what happened, and frankly I’m wondering how we’ve been left alone for as long as we have.”
“Because I’ve been holding them back, you pair of idiots, so if you could hurry this along, just cut to straight to the snogging, and then get your fucking arses inside this party, I’d appreciate it greatly.” Theo’s voice rang out across the garden, and Hermione laughed loudly, stifling a sob.
“Thank you, Theo.” She said, grinning at Draco.
“This better make me your best friend, golden girl.” He replied, before they heard a door closing.
“You heard the man, Malfoy.” She placed her hands on his chest, and he snorted before finally pressing their lips together. His hands were everywhere, like he was committing her to memory whilst he had the chance. She clung to his shirt with one hand, the other cupped his jaw, wiping away his tears with her thumb. Kissing Draco felt like coming home, returning to safety and stability and everything that was right. She’d do anything for him, including giving him up, but right now, the feeling of being back in his arms? She wouldn’t trade that for anything.
“I’m not living without you ever again. You understand that, Hermione Granger? Whatever happens, wherever we go, it’s you and me.”
“I could get on board with that. This last year has been fundamentally shit.”
“So shit.”
“Astoria didn’t do it for you, then?” She looked up at him, mirth in her eyes. He snorted.
“Oh it is way too soon to make jokes about that, fucking hell. She was part of a plan I was coerced into in the midst of a crippling heartbreak that I thought I’d never recover from. You see what happens when you’re not around? I make horrendous choices.”
“I liked her hair though, the curl suited her.” She mused, tapping her chin in thought.
“It absolutely did not. A poor imitation.” He looked at her, smiling.
“Of what?” She teased, smirking.
“Surely you’re not fishing for compliments minutes after I bare my soul to you. What more could you possibly want from me?”
“I could think of a few things, but they’re not to be discussed in polite company, and we’ve got a party to get back to.”
“You actually want me dead, don’t you? I’m convinced.”
“Time’s up, morons. Out of my way, Theo, I’m not waiting anymore. This is my fucking wedding, you two are my best fucking friends in the world, and you’re missing my fucking reception! This year has been so horrendously stressful, having to split my time like a child of divorce, and I refuse to spend a single second longer swimming in the depths of your unresolved sexual tension. There is plenty of time for make-up sex later, in the comfort of your own home I would hope, but right now, as the bride associated with the wedding that you’re currently attending, I demand that you get in here and get absolutely shit faced so that we can reminisce over the embarrassing photos when we’re all old and sad.” Pansy hollered across the garden, holding up the skirt of her dress with her hands. Hermione could see their friends standing behind her, all pressed into the small corridor by the door. She could see Theo casually leaning against the wall outside, a satisfied smirk on his face.
“Well, we certainly can’t argue with that sort of polite request. Shall we?” He offered her his arm and she laughed before taking it. They made their way back into the building, their friends dancing back into the main hall singing a rousing version of ‘ding dong the witch is dead’ which did not paint Astoria in a flattering light, but Hermione couldn’t find it within herself to care all that much. She stopped as they approached Theo, and she dropped Draco’s arm to pull her friend into a tight embrace.
“You’re my best friend, Theo. Don’t tell Pansy, she’ll kill us both.” She said into his shoulder.
“You’re alright? Everything’s ok now?” He asked in a worried voice, and she nodded.
“It’s gonna be fine. More than fine. It’s gonna be great.”
He pulled away, and sighed. “Well thank fuck for that.”
He then marched over to Draco, and pulled his friend into an equally tight hug.
“I missed you, mate.”
“I missed you too, Theo. Fuck.”
“I had to stay with her and Harry, I’m sorry.” He babbled, and Hermione could see they were both shaking. She did her best not to cry again, she really did.
“Don’t apologise, I get it. Thank you for being there for her when I wasn’t.”
He stepped back and took a deep breath.
“I’ve got you both, always. Please don’t make me choose a side again, it just about tore me apart.”
“Never again, Theo. I promise.” Hermione answered, reaching for his hand and squeezing it lightly. He nodded, and then clapped his hands together, reverting to the easy-going Theo she knew and loved.
“Well, I don’t know about you two, but I’m in the mood for doing an obscene amount of shots. I could do with the company if you fancy joining me?”
“Exactly what I was thinking.” Draco smiled, slinging one arm around Theo and the other around Hermione. He placed a kiss on the crown of her head, and guided them inside.
They were met with the enthusiastic whoops of their friends, and drinks were thrust into their hands immediately. Hermione looked up at Draco, who was smiling down at her, and for the first time in a year, she felt like she was where she was supposed to be.
Begin Again
Before he was dragged off into a night of debauchery, Draco went in search of his mother once more. She was perched demurely at an empty table, simply observing the party. Her face gave nothing away, but her eyes betrayed her unmitigated joy at the way things had worked out.
“Hello Draco. Everything alright?” She asked, the famous Malfoy smirk firmly in place.
Draco didn’t answer, and simply bundled his mother into a close embrace.
“Thank you for being there for her.”
“I don’t know why you’re so surprised. I will always look after my family.”
He kissed her cheek, and released her from his arms.
“I do believe you’ve got some catching up to do, my son. I shall take my leave now, I think, before it becomes any rowdier. I hope you know how proud I am of you.” She moved the hair from his forehead and smiled softly.
“Thank you mother.” He said quietly, and she nodded.
“Get back to Hermione, you’ve neglected her long enough.” She shooed him away with her hands, and he smiled, practically running back to his witch’s side.
Astoria might have curled her hair, worn similar clothes, pretended to be interested when he wanted to talk about books, but she was nothing like the real thing. There was an innate energy that Hermione possessed that attracted him to her. In the time they’d spent apart, he’d realised that he’d always felt it, from the moment they’d met on the train as children. It had encouraged negative attention at first, that much was true, but he’d always struggled to stay away from her, and he’d never known why. Now he didn’t need to know the reason, he just wanted to bask in it. She had been dealing with so much pain all on her own, and had pushed him away so he didn’t have to feel it too. He should be angry about that, but he couldn’t conjure up any emotions that felt stronger than the love he had for her. To be back by her side, exactly where he should be? The world made sense again.
“You won’t be my brother-in-law after all, then?” Daphne sidled up to him, clutching her stomach protectively.
“Wasn’t meant to be, unfortunately Daph.” He pulled her into a side hug, and she looked up at him.
“Took you bloody long enough to realise.” She said, shaking her head. “This is it now, right? Neither of you are going anywhere?”
“Not if I can help it. I’m not fucking this up again.”
“Good. Now, use your ridiculous height to spot my husband and tell him to take me to bed, my feet are fucking killing me.” He laughed, and did as she asked, signalling Weasley, who sighed heavily at the sight of his wife. He drained his glass, and made his way over, lovingly placing his arms around her.
“Cheers, Malfoy. Good to have you back, mate.” He clapped him on the shoulder before guiding his wife to the door, not bothering to wait for a reply. Draco’s hands were suddenly grabbed by a blur of ginger hair, presumably the other Weasley in attendance tonight, and he was dragged onto the dance floor, into the midst of his best friends. Ginny beamed at him, winked, and then draped him over Hermione, who laughed loudly at her friend’s antics.
She allowed him to spin her obnoxiously, before she laughed again as he pulled her close.
“I love you.” She said in his ear, and he gripped her a bit tighter.
“I love you too.” He replied, before she was pulled away by an incredibly drunk Pansy. He watched her dance with a smile, until he was once again commandeered by Ginny, who forced him to dance with her, when she knew he hated it and had always only put up with it for Hermione’s benefit. Apparently he owed her for allowing Blaise to dance with Astoria earlier and not maiming the witch in a jealous rage.
He grinned as he downed more drinks, back with all of his friends who he’d missed more than he realised. He was never far from Hermione, and didn’t intend to be ever again. He knew they’d work this out, they’d get through it together. How certain was he? 100%.