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Ron Weasley had always thought Hermione would be that girl for him. It was just one of those things that made absolutely sense. Of course there were times he felt inadequate, of course he did. And she was going places, even if she was stuck in that miserably small office at the Department of Magical Creatures for the time being. He had always believed in her and he knew she believed in him as well. They loved each other and they always would, no matter what happened.
Even when they eventually broke up and didn't talk for a full year, he still loved her. He even still loved her when they made up and she still loved him when he started dating someone new. Everything had change, but all the same, it was almost like it was before. It was a part of growing up. It was much like when he was a teenager and his legs ached when he went through a growth spurt. Not all change had to be pleasant, but they had to happen.
"Even if you hate me, promise you won't stop loving me." She had once said. He had never forgotten it.
Ron gritted his teeth and muttered that to himself over and over and over the first time she was spotted sitting across from Draco Malfoy in the Ministry cafeteria, folders and parchment scattered across their table.
"You seeing this?" Harry appeared next to him.
"If they had to work through lunch, why didn't they do it in her office where, you know, she wasn't publicly humiliating herself."
"Just the two of her? In her office?" Harry raised an eyebrow. "Alone?"
Ron shuddered. "You're right, its probably a safety thing." Then he raised an eyebrow. "Should we go sit with them? As, like, back up?"
Harry paused for a moment, thinking. "Maybe we could just sit near them. So it's not obvious. I'm more afraid that she would hex us."
They ended up sitting up at the table directly behind them. Hermione didn't seem to even notice.
It wasn't the last time he had spotted them having lunch together, in fact, at least once a week it seemed like she made a purposeful choice to sit with him. Once, entirely by coincidence, Harry spotted them at a cafe in London. Since then, Hermione didn't go to the cafeteria unless it was Thursday where she sat down with Ron and Harry for their weekly get-together. It was a tradition they started on their first day all together. It was oddity for her, since she only brought her own lunch and ate out only on special occasions. She like the whirl of the cafeteria, it reminded her of school, she had told Harry once.
"Ron, Alice was telling me that she finally met you while working a case last week."
"Alice?" Ron asked confused. He stuck a fork in his spaghetti and twirled.
"Yeah, blonde hair girl. She said you helped her wrangle some trafficked Billywigs. She also asked me if you were available." Hermione gave him a meaningful look.
"Available?"
She rolled her eyes and sighed heavily before looking at Harry, seated next to her. "Harry, you guys shouldn't overwork yourselves so much, I mean, look at him."
"Excuse you, I'm perfectly fine." Ron scoffed, feeling his face heat up. He ignored Harry giving him warning looks, although he did briefly did give some thought of the consequence of what was going to happen next. "So you're getting along with Malfoy?"
He expected her usually fiery retorts and critical glare. Harry didn't disappoint him as he squinted his disapproval of the subject; they had actually agreed to do it at a later date. So when she paled slightly and quieted for a moment, it confused him.
"We're working on a project together." She said in a bored tone. "He's been really helpful actually."
She shuffled through her salad and stabbed at a cucumber. Harry looked sideways at Hermione.
"You would tell us if he wasn't though, right?"
She looked sideways back at him. "I would. I don't think there is anything to worry about."
"Just be careful, he isn't the most trustworthy bloke in the building." Ron said.
She nodded and Harry changed the subject. They made plans to meet up at the usual pub after work on Friday. Hermione laughed at Ron while Harry told her how he had reacted to going to a laundromat for the first time earlier that week. Ron and Hermione both scolded Harry when he told them he hadn't picked up a anniversary present for Ginny yet, which was on Saturday. It was normal. Ron wouldn't have trade it for anything.
Friday night came and Ron was wrong. He was dead wrong, so very dreadfully, regrettably, wrong.
Incidentally, Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini thought they would try that exact bar at that exact time and he could have swore Hermione didn't offer to pick up the first tab just because she was feeling nice. He would trade pub nights, cafeteria lunches, and all the quidditch matches for the rest of his life to rid his eyes of the scene playing out in front of him.
Hermione went to the only open spot at the counter which happened to be on the opposite side of two Slytherins, but the distance didn't save her. The moment Draco recognized her, he didn't sneer, he didn't nudge Blaise and point her out, in fact, Ron couldn't find a hint of malicious intent on his face. Instead, Draco had froze for a moment and glance at his companion, mumbling something that looked like, "I'll be right back", and suddenly he was leaning over the bar right next to her. She looked up at him in surprise and smiled, not just a polite smile, but the one that lit up when she was actually happy.
"Hello, are you listening to me?" Harry was snapping his fingers in Ron's face suddenly. He had forgotten that he was talking and by the looks of it, Harry had been talking for a while. Ron had no idea what he had been saying.
"What does he think he's doing?" Ron hissed, nudging his head forward to point.
Harry narrowed his eyes and swung around. When he saw her, his head jerked back microscopically. Blaise seemed just as confused, staring at his friend on the other end of the bar. For a brief moment, Harry and Ron met Blaise's glance and they looked away as though they had all witnessed something they shouldn't look at.
"Don't you dare, I'm serious Ron. This is not the time or the place so if you want to blow up do it at your flat and not in public. I'm so serious Ron, I see your face. Will you breath, you're turning red again!"
"Sorry, there was a wait." Hermione was back and set three pints down on the table.
"Really." Ron squeaked and then he laughed wildly.
Hermione slowly turned from him to Harry, who smiled at her from beneath his palms engulfing his face.
There was one unlucky time where Ron was forced to ask Malfoy to help him identify a dark artifact that was found in a Death Eater sympathizers basement. Malfoy was the only Dark Arts specialist in the aurora office at the time. Ron had owled him a few hours ago and had only received a reply from a menacing eagle owl who banged against his window until it sounded like it was about break.
It was formal reply and he had agreed to meet Ron at the address and time, which was in fifteen minutes.
Ron grabbed the first Aurora he could find that would agree to come with him. Patrick Andrew, a young Aurora who had just graduated from training less than a year ago, seemed more than eager to go out in the field. He had been stuck in the office, completely overtaken by finishing reports and owling out citations. Basically, he had all the work that nobody wanted, but a young Auror who was eager to prove himself would do in a heartbeat.
Ron almost felt bad. Nothing they were about to do was considered exciting and it included subjecting Patrick to more realistic aspect of the job, dealing with difficult people; in this case, Malfoy.
Patrick was buzzing when they apparated in. He followed Ron through the abandoned house where Malfoy had already taken to exploring. Ron found him observing a clock on the mantle.
"There a few things upstairs that have been cursed."
"I know." Ron lied.
Draco didn't say anything. He placed a mesh cloth over the clock which immediately vacuumed sealed itself around it. He yanked a glove from his belt and carefully placed the clock in a bag that was at his feet. The bag secured itself, the cords tightened the moment it left Draco's hand.
"Where is the basement?"
Ron turned on his heel and walked to an adjacent hall. He heard Patrick's hurried steps behind him, but when he turned the knob to the basement door and pulled it open, Draco was only a few meters behind, the bag floating behind him.
'Serpent-like', Ron thought to himself. If people thought he changed, he would have proof otherwise. The steps to the basement creaked as they descended. Malfoy place a cloth over a lamp almost immediately when he reached the bottom step.
"How do you know its cursed?" Patrick asked, there was curiosity in his voice that annoyed Ron. He was a little taken back when Draco actually answered.
"They have a negative energy typically, these ones aren't strong enough to have an impact beside making you want avoid them. You have to be trained to detect it, but if you want to be sure, for household object, holy cloth seals itself around it and contains curses from having too much of an affect."
"Oh." Patrick gave a meaningful look over the walls.
Draco glanced over the room as well before turning to Ron. "Where is it?"
"Shouldn't you know?"
He received the familiar sneer he was used to and had been waiting for, in reply.
"The kettle, every time some tried to touch it, it wouldn't allow it. It'll burn you like it's been on a stove for too long."
Draco walked to the clock and laid his hand on the surface, immediately yanking it back the moment he did so.
"That's not a dark artifact." Draco said amused. "That's a electric kettle."
"Its cursed Malfoy, I'm sure someone would have picked up on it otherwise. I know you're quite used to being around dark objects." He gave Draco a knowing look. "So hurry up and catalog it."
Patrick froze between the two, his eye darting back and forth. If either of the men notice him slowly slinking away, they didn't say it. It was getting more obvious that they had forgotten him anyways.
Draco growled and pushed the side table out, there was a fumbling noise and a clunk, and stood back upright. "Give it a minute and try again."
"Nice try, but I won't curse myself that easily."
"If it were cursed, which it isn't, I wouldn't risk my job at the prospect of trying to get at you. There are easier ways to do that." Draco walked forward until he was between Ron and the kettle.
"You can hang out and touch it if you want to prove something, I--"
"He's right." Patrick said somewhere behind them.
Draco swung around and Ron peered his side. Patrick watched them with his finger against the side. He pulled his hand away and pressed it back to the surface. Draco turned back with a knowing smirk. He bent down to grasp his bag and walked back over to the lamp.
"I think I understand why Hermione broke up with you, seeing you've known her for years and can't even figure out that someone left the kettle right before their house was raided, on your own. I've been with her for, what a month? And I've already figured out electricity."
Rage swirled from his base and exploded up to his chest, in his arms, flowing steadily in his face. "You're not with her."
Draco dropped the lamp in his bag and smirked victoriously. Then he disapparated, leaving a fuming Ron and unsure Patrick who looked like he'd rather go off with Draco if he had the choice.
It was Friday and Hermione was late. And Hermione was never late. It would be demeaning to call her predictably, but she had certain habits and being timely was one of them.
"Has she been avoiding you this week?" Ron asked.
Harry was about to set his pint down, but raised it back up swiftly to take another drink. "No, she's avoiding you though."
"Me?" Ron frowned.
"Yes you, after what happened at the case this week? She thinks you're mad at her."
"I'm not mad."
"Well tell her yourself because she told me that you were short of exploding like a volcano when Draco mention they had been dating."
"He wasn't serious was he?!"
"God, Ron. Please don't make a scene." He transformed his lecturing face to warm and friendly in an instant, his arm shot up and back down. "She's right behind you, put yourself together."
"Hello!" Her voice came somewhere behind him.
"Hermione!" Ron half stood and enveloped her into a hug. "I've missed you, you know."
"It's been a week." She replied. "The longest."
"You had your interview then, how it go?"
"Smooth, thankfully. I had a lot of late hours trying to prepare and research for it."
"You'll get it, they'd be daft not to see that you're meant for it." Ron says confidently. "We'll have to plan a going-away party for your office because those clunkers wouldn't know how to."
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves." Hermione winked.
"On another note." Harry interrupted. "I bought some classical horror films for Halloween this Saturday. You want to join? Ginny, Ron, and Neville are movie virgins still so I was going to break 'em this weekend."
"Oh Saturday." She paused. "I'd really love to, but I have plans."
"Another time then." Harry said.
"Of course, I should bring over a few sometime and we can watch them together."
"What are you doing?" Ron said suddenly.
Harry gave him the, didn'tIjustfuckingsay, look. It was getting repetitive, Ron was getting bored of it.
"I have plans with Luna." Hermione didn't break face.
"Oh she can come too. Luna's always welcomed."
"She and Neville just broke up." Harry said tiredly.
"Well I'm sure it won't be too much of an issue." Ron smiled innocently.
Both of his friend's eyes flashed dangerous at him.
"I'm going on a date with Draco." Ron didn't flinch when she said it.
"Oh and Luna will be there as well?"
"Ron." Harry groaned.
"No, Harry. It's fine." Hermione placed both hands on the table, as though it would steady everything.
"Its fine?" Ron whispered angrily. If they weren't in public, he would be shouting. "Hermione, what are you doing? You know I care about you right? I care enough that I can't watch this and not say something! It's insane. He bullied us for years and now that he has a pardon its okay?"
"Ron, sit down." Hermiome said firmly.
Ron didn't realize he was on his feet until she said it, but he took the opportunity. "I can't, I have to go." He stepped out and pushed his chair in. "When you're done with whatever is going on, I'll be here. I love you Hermione, I really do. I hope you remember that."
"That isn't love Ronald." He heard her say clearly. He didn't turn around.
Three months and four fights later, Ron still wasn't talking to Hermione. The last one had been a bad one, it involved accusing her of using Malfoy as a contact to climb the ladder. He wanted her to move up, but he wanted to save her from doing it the dirty way. She was better than that. She could do anything herself. There was nobody more capable than she was.
Ron hadn't talk to her in two weeks when he apparated to St Mungo with Harry. And now they were forced to sit in an empty waiting room with a stammering healer trying to explain why they were there. The air was stale, he'd never remembered the way it smelt before. Draco sat on the far side of the waiting room away from them. He didn't even move when a doctor came in and asked for them.
"We don't know what happened to her. She's still not fully lucid, but as far as all our tests go, she should be fine." The doctor told him. He was young, clutching onto his notepad with an iron grip. Harry had that effect on people. It was useful in most situations that needed some nudging in the right direction.
"But she's not okay. If she's not lucid, something is wrong with her." Harry said angrily.
"She just needs some time to wake up. You can see her in about an hour." The healer said firmly.
"An hour?" Harry said frustrated. "Do you know who she is? Do you know who I am?"
The doctor left and Ron collapsed in a chair while Harry simmered.
"She was cursed while we were tracking hell hounds. I brought her as soon as I could portkey out." A voice across the room said. Ron briefly forgot he was there.
"Then tell the healer, because they don't know shit." Harry turns sharply.
"I did. He ignored me, even though I was there when it happened. She was definitely cursed and they aren't going to help her because they aren't looking for it." Draco didn't look up. Ron noticed blood smeared across his shirt and then some red in his hair.
"You were there? So you saw her get cursed and they aren't doing anything about it?" Ron says incredulously.
Harry paces up and down the room. "We need to get her out."
"Potter." Draco pauses like he was unsure. "I know of a curse specialist, I don't know if he's on right now. He only takes a few cases and I'm not sure how to find him. He'll take this one."
"What's his name?" Harry said quickly.
"Healer Bernheim."
Harry disappeared from the room.
Ron and Draco sat in silence for ten minutes. Patients shuffled in and out, family members sat in the uncomfortable chairs with them. By the time Harry was back, he was accompanied by a dark haired man with a thick black coat, heavy snow boots and direct sort of manner. Not even five minutes later, Harry was back into the waiting room where Ron hadn't moved since he left.
"She's going to be okay." Harry sighed in relief. He looked at Draco contemplatively. "They don't know what curse it was still, but her bones were melting. There was no way to test for it unless they checked for broken bones, which they didn't."
Ron looked up abruptly at Harry and then over at Draco who was staring right back.
"Thank you." Ron said it before he could stop himself.
Draco didn't say anything back or even nod in acknowledgment. He was gone before Ron could even stand up.
So Ron didn't say anything when watched Draco press a hand on the dip below Hermione's spine that encouraged her to move in front of him. He didn't say anything when Hermione ghosted her fingers from his elbow down to his forearms several times throughout the night. He especially did not say anything when he caught Draco whisper something to her and pull at the bottom of her blazer, tugging her in his direction. She blushed profusely, glaring at him, but there was no heat behind it.
Harry must have expect the worst of him because Ron felt his eyes on him each time. But Ron said nothing.
Instead, he tried to enjoy the party. The Auror Christmas party was known for being a little out of control, despite what their job description was. His main objective for the night was to maintain control and so far, so good. He was only on his second eggnog by midnight.
"You know I had lunch with him last week."
Ron choked, sputtering eggnog. A few people around them turned suddenly at the noise. So far, so good still.
"You did what?!" Ron glanced down at his shirt and tried to wipe off as much as he could.
"I didn't tell you because I was afraid of exactly what just happened." Harry sighed.
"But why?" Ron groaned. "We agreed, we both said we didn't approve of this."
"We didn't talk about Hermione." He paused. "Well we did, but it wasn't the focus of the conversation. I invited him to her promotion party next week and I'm realizing right now that I should have waited to bring this up."
"You invited him? She would have invited him, you didn't have to do it."
"I asked her if I could." Harry said seriously.
"Harry." Ron groaned again.
"You know what Ron. I know you two don't get along. Its evident from your last interaction. that you might never get along. But it means something to Hermione and I wanted to find a way to tell her that I cared and I wanted him to know that he can stop acting like someone's about to Avada him at any moment. So I told her to let me invite him, because I wanted to bury the hatchet. I don't care for him either, but I trust him with her, in fact," Harry pauses. "I think he likes her."
Ron didn't stop listening, but he didn't stop watching the two either. Draco point to something across the room and Hermione said something back to him, which his shook his head at. She smiled, a confident smile, and walked away towards a Ministry official Ron recognized as Valerie Brothward. The post conviction division head was known for being adamantly against Draco Malfoy becoming addition to the Auror department, which dawned on Ron slowly to why he didn't join her. Ron continued to watch Draco shove his hands in his pocket and remain still until she was shaking hands with Mrs. Brothward. He broke for the bar after some time and Ron polished off his eggnog and followed him.
Ron slide his glass across the counter and sat down at the empty chair. He couldn't tell if Draco had looked over at him, but he was staring straight ahead when Ron tilted his head sideways at him, trying to soothe the tides violently rocking him into what was familiar, into a fight that had been unfinished for years.
"How did you know that healer?" Ron asked.
Draco snorted, his forehead furrowed. Apparently he wasn't expect this either. "He is well known for specializing in curse breaking as a healer. I've known him as a child."
"Harry had to go clear to Greenland, he said. He was researching an ice curse. Said he wouldn't come until Harry name dropped Hermione Granger."
"What's your point?"
"Well, why didn't you go? You knew him and I think you knew where to find him. Harry just asked the healer desk, it wasn't difficult."
"I knew he would come because he is a fan of Hermione and her charitable actions within the last few years. He only takes a few cases at St Mungos because he works at muggle children's hospital and donates his salary, sound familiar? He was one of the few that backed Hermione's S.P.E.W. campaign." Draco takes a drink.
"You aren't answering my question."
Draco swung back the remains of his firewhiskey. "My family has dark ties. He is actively against helping anyone who had such alliances. My father and he had a falling out years back."
"Oh." Ron said awkwardly.
"So did I answer your question?" Both of their glasses refilled.
"I meant it when I said thank you."
"I know."
Ron played with the glass, pushing it back and forth with his index fingers. Then, he grabbed the glass and walked back to his table. He was surprised enough to stop when he saw Harry and Hermione at their table. Hermione walked purposely towards him and pulled him forward into a hug when he was close enough.
"I still love you, I still love you both."
"Love you too." He swallowed hard and tried to give her a reassuring look. It didn't meet his eyes. But he tried.
She moved passed him and toward the bar. When she sat in the spot where Ron had been, Draco took a second to look at her, but when he did, his entire face was stoic as usual. But there was something else too, a certain dancing in his eyes that hadn't noticed before. Ron wondered if that's what Harry meant when he said trusted Draco, because no one should have that look in their eyes unless they meant it. It couldn't be faked.
"I think he didn't go himself to get the healer because it was too big of a risk. That the healer wouldn't go with him because he was Draco Malfoy."
"Oh I know." Harry sniffed. "I tried to tell him that he sent me and the healer immediately told me to leave. He knew who I was, he didn't care."
"She still doesnt know he brought the healer in?"
"I don't think it matter to him. I told her, finally, and she was pretty upset. Can I ask you? If it was anyone else, would you be this upset?"
He thought for a moment, running the scenarios in his head. He remembered how Draco had just looked at her. "No."
"And you're afraid that he's just playing a joke on her or something? Pulling her along just to cut her off? I did too, that's why I put myself out there and you know what? If he has her fooled, he has me fooled as well."
"He showed us who he was. Six years of it in fact."
"How we remember the past is an unreliable guide to the future, you do know? People can't be confined to who they were because no one can change then. And that's what we need, people to change. Otherwise this is all just a pointless loop if we can't give up who we were. He saved her, she would be dead right now. Isn't that worth something?"
"He grew her teeth that one time."
"Yeah well I'm sure he's bought his way out of that with as many books as her heart desires for the rest of forever."
Ron winced. "You think they'll get married?"
"Impossible." Harry sounded out each letter. "Do what you want Ron. Don't go to her promotion party. But he's going because she wants it. Get over yourself."
Then Harry left him alone in his thoughts.
It was supposed to be a small get together. Harry had only invited a few friends, her office, some individuals that she worked with, and Ginny's family. There was most definitely more people in the bar than had been invited. Maybe some just wanted a reason to be at a party, but Hermione was well liked so most of those who stopped by genuinely wanted to celebrate her accomplishments.
Ron saw Draco and Blaise chatting at a table with few men that he didn't recognize. He saw them before they saw him. Ron found Hermione almost immediately, but she seemed to be too busy with the group surrounding her.
"I didn't think you'd be here." Ginny snuck up behind him. "Harry is mad at you and guess who gets to hear about it? It's almost nice, all these years I didn't have anyone to complain about you with and now I do."
"Of course I came." Ron said.
"Well I'm glad. I'm sure Hermione will be thrilled, honestly. She was more worried that you wouldn't, so don't mess this up."
There was a crash behind them which caused them both to turn. A man, sloppy drunk, was on the ground surrounded by broken glass and spilled beer. Ron looked up unconsciously to meet the steely eyes of Draco.
"Jesus, this might not be a work event, but you'd think people would be more careful." He heard Ginny mutter beside him.
"Ron?" A voice behind them. Hermione smiled at him. He was getting good at identifying her smiles, especially of lately. This smile was a cautious one, one the only stuck a toe in to see if it was too hot or too cold. An unsure smile.
"Hermione." He breathed. "Congratulations. I always knew you would do it. You're going to be a great Deputy Head. You're going to change it all for the better."
"Yeah, you always said that didn't you?" Her eyes began to warm.
"Where is Malfoy?" He asked and she immediately stiffened up. "Listen, I promise to behave, I just watched to..." he squinted as though it would help him remember. "Bury the hatchet."
"You-- you do know what that term means though right? It's entirely metaphorical." She looked at him quizzically.
"Yes, I've had it all explain already. We can do this later though. I'm sorry. I should have waited, I don't want to ruin this for you." He trailed off.
They both looked over at Draco who had been staring at them intently. She motioned him over with a wave. Draco elbowed Blaise and motioned towards their direction. Blaise watched the entire time it took Draco to maneuver to them.
"Weasley." He said slickly.
"Malfoy." Ron took a deep breath. "Look, we don't get along and we might never get along which I think is fine with both of us. Please don't repeat any of this ever and if you do, I'll swear up and down that you're a dirty, dirty liar and nobody will probably believe you anyways."
"What are you on about." Draco's eyes narrowed.
"Okay Malfoy, I just want to you to know I don't like you and you don't like me and that's fine. And I'm not upset about you and Hermione, even if I don't totally understand it. I don't you to feel like you're walking through a dragon's nest everytime you have to see us and I know you won't hurt Hermione on purpose. Although I do know what could happen if that were to happen I would be happy to name a few if you'd like."
Harry cleared his throat, jerking Ron's attention away momentarily and he almost asked where he came from.
"Right, the point is, I hate you Malfoy. But I love you also, because you love her. Even if you haven't said it to each other which would make this more awkward. So if we could just call it even and move on."
Draco shoved his arm out, which caused to Ron flinched away. There was only a palm held sideways, reached out and waiting. Ron took it and their hands briefly dropped and raised before they released it in unison.
Draco sidestepped until he was next to Hermione whose entire face was lit up. It was a real smile, tangible, and a smile that one would remember.
Yes, he would love her for as long as he could and she would do the same. It was different, but at the same time it wasn't. It just wasn't selfish anymore, it was a love that learned and adapted. Sometimes he felt sorry he hadn't figured it out sooner, but as he watched them, Draco dragging her back to the bar and Hermione looking young and wild, he realized that was just life. It didn't mean she would leave and if that meant he had to deal with Malfoy for the time being, it wouldn't be so bad. She was just that girl and it all made sense.