A/N1: Alas, I am not J.K. Rowling and do not own the Harry Potter franchise.

Harry and his fiancée each had a grip on one of Ron's arms, Harry having earlier taken possession of his friend's wand.

"Come on," Ginny hissed at her brother, "quit being a prat. You've had almost a year to get used to it."

"I know," he snarled, "but just the sight of Hermione with that blood-traitor…"

"You sound like Lucius Malfoy, referring to blood status," Harry commented drily.

"Besides," Ginny added, irritated that babysitting her brother was keeping her off the dance floor, "this is your own fault for not accepting the judgment of the Wizengamot."

"I still say he's not as innocent as he claims," he protested. "Just look at that smirk!" He made an attempt to take a step forward only to be jerked back by Harry, none too gently.

"When hasn't Draco Malfoy had a smirk on his face?" Ginny pinched him hard. "I don't particularly care for your expression most of the time, either."

"Ron, what Hermione suffered in Malfoy Manor was horrendous, but it was Bellatrix Lestrange who was in charge then. Plus, from what Sirius told me, she had a few screws loose even before Azkaban." He shook the other man's arm. "Keep in mind that Malfoy was the youngest Death Eater in residence."

"Yeah, Ron's not that holy himself," Ginny mocked, "actually breaking into the Potions Storeroom at Hogwarts."

"I had my reasons!" he blustered.

"And borrowing my invisibility cloak—without permission—to do so," Harry reminded him.

"All because you didn't agree with one of the most intensely scrutinized judicial decisions in decades." Ginny snorted. "You simply declared yourself judge, jury and executioner. Bloody brilliant!"

"I was sure that he was hiding something!"

"And he was, wasn't he?" she taunted. "It was just one of your typical piss-poor decisions to force Hermione to do the questioning."

"Well, she's always so thorough, and I was afraid I'd forget something, having to look at his bloody arrogant face," he pouted.

"You feel...what for me?" Hermione had attempted to quash Ron's harebrained plan to grill Draco while under a spell. Despite having told him 'No' several times, she finally agreed when Ron presented her with a bound Malfoy who had already ingested the purloined Veritaserum.

"You're beautiful, Hermione," he said with a goofy smile. "I thought so at the Winter Ball several years ago, but couldn't get near you. Not that my date would've let me," he added.

"But I'm a mudblood," she said, voice firming.

He glanced at her forearm, and she covered the scar reflexively. "And my family made sure that you could never forget that dreadful name I called you. They threatened my parents, you know. Mother's own sister, even, turned on us." He looked at her with honest eyes. "By then, I had long forgotten about your blood status." He grinned. "You won my heart when you slugged me, you know."

"That time?" She squeaked and a small smile appeared. "Your face bruised my hand."

"Oh? Can I kiss it and make it better?" He looked at the chains which bound his arms. "When did you tie me up, Hermione? I didn't know you were into bondage."

She flushed. "I'm not! And I didn't do it. Here," she pulled out her wand, "Relashio." The links floated away. When he rubbed his arms to restore the blood flow, she bent forward. "I'm so sorry, Draco. This whole interrogation wasn't my idea." She wadded up the crumpled piece of paper with Ron's questions. "I'll see that you get back to wherever you were before that idiot abducted you."

"That's the first time you've used my given name." He gave her a besotted expression. "Say it again, Hermione."

"Well," she blinked, "maybe I should wait until after the spell has worn off."

"I ought to have stayed in that room with them!" Ron raged. "I just didn't think I could control myself when he admitted to his crimes."

"Instead, he confessed his love to your girlfriend and she started seeing him in a different light." Ginny nudged him in slight sympathy, her heart having softened a little. "Tough luck, Big Bro."

"And now she's gone and married the bastard," he muttered. "I've gotta get out of here."

Harry pulled the wand from the pocket of his dress robe. "Will you give your word as a Gryffindor that you will not cast hexes at the newlyweds and only use this to apparate home?"

"Bugger off!" apparently was the correct answer, and Ron soon disappeared.

"Stupendous!" Ginny heaved a great sigh. "Now we can finally dance!"

A/N2: I hope you enjoyed my first foray into this fandom. DT