A/N: I've made some revisions and added sentences here and there in February 2019, but none that'll change the core of the story. However, I have expanded a bit on Draco's thoughts and Blaise's part story because he's just fun! I really hope you'll enjoy this!

Blaise Zabini was startled awake by something nudging him very persistently on his leg. He turned over and promptly fell to the floor in a heap with a massive duvet wrapped around almost every inch of him. He struggled with it, trying to get out of the damn thing!

A tinkling feminine giggle made him pause in his struggle. Who the fuck was that?

Oh, right.

Last night. Drinks. Many drinks.

And, of course, the spectacular and surprisingly flexible fucking he'd spent most of his night doing with a certain redhead.

He managed to get some of duvet off his head and what he saw made his heart stop.

Ginevra Weasley was naked on her now duvet-less bed, giggling madly at his battle with the over-large coverlet. He decided right then and there that he liked that sound. A lot.

He threw off the offending bedding and stood in all of his naked glory, which stifled her giggles instantly.

Her eyes were wide and mischievous, obviously hell bent on trouble. He had a massive headache from all of those shots and obviously not enough sleep, but who cared really, when this vixen was naked before him?

He pounced on her, pulling the duvet over both of them, and made sure that neither of them would leave the bed for several more hours.

The next morning he awoke to the sleeping form of Hermione Granger in his arms and it felt so right. Her long curls were everywhere on both his and her body as they lay tangled together in bed. She was facing him and he stared at her fascinated.

She was bloody gorgeous. Beautiful eyes, though they were closed now, perfect small nose, small freckles on her nose and cheeks, clear silky skin and a perfect full rosy mouth that was just so kissable.

So he kissed her, he couldn't resist it and she kissed him right back without opening her eyes and moaned softly into his mouth. His body was instantly lit on fire by that small sound and he almost jumped her. They had sex another two times before she had to go. She had a lunch with Ginny Weasley. Vaguely he remembered that Blaise were talking to her yesterday by the bar next to Hermione.

Hmm, he had seemed to be focused solely on Hermione, he wondered why that was. But right now, with her in his bed, he didn't care. This was where she was supposed to be.

"So, thank you for last night and this morning Draco. We seem to fit well together." She smiled and kissed him, sitting on the edge of his bed still naked but moving to get dressed.

"Your understatement is epic Granger." He answered dryly. "But yes, I need you back here soon. When will I see you again?"

"That soon huh? Well, how about tonight?" She looked positively wickedly at him. She pursed her full rosy lips with a glint in her eyes and he was spellbound yet again.

"I have dinner with my parents, but after? I'll come to you as soon as I can. What's your address?" He was a bit anxious now, he needed to see her tonight, he needed her with him every day but how to tell her that without seeming like a stalker? Fuck, he was turning into such a girl.

She told him her address while she got dressed. As he received the information he needed, his equilibrium returned, she wanted this just as much as he did. He stood, in all his naked glory and took her to his floo so she could return home. She told him that even though it was Ginny she would be seeing, she didn't want to wear the same outfit as yesterday, that would be much too obvious. He couldn't help but grin at that and she grinned right back.

In his lounge she leaned into him and he clutched her in his arms and kissed her tenderly. He wanted more, but he knew she had to go and he had to go see his parents. She kissed him back with enthusiasm and he relished the fact that she wanted more too. Merlin, he would have to take care not to seem like a stalker to her.

At last she eased out of their embrace and stepped to the floo, throwing in the powder and shouting her address clearly and a moment later he was alone in his lounge, butt naked.

First things first, a shower was desperately needed. He grabbed his wand in the bedroom, started the water and heated it to just before scorching, just the way he liked it. After a lengthy shower, he donned his green bathrobe and thought about making some food.

Only now did he realize that he was absolutely starving. Also, he didn't even have a hangover. Huh, that was strange. He hadn't needed any of his hangover potions. He made bacon and eggs using his wand, made a quick coffee and sat down at the kitchen table.

Just as he'd taken the first bite, he heard the telltale whoosh of his floo. Someone had arrived in his lounge. Not bothering to get up, he saw Blaise's bloodshot eyes in the doorway, followed by Theo's loud laughter out in the hallway.

"Hey Draco, how about a cup of coffee?" Blaise asked, looking exhausted.

He scoffed. "No thanks mate, I've already got one." He knew that wasn't what Blaise was asking but he felt perfectly fine, so he smiled and motioned to his cup and Blaise and Theo, looking incredulous at him. They both looked like utter shite. His smile widened as he sipped his coffee.

"You're a real wanker, you know that?" Theo said with a dark expression, moving into the kitchen waving his wand once in the direction of the fancy coffee machine in Draco's kitchen.

Draco snorted and grinned at his friends, who were now fighting for the first cup of coffee. "You are both pathetic but please, have a cup of my excellent coffee and join me." He gestured towards the other chairs around his kitchen table.

"Don't you have any hangover potion? I'm out." Theo gulped his cup of coffee down, stood up and moved at once to make another cup of coffee. "Come on Drake, tell me where it is. You look perfectly fine, help us out here!"

He was in a great mood, so laughed again and pointed towards the bathroom. "In the cabinet in there."

Both Blaise and Theo almost ran to the bathroom, each gulping down a potion and returned looking somewhat restored to their former selves, with Theo moving to the stove, making him and Blaise eggs and bacon too.

"Please help yourselves to anything in my flat you should desire." Draco mocked them. They both scowled at him, Theo continuing his cooking.

After they were all fed, had another cup of coffee Theo looked at both Blaise and Draco, almost yelling at them. "Dudes, spill! How we're the Gryffindor princesses yesterday?!"

Blaise grinned at Theo but Draco's entire demeanor changed perceptively and he leveled a stony look at Theo. "That's none of your concern."

Blaise was ignoring Draco completely. He was still grinning when he said "I'm not saying much but I am definitely seeing her again, that's for sure!"

Theo rolled his eyes. "Come on guys! Give me the deets! I need info! I struck out last night, ending up dunk-cuddling my pillow, sadly enough. But you two took home the gold! The red and gold literally. I need details!" Theo whined loudly drinking his fourth or maybe fifth cup of coffee.

Draco rolled his eyes at Theo. "I'm agreeing with Blaise, I'm saying nothing but I'm definitely seeing her again."

"Dammit, you two are fucking annoying." He threw his hand up. "I can't believe this, I need new friends who doesn't hold out on me." Theo said moodily, staring daggers at his two mates.

"Theo, relax, it just means that we don't want to spoil our chances with these two women. If we blow it, however, you'll maybe get some of the deets." Blaise qualified, mollifying Theo somewhat.

Draco snorted. "I am not going to tell any of you anything about Hermione, ever. Last night and hopefully whatever is going to happen between us, is private." Draco stated, looking levelly at his best friends. He knew they wouldn't like it but it wasn't up to them. What he had experienced last night with Hermione was very private, he didn't even really know what it was, but it was certainly none of his friends' concern.

They spent the rest of the time talking, or in Theo's case, chattering. Blaise was seeing Weaselette the following day and Draco was a bit on edge, needing to have Hermione close.

When they'd left him to his own thoughts about an hour later, he walked through his flat thinking about the Gryffindor Princess.

As he walked into his lounge, he saw the letter from his parents on his coffee table. It was quite a thick letter, compared to the usual brief information they owled him. He thought nothing more of it and opened the letter.

As he read line afte line, his thoughts became much more hysterical and distinctly panicked. He ran both hands through his hair and read the letter again, trying to take it in. He put it back on the table, contemplating the contents and not understanding any of it.

He got up, determined to see his parents as soon as possible. He dressed at top speed, rushed into the lounge and pocketed the letter before he flooed to the manor.

He was met by a large empty lounge and his parents nowhere in sight. He was completely frantic, he needed answers now. His parents letter made no sense to him. It couldn't be. This couldn't be happening to him.

He sank to the floor, clutching the letter in his pocket, breathing hard. The words from the letter swam before his eyes and he felt, for the first time in his life, like blacking out. It would give him a break from this, from the panic, from his heart pounding in his chest like a drum roll.

Somewhere in the back of his mind though, he kept on wondering what Hermione was doing.

No! This was bollocks! There was no way he, Draco Malfoy, was losing control over himself like this! His body felt like it was snapping in half. Except, this was exactly what his father had described in the letter… Fucking hell.

He had to get a grip. He stood up and tried to calm his breathing, talking air in through his nose and out through his mouth.

His parents had a lot of explaining to do, that was for sure. He called one of the house elves who informed him that his parents were taking a walk in the rose garden, enjoying the beautiful day.

He ran outside, spotting them on the far side of the garden and took long strides to get there as soon as possible. He was in a real state of alarm now. Could it really be true? Surely not.

Just then, his mother looked up and spotted him rushing towards them. She nudged her husband and spoke softly to him. His head snapped up, his arm protectively around his wife, looking intently at his son hurrying towards them with a panicked expression on his face.

Something had happened yesterday, Lucius was certain of that and looked at his approaching son with narrowed eyes.

"What the hell is happening to me?! What is this?" Draco waved the letter in front of his parents agitatedly. "Why haven't you told me earlier?!" He sank to the ground in front of them, clutching his face, his breathing was completely out of control.

His mother stooped down to caress his cheeks and pulled his head up towards hers. "Darling, please don't panic, we will explain everything. This is not the end, it's just a new beginning." She smiled at him and pulled him gently upright.

His father was regarding him with a pensive expression. "What happened yesterday Draco? Who did you meet?" His father's uncanny ability to see right through him had yet to fail them.

Draco met his father's eyes levelly. "I met a woman, one I know from Hogwarts. We spent the night together."

His father frowned. "Who? Did you mark her?" His eyes were wide. He was worried for his son.

His mother smiled indulgently. "Draco, my love, tell us everything. We need to know what happened in order for us to help you."

Draco looked from his mother to his father and back, not really wanting to tell them anything. Just as with his friends, what had happened yesterday was private. He needed straight answers though. The letter had only increased his confusion. But he didn't speak, he wasn't really sure what to say.

His father cleared his throat. "Draco, I am half Veela, which means you are quarter Veela and it would seem as though you have already found your mate."

"Veela? I'm a Veela? And mate? What do you mean 'mate'? In the letter you only advised me not to be with anyone until we had spoken today." He stared wide eyed at both of his parents in utter disbelief. "But I have been with someone. Something happened to me yesterday. I could feel and smell her from afar, I needed her badly and it seemed as though she needed me too." He groaned. "Please don't tell me that this is all just magic and not real?"

His mother sighed. "I think we all need tea and talk my darlings, so please follow me." She swept regally between them towards the manor, trailed by the two blonde men in her life. It would seem as though her son had found his mate already and someone from school. At least it was a witch, she was grateful for that, though she had a sneaking suspicion that there was more to the story. Draco hadn't told her and Lucius the woman's name. It would seem they were in for an interesting afternoon.

Both men followed the Malfoy matriarch silently, both contemplating what had just passed between them. Draco couldn't believe what his father had told him. He couldn't be a Veela, he was pureblood, his father had emphasized that all his life. He felt blindsided. This meant that his paternal grandmother was a Veela. She had died when he was little so he'd never known her. His mind kept going in circles while he walked somewhat blindly into the manor.

His mother directed the house elves to bring tea in the lounge and they sat down on the large sofas, his mother and father next to each other holding hands. He waited, they had some explaining to do.

"Draco," his father drawled, "I am well aware that this is hard to take in but you are indeed quarter Veela. A trait you have inherited from my mother. Your mother is my mate. We are mated for life, I marked her six months after the traits started to manifest themselves. It starts on your twenty first birthday and when you find your mate, you are aware of nothing but her." He looked lovingly at his wife. "It would seem as though you are so lucky as to find her on your birthday. Who is she and did you mark her?"

Draco looked disbelievingly at his parents from one to the other, surely this was some sort of sick joke. "Do you seriously mean that Hermione Granger is my mate for life and neither of us get a say in it? Fuck." He stared blindly at the table in front of him.

Both of his parents reacted at the same time.

"GRANGER?!" His father stood up instantly and started pacing the room agitatedly, looking like he had ticks.

His mother stayed much more composed. "The Granger-girl? As in Harry Potters best friend and ex to the Weasley boy?" She knew the match would shock many people but she also knew that Draco would never have mated with her if the connection wasn't true.

Draco nodded to his mother and ignored his father's random spewing of different oaths around the room.

"Did you mark her?" His mother's gaze was piercing.

"Mark her how?"

"Did your fangs appear during the night you spent together and did you bite her with them?" She clarified.

"Yes, more than once." He smirked, remembering the spectacular details.

"Then you did mark her. It would seem as though Hermione Granger is indeed your mate for life." His mother's tone had a finality to it.

He looked incredulously at his mother, she seemed so calm. How could she keep her calm? Didn't she realise what had just happened? Her daughter-in-law would be, or already sort of was, Hermione Granger, Gryffindor Princess and Golden Darling of the wizarding world. But she didn't seem fazed by it at all. She smiled at him. "I will look forward to getting grand-children soon then." She almost seemed happy.

His father came out of his trance-spewing-like state at her words. "Narcissa, are you truly happy about this? Our son has mated with the best friend of Potter and one of the Golden Trio!" A vein was protruding on his father's forehead, the only true indication of his agitation.

His mother smiled serenely. "Yes Lucius, I truly am happy about this. Miss Granger has great intelligence and she will keep Draco, and us, on our toes. She is beautiful and she will challenge and support our son, just as I have challenged and supported you through all of these years."

His father started blustering but his spoke directly over him. "I will hear no bad words from you about her, she will be our daughter-in-law and I am certain that we will love her, just at Draco loves her."

She looked at her son and then back to her husband. "Oh, pull yourself together my love, you look like a fish out of water. She will be a perfect addition to our family. We just have to apologize over and over to her in order for her to accept us. And yes Lucius, you will apologize right along with me."

Lucius looked at his wife, opened his mouth to say something, closed it, turned around and turned back to Narcissa, but he was still at a loss for words. He was completely dumbfounded. He had the curious feeling that he had just been out-manouvered.

His mother, obviously deciding to ignore her mute husband, turned back to him. "Draco, please, go to Hermione and explain. We will love to meet her when she is ready to meet us. It seems as though your father and I have to talk."

His father was all red in the face now but his mother just rested her hand in his. "Lucius, please calm down. You should be happy, our son has found his mate and she has accepted his mark."

Draco stared wide-eyed at his parents and his mother smiled. His father still hadn't said much since he was told that Hermione was his mate.

"Okay,-" He was somewhat hesitant. He didn't really know what had just happened. "-I'll owl you later or tomorrow." He kissed his mother on the cheek and left his parents through the floo. The last thing he saw was his mother continuing to calm his father down.

Back in his apartment he rushed to his bedroom and changed out of his soil-ruined clothes, grabbing whatever was closest. He hurried to his bathroom and splashed water on his face.

Right. So he knew her address and he needed her desperately. He flooed to her place, shouting out her address and was transported to her flat in whirl of green flames.

He arrived in a quaint lounge with plush blush-colored sofas and fluffy pillows. There were books in piles on every surface and a large furry red cat with a squashed face sitting in the center of room on the floor, eying him strangely.

He called her name but no one answered. He moved a couple of steps into the room and the cat moved towards him, looking at him with large yellow eyes. He had the absurd notion that the cat was some sort of guardian.

He took her empty flat to mean that she wasn't home from her lunch yet. The cat stalked slowly towards him and started sniffing around his legs. It seemed to accept him, sort of.

So he sat down on one of the comfy sofas, not daring to go further into her flat and the cat jumped up on the sofa to face him. He looked at it and it purred slightly, moving closer. It nudged his hand pointedly and he instinctively stroked the cat. It stretched and lay down beside him against his thigh, still purring. He wasn't happy about the cat hairs all over his black slacks but really, if this cat meant something to Hermione, he guessed it meant something to him too.

He took a closer look around the room. There were many many books all over every surface of the room. Both muggle and wizarding books alike. There were a lot of small items all around as well, little nick-nacks everywhere. Pictures of her with friends, her parents but none of her with a boyfriend. Good. On top of the nearest book-pile, was Hogwarts: A History, of course. Even years later she must still love that book. He grabbed it and started to read. After a few chapters he dozed off with the cat still purring next to him.

He awoke by whoosh of the floo, Hermione was home. Finally.

She stopped dead one step into her lounge. On her sofa, sprawled out and stroking Crookshanks dazedly, was Draco Malfoy.

Last night and this morning had seemed like a dream all day but he was here in all of his magnificence. She had changed her wards before leaving for lunch with Ginny, just in case he decided to come by. And here he was and he was glorious. She had felt like being near him all day but now she was nervous. What if this was just a one-time thing? Surely it wasn't, he was here, right? She wouldn't accept it being just a one-off, being with him had felt so… right.

He opened his eyes blearily and she melted instantly at the sight of him. He leaped up, startling Crookshanks, who hissed at the interruption and left the room with his tail held high.

He took a few measured steps to get to her and she smiled at him in relief. "You're here."

"Of course, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else than with you"

Her heart fluttered. "Are you sure? I mean…"

His expression turned instantly serious. "I have something to tell you. I've only just found out this afternoon but before I tell you, I have a question. Do you want to be with me?"

Her heart was beating a frantic tattoo in her chest. Could it really be? Did he feel the same as she did? That they ought to be together no matter what?

His heart thumped loudly in his chest. What if she said no? He would waste away without her.

"Yes." She didn't hesitate. "Of course."

He grinned and kissed her softly. He took her to the sofa and sat with her on his lap, as close as possible albeit with clothes on, he needed to keep his focus when telling her everything.

"I went to see my parents today, and they told me that I am not a pureblood wizard. You can imagine initial shock." He smiled impishly. "I am a quarter Veela." He paused to gauge her reaction.

She just looked at him a bit wide-eyed. He was certain that that big brain of hers had already calculated all possible outcomes of this short statement. So he continued. "Since Blaise invited you and Ginny, you know that today is my twenty-first birthday which we were out celebrating yesterday. At twelve o'clock everything changed for me. All of my senses sharpened and all I could feel, smell, hear was you and it scared me at first, I didn't know what was happening to me. I fled to the bathroom, took a few deep breaths and decided to follow my instincts to find you."

He smiled happily. "And there you were by the bar, looking completely gorgeous. I don't know if you know this but I've had a crush on you for a while now which means that I am totally infatuated with you just as you are. I think you are amazing and that you can accomplish everything you want. I have no wish to hinder any of your dreams and I will do anything to help you reach any mountain high you want." They both smiled at each other and kissed a bit more.

He felt at peace with her in his arms and continued talking, looking straight into her eyes. "With your vast knowledge of everything, I'm sure you already know how this Veela-thing works. We slept together yesterday and I unknowingly marked you as mine, I know I should be sorry about that but I'm not. You are my mate and there is only one woman for me, that will never change until my dying breath. But…" He hesitated and became very anxious. "Will you be mine?"

She took a deep breath and he couldn't blame her, he had given her an awfully huge amount of information in a very short period of time. But she kept their eye contact steady.

"Yesterday, this morning and now, it feels so right." She nodded with tears at the corners of her eyes. "I want to be with you. Talking to Ginny today, I didn't want to tell her a thing about us, even though she asked so many questions because it just feels so private. It feels like a thing between just you and me."

She raised one hand to cup his cheek. "Somehow, you must have imbibed some Veela magic in me because the marks you gave me have been tingling gently all day and ever since I got home, with you being here, it's become a positive thrumming all through my body. Being with you is as though I've found the place I want to be. So yes, I will be yours, with all that this entails. It might be the magic that is doing this to me but I have a confession to make."

She looked sheepish and he was intrigued.

"Yesterday, when Ginny and I had received Blaise's invite to your birthday, I desperately wanted to go. Both Ginny and I have been weirdly attracted to you two Slytherin's you know." She smiled timidly and he couldn't help but give her a swift kiss and pull her closer. "I have been attracted to you for a while, but you've always seemed so stern and cross when I've seen you. So… I sort of hoped that you would notice me yesterday. And you did." She smiled widely and her eyes were full of emotion, beaming at him.

He gulped, he should have made some sort of move a long time ago. He'd had a crush on her for years during their Hogwarts days, during the war and after. He had done so much wrong and he knew he didn't deserve her but he wanted her so much.

The short time she had spent in the manor during the war had been haunting him. His own regrets and her screams have woken him up more than once. Except now she was looking at him with eyes filled with love and lust. They had both changed so much since then.

He nudged her nose with his own. "Of course I noticed you. I have noticed you for longer than I care to think about. I have made so many wrongs in my life, you will be my one right."

She smiled again but shook her head. "I know I'm not your only right and I know I definitely won't be your only right." She leaned in to kiss him and she deepened the kiss quickly. She needed him closer, much closer, the thrumming in her body was reaching a peak, making her ache for him.

He was all too happy to oblige, if she was done talking then so was he. He knew deep in his heart that he would always give her everything she wanted. So he tightened his hold on her, asked for directions and carried her straight to her bedroom.

Again, they spent all night together, talking, sleeping and having lots and lots of sex. He was in love with her for sure. She was amazing and everything he could ever want. In a dazed moment between love-making, spooning with her and holding her close, he whispered out his love for her.

She heard him and smiled.

Hermione was nervous.

She was waiting for Harry and Ron to arrive. She had made tea and cake for them, Draco had wanted to help but he was way too distracting, so she'd had to send him home. She didn't have anywhere she needed to be and the waiting was killing her.

She had been seeing Draco for a couple of months now and only Ginny and Luna knew. She hadn't seen her two best friends in almost six months. Harry had been so busy working for the Auror department and Ron had been just as busy working with George at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, so they hadn't been able to catch up for so long.

And now she was going to tell them both about Draco.

She knew that Draco had tried to make an effort with Harry long before everything with her and Draco had happened. She started to daydream a bit. Every time she was with him, it almost seemed like a dream. Even meeting his parents for the first time had gone unexpectedly well and now they visited the manor about once a week.

Both Lucius and Narcissa had been very gracious and nice and she and Narcissa had really taken to each other. It hadn't gone quite so well at first when Draco had met her parents. Her dad had been very stand-offish, as Draco had been the one who had bullied her all through school. Draco had taken it in stride and after speaking with her dad alone for over an hour, they had emerged into the kitchen, the best of friends and both of her parents had now become quite fond of Draco.

Draco.

Her life had changed since his birthday. There was no doubt in her mind that it was going to be the two of them now. Her fumbling attempt at a relationship with Ron seemed like a bit of a joke now in comparison.

Back then it wasn't an equal relationship, she and Ron had never been equals in so many ways. She loved him, he was a great friend, but only a friend. Her relationship with Draco was completely different. He challenged her every single day, especially intellectually and it was incredible.

She was startled out of her reverie by a brisk knock on her door. Of course Harry would insist that they arrive the muggle way. He didn't really like just barging in to people's homes unannounced, unless it was on official auror business.

Okay, here goes nothing, she went down the hall to open the door.

Harry and Ron was there, beaming at her with wide grins and pulling her into prolonged hugs.

"Hermione! It's so good to finally see you! I've missed you!" Harry almost shouted in her ear.

"Mione! Good to see you! I'm starving." Ron also shouted at her.

"Come on in, I've got tea ready." She beamed at the two men.

They all moved into her kitchen, where she had set the table and the tea and cake was still warm due to her warming spell. Ron sat down and dug in straight away. Nothing had changed since their school days.

Harry and Hermione sat down and Harry turned to her. "So, how are you doing Hermione? We've missed you terribly."

Taking a bit of a cowards route she deflected. "I'd rather know what you've been up to! I'm happy to see you in one piece."

He smiled. "Taking on a lot of the dark wizards is hard work but I love it. I'm always busy and it's definitely exciting work."

Ron swallowed his tenth mouthful of cake. "I'm good and business is good, always lots of kids around and my dad stopping by to see the new muggle tricks in. George says hi by the way and mum invites you to the burrow whenever you want, you can just owl her. Dad says hi too and wants explanation of something I can't remember the name of, some walk-sound-thingy, he didn't understand Harry's explanation."

"It's a walkman Ron." Harry said exasperated and rolled his eyes at Hermione. "And now you know all about us, so what about you? What have you been up to?"

She sighed and took a deep breath. "Okay. Please don't freak out. I'm seeing someone. Someone you both already know." She eyed them both, and they stared at her. "Promise me you won't freak out!"

"Err, I don't know if we can promise that, but we will try." Harry said.

At the same time, Ron had already started to freak out. "Who is it?!"

"Please calm down Ron." She felt the panic rising within, but she didn't want to postpone this any longer, so she took another deep breath. "I'm seeing Draco Malfoy." She stayed in her seat as calmly as she could during the brief chaos that ensued.

Ron jumped up, shouting and cursing, rushing towards the door and Harry hurried up to stop him and guided him back to his seat.

"What are you seeing HIM for?! He's a right prat and you know it!" Ron shouted at her. "This must be a joke! Tell me you're kidding Hermione!"

She shook her head and smiled happily. "Ron, it's no joke, I'm in love with him and I want you two to get to know the real him."

"NO! You must've been confounded! Finite!" He waved his wand at her. Nothing changed.

She turned with a pleading look to Harry. He looked a bit red-faced.

"Hermione, are you sure? I mean, you're in love with him. Wow. That's just a bit of a shock, but I've spoken to him a couple of times since the war and we've been amicable. It has seemed as though he has changed. I've seen it."

Ron was spluttering next to them but Hermione kept talking to Harry, he seemed the most levelheaded.

"I'm completely sure, I can't imagine my life without him anymore and I don't want to. I want to be with him and I want you two to accept it. You've both given me so much crap to deal with over the years, so you two ought to be able to deal with this."

"It's Draco-BLOODY-Malfoy Hermione! He's a foul, awful, disgusting, ferret…" His shouting merged into a mutinous muttering and Hermione couldn't help but smile.

"Look, I love you both very much and I want to keep you both as a very integral part of my life, but Draco will be a part of my life as well and I need the both of you,-" She looked very pointedly at Ron. "-to be okay with this."

Ron scoffed derisively. "I will NOT be okay with this. He doesn't deserve you."

"That's not up to you Ron. I'm not sure if I deserve him, just so we're clear about that."

Harry broke in just as Ron was about to say something. "Okay, maybe we need a break, sleep on it and meet up tomorrow? Ron and I are off the rest of the day so we'll talk through it. I'm not necessarily happy about this but I think maybe I could be. But are you happy?"

She grinned. "I'm very happy, to be honest I've never been happier."

He nodded. "So far so good. Ron, pull yourself together and let's go. I think we need to talk, Hermione is right, you have to calm down."

Ron was still spluttering as Harry pulled him forcefully out the front door. Hermione smiled to herself, she was sure it was going to be all right. It had gone better than she had imagined. She knew Harry would accept her relationship and with Harry's acceptance, Ron would follow, at least eventually.

With that comforting thought, she walked to her floo to be with Draco with a little smile dancing on her lips.

- The end -