Author's Note: I really have no words for the outpouring of feedback I received on the previous chapter of this story. When I first started this story it was for fun and because I loved Dua Lipa's song. It turned into so much more than that. I hope that anyone who has gone through a shite breakup can relate to this and learn something. We've all been there and really it will get better. Don't let anyone make you feel less than what you deserve. You are worth so much and should be treated as such.
Also, don't treat people horrible and don't lead them on. That's what we can take away from this. So, thank you all again for your love and comments. I'm ever so thankful for you taking the time to read! I hope this epilogue is everything you were hoping for and it it's not that it at least gives you closure. Until we meet again!
Huge thanks to GaeilgeRua for beta reading and SquarePeg72 for alpha reading. Any other mistakes are totally my own. Much love, xxDustNight
Trigger Warnings: Adult Language, Sexual Situations/References, Male Bashing, Drinking, and maybe a tiny bit of Infidelity (just to be safe)
Disclaimer: All non-original characters, plot points, and information belongs to those at Warner Brothers or J.K. Rowling. The title, "New Rules" comes from the song of the same title by Dua Lipa. The story plot and dialogue belongs to me. I do not write for profit.
New Rules
Final Pairings: Pansy/Ron, Hermione/Theo, Ginny/Dean
Technical Pairings: Hermione Granger/Draco, Pansy/Ron, Ginny/Harry
Rating: M (Rated Mature for adult language and sexual situations)
Three: Don't Be His Friend
Song Recommendations: "New Rules" by Dua Lipa, "Miss Movin On" by Fifth Harmony, "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You" by Kelly Clarkson, "I Look So Good (Without You)" by Jessie James Decker, "Shout Out to My Ex" by Rayla, and "Thank You, Next" by Ariana Grande
Access the New Rules Playlist here: htt*ps:*/open*.*spotify*.*com/user/1246*401351/pla*ylist/1oG6*Qgo677WlNrAjbU*6PUt
Happily Ever Afters
Pansy: One Year Later
"Do you want me to get you another mimosa?" Hermione asked Pansy, who was staring at herself in the full-length mirror.
Turning toward her friend, Pansy shook her head. "Not right now. Maybe in a little."
"That dress is gorgeous," Hermione added, sipping her own mimosa as she sat down on one of the plush sofas in the church. Who would have thought Pansy and Ron would want to get married in a church? Certainly not her. "I'm so glad you didn't destroy it when you and Ron broke up last year."
Chuckling, Pansy came over and gingerly sat down so her dress wouldn't wrinkle. "Me too," she admitted. "There were quite a few times that I wanted to just burn it to the ground."
"I always feel that way when it comes to my brother," Ginny piped in from over at the vanity. She was working on her makeup for the ceremony. "By the way, am I allowed to make Harry trip as he walks down the aisle?"
"What?!" Hermione sputtered, nearly choking on her drink. "Hell no! He's walking with me, and I don't want to fall. If you do that, I'm going to make sure you don't catch the bouquet."
Ginny threw her head back and laughed. "Like I even want to," she said through giggles. "I think you're more likely to catch the bloody thing."
"Why don't you want to catch it?" Pansy asked, eyeing the redhead critically.
"I don't know… Dean and I… We're having a bit of a rough patch," she said and then sighed. Setting aside her eyeliner, she swivelled around to face her friends. "I'm not sure what's going on, but he seems distant."
"That's weird," Pansy said with a frown. "You two seemed fine last night at the rehearsal."
"Yeah," Hermione added. "You were laughing and having a great time."
Ginny shrugged and then stood so she could put on her dress. "I know, but he's holding back. It's weird." She was quiet for a moment as she slipped into the forest green gown and then stepped into the silver heels. "I'm not going to let it bother me, though. Today is all about you and my lucky ass brother."
Pansy laughed and stood, pulling Hermione up with her. "I'm so thankful you two are here with me. I don't know if I would have made it through the breakup if I didn't have you two at my side."
Hermione hugged Pansy and waited as Ginny came and wrapped her arms around her too. "We're always going to be here for you. You helped us through our rough times too."
"Yeah," Ginny muttered, "We love you."
"Well, good." Pansy wiped at her eyes, not wanting to ruin her makeup. "I love you two, also. Now, come on. I've got a wizard to marry and cake to eat."
Hermione and Ginny smirked and then followed Pansy from the room. They were ridiculously happy for their friend and couldn't wait to see her and Ron tie the knot. They'd waited a long time for this happy ending, and finally, it was here.
. . . .
Hermione: Two Years Later
"Why didn't anyone ever tell me that morning sickness could last all fucking day?" Hermione grumbled as she plopped down on the sofa next to Ginny and Pansy.
"Language, Ms Granger," Pansy playfully chastised her friend while flipping through a copy of Witch Weekly. "Do you want the baby to hear?"
"You're one to talk," Hermione said in reply as she rubbed her poor stomach. "You've got a newborn, and all I ever hear you say is how much shit-"
"Have you seen this?" Pansy interrupted her friend before she could go off on a hormonal tangent. She held out the magazine for her friends to see.
"What is it?" Ginny asked, taking the magazine and staring at the open page. She nearly choked at what was written there. "Bloody hell…"
"What?" Hermione was more than a little curious now and snatched it away from Ginny to see for herself. She nearly uttered another expletive at the title of the article. "Astoria Greengrass and Draco Malfoy call it quits after she's caught cheating?"
"But they can't get a divorce because of that contract," Pansy pointed out, her lips quirking into her famous Slytherin smirk. "And they haven't yet had a Pureblood heir, so it looks like they're pretty much buggered."
Ginny started laughing then, and both the others watched in amusement as she nearly toppled off the side of the sofa. When she managed to get herself together, she held up a hand before either witch could say anything. "I forgot to tell you what Dean told me the other day," she said when she'd calmed down.
"And what was that?" Hermione prodded, poking Ginny in the side. "Please, tell us what your fiance has been keeping from all of us."
"Ouch," Ginny said as she shifted away from the offending finger, but she did have to fight back a grin at the mention of Dean being her fiance. "He told me that Blaise and Theo heard Draco can't have children."
"What?" Pansy said fully into the conversation now. "Do tell?"
"Yeah," Ginny said with a mischievous grin. "Apparently he was cursed by cheating on Astoria, to begin with so now he can't have children at all. It's being kept hush-hush… For now…"
"That's horrible," Hermione muttered, but she couldn't help but feel her ex deserved what he was getting. "He never should have led me on the way he did."
"Nope," Pansy said, snatching back her magazine and tossing it aside. "Now, let's talk about this new mansion you and Theo are buying. I heard through the grapevine that's it's gorgeous and much too far away from all of us."
"I know…" Hermione sighed and took hold of both her friends hands. "Theo wanted to buy a house by the sea, and after seeing the place, I couldn't find any argument against it. It's lovely and perfect for our growing family."
"I'm just teasing," Pansy said, smiling warmly at her friend. "You know I'm happy for the two of you. After everything with Draco, you and Theo deserve all the happiness in the world."
"Me too," Ginny added, letting her head drop down to rest on Hermione's shoulder. "Plus, now I have somewhere to disappear to on the offseason."
"That is a good point." Pansy perked up at this realisation. "When Theo finally pops the question, you're going to have a beautiful location for your wedding."
"Baby first," Hermione said pointing at her stomach. "I don't even want to think about planning a wedding right now. Especially since we'll have a house to get settled."
"Understood. You can do your happily ever after however you want," Pansy replied, tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear. "But just so you know, I've already started designing the perfect dress for your beach wedding."
"Of course you have," Hermione said, laughing.
"Hey," Ginny exclaimed, picking up her head. "What about my dress? My wedding is less than six months away."
Rolling her eyes, she stood up and stomped into the other room. Returning she unzipped a bag and held the gown up for the two other witches to see. "Already done."
. . . .
Ginny: Three Years Later
"It's hard to believe that I once thought Dean and I were never going to make it," Ginny told Hermione. The two witches were sitting in the waiting room at St. Mungo's waiting to hear if Pansy and Ron's second child was a boy or girl. "I really thought he was going to break up with me."
"Instead you got a proposal and a happily ever after. Men act so strangely when they're hiding something," Hermione said, shaking her head. "I'm glad you're so happy."
"Yeah," Ginny said now grinning outright. "I really am."
"When are you and Dean going to start having babies?" Hermione asked, both her eyebrows dancing with mirth.
Ginny made a face, but there was a hint of a smile there. "We just got married. We both think there's plenty of time to wait. You and Pansy have enough to repopulate the wizarding community on your own."
Hermione chuckled and shook her head. "Theo and I are happy with our son. We're not planning on having another right away. Hell, we hadn't planned on having a baby at all, but that's what happened. I'm in love with my family, though."
"That makes sense," Ginny agreed. "You two are so adorable and so is your little one. My Quidditch career is taking off, and Dean thinks starting a family can wait for the time being."
"It's good you're both on the same page." Hermione elbowed Ginny as the nurse waved them back to see Pansy. "That's the most important thing when it comes to relationships."
"True," Ginny said opening the door to the delivery room. "Now, let's see what my brother helped spawn into the world this time."
"It's a girl!" Pansy exclaimed as the two witches joined her in the delivery room. "And she has my colour hair!"
"What!?" Ginny gushed, rushing forward. She stared down in amazement at the wisp of dark hair on top of the little girl's head. "No way! Every Weasley has red hair!"
"Hush," Pansy said as the infant in her arms squirmed. "I swear if you wake her up you will never be able to have children of your own."
"By the way, Ginny, I heard Harry hasn't had much luck in dating world," Hermione pointed out with a grin. "Theo was telling me he hasn't been able to get a witch into bed since last year."
"Serves him right for the way he treated Ginny," Pansy said as she counted the fingers on her daughter's hand once more.
"It really does," Hermione said, perching on the edge of the bed. "But none of that matters now."
"No, it doesn't," Ginny said, joining her friends on the bed. "What matters is that we're all happy and healthy and getting exactly what we want in life."
"All thanks to each other and our rules," Hermione said quietly so as not to wake the sleeping baby.
"Here's to many more years of happiness and love," Pansy said, smiling softly at her friends. They nodded in agreement, and Ginny knew that there was nothing left to worry about. They had each other, and that was that.
The End