A Forbidden Birthright

Chapter Thirty One

The party that took place in the Great Hall was a historic one, and Hermione wondered if it would make its way into the history books about Hogwarts. McGonagall had a full spread prepared because apparently, to Hermione's annoyance, she was also aware of the proposal and had the kitchens ready a feast worthy of an engagement. 

The direction of the day had taken a lively turn than what she had expected, especially after her conversation with Malfoy in the library. And although she felt such great joy watching Ginny's face glow with a grin or Harry mooning over her, the two of them unable to stop touching each other, she found something in the bottom of her heart pause. Like there was some kind of emptiness there, some kind of want or need, no doubt shaped like Draco's name. 

With such an occasion, she didn't want to fight. It was a storm clouding her mood, raining over the entire evening. She was laughing and smiling, but she wasn't doing those things with him. She wanted him there. She wanted him to join in the festivities, to sit by her side with a hand resting on her leg, a stoic, judgmental statue, albeit a very pretty one. 

Hermione thought she caught sight of him hovering at the edge of the Great Hall, watching with a removed expression on his face. But when she looked again, he was gone, as if he had only been a figment of her imagination. His absence only made her feel sad and lonely, despite being immersed in such a jubilant celebration. 

Charmed instruments floated above them, playing themselves with invisible fingers, a jaunty tune that soaked into everybody present, convincing them of their need to dance. Half the people there were younger students who were in utter awe of being in attendance. Every single one of them knew Harry's name, just like in her school days. The Boy Who Lived, now a man grown with a fiancé on his arm. 

Hermione smiled to herself as she thought of all the sweet gifts Ginny's students were likely to bring her as congratulations to class the next day. It was such a wholesome thing, their final union. It had taken them far too long, and she hoped it would take them significantly less time to seal their relationship and have a wedding. She wanted to see them married by the end of the year. She couldn't wait until all of this had died down and she could sneak of with Ginny, giggling drunkenly and whispering unnecessarily about when she was thinking the date might be set for. 

The night began to wind down and once everybody had said their congratulations twice over, and the room was emptied. Students shuffled off to their dormitories, a mix of dreamy eyed children and dejected ones, sad that the festivities had concluded. Harry and Ginny were just finishing their thanks and goodbyes to McGonagall when Draco appeared nearby, a shadow that had seemingly always been there. 

"Potter. Weasley," he said with a nod, extending a hand. "Congratulations." 

Harry and Draco shook hands. 

"Thank you," Harry said with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity. 

Ginny smiled, one hand resting on Harry's chest as they stood together, the ring on her finger a shining star amongst the flickering candles. Her eyes dropped to it continuously, as if checking to make sure it was still there.

Draco and Hermione watched them leave in silence, and once they exited the double doors, he said, "You haven't told them yet, have you." It wasn't a question. 

"No," she said. "They're coming over at the end of the week. I expect Nikolai to be there. You as well." 

She could feel his eyes slide to her but she did not look his way and then strode down the Hall, leaving him to watch her walk away. 

Friday came faster than Hermione had anticipated, and she felt a knot in her throat the entire day. It only tightened when she opened her door to greet Ginny, Harry, and Ron. Draco was already there, having arrived twenty minutes earlier, and the two of them had sat in near silence as he wasn't yet willing to offer an apology and Hermione wasn't yet willing to move past it without one.