Chapter Sixty Six

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   Hermione blinked, and sat back on her heels. "Yes," she said, glancing over Malfoy's prone form, which was currently being cradled by Pansy. "Malfoy's here?"

Pansy looked horrendous; hair dishevelled and pale skin slick with sweat, body trembling, dark circles under her eyelids; in fact her eyes and fingernails were actually bleeding, presumably as a result of the bonding spell. But she looked over from where she was crouched like some feral creature, unabashed joy emanating from every limb as Draco – Malfoy – surged to life, gasping for air and pawing at his fellow Slytherin's throat.

"Oi!" she shouted, seizing his lapels and giving him a good shake. "It's me, knock it off!"

Draco snapped his attention to her immediately, and Hermione turned back to Harry. "Hello?" she tried tentatively.

He thrust forward, flinging his arms around her. "I thought you were a dream," he rasped, fumbling his hands at the back of her scarf.

"It's all real," she cried happily.

"Harry?"

Hermione, Harry and Ron all looked over as Malfoy sat up, Pansy's arm still around him to help him balance. He looked exhausted but his eyes were clear as he looked at Harry – and that was when she realised he hadn't called him Potter. And Harry hadn't called him Malfoy, a point he proved as he gasped his name again and scrambled clumsily to his feet.

Hermione took in as he ignored them, McGonagall and all the Aurors standing around watching on with an air of relief, but also confusion as Harry launched himself and tackled Malfoy back to the ground, both boys hugging and practically crying with laughter.

"What's going on?" Ron asked.

"I'm not sure-" Hermione started to agree, when her words were cut off with a startled gasp as Harry took Malfoy's face squarely between his hands...and kissed him.

"What the-!" Ron screeched, and several of the Aurors looked away awkwardly. Hermione felt Pansy drop beside her and pat her on the knee.

"Told you," she said in a tired but happy voice as she wiped the blood from her face and hands, then rested her head on Hermione's shoulder. She barely noticed she was so transfixed on the snogging boys before her.

Ron had his hands over his eyes. "Oh Merlin," he whined. "Has it stopped yet?"

"Erm," said Hermione. As it turned out though, the two of them did chose that moment to come up for air, and she was startled by the rapt way they looked into each other's eyes.

"We did it," whispered Harry.

Malfoy nodded. "We're here."

Harry pulled him into a tight embrace, stroking his hair and his back with such tenderness Hermione found herself quite taken aback. Just what had happened to them in the past twenty four hours? "They must have had quite a day," she murmured in disbelief, but felt Pansy shake her head.

"I think it's been a long time coming," she countered, which Hermione was definitely going to have to ask her to elaborate on, but not now.

For now, they had got their friends back and they were safe.

She pulled Ron's hands down and dragged him into a hug. "I think Harry might be a bit gay," she giggled into his ear.

"Yeah," he said faintly. "I got that. But...with Malfoy? Really?"

"Oh don't be such a bore," Pansy told him with a poke of his leg. "You do realise you're going to have to get used to us now, right?"

"We are?" Ron asked meekly.

She nodded and gave his cheek an affectionate pinch. "I've become quite fond of you both," she said with a wink, then indicated Harry and Malfoy. "And any idiot could have told you these two were inevitable."

Hermione wouldn't have said so until that moment, but watching them now as they wrapped themselves together, heads resting against one another as McGonagall crouched to talk quietly to them, Hermione had to agree.

"Urgh," she moaned tiredly, and flopped onto her back, Ron following on one side, and Pansy on the other. Her whole body ached, she was pretty sure the back of her head was bleeding, and she doubted she would ever feel warm again. "Happy World Vegan Day," she said.

It was Ron who started laughing first, the dissipating adrenalin making him hysterical, and the girls followed not far behind him. They shook and cried, rolling into each other until Harry and Malfoy came barrelling on top of them, making one giant hug out of the awkward pile of limbs.

"McGonagall told us what you did," Harry said once they had all found some solid ground to sit up on, huddling together as a group. "Thank you."

"Ahh," said Pansy with a wave of her hand. "How else were we going to spend World Vegan Day?"

"How indeed," Harry agreed, shaking his head and leaning in to give Malfoy another kiss.

Hermione wasn't sure what this meant for them now as the five of them stiffly got back to their feet. McGonagall herded them towards the castle with strict instructions to go to the medical wing, and Hermione watched Harry and Malfoy – Draco – take each other's hands and walk on ahead. Ron slipped his hand into hers too, and Pansy rubbed her shoulder against hers as they followed.

One thing was for sure – their lives were never going to be the same again.


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