Who's Wedding Is It Anyway?

F ♡ U R

Draco led Hermione to the dance floor as the song changed to a slow song. They caught a few eyes, but could honestly care less. When they found a good place, they stopped and turned towards one another. Her arms came up and her fingers clasped around his neck. He let his hands hover over her waist for a moment, as if asking permission. She grinned at him and his hands met her waist in a second.

Hermione noticed Ron and Kriss swaying next to them. She smiled. For the first time in her life she felt completely safe, there in Draco's arms, next to a couple they helped bring together.

Draco was ecstatic. He had finally asked her. He had finally asked Hermione to dance. And she said yes. He couldn't help the smile that played on his lips. Maybe he did have a bit of Gryffindor courage in him after all.

The song was so beautiful and soothing that they both forgot about the wedding, about Ginny and Blaise, they just danced. They let themselves be happy. They let themselves forget. Their feet moved in tiny steps, forming either a box or a circle, they didn't know or care. They were still on Earth, still in the present, but they were in the best version of it.

"You've defiantly gotten better at dancing," she whispered, leaning back slightly to grin up at him. Even when she was in heels, he was always taller.

"I've gotten better? I'm the one who taught you the box step," he laughed quietly.

"Hey, it was a compliment. Learn to recognize them."

"Of course m'lady." He inhaled a deep breath through his nose, the wonderfully familiar scent of lavender and vanilla filling his senses. "Hm..."

"What?" she asked, smiling questionably.

"You're wearing the perfume I got you," he answered slowly.

"So?"

"So I think it smells kind of nice."

"Oh shut up."

She let her head rest on his chest, her hands moving from his neck to the lapels on his coat, using them to pull him closer so her neck wouldn't hurt. Draco was surprised at first, then he noticed the swollen bone on her neck. Slowly and cautiously he moved his hand from her waist and brought it up to her neck, rubbing his thumb against it. Hermione, startled, jumped at the unexpected movement, but then she realized what he was doing, smiled greatfully, and rested her head back down.

"Sorry," he muttered.

"No, no it helps. I-I just wasn't expecting it."

"Must hurt pretty bad. I guess that's what sitting at a desk and looking at wedding magazines for months does to you."

"Got that right. After you left the other day I spent the entire night binge watching house of cards on Netflix, holding a ice pack to my neck."

"You know you could have called? I would have come back."

"I know. But you've done so much for me already, I didn't want to be anymore of a bother."

"Hermione, you weren't a bother when we were kids, you're not a bother now."

She sighed, unsure what to say next, so instead she stayed quiet. Draco did do, returning his hand to her waist. They danced a bit more but the song was unfortunately coming to a end. Hermione truly loved it. She'd have to download it to her phone later. But it was ending, so she and Draco sadly returned to their seats. Kriss and Ron joined them shortly after.

"Hey, Mione? Can I talk to you for a second?" Kriss asked after a few moments. She stood up from her seat, waiting expectantly.

"Uh, yeah. Sure thing, Kriss," she answered, sharing a bewildered look with Draco before standing and following her to a corner near a drink table.

"Gilly Water?" she offered picking up a glass.

"No thank you." Kriss shrugged and took a sip, bursting out in laughter as soon as she brought it away from her lips.

"Wow, gotta love Gilly Water."

"Kriss, um, wasn't there something you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Oh, right. Sorry, I get distracted easily when it comes to my favorite drink. Anyway. I just wanted to thank you for your advice. Ron and I talked it out, and you were right! He completely understood. He's already working on it, planned a date for us at one of my favorite bands' concerts!"

"That's great, Kriss. I'm really happy for you."

"Really? 'Cause you don't sound it."

"Sorry, just... thinking about something."

"Him?"

"What? Who?"

"You know, that guy you were talking about earlier. Is that what you're thinking about?"

"Partly... but you don't have to worry about that. But I am truly happy for you and Ron."

"Thanks, but I can tell this guy is really bothering you. Want to talk about it?"

"I don't know, Kriss..."

"Come on! You helped me and Ron. The least I can do is listen. Please?"

"Oh, alright. But you keep those puppy dog eyes away from me from now on. They are literally killing me." Kriss laughed and lead Hermione over to a small, lone table near the edge of the tent.

"So. Talk to me."

"Well... okay. So he went to school with me, right? But he wasn't in my house. It was fine the first year, he barely even noticed me and we never talked. But in second year I met his father who was a big Pureblood. He immediately hated me. Then the guy started calling me Mudblood, all throughout then entire year. Then there was third year. By then I'd had enough. He made fun of me, my friends, and my family. That crossed a line. So you know what I did? I punched him square in his nose!

"He ran into me over the summer at Diagon Alley. He consulted me about the punch and somehow it ended up with him asking me to go for some Butterbeer. From then on we were great friends. His father didn't know, obviously. But I did take him to see my parents who absolutely loved him and his manners. We spent nearly the entire summer together." Hermione paused to laugh. "There was even one time that we went to a ice cream shop and he tried to balance a spoon on his nose! I got a picture of it and put it up on the refrigerator so that he could never forget that day.

"But then," she sighed. "Then his father found out. He got caught sneaking out of the house one night to meet me at the park. He never showed up and I felt awful. I didn't see him again that summer. At school he became cold and distant, more than he was before. It was horrible. I never knew what I did wrong. When I asked him, he always ignored me. Except for one time. And even then all he said was, 'him', then he left."

"Oh, Hermione," Kriss lowered her voice. Hermione looked up to see tears in Kriss's eyes. Kriss reached across the table and took Hermione's. "I'm so, so sorry. No one should have to go through that."

Hermione offered a tiny smile that didn't reach her eyes. "This isn't your problem though, Kriss. Thanks for listening, but I think I just need to be alone right now."

"Okay. I get that. Feel better Mione. If he doesn't see what he's missing, it's his fault. Not yours." Hermione tried to smile again, but it just made more tears swim in her eyes. She waved goodbye to Kriss, then took a step outside of the tent.

She stared up at the night sky, at the millions of shiny, sparkling starts that lit it up. She had always loved the stars.

Why can't I just pick up the courage to talk to him about it? she thought. We are friends again. I can tell him about everything else, why not this? Why is it so hard?

She had made up her mind.

"I have to tell him how I feel, tonight."