Out

It took Hermione almost an entire week to finally feel ready to leave the hospital wing. She was glad to do so. It was her last year, and she had already spent the majority of it in the hospital with Madam Pomfrey, and this time she could not even do the work because she could hardly stay awake.

She walked back to her dorm, and when she opened the door, everyone was inside. They all looked so happy to see her, but none more than Ginny. 

"'Mione!" She squealed, "I am so happy you are okay!" Ginny came over and pulled Hermione into a hug. However, she was careful not to hug her as tightly as she wanted to, just in case her friend still wasn't feeling her best. 

"It is good to see you, Gin." Hermione smiled at her friend and then looked at everyone else that was in her apartment. Draco was standing by the TV with his hands on one of the shelves, Harry was sitting on the couch with Luna next to him, and she noticed how Blaise was behind her with one hand on her shoulder. She was glad that those two were getting along so nicely. Neville was sitting on one of the stools in the kitchen with Hannah on the seat next to him. She noticed that Romilda and Ron were not there, and for the first time, she didn't feel guilty about it. 

"I am so glad to see everyone." She was trying to fight back the tears.

"'Mione, we have such great news." Ginny could hardly contain her excitement. 

"What is it, Ginny?" Hermione smiled at her best friend.

"Harry and I have picked a date! We are going to be getting married on December 1st. And Friday, if you are feeling up to it, of course, you, Luna, Hannah, and I are going to go dress shopping!" Ginny basically jumped for joy.

"That is great Gin, of course, I am feeling up to it. I wouldn't want to miss that for the world."

"Oh good, I wouldn't have wanted to go without you. It would have been like half of me is missing." Ginny hugged Hermione again.

"The half of you that is going to be reasonable," Harry said jokingly from the couch.

Hermione started to laugh; it was true, of course. Ginny, however, just looked at him and frowned. They both knew they were both kidding, of course, but it was cute how they kept up the charade. 

"How about I make us some lunch," Hannah said sweetly; she didn't wait for any objection and opened the fridge. "There isn't anything in here." She was dumbfounded. 

"Well, I haven't really been here much, and I doubt Draco knows how to cook," Hermione said, looking at Draco with one eyebrow raised. 

"Yeah, all I have had here is that peanut butter and jelly sandwich," Draco said, smirking back at Hermione. 

"Well, how about everyone comes over to our place, and I make everyone lunch, and we can play some games?" Hannah said, hopefully. She had never really been part of the group, but Hermione could tell she either wanted to be or just wanted to be excepted and included. 

"That sounds nice." Hermione decided to speak for everyone. 

"Wonderful." She skipped to the door and opened it up, at which point everyone walked out and headed over to their apartment. Hermione hung back and grabbed Ginny's hand; she needed to ask her something.

"Gin, is your mother going to be there?" Hermione looked concerned. 

"Yes, of course, silly, I am her only daughter. Trust me; she was the first person we told." Ginny grabbed Hermione's hand, and they walked into the apartment and sat down on the couch. 

"Don't you think you ought to invite Romilda? I mean, she is going to be your sister in law." Hermione didn't want to overstep, but she figured that Romilda would want to be included or at least given the opportunity to be. 

"Well, I thought of that and was going to ask her today." Ginny paused, and Hermione became suspicious. "Well, basically, when we invited her over for this, she told us that she didn't ever want to be in a room with you if she could help it because you locked her Ron away." Ginny bit her tongue. 

"I...I...." Hermione was speechless. Then she just became angry. "I didn't do anything." She hissed at Ginny. She immediately felt horrible, but Ginny ignored her tone of voice and pulled her into another hug. 

"We all know that," Ginny whispered in her ear. 

Hermione pulled back and stood up, and looked around the room. She felt like a massive weight was on her shoulders, and a weird feeling in her stomach. She wanted Draco. This was different and strange. She found him in a corner observing everything that was going on. She walked right over to him, and he raised his eyebrows as she neared. 

"You alright," He held his hand out, but she pushed past it. She put her head on his chest and arms around his waist.

Draco looked up, confused at Ginny, who had a giant grin on her face. Ginny knew that Hermione needed someone who would make her feel safe, and if he was it, she was all for it. Ginny mouthed to hug her to him, and Draco followed her instructions. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer. Her hair smelled like vanilla and strawberries, and felt the heat from her body around his. 

He had never really held anyone like this before, but he knew he didn't want to do this with anyone but Hermione. 

Hermione wasn't sure why she needed to be held by Draco, but she figured he hadn't judged her for anything so far, and he wasn't going to start. She just needed someone who didn't know every little detail of how she had ever felt about Ron, to hold her and tell her it was going to be fine. That it wasn't her fault, she knew it and told herself, but it always sounded different coming from someone else. 

"What happened?" He whispered in her ear.

"She said it is my fault he is locked up there, and now I am going to have to face his mother this weekend; what am I going to do? She is going to hate me."

"Hermione, she does not hate you; if anything, she is grateful you got him help or that he is getting help in the first place because you had nothing to do with being there. He made his own decisions; you just happened to be at the receiving end of them."

Hermione thought about it for a minute and took three deep breaths to calm herself down before backing away and moving to Draco's side; she, however, did not lose grip of his waist and leaned into him for support. She needed it too because she was surprised when everyone was looking at her. 

Ginny had a big smile on her face, and Harry and Neville's mouths were hitting the floor. Hannah was still cooking away, and Blaise wasn't looking at her really, but more at Draco. His mouth, too, was close to hitting the floor. Luna always had a dreamy look in her eye. She was the first to speak, of course too. 

"I am so glad the two of you have come together so well. It is just wonderful. I am sure that we are all pleased one of our closest friends has found peace finally, aren't we?" Luna looked at the two boys, and Harry and Neville took the hint and closed their mouths. 

Hermione wasn't really sure why Harry was so surprised he had been at the hospital with them before; it wasn't like they had just gotten together out of the blue. 

"I think we should talk about your wedding, Ginny. I am excited to hear all about what you have planned." Hannah came into the living room with a couple of different trays following her. The food smelled wonderful, and everyone came in closer to see what they were going to be having. 

There were little sandwiches and some kind of dip with crackers, and all different kinds of appetizers. 

"You are a wonderful cook Hannah," Hermione noted as she tried everything.

"Thank you; I love to do it." She smiled and turned to Ginny. 

"Harry and I have decided on a winter-themed wedding, and the colors are going to be rose and grey. I cannot wait to pick out a cake and flowers and a dress."

"Invitations, place settings, a venue, centerpieces!" Hannah added on. 

Draco and Hermione sort of looked at one another with wide eyes. She had never thought about planning a wedding; she was always too busy studying.

"How much of this have you thought about?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Well, I have a book; Mother has it, though. She is helping me do all the planning. She really cannot wait." Ginny smiled but then saw the sadness in Hermione's eyes.

"You never thought about your wedding as a child Hermione?" Hannah looked over, concerned as well.

"Not really." She would have normally added an explanation, but she didn't really have any. She was just not that kind of person. She thought about how many weddings she had been to. Bill and Fleur were the last ones, and she didn't really have any idea how much went into it. 

"Are you having it at the Burrow?" Luna asked.

"Harry?" Ginny looked over wide-eyed.

"Whatever you want, I already told you that, Gin." He just smiled and kissed her head.

"I am not sure yet. I am between two places, but I haven't quite decided." She had a tear in her eye, but somehow she held it in.

"I am still a little worn out; I think I will see you all in class on Monday. Have a good weekend. Ginny, let me know the time you want to go on Friday; I don't want to miss it." Hermione stood up, and Draco followed suit.

He looked at her hair bounce as they walked back to their apartment. He knew something was bothering her, but he thought of a way that could maybe cheer her up.