Capítulo 23: Wives Know Best
31st JUNE 2018
MALFOY MANOR
"Not long now I hope, I feel like a beached whale!"
Pansy laughed, bringing two cups of tea over to the table where Hermione was sat, complaining about her 8 month pregnancy. "You've been here before, with what you've been through you're lucky it hasn't come earlier!"
Hermione patted her stomach, "This one's a little trouper! I just want to meet her now; tell her how amazing she is!"
Pansy smiled, taking a sip of her tea. She put the cup down, fiddling with the handle. Hermione looked up from her unborn baby, her brows furrowing at Pansy's nerves.
"Pans? Are you okay? You look... distracted?"
"I saw Ginny the other day," she quickly let out, not moving her eyes from the table. Hermione frowned, turning her head to look at something across the room. Bravely, Pansy lifted her head.
"Hermione, she's really sorry and..."
"I've heard it all before."
Pansy sighed. "I know, but she sounded so sincere, I couldn't just..."
"So you actually had a conversation with her then?"
"Hermione," Pansy said exasperatedly. "I don't even understand fully what happened. What if it was an accident? They seem to really care about you!" she tried to reason. Hermione just shook her head sadly.
"I don't know what to believe. Maybe they are telling the truth, but maybe they're not. They were quick to believe Ron over me all those years ago..."
"Yeah, and don't you think what you are doing to Harry and Ginny now is the same?"
Hermione's eyes narrowed in defence. "This is different, my private life was broadcast around the entire wizarding world."
"But they've apologised, you forgave them for the Ron situation, why can't you forgive them now?"
Hermione let out a shaky breath. "I just can't Pansy. And even if I wanted to, Draco never could. He's too angry with them and the Daily Prophet to even think straight around them. He was wary of them for weeks when I first befriended them again," she said. Pansy nodded in agreement, Draco had been around her and Blaise's constantly during the first weeks he hired Ginny, laying off his worries about how they would treat Hermione.
She took another sip of her tea. "You could try?"
The conversation was clearly dying as Hermione drank nearly half of her own tea before sparking up the subject of Draco going back to work. Pansy nodded politely as Hermione spoke, but she could see her friend's mind wasn't completely on the topic she was discussing.
...
1st JULY 2018
12 GRIMMAULD PLACE
Ginny turned the parchment over in her hands. Since Draco had fired her she had received letter after letter from James telling her all about his fallout with Eva and how disappointed he was with the Malfoy family. She understood that he was just trying to make her feel better, but in all honesty it was just making her feel worse. Despite what they had said and done to her and Harry, Hermione and Draco were still her friends; she still cared about them.
She only lifted her head when she heard the front door slam. Harry walked into the kitchen seconds later in silence, throwing his suit jacket onto the back of a chair. Ginny tried to smile, flicking her wand to start boiling the kettle.
"How was work?" she asked in an attempt to spark conversation. Harry had been quiet ever since the fight. Losing his best friend for the second time had taken it's toll. She watched as he shrugged, leaning over to kiss her cheek quickly before picking up the latest copy of the Daily Prophet - which had arrived that morning - and tossing it into the bin without a second glance. Ginny had read it earlier; the front page article had been written by Rita Skeeter.
"More lies," he drawled, sitting down next to her at the kettle whistled. He cleaned his glasses on his shirt as Ginny poured out two cups of tea.
"Most likely," she replied, passing one cup to her husband and taking the other, curling her fingers around it.
"I swear she lives off of other people's misery," he growled. "She actually had the guts to ask me about my reconciled friendship with the Malfoy's today. I'm sure there'll be an exaggerated article about that in next week's paper," he rolled his eyes, clenching his fists. "I can't wait until I catch her in the act and can trap her in a jar," he sipped his tea and then added as a second thought. "Or maybe I'll just trod on her."
Ginny let out a tiny laugh at the image of Harry stepping on a squealing beetle sized Rita Skeeter. Was it murder if it was an 'accident'?
Harry stood to leave, so he could get on with some final paperwork for the Dolohov case. Zacharias Smith was the leader of the case now - since Draco refused to talk to Harry, despite him trying to set up a court date - although being Head Auror meant Harry still had to review Smith's work before sending it off.
Ginny's voice stopped him before he could exit the room.
"I think I might go and see Hermione," she blurted out, staring at the table. Harry spun back around, a look of shock on his face.
"What? Ginny, are you sure? We've already tried that."
Ginny nodded. "I know, but I spoke to Victoire the other day and she told me that Draco has returned to work. I thought that maybe I could go during the day. Try to talk to Hermione alone," she said. Harry bit his lip. Then slowly nodded.
"Okay. If that's what you want to do I'm not going to stop you. Just..." he paused, exhaling. "You have to understand that Hermione is stubborn by nature. If she doesn't want to talk to us anymore, that isn't Draco's doing," he finished. Ginny smiled, approaching her husband and wrapping her arms around his neck.
"I know, I just want everything to go back to normal," she said, her smile faltering as she glanced down at the ground.
"Hey," Harry said, leaning forward to peck his wife on the lips. "It will, I promise. Even if it means I have to lock Hermione and Draco in a room until they agree to listen to us."
Ginny let out a bark of laughter. "Yeah, maybe don't do that," she snorted, kissing him again before letting him get on with his paperwork whilst she got started on dinner.
...
6th JULY 2018
MALFOY MANOR
Ginny gulped, tugging at her sleeve anxiously as she looked up at the, now incredibly imposing, doors to the Malfoy house.
"Come on Ginny," she muttered to herself. "You've known Hermione for years. It's not that difficult. Just knock on the door," she frowned. "And stop talking to yourself," she chastised.
Then she just shook her head for being so stupid and lifted her fist, letting it rap against the wood.
There was silence for a few minutes and Ginny debated apparating back home right then - Hermione would never know - but then she heard shouting from the other side 'I'm coming' and hearing her best friend's voice again forced her to stay.
When the door eventually opened, revealing a heavily pregnant Hermione dressed in jogging bottoms, a hoodie and with her hair tied up, Ginny let out a tiny smile, desperate to break any tension straight away. Hermione only stared back, her eyebrows furrowed together in a small frown as she looked Ginny up and down, as if not quite believing the woman had the guts to stand on her porch and smile at her.
"Hi," Ginny said, but it came out as a cracked whisper.
"Ginny," was all Hermione said back, her frown not disappearing and with what looked like no intention to open the door any further than it already was.
Ginny took in a deep, shuddering breath. "Can I come in?" her voice was still shaky, overcome with emotion and guilt she didn't even know she had.
There was more silence, in which Hermione continued to just stare at her. Then, to Ginny's complete surprise, she jerked her head downwards and pulled the door open, letting Ginny step through.
Hermione led her into the main living room, sitting down on one of the sofas and gesturing for Ginny to follow. Once Ginny sat down she felt her eyes flood with tears, and seconds later they were pouring out as she sniffled through an apology.
"Hermione please, you have to listen to us! We would have never told anyone about what you went through. You're friendship is worth too much to both Harry and I for that to happen. You have to believe us, please," she begged. "This... this fight - argument - whatever it is, I can't stand it anymore. I miss you Hermione, you and Draco, and so does Harry. And... and it's not fair on the kids either and..."
Ginny was silenced by Hermione putting her hand up. For a good half a minute, Ginny thought her once best friend was going to ask her to leave, tell her that nothing would work and that their friendship was over. After everything they had been through.
But then Hermione's eyes softened and a small smile stretched onto her lips.
"I spoke to Pansy," was all she said at first, but it was a start in Ginny's eyes. She continued, "she encouraged me to speak to you face to face."
Ginny's eyes were wide, hopeful for more. "And..."
Hermione's face broke into a sad smile. "I'm so sorry Ginny, I never should have doubted you in the first place but with everything that's happened in the past - with Ron and everything - I hope you can understand the situation we were put in. I was just hurt and jumped to the first conclusion I could think of, which is ridiculous when you think about it and not usually something I do, please, I am so sorry, all we want is yours and Harry's forgiveness."
Ginny rolled her eyes, the tears in her eyes now tears of joy, she let out a laugh. "Don't be stupid Hermione, you have done nothing to be forgiven for, I understand. I would be the same given the circumstances."
"Friends," Hermione said, a little quirk of amusement in her tone. Ginny let out a laugh, it was like they were kids back in school again.
"Friends," she finalised before the pair hugged, both still crying in happiness.
"Right, now I've just got to tell Draco."
"Yeah... about that," Ginny started. "Any chance I could get my old job back... actually sort of liked it," she winked jokingly but as she did so Hermione's face fell again.
"Oh my god, I forgot about that! Ginny, I am so sorry, we fired you, we almost ruined your career," Hermione looked absolutely appalled with herself but Ginny quickly hugged her again.
"Don't worry about it, I'm fine. Would just love to have it back."
"Done."
"Good," Ginny said, happy now that Hermione and her were good again. "I was getting sick of just seeing Harry everyday."
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Author Note: Next chapter is the epilogue!! Thank you to everyone who stuck by this story even though I was awful at posting............ six years isn't that bad right...!!!
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