ofau_hermione (ofau_hermione) wrote in ourfunaus, @ 2017-03-28 11:28:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, au: scarlet, blaise, blaise/ginny, date: 1998 11, draco, ginny, harry, hermione |
RP: Some are silver...
When: Saturday, November 28, 1998
Character/Pairing: Harry, Ginny/Blaise, Hermione, Draco
Rating: PG
Warnings: None
Summary: Harry comes for his weekend visit.
Harry came in early, while they were all at breakfast. They’d expected him, at least, so no one had slept in particularly – not, honestly, that most of them slept that well anyway. Hermione, with some sixth sense of him after the last year, turned and saw him before anyone else. She leapt up from her seat with a small, glad cry she hadn’t intended and, like she had many times before, she crossed the distance quickly and threw her arms around him.
Some of the world had always wondered and perhaps they always would, if there were something more than friendship between the two. There never had been and never would be, and anyone who ever paid attention could see that. But it wasn’t a typical sibling type relationship, either. In some ways it was closer than that, especially after the past year. But though there’d been the opportunity, there’d never been a spark or anything sexual between them. It was a fierce, strong friendship. After all, Hermione had stuck by him all the years she’d known him; she’d never wavered. Their nightmares were often the same. He was her family.
Harry’s arms closed around her, and they hugged tightly for a moment. He wasn’t self conscious about it now as he had been sometimes in the past. He had already grown up so much. Her smile flashed, quick and genuine, as they pulled back. There was a murmur through the lightly populated Great Hall, but they both ignored it, and they made their way over to the 8th year table where Ginny was also sitting, right next to Blaise. Draco was there, as well, across from his best mate and right next to where Hermione had obviously been sitting. Luna and Neville were a short ways down the table, with books open conferring over something. Both waved and smiled at them.
Harry clapped Neville on the shoulder and embraced Luna over the table, even bussing her on the cheek fondly. Then he went to Ginny and, though he hesitated awkwardly and his smile was crooked, Harry hugged her when she stood. “Gin. Missed you.” He managed a polite if wary nod to the dark skinned wizard next to her. “Zabini.”
It had been an interesting week and, Ginny thought, it was only going to get more interesting with Harry coming to visit over the weekend. From McGonagall's announcement about the Yule Ball, to Hermione and Harry meeting with Skeeter and her subsequent article, to the letter from her mum that she'd still yet to read, and finally, to the fact that she and Blaise had made it a point to be seen publicly, happily, as a couple.
They'd decided without even discussing it to be down in the Great Hall early, as a group, to greet Harry when he arrived. It was, perhaps, all a part of their attempt to put the rumors to rest about the state of Ginny and Harry's relationship - now friendship. She noticed quickly after Hermione that he'd arrived, and she smiled faintly at the way he and Hermione greeted one another. Despite the rumors that had always flown surrounding those two, Ginny had never doubted that what they had was a pure, true, strong friendship, and she could admit to herself that a part of her was even a bit envious of it.
She watched as Neville and Luna each returned Harry's greeting, and once he reached her she didn't hesitate to stand and greet him with a hug. "Missed you, too, Harry," she murmured back to him. When he turned his gaze toward Blaise, she couldn't help turning slightly to include him, resting a hand on his shoulder in a silent sign of solidarity. They were together. Now and, she hoped, always.
Blaise looked at Harry for a moment before smiling, teeth white against darker skin, and offered his hand. He and Harry shook, to all appearances perfectly amicable. And it largely was. Harry was as fine as one could be about how things had unfolded, and he was truly happy that Ginny was happy.
"Nice to see you again, Potter," Blaise said pleasantly, and he leaned subtly into the pressure of Ginny's hand, happy to have her there supporting him.
So then those green eyes fell on the blonde across the table. They had such a history, the two of them. Hermione knew the antagonism and even hatred that had been between the two. She’d spoken several times now to Harry, via owl, of Draco. They’d been writing more often the past week or so. And of course, Ginny had told Harry as well, so he wasn’t taken off guard about the fact that Malfoy was present and apparently a friend of his best friend.
The tension of the moment grew, thick with history and the things they’d both done and not done. A small movement had Harry’s eyes flicking back to Hermione, who stood just behind Draco, looking worried. He realized, with a jolt, that it really mattered to her what he did right now. That somehow Draco Malfoy had wormed his way into the circle of people Hermione Cared About. He wanted to get upset by this, felt the first stirrings of anger, but he looked at her face again and sighed quietly. He couldn’t say he understood in the least, but he did know, what he’d learned from her, with her, during the last year, that they couldn’t look back at all the time. They couldn’t dwell on the hatred and the past. And this was important to her, for whatever reason.
So Harry looked back at Malfoy, and the way Hermione's hand had suddenly gone to rest on the wizard's shoulder, fingers curling slightly over it, and swallowed back the things he wanted to say or snap or do. “Malfoy,” he said, grudgingly, extending his hand over the table to the Slytherin.
Draco had no idea how this experiment would turn out, but he was determined that it would work to all their benefit. He knew the girls had warned Potter about Blaise dating Ginny and him being around them as well, but he had no idea how the other man would react to seeing the reality of it. And on top of all that, he had his agreement with Astoria to consider, though they'd done little more than study together on the couple occasions they both had a free period. He just couldn't give up his study time with Hermione, and he was struggling to wrap his mind around how his friendship with Hermione might weather this ruse with Astoria. He wished he could tell her, but he understood Astoria's desire to keep it between them for now. Though he trusted Blaise and Hermione to keep it a secret, he knew that the more people who knew a thing, the more likely it was to get out.
He was ridiculously pleased with Blaise's reaction to being face-to-face with Ginny's ex-boyfriend, though he'd never doubted his best mate's ability to play nice when the situation called for it. And he, more than any of them, was devoted to seeing Ginny's reputation restored, if only to protect her from the rumors and the hate they reaped.
All too soon, Potter was looking at him, addressing him, and he felt Hermione's hand settle on his shoulder. This was incredibly important to her, he could tell, especially with the faint tremor of her hand. Draco glanced up to give her a small smile and slight nod before turning his attention back to Potter. He stood before taking the outstretched hand in a firm, polite shake. "Harry," he greeted pointedly, allowing his eyes to express a multitude of things he wasn't sure he would ever be able to articulate to the other man: gratitude, a desire for peace, an opportunity to be friendly even if a friendship was not a possibility. He was well aware of the mistakes he'd made in his life, and he very much wanted to do right now.
Blaise would play nice no matter what in this. Or at least, to the extent that made it best for Ginny and not horrible for him. He wouldn't be run all over but he would concede a hell of a lot for Ginny's sake. So it was easy enough to play nice now, especially knowing that this was largely a show for everyone else. Though he'd never hated Potter, so it wasn't awful for him either.
Harry was surprised when it came to Draco, however, and whatever anger was left at the thoughts in his hand leaked away for now. Friendship for now would be too much of a reach, but they could get along, for Hermione's sake, and Ginny's sake, if nothing else. If more came with time, then so be it.
He grasped Draco's hand firmly but not fighting for dominance. His eyes, too, made some amount of peace in that moment. He didn't want to fight anymore. If anything, Draco's use of his name cemented it all. "Draco," he said, this time much less reluctantly.
Hermione's hand briefly tightened and then loosened on Draco's shoulder, and she smiled warmly at everyone involved before using Draco to steady herself as she climbed back over the bench to resume her seat. She let out a soft sigh of utter relief, knowing that despite best intentions it could have gone badly.
"So how is everyone?" Harry asked pleasantly as he also took a seat, pulling an empty plate over to him and starting to add a few things to it so he could eat too. "What are our plans for the day?"
Aha! He'd done something right! Draco couldn't help but be just a little smugly pleased by that thought, and he nodded briefly at Potter before pulling his hand away and sitting back down. A glance at Hermione confirmed that, as she looked so much more relaxed and happy than she'd been just moments before. He was struck with the thought that he would do an awful lot to make her happy.
Ginny was surprised, pleasantly so, by the interaction with Draco and Harry, and her smile showed it. Maybe, just maybe, everything would work out well in the long run. She settled back on the bench, briefly amused by the fact that Harry sat on her other side, which put her between Harry and Blaise - literally this time, which was probably better than it had been a few weeks ago when she'd felt pulled in both directions as Blaise pursued her.
"Doing much better," she answered Harry first. At his next question, she glanced at Hermione with a quirked brow. "I'm sure Hermione has an itinerary for us," she teased lightly, "but I was hoping you and I might get together for a drink in Hogsmeade before we all meet up for dinner at the Three Broomsticks for dinner," she told Harry, reaching under the table to squeeze Blaise's hand. She'd told him beforehand that she wanted to do this, and he had agreed that it would help things for her and Harry to be seen in public getting along, especially if it was followed but the group together getting along.
"Doing all right," Hermione agreed. Busy, as always, but he'd know that. Especially after she'd had to go around and talk to the teachers of all the classes she'd missed this week because she'd had to deal with the whole reputation-paper debacle. But things had gotten easier for Ginny almost immediately after Rita's next article came out covering the interview.
"Very well," Blaise added for his own part. "Especially after your interview. My thanks, by the by."
Harry grimaced. "I'm just glad it worked. Rita is not my ideal lunch date, thank you."
Hermione chuckled and smiled lopsidedly at the teasing. "Only a broad outline," she said primly, her eyes dancing faintly.
"A drink would be excellent," Harry replied. He'd been wanting to catch up with Ginny for a while.
Blaise's fingers curled around Ginny's reassuringly. He knew she didn't want to get back with the other wizard but what was more, he trusted her. "And I look forward to dinner."
Draco glanced between the group, both curious and interested in how they interacted, what with him and Blaise there when no one would have expected it to be so. As Potter confirmed he was open to getting a drink with Ginny one on one before dinner, and then Blaise added his bit about dinner, Draco was struck with an idea. He'd heard enough about the plans to manipulate the press into correcting the damage done to Ginny's reputation to think that his idea could only help things.
He glanced down the table toward Neville and Luna, the latter of which he had to force himself to be able to address without allowing his discomfort and guilt to show through. "Hey, Neville, Luna, we'll be getting dinner at the Three Broomsticks tonight. Care to join us?" he called down to them. He briefly considered inviting Astoria along as well, but decided not to push things there just yet. Too much too soon would likely clue Daphne in, after all.
Neville looked at Draco in confusion for a moment, then turned his gaze to each of the girls - Luna first, then Ginny, then Hermione - before looking back at Draco. He had no idea why Draco wanted them along, but he had to admit that it would be nice to catch up with Harry and spend some time with the girls. He'd missed them terribly this year, as it felt like they barely had time together anymore. "Sure, sounds fun," he answered after a beat.
Luna also looked at him with some surprise. It wasn't a secret to her, at least, that Draco avoided her. On her worst days, she might avoid him or some of the others as well. So there was no judgment there. She simply smiled at the request and gave a serene, "I'd love to."
Hermione couldn't help but be pleased as well, and she smiled warmly at Draco, refraining from touching his arm to indicate her pleasure only by sheer force of will and knowing how many people were looking at them right now and might misread the motion.
"Fantastic," Harry said more genuinely. "Maybe I'll stick my head in on our way down, Gin, and give Madam Rosmerta a head's up that we'll be coming in with a group later?"
If Hermione hadn't already done so, that was. She tended to think ahead like that.
Ginny knew her eyes were just a little too wide as she watched Draco invite her friends - okay, well, hers, Hermione's, and Harry's, but still. It was interesting, and it made her wonder all the more what he was up to or what it was he wanted. There was still a small part of her that doubted his intentions, even if she had mostly accepted him simply because he was Blaise's best mate.
"That's probably a good idea. We wouldn't want her to be overwhelmed, though considering this weekend isn't an official weekend should help with the crowds," she commented musingly. "Which reminds me, Harry. Did you hear about McGonagall's announcement? About the Yule Ball?" she questioned, shifting her hand under the table to separate it from Blaise's so that she could trail her fingertips along his thigh. She was so looking forward to going to the ball with him. "I do hope they'll let you off training for the night to attend."
Maybe this is what things would have been like if they'd been sorted differently, just like Hermione had speculated that night just a week ago. With his father locked away, hopefully permanently this time, he had a sliver of hope that maybe things wouldn't go back to how they'd been before. And then Ginny brought up the Yule Ball, and he carefully hid a wince. Somehow he suspected he would have to escort Astoria to it, which might dash any hope he might have of convincing Hermione to dance with him. Oh, how complicated his life had quickly become.
"True. A head's up would guarantee us the best spot though."
Words to which Hermione nearly snorted, knowing they were doubly intentioned. Ah, she might actually be getting through to him about this publicity thing. then again, he'd been learning the hard way for years, and even his hard head had to let information through at some point, she thought fondly.
Harry kind of groaned and stabbed a sausage with his fork. "Pretty certain I'll be required to attend," he said with a sigh. "Kingsley's been making eyes at me this week and when I heard that, I figured he probably wants me in some horribly prominent position that's going to embarrass me completely."
Hermione couldn't help the laugh. "He's not trying to embarrass you, Harry," she said, amused.
"Yes, well, he doesn't know how badly I dance," Harry replied grumpily, which only made her laugh again.
"He does rather dance poorly," she said to Draco, including him without a thought. "I tried to help him out, poor bloke, but he kept stepping on my toes!"
"You still on that, then? I didn't break any of them, all right? They were only bruised." His complaints were only met with more laughter and pointedly rolled eyes.
Blaise's attention was, for a moment, solely focused on Ginny. Luckily Potter would have to find someone else's toes to step on rather than Ginny's this time, he thought. He would have the pleasure of spinning the red head around the dance floor.
"Yes, haven't you already done your penance at a ball, Harry?" he added slyly.
The comment earned a groan and the wizard burying his hands in his hair. "Yes. Yes, I have. Thank you for noticing," he said dryly.
It was a bit of a back and forth there, Draco thought with some amusement as he glanced between the friends. There was such a similar camaraderie to what he and Blaise shared, that it made him think maybe this experiment would be successful after all. He nodded slightly when Hermione addressed him directly, remember how poorly Potter had danced at the Yule Ball their fourth year and having little doubt that he had not improved in the years since.
"Well, I can promise you that I've not stepped on anyone's toes while dancing since I was about five years old," he said to Hermione, putting on over-dramatic sophisticated airs in the hopes of amusing her. Once the words were out of his mouth, however, he realized how they might be construed, which made him doubt his ability to do what he'd promised Astoria. Never mind the fact that Hermione was still, regrettably still dating Weasley.
Ginny found the whole conversation terribly amusing. "I don't know, Hermione, you may have to surreptitiously transfigure any witch's shoes who dances with Harry this time to have metal toes. It's bad enough he nearly broke yours, no one else should suffer for the opportunity to dance with him," she teased, glancing briefly at Harry with dancing, mischievous eyes.
A few moments later, she leaned in to Blaise and whispered, "At least I'll never have to worry about you stepping on my toes. You're far too graceful for that." It was both a compliment and a bit of teasing. But truly, she would be shocked if Blaise wasn't a fantastic dancer.
Hermione's grin back at Draco was quick. "You better not," she said just as snootily, nose raising in the air and her eyes dancing. She found she rather expected him to dance with her once, at least. No matter what sort of kerfuffle it caused. "I'd never let you live it down."
She smirked at Ginny. "Well, at least we know I'm good at that kind of subtle spell casting," she said. "I should practice first, though, just in case, so you don't destroy your date's feet."
There was another groan, and the head went further into his hands. "I'll have to ask someone. Shite." And asking the person he was interested in was likely out of the question. Uuuuugh.
Blaise raised one of her hands to press his lips lightly to the backs of her fingers. "You never have to fear with me," he murmured.
"Well, we can't have that," Draco retorted, keeping up the airs for a moment more before letting them drop into a small smile. He was more than pleased that she'd played along.
Ginny nodded emphatically at that. "But of course. We'll be sure to practice before the ball, just to make sure Harry doesn't break anyone's toes, and that no one breaks his!" It did feel really good to be able to laugh and tease, to just be friends with Harry, and she just hoped it would continue to be so.
At Harry's groan, Ginny looked at him speculatively. She wanted to point out that it was the perfect opportunity for him to ask whatever witch had caught his eye - and she hadn't forgotten his promise to tell her about that in person! - but even she recognized that this wasn't the time or place to do that. Before she had a chance to think up a more appropriate reply, Blaise's kiss and murmur drew her attention away from Harry. "I know," she murmured back, her stomach doing little flips. It was still a little baffling how much things had changed in such a short amount of time, but she definitely wasn't complaining.
Hermione eyed Harry, and her smile dimmed just a bit with worry that she didn't really want to show. She knew what was going on with him -- he'd admitted it just the other day, finally, and she knew it wasn't easy. But she'd not been sure what to tell him about the whole thing. It was passingly acceptable in the Muggle world these days, but the wizarding world? She honestly didn't know that for sure.
"So much faith in me, thanks," Harry said with an eye roll at both the girls that was good natured.
He eyed the darker man for a moment as he effortlessly took Ginny's attention away from the conversation, but it wasn't jealousy so much as it was a certain amount of wistfulness that tugged at him. He wished he could have given that to her; he wished he had it from someone, himself.
"No worries, Harry," Hermione said as breezily as she could manage. "Worse comes to worse, I'll come to your rescue and risk my own toes for you, should they try to get you to dance."
Ginny leaned in and brushed her lips against the corner of Blaise's mouth, showing affection without being a total slag about it, before turning back to laugh lightly at Harry's good natured grumbling. She wasn't going to argue though, because even if he wasn't quite as terrible as they were implying, he really wasn't a skilled dancer.
"Yes, see, you've got Hermione to come to your rescue. Again," she teased, keeping things light. There was no dying that Hermione's efforts played a large part in his survival, and she knew he wasn't afraid to give credit where it was due.
Draco had continued to quietly observe the byplay, but couldn't resist leaning in to whisper something to Hermione at that. "And should your toes be trod upon, I'd be more than willing to rub them for you," he murmured to her. "I need my potion's partner in top form, after all," he added a beat later to try to lessen the flirtation enough to not make her uncomfortable.
Hermione's head tipped toward Draco's automatically, something that Harry didn't fail to notice though he didn't and wouldn't comment on it -- at least right now. Her cheeks flushed a bit at his words as she instantly remembered the other night, and his hands upon her neck and shoulders and how good it felt. She could just imagine his hands on her feet the same way. She really shouldn't be able to do that. "Yes, mustn't have a partner who lets something explode because she's hobbling around with broken feet," she managed to retort without any real pause, though her cheeks stayed pink.
"This time without a tent, please," Harry said in the same light, teasing way.
"I have sworn off tents," Hermione instantly declared. "Next time, we can find a nice dank cave to hide in for several months, and it better already have a stove, that's all I'm saying."
"And next time I'm going to find the food and cook it," Harry replied.
"After you," she said with a sniff. "You make better omelets anyway."
Draco found himself quite aware of her reaction to him, his words, and even though she managed a prompt response, he reveled in the tinge to her cheeks. She really was quite lovely. "Precisely," he agreed, pleased she'd played along, though he did hope that she also other, less innocent images in her mind more focused on his hands on her. He rather thought he'd be reliving that night over and over for a while yet.
Ginny laughed lightly at the byplay between Harry and Hermione, shaking her head. "Well, let's just hope you two never have a reason to go hiding in the woods again," she said, though her tone kept it from getting too somber a moment. It might be too much to hope for that there wouldn't be another dark wizard risen who would put a price on Harry's head, leading him to insist it was his duty to destroy said dark wizard, but she was determined to hope regardless.
A glance at a clock had Ginny sighing softly. "Bugger, I've got to get to practice," she told them all, though her face did tilt toward Blaise. "Care to walk me out?" Because naturally she wanted to get as much time in with him as she could.
She could still feel the tingle of his hands on her shoulders, when she really thought about it. So she definitely wouldn't be forgetting that any time soon.
"With any luck," Hermione agreed firmly. Though if one did come along, Hermione would of course support Harry during that time because that's what she did. Though if one came along he or she might have to deal directly with her this time, and Hermione in a strop was not someone you dealt with lightly.
"Have a good practice, Gin. I'll see you after?" Harry said, looking hopeful. He really did want to repair their friendship.
"Certainly," Blaise replied, and he climbed over the bench first and offered her his hands to assist her like the gentleman he definitely was when he wasn't trying to seduce her.
After what they'd all been through, Ginny rather thought any dark wizard didn't stand a chance at gaining a foothold. And if they did, well, they wouldn't last long. Their world had suffered so much pain and loss, too many of their own dying far too young - there was a painful pang in her heart at the thought of Fred, among too many others - to allow anyone to rise to cause such suffering again.
Ginny nodded to Harry. "Yes, of course. We should be finished about lunchtime," she told him. They'd have another practice during the week, and then they were playing Ravenclaw next weekend, which she was feeling pretty confident about.
She took the offered hand with a quiet 'thank you' and stood up. "I'll see you all later, then," she told the group before she and Blaise headed out of the room.
Hermione gave Ginny a smile and a little bit of a wave, and Harry told her goodbye. He did look forward to actually getting to talk to her later. She was one of his dearest friends.
And when she left, the remaining three finished up their breakfasts, chatting amiably about inconsequential things for now. They were seen by a fair few people as the Hall filled up, and when they rose, they rose together and headed off to the Eighth Year common room to wile away some time before it was time for the more public aspects of this day.