Ginny Weasley woke up early. She liked to do this some mornings, waking before the rest of the family to fix herself a cup of tea or coffee and read the paper at the kitchen table or on the roof. It was her own little way of escaping from the madness that was her family (and it's not unwelcome guest) for just a short while before another hectic day. She was interrupted, however, by a tapping at the window. Midway through an article on more mysterious disappearances, she glanced up at the window to see a large tawny owl that she recognized from Hogwarts, gripping an envelope in its beak. She opened the window and retrieved the letter, petting the owl on its head before it flew back to the castle. She looked at the outside of the envelope to see no To, but instead a From: Hermione. Delighted to hear about how things were going back at school, she opened the envelope thinking she might find the detailed report one might expect from Hermione Granger. She found instead something curious : A very short piece of parchment, sitting in front of a photograph. She read the curious little note first.
Harry and Ron,
Sorry I don't have much time to reply to each of you separately. You've been staying out of trouble, I hope? Christmas around the Burrow sounds fantastic, and I do wish I could have been there. Everything around here went particularly well, everyone had fun and it was most pleasant. I really do want a copy of that picture of you all in the sweaters, I wore mine all day on Christmas and I've been wearing it whenever I go out as well, I really don't see why you both complain so much about them sometimes as they really are quite warm and comfortable. Ron, tell Molly thank you for me again, I love mine. I've enclosed a photograph taken from a few days before Christmas, while we were all decorating. I feel that it will explain things much better than I could ever do with words. I look forward to seeing both of you in just four or five days, I'll explain more later. Send my love to the family.
Yours, Forever
Hermione
She set the letter back in the envelope and looked at the photograph. At first glance, it was just a picture of a group of 20 or so students in front of a large, lit fireplace. Everyone looked happy, arms around each other and laughing or smiling at something that Ginny could not see. The students waved at the camera, then said something to a neighbor. Upon searching for Hermione, however, Ginny was most surprised to see who was standing next to her. Tall, chisled looks, and pale, Draco Malfoy was unmistakable among the others. The strangest part, however, was not that Hermione and Draco were quite close to each other, or that they appeared to be holding onto each other very comfortably. No, the most surprising element in the photograph was that Draco Malfoy was smiling and laughing, eyes glinting with some kind of cheer and happiness, all the while focused completely on Hermione.
She put the photograph back in the envelope, marched upstairs, and knocked on Ron and Harry's door continuously until a very sleepy green eyed guest opened the door.
"Whasgoinon?"
"It's Hermione. You should take a look at this."
Ginny's comment confused Harry and scared Ron straight out of bed. The pair followed Ginny into better light downstairs, and read the letter then looked at the picture.
Harry finished first. "Honestly, I don't see what the problem is, or what she means... it's just a bunch of students by a fire."
Ron was just finishing reading and picked up the photograph when Ginny said "Yeah, but look who Hermione is next to. Etcetera."
Harry stepped over to look over Ron's shoulder at the photograph one more time. They both spotted her at the same time, and their looks of confusion quickly fell to shock, and then back to confusion.
"I don't understand..." Ron scratched his head.
"Why... Hermione... Malfoy?" Harry couldn't even form complete sentences.
"I don't know either, but you should really find out. Just don't be so thick and get angry at her. Don't be boys. Just ask. Be curious."
"How are we not s'posed to be angry? That's Draco, eyeing Hermione!" Ron stood, pacing.
Harry stood straight again and walked back over to Ginny. "I don't know... how to... can you help?"
"I suppose so. Get me some parchment and a quill."
When Ron returned with the required objects, jaw practically dragging on the floor, Ginny set them in front of Harry. "Write. She'll recognize the handwriting if I do it myself."
Harry took the quill limply in his hand. He was not sure how to begin a letter asking one of his best friends how she was in such a situation with the enemy. Ginny rolled her eyes. "Repeat after me. Hermione, ..."
When the letter was finished, and signed by the both of them, they attached it to Pigwidgeon and sent it back to Hogwarts. All they could do now, was wait for a reply...
Hermione,
Imagine our surprise upon opening your letter. We were expecting the usual update, and instead found this rather unusual bit of information. We feel that a bit of an explanation is required, as we don't really know what the specifics are. Ginny says I'm supposed to say we're 'curious', thought I can't say that that's even close to how Ron actually feels, he looks as if he might blow up at any second. At first I didn't even notice that Draco was staring at you like that. Ginny thinks I'm writing something about how we just want to know what happened. I guess that's true, we really do want to know what happened. I guess it's really just a shock, and to be honest it feels like a little bit of a betrayal. You remember that he's Draco, right? You remember all of the things he's done to us, and all of the things he's called you and said to you over the years? I guess I just don't understand how it happened. Please explain. We're going mad over here. Ron might jump out a window and I might pull out all my hair and the only sane one left will be Ginny, and that just wouldn't do. Help.
Yours,
Harry and Ron
At lunch, Hermione took her usual place next to Draco.
"You know, love, we really do need to get started on New Years planning... the activities aren't over yet. I've already been getting together a few things, and I bet nobody has any idea what we've been up to."
Hermione nearly choked on her sandwich. "Right, right. We do." He is referring to the earliest plans for New Years, not the fact that you are lovers. "Lots of planning. I'll meet you in the room of requirement with a few students this afternoon. About four? I have some reading to catch up on until then..." She kissed him farewell and then stepped out towards the dormitories. On second thought... maybe I'll check the owlery first.
There was already a letter from Harry and Ron that had gotten there apparently hours ago, probably just missing the breakfast post. The owl in question was curled up under itself, scroll tied to its leg. Hermione untied it carefully and stole away to her dormitory, falling back on the bed and holding the still wrapped scroll in her hand. She dared not open it yet, her heart was near ready to burst out of her chest and onto the floor. She took the photographs out of her trunk and laid them out next to each other. Hermione sitting, wobbling slightly on Draco's shoulders and placing the star on the tree, looking at the camera and back a few times. Hermione throwing her arms around Draco, hugging him for the first time ever, huge smiles on their faces. The group shot where - she'd just fully realized that his attention was focused completely on her, everyone laughing in the moving photographs. They'd had amazing days and - Hermione realized with a blush and a grin - amazing nights, and sooner or later it was going to go down one road or another. She just had to wait and see which one. Just before she was to meet the others down at the room of requirement, she pushed herself to open the letter. After she'd finished reading, she wasn't sure if she was relieved or not. Ginny apparently was level-headed and curious. Ron was shocked, maybe angry or upset, but that was his own bloody fault after all. Harry was just confused, and a little perturbed. It wasn't good, but it wasn't bad either. She'd been expecting a hailstorm, and all she got was a few rain showers. That would have to do for now.
"Alright. Is that it then?" By dinnertime, Hermione and a select small group had planned a new years surprise for those left at Hogwarts. They would be throwing a lavish party, though small, for the now hundred or so students that were at school. They would use the same room as before, minus the kitchen but adding a large refreshment table. The suits of armor would be waiters, bringing around hors d'oeurves and champagne, and there would be gold and silver streamers around the whole place. For the countdown, there would be a large clock on the wall, making a very loud ticking sound every second for the last fifteen seconds before midnight. And at the last second, confetti, streamers, and balloons in wild colors would shower down over the guests, plus whistles and bells floating around and ringing in the new year. It was easy, really, just a few charms on some old newspapers to color them and make them shiny, some balloons bought from in town, and the other things were all easily found at Hogwarts or charmed out with a wand. They'd enlarge the room a little more the day before, and decorate, then have someone guard the outside until it was time for the party the next night. Hermione, though excited, wished that Ron and Harry would be there for New Years, to see that her and Draco really were happy.
The meeting ended, and everyone headed back downstairs for Dinner. Hermione, on the arm of Draco, asked a question.
"Draco... has anyone, well, said anything to you? About us?"
He smirked slightly. "Yes, though I assume you know the biggest loudmouth would have to be Pansy."
"Oh. Alright. It's just... I just told Ron and Harry."
"And?"
"Well, Ginny seemed not too bothered. Harry just seemed confused. And Ron sounded like he might jump out a window."
"Brilliant. I won't have to worry about the Weasel hexing me when they return then?"
"Oh, honestly. I'd really hope you can stop this nonsense about my friends. Because they are my friends, and if this is going to happen, you're going to have to put up with a lot of time with them."
"Oh, how am I going to live?" He nudged her. "I think I can handle them. We'll just have to see if they don't kill me first."
"I sure hope not. That would be dreadful."
They laughed and continued down the corridors to the Great Hall, optimistic as ever.
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