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Chapter Text

Hand in hand, Ron and I walked through the gates into Hogwarts. It felt awkward without Harry, as if an arm had been cut off and we were slightly off balance without it. We made our way to the Great Hall, sitting at the Gryffindor table stiffly. Students began to trickle in, quietly taking seats at their tables. I noticed some people I knew, but far too many familiar faces were missing.

Headmistress McGonagall took her place at the lectern at some point, but all I could notice was how glaringly empty the Great Hall was. Students sat spread out across the tables, spaces left for their fallen friends as if waiting for them to enter the halls, as alive as they’d been last year. Even the teacher’s table at the front seemed so empty without Snape and Dumbledore. Still, many of those of us who were left had returned. I held Ron’s hand tightly, smiling reassuringly at Ginny who was seated beside him. None of the other Weasleys had returned to Hogwarts, nor had Molly and Arthur asked them to.

I locked eyes with Draco Malfoy, sitting at the Slytherin table with Theodore Nott and Pansy Parkinson. Ironically, even though his lackeys Crabbe and Goyle had died in the battle, he looked happier. More free. He noticed me looking at him and smiled tentatively. I returned it, and held his gaze, wondering what he was thinking about at that moment. A sniffle behind me snapped me out of it, and I turned to see Ron tearing up. He looked at the conspicuously empty spot beside me. Harry’s spot.

I tried not to think about the last time I’d seen him, but my mind took me there anyway. Ron and I had gone to visit him at his place in Godric’s Hollow. After the war, he’d bought back his parents’ house, and had been living there despite Molly’s best attempts to set him up at the Burrow.

It had been days since we’d last heard from him, and we’d begun to worry. Harry wasn’t the same after the war. He was so sad, all the time, insisting it was all his fault. He constantly wondered if he should have died that day in Godric’s Hollow, stopping it before it all began. Even after Ron and I had both pointed out that Voldemort would have been unstoppable, he insisted that by following the prophecy, he’d doomed all those good lives. Twice he had meant to die, and both times he’d cheated Death. Even Ginny couldn’t pull him out as he began to spiral.

In the span of a week, the great Harry Potter seemed to suddenly come unravelled, finally pushed over the edge. He’d begun to obsess about meaning and life, until he couldn’t any longer.

I threw up when I first saw him, slumped over on the chair. His eyes stared out, unable to see the blood, too much blood, splattered across the walls and staining the carpets. Ron had run for Harry, shaking him in his arms as if he was just sleeping. We cried, holding him together, ignoring the gun which had fallen from his hand and lay innocently on the floor. Death had finally taken him.

The funeral was a sombre and horrible occasion. So many people who should have been there - Sirius, Remus, Dumbledore… the crowd around the grave was too sparse as we laid him to rest in Godric’s Hollow.

A spattering of claps brought me back, as the headmistress stepped down and food appeared on the tables. We ate softly, the usual echoes of laughter and chatter a distant memory in the stifling silence. Ron, Ginny and I left early, and I stopped in the common room, unsure of where to go.

“The headmistress said anyone can sleep anywhere. Lots of spare rooms this year.” Ginny said quietly. In some unspoken agreement, we found ourselves all heading up to Harry’s old room. As Ron opened the door, I felt irrationally disappointed to see the bed empty, no Harry lounging around snacking on Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans. Ginny curled up in his bed, sobbing. Ron and I took his old bed, squished close in the small frame. He wrapped his arm around me, and we lay together, each lost in our own thoughts. Tomorrow, we would figure out who was sleeping in what rooms, and who we’d dorm with. But for tonight, the three of us stayed together, and imagined Harry was still there with us.

Chapter Text

Classes recommenced as normal, though there were too few people in each class. Ron and I headed up to Potions, having left Ginny to attend her Herbology class. We saw Neville there, preparing for his first lesson as Hogwarts’ new Herbology professor. “Looks like good things may finally be happening to me,” he’d said when we saw him yesterday before the feast, Luna on his arm. She’d smiled happily up at him, the horrible scar she'd gotten in battle stretching with the movement. I had to turn away when he pulled her into a kiss, something ugly like jealousy simmering in my stomach.

Slughorn was already mixing potions at the front of the class when we entered. A few other students were already there, opening their books and moving cauldrons around their workbenches. We claimed an empty table, and flipped to page 5, as instructed by Slughorn. Just then, a couple of Slytherins entered the room. Slughorn directed them to different tables, reminding everyone that the potions would require exact timing and coordinations between the 4 people in each group in order to achieve the perfect brew. “And of course, the group who can create the best potion will earn a special prize.” Slughorn added, winking.

Draco and Theodore set themselves up opposite Ron and I, flipping their books as well. I cleared my throat, falling into my expected role as group leader. “How about Ron and I tackle steps 1-5, and Draco and Theodore, you can manage steps 6-10?” They nodded, and we split up to complete the two parts of the recipe. Ron and I cut and released the juice of 20 frog eggs with silver knives, gently pouring them into the milky liquid made by Draco and Theodore. Draco stirred the swirling mixture in the cauldron, and the soft scents of jasmine and vanilla wafted from the brew. He had to stir continuously, so Theodore helped Ron and I to pull the talons out of crow feet. We dropped the three talons into the cauldron simultaneously, purple ripping out where they fell to colour the whole liquid. Draco stopped stirring, and I carefully distilled the potion into a vial. We stood awkwardly as a group, waiting for the others to finish.

I once again felt the need to initiate the conversation. “So, how have you two been settling into Hogwarts again?” I asked, looking between Theodore and Draco.

“Call me Theo. Theodore is far too formal. Well, it’s been bloody good to get out of the house again. Hey and, I’m sorry about… well, you know. I know you and Ron were close with him.” He said, patting Ron on the back. Ron flinched, and Theo dropped his hand. “How- um. How have you been then?” Theo asked.

“Yeah, picking up the pieces.” I forced a smile. “I guess it’s good to be back at Hogwarts right?” I said, nudging Ron. He just stared stonily at the floor, arms crossed defensively. Theo nodded. “To be honest, I wasn’t sure I would be coming back. But I didn’t want to leave my mate hanging.” Theo lightly punched Draco’s shoulder. “Not sure why he even wanted to come back. No one to force you to do anything anymore, eh?”

Draco smiled softly, the happiness at odds with Theo’s statement. I remembered hearing that the Malfoys and several other prominent Death Eater families had been sent to Azkaban. I wondered why Draco hadn’t been sent too. Everyone saw him run to his parents before the great battle. Everyone knew about his hate for Harry. As if in answer to my silent question, Draco tipped his head in acknowledgement.

“I came to know that Father had… ensorcelled me. For much of my life, my body was not my own.” He held up his hand, the sleeve of his robe falling back to expose a white tan line around his wrist. “It was through a bracelet he and Mother had gifted me as a child. It forced their thoughts, their actions into me. I was merely a puppet for much of my life. But that’s gone now,” he said, pulling the sleeve back down. “I am telling you this because I want you to know that wasn’t me. I know that after everything with Potter… with Harry, you probably don’t trust me. Hell, I wouldn’t trust me.” He shook his head, but looked up at me with conviction, eyes willing me to believe him. “I can make my own choices now. The right choices.” He smiled at me, and then at Ron, who continued to ignore everyone. “I hope we can be friends, Granger.” He said, and Theo punched him in the arm, hard this time. “We- We both hope we can be your friends.” Draco amended, grinning at Theo.

“Alright then, that’s all the time you lot are getting.” Slughorn announced, saving me from responding. “Yes, I know you can’t make a potion now that you’ve broken all your frog eggs McGillis, but I haven’t any spares. You should have thought about that before you crushed them all in your hands. Your group will just have to use whatever you’ve managed to make. Well hurry up and dispense it into the vial!” He tutted, and walked past the three tables, collecting each of our vials.

“Let’s see how well we did, shall we?” He said, beckoning everyone forwards to crowd around the cauldron at his table. “Eh, not this one.” He said, discarding one of the vials with a disappointed look at Eris McGillis.

“Right, now who can tell me what potion we made today?” My hand shot up on instinct. “Yes Miss Granger?” Slughorn asked.

“This is a healing potion, Sir. The Yanillow Salve. It’s supposed to suck the venom out of any bite wound. It is also fire-repellant, and can protect the skin even against direct contact with fire.” I said, holding back a smile when Theo shot me a small thumbs up. I was finally starting to feel like myself again.

“Very good. Now, let’s see how effective each of your potions are. I need a volunteer from each group. Quick Quick!” He added, and Willhelmina Koh from the other group moved up. Draco awkwardly jolted forward, just catching himself on my shoulder, so he also went up, glaring at a tittering Theo. Slughorn asked them to hold their wrists out. He carefully unstoppered the vials and dropped a few drops on their inner wrists, instructing them to smooth it over the skin.

“Incendio,” he said, and held the small flame close to Willhelmina’s arm. She began to shout, and he quickly pulled it away, her skin red and raw from the flame. “Well, someone should take her to the infirmary.” He said, as her friend helped her. “Not a very good potion then,” he muttered, moving onto Draco. “Your turn Mr Malfoy.” Draco stuck out his wrist, prompting Slughorn to chuckle. “That confident in our skills are we Mr Malfoy? Or rather, in Granger’s?” He asked, a knowing look at me. I blushed, glad that my academic prowess was still an established fact. Slughorn brought the flame closer to his arm, and even when the fire licked his potion slickened skin, nothing happened.

“Well done! Miss Granger, Mr Malfoy, Mr Nott, ah and Weaselby, enjoy your reward.” He reached into the depths of his robes, pulling out a thick round vial. Inside was a flower, though it was impossible to tell what kind as it was still small and green, with only a tiny hint of bud.

“It will sprout in a week or so on its own. Miss Granger, I trust you’ll know what to do with it.” He smiled, a knowing twinkle in his eyes. “Right, off with you now.” He said, shooing us all away. Ron and I had study periods next, and as I put my textbook into my bag, I turned around, surprising myself with my next words.

“Do you want to come sit with us? We have a study period now.” I asked Draco and Theo. Ron shot me with a surprised look I pretended not to see. “Ah, sorry Granger, but we’ve both got Herbology now. But next time?” Theo said. I nodded, and Ron and I headed into the hallways. When we were out of earshot, Ron huffed out a sarcastic laugh. “What the bloody hell was that, Mione?” He asked, brows slanted angrily. “You want to be friends with them now? Bloody hell.” He threw his hands up in exasperation, slumping into a chair moodily when we arrived at the study hall.

“They’re not so bad Ron. You know Theo’s never been as bad as the other Slytherins. And you heard what Draco said.” I said.

“And you believe him. Draco, I mean. You believe all that bullshit about a mind washing bracelet? Mione?” He said, shocked when I nodded. He huffed again, and stood up, turning away from me. “Bloody hell Mione. I can’t deal with this. Come find me when you’re not being completely insane.” He said, heading out the door. I stared at the door long after he left, silent tears streaking my cheeks. Other than him and Ginny, I had no other friends here. Ron had some of his old Quidditch pals, but I had no one. I sniffled, pulling the flower vial out of my pocket and turning it over in my hands. It was alone, trapped in the vial. I wondered if it would sprout so explosively that its unfurling petals could shatter its glass prison. I placed it on the desk in front of me, keeping it company while I read my Occlumency textbook.

Chapter Text

I found Ron after my afternoon classes, sitting on Harry’s bed, staring aimlessly out the window. I knew his classes finished before mine, and suspected I would find him here. I locked the door, and pulled my shoes off. Bare foot, I padded over to the bed, sliding next to him. I cupped his jaw, dragging his lips to mine before either of us could say anything. I slipped my tongue into his mouth and he groaned, pulling me closer into his chest. We broke the kiss, and he pulled my shirt over my head and unclasped my bra. Ron trailed kisses down my neck, sucking a nipple into his mouth. “Ron…” I moaned, hands tangling in his hair. His hands replaced his mouth as his head moved lower, dipping his tongue into my belly button as he moved to unbutton my jeans. My hands came up to cup my breasts, tweaking my nipples as he dragged my pants down my legs. And then my underwear.

He looked down at me, playing with myself. “Hermione.” He sighed, pulling me down until my legs hung off the end of the bed. He knelt between them as I arced my back, his warm breath making me tense and tingly. His head bobbed and his tongue sloppily licked me all over, adding to my wetness. I wriggled, but his hands at my hips pinned me down as his tongue dove inside me and swirled around my clit. I gripped the bed sheets tightly as he pushed a finger inside me, then another. “Ron, please,” I gasped, and he looked up, a wicked grin on his face. He slipped me over suddenly, my stomach flat on the bed. I dragged myself up the bed and propped up on all fours as he stripped out of his pants and underwear. He palmed himself while I watched, ready and waiting. He lined his dick up behind me, slowly sliding in as we both groaned. Hands on my hips, he pulled back before thrusting harder. I moaned, the sound loud and lewd as he grunted, pistoning in and out of me faster.

We came together, panting and sweaty. He pulled out of me, gently cleaning me as I lay there, chest heaving. He returned, and wrapped his arms around me, eyes already closed. Within minutes, he fell asleep, but I continued to lie awake, staring at the ceiling. I hoped Ginny would understand, and find another place to rest for the night. Hopefully with some of her friends, who I saw wave at her when we’d dropped her at the Herbology greenhouse this morning. It felt like days ago. I looked over at Ron, his forehead wrinkled and lips turned down. Even in sleep he couldn’t let go of the pain.

I turned around and sighed, wondering if there was something wrong in my head too. My heart squeezed, my chest tight and achy. The sex was great, but it didn’t feel the same. I needed it like I needed sleep or food, just another task. The feeling, the happiness I used to feel wasn’t there anymore. Just the satisfaction. I wasn’t ready to admit to myself what that meant for me and Ron. After Harry, he was in such a broken place. I was too. Maybe that’s all it was, just my brain trying to adjust to all the changes, all the new emotions and thoughts. Still, it took me too long to fall asleep, my mind unsettled.

***
I woke the next day, extricating myself from Ron’s arms as I trudged to the bathroom. After a shower, I felt fresher, and I pulled on my robes. I pushed Ron’s shoulder, rousing him. He mumbled sleepily, and I forced him to look at me.

“What’s ‘rong Mione.” He mumbled, rubbing his eyes sleepily. “I’m lonely, Ron. I don’t have anyone other than you and Ginny,” I whispered, looking down. He sighed, but I continued. “I want to be friends with Theo and Draco, Ron. I want to give them a chance. Will you please give them a chance too?” I asked, looking up with teary eyes. He sighed again, and pulled me into his arms. “Fine. I get it. It’s been tough without Harry.” He gulped, and smoothed my hair down my back. “I still don’t like them, but I’ll try.” I kissed him sweetly, and pushed him out of bed and into the shower. I finished dressing and headed into the Great Hall, heading straight to the Slytherin table.

Theo stood up and clapped when I arrived. “That’s ten galleons to me.” He rubbed his hands victoriously as Draco grudgingly forked the money out. “I knew you’d come sit with us today. Didn’t even expect it to be this early in the day. You had a whole 24 hours to prove me right.” Theo said in response to my questioning look. I smiled, pulling a plate of chocolate croissants closer to me.

We chatted for a while about our classes and professors, and I felt my shoulders relax. I was surprised by how easy it was to talk to them. I wondered what Harry would think about my unlikely new friends, were he still here. My brow furrowed, and Theo picked up on it. “Okay there, Granger? You went quiet. Ah, I have just the thing.” He hopped up and scurried away, so Draco siddled closer to me, continuing to complain about practicing for the Quidditch try-outs later that week. I laughed when he asked if I was trying out, insisting I had no sporting skill and could barely even maneuver a broom to sweep the floor. Theo returned just then, popping himself down on the other side of me. With a flourish, he presented another plate of chocolate croissants. Grinning, I nibbled on one while they talked around me, bickering about who would score the most goals in the try-outs.

I dropped any pretense of engaging with the conversation when Ron entered the hall, Ginny in tow. I looked at them hopefully, unable to make eye contact with either as they automatically headed towards our normal spots at the Gryffindor table. Realising I wasn’t there, Ron looked around, a muscle flickering faintly in his jaw when he saw me sitting between the animatedly chatting Slytherins. Slowly, he tugged Ginny along and they sat down opposite us, happily greeted by Theo who was seemingly oblivious to the tension.

“Hello Weasley, oh and lovely Ginny.” He said, lifting her hand to brush a faint kiss on the back. She let out a short, surprised laugh, but Ron just frowned. With a shifty smile, Theo quickly raised and kissed Ron’s hand too, laughing with Ginny at his outraged expression. I bit my lips to stop myself from joining them, but was glad Ginny seemed to accept them with minimal resistance as she chatted about Quidditch strategies with them.

I looked at Ron, gloomily picking at his single piece of toast. His voracious appetite had dwindled into nothing after everything with Harry, and not even Molly could get him to eat more. I looked worriedly at his sad looking half nibbled toast, then back at the man wasting away in front of my eyes.

“Will we see you at the try-outs, Weasley?” Draco asked Ron, interrupting Theo and Ginny’s colourful impersonations of Professor Hooch’s Quidditch commentary. Ron looked up, a nasty sneer on his face. “No. Lucky for you too. Wouldn’t have stood a chance against me. Might even score a win or two this time, now that Harry’s not here to be Seeker.” Ron jumped up, turning an accusatory glare at me before storming away. Ginny sighed, “I’d better go after him.” She hurried along, calling out for him to slow down.

I put my head in my hands, rubbing my face. Draco gently patted my back. “It’s not your job to make him feel okay, Granger. He’ll be okay when he's ready.” I shot up, fixing him with a glare. “This is none of your business, Malfoy.” I ran to catch up to Ginny, following Ron like I should have done in the first place. When I couldn’t find either of the Weasleys, I felt my heart begin to squeeze, and my vision narrow. I propped myself up on the stone ledge, closing my eyes and tipping my head back to brace against the column. I focussed on breathing in and out, letting the sunlight warm my weary body. A sudden chill had me opening my eyes, Draco blocking my sun as he peered worriedly at me. Even the always cheerful Theo was frowning, arm outstretched as if he wasn’t sure if he was allowed to comfort me.

My eyes watered, and I let out a small sob, despite my staunchest hatred for crying in front of anyone. I hadn’t even cried at the funeral, my eyes disturbingly dry even after I’d gotten over the shock of it all. Even as everyone cried around me, I watched, a creeping hollowness inside. Was this why I didn’t feel as much with Ron anymore? I was emptying, my insides carved out and spent. I just wanted to feel again. I covered my face, trying to compose myself and stop the tears, but something had snapped. All the sadness I’d been bottling up finally exploded out, and I cried loudly. Theo and Draco sat down beside me, sandwiching me in a hug. I dropped my head into Draco’s shoulder while Theo rubbed my back, whispering comfortingly. I heard students rushing to get to classes, and wondered what they thought of the sorry sight I was.

“Don’t worry, I threw a little bedazzling hex on us. Bloody good thing too, you sure aren’t a pretty crier Granger.” Theo said, poking my frowny face. I chuckled wryly, pulling out of Draco’s arms and wiping my face. “Want to talk about it?” Draco asked softly, his hand still resting on my back. I shook my head, sniffling. “Well, it’s not like we can rock up to classes in this state, so I say we take the day off. What say you, Granger?” Theo asked, hopping up and offering me his crooked elbow.

I knew I should decline. Should wash my face and hurry to class, sit beside Ron despite his anger, show him we were okay. But I was sick of pandering to his broken heart. I was hurting too. I took Theo’s arm and allowed them to sweep me away.

Chapter Text

They led me across the school, Theo chattering as we went. “What you are about to witness will be so magnificent, so ballad-worthy that you may find yourself inclined to write stories about it. I assure you this is a completely normal reaction, and I encourage you to record this fantastic event in any way you choose - song, story, tattoo across your back.” I shook my head, amused.

We finally ended up at the Quidditch field, and I automatically moved towards the stands. Draco stopped me with an outstretched arm, and I frowned at the grins on both their faces. “What?” I asked, crossing my arms defensively. Theo scurried off, all energy and hyperactivity, while Draco just smiled wider at my discomfort. “Don’t worry, this will be fun.” He said, running to help Theo with the brooms… my eyes widened when I counted three.

“Oh no no no. No. I told you, I have no skill with a broom.” I tried to make a run for it, but Draco easily caught me again with a hand around my waist. He pulled me closer, and I fought for breath when my body lined up flush with his. “Just like this. You can do it, Granger.” He said, arms around mine while he helped me straddle the already levitating broom and grip the stick properly. Theo and Draco got on their own brooms too, and Draco looked back at me.

“We’re going to take this slow, okay? You know the basics, so just float up in line with us.” I looked at him, terrified. I’d seen the painful injuries the Weasleys and Harry had sustained over the years, which is why I was more than happy to wait in the stands, cheering them on. Draco’s eyes softened. “We won't let you fall, Granger. Don’t you trust us?” He asked, and Theo dramatically held a hand to his chest in mock affrontement when I tilted my head as if I was thinking about it.

I kicked off the ground, just like Madame Hooch had taught us so long ago. The broom lifted, acquiescing to my silent request to take it slow. I could do this. I’d ridden bikes and horses before. How different could a broom really be? Draco and Theo kept pace on either side of me as I shakily ascended higher and higher. When we were finally level with the tallest goal, we flew laps up and down the field, slowly at first, then faster and faster.

I laughed, wind streaming through my hair as I raced through the fresh morning air. I couldn’t believe I’d never let Harry and Ron talk me into doing this sooner. I felt like I could finally breathe up here in the skies. Theo yelled over at me from the other side of the pitch. “How about a little challenge? First to the other end wins 20 galleons from each of the losers.” We nodded, and the three of us lined up in front of one of the goals.

“Three, two, one, GO” We shouted together, and I dropped low on my broom and sliced through the air like a bullet. Theo crowed with laughter when he realised I’d been holding out on them, and pushed himself hard to cover the ground I’d sped through. Still, Draco demolished us both in the end, having almost teleported to the other side, waiting for us to catch up with a smirk.

“Alright, hand it over.” He said, when I finally reached them, though only a few seconds after Theo. “Not you Granger,” Draco said when I tried to hand him his rightful winnings. “It would be shameful to accept a prize from a veritable rookie. Don’t worry, I’ll have plenty of other chances to win.” He slapped Theo’s hand away when he tried to take his money back too, leaving Theo to grumble about how pretty girls got unfair advantages, but pretty boys didn’t. He pouted, and insisted we play another game. “Whoever catches the snitch the most times is allowed to ask one favour of each of the losers. Get ready to pay up this time Granger, when I win.” He winked, and dipped down to release a snitch. We spent the rest of the morning zipping around catching and re-releasing the snitch.

The sun was at its apex when we finally stopped. Draco had won with two catches, Theo not far behind with one. I, of course, did not catch the snitch even once, but I couldn’t resist making fun of Theo. “You promised me something song worthy. All I saw was you losing. Twice.” He gasped theatrically. “You wound me, lady. Fine, prepare to be wowed.” He stood up, hopping on the spot to hype himself up. Draco just rolled his eyes and plopped down on the grass next to me, legs stretched out.

Theo stripped his shirt off and dropped into a series of elaborate pushups. One handed, finger tips only, claps and all. He moved into a set of exercises, each more complicated and impressive than the next. His muscles flexed and curved as he moved like water, fluid and beautiful. I tried to ignore how his hips flexed, the perfectly chiseled V leading into the waistband of his pants. “And now, a volunteer from the crowd. How about the pretty lady?” He said, a hand out to me when he finished the set. I obliged, and he got into a planking position and asked me to take a seat. I perched gingerly, legs firmly planted on the ground.

“Now now, Granger. We promised we wouldn’t let you fall. Now get on me properly woman!” I slid a leg over his back so that I was straddling him, hands awkwardly resting on my thighs. Suddenly, he dropped into a push up, and grabbed his shoulders, nails piercing the skin. He kept going until Draco threw his robes at him. “What a damn show off. Let’s go, I’m hungry now. Put Granger down.” I looked up at him helplessly, unsure how to get myself up off his back. Draco laughed, and plucked me off with ease, setting me down on my feet beside him. He kept his arm loosely around my waist, and I couldn’t bring myself to move over. Theo sprang back up, and I winced, noticing the half moon imprints on his shoulders. Now that I wasn’t so distracted by all of him, I also noticed the faint scars mapped out all over his body. I shuddered. A Quidditch player’s life sure wasn’t easy.

We headed over to the Great Hall for lunch, plopping down in a sweaty heap at the Slytherin table again. I saw Ron come in later, surrounded by his own friends from Quidditch. He saw me, and kept walking, completely ignoring me. I tried to ignore the hurt welling inside me, covering it up with easy laughter as we brainstormed how Draco should call in his favours.

I couldn’t ignore it anymore when Ron stopped me in the hallways when I’d left Draco and Theo to go to my Occlumency class. “Why weren’t you in class this morning, Mione?” I looked at him quietly. “Bloody hell, you were with them, weren’t you? What are you doing? You don’t skip class.” He shook his head, running his hands through his hair frustratedly. “I don’t know what’s going on with you.” I looked up, annoyed. It was always about Ron. How he was feeling about Harry’s death, how he felt about starting Hogwarts, how he felt about me making new friends when I had no one else. Tears sprang to my eyes. “Excuse me, I have to get to Occlumency.” I tried to walk past but he grabbed my arm, spinning me around to face him. “Too good to skip class now? What about this morning? What, are one of your new friends in this class? Or even better, both of them? Hell Hermione, it’s like you don’t want to spend time with me anymore.”

I sighed, shoulders sinking as I let go of the tension bunching them up. “Ron, I’m sorry. I’m not trying to avoid you. I’m sorry.” I said, needing to just let it go. I waited for him to apologise too, but he just pulled me close into a kiss, lips crushing mine. I kissed him back numbly, ignoring the void growing inside. He pushed his tongue into my mouth, backing me into the wall. He fumbled with my skirt zip, and it dropped to the floor. We were the only ones in the empty hallway, but I bitterly wondered if he cared so little that he couldn’t even cast a simple bedazzling hex over us. He roughly pulled my panties down and shoved his fingers into me, panting as he sucked on my neck. I let him fumble with my shirt, palming my breasts needily as he drove his fingers in and out. I moaned, focusing on the feeling of his fingers inside me, his thumb flicking my clit.

He pulled away, yanking down his pants and underwear and roughly shoving his dick inside me. I wrapped my legs around his waist, letting him support me as he pushed in and out of me. I gripped his shoulders, letting the wave of pleasure take me. He cried out when he came, dick deep inside me. He slowly pulled out, admiring my pussy full of his cum, some of it dribbling out. He readjusted my panties over my soaking pussy, and zipped my skirt back up. He clothed himself too while I regained my breath, not looking at him. He didn't even look at me, didn't bother continuing our conversation or trying to figure out why I wasn't acting the same anymore. He just left for his next class. I went down to study hall, having missed all of Occlumency anyway.

Chapter Text

Over the next few weeks, I settled into my new normal. Quidditch trials went well, both Theo and Draco making the team as Beater and Seeker. Ron fussed the whole time, but refused to try out, insisting he couldn’t do that to Harry. I held back from retorting that it didn’t matter what Harry wanted, he was dead, but I didn’t want to agitate the tentative equilibrium we’d reached. I hung out with Theo and Draco more often, and Ron didn’t complain since I spent most nights with his cock inside me anyway. I laughed more, smiled more, and felt lighter than I had since Harry died. However, the happier I felt, the more I started to question my relationship with Ron. We never hung out, other than for sex. We used to talk late into the night, playing chess and eating cookies. I missed that. I missed how I used to feel for him.

I sat in class next to Draco, pushing my pencil aimlessly around while I wondered if I should say something to Ron, or do something. I looked over at Draco, diligently completing his Defense Against the Dark Arts essay. He was so different to the snivelling horrible Draco I knew before. I followed up the curve of his bicep as he wrote, eyes catching on the soft blond hair curling at his neck. It was longer now, and bits flopped over his eyes as he hunched over, cursive spilling over the page. Before I could think about it, I swept his hair back, tucking it behind his ear. He jolted, concentration broken, mouth parting as if to say something.

“Miss Granger, the Headmistress, wants to see you.” The professor said, and I quickly pulled my hand back and shoved my quill and parchment into my bag. I headed down to the Headmistress’s office, surprised to see Ginny and Ron already there. My blood pumped too quickly, and I struggled to discreetly suck in air as my mind ran to the worst. Had something happened to one of the Weasleys? Headmistress Mcgonagall quickly assuaged our worries.

“There is no bad news, so you needn’t worry so much. I found this when I was cleaning out Headmaster Dumbledore’s old things. I thought, given the circumstances, you three should have it.” She pushed a small envelope forwards, the front printed with the name Harry Potter. Ron quietly picked it up, opening it and turning it upside down on the table. A single medallion fell out, embossed with a familiar snake.

I looked between Ginny and Ron, then back at the Headmistress. “This snake… it’s the same as the one in the Chamber of Secrets.” I said, voicing everyone’s thoughts. The headmistress peered at it and nodded grimly. “It came with this.” She said, passing a piece of dirty parchment with obvious reluctance. Ron gasped as he held it up. “I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.” He said, tapping the parchment with a wand as ink appeared on it.

“How’d it get here?” Ron asked, looking up incredulously. Headmistress Mcgonagall only shrugged, lips disappearing in a scowl. “You best be using that for this mission only. I expect it to be returned immediately afterwards, Mr Weasley.” She said, with a pointed look at Ron. He nodded, and she dismissed us with a wave. Ron sighed, handing me the medallion and map. “Ginny and I’ve got to get back to Quidditch practice now. Our game’s tomorrow. Let’s go after it, see what this Chamber of Secrets nonsense is.” He gave me a quick kiss, and I hugged Ginny. They walked away, Ron still complaining about how Dumbledore couldn’t leave a simple note explaining what to do.

I headed back to my classroom. Draco shot me a questioning look, and I shook my head. Ron would be fuming if I told Draco or Theo, but something in me wanted to. Wasn’t that what friends were for? I kept wondering if I should say something when Draco and I met Theo at the Great Hall.

“Hello? Earth to Granger?” Theo shouted, waving his hand in front of my face. I snapped back into the moment. “Okay, something is clearly up. Tell us.” He said, poking my shoulder. Draco, who was sitting opposite us, looked up from his book, curious to know as well. I pulled the Marauders Map and medallion out, deciding I would deal with the fallout with Ron later. I explained where we were going tomorrow, and they eagerly insisted they would come.

“We’re playing tomorrow, but you must take us with you after that!” Theo begged, slapping his palms together and looking at me pleadingly. “Oh calm down Theo. She has to take us. Wouldn’t have told us otherwise, right Granger?” Draco said, challenging me to refute his claim. I just laughed, not answering while Theo continued to badger me. I finally turned and smacked Theo’s shoulder, mumbling something about pretty boys thinking they can get whatever they want. Theo grabbed his shoulder, howling, while Draco’s laughter echoed through the Great Hall, making people turn to stare at us. I reached over the table and cupped a hand over his mouth to shut him up, giggling. We continued to chatter into the afternoon, nobody doing any work as our books lay untouched.

***

I waited in bed, already undressed when Ron finally came in. I sat up, letting the blanket slide off me as he came over to me, still fully clothed. I got off the bed, dropping to my knees as I slid his pants down. His cock sprung out, and I pulled him into my mouth, tongue swirling around the tip as I sucked. He groaned, hands tangling in my hair as I puffed my cheeks, hands gripping the base of his shaft as I got him off. “Fuck!” He shouted, pulling out of my mouth, his cum spilling over my breasts. I pinched my wet nipples, and he pulled me up onto the bed. I perched on the edge, spreading my legs to play with my pussy while he watched, breath hitching as he got hard again. He pushed my hands up to my breasts, squeezing them together. Then, he lined his dick up, thrusting between my slick breasts. I bent my head over to lick the tip each time it popped out the top. He groaned, getting closer and closer to the edge. Suddenly, he pushed me back, and sheathed himself in me, thrusting quickly as he came.

He dropped onto the bed beside me, his cum still cooling on my thighs. I gently stroked his cock, looking at him hopefully. “Ron, I have something to tell you. I don’t want you to freak out about it, okay?” He nodded, distracted as his fingers kept twisting and pinching my nipples. “I- I told Theo and Draco about the map and medallion. I just figure we could use some help down there, we don’t know what we’re going to face!” I said, when he let go of me and frowned. “Why would you do that? Why are we even talking about them right now, Mione? He sat up, and I did too. “Ron, they’re my friends. I want them to help. You said you’d give them a chance. I just want-”

“Want what Hermione? You didn’t used to want anything. When did I stop being enough for you?” Ron yelled. I glared at him, yelling back. “Harry is gone, Ron! He’s gone. I hate that he left me, left us. But I don’t have any other friends. I’ve told you over and over. I am alone. I feel so alone, and tired all the time. They are coming tomorrow. You can make it difficult, or you can just accept that and deal with it. Please Ron, try to understand.” I said, whispering the last words.

He frowned, lying back in bed and pulling the blanket over him. I sighed, but I knew he wouldn’t argue with me. For all of his strengths, Ron was a coward when it came to confrontation. He would complain, but he wouldn’t say no when they came along tomorrow.

Chapter Text

The Quidditch match ended with a narrow victory to Gryffindor. I thanked whatever fate had caused that, giving Ron less of a reason to grumble when the Slytherins joined us. I’d already told Ginny earlier that Theo and Draco were joining us, and while she wasn’t exactly happy about it, she didn’t disagree. She hugged me, reminding me that I was there for her to talk to, always. I held back tears, hugging her closer, glad at least one of the Weasleys seemed to care about me these days.

Our unlikely group trooped to the second floor, entering the girl’s toilets. Ron hissed out the Parseltongue command, and we quietly slipped down the chute. At the bottom, Theo and Draco marvelled at the ginormous chamber, having never seen it before. Ron held Ginny close, and everyone looked at me as I opened the map. I opened it out, showing everyone the large labyrinthine formation drawn out across the map. I noticed a large dark blotch on the map, a little ways out from our current position. Ron pointed at it, noticing it too. “That must be it.” He said, yanking the map out of my hand and dragging Ginny down that way. I sighed, and followed with Theo and Draco, the former unusually silent as they both took in the spooky interior.

We stopped, having reached the blackened out section. The large pipe-like section we’d walked through ended, opening out. We tentatively walked into the sub chamber, lighting our wands to see. “Map doesn’t say anything.” Ron said, looking only at me as he held it up. “Let’s spread out, but only as far as you can still see someone's wand light.” I said, and everyone spread out.

“Guys, look,” Draco said, calling us over. Everyone trooped over to him, the darkness lightning in our collective wandlight. It looked as if there was something, or rather someone in the distance. Draco put his fingers to his lips, and slowly moved towards the other side of the room, wand outstretched. A member of that party did the same, the blond-haired figure moving towards him at the same careful pace. Suddenly, Draco laughed, the sound echoing through the chamber.

“It’s just a mirror!” He shouted, jogging back to us as his reflection also retreated. We all headed towards the large mirror. It was like a wall, flush with the floor and reaching impossibly high until it disappeared into the darkness above us. There was a small opening in the mirror, like a corridor. Draco went through first, wand still at the ready. The rest of us followed, and the mirror-lined corridor led into some sort of well-lit central room. When Ginny popped through last, the entryway disappeared as if it had never been there.

“Where are we now?” Theo asked, looking around at us, multiplied in the mirrors surrounding us. These mirrors weren’t smooth, rectangular mirrors like the first one. They were all sharp edges set in black frames, the surfaces bumpy and irregular. Realisation dawned on me.

“I think I’ve read about these before. These must be the lost bastard pieces of the Creator.” I looked around grimly at the jutting mirror shards, forming an endless maze around us.

“Who’s the Creator?” Ginny asked, leaning forward to touch the mirror closest to her.

“Stop!” I shouted, but her fingers had already met the frosted surface. She pulled back suddenly, yelling in pain. Ron yanked her towards him, and everyone moved closer, away from the mirror panes.

“The Creator was an old glassworker, famous for his legendary mirrors. He also made the Mirror of Erised, from back in our first year, remember Ron?” He nodded, still holding Ginny close as she blew on her charred fingertips.

“He was known for all his beautiful works, and wizards from around the world commissioned several of his pieces. The book I read about him said he’d been committed to his art right up until the death of his wife. He was shattered and was too distraught to even care for his son. He sent the son to an orphanage, and threw himself into making mirrors, only these were horrible, broken remnants of his once magnificent art. It’s said most disturbing works were made then. Shattered mirrors with jagged ends and terrible visages shown to those who gaze upon them. He never sold them, hoarding them in an undisclosed location that began to be known as the Collector’s Hollow. He kept making mirror after mirror, discarding them all until he finally made his Mirror of Erised, which he lost years and years of his life to, just staring at his wife. Somehow, all of those horrible, broken mirrors must have made it here. The Hollow. We’re lucky that one only burned you Ginny. Who knows what the rest of them do.”

We looked around at the mirrors, wondering how anyone could get through. “Mione, d’you remember anything else about the mirrors? Anything at all?” Ron asked. Everyone murmured their agreement, looking around with ashen faces.

I ran my fingers through my hair, tugging at the roots. So little was known about the Creator, not even his name. The book I’d read was woefully thin, mostly full of colourful illustrations of his mirrors. Wait… the illustrations. I suddenly lurched for the mirror Ginny had just touched, prompting everyone to shout in alarm. Theo pulled my arm to drag me back, but I stopped before the mirror anyway and pulled out my wand.

“Lumos.” The light flared, and I strained to see the small markings on the edges of the mirror. Yes. The Creator’s signature was his beautiful gilt frames, the only true remnant of his former self that he’d been unable to suppress, even when he descended into madness. My eyes traced the fine outline of a fire running around the length of the frame. I shared my discovery, and a weary hope seemed to light everyones’ eyes.

“We have to form a chain. Everyone link arms, and no matter what happens, don’t let go.” I said, enunciating the last words. “I’ll lead, and we move slowly. Follow exactly where the person in front of you steps. I am going to keep talking all the way through, so if someone somehow gets detached, listen for my voice.” I linked my arm into Ron’s, who was followed by Ginny, Theo and Draco at the rear.

Ever so slowly, we began to creep forwards. I didn’t let my anxiety show, but I didn’t know how we would escape. One wrong touch, and we could suffer terrible fates. The mirrors were hard to see, the narrow frames the only indication of where in front of us the mirrors were. I listened carefully for the echo of my voice back to me, erring on the side of caution when unsure how close a mirror was. All throughout, I kept talking.

“I’ve read about this one. The little crowns around the frame tell me this is The Mirror of Kings. It was said anything who touched the surface would turn to gold.” I carefully edged along the mirror pane, mindful not to let even the fabric of my hoodie touch it. “The Mirror of Fear, like a boggart in reflection form. Don’t look, even the bravest have run, crying and pissing themselves. Supposedly, it shows you in your own personal Hell, surrounded by your greatest fears come to life.”

“And this one must be the Mirror of Many Lifetimes. This one is okay to touch, but try not to look. It shows you all the times fate intervened before Death could take you. It is said that the mirror is also a gateway for Death to sneak up on you while you cockily watch your good fortune.” I ran my finger across the mirror’s surface, eyes averted. When my fingers curled around the edge, I looked around for where we could go next. I couldn’t see the black gilt frames, so I shuffled slowly forwards.

“I- I don’t know where the next mirror is.” My breath huffed out in short gasps as I whirled around, desperately looking for a clue. Ron squeezed my hand. I looked up to him, and he smiled at me, as if we were still lying around in bed instead of in this maze.

“Mione, you can do it. Just breathe for me. In and out. Okay. There’s no rush, take as long as you need. If anyone can get us out of here, it’s you.” I sucked deep breaths in, nodding. I looked forwards, calming when I saw Draco, Ginny and Theos’ reassuring smiles reflected back at me. I took a confident step forward, eager to keep going to get us out of here. Ron too grinned at me, proud that I’d kept moving, urging me to lead us out of here. I looked sideways at him, at the grim set of his lips and the fear he couldn’t hold back creeping into his eyes. My eyes widened, looking between the reflection and his face. This was the Mirror of Hope. I recoiled, wondering where the surface was.

“The Mirror of Hope. Don’t touch it. The pain of false hope is said to be worse than a Dementor’s kiss.” I looked around, unsure how far the mirror spanned. I led everyone across, moving parallel to the surface of the mirror.

“I see the edge!” Draco shouted. I frowned. How had I missed it? I looked down to where he was at the tail of our chain. He took a step forward, deviating from our line.

“No, STOP!” I shouted, as his hand dropped Theo’s. Theo and Ginny quickly lurched for him, the former tackling him down before he could succumb to the mirror’s lies. Draco lay on the floor, dazed. He shook his head, looking at us with a fearful expression.

“What the hell just happened?” He asked, clutching his head with a groan.

“Everyone look away from the surface!” I said, and everyone averted their gaze. “Some of the mirrors have alluring charms to tempt viewers, I guess this one does too.” We continued forwards, Draco clutched between Ginny and Theo, despite his protests that he wouldn’t run off again.

However, that must have been the last of the mirrors, as there was only a yawning pit of darkness in front of us now. My wandlight waned, suddenly sputtering out as I moved forwards. Frowning, I stepped back, and the wand lit once again. Forwards, it died out.

“Lumos maxima!” I shouted, but the light once again faded to nothing. I looked back helplessly at the group. Draco pushed forwards, and took my hand. “I’ll lead.”

At everyone’s worried looks, he smirked. “Oh calm down. Father made me sleep alone in a dark room my whole life because I was afraid of the dark as a child. My night vision is better than any of yours.” He rolled his eyes at our sorry expressions, and walked into the darkness, pulling us all along with him.

Chapter Text

We all walked hand in hand through the darkness. I doubted Draco could even see anything in the nothingness, but nobody questioned it as he led us through. Eventually, the darkness began to lighten.

We came to a well-lit podium. The brightness seemed to be emanating from one final mirror, set in the stone of the chamber’s wall. We stopped in front of the mirror, looking at ourselves peering confusedly back. No distortion, no alluring charm pulling us in, nothing that wasn’t there. It appeared to be just a normal mirror.

“What the bloody hell are we supposed to do now?” Ron asked.

Everyone looked to me for the answer, so I dropped Draco and Ron’s hands and took a careful step onto the podium. This close, it was easy to see the shimmering mirror’s distinct frame. I followed the brass scales of the coiled snake around the oval mirror to the bottom, where the snake’s tail disappeared in its mouth. One of its fangs was sunk into the tail, blood suspended in bronze before it could drip to the ground. The other pointed out towards me.

I looked back at the group. “I can’t believe it. It’s the Mirror of Orborous. The last mirror the Creator ever made. Supposedly, his mind broke completely from gazing ceaselessly into the Mirror of Erised. He finally extricated himself from its embrace, and made this one.”

“He killed himself shortly after,” I added. I thought about the picture I’d seen in the book- the Creator, a noose pulled taut around his neck. His face was waxen and cold, the same way Harry looked after we found him with his brains splattered across the floor. I winced, seeing Ginny’s silent tears as she probably thought about the same.

“The mirror shows your truest self. The truths you hide from others, the truths you hide from yourself. He bequeathed it to his son, insisting that he would only find someone who loved him as completely as the Creator loved his mother, if he could love all of himself first. The son never used the mirror, the trauma of his father abandoning him then killing himself too much for him. He died alone.” I turned back to the mirror.

“I think we have to see ourselves before we can move on. I’ll go first,” I said, moving slowly towards the mirror.

“Mione, stop. This could be dangerous. I’ll go first.” Ron headed up to the podium, but was suddenly blasted back. He fell into Theo, who groaned beneath him.

“Guess that settles that then,” I said. I ran my fingers over the head of the snake, unsure of how to use the mirror. Everyone’s confused expressions stared back at me, the reflected image seemingly normal. I traced the mouth, when suddenly, the snake’s outstretched fang extended into my finger. I heard shouts behind me, but I ignored them as I watched a drop of blood from my pierced skin get sucked into the snake’s mouth. The entire frame blushed a deep red. The fang retracted slightly, freeing my finger. Slowly, I dragged my eyes up the mirror’s surface, afraid of what I would see.

** Ron and Hermione lie in bed. He is sound asleep, a happy smile on his face. She lies awake, stiff and uncomfortable, staring up at the Gryffindor dorm room ceiling. Her blue shirt and black jeans lie on the floor where she left them next to his red shirt. Suddenly, Hermione sits up and shakes Ron awake. “Ron, we have to talk.” Ron blearily rubs his eyes, and smiles up at her. “Mione, come sleep.” He says, patting the bed and tugging on her arm. She pulls his arm off her, and looks straight at him. “Ron, I’m serious. I- I don’t love you anymore.” Ron sits up at that, looking at Hermione with a confused expression. “What?” He splutters. “Hermione, come on, you can’t be serious,” Ron says, reaching out for her hand. She pulls away, not meeting his eyes. “I’m so sorry,” she sobs, stepping out of the bed in her underthings. Ron keeps calling out to her, trying to shove his feet into his pants while she shrugs on her clothes and leaves the room before he can stop her. As the door slam shuts, the scene suddenly stops, and Hermione wakes again in bed, lying next to Ron. He is sound asleep, a happy smile on his face while she lies awake, stiff and uncomfortable, thinking about the dream. She looks over at him, hand outstretched as if to shake him, to reenact the dream. Instead, she pulls back, and lies back down next to him, too cowardly to say anything. **

I gasp, as if I’d suddenly fallen back into my own body. The vision had felt so different to how Harry had once described looking into the Mirror of Erised, as if I was watching it happen like a fly on the wall. I felt ugly and gross. I rubbed the goosebumps that had raised on my arms.

“Mione?” I turn, looking at Ron’s devastated expression. The others look uncomfortable. “Hermione?” He says again, tears clumping his lashes together. Surely they didn’t see it right? The beauty of the Creator’s mirrors were the unique visage reflected to each individual. Even in the mirror maze, I knew from everyone elses’ whispered words that they didn’t see what I could. Regardless, it was obvious that they had.

I started to shiver, feeling as if my very soul had been stripped naked for them to see.

Ginny moved towards me, slowing before the front of the podium. She put a tentative hand out, and when it was clear that the spell was broken after I’d passed the mirror’s test, she rushed up to hug me. “It’s okay, it’s okay,” she whispered, over and over, rubbing my back in slow circles while she hugged me. I just stared quietly at Ron. He looked at me, and tears sprang to my eyes. He held my gaze for a second, then deliberately looked away. I couldn’t read his expression, and I knew I’d broken something irreparably. I leaned out of Ginny’s embrace, and stepped off the podium, standing far away from Ron.

“I think it would be best if we turned around while each of us looks into the mirror.” I said quietly. Everyone nodded, and bustled to turn around. I heard the sharp inhale when Ginny pricked her finger.

“The snake is still bronze even though I got blood on it. I don’t know what’s wrong.” Ginny said, prompting us to turn around. I happened to turn first, and the second I made eye contact with the mirror’s surface, the snake flushed red.

“I think someone has to see. That must be part of the test. Someone has to see you and accept what you truly are, just as you have to accept it.” I said. But who would look?

“I think it should be you, Hermione. We’ve all, um, seen yours. It’s only fair that you get to see all of ours too.” Theo offered. Draco and Ron looked uncomfortable with the proposition, but didn’t raise any objections. Having settled that, Ron, Draco and Theo turned around. I nodded at Ginny, who faced the mirror and looked inside.

I watched as her body stilled, as if she’d been frozen midbreath. The mirror’s surface began to ripple and suddenly I saw Ginny underneath Harry, both naked and groaning. Despite their compromising positions, I couldn’t believe I was seeing Harry. The Harry he used to be, not the rambling, mad shell of a man that had been left. I focussed on the white wall behind them looking back properly when the scene had changed. It now appeared to be a reflection of Ginny, her face turned to the mirror while I watched. Mirror Ginny opened her eyes and rested a hand on her stomach. She turned to the side, and the large bump was very obvious as she protectively rubbed her swollen belly. She winked, and the surface rippled again, once more becoming just a mirror.

Ginny suddenly shook, and I rushed up to envelop her in a hug as she’d done for me. The guys turned around, silent as her hands wrapped around her small frame, and she trembled. I threw my arms around her and I could feel the bump, suddenly seeming so obvious. She must have already known. I thought back to her recent preference for Harry’s large jumpers and sweaters. We looked at each other, and she whispered, “Nobody knows yet.” I nodded, tucking her hair behind her ears and smoothing her hair gently. “No one has to know, not until you’re ready.” She nodded, and I helped her down the podium.

Theo went next, and I watched as he was beaten by his father, over and over again for arguing that they were on the wrong side of the war. Watched as his father forced him to crawl across the floor in his own blood to reach the first aid kit he’d kicked to the other side of the room. His father left the room, twirling Theo’s wand between his fingers. Theo was left to stitch and bandage himself up, doing so with too much precision for it to have been the first time. I thought about the scars I’d seen all over him, that I’d assumed were from Quidditch. My heart hurt for him.

When it was over, he turned away from the mirror and shrugged, the shadows flaring darkly in his eyes. I clasped his hand and squeezed it hard, and he nodded before moving beside Ginny.

Ron stepped up to the podium, still refusing to meet my eyes. The mirror rippled, revealing Harry’s grave in Godric's Hollow. Ron entered, stumbling around with a bottle in his hand. He was clearly drunk, and he sank to the ground beside Harry’s grave. Even without sound, I could almost hear his heart wrenching sobs as he mourned the loss of his best friend. The ground opened up, and he was pulled down into the ground, cocooned in a navy-hued darkness. The blue came closer and closer, as he tried to push it away, tears streaming down his cheeks. Just before it reached his nose, before it could completely drown him, the mirror rippled. Ron turned and finally looked at me, cheeks wet. I ran up and pulled him into a big hug. He hesitated for a second, before he pulled me in close and buried his head in my neck.

“We’re going to get through this together Ron. Harry would want us to get through this together. I still love you Ron, you know that.” I looked up at him, willing him to understand that I would always love him, just as I would always love Harry. He nodded, eyes sad and aching. I couldn’t give him what he wanted, but I would always be by his side, and I wasn’t going to leave him to fight the darkness alone. He let go quickly, moving to stand on the other side of Ginny.

Finally, Draco headed up to the podium. He cleared his throat, and after an awkward glance at me, he let the snake bite him. The mirror’s surface rippled once more, and showed Draco sitting alone on his bed, crying into his hands. His back was lit by the moon, so that only his silhouette could be seen. He sat up, scratching furiously at the skin on his wrist. He scratched harder and harder, until blobs of blood dripped off his hand onto the sheets. Suddenly, his head lifted, as if some sound had disturbed him. Someone entered the room, the silhouette weirdly familiar as they sat beside him. It was a woman, her curves shapely and her hair curly. She pulled his wrist to her hands, kissing it. Her lips moved, pressing a kiss to his neck, and then his cheek and lips. He took her into his arms and they fell back onto the bed. The mirror rippled, the vision ending.

It was really none of my business, but I wondered who she was as Draco turned around and stepped off the podium without meeting my eyes. Suddenly, we heard grinding. The mirror lifted from the stone it was embedded in, and with a loud clang, it swung open like a door. It was impossible to see what lay ahead. Still, we knew we had to keep going. For Harry.

Together, we moved through the doorway, into the darkness beyond.

Chapter Text

Theo and Draco hung back as Ginny, Ron and I moved further into the room. Lights flickered on, and we watched as a Pensive appeared out of the darkness. I moved forwards, smiling sadly when I saw the labels on the vials. There were at least ten vials, each with different events from Lily and James Potters’ lives. Wedding. Harry’s first birthday. I sniffled, wishing he’d been here to see them. But I knew after the war, after everything he’d been through to give us all this happily ever after, he’d lost himself. He wouldn’t have been able to look in the Orborous and pass. I wondered if Dumbledore had hoped Harry would one day be ready to accept himself, to be happy again. I wondered if he was instead teaching Harry cryptic lessons about happiness in the great beyond, or wherever we all go when we die.

Ginny tipped the first birthday vial into the water, and we dipped our heads in. Baby Harry, gurgling and laughing excitedly as James presented a beautiful cake. They laughed together when Harry spat at the candle, helping him blow it out. He was so small, so innocent. Not yet destroyed by the world, taken too soon. We pulled out of the memory. Ron and I held Ginny’s hands while she sobbed. We didn’t look at any others. They were too personal, gifts just for a boy who was no longer with us.

Theo, who’d looked at the map again, noticed the blotch covering this place had lifted, revealing a ladder straight up into the castle. We followed him out, a quiet procession as we popped out in an abandoned classroom on the second floor. Theo and Draco found somewhere else to be as the rest of us went back to Harry’s room, sitting on the bed. We shared stories about him, crying and smiling at the boy who still lived on in our hearts. We fell asleep slumped against each other, sad but healing.

***

I woke late in the afternoon, alone in the empty bed. Both Ginny and Ron had already left, but I decided to take the day off. I was weeks ahead in all my classes anyway, so I just pulled on clean panties, a pair of leggings and a long sweatshirt, not bothering with a bra as I planned to head out to get some food then sleep until tomorrow.

I smiled when I saw Ron, sitting by the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room. I knew it would be awkward, but after our easy conversation with Ginny last night, I knew we would get through it. Together. He turned, hearing my footsteps, and my hope faded at his angry expression.

“You don’t love me anymore.” He said, not even asking. “Ron, I-” I started, but he held up a hand to stop me. “You don’t love me anymore.” He said again, and I slowly nodded. “I still love you, you know. So bloody much.” He walked out of the room, and I sank onto the couch, crying. I didn’t love him anymore. Hadn’t for a long time. Still, it hurt that everything felt so final, so done.

I stayed there, curled up in a ball, missing dinner. People came in and looked at me, but I just held a book up, as if catching up on some readings. No one looked too closely anyway, so they didn’t see my tear streaked cheeks and pained eyes. I panicked when I heard Ron’s voice amidst others, and I threw a quick bedazzling hex over myself as he came in, chatting with his Quidditch buddies. I felt out of place, irrelevant. I ran out of the room, rubbing my eyes as I ran to the bathrooms and washed my face. I was hungry and tired, and I didn’t know where to go. I gripped the sink tightly, staring at my sad face looking back at me. Just then, I heard a quiet clink, like glass shards hitting each other.

I carefully put my hand in my pocket, drawing out shards of glass. I felt something soft and velvety, and pulled out the flower, now in full bloom. I’d completely forgotten about it. I smoothed out its beautiful red petals. Slughorn was right, I knew exactly what to do with the rare Renia bloom.

I headed up to the Potions lab, the room always unlocked since Slughorn didn’t believe in locks. I held up the flower, and instead of using the pollen to make an instant energy brew as Slughorn likely expected, I pulled out and sliced the petals, crushing them into a beaker with some water. I added some moondew, and the potion blushed pink. I breathed in the lovely scent, and distilled it into a dropper. A little known use of the Renia flower was a short-distance teleporter, more effective than the significant physical toll of apparition. I squeezed the brew onto the floor, equidistant drops in a circle around my feet. I closed my eyes after the final drop, imagining exactly where I wanted to go.

I opened my eyes, standing in front of a door. I hesitated a second, then knocked firmly.

Chapter Text

The door swung open. “Um, can I sleep here tonight?” I asked, looking uncomfortably down at my feet. Draco looked at me, eyebrow quirked in surprise. “Who is it?” Theo yelled from inside the room. Draco opened the door wider, and I came in, waving awkwardly at Theo, who was sitting on the end of his bed, cards in hand. 

“It’s just me. Um, I don’t know if I can go back to Ron’s room… I just… well after everything…” I trailed off, and Theo shrugged. “Come on in Granger, we’ll deal you in. Just playing a little late night poker. Texas Hold’em.” He sprawled himself out across the side of the bed, grabbing all of the cards and shuffling them. I followed Draco and sat cross legged on the other side of Theo’s bed. 

“Relax Granger, stop looking so stiff. It’ll be damn hard to win when you’re so uncomfortable.” Draco laughed, peeking at his cards. He leaned against the bedhead, stretching his toes out. They stopped just before they met my thigh, his eyes asking a silent question. I nodded slowly, and he smiled, pushing his icy toes under my warm leg. I flicked my cards up. Ace and 7 of spades. With a flourish, Theo dealt five cards in the centre of the sheets, flipping three. I noted the ace of diamonds with an indifferent glance. 

“What are we betting with?” I asked, noting the absence of chips or even chocolates to put up. “Secrets, of course.” Theo grinned devilishly, and explained the rules. “One secret buy in. Raise up to two secrets per round. Now that we have three people, the winner can choose who gets asked the secret. No secrets are out of bounds.”

“And what if you don’t want to answer?” I asked. Theo looked to Draco, who shrugged. Theo thought for a second, before saying, “How about strip poker then? You don’t want to answer a question, something comes off. Shouldn’t be an issue, since you shouldn’t be hiding any secrets from your friends anyways Granger. It’s just a silly game” Theo said, reaching up to flick my nose playfully. 

He slipped easily into the position of game host, acting as our dealer and a player. Draco folded immediately, while Theo raised me one secret. I matched, and when the 7 of hearts was unfolded, he swore and folded. I grinned, revealing my two-pair hand. I sat back, thinking about how to use my five secrets. 

I looked at Draco, who pretended to squirm under my direct gaze while Theo laughed. “Why didn’t you kill Dumbledore? If you were under your Father’s thrall as you said, it should have been easy. Why weren’t you able to?” The smiles dropped off both of their faces, and I wondered if this was too heavy a secret to start off with. 

“When Father was in my head, I could still see and hear everything that was happening. Like I was there, but just couldn’t do anything. But that day, something happened. Something splintered in me. I couldn’t drop the wand, but my hand stayed. I knew that even if it wasn’t me in control, murder was a line I couldn’t come back from. I don’t know how much longer I could have lasted if Snape hadn’t stepped in.” He looked down, tracing a finger around his wrist. 

“Boo! Ask something juicer Granger!” Theo yelled, throwing cards at me with a forced laugh. I swivelled to him, smirking. “Who was your first crush Theo?” He blushed red, miming zipping his lips. Draco and I goaded him, until he put up his hands in mock surrender. “Fine fine… prfrmfl,” he mumbled. “Don’t mumble, you bastard, who is it?” Draco shook his shoulder while I cackled. “PROFESSOR MCGONAGALL okay? No, come on guys,” he whined when Draco and I fell over laughing. “It was stupid okay! She was just the first woman I’d ever met who was nice to me. My family wasn't the good sort okay.” He said, sobering us a little. I pictured the headmistress’s permanently puckered lips and wrinkled skin. I bit my lips, trying to hold in my chuckles, but my eyes met Draco’s and we started cackling again, clutching each other as we gasped for air. Theo rolled his eyes, muttering about how he should have taken his shirt off instead. 

When I asked Theo for his second crush, he pulled his shirt off quickly, leaving Draco and I in raptures again. I wiped tears from my eyes, playfully poking Theo’s abs. “That bad huh? Though if only you’d taken your shirt off in front of old Mcgonagall. Might have had a chance.” Draco laughed. “Gonna keep your hand there forever Granger?” He asked, looking down at my finger still resting on Theo’s sculpted stomach. I flushed, pulling my hand back and whirling to Draco with a taunting smile. “Who’s your crush then? Uh, I mean uh… first… crush.” I stammered, blushing harder when I remembered what I saw in the Orborous. His eyes flashed with some indiscernible emotion, but he simply smiled and pulled his shirt off too. Theo wailed about the unfairness of it all while I laughed quietly. I wasn’t sure why I was so curious, but I asked again. 

“My fifth and final secret goes back to you Draco. I ask again - who was your first crush?” Theo crowed with laughter, slugging Draco on the shoulder. “Bloody brilliant Granger! Nothing in the rules that you can’t ask again!” I looked at Draco with a quirked brow, the challenge clear in my eyes. He only looked back, holding my gaze as he stood up and dropped his slacks. I heard Theo gasp for air as he laughed, but I could only stare, mouth drying as my eyes climbed the length of his legs. They stopped at his black boxers, leaving little to the imagination. He let me look my fill before sitting back on the bed, a pillow over his only remaining clothing. 

Theo dealt the next hand, and I folded immediately, fooled by Theo’s dancing eyes when he looked at his card. Draco and Theo played two more rounds, racking up a seven secret pot when they both raised twice. When Theo unveiled the final card, Draco shouted in victory when Theo’s bluff was exposed. He gathered the cards again, shuffling as he looked between them, a menacing smile spreading across his face. I gulped. Seven was a lot. 

As if hearing my worry, Theo turned to Draco, sparing me for the minute. “If you could be anyone other than Draco, who would you be?” Without even thinking, Draco said, “Ron.” Theo and I looked at him, confused. “Well, he got to spend an awful lot of time with you, Granger.” He winked, causing heat to rise to my cheeks again. “Lame!” Theo shouted, grumbling about his poor choice of question. He looked to me instead, and asked the same question. “Well obviously you, Theo. It would be so enlightening to spend a day with your massive ego shackled to my person.” Draco burst into surprised laughter. “You just want to have all of this magnificence.” Theo said, gesturing at his exposed chest and popping his biceps. I giggled, not even pretending as I ogled his muscly form. I remembered how scrawny he used to be, and decided this was a much better look on him. I said as much, and he insisted I banish those memories of him, proceeding to hop up on the bed and flex in various positions. “Erase those old pictures with these,” he said, flexing until Draco pushed him down. 

“Okay, okay, another one for you Granger. You know, I was wondering. You said Ron and Ginny didn’t kick you out tonight, so why come here? Why not go somewhere else?” I mulled over the question. The answer was quite simple really. I didn’t love Ron anymore. I didn’t know where I fit in with the Weasleys, without Harry. None of that felt appropriate for the game. I was having fun tonight. For the first time in a long time, I didn’t feel like I was putting on an act, forcing myself to be okay for Ron, for Ginny. I looked up at Draco and Theo, looking at me expectantly but patiently, Draco lounged out in only his boxers and Theo’s head propped up on an arm opposite him. I realised I’d also relaxed, my feet lying next to Draco’s and my body curled comfortably in the sheets. 

I tucked my legs in and sat up, realising I’d made my choice.

Chapter Text

I held their gaze, dragging my eyes between them as I gripped the hem of my shirt. Slowly, I pulled the thick sweatshirt over my head. I tossed it aside, and looked at them again. Both were staring, transfixed, eyes honed on my exposed breasts. My nipples peaked in the cold air. I realised they might not have expected that, might not have known women don’t always sleep with bras on. For a second, I wondered if I’d horribly misread the situation, if I should cover myself up and get the hell out of there. But the lustful looks in their eyes suggested otherwise.

I raised myself onto my knees and crawled over to their side of the bed. “Stop there, Granger. Just like that.” Draco said softly, and I paused, breasts hanging as I looked up at them, close enough to touch. I waited while they looked me over, my hands clenching the sheets. “Fuck.” Theo whispered. Draco nodded, tongue darting out to wet his lips. He moved towards me, hand tangling in my hair as he held my head tight. His head dropped level with my ear. “Think you can take us both, Granger?” Draco purred, his breath caressing my ear. I nodded, not trusting my mouth to speak the words. He gripped my chin, turning my head up so my lips collided with his. I moaned when Draco’s tongue pushed into my mouth, hungry and demanding. Our teeth clattered together, and I lost myself in the kiss.

I heard the unzipping of pants, and I opened my eyes, watching Theo watch us. He quickly shucked off his pants and underwear, and I gasped at the thick length of his dick. Draco broke our kiss, dragging my attention back to him. “On your back, Granger.” He said, and I rolled over, hair splaying out on the pillow under my head. “Fucking beautiful.” Theo sighed, as he took my hand and wrapped it around his stiff cock. I stroked him up and down, turning my head to pull him into my mouth. He held my head, allowing me to set the pace as I deepthroated him before sliding him back out.

I groaned when I felt Draco’s hands on my breasts, his mouth closing over my nipple. He nibbled, gently and first, then harder when I squirmed, gasps cut off by Theo, deep in my mouth. Theo started moving my head himself, faster and faster while I choked on him, his length ramming the back of my throat with each thrust of his hips. Finally, he came with a grunt, Draco’s teeth simultaneously clamping down on one nipple while his fingers flicked the other. Theo spilled into my mouth, forcing me to take it all. He pulled out and closed his hand over my lips. “Swallow,” Theo demanded, and I swallowed without question. He let go, running his fingers over my lips sensuously.

“Good girl,” he whispered, and he kissed me deeply, tongue smoothing over all the places where his dick had just stretched out my mouth. His hands replaced Draco’s, twisting and pinching my nipples while I writhed under his ministrations. Draco moved lower, his tongue licking every inch of me, stopping only momentarily at the low waistband of my pants. He dragged them off me, prompting Theo to look up and hum appreciatively at me, lying between them in only my panties. The scanty underwear barely covered anything, and Theo palmed his already hard again dick while we watched Draco suck on my toes and kiss my ankles. I moaned, and he looked up, noticing the lack of hands on my body.

“Touch yourself.” He said. I could feel myself getting wetter with each demand, plain for all to see as my panties dampened. Draco growled when I tried to cross my legs over, spreading them apart and holding down the ankles to expose the soaking crotch of my underwear. “Touch yourself.” He said again, and I brought my hands to my nipples. I let my eyelids flutter close, imagining their hungry eyes on me while I flicked my fingers over the sensitive tips, moaning.

“Lower.” Theo purred, slipping his fingers into my mouth. I obliged, sliding a hand down over my stomach. My breath came out in shorter pants as I sucked his fingers and rubbed my clit over my panties, pleasure stirring stronger in me. “Good,” was all Theo said, and I felt the bed dent on the other side of my head. My eyes wrenched open as Draco’s hands firmly twisted my head, Theo pulling out his fingers as Draco pushed his cock into my mouth. He was thicker than Theo, and my jaw strained to accept all of him. His hands moved down to my throat, loosely encircling my neck as he pushed another inch, then another into my mouth. In turn, I rubbed myself faster, getting closer and closer. Draco moved out a little before settling in deeper, leaving me choking under his massive girth. I moaned, barrelling towards a climax.

Suddenly, Theo plucked my fingers away. He chuckled when I desperately tried to use my other hand, but he clasped them both, holding my wrists together out to the side of me. “Not yet, Granger.” He said, as Draco finally came in my mouth with a groan. I swallowed without his prompting, and he chuckled darkly, smoothing my hair. “What a good girl we’ve got here, Theo. Let’s see how good her pussy is.” He said, just as Theo sharply tugged my underwear aside with his free hand, the other still clasped around my wrists. The flimsy material tore, and he tossed the remnants away, leaving me completely exposed beneath their gaze. I shivered. Draco grabbed his tie from the floor and tied my hands together, anchoring them to the vertical poles of the bed head.

He held one knee down while Theo held the other, spreading me wide open. I blushed, my pussy weeping while they looked, the anticipation building. Finally, they lunged for me, both heads between my thighs as their tongues worshiped me. I screamed out as a tongue dipped deep inside me, tasting me with loud slurps. I saw Draco’s blond head move on top, his tongue circling and sucking my clit, making my hips buck. They switched, and my back arched as I came closer and closer to the edge again. But as if they knew, they abruptly moved off me, leaving me to try grind needily against the bed.

They pinned my legs and hips down looking down at my sweaty, spread body. “What do you want, Granger?” Theo asked, flicking my breast. “Yes!” I moaned, still trying to wriggle under their strong hands. “That’s not an answer.” He said, and asked again. “What do you want?”

“You, please. Both of you. Inside me, please,” I begged. Satisfied, Theo looked at Draco, nodding. He picked up a pillow which had fallen to the floor and slid it under my hips while Draco lined himself up. “Open wide one last time, Granger.” Theo said, straddling my face as he pushed his cock into me at the same time as Draco entered my slick pussy.

We groaned together. Every time Draco thrust into me, Theo pushed deeper into my mouth. Draco sped up, hands firm on my hips as he neared climax. I felt myself tighten, too close to the edge. “Hold it, Granger. You can only come when we do.” Just then, Theo yelled as he spilled into my mouth again, and Draco thrust quickly as he came too. I finally let go, and screamed as I came, head tilted to the side as Theo’s cum dribbled out of my mouth. Spent, I lay there while Draco rode out the last of his climax, thrusting deeply until he finished.

He carefully pulled himself out, and Theo picked me up, taking me into the bathroom. They wiped me down while I wilted in Theo’s arms. He chuckled when I yawned, tucking me in bed as Draco lay on the other side of me. I fell asleep wrapped in their arms, happy and satisfied.

Chapter Text

I awoke to Draco’s hands gently caressing my breasts, and Theo’s hands on my butt. I wriggled against him, reaching up to kiss Draco. His lips met mine as Theo slid a finger into me, then another. I whimpered, wet already. “Ready to try something a bit different?” Theo whispered into my ear, and I nodded. Draco and I continued to kiss, my hand stroking his cock while Theo got me wetter, fingers moving in and out of me. Draco pulled back for a second. “Spit.” Theo said, holding his hand under my mouth. I spat, feeling self conscious, and he pushed his hand back into my pussy, making me groan. Draco chuckled, and pulled me back in, tongue down my throat. Theo’s hand slipped out of my soaking pussy, and I yelped when he dragged a slick finger up and into my ass.

Theo held me tight. “I need you to relax, Granger,” He said, pulling the finger out to get it wet in me again. Draco’s fingers moved into me as Theo pushed into my ass again. I moaned, nails digging into Draco’s arms as Theo added another finger, stretching my ass wider. He spat onto me, and my pussy pulsed around Draco’s fingers. I wasn’t sure how much longer I would last, but it wouldn’t be long. Theo added a third finger, sliding it in and out in time with the fingers in my pussy. I moaned when Draco bit my nipples, and I came hard, squeezing around his fingers.

“Up on all fours, Granger.” Theo said, sliding his fingers out of my ass. I shakily got to my knees, Draco moved in front of me, my mouth already widening to let him in. “Again, relax Granger.” Theo said, wetting his cock in my pussy. Then, he brought it up, just like his fingers before, and stopped at my asshole. I gurgled in alarm, but Draco just shoved his cock further into my mouth, choking me. I tried to relax as Theo slid into me slowly. I moaned, as he entered inch by inch, my body opening to allow him in. Draco thrust harder into my mouth, and soon Theo slowly pulled in and out too. Theo slid his fingers into my pussy again, filling me up completely. Draco came, pulling out of my mouth to come on my breasts. Theo came too, pulling out and suddenly flipping me over, making a mess all over my stomach and pussy. I trailed my fingers through the cum, licking while they watched.

We spent the rest of the morning the same way, Draco and Theo switching between my mouth, pussy and ass, filling every hole with cum. We eventually stopped, Draco washing me while Theo went to get us some food. I sat between them, contentedly eating chocolate croissants in Draco’s shirt. I looked over at him, suddenly remembering something.

“Hey, you never called in your favours from us, when you won that snitch game weeks ago.” Theo sat up too. “Your wish is our command.” He said, bowing with a mocking smile. Draco chuckled. “I don’t need any favours from you Granger. You’d do anything I wanted anyways,” he said, casting me a salacious look that left me blushing.

“But you,” he said, turning to Theo with a devilish grin. “Just you wait. I’ll come up with something vile just for you.” I laughed while Theo grumbled about once again pretty girl privileges. But he didn’t complain when I kissed him, or when he stripped the shirt off and fucked me again. And again.

When they fell into an exhausted sleep, I stared up at the ceiling. I didn’t know what would happen with Ron, or Ginny or anything else. But it didn’t matter. Some day, I would tell Ron about Draco and Theo, but not until I’d repaired our relationship. I meant what I said in the chamber, I wouldn’t leave him to drown in his depression alone. I wondered about Ginny, and the baby we’d soon be welcoming. I knew the child couldn’t be more loved than it would be with the Weasleys, and hoped Harry would watch the child grow from above.

I closed my eyes, settling comfortably into Theo’s arms. For once, my chest didn’t feel so tight, my heart so pained. I felt… happy, not just numb. I smiled, holding onto that feeling as I drifted into sleep.