Better Man

The Burrow

Hermione had said goodbye to her parents this morning when she left for Diagon Alley so she and Ginny farewelled Luna before disapparating back to The Burrow with their things. Hermione could feel Ginny's gaze on her since they landed in the field just outside the house but Hermione refused to look at her.

"C'mon, they're probably all waiting for us. It's nearly time for dinner," Hermione turned and walked straight towards the house without giving Ginny time to ask her any questions.

She didn't want to talk about what had happened back the in Diagon Alley with Malfoy. She certainly wasn't going to acknowledge what he had given to her. That was a problem for Future Hermione. Present Hermione wanted to get started on the new books she had purchased so she was all up to date before school started again. She didn't want to be slip behind, especially since she had just had a year off from any kind of study or routine. Hunting for horcruxes was hardly the same as examination prep.

Hermione reached for the handle when the door swung open to reveal Mrs Weasley. She greeted her with a warm smile and huge, bone crushing hug, just the same as ever and yet, Hermione's gaze lingered on the puffy, dark circles around Mrs Weasley's eyes. She swallowed the tears threatening to escape.

She looked around The Burrow. It was still as warm and cozy as ever, from the knitted blankets to the multiple throw pillows, she gazed around at the familiar space that was slowly lighting up with candles as the sun set behind them. She loved this house, not to mention the people here who made it feel like home. It was everything that a home should be: warm and filled with love.

It's been about two weeks since she had last seen everyone. She'd wanted to spend some one on one time with her parents. They were staying at a hotel until they could get their living situation sorted after a year away. She was sad not to return to her childhood bedroom but it also made it easier to leave again. Hermione had missed her parents something chronic, though was unlikely to show it. It was another matter entirely that they hadn't wanted her to return to Hogwarts. Hermione had patiently explained everyday over the fortnight that Hogwarts was perfectly safe now as Voldemort had been defeated and the Death Eaters rounded up and taken to Azkaban. The ones that lived, anyway. Hermione had been secretly happy to see Bellatrix fall. The mad woman had hacked into her arm, leaving a scar that might fade but never heal. Something to remind her of what they'd won and lost.

"Hermione!"

She turned to see her best friends Harry and Ron smiling at her. She rushed over to them and they all hugged each other as tight as humanly possible.

"How have you guys been since I've been gone? Surely you can't have gotten into too much trouble in two weeks?" Hermione teased. Her boys grinned down at her, each one at least a head taller than her.

"How dare you, Hermione. We've never misbehaved in our lives," Harry mocked hurt, clutching his chest dramatically. Hermione rolled her eyes and hoisted her bag back up on her shoulder.

"It's a good thing you're particularly proficient at killing dark lords, Harry, because you'd make a terrible actor," Hermione replied playfully. Harry looked aghast.

"Ron, did you hear what she said to me?"

"You'd be a great actor, mate," Rob grinned, clapping his friend on the shoulder. Harry nodded, looking appeased.

"Glad I've got one good friend," Harry said lightly. If Hermione rolled her eyes any further, they'd be stuck facing the back of her head.

"Do you even know what an actor is, Ronald?" Hermione enquired. Ron's grin got bigger.

"Nope but I'm sure Harry would be great at it," Ron chuckled.

"See Hermione! True friendship," Harry pointed at his red haired best friend, glaring at her with narrowed green eyes.

"Uh huh, whatever you say. I'm going to go talk to literally anyone else," Hermione waved goodbye before going to say hello to Bill and Fleur.

After greeting everyone else, who all seemed a bit more lively than when she had left, she went upstairs to unload her new school supplies. Not long after she had put everything away, Ginny entered the room quietly. Hermione glanced at her friend, saw the look on her face and knew what the feisty redhead wanted to talk about.

"I'm going to get an early night tonight, Gin. I want to be well rested before we go back," Hermione said lightly, placing one of her new arithmancy books on the wool blanket crumpled up next to her on the bed. She stood up and grabbed her pyjamas, quickly shimmying out of her clothes and into the shorts and t shirt.

"Yeah same," Ginny replied, strolling toward her bed. She started undressing too. "Gonna eat that chocolate bar tonight too or..." Ginny trailed off as she pulled her tank top over her head. Hermione, glanced at her best female friend and sighed. She sat on the bed, leaning against the wall as her friend sat across from her in her own bed.

"Is there something you would like to ask, Gin?" Hermione questioned. Ginny shrugged.

"I just thought it was odd that Malfoy is giving you gifts when twelve months ago he would be sick at the idea of touching you," Ginny said, then blushed. "Sorry, didn't mean it to sound so rude." Hermione smiled comfortingly at the tomato red girl.

"It's okay, I get what you mean. I honestly don't know what that was about. I'm not a fan of the guy but the war probably changed him too. Maybe he's turning over a new leaf -"

"Do you really think that?" Ginny asked, leaning back in her bed. Hermione followed suit, laying her head on her pillow and staring at the ceiling in the dimming light.

"I don't know but it's all I can come up with. Usually he would be maintaining a distance of 100 metres at any given point. I think there may have actually been skin to skin contact there," Hermione mused. Ginny laughed.

"Oh no, he's probably at home scrubbing his hand as we speak," Ginny joked. Hermione joined in laughing.

"He'll probably miss the train because he'll still be standing at his bathroom sink cleaning it raw," she replied.

"Oh Merlin, just imagine it," Ginny rolled onto her side, giggling as Hermione rolled over onto hers so they could look at each other.

"Mr Malfoy, I assume you have a very good reason for missing the train," Hermione put on a Scottish accent, mimicking Professor McGonagall. Ginny laughed harder before responding.

"Yes Professor, I made contact with a Muggleborn and had to bathe in bleach," Ginny replied in her snootiest tone of voice. Even the facial expression she made matched Malfoy's condescending looks he often gave her. Hermione could barely breathe for laughing so hard.

The two girls spent the rest of the evening putting more and more ridiculous accents and creating ludicrous scenarios in which Malfoy was late to Hogwarts before finally drifting off. As Hermione listened to her best friend snore lightly, she gazed outside the wide window to a field of sparkling stars, their white shine reminding her of a pureblood boy's hair and his unexpected chocolate bar.