A Very Granger Reunion [Completed]

10: The Gala Part 1

        Hermione wiped away her tears as she headed down the elevator to the gala. Like every year, the gala was held in one of the ballrooms in the hotel. The elevator doors opened and Hermione rushed out, going down the hall towards the gala. As she passed people in the halls, she heard whispers about her husband being spotted at the hotel the previous night. Trying to block out the whispers, Hermione barged through the gala doors. Everyone was there, her parents, aunts, uncles and snotty cousins.

        "I thought your husband was coming to the gala. I guess it's true he doesn't exist," Isabelle said crossing her arms against her bright purple dress.

        Hermione furrowed her brows in anger, scanning the room for Eric, Veronica, and Bethany. She spotted them at a table in the corner of the room, chatting silently while they waited for other relatives to arrive. More distant cousins were supposed to arrive soon so the hall remained empty, allowing the cousins to separate themselves from the others. She hurriedly walked towards them, tears forming in her eyes once more.

        Bethany looked up to see her, "Hermione what's wrong?" Her two other cousins turned their heads, all of them rushing to pull up a chair for her.

        "It's... Draco" She said in between sobs, "he has another work call and I don't know when he will come and he was supposed to make this weekend bearable."

        Hermione cried into her arms leaning against the table. "I thought we were doing an okay job!" Eric said in defense. Veronica and Bethany turned their head towards him. "Sorry. Now is not the time for jokes. Draco will come down soon okay?"

        Hermione sat with her cousins silently as they rubbed her back in comfort. An hour went by and though they were inside, it was clear that the night was among them. More Grangers arrived, some nice, most of them mean. The newly arrived Granger cousins sat with Rachel, as she told them about her bet with know-it-all Hermione.

        20 minutes passed and still no Draco. Eric had stayed to comfort Hermione while Veronica and Bethany were in the "bathroom." Not really, but they needed an excuse to go get something for Hermione. Well, not something, but someone.

        "This is the worst night ever!" Hermione groaned, leaning back in her chair.

        "I bet it will get better very quickly," said Eric as he crossed his arms.

        Hermione looked at him confused. She was just about to retaliate back at Eric when a familiar voice was heard from behind her. "My best friend is having a party and didn't invite me?"

        She recognized his voice instantly. Hermione turned around to see her best friend wearing a suit, his raven black hair neatly pushed to the side. "Harry!" Hermione ran to him, almost knocking him over. "What are you doing here? Don't you have that house-elf case?"

        "We got a lead he might be near the ballrooms tonight so I thought I'd hang out with you and.... where's Draco?"

        "On a work call, I'm afraid. He'll be down soon." Sadness overtook Hermione as Harry pulled her into another hug.

        Just then, Mikey was walking by, two shots of vodka in his hands, "Wow Hermione cheating on your husband with your best friend. You must be really low to do that."

        Hermione jolt led towards him and he scattered off, as Harry took Hermione's arm to resist her. "Don't worry he'll be down any minute now. Let's go sit and chat yeah?"

        She nodded, and the two made their way over to an empty table. They chatted for a while. Mostly about the case Harry was working on. The house-elf kidnapper was identified as a man wearing all black, usually with a hood covering his face. Harry and his team think it's someone trying to bring back an army of death eaters.