26th August 2001
Hermione beamed with satisfaction as she successfully introduced her twin sister, Thea, to the Weasley family. She had anticipated Mrs. Weasley's reaction to be less than enthusiastic, but to her surprise, Mrs. Weasley had listened intently to every word. The moment she noticed tears welling up in Mrs. Weasley's eyes, Hermione halted her explanation. However, Mrs. Weasley walked over and embraced both Hermione and Thea, affirming their newfound connection as part of the family. Brunch followed, and this time, Hermione felt a genuine sense of belonging.
After the meal, Harry seized her arm and led her to the Weasley's garden, where Ron awaited them. Once outside, Harry released her wrist and posed a question that left her and Ron puzzled.
"What do you think of me and Ginny?" Harry inquired.
Furrowing her eyebrows, Hermione replied, "I think you two are a very happy couple."
"Yeah mate, I think you two are a very happy couple, and thank you for that, for taking care of my sister," Ron added.
Harry's nervous demeanor became apparent as he voiced concerns about their age. Ron and Hermione exchanged confused glances.
"Calm down, Harry," Hermione reassured him.
"Yeah mate, why are you so nervous?" Ron asked.
"I think I'll do it... I'll do it tonight."
"Do what?" Ron and Hermione queried simultaneously.
Harry produced a small box from his pocket, leaving Hermione stunned. It contained a beautiful princess-cut diamond ring – a classic piece.
"Oh my God..." Hermione covered her mouth, and Ron's jaw dropped.
Handing the box to Hermione, Harry asked, "Do you think she'll say yes?"
"Of course she will, of course..." Hermione handed the box to Ron. "Oh my God... Congratulations." She hugged him briefly before stepping back.
"You're seriously going to propose to Ginny? Today?" Ron's eyes widened.
Harry nodded, "Yeah, I think I will."
"You'll be my brother-in-law!" Ron hugged him, expressing his excitement.
"Yeah, but... what if... what if she says no?"
"Don't worry, she'll say yes. You've been her crush since she was 11... I know she'll say yes," Ron assured him, handing the box back to Harry.
Overwhelmed with joy, Hermione wiped away happy tears from her eyes. She was about to express her happiness when Ron revealed an unexpected revelation.
"You're happy because I'm going to propose to your best friend, or because you and ferret are dating now?" Harry teased, putting the box back into his pocket.
"How did you—Ginny!"
"You and Draco? You and Draco are dating?" Ron's eyes widened. He took something out of his pocket and handed it to Harry.
Harry counted the Galleons in front of them, "1... 2... 3... 4... 5... 5 Galleons, thanks." He grinned at Ron.
"You bet on us? Really?" Hermione shook her head in disbelief.
"Don't be mad, Hermione. It's just... I didn't think you'd want to date him. And, in my defense, it was Harry's idea to bet on you two," Ron explained.
Hermione glanced at Harry, who was now laughing. "What? I like him now, and I sense something going on between you two. I like seeing you happy like this. That's why I bet you and Draco would date one day. But I swear, if he hurts you... I swear he'll be dead."
Hermione laughed, "Don't worry. If he hurts me, I'll kill him myself."
Ginny, Thea, and Hermione found themselves comfortably seated on the living room couch, engaging in a conversation dominated by Ginny and Thea's shared passion for fashion. Thea, it turned out, worked in the fashion industry, not only catering to wizards but also extending her expertise to Muggles. While Ginny and Thea delved into discussions about dresses, boots, and sweaters, Hermione contentedly sipped her tea, merely a spectator to the fashion-oriented banter.
Interrupting their fashion discourse, Hermione cleared her throat and directed a question at Thea. "So... Thea, what's your favorite color?" she inquired.
The animated chatter paused, and Thea dropped the Vogue magazine onto the table. "I like blue," Thea responded.
"Really?" Hermione questioned in slight disbelief.
"Really... why?" Ginny chimed in, noting the coincidence.
"Because that happens to be her favorite color too," Ginny laughed, pointing at Hermione.
Amused by the revelation, Ginny proposed a game. "This is interesting. I think I'm going to ask you two some questions, and you have to answer at the same time."
"Okay," Hermione agreed, and Thea nodded.
Ginny started the rapid-fire questions. "What is your favorite beverage?"
"Hot cocoa," Thea and Hermione replied in unison.
"What is your favorite food for breakfast?"
"Pancakes," both Hermione and Thea answered simultaneously.
Laughter filled the room, and Ginny remarked, "I can't believe you two have so much in common. But I know one thing that you don't have in common." She chuckled mischievously.
"What is that?" Thea asked.
"Your boyfriend isn't a platinum blonde who likes to smirk a lot, is cocky, and is the heir of Malfoy, right?"
Horrified, Hermione exclaimed, "Ginny!" shooting her a disapproving look.
Thea turned to Hermione in disbelief. "You... you and Draco Malfoy are dating?" she asked.
Hesitatingly, Hermione nodded. "Yeah, I am," she admitted with a shy smile.
"That is one happy smile," Ginny teased, pointing at Hermione. "You know, I've never seen you this happy before."
Attempting to downplay her happiness and avoid blushing, Hermione retorted, "Oh, shut it!"
Curious about Thea's opinion, Hermione inquired, "So what do you think of Draco, Thea?"
"Draco?" Thea echoed. "Yeah, Draco. You've already met him. What do you think?"
After clearing her throat, Thea shared her impressions. "I think he's arrogant and stubborn," she laughed. "But he's funny and also smart. But I'm sure one thing, that he's one lucky guy to have you."
Turning the attention to Thea's romantic status, Hermione asked, "So, do you have a boyfriend?"
Thea shook her head. "No, I don't have one." Glancing at her wristwatch, she noted the time. "I think I'm going to go now." Standing up, she continued, "Are you going to leave soon too?"
Hermione, deciding to stay a while longer, replied, "No, I think I'll stay here for a while."
"Okay, I'm going to find Mrs. Weasley and the rest of the family," Thea said as she grabbed the magazine and placed it in her bag.
"Thea," Hermione called out.
"Yes, Hermione?"
"Thank you. Thank you for coming into my life."
In response, Thea embraced Hermione tightly. As they hugged, Hermione felt Thea sobbing. Concerned, Hermione attempted to pull away, but Thea pleaded, "Don't... I don't want you to see me cry."
Respecting her sister's wishes, Hermione stayed in the embrace, gently patting Thea's back. Thea whispered heartfelt words, expressing gratitude and admiration. "You're so kind, sweet, and so perfect," she said. "And I'm lucky to be your sister." Pausing, she made a promise, "I promise you, I'll be the perfect sister for you."
"You already are my perfect sister," Hermione reassured her. Thea let go of the hug, wiping away her tears with a smile.
"Don't cry, okay?" Hermione urged.
Thea nodded, managing a smile despite her tears.
******
It was a quiet Saturday at the apartment; Blaise was away with Pansy, and Hermione had headed to the Burrow for brunch. Draco found himself alone, enjoying a peaceful nap until a persistent knock on the door disrupted his solitude. Rubbing his eyes, he rose and opened the door to find a brown-haired girl standing before him.
"Hi," she greeted him.
"Hi, come in," Draco invited her.
"No, I'm just here to inform you that I'm calling off our wedding. So yeah, goodbye and have a great day," she declared, turning to leave. However, before she could take a step away, Draco grabbed her wrist.
"Wait, are you telling the truth?" he inquired.
She nodded, "Yeah, I am," but tears welled up in her eyes.
"Hey, please don't cry," Draco said, pulling her into a comforting hug.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"You really do love her, right?" she questioned.
"Yeah, I do," he replied in a soft voice.
She then pulled away from the hug, saying, "I'm sorry."
"Don't be, I'm fine. She seems so happy with you... Ginny said she never saw her happy like that." She wiped away her tears and chuckled, "She loves you too, you know." She smiled.
Draco was at a loss for words, and they lingered in silence for a while. She glanced down at the floor and cleared her throat, "Uhm... I think I'm going to go now."
"You sure you don't want to come in?" Draco offered.
"No, I'm fine. I just need time for myself," she replied, walking away from the apartment door. She pushed the elevator button, and as it opened with a 'ding,' she stepped in.
Draco rushed to the elevator and stopped the door from closing. "You're not going to tell her about us, right?"
She shook her head and smiled, "I don't have the heart to hurt my sister, Draco."
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