Chapter Text
“HERMIONE, get your cute arse in here so that I can get your measurements, or so help me, Godric, I will drag you in here myself!”
Pansy was on a warpath today. As confident as Hermione is, she knows better than to ever deny her best friend a chance to play dress up with her.
Pansy coming into her life was unexpected. Hermione returned for her eighth year at Hogwarts and quickly became friends with the once-childhood bully. Harry and Ron refused to return for eighth year. Harry was accepted into the Auror program, and Ron took a year after Fred’s death to stay home with Molly and George. He had made plans to work in the joke shop after that. Ron was always bitter that Harry was accepted into the Auror Academy when he was not. He couldn’t pass any of the prerequisite testing.
Hermione went back to Hogwarts. Only a few of her classmates returned. The only ones that year who could relate to her struggles were Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom, and Ginny Weasley. And, to her surprise, the snakes. Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zabini, and Theodore Nott, who all became like her second family. Over time, all her friends had nice relationships with each other, regardless of their house. They ate together every day, spent nights in the library studying, and spent days by the Black Lake making plans for their futures.
The Slytherin trio were never marked Death Eaters, but Ron always had something snarky to say when Hermione would bring them up. So, she simply always talked about whatever Ron wanted to talk about, which consisted of Quidditch, firewhisky, or ideas for Weasley Wizarding Wheezes.
After graduation, things went downhill in her relationship with Ron. She really did try. She and Pansy promised each other they would be flatmates. Ron, having his distaste for the snakes, tried everything he could to talk Hermione out of it and to get a flat with him instead. But she was a woman on a mission to change the wizarding world and didn’t need the distraction of a drunk Ron to come home to nightly. Ron remained living between the Burrow and Grimmauld Place with Harry and Ginny.
So here she is, four months after graduation, in her flat with Pansy, and getting fitted for her outfit for her interview at the Ministry of Magic. Kings pulled through on his promise for her to have her choice of jobs after the war. However, Hermione insisted on having a formal interview with him for a mystery job that he promised she would excel at.
“Merlin, Pansy, tone down the melodramatics. I’m here.” Pansy was a fashion expert. She flitted dresses of her own design wandlessly around Hermione. While Hermione was typically more conservative with her clothing choices, Pansy insisted that she show off her curves and lengthen her legs with stilettos. Hermione didn’t mind looking her best when she could, so she always just left Pansy to her own devices.
“Salazar, what in Morgana’s name has happened to your hair today?!”
While Hermione had grown into her frizzy hair over the years, it was still only manageable most days. She preferred to leave it wild, as it was always so much work.
“Pans, if you continue to insult my hair, I will wear plain wizarding robes and no makeup, and still get this job without allowing you creative control.”
Pansy just sighed and continued the dress search. She finally came to a halt as she held up a black dress with quarter-length sleeves that would just hit Hermione’s knees. It was a little snugger than most of the clothing Hermione would dress herself in.
“This is it, Golden Girl. You need to show off your incredible arse and tan skin. Now, don’t be shy. Put it on and let me make sure I don’t need to make any adjustments. Gods only know why they would schedule your interview at 10 AM. I could still be sleeping, but I, being the best friend that I am, woke up at this ungodly hour to make sure you make heads turn and hearts break."
Hermione took off her pyjamas, and Pansy helped slip the dress over her head just as she heard the Floo activate. She barely had time to register who her guest was at this hour when Ginny Weasley came rushing through her bedroom door, looking like the cat who ate the canary.
“HERMIONE JEAN GRANGER, YOU WILL NEVER BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT.”
Ginny, while living at Grimmauld, had just been signed on to the Holyhead Harpies last month, and had spent more nights at Pansy and Hermione’s flat, eating takeout and drinking wine with the girls, expressing her insecurity that her and Harry’s relationship might end up strained due to team practices and the travel required for the job.
Little did Ginny know, Harry had already had dinner with Hermione the previous week to tell her he was planning to propose to Ginny, and was completely supportive of her contract with the Holyhead Harpies.
“HARRY DECIDED TO PROPOSE LAST NIGHT. I’m sorry to bust in without owling first, but I wanted you to be the first to know. Mum hasn’t been the same since Fred, and this week, she has been in a right foul mood. I swear to Merlin, some days I think she’s losing the plot!”
Hermione rushed to Ginny, almost tripping over Crookshanks in the process, to envelop her ginger friend in a hug and kiss her cheeks. Pansy also walked over, much more subdued, to wrap her arms around her crying best friends. Once the tears stopped, Hermione walked to her wardrobe mirror to inspect the dress that was forced over her head. Satisfied, she turned to look at Ginny.
“Congratulations, Gin! I’m so happy for you! I wish I could take you for breakfast, but I have an interview with Kings in two hours, and Pans is trying to get me in order.”
Ginny smiled at Hermione, wiped away her tears, and guided her to her vanity bench, working her hands through her best friend’s bushy hair.
“Thank you, guys. I know I’ve been insecure, and both of you have been great. I’ll take a raincheck on that breakfast, though. What are your plans for after your interview?”
Pansy worked diligently with the Sleekeazy hair potion, batting Ginny’s hands aside and forming Hermione’s hair into sleek, refined curls.
“After my interview, I promised Harry that I would have lunch with him, and after that, I plan to meet Theo in Diagon to go to Flourish and Blotts. Then I have an early date night with Ron and will head back to Grimmauld with him for the night. Do you want me to bring something back to eat?”
Ginny shook her head fervently and replied, “No, Harry has promised me a late night. We’re celebrating at a Muggle hotel that has a jacuzzi tub and room service. But have fun with Ronald. Hopefully, you can keep him from getting pissed before you even make it to the restaurant.”
Pansy applied light makeup to Hermione’s face and stayed quiet during the conversation. While Pansy supported Hermione’s choices, she had always made it clear that she thought Hermione could do so much better than Ron Weasley.
“I know, Gin. But I think he’s really trying to better himself. He seems to have finally stopped badgering me about Pans, Blaise, and Theo.”
Pansy finally declared Hermione ready and helped her slip into a pair of emerald-green stilettos, then hugged Hermione tightly as she spoke.“You know that you’re not poor and don’t actually need to get a job, right? You have a nice stack of Galleons in Gringotts, thanks to your Order of Merlin. And I oversee the Parkinson estate now that Father is in Azkaban and Mother finally croaked, so I would be more than happy to take care of household expenses.”
Hermione sighed and squeezed Pansy tight, then released her and looked into her eyes. “Pans, we’ve had this talk, and so have Theo and I. I need to work. I need to do something in this world worth doing besides sitting around playing dress up with you. I could never let you spend a Knut in your vault on my portion of the bills.”
Ginny gave Hermione a once-over and announced that she needed to head to the Burrow to let her mother know she was engaged and then head to practice. She made Hermione promise to let Harry know how the interview went so he could fill her in that night. Ginny hugged both girls quickly and headed to the Floo.
“Yes, Brightest Witch of Her Age, I am aware of your fierce independence. I will just remind you that if you ever do want to change your mind, I will be your sugar mama any day of the week. Now, get going before you’re late. Blaise is coming over shortly. Hopefully, to shag me into next week.” She squeezed Hermione and kissed her on the forehead as she spoke. “Good luck, Granger. You go kick the Ministry’s arse, and I’ll be looking forward to seeing you in the morning to congratulate you properly.”
Hermione pried herself from her friend’s embrace and chuckled lightly, walking out of the room to the Floo and yelling over her shoulder. “Pans, please don’t shag on the kitchen surfaces again. No amount of cleaning spells could make me feel better. Better yet, keep the shagging to your bedroom. If I accidentally see Blaise’s arse again, I will Scourgify my own eyes!”
The raven-haired witch just cackled as Hermione stepped into the Floo, yelling, “Ministry of Magic!”