Hey guys! This is a story that I could not get out of my head and decided I wanted to write! It would mean a lot to me if you could review and tell me if I should continue with the premise! I have two ideas of wither to take this in more of a fluff route or something more in depth eventually and any feedback would be appreciated!
Draco sighed before reaching up and knocking on the worn wooden door. His knocks, in quick rapid succession, indicating his desire enter were far from the truth. He had no desire to be here. If he had his way, he would be holed up in his private library reading from any number of tomes while sipping the most expensive Brandy he had.
But he was here, dressed in his signature all black, a dark grey woolen coat warming against the late fall winds. Slipping a wrapped box into his coat as he knocked.
If he had known to accept the olive branch of acquaintance with Harry Potter, meant being here, he would have reconsidered.
Speaking of the devil, the wooden door swung open, the glow from inside surrounded Harry as he smiled, "Draco! I knew you would actually come! Looks like George owes me 5 galleons!"
He moved aside and ushered him in, taking Draco's coat and banishing it to the closet. They walked from the entrance into the adjacent living room which held the rest of the attendees.
Harry handed him a tumbler of amber liquid. Draco didn't even question what it was before downing it. The glass refilling immediately.
Draco raised his eyes and Harry laughed, "Hermione, she linked these glasses to bar. Once your drink is done it will refill with the chosen liquor."
Draco couldn't help but roll his eyes as he sipped the drink again. Of course, she would come up with something that brilliant. He made a mental note to buck up the courage to ask her how she did it while he was here, figuring that he may as well get something from subjecting himself to this.
Granger, the whole reason for the night, was sitting on the couch at the opposite side of the spacious living room. She was talking to the Weasley girl, and Lovegood, laughing together at whatever it was they were talking about.
He sighed and took another swig of his drink, if someone just 3 years ago, told him that he would have been in attendance, let alone actually attend, Hermione Grangers' birthday party, he would have personally admitted them into St. Mungos. But yet here he was.
He looked around at the other guests. He instantly recognized most, Weasley and his wife Lavender formally Brown. The twin Weasley's and their wives- formally Johnson and Bell. Both looked to be with child. Longbottom and his wife Hannah Abbott, formally of Hufflepuff. Finnegan and Thomas talking to the Patil twins.
Draco was surprised when he saw a few former Slytherins. Pansy, Theo, and Blaise spoke at ease with some other ministry workers in attendance. He couldn't recall their names but he knew they worked with Granger in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
When Pansy decided she wanted to leave behind the expectations that came with being a pureblood female and enter the workforce, he remembered the uproar her father had. He had just been barely spared in the trails of the dark side and he wanted her to bring pride back to the name- just as most pureblood families did with their children at the time. She argued that joining the ministry to bring order back to the wizarding world would do more for that cause than a simple marriage would.
Theo and Blaise worked with Draco in the law offices portion of the ministry. They worked closely with both Grangers and Potters branches of law enforcement- prosecuting those who either division gave them. The proximity and shared goals ultimately lead to a general truce and congregating at events such as these.
Potter was rambling on about those in attendance as Draco surveyed the room. As Draco faded back into the conversation, three Weasley males joined.
The one Draco assumed to be George- he was the one missing the ear clapped him on the back, "mate! I didn't think you would actually come."
Draco smirked, "yes well I couldn't disappoint Potter. He needs the galleons doesn't he?"
Harry glared good naturally at him, "yes just about as much as you do I reckon."
They all laughed and made easy small talk, mostly centering around those in attendance and what they were up to since leaving Hogwarts.
Draco noticed movement out the corner of his eye and noticed that it was Hermione, beginning to make rounds around the room.
She certainly had grown up since their school days. Her wild hair calming down, her general swotty attitude becoming more bearable but not disappearing, she would forever be a know it all, you just got used to it.
By the time she got to the group, it was clear the gathering was stressing out her perfectionist hosting tendencies.
She seemed a little frazzled as she asked a little louder than necessary, "Hello all, are you having a good time? Are the refilling tumblers still working?"
Potter laughed, "Hermione it's your party, calm down for once and just relax. Ginny, Ron or I will take care of anything that needs to be taken care of. Mrs. Weasley dropped the food off already and everything is working out fine."
She nodded, took a deep breath and moved to the next group. Potter and Ron – not being able to call him Weasley in this gathering without confusion, -shook their head. Draco was right, ever the swot.
The twin with the ear, Fred just shook his head, "we're going to have to force her to relax you know."
The group nodded, knowing it was just Hermione.
Ginny emerged from the kitchen, declaring it was time for supper, which would be served family buffet style. Draco rolled his eyes at the informal setting but admitted it all smelt delicious as he piled his plate of all the dishes the Weasley matriarch provided.
Before he knew it he was groaning as he tried the cake made for the birthday girl. They all sang as Granger hid the red that crept up her cheeks and cake was handed out. It was just as delicious as the food and now he realized why a spot at her Sunday dinner was so highly coveted.
As each person finished their cake, Ginny excited seal clapped yelling it was time for presents. She hovered the pile in front of Hermione, who began to open one by one.
As Draco suspected, most were books. Ranging from mainstream revisions- the newest Hogwarts a history-making her squeal in excitement- to more obscure texts, wizarding laws circa 650 BC to 1700's making her ooh and awe as she casually flipped.
The group slowly dwindled down becoming later in the evening. Most having to go home to relieve babysitters or working in the morning.
It wasn't long until it was just the Weasley twins- having sent their wives home to get rest as they helped clean up, and the Potters.
Draco made his way to the birthday girl, "Granger, as fun as this has been I to must take my leave. So Happy birthday and all that jazz."
Hermione laughed, "Thank you Malfoy as much as you probably dreaded coming here, I am glad that you did. I appreciate the gesture."
Draco nodded and summoned his coat as he walked towards the front entrance. He felt a weight in his pocket he didn't remember being there. He looked in it and remembered he had pocketed the gift he had brought. He took the package out of his pocket and briefly laid his coat across the back of the couch.
He turned around and walked back towards Hermione. As he was walking he noticed she was looking at a rather large gift sitting on the side table.
Draco motioned to it with the hand he held his gift, "looks like I'm not the only one who forgot to place his gift in the designated pile."
Hermione jumped and grasped at her heart, "Merlin Malfoy wear a bell would you!"
He just smirked as she turned back around to continue unfurling the ribbon holding together the large gifts wrapping.
The most elaborate doll house sat amongst the wrapping. Id Draco was into the sort of stuff he would have admitted it looked beautiful. It stood three floors high. Two wrap around porches- one on the ground floor and one wrapping from the veranda on the second floor. Windows littered the entirety of the walls. The exterior painted a pale blue with white trim and natural brown shingling along the roof. It had a rounded tower section making it look Victorian.
Hermione gasped, "It's gorgeous! It looks antique. I wonder who it was from. There was no note."
Draco shrugged, "I haven't the foggiest Granger, but please don't take offense to me saying I just want to give you your gift and take my leave."
What followed next took place in the quickest of moments, neither had time to react.
Hermione leaned down, to inspect the house further, she reached out to the front door, wondering if it was just decoration just as Draco thrust the package into her hand.
Draco looked down, feeling a tingle from his stomach. With a flash, he was suspended in the air briefly before he came crashing down.
As he fell, Granger crashed on top of him, knocking the breath out of both of them.
He angrily pushed her off, "watch it, Granger!"
She rolled her eyes as she stood up and brushed herself off, "oh don't flatter yourself Malfoy I just tripped."
He looked at her confused, "but we weren't moving?"
She seemed to have remembered that fact as well as she looked around. Her eyes widened cartoonish-like and yelped.
He looked at her in alarm, "what are you yelling about Granger?"
Hermione took a shaky breath, "Well if I am not mistaken, looking out this window that would be my dining room table."
He spun on his heels and confirmed, indeed the view out the window would be her dining room, looking much bigger than he remembered.
He brought his hand to the bridge of his nose and pinched in stress.
He was standing the entrance of Grangers blasted dollhouse!