Past Memories From A Phone Call

"Hermione Granger's office, how may I help you?"

"I'd like to speak with Hermione, please."

"Who's calling?"

"Just tell her it's an old friend from school."

"I'll put you through."

"Hermione Granger, may I help you?"

"Are you required to say that here? Your secretary just gave me that."

"Draco?"

"The one and only."

"Hi…er, how have you been? Oh what am I saying; of course you've been good: you're all over the Daily Prophet!"

"Yes, I've been pretty good. But I'm tired of traveling; I've decided to move back home."

"And you're telling me this because…?"

"I want to see you again."

"Oh…I don't know if that would be such a good idea."

"Of course it's a good idea, I came up with it."

"Draco…"

"Hermione, it's been ten years and I want to see you."

"You miss me."

"I wouldn't go that far…"

"You miss me."

"I might miss you."

"All right, I'll see you."

"You're smiling."

"You still know me too well. That's what scares me: you know me after all these years. You probably still remember the shampoo I used in seventh year."

"I remember that it smelled like peppermint. I couldn't tell you the exact brand…"

"Do you see my point?"

"Oh Hermione, I'm sure you've changed."

"You'd be surprised…….So, why didn't you ever write?"

"Don't you remember? We agreed—"

"—that it would help us move on. Yes, I remember. But usually when I said things like that you ignored me. You knew I wasn't being serious."

"Oh. Maybe I didn't know you as well as I thought. I thought that was a serious decision. I don't think I was serious about it either."

"Well apparently you don't know me as well as I presumed. You know, I've missed you too, Draco."

"Will your husband like you saying that?"

"Find me a husband and I'll ask him."

"I expected you to be married by now. You are getting up in years, aren't you?"

"Don't remind me."

"I was being sarcastic, Hermione."

"If only you were…..aren't you married yet?"

"Eh…no I'm not."

"Funny, aren't you getting up in years, Draco?"

"You wish."

"What happened to you? You used to have girls trailing after you at school. Loosing your touch, perhaps?"

"Not at all. I just haven't found the right girl yet."

"I'm sure…"

"Well what's your excuse?"

"The right guy hasn't found me yet."

"Uh huh…"

"Don't say that, it's very unbecoming."

"So, how are Potter and Weasley? I trust you three are still best mates."

"What, haven't you seen them alongside your pictures in the Prophet? Are you getting a little dotty in your old age, Draco?"

"Haha, that's very funny. I am aware, of course, that Weasley is Minister…"

"Well you should be."

"So you're working for him, then?"

"In a sense. The Unspeakables work for themselves."

"But you aren't an Unspeakable. Otherwise you wouldn't really be allowed to have this conversation with me."

"No, I'm just Head of the Department."

"I'm curious to know when the Ministry got telephones."

"When I suggested it to Ron."

"Ah, I see. And how is the Boy-Who-Never-Ever-Died?"

"You mean Harry the world-famous Auror? He's great."

"I should bloody say so. It's a dream come true for all of you, isn't it? The Golden Trio all working together?"

"You're just jealous."

"Why would I be? I'm Draco Malfoy, the international superstar, world traveler, god-like, handsome, rich—"

"—friendless?"

"No."

"Oh, are you still in touch with Blaise?"

"As a matter of fact I am."

"He hasn't mentioned any contact with you."

"What?"

"That's what I thought. He works in the Department of International Magical Co-operation."

"Ah."

"So you are friendless."

"Now who thinks they know whom too well?"

"How did you know I worked here, anyway?"

"I have my ways."

"You ARE in touch with Blaise."

"We hardly write anymore…"

"Stop smirking at me!"

"You do know me well…it's getting rather bizarre."

"I miss this."

"Miss what?"

"This. The flirty conversations we used to have. You were gone for too long, Draco."

"I wanted the wounds to heal."

"I don't know if they ever will. Once I think I'm getting over it something comes up to remind me of the whole ordeal and the scab reopens."

"Clearly I didn't wait long enough to come back."

"So does this mean you forgive me for all of the stuff that happened between us?"

"There's nothing to forgive."

"Yes there is. I was such a bloody nag. I caused all the trauma. It's my fault everything happened."

"No it's not. It's over, Hermione, forget about it. That was ten years ago. You need to move on."

"I notice you're not taking responsibility for it."

"It was a joint mistake. Let's just forget about it."

"I can't. Draco, I should have been more understanding. You were going through so much with your father and the Death Eaters and all I did was constantly get shirty with you about doing the right thing and forging your own path. I was so annoying."

"Don't worry about it, love."

"I wasn't until you called….Draco…did you ever think things could have turned out differently between us if we had just tried a little harder?"

"Who knows? Wait, are you saying you'd like to give our relationship another go? Why, I'm chuffed, Hermione."

"No, I'm not saying that at all. I don't think my roommate would be too happy with me if I tried it, anyway."

"Oh, so you do have a bloke."

"Don't sound so disappointed. I don't have a bloke; it's just that Ginny has been trying to hook me up with one of her mates for a while. Plus, she was after you in school. I recall some feelings of jealousy when I told her about our first kiss."

"Weaselette fancied me?"

"Ginny, you mean? Yes, she fancied you. And now that you're back, she might be after you."

"Ah…well…"

"You sound upset."

"I did say I wanted to see you, right?"

"So you really do miss me."

"You'd love it if I really admitted it, wouldn't you?"

"It would show some change on your part."

"What are you on about?"

"It would show that you cared about me."

"I never told you I cared about you?"

"Never. I mean, you showed me and everything, but even after I told you—"

"Surely I said something back?"

"No, you just—"

"I just kissed you. I recall now."

"Like I said, it would be a change on your part."

"Ouch, Hermione, that hurt."

"I'm just telling it like it is, Draco."

"All right, all right, I miss you for Merlin's sake."

"Really?"

"You're loving this."

"I'm eating it up. So when are we going to meet up? I can take a personal day tomorrow."

"That sounds great. We can meet in the Leaky Cauldron and then—"

"You'll take me someplace fancy?"

"It appears you know me way too well."

"Noon?"

"It's a date."

"You wish. I have to go, something's happened. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodbye. Thanks for agreeing to see me."

"Goodbye Draco."

"This is starting to sound like the night we broke up."

"GoodBYE Draco."

"Bye Hermione. Oh, and Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"I love you."