"Is hate stronger than love?" Harry asked drunkly, relaxing in the old leather recliner in the living room on number 12 Grimmauld place.
"Love, of course." Hermione answered, swirling the red wine in her glass. Harry clutched his fire whiskey tighter, taking a small sip. He and Hermione had moved in together since Ron went to Romania with Charlie to study dragons.
"Think for a second. It could take one person years to find love, a true love, and sometimes they can't last. But hatred can come from anywhere, and last for an eternity. Doesn't that make hate stronger?" Harry wondered, peering deeper into his half empty glass, trying to refill is with his mind. Hermione shifted.
"Your talking about Malfoy, aren't you?" she asked. Harry scrunched his eyebrows.
"How did you know?"
"I've known you for fifteen years. I can read you easier than a book. That and your emotions become crystal clear when you start drinking." she said, taking a sip of her wine. "Spill. What's on your mind?"
"I don't really know. Remember when I told you I became an Auror the same time as Malfoy?" Hermione nodded. "Well, I see him every day, and he's... different. He's not as uptight as when he was younger. He smiles to almost everyone, he isn't as snarky as back then, he actually laughs. Have you heard him laugh?" Harry asked, leaning forward.
"Of course. He laughed at us all the time back at Hogwarts." she said.
"No, like a genuine laugh. He has a real laugh." Harry said, downing almost his entire glass before refilling. The curly-haired genius sighed.
"You've got a pain in your chest right now, correct?" Harry gave an awkward look, nodding slowly. "That's called a crush, heard of it?"
"You are being unreasonable." Harry drawled, finishing off his fifth glass.
"No, I'm being smart. Your just wanting to polish off another case of fire whiskey before the nights out." she said, grabbing the glass from Harry's hand. "I'm cutting you off again."
"Aww, come on 'Mione! I can hold my alcohol better than you!"
"No. One becomes five, then your face down, butt-naked in the lawn, and the police will arrest you, take you back to the station, where a big tattooed man is waiting to have his way with you." Hermione said, placing the tops of the alcohol bottles. Harry grabbed Hermione's half-full wine glass, polishing it off before Hermione could grab it. Harry sighed, looking at the ceiling.
"You know, Malfoy has really blonde hair. Like really blonde. It's almost white. He must dye it." Harry said, a small smile on his face. Hermione threw one of his arms over her shoulder, leading him to his room.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah. You know, I've seen him naked. In the showers at the Auror's office. He has a tattoo above his arse. It's a black heart with big wings and a lighting bolt above it. There's another on his inner thigh. It's a star." Harry said, playing with a strand of Hermione's curly hair.
"Really?" Hermione asked, placing Harry on his bed, pulling dress shirt off.
"His eyes are actually two colors. The inside, near the black part, is blue, and the outside a pretty grey color. And his wrists have scars on them. What do you think that means?" Hermione's head jerked up, eyes wide.
"I think Malfoy just found an escape he doesn't need anymore." Harry nodded, falling back onto his bed as Hermione walked out.
"Hey, 'Mione?" Hermione turned around.
"Yes?"
"I think I love him." the drunk wizard said.
"Then I'm happy that you finally found someone." Hermione said cheerfully.
"Hey, 'Mione?" Harry said again.
"Yeah, buddy?"
"Do you think if I asked Draco out, he'd say yes?" Harry said, staring at the ceiling. He raised his left hand in the air, imagining the blonde's hand grasping his own. Hermione smiled.
"I think he would."