Title: Apple Cider Kisses

Date: 10/05/11

Rating: T

Pairing: DM x HG

Summary: Challenge writing for Piper- owed her one for a while, so here it is. Sorry it's so rusty. ;-;

Word list: silly curt frilly yellow harvest Halloween candles horror weird orange

Draco Malfoy had never particularly felt like nor dislike for Halloween. It had been a Hogwarts tradition all his life, as his own parents had never "celebrated" it. For the most part, he forgot about the silly holiday and went on as his usual way.

At least, until Granger had anything to say about it.

There had been a tense truce between them for the past few months, as their jobs did overlap these days. The Ministry had been downsizing, merging departments into others so they could be more effective. As far as Draco was concerned, they were merely a more effective pain in his ass.

But that wasn't something you just told people, these days.

It was almost the weekend, now. He could feel it, it was so close. Then he would be done with his insignificant job for a lovely three day weekend that involved no sorts of frilly decorations or other such nonsense. Living in his own flat had advantages, after all.

When the time came to leave, Draco breathed a sigh of relief. Nothing short of a natural disaster was going to keep him from sitting in his flat in his boxers, drinking some of that delicious hard cider Granger always brought to celebrate (though Merlin knows how she managed to pick out something even he liked) and letting the world pass him by outside.

When Draco had first bought the flat in muggle London, he had reveled in his ability to fend for himself. Even if the man who had negotiated with him had thought him a little unorthodox, he had managed to successfully blend in enough to buy a flat. That was worth something.

It wasn't until three weeks after the deal had been finalized that he'd realized that Granger lived in the same complex.

So now, two days into his boxer-fest, he knew who was knocking on his front door. What he didn't know was why he was answering it. Telling himself curtly that it wasn't because of the little sobs coming from behind it, he opened it, putting on his best Malfoy glare.

Granger was a mess. She looked like she'd gone out somewhere, but her makeup was smeared from her crying. She had probably been a cat or a bunny or something fluffy and cute, Draco thought, as he eyed her cat ears. So what if he was half-naked and holding a cider. It was his damn home.

"Simon got out," she sobbed. Her yellow and white ears bobbed as she cried, pathetic little noises worse than actual all out sobbing. Was she dying?

"Simon?" Draco rubbed his eyes.

"My-my kitten. He's little and orange and he got out when some trick-or-treaters were at the door." She wiped her hand across her eyes, smearing her make up even further. When she looked up at him, there were still tears coursing down her cheeks.

This had all the makings of a bad horror film. Any minute now she'd rip off her costume, turn into a giant frizzball monster, and eat him.

"And there's a reason you're knocking on my door instead of, say, Potter's?"

"He's out with the kids." She swallowed hard. "Please, just help me find him."

Draco rubbed his eyes and nodded. "Fine, give me a second."

Forty five minutes, four cat calls, two bad jokes about his "costume", and two ciders later, Draco was sitting on Hermione's couch, feeling like a stranger, as she coddled Simon in the kitchen. "What a bad kitty," she murmured as she gave him a bit of wet food, the little jerk rubbing up against her leg like a saint.

Hermione had cleaned off the smeared make-up and almost looked presentable now. Draco was in his bathrobe, as that's as close to being dressed as he deemed worthy at this point. His eyes were half-closed as he watched her light a few candles, the soft light helping to smooth out her sharp edges.

When she finally sat across from him in a chair, he took another drink of his cider. "This isn't how I thought I'd be spending Halloween this year," he grumbled.

Hermione blushed and rubbed the back of her neck, "I know. It's weird. But I really had no one else to help and Simon… he's just so little."

The cat was cute, Draco had to admit, as he sauntered into the living area, his belly round and full of food as he flopped in front of the fireplace. "Just remember you owe me." Draco wasn't sure what exactly she owed him, but he was pretty sure that after something like that, he was owed something.

"Of course," she agreed with a smile, stretching out to toe at Simon's tail, the lazy cat flicking it half-heartedly.

The silence stretched. Finally, Draco stood. "I don't even understand what Halloween is about, anyways."

He wouldn't meet her eyes as he took his empty bottles to the kitchen, placing them on the counter. "Traditionally, I'd say the harvest and ghosts." Hermione had an odd gleam in her eyes as she watched Draco move about her kitchen. When he finally emerged from the kitchen, another bottle in his hand, he shrugged.

"I need to get back to my flat. My gold-fish might have gotten out."

A small smile curved at Hermione's lips as she looked at him. "You have a goldfish?"

Draco shrugged a little sheepishly. "He's about the only pet I can keep alive at this point."

Hermione's smile blossomed into a full grin as she laughed. "Oh, that's rich." As her laughter faded into the soft crackle of the fireplace and Simon's purr, Draco turned for the door. But before he could truly escape, Hermione had pulled him down, kissing his cheek. He smelled of cider and fall and alcohol. "Thank you, Draco."

Mumbling something, Draco fled.

He hadn't had quite enough alcohol to deal with that sort of attention.