Wow, two in one day? [Well, almost, but that counts doesn't it?] So, here's the next chapter, and things are forestalled and set up and all important things. There's also hints of George and Luna - a new favorite, I MUST confess - and Blaise enters the fic as the comedy and Draco's more reasonable side.

And thanks so much for the reviews and the alerts - it means just as much as, because it means that people are keen to read more of it :). Keep them coming :).

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Absolutely Zero, but I wished I owned curly hair...and I'm sure I don't really care where I get it from! :P

Draco woke up the next morning at about 9am, his head clear and feeling for all the world like a new man. He was on his own, a feeling that he had yet to get over. It had barely been a week, but the euphoria of doing whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted, made him feel absolutely giddy. He also had a fantastic evening with one Hermione Granger. She was certainly...interesting. He entertained her, but most importantly, she held Draco's interest, and that has not been done in a very long time.

He turned on his coffee maker, now almost a habit in his morning routine, and sat in front of his laptop in the living area, checking his mail while he waited for his coffee. Three new messages. None from Hermione.

It was just coffee.

Draco couldn't forget Hermione's reaction. Was he showing his thoughts too plainly? He was anything but disgruntled about spending time with Hermione, and if she hadn't e-mailed him, he was ready to let her go forever. But she did, and here he was wondering if she had sent him anything. Maybe he should send him something.

He opened his first e-mail.

To: .

From: .

Subject: Re: Family Reunion.

Hey man.

The stupid reunion ended last night. Not that I'm complaining about having the family around, I'm not, but it gets really irritating when your baby cousins are forever asking about your new tattoo. Anyway, man, I'm catching the first train to London. Catch ya on the flip.

Draco glanced at the clock on the wall. Yeah. Blaise would be on the flip pretty soon. It was just as well Draco put on the coffee machine. He would imagine Blaise wouldn't be in the best of moods at the moment. They both detested public transport.

The other two e-mails were from Pansy:

Fwd: FW: This is worth reading twice.

Damn Pansy and her bloody forwards...Draco seethed internally. He made to throw them into his trash, when another e-mail popped up in his inbox.

To: .

From: .uk

Subject: Read the friggin' e-mail!

Drakie, read the stupid e-mails. You never do. When we going to hook up again

Miss you Drakie

Draco deleted the message, but clicked one of the forwards. By the end of it, he had an idea.

To: .

From: .

Subject: Re: Hello

When things in you life seem almost too much to handle,

When 24 hours in a day is not enough,

Remember the mayonnaise jar and two cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class

And had some items in front of him.

When the class began, wordlessly,

He picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar

And proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full.

They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles

And poured them into the jar...

Listen, the point is that the professor fills the jar with sand after that, and then adds two cups of coffee, and then, after stating that it's really full, he says profound things about how the golf balls are family and friends and hobbies etc. One of the students then asks what the point was about the two cups of coffee and the professor says that no matter how full life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.

This was basically to say that I really enjoyed our time together yesterday evening, and it seems rather appropriate and even rather cheesy, and I don't even know why I'm sending you this.

Hope you're well...

Draco sat back and schmoozed his lips. Maybe it was too cheesy. A beep from the kitchen notified him that the coffee was done. As he entered his kitchen, there was a scratching at his front door and it opened. Draco didn't even turn around as Blaise stumbled into the condo, suitcases in hand.

"S'up boy?"

"Really, Blaise. It's after graduation. You're still going to call me boy?"

Blaise gave Draco's back a look. "What? Do you prefer me to call you Drakie?"

"God, no."

"Exactly." Blaise dropped his bags on the floor, not really caring where they go. He noticed Draco's open laptop, and Blaise was curious. He scanned the e-mail that Draco typed to Hermione, and a smirk grew on his face.

"Want any coffee?" Draco called from the kitchen.

"Yeah, yeah," Blaise replied distractedly. He grinned mischievously and hit send.

"What are you doing?" Draco asked as he came through, and put the cups of coffee down.

Blaise chose to respond with, "Who's Hermione Granger?"

"Please tell me you didn't," Draco said, his voice dripping with dread.

Blaise grinned and gesticulated at the laptop screen.

Draco turned his back to Blaise, holding his head in his hands. "You did!" He turned to him again. "Geez, Blaise! Did you know how cheesy -"

"Yes."

"-stupid -"

"Oh, idiotic."

"-immature-"

"Please, sir, can I have some more?"

"-romantic-"

"Very, very romantic-"

"Would you stop doing that?" Draco was not looking rather distressed. Blaise only grinned manically.

"Not until you tell me who Hermione Granger is."

Draco sighed, running long fingers through his pale blond hair. "A friend from school."

"Granger...Granger...oh, I remember her. She was a nerd and, as I remember, not a friend."

"Okay, recent friend. She found my e-mail address and we had coffee...tea...dinner."

"Coffee...tea...dinner?" Blaise was leaning forward, now very interested.

"It basically went from coffee to dinner." Draco blew out his cheeks. "So I wanted to thank her. And that idiotic e-mail from Pansy gave me an idea."

"Cute," Blaise responded, his mouth twisting in an amused smile.

Draco sunk into the chair. "She probably won't speak to me again."

Blaise cuffed Draco's shoulder. "Ah, at least she spent a couple of hours with you. That's more than most people can afford." Draco gave him a murderous look. "Okay...How about we go for a drink?"

"It's 9.30 in the morning," Draco replied drolly.

"Oh. Right. Well. Finish your coffee then."

"'Mione!" Ron exclaimed, hugged his girlfriend.

"Ron!" Hermione cried in disbelief. Over his shoulder, she mouthed to her mother, How did he get here?

"He just came in!" she whispered back.

Ron stepped back to look at Hermione. "Blimey, but you look awful."

"Thanks," she replied drily. Ron always lacked tact.

"How about I make Ron some tea while you freshen up, dear. And then Hermione can show you around London then. Wouldn't that be nice?"

Hermione wasn't sure whether she wanted to kiss her mother or reprimand her, but nevertheless she took the opportunity to escape the somewhat awkward situation. She chided herself. How could she think such things about Draco Malfoy when she had Ron, her high school sweetheart. Granted they only got together at the beginning of last year, but that counted, didn't it. But the main difference was that she only just started to know Draco, when she knew Ron for nigh on five years. She wasn't sure what to do with her emotions, but she supposed it would be best to stick with Ron for however long he planned to stay for in London. She was sure it wasn't for long – his mother was still a little over-protective.

Twenty minutes later, Hermione was fresh and clean once again, but failed to see that she had received a new e-mail as she strode out her room...

"Boy, why are you so restless?"

"How many times..." Draco then followed Blaise's gaze to the litter of papers strewn around his hands. It was anything, really, from a beer label to a random leaflet. Draco just fidgeted and tore them up in nervous anticipation. Draco sighed. When was it going to end?

"What's wrong, man?"

"It's been three days."

"Still that girl?" Blaise said in disbelief.

"You should never have sent that e-mail."

"You would have sent it anyway, and you know it. Otherwise you wouldn't have typed it in the first place."

There was a pause.

"Sorry, Blaise."

"Whatever man. Say, what's so special about this girl that makes you feel this way?"

"I don't know. She...interests me. Keeps my attention, keeps my wits sharp and lively. I really have to think around her. After that afternoon, I realised how bored I was with life. All these years...and now I'm seriously thinking of studying. Remember my violin..."

"Woah, woah," Blaise heard enough of this. "What happened to the sadistic, lazy, playboy bastard that I knew in high school?"

"That was out of pure boredom. I had no excitement...but now...I think I do."

"Wow, just 'cos of a girl?"

"She has a name, you know?"

"So do you, but since when have I called you Draco?"

Draco thought for a second. "Yeah, I don't think you ever did. What is with you and names?"

"Dunno. Never liked them."

"Huh."

The laptop then chose to beep. Draco jumped. Blaise moved out of the way, muttering, "Geez, don't get too excited about talking to your girlfriend..."

Draco knew Blaise well enough not to snap back at him.

To: .

From: .

Subject: Re: Hello

Hey Draco.

I'm so sorry I didn't reply sooner! I had an unexpected guest over and I spent time with them, showing them London and such. He was amazed at the multi-leveled shops in town. I suppose it's rather normal for the both of us.

Back to your e-mail, I thought it was rather sweet of you. I feel the same :). Whoever the girl that holds your heart is very lucky.

How about I make it up to you though? A night on the town? A show at the theater? A drink? Take your pick.

Again, I'm so sorry!

Hope you're well!

Ms. Granger.

"See, I told you it was fine."

"You didn't," Draco pointed out.

"Pft, whatever man. Want some coffee?"

"Is that a question?"

"Right."

Hermione was still reading Ginny's message while Draco was typing his reply.

Hey Hermione!

Sorry I didn't reply sooner. There's a million and one chores to do around the house, and Harry's here and all. Also, my brother forbid me to reply until he returned from London. Guess he wanted to visit to be a surprise. I'm sure it's safe to send this to you now!

Everyone's fine, just a little off the hinges. I mean, Fred's death was a huge blow for us, especially mum and George. I'm really worried about George: he stays in his room all the time now, and hardly comes downstairs to eat. Sometimes, mom brings the food up to him and they talk for hours and hours. I also walked in on mum crying over a picture of Fred and George when they were just babies. Guess she's not taking it too well. Dad's just holding things together. He kind of has to.

Harry has helped around a lot. We're basically together, but we haven't really decided what we're going to do about the whole Albania thing. We'll probably cross that bridge when we get there. Also, Luna's staying with us, since her dad went and offed it too, around about when Fred...anyway. I see her and George talking sometimes. They seem to get along really well ;).

I can't believe you've started to study already! You're supposed to be on holiday, Hermione, so act like it! Live a little! Have you anyone else to spend time with in London?

Please reply soon. Mom hopes you got the cakes and the knitted jumper she made you that she sent off with Ron. We all miss you very much and we want you to come visit us soon!

Lots of love,

Ginny.

But just as she reached the end of it, her PC beeped loudly, and Hermione's heart leaped into her throat. It was from Draco, and only five words were typed.

Why not do all three?

And so it begins :D. Well, it began in chapter three. But be sure that some slightly dodgier things will be appearing in the next chapter. This is meant to be a short fic, so...with the intention of following the lyrics of Jason's Mraz's Absolutely Zero, of course.

Stay tuned for more episodes of...Starduck and the Curly-haired kid!

Signing off

Caneater