Chapter Six: "You ... What?!"

Draco was furious. Vienna actually was pregnant. He couldn't believe it. She'd cheated on him. Draco-Bloody-Malfoy. It wasn't really much of an issue because Draco didn't like the witch that much, but he couldn't stand the fact that she'd cheated on him. It just wasn't something that happened to him. He was so wound up he didn't realize there was someone calling to him from the other room. So, it was a complete surprise when Harry Potter came through his bedroom door.

"Malfoy, I've been calling you for the past fifteen minutes. What the hell is going on?"

Draco regained his composure. "What do you want, Potter?"

"I just wanted to let you know that Ginny and I are having a party Friday night and we'd like you to come." Harry said, noticing Draco's bad mood, but ignoring it because he was used to it.

"A party? What's it for?" Draco said, trying to calm down.

"It's a surprise." Harry said, trying to hide the huge smile upon his face and failing.

"Must make you very happy, whatever it is. You're smiling so much you might bust a lip or something."

"It's something I've been waiting on for a long time. Something worth celebrating."

Draco got up and rubbed his hand through his hair, making it fan out against his face. "Well, I'll be there. Don't expect me to be joyful and all that rubbish."

"I wouldn't expect anything else, Malfoy." Harry said, re-entering the fireplace and leaving.

Draco decided it was too late to go back to sleep. It was already past eleven in the morning and he'd rather have his thoughts torment him now, rather then when he tried to sleep. He walked into his small bathroom and turned on the shower, waiting for it to get warm. He stripped off his clothing, being careful to fold his clothes instead of throwing them on the floor like he used to when he had house elves. He opened the shower curtain and stepped right under the shower head. The water ran down his body, flowing over every inch of skin. The water calming his muscles and helping him wind down.

After his shower, he walked into his closet trying to find something to wear. He was on his way to Diagon Alley. There were some things he had to pick up. He grabbed a black pair of slacks, a white dress shirt, and a red tie. He put that on, then some black shoes, the least expensive ones he owned. They couldn't have costs less than 500 galleons, but he couldn't remember how much. Then he topped it all off with a black robe. He looked at himself in his full-length mirror. He could see some of his father in himself, which annoyed him to no end. He couldn't help, but let his eyes wander down to his left wrist. The site that was marred by the dark mark he'd received the summer of his seventh year. He had been completely proud and happy the day he got it, but afterwards, it sickened him to even know he'd allowed Voldemort to place the thing on his body. He shook his head and looked back at himself in the mirror, he was presentable.

Hermione had finally gotten out. It wasn't at Ginny's insistence or even a feeling of obligation. It'd been because she couldn't stand sitting in the house, thinking about what had happened between herself and Draco so long ago. So, she'd accepted a date with a wizard whom she'd known for almost three months. He was good-looking, nice, and polite. So, it wasn't as if this was a horrible experience.

Hermione and her date, Winson Lordence, sat in a fancy new eatery that had been built into Diagon Alley. The place wasn't filled with many people. It was usually busy on Friday and Saturday nights when the place basically turned into a dance club for the teen and young adult wizards and witches. Right now, it was just a restaurant/pub.

"Hermione, I'm still sort of shocked that you've finally accepted my invite."

"Well, it was nothing personal. I'm just so busy all the time." Hermione said, picking up the menu in front of her.

"Well, I can't complain. If you hadn't been working the day I visited your company, I'd have never met you." Winson said, smiling and showing his white teeth.

"True."

Hermione lowered her eyes down to her menu, but she was really looking at her clothing. She wasn't used to going on dates, so she wasn't sure if what she was wearing was totally appropriate. She had picked a skirt that was long, going almost to her ankles. It was in a light, pale green, secretly her favorite colour. Her top was a yellow fitted tank with a white, lace shirt underneath. And she had worn very short-heeled shoes. She reached down and fixed her skirt as the waitress came up.

"Hi! I'm Randi! Are you ready to order?"

The two diners looked up to see a young witch. She had light brown hair and blue eyes. She had a tattoo on her right hand, a small letter 'R', and a piercing through her fingernail. Not that this bothered either diner. These days, it was completely normal to see a witch or wizard, especially if they were young, have a few tattoos or piercings.

"I am; are you Hermione?"

Hermione smiled. "Sure. I would like to order the salmon and as a starter, the cabbage salad with the sweet and sour sesame dressing."

"Okay, and to drink?"

"Oh, just some water ... with a few slices of lemon, please."

"Okay. Sir, what would you like?" Randi asked, turning towards Winson.

"I'd like to try the wine-marinated chicken." Winson skimmed the menu again. "I'd like the spinach salad with the tomato dressing. White wine to drink."

Randi wrote down the last of what Winson ordered. "I'll be right back with your drinks and starters."

Draco Malfoy was basically roaming the shops of Diagon Alley. He had already gotten his quills and ink, his usual hair care potions, and the usual book he came to buy. He was getting hungry, as he hadn't eaten breakfast and lunch had passed. He walked out of the shop he was in and onto the lightly crowded street. He took in the sights. There were many dining spots and clubs now that the rebuild was over. Diagon Alley had really changed. There were the shops that had existed before, but now there was more entertainment. And if Draco wasn't mistaken, the twin Weasels had a shop here.

It must have been a cruel joke fate was playing with him when he walked into Bullets. It was a restaurant/pub, during the week, but on the weekend it was a club. He walked in, being greeted by the host and shown to a table ahead of the short line. It seemed the Malfoy name had renewed respect after the show had aired.

He was just sitting down when he saw it. A full head of bushy, chocolate brown hair that had been tamed into a ponytail, and failing, was bobbing around at the table next to his. The person was laughing at something. It was when the head turned away from her companion, trying to catch her breath, that he saw it was Hermione Granger ... on a date. He couldn't believe it. Here he was, thinking about how get her attention and here was someone trying beat him to it. He wouldn't stand for it. Draco got up and walked over to the table, getting a questioning look from the wizard and a startled look from Hermione.

"Malfoy, what are you doing here?"

"Eating. Just like you ... and your friend?" Draco said, looking at Hermione's companion.

"Oh! This is Winson Lordence; this is Draco Malfoy." Hermione said, gesturing to each wizard respectively.

"Hello, Draco. Would you like to join us?" Winson said, unsure of exactly what was going on.

"Sure. If Hermione doesn't mind an old friend joining in." Draco said, sitting down and not actually waiting for a response.

Hermione sighed and looked up at the ceiling. This was not going the way she planned. How did Draco happen to come into this restaurant on this day? Was he following her? If he was, why was he doing it? She noticed the waitress hurrying back over. Most likely to take Draco's order.

"I see someone has joined you. Do you need a menu, or can I take your order, sir?" Randi said, not exactly looking at the newcomer to the table.

"I don't need a menu, I'll just take-"

"Oh, Merlin!" Randi said, looking up, finally. "You're Frankie Jordon, well, you aren't him, you play him on Life With Annie. I can't believe you're in this restaurant." Then Randi remembered where she was. "Oh, I'm so sorry. You must get that all the time, now. Uh, can I take you're order?"

The other people at the table saw Draco nod, as if he did go through this all the time. Truth was, he did get stopped sometimes, but not enough for anyone to say he was famous or anything. "That's okay." Draco said with the smile that he used on the WizTv show. "I'll take your turkey burger and chips. Butterbeer and the soup de jour, please."

"Yes, I'll be right back with that." Randi, practically ran off, beaming, going to tell her other young co-workers who was in the restaurant.

"Well, it must be nice to be noticed like that?" Winson said, a hint of amusement and sarcasm in his voice.

"It is. It must also be nice to be so confident in your forties. I hope I'm so confident in myself, you know, that I think I'm still dateable at such an old age ... when most wizards are married." Draco gave a small smirk. "Why aren't you married, might I ask?"

Hermione watched the exchange with bated breath.

"Well, I just haven't found anyone special, yet. It seems all the good witches are being taken by pompous, sarcastic, whory, shits like yourself, these days." Winson said through clenched teeth.

"I had no idea wizards got so grumpy when they got old. I guess I would be that way, too, if I knew death was edging so much closer everyday and no young witches paid attention to me. Yeah, I'd feel bad, too, but I wouldn't blame it on younger wizards who know how to keep a young witch entertained ... and begging for more."

"Okay, that's enough!" Hermione hissed. "I can't believe that both of you are acting like such children. I'm not sure if I should round you both up and get you off to the train for your first year of Hogwarts or just leave the table. I came out with you, Winson, because I thought you'd be mature enough to not let anyone bother you. Draco, the ONLY reason I hadn't objected to you joining us was because I thought you'd changed, but obviously not. What's wrong with you both?"

"Well, Hermione, dear, I wouldn't usually act so, but this ... boy seems to just bring out the worst in me. I'm sorry." Winson was quick to apologize.

"Draco, what's your excuse?" Hermione asked quietly, waiting for what his response would be.

"I don't like you going out with him. Plain and simple."

Hermione scoffed. "I don't really think who I date has anything to do with you and you have no say in it."

"I ... can't." Draco said, looking straight into Hermione's eyes.

"You ... what?!" Hermione asked, angry.

Draco offered no response, he just got up and left. Hermione didn't follow. She was too confused.

A/N: So, the chapters a bit short, but I promise the next one will be longer. Some of you might be wondering about Harry and Draco's relationship. They aren't exactly friends, but they do have respect for each other and are civil, even friendly sometimes. Harry also, as we know, has a pretty good heart, so he does try and make Draco feel part of the group, so that's why he was invited to Harry's little get-together.
Winson Lordence will make, at least, one more appearance. I haven't thought too far ahead, but I do know he'll be Hermione's date to Harry and Ginny's party.

A little something:

Hermione: Winson Lordence? About time I get to have a little fun.
Author: It's not like you're going to get as intimate with him as Draco was with Vienna. You're not a slut in this story ... at least, not yet.
Draco: Yeah, Hermione. You can't be a slut like me.
Author and Hermione giggle and Draco realises what he said.
Draco: I didn't mean it like that. It's not that funny.
Hermione: You look so cute when you turn pink.
Author: Like a little angel.
Draco: I'm not an angel.
Author: Prove it.
Draco: You both come with me.
Author and Hermione follow Draco into a room and there are some muffled sounds that come from the room a few minutes later, followed by giggles and screams. Then they all come out of the room.
Draco: I told you I wasn't an angel.
Author: Just because you spelled the room full of spiders and killed them with an unforgivable doesn't prove anything.
Draco: Whatever. I didn't see either of you trying to kill them.