Author's Note:
Hey guys! Sorry for the wait. I've been trying to work in a good scene between Draco and Hermione and I finally thought of one while in the shower the other day. Strange how things just make sense while in the shower…
Anyway, here it is!
~**~
It was two weeks until Hermione saw Draco again.
She had been surprised to see him return to the Slytherin couch in her store, but relieved to see a familiar face among all the foreign ones. Though she would never ever, ever admit to missing a person such as Draco Malfoy.
He has sauntered in on a Tuesday morning, sneered a sort of acknowledgement towards her, though Hermione took no notice of the display, retrieved the book he had been reading and then made himself comfortable in the green and silver couch in the corner.
A young James Potter, who was delighted to see his friend was back then shortly joined Draco. He had asked about Draco often. Mostly around lunchtime when the store was the busiest, but nonetheless, he had asked nearly everyday.
And this was how it continued for weeks. Draco would come in every second day of the week or so and spent it reading novels that took his interest, or playing and reading with James, who enjoyed the company immensely.
Hermione never minded about it too much. She had come to learn that Draco wasn't interested in James for perverse reasons… he just enjoyed the company. He always spoke highly of James, but then always added some crack about him being Harry's son. In his opinion it balanced out with the praise he was giving the child. Hermione never took anything he said about Harry to heart these days. She knew some of the things he said was to get a reaction of her. Sometimes it worked, depending on her mood; sometimes it didn't, and those times always seemed to disappointed Draco. It meant he would have to purchase the book he had brought up to the counter with him and depart. He never really got to have a proper conversation with Hermione; it was mostly insults and arguments.
That all changed one day in April. For the best or for the worst, Draco wasn't entirely sure of.
It had been a Thursday when Draco's world was turned upside down.
He had woken up alone, but fine. Something he wasn't entirely alien with, it was just a little strange. Partly because Draco had had the most vivid dream last night. It was more vivid than the one he had had in six year at Hogwarts. He had dreamt that Dumbledore had come back from the dead and was hell bent on killing Draco himself. Draco had woken in a sweat.
This dream was nothing like that. He had dreamt that he had fallen asleep in Hermione's bookstore and was later woken by Hermione herself, only no other customer was in the store, there was a fire crackling softly beside the two of them and Hermione was wearing the most beautiful green dress Draco had ever imagined. It hugged her curves elegantly, leaving some to the imagination, and fell just above her ankles. It had hung nicely on her, and she knew it. She had tempted him and teased him until he could take no more. They had spent the next ten minutes or so getting to know each other better with snogging, and eventually ended up spending the night in Draco's bed.
When he awoke, he had actually expected to see a sleeping Hermione lying next to him. Though how either of them would have reacted to that was beyond him.
He had then decided today was the day to head into 'Books for All Beings' whether it was going to be an awkward encounter or not. Draco was a Malfoy, and Malfoys never felt awkwardness, not matter what the situation. He knew it was futile to depend on that though alone, seeing as how everything else he had been taught as a boy was a load of bollocks, but at the time the thought was comforting.
He headed towards the kitchen in search of food and then at nearly midday, Draco decided it was now that he would visit Hermione, and hopefully James. He had grown quite fond of that kid.
He shook his head as he disapparated out of his mansion.
~**~
Hermione picked James up from the ground as soon as she unlocked the door to her little bookshop. She was babysitting for the day as well as running the store by herself. That wasn't all bad though, the crowds had clamed down and were of a now manageable size for one person and a three year old.
Harry had the day off today and Ginny had asked to take the day off in order to spend 'quality time' with Harry. Hermione had took the hint and had lectured Ginny about how she didn't work there, that she had just been helping out the first few weeks and a few hectic days here and there. She also knew that Ginny wouldn't ask Hermione to look after James as well as the store, so Hermione offered her babysitting services. How hard could it be to look after James and her store?
Ginny and Hermione had a small spat; Hermione saying it was no trouble to have James; Ginny saying it was too much. James had then walked into the room and Hermione had asked him whether he would to spend the day with her. James, after having quickly remembered that Draco was normally in the store had agreed, allowing Hermione to win the argument.
They had flooed to the fireplace George had installed in his office downstairs and walked up the stairs to 'open up shop'.
"Ready for today?" Hermione rubbed her nose against James'. An 'Eskimo kiss' she had learned along her travels. James giggled and responded to the Eskimo kiss with three year old enthusiasm, nearly crushing Hermione's nose in the process. "That's a boy" Hermione beamed.
Towards lunchtime the crowds picked up a little, which was something Hermione hadn't anticipated. She spent the lunch rush running from the counter to the shelves, trying to please every customer that walked her way.
She knew James was alright; Draco had walked in about a half hour ago, and both boys had made themselves comfortable on 'their' couch. Hermione didn't mind the fact that James spent most of his time in the store reading books with Malfoy. If anything, Malfoy was actually teaching him a thing or two.
Hermione smiled to herself as she ran once again to the back of the store in search of a book a Mr. White wanted; at least someone was pleased today.
~**~
"And that's how Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ends." Draco placed the closed book down on his lap with a triumphant sigh. It had taken him about two hours to get through the book, as James had his questions to ask. They had made a rule that there was only allowed to be ten questions throughout the book, but James couldn't help himself. And Draco didn't mind too much. He did understand; Potter was his father.
"Good story Dr-waco!" James still hadn't mastered saying his name properly, but it was the thought that counted. "Thanks kid" James squirmed and laughed as Draco rustled his shaggy black hair. Didn't his parent give him a haircut? "Do you want another one?" Draco reached up to the shelf to grab the closest book he could reach, but was distracted when his stomach growled. It was loud enough that James heard it and his eyes bulged out of his skull. "Are you a lion?" Draco was thrown off the thought of food at this question. "Am I a lion? I don't think I'm a lion." He checked his hair to see if a mane had grown. "No lion there" he quickly glanced down his shirt. "And no lion there either… No I think it's safe to say I'm no lion" James beamed. 'This little boy was always happy. No matter what' Draco thought to himself. It was quite impressive. His stomach rumbled again. "You hungry?" James nodded. "Well let's go eat then before you there's two lions" James scrambled to get off the couch as quickly as possible. Draco stood and then remembered the one obstacle in his way. Hermione.
~**~
Hermione had finally stopped running around the store. Right now she was stuck behind the counter taking money from people and handing over books in bags. She was tired but glad that there was a rush of people; she was convinced that she were a few galleons short of this month's lease and she didn't want George to 'kick her out'. Wouldn't that be horrific?
There were finally no people hassling her and she was able to quickly add up just how much she owed George for this month; five galleons, twenty-eight sickles and three knuts. She had no sooner done this when a tall blonde approached the counter. Hermione looked up and was slightly disappointed it was Draco, though intrigued as to why he was here and not back in his couch with James.
"We're going for ice cream" Draco gave her his signature Malfoy sneer. How she despised that. Maybe if he actually smiled every once in a while, he would look more human.
"Why would I care if you're going for ice cream?" Hermione huffed as she grabbed the piece of parchment that her calculations were on and shoved into a hidden draw on her side of the counter. She missed Draco look at a small boy tugging on his pants leg.
When she looked back up, Draco looked as though the words he was about to say might kill him. "W-would. You. Like. Some?" he grit out as best he could. Hermione swore he was about to collapse. Since when was Draco Malfoy ever nice to her?
Hermione thought it to be some kind of joke. "You know where you can stick your ice cream Malfoy?" she asked in a dangerously low whisper, so other customers wouldn't hear.
"If you didn't want any, you could have just said" Draco waved his hand in dismissal to her attempt of an insult and then glided out of the door as if nothing had ever happened.
"Huh." Hermione was about to search for Draco's friend James when an elderly lady approached the counter with a stack of books about a metre high.
"Let me help you with that" Hermione rushed to grab the books and all thoughts of James were currently shifted to the side of her mind.
~**~
"You enjoying that?" Draco motioned to the chocolate and caramelised pear ice cream in James' hand. They had left the bookstore and wandered down near Olivander's. As they neared the store, Draco spotted Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour and both he and James had ventured inside.
"It's good. Want some?" James was taught to always be polite and that sharing was what good boys did, so that's what he did. He was being a good boy.
Draco looked at the half eaten, half melted ice cream in the boy's hands. "As tempting as it sounds, I think I'll stick to mine." James nodded and went back to eating his. Smearing about a third of it on his face in the process. Draco returning to his peppermint one.
Draco was a little disgusted that a child could be so messy; he never remembered seeing a photo of himself looking quite like James did now. Ice cream smeared over his right cheek and the biggest grin on his face. At least he was happy. Draco would charm the mess off when he finished eating. No point doing it now, especially since he would probably just make more mess.
Draco finished his ice cream soon after and then patiently waited for James to do the same. It took him a while, but eventually he finished, with half the ice cream on his face.
Draco waved his wand and the ice cream mess that James had made disappeared. James was impressed. "Do it again!" he clapped his hands together excitedly. His parent preferred to do things the muggle way. "Maybe some other time." Draco leaned back with his hands crossed behind his head on his side of the booth. They had eaten inside and James had insisted on having a side of the booth. Which was fine with Draco.
James sat there absentmindedly drawing patterns onto the tabletop. "Why did Hermione tell you to stick it?" he asked all of a sudden.
Draco sat forward and knew he had to answer somewhat truthfully. He didn't want to get hexed for something that this boy said. "Well… um. It's a nasty thing that big people say to hurt someone's feelings?" he hoped that would give James something to think about.
"Why?"
"Um… because sometimes big people don't like other big people?" Draco was grasping for anything that floated to the surface of his mind. If James was older he'd be able to tell him through sarcastic remarks and insults what he meant, but the boy was only three and so he had to take it a bit slower.
"Hermione doesn't like you?" James said it slowly, trying to make sense of it as he said it. It was similar to the way the Weasel spoke at any stage; slow and Neanderthal like.
"Pretty much" Draco sighed. The kid was bright for a three year old.
"Why?!" James cried, surprising Draco among many other people in the store. "I love you!" James scooted over to Draco's half of the booth and wrapped his arms around Draco's thin middle in a hug. It was unexpected but appreciated.
A hug from James meant that Draco hadn't been lying when he thought to himself the other day that he had changed. He was, even if it was slowly. It was change nonetheless. Draco wrapped an arm around James. "Thanks" he then sobered up as he realised many people were giving him curious glances. He pulled James off and gave him a serious look before cracking a small smile. "Now, which do you think Hermione will like?" James jumped from the seat and headed over to the freezer with various ice cream flavours in it. He looked deep in thought as Draco approached. Finally after about five minutes James pointed to a white ice cream substance. The sign read 'Coconut'.
"You sure?" James nodded his head frantically. "Ok. If you're sure" Draco purchased a small tub of ice cream and together they walked back to the no doubt livid Hermione Granger.
Draco amused himself with his thoughts; Hermione was going to be furious with him and then shocked when he handed over both James and the ice cream. In Draco's own personal opinion, Hermione had always looked cute when mad. It was endearing in a way. Though he would never admit that to anyone.
"C'mon. Let's go" he held out his hand for James who took it.
