Draco walked quickly, his hands stuffed in his pockets in an attempt to warm them. It was a wet, miserable day, perfect for spending at a museum. Draco had chosen the Science Museum in South Kensington because of a recommendation in one of his Muggle Studies books. The book had given explicit instructions on how to reach the museum, so it was with a certain degree of confidence that Draco took the tube and walked from South Kensington station through the underpass. The sip of Felix Felicis he had taken that morning hadn't hurt either.

He gazed around him as he walked, taking note of the signs. He also looked carefully at the faces of the passersby, not quite knowing – or willing to admit – what he was looking for. If he was slightly disappointed not to have seen Hermione on the tube, it was only because he had been expecting to see her, not hoping to see her. Or so he told himself.

He was craning his neck to spot the owner of the bushy hair he'd just seen when someone moved to stand in front of him, causing Draco to crash into her.

"Surprise!" Anna grinned, seemingly unfazed by the fact that he had nearly knocked her over. "I'm glad I saw you. Penny for your thoughts?"

"Er– what?" Draco asked, still slightly dazed to see her. He knew he shouldn't be surprised – this stroke of good luck was obviously due to the potion – but he wished he hadn't walked right into her.

"You seem distracted," she said. "I was just wondering what you were thinking about. Or are you looking for something?"

"Sorry, I was just – hoping I... hadn't missed the Science Museum," he said hastily. "I've never been before."

"Ron's never been either," Anna informed him motioning, to Draco's horror, to her companion. He hadn't seen the redhead standing quite a bit away from them, a scowl on his face and his shoulders hunched, as if the pair of them had an incredibly contagious disease.

Draco nodded in acknowledgment. "Weasley."

Ron grunted in response, scowling even more than before. "Come on, Anna, we're going to be late."

Instead of moving, Anna looked at Draco. "Are you sure you want to go to the Science Museum first? We're going to the Victoria and Albert Museum, then we'll do the Science Museum if we have time. Hermione will be with us, she's the perfect guide, don't you think? I'm sure she knows everything there is to know about everything, and she wouldn't mind you coming along, I think."

Draco's heart leaped at the mention of her name. Nevertheless, he hesitated, glancing at Ron. "I wouldn't want to intrude on your, ah, Gryff- I mean-" he stopped, unsure of how to explain to Anna that he wouldn't be welcome. "Will Potter be there?"

"And Ron's sister, Ginny," Anna nodded. "See? Harry and Ginny, Ron and I... Hermione won't have anyone to walk with, really. You could pair up with her."

Ron made a sound deep in his throat, causing Anna to stare at him. "Did you actually growl?" she asked, astonished but unyielding.

"Can I talk to you for a bit?" he asked her, shooting a venomous glance at Draco. The blond shrugged and moved a few feet away to give them privacy.

A day full of Gryffindors wasn't precisely what he wanted, but it might be good. At any rate, Hermione would be there – when did he start thinking about her so much, anyway? When did she start to matter? She was fun to be with, and he probably wouldn't venture so much into the Muggle world if it wasn't for her, but that didn't mean he had to suffer through a day with Potter and two Weasels just to see her.

Unless his mother was right. It was something he wasn't willing to admit just yet.

Then again, it might be fun, he supposed, to see the look on Ginny Weasley's face when he showed up. After what she had done at his trial, bringing up the time he had attempted to cast the Cruciatus on Potter, he was sure she'd be loathe to have him join their little group. It would ruin her day, and Draco couldn't think of anything more fun than that. He'd been nice for far too long.

Anna joined him. "Ron says you can come," she said, "as long as you don't do anything prat-ish. But don't worry, he'll behave too. Now let's go, we're already late!" She started down the passage.

Draco and Ron followed her. "I don't know what you're playing at, Ferret–" Ron started, when he saw that Anna was sufficiently ahead of them and out of earshot, "but if you think you can use the Muggle world to show how reformed you are–"

"Weasley," Draco interrupted, "I'm sorry about your brother." It wasn't what he intended to say, and Ron looked as shocked as he felt, but he found he didn't regret saying it. The Felix Felicis was prompting him to continue, so he did. "I didn't know Fenrir was going to come into the school. Had I known... But I had to do it, to save my parents. And I was sorry to hear about Fred. He was... one of the few Gryffindors I admired." Draco took a deep breath, glad to get the confession off his chest. "I won't apologize for Aunt Bella. You can't choose your relatives."

Ron's skin color changed slightly, from an angry red to a more subdued flush. He didn't say anything but walked faster to catch up to Anna. Draco stayed behind the two of them, almost sure that something had changed between himself and the redhead.

The three of them entered the main lobby, looking around to spot their friends. "There they are," Draco pointed, spotting Hermione. But his gaze was fixed on the redhaired woman standing next to her. He smirked as he approached, waiting for her to see them.

Hermione saw them first. "Draco!"

He glanced at her, but not before seeing the look of surprise, followed by disgust and anger, on Ginny Weasley's face. Draco felt a sense of vindication. "Granger, I'll have you know that I'm not following you. I was heading towards the Science Museum when Anna found me and dragged me here instead."

"Oh, like you needed that much persuading," Anna rolled her eyes, joining them. "I didn't drag you. It was Ron who had to be convinced."

Hermione laughed. "I can imagine. I'm glad you convinced him." She sent Ron a grateful look. He shrugged back, looking resigned.

Behind Hermione, Harry cleared his throat. "Hi, Anna. Malfoy." After a moment's hesitation, Harry extended his hand. Draco shook it without a second thought, although the significance of the moment wasn't lost on him. Hermione beamed at them.

"Harry!" Ginny hissed, looking furious.

"Hello, Ginny," Draco said pleasantly. He tried not to smirk, aware that an almost-genuine, somewhat-friendly smile would infuriate the redhead further.

"What are you doing here?"

"Anna invited me."

"No, I mean, here," she said pointedly, and Draco figured she was referring to the Muggle world.

"Here?" he clarified politely. "Why wouldn't I–"

"In this part of London."

He raised an eyebrow and gave her a bewildered, slightly condescending look. "I think I can choose where I want to spend my time."

"Shouldn't you be doing community service, or something? Making up for your past crimes?" Ginny asked scathingly.

Anna frowned. "Why–"

"Don't mind them," Ron intervened, aware that Anna might begin to ask questions they couldn't answer. "Like I said, we don't have the best history with Malfoy."

Anna looked like she wanted to ask more questions, so Hermione stepped in. "I'll tell you later," she whispered, buying them all time to think of a cover story. "Shall we start the tour? We've got a lot to cover," she said excitedly. She started towards one of the exhibition rooms, and Draco fell into step beside her, not wanting to be stuck beside Anna, who was sure to ask questions, and Ginny, who was sure to start a fight.

"Did you have to push all her buttons like that?" Hermione asked him, although she looked faintly amused. "You know she wanted you to fight back."

Draco shrugged, finally allowing himself to smirk. "She's still a kid," he said dismissively, knowing that Ginny was only a year younger than him, and knowing equally well that she could probably hear him. "She'll mature eventually."

Hermione stifled a laugh. "Stop. Let's get through this day without anyone hexing anyone else and the Statute of Secrecy still in place."

They walked through the rooms with Hermione acting as their unofficial museum guide. Eventually the others lost interest and would drift around to look at other pieces while Hermione explained a particular item, but Draco, being the group's authority on the Wizarding counterparts of what Hermione was discussing, would add tidbits of knowledge about Wizarding culture, speaking in an undertone and only after a careful glance at the Muggles, including Anna, around them. He conceded defeat, however, once the group walked into the jewelry room. The girls burst into raptures, while the boys gave a cursory glance around the room and looked bored.

It was Harry's chance to speak to Draco. "Hermione said you're interested in the Muggle world," he started conversationally. "I didn't realize you were this serious – going to museums and all."

Draco shrugged. "It seemed like the perfect day for it. I was heading to the Science Museum, but Anna caught me."

"We might go there later, if we've got time." Harry looked at him curiously, but refrained from asking why Draco had taken such a liking to a world he used to loathe. Draco thought the Gryffindor had already figured it out. "What floor are you on, in the Ministry? Ron and I never bump into you."

"The new one, the one for the war." The Ministry had opened a new floor specifically for issues relating to the war. It was a depressing floor, one many Ministry employees tried to avoid. "You and Weasley are in Auror training?" Draco glanced at Ron, inviting him to join their conversation. The Felix Felicis had worn off hours ago, but Draco felt confident enough to go without his usual mask of disdain and aloofness. Conversation was stilted, perhaps a little too polite, but it was a start.

-0-0-

The next week was different from the previous ones. To Draco's consternation, he found his mind constantly drifting to Hermione. He had placed his memories of the entire day in the museums into the Pensieve, but it hadn't helped him to clear his head. Every sound outside the door to his small office had him glancing up; it was only when he realized he was holding his breath, hoping it would be her, that he consciously forced himself to stop. It wouldn't do to wait for Hermione. He would only see her if he drank Felix Felicis.

But as to why he wanted to see her – Draco himself couldn't say. Or rather, wouldn't admit it, even though he couldn't ignore it. It seemed all too new, all too sudden, and he was afraid. They had just barely become friends, after seven years of enmity. Even if she didn't hate him, she was still Hermione Granger, the famous "good girl", whereas he was Draco Malfoy, the social outcast, the Death Eater, the one nobody wanted to sit next to or be seen talking to. Hermione would probably never see him as anyone she could have a future with.

And then there were his parents to think about. His parents, who expected him to marry one of the Greengrass sisters, or any other witch, as long as she was a Pureblood and of good standing in society.

Draco sighed. The same thoughts had been running in his head all week. Stuck in his little office with not much to think about, it was enough to drive him crazy. He wasn't even sure if his sudden fancy for Hermione was even real or if perhaps it was the natural consequence of her having shown him some kindness.

Something happened on Thursday which changed Draco's usual routine. He had just bought his food at the Ministry cafeteria and was looking around for an empty table when he caught Harry Potter looking at him from the far end of the room. Potter and Weasley were sitting with a few other trainees from the Auror department. Draco hesitated only briefly, knowing he wouldn't be welcomed by the other trainees, and nodded his greeting to Potter before heading to a table in the corner that was almost empty. Potter gave an acknowledging grin, and Draco felt relieved to know that the last weekend hadn't been just a fluke.

The next day was even more unusual – Draco had just started eating when Harry, followed by a rather reluctant Ron, approached. "Mind if we join you, Malfoy?"

Surprised, Draco shook his head. "Feel free."

"Thanks." If Harry was aware that the entire cafeteria had fallen silent, he did an admirable job of not showing it. "Is the lasagna good?" he asked, pointing at Draco's plate.

"Delicious, as usual," Draco said. "I don't see you two here that often."

"We're usually on the training field," Harry explained. "But now we're learning a bit more about the legal side – the paperwork side – so we're based a bit more in the Ministry."

Draco nodded. It made sense. He looked at Ron. "How's Anna?" He really wanted to ask about Hermione, but found he couldn't.

"Same. I'm seeing her tomorrow. We're trying to figure out where to go." Ron held up a small black rectangle. "Just when I think I'm getting used to this thing, I come to the Ministry and find out that the magic interferes with it. I can't receive her messages."

"Is that a Muggle mobile phone?" Draco asked interestedly. "It's so small!" It was hard to believe that Muggles could communicate – could send short letters, even pictures and videos – through such a tiny box. Wizards were near useless without a convenient Floo or owl, although Hermione had come up with the magical Galleons and the Order had used Patronuses. Those sorts of spells weren't necessarily performed by the average witch or wizard. Muggles, on the other hand, had mobile phones, regular phones and electronic mail, in addition to their usual postal service. "Can I... Can I borrow it?"

"Near useless in here," Ron said disgustedly, handing the phone to Draco. "I'll have to ask Hermione if she can fix it so it works even with the magical field. Maybe she can do it on Sunday."

"You're not seeing her tomorrow?" Draco kept his eyes firmly on the phone in his hands, his voice as disinterested as he could make it.

"No, Hogsmeade weekend tomorrow. She said she'd help supervise the lower years."

"Oh." Draco handed back the phone and frowned thoughtfully. "I don't remember ever being supervised."

"That's what I told her," Harry said. "I told her the lower years didn't need supervision, but you know Hermione."

"Then again, maybe if we'd had supervision before, I wouldn't have been pelted with snowballs by an invisible force." Draco looked pointedly at Harry, while Ron laughed. Harry had the decency to look a tiny bit guilty.

"Oh, like you wouldn't have done the same. It was fun."

That evening, Draco sat in the study, holding the vial of Felix Felicis contemplatively. He didn't have all that much left. It was enough for two, maybe three more sips. The realization hit him with some regret and disappointment, but not the sense of despair that he had expected.

At lunch with the Gryffindors, the thought had occurred to him that maybe he didn't need it anymore. His life wasn't perfect, but it wasn't ever going to be, and although he knew he had a long way to go before he would be completely happy, he was on the right track. Lucius wanted him to use it to raise the family name, but that was something Draco thought was better earned through respect and trust.

The only question was Hermione. Draco knew he wanted to see her again. Every time he had seen her since his release from Azkaban, it had been under the influence of the Felix Felicis potion. If he stopped drinking the potion, he might never see her again.

But Hermione would be in Hogsmeade tomorrow – it was probably the only day he would know where she'd be.

It was his chance.

A/N: Hi again! Second to last chapter! The next one will be the last, we're sad to say. Good thing is, we've got another fic ready to be posted (it's part of a challenge, but once the mods of that challenge say we can post it elsewhere, we'll probably post it here) and we've also got another plot bunny that we're trying to work on. Unfortunately, as we're still quite busy (not on holiday anymore, but starting school again) we still can't reply to reviews! But we appreciate them all the same, and will definitely try to reply when we can. Thank you all so much! Hope you enjoy this little chapter. :)