Chapter 9
Hermione rolled over Malfoy's actions over in her head until into the next day, she was baffled by his sudden irritation and swift exit. One moment they were having a seemingly civil and productive conversation, she went to make a note and when she looked up he was tense and hostile. She had no idea what happened in those few moments that she looked away from him. She also couldn't help but notice that he never even acknowledged their last encounter, was he possibly so sloshed that he had no idea what he said or did? Was the entire thing some intoxicated mistake? She was sitting at her desk working on some more files after her meeting with her fifth client that week, Melody was setting up the residence inspections for the following week. Hermione didn't even look up when someone knocked on her door and she called them in, it wasn't until the man cleared his throat that Hermione looked up form her paper work. "Harry!" She stood up to greet him.
"Hey Hermione, I was wondering if you wanted to get lunch?" he wondered looking over the overwhelming stacks of paper on her desk.
"Oh, Harry, you'd know I'd love too.."
"Hermione, seriously, you work too hard sometimes, besides it been a while since we talked." He admonished.
Hermione sighed; it was true, she had a tendency to work herself in to stupors. "Fine, let me..." Harry gave her a cross look, his emerald eyes daring her to finish her sentence. Hermione sighed "Okay, okay. Where do you want to go?"
Harry smiled proudly. "I hear there's a new cafe in the alley we need to try." Harry held out his elbow her for her.
She smiled softly and her grabbed her cloak on the way out of her office, slipping her hand into the crook of his arm. "Melody, I'm going out for lunch, I should be back in an hour." Harry glowered at her again. "Fine." She chuckled. "Two hours."
"I'll let Mr. Bateman know you're taking an extended lunch." Melody smiled.
Harry lead Hermione out of her department and to the Atrium, where they would walk through muggle London to Diagon Alley, one of the things Hermione loved about Harry was that he enjoyed seeing the muggle world as much she did. "So." Harry started once they were on the busy streets of muggle London. "How are you?"
"I'm fine," Hermione said simply.
Harry gave her a unbelieving look. "Come on, Hermione, you might be able to get Ron to believe that, but I know you better."
"You think you know me better than a man I was going to marry?" Hermione scoffed, but Harry gave her a knowing smile. "Fine." She laughed. "We were never going to work out, were we?"
Harry shook his head. "You know Ron's my best mate, but when he told me he was going to purpose, and told him not to."
Hermione looked up in shock. "What? Seriously? You knew back then"
Harry nodded this time. "Yea, I mean I knew he had a thing for you and you had a thing for him while we were hunting, and then you kissed him at the battle, but I knew it wouldn't last. You guys were just caught up in the moment, but then you guys dated through eighth year and I thought that, you know, maybe I didn't know you as well as I thought I did." He sighed. "That about when you guys had that big fight before graduation, you remember the one where he got so pissed that he tried to start a fight with Malfoy after hours. That's when I knew. When you guys finally made up he started talking about purposing, he said those few days without you made him realize he couldn't live without you."
Hermione leaned her head into Harry's shoulder, both of her hands in the crook of he arm now. "I had no idea."
Harry chuckled. "Ron was already upset at my lack of faith in you guys, I didn't want you mad at me too. I've learned that I can only handle one of you mad at me at a time."
Hermione laughed. "So why do you think we didn't work out?" Her curiosity peaking.
Harry looked up at the horizon with a very pensive look etched on his features. "Well, I think part of it was because you never really got over him leaving us."
Hermione nodded, she never forgave Ron for that, and never trusted him to stick around after he just left. She spent a lot of their relationship walking on eggshells so he wouldn't just up and leave again.
"And," Harry continued, "I don't think he could keep up with you. We both know Ron has his moments, but you need more than just moments, I think."
Hermione looked up at Harry, never had anyone said that she and Ron weren't a good fit, when they did split half of the wizdaring London lost their mind from surprise. Everyone was convinced that they would have and happily ever after. "Thanks Harry." She pecked him on the cheek. "Sometimes I think you're the only person who actually understands me."
"Yea, so now, tell me what's been wrong with you," he said pulling open the door to the Leaky cauldron.
Hermione slipped inside and headed towards the back to the brick wall to the Alley, Harry following closely behind. "Hermione," he reminded as they entered the back room.
"Oh, Harry." She sighed again, tapping the bricks so they would spring to life, opening up into the bustling street of Diagon Alley. She stepped out on to the street and hooked her hands into Harry's arm again. "I want to tell you, I do really. But I'm just not sure what to think yet."
"So tell me and I might be able to help you figure it out."
Hermione nibbled on her lip, Ginny, Harry's wife, knew, and she handled the information well enough. Besides, with Malfoy not even acknowledging the incident, it seemed that it was a fluke, and what was wrong with telling Harry if nothing would come of it. "Okay." Harry led her to a small cafe not far from the entrance to the Alley and they waited to be seated.
"Do you remember the Battle Ball that Narcissa Malfoy had last weekend?" Hermione tentatively asked looking at Harry.
Harry nodded, as the hostess walked them to their table. "Anything to drink?" The young witched asked.
"Water, please." Harry said, and Hermione nodded in agreement as the hostess handed them their menus.
"Well." Hermione's apprehensively played with the menu. "Apparently Malfoy has come back from his travels."
Harry looked at her curiously, his eyebrows knitting together. "Draco Malfoy?"
Hermione nodded. "I had no idea either, and when Narcissa greeted me he appeared from no where and took my hand a kissed it."
Harry's expression was a mix of shock and frustration. "What?" His voice. "Hermione what did he say to you?"
"That's just it, he didn't say anything horrible." She looked down at her lap. "And then later this man I was talking to called Malfoy over and insisted we dance together saying we need to let the past stay the past." Hermione looked up to see Harry sitting stiffly
Just then their waitress interrupted. "Hello. What can I get you two today?" She smiled sweetly.
Harry snapped out of his trance and quickly looked over the menu ordering their special for the day while Hermione ordered and Caesar salad with chicken. "Did you dance with him?" Harry impatiently asked when the waitress left.
"Yes, he agreed to dance before I had a chance to say anything, and he lead me to the dance floor. When we started dancing, I asked him what he was up to, and he said that he was simply asked to dance with me and it would be rude to turn the old man down. I persisted because I knew the Malfoy we know would never ever touch me let alone dance with me but he got really frustrated and left me on the dance floor." Hermione started to blush, thinking about how she was going to tell Harry about what happened next.
"He didn't call you anything? He wasn't cruel to you? I mean, it was rude to leave on the dance floor like that, but for Malfoy that was almost civ..." Harry trailed off watching Hermione turn darker and darker shades of red.
"That's not all." She whispered sheepishly, Harry continued to stare at her, waiting for her to finish her story. Hermione took a deep breath. "Well when he left, I had just asked him why he was acting the way he was, so I followed because I really wanted to know." The waitress dropped off their waters, and Hermione took a small sip, Harry waited. "So I followed him to a dining room." She chewed on her lip harder now. "And I confronted him, then he told me that the only reason he acted the way he did was because his father beat him, and that he's always admired me." Hermione rolled her head back as she began to ramble at this point. "And then out of nowhere he kissed me, and not like a sweet soft kiss, but a hot fiery kiss, a passionate kiss. Then he picked me up and laid me down on the table." Hermione rolled her head back to glance at Harry who had a look of horror. "But I stopped him and left before it went beyond snogging." Her voice trying to calm Harry. "Harry?" she asked softly.
"He snogged you?" Confusion now taking Harry over.
"Yes," she replied, silently thanking the waitress who was dropping off their food now.
Harry simply gaped at her. "Hermione... I don't even know what to say."
"Neither do I," Hermione breathed. "Then I saw him yesterday, and he didn't acknowledge it or anything so now I really don't know. Harry, I'm so confused." She was simply pushing olives around her plate, eating now the last thing on her mind.
"You saw him yesterday?" Harry finally coming around enough to pick up the sandwich he ordered and taking a bite.
"Yea, he came in for a meeting and we were actually having productive civil conversation, then I looked away for two seconds and when I looked back he was tense and harsh and left as soon as he could." She finally took bite of food herself looking back at Harry.
"Why did you have meeting with Malfoy?" Harry's face confused again.
Hermione froze. The Aurors office was supposed to offer security to her clients but she wasn't sure how confidential the files and the clients were yet. She knew Harry would know eventually, but she wasn't sure if she was the one who could tell him, especially considering Malfoy's attitude over the subject. "I can't tell you." She told him softly. "I'm sure you'll find out soon, but I can't tell you." She frowned.
His look became very skeptical now. "Okay..." His eye narrowed.
"Harry, it's nothing to do with you. Like I said, I'm sure someone will tell you soon, our offices are working closely on it. I just can't." Hermione reached across the table and stroked his hand softly. "You can come talk to me about it after they tell you, I'm sure you'll want to talk about it."
Harry squeezed her hand a returned to his food. "What are you going to do about him then?"
"I honestly don't know at this point, I think possibly he was just smashed and doesn't remember any of it." She took another bite now focusing on her food.
"Did he seem smashed?"
Hermione paused, no, he didn't seem drunk, she didn't smell alcohol on him either, and now that she thought about it, he didn't even have a drink in his hand when he walked over. "I don't know, I hope so."
