Hermione felt her insides twist about, as though they were filled with butterflies. She pondered over her reaction as she looked through her closet for an outfit to wear to see Draco. The last time she'd felt like this was when she was with Ron, at the beginning of their relationship. Hmm. Brushing it off as just nerves to actually talking to him outside of letters for the first time, she resumed looking through her clothes. She finally picked out a sophisticated black dress that fit her like a glove, showed just a hint of cleavage, had off the shoulder sleeves that hit just below her elbows, and had a slit that went from her left ankle to just above her knee; and a pair of strappy, black heels. Satisfied with her outfit, Hermione proceeded over to her vanity table, ran a brush through her curl locks, swept one side back with a barrette, then applied a very light amount of makeup. Enough to know that she was wearing any, but light enough that it could pass for natural at a passing glance. Once done, she stood and looked herself over in the mirror once more. She wondered if she was over dressed and contemplated changing, then shook her head. She'd have them all join her for dinner at a nice restaurant. Besides, she still had to do laundry, as all the rest of her clothes were more appropriate for lounging around the house. Taking in a deep breath Hermione called Harry told him about her situation and that she was on her way, then apparated to the front porch of Grimmauld Place, and knocked on the door, her heart pounding as she waited for an answer.
Draco had just finished dressing Thuban in a set of footie pajamas when he heard the knock at the front door. He picked the boy up, and trailed down the stairs. He passed the hall mirror, and started a bit as he realized that he wasn't wearing a shirt. He shrugged and continued to the door. He reached out and grasped the knob. The child snuggled into his shoulder. He opened the door, and found himself staring at a very familiar pair of whiskey eyes.
Hermione's eyes widened of their own accord as they took in the child in Draco's arms, and a wide smile came unbidden to her mouth.
"Hey there, cutie! What's your name?" She asked the little boy, completely oblivious at that moment to the half dressed man holding him. That had to be by far one of the cutest little boys that she'd seen.
Thuban raise his head from Draco's shoulder. He grinned at the pretty woman in front of him. He wriggled a bit to be let down. Draco swiftly set the boy on his feet. The little guy squared his shoulders and offered Hermione his hand.
"My name is Thuban Draconis Malfoy, and I am two and a half years old." The little boy's voice was high, and sweet with a slight lisp. He looked at the woman expectantly, waiting for her to say something.
Hermione squatted down to his level, took his hand looking quite serious and shook it, "Well, Mr. Malfoy, it is a pleasure to meet you! My name is Hermione Granger, and I have a very serious question to ask you," She said, her brown eyes twinkling with warmth for the small Malfoy, as she finally stole a glance up at Draco, the warmth switching to a different look then back again as she looked back down to Thuban.
Thuban looked up at Draco, then back at Hermione. Draco looked down at the woman, finally noticing how she was dressed. His breath caught in his throat as he took in the pale skin of her throat and shoulders. He itched to reach out and see if her skin looked as soft as it felt. He shook his head sharply, trying to shake away the thoughts. This was Granger for Merlin's sake. He nodded at the little boy. Thuban leaned a little closer to the witch.
"What's your question Miss Herm- hermy-" He looked up at Draco with pleading eyes.
"It's Her-my-oh-knee Thuban. Try calling her Mione like Harry does" The boy smiled at him.
"What's your question Miss Mione?" The boy grinned at being able to say the shortened version of her name.
"Well, you see, Harry and I have decided that the lot of us should go out for dinner, and it seems that I have forgotten to bring a date. Would you do me the honor of being my date for the evening?" She asked, trying to fight the smile that threatened to break free while she struggled to look completely serious as she spoke to him.
The boy looked at her with his steely eyes wide. He slowly shook his head.
"I can't be your date Miss. I'm too little! Besides, Kreacher promised me cookies and milk if I was a good boy while Harry was gone. You'll have to take my brother." He nodded rather matter of fact. Draco flushed and looked down at his feet. He suddenly realized that he was standing in the entry way, shirtless, in front of Hermione Granger. He cleared his throat nervously.
"Thuban, will you please show Hermione the parlor while I go make myself a little more fit for company?" The little boy nodded, giggling, and held his hand out to the woman as Draco ran up the stairs.
Draco raced into his rooms, and quickly threw on a green dress shirt, and a set of dark gray slacks. He pulled his shoes on, and returned downstairs. He paused just outside of the doorway, and listened to his brother's conversation with Hermione.
"So Thuban, you're Draco's brother? Are you sure about that? I must admit, that you are definitely way too handsome to be related to him!" Hermione wrung her hands in her lap, felling quite nervous now about the evening. Talking to him in letters had been one thing, but in person? And for a good couple of hours none the less? She looked around the room, hoping her face didn't show her nerves as much as a window would.
Thuban climbed up on the couch next to Hermione. He reached over and patted her on the shoulder.
"I'm sure. Mommy said my daddy's name was Lucius, and that he was a bad bad man. She told me that he hurt her, and she had run away and had me. She had to leave though. She told me I was going to live with my big brother. He is really nice. I heard Ginny say that he turned into a proper stud muffin once he wiped the sneer off his face, she was on the phone and blushed when she saw me listening. Did you know his mommy went to heaven not too long ago? She went there and left him all alone. He's really sad. He sometimes cries when he thinks I'm not listening. I don't like him to be sad. Do you think he's sad because his mommy and daddy are in heaven and are missing his birthday? I think it might be. His birthday is today. He is turning twenty, did you know?" The boy was bouncing up and down on the couch.
Draco swept into the room and scooped the boy up. He tossed him into the air and caught him.
"It's time good little boys go to the kitchen to get their treats from Kreacher." He set Thuban on his feet, and the boy ran off.
"Harry is in the library if you would like to speak to him. I'll be in the kitchen with Thuban if you need me." He smiled softly at her, and left the room.
She chuckled as he left the room after Thuban, and then went off in search of Harry. He was indeed in the library, and wrapped in a rather embarrassing embrace with Ginny. She cleared her throat, and laughed at the looks on their faces when they jumped back as though they'd been stung.
"Is everything ready for tomorrow?" She asked them.
"Yea, and he still has no idea!" Ginny grinned, "We're going to meet him after work and detain him so that you and Kreacher will be able to get the house set."
"Perfect! Poor Thuban is going to be confused. He thinks that today is Draco's birthday. Well I suppose we will have to cross that bridge when we come to it," She said, looking over to the door, to make sure that Draco or Thuban hadn't walked up to the door and was listening in, "So, where should we go for our dinner tonight?" She asked Harry, hearing what sounded like footsteps.
Draco opened the library door and stepped in with Thuban in his arms. He set the child down, and the boy ran over and hugged Ginny around the legs.
"I came to say night night Ginny! You too Harry! Oh, and Miss Mione!" He hugged each adult as he said their name. Draco grinned.
"Alright Thuban, it is time for bed, so lets get you there." The boy sighed, and returned to Draco.
He lifted the boy in his arms and took him upstairs. Thuban's room was right across the hall from Draco's. It had at one time been Regulus Black's, but Harry took down all the dark, dismal memorabilia, and had Ginny redecorate it in cheery bright colors. The boy loved it. Draco put the boy to bed and crossed to his own room. He crossed to the family tree tapestry, and ran a finger over his mother's face. He frowned at the hanging, turned away, and traipsed back down the stairs. He heard voices in the library still, and choose to wait in the parlor.
Harry looked thoughtful for a moment, then smiled, "Let's head over to Draiocht! Your dress would fit in perfectly there, and it's expensive, but not too expensive."
"It's perfect!" Hermione exclaimed, "Meet you guys there?"
"Actually, we need you to apparate there with Draco," Ginny said, looking up at her fiance rather slyly.
Her jaw dropped, "Why? Why can't he go with the two of you?"
"Well, actually Mione, we have a stop that we have to make on the way, and we can't really be dragging him all over town with us, now can we?" Harry asked, grinning back down at Ginny.
"No, I suppose you can't," She said, before walking out of the library and hunting Draco down in the parlor, "Hey," She said rather quietly, the butterflies in her stomach leaving her a bundle of nerves.
Her voice snapped him from his pondering. He stood swiftly, and turned towards her. Harry and Ginny popped their heads in.
"We are going to Draiocht. Hermione is taking you over, we have an errand to run. See you there." Harry grinned at the blonde man, and apparated Ginny and himself away. Draco turned to Hermione.
"I haven't ever been to that one. I assume I'm dressed right, so shall we be off?" He offered the woman his hand.
She looked down at the offered hand, her face burning as her cheeks flushed red. She gingerly placed hers into it, and then nodded, took a deep breath and apparated them outside of a restaurant that looked rather small and plain on the outside.
"You OK?" She asked, noticing that he looked a little off color.
Draco nodded gingerly, fighting with his stomach. He quickly took a few steps away, around the corner of the building, and lost the contents of his stomach into the bushes. He wiped his mouth with his hand, and dug in his pocket for a stick of gum. He popped it in his mouth, and came back around the building.
"Sorry about that," he gave her a cheeky grin, "Apparation has never agreed with my stomach." He straightened his shoulders, and stepped to the door. He opened it, and gestured for her to go first.
"After you Hermione."