It Had To Be You
By Kate Dessi
Chapter 10
Draco woke up in a foul mood the next day despite the elation he felt when Hermione finally acknowledged the two of them as "together". She cancelled out on their evening due to the fact that she needed to extend her shift at St. Mungo's because of some crap he hadn't bothered to remember. She was unable to go home and was currently sleeping in the hospital after her 24-hour shift. The bloody hospital was killing her! And to top it all off, he had said yes to an invitation with his old Slytherin mates for a little get together that evening therefore he won't be able to see her the whole day.
He let the day pass by barely concentrating on the research on a new potion the company had come up with. Thankfully he had nothing to brew that day or else he might have blown up something again.
He should have felt a little happy that he was meeting his friends again after years and years of being separated from them. Truth be told he would rather spend the evening with Hermione.
He was rather a little peeved when he was bombarded with hugs from Pansy and Daphne when he showed up on the doorstep of Blaise Zabini's old home. Surprise, surprise, Serena was also present. He went on a proper date with her on Hermione's advice and he found her rather to be a bit of a bore in terms of conversations and little too forward for his taste. He was old-fashioned and he preferred to do the pursuing. And so when Serena boldly wrapped her arms around his neck and peered up at him through her lashes with a pout, he was a little repulsed.
"You never wrote me after our date," Serena said huskily, appealingly but he was unaffected. "I thought we had a rather nice time, don't you?"
Draco recoiled from the finger that made circles on his chest and withdrew her arms from around him. He back away to Pansy's side, ignoring the evil smile on his old friend's face. "I—uh, I'm a very busy man. Sorry," he muttered, not sorry at all. "I believe Blaise is calling for me."
He all but ran to his mates, but not before muttering bitch to Pansy who was snorting with laughter at his side.
Blaise Zabini was an arrogant person, who looked down on nearly everyone and everything which was why they got along in the first place during their Hogwarts days. Like everyone else, he had seemed to mellow down but he still held the same opinion in regards to muggles and muggleborns. Draco was still unsure of the others still share the same opinion as he.
"Draco," Blaise greeted, his dark eyes, cool and assessing. "Glad you can make it."
"Me too," Draco lied. "So everyone's present then?" Everyone indicated Zabini and his wife, Nott and Juliet, Flint, Pansy, Daphne and Serena.
Blaise shook his head. "I believe there are still others who are coming. Pansy and the other girls seemed to turn this into a reunion of sorts. Goyle and Millicent—they married. Did you know?"
"No," Draco gasped out accompanied by a short bark of laughter.
An amused smile graced Blaise's face, breaking the cool expression. "Yes. I think it was a little over two years ago. They have a baby on the way, I believe."
The tension broke and the two of them conversed in general topics and even delved into a short discussion on what happened in the aftermath of the war. After that, Draco inquired about his marriage. He met Roslynn Burke during a brief stay in Scotland. Roslynn became an acquaintance and they had gotten together when she moved here to England. Later, they were joined by Flint and Nott and the lot of them engaged in a conversation on Quidditch mainly.
When Goyle and Millicent made an appearance, he had to stop himself from staring. They both looked a lot better than before. They both had lost weight and they seemed to be happy together, always touching each other. He couldn't stop the shudder that went through him when Millicent bit on Goyle's earlobe.
During dinner, Draco found himself sitting between Serena and Theo. He constantly engaged Theo and Juliet who was sitting on Theo's other side, in conversation to avoid his other seatmate.
He knew it was coming when Juliet asked about Hermione and it seemed silence fell upon the whole dinner table.
"She's doing great," he said to Juliet, ignoring the sharp look from Zabini. "A little caught up with work in St. Mungo's though."
"Oh yes," Juliet sighed. "She works too hard."
Draco didn't say anything before he revealed anything. But it was too late, because Pansy leaned forward, who was seated across from him, asked, "You still see Granger after Theo's party?"
"Yes. Problem?" He asked tightly.
She shook her head.
Tension filled the dinner table and the girls tried to break through it with their incessant chatter, Goyle and Millicent though seemed oblivious. He decided to stay silent the rest of the evening. When the others engaged him in conversation, he was curt except for Theo, Juliet and Daphne. Zabini, Flint, and Pike (who had arrived during dinner) pointedly ignored him. Serena and Pansy avoided him.
He could almost hear their thoughts—Blood traitor! Scum! Filth! Funnily enough, he didn't seem to mind. He kept his head high and let himself be amused in Theo's and Juliet's antics and conversed with Daphne whose opinion had wavered after the war. Draco was disappointed in Pansy. He was actually counting on her support.
The goodbyes were less warm than the welcomes. It was only a little after nine in the evening. He left together with Theo, Juliet and Daphne and they decided to have a nightcap in Rosa Lee Teabag in Diagon Alley. As they sat in a cozy booth, the men ordered butterbeer and the women, tea.
"I'm sorry for the way they acted," Daphne told Draco somberly.
Draco waved a dismissive hand. "I don't really care, Daphne. I think it's better if I cut off ties with them since I'm pretty much involved seriously with Hermione."
Juliet squealed. Theo stared. Daphne beamed.
"Oh my goodness!" Juliet gushed. "I've seen this coming! What did I tell you, Theo, love? What did I tell you?" She clapped her hands excitedly.
"No offense, Malfoy, but really, you and Hermione Granger?"
"Me and Hermione Granger," Draco confirmed, unable to prevent the smirk that crept up in his face.
"Draco," Daphne said carefully. "This isn't some ploy is it?"
He glared at Daphne. "No, it's not."
Daphne smiled then. "I know we haven't been close friends, Draco. But I wish you'd believe me if I tell you I find this all absolutely romantic!" She and Juliet giggled together. "You know their history, Juliet?"
"I've heard the gist of it. But as all of you know that I'm a few years behind you at Hogwarts, I think you'd all like to know that a lot of Gryffindors and Slytherins are shacked up."
"What!" chorused the three former Slytherins in pure unaltered shock.
Juliet laughed at their expressions. "It was a joke," she added. "The rivalry is still as strong as ever. But me being a Hufflepuff, I really wanted them all to get along well. I tried really hard at working on inter-house unity when I was head girl, but you know, it never really worked."
Draco rolled his eyes at her. Theo patted her hand gently. Daphne giggled.
Draco couldn't help but notice at the very apparent change in Daphne Greengrass. She was probably the most changed of them all. She used to be a part of Pansy's old gang who bullied other girls, made fun of the younger students and in fact, Daphne was one of the more loose, to put it lightly, girls in Hogwarts. He remembered that she had been seen with a number of Slytherin boys over the years. He hadn't noticed that she was pretty before but now, she truly was as she threw her head back in laughter at something Juliet had said.
"It's like a forbidden love story," Daphne was saying and he just now realized that they were laughing about him and Hermione.
He glowered at the two women. "Make fun of your own boyfriends and leave me alone." It went ignored so he resigned and spoke with Theo. They talked about what happened earlier and they chose to make light of it vowing silently to avoid further complications in their relationships.
Theo also revealed that they weren't exactly good friends with Juliet as they had been letting on because she was a halfblood and was in Hufflepuff. He also revealed that Daphne's boyfriend was a muggleborn which shocked Draco.
The chimes by the door indicated that there was someone entering the teashop. It went unnoticed by the group but there was an unmistakable annoyingly loud voice that drifted throughout the tiny shop.
"But Hermione—!" The voice was saying.
"Not another word, Ronald," Hermione's voice when she was annoyed cut him off.
The four of them turned and indeed, saw the two of them moving towards a seat near the window. Draco tried to brush off the jealousy but was unable to contain it when he saw Weasley clasped her hand in his.
"Come on, let's say hi," Juliet said, but Draco didn't hear her because he was already standing in front of the two friends.
"Weasley," Draco greeted curtly, eyeing their joined hands cryptically.
"Malfoy."
"Draco!" Hermione stood up in surprise, letting go of Ron's hand. "What are you doing here? I thought you were with your friends." She seemed nervous.
His eyes narrowed at her. "I am." He motioned to the table he just vacated but the occupants were already on their way to their table. "Say hello to Juliet, love." He added the endearment just to see how Weasley would react.
As expected, he flushed red in anger.
A smile graced Hermione's face as her gaze fell upon Juliet, Theo and Daphne, not noticing her friend. She greeted them softly and re-introduced them to Ron. He greeted the women cordially but he merely nodded curtly to Theo.
"Well this is famous," Juliet said. "Why don't we have a joined table? Come on, it will be fun."
No one agreed that it would be fun but they assented and soon they were seated in a large circular table. The men were silent as the girls conversed animatedly. Hermione was aware of the tension but she deliberately ignored it. She was however, surprised at the open friendliness of the former Slytherin, Daphne Greengrass, because during the Theo and Juliet's engagement party they didn't acknowledge each other.
Theo then engaged Ron Weasley in a conversation. Draco remained silent but was very aware of the redhead's constant gaze on him and that annoyed him greatly. So just to spite him, Draco took Hermione's hand and entwined their fingers. And to his shock, Hermione let him. Smirking slightly, he then opened Hermione's hand and let his thumb trace random shapes. She wriggled her hand and he stopped. He didn't really want to push her. He pretended to listen to the girls' conversation.
He watched Hermione instead as she listened to what Juliet was saying (she really was a talkative girl). He didn't care that she went here with Weasley anymore, but rather was very glad that he found himself in her presence.
She laughed at over something Juliet had said and he couldn't help himself. He leaned down and planted a soft kiss right below her ear. And then another, lingering one. She drew in a sharp breath and looked at him warningly.
It wasn't lost on the others. The two other girls giggled, Theo smirked, and Weasley was red-faced again. He looked ready to blow up. Hermione saw her friend's expression and she stood up from her seat.
"I'm a little thirsty; I think I'm getting some tea. Anyone?" She offered. The others shook their heads and she turned to Draco. "Come with me?" She asked lightly, but her eyes showed that she was furious.
He followed her to the front of the store.
"Damn it, Malfoy," she whispered frantically. "Don't think I don't know what you're doing!"
"I'm not doing anything, Hermione," he responded lazily. "But tell me first, what are you doing here with him?"
"I was going to talk to him about us and he loves the cupcakes here so I thought that might soften him up a bit. I don't really want to be cross with him over us."
"Why do you care what he thinks?" He asked spitefully.
"Because he's my best friend."
"It shouldn't matter anyway. No one else should matter. Especially Weasley," he emphasized.
Hermione refrained from retorting that Ron was special to her but no one really understood their relationship so she decided to stay silent because he might misinterpret it. She sighed. She wasn't in the mood to put up a fight. He probably wouldn't even understand anyway.
"Just don't bait him, alright? He hasn't even acknowledged our friendship, much less a relationship."
Draco grimaced. "Fine," he spat out and then his voice softened. "One kiss and I'll lay off. Come on, he's not looking."
Hermione rolled her eyes but acquiesced. She stood on her tiptoes and pecked him on the lips. "Better?"
"No," he groaned out. He yanked him to her and planted a big one on her lips. He released her, a smirk on his face. "Now, let's get your tea. What's your fancy?"
Of course Draco lied. He was very much aware that Weasley was looking right at them when they were talking. The last part of his question was lost on Hermione because Weasley started for them, very red in the face and shouting out curses.
"What the bloody hell are you doing snogging him, Hermione? You told us you two were just friends! I can't believe you've been feeding us bullshit all this time. You two are shagging, aren't you? I thought you know better than that, Hermione—!"
"How dare you, Ronald Weasley! How dare you! It's as if you don't know me at all! You've known me for nineteen years and this—this is your opinion of me?"
"Well, I thought I knew you but then you shack up with Malfoy—"
"I'm not shacking up with him as you eloquently put it!"
"How else can I put it—!"
"For once in your life, be mature! What will you say next—that I'm fraternizing with the enemy?"
"You are fraternizing with the enemy!"
"Oh, shut it, Ronald! We're thirty years old, not fourteen!"
"Well, I'm twenty-nine and you're thirty!"
Upon hearing her friend's very pathetic comeback, Hermione had lost her patience and she whipped out her wand. Draco stepped in and grabbed it before she could do any damage to Weasley. He felt a hint of guilt causing a rift between the two. He dragged Hermione away and outside the teashop.
"Hermione, come on, stop." Draco grunted as she fought against his hold. "Calm down," he said in a deep baritone voice, to soothe her. "Calm down."
She made a few half-hearted attempts before she collapsed against him weakly. "He's always like this," she said sadly. "Before we came in I already gave him a hint. I told him that we were more than friends now. I told him to give you a chance but he really does have the emotional range of a teaspoon and so he didn't want to accept it."
"You should really face the fact that I'm never going to be all chummy with your lot. I'll tolerate them for you but nothing more, alright?"
She gave a resigned sigh. She already knew that. "Thank you for handling this better than Ronald. Anyway, he's only looking out for me. He's still convinced that you're still you know, you. He'll come around soon."
Draco peered inside the teashop and saw no redhead, he must have left. "Well, I have a confession to make. I kissed you just to see how he'll react."
"I know," Hermione moaned.
"You do?" He gaped at her.
"I wanted to see how he'll react as well."
He grinned at her. "You're evil, Granger. Now, let's get you home."
After bidding Draco's friends goodbye, they apparated to Hermione's flat. He waited patiently as she freshened up. He tucked her in just like a child when she told him she was going to sleep.
He turned to leave the room but he was stopped by her quiet voice, loud in the stillness of the room.
"Stay."
Draco didn't need to be asked twice. He stripped down to his t-shirt and boxers before climbing in beside her. He pulled Hermione's back flushed against his front and clasped her to him.
"Mmm. You make a good teddy bear, Malfoy."
She was asleep before he could say anything, judging by the sound of her steady even breathing. He buried his face in her hair, delighting in her smell. He was accustomed to sleeping alone but she felt so good against him.
I could get used to this.
Author's Note
Ron has always been a hothead, isn't he? Don't worry, I won't make him a jerk.