For the second time that day, Draco found himself being interrupted and startled by someone in the floo. "For Merlin's sake, who is it?" He walked out of his kitchen where he was making tea and into the living space where he heard his unannounced visitor stumble out of his fireplace.
"Pansy? I didn't have enough to drink last night to forget whether we had plans. In fact, I do believe you had plans with Granger today." He said in greeting.
"Oh, that's not why I'm here and no we didn't make plans you dunderhead!" She poked him on the forehead.
"I swear all of you women are mad." He said, moving her hand before she could poke him again.
"Shut up." She rolled her eyes at him.
"Are you going to explain why you're here? I'm trying to get the rest of these graded before dinner tonight." Draco looked at her skeptically.
"Wipe the weird look off your face, honestly Draco. I just need to ask you something." Pansy hurried. "But anything I might accidentally slip stays between us, alright? And if I find out that you let slip anything I may let slip because I'm just frazzled, then I will Avada you, do you understand?" Pansy asked.
"Is something wrong Pansy?" Draco looked at her, concerned.
"No. No, it's not. But I'm not at liberty to really say anything about why. I'm just, I was terrible to Granger and now she's my friend. Don't look at me like that, I'm being serious." Pansy was raging.
"You two only became friends last night and you're acting like an over protective watch dog and hounding on me, why?" Draco asked calmly.
"I just feel awful. I've talked to her about everything today. She's told me everything. I told her about all of my baggage too. I don't know how or why, but we just trust each other. I didn't know I could have a real best friend within twenty-four hours, but I do. I was awful to her. She never said that, though. She's too kind, so yes, I will be her watch dog. So, tell me Draco, how do you really feel about her because if you even think for one second that you can ever come in and out of her life and fuck with her head, EVER, I will hurt you!" She screeched.
"I know she probably told you about the manor and me ignoring her there for a bit, but even so, I don't think this anger is really directed at me. Also, even though you feel awful about what you've said in the past, I don't even think it's you." Draco observed his friend. "We were both there when we younger before the war taunting her, so I know that isn't completely it."
"After all she's been through, she trusted him. More than anyone. I don't want anything like that to happen to her ever again. I don't want people like us to hurt her ever again. Throughout everything, she has stayed kind. I don't think I'll ever understand it." Pansy was crying.
"Granger really got to you. Bloody Hell." Draco murmured. Here he was, yet again, with a sobbing woman.
"She doesn't know I'm like this and I wasn't going to show her. I just needed someone to talk to and threaten. You know how good she is. You know some of what she's been through. You know some of what I've been through." Pansy whispered. "She wasn't trying to turn me into an emotional mess, Draco. This is my doing. It's all just hit me at once. Between her baggage, my baggage, and how awful I used to be to someone who's shown me nothing but kindness. You understand, right?"
Draco nodded. "Who were you talking about though? Who shouldn't she have trusted? Does she need anyone to intervene? Is she okay?" Draco asked, concerned.
"She promised me she cut it off, but because her other friends don't know, I don't want her in a situation that could ever escalate and her get hurt again." Pansy said.
"Pansy, you're not making any sense." Draco sighed, exasperated. "Should I keep an extra eye on Granger or not?"
"Just in case, yes. I would appreciate that." Pansy said quietly.
"Who is it, Pansy? I know you know and you're deflecting my questions." Draco claimed.
"That's why I asked you how much you cared about her because if I tell you, you'll either want to murder him or you'll keep your mouth shut for her sake. I know you care, but do you care enough to not do anything unless she is around him and he does hypothetically do something?" Pansy posed.
"I swear I won't do anything unless I know she's getting hurt." Draco assured Pansy.
"Please don't let on that you know anything, Draco. Please. You're here all the time. You see her at least three times a day. During the week, anyway." Pansy asked as if she was a child wanting to make a pinky promise.
"Pansy, I promise. Just tell me." Draco urged her.
She let out a deep breath and looked around as if someone else was there and could hear them. Then she barely said his name loud enough for him to hear.
"Weasley."
"Weasel?" Malfoy scrunched his face in confusion. "Did you hit your head on the fireplace coming out? Why would she have to fear that git besides the smell?"
"Draco, I think it would just be better if I tell you everything. This is only because I trust you. I don't want you to tell anyone, most of all her. I just got her as a friend and I don't want to lose her, but something about him just has me worried. Especially because of how he acted today and what she told me." Pansy said slowly.
Draco nodded. "Okay. Explain."
By the time Pansy had finished relaying everything she had learned that day about Weasley, down from the first time Hermione met Ron all the way up until recently, Draco was seething in anger. Seething because so much of how she acted and her behaviors suddenly made sense, whether she realized that or not. He got upset with her and stopped talking to her because he thought that she thought he was a monster when she flinched. It wasn't him. It was because of what the twat Weasel had done to her. Which, he also vocalized to Pansy.
"I shouldn't have yelled at her or ignored her. The last time she saw Weasley before you both ran into him today was around the same time frame I yelled at her. That was when our row happened. Merlin, I'm an idiot." Draco rested his face in his palms.
"You didn't know, Draco." Pansy said.
"Are you sure it was only the one time?" Draco looked up at her.
"That's what she told me. She said she ended it immediately. Could you imagine walking in on your partner cheating, belligerent, and beating you? Whether it was just one time or not, it never should have happened." Pansy cringed. "That's worse than an enemy attacking you. She loved him."
"He is an enemy." Draco snarled. "I always knew there was something vile about him. Not that I'm much better, but at least I'm an honest enemy."
"I don't think you're an enemy in her eyes. Not anymore. Neither am I." Pansy said.
There was a knock on Hermione's door that she wasn't expecting, but at least it wasn't as startling as landing on your bum when someone came in through the floo. She sat down the book she had been reading and strolled to the door.
"Erm, hi. I was hoping you hadn't left yet. Would you like to walk down to dinner together?" Malfoy asked her.
She hid her look of surprise. "Of course, uh, you can come in for a second if you'd like. I'm just going to put on shoes."
Draco stepped into the living quarters. It was like his, except very much Gryffindor instead of Slytherin. He did have to admit it seemed brighter and more airy up here in Gryffindor Tower, though. It was pleasant.
He watched as she ran to the bathroom to check her hair and grinned to himself. No doubt trying to tame that mane, but he liked it anyway.
"Okay, I'm ready." She smiled at him. "What made you decide to walk all the way up here just to walk to dinner together?" She asked.
"Well, apparently, I let slip that I fancy you last night. I know we got off on the wrong foot when we first came here as children and that I was.. I was an evil git. I've come to terms with that. I think you've already come to terms with that a while ago. I made braver choices when I was younger, Hermione, before the mark. As bloody stupid as that sounds. We also got off on the wrong foot again when we both came here to teach. I would very much like to discuss it after dinner tonight, if that's alright with you. Right now, I'm doing more rambling than anything that is actually coherent."
"You called me Hermione and you fancy me." She stated, looking up at him.
"Bloody Hell woman, is that all you got from that? Yes, I fancy you and I know your first name." Draco met her gaze.
He reached his arms out and pulled her close to his chest without even thinking and just held her in a tight embrace for a few minutes. He pulled away and cupped one hand on her cheek while the other hand was at her side. He rubbed small circles with his thumbs on her cheeks. He felt his grey eyes melt into her brown ones.
"Are you ready for dinner?" He whispered.
She nodded and he held out his arm. She grabbed it and they made their way down to the Great Hall.
Before they reached a busier section of the castle, Hermione had pulled away from Malfoy's arm. He looked at her quizzically.
"I just don't want this to be a distraction. I also don't know about fraternization between faculty at Hogwarts." She explained.
He smirked.
"What?" She asked.
"They didn't put anything about fraternization in 'Hogwarts: A History,' I see."
"Draco! Actually, no, they did not. I don't know if that means there wasn't ever fraternization, or maybe anyone who did just hid it well, or it wasn't written down..." She trailed.
"Or, there just aren't any rules or regulations for it." Draco drawled.
"That doesn't mean we should display it for the rest of the staff to see and especially our students. It isn't professional." She told him.
"Relax, Hermione. I haven't even kissed you yet." He said rather smugly.
"Yet." Hermione smirked right back.
"I knew you fancied me." He told her.
She snorted. "Keep talking like that and I'll have to send you to Ravenclaw Tower with Trelawney."
He looked playfully aghast. "You wouldn't."
"I hear she likes ferrets." She said innocently.
"Don't be ridiculous, Granger. She's a Ravenclaw. She's more prone to like insufferable know it alls." Draco winked at her.
She laughed.
When they got to the Great Hall, it didn't go without notice that they had walked there together. Some students were turning their heads and whispering.
"Draco, pray tell. What on Earth is going on with the students?" Hermione asked, startled.
"Well, ever since the boggart incident, there have been rumors about us." He started.
"That was a while ago." She reasoned.
"As Pansy explained it to me per Peony, we are apparently in some torrid love affair. Now, after students saw my boggart, not to mention how you yelled for me that day too, obviously the whole school knows. They've probably noticed that we have avoided each other the past few weeks as well and now we're walking into the Great Hall together. That's what on Earth is going on." Draco explained.
"I guess I could have figured that out." Hermione blushed, which probably didn't make the situation look better.
Draco pulled out her seat for her when they reached the High Table. Hermione smiled at him.
"Thank you." She said as she sat down. Then Malfoy took his seat. McGonagall eyed them both suspiciously, which made Hermione's face redden again.
"Young Draco and Miss Granger, I just want to say thanks again for coming to my party!" Slughorn greeted them. "Young Draco, please tell Mr. Zabini that I appreciated seeing him. I must have missed him on the way out. Let him know he's welcome to all of my parties in the future. He's grown to be quite the accomplished wizard, which I knew he would be. Miss Granger, same for Miss Lovegood! Actually, come to think of it, I missed both of them and you two on the way out..."
"Sorry, Professor Slughorn. Luna and I meant to find you before we left, but she was getting tired and had to meet her father early the next morning." Hermione lied easily, making sure she smiled at Slughorn. Not that she thought Slughorn would mind about, er, Luna and Blaise, but it wasn't really anyone's business. She hadn't heard from her friend since the night of the party, but she wasn't ignorant that Luna had not flooed to her own address.
Malfoy nodded to Hermione's response. "I'll also let Blaise know what you said. He, er, also had to be up quite early. Something about negotiations for a new shop he plans to open." Draco lied about his friend too.
"Oh, that's very well. I was just happy to see some of my former students. I'm proud of all of you. You have all grown into fine young witches and wizards. Especially you, young Draco. I don't see a glimmer of that rotten boy I knew. No offense, of course." Slughorn added at the end.
Draco's face ashened in surprise at Slughorn, but recovered quickly. "No, it's fine. I understand. Thank you."
Hermione glanced at him and noticed that he had taken to looking strictly at his plate once Slughorn left the conversation to move onto other members of staff. McGonagall was deep into conversation with the Transfiguration professor she had hired to take her place when she became Headmistress. She doubted that they would be overheard.
"You know, he meant that as compliment. He just doesn't always think about how he says things." Hermione whispered to Malfoy.
He met her eyes and nodded. "I know. I'm starting to realize that I can't separate my past from who I've become now, even though that's what I initially was trying to do. I can't get angry every time someone brings up who I was or what I did because it was still me. Just like who I am now is me. They're both me. Just because people point out the truth doesn't mean it's an attack on my character now." Hermione felt something like affection wash over her when he whispered that to her. She knew he was also referring to the row that they had when he spoke.
She grinned at him. "You're right. If I would have never known you in school or the war, if I would have just met you as you are today, I would have assumed you were one of the best men I have ever met." Draco's brows furrowed at that. So, she continued. "You're kind, Draco. You're good. You're funny. You care about your students and you're patient with them. All of them, I might add. That's the person I've come to know now. But, I did know you in school. You were vile. You were never evil, though. I've forgiven you. It seems Luna was right, as she usually is in her odd way. The person you really need to forgive is yourself. You still aren't there, but I see you're getting closer."
She was scared that she pushed him too far again. She didn't want to revert back to the row that they had before. He studied her for a moment and to her immense relief, he seemed okay.
"I think that we should continue this conversation after dinner. You were right too. It's time to clear the air." She saw determination behind his grey eyes as he spoke. It was hard for her to believe that she once found them cold.
Hi! I just wanted to do an author's note. I know that this is moving pretty slow, but I wanted to really try to flesh out the characters. I think some of you may think that Pansy happened a little too quickly, but after everything she went through, she just needs a good friend besides her brother and Hermione recognized that. I hope some of you caught onto that as well.
Also, please don't be mad at me about Ron. I really have never been a fan of Ron and it really wasn't difficult to write about how he has manipulative tendencies, because in the books he does. I just took the liberty of taking that and running with it, so to speak. I don't think it's all that far fetched.
I also wanted to show that not everything is black and white. Ron is considered a hero, but even people who are considered good and have done good things, can also be bad in other aspects of their life. He's also a Gryffindor and we all know the stereotypes, so I don't think I have to explain this so in depth. I think you all know what I'm getting at. On the same token, it's the same with Malfoy. He did really awful things, but he's working on trying to better himself. Some would say that he's OOC, but you have to keep in mind that this takes place a little over three years after the war. War changes people. So does time. That's what I've been working with is how it would have affected him and how he would have had to take a long, hard look at himself. Which, I hope I've done a decent job at doing.
Hermione has also grown up too, but she's still kind and intelligent. The war didn't change that about her. I also always thought that she would have been an incredible teacher, so I thought it would be really nice to see that. That's just me, though.
Luna is probably the hardest to write because I wanted to show that she's grown up too, but keep the basic elements of her personality without her being crazy or ditzy, which I've seen in a lot of fan fics. Luna was never crazy, she's intelligent and observant. She was just odd. She wasn't ditzy either.
Harry has also had a few years to grow up. I saw him as someone who was professional, but still genuinely good. Which is why you didn't see as much of a reaction from him with Malfoy and Pansy. Confusion, maybe, but not outright dislike.
As for Blaise, I don't know. I just thought it would be good for Draco to have a good friend for himself and the descriptions I gave about him while he was in Hogwarts is true to the books. He changed too. I don't know if I'll go into detail with that backstory yet. I may. Just know that, yes, he has changed for the better too. I didn't originally set out and plan him and Luna getting together, but it started to make sense as I typed out the story.
This is probably going to be super long because I have a lot that I want to do with this fic. I will go back and edit things, as I'm sure I've missed some typos and probably worded things improperly.
Well, I think I covered just about all of the major things.
Thanks to whoever actually reads this lol
xxxxx