She stared into his face. His eyes weren't full of hate. His lips were pressed tight together and his eyebrows were drawn up a little in worry. He was her friend. He was talking to her like a friend. She sighed and then nodded. She could do one of his meetings.

Hermione didn't meet Draco's eyes on Monday and could barely meet the gaze of any of her group. What did they think of her? Had Draco said anything? Were they all remembering her overdose earlier that year? All of this stress made her itch for another potion. Only an hour until the next one. She could wait. She had planned out the time and place she could take her potion. As long as she spaced them out enough she would be okay.

And for the next few days she was okay. She kept to her tight regimen. She was beginning to feel the connection to her magic she hadn't even realized she had lost. If she kept this up, she would have enough magic to pass her classes. She would. Even if it meant white knuckling it the couple weeks left.

…

On Wednesday everyone was distracted and talking about the holidays while the Professors appeared oblivious to the change of atmosphere and continued to cram as much teaching into the day as wizardly possible. After the last class, the students seemed unable to get out of the room fast enough.

Daryn was tiredly packing up his own book bag. He probably was still trying to wake back up, Hermione thought. It had looked like he had fallen asleep in that last class. Or maybe he just liked having his head at near impossible angles during lectures. Hermione wasn't sure whether she wanted to start talking with him because she didn't want to have another chat about her triggers or potions or anything related to it. She still hadn't made up her mind when someone placed a hand on her shoulder.

She looked up to see Draco. Under his arm he had tucked an object, suspiciously book-shaped and wrapped in newspaper.

"Is it someone's birthday?" she asked.

Daryn looked up at the question and made eye contact with both of them. Draco gestured with his chin towards the door.

Daryn narrowed his eyes and Hermione frowned too.

"Malfoy, whatev-" she started.

"Just give us a moment, Daryn," Draco said, ignoring her.

Daryn looked between them and then at the hand Draco still had on her shoulder. "If you wish," was all Daryn said before leaving.

"Wha-" Hermioned started again.

Draco pulled out the book-like object and gently bopped her in the forehead with it. "Just take it, Granger."

Hermione frowned again but took the offending gift from his hands. "Is it a custom to give gifts during the American Thanksgiving?"

She started to rip open the newspaper but Draco's hand stopped her.

"Don't."

She furrowed her eyebrows.

Draco sighed and stared over her head. "It's the AA book." He rubbed the back of his neck. "You'll want to read the first chapter before the meeting."

Right. The meeting. She looked at book, imagining the cover underneath, and tried not to feel so negative about it. It would be good, she tried to convince herself. Books were good.

"You don't have to look so disgusted."

Her eyes widened. "I-"

"Do you have plans for Thanksgiving?"

Hermione pursed her lips. "Thanksgiving?"

"Yes, there is a meeting that night. With less people it might not be so… intimidating."

"No. I mean, yes. I mean - I can come. Where do you want to meet?" she finally finished.

Draco met her gaze again. "You're really not doing anything?"

"Luna is going to Rolf's and she did invite me but…" She trailed off and finished her sentence with a shrug.

He followed her shoulders with his eyes and nodded, swallowing visibly. "Samir is having something… that is if you'd… not that-"

"Samir. Who is he?"

He deflated a bit. "Oh, erm. He's… He's my sponsor."

"Oh." Hermione took a deep breath as she considered it. "Well, actually, that sounds nice. I've never had a traditional American Thanksgiving."

Draco chuckled. Hermione raised an eyebrow but he shook his head.

"I don't think it'll be traditional, whatever it is."

They started towards the floo.

"I could pick you up at your place," Draco offered, hands in his pockets.

Hermione hesitated.

"Or-"

"No." She decided. "No, you can come. It will be fine."

…

In an event unprecedented since very early in the semester, Luna and Hermione were sitting at the breakfast table together.

"Luna, what do you suppose people wear to American Thanksgivings?" Hermione asked, levering her poached eggs onto toast.

Luna looked up from her cold cereal. "Whatever they want to, don't you think?"

Hermione considered that, trying to sift out any more information from the obvious and failing. "What are you going to wear?" she asked.

"Dress robes. Rolf's family is rather… traditional."

"Pureblood traditional?" Hermione guessed before taking a bite.

Luna nodded.

When Hermione returned to find something suitable in her closet, something moving at knee level caught her eye. Before she registered what it was, she had her wand out and pointed. She blinked when she noticed the feathers. No, it couldn't be.

"Luna… is that a turkey?" she yelled from her room.

Luna came to the doorway and looked down at the creature. It gave a sound half-way between a honk and a screech.

"Oh, I had forgotten about him." She smiled down at it as it preceded to gobble at her. "Rolf gave him to me."

Hermione put away her wand and rubbed her temple. "Rolf gave you a live turkey? Why would he do something like that?"

Luna smiled and shrugged a little.

Not really sure what to do with a turkey in her bedroom, she ignored it and rifled through her closet. Draco had said not traditional. In the end Hermione decided on a dress with full skirts to hide her wand. She paired it with a cardigan like she would if she had been going to her parents' Christmas party. It seemed close enough. She tried to shoo the turkey out of her room and it started screeching at her.

Giving it up for a lost cause, she wandered into the living room and curled up with a book.

Later in the afternoon, Luna was on the opposite couch, scribbling on scrolls, when the floo was triggered. She peeked at it from her angle. "Oh, Draco, you are here early for a dinner date."

At Luna's voice. Hermione jumped up and worked the wards to allow him through. "It's not a dinner date," she hissed.

"Oh," Luna said, sounding disappointed.

As Draco stepped out of the fireplace, Hermione noted that he was dressed in a dress shirt and dark jeans. It looked nice, of course, but it was also what he wore to school nearly every day.

Hermione looked down at her dress. "I've overdressed, haven't I?" She turned towards her room. "Just give me a moment."

He reached out to her shoulder. "No, it's fine. You…" he stopped talking as he glanced over her shoulder. "Granger… is that a turkey?"

She chanced a look behind her. The turkey was strutting down their hallway. She closed her eyes briefly. "Yes. I don't know what Rolf was thinking, giving her that thing."

He returned his gaze from the turkey to her and then he frowned. "Rolf… that stuffy guy from the potions shop? She's going to his parents' for Thanksgiving?"

Hermione nodded.

"Oh."

"Oh?" she prompted.

"She's supposed to cook it."

Hermione's eyes widened and then she looked between the turkey and Luna. "She's supposed to what?"

That was how Hermione, Draco, and Luna ended up sitting around the kitchen table, darkly observing the turkey in the other room.

"Giving someone a live animal and then expecting them to kill and cook it is a courting tradition?" Hermione asked skeptically after Draco had explained it.

Draco shrugged. "It's old fashioned. Most wizards don't bother."

"Luna is just lucky," Hermione sighed.

"I think it's rather sweet," Luna offered, still watching the over-sized fowl.

"Mm," Hermione acknowledged and then addressed Draco. "Is she expected to kill it herself?"

Draco shook his head. "Usually house elves take care of that."

Hermione groaned.

"I-" Draco's face had twisted into something between disgust and pain. "I could do it."

Hermione saw his face and knew what he meant. He could kill it. She remembered Harry's account of the events on the Astronomy tower. When he had been commanded to kill. "No," she said immediately and almost sharply. "You won't."

He look relieved but then his face shut down again. "Well, you aren't doing it."

"On Monday Rolf and I were in Wizarding New York inspecting a restaurant," Luna announced. "They had a butcher shop."

There was a pause as Draco and Hermione shared a glance.

"Go to your party, you two." Luna bestowed them with a benevolent smile. "I am not a child and can do this myself."

Hermione's eyes widened as she realized that that had been exactly how she had been thinking. Luna seemed an eternal child; it made Hermione want to protect her. However, Luna had been through the war as well. She was not helpless, no matter appearances.

"Thank you for your advice, Draco. It will save embarrassment on all of us involved."

"You are welcome, Luna. Good luck with your courting."

Draco offered a hand to Hermione and, after staring at it for a bit, she put her hand in his. "It's close to the WiNY. We'll floo there and walk," he told her as she stood.

He hadn't let go of her hand and Hermione, unsure how to react, let him keep it in his fingers. They walked towards the floo, their elbows bumping as they navigated around the table. Hermione didn't know whether to look at their hands or pretend she hadn't noticed. Draco leaned down towards her, close enough that his cheek nudged some of her stray strands of hair. "Do you have the book?" he asked.

Book? Oh, the AA book, Hermione realized. She nodded, holding still as he stood straight again. She retrieved her charmed bag and he his jacket before they left.

They walked together from the floo at the Wizarding New York (WiNY) towards one of the exits. They were close enough that occasionally their arms would brush. Neither of them jumped or flinched but Hermione was hyper-aware of his breath that could occasionally rustle her hair, and how close their hands had come to touching a couple times. She swallowed and searched for something to say.

"You should take anything you need out of your bag now," Draco told her.

"Er- what?"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Most Muggles do not react well to magical objects being flaunted in front of them."

"I'll just wait until we get there." She waved a hand to dismiss it.

The eyebrow moved higher and the side of his mouth went up with it. "Granger, Samir is a Muggle."

Hermione blinked a few times. "A Muggle? You mean, they'll all be Muggles?"

"No, they'll be horses," he said flatly.

She hit him on the shoulder. "Hilarious," she returned. "I was just surprised. I had assumed it would be a Wizard thing."

He nodded and his lips had gone down to a thin line.

"Wait, am I wearing something appropriate for an American Muggle household?" She held her arms out and studied her clothes anew.

He snorted but eyed her dress up and down. "You're really asking me?"

She glanced to him with a small frown.

He quirked an eyebrow and used both hands to point to himself. "Draco Malfoy?"

She thought about it and then broke into a grin. He grinned back and she couldn't help but laugh. It really would be ridiculous to think of asking the former Draco Malfoy about Muggle fashions. So, he could make fun of himself? That was… adorable.

"It wasn't that funny," Draco informed her, but he was still smiling a little.

She pictured trying to ask the past Draco about Muggles dresses and then giggled again, shaking her head.

His eyes jumped from one spot to another before looking at her again. "Speaking of which, I go by my first name there."

Hermione raised an eyebrow this time.

"At the meeting. Everybody does. Anonymity and all that." He reached up to rub his neck. "So, do you mind calling me Draco or me calling you… Hermione?"

A/N:

Good news, you can expect another chapter next Monday too :) Lots of things are starting to happen and I'd love to know your opinions on them! It's been fun to read your reactions to the last few chapters :)

On a different note, if you like Miraculous, I've posted a drabble. I'm eventually going to post a series of drabbles in the HPverse so I'm curious about your opinions, advice etc.

Hope you enjoy! *heart* Rushstarfire