Chapter 34
Draco ordered another round of drinks for Theo, Blaise and himself. His mother had declared that the first night Scorpius was home from Hogwarts for Christmas break was Grandparent Night, so after dinner he found himself in the same muggle bar they'd visited at Halloween.
Tonight seemed to be a quiet night though, they were almost alone. A lonely man at the bar was staring in their direction, his hand nursing a glass of beer, but they just ignored him.
"You must be thrilled that she's finally getting a divorce", Blaise prodded, sipping on his chocolate jenever.
"I don't know what you're talking about", Draco scoffed, putting his apple jenever down. "I don't thrive on other people's misery."
"Come on Draco", Theo grinned over his cactus jenever, "We were there you know. We see you looking at her."
"How do I look at her then?", he said rolling his eyes. They were acting completely mental if you asked him.
"Googly eyed", Blaise grinned, "Like you've always done since she joined the Order all those years ago. Even before that, come to think of it."
He knocked his liquor back in one go.
"Oh please", he bluffed, "She and I, that's ancient history. Been there and done that, you should know."
"Come on mate, who do you think you're talking to?", Theo shook his head. "We know you, she's everything to you."
"Yeah", Blaise piped up, "We can see right through your bullshitting."
"You're dellusional", he scoffed.
They were really irritating sometimes, he was wondering why he'd invited them to go with him for a drink.
Oh right, Grandparent Night, that's why...
"You can't hide it", Theo grinned, "That's okay, you're just in love."
"Not a chance Theo", he answered.
Draco waved his hand and ordered a new round of drinks.
"Admit it", Blaise grinned when the waiter was gone, "We already know. Just say it."
"I won't say it", he grumbled.
Why were they acting like stupid teenagers?
"Why deny it?", Blaise asked him. "Just face it mate."
Draco thought of how she'd giggled earlier that day. How he loved to make her laugh.
"Ooh, look at that smile", Blaise cheered, snapping him out of the memory.
"You're way off base Blaise", Draco warned him. "I won't say I'm in love."
At least out loud I won't.
Theo and Blaise looked at eachother knowingly, but decided to drop the subject. For now, anyway.
-*-
"... We don't know if the attack was aimed at a specific person or what their motives where", Hermione said, her voice amplified with a sonorus charm for the press. "The investigation is ongoing, please just let the aurors do their job. Thank you."
She stepped down from the improvised stage in the atrium and smiled tiredly at Harry.
"Thanks for the help Hermione", he said, "And I'm sorry about that thing with Malfoy."
"That wasn't your fault Harry", she shook her head. "It just shows how much work we still have."
"Still", he said, walking her to the door, "I want you to know that he isn't allowed to do fieldwork anymore."
"Thank you Harry", she smiled, "I'm sure Draco will appreciate it as well."
"I can't imagine", Harry replied drily. "Are you coming with me for dinner? Ginny made spaghetti bolognese, it was James' choice today."
"Sounds tempting", she smiled, "But I want to get back to my children. I'll see you tomorrow at the Burrow."
She reached up to kiss his cheek.
"Bye Hermione", he said, hugging her tight for a moment and with a crack, he apparated home. She followed swiftly after.
When she entered her house, Ron and the children were lounging on the couch, watching some corny old muggle Christmas movie.
"Have you eaten before you started on the popcorn?", she asked, shaking her head.
"Daddy ordered pizza", Rose waved dismissively in the direction of the kitchen.
Hermione walked into the battlefield that was their kitchen and found half of a quattro formaggi pizza left in one of the boxes. How Ron managed to make such a mess without cooking, she'd never know.
She cleaned it up with a few flicks of her wand and ate the pizza in silence.
"Is Harry okay?", Ron asked when he walked in to get more popcorn.
He eyed the last piece of pizza longingly, but she ignored him. In fact, she decided to act a bit petty and reheated it, so he could smell it's delicious scent when she ate it slowly.
"Yeah", she said after she swallowed it, "A few people got hurt, but nothing severe. Harry will have some busy weeks ahead of him with the investigation."
"Daddy!", Rose yelled from the couch, "It's starting again, the break is over!"
"Coming!", he called back.
Without another glance or word he left the kitchen. She sighed silently and put her plate in the dishwasher.
"I'm going to bed!", she called to her kids and after a quick stop in the bathroom, she extended Hugo's bed and crawled in.
The room smelled like hyacinths and she wondered why for a moment. Then she found the dried flower he'd sent them from Hogwarts a few weeks ago and she smiled. Her boy was so clever, he was going to break hearts with these kind of tricks when he grew up.
Mindlessly she took out her mirror and started flipping through the pictures. Draco reading on his bed... Theo and Greg arguing... Blaise winking... Sweet Morgana, she missed hanging out with them. They were just as much 'her boys' as Harry and Ron were... Or used to be...
The mirror heated under her fingers.
"Princeeeeessssss!", Theo hollered the moment she answered, "We miss youuuuuu!"
She grinned.
"What are you doing?", Draco pushed into her vision, a slight slur noticeable.
"I just got ready for bed", she told him, "I'm sleeping in Hugo's room tonight."
"What are you wearing?", Blaise asked, stealing the mirror from Theo and waggling his eyebrows at her.
She rolled her eyes and held her mirror up so he could see her red shirt with a roaring lion on it. Blaise made gagging noises.
"Gryffindor pride runs high in this family", she shrugged. "Or as Rose phrases it: rawr rawr bitch."
She heard Draco laugh loudly in the background.
"What did you just call me?", Blaise said offended as only an intoxicated man can.
"Really Blaise", she frowned, "How drunk are you?"
"Very", Theo laughed, stealing the mirror back. "Very very drunk. We went to a bar, Blaise was our designated apparator."
"He took us back to his place", Draco slurred behind Theo, "And then he drank an entire bottle of Firewhisky, so now we're stuck here."
"You should see the picture above his bed", Theo said.
There was a lot of movement when Theo outmanoeuvred Blaise to get into the bedroom and then he turned it to show her what he was looking at.
"Ow my eyes!", she called out, "I did not need that image in my head!"
"Did you see how big it was!", Draco commented, taking the mirror when Theo was tackled onto the bed by Blaise. "I'm not talking about the frame itself, obviously, but did you see his huge..."
"No!", she interrupted, "I don't want to talk about it! I think my eyes are actually bleeding a little..."
She wiped the tears of laughter from her cheeks.
"Yeah", Draco frowned, "But I'm really wondering how anyone could get that inside, you know..."
"I'm volunteering to try!", Theo shouted from the bed.
"Damn it Theo!", Blaise growled, wrestling with his friend to make him shut up.
"Draco", she called to get his attention back, "Do you have any sober up potions?"
"Nope", he popped.
"Should I come over?", she asked, a bit concerned.
"Have you ever been here?", he asked.
"No", she shook her head. She actually had no idea where Blaise lived, "But I can drive."
"You can't", he said, "Blaise lives in Jersey. We'll be fine Sweetheart."
"If you're sure", she said.
Draco turned the mirror to show her his friends. She smiled when she saw they'd actually fallen asleep on the bed whilst fighting.
"Put something next to the bed, in case they have to throw up", she ordered, "And drink lots of water and eat a hearty breakfast to ease the hangover before you go home in the morning."
"Will do", he promised, taking off his shirt to nestle himself on Blaise's black velvet couch.
"Go to sleep", she whispered, "And message me when you wake up tomorrow, so I know you're all alright."
"Mmmkay...", he murmured, dosing off already. "G'night Sweetheart. Lo... Zzzzz..."
Hermione smiled and snuggled into her own blankets, falling asleep with her mirror against her chest.