A/N: Hey friends! Here's another little idea that's been rolling around... This chapter is a little bit more on the friendship between Draco and Harry. You'll notice (if you haven't already), in my little AU that Ron isn't really part of this equation. I figure he's working at the joke shop. I'll probably bring him into a little more interaction with these characters later - I may have painted a not nice picture of him earlier, but I'm not a Ron hater. I promise I'll redeem him!

As always... I do not own Harry Potter.

She had just stormed out of their shared office when Draco chanced a puzzled glance at Harry Potter.

"What the devil has got her so upset?"

Potter just chuckled to himself as he pulled a file out of his desk drawer and opened it in front of him.

"That, mate, is Hermione when she's worried." He smiled. "She gets like this when she knows I'm going out on a particularly nasty case."

Draco leaned back in his chair to prop one foot up on his desk as he examined the parchment in his hands. "She seemed rather nasty…" He muttered to himself.

"Oh, this was pretty mild. She's been like this for years - even Ginny doesn't give me that hard of a time - she hates not being able to know all the details and that she won't be there to 'protect me'." His tone was light and he rolled his eyes as he held up air quotes with both hands. "It's pretty endearing, but it does get rather old."

"Well that's understandable. She's all sisterly with you and all." He scoffed. "But why was she so cold to me? I thought we were getting to be friends…" Malfoy couldn't help but be bothered by it - they had been getting along famously, or so he thought. He started when Potter laughed right out loud.

"Malfoy, you really are an idiot!"

"What?" He looked at his office mate in complete confusion.

"I thought you were smart, mate." He paused and turned serious when he saw the look on Malfoy's face. "You really don't see it, do you?"

"Potter, I honestly don't know what you're talking about."

Harry set down the file he was holding with such force that loose papers from the stacks on his cluttered desk floated to the floor. "She's worried about you."

Draco raised a quizzical eyebrow and waited in silence for the man to explain himself - once he stopped laughing at him.

"This is going to be your first time going out in the field, right?" Draco nodded silently. After working as an evidence analyst, he was finally getting a chance to get out there and work a case as an Auror with Potter. "She's worried about you going out on your first mission. As much as I don't fully understand what she sees in you." He teased with a smile. "Hermione obviously cares about you."

"Potter, that's absurd."

"Consider the evidence, Mr. Malfoy." Harry leaned back, lacing his fingers behind his head and spoke with mock-professionalism. "Does Miss Granger save a seat for you at joint department meetings?"

Pausing to consider, since he had honestly never really thought about it before, he answered with confidence. "Yes - but she does for you as well."

"Point taken. But she doesn't save seats for anyone else. Literally, anyone." He paused for effect before continuing. "Does Miss Granger eat in front of you?"

"What? Potter this is just…"

"Answer the question, Mr. Malfoy." Harry crossed his ankles on his desktop as he leaned back further in his chair.

"Certainly. On several occasions." He was completely baffled by this ridiculous line of questioning, but chose to play along.

"She makes it a point to never eat in front of coworkers or casual acquaintances. Her willingness to do so indicates a level of comfort not easily attained." Hmm... That's interesting… "Has Miss Granger ever defended you publicly?" Potter arched an eyebrow and looked curiously like he may have been mocking him.

"Potter, you very well know the answer to that." Not counting her impassioned speech at his trial, she had spoken up on his behalf countless times in their time working together.

"End of argument, Malfoy. You are now on a list of select individuals that Hermione Granger would probably kill for." He smirked at the shock that was written all over the blond's face. "I don't know what you've done to end up on that list, but honestly, I count myself just as lucky."

With furrowed brows, he couldn't help but stare at Harry as if he'd sprouted a second head. Certainly he and Granger were what he would consider friends, but to put him in the same category with arguably her best friend, Saint Potter himself - that idea was just preposterous.

"She's afraid for you. She doesn't know what to do with it, so she comes off as snippy." Harry turned back to his work. "She'll be fine once we're back."

Draco was still reeling from the idea that someone - anyone - would care enough for him to even be worried for his safety. Let alone Granger. When he was preparing for the chance to get out in the field, he held absolutely no reservations. Fear of danger or death was something for those with families or something to lose. Malfoy knew he had none of that - he saw himself as completely expendable.

"Watch out, though. She'll be on edge a bit until we get back tomorrow night, so no teasing." Malfoy nodded, still slightly in shock. "And she may ask you - if you don't owl her the second you're back, they'll be hell to pay."

Draco smirked to himself and turned back again to his work. There was much to prepare before leaving that evening.

….

The time and gathering point for departure was supposed to be highly-classified, but no one seemed to give her a second glance when Hermione slipped into the back of the room for the closing comments from Kingsley Shacklebolt that evening. As Potter and Malfoy gathered their supplies at the conclusion of the meeting, she watched as the two former enemies bantered back and forth and couldn't help but smile even though her stomach was in knots. Who ever would have thought the two would become partners? Friends?

Whenever Harry went on a mission, she always felt a nervous tension that she couldn't shake - most likely a carryover of all those years running around with him avoiding all manner of dangerous situations.

She planned to go stay with Ginny while he was gone - they would offer support and much-needed distraction for each other. But she always envied the redhead's ability to keep a cool head, even though it was her husband who would be running around in harm's way - she on the other hand, would not be able to sleep.

But this time was worse. Malfoy was going and it was his first time. She was definitely confident in his abilities - he was arguably the best duelist on the force - what concerned her was his seeming unconcern for his own personal wellbeing. He was her friend and she was certain that she cared more about whether he lived or died than he did.

Shaking herself out of her own thoughts, she managed a bright smile as they both walked toward her.

"'Mione….you know you're not supposed to be here." Harry scolded half-heartedly as he reached out to hug her.

"You know that no one could keep me away." She offered in return and she hugged him close. "I wanted to see you off."

She smiled at him before turning to Draco - suddenly her cheeks were on fire and she didn't know why. "Please take care of each other." She reached out to squeeze him tight, feeling him hesitate for just a moment before curling his arms around her firmly. "Be safe."

He had never hugged her before, and right now, he decided he would love to do it again. He allowed himself to hold her body close to him and felt her hands warm on his back - it was a wonderful feeling to be held by her, burying his face in her soft curls.

"We'll be back before you know it, Granger." He offered as they came apart enough to see her face again and his heart broke a little when he saw that she was crying.

Noting the concern on his face, she wiped away the few tears that had fallen before fixing her face in a scowl. "I need you to owl me the instant you get back."

Draco couldn't help but smile at her ability to regain her composure. She was never one who wanted to appear weak - something he appreciated about her and also found more adorable than he cared to admit.

"Yes, ma'am." He smiled and saluted her while giving her a wink.

Harry broke in with an elbow to Draco's ribs. "Come on, mate. Time to be off." He turned back to Hermione, "You're going to be with Gin, right?"

Taking a deep breath, she answered, "Yes - I'm headed there now."

"Well, give her my love - we'll be back tomorrow evening." With that Harry was off joining the others as they filed from the conference room.

Draco turned to follow but Hermione held him by the hand with both of her own. Her face was wrinkled with worry and she looked like she was trying to say something but couldn't find the words. Squeezing her hands in his, he offered her a nod in recognition before letting her go to follow the rest of the aurors to the apparition point.

Maybe Granger cared for him more than he thought.

What are your thoughts? Are there any other "signs someone cares for you" that you can think of?