AN: Good afternoon, lovely readers! I'm writing to you from underneath no less than two blankets. It's not nearly as cold here as it is in other places, but I am very small so the cold and I do not get along. Can you believe 2020 is almost over? Personally, I am happy to see it go and am looking forward to all the (hopefully) wonderful things 2021 has to offer! That leaves us only five more chapters (including this one) until the new year! And I am SO excited for what those chapters hold. I hope you all have a wonderful week, and as always let me know what you think.
-..-
Hermione woke the next morning with a nasty hangover pounding in her head. She groaned and cursed herself for not buying any hangover potions since her return, and carefully made her way into the bathroom. Muggle pain killers would have to do. She distantly heard the fireplace roar to life and prayed to any god listening that it wasn't Ginny.
"Hermione," called out a distant, sing song voice.
"Oh, thank Godric," Hermione sighed.
Luna peaked her head through the bathroom doorway and gave her a sympathetic smile. "Drink too much last night," she asked softly.
Hermione nodded miserably.
"I've got just the thing." Luna stepped fully into the bathroom and produced a hot cup of tea. She said, "I added a bit of hangover potion to it. I figured you wouldn't have any yet."
She took the cup from Luna with a grateful sigh and tentatively sipped at the steaming contents. Warmth immediately flooded her system, the pounding in her head began to lessen, and the room finally righted itself.
"You're a gift from Merlin himself, Luna."
Hermione shuffled out into the living room of her flat and sank into the fluffy reading chair beside the fireplace, her tea cup carefully cradled in her hands. When Luna didn't join her, she asked, "Are you not staying for breakfast?"
"No, I am supposed to be meeting Ginny in a little bit. I just wanted to drop by and make sure you were doing alright and had something to help your inevitable hangover."
It was odd to be on the receiving end of such maternal affections. Hermione had grown so used to taking care of her friends during school that she wasn't quite sure how to respond to Luna taking care of her. It was nice, she admitted, to have someone worry about you and your wellbeing.
"Best not keep her waiting," Hermione said. "You know better than anyone how she gets."
Luna nodded but her eyes remained fixed on Hermione. "Are you sure you are alright?"
Crinkling her brow, Hermione nodded. "I'm fine, Luna. Thank you for checking on me and bringing the tea, I appreciate it."
There were a few moments of silence in which Hermione tried not to fidget and Luna stared unblinkingly at her. Finally, just as Hermione was ready to ask Luna to at least blink, Luna smiled and grabbed a handful of floo powder from the jar on the mantle.
"You have changed, Hermione, but in a positive way," Luna said. Her big blue eyes held that otherworldly light that always unsettled Hermione. "You have always been strong, but now there is a peace in your strength, a surety in yourself that wasn't there before."
Hermione blinked up at her, unsure of what to say.
Luna stepped into the fireplace, and her soul searching gaze turned into a conspiratorial smile. "Tell Draco I said hi," she said with a wink and then vanished into the fire.
Grumbling into her tea cup about nosy witches, Hermione snuggled down further into her chair. Why would Luna want her to tell Draco anything? It wasn't as if Hermione would be seeing him today.
She sat up straighter in her chair.
When had he become Draco to her? She had always called him Malfoy, the formality of last names becoming a welcome barrier between herself and the pompous bully. Even in her thoughts she had avoided using his given name, so what had changed? And why?
Images of the previous night began to fill her mind. Dancing, drinking, and celebrating the night away all with a certain blond wizard at her side. She had managed to forget the War, just for a night, and celebrate the victory they had won. She had honored her dead in a way they would have appreciated, and she had Draco to thank for that.
She stared into her empty tea cup.
A swan stared back.
Tessomancy was not something Hermione put very much stock in. Anything divination related was, in her opinion, was nothing more than guesswork and conjecture. There was nothing logical about it, and she hated illogical nonsense. Not to mention that fact that her best friend had been hunted by an immortal narcissist because of a prophecy given by the most neurotic woman Hermione had ever met. Yes, Professor Trelawney's absurdity had only solidified Hermione's opinions on the matter. Divination was absolute nonsense.
However, the academic inside her couldn't resist the opportunity to remind her that Unfogging the Future by Cassandra Vablatsky had listed the swan as a symbol of "good luck and a happy love life". Her inner voice sounded quite smug.
"Happy love life indeed," she grumbled quietly and quickly stood to rinse out the tea cup.
Hangover blissfully cured and tea leaves purposefully forgotten, Hermione dressed quickly in a warm jumper and jeans, grabbed her cloak from the coat rack, and then apparated to the entrance of Diagon Alley. She could have set up a floo connection between her flat and Virago's foyer, but she enjoyed the walk. It was still early in the morning, so most of the shops were just beginning to open. Florean Fortescue waved to her in greeting while magically setting up his patio umbrellas. Passing by Flourish and Blotts, Hermione made a note to return later and see if they had acquired that new tome on Wizarding Law she had asked for.
She was just a few shops away from Virago when she came to a stop in the middle of the street.
A hummingbird darted about in front of her face, mere inches from her nose. Its iridescent wings fluttered furiously and glittered in the sunlight. She smiled at the little creature, awed by the vast array of colors expressed on its feathers and the pale shimmer of its white chest. Little black eyes stared back at her, and its head cocked from side to side as though watching Hermione as much as she was watching it.
"Hello, little friend," she whispered to the bird. "You are very far from home. Are you a magical hummingbird?"
She thought carefully through her past Care of Magical Creatures classes to try and remember if there were any magical species of hummingbirds in England. The particular one in front of her looked exactly like the species of hummingbird native to North America.
Her inner academic reared her head once more and offered that it might be a broad-tailed hummingbird given the pinkish red patch below its beak. Spirit Animals Should They Visit by Edwardus Lima would say the hummingbird spirit animal visited those who needed to change something in their life and seek guidance. The symbolic meaning, her inner voice thought slyly, was meant for someone who needed to focus on love and encourages you to open up to the way you feel about people.
Hermione glared slightly at her inner voice and then at the hummingbird still hovering before her.
"I don't have time for your symbolic nonsense," she said quietly to the bird. "Fly home."
"That seems rude."
Hermione turned quickly to find Theo walking up behind her. He had an amused smile on his face and was looking curiously at the bird in front of her.
She blushed faintly at having been caught talking to a bird and said defensively, "The bird was staring at me which is quite rude. I was trying to shoo it away."
Theo stepped up beside her and watched the hummingbird flit back and forth between his face and hers. It looked excited to have two people talking to it, if birds could be excited.
"Hello there," Theo said softly to the bird. "Are you lost?"
Unsurprisingly, the bird didn't answer.
"I was walking to work when it just appeared in front of me," she said. "It's a beautiful little bird, don't you think?"
"And rather odd," Theo said. He leaned forward a little to examine it more closely. "Hummingbirds are quite prominent in most cultures and literature and are rife with symbolism."
Hermione tried not to groan and said, "Please don't talk about the symbolism."
He raised his eyebrows at her but said nothing.
"It's just," she said hesitantly and sighed. "Hummingbirds aren't native to England, and most books referencing the symbolism of spirit animal visits would imply a need to focus on my love life which is not something I wish to talk about."
Theo nodded at her sagely and asked, "Have you considered that it might not be a spirit animal? Perhaps it's a magical species, and you were rude to him for no reason."
"Him?" She frowned at the bird still hovering beside them. "How can you tell?"
He shrugged and said, "Not sure. Just seems like a male."
Hermione squinted at the bird which began bobbing up and down as if to say yes, it was in fact a male hummingbird. Quickly becoming aware that the two of them were standing in the middle of Diagon Alley conversing with a bird of all things, Hermione cleared her throat and said, "We should probably get to the shop."
Theo nodded and tapped two fingers against his right shoulder.
Hermione watched in amazement as the little bird flew over and settled itself on his shoulder. Her shock quickly turned into an accusing frown. "Is that bird yours?"
"No," he said with a soft smile towards the bird. "I just thought he would like to come with us."
It was quite charming to see such a tall wizard with such a small bird on his shoulder. He was looking at it with such a gentle expression and began walking slowly so as not to jostle it too hard. It reminded Hermione of Hagrid, and a nostalgic smile lingered on her lips as they continued their walk. They finally arrived at Virago and were surprised to find none other than Pansy Parkinson standing out front.
Once she had recovered from her shock at seeing her, Hermione took a moment to admire Pansy's outfit, always put together so perfectly. Her crisp black dress fit her beautifully, and her deep maroon cloak matched her lipstick shade with an exactness that had Hermione questioning her entire wardrobe. She was willing to bet Galleons that Pansy paid to have lipstick created especially for her. She was leaned against the window in a way that only Pansy could: elegantly nonchalant.
Pansy looked up to greet them but her gaze quickly locked on Theo's shoulder with a raised eyebrow. "Were you not able to walk past the pet store without going in, Theo?"
"He found us, actually." Theo glanced at his new friend and smiled. "And he is welcome to stay as long as he likes."
The hummingbird made a soft chirping sound and zipped in a quick circle around Theo's head before resettling on his shoulder.
"How cute," Pansy said with an indulgent smile. She turned her sharp black eyes to Hermione and said bluntly, "Granger, I would like you to give me a tattoo."
Despite the certainty Pansy said it with, Hermione couldn't help but stare at her in open mouthed shock. "You what," she blurted out loudly.
Pansy rolled her eyes. "Come on, Granger. You run a tattoo shop."
"No, I know it's just…" Hermione trailed off and looked at Theo for help.
"I'm surprised to see you here," Theo said. "I believe you were the one mocking me the other day for doing something so pedestrian as running a front desk."
Pansy waved her hand dismissively. "Yes, yes, but that was the other day. I've changed my mind since then."
"Have you," he asked sounding entirely unimpressed.
"I have, and I want an ink or whatever it is you're calling them."
Hermione pursed her lips and resisted the urge to point out that Pansy had already used the correct term twice now. Instead she provided, "A tattoo?"
"Yes that." Pansy gestured towards the door and asked, "Shall we?"
Theo glanced at Hermione and shrugged. Rolling her eyes at him, Hermione flicked her wand to unlock the door and let everyone inside.
Pansy scrutinized her surroundings, taking her time to observe the framed art on the walls and the mismatched furniture. She hated to admit it, but the place was rather well decorated if not a bit sparse. It had a cozy atmosphere and was very welcoming. Pansy was glad the walls were red and gold.
"We can head back to my office to get started," Hermione said. She set her purse down behind the welcome desk and pointed Pansy towards the back of the shop. "Theo, do you mind watching the shop? I don't think we have any appointments until later."
"I don't mind at all." He leaned against the welcome desk and gave Pansy a pointed look. "Play nice, Pans."
She winked at him and said, "I'm always nice, Theo."
Hermione knew better than to believe that, but she still tried to smile in a welcoming manner as she followed Pansy into the office. This week was shaping up to be the oddest collection of appointments she had ever had.
Pansy walked into the office and immediately made herself at home, sitting elegantly on the couch and examining her nails for dirt. Hermione was surprised that Pansy hadn't taken the time to investigate her surroundings and mark the exits like the other Slytherins before her, but she did notice Pansy sat on the couch facing the door.
"So what do we do now," Pansy asked impatiently. "Is there a spell or special ritual?"
"Um, no there's no ritual." Hermione frowned slightly and felt somewhat embarrassed by how simple her process was. "I usually just ask a few questions to get to know you better." Seeing Pansy's doubtful expression, she quickly asked, "Did you have a tattoo design in mind already or know how big you would like it to be?"
"I want it to span from my wrist to my shoulder," Pansy said confidently. "And I would like for it to incorporate some sort of flower as well as my family crest."
Hermione nodded along and quickly began sketching. "Do you have any particular colors you prefer," she asked without looking up.
"Reds," Pansy said without hesitations. "Not Gryffindor red, but a deep red like the color of wine."
"That's easy enough." Hermione chewed on the end of her pencil and frowned at the sketchbook. "Are there any personal touches you want to add?"
Pansy stared at the floor, her posture growing somewhat rigid, and considered the question. She was hesitant to give any personal information to Granger, but Theo had already warned her about the intimate nature of these appointments before hand, so she had been prepared for these sort of questions. That didn't make them any less uncomfortable. She could concede a few minor details if she had to. "My mother died when I was young," she said. She gave Hermione a moment to move past her shock before adding, "Her name was Dahlia. I would like for her name to be incorporated into the tattoo in some way."
Hermione swallowed thickly, shocked by how easily Pansy had admitted to something so personal, and nodded quickly. "Of course, we can absolutely add that. I am…" She blinked several times. "I am sorry for your loss."
"I was young," Pansy said casually, but she avoided looking Hermione in the eye. "I have grown accustom to her absence."
Hermione wanted to say it gets easier. She wanted to say something comforting or uplifting, but she knew better. There were no kind words to truly ease the ache of the loss of a parent. That ache never faded, it only grew more familiar. The pain of her own loss leaked into her drawing, flowing through her and into the flowers that bloomed to life on the page. She tried to bring Pansy's personality to life on the page, and when she was finally satisfied, she smiled.
Pansy had waited patiently while Hermione quietly sketched, her posture relaxed yet poised and her gaze guarded as she watched. On the inside, she was a hurricane. Discomfort, fear, and curiosity warred inside her until she was nauseous and ready to leave. Pansy wasn't one to run, but she was a professional when it came to swift and cunning exits. She had three possible excuses ready for use when Hermione finally declared she was done.
The design Hermione handed Pansy immediately convinced her to stay. The paper was full of roses and thorns. Vines would wind from Pansy's wrist to shoulder with blooming roses in shades of deep merlot and dark purple. Sharps thorns would poke out between the rose petals in dark shades of green. The Parkinson family crest was framed against her shoulder with delicate rosebuds and had her mother's name in elegant script beneath it.
Pansy gazed at the sketch for several seconds then asked, "Why roses?"
"You asked for flowers, but I wanted to make sure I didn't go too far to the delicate side of things. Roses are beautiful, smell wonderful, and everyone admires them. On the other hand, they have sharp thorns that ward away harm and protect their petals." Hermione hesitated but said, "I think they perfectly illustrate the power behind a beautiful witch; that you can be delicate yet dangerous."
"I love that," Pansy said with a sharp-toothed grin. "It's absolutely brilliant."
"There's some magic bits too," Hermione said with growing enthusiasm. She moved to sit beside Pansy on the couch and pointed to the sketch pad. "The vines of the plants will move, not too much just slowly change positions every now and then. There's a more complicated set of spells I would like to do for your mother's name if you are willing to sit for it. Using your finger prints, I can make your mother's name touch sensitive and the ink will warm whenever you touch it. When you miss her…"
Pansy exhaled a slow breath. "When I miss her, it will glow warm and remind me she is always there."
Hermione pursed her lips and resisted the urge to comfort the woman beside her. She knew Pansy would rebuff any forms of affection, especially from an old enemy, but Hermione felt the loss settle between them and couldn't resist leaning her shoulder against Pansy's.
She froze for a moment, but Pansy allowed the touch. They sat in silence for several moments, gazing at the drawing and lost in their respective thoughts.
"Well then," Pansy finally said with a sharp clap of her hands. She bumped her shoulder gently against Hermione's and grinned. "Let's get started."
—..—
Draco had spent most of the morning at his kitchen table sipping tea and muttering about drunk wizards. Blaise had dropped through his fireplace like a sack of stones at the earliest hour of the morning and caused a ruckus that would have put the Weasley twins to shame. Draco had tried desperately to shove Blaise back through the fireplace to go sleep in his own bed, but Blaise had been adamant that Draco's couch was more comfortable.
He was still sprawled across it, face down in case he got sick and snoring loudly.
Draco glared fiercely at him and considered, not for the first time, the repercussions of man slaughter. He glanced at the clock on the wall and began bouncing his knee as he thought. It was a restless habit he had developed in his sixth year at Hogwarts and had since been unable to rid himself of. He bounced his knee when he was stressed, when he was thinking, when he was worried… It was almost always bouncing.
Glancing once more at the back of the couch, Draco checked to make sure he could still here Blaise snoring. The man was breathing, surely he could survive a few more hours alone on the couch. If Draco was lucky, Blaise might even wake up and find his own way home.
He threw on his black cloak and apparated as quietly as he could to Diagon Alley.
Sticking to the side alleys and more shadowed paths to avoid the attention of other pedestrians, Draco quickly made his way to Virago. His appointment with Hermione wasn't for another few days, but he quickly came up with a few possible excuses while he walked. He wanted to confirm the date of their appointment. He wanted to make sure his tattoo was healing properly. At minimum, he was there to visit Theo. Whether or not Theo was even there was hardly something he could be responsible for predicting.
He stepped through the front door and stopped short when he saw Theo behind the desk.
"Is that…" Draco squinted at Theo's shoulder and asked, "Is that a bird on your shoulder?"
Theo grinned widely at Draco and nodded. "This is Widget."
"Widget." Draco stared at the bird and said in a bewildered tone, "It's a hummingbird."
"Yes," Theo said still smiling.
Draco frowned. "In England."
"I think he might be magical," Theo said. "He found Hermione and I out in the Alley and decided to follow me around. He really likes my shoulder."
"Of course he does." Draco stepped up close and squinted at the small bird. He drew back in shock when Widget squinted back.
Theo grinned at the bird. "He's quite smart, isn't he?"
Resisting the urge to glare at a bird, for that would look quite foolish, Draco instead asked, "Is Granger in?"
Theo tilted his head slightly and gave Draco a calculating look, the motion of which was copied by Widget.
That bird was truly beginning to unnerve him.
"She is," Theo said casually. "Did you have an appointment today? I saw you on the books for tomorrow, but the only one scheduled today is with Lovegood."
"No, I didn't." Draco glanced back towards Hermione's office where he could hear distant voices. She must be meeting with someone right now as well. "I can come back later if she's busy."
"I'm sure you can."
Draco tossed Theo a scathing glance and growled, "What's that supposed to mean?"
Theo raised his hands defensively before him and chuckled. "Nothing, mate. Just seen you a lot around here lately is all."
"I could say the same about you," Draco said hotly. "You hang around so much Granger gave you a job."
"Maybe I asked for it."
"I'm sure you did."
"Boys," a sharp voice cut in. "Cease fire."
Theo and Draco looked quickly towards one of the work rooms, and Draco was shocked to see an aggravated Pansy Parkinson standing beside her.
She was buttoning up her dark red robe and glaring at the both of them fiercely. "The pair of you bicker like old hens," she snapped.
Their protests were incomprehensible as they spoke over one another and pointed fingers accusingly. Widget quickly grew tired of the noise and zipped over to smoothly land on Hermione's shoulder.
Theo looked absolutely betrayed by his new friend, and then turned a vicious glare on Draco. "If Widget doesn't come back to me, it's entirely your fault."
"Oh please," Draco said with a roll of his eyes. "It's just a bird."
"You're just angry he doesn't like you."
"I couldn't care less about a —"
"Honestly," Pansy shouted, "I'm tired of you both already!" She thanked Hermione quickly for her time and left the shop, making sure to give both wizards a withering glare on her way out.
After Theo and Draco had said their goodbyes, they both turned to Hermione with varying degrees of confusion.
"What was Pansy doing here," Draco asked.
"I'm making her a dress," Hermione said with a sarcastic smile. "This is a Madam Malkin's, is it not?"
Theo began to laugh at Draco but quickly swallowed his laughter when he saw the reproachful look Hermione had directed at him.
"Theo," she said sternly. "When I ask you to run the front desk it is with the expectation that you won't harass our guests."
"But it's only Draco," Theo said with a frown. "He hardly counts."
"It's true," Draco said and nodded seriously. "I am hardly a wizard. At this point, I am so low in Theo's opinion, I could be considered equal to your decorative plants."
Hermione glanced back and forth between him and the plants in question, a considering look on her face as though she were truly trying to decided which of the two was more valuable. "No," she said finally. "You are worth more than a potted plant."
Theo's eyebrows raised in surprise.
"I would put you more on the level of Widget here."
"Widget," Draco shouted indignantly.
Widget puffed his chest feathers with pride which caused Theo to lose himself to laughter once more. Hermione grinned at Draco, a mixture of merriment and challenge in her glittering eyes, and ran a gently finger over Widget's feathered head.
He eyed her fingertips as they stroked over the vibrant feathers and a smirk pulled at the corner of his mouth. "Why, Granger," he drawled, "If you wish to run your fingers through my hair, you don't need to compare to a bird. You can just ask."
Her fingers stilled, and he caught the muscles of her jaw twitching slightly.
"When I compared you to Widget," she said carefully, "it was more so in regards to his need for attention not for his lovely features."
"And what makes you think I am in need of your attention?"
"Why else would you have come to visit?"
"Perhaps I came to see Theo."
She hummed in a way that told him she didn't believe his lie in the slightest. He was about say something he would probably regret when Theo cleared his throat. He had completely forgotten the other man was in the room.
"Yes, Theo?" Hermione asked innocently.
Theo rolled his eyes and grouched, "If the two of you are finished flirting, I'm going to leave for lunch which means you will have to watch the front desk."
Hermione ignored his comment on flirting entirely and told him to leave for lunch. He made sure to murmur a rather rude comment to Draco on his way out, but Draco's eyes remained fixed on Hermione.
She was tidying up behind the desk, things that were no doubt already quite tidy, and looked entirely in her element. He observed her for the first time she he had walked in, and couldn't resist the faintest smile. She had tied her hair up and out of her face today, but the curls were doing their best to break free of their prison. They fell gently down her back, a stray curl falling down in front of one eye which she futilely brushed back every few minutes. Her cream colored jumped offset her golden skin beautifully and brought out the honey tones in her eyes. When she turned to pull a photo album from under the desk, Draco caught sight of three black birds flying behind her ear.
The birds were the darkest black, but they only stood out slightly beneath her dark hair. They flew in a line up and over the arch of her ear, each bird no larger than a Knut.
"Is that a tattoo behind your ear?"
She looked towards him quickly, a hand rising to brush against the birds he had been staring at. "Yes," she said with a slight chuckle. "I often forget that one is there."
His eyebrows raised and he asked skeptically, "Do you have so many that you forget about them?"
"No, I have several but not enough to forget them," she said. "But because it's in a place I can't see, I forget it's there."
Draco leaned against the desk and tilted his head so he could see the birds more clearly. "Why birds?"
Hermione tilted her head as well, holding a few stray hairs out of the way so he could better see, and said simply, "For finding freedom."
"Freedom?"
"The weight of the war, of everything we lost… I felt as though I were drowning in it. I lost myself to the darkness of it all and," she swallowed thickly. "Birds are free to fly wherever they please, free to go find their happiness wherever it may be. Sometimes I wish I was a bird."
Draco pursed his lips and felt something like guilt blooming in his chest. The heartaches she had experienced were not his fault, but he would be a fool if he pretended to have no part in her misfortunes while growing up. For her to feel that she needed to fly somewhere else to find happiness, that freedom did not exist in the place she should have called home.
"I'm sorry."
The words slipped out before he could stop them and before he could decide what he was apologizing for. He only knew the words needed to be said, that he hadn't said them before when he should have.
Hermione looked at him and said nothing. There was no reproach or resentment in her eyes, and he was surprised to find a kindness there. He didn't deserve her kindness.
"I'm sorry for my behavior as a child; it was misguided, but it was still reprehensible." He ran frustrated fingers through his hairs and frowned. His eyes danced between her hair, her hands, and Widget still tucked beneath her ear. Anything but her eyes. "I'm sorry for the part I played, and for not helping you. Especially when my aunt…"
Hermione reached across and wrapped his hand in one of hers. She squeezed his fingers tightly and whispered, "I know. I forgave you a long time ago.
He nodded, but she must have seen some amount of doubt still lingering because she added, "We were children who were forced to make impossible choices. We did the best we could."
We were children.
Those were the same words she had said years ago in the wreckage of the battles, in the ruins of their school. He had been too numb, too buried under his grief and horror to believe her, but now those words rang through him and echoed in his thoughts. They had been children, forced to shoulder the burdens of adults and fight in a war that wasn't theirs. They had been abandoned by those who were supposed to protect them and left to grow up long before they were ready.
"We were children," he said. The words came out as a harsh whisper, his emotions clawing at them as they rose through his throat. "And now?"
Hermione's eyes glittered with unshed tears, but there was a quivering smile beneath them. "And now we become who we were supposed to be, who we didn't have the chance to be."
Draco didn't understand how she managed it. He had spent the last three years trying to rebuild his life, to pick up the pieces of his shattered world and find a future in the wreckage, but he had never found hope. He had found acceptance, resolution even, but never hope. Since her return, Hermione had managed to make him feel hopeful twice now, and he wasn't sure if he should thank her for it or be fearful of it.
He didn't have the chance to decide, as Hermione cleared her throat and let go of his hand. She brushed that stray curl from her face and held out her hand.
"I am Hermione Granger, tattoo artist and lover of old books." She quirked a smile at him and waited for him to take her hand.
He slowly reached out, surprised by how large his hand looked compared to hers, and said, "Pleased to meet you, Hermione Granger." He felt somewhat ridiculous introducing himself to someone he had known since he was eleven, but he appreciated the importance of it. "I am Draco Malfoy, potions expert and piano enthusiast."
"Piano?" She looked pleasantly surprised and said, "I didn't know you could play piano."
"I'm still learning." He felt a faint warmth rising to his cheeks and said quickly, "I'm not very good."
"I would love to hear you play sometime."
He opened his mouth to respond but forgot his words when Widget hopped off of Hermione's shoulder and flew quickly to land on their joined hands. He gazed at the colorful creature and thought once more about the oddity of such a bird in England.
Hermione gently released his hand and lifted Widget back onto her shoulder. "I need to set up for my next appointment," she said reluctantly. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Draco Malfoy the potential pianist. I looked forward to getting to know you better."
Hope bloomed in his chest once more, crowding out the uncertainty and the doubts and leaving him feeling warm and optimistic. "I will see you tomorrow," he said, although the end of the sentence sounded more like a question.
She smiled and said, "Of course." She called out to him once more just before he opened the door and said, "I almost forgot, Luna says hello."