A/N: Hey friends! This is the night out that was mentioned in the chapter entitled 'Love'. I'm realizing that these are ending up a little out of order - have you spotted the fact that I've had Harry and Ginny married already? That was kind of an unintentional slip up since I'm still planning on having a chapter that includes their wedding. I don't think I'll mess with reordering at all, since that's kind of a pain to do, so you'll have to just forgive me!

This chapter is primarily Draco's POV and I have to admit, since he always seems so calm and cool, I like imagining him with a bit of a nervous side that he's just really great at hiding.

Tell me what you think!xoxoxo

I do not own Harry Potter.

The Leaky Cauldron was as busy as it always was on Thursdays - the bar was shoulder to shoulder with people and nearly every table was packed. The air was thick with smoke and laughter as Draco stepped from the floo and glanced around, hoping to spot familiar faces. He saw several who recognized him, of course, and their disdain showed plainly in their features. In his two years since returning to the more admirable side of Wizarding society, there were still plenty who disliked him. Things were improving, however, as evidenced by the dark-haired man in the crowded corner table who was waving him over excitedly.

"Malfoy! I can't believe you came!" Harry shook his hand and gestured for him to take a seat as he approached the table.

"Well, Potter, I couldn't ignore your endless invites forever." Draco smirked at him as he sat next to what must be a Weasley and offered a polite nod.

Potter smiled and his eyes twinkled mischievously. "Hermione invited you, didn't she?"

Draco blanched for a moment and all eyes at the table were on him as he finally nodded silently and felt his cheeks warm to an almost uncomfortable level. The occupants of the table burst into laughter.

When Harry recovered himself, he raised his voice to address their party. "Alright everyone, Malfoy here is my guest - well, technically, Hermione's guest - so that means..." He smiled as he turned to face him and continued. "All curses will have to wait until we leave." Everyone chuckled good naturedly and raised their glasses to him in agreement.

Smiling in appreciation for his bespeckled friend's ability to dissipate tension, Draco nodded toward him. "Thanks, mate."

"There is just one bit of business, Malfoy - as it's your first time joining us here, you've been nominated to buy the drinks for the evening."

"Absolutely, Potter." Hurrahs resounded and Harry introduced everyone at the table individually to Draco as if he was a completely new addition to their group and not their former sworn enemy. Those in attendance were George Weasley who was seated beside him and his wife Angelina (Draco remembered her from school), Bill Weasley and Fleur were seated down at the end of the table, Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, and Luna Lovegood were seated across from him, with Ginny and Harry on the opposite end.

Introductions over, Draco called over the waiter and bought them all a round. While everyone else placed their orders, Harry leaned toward him and spoke low at his side. "Hermione is on her way." The bloke had the nerve to wink at him conspiratorially before turning back to place his own drink order.

Try as he might, Draco had some difficulty keeping his nerves in check - not just the fact that he was fully aware of the nervous energy he always had around that particular witch - especially when they were doing anything socially - but now he had the realization that Potter had somehow managed to pick up on it.

Wiping his suddenly sweaty palms on his pants while he attempted to relax his features into an air of quiet confidence, he was grateful when his glass arrived so his hands would be occupied.

Sipping in silence while the other occupants chattered around him, Draco finally started to calm. The Weasley beside him was pretty hilarious and he was able to talk quidditch with Ginny and almost every bloke at the table. When Hermione showed up about twenty minutes later, they were all on their second round and feeling quite...festive.

"Hermione! I've got your seat right here!" Harry waved her over and slid closer to his wife so she had a chair right beside Draco. He was inwardly dancing between giddiness and terror - he was really hoping that Potter's seating arrangement wasn't obvious as he stood to pull out the chair for her as she approached.

As she waved hellos to each individual at the table, she sat down and Draco returned to his seat beside her and nodded acknowledgement of her quiet 'thank you'. Letting out a sigh, she turned to face him with a warm smile. "So you beat me here!?"

"Well I was on time, Granger." He laughed.

She groaned and rolled her eyes dramatically. "I would have been as well...Robards showed up at my office at 4:45 and wanted to look over my proposal for that Centaur legislation I'm working on and he had literally one thousand questions." She shook her head but smiled up at him. "I was lucky to get out of there at all."

She was close enough for him to be able to count the freckles that sprinkled across her nose and cheeks and he was suddenly aware of how very close she was - it was quite distracting. He realized after a long moment that he was just staring at her lovely face before he managed a smile. "And you're two drinks behind, by the way. Let me flag down the waiter."

He tore his eyes away to glance around in search of their server. The noise of the room and the laughter at their table made it hard to communicate without leaning in to each other a bit - this he knew in a purely logical sense - but he suddenly felt the need to loosen the button on his collar as she held his forearm to speak directly in his ear.

"Would you get me a butter beer? I'm just going to run to the loo." She stood and shimmied out of her jacket, revealing a sleeveless black top tucked into her well-fitting jeans. He couldn't help but stare at her for a moment before he recovered himself. He had certainly seen women more scantily clad than she, but seeing her so effortlessly breathtaking was….a lot to handle - especially with two drinks in his system. He managed a nod as she walked away.

Apparently he'd been caught staring because when he turned back, Ginny was eyeing him suspiciously with a ridiculous grin and waggling her eyebrows at him. "See something you like, Malfoy?"

Clearing his throat, he stood abruptly. "I don't see the waiter, I'll just go get her drink." Hoping a trip through the jostling crowd would provide a welcome distraction, he pressed his way through in the general direction of the bartender.

Beers in hand, he turned to weave back towards the table, but thanks to his height he was able to have a clear view of Potter. He was standing at his seat, scowling across the room to the dark hallway that led to the restrooms. When he turned and saw Draco looking back at him quizzically, he gave a sharp jerk of his head in that direction.

In his few years knowing Harry Potter and his looks, he knew this particular look meant some sort of trouble was brewing. Without hesitation, he changed direction and marched toward the hall and his jaw instantly tensed at what he saw. There was a man with his back to him, about his height, standing in the hallway. His palms were on the wall effectively caging in the small framed woman in front of him and just over the din of the crowded bar, he could hear the unmistakable voice of one very pissed off Hermione Granger, though he couldn't make out her words.

As he approached, he could see Hermione just over the guy's shoulder. He saw the look of both pleading and relief in her face the instant she had spotted him. He stopped a few paces behind the pair and cleared his throat. "There you are, Granger. I thought perhaps you'd gotten lost."

The man turned slightly to face him without getting out of Hermione's personal space and Draco inwardly groaned: he knew this tosser. He threw his most syrupy snark in his direction.

"McLeggen. Tell me, are you accosting all the ladies as they leave the loo or is Granger just the first to have the misfortune."

Cormac McLeggen grinned at him maliciously and squared his shoulders to face him fully, apparently attempting to appear intimidating. But Draco didn't flinch. "Malfoy. What brings you out among us commoners?"

"Just enjoying a few drinks with friends." He smirked as he continued in a condescending tone. "You know if you actually talk to them nicely, you don't have to sneak up on them in dark corners."

Cormac glanced over his shoulder to address the witch behind him. "You're here with him?" His tone definitely implied that this idea was absolutely ludicrous.

Hermione raised her chin defiantly and narrowed her eyes as she crossed her arms in front of her. "As a matter of fact I am."

He turned back to face Draco, obviously puffing up his chest. "Granger and I were just catching up."

"Hmm...she looks all caught up to me." He snarled and took a step closer. "How about it then, Granger?" He spoke up to address Hermione but didn't take his eyes off Cormac. "All caught up with our pal, here?"

"Definitely." Hermione shoved her way out from behind him, digging the heel of her boot into his toe on her way by. She turned to face him while she stood just behind Draco's left shoulder and growled. "Don't ever speak to me again."

Although he was both very proud of her and very warm due to her close proximity (not to mention, her hand on his back), he was able to maintain control of his facial expression and managed a cruel smirk at the man who was currently cursing while nursing his injured foot in front of him. Making sure to hold eye contact for as long as possible, he took a swig of his beer before turning to follow Hermione through the crowd.

As people pressed from every side, Hermione reached behind her and plucked the other bottle of beer from his hand before looping her hand through his elbow so they wouldn't get separated. She looked up at him and mouthed "Thank you!" as they fought their way back to the table. He was desperately hoping that she would assume the flush in his cheeks was purely alcohol-induced.

As they approached the table, his hand fell to the small of her back and he pulled the chair for her again - the action was not missed by the redhead across the table - again with those waggling eyebrows. "Can I help you, Red?" He tried to appear nonchalant, but even as the words left his mouth, he was hoping she wouldn't choose to interrogate him right here in front of everyone.

Ginny shook her head adamantly and winked as she sipped the fruity beverage in front of her. "No, no, Malfoy. I'm just fiiiine." Fortunately, Granger was currently confirming with Harry that she was fine after her altercation with Cormac - thanks to Draco.

Harry addressed him now. "Thanks, mate. That guy is a total creep."

Draco nodded as he sipped his beer. "Anytime." He turned toward her when he felt her eyes on him again. "Can't let anything happen to our girl, here. How would I manage to get anything done?"

She smiled and leaned into him. "You wouldn't. Obviously."

The night continued without incident. Draco was able to converse amicably with George by asking about business at his shop and offering some pointers about potential investors. Seamus was talking his ear off about the case they had been working on together at the Ministry, and Luna smiled sweetly at him when he asked how things were going for her and told him something about nargles that he didn't even attempt to understand.

Between conversations with others, he managed to carry on with Granger quite comfortably. She teased him about still being in work clothes, and he prodded her to please eat some shared nachos since she admitted she hadn't taken time for dinner. It was all around delightful - but then people started to leave and his nerves were tormenting him again. Everyone was standing now, in a cluster of goodbyes and hugs and Draco was suddenly very conscious of his hands.

He had just begun an internal pep-talk for saying goodbye (just be normal...be NORMAL) when Harry and Hermione both turned to him with expectant faces. Apparently someone had asked him a question….bugger.

"I'm sorry...what's that?"

Harry rolled his eyes but smiled, "I said…. Hermione here is insisting on walking home alone instead of taking the floo. Would you please back me up on this?"

Hermione stood staring at him, clearly exasperated before turning to Draco with a smile. "Will you please remind Harry that I am a fully capable witch who can walk anywhere I damn well please?"

"'Mione…. That creep McLeggen is still lurking around."

"And I've got my wand!"

Draco heard them both, furrowing his brow with exaggerated concern and ran a hand through his hair with a sigh. Harry turned back to her with a softer tone. "If you insist on walking, at least let one of us walk you home."

"Harry, that hardly seems necessary…"

The bickering would continue if he didn't say something, so Draco finally cut in. "Fine, Granger. I will allow you to walk me home since you are a very capable witch and the fresh air does sound lovely." He rolled his eyes, acting sufficiently put out before flashing her a smile. "Besides, your flat is just around the corner from mine."

Harry nearly shouted while slapping him on the shoulder. "Perfect!"

She smiled up at him with bright eyes and flushed cheeks - it was adorable. "Are you sure you don't mind?" She asked quietly.

"Don't be daft, Granger - you're doing me a favor." He held her jacket up for her to put on as they said their farewells to the rest of their friends. "Shall we?" He smiled as he offered her his elbow. She wrapped her hands around his arm without hesitation as he steered them toward the exit. It just so happened their path led them right past Cormac who was shooting daggers in Draco's direction the entire time. Hermione had the gall to wave at him on the way by while Draco gave him a smile and a nod. He was normally not one for petty games, but he had to admit that felt really good.

Out on the sidewalk, in the cool night air, they both burst into a fit of giggles.

"Well he certainly doesn't like me!"

"Did you see his face?" She held a hand to her chest as she gasped for breath.

Draco threw his head back with laughter. "I am glad you're with me, Granger - he genuinely looked like he wanted to hex me on the spot."

Wiping a tear from the corner of her eye, she took a deep breath. "It's a good thing I'm such a capable witch, then, isn't it?"

Once their laughter died down, they strode slowly, arm in arm for a few quiet moments before Draco spoke up.

"That was really fun. Thanks for the invite." She squeezed his arm in return.

"You're welcome." Their eyes met for the briefest of moments before she looked away, the dim light of the streetlights hiding her blush. "I'm really glad you came."

He couldn't fight the smile that crept on but - ever the Slytherin - he did manage to keep his internal happy dance in check while they continued in easy conversation.

Their walk was not long - Hermione's flat was only a few blocks from the pub - and before he knew it, they were standing on the steps to her building and Draco was fighting the urge to kiss her goodnight. Oh how he wanted to...

Over the last weeks, months, years…. and certainly the last few hours of tonight, he had been fighting this battle. Do I tell her how I feel? Would that ruin everything? And now as he stood there facing her, two steps below her, he was having that same old battle. She looked back at him with that same sweet smile that drove him crazy, and he nearly lost his resolve. "Granger, I…"

She tilted her head at him quizzically as his words trailed off and he thought of all the reasons why he shouldn't. He just couldn't bring himself to tell her that she meant literally everything to him, for fear that she might not feel the same. Then he would lose her - the one thing he really had going for him in this life. That thought frightened him enough to push through the battle this time.

Reaching out for her hand, he held it for a moment, brushing her knuckles with his thumb before placing a kiss on them. "Goodnight, sweetheart"

He turned to hop down the few remaining steps to the street, tucking his hands in his trouser pockets as he walked. When he heard a soft "Goodnight, Draco" from her sweet lips, he turned to smile over his shoulder and wondered when he would get the guts to tell her how badly he wanted to kiss them.

Ugh! Guys... I'm the one writing this, and these near-miss sweet moments are KILLING me! I hope you're enjoying these - please leave me a comment and tell me what you think.