"Mione?"

Hermione glanced up from her wine glass to meet her coworker's eyes. Draco's grey eyes were shining and bright as he jostled the man sitting next to him.

"Yeah?"

"Potter called me a ferret again," he replied in a laughing tone of voice.

Harry shoved him slightly and let out a loud guffaw. "I called you a weasel. Get it right, Malfoy."

She rolled her eyes and smiled affectionately at the pair across from her. If someone would've told her teenage self that Draco would slide easily into their friend group over a decade later, she'd have called them crazy, but here they are. She and Ron grew apart as everyone began the recovery efforts after the last battle with the Dark Lord. They remained good friends but didn't get the opportunity to speak much ever since he moved to America a few years ago.

She lifted a glass of red wine to her lips and took a sip, casually regarding the pair across from her. "I swear, you two seem more like siblings every day."

Draco placed his hand upon his chest and gasped in fake outrage as Harry laughed, clapping the other's shoulder.

"You wound me, Mione. How could you place me in the same bloodline as this git?" the blond whined.

"You should be so lucky, Malfoy. I'm a treasure to be around."

Draco shoved Harry, which just caused more raucous laughter. Once their mirth had died away, Harry stood. "Be right back. Hitting the loo and then I'll grab our next round."

Draco leaned back in his chair and sighed. "You know," he began before pausing, "I've never had anything like a brother before. I'll never admit it to the git, but it's nice to have someone besides my mum give a damn about me."

Something in Hermione's chest ached with how much she could empathize with him. She missed her parents terribly, but they were better off living their ordinary muggle lives. She at least had a job she loved and friends that she adored. Granted, she'd practically loathed Draco when they were students together, but something had changed in him, and he wasn't that boy anymore. Over the past few years, she'd gotten to know the caring, sweet man he was underneath all the bluster. It was no wonder her fondness for him grew stronger every day.

She steeled her nerves and took a deep breath. "You know it's not just him, right?" Her tone was intentionally soft.

Draco looked up into her eyes with surprise.

"What do you mean, Mione?" he replied with a shaky voice.

"I care about you, too." She glanced down to where her hands were nervously fidgeting. "So very much."

Long, pale fingers gently covered her own. She looked up and was met by a brilliant smile on his handsome face.

"Yeah?"

She nodded and smiled back. "Yeah."

Draco's hand remained on top hers even after Harry came back with their drinks and raised an eyebrow at the new development, but not a word was spoken about it.

O_o_O_o_O

You can't go to bed without a cup of tea

And maybe that's the reason that you talk in your sleep

And all those conversations are the secrets that I keep

Though it makes no sense to me

O_o_O_o_O