If there was such thing as a "Longest Week Ever" this sure as Hell was it. Hermione got called away to peace talks between the two Centaur Tribes sharing land temporarily in a forest in Scotland, so Draco hadn't seen her at all since Monday mornings meeting. It was now Thursday morning and still no meeting called, which meant no Granger. Ginny and Harry hadn't heard from her either.
Draco was so distracted by thoughts of her safety that he'd botched two batches of Sleeping Draught he was preparing for the Dragon Relocation team. "Here you are sir. A nice, strong cup of coffee for you." Draco looked up and smiled wanly at Frank.
"Thanks, Mr. Whitman. I appreciate it. Has there been any news on the Centaur situation in Scotland?" It was Draco's way of asking if Hermione was back yet and everyone knew it.
"Nothing, sir. I'll keep an ear out. I ordered more Standard Ingredient and Valerian Sprigs since I noticed we were running low. You're good with Flobberworm Mucus and Lavender though. Margot is going to run out to get some soup and sandwiches if you want something." Draco nodded and Frank ran off to find Margot.
Suddenly, there was a rush of people running past his laboratory door. He stood up and stopped a witch speed-walking by. "Hey, what's all the commotion?" The woman looked annoyed at being stopped.
"An emergency department meeting was just called. Essential personnel only so naturally, everyone wants to go." She ran off as fast as she could in her ridiculous shoes.
Draco couldn't leave his potions. Not with both Margot and Frank gone. "Bollocks!" Margot and Frank came back with lunch and Draco ran to the conference room. As he got closer, he saw a shock of red hair. Weasley! Then he heard him speaking, "So in the interim, Mr. Wallace here will be handling Miss Granger's duties. She should be back at it by the end of next week. Now, this is just a precaution. The Healers tell us she only received minor injuries."
That's all he heard before Draco rushed to the lifts. "She's hurt! My Hermione! I've got to go see her!" He was in a fog as he made his way through The Ministry and into the Floo. "The Leaky Cauldron!" he shouted. As he clambered out of the Floo, he brushed his robes clean and headed out the door and without even knowing it was at the store-front of Purge Dowse Ltd.
"I'm sorry, sir, but only family is allowed and her emergency contact." He tried again to implore the secretary at the front desk to give him any information at all. He couldn't even get a, "Hermione Granger is in good health and recovering." from the dumb bint.
"Malfoy?" Draco jumped as he heard Harry call his name.
"For Salazar's sake, Potter! You almost gave me a fucking heart attack!" Harry shook Draco's outstretched hand.
"What are you doing here?" he asked with a knowing smirk. Harry inwardly chuckled at the frazzled state he found the blond Wizard in.
"Damn it, Potter! You know full well why I am here. I heard Granger was injured. Injured enough to be temporarily replaced by that asshole Gerald Wallace. Haven't you been able to use your Chosen One status to check on her?" Draco carded a hand through his hair in frustration as Harry motioned for him to follow him into an empty stairwell.
"I'm her emergency contact, so yes, I have been in to see her. She was in the literal middle of a negotiation between Bane and the head of the Centaur colony they are staying with, his name is Gellaland. Bane lost his temper and accidentally threw Hermione off to the side. She hit her head and broke her arm, but with no Skelegrow, by the time they portkeyed her here, they had to set her leg and then start treatment." Draco sat down and braced his hands on his knees.
"But she'll be fine though? Her head? She isn't having any memory issues right?" That's all he needed. He was finally getting somewhere with the brilliant witch. What if she forgot about him?
"No worries there, Malfoy. The first words out of her mouth were, 'I was supposed to go on my first date with Malfoy tomorrow." Harry laughed at the Slytherin trying to hide his smile at the news. "She's going to be in here until Saturday, but I think I can use my 'Chosen One' status to get you in to see her. Draco jumped up and headed out to the reception area with Harry following him.
Hermione Granger was the worst patient ever. She didn't want to sit in bed. She felt perfectly well enough to go home. Sure, her leg was broken. Sure, she had a slight concussion. But, that did not mean she had to be confined to a damn hospital bed in St. Mungo's. "Excuse me, but how much longer will I be here? I don't think I need to stay, honestly. I feel fine." The Medi-Witch ignored her as instructed by her primary Healer then left the frustrated Muggleborn stewing in her bed. Hermione flopped back onto her pillows then heard the door squeak open.
"Unless you are here to tell me I'm free to go home, kindly fuck off!" She gasped when she heard the last voice she expected.
"Well, well, Granger. Quite the dirty mouth on you. I like it." Draco stood there with a bouquet of flowers and a smile that lit up his entire face. "Potter is talking to Healer MacMasters now. He says you were being difficult. Imagine that." He sat on the bed next to her and placed the flowers on her side table. "You know, if you wanted out of our date, a simple letter would have been sufficient. No need to go to such extremes, love."
He was teasing her and being absolutely charming. Hermione could feel the heat rushing into her nether regions. "You know us Gryffindors. Always showing off." She teased back. Draco saw her hand laying next to his leg and thought about how it would feel to hold it. He didn't need to wonder for long because just then she took his hand in hers.
Hermione could see the conflict in Draco's eyes. He wanted to hold her hand, but he also was more than likely afraid of how she would react. Therefore, she took matters into her own hands, no pun intended. "I'm sorry to miss our date tomorrow night. I, I was really looking forward to it." She breathed out her last sentence and Draco felt his heart clenching in his chest.
"Well, if you're okay with it," he stroked the back of her hand with his thumb, "I could just bring dinner to you." His hopeful eyes met hers and she melted.
"That would be great. Thank you, Draco." Oh! His name from her lips! He didn't think he would ever tire of hearing it. "I am working on getting out of here and getting back to my house. I can have Harry give you access to my Floo or would you rather apparate to the alley three blocks up? That what most people do. I mean, it's up to you. Whichever you prefer." She was babbling again. He found it absolutely darling.
"Hermione, breathe. I can apparate so that it saves Potter the hassle of allowing me access to your Floo. It's not a problem." Draco and Hermione chatted about work. He gave her an update on the progress he was making with the inexpensive version of Wolfsbane. "And so I got ahold of Neville Longbottom since he's the most knowledgeable person we know, and he wants to meet during Winter break. He has a few ideas on plants that work just as well as aconite and are easier to attain."
"That's brilliant! Draco, you are a very pleasant surprise, you know that?" The way she smiled at him made Draco feel as if he were the most important thing in the world to her. Maybe, if he didn't muck it up, he would be.
Harry came in and walked to the other side of Hermione. "Hey, I got you sprung from the joint! Healer MacMasters says if you drink this last dose of the Skelegrow without making a fuss, he'll allow Malfoy here to carry you out." The shit-eating grin that he sported after seeing Hermione and Draco's faces was worth the wandless stinging hex she gave him seconds later.
"Lucius, dear! An Owl just arrived from Mr. Potter. He says that Hermione was injured at the Centaur Reserve and was just released to go back home. He said Draco arrived almost in hysterics trying to get to her. There's no doubt about it. Our boy is most definitely in love!" Narcissa clapped her hands together and hugged them against her chest breathing deeply.
"I'd hardly want to celebrate that dear girl getting hurt, but if it is what finally gets him to realize the extent of his feelings for the young lady then Hell! Where's the confetti cannon?" He walked gingerly over to his desk and opened a drawer pulling out a box. "This ring was my dear grandmother's. When he is ready, please give this to Draco for Miss Granger. It has protective enchantments. Cissa, I don't know how much longer I have, so please just tell me you can get this ring to him. She took the box from his fingers and put it in the pocket of he robes.
Narcissa bent down and kissed her husband on the top of his head. "I love you. Just stop being morose and just live in the moment with me, Lucius." She caressed his face then left him to think on his own. The moment she made it to her bed chamber, she silenced the room and sobbed. Her husband, her best friend, the love of her life was already prepared for the end of his life; their life.
"Oh Merlin, yes! So good!" Hermione moaned as the first taste hit her tongue. "Where did you get this from? And how did you know that I loved shrimp scampi?" Draco came prepared with dinner and dessert for his first date with the Gryffindor Princess. Ginny told him what her favorite meal was then Harry told him of her secret shame; Banoffee Pie. She had yet to discover that treat because he put it in her icebox when he arrived.
"There's a Muggle restaurant by my place called Giordano's. Everything I have ever eaten from there has been superb, so it's not a shock that you love it. It's where I was going to originally take you tonight." Hermione looked up at him through her lashes and smiled.
"Well, I am sure I would have loved that. Maybe next time?" Was she being too forward? She was feeling nothing but positive vibes rolling off of him so it was making her speak more openly. She felt as if she could tell Draco anything. He made her feel safer than anyone ever had, including Harry.
"So, you wish to see me again, huh?" The devilish smirk he gave her set her loins ablaze. The want they both felt was clear. "Can I be so bold as to hold your hand?" Oh my goodness! Draco friggin Malfoy was being SWEET! She didn't know if she could handle this.
Hermione answered by holding her hand out palm side up. She watched as he threaded their fingers together. Then he pulled her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. That's when she did the bravest thing she'd ever done in her life. She made the first move!
A/N: Aaaaaaand I'm going to leave you hanging! Bwahahaha!!! Some yummy stuff next chapter!