Hermione inhaled, blowing the air through her lips shortly afterwards. Her lungs, her head were craving for some fresh air.

She adjusted her cloak as the indistinct voices of people filled the place. Nights were never quiet at Hogsmeade. Passers-by roamed the streets, stopping every now and then in front of the shop windows, pointing out the moving artifacts, chatting about new products on display.

Hermione cherished the smiles on these strangers faces. They seemed cheerful, happy, enjoying themselves. War seemed just a tale, some sort of once upon a time story.

-"Remind me to go to Honeyduke´s before getting back to the Castle."- Draco said as the sugary smell from the store struck them.

-"That sweet tooth of yours is gonna be the end of you."- Hermione said shaking her head in disapproval.

-"It is not. You are."- he said looking at her out the corner of his eye.- "Oh…I would kill for a shock-o-choc right now."

-"Try not to. I am too tired to prevent you from it"

-"You can always join me…"- he suggested.

-"A killing spree?"- she inquired in jest- "For Shock-o-choc? How old are you?- Hermione asked repressing a smile-"Bet you´d like some jelly slugs as well…"

-"Oh yeah! I love those fuckers!"- Malfoy resorted feeling the flavor invaded his mouth to the thought of it.- "Wait a minute. How do you know I…"

-"I´ve seen them at the Ministry, in your office. There are glass containers with hundreds of them. They paired so well with your spirits….Such a grown-up snack…"- the Gryffindor said mockingly.

-"Please, you used to like them as much as I do."

-"I did."- Hermione agreed.- "Until we ate a whole bag of them while discussing Hogwarts: a history. "- she giggled. "Though, it may have been your thoughts on Salazar Slytherin the ones that caused me the stomachache…"- she chocked with her own words. What the hell?

-"Remember that night?"- Draco said, playing along. He did not want to scare her by making this a big of a deal. But it was. An enourmous, absolutely gigantic deal. –" You had so many misconceptions, Granger. I am glad we got to sort them out…"

-"Misconceptions?"- she raised a brow.- "I think you are referring to the book you sneaked from Malfoy Manor… what was its name…?- Hermione looked left trying to visualize the cover.- "Oh! Yeah! "Salazar: the worthiest of the founders"

-"Come on! It´s a great book!"- Draco said.

-"Pardon my vocabulary"- she apologized beforehand.- "But it was so full of shit. He was an air-headed…"

-"arrogant elitist whose fear from what he did not understand led him to put a freaking monster under the castle."- Draco finished shocking her.-"and if insulting one of the founders memory had not been enough, you proceeded to call me a biased entitled snob with no capacity for critical thinking."- he finished.-"Yeah, Granger. I marked your words. And also your passionate kiss following them."- he winked at her.

-"You are unbelievable."- Hermione said with a broad smile.- "Shall we get in? Before you need 5 drinks instead of one."- she asked teasingly.

-"Love, it´s never one with me"- Draco said opening the door for her. –"and you know it."- he whispered in her ear.

Hermione rolled her eyes and bit her lip. Draco Malfoy was funny. And witty. Edgy. Charming. Annoying. Extremely annoying. But in such a delightful way…

As she took a seat on a wooden chair by the fireplace, she realized how much she actually enjoyed being around him.

He had the rare ability of turning everything into something extraordinary. She had been at The Three Broomsticks hundreds of times, but with him seating in front of her it seemed like the first.

There was something about him…he made everything looked brighter, cooler, more exciting… but at the same time everything beyond his edges was transformed into a blur.

-"Are you ready to order?"- the voice of the server resounded. She was in her early twenties, blonde, beautiful. Jealousy took over Hermione as the girl rolled her eyes on Draco.

-"A glass of firewhisky, please."- the Sly said politely.- "Would you have Ogden´s by any chance?"

-"I am terribly sorry, sir. We don´t"- the blonde girl responded.- "But we do have Blishen´s"

-"That would do"- Draco said. –"But not the cinnamon kind, please."- he added promptly.

-"And for you m´dam?"- the server inquired without even looking at her.

-"Butterbeer"

Draco raised an eyebrow curving his lips up.

-"What?"- Hermione asked bluntly.

-"You heard the lady."- Draco said smiling.

The blonde girl left their table to bring the drinks shortly after. Hermione could not avoid to notice the way she bat her lashes for him, the way she bounced her body as she walked, the way she flashed a smile…"aaaaaaghhhhh…..what is wrong with me?!"- she thought shaking his head, trying to fade jealousy away.

-"There was a time when you would have hexed her". – Draco muttered sipping his drink, falling in her brown eyes. The sound of smashing plates made him turned his head right. Somehow, a few of them had slipped from the blonde server´s fingers.

He just smiled. A genuine, pearly, beautiful smile.

Hermione bit her lip and pour some butterbeer down her throat. She would tear the whole place down just to see that smile again.

-"Come here."- Draco said softly. He stretched his right arm across the table, finding a way to her lips. The pad of his thumb outlined the cupid´s bow, wiping off the remains of her drink. Draco felt the soft texture of her lips beneath his fingertip, and collected until the last drop before putting his thumb inside his own mouth, sucking in a bit.

Bloody hell. Someone please put down her misery and made that glorious man fucked her on the table. Or perhaps against the table, or even behind…

Hermione blushed deeply.

-"You are adorable."- Draco muttered, interrupting her non-adorable thoughts.-"Look at you, drinking your pre-pubescent drink…"- he clinked his glass against hers.-"blushing to such an innocent touch…"- he tried to grasp her cheek but Hermione leant back.- "hexing poor girls.."

-"Excuse me for my choice of spirit..."-Hermione resorted, upset by the way he could read her. Aroused, for the exact same reason.- "Not all of us are alcoholics trying to burn ourselves from the inside out".

-"First, that cannot be consider a spirit."- he remarked with disdain.- "Second, I may be a drunk but alcohol doesn´t burn me.- the Sly drank a large mouthful to prove his point.-"someone does."- a hint of silver sparkled in his eyes.- "And third, I´d do it against it."- Hermione frowned confused.-"I´d fucked you against the table. "- his voice became hoarse.- "I´d bend you over it, hands tie on your back, your legs slightly separated…"-Draco closed his eyes and his head fell back.-"Oh yeah… just like that, Granger."- he stared at her.-"I like the pulling your hair thing. Nice touch.."

She paled to the revelation of his eyes roaming once again the depths of her mind. Hermione tried, quiet unsuccessfully, to push back all the images his words had inspired.

-"You never cease to amaze me, Granger."- he said sliding his tongue across his lips.-"I know I know…I promise not to do it again…"- Draco expressed dramatically before she could even say anything.

-"I thought Draco Malfoy was a man of his word."- Hermione said taking a swig of butterbeer in an attempt to remove the bitter taste of her mouth.

-"I am."-Draco said firmly.- "But when it comes to you, there are no boundaries."- he held his eyes on her for a second or so before he let a thought slipped.-"I´ve always wanted to come here with you…."- he muttered looking around.- "But everything was so fucking impossible back then."-Malfoy finished turning his hands into fists on the table.

-"We came here together."- Hermione responded shocking him once again.-"For Valentine´s day. I´d have expected Madame Tudipié…"-her lips curved up a little- "but you told me that we would go there as ourselves…"- she exhaled focusing on the memory.- "It was nice. Holding hands, walking around Hogsmeade as if we were regular teenagers in love…."- she said reminiscing those moments shared together.- "Freedom tasted so good"- she fixed her eyes on the drink absent-minded.-"I was happy that day, you know. Just being able to hold you in the light of day, made me happy."

-"Even when it wasn´t me."- Draco said bitterly.

"-Even when it wasn´t you."- Hermione repeated.-"Although, Blaise never looked better."

-"Remind me why I didn´t go as Nott? At least the bloke has some good manners…"- Draco started showing some signs of embarrassing.

-"And me going as your fucking ex-girlfriend?"- Hermione asked folding her arms.-"Are you insane?"

-"Probably."- Malfoy answered getting a curious look from her-"But we had been better off as Pansy and Theo. Much better pair than Blaise and Daphne.."

-"Come on! Don´t be mean! It was so nice of them to allow us to use their bodies for a couple of hours…"

"-Always so naïve, Granger. We borrowed them our place at the Requirement Room, that´s why they so nicely accepted."- Draco said drinking some firewhisky.- "I had to burn the whole place down afterwards"

-"oh sweet merlin… they were filthy, filthy people"- Hermione said pursing her lips.- "I never get why they didn´t craft a new room.."

-"You really don´t wanna know how twisted they were."- he answered.

"-I don´ I´ll be forever grateful to them.."

-"Why was it that special?"- Malfoy asked looking intrigued.- "It was just holding hands and drinking shitty beer in this den."

-""May you knock your walls down for a minute?"- she asked in contempt.-"If you want to hear it from me, it´s fine. I´ll say it. But don´t act as if it didn´t mean anything to you…"- Hermione´s brown eyes razed his barriers.-"´cause it fucking did."

Malfoy remained silent, that bitch certainly has a point.

-"This place..., it was this kind of coming of age to me."- she started.-"First time visiting a place without my parents, first time drinking alcohol, first time helping Harry…"- she stopped for a moment.- "Maybe for people like you, a magical village is something you grew up used to but for people like me, this was a dream."- Hermione looked away, feeling how Draco´s fingers brushed her hand.-"It´s funny but it was here when I first come to realize that I belonged here. That this was my world, too."

-"Granger I…"- Draco started moved by the bitter expression on her face.

-"Don´t."- she silenced him, grabbing his hand.-" With or without my memory, I´ve made amends with that part of my past. We are not having that conversation again…"- she sighed.-"Anyhow, I guess I just wanted to share it with you. Such an important place with such an important person…."- Draco flinched under her fingers.-"It was a way of making things real, of leaving the shadows we were only allowed to live in…and it was great! Don´t you dare to say otherwise. I could see you enjoying yourself behind Blaise´s eyes…"

-"It was…"- Malfoy began, running his fingers through his hair.- "okay."

-"Okay you say?"- Hermione exclaimed punching him softly on the chest.-"Come on! We bought hundreds of candy at Honeyduke´s, you drank more butterbeer than I have in my whole life, we laughed so so much…"- she said cheerfully, stealing a smile from the blonde.-"Sometimes I wonder where is that sweet boy. Where is the good guy that held my hand under potions table?"

-"I did more than holding your hand under potions table…"-Malfoy said in his signature smile.

-"You don´t need to hypersexualize things."- Hermione pointed out, gaining a straight face from him.-"You were sweet. Deal with it, Malfoy."- the Gryffindor commanded before adding with a grin.-"So cute with that little voice of yours: "I care so much about you Hermione", "Your hair is so pretty", "your eyes shine more than.."- she said emulating his voice.

-"Please, cut it off for Merlin´s sake! I did not speak like that nor said such corny, cheesy…"

-"But you did, hon. "I miss you more than I can bear, Hermione", "Your freckles are so adorable"- she continued almost laughing out loud this time.

-"Okay. That´s it. No more butterbeer for you."- Draco said grabbing the glass and taking it away from her.

-"Hey, I can hold my drink!"- she exclaimed trying to get it back.

-"Nonsense." - he scolded in such a contradictory cheerful tone.

-"Give it back…"- Hermione claimed pulling from the handle.

-"No"- he shook his head.-"I cannot imagine what sort of things that mind of yours would come up with if you finish your drink…"

-"Come on…"- she said as she pulled harder, spilling a few drinks of the drink.

-"No"-Malfoy resorted as a big laugh emerged from his lips.

-"Draco Malfoy smiling?"- a voice asked.-"For a moment I thought that I might have been seeing someone else, but then I thought: "Nope, Theo. Get things straight, mate. War is over. There´s no need to be pulling tricks again".

The tall figure of Theodore Nott appeared in front of them. His dark coat made him looked aristocratic but his messy shirt underneath revealed his true irreverent nature.

-"Malfoy. Granger."- he greeted with a nod.-"Taking a trip down memory lane? Literally."- Theo inquired staring at Hermione.

-"Sod off, Nott. We were having a private conversation, here.".-Malfoy resorted in his most obnoxious tone.

-"Oh private, indeed."- the green-eyed answered pointing out their hands touching on the table. Then, he proceeded to chuckle as Hermione and Draco moved as if they had been repelled from each other.

-"Theo, darling…."- a new voice, interrupted them, as a fine pale hand posed on Theo´s shoulder. With a short movement the Sly moved to the side, revealing the intruder.-"Sweet merlin. You were serious about it."- Pansy Parkinson said, flicking his hand to touch his temple. Her outfit was impeccable as her gestures. How could someone be that delicate yet at the same time portray such ferocity?

-"Of course I was, sweetheart. I am always serious."- Theo said taking her by the waist.

-"No, you are not."- Pansy said releasing from his grip.-"So, is this on again?"- Pansy asked shamelessly sitting on the chair next to Hermione´s.

-"Pansy…"-Draco started glaring at her.

-"Excuse me, dear."- Parkinson called the server, ignoring Malfoy.- "Would you mind bringing two glasses of your finest firewhisky?"- she ordered pointing out the chair next to Malfoy for Theo to sit down.

-"I ought to warn you that they don´t have Ogden´s…"- the blonde commented taking a large mouthful of his drink. Pansy frowned quite disgusted.

-"Theo, remind me why we came here, love?"- she asked, though before Theo could even start answering she raised her hand in the air to stop him.-"Wait. I know. To spy on them."

Draco and Hermione looked at each other and then at the couple of Slytherins.

-"You were the one that said they must not be left alone"- Theo responded playfully.

-"Well…"- Pansy started as the drinks arrived.-"Remember what happened the last time we left them unsupervised."- she said before taking a swig from her glass, her lips pierced to the taste of it.-"Blinchen´s. Tragic."

-"Are you talking about the time they burnt down a whole wing from the dungeons?"- Nott asked sipping some of his own.-"Or the time they start dueling at the entrance of the Great Hall? Uuu I loved that one! Or…?

-"No."- Pansy interrupted him sharply.-"It could´ve been but I´ve got more on mind another time…"- Draco and Hermione looked at her clearly intrigued. –"I meant the charade they played coming here as our best friends, trying to fool us all in such a pathetic portrait of Daphne and Blaise…"- she shook her head in disapproval.- "and then leaving, only to give the Shrieking Shack a whole new meaning…"

Hermione felt her cheeks burnt to what Pansy might be insinuating.

-"Granger, why on the bloody hell are you blushing?"- Pansy scolded.-"You are not a prude. Trust me. I wish I had seen less of you"- she finished with a grimace.

-"Pansy, you are being completely out of place.."- Draco began.

-"You were the one out of place when you decided it was such a great idea to fuck Granger in the bloody room you shared with my boyfriend"- Parkinson resorted raising her finger to Malfoy.

-"I´ve told you a thousand times I did not know you were there waiting for Theo. What kind of person waits in the dark like a freaking house-elf?"

-"I was trying to surprise him, you prick."- Pansy answered.-"Couldn´t you just fuck her in her Gryffindor room?"

-"Excuse me…I am here, you know"- Hermione interrupted raising her right hand.- "And Parkinson."- she called out making the Sly to look at her.- "He could fuck me wherever he wanted."

Draco´s jaw dropped to her last words, before stretching his face into a big self-sufficient smile.

-"You listened to her, Pansy."- Malfoy said.

-"Oh dear Merlin…this is on again, indeed."- Pansy exclaimed moving her head in disbelief.

-"Afraid of wandering these halls alone?"- Draco Malfoy asked as he saw Hermione Granger approaching the entrance of the Great Hall.- "Haven´t seen you without Potty and the Weasel for a while…"- he said walking a few steps towards her.

Hermione glared at him but remained silent, stepping up the pace. She knew better. She was not going to fall in one of his stupid games.

-"What is it?"- Malfoy asked getting on the way.- "Snake ate your tongue?"- he asked pulling one of his signature smiles.

-"Move."- the Gryffindor ordered in an icy tone, that was cold enough to burn Malfoy inside.

-"Where are your manners, mudblood?"- he hissed grabbing a handful of her hair.

-"Don´t touch me!"- she ordered yanking off. –"Don´t you dare touching me again, Malfoy."- Hermione said bitterly, pulling her wand out.

-"I remember you saying otherwise a couple of weeks ago…"-Draco said dragging each word.

Hermione shuddered. Of course, she remembered.

.-"Move"- she repeated shoving her wand in his throat. "You got this. Be strong. Don´t fall for him. Not again. Please. Please .Please."

-"Have you thought about my offer?"- Draco inquired, dismissing the puncture sensation that had caused his skin to redden.-"You and I deserve a proper farewell…"

-"You and I, NOTHING."- Hermione snapped.-"You wanted us to be "friends". Well, here it is…"- her jaw clenched as each word left her lips.-"and guess what Malfoy, I don´t fuck my friends."

"You want this as much as I do…"-he responded, wrapping his finger around her wand. He slid it slowly until his hand reached the corner of her nails.-"If not more.."

-"You are being delusional"- Hermione cried out.-"and pathetic."- she finished pressing her wand harder.-"Now, move."

-"Easy golden girl"- he said getting his own wand out.-"Someone might knock you off from that little pedestal of yours…"

-"Whatever Malfoy."- Hermione rolled eyes at him, hoping, wishing he´d move. Her anger was keeping her together, but the pain…

The pain was tearing her apart.

-"Why don´t you fucking move?"- she asked looking at him, exhausted, almost defeated.

-"You don´t want me to."- Draco said raising his wand to the height of her chest.

-"Stop it."- she muttered as her knuckles turned white.-"What´s wrong with you? You were the one who ended this. You fucking broke me…"-her voice faltered before rage took over her body.-"and now you came asking for one more time, for some sort of goodbye? Fuck you, Malfoy."- Hermione said before casting a depulso.

-"That´s it. Show me how much you hate me…"- Draco challenged her with a twisted smile fixed on his face, standing up from the floor as he casted a spell.

-"An expelliarmus?"- she shook her head twice.-"Please, daddy taught you better."- Draco´s eyes rambled to her words.- "You need to improve your game, or you won´t get far in that little cult of yours…"- Hermione continued turning her grief into sharp knives. She wanted him to bleed, to suffer, to feel his bones aching from sorrow.- "What a disappointment for a wannabe death-eater."

-"You have no idea what you are talking about, Granger."- Malfoy said glaring at her.

-"I think I do"- she responded, locking her eyes in his.-"There is a fucking battlefield in the middle of us, isn´t it? Well, why wait?"- Hermione inquired.

A woman mad with grief. Mad.

She threw her wand to the floor, showing both palms of her hands to him.

-"Do it now"- she demanded, grabbing his wand by the tip and pushing it against her neck.-"Kill me."

He flinched. If Hermione Granger was grieving, Draco Malfoy was definitely beyond that point. He had reached that moment in which pain is suffocated by every other feeling on the book. For most sadness is the one in charge.

But for him, anger was the one filing the hole in his soul.

-"What the fuck?"- the voice of Pansy Parkinson made both of them turned their heads.-"Both of you. Cut it off. You are causing a scene."- the Sly said looking around.

"Parkinson…"- Malfoy started, still holding his wand against the Gryffindor.

-"I don´t want to hear it."- she interrupted him.- "Granger, you too. Stop this nonsense."

-"Stay out of this, Pansy."- Hermione warned her.

-"Why do you have to be so bloody difficult?"- Parkinson huffed.-"Enough"- she commanded as Hermione fainted due to her bewitched sleep spell.

-"What have you done to her?"- Draco screamed, pointing his wand at Pansy.

-"Put that down."- the Sly muttered.- "You dear Granger is fine. It was just a simple sleeping spell."- Pansy answered hiding the body of her friend behind a tapestry. –"You are gonna get both of you killed…"- she muttered looking at Malfoy in concern.-"or worse."

-"Nobody saw us. I set a few disillusionment charms. I am not that stupid"- Malfoy said folding his arms.

-"I saw you. Nott saw you. And who knows who else?- Parkinson answered angrily.- "You are getting sloppy, and that is not good, Draco. Not good at all."- she scolded.

-"Relax, pans…"- Draco started trying to soothe her.

-"Pans my ass"- the Slytherin girl responded.-"I cared about you idiots! And you lot are blinded but whatever it is that is going on between you. Nope. Don´t tell me. I don´t wanna know. I´ve seen enough whatsoever…"

-"I told you…"- Malfoy began before Pansy hushed him.

-"That´s not gonna make me unseen what I saw."- Parkinson pursed her lips.-"Anyhow, I´ll take her to that creepy room of yours. And I´ll have the same talk with her once she is awake. She is being as reckless as you are"- Pansy said moving in front of the tapestry.- "And Draco, fix this fucking mess. I like her".

-"Granger! Granger!"- someone was calling out her name.- "Granger! Is she okay? I told you this wasn´t a good idea Draco…

-"I am fine".- Hermione answered, feeling the weight of her eyelids.-"I just…reminded something."- she muttered confused.

-"Avoid doing that again. We were scared stiff."- Pansy exclaimed finishing her drink in one swig.-"This is what you´ve been dealing with? I don´t know how you do it, dear…"- she asked Draco.

-"You are overreacting."- Draco said narrowing his eyes.-"She was out for 5 seconds, not five hours."- he added stretching his hand to Hermione.-"Are you okay?"

The Gryffindor stared at him, his words and soothing touch were a balm to her troubled mind. A genuine expression of concern shadowed his face.

-"I am fine."- she re-assured her sentence with a brush of her fingers on the back of his hand.

Theo and Pansy looked at each other in complicity.

-"Wonderful"- Pansy said before standing up-"Granger bathroom"- she exclaimed all of a sudden.

-"Shall I order something to eat darling?"- Theo asked before Draco could say anything.

-"Absolutely."- she agreed.-"But.."

-"I know, I know, everything on the side and the Sheppard's pie is not an option"- Nott recited.-"We are going for a smoke first, sweetheart. My friend looks like he could really use one.."

-"All right"- Pansy said leaning on the table to kiss Theo softly. – "Granger, I am waiting…"

In spite of the heavy mist clouding her mind, Hermione held herself up. For him. If he gave her another one of his worried looks, she´d break apart, into a million pieces.

-"It´fine Draco…"- she whispered before following Pansy.

Hermione focused on how the end of Pansy´s hair moved to the sides as she walked to the ladies restroom, burying the sorrowful feeling that got her stomach into a knot after the memory.

The Sly pushed the wooden door opened, allowing Hermione to come in first. Once they were both inside, she casted a few ward spells.

-"Why do we need….?"- Hermione started highly confused. But she wasn´t able to finish her question as Pansy Parkinson hugged her so tight that she almost cut her breath.

-"When Draco told me what he´s been doing…"- the Sly began.-"what you came to do here…"- she closed her eyes, pressing her hands against her back harder.-"I tried to be selfless, to think about what you´ve wanted..."- she leant back, sliding a hand down Hermione´s curls.-"but I could not stop him. Why would I?- she said in a coy smile.-"We missed you terribly, Hermione."

-"Pansy I…"- the Gryffindor babbled.

A thousand questions emerged in her mind: Pansy Parkinson cared about her? Well, she certainly has seen that in the memory. But why did it seem that she was some sort of friend of hers? Why the corners of her eyes held a couple of tears?

-"I know I am just Pansy Parkinson to you, Granger."- the Sly exclaimed, walking to the mirror.-"former school-bully, former death-eater, former girlfriend of the love of your life…"- she listed freshening up her make-up. Hermione flinched to the last sentence.- "And Draco said this could take a while, but when Theo told me you´d be at Hogwarts for the weekend, I needed to see you…"

-"I don´t know what to say…"- Hermione said running her fingers through her hair.

-"Nothing."- Pansy exclaimed applying another layer of red lipstick.-"Have dinner with us and relax. Draco sometimes can be too much to handle…"

-"He´s been.."- the Gryffindor started trying to find an adjective to describe Malfoy. Nice? Childish? Insane? Tender? Manipulative? Thoughtful? Sweet?

-"Don´t"- Pansy said shaking her head.-"We all know what an arse he can be."- she added, staring at her.- "For what´s worth, he truly cares about you…"

A warm liquid sensation run through Hermione´s veins making her heart race.

-"Let´s go before your little Slytherin Prince comes to get you"- Pansy muttered, flicking her wand.-"And Granger, I am here. Whatever you might see. I am here."

Hermione left the bathroom, feeling more in a fog that when she entered it.

Draco blew the smoke roughly through his lips.

-"I should get inside…"- he muttered putting his cigarette out.

-"Relax mate."- Theo said standing in front of him.-"If she survived ten years without you, she can be left alone for ten minutes…"

-"She wasn´t without…"- Draco hissed angrily.

-"Of course not. You creep."- Nott said jokingly.-"I still wonder why she hasn´t hexed you yet…"- he muttered flashing a smile.-"She´s with Pansy. It´ll be fine. They must be hugging and kissing and… perhaps we should indeed go inside…"

Draco shook his head and proceeded to light another cigarette.

-"Do you think Granger would be up for…?"- Theo continued.

-"Theo, I swear that if you don´t shut up right now I am going to…"- Draco stopped thinking about the most terrible of threats.-"tell Pansy what you´ve just said."

-"Playing the fiancé card. Cheeky." – Nott said flicking his cigarette.- "Okay. Okay. I´ll behave."- he promised leaning on the wall behind him.-"So, how is your endeavor going?"

-"Great before you two came up."- Draco hissed. He was worried. And anxious. How would she be feeling? What would Pansy be telling her?

-"We are just checking on a friend."- the green-eyed resorted.-"So, tell me. All this effort. The talking to McGonagall. The hell you are putting Hermione through."- Malfoy´s eyes shone dangerously in the dim light of Hogsmeade.-"Are you doing it for her?"- Nott asked staring at him.-"Or for you?".

-"What do you mean?"- Malfoy asked, pulling a drag of his smoke.

-"You know what I mean."- Nott said facing him.-"Because I am afraid you might not be doing this for all the good reasons…"

-"You know what she is to me"- Draco said bluntly, turning his hands into fists.

-"That´s precisely the point."- Theo responded.-"We are both aware of the effect you have on her judgement. How the sun raised and set in you when you were together. How she defied everything standing on her way …"- Nott sighed pinching the bridge of his nose.-"What I am saying is that perhaps, you are doing this because you miss having someone whose whole world revolves around you…"

-"I tried Theo. I fucking tried." – Malfoy said clenching his jaw.-"I watched her for years, YEARS, living a life without me on it. Dating imbeciles, fucking arseholes, reading the books I bloody gave her. Pursuing the dreams we talked for hours about…"- his voice faltered.-" We were supposed to find a way…"- Draco stopped talking as a gulp of sorrow formed in his throat.

-"Draco I…"- Theo began putting a hand on his shoulder.

-"You have no fucking idea what this is about"- Malfoy hissed gritting his teeth. –"We´d better go inside."- he said throwing his cigarette to the ground.-"or Pansy would have to find another husband."

-"Funny."- Nott muttered pushing the door softly, thinking about every word Draco Malfoy had said.

-"Theo, darling"- Pansy exclaimed approaching the table.-" How am I supposed to fit in my Viviane Westwood´s wedding gown with all this fatty food?- the Sly asked, taking a seat next to her fiancé this time.

-"Viviene Westwood?"- Hermione asked raising a brow.-"Like in Viviane Westwood the muggle designer?"

-"Is there another one?"- Pansy asked. The smell of the chips tempted her to grab one.

-"A muggle designer at a Pureblooded wedding?"- the Gryffindor asked bewildered.

-"Granger, Granger…"- Theo clicked his tongue disapprovingly.-"We are quite progressive, you know. Besides, Pans here, is always up to make a statement…."- he kissed her hand gallantly.-"and to piss some people off."- the Slytherin girl curved her lips in a naughty smile.

-"You should totally come!"- the short haired girl suddenly exclaimed.-"Now, that you are back and everything. I see no reason for you not being there…"- Parkinson added looking at Draco.

-"I…"- Hermione started.

-"Say yes."- the Sly insisted.-"I´ll send you an invitation. You are way too much to be this asshole´s plus one…"- Pansy said eating another chip.

-"Pansy…"- Hermione began trying to come up with an excuse. Going to a pureblooded wedding? Full of Slytherins? Former death-eaters? And Draco Malfoy himself? What the hell, she thought. How could she say no when Pansy was looking at her with those puppy eyes?-"I see now what Daphne had to deal with…-" Hermione muttered shocking the three Slys.-"I´d be delighted to go Pansy. Send me the details and I´ll be on my way to find a proper dress to attend."

-"Lovely"- Pansy said cheerfully before starting to talk about the wedding and its thousand plans.

Hermione looked at the implausible postcard she had in front of her eyes. Four plates of steamy food, four glasses half-full and four people linked by the darkest of pasts and the most uncertain of futures.

Such an odd view, though no unpleasant at all. She took another bite from one of his Cornish pasties and while she was savoring the taste of the meat in her mouth, she felt the overwhelming feeling of home, of friendship, of safety.

Her eyes fell on Draco for a moment. Oh man, was he beautiful. He looked more relaxed that he had been when she came from the restroom. What had Theo said him? He was telling a story about Theo´s childhood. His eyes shone to the memory of it and his laugh flooded the place.

She could live in the sound of his laugh forever.

-"As if you were any better…"-Nott said throwing a napkin at Draco.

-"As a matter of fact, I was."- Draco resorted rolling his shoulders back.

-"No, you were not."- Pansy intervened.-"Poor Lucius"

-"Oh my, not this again, Pans. Theo, do something mate."- Draco exclaimed touching his forehead.

-"What? You completely destroyed his beloved studio…"- Pansy began flustered.

Pansy Parkison blushing? What is going on?, Hermione thought looking at her.

-"You know what I meant, Parkinson. "- Draco hissed.

-"Oh forgive me for caring about your father´s workplace…"- Pansy started as she flipped her hair.

-"That is not the thing and you know it."- Malfoy added.

-"Well, it´s your fault for having such a handsome, well-mannered, manly…"

-"Oh for merlin´s sake! Would you please shut up?"- Draco said covering his face with his hands.-"Theo, are you allowing this sort of behavior from your future wife?"

-"What is there to say, mate."- Theo responded shrugging his shoulders.-"She is quite right."- Draco shook his head outraged.

-"Hell yeah, I am right"- Pansy said biting her lip.-"Granger, what do you reckon?"

-"About Lucius Malfoy?"- Hermione asked in shock.

-"The man himself."- the Slytherin girl said.

-"Granger, do not bother to answer that."- Draco interrupted, staring at her. His cheeks had acquired a reddish tone, due to the amount of his alcohol intake and the embarrassment Pansy was putting him through.-"We should stop this nonsense, now."

Hermione smiled. What a funny lot they were.

-"I am sorry."- she apologized sweetly.-"I am having such a hard time trying to see what both of you noticed in Lucius Malfoy."- Hermione admitted. Handsome? Manly? Lucius freaking Malfoy?-"Are we talking about Draco´s dad, right?"

-"Ohh I´ve forgotten…"- Pansy exclaimed as she face palmed herself.-"You only got eyes for this git."- she said pointing at Malfoy.

Hermione looked sideways at Draco. His jaw had clenched like it did every time he was angry or ashamed. She found his troubled look adorable. As if he was scared that she´d run away…

She tugged her hair behind her ear letting the butterbeer do the talking.

-"You got me, Parkinson."- Hermione said and bit her lip.-"But, please indulge me."- she added looking at Draco playfully.-"What is it that you find so endearing about Lucius Malfoy?"- she asked causing Theo to burst into a loud laugh.

-"Well, where shall I begin…"- Pansy responded making a mental list.

-"Granger, you too?"- Malfoy interrupted bewildered.

Hermione gave a big pearly smile to him. "This is nice", she thought. Sharing a delicious meal all together, laughing at stupid things, his eyes on her all the time, his hands every now and then brushing her skin…

So nice.

Pansy kept on talking about Lucius and his many attributes for the sake of pissing Draco off. Which she did, she really did.

Luckily, no curses or hexes were involved. Just a few hilarious and embarrassing stories about Pansy as a kid which got her to gulp on Firewhisky and changed the course of the conversation.

They were nice. Pansy and Theo. In another life they could have been her friends…

"Why not in this one?", she wondered. Perhaps, they had been. Perhaps, they could still be.

And with these thoughts on her mind, she waved a goodbye before they found their way back to the castle.

Hello everyone!
I had so much fun writing this!
I just love Pansy and Theo!

and there is a little something for all the Lucius simps out there!
I am like Hermione on this one, I just can´t figure it out what all the fuss is about...
Guess I am way too involved with his son? Or my daddy issues had not reached that level (yet)? I don´t know...
What about you people?

Thanks M for your lovely review! I love them at Hogwarts as well!

Feel free to leave more reviews! They truly light up my soul! =)

Regards!

Anna