AN: I swear that I really did have full intention of posting every week, but unfortunately I got a bad case of writer's block in the middle of this chapter. I'm sorry about the delay :/ I'm hoping that the next chapter comes along more smoothly. I'm setting a very tentative finishing date for the end of the summer, depending on how cooperative my muse is. Thank you to everyone who favorited/followed, and as always, sparkly rainbow hugs (because it's June) to everyone who left a review: purplehedgehog13, LightofEvolution, anjipotter, ArielNicholas913, Scaleybark, cochran4444, Black Banshee, Lydia-Rashel, trIchstEr99, I was BOTWP, GoldenRacehorse, Rainmask888, Cheeseinator, wrwolk29, and all the guests!

Hope you all enjoy!

Changing Scenery

Chapter 19: Anticipation

Hermione brushed the soot off her robes as she stepped out of her fireplace on Friday evening. After a long week wrestling with paperwork and incompetent Ministry bureaucrats she had been far too tired to Apparate without serious risk of splinching.

She dropped her bag, heavy despite a Lightweight charm, on the sofa before going into the kitchen and pouring herself a large glass of wine. She drank half of it standing against the counter before she set the glass down to make herself dinner.

Later, curled up in her armchair with a refilled glass and Crookshanks curled up in her lap, she pondered the book sitting on the table beside her and the bag full of work that she hadn't moved. She blew out a breath. It won't hurt anything to take a night off work. She picked up her book with a smile.

Hermione awoke the next morning with a start and a crick in her neck when a loud crack echoed through her flat.

"Merlin, Hermione, did you sleep in that chair?"

Hermione blinked blearily. She was quite sure Ginny wasn't supposed to be in her living room.

"What?"

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "You know, that's terrible for your back, and you should really make sure you're in peak physical condition if you're going to be keeping up with two very fit men."

"What?"

Ginny frowned. "I don't know how you can't have noticed, I mean, they're practically as fit as some of the Quidditch players I know."

Hermione shook her head. "I, what?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Are you always this articulate in the mornings? Never mind, I'll make coffee." Ginny walked to her kitchen in a way that could only be called sashaying. "Don't say I never do anything for you!"

Hermione blinked. She was sure things would start making sense in a minute. She put the book that was still in her lap on the table and then slowly stood up from the chair, her muscles protesting the change in position because apparently she had fallen asleep in the chair and slept there all night. At least she'd changed out of her work clothes.

She padded into the kitchen to find Ginny directing the coffee to pour into two mugs. Ginny glanced over her shoulder. "Oh good, you're up."

Hermione grimaced in disagreement, but the smell of coffee was awfully tempting. "I suppose."

Ginny levitated one of the mugs over to her and Hermione plucked it out of the air. "Why were you sleeping in your armchair?" Ginny asked. She grinned suddenly. "Waiting up for someone?"

Hermione rolled her eyes, taking a sip of coffee. "No. I was more tired last night than I thought I guess."

Ginny looked her up and down. "Resigning will probably be the best thing you've done for yourself in years."

Hermione opened her mouth to protest, but closed it when she realized that Ginny really wasn't far off the mark. When was the last time I took time for myself without being coerced? "Probably," she finally said.

After they'd stood there sipping coffee silently for a few moments, Ginny started flicking her wand. Hermione's fridge opened and eggs, bread, and other breakfast things floated out. Another few flicks and they started turning themselves into breakfast.

Hermione's eyebrows went up. "Impressive."

Ginny laughed. "You don't live with my mother for very long without learning how to make very large quantities of food with minimal effort. Household spells were some of the first wordless spells I mastered."

When they were both seated at the table with a plate of food in front of them, Hermione finally felt awake enough to question Ginny. "So, what brings you here this morning?"

Ginny licked a bit of jam off her finger. "Well, I was lying in bed with Blaise this morning, and he was doing something really delightful with his tongue and it occurred to me that you really need someone who will do delightful things with their tongue for you. It really has been too long since you dated someone, Hermione. And while eating dinner with Malfoy and Harry last night, I remembered that really, incredibly hot dance that you three shared a few weeks ago, and I thought that those two very fit men, who were far less subtle about their flirting last night than they thought they were, would probably do the trick. Especially because Malfoy couldn't keep his eyes off of either of you on Samhain, or so I gathered before I dragged Blaise off to do some delightful things with my tongue."

Hermione stared at her.

"Oh don't worry, while Malfoy and Harry could barely keep their hands off each other last night I'm absolutely sure that they'd both like to do some really delightful things with their tongues for you. To you. With you. Really you should be thanking me." Ginny grinned, taking a large bite of jam-covered toast.

Hermione spluttered. "What? You had dinner with Malfoy and Harry? And I don't need anyone to do anything with their tongue!" she added, cheeks flushing.

Ginny gave her a quelling look. "Hermione, darling, you really do."

"You didn't answer my question," Hermione persisted.

"Oh, yes, Blaise and I took Harry and Malfoy out for dinner last night. Blaise got us a table at the Griffon. I've been dying to eat there and it really was fantastic, although I don't think your boyfriends noticed the food all that much, which is really a shame," Ginny replied.

"They aren't my boyfriends!"

Ginny rested her head in one cupped hand, the other holding her fork that she used to point at Hermione. "See, that's interesting. Because last night, Harry told me that Malfoy was courting him, and based on how low Malfoy's hand was on your back when you danced on Samhain, and the fact that you went to Samhain with Harry, I'd have to say that they're not just interested in each other." Ginny grinned triumphantly. "Which means Malfoy's also courting you."

Hermione gaped at her. If we'd taken Ginny on the Horcrux hunt we might not have spent a year freezing in a tent.

Ginny raised an eyebrow and Hermione realized she had yet to respond.

"We, er, I, that is, we decided that, uh, it made sense?" Hermione said timidly.

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "It made sense? That's quite a roundabout way of saying that you and Harry are Malfoy's mates. But I must say that I am very impressed that Malfoy managed to talk you and Harry into letting him court you at all."

"How did you figure it out?" Hermione demanded.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "I have eyes, Hermione. And besides, Blaise and Malfoy are best friends and Blaise confirmed that Malfoy is a Veela, and then it really wasn't hard to put two and two together. So now, you have a lot of details to spill, darling. I can't believe you didn't tell me!"

Hermione fidgeted with her coffee. "I didn't want to betray Malfoy's confidence."

"Well I think that cat has torn itself out of the bag now, so you have no excuse not to tell me absolutely everything. In vivid detail."

Hermione flushed. "There really isn't that much to tell."

Ginny pointed a finger at her. "I don't care. Vivid detail."

Hermione blushed the entire way through a brief and very determinedly not explicit description of her interactions with Malfoy and Harry, though she glossed over most of the visit to Malfoy Manor.

When Hermione had finished her retelling, Ginny pouted. "That wasn't vivid, Hermione. And leave it to you to be seduced by a book."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "It's not like we've had sex, Ginny. Malfoy wanted to be traditional, which means we probably won't have sex until after the bonding ceremony. And I don't know how long it'll take the three of us to get comfortable enough to actually have a bonding ceremony. I didn't even think Harry was ready to go public."

Ginny snorted. "If you think those boys are going to want to wait until the bonding ceremony, you know a lot less about the male psyche than you should after growing up with two boys as your best friends. And you can't tell me that you aren't at least a little eager to get both of them naked."

Hermione coughed, her face beet red. "Okay, maybe not that long."

"I knew it! And as for the public thing," Ginny added, "it's probably better that you all go public together sooner rather than letter. Otherwise Rita Skeeter and the Prophet are going to have an absolute ball dragging you through the mud, saying that you were "blinded by sex" or something. The more you show that this isn't a sudden thing, the better. If you suddenly reveal you're bonded, everyone is going to assume the worst."

"They will anyway," Hermione replied gloomily.

"Only if you let them control the narrative," Ginny said firmly. "You just aren't used to dealing with the press because you avoid them at all costs. Talk to Malfoy about it. I bet he has an absolute team of lawyers."

"Are you sure?"

Ginny downed the last of her coffee. "Positive. But you and your boys should really have a talk anyway, because it seems like you've got things to work out. Feelings, logistics, sexual tension, et cetera."

Hermione choked. "I don't think that's on the table quite yet."

Ginny grinned. "I bet you five galleons that someone does something more with a tongue than snog before the week is up."

"That's still not sex," Hermione hedged.

"I didn't say sex," Ginny pointed out.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Fine, five galleons. Malfoy was the one who wanted to court, I don't think he'll move that fast." Hermione thought of their very heated snog on Samhain. Well, that might not be totally true. But Ginny didn't need to know that. And besides, that had only been snogging. Really fantastic snogging. Still.

"Hermione –"

Ginny was interrupted by the arrival of a large, familiar eagle owl. Hermione untied the note and then gave the bird a piece of bacon. When it didn't immediately leave, she assumed it was waiting for a reply.

Hermione unfolded the note and blushed. When she looked up again after reading it Ginny was smirking.

"I wonder who that's from," Ginny said sweetly.

Hermione rolled her eyes but couldn't keep from smiling a bit. "Malfoy wants to know if I'll have lunch with him today."

Ginny leaned forward eagerly. "Of course you will! What time?"

Hermione glanced at the letter. "One o'clock," she said hesitantly. Ginny had a slightly manic gleam in her eye.

Ginny glanced at the clock on the wall. "Oh good, we still have plenty of time."

"We?"

Ginny looked at her askance. "Obviously. You didn't think I'd let you dress yourself for a date with Malfoy, did you?"

Hermione huffed. "I can manage."

"That's not at all the point," Ginny replied. "I'm your friend and I want to help you get ready for your date."

"Well, I guess that's okay."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Why thank you."

Hermione fidgeted with the note for a minute.

"Did you really have dinner with Malfoy and Harry last night?"

"Yes," Ginny said, dragging out the word. "Why?"

"I'm just…surprised, I suppose. I really didn't think they, er, we, would go public so soon."

"It was hardly public."

Hermione frowned. "You had dinner at the most exclusive restaurant in Diagon Alley. It doesn't get much more public."

Ginny shrugged. "It could have been the Leaky Cauldron."

Hermione sighed heavily. "You know what I mean."

"I do, but there's a reason, besides the food, that Blaise likes exclusive restaurants. He pays the maître d' extremely well to ensure that we aren't disturbed by photographers. If a picture ends up in the Prophet today, they'll have a very expensive lawsuit on their desk tomorrow. Part of what you pay for is privacy," Ginny explained.

"Doesn't that bother you, that he throws money around?" Hermione asked.

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "Are you asking about Blaise or Malfoy?"

Hermione grimaced. "Both?"

Ginny smiled. "No, it doesn't. If Blaise wants to take me to expensive restaurants or buy me diamond earrings, then I'll let him. I certainly don't ask him for those things, because if I want a pair of diamond earrings then I'll buy them. But he likes doing it. Did Malfoy buy you expensive jewelry?"

Hermione frowned. "Not exactly."

"Good, because if he had then he doesn't know you at all."

Hermione smiled. I guess he does know me, at least a bit. "He bought me a book, like I told you."

"And do you like it?"

"Well, yes," Hermione admitted.

"But you feel like you're taking advantage of him," Ginny guessed.

Hermione nodded, resting her head in her hand. "That part of courting just feels so sexist and old-fashioned. It doesn't seem right for him to buy me all these things without anything in return."

"Firstly, no one said he isn't getting anything in return, and I don't mean sex. He probably considers it money well spent, if he even considers the cost at all. And you can buy him gifts too if you like, you know. Courting can go both ways. Secondly, are you with him for his money?"

Hermione straightened. "Of course not."

"Good, then don't let anyone else convince you that that's why you're willing to consider being with him," Ginny said firmly.

"But Ginny, we hardly know each other. I mean, it's one thing with Harry." Hermione bit her lip, hesitating. "He told me that he has feelings for me."

Ginny threw up her hands. "Finally! Took him long enough."

Hermione couldn't help but smile in relief. Even though they'd broken up amicably, she'd still been a bit worried about dating Ginny's ex. "Well, it took me by surprise. But still, we've known each other for ages. And, well, I can see myself, um, falling in love with him. But with Malfoy, it's all different."

Ginny shrugged. "Of course it's different. But no one is saying that you all have to fall in love immediately and live happily ever after. That's not how real relationships work. But you've dated people you haven't known since age eleven, just treat this thing with Malfoy like that."

"But I have known him since we were eleven," Hermione pointed out.

"Yes, but unless you want your entire relationship to be based on some really terrible childhood memories, I'd focus on getting to know the person he is now, rather than comparing him to the child he was."

Hermione sighed and then smiled. "I really should have listened to you more."

Ginny flipped her hair over one shoulder, smiling broadly. "Of course. Now, if you're finished, we have work to do."

At five to one, Hermione Apparated to the front step of Malfoy Manor. Malfoy had told her in the note that he'd keyed the wards to allow her free access to the Manor and its grounds. I wonder if that's what I felt when I visited before Samhain? It wouldn't surprise her at all if Draco had planned ahead.

A house elf opened to door before she had a chance to knock, ushering her into the hall and taking her coat. Malfoy appeared just as the house elf Disapparated.

"Granger, welcome."

"Hello, Malfoy." She held out her hand, and she wasn't at all surprised when he kissed the back instead of shaking it. The familiar tingle sparked up her arm, settling behind her heart in a warm glow.

He used his grip on her hand to tuck her arm into his before starting off into the Manor.

"How are you?" he asked.

"I'm…well." At least physically.

"You sound uncertain," he commented.

She glanced over at him, but he didn't look like he was mocking her.

"It's been a confusing few weeks," she eventually replied. Which was true, but part of it was also being back in the Manor.

Even though she'd had the chance to face her demons, and despite the new, much more pleasant memories she'd created less than a week ago, she still had nightmares about being tortured in the Manor. And even though he was very different from the boy he'd been then, Malfoy still appeared in those dreams, though he looked nearly as tormented as she'd felt. The conflicting feelings roiled around in her mind as they walked down hallways lined with pureblood history.

They eventually ended up in the same room where they'd had tea before. It had been sunny then, but today flat grey clouds left the room dim, and Malfoy waved his wand to light the sconces on the walls.

Once they were both seated, a house elf appeared to serve tea before Disapparating again.

Hermione watched Malfoy from under her eyelashes as she picked at a scone.

"I heard you had dinner with Harry last night."

Malfoy glanced up quickly from stirring his tea. "Oh?"

"I didn't read it in the paper. Ginny came over this morning," she admitted.

"Ginevra seems to be everywhere," he murmured.

"You know, I think you are the only person who calls her that. And Ginny has far more talent for trouble than most people give her credit for," Hermione said dryly.

Malfoy smirked. "Yes, I'm starting to realize that."

Hermione took a sip of tea, trying to organize her thoughts. "I'm glad you and Harry are getting on."

Malfoy's mouth twisted in something between a smirk and a genuine smile. "He's much more likeable than I expected."

Hermione smiled. "He's one of the nicest people I know, really. I think it's hard not to like him. But I'm probably biased, of course, seeing as he helped save me from a troll when he hardly knew me."

Malfoy quirked an eyebrow. "A troll?"

Hermione blushed. "Admittedly not one of my finer moments. I realize now that no matter how clever I thought I was, an eleven-year-old is no match for a troll."

Malfoy shook his head. "You three got into so much trouble. It's a miracle McGonagall didn't have a stroke every year."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "To be fair, most of it was unintentional."

"I think it would be fairer to say that you didn't start most of it," Malfoy argued.

Hermione smirked. "Maybe."

Malfoy smiled at her and she melted. Just a little. He really is unfairly attractive. He was dressed in casual robes of dark blue that set off his pale hair. His wings were out but tucked neatly against his back, and he'd made no move to show them off as he had last time. Still, the upper crests of the wings with their bright silver feathers gave him an ethereal appearance that was incredibly distracting.

When she realized she'd been staring for longer than strictly appropriate, she cleared her throat and looked away, taking a sip of tea.

"So, how have you been?"

Malfoy smirked, clearly not deceived. "I've been well. Business is good, although I'm currently in the process of hiring. I had to let a few people go."

"Oh?"

Malfoy sighed. "The head of my Arithmancy Division was inadequate and one of my accountants was doing a very poor job of trying to embezzle funds. And I'm also looking for someone to liaise with some of the magical creature communities."

Hermione brightened. "Oh yes! I remember Harry telling me about that a few weeks ago."

Malfoy cocked his head. "Did he?"

Hermione fidgeted for a moment, unsure whether or not to tell him. Well, you are his mate. It would be good to start trusting him. "I'm resigning as head of the department. He thought I might be interested in the position. You are my last case, actually."

"Really? Why?" Malfoy asked.

"I just…I want to be doing something new. All I do anymore is paperwork, and it's quite, well, quite boring actually." Hermione gave a half-smile. "A bit silly, but I'm rather tired of sitting behind a desk in the Ministry all day."

Malfoy shook his head. "Not silly at all. Do you know what you want to do afterwards?"

She shrugged. "Not yet. I think I'll take some time for myself, though. And besides, with, uh, this," she said, waving a hand between them, "it might be nice to take some time off."

Malfoy smiled, a real genuine smile that lit up his whole face. His wings even fanned out a bit, stirring his robes gently. "I like the sound of that."

Ginny was right, he is bloody fit. "I mean, I can't do nothing, of course. But it might be nice to be able to focus on my personal life for a while." She blushed when he smirked. "But anyway, why are you looking for a liaison?"

Malfoy let his gaze, heavy with intention, linger on her for a moment longer before answering. "Many potions ingredients are found near magical creature communities or come directly from the creatures themselves. It helps to have good relations with the communities."

Hermione nodded. "That makes sense. So you sell potions ingredients?"

"Among other things. That's just one branch of the company."

"You sound very involved," Hermione commented.

Malfoy shrugged. "I have to be, it's the family company. And, like you, I don't enjoy having nothing to do."

Hermione smiled. "That must keep you busy."

"More busy than I expected when I took the reins," Malfoy said wryly.

They chatted until it was nearly dark and the light from the sconces was reflecting brightly on Malfoy's wings and in his grey eyes. When she realized how late it had grown, Hermione reluctantly said that she had to go.

Malfoy walked her to the front hall, reeling her in when she extended her hand as they were saying goodbye. She gasped as she was pulled flush against his chest.

"I think we've advanced past handshakes, don't you?" Malfoy murmured against her lips.

"It's not like you ever shook it anyway," Hermione whispered, voice breathy.

Malfoy smirked, his lips brushing hers. "Of course not."

And then he was kissing her, his tongue flicking against her lips until she opened her mouth to let him in. As he kissed her breath away, she was intimately aware of everywhere they were pressed together. She was on her toes to compensate for the height difference and they were pressed together from thigh to chest and she could feel how hard his heart was beating. And how hard other parts of him are. Her cheeks heated.

His wings were wrapped around her and they just contributed to the onslaught of sensation as every place they brushed against her ignited a spark.

Malfoy eventually pulled back, leaving her blinking and breathless.

"Well, uh, thank you for tea, Malfoy," she finally managed to say.

Malfoy smirked, leaning in again. "Call me Draco," he whispered against her lips, giving her a slow kiss.

She took a deep breath when he stepped away. "Right, Draco." She smiled shakily. "Call me Hermione."

Draco grinned. "Goodbye, Hermione."

Hermione nearly stumbled out the door, still off balance. Oh Merlin. Ginny's definitely going to win that bet.

She Disapparated with the feeling of Draco's lips imprinted on hers.

AN: How would you guys feel about some outtakes from some characters that aren't Harry/Hermione/Draco? There are some floating around in my head that I might post after the main story is wrapped up.

Please review!