"Just wear the dress!" Ginny stared intently into the tiny mirror trying hard to clip earrings into her tiny earlobe while Hermione was digging through her packed clothes in her beaded bag.
"I can't wear a dress to a dinner with people who are touring the house!" Hermione grabbed a fistful of cloth and yanked, another pair of jeans fell out next to the other. Harry had already left; apparently he and Draco had some business to discuss and this was the perfect time. It was fine, Hermione was a mess anyway and having a gleeful Ginny and mildly entertained Harry was more than she could handle.
Ginny stayed with Hermione to help her get ready, because she needed the help. She had packed slouchy sweaters and tees, jeans and sweatpants and pyjamas, but nothing to have dinner with Draco Malfoy beside a dress she had worn to the ball at the Vie ; and it was only there for safe keeping because the thing wouldn't fit in her too full closet.
A big white dress that Ginny was insisting she wear.
"Ok, I know you think I love him-" Hermione stuffed the dress back into the beaded bag, her arm disappearing up to her elbow.
"You do-" Ginny interjected.
"But that doesn't mean I just show up in what's basically a wedding dress saying I do to a question he never asked, on top of which, it's been weeks since I misjudged him and turned him down. Then I thought he was engaged-" Hermione rambled as she grabbed fistfulls of sweater to comfort herself, pulling them to her chest. "Who's to say he feels the same way still? That he-"
"He said 'love' Hermione-" Ginny rolled her eyes as she turned, tucking her hair behind her ear to stare at Hermione.
"-feels the s- love doesn't mean anything!" Hermione grumbled.
"-and love doesn't just go away ." Ginny gestured in the air above her head. Ginny's eyes opened wide, dawning realisation warped her face as her mouth fell open. "Merlin's beard. You love him."
Hermione dropped the sweaters. "I do not!"
"Okay, well tonight is gonna be interesting Mione! Thank you for the entertainment." Ginny walked to Hermione now, grabbing at the sweaters and holding them up one by one. "I have a dress-" Hermione sputtered, "-no, like a regular cocktail dress- you can borrow."
"Does it have to be a dress?" Hermione buried her face in her hands.
"Hermione, dinner is in thirty minutes. You either go in your comfy clothes, my dress, or naked. And I'm sure I know at least one person who would like that last option." Ginny winked at Hermione who shoved Ginny away before the redhead turned to her trunk and summoned a neatly folded piece of cloth.
"You can wear a cardigan over it. If you absolutely must be modest." Ginny rolled her eyes and summoned what Hermione assumed was a cardigan.
Hermione was surprised at how well the dress fit, was pleased that it fell to just above her knees and went with her sneakers, and liked that the cardigan was an option because something about baring her shoulders in the Malfoy Manor made her feel vulnerable.
A little black dress never went wrong, at least the muggle magazines she read on slow days in her parents' dentist office had that right.
Ginny braided her hair into one big, loose, french braid and they walked with the other guests to the Manor. Hermione was relieved to see everyone else wearing jeans and their regular clothing, Ginny squeezed her arm to comfort her.
"I hope everyone enjoys dinner tonight. Thank you all for not- forgive me- freaking out when I said Mr Malfoy would be hosting us after all." Nilla said as they walked along the gravel pathway, mismatched tempos of crunchy footsteps echoing into the semi darkness of the torchlit way. It occurred to Hermione that Nilla had to be a few years older than they were but couldn't help but feel a little envious at her job.
"Oh yup," Ginny leaned into Hermione's ear. "We're freaking , alright."
Hermione pinched her arm.
A house elf greeted them and guided them to the dining room, Hermione didn't remember the room from earlier and must have missed it due to her early exit.
"Please, misses and misters, sit wherever you is liking." The little house elf squeaked before bowing a little and sidling out the door. Hermione and Ginny looked around, hoping to find Harry. They took a moment too long because there were only four unoccupied seats at the end of the table where they could sit together, Ginny, Hermione, and Harry. The dining table was massive, and could seat up to twenty people by the looks of it. And neither end had a head chair. Hermione found it curious.
"Should we try to find Harry?" Hermione leaned into Ginny so she wasn't overheard.
"Why? Worried your boyfriend killed mine?" Ginny grinned.
"I swear-"
"Mr Malfoy!" Nilla said in a too high pitched voice. She stood suddenly, hitting the table and wincing, though smiling all the way through it.
"Nilla. Thank you for having me." Draco smiled and Hermione felt her heart throb in her chest. He was so fucking charming, what the fuck. Nilla laughed and swatted at the air.
"Always the joker, Mr Malfoy. Thank you for joining us on such short notice." Nilla sat as Draco, to Hermione's horror and Harry's absolute delight, walked to the end of the table where Hermione and Ginny were sitting. Hermione also realised she was so struck by Draco's smile and charm, she hadn't even noticed her other best mate walk in behind him.
Ginny would never let her hear the end of it.
"I took no part in planning tonight's meal. All the credit goes to my house elves, they love treating guests to their best whenever there is a tour." Draco placed his elbows on the table and rested his chin on the back of his hands. A strand of his blond hair dropped into his eyes and Hermione wanted to sweep it aside. His eyes flickered to her for a brief second and Hermione swore she stopped breathing.
She felt disappointment seep in when he didn't look at her for the rest of the dinner, instead, he answered questions and laughed at guests' jokes. He served others, with his magic, and Hermione found him to be so selfless, she felt like she was looking at an alien, someone else in Draco Malfoy's body.
Seeing him like this, smiling and laughing with mostly strangers in his home, his Pure Blood home, was doing all kinds of things to her chest. Her pulse had sped up whenever his gaze glided over her and skipped when he never looked at her. She found herself irritated and she felt words rising in her throat with no idea what she would say.
"Draco." Hermione was surprised it was his name. The table chatter continued but Draco's eyes did what she hoped it would and locked onto her. She smiled. "I just wanted to say I'm looking forward to the library."
Draco swallowed slowly, and Hermione was satisfied with the way his gaze followed her exposed neck, to the dip in the dress's neckline before returning to her eyes and holding her stare. Hermione barely managed to hide her smile, and Draco's cheeks immediately got blotchy.
"Uh-" He cleared his throat. "Yea, it's no problem."
Harry and Ginny were both grinning but Hermione ignored them and kept her focus on Draco. She aimed for Ginny's foot under the table and stomped, Ginny to her credit, didn't make a sound.
"It's just, I've read about it-" Hermione continued, because she wanted more of Draco's eyes on her.
"Of course you've read about a library-" Ginny smirked and Hermione stomped again.
"-and it's such an old collection, so I can't tell you how excited I am." Hermione smiled sweetly at Draco. She felt clueless, she didn't know to flirt. Was she flirting? Fuck.
"It's gone unused for years." Draco smiled a little now, his nerves settling. Hermione was pleased that he seemed nervous.
"You don't use the library?" Hermione tilted her head to the side.
Draco looked at Hermione curiously. He opened his mouth to answer, but at the same moment, a woman was calling on Draco, asking a question about the Manor. Draco looked all too relieved to rip his eyes from Hermione and focus on something else.
There was the familiar sense of disappointment washing over her again and she stabbed at the pink lamb with her fork. Ginny leaned her shoulder against Hermione's.
"I think you broke my toe, you witch." Ginny murmured.
"Good thing there's a spell for broken toes." Hermione murmured back.
"You need practice with flirting." Ginny teased.
"You think I don't know that?" Hermione covered her face with her hands and groaned softly.
"I swear, Malfoy looked like you hexed him." Ginny giggled.
"Can this day be over please."
"But you have to visit the library ." Ginny was smiling so wide, Hermione knew it must be hurting her cheeks. "With Draco ."
"Please shut up." Hermione felt her face go red. "Forever. Please shut up forever."
"Draco," Harry's voice saying his name so casually caught Hermione's attention and she glanced up. "Did you hear about that bloke who kept trying to clean his earwax with his wand?"
"Oh, that idiot." Draco was looking at Harry with amusement. "What did you do again? You had to magically remove a build up of earwax because his magic was multiplying it? He thought he had a bit of his wand stuck in there, huh?"
Harry slapped the table laughing. "It was so disgusting. We were gonna take him to St Mungo's but the idiot kept grabbing at our wands to stick into his ear again. And stunning the idiot would have meant more paperwork."
"Are you saying you had less paperwork by performing a medical procedure yourself?" Draco asked incredulously. He looked so entertained, Hermione added his expression to a list of things she didn't know about Draco. Because yes, she had started making a list.
"All I put on the damned report was I had no idea it was considered medical because it was bloody earwax." Harry laughed, his green eyes sparkling in the low light of the chandelier candles. Ginny's face had twisted upon the mention of earwax.
"Harry, why do you always have to tell that story while we're eating." Ginny groaned, then grinned. "But did you tell him that the guy wanted to keep it?"
Harry's face lit up. "He wanted to preserve it or something." Harry passed his hand through his hair, rubbing his scalp and leaving it in its usual wild windswept way. "Said something about possibly starting a candle making business, ear wax scented."
"Bloody hell, who did he think would want to buy those?" Draco's eyebrows shot upward in surprise, disgust, and genuine confusion.
"Trolls probably would." Ginny offered. "If they used wizarding money."
Hermione stared at the three of them, friends. Conversing and laughing like they were back in the common rooms and never once hated each other.
"Nilla." Draco called to the front of the table, all of the occupants fell quiet to listen. "Why is it the tour never stayed in the guest wing of the Manor?"
Hermione ignored the rapid thumps inside her ribcage.
"Oh! It was part of the experience, using the meadow and camping. You get such a great view of the Manor, plus we don't impose on your family." Nilla was blushing and Hermione tried not to feel jealous.
"Goose!" Draco said calmly. A small pop announced Goose's arrival. He was wearing a different waistcoat, still too large falling all the way to his knees, and his hair was various degrees of black and grey, darkened by soot.
"Yes, Master Draco." Goose said as he bowed slightly.
"Can you have the guest wing ready, with-" Draco glanced around then looked at Nilla.
"Seven rooms." Nilla finally said, she seemed to have become momentarily stunned by either being put on the spot or being looked at intently by Draco, Hermione suspected the latter because of the pink in her cheeks.
"Seven rooms." Draco finished with a smile at Goose who glowed up at Draco before nodding.
"Eight. I don't want to share with Gin and Harry." Hermione blurted. She immediately wanted to sink into the chair and under the table, everyone's eyes whipped to her. Draco chuckled softly.
"Eight rooms, Goose." Draco amended. "And breakfast for our guests before they leave."
"Oh what a treat!" Nilla exclaimed, still blushing. "We usually get food at the Inn in the nearest town before we end the tour."
"I'll be sure to send him some compensation for taking away his business." Draco looked a little sorry and hopeful at the same time. "If you chose to stay, of course." His eyes drifted to Hermione and she felt heat bloom in her stomach and downward. She thought it looked like his eyes had momentarily begun to undress her. For fuck's sake, you're in a room with strangers.
"Free meal and warm beds?" Ginny quipped. "Who could say no? Plus, there's library tours to be had." Ginny whispered to Hermione who blinked and broke eye contact with Draco before he read her thoughts on her face.
"Thank you Mr Malfoy! You're being so generous." Nilla was saying again, excitement raising the pitch of her voice to a shrill.
"Our stuff-" An old woman said, worry deepening her wrinkles.
"I'll have my staff collect your things, with your permission of course. In the meantime, we can retreat to the drawing room until we're all settled?" Draco stood, pushing the chair back with his knees.
"Oh, I loved the drawing room. It was so bright this morning, it felt like a greenhouse." The old woman smiled, her jowls quivering.
"I had it remodelled. I didn't like it before." Draco stood at the door, holding it open for everyone as they stood and steadied themselves, before walking into the corridor and crowding there, having forgotten the way to the Drawing Room. Nilla led the way and Harry, Ginny, Hermione and Draco trailed behind.
"You remodelled it?" Hermione glanced at him before looking forward again.
"I didn't like its history." Draco's voice was quiet. Hermione was curious now to see the change. Her mouth tugged up in the corners a little, though she felt a little sad as memories threatened to drown her.
"Thank you." She whispered.
Draco simply smiled.