My Flufftober 2022 contribution for the prompt : Reunion.
I'm sorry for the mistakes, English is not my native language. I hope you like it.
Disclaimer : Harry Potter belongs to J. K. Rowling.
There Are Some Lucky Coincidences
Hermione got out of her car and headed for the restaurant, Laurel's. The whole Granger family was getting together for her grandparents' wedding anniversary. They had decided to celebrate the event in the most prominent restaurant in London and had reserved a table for the occasion. Hermione entered the restaurant and immediately understood why the waiting list was so long. They led her to her table, where her parents, some of her cousins and her aunt were waiting. When her mother saw her arrive, she approached her and kissed her.
"I'm glad you come," her mother said.
"I wouldn't have missed this for the world."
Her mother smiled. It was not rare for Hermione to be unable to go to a family reunion. Her work was taking all her time and Hermione knew that if she wanted to get the promotion she hoped for, she had to work harder. The rest of her family and her grandparents arrived. Dinner began. Her grandparents seemed really happy with their party. But Hermione could not help thinking about this new client she had to defend. It was a case that could change everything in her career and she should not make any mistakes. Hermione looked at her watch, wondering if she still had time to reread her files.
"Hermione."
Hermione snapped out of her thoughts and looked at her mother.
"Tonight, you're not thinking about work."
"You're right, sorry."
Hermione picked up her drink and took a sip. Suddenly she saw a blond man near the exit. She frowned, thinking that she knew him. From where she was, she could not see his face. Yet, the way he held himself was familiar. For a second, she thought of Draco Malfoy. But she quickly told herself that it was impossible. It had been almost ten years since she had seen him and it would have been surprising to meet him in a muggle restaurant. It was just a man who looked like him.
~00~
The next day, Hermione went to the Laurel again. She had been looking for her cellphone all morning. Whether in her apartment or at her office, she could not to find it. The only other place she had been the night before was the restaurant. She did not need her cellphone for work, she privileged wizard modes of communication, but it was the only way she had to keep in touch with her parents and the rest of her family. Hermione opened the door and a waitress approached her.
"I'm sorry," she said softly. "But we are not open yet."
"Excuse me, but I think I forgot my cellphone last night."
While the waitress went to get Hermione's cellphone, she looked around the room. She had not really had time to do it the night before. She heard the door to the kitchens. Hermione expected to see the waitress coming back with her cellphone. Instead, the blond man she had seen the day before arrived from the kitchen, accompanied by the chef. Hermione let out a gasp of surprise when she recognized Draco Malfoy. It was him she had seen. But what was he doing here ? For a moment, she told herself that she should just forget about her cellphone and leave the restaurant. He had not noticed her and she did not want to see him. She considered the options she had, when the waitress returned.
"Excuse me for keeping you waiting," she said, handing her the cellphone.
It caught the two men's attention. Draco opened his eyes wide.
"Granger !" He exclaimed.
Hermione greeted him. What else could she do ? It was too late to run away. Besides, they were adults now and they had left Hogwarts a long time ago. The chef approached her, smiling and shook her hand. He was very tall. He had warm blue eyes, gray hair, and a big mustache. He must have been fifty-five.
"Are you Draco's friend ?" he asked.
"Just acquaintances," Draco replied, approaching. "We were in the same school."
Just acquaintances, Hermione thought. Before the war, he had made sure to spend part of his time making her life and her friends', a living hell. But Hermione just nodded, not wanting to dwell on this conversation.
"I see," the chef said.
There was a glimmer in his eyes that Hermione recognized. It was the same glimmer a wizard had when he recognized her, or recognized Harry and Ron. She wondered if this man was a wizard. Draco ended the conversation.
"It's time for me to go. Glad to see you Granger."
He was indifferent and he gave her a polite nod of greeting.
"See you later Jo," he told the chef.
He smiled warmly and said :
"See you later, son."
This simple sentence surprised Hermione. Were the two men so close ? Draco greeted the waitress and left the restaurant. The chef, Jo, looked at her and said :
"It was nice to meet you miss."
He returned to the kitchen. Hermione took her cellphone and left the restaurant. She returned to her car and waited a few minutes before driving off. She though back to this unreal encounter she had just had. What were the chances of meeting Draco Malfoy in this restaurant ? And more importantly, what was he doing in the muggle world ? When the trials had taken place after the war, Draco and his mother had avoided Azkaban, unlike Lucius, thanks to Harry's testimony. But it had been decided that Narcissa had to spend a year on probation and was forbidden to leave Malfoy Manor. As for her son, he had to live a year without magic among Muggles, without any contact with the wizarding world. Hermione had thought that once his sentence ended, Draco would have rushed into the wizarding world, not wanting to be near Muggles anymore. She started her car, telling herself that all this had nothing to do with her and that she would not see him again.
~00~
A week had passed and her encounter with Draco was just a memory that Hermione had quickly forgotten. She had decided to visit Ginny and spend the afternoon with her friend. She had so much work lately, that she had neglected her friends and she wanted to redeem herself. Ginny poured her another cup of tea, while James had fun coloring in a coloring book Hermione had given him. Albus, who was only five months old, was sleeping upstairs. Hermione took a sip of her tea and Ginny said :
"A friend of mine told me about this fashionable muggle restaurant. Apparently there are those restaurant all over the country. Since she went there, she only talks about that. I would love to go, I feel like it's been ages since we've spent an evening alone with Harry."
"Which restaurant is it?" Hermione asked.
"The Laurel's. Isn't that restaurant where your grandparents celebrated their anniversary ?"
Hermione almost choked and coughed.
"I don't think it's a good idea to go there," she said.
"Why ?"
Hermione told her about her encounter with Draco a week ago. Ginny frowned, thinking about what her friend had just told her. Hermione continued her story.
"What was strange was that he seemed to know the staff. Maybe he works there."
"That would be surprising from Malfoy. I don't see him working in a restaurant. Above all in a muggle restaurant."
Ginny drank some tea and said :
"It is true that no one has heard of him since his trial. It's as if he had completely disappeared."
After another sip of tea Ginny changed the subject and explained to her friend all the preparations she had made for James's birthday party and Hermione's encounter with Draco became an anecdote.
~00~
It was raining in torrents in the streets of London. Hermione tried to shield herself the best she could with her jacket. She cursed herself for not thinking to take an umbrella. She felt like she had been waiting for the bus for hours and she hoped to see it arrive soon. She knew she could apparate home. Some wizards did not understand why she bothered to take the bus, like Ron for example. But it was important for her to continue to live like muggles, even if her friends and her work were in the wizarding world, she found a balance to live between both worlds.
A shadow passed over her head and the rain no longer touched her. She looked up and saw an umbrella shielding her. Draco was next to her and he was holding the umbrella. Hermione looked at him, surprised. He smirked.
"Twice in a short time," he said. "Looks like you follow me."
"I could tell you the same."
"I live in the neighborhood."
Hermione had been taking that bus to go home for years. During all this time, they had perhaps crossed paths without knowing it.
"I'm waiting for the bus to go home," Hermione said.
Draco gave him a funny look. The same one all the wizards gave her her when she told them she preferred to take public transport. Sometimes, she felt as if she had announced that Voldemort had just been reincarnated. The bus arrived and Hermione thanked Draco. She got on the bus and sat down. She looked out the window and saw him disappear through the London crowd.
~00~
It was not rare for Hermione to run into Draco on a London street in the days that followed, especially when she was waiting for the bus and he was going home. Their conversations were simple and brief. Just a sign to greet each other politely or a few words when they had time. It was strange, Hermione thought. They had known each other for years and yet it was as if all that time they had hated each other had disappeared. Time had passed and they were adults. The war had changed Hermione and so had Draco. She wondered why he had decided to live among muggles. She still had a little trouble imagining him outside of the wizarding world.
Hermione looked out the large windows of the reception room. Night had fallen. She had accepted the invitation of one of her clients who had organized a party. She had not dared to refuse, but she was beginning to regret to accept it. She did not know anyone and she had not eaten today, she was starving. She tried to satisfy her hunger with a few petit fours, but nothing helped. On the top of that, her new shoes made her live a living hell. She told herself that it was time for her to leave. She had stayed long enough to be polite and it was not like anyone would miss her. She ate a few petit fours before leaving when she heard someone calling her name. She swallowed the petit four with difficulty, ashamed that someone had seen her pounce on the buffet. She turned around and saw Draco who was amused to have surprised her in this situation. Why ? She wondered. Why did he have to be the one who surprised her ?
"I haven't eaten today," she tried to make excuses.
Draco nodded and took some petit fours. They did not talk. Hermione felt uneasy. What could she say to him ? It was not like they were friends. She thought about what she could say. Anything that can break that silence. Eventually she said the first thing that came into her mind :
"I didn't know you knew the host."
"Not personally. It was Jo who should have been here, but he got held up. He asked me to replace him."
A new silence took over.
"I think we've put enough in an appearance," Draco said. "And you need a real meal."
"We can't leave like this!"
"Why ? Nobody pays attention to us."
Hermione looked around and indeed, no one was looking at them.
"Come on. I invite you."
Hermione accepted. She told herself there was nothing wrong to have dinner together. They left the building and walked in the streets of London. Hermione recognized the way to the Laurel. After a few minutes, they reached their destination. The lights inside the restaurant were off, meaning there had been no sitting that evening. Draco opened the door with the key he had. He asked Hermione in and turned on the lights. He turned a chair over that was on a table and asked Hermione to sit down. He laid the table for two. Hermione watched him and noticed that he was in his element, as if he had been doing it for years. Then, he headed for the kitchens. It was new questioning to add to the Draco Malfoy mystery. Since seeing him again, Hermione had asked herself hundreds of questions about the man he had become. He had changed a lot. But that was normal after all these years. Draco returned a few minutes later, two dishes in his hands, he put it on the table. It was a dish of spaghetti with a sauce, but it looked like like a chef's dish. The aroma was delicious, which only whetted her appetite. She tasted the dish and opened her eyes wide. She never thought it would be so good.
"Surprise ?" Draco asked.
Hermione nodded.
"I didn't know you could cook."
"It's thanks to Jo. He taught me everything."
They continued to eat dinner in silence, until Hermione decided to break it. She told herself that if she wanted answers to her questions, it was now or never.
"You and Jo are close, aren't you?"
"Since I know him, he has always acted like a father to me."
Hermione hoped he would open up a bit more.
"What happened after your trial ? If I'm not indiscreet."
Draco put down his fork and his gaze was faraway, as if he was remembering the past few years. Hermione thought she had made a mistake. She should never have asked him that question. It would not have surprised her if he started insulting her and telling her to mind her own business. But unexpectedly, Draco took a deep breath and told her his story :
"As you know it, I narrowly avoided Azkaban thanks to Potter. But I had to live a year in the muggle world with the prohibition to use magic. I had been entitled to a certain amount of money and an apartment that looked more like a closet without any comfort. The first few weeks were hell. The first days, I spent them locked up at home. I was afraid of this strange world which I knew nothing about. How ironic, isn't it ? Draco Malfoy who was afraid to be with muggles. In a short time, the money started to run out, I couldn't find a job, I almost found myself on the street. And when I thought I never would get out of it, I met Jo."
He stopped talking for a moment. Hermione did not dare to say a word.
"Jo is a wizard. He settled into the muggle world after his wife passed away, it was a few years before Voldemort's return. Her name was Laurel. Even if he already knew what happened during the war, he listened to my story. Unexpectedly, he offered me a job in his restaurant. He taught me everything, from sitting to cooking. As the years went by, with his talent as a cook and my business sense that I inherited from my father, we opened several restaurants all over the country."
At the end of his story, Hermione thought about what he had just said. She never imagined that his year in the muggle world could be so difficult.
"You never went back to the wizarding world ?" Hermione asked.
"Once," he replied. "As soon as the year was over, I went to Diagon Alley."
He smiled, but it was not a happy smile. It was rather bitter as if he was remembering an unpleasant memory.
"The looks of hate people were giving me. Some insults I heard. No matter what I do, for them, I will always be a Death Eater. Since then, I haven't returned to the wizarding world, except to the manor to visit my mother. At least among muggles I was able to start over. My life is here now."
Without thinking about what she was doing Hermione put her hand on Draco's. He squeezed it. Apart from Jo, he had not told anyone what had happened to him. Not even to Narcissa, whom he had not wanted to worry. He finally had the impression of being taken a weight off his mind.
~00~
Walking in the park, with Albus in his stroller and James in Hermione's arms, Ginny glanced at her friend. She had noticed that she looked less stressed and she was smiling more. She wondered if this sudden good mood had something to do with a former Slytherin. Hermione had told her that she had seen Draco several times since their improvise dinner at the restaurant. Even if Hermione refused to admit it to herself, Ginny knew that she was beginning to have feelings for him. Hermione said he had changed, without going into details. But Ginny had trouble trusting him. It was stronger than her. She did not want her friend to be miserable and she refused that Draco hurt her by using her. Even if Hermione said he apologized for what he did at Hogwarts, Ginny wanted to check it for herself. She had decided to go to the restaurant the next day.
Ginny observed the place. She quickly understood why this restaurant was the new fashionable place. A waiter approached her and sat her down at a table. At this time of day, the restaurant was rather full of businessmen who had a business lunch or friends who met before going back to work. She ordered and had lunch. Everything was delicious. When the bill was brought to her, she asked :
"Is Draco Malfoy here today?"
The waitress nodded.
"Could you tell him that an old friend from school would like to see him."
The waitress said that she would fetch him. After a few minutes, Ginny saw Draco arrive from the kitchens. He had a slight movement of surprise when he saw her, but quickly pulled himself together. He walked over to the table and smiled to hide that he was feeling uncomfortable.
"Ginny Weasley. I should have known a Gryffindor would come here one day."
"It's Ginny Potter now. But please, sit down."
Draco sat opposite Ginny and she was enjoying his lack of confidence. It was the first time she had seen him like this.
"I guess Hermione spoke to you," he said.
"Hermione is my best friend, she tells me everything. So listen to me. If you hurt her, if you make her cry, I will make you regret it."
"I have no intention of hurting her."
Ginny nodded and rose from her chair. She looked at him one last time. She could feel Draco's gaze on her until she left.
~00~
After spending the evening together, Draco and Hermione had decided to enjoy the streets of London. Draco could not help chuckling at the thought of Ginny. Hermione looked at him, surprised.
"It's nothing," he said. "It's just that I was thinking about a red tornado that came to the restaurant today."
Hermione opened her eyes wide, horrified that this red tornado could be her friend.
"Don't tell me it was Ginny ?"
Draco nodded. Hermione paled as she imagined what Ginny might have done or said. She should have known that she would have tried to meet Draco.
"What did she want?" Hermione asked almost shyly.
"Oh, you know, the usual things."
He cleared his throat and tried to imitate the menacing look Ginny had given him.
"If you hurt my friend, you will regret it."
He laughed lightly.
"She can be really scary when she wants to."
Hermione cursed Ginny. Why ? Why had she done that ? Could not she trust her when she told her that Draco had changed. She apologized for Ginny's behavior.
"She cares a lot about you," Draco said. "She worries about the relationship we may have."
That was no need, Hermione thought. Even if she would certainly have done the same for her friend. Suddenly, Hermione realized what she was refusing to admit to herself. And Ginny had probably figured that out a long time ago. She felt something for Draco that was much stronger than friendship. She stopped walking and looked at Draco.
"And you, what do you think ? What kind of relationship do we have ?"
"I think we can say for certain that we are friends. I even think that we are becoming more than friends."
"Really ?" Hermione smiled.
Draco nodded and took her hand. Their fingers intertwined.
"I'd also like to know where this might take us," he said.
"I would like to know too."
They got closer and kissed. It was just a coincidence that they met again one evening in a restaurant. But sometimes, there are some lucky coincidences.
The end