Disclaimer: Harry Potter and related characters are the property of J.K. Rowling. No copyright infringement intended.

a/n: Sorry for the delay everyone. I just haven't had the motivation to write. However, the past week, after hearing the great news of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix being released on June 21,2003, I had my motivation! J

Chapter 7

Grudging Respect

            "Sweetie! What are you doing here? I thought you wouldn't be able to join us until dinner!" Hermione exclaimed, as she quickly got out of her seat and wrapped her arms lovingly around Draco's neck. Draco, in turn, gently placed a kiss on her forehead, with his arms around her waist.

            "Dr. Monroe got back from his vacation a day early. Apparently, it was raining nonstop in Hawaii and it just wouldn't let up. Decided to just go back to work and told me to take the rest of the day off," Draco explained.

            Meanwhile, during their loving display of affection, Ron took this opportunity to size up his competition. Height-wise, Draco grew about a couple of inches since they'd left Hogwarts. He was around Harry's height, tall but just a little shorter than Ron. His frame was still slender, which was crucial when he used to play as Seeker for Slytherin. However, the present Draco had now bulked up just a little bit. As for his hair, it was still blonde as ever, but not as gelled back as it used to be. His jaw line was more chiseled and he had crow's feet wrinkles. But none of these surprised Ron. He figured Draco had bulked up a bit because maybe he worked out during the week, lack of gelled hair due to being so busy from the hospital, and the wrinkles from the stress of working. However, when he looked at Draco's eyes, he found that they weren't the same. They didn't house malice, greed, contempt, or jealousy. Instead, Ron saw in them peace and contentment. Where was the bastard he had known at Hogwarts? He kept staring at Draco's eyes until he realized that they were staring back at him and blinked.

            "Hello, Weas – sorry – I mean, hello, Ron," greeted Draco. For a second there, Ron was convinced the Draco he knew came back, until Draco offered his hand, requesting a handshake. Ron looked at Draco's hand, then looked at Hermione who silently said 'It's ok', looked at Draco, and then awkwardly shook his hand, letting go as quickly as he could.

            After this rather strange moment, Draco pulled back the seat for Hermione before he himself sat down. He must've noticed the suspicious yet curious looks that Ron was sending his way because all of a sudden he let out a hearty laugh. This made Ron even more curious.

            "Oh, Ron Weasley, would you just relax?!," Draco asked, still chuckling. "I won't bite."

            "You sure about that? The Draco Malfoy I knew would've gone out of his way to make other people's lives miserable," Ron retorted and crossed his arms across his chest.

            "Yes, well, that was then. Now my business is to go out of my way to save people with miserable lives," Draco answered. "I don't know if Hermione here has told you yet, but I now work as a docwizard."

            "Hermione told me earlier. Bit of a shock, really. I mean, who could ever imagine you as a docwizard?" Hermione glared at Ron, warning him to watch what he says.

            "Ha! Certainly not me, that's for sure! I always thought I'd end up following my father's footsteps and become a Death Eater," replied Draco. A few people around their table turned their heads to look at Draco.

            "Draco, don't say those words!" Hermione said at a whisper.

            "What? DEATH EATER?," Draco said loudly and deliberately. He knew more people would turn their heads around. He just laughed about it.

            Hermione gave Draco a stern look. "Oh, for crying out loud! I'm Lucius Malfoy's heir – not Lucius Malfoy himself," declared Draco while shaking his head.

            "But people are never going to believe you're a docwizard, Draco, if you keep joking around about Death Eaters like that!" She sighed. "Honestly!"

            "Oh alright. I'm sorry, honey," apologized Draco, stroking Hermione's hand.

            Ron couldn't help but roll his eyes. He felt like throwing up. Less than ten minutes and he had already seen two disturbing public displays of affection from Draco. He started thinking of ways to get out of this absurd mini reunion. But just then, Draco started talking to him.

            "So…Ron…how you been these past few years? I know that you played for the Cannons for a couple of seasons but what happened after that?"

            "You really expect me to have a conversation with you?!"

            "Look, I know I was a bit cruel --" Draco began to say.

            "A bit cruel? There's an understatement for you. Try these instead – pompous jerk, jackass, condescending smug git…" Ron went on.

            "Okay, okay, I get the point! I was a bastard, I know. I understand it's hard for people to believe that I've changed, but I really have," Draco replied in a suddenly much more serious tone.

            Ron noticed his sudden change of tone and to this he had no rebuttal. The three of them sat in silence for a while until the witchtress that had first attended to Ron came to their table, eyeing Draco. Hermione caught her eye, however, and gave her one of those You-better-not-be-looking-at-my-man looks. Eventually, the witchtress, whose name was Audrey, looked away.

            "Are you all ready to order lunch now?" Audrey said sweetly and winking at Ron.

            "Uhh…yes…I think some lunch would be great right about now," Ron replied. Ron, Draco, Hermione each asked for butterbeer to drink.

            "I'll have the chicken Caesar salad, please," said Hermione.

            "I will have the Special Roast Beef Sandwich," Draco and Ron both said simultaneously. They both looked at each other, finding it curious that they both ordered the same thing.

            "Well, Ron, it seems we have the same tastes in sandwiches."

            "Yeah," Ron replied with a small grin. He looked at Hermione for a second and thought, We seem to have the same tastes in women as well.

            Audrey collected their menus and told them their food would be appearing in about five minutes. Soon enough, their food appeared out the air and were in front of them. The butterbeer Audrey had to deliver herself.

            While they ate, Draco still kept up a conversation, especially with Ron. Ron didn't want to keep talking to Draco, but he didn't want to be rude. Even if he wanted to be rude, it was impossible because Draco was, Ron hated to admit, actually NICE.

            "How's your family, Ron?"

            "They're quite fine, thanks. Bill still works for Gringotts but he was relocated to the New York branch. Charlie still tames dragons in Romania. Percy is working at the Ministry and he's now married to Penelope Clearwater. She's pregnant with their first child actually."

            "That's fantastic! Percy must be ecstatic!" exclaimed Hermione.

            "Yes, but he's more nervous than ecstatic."

            "What about Fred and George? And Ginny?" inquired Draco.

            "Well, Fred and George own their own joke shop now. In fact, I work there as a manager. As for Ginny, she and Harry are still an off-and-on couple. Only God knows where that's going."

            "Interesting."

            "Well, how about you, Draco? Why did you become a docwizard? It's still hard for me to believe that you are one," said Ron.

            Draco put down his sandwich and took a sip of his butterbeer. "Well, it all started at Hogwarts believe it or not, during our last year. As you know, both my parents died that year and I was left by myself. That summer was a nightmare for me. I never exactly admired my parents but at least I was never alone. But after they died, I felt so lonely, not having any family around. After a while I started blaming myself, for not being able to save them. If I had saved them, I wouldn't have been alone. And that's when I decided I wanted to learn how to save people. So I attended a medical school in France. Ever since then, Ron, my value for people's lives has increased tremendously."

            By this time Ron could hardly open his mouth. He was speechless, to say the least. It was one thing to hear this from Hermione, but from Draco himself was different. He really wasn't quite sure what he was feeling. Could it be possible? Could he feel this way about Draco? It was irritating, but Ron had come to the conclusion; he now had a grudging respect for Draco Malfoy.

a/n: sorry it's a bit short!

BookSmartBrilliance: Thank you sooo much for the support, help, and persisting on asking me how the chapter was going! Audrey, the witchtress, is named for you of course! LoL

Potty For Potter: I took your advice from one of your earlier reviews and named the witchtress Audrey. Satisfied? LoL J