A/n: sorry this took long, but the previous chapter doesn't count cause it was sort've just an Authors note thing.

Chapter 12: Starting over

Hermione felt awkward that day she was meeting Malfoy. Draco Malfoy, the egotistic Draco Malfoy, who hurt her and always pushed her and her friends around during her years at Hogwarts. It's unbelievable how she found herself forgiving him.

It's just going to be today, she thought, just to let him know how I appreciate him saving me.

She took her time walking to the ice cream parlour, where they decided to meet.

Calm down, it's just Malfoy, at that thought, her heart jumped. She walked up to the Ice cream parlour and noticed that he was already waiting for her.

"Hello," she smiled.

"Hi," he stood up to shake her hand, "You ready?"

Hermione nodded slowly as he gathered his coat and let her sit down on his seat. Hermione found herself raising one brow, thinking, Malfoy's a gentleman????????? And many question marks.

He sat down across from her and nobody was talking.

"So," they said in unison.

"Malfoy-" Hermione looked at him with curiousity, "Do you think maybe—maybe we can start over?"

He gave a slight shrug, "Sounds fair to me," he grinned, "I'm Malfoy. Call me Draco," he stuck out his hand and Hermione couldn't help but smile widely.

"Hermione Granger" she shook his hand gently. His hands were rough as though he's been working around a lot.

"So, Hermione- up for a sundae?" his smile made Hermione's spine shiver.

"That'll be nice!"

"Alright," he smiled again showing his teeth while he hinted the lady who took orders. She came eventually and asked for them to order.

"So was it Potter and Weasleys, you were with the other day?" he asked, just as the lady left to retrieve their order.

"Oh....yeah," Hermione replied, wondering how he knew she was with them because as she remembered clearly, he was staring somewhere else.

He laughed a little, "I bet they were a little disturbed to see you walk over here and talk to a Malfoy, were they?"

Hermione tried to hide her pink cheeks, "No...well, they didn't really know."

Draco nodded slowly, "I see."

Eventually, the lady got back with their order.

"Thank you very much," Hermione told her, as Draco nodded politely.

"So, um, Mal—Draco..." she ate her cherry on her sundae, "what do you do?"

"Well," he said in a deep voice, "I've gotten a job at my father's office, at the Ministry of Magic of course."

Hermione stopped herself from rolling her eyes with a slightly frigid look on her face, as she saw him wear

a triumphant look.

"Ministry of Magic?" she smirked, "I work at the Office of House-ReLocation,"

"Nice," he slurped the ice cream from his spoon, "Looks like you've accomplished your dream." He

followed with a wink.

Hermione nodded, "I guess." Nobody talked for about two seconds. It was awkward, because this was

probably the very first time Hermione and Draco ever had a decent conversation ever since Hogwarts.

"Any Quidditch business for you?" she remembered he was the Slytherin Seeker in school.

"Actually, I have a part time job at the Quidditch Supply store," he smirked, "Yeah, no other Quidditch

related things other than that. I've tried out for a private team near my home though, but I don't know what

the bloody hell happened to them. I haven't heard of them since a long time, actually"

"Oh, that's too bad..." she looked at him and realised he's changed a lot in looks. His hair was dirty blonde

and wasn't slicked back as much. His cold grey eyes were still the same, but they were more mysterious

and less filthy like a rich kiss-off.

And there was another silence. Malfoy suddenly broke it off, "So why?"

"Why what?" she looked at him after looking at her sundae for quite a while.

"Why did you do it?" Draco stopped eating his ice-cream, "Why did you return my necklace?"

Hermione gave out a small laugh, "Draco that was years ago-" then she noticed she used his first name.

"Besides, I never returned the necklace to you, I returned it to Harry. I thought it was his so-"

"But it was mine,"

"Yes, I know but-"

"You could've left with it,"

"Did you want me to?"

"Well..."

"It's not my fault I'm a nice girl,"

"No. I guess it's not." He smiled again.

"The question is," Hermione shifted around her chair, "Why did you do it?" she paused, "I mean- Blaise

Zabini- and the hat- and the—"

"You know the hat was your choice to return."

"But you purposely left it for me to return it back to you, didn't you?"

"What if I did?"

"Then you're still a fag, Draco Malfoy!"

Draco laughed, "What if I didn't?"

"Then –"

"...it was still your choice to return it,"

"Yes- but I'm pretty sure you wanted it back—then-"

"You still haven't changed, Granger," he beamed as they locked eyes.

...

A/n: Thanks for the reviews guys!! Sorry this took so long. I've been busy.
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