Hermione awoke later that morning upon the floor in Draco's arms she felt her cheek to feel dry tears upon it. Draco twitched a bit as he held her as he had done earlier that morning as she broke into an emotional outburst. However, he wasn't snoring. Hermione slowly got up without disturbing him and walked towards the bathroom down the hall. There she washed up a bit, and then headed toward the kitchen to make breakfast, she rummaged though the refrigerator looking for something to make, or at least something that she new how to make, like French toast, or eggs and bacon. But instead, she just closed the door, and looked through the pantries, for a pancake mix of some sort. But instead she bumped into a wand, probably Ron's, for it surely looked like it, with the cherry wood finish. Her eyes glittered; she could just use a little simple magic…just this once. However, as she grabbed for the wand, she felt two hands grab at her waist, and she jolted, flinging the wand in the air, it fell on the floor and then backfired, setting sparks across the white tiles of the kitchen floor.
" I suppose I scared you there, terribly sorry," said Draco ruffling his hair with his fingertips.
" Well you most certainly did, now look what you did!" Hermione lightly scolded as she pointed to Ron's wand, which was going haywire across the kitchen floor.
" Oh, that thing…." Draco laughed " I still don't know why it still hasn't er- how should I put it-why that thing still works!"
" What do you mean?" Hermione asked puzzled
" Oh, well me and Ron were re-doing the tiles in this kitchen, the muggle way. But we got kind of tired and Ron decided to take out his wand, however he accidentally dropped his blasted wand into the er- what's that stuff called- stucco!"
" That's the most pathetic story I have ever heard," Hermione said as she went to pick up the wand.
" I think I'll give it to Ron and he can donate it to Hogwarts," Draco took the wand from Hermione " There is a wand drive there- uh- for kids who can't afford them."
Hermione just looked at him with a blank face, uneasy about whether this statement was true or not, and didn't reply.
"Good-o my mates" Ron said as he was bustling into the room. " Gee Hermione you passed out like a light last night."
Hermione just looked at Draco and Ron as an awkward silence filled the room.
" Ron- please don't mention what happened last night, Hermione doesn't really like the way she acted at the bar." Whispered Draco.
" Well I surely enjoy your apartment," Hermione said trying to change the subject
" However- your offer of adding me as your roommate is very unlikely- where may I ask is my room?"
" Well- we can take the furniture in the office- or should I say the office and place it in that corner-" Ron pointed towards an empty section in front of the large window in at the end living room.
" And then you can move into the office." Draco said
" The office was really a bedroom at first though, because it has a bathroom also, just like all the other bedrooms in the house-but they are all smaller than the master bathroom." Ron informed
" I see you two planned this out…" Hermione paced in front of them
There was another grand pause through the small apartment.
" You know what- why don't we take you back to your apartment, get you back into some nice clean clothes- and then by the time we leave, we can go and have brunch, lunch or grab a coffee." Draco offered
" I think that's a great idea," Hermione said " After all this dress is getting a tad uncomfortable."
" Well- I think I should go get dressed in a T-shirt and some slacks" Ron said
" After all its only- what day is it Draco?"
" Uh- I think it is-er yes- its Sunday," Draco said to Ron
" Well then- Hermione do mind if Draco and I go get dressed?"
" I don't think that will take long-…here." Hermione took Ron's wand out of Draco's hand.
" Attiriosa!" Hermione mumbled as she pointed to Draco and Ron. With that Ron's pajamas changed to a black polo shirt, and slacks. As for Draco's t-shirt and sweat pants, they turned into and autumn sweater with some jeans. Hermione stood back and smiled at her dressing the two. In return, they just gave a faint smile grabbed their jackets that were flung upon the couch and proceeded out the door.
* * * * *
They arrived at Hermione's apartment at around eleven in the morning. Hermione went to her bedroom, and put on a simple red shirt and some black pants, which were quite long, so they covered the tops of her sneakers.
" I think we shall be going now" Hermione said to the both of them
" Were do you suggest we eat?" Draco asked Ron
" Anywhere…" Ron said as his stomach grumbled
It turned out that they went to Starbucks, and bought a couple cups of coffee, with a breakfast pastry to lower their hunger. Just as Ron was finishing his last sip of his coffee, he looked up at Hermione and saw her staring out of the window.
" What you looking at?" he joined her
" Nothing really, just staring into space…" Hermione mumbled as she rubbed her forehead.
" That's er- fun…" Ron replied sarcastically.
" What's fun?" Draco came over as he placed his arm over Hermione's shoulder and jerked her a bit over towards him as he whispered in her ear
" Er- I don't want to be rude but-uh…what are you looking at ?"
" She's just staring into space of course-" Ron boasted
" I can see that…" Draco dragged
" Er- I'm just thinking…" Hermione said in a scratchy voice
" Probably about your love Harry? Oh, stop thinking about him Hermione- him and Cho are fine…" Ron assured her
" No- it's just that I got and invitation to his wedding, and I found it in my purse…The day of the reunion…"
" Maybe Cho transported it to you…" Draco said sipping his coffee
" Yes, that could be a possibility-I mean she did remember that you had relations with Harry…" Ron said
" Are you thinking of attending?" Draco and Ron said at once
" No…. I don't think Harry would want me there…I'd just be in the way…He probably wishes I as dead anyway…" Hermione snickered.
" Don't think that…" Draco hushed her. Ron just stood there crushing his paper coffee cup in his hand, but managing to have the Starbucks emblem undamaged. Then as he was taking it to the wastepaper basket he turned around and looked over to the spot where Draco and Hermione were. There- he saw the two, Hermione somewhat crying a little bit, and Draco, holding Hermione in his arms. Ron felt a tad puzzled, and also a slightest bit angry. For he couldn't be absent minded enough to feel the least bit of jealousy, nor any form of envy. Instead, he just placed his crushed coffee cup into the bin and walked over to a sobbing Hermione and Draco.
" By golly Hermione-why tears?" Ron said as if he didn't notice
" Hush up Ron…will you?" Draco snapped, " She still thinks of that stupid Potter boy…The least thing you can do is to keep reminding her of him."
" Er- maybe we should get out of here…go to er-Central Park or something." Ron suggested. With that Draco hushed Hermione from her choppy sobs and slight muttering.
" I'm sorry," Hermione said, " Now I'm really getting carried away with all this sobbing… My eyes are nearly chaffed, and almost all your shirts are covered in my tears." She took out a tissue from her pocket and dabbed her eyes.
" That's alright mate," Ron budged in cheerfully trying to set a new mood, " I suppose we should get going now- I don't think Starbucks needs us ol' British folks hanging around taking up their American space…. for business that is" With that Draco carefully escorted a still- teary Hermione, as Ron followed behind.
They finally picked a spot within Central Park, upon a bench facing a fountain.
" So, who do you suppose sent you the letter?" Hermione asked both of them
" I don't have the slightest clue," Ron perked up from tying his shoes " However, I personally think Cho transported it to you-like I had said before…After all you did have relations to her-her uh, fiancé, " Ron finished, and then went back to tying his shoes.
" I too agree with Ron," Draco agreed " after all, Harry wouldn't have sent you the letter, and besides I think Cho was the one sending out the invitations-since Harry doesn't have much of a family left-if you know what I mean."
" Yes, yes, indeed, I understand," Hermione nodded " Ron, did you get an invitation?"
" Er- actually-yes-yes I did,"
" I thought he would be best man-don't you think?" Draco interrupted " but Harry still hasn't defrosted his heart yet to realize that Ron was his best friend that he kicked out…I don't think he has apologized yet either, has he now Ron?"
" No," Ron mumbled
" That bloody bastard,"Hermione said under her breath
" Well now!" Ron shot up from tending to his shoelaces once more. " I suppose she has gotten over him!"
" Shut up Ron, I was just making a side comment," Hermione muttered looking up
" A very crude comment mind you" Ron joked
" Well, I dare say- there is a right for me to act this way- after all, he did kick you out, as well as been stubborn enough to stay mad at me forever and-and" Hermione's voice slowly faded. " Harry has become a mess," Hermione rubbed her forehead as if she was thinking very hard. " And…and-it-it's all my fault…." She banged her head on Draco's shoulder.
" Hermione-forget about it…" Draco said
" Yeah mate, I mean you still got me!" Ron said holding his arms out as if presenting himself as a gift. " Besides, this whole scenario sort of turned out for the better…for each of us. I mean look, Harry is now with the girl of his dreams-the guy that used to hate my guts is my friend, (Hermione then gave a chuckle as Ron said this) and you are here with us," Ron stood there as he let a small smile grow upon his face.
" I suppose your right Ron…" Hermione said gleefully. " Thanks for the comfort," and with that she went up to him and placed a kiss upon his cheek and then whispered, "weasel "
" Hey, I call him that" Draco joked. Hermione, just smiled back and went back to sit next to him. As for Ron he just stood where he was, blushing a bit. But his beaming faded a bit as he saw Hermione return to Draco's side, nestling her head upon his shoulder. She stared into Draco's deep blue eyes, as he stared into hers, they both had a giddy looking grin upon their faces. Was Ron seeing signs of a relationship building between them? Or was Hermione desperate for someone to replace Harry?