Disclaimer: I am still a hobo so I still own nothing :D
Chapter 2: Paninis In The Park
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The next time I saw Hermione was pure accident.
A few days after the show, I was on my lunch break and I had gone to a local café that served the best paninis known to wizarding man. I daily came in for my tuna, mayo and sweet corn panini. It didn't help my figure but it tasted like heaven.
After ordering my panini, I sat down on one of the bar stool to await my glorious hot Italian creation while reading one of the carelessly strewn newspapers on the counter. And who of all people should come in, but none other than the lovely Hermione Granger.
"Hello Granger," I said as I turned to page 4 to read more about the upcoming elections. Granger jumped and stared at me in complete surprise.
"Draco, what are you doing here?"
"I'm feeding the penguins, what are you doing?" I said sarcastically as I put down the newspaper and looked at the brunette.
"Im ordering a panini." The young Italian lad behind the counter handed me my breathtaking panini in a thin paper bag. I nodded my thanks and headed to the door, as it didn't seem I would get anywhere with Granger. I didn't make it past Granger however because she grabbed onto my very expensive black trench coat.
"Can I help you Hermione?" I asked as I prayed she would release my prized coat before she ruined it.
"Wait for me." And then she released my coat sleeve (Thank Merlin, I was scared that I'd have to lecture her on how dear Armani coats were) and placed her order. Funny little world, she ordered tuna mayo and sweet corn as well. After she had paid her 2 galleons to the man at the register, she turned back to me. She didn't say anything. She did try though, as her mouth opened and closed twice.
"Granger, is there something you would like to say?" I was beginning to get annoyed now, as my precious sandwich was slowly going towards room temperature.
"Yes." She said after a moment.
"Well?"
"Would you like to go somewhere and eat our paninis?" Hermione Granger was nervous. There's a sight you don't see everyday.
"Alright."
"Great!" Hermione said with a big smile as she took her panini from the Italian boy. Hermione Granger was excited about going 'somewhere' with me, Draco Malfoy.
She led me outside to the cold of London streets. We walked down the road and towards Dumbeldore Park, named in honour of Dumbeldore of course. Hermione walked to a bench in the middle of the semi-lifeless park and sat down. I sat down next to her and proceeded to eat my almost luke warm panini. We ate in silence, listening to the few scattered birds in the park twitter amongst themselves. I finished my Italian delight first, as I was trying to savour every drop of heat it possessed before it ran out into the cold air. Hermione finished moments after myself and she began to crumple up her paper bag. She stood up to go for a visit to the local rubbish bin when I stood before her and simply took her rubbish and mine to the aging black deposit box of rubbish. I returned to the bench and sat down to the one and only Hermione.
"Thank you for taking my rubbish."
"It's what any gentleman would have done." A very awkward moment came. I felt like I was at Hogwarts again with all this awkwardness.
"So, Granger," I said in hopes she would respond with something a conversation could be built upon.
"How drunk was I?" She suddenly blurted out. So that's why she wanted to speak to me.
"For a lightweight, very." I kept my eyes looking straight ahead, as it seemed the safest place to look.
"I am not a lightweight!" she said stubbornly as she glared into the side of my head.
"Granger, before you had finished your second glass of wine, you were tipsy. One doesn't usually get tipsy that fast," I said as I turned to look at her.
"Did I say anything terribly stupid?" She asked in a scared tone.
"No, you didn't say anything stupid. You were quite amusing actually."
"When I fell over," she whispered in a quiet tone, "How did I get back up again?"
"Don't you remember?"
"Not really. All the details are fuzzy."
"I caught you."
"Oh. Right. Thank you."
"Anytime, Granger."
"Call me Hermione."
"Only if you call me Draco."
"Deal." I checked the time on my watch and it was time for me to start walking back to work.
"What time is it?" Hermione asked.
"Quarter to one."
"I need to start walking back to the bookshop."
"And I the Ministry." We stood up and I looked down at her.
"Do you want to bump into each other tomorrow?" She asked nervously.
"Same time, same place," I responded, "But maybe this time we could sit in the café and eat."
"Of course, I just wanted to come here so no one would hear about…you know."
"Hermione, we all get drunk sometimes. It happens to the best of us." Hermione smiled and nodded in understanding.
"Thank you, Draco."
"For what?"
"For telling me I didn't do anything stupid. I was really scared that I did."
"Well, if you'd like, I could tell you the version where you ran around in your birthday suit singing 'Im a little teapot'." Hermione looked absolutely horrified. I couldn't help but laugh at her reaction.
"Hey, I was joking." I was scared she was beginning to believe me about the birthday suit scenario.
"Right, I knew that," she said with a very weak smile and a small giggle.
"I really must be off, Hermione." I had never been late back to work from a lunch break and I wasn't about to start now.
"Bye, Draco!" Hermione said as she gave me a quick hug before running off in the direction of her bookshop.
During my walk back to the Ministry, I mused over the events and came to a conclusion. Hermione either fancied me or needed a friend who wasn't Potter or Weasley. I hoped it was the first option even though it was more likely to be the latter.
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Hey there! Hope you liked the chapter! Please review and tell me what you think of it! I love getting reviews! The Ray Charles quote came from Blue Collar Comedy, watch it sometime. Its really funny. Hopefully the next chapter will be up in a few days :D But in the mean time, please review!