Life After Hogwarts
By Arime Mya Setta
Chapter Eight : Dinner and Couches
I was spinning as I walked next to Draco towards my rooms. My head ached and my stomach grumbled but more so my body swirled with adrenaline. I had been part of the final battle but had always been viewed as the brains. I spent most of my time researching rather than fighting. It was exciting to actually be involved in a mission.
"I'm starving. Do you, erm, know where the kitchens are?" Draco muttered shyly. He clearly isn't used to asking for help.
"Why don't you just come back to my dorm? There is still time before curfew and I am planning on cooking any ways. I wouldn't want you to disturb the elves. " I hated to be nice to Draco, especially after his attitude all day, but I would rather make him dinner than let him bug the elves. The poor things deserve a break after making such a feast every night.
My rooms have a full kitchen that I declared off limits to the house elves. I cook on the weekends and frequently cook in the evenings when I miss dinner or am too distracted by my book to eat much with everyone else. Obviously I still feel enslaving the house elves is not right but I understand it isn't quite wrong either. As contradictory as that is I've become more aware of the feelings that they hold towards humans and have finally accepted that they might not mind being our maids and servants. At the same time I can't let them work for nothing and be chained to my every whim.
My only requests to the house elves are that they wash my clothes since I don't have access to a washer and dryer and that they pick up a few groceries for me since I can't take the time to just randomly go a get food.
"You cook for yourself? You're a head girl; why don't you let the elves prepare something for you? Oh, wait, you are Hermione, oh so humane and equal with all creatures, Granger." Malfoy clearly doesn't share my point of view towards house elves.
"That would be the worst attempt at getting fed Malfoy. Either you cooperate and are nice or you go to bed hungry. I refuse to let you bother those poor elves at this time." Ok, so I still don't know why I was so insistent that he eats with me. Erm, those poor elves right?
"Fine, just don't poison me." Draco rubbed his stomach and walked through the painting guarding my dormitory. I motioned for him to take a seat and began to grab the things I needed to cook. It was weird making Malfoy dinner like we were friends or, ugh, even a couple. Then again, practice makes perfect. I have no idea how we are suppose to convince everyone that we are dating let alone engaged.
I wondered what to cook as I washed two plates, two cups and two forks. Draco laughed at my muggle-ness but was really trying to cover his awe. The muggle appliances throughout my kitchen are rather shiny and new so they amaze most wizards, especially purebloods. His eyes wondered around the room and I could tell he was uncomfortable in my very homely kitchen. Currently, my kitchen is a peachy color with blue trimming and rich wood cabinets. I say currently because I tend to change the colors. Due to my emotion sensitive paint Ginny frequently storms into my room to change the colors to force me into a better mood.
I quickly put together a salad and waved some bowls, dressing and blue cheese to the table. I set to boiling water to make pasta and heated up some left over spaghetti sauce. Since I was out of homemade bread (my favorite weekend chore), I toasted some sandwich bread and put butter on the table. Draco eyed each item and sniffed them for poison when he thought my back was turned. I suppose I'm not as trustworthy as I thought.
It wasn't until my room was filled with delicious scents that I realized how hungry I was. I quickly placed all of the food on the table and added some sliced chicken to the salad and meatballs to the sauce. Draco's eyes widened and he laughed.
"Geeze, Granger. Eat enough meat?" I ignored the obvious innuendo and began to eat swiftly. I waited for the next snide remark but was pleasantly surprised at the quietness. I flicked my wand to turn on my stereo and laughed when the first CD was my rather romantic jazz collection. I changed it to my John Mayer CD and began to eat again. My peace and quiet was interrupted not too long later.
"Granger, do you know anything about the Old Society?"
"Hermione. We're engaged."
"Fine, Hermione. You know you won't be able to eat that much around polite company and you won't be able to snort it down either."
"Draco, you know you won't be able to talk to me like that in public. No more attitudes. No more snide remarks. No more mean ol' Draco." I teased but was completely serious. To be a convincing couple we would need to get along.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Darling, do you know anything about pureblood tradition?"
"Sweetie, I've read quite a bit."
"Pumpkin, I'm not surprised you've read about it but the questions was do you actually know anything though?"
"Pigglywoof, I'm informed of most aspects of pureblood tradition. I'm sure you'll let me know just how much I don't know tomorrow."
"Pussycat, I am shaking with excitement in anticipation."
"I believe that. I'm sure you will go to your dorm to 'shake' with excitement and thoughts of me." Surprisingly this cracked Draco and he laughed. I couldn't help but lightly laugh along. Seeing him without a scowl or smirk was one of the most shocking experiences I've ever had but was refreshing.
"I really hope this goes smoothly; for the sake of my reputation of course. I don't even remember all of the little nagging details and I'm a Malfoy. Snape is going to chew both of us to bits tomorrow. He knows ever single title, tradition, bow, dance, color, everything!" Again, I was astonished at how humane Draco seemed. He was actually concerned.
"I figure we will both be 'Malfoys' so if we slip we can just declare that the better way or the older way to do things. I'm sure we will bluff our way through many situations but then again that is why we are doing this and not some other order members. After all confidence is not a problem for either of us and you are a master at bullshitting." The compliment slipped past me without even realizing it and Draco cocked an eyebrow in response.
"Hermione, you are so Gryffindor but slightly Slytherin too." He smirks at my confusion and clarifies, "By bluffing you are being the usual cocky and arrogant Gryffindor but by using it to solidify your reputation and to get deeper into a society you are being very Slytherin."
I smirk at the compliment and in response Draco says, "Ok, you're smirking now. Definitely time for me to leave." And then we both realize what time it is. Damn.
"Granger. Now what?"
"Hermione."
"Hermione, now what?"
"Couch?"
"Couch? Malfoys don't sleep on couches. You're sharing your bed tonight."
"Couch." My wand is persuasive.
"Couch with extra pillows and blankets and a cup of hot tea and a bed time story?" Wishful thinking.
"Couch with a pillow and a blanket."
"Couch with five pillows and a blanket."
"Couch with your wand to do as you please."
"Hmm Hermione you're starting to let your closet freak out."
"Not that wand!" My wand was now pointing in his 'wand's' general direction.
"Fine. Couch."
"I'm glad we agree."
Now, I'm sure you are wondering why Draco spent the night on my couch. Since the beginning of this year the portraits will not let students in after curfew. In order to go in or out the student must have a password from a professor and thus proving that they were caught trying to sneak around. This means Draco is completely locked out of the common room and since I hadn't gotten the chance to get this week's passwords I could be of no assistance. Since I wasn't about to bother the professor to get the password and since Draco was and is too proud to wake a professor he was stuck with my couch.
So why is it that he wouldn't wake a professor? Well, it would seem that our little angel was up to no good during the past week and had been locked out of the common room 6 times (that would mean one night last week he managed to stay in his room… or had found an interest among the 7th year girls). As it was he was walking on incredibly thin ice and would rather take the chance of getting caught on my couch instead of the month's detention guaranteed for being out late again.
That night I slept comfortably in my bed while Draco tossed and turned on my couch. When I woke in the morning I took the time to shower, tame my mane and brush my teeth before exiting my rooms. I didn't want Draco dieing of fright if he saw me early without any preparations. Of course Draco was still asleep and looked like a mix between and angel and a storm. His hair was everywhere and his face was red (not white for once) from sleeping on the rough surface. I laughed and kicked the back of the couch to wake him.
"Ugh, Granger. Are you serious? What time is it?" He sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, forgetting he wasn't wearing a shirt.
"Ugh, Draco. Put your shirt back on. Don't forget my name is Hermione. It is ten minutes until 2nd period. You're running pretty late." His eyes widened clearly believe I am evil enough to let him sleep through breakfast and first class but then he realized it was still dark outside my window.
"Ha ha ha Hermione. How many minutes until breakfast?" He pulled his shirt on and stood up to stretch. Not that I am not commenting on his pale flabby chest. Ok, so this is mostly because his chest is neither pale nor is it flabby but still. After putting his shirt on I realize how much color he had gained since the last school year. I suppose that's what camping in the muggle would do to you. His muscles were also unfortunate side effects from his camping and survival experience. Damn.
"I am about to have some coffee and read a bit before breakfast. You have a little more than 45 minutes to get back to your dorms and do whatever it is that you do in the morning. I'm sure your fluffing session in the morning takes more time than more girls in the 7th year combined." I poured some coffee for the both of us and sat down with my muggle newspaper. It was always wise to keep up with muggle news.
"Thanks Granger, erm I mean Hermione. See you at breakfast." He took a few minutes to drink his coffee and skim the headlines from an old newspaper and then made his way back to his room. The rest of the day quickly proved to be much more eventful than my peaceful morning.
A/N: Wow, another chapter done and I've already written half of the next. I promise more action quickly in the next chapter. This one just needed to set up some stuff and getsome peacfulinteraction between the two.My new job is amazing since it gives me ages between phone calls to write and read at my own pace. This means lots more to come and quickly. :) I'm loving the summer.
So what do you guys think? Do you like where the story is going? Are my characters kind of realistic? The next chapter will have tiny bitty bits of romance (YAY FINALLY) heheh REVIEW PLEASE.