He looked the same. Pale and lean. He stood with his back against the pillar and was looking at her as if checking she had all of her pieces. His hair was a bit shorter than it had been and came just to his ears. No gel or anything and it looked silky and soft. His pointier features were still there but the smirk was gone. His grey eyes met hers and she was glad he had the Black eyes. Most Malfoys had a lighter blue but Draco's were a light grey.
She had stopped at only a few feet out of the fireplace when she spotted him and felt stuck to the floor for a minute and then she smiled. At Draco Malfoy. An honest one. It was good to see him and she wanted to reassure him. That wasn't expected but he looked so intent and even a bit apprehensive. His expression didn't change and she looked to Blaise who was closer to her and he smiled reassurance at her.
"This explains the don't come in your sweats comment then." She teased and he pretended to be caught out. They both looked to Draco then who was watching them with interest.
"You are alright then. I was pretty sure but neither know you well and it was hard to see from the papers." The words came out in a rush and then he looked to Blaise again quickly before back to her. Then he grinned and she did too. Wanting to hug him or something. Which she couldn't do and not knowing what to say. There wasn't prescribed words for their past or situation so she didn't blame him for his blurted words or position against the wall.
"Are we eating in then?" She asked. Wanting to break this tableau. Blaise wasn't helping in his enjoyment of their uncertainty so it would be up to her. Neither of them would be left to dangle like this if he wasn't sure of everything so it was reassuring in a roundabout way.
"Yes. Sort of. I ordered from Caparzos and it's all under stasis." Blaise finally spoke and they both looked at him and he gestured flamboyantly to the door Draco was standing beside and she smiled at him and their awkwardness. She was pretty comfortable here. An elf would tell her if he had company but she usually knew if he had a date and she usually knew if he went home with someone so that was rare. Not many came here though so it was rarer still for there to be a reason she couldn't come here or be comfortable here. Blaise was a private guys but not a loner. He had spent most of his school holidays going back and forth from Italy to Theo and Draco's homes and came to hers often. Thought it normal to have a coffee together or some kind of beverage with snacks or a meal every day for weeks on end. Working it in or around whatever else they had going on or just suggesting one or the other tag along.
"Blaise mentioned your love of cannoli." She said as she kicked her shoes off in the corner and scrunched her toes into the heavenly soft carpet.
"He said this converted him and will explain his directive to have Gringotts set up a monthly deposit into a muggle bank account he has set up for me. With a card. It is black though, sleek." He said and was watching them, glancing at the plates as Blaise theatrically uncovered them. He preferred to eat family style when they could and it was how she liked it as well. How she had grown up, instead of prepared plates.
"It took a bit to get him one without anything at all on it. Usually there is a company name on the front or a logo but he didn't like it and I had to explain that places wouldn't accept it if it was altered or covered up. He succeeded." She admitted and Blaise nearly flushed under his friends long look.
"I see you've got him figured out then Granger." He stopped with his hand reaching to take the wineglass Blaise was passing him and looked to her with apology. She wasn't sure what had happened and then she understood.
"You can call me that. Or Hermione. Or Rosier. Whatever. Pans does all of the above and more depending on her train of thought." She tried to grimace but didn't really manage not to smile.
"She sent me a letter." Draco said and Blaise snorted while passing her a glass of wine and then gestured they begin.
"What did it say?" She asked him. Avidly curious and he looked bemused that she would ask him and Blaise shot her a teasing glance. Which she pouted dramatically at.
"She caught me off guard. We were in a muggle lingerie shop. In side by side change rooms and she nearly yelled while asking me if I could hear her. So I whispered yes and she quietly said she had cracked and owled you. I wasn't surprised and scoffed at her. Then unwisely mumbled that she hadn't even lasted half a week. It's harder to think things through when I can't see her gimlet stare. She wouldn't tell me after that." She admitted her faux pas and Blaise shook his fork at her in reprimand.
"I'm not sure that the lesson has been learned." Draco said quietly and she shook her fork at him.
"You know that Pans is complicated and that keeping her happy means jumping from tightrope to tightrope and dodging the missiles. She is fun though and I like that complicated part of her." She admitted this too. Feeling a bit strange being herself in front of Draco Malfoy.
"I'm looking forward to seeing the two of you in action. As long as I'm not the target." He said and looked as if he meant it.
"You never noticed the missiles Drac." Blaise short at him and Hemrione watched them in that moment. The fuck you toss of the chin, just as Blaise had described it. These two were family, not actually but by choice and now they were free to be so. Draco hadn't wanted Blaise anywhere near that shit, as he phrased it to her. The only one who could easily leave and with little to no consequence, his friends had sent him away and he had gone. Unable to help them at school and knowing it would be worse next year. So he had gone and he had missed them. Worried about them. Draco the most as he was so much more damaged and so much more emotional than Theo. He had been a mess when Blaise last seen him mid August before their seventh year would have started.
Now he was here and alright. Having dinner with them just like Blaise had said he wanted. When the two of them sat down shoulder to shoulder and sipped while talking about things they missed or wanted. Memories or things on their mind. She wondered what would happen now. If their relationship would change or evolve. It wouldn't end and that was enough. These two needed each other and it was so good to see them reunited.
"This is so good." Draco nearly moaned around the steaming bit of ravioli and she caught Blaise's eye and they smiled before turning back to the blonde.
"That Ravioli cinched it. Hermione had it the first time we went there and it was the winner. We've had the menu now and this is the best of it." He said and then gave her a significant look while she spooned the tomato bruschetta onto a triangle of some delicious spiced bread they made at this place of culinary miracles. He looked between them again and then took a sip of wine and sat back a bit in his chair.
He was watching her now and so she finished her bite and put down her fork. Not willing eat in front of him if he wasn't doing it too. A minute passed and he didn't say anything so she took a breath and tried to be brave.
"Are you alright Draco?" She asked him and watched his surprise and then he flicked a glance at Blaise and then down at his plate.
"Yes Granger, i'm alright." He said and then looked up at her. A small smile showed and she tried to smile back.
"Narcissa said you were but I wasn't sure if you could put a mask on she couldn't see or something. Unlikely, but all we have been able to do out here is hope for the best and piece together what we can from forty five minutes at a time." Blaise had no smile on hiss face when she caught his eye and she could see the remnants of his worry and concern for his friends.
"None of that Blaise. He is here now and you can survey him daily until you are sure." She chided and got a small grin for her trouble. With that she picked up her fork and tried to be normal.
"Sabrina wrote me again. That's four times in the last seven days." She offered and Blaise gave her a what can you expect look.
"I know, I know. What does she want from me though? It's forty five minutes in a stone room." She grumbled and then huffed at his low laugh.
"What does she want from you?" Draco asked her. Another bite of the dreamy ravioli and she answered him.
"I don't think she knows. Just wants me to be more open or honest or myself. It worries her and I can't really fix that." She admitted and he looked curious but only nodded.
"Ask her Drac. If you don't then this will stagnate and you won't be in." Blaise did his version of whining and both of them laughed a bit at Blaise's dramatics and chiding fork wave.
"Are you honest?" He asked her and she nodded then at his expectant look she sat back and thought about how to answer him.
"It's hard to talk to Josh and him for different reasons. Josh is so contained that I feel like I'm pushing him. I don't know what he will want to hear or how he will react to things. Rowle is the opposite. Not as contained but still a stranger." She said honestly and watched his face. Then the two wizards met eyes and Blaise stood.
"If you've both had enough, let's put a stasis on this and go and be comfortable for a bit." He suggested and the two followed him into his study. Draco sat in the armchair she usually used so she curled into a corner of the settee and smiled at Blaise. This was fine. Then she watched Blaise toe his shoes off and then Draco looked between them and did the same. Seeming unsure of himself until Blaise propped a foot on the coffee table between them and she pulled hers up into the couch under her.
A minute later she watched the two balance their whisky glasses on the arms of their chairs and sprawl in nearly mirror positions. Her wine glass had been topped up and Blaise had levitated a whisky to the side table closest to her. Just incase she wanted to switch.
Draco closed his eyes and the two of them watched him for a moment before they looked at each other instead and Blaise raised a brow at her. So dark and perfect. The man was nearly unbearable in his suave perfection. He didn't need Malfoy but she could imagine the two would devastate a room of witches if they wanted to.
"Is there anything you want to know or that I can do?" She asked quietly into the silence and held Blaise's eyes. Wanting to know if the head read this right. He dropped the brow and looked at his friend. Confirmation. His eyes opened and after a long look at Blaise he turned his head to her.
"Blaise hasn't talked about you much." He said and she nodded. Understanding that he meant Blaise hadn't told him anything really personal about her.
"Surely your mother has." She offered when he didn't say more and they all grinned at that. Narcissa did what she wanted.
"Not much no. Nearly nothing since I got out." He said and looked thoughtful. She too thought that over and Blaise looked understanding.
"Which means she wanted us to speak." She eventually responded and Blaise agreed. Draco looked her over again and then into his glass.
"Is there anything I should know about her?" He asked and she watched him for a second before looking into her own glass and thinking that over.
"Nothing alarming or serious in that way. I don't know all of Narcissa Malfoy. It doesn't feel like much of her, most of the time. Some things though. Andromeda and her have a tight relationship. She is there or here with her most days and they rarely go out alone. Either together or with me or someone in their circle. Theo after he got out though I don't think it's often. I think that's mostly concession to most of if having some issues with not knowing where people are or if they are safe." She said and then looked up. Draco nodded once and sat back further into his chair. Having tensed before his question.
"So everything is alright. Nothing is in the midst of going wrong and none of you have any enemies gunning for you?" He asked her and she looked to Blaise who rolled his eyes. She smiled then. He hadn't taken his friends word for it and wanted her to confirm it.
"There have been zero attempted murders and nothing we haven't been able to deal with. Even though we are female and nearly helpless all alone." She spoke dryly but smiled genuinely at him. Not angry at all.
"Alright then. I can't wait to come to one of your dinners, meet them." He said and looked like he meant it. She looked her question and he grinned at her. It looked genuine.
"Your kids Granger." He said and sounded like he meant it.
"That makes it sound like I've had a passel or kids while you were away." She protested and Blaise laughed.
"It's just as you imagine Drac. Mothering the life out of everyone." He said and she scowled. Then looked at draco expecting a light hearted expression and instead it was serious or something. She sat up a bit and met his eyes. Not allowing herself to look to Blaise again.
"I read your deposition." He said and Blaise shifted. He had too then, probably since Draco got out.
"They said you might." Was her reply and she waited. Not knowing what he thought of her words. They had been honest then. Were now too.
"Did you mean it?" He asked her and she held his eyes while she answered.
"Yes."
"Even then. That night." It was as if the air was sucked from the room and she didn't know what to say. How to say what she meant. A slow sip later she looked up and Blaise had his eyes on her. Steady and calm.
"Yes. I don't know what you want to know or why but it's over. She is dead and you won't be so quick to allow your family to be placed in such a situation. I had spent months with Harry. After Ron had left or while he was sleeping. He was the only one of us that did sleep remotely well. Harry talked about the look on your face and the tone of your voice on the Tower. What he thought you wanted or more relevantly, didn't want. It was awful but I doubt I'm the only one who remembers what that feels like, or the only one with nightmares." She spoke quietly and evenly. Keeping eye contact once she had looked up and hoping this was enough. Not wanting that night to be a part of their relationship other than shared history. Narcissa and her had done it, she hoped Draco and her could too.
"You've healed you nicely. Nicer than mine." He gestured down to his arm and she couldn't help her spike of curiosity. Maybe one day. Hers showed in the dress she was wearing and she didn't glamour herself around Blaise unless they were public enough or muggle.
"Are we Good then?" She asked him. Wanting to know where they stood. Somewhat at least. He scoffed and then she looked to Blaise and so did Draco.
"I think we will make an excellent trio." He said and then sobered.
"You two have much in common and enjoy arguing more than I do. You can do that together. Both of you have expressed something to me of wanting to be friends or allies at least." He said and they smiled at Sinclair's caveat that they all used now.
"I want to help. To be here. If that's alright. I know you can take care of yourself and that you have built some kind of family around you. Protection as well as the softer Granger reasons, I'm sure. I told him I would keep an eye on you." The last was an admittance and she wasn't sure why the elves Josh had set to tailing her weren't enough. What did he think she was doing out here. It was frustrating. That he didn't think she could handle herself and even more upsetting if he thought she couldn't care for Sabrina and Sinclair.
"Wrong him." Blaise spoke and she looked up in time to see him share a meaningful glance with his friend. Who raised a brow and then the other. They must have had training on it from birth. Then their eyes were on her. Light and dark.
"Rowle. Not your brother." Draco clarified and she blinked and then scowled at the two of them.
"Josh has elves tailing me and I've had to negotiate for being able to come here without an invisible minder." She said and knew Draco thought that overkill.
"He doesn't know you very well." Draco said slowly and almost consolingly. Blaise started to laugh then and she couldn't hold her scowl at the genuine amusement and then Draco barked a laugh. He was chuckling lowly when she gave into her giggles and relaxed into the corner of the leather seat and watched the two try and stop laughing. It was a bit hysterical maybe but she felt lucky to get to see them like this.