Sighing softly, Hermione had to admit that she hadn't been nearly as focused as normal as she needed to be these past few days. The more time she spent with Draco, the more it became glaringly obvious that many of her preconceived notions about the wizard were becoming blurred with how charming he could be when he really wanted to apply that side of his personality.
He was a poncey git, it was true, and something she'd always known cursorily about him. While she'd grown up in much the same privileged lifestyle as Malfoy, her Maman had ingrained a sense of empathy, equality and fair-mindedness that extended well beyond the cunning and cleverness of her Papa. Draco however, had more than a bit of Lucius Malfoy in his personality—he was haughty, arrogant, and disdainful of things and people beneath him—but there was a caring side…
…when he chose to employ it, and she supposed he'd gotten that from Narcissa.
Narcissa, who was a Black, and a powerful witch in her own right. Who'd lied to Voldemort's face, all to get back to her only son.
A son who loved his Mother enough, to take the Dark Mark to save her life.
Another topic they'd yet to discuss in full.
It wasn't always easy to ignore her contentious past with Draco, yet there were times within these past couple weeks, when they'd engage in heated banter of the intellectual variety, and she'd fully expected him to say something unkind…
…but to his credit, he never did.
Oh, he was sarcastic. And smug, especially that day at Master Flamel's shoppe, during their conversation with Pernelle. She'd always known Malfoy was intelligent, but she was just beginning to realize, albeit belatedly, that he was actually quite brilliant—but his previous behavior had negated her from ever acknowledging his finer characteristics.
Now she couldn't pretend not to notice them all.
Harry for his part, had been making himself scarce this past week, as she'd only talked to him once, when he'd floo'd her after his conversation with Ron—the outcome of which had been a shock. It had been nigh on impossible to fathom Ronald Weasley being an unselfish git, and actually offering support…but it wasn't an unwelcome occurrence, even if she couldn't wrap her head around it.
Shame he hadn't offered her the same courtesy.
At least not overtly, as he hadn't owled her at all.
Not that she really expected him to.
Staring down at her research notes, and concluding that at least for today, she likely wasn't going to be able to concentrate like she needed to, the decision was made to try and track down her erstwhile Chosen One of a best friend.
Which is how she found herself walking through Diagon Alley, on her way to Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes because Harry apparently, was helping George and Ron at the joke shoppe for the afternoon.
Walking through the door, the bell jingled just loud enough signaling her arrival, and she couldn't help but roll her eyes at how packed the store was, for a Thursday early afternoon.
"Hermione!"
Glancing up towards the staircase, she smiled when her amber gaze locked with the green one of her best friend.
"Harry!"
He came rushing down the staircase, and gripped her into a fierce hug, which she returned easily. When he pulled back, she couldn't help but notice that his glasses were slightly askew, and he had some dirt on his left cheek.
"Been busy?"
"So busy! George just received a new shipment of products, and we're tagging everything back in the stock area. Why don't you come and help?"
"Sure."
She followed Harry up the stairs, and into the back room at the end of the hall, where she could hear George and Ron arguing with each other.
"I don't think that's a good idea, George!" Ron's voice was clearly unhappy, "I know Lee's your best mate, but he's not family!"
"He's as good as," George bit back, "and he's already agreed to come and help me run things, little brother."
"But…"
"Let it go, Ron. I'm done having this conversation."
At that moment George glanced up and noticed that they weren't alone, his expression softening from the heavy scowl he'd been sporting, to a more subdued one as he said, "Hey, Hermione."
"Hello, George."
Ron's head whipped around, his eyes going wide but one look from Harry had him shutting his mouth.
George however, walked over and gave Hermione a hug, which she returned affectionately, before she offered, "Harry said you might need some help?"
"Really, you're offering your more than stellar services?"
"That was the general idea."
"Brilliant, Harry can show you what we've been doing as I'm going to head on out for a bit."
George gave her another quick hug and a final glare at his youngest brother, before he left the storage area, and she glanced over at Ron, who's expression was clearly unhappy.
"Are you alright, Ron?"
He shook his head, and sighed heavily, before turning back around and grabbing a few items off a storage rack, but he didn't respond to her question at all. Harry however, just nudged her and then gestured to a larger stack of items on his right, so she decided to begin there.
The quiet between the three friends, was rather uncomfortable at first, but once they started becoming more engrossed in their task, the unease morphed into its usual silent camaraderie, each person handing over items with a simple nod, or in Ron's case, a grumbled grunt of acknowledgment, which would engender an another eye roll from Harry, and a soft smile from Hermione.
Time passed, and it was about two hours later when the last of the inventory was tagged and placed onto its proper shelving, that Ron finally decided to speak.
"Sorry to be such a wanker, but it seems I can't help myself these days."
Hermione stifled a cough, while Harry patted his best mate on the shoulder, and offered, "Not true, Ron. Just give George some time, alright? This is going to be difficult for him, being here without Fred."
"I know that, Harry—but I just don't understand why he wants Lee to help run the business instead of me."
Harry glanced towards Hermione, and her expression fell at how sad Ron appeared.
"Maybe it's easier because Lee isn't his brother, Ron. Maybe George isn't looking to replace Fred, because there is no way to replace Fred—at least not where George is concerned."
Ron's eyebrows lifted at that thought, and then he slowly nodded his head in understanding, "So having me around might remind him even more of what he's lost?"
"I think so," she replied, "maybe in time that'll change, but for now if this is what George needs?"
"I get it," Ron offered, "I don't have to like it, though."
"No you don't," Harry interjected with another firm pat, "there's a lot of stuff going on we don't get a vote on, Ron—but we support those people we care about because it's the right thing to do."
Ron nodded sheepishly, before his blue eyes lifted to his other best friend, and he grimaced, "Guess I haven't been the best friend I could be lately, Mione."
"It's alright, Ron—I'm rather used to you acting like a pillock before you consider your actions."
"Hey!"
"True." Harry coughed behind his hand, earning a scowl from Ron and a giggle from Hermione.
"Hungry?"
"I could eat." Ron muttered, and Harry grinned his reply—so the three of them made their way out of the joke shoppe and headed down Diagon Alley together towards the Leaky.
When they arrived, they found an empty booth towards the back, as the pub was quite busy for a Thursday afternoon, and everyone seemed to stop and stare at the Golden Trio, as it was the first time they'd been seen together since the war ended just over a month ago. Tom came over and took their orders, (cottage pie for Hermione, fish and chips for Harry and Ron and three butterbeers), then left them alone to go and get their drinks.
Ron started to fiddle with his flatware, before asking lowly, "How's Malfoy?"
Hermione's head whipped back in shock, while Harry eyed his best mate speculatively.
"Uhm, he's fine, I suppose." She responded warily.
"Are you two still going out tomorrow night?" Harry inquired, and she nodded, replying, "Yes and I'm nervous, of course. I'm not sure how Draco's going to handle the Muggle World."
Ron scoffed, which caused both his friends to turn to him with matching exasperated expressions, but he just said, "What, am I supposed to be okay with the ferret after everything that's happened? I get you're stuck with the bloke, Mione—but from the little Harry and me have shared, I know this is more complicated than either of you are telling me, and I'm not an idiot, for the record."
"Never said you were, Ron." Harry snarked out, and Hermione sighed, stating evenly, "It's complicated, Ron."
"When isn't it, Mione?"
She snorted out a huff, and nodded in reply, which caused them all to have a laugh at how ridiculous everything had always been from their first year of Hogwarts onwards until now.
"Think it'll ever get easier?"
"No, Ron. I tend to think the three of us are just destined to have to deal with more than our fair share of shite."
"Language, Harry!"
Harry rolled his eyes again, but his lifted smirk matched the one on Ron's face—as they both considered their mutual best friend fondly.
At that precise moment, the floo behind them went off, and Ron's eyes widened, as he was facing that direction and noticed Malfoy stepping out, and when it flashed again, Blaise Zabini immediately came into view.
The floo went off thrice more in succession, with Theodore Nott, Adrian Pucey and Marcus Flint all coming through. Draco caught the scathing look on Weasley's face, and then noticed that he wasn't sitting alone.
Hermione turned to glance over her shoulder, noticing Ron's pinched expression and her eyes widened when she noticed who was standing there.
Draco was wearing a set of causal robes, but still looked as polished as always and next to him was Blaise Zabini, whom the last time she'd seen him, was in the Room of Requirement trying to escape the Fiendfyre, and she couldn't help but grimace slightly at the unwelcome memory. Glancing over his right shoulder, Hermione then saw Theo Nott standing next to Adrian Pucey and Marcus Flint—and they were all staring directly at her, with similar expressions on their face.
In the past, they all would've sneered in her general direction, but that obviously wasn't the case anymore as Blaise was smirking at her, Theo nodded politely and both Pucey and Flint appeared more amused than anything.
"Hermione." Draco drawled.
"Hello, Draco." She responded as politely as she could, then asked in French, "Que fais-tu ici?" (What are you doing here?)
Not missing a beat, Draco responded back in kind, "Ces lanceurs voulaient m'emmener pour mon anniversaire, et nous sommes en route pour le Serpent d'émeraude." (These tossers wanted to take me out for my birthday, and we're on our way to the Emerald Serpent)
Blaise chuckled, while Pucey's lips lifted at Draco's words. Nott and Flint just rolled their eyes, as it was clear they didn't have a clue what Draco had just said.
Ron was gaping at her to Draco and back again, as if he'd never quite seen either one of them before—but Harry's expression was clearly impressed, and he seemed a bit turned on too.
And if she wasn't mistaken, that look, didn't seem to be solely for her benefit either.
Draco though, who'd never missed much, caught Harry's gaze briefly and smirked smugly, then he nodded politely at Hermione, ignoring Ron, and made his way out of the Leaky with his friends in tow.
"Tosser." Ron mumbled under his breath, while Harry shook his head at how petulant his best mate was, but Hermione was more interested in Harry's reaction. Her eyes locked with his, filled with unspoken questions, and to his credit, he just mouthed the word 'later.'
Gripping his hand under the table, she gave it a quick squeeze of silent agreement, but part of her was intrigued by this new development, even if she didn't quite understand what it all meant yet.
Outside of the Leaky, the quintet of Slytherin Purebloods were walking towards their destination, when Draco felt Adrian come alongside him, and he winced inwardly, as he knew his fellow Slytherin well enough, that he hadn't missed any of the subtext just now.
"Mind telling me what that was all about, mate?"
Draco gazed warily at his friend, and noticed deep brown eyes considering him closely.
"What do you want to know?"
"Don't play coy with me, Draco—you forget how well I know you."
Seeing no reason to prevaricate, all he could reply with was, "It's complicated, Adrian."
"How complicated?"
"Complicated enough."
"Granger?"
"I haven't told her everything, if that's what you're wondering."
"Hmm, we'll for what it's worth, Potter and Richie Coote had a little something going on fourth or fifth year? I don't remember which year it was but…"
Draco almost stopped dead in his tracks, his grey eyes widening in disbelief, biting out, "That's bullocks."
"Nope, really isn't, so maybe want to try again?"
"You're being a nosy ninny, mate."
"I'm just concerned about you, Draco. Despite what you might think, I've always cared about you in my own way."
He sighed, and responded lowly, "I know, and the feeling was mutual, but we both knew it would've never worked."
"Because of your family's expectations?"
"And because we weren't well suited long term. You're a bit too free with your favors, Adrian, and I've never been one to allow…"
His voice fell away and he could feel more than hear Adrian's sigh, but all his friend said was, "Well, I'm here if you ever need to talk. I'd always wondered if your actions back at Hogwarts and how you taunted Granger and Potter wasn't fueled by more than just house rivalry and dislike."
"Again, complicated."
Adrian chuckled, but dropped the subject as they neared the restaurant. Draco wasn't sure he was ready to discuss his feelings, as they were currently all over the place. He knew that Adrian cared for him, and in another life and differing circumstances, he might've been more open to exploring something with the wizard next to him, but that wasn't his lot in life.
He was a Malfoy, and for good or bad, his destiny had never been his own.
Jury was still out on whether this new set of circumstances would be a positive thing or not, but he was attempting to keep an open mind…
For now.