The next morning Hermione awoke to the smell of bacon being cooked downstairs. It warmed her heart and reminded her that she was home with her parents and Malfoy. Malfoy was in her house with her muggle parents. Not only that, but he kissed her last night, after spending an entire evening with her muggle parents. What was this life? Because there was no way that this was real.
But it was real. When Hermione finally got out of bed, dressed and headed downstairs she was quickly reminded of how real it was. There was Draco, in the kitchen with her parents laughing and helping with breakfast. There was nothing that could have prepared Hermione for this and it must have been clear by the look on her face and the gape of her lips because when Draco finally saw her he could not hide the reaction on his face.
"Morning Granger," he coolly called from the kitchen, her parents taking notice of her.
"Morning dear," her mom called pleasantly.
"Morning sweetheart," her dad said as he poured her a cup of tea.
"Morning," Hermione replied managing to hide her shock at what she was witnessing by the sleep still lingering in her voice.
Draco Malfoy was having fun, with her parents, while they all cooked breakfast together. Her mind could not grasp what she was watching unfold before her. All she could do was take a seat at the counter and watch, while she drank her tea. This was really happening. Draco Malfoy was in her muggle parents' house, helping them with breakfast. Sure, he was using his wand and his very adapt domestic spells, but still. She knew her eyes must be as big as saucers as she tried to process the scene unfolding before her eyes. There was no way that this was real. But as the minutes ticked past she knew that this was real. She was getting to see a whole new side of Malfoy, one that he did not even know he had until yesterday. It was beautiful, he was beautiful, and he had kissed her last night. Really kissed her. This was all a little much for not even having breakfast yet.
It did not take the three of them very long to get breakfast finished and sat around the quiet nook adjacent to the kitchen. The early morning light streamed in through the large glass windows eliminating the need for the electric lights. She was enjoying their idle chit-chat while she munched on her toast before her mom decided it was time to start a little prying.
"So, what do you two have planned for the rest of the day?" her mother asked, innocently enough.
This clearly took both her and Draco by surprise as neither of them had really thought through the itinerary for break, which was very unusual for Hermione. Why had she not planned out at least a rough draft of what the next two weeks would have in store for them? Draco's eyes were on her waiting for something to come out of her mouth. Those wonderful silver eyes of his were practically begging her to say something.
"Um," Hermione started, clearly unsure of what she was about to say. "I actually haven't really planned anything. Thought we would take it easy, finally having a little break from classes. Maybe go explore the village a little." She smiled, satisfied by what she had managed to coolly through together.
Her mother smiled at her, with a little glint in her eye that made Hermione look twice.
"I'm sure you could both use a little downtime after this term," her father chimed in.
"We could use some downtime from the last several years," Hermione joked, hiding her seriousness behind her joking tone.
Even though these past seven months had all felt like a break in their own way, she was excited to not have anything to really do until they returned to Hogwarts in January. What a different world they were living in now. Draco shot a sly look over to Granger, clearly sharing her sentiments. She smiled back at him, proud of just how far he had come this past year. The war had really changed him, it was one of the few positives that she had seen come from the final battle. Would she ever settle into the fact that he was past his prejudices or would that forever amaze her? She supposed there was only one way to find out. She would just have to wait and see.
As they continued to eat breakfast the sun outside quickly faded behind the dark clouds that were rolling in. Typical. It was only a few moments before the rain started to heavily pound against the windows. Hermione looked longingly out the window for a moment before Draco broke the silence.
"Guess it will be a quiet day in," he mused before turning back to the last of his breakfast.
This would give her time to talk to him about last night if she could pry him away from her parents. It was freaking her out a little bit how well they were getting on. She expected him to be all nerves, but it was nice to see him comfortable here.
After they ate, they helped her parents clean up and slipped off to her room for a little quiet before they figured out how to spend the rest of the day. She really should have planned a little more going into this. They had just been so busy before brake she really had not thought about how quiet it would be before and after Christmas. She was going to have to think of something to get them from Christmas to New Years without them going stir crazy. There was only so much to do at her family's home.
"And you were worried about meeting my parents," she laughed as he closed the door behind them.
"I am terrified of them truthfully," he laughed comfortably, "But they are very nice, and entertaining with all of their muggle quirks. Still very much a culture shock, but I am trying my hardest to roll with it." She loved how completely honest he was with her, always.
"Well so far so good," she smiled back as she curled up on the bench built into her large window.
"Thanks," he grinned slyly as he took a seat next to her letting the silence rest between them for a few moments.
"So about last night," she finally blurted out.
"How did I know. You spent all last night over thinking it, didn't you?" he was serious, but not in a harsh way.
"Of course I did! Of all of the moments, we have shared since the start of term and you chose last night." She knew he was watching the wheels turn behind her eyes as he studied her face before replying.
"I don't know Granger, it just felt right…" he paused for just a moment, "Merlin that sounds fucking horrible." He laughed nervously before adding. "I am really horrible at this." His final statement was deflating, and she knew he had been trying so hard to show a different side of himself. But this was not him.
"You are really bad at this, just don't be a fucking coward."
He words struck a chord with him, the shock of her words reflected clearly on his pale face. Maybe she was egging him on a little. She liked how they challenged each other, and nothing about last night was challenging. It was just sweet, which was nice and all, but it was not Draco.
"Maybe I am a fucking coward Granger," his words were harsh. Maybe she should not have said that. "Maybe that will never go away."
"I don't think you are a coward anymore, I just think it's your go-to when you are unsure of yourself."
"Well, that might be true. How could I be sure of this, even our friendship feels taboo despite this being the happiest I have been since I can't remember when." His face was flushed now, and it made her heart race.
"Me too," she said softly looking down at her hands nervously.
The silence barely had time to sit between them before Draco had his hand grasping her face, his fingers entwined with her hair as he lifted her face to his. This kiss was no soft peck like last night, this kiss was filled passion, and maybe a hint of desperation. He kissed her like she was the air he needed to breathe. It literally took her breath away and a small almost inaudible gasp escaped through her parted lips and into his as he kissed her deeper. One thing was for certain, no one had ever kissed her like this.
"Better," he hissed as he pulled away from her drinking in her image as he sat back down.
Her eyes fluttered open as he pulled away and all she could do was stare at him. What. The. Fuck.
"Say something," he goaded.
"What the fuck are we doing," she blurted out more bluntly then she had intended.
"Each other hopefully," he retorted with his restored sly arrogance.
"I will not just be another name on your list of conquests so you can get that out of your head right now," she fired back sharply.
"Like I would keep a list," he scowled at her before something clicked behind his eyes. "For fuck sakes, you don't have an actual list, do you? Because that sounds like something you would do."
"No of course not," she scowled back at him. Arrogant prick that he was.
"Okay, because I could totally see you keeping one," he prodded as she glared at him. "You're kind of cute when you are mad," he grinned before he flicked his wand and summoned two glasses and a bottle of fire whiskey.
"Isn't a bit early to be drinking," she stared at him. What the fuck had gotten into him.
"Just one, I know I could use one." He poured two glasses holding one out for her as he sipped from his.
Hermione begrudgingly took the glass from him and took a sip, closing her eyes as it burned through her. Maybe she did need that after all.
"What now," she asked cautiously. She had her knees pressed against her chest, her drink resting in both hands, her fingers mindless tracing sides of the glass.
"That is up to you," he replied bluntly, "I think I'm still in shock that you don't have a detailed itinerary written up." She grinned back at him, it was very peculiar that she had not done some planning.
"You know that's not what I was talking about."
"I know," he said smoothly.
They let the silence fall between them as they both nursed their way too early glasses of fire whiskey. Hermione's mind racing as she tried too hard to figure out what she was going to do, not only about Draco but their entire brake. She really should have focused a little more on two weeks with Draco Malfoy in the muggle world. Now there was much more to take into consideration. Hermione was so lost in her own mind that she did not notice Draco watching her. It was not until he reached out and placed his hand on hers that she looked up from her glass. Her eyes were wide as she snapped back to reality, slowly drinking in his silvery image. There was nothing she could do about her hearts new found tempo in her chest, something she carefully noted.
"I was afraid you were going to get lost in there for a moment," Draco said lightly, in a clear attempt to lighten the atmosphere between them. His thumb gently caressed the side of her wrist as he kept his hand comfortingly on top of hers.
She smiled softly up at him, what in the world was she going to do about this. It was such a delicate situation, to begin with, but now? For once Hermione could not find the words to describe their current situation. She could handle becoming his friend, it was the right thing to do. To make peace after the war and move on with their lives. This though? She was getting ahead of herself. It was just a few kisses, amazing kisses, but just kisses. They had not been on a date, they were not in a relationship yet. There it was… yet. Did this need a label, yet? No, she could wait it out and see where this lead. It was going to be delicate and fragile and would change everything no matter where they went from here, so why not.
"So, what do you want to do?" she asked bluntly. "We have more than enough free time before Christmas, we don't have to stay here the whole time." Draco's new-found smirk said it all.
"Well Granger, I am a little surprised, to say the least. Figured you were going to be a bit of a homebody after being away for so long. That and trying to show me as much muggle stuff as you could fit into a holiday." She could not hold back the laughter from that last bit.
"You really are handling the whole 'holiday with the muggles' quite well, so far at least," she said playfully. Maybe not as much had changed as she thought. "So, come on, anything fun you would like do to while we have all of this time away from Hogwarts?"
Draco watched her for a moment if she was reading him correctly, he was mulling something over behind those silver eyes of his.
"Well, I always enjoyed visiting Paris around the holidays." His words were smooth, calculated and nothing like what Hermione had expected.
"Paris? You want to go to Paris?" Her words spilled out before she had even given anything much thought. She was so shocked by the suggestion in the first place, and even more shocked by its cool delivery.
"Have you ever even been to wizarding Paris?" Draco replied quickly as he watched her reactions. Was it that obvious.
"No, actually, I haven't yet. Just muggle Paris with my parents when I was younger," Hermione said factually.
"Then let's go! We can grab a portkey to the city and be there by lunch."
"Let's then!" she exclaimed, failing to hide the shock on her face. No big deal, just going to jump over to Paris before lunch. No matter how long she was in the wizarding world, it always found new ways to amaze her.
Draco smiled back at her, giving her hand a squeeze before finally removing his own. The sudden chill that brushed over her skin where his hand had been stopped her for just a second. She could not help but glance down at it before looking back up to Draco.
"Grab what you want to bring and change into some robes. I'll send my owl out for a portkey schedule and for reservations." Draco smiled, clearly in his element. "I'll see you in a bit," he added before turning and heading back to the guest room.
She was going to Wizarding Paris with Draco Malfoy during their Christmas break. There was this spontaneous excitement that filled her up and made her feel like she could burst at any moment. This was everything. The war was over, and she was going on a proper holiday and there was no underlying mission. They were just going to go have fun in Paris, no big deal. Totally normal wizarding thing. The look on her face gave it all away.