a/n: Here's chapter 2! Thanks so much for sticking with me... this is my first chapter fic and it's been really fun to write. I'll post this and the next chapter today and more to come next week. Please comment/review!

I didn't say at the start, but I do NOT own Harry Potter - just playing around with JKR's wonderful characters.

Chapter 2

After ejecting him from her office earlier, Hermione was having a dreadful time trying to concentrate. She couldn't pinpoint exactly what had set her off, but it had been creeping up on her over some time now. They had this great banter, which any other day she very much enjoyed, but today something in her seemed to...snap. She replayed their conversation over and over in her mind and kept coming back to one thing: he calls me "darling".

Over their years of coworkers-turned-friends, they developed a friendship that was nothing like what she had with Harry. Draco looked out for her, anticipated her needs and fulfilled them without asking - silly things like bringing her tea to her office in the morning when he sees that she was running late, or badgering her about wearing "a proper coat" in the winter. And then of course, there were all the sweet courtesies that any gentleman of pureblood society would bestow on a lady - doors being opened, chairs being pulled out, elbows offered when she's wearing particularly dangerous heels at a Ministry event - all things which would shock her if Harry did them, but Draco always performed them so effortlessly - as if he seemed to never give it a second thought.

But today, he called her darling. Not that he hadn't before - far from it - he seemed to have endless silly pet names for her, and they never bothered her. She assumed it was his way of making up for all the times he had called her something dreadful as a child - and she was fine with that. They were friends. It was sweet. It was their thing.

But today, somehow it…stung. All of his "darlings" and "sweetness" and "dearest"...they seemed to be mocking her. She would never truly be his "dearest". He would never whisper "darling" as he kissed her goodnight. All of those words belonged to someone else - some future, faceless Mrs Malfoy. They were just friends. It was fourth year all over again - the boy I like doesn't see me as any more than a friend. Ugh.

And she had only just admitted to herself that there were any feelings there. She realized that he was the first person she wanted to see when she got a bit of good news and he was the only person she wanted near her when she had an awful day. She would bask in his praise of her work and act annoyed that he would harp on her lack of eating a decent lunch. She secretly loved that he cared for her in that way - even if he was just her friend. It had always been she who did all those things for her friends in the past and it just felt nice.

A night out is just what I need, she thought as she texted Ginny. She knew Ginny would be game for going out for drinks since she was always badgering Hermione to "cut loose" and "just stop working so hard".

Plans confirmed, Hermione also called Harry and let him know - she welcomed any opportunity to catch up with her oldest friend, even if it was just heading home with him and spending the evening with his wife. And if Harry's hanging about, I can avoid Malfoy for the rest of today. The thought of it made her stomach clench, but she knew she didn't have any idea how to tell him what she was feeling just yet. Avoiding him for a bit would be best.

Just as she gathered her things and headed to the door, she heard the muffled but familiar male voices in the hall. Torn now between wanting to know what was being said and feeling like a snoop, Hermione froze with her hand on the doorknob, holding her breath and waiting until the coast was clear. At the sound of retreating footsteps - the sharp click of Draco's expensive shoes, no doubt - she dared to open the door a crack to peek into the hall.

"He's gone, you can come out of hiding now." Harry's voice made her jump which only made him laugh right out loud.

"Harry!" she scolded, only to be rewarded with more laughter from her friend. "I will have you know, I was not hiding."

"Of course you weren't…" he chuckled. "You know, you two are ridiculous. It's painfully obvious to literally everyone…. Why don't you tell him how you feel?"

"I don't know what you're talking about…" she muttered in reply.

Harry merely smirked and shook his head, falling into step beside her as she made for the lifts. Now was not the time to argue. He knew if anybody could get the truth out of her, it would be Ginny. "Alright then, Hermione, let's get you home to my wife."

Thanks for reading! Chapter 3 will also be posted today!