Author's Notes:

The title of this chapter basically refers to the days between Christmas and New Year's Eve; alternatively, it could have been dubbed "Draco And The Women In His Life". ;-)
However, it's the last breather before I bring back the emotional stuff.

Thanks again to the wonderful and lovely bunch of ladies keeping me on track! Love you all! :-**

Chapter 30 – The Days In-between

"Master has a visitor."

Draco had barely made a step inside his flat the Friday after Christmas when his house-elf showed up to take over his coat as well as the winter robes he had put on top for the afternoon. "Let me guess—my mother?"

Tilly shook her head with her usual solemn expression, carefully holding his coat and robes in her hands to put them away in the wardrobe. "The young Lady Parkinson is waiting in the living room."

He let out a sigh, and then brushed through his hair to bring it back to order after letting the cold winter winds run through it as he had flown a few rounds on his old broom on his family estate.

However, Pansy coming here was not a good sign; so, bracing himself, he entered the living room, only to find her examining his shelves, pulling out books to have a closer look at the covers.

"I thought you wanted to spend the bridge days in bed with your soon-to-be husband?"

Pansy turned around, a book still in her hands and an amused smirk on her lips. "Well, his job, you know? Harry called him in about an hour ago, so I decided to take the chance. He promised to make it up..."

"So, it's not about the company, then?"

She shook her head, turning the book in her hands before putting it back in its place on the shelf. "No, everything is running as smoothly as it can, last I heard."

His unease ebbed away a bit as he approached the leather sofa in the middle of the room. "Have a seat then."

Pansy chose the armchair next to the sofa, waiting for him to be seated as well before she leaned back.

"Can Tilly bring something for Master Draco and his visitor? Tea with biscuits?"

"Yes, please." Draco leaned back as the house-elf disappeared into the kitchen.

"I thought you had a different one?"

"Tibby helps out at Hermione's hiding place."

Pansy put her chin on her hand as she eyed him closely for a silent moment. "You do a lot for her."

"Yes, what about it?" And with Pansy's remark, his unease about her visit returned.

"I'm not judging you, okay? I just noticed. And maybe I have a deeper insight into the whole situation thanks to dating Ron."

"Maybe." He sighed and crossed his arms, impatient for her to explain why she came to his place.

"Look, I saw you two kiss at the family Christmas at the Burrow, and you were both pretty much into it. Don't worry, I haven't told anyone at the get-together, but I did mention it to Ron when we were back home because I couldn't stop thinking about it. And now I know why."

"Yes?"

"I haven't seen you this happy in years."

The house-elf returned with the tea and the biscuits, placing them on the sofa table, and then stepped back. "Tilly will go back into the kitchen to prepare dinner."

"So, you came here to tell me just that?" Draco asked with an eyebrow raised in question before leaning forward to pour the tea into the cups.

With a soft smile, she shook her head. "All I want to say is that if she still makes you this happy, then I'm willing to forgive her. I only want a genuine apology from her, and I don't even need to know all the details. I just want her to say that she is sorry to my face."

Draco was surprised about what Pansy had just said, because, so far, all of his friends and family had opposed the idea of his reconciliation with Hermione. And now Pansy sat here in his living room, telling him she didn't mind.

To gain a few more seconds, he lifted his cup to his lips to have a first sip. "Thanks."

"Forgiven, not forgotten. After all, Hermione did make a mistake back then, a horrible one even." Her soft smile widened as she poured a few drops of milk into her tea. "But if you can let go of the past, so can I."

"What about the others?" he asked after an eternally long moment of silence, blowing carefully over his tea.

"I don't want to make promises; at least not before she has apologised to me... But it won't be easy, especially not with Astoria."

He sighed before drinking some of his tea. "One step after another..."

"Yeah." Pansy nodded, holding the cup to her lips, only to lower it again. "You know, Astoria did go to see that doctor after our last meeting at the company, but she hasn't told anyone yet why or what they found. Just Blaise looked shocked after she returned..."

"She'll tell us soon enough, I think."

"Yeah."

..

The following day, Draco was out in Diagon Alley to settle a few things before the year ended. He was glad to catch some fresh air to sort his thoughts—Pansy's visit the day before as well as the kiss on Christmas Day with Hermione were still both heavily on his mind. In his rather aimless walk, he was only careful enough not to bump into people crossing his way. For once, he didn't care whether people stared at him or even pointed their finger at him as he was recognised.

"Mr Malfoy! Mr Malfoy!"

Draco rolled his eyes when he heard his name being called, but he didn't slow down his steps. From the tone of the voice calling him out, it could only be a reporter, one of those relentless bloodhounds.

"Mr Malfoy! Please! A minute of your time for a statement!"

Irritated now, Draco increased his steps. He was not in the mood for any contact with the press, not after what they had dared to print about Hermione and her panic attack!

"Kerr, are you out of your bloody mind?!"

Draco stopped mid-step to turn around, as he recognised the furious, female voice. He was just fast enough to see Ginny drag her colleague off, who was wincing in pain as she had her fingers tightly wrapped around his upper arm.

Against his better judgement, he followed them at a distance, only to find them in a side alley, with the young man pressed against a wall and Ginny staring him down.

"You know what Blackwood said! Do not approach nor write about Ms Granger or Mr Malfoy personally–"

"I-I know. But his company is refusing any statements about their–"

"Don't," she scoffed at him. "Do as Blackwood says, or you might lose your job. I will make sure of that..."

Remaining at the entrance to the side alley, Draco couldn't help but chuckle at the scene in front of him. "It's okay, Ginny."

She turned her head to face him, her previous scoff immediately softening into a broad smile. "I just saw him follow you. He is a little too eager sometimes."

Kerr let out a deep breath when Ginny stepped back, lifting his hands as an offer of surrender when she narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm sorry, okay?"

"Apology accepted," Draco replied. "And you'd do well to follow your boss' orders."

"Yes, sir." With an apologetic smile, Kerr picked himself off the wall and finally made to leave the side alley.

"He's good, just, as I said, a bit too eager," Ginny said with a smirk, as she joined Draco at the exit.

"He works for the economics section, right?" He turned around, nodding as an offer to follow him. "Maybe I should let him have an interview..."

"Don't spoil him," she replied with an amused laugh. "But what are you doing here? It's Saturday after all..."

"It is... Drink?"

"If you're paying, I won't say no."

..

"How is the family?" Draco asked as they arrived at the Black Quill; he held the door open to let her enter first.

"Harry's at work as always, but at least he tried to take yesterday off for a prolonged weekend, but was still called back to work. Same story today... We thought we could use the afternoon for us, since the children are at George's place right now, playing with their cousins. So, here I am, enjoying a rare afternoon to myself, doing some shopping. And maybe find some ideas for future columns."

"Sounds like you deserve a drink," he said as they sat down at the bar.

She laughed and had a look at the drinks listed on the board above the bar. "Two children are a handful, so I admire my mother more each day for raising seven of us..."

"What can I get you?" the bartender asked with a professional smile on his lips.

"The Sex On The Beach sounds enticing," Ginny said with an amused side-glance, "but I think I'll go with a Bloody Mary. I never get to drink it with Harry. He doesn't like vodka."

The bartender nodded, his smile widening even. "And for you, sir? The same as usual?"

"You should try something new," Ginny said with a daring look, leaning against the counter.

Draco couldn't help but smirk and shake his head. "I have a simple taste. Only the best..."

"A Bloody Mary and a Firewhisky it is..." And the bartender set about to prepare their chosen drinks.

"...and a White Russian, if you would be so nice."

Both Draco and Ginny turned around to see who just added themselves to their drink order, only to get off their stools as soon as they recognised Andromeda standing behind them.

"I didn't expect to see you here," Draco said, leaning in to greet her with the customary kisses on the cheek. "I thought you were already in France."

She shook her head. "Your mother doesn't expect me to arrive before tomorrow, but I'm looking forward to spending a couple of more quiet days. Teddy is old and responsible enough."

"He'll stay at ours most of the time, anyway," Ginny piped in, and the women hugged briefly but cordially.

"So," Andromeda continued when she was seated at the bar, "we didn't really have a chance to talk over Christmas, which is a pity. I would have loved to hear a bit more about you and Hermione..."

The bartender returned with their drinks. "Voilà, ladies and gentleman..."

Draco was glad for the interruption to gather his thoughts before answering. And because he needed some of the Firewhisky for his nerves, as talking about Hermione was always rather loaded and difficult these days.

"Good stuff."

"Yes, he knows how to make a proper cocktail," Andromeda replied with a side-glance to the bartender who was already serving another patron behind Draco. "If I were younger..."

"Merlin!" Draco groaned at his aunt's words. Sometimes he wondered if they were related at all—she was so different from his mother.

Both women laughed, but then Andromeda nudged him gently in the side. "Don't worry, I was only joking."

After a sigh, and a small smile curling his lips, he watched them exchange a few more teasing looks over another sip of their drinks.

"But now, how is Hermione doing? She looked good at the Weasley Christmas, despite everything I heard that she's been through." Andromeda set her drink down on the counter, facing her nephew with a curious, but earnest expression.

He briefly switched between the women before he shrugged. "We have another couple session on Monday..."

"Yeah, you did look pensive on the street," Ginny said, leaning on her elbow, showing a similarly curious expression. "Was it about the kiss?"

"You kissed her?" For a second, Andromeda gaped at him before she caught herself.

Draco nodded, unable to keep a smile from appearing on his face, only to have it broaden when he saw his aunt's face relax. "You really can't keep anything secret in that family..."

"True," Ginny replied with a dismissive shrug. "But I told Ron and Harry to keep it between us. You know how they still fear my Bat-Bogey Hex."

"Remind me to never piss you off." Relieved, he took another sip from his Firewhisky. "But yes, I was thinking about Hermione. You know, the more time I spend with her, the more I feel like I'm back home."

Andromeda nodded, not trying to keep a melancholic sigh from escaping. "Yes, that's the one thing I still miss sometimes..."

"It's just..." He sighed, looking at Ginny who furrowed her brows in slight confusion. "Can you keep a secret?"

Now Andromeda and Ginny shared a look before the older woman turned towards him again with a nod. "If it's about Hermione, then yes."

Draco breathed in deeply. Maybe his aunt could help him with some advice after all. "She told me why she broke up with me, and I understand her now. I don't know exactly how it happened, and I'm not going to force her to tell me, but she was turned into a creature in an accident about half a year before... you know. She said it was a Harpy, I think."

Andromeda's eyes widened as she stared at him. "That is... unbelievable. She's a...?"

Draco couldn't remember seeing his aunt grow as pale as she did at that moment. "Yes. Just please don't tell anyone..."

"She never said anything!" Andromeda uttered, still trying to comprehend the news. At least the usual faint pink tint of her cheeks slowly returned. "And you said it was an accident?"

Draco nodded, brushing through his hair in an absent-minded move. "I just wish she had told me then, we would have found a way to deal with it. But she was so scared I'd leave her for it... I mean, in our first session, she said that she was tainted, or broken even. It was painful to hear."

"It's...Merlin!" Covering her shock with her usual soft smile, Andromeda put her hand on his on the counter. "I mean I understand her. It must have been a pretty scary experience. Maybe if she had talked to me about it..."

"What do you mean?" he asked, raising his eyebrow in question.

"Don't tell me you forgot who my son-in-law was!" Andromeda slapped his hand in mocked outrage.

"Remus?" Ginny piped in with a chuckle, who had silently listened to the conversation while enjoying the last drops of her drink.

"Of course I remember! You told me enough stories about them, and Hermione, too, when we watched Teddy!" Mocking a huff, he emptied his Firewhisky, only to then appease the women with a smile.

"You're lucky you're my only nephew..." Andromeda swatted him again, showing the same amused smirk. "Look, what I wanted to say is, Remus was the same, always scared that he wasn't good enough for my daughter. I don't even blame either of them, our society still isn't ready to accept people with that kind of... history."

"It's a bit better now," Draco said with a nod. "And you know I don't mind employing them if they have the right skills."

"Hermione did a good job teaching you some new things... All I want to know—because this is really between you two, my dear—are you sure about it? You still accept her the way she is?"

"Yes." He turned the empty tumbler between his fingers, mostly to distract himself for a moment. "I know it's not going to be easy, and I also know that it won't be the same as before, though everybody seems to think that. But she's still Hermione. It's just... I mean, how did Dora deal with it, with the whole werewolf thing?"

"Honestly? I don't know. But she trusted Remus above everything else. She was there when he needed her, never gave up on him. And maybe Hermione needs exactly that—your trust. That you'll be there no matter what."

"She's right, you know? I think Christmas was a first step," Ginny added with a solemn nod before nibbling on the celery stalk that had come with her drink. "And you already spend so much time together."

"In the end, it's up to you." Andromeda swayed her tumbler gently before lifting it to her lips to finish off the last drops.

Oh, he knew what they were going to discuss on Monday.

Finally.

..

Monday was the day before New Year's Eve, and Draco and Hermione had another therapy session with Dr Pendry that day; they used the hour to finally approach the question she had asked when they had decorated the Christmas tree at her place—what if they got back together?

The hour was drawing to an end, and Hermione sat all curled up, leaning against the sofa armrest facing him, biting her lower lip. "And you really think we have a chance? Despite everything?"

"Yes, despite everything." Draco could hear the insecurity in her voice, even though she sounded hopeful as well. It seemed that he hadn't been the only one who couldn't stop thinking about the kiss and what it could possibly mean for them.

With an ardent smile, he leaned towards her; his smile grew when he saw her cheeks blush ever so slightly in response. "As I mentioned before, you once gave me a chance because you saw the good in me, even forgave me all those horrible things I've done in that war. So, ever since we started talking again, I kept thinking about this, about us. And all I can think is that I do want you back in my life. I want to keep spending time with you–"

"I like spending time with you; it always makes me feel safe and... I don't know..." With a sheepish smile, she buried her face between her knees to cover her momentary embarrassment. "I feel cherished."

"Let me give you the same chance," he whispered with an earnest tone to his voice, leaning even closer.

Still hiding her face between her knees, Hermione heaved a sigh in response to his words; he thought he could see her nod, but he wasn't sure as the sheer mass of her curls hid any movement of her head.

"Mr Malfoy?" Dr Pendry said in a quiet voice, rolling her pen between her fingers. With her usual warm but still professional smile, she motioned him to come over to her desk for a moment.

"Yes?"

She glanced over at Hermione who was looking up once more, smiling at them. "Just between us... It's good to hear that you've found it in yourself to forgive her. But forgiveness and trust are two different things."

"I know." Keeping half an eye on Hermione, he sat down on the visitor's chair after pulling it closer to the desk to lean against it. "However, I'd be a damn hypocrite if I didn't at least try to give her same chance she once gave me. With a bit of your doing involved as well, if I remember correctly, Dr Pendry."

"Yes, I remember." With another smile, she added something to her notes.

He saw Hermione stretch her legs, a sign that she was starting to relax again, even though she was still nibbling her lower lip. As the therapist was still writing down her thoughts, he changed back to his previous spot on the sofa, next to Hermione.

She reached for his hand once he was sitting, even leaned a bit against his shoulder. "You really think we should try?"

"Yes. I think you're worth the risk."

"Now," Dr Pendry said, looking up, and not at all surprised to find them both on the sofa. "Given what we discussed today, I have to say that you made quite some progress in working on your relationship. It's really great to see, to be honest. So, I propose we meet again in the second week of January, and then we'll see from there."

..

Moments later, Draco held the door open for Hermione to step out of the building into the cold air of London, close to Diagon Alley. "Are you okay? You look a bit absent."

"I'm fine, just..." She sighed, and then put on a soft smile as she stepped out. "I'm just thinking about what you said. It means a lot to me."

"I saw a nice little coffee place down the street, if you feel up to it," he said, offering his arm for her to hook in.

She accepted his offer, even went as far as twining their fingers, and then let him guide her through the streets. "You know, I thought about my New Year's resolutions yesterday."

"You did?" he said with an amused raise of his eyebrow. "I gave them up a long time ago..."

"Yes." Hermione nudged him, grinning as he mocked a wince. "I mean, isn't the start of a new year also a chance for a new start in my life, to change a few things?"

He nodded, not wanting to interrupt her.

"So, I thought the only two things on my list of resolutions for the new year are to keep working on what we have so far and to apologise to your friends. To all of them."

Surprised, he stopped in the middle of the pavement and turned towards her. "You think you can do that?"

"I don't know. But I should at least try; I've been hiding long enough from them. They deserve an apology..."

Without thinking about it, he pulled her into an embrace, deeply appreciating what she just said. "It's not going to be easy, you know?"

She wrapped her arms around his waist, her head turned to the side. "I know. I mean, I can't just walk in and say 'sorry for all the trouble'."

"We'll find a way." After a last rub over her back, he let go of her again. "And you know what? Pansy came over to my place over the weekend. I think the engagement made her a bit soft–"

"Oh, she always had a soft core, you know?"

He briefly chuckled, because Hermione was right, even though Pansy barely ever showed it. "What I meant to say is, she is willing to accept your apology if you tell her you're sorry to her face."

"What?" She gasped. "She said that? Why?"

He smirked, though mostly to cover his blushing cheeks. "She saw us kiss."

"Oh my God." She hid her face behind her hands for a moment, shaking her head in disbelief. "So much for keeping it secret!"

"Yes," he replied, still smirking. "Now, come. Let's discuss it over a nice cup."