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'Malfoy wait' Hermione said, noticing a blonde head disappear around the corner in front of her and she raced to catch up with him.

'Just because we had one civil chat Granger, doesn't mean we're suddenly friends' he sighed.

'One day you'll grow up Malfoy' she chided. 'I was actually coming to ask you for some work papers. Here' she said tersely, handing him an official ministry request form.

'Couldn't send a memo?' He asked sarcastically, pointing at the the flying paper aeroplanes that zipped everywhere as she turned on her heel without a word and walked away. He huffed and pocketed it without looking, turning away without a word then remembered she'd been nice,again, and didn't deserve him being rude.

'Damn idiot' he muttered to himself. He stopped and turned back again but she'd gone. He glanced at the request and sighed again. 'Really?' He muttered realising how much work it was, stalking back to his office. He'd hoped to get away early, he'd just got back from a visit to France and was tired. He opened the request fully and noticed a small note drop out.

'114 Elia Street'.

He threw it down. What on Earth was she thinking? They weren't friends again, was she stupid? Sighing, he put it to the back of his mind and put the slip of paper in his pocket, burying himself in work. It wasn't until he was heading out the office late that evening he found it again, and curiosity got him. He was intrigued. No one had reached out to him since he'd come back into public view, he was a traitor to both sides and it was incredibly lonely. He hadn't spoken to her in so long. He suddenly changed tack, heading from the apparition point to the floo.

'Just in time for dinner' she said calmly as he stepped out the fireplace. He was in the front room of a small townhouse, out of wizarding London but surprisingly he knew the area well.

'How did you know I'd come?' He asked confused, her joviality completely throwing him. He was expecting a slanging match from the get-go but had still come. It was no less than he deserved after all.

'I didn't and I don't have lunch for tomorrow now so you're bloody lucky I offered'.

He noted her table was indeed set for one, and his anger dissipated a little as his presumption she was so damn cocky she'd actually cooked for him was proved utterly wrong.

'What the fuck am I doing here?' He asked, more for himself than her.

'You tell me?' She said carefully, staring at him.

'If you're after an apology you'll have to keep waiting' he said snappily.

'Dragging that up again? I wasn't expecting one, don't worry'

She waved her hand and turned back to cooking. He watched with interest, it smelt delicious and he was intrigued. It's not as if he ever watched the house elves cook. Food just appeared on his table in the Manor.

'Why invite me then?' He was confused and angry.

'Honestly? I figured you'd sneer at it, think I was stupid, swear a little. Then you'd think 'she knows I won't go, so maybe I will just to prove her wrong. I really didn't mind either way. Maybe closure.'

He sat down at her table quiet for a minute, surprised by her prediction. She was right of course.

'You missed paced in front the fire fifty times and took three throws of floo powder. Luckily no one seemed to be working late tonight' he said dryly. 'But why?'

'Don't worry I'm not after a pity fuck' she said quietly. He looked shocked for a second.

'What did you think? I wanted to carry on where we left off last time? Was that your hope?' She asked accusingly.

'Well, I didn't expect us to sit cosy on armchairs, paint each other's nails and catch up on good times past. Not that there are many' he replied sarcastically.

'I don't know, I have some good memories. Your face in the forbidden forest in first year. I mean we were all terrified. But anyway, sarcasm is the lowest form of wit' she replied.

He changed tack, he was here and hungry. He might as well stay. 'If I'd have realised there was food I would have brought you something' he said primly.

'Don't go all formal on me Malfoy. Surely by now we're beyond that? Even if you do just run away'.

'I don't run away' he retorted quickly, she'd touched a nerve.

'Well, you left pretty quick three years ago, then I didn't see you for two years until you suddenly tip up working for the Ministry. You disappeared last week'. She drained the pasta she was cooking before taking a deep breath.

'I thought you'd prefer anonymity still if you did come. Could you imagine the scandal if we were seen communicating anywhere other than work, in fact if we were seen doing anything at work other than speak the bare minimum with as many insults as possible thrown in? I'm surprised we got away with being at Uni together without someone knowing. You happened to come around dinner time, and I happened to have cooked double as cooking for one is just a waste of time and I can at least pretend I'm not lonely'.

She turned round from dishing up and plonked two plates on the table.

'You don't have to stay. You don't have to talk to me. You don't have to eat but I am, I'm hungry' she added.

They ate in silence for a few moments.

'You're lonely?' He plucked up courage to ask about one of her earlier points, surprised. He was here, that had taken enough courage and this had shocked him a little.

'It's not easy being the golden girl you know, saviour of the modern world, apparently jilted lover of Harry Potter nursing my broken heart in solitude. I told you before, the virginal princess' she grinned, relaxing a little bit. He rolled his eyes.

'I was talking to you what, five minutes the other day and I counted three wizards make an attempt to catch my eye or talk to me in that time, including the one you scared off. Everyone wants to know what I'm doing, who I'm with, what Harry is doing, why we didn't fall in love, what happened with Ron rather than know me. They want the girl who helped bring down Voldemort' she saw him flinch at the name but carried on. 'Harry is still so loved up with Ginny. Ron has his new girlfriend. Tonks died. Luna is Luna but busy. Neville is away on his studying trips. I didn't have much time for any other friends what with saving the world every week, and after. Well, I still see Laura but she's a muggle, she doesn't understand. Her and Matty are getting married in a few months. I've dated a couple of times and every second of it was in the paper or they were useless idiots. I'm bored of it'. She said it so matter of factly he didn't think it was boasting at all.

'What did happen with Ron? In all that time I never asked. I once would have said you were perfect for him but I know better'. Curiosity had really got him now.

'Not you as well? We didn't exactly do much talking though did we? It just wasn't right in the end' she replied honestly.

'I'd have figured explaining everything twelve times must have been draining' he said sarcastically. She marvelled at his ability to insult Ron even when he wasn't there but chose not to rise to his bait as it had a modicum of truth in it. 'Why me now though' he continued.

'Back to that? I told you i'm over it. I was never in it. But I thought, I thought you could use a secret friend. I doubt you have many'. Her honesty rattled him but he decided to let down the act for the time being. He felt strangely comfortable with her.

'Funnily enough, I didn't have much time for meaningful friendships between all that kissing of robes and grovelling and trying to stay alive,' he remarked wryly.

Hermione laughed gently. 'Then shoved into muggle exile for four years. Besides, who really would want to be my friend even if I do deserve forgiveness? 'Oh hi, yes, I was a death eater and tortured many, attempted to kill Albus Dumbledore but haven't we had awful weather lately?' No one's missed me'.

'I've missed you' Hermione said quietly.

'Is that what this is about? Redemption? Repetition. You want a second chance?' He accused.

'No. We were good together though, I was good for you' she said simply, clearing the dishes away. He sat back with his glass of wine and considered her.

'You really have an overinflated view of yourself don't you?' He stated, matter of fairly.

'No. A realistic one. Just' she stopped, not sure whether to say the next bit. She took a deep breath and turned round to face him, leaning back on the worktop.

'Go on, spit it out' He goaded.

'Just if it hurts you to see me as much as it does me to see you, then yes, you've missed me. If it doesn't, it doesn't matter. I'll get over it'.

'You saying you care about me now? This is priceless. Did you forget I opposed you and tried to kill you? You still trust me after that? We were good for sex Granger, that's it '

'Do I trust you? Any trust you built you broke. You left, without a word, I tried to find you but you disappeared'.

'You were worried?'He asked unbelievingly. She nodded, trying to stop the tears that threatened to fall.

'You knew I came back.'

'A year Draco. A year later. You were hated by both sides, Harry kept telling me of awful things he'd been seeing and then you disappear without a trace. Of course I was worried. I didn't know you were safe for a year before you came back. And not for me though' she said pitifully, sitting back down opposite him and taking a large sip of wine.

'You wanted me to care about you? You know it never was that, it was never about that. I didn't owe you anything'.

Hermione sighed, not saying anything.

'You honestly thought we could care about each other?' He scoffed, standing up.

'That pureblood crap again? I was under no illusions Draco, I know what we were but I can still care'. She rolled her eyes. He glared at her.

'The whole point was it was dangerous, and the whole point it worked was because it was so unbelievable. That pureblood crap as you put it protected us. We were just' he ran out of words.

'Friends with benefits, I get it. That's not why I'm upset, I'm a big girl, I can cope with it. I'm not crazily in love with you and crying myself to sleep every night but even you can't deny it was good. Im upset you left without a word. I wasted effort worrying about you'.

He slammed his hands on the table in anger, then slumped down into his chair. He seemed to be fighting with something but eventually spoke. 'I cared for you Hermione. Too much. It's why I left'.

His admission took her by surprise and she considered her answer carefully, not breaking eye contact with him. 'Was that such a bad thing? She asked warily.

'No, yes, it would hurt you' he said, looking down.

'And leaving didn't hurt you? I didn't deserve that. You made the choice for me' she countered.

'You didn't deserve my damage, my past. I will never be who you deserve'.

'Now who has an overinflated view of themselves? Or an unrealistic one. Weren't you Wizarding Britain's most eligible bachelor once? The war was hell, absolute hell and we all did things we aren't proud of but we survived and came out the other side, we both did. We both suffered. You think I'm not damaged?' She hissed, angry.

'Was Hermione, was for you. I still live it. You're a war heroine. I'm the death eater that walked free, the one everyone loves to ignore or hate. I was the wrong side for both sides. Nothing will change who I am' he replied heavily, tired now.

'Who you were' she corrected.

He put his head in his hands, then looked up. 'Why are we even arguing about this? It changes nothing. It was in the past'.

'You're here aren't you? Something changed' she said, getting up and walking over to him.

'Don't' He warned, bit seeing her stop and not touch him he carried on.

'I'm here, fuck knows why I'm here'.

She closed the gap between them.

'You spoke to me first. You invited me for a drink' she replied.

'Well, if that's all it takes' he muttered sarcastically.

'It's how this started. You know it's not all it takes though'.

'What do you want from this? From me now?' He asked.

'Answers' she said simply, looking at him.

'You got them' he said shortly.

'That you left because you think that caring for me was bad? Poor excuse' she snapped.

'Think? Think? You telling me how I felt now? It would never have worked then, we're too different. I don't even know what I wanted but it got dangerous and I cut loose. I'm not a nice guy, it wasn't hearts and flowers. It was pure physical attraction, a means to an end. You were there, it could have been anybody female'

'You don't know that'. She sat back down at the table again.

He looked at her long and hard. 'Really? The princess and the death eater? We're too different. Why so bloody optimistic? You know as well as I do it wouldn't have and never will work. Irrelevant now'

'Only because you refused to give us a chance!' She spat quickly.

'It is irrelevant because it never would have happened. You never felt the same. An arrangement, that's all it was. And why are we even arguing the point, it's pedantic because neither want that'.

'How do you know that?' She cried, exasperated.

'You didn't feel the same. I could tell. I left before it hurt both of us. Don't tell me it wasn't the right thing to do because it was'.

Hermione but her lip, she agreed. Both were silent, Malfoy looking at his hands.

'It may have been the right thing that time but the wrong way to do it. And now?' She asked tentatively.

'Now I'm over it and don't know what I'm doing here.' he said, standing up. 'Thank you for dinner' he said curtly, kissing her on the head and leaving the kitchen. She let him go, she was confused and hurt and knew he needed space. She heard the floo roar and knew he was gone.

'Good night Malfoy'