Friday, May 9th, 2003.
Part one: Before the encounter.
After a second attempt on Thursday morning, Hermione had decided that whether she was going to get back together or not, there was no way in hell she was going to force herself to go through the crowded atrium ever again. Meeting a very angry Caroline and ending up yelling at her in the middle of the crowd had been enough for a lifetime.
She'd been hugely mistaken if she'd thought she could pull the Slytherin sneering game more than once in a couple of days.
So, on Friday morning she'd come walking the muggle way, and an hour early. She'd encountered strictly no one as she'd lost herself in thoughts, and it'd been perfect.
The day passed at the speed of light though. Between dreadful meetings, a very delicate trial to prepare, sorting through the archives with Tracey, and receiving more papers to sign about the cottage, Hermione had been in over her head and a tiny bit on the nerves. Especially since Ronald sodding Weasley had decided to debate the price of their cottage with the future buyer and that she had to pretty much sign every little word they exchanged.
At eight forty five, Tracey had been gone for a long time and she was still reviewing a file from what Judith had piled up for years, when she received a flying note:
I bet you're still there, meet at apparition point in five minutes?
She let her files behind to meet Astoria right away. With all the mess, she'd forgotten.
Blaise was in dire need of a drink. The last couple of days had been horrific. Having heard that Davis had quit, some of his staff had decided to start complaining. As he had decided not to give way to their sudden bout of idiocy, they'd become lazy in return. He'd had double the amount of work when he had a manager to take care of everything but signing papers. Well, it wasn't like he'd been overwhelmed or anything but he'd had to come to the office everyday instead of every other day. So, at the end of the week, and thanks to Draco's "Just fire those lazy bastards." he was free of three more employees, and had a headache that for once wasn't due to alcohol consumption.
When came nine he was of course still walking to the Leaky Cauldron. His need to empty his head with firewhiskey was tickling him, plus, Draco had said he had some great news, and he couldn't wait. He arrived only five minutes late, to the lad's apparent surprise.
"So, the great news?" He asked as a greeting. Draco's smirk then was the worst sign ever. Of course, great news coming from him could only mean bad news for someone else. Blaise had a strong gut feeling that he was that someone else this evening. Like he needed that atop everything else.
"Guess who hired Davis?"
Hermione prepared herself to be surrounded with people. She hadn't really given it some thought but surely the three broomsticks would be crowded on a Friday night. She caught a quick glance at the windows as Astoria was opening the door. Hagrid, Minerva and Neville. Great. The whole Hogwarts tribe. She practically bumped into Astoria as the witch froze on the threshold, cutting short Hermione's scowling.
"Err … Hermione? Do you mind if we go somewhere else?" She grimaced.
"Actually no." If she could avoid her former professors and schoolmates there was no doubt she would.
"Good." Hermione only cocked an eyebrow in question, after all Astoria had said she wouldn't ask, so she had no idea if she could ask herself. Astoria didn't elaborate and just offered:
"Hog's Head?"
Hermione shrugged: "It's either that or Madam Puddifoot's."
"I'm not setting foot there." Astoria grimaced.
"Hog's Head then." She nodded and both women started to the far end of the village. Aberforth greeted them with a flash of surprise that vanished instantly to be replaced with a knowing half-smile as he served them both a drink without asking what they wanted. What he thought he knew Hermione had no idea but she was sure he knew more than her anyway. Those piercing blue eyes were wise beyond their name.
Astoria walked to a corner of the almost deserted room and Hermione followed, quite pleased with the lack of patrons.
"Marcus Flint was there." She said, sitting down. Hermione gave her another questioning look and the pretty witch smiled before continuing: "He's an ex."
"Oh. I see." Astoria winked and sipped at her drink. Hermione had already taken a large gulp at her own firewhiskey and suddenly felt a bit less heavy as the burning sensation descended to her stomach. She'd thought she hadn't needed a drink this week but apparently she'd been very wrong.
"You're not going to ask?" Astoria settled her glass back down after asking, cocking her head to a side to inspect Hermione with a foreign piercing stare.
"About Zabini?"
"Yes. You're not interested?"
"I don't need to ask. I guessed." She shrugged making Astoria chuckle:
"Do tell."
"All right. You spent Friday night in bed with him and he went away either right after or in the middle of the night." Astoria actually laughed at that.
"Salazar Hermione! There's a bit more to it actually but he did go away in the middle of the night." Hermione smiled, her deduction sense was still good apparently.
"What's the bit more?" She dared ask. After all Astoria had branched the subject.
"He said and I quote: "I'm not the kind to run off in the middle of the night you know, I'm more of a breakfast and more kind of guy."" Hermione found herself unexpectedly chuckling:
"And you fell for that?"
"We were both pretty drunk." Pouted Astoria. They both had a little laugh at the childish face the pretty witch pulled. After a moment of silent smiling and drinking, Hermione wondered if Astoria wasn't waiting for her to confess something too. After all, Hermione had no idea how this worked. She'd only ever had one girlfriend and it'd been Ginny. Whenever the last had shared something, she'd always asked Hermione something personal too. As if sensing her thoughts, though, Astoria gave her a warm smile:
"I said I wouldn't ask Hermione. We're just here to enjoy each other's company right? I say whatever I want to say, and you say whatever you want to say. No obligations." Hermione smiled, she was starting to really like the younger witch. She decided to just forget everything else, and keep the conversation in that unexpected funny streak.
"Good. Then I have to say that what you did with Davis was devious."
"I know." Astoria answered with a lift of her eyebrows before chuckling. Hermione joined her right away.
After a good ten minutes of mirthfully watching Blaise grumble and insult everyone and everything, Draco was at his third drink and was starting to blissfully feel tipsy. Good.
"You know that Greengrass girl has nothing to do with her sister." Blaise continued babbling. "She's snide! Daphne's just stupid and petty. A prettier version of Pansy. You know what? Makes me want to try again. She was a good shag. And I could get back at her. Way worse. Right I'll just get back at her."
Draco watched the flow of patrons while Blaise was deciding on his mischievous plan to get revenge on Astoria Greengrass. Most people were coming from Diagon Alley at this hour, and a large portion of patrons was paying their check and going out of the pub, probably to go finish the evening somewhere less crappy or to simply go home after a week of work. He watched the door close after two old witches with high hats, when it reopened to let two infuriating wankers come in. Said wankers were followed by a third piece of their team, Wood. Draco growled, pulling Blaise out of his self-discussion.
"What?"
"Look who just came in." He chinned the door. Potter, Weasley and Wood started right to the bar and greeted Tom as if they were old friends, cheering loudly, and of course, attracting attention. Draco shook his head:
"That's all we needed tonight. Wankers." Blaise, who had followed them with his eyes, turned back to Draco smirking:
"Let's play." Oh that was not good. "Tom!" He practically yelled. "Two more!" The bartender turned a startled face to them, and the wankers followed. Obviously he was quite surprised to be addressed this loudly by what surely was his usually most discreet patrons.
"Right away." He answered, frowning suspiciously.
"Potty, weasel, tree." Blaise greeted the others. Draco had to turn away from him and practically choked on his drink. Tree. What the hell? He had to bite the inside of his cheeks not to laugh out loud. Whatever Blaise had stupidly planned for a game, Draco didn't want in, but he sure as hell was going to watch.
"Fuck off Zabini." Was the weasel's answer. He was already red. This game sounded fun.
"Smart comeback redface." He sneered. Potter had to put his arm in front of the red idiot. Apparently being an auror hadn't given him a brain.
"What're you playing at Zabini?" Potter asked between clenched teeth.
"Having fun." Blaise shrugged.
"Well stop it." Potter looked deadly serious. Draco almost winced, if the head auror really decided to be nasty, all he had to do was to snap his fingers and Blaise would be in trouble.
"Why? I'm just starting."
"Stop it Blaise." Draco warned quietly.
"Listen to Malfoy, Zabini." Warned the weasel behind his goggled shield. Blaise was about to retaliate challengingly, when Potter exhaled in starting anger and took a few steps to them. Then he hissed quietly:
"Stop that. Whatever you're trying to do, stop it."
"I do as I please Scarhead." Blaise hissed. Draco stood behind him at that, this was getting far more serious than intended for sure.
Potter looked outraged. After a few seconds he got closer to Blaise and murmured: "Don't forget that all I have to do is call law enforcement and that little business of yours closes."
Blaise hated empty threats as much as Draco. Plus, coming from Saint Potter, that always claimed to be so right and fair, it made Blaise snap. He chuckled. A dangerous chuckle, he was not amused at all. Draco put a hand on Blaise's shoulder, and squeezed it in warning. If he acted on his anger this could end very badly. Blaise ignored it completely:
"See, I don't think so. I doubt Granger would go around the laws. Especially to please you of all people." Draco stopped in his tracks, his best friend apparently had a card to play.
"And what is that supposed to mean?" Potter startled. Blaise cocked his head to a side to glare at the weasel too before answering.
"I don't know. You tell me why she was drowning herself in her drink during you pathetic little speeches at commemoration." Potter blanched significantly but Blaise wasn't finished: "Oh, and I won't forget to tell her how insulting you just were."
"What the hell? I was not insulting!"
"Really? Think Potter. You too weaselbee." Blaise stood too then and nodded to the door. Draco followed, after watching intently both men's reaction. Agape. And a bit too pale, apparently thinking drained all the blood from the weasel's face. Blaise had definitely touched a nerve.
Once they were out Draco asked:
"Why did you do that?"
"Because it was fun?"
"You know what I mean, what was that about with Granger?"
Blaise sighed: "I got carried away a bit eh?"
"A tad. Nothing too serious though. You just angered the head auror and his favourite pet."
"They won't do a thing mate, they think I'll tell Granger. And obviously she's not in really good terms with them."
"Obviously. I don't understand why you insisted though …"
"Because I can't stand him."
"Me neither. But I know when to keep my mouth shut."
"And let that goggled prat insult her?" Draco frowned sceptically and Blaise continued: "Come on! He pretty much said she had no integrity and would just obey his bullshit."
"So you defended Granger's integrity." Droned Draco. Like it was perfectly normal for Blaise to do that. Yes, nothing was wrong with that.
"Err … I guess."
"You're nuts. Now with what I said the last time I saw them, they'll think we hang out with her."
"What did you say?"
"I was in the lift …"
"Wait, let's have another drink to talk about it."
"Hog's head."
"So, and then we flew up to the edge of the forbidden forest. We had a good ten minutes before he would catch up with us. Unless he thought of accioing his broom too but you know, he's a bit stupid so … Anyway we waited behind the trees and he never saw it coming! Boom! Rictusempra right in his face!"
Hermione burst out laughing another time at Astoria's story telling. She hadn't dared keep count or even think about it, she only knew that she was a little drunk and didn't care about anything else but enjoying her evening. Well, it had only lasted about an hour when someone slumped in the chair between the both of them at their little square table. A full glass clacked on the wooden surface and firewhiskey spread a bit around it.
"Hello Ladies."