Summary: The war has been over for a few years. Draco and Hermione both work as healers. This is just a one-shot about how Draco tries to become friends with Hermione and it all starts with a cup of coffee.

Disclaimer: This is a work of (fan) fiction using the world and characters of Harry Potter belonging to J.K. Rowling. Only the plot belongs to me.

Rating: K

Genre: friendship

A/N: This story is AU and OOC. - Reviews not necessary but always welcomed!

It's Just Coffee

Impossible Grind Cafe – Diagon Alley

Draco sat down at the small table in the cafe. He smiled at the confused look on the brunette's face that was occupying the seat across from him. He set a cup of coffee in front of her. "Don't worry about it, Granger. It's just coffee."

Hermione's look went from puzzlement to annoyance quickly. "Couldn't you choose another table instead of inflicting yourself on me?" She fumed.

The former Slytherin took a sip of his coffee. "Seeing as we're colleagues now, we should be able to hold a civil conversation over a cup of coffee." He said a bit pompously.

"Oh really? Since when have you ever cared to have any sort of conversation with me, much less a civil one?" She inquired giving him a glare.

He savored the bitter brew as he took another mouthful and shrugged his shoulders at the riled witch opposite him. "I've grown up since the war. Before the war, really." He finished his cup. "It's just coffee, Granger." He answered. He stood up and left after nodding to her.

Hermione exhaled slowly and watched him leave. She shook her head and went back to the book she had been reading before being interrupted. Soon she was engrossed in her novel not even thinking about the cup of coffee she was enjoying.

St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries – London, England

Hermione sat in the cafeteria of St. Mungo's with her head resting on the table in front of her. She was exhausted after pulling a double shift in the emergency ward.

What should have been a quiet and uneventful evening had become a loud chaotic disturbance when several players of two opposing teams from a charity quidditch game had shown up. There were several injuries from a fight that had broken out at the pitch and some of the players were still in the midst of fighting right there in the hospital.

Between the Aurors and referees, they finally managed to get everyone separated and the healers were able to begin treatment on the injured. Several healed broken noses, cracked ribs, busted knuckles, and bruises later, the night finally seemed to be quiet again.

Of course, had she not already worked a full eight hours prior to the quidditch debacle, she may have not been so expended at this point. She just needed to gather enough energy to walk to the hospital's travel room and floo home. At least that's what she kept telling herself as she continued to rest there.

The blond healer walked over to the now softly snoring brunette witch. He quietly set down both of coffees he had been carrying and gently shook her shoulder. "Granger, wake up." He smiled as she gave a quiet snort but didn't wake up. "C'mon, you need to wake up now." He shook her again.

Hermione woke with a startled cry. When her eyes focused, she groaned at the sight of Malfoy. He smirked at her and took the other seat at the table. She rubbed her eyes and spied the cup of coffee in front of her. Before she could voice her annoyance, Draco spoke first. "It's just coffee. No need to thank me, Granger."

Hermione sneered at the arrogant wizard. "I won't." She grasped the cup and took a long pull from it. "Why are you here?" She asked.

Draco was pleased that she had accepted the coffee but wisely chose not to make reference to it. "I work here, same as you." He grinned at her.

Rolling her eyes at his answer, Hermione quickly slugged down the welcomed caffeine. "We're not friends, Malfoy. I'm not some simpering pureblood witch that can't wait to drape myself all over you so I can't fathom why you are doing this." She had stood up at the end of her small rant and glared at the Malfoy heir.

Draco frowned slightly and met her stare head on and spoke calmly, "I'm not the same boy you knew in school. I'm not your enemy, Granger." He stood up as well. "It's just coffee." The wizard walked away before Hermione could react.

Weeks flew by and during that time, Hermione would find herself sitting across from the man she didn't hate quite as much as she thought she had. Always with a cup of much needed coffee for her, no sugar and a scant amount of milk, just the way she liked it. He was always polite while she continued to be irritated. Often, he would be the one to leave before her and always with the reminder that it was just coffee.

Impossible Grind Cafe – Diagon Alley

Hermione was having lunch with another colleague, Brenda Markson, a medi-witch from the emergency department. The brunette decided to tell her about what had been happening between herself and Malfoy. She explained about how he had treated her during their school years and that they had been on opposite sides of the war.

She didn't need to go into much detail about Malfoy being a Death Eater or how he had been placed under probation rather than being sent to Azkaban because of his age at the time he accepted the mark as well because of the threats against his family if he hadn't.

Brenda knew most of that as it had been plastered on the front pages of all the wizarding papers during his trial. She listened to the former Gryffindor and tried to keep an open mind. Being muggle-born herself, she had great empathy towards the witch sitting at the table with her and all she had gone through during the war. However, she had met Healer Malfoy and found him to be a charming and witty man. He was also a brilliant healer.

Hermione finally asked, "Am I being unfair? He hasn't said anything offensive to me in all this time. Could he really have changed?" She felt bad putting Brenda on the spot like this but she had needed to get someone's opinion. Desperately needed and she knew it wasn't something she could discuss with Ginny or Harry and certainly not Ron.

The kind medi-witch took some time to gather her thoughts before finally facing her friend. "I think that you are the only one that can decide if he's really changed from the boy you went to school with to the wizard he has become now. I only know him from St. Mungo's and I have never heard him say anything offensive about muggle-borns. I have never heard rumors of him talking about blood purity and you know I hear all the gossip." She smiled and continued, "Hermione, he seems to be the Draco Malfoy he is now, despite how he was when he was younger. Perhaps you should give him a chance. I mean, it's just coffee, yeah?" Brenda explained.

Hermione was nodding her head before she even gave it a second thought. "Thank you for listening and for your advice. If Malfoy can change and be a better person than he was, who am I to hold a grudge?" She stated.

St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries – London, England

The break room was dim and quiet which was not surprising since it was 2:00 in the morning. Hermione was sitting there with her eyes closed trying to relax before going back to the ward. She had lost a patient earlier and even though no one expected the man to live, she was still bothered by it.

She felt the presence of another in front of her and opened her eyes to see Malfoy placing a styrofoam cup in front of her. She put both hands around it and once he sat down across from her, she spoke. "Thank you. I really need this." She took a careful sip of the hot liquid.

Draco was caught completely off guard. He was expecting her usual sarcasm, not her gratitude. He wasn't sure what had changed but he didn't want to ruin it by staring at her like a simpleton. "No problem, Granger. It's just coffee." He smirked in his usual manner and drank from his cup.

Hermione noticed his quick look of surprise before he put up his usual Malfoy face and smiled inwardly. It felt good to have taken him by surprise. "Well, be that as it may, I do appreciate it." She stood and nodded at him. "Best get back to work. See you, Malfoy." She left the room, taking her coffee with her.

Hermione and Draco seemed to have come to an understanding. Not one that was spoken about but an understanding never the less. They often could be found in the break room or cafeteria during their breaks or in between shifts having coffee and talking. The conversations weren't earth shattering or very deep, just lighthearted talks of work and mutual acquaintances. Sometimes they just drank their coffee in companionable silence, too tired to speak.

The brunette witch realized that Draco had really made changes for the better in his life. He was still arrogant but not in a hurtful or condescending way like he was when they were younger. He was charming and had a wicked sense of humor that she quite enjoyed. She found herself looking forward to his company more and more each day.

Draco found her just as she was getting ready to floo home. He had finally decided to ask her what he'd wanted to ever since he'd seen her in the healer training courses that they both attended. "Granger! Wait a moment, please!" He yelled.

Hermione spun around and saw Draco running towards her. She wondered what was so important that it couldn't wait until their next shift. "Did I forget something?" She questioned.

Draco stopped right in front of her and took a couple of calming breaths before he reached for her hands. Noticing her confusion, he rubbed his thumbs over her knuckles and looked into her caramel colored eyes. "There is a new cafe opening in Hogsmeade this weekend and I was hoping you'd accompany me to it." He softly inquired.

The usually brilliant witch stood there for a moment. Her mouth opened and then shut. She seemed to be unable to form words. She had heard him ask her out, but all she could think about was the small jolt of electricity that she felt the minute, no, the second he'd grabbed her hands. She heard him sigh and felt him loosen his hold on her hands. It compelled her to tighten her hands on his and say, "I'd love to, Draco." She smiled a bit shyly at him then.

Draco had thought he'd made a mistake when she didn't immediately answer. Just as he was resigning himself to walk away, she had not only acquiesced to his request, but she had said his name. His first name. It sounded beautiful coming from her. "That's fantastic. I'll pick you up at ten on Saturday." He smiled at her and brought one of her hands up to brush his lips against the knuckles.

As Draco stepped away to allow her to use the floo, she called out, "It's just coffee, right?" She was hoping it was more than that. It had seemed like it was more than that.

Draco shook his head and answered, "No, Hermione. It's more than just coffee." He gave her another devastatingly sexy smile and left the travel room.

Hermione watched him leave and grinned. She had never looked forward to a cup of coffee more than she did now.

The End