As Draco stepped into the bar, he saw Hermione sitting at a corner table, scowling and nursing her left hand, which was already swelling visibly. After ordering two firewhiskeys, he cautiously walked over to her and stood there, trying not to smile. He was suddenly overcome with a desire to inform her that they were heading back to the dorm so that they could snog in his bed for the rest of the evening. She just looked so cute, like a little kid sitting on the bench outside of the Headmaster's office. For the love of Salazar, he thought hungrily, control yourself, Malfoy. She looked up and noticed him standing there. He grinned as she blushed and scowled at him.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled as he sat down next to her. He sighed and reached for her swollen hand. She hissed in pain as he gently examined it.
"Granger, you have a fierce left hook. I'm just glad I wasn't on the other end of it this time," he said, chuckling. "And why are you sorry? She had it coming," he added, taking out his wand to heal her hand. She snatched it away.
"No: don't heal it, Malfoy. I'm fine. It should be a reminder to me, to keep my temper," she said ruefully, reaching for her drink. Draco laughed. She drained half her glass and coughed. Draco stared at her affectionately as she snuck a look at him.
"Is it true what she said?" she asked him suddenly in a small voice, her eyes sad. "Do you laugh at me?" Draco's face fell and he shook his head in disbelief.
"Hermione, that's ridiculous: I would never laugh at you. She's just jealous," he said, moving closer to her and putting his arm around her. She looked down. He gently rubbed her back and they both sighed.
"Jealous? Of me? Why?" she asked him honestly, looking miserable. He smiled at her.
"Because you're sweet, and beautiful, and brilliant and because your bedroom is right down the hall from mine. I think those are some of the reasons." Hermione turned bright red and promptly looked away.
"You're crazy," she mumbled, embarrassed, grabbing her drink again. "You're only right about where my bedroom is," she added, her voice shaking. Malfoy laughed.
The two sipped their drinks in silence, until Malfoy smirked and said quietly, "But Parkinson was right about one thing, wasn't she?" Hermione looked up at him, horrified. He grinned at her. "Don't you, in fact, have a crush on me, Granger?" Hermione promptly choked on the remainder of her drink, coughing violently. She looked at Draco in panic, and was about to deny it when she was, thankfully, saved by two familiar faces entering the bar.
"Hermione, do you know you broke Parkinson's nose? We just heard!" Harry said, laughing, joining them at the table without waiting to be invited. He and Draco grinned at each other. Ron, after ordering a round at the bar, joined them as well, looking slightly less cheerful than Harry. He eyed Draco coolly as he handed him one of the four firewhiskeys he had brought to the table. Draco nodded his thanks and lifted his glass to first Ron, then Harry.
"Cheers to Hermione: may she always be around to protect us," he said with a grin, laughing with Harry. Ron reluctantly smiled at Hermione, who looked profoundly embarrassed, as if she wished to be anywhere else at the moment.
"McGonagall's going to have my head," she said, hiding her face in her hands. They all laughed, and Ron shook his head.
"Knowing McGonagall, she'll be secretly proud. I wouldn't worry about it," he said, again eyeing Draco cautiously. "So what are you two up to today? Besides picking fights, that is." Draco grinned at him.
"Just enjoying the afternoon, Weasley. And yourself? Where's Brown: haven't seen you two hanging around much lately." Ron turned red and looked away.
"Ah, we broke up. You know, er…" he trailed off, mumbling something about differences of opinion. Hermione raised an eyebrow at him.
"Sorry to hear that, Ronald." Ron looked at her, hope in his eyes.
"Hermione, could I speak to you a moment outside?" he asked brightly. Draco and Harry did not miss the look of exasperation on Hermione's face as she stared back at Ron.
"I suppose so," she said, getting up from the table reluctantly. She looked at Draco, who was watching the two with a mixture of amusement and curiosity. "We'll be right back," she muttered, following Ron out of the bar. After they had left, Draco turned to Harry, who laughed.
"I know: he'll never give up," Harry said. Draco grinned at him.
"Yeah, I can see that." The two sat in silence for a few moments before Harry spoke.
"I see the way she looks at you, Malfoy. What's going on between you two? I can't get anything out of her." Draco was surprised to feel himself blush. Harry looked at him curiously. "Bloody hell, I don't think I've ever known you to get red over a girl, Malfoy, and a Gryffindor no less. I'll ask you once more: what's going on with you two?"
Draco looked at Harry and shook his head. "Nothing yet, but I'm not going to lie to you, mate. I like being with her. She…" here he paused and looked down, something akin to shame flickering across his face. "You've all…you've all been good to me." Harry's expression softened as Draco looked up at him seriously. "I promise I won't hurt her, if that's what you're trying to say, Potter. I promise I won't." Harry smiled and nodded.
"Ok, Malfoy. Don't sound so glum." He laughed as Draco managed a grin. "I think it's sort of cute how you two are making puppy dog eyes at each other after all these years." Malfoy's mouth fell open.
"Puppy dog eyes?" Draco said, turning red again. "I do not, Potter!" Harry snorted.
"Oh, yes you do, Malfoy," Harry said delightedly. "Ginny and I were taking bets as to how long it will be before you two are dating. Am I going to win? Ginny has it in her head that you'll be too chicken to make a move by the end of the weekend: I stuck up for you and said it would happen tonight." Draco reluctantly smiled.
"Ok, I like her. But I don't want to scare her," he whispered, looking cautiously out the window of the pub, where Ron was obviously trying his hardest to set something up with Hermione, who was staring at him crossly with her arms folded. "Do you really think she likes me too? Are you sure? What makes you so certain? She hasn't said anything about…"
"Malfoy!" Harry cut him off, laughing. "Relax! What's got into you? I've never heard you like this before!" Malfoy looked at him sheepishly. Harry stared back at him in amazement. "You've really got it bad, don't you?" he asked Draco wonderingly. And suddenly Draco felt as if something had clicked in him. At once, the sight of Ron Weasley trying to get back together with Hermione didn't seem so amusing: it was downright irritating, and he had to restrain himself from walking out of the bar and pulling her away from him. He and Harry stared at each other, Harry amused and Draco dumbstruck.
Draco was still staring at Harry in wonder when Hermione and Ron walked back into the bar, Ron looking distinctly crestfallen. Hermione stared from Draco to Harry, confused. "What's going on, you two? Draco? What's wrong?" Draco shook his head as if to clear it and smiled weakly at her, as Harry snickered.
"Er…nothing. Nothing at all. Just discussing…er…" he looked at Harry helplessly, who grinned, amused.
"Quidditch," Harry finished with a smirk. Draco nodded at Hermione, looking relieved. Hermione looked at Harry skeptically, who winked at her. She narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously.
"Well, we'd better get going, Ron, it's getting late," Harry said, draining the last of his drink as he stood up. Ron reluctantly followed him out of the bar. Draco snuck a look at Hermione, feeling his natural confidence fading with his new realization. He felt as if someone had slipped him a love potion as he looked at Hermione, her hair starting to fall out of her braid. But he knew it wasn't a potion. I have to have her, he thought fiercely. What if she doesn't want me? What if she gets back with Weasley? What if Potter and everyone else are wrong? She hasn't actually told me she wants me as well: maybe it's nothing more than…
"Draco? Draco what's got into you?" Hermione asked, jarring Malfoy out of his thoughts abruptly. He smiled at her worried expression.
"Oh, nothing, just…just thinking is all." He suddenly felt his whole body heat up when he realized that they would be walking home together, to the same dormitory. As he stared at Hermione, he remembered what he had asked her before Potter and Weasley had shown up, and he grinned at her. Oh this is going to be such fun, he thought, growing slightly dizzy with desire. Something in his expression caused Hermione to blush a deep red. She began inching ever so slightly away from him and he laughed.
"Hermione," he said simply, reaching to brush a lock of her hair out of her face, trying to contain the feeling of euphoria that had settled in his chest. As she stared back at him in wonder, smiling shyly at him, he sighed.
"Let's head back, shall we?" he said softly. She took a deep breath and nodded. And somehow Draco knew he wasn't the only one looking forward to the night ahead.