Name: Coffee Break

Colour: Café au Lait brown

Pairing: Draco Malfoy/Hermione Granger

Summary: Draco reflects on his life during the coffee break.

Pre-Dramione, a-bit-angsty!Draco, Post-War, EWE.

A/N: I don't like coffee so beware the very slight coffee bashing in the beginning. :D

There are people keep saying coffee has a unique aroma that makes you forget how painful it is to be awake.

I have to disagree with them.

The witch behind the counter glares at me. It's no surprise really; I'm not the perfect customer. An Ex-Death Eater working for the Ministry, have you heard for something as ridiculous before? I should be thankful for even being hired with such reputation. I pay for my beverage and go sit on the table furthest from the door. I know I could've just gotten a take-away but it's too late for that anyway. I sigh.

Coffee breaks are the worst.

This café is a popular one in the midst of the Ministry workers, and they aren't my favourite people to deal with. I'd just rather avoid meeting any of them. That would be too much to ask for, wouldn't it? A moment of peace? Of course, I choose to come here anyway so I'm not allowed to complain. It's a habit by now and I don't even like coffee.

I close my eyes and tighten my hold of the coffee cup. Sometimes anxiety is about to crush me. If I'm bound by my past, will I ever be enough for this world? My eyes flicker open and I gaze into the pool of now lukewarm liquid, contemplating why I even bother trying. I don't like it.

/The coffee is bitter. It's dark. Revolting/

I laugh dryly. I guess my life is like the coffee then.

"Here."

I look up at Hermione. She places one cup of steaming liquid in front of me, keeping one for herself. She sits down as if invited. I don't complain though. She's part the reason why I have this job after all. Hermione digs some papers and lays them on the table between us.

"What's that?" I ask pointing at the cup.

"Coffee," Hermione replies. "With milk. Since you were staring your coffee with such disgust. Drink it up. You look tired enough already."

I roll my eyes. She's such a mother hen. Did she get that habit from the Weasel Mum? From what I know she's still close with the Weasley family even though she and Weasley aren't together anymore. I look at my reflection in the window. She's right; I look tired. There are dark circles around my eyes. I blame the stress. I just can't sleep at night. Hermione stares at me expectantly and sips her coffee.

I sigh. "What're you really doing here, Granger?"

She looks tired as well, and a bit messy. It seems like the rumours about things being hectic at the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures are true. An eagle feather quill sticks out from her hair but I'm not sure is there on purpose or not.

"Well, Malfoy, this is a fairly popular café," she teases with a smirk.

Isn't that just brilliant? There are days when it's impossible to get answers out of her and today seems to be one of them.

Almost two years ago when I started working at the Ministry, Hermione Granger decided to slither into my life. I had problems to cope with people who were prejudiced about me. They thought they knew me, but they didn't get even close the truth. They still don't know me.

They reminded me of the time when I used to be just like them.

Hermione on the other hand was completely different.

/But add a little bit of something else/

I take a sip of the drink. The liquid is not burning hot and the typical bitterness of coffee burns my tongue but the taste isn't as horrible as it used to be. It's actually… quite tolerable. No, not tolerable. It's pleasant.

"Well?" Hermione prompts with a wide grin. "It's good isn't it?"

She used to be annoying but nowadays her presence is sort of comforting. She's still kind of a know-it-all she was back at school and I highly doubt she'll ever change. She smiles often and enjoys reminding me of that one time when she punched me. She doesn't hide the scars on her arm and sometime's she makes me wonder if I can someday be as open with my scar.

I smile faintly. "It's better."

/And maybe it's not as bad as it used to be/