A/N: I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Chapter 8 – Cosmopolitan
Smart casual? This place was not smart casual. It was a good job she had decided to go shopping with Pansy and Narcissa. As weird as that concept still was.
The Bluebell was a swanky, up-market restaurant crowded with the wealthy and the glamorous. They certainly weren't in Knockturn Alley. The restaurant had a good atmosphere with the soft lighting and blue accents, everyone was enjoying themselves there. Why is it that Malfoy and his gang were so rich? Hermione did not fit in.
Pansy led her through groups of people past the bar and towards the tables in search of the Slytherin group. It seemed Pansy knew where she was going.
"I can't believe they would spend so long shopping." Draco said to Blaise who was sat opposite him at the table.
"You obviously don't know Pansy very well-" Blaise's eyes flickered to a pair of women approaching the table and had to do a double take. "Bloody hell."
"What?" Draco turned to look at what Blaise was staring at, along with everyone else on their table, and the rest of the restaurant it seemed.
Coming towards them was Pansy and Hermione who walked whilst linking arms and laughing about something. Pansy had obviously taken it upon herself to befriend the Gryffindor on their shopping trip.
Draco was in shock. Granger looked, dare he say it, stunning. He couldn't believe his eyes. Where had she been hiding these past few years? She should definitely wear things like this more often. Maybe they should go out tomorrow night as well...
Draco looked Hermione up and down appreciatively, causing her to blush as she reached the table. "Sorry we're late, didn't quite realise the time."
"It's fine." Draco gulped; he would have forgiven her for anything right about now.
"I must say Granger, you scrub up well." Blaise commented.
Not used to the compliments, she turned a shade pinker. "Thanks Blaise."
Draco stood up to pull the chair out for Hermione which was next to him and opposite Pansy. Hermione looked around the table at the new members of the group that had not been there to get her stuff back. It included Daphne Greengrass, Tracey Davis and Millicent Bulstrode. After greeting them, she turned to Theo who had drawn her attention.
"It's about time you got here Hermione; Draco was starting to get agitated."
"I was not!" Draco argued.
"Trust me, you were." Goyle said. It was one of the first times Hermione had heard him speak, apart from in Hogwarts obviously. Malfoy had told her how reserved he was after the war and how he had never truly gotten over the death of Crabbe.
"Whatever, I'm not going to go into this now." Malfoy sighed as the waitress came over and got their drinks order. All of the men ordered beer or firewhiskey whilst the women got wine and cocktails. "Surprised you're not having orange juice Theo."
"Do not start that again." Blaise whined, wrapping his arm around Pansy's shoulders out of habit.
As their drinks arrived, Draco held his drink up to toast. "This is to Hermione, for getting rid of Weasel. May he go to hell." Everyone raised their glass to that. Who knew the Slytherin group could be so supportive?
Everyone took a sip of their drink and went back to their conversations. After everyone had finished eating one of the best meals Hermione had ever had, she went to the ladies room with Tracey.
They were currently stood in front of the mirrors checking that their makeup was still intact. Hermione normally laughed at the girls who did this but it was a shame to put Paolo's work to waste. Tracey turned to Hermione. "I'm loving the new look Hermione, is it anything to do with you now living with a certain blonde boy?"
"What? No way Tracey!" Hermione laughed at her colleague and friend.
"I have to ask, it wouldn't be normal if I didn't." She reasoned.
"I suppose, but definitely not. I wouldn't even say we were friends. He's just doing me a favour, probably feels guilty for everything in school."
"You should give him a chance, start fresh. He really is a good guy. I wouldn't be friends with him if he wasn't." She laughed. "I wish you'd let me introduce you to my friends sooner if we'd known you get on so well. Shopping with Pansy and Mrs Malfoy? Whatever next, Quidditch with all the guys?"
"No, you'd never catch me playing Quidditch." Hermione smiled. "And I'm shocked about Pansy, she's nothing like I thought she'd be. But I guess, old habits die hard, somewhere in the back of my mind I keep thinking that you elite purebloods look at me, a muggleborn, and the way you'd been taught in the war."
"They've changed Hermione, we've all changed. Even you. I don't see you buddying up to the Weasley's anymore, which I must say is an improvement. Yes, Drake can be a bit annoying or arrogant, but he's nothing like he was in school. Blaise is still a bit vain; you've probably noticed him checking himself out in a glass or something. Marcus is still a bit aggressive, but come on, he plays Quidditch so he just likes competition. They're a relatively normal bunch if you forget the past."
"I know and I'm going to try to, and I'm going to forget all about the Weasel." Hermione giggled, using Malfoy's nickname for the redhead.
Tracey sniggered. "I'm glad you left him Hermione, I could tell you weren't happy. And you look happier tonight, like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders. That will show him! I can't wait until Ron sees you and your new look and your new friends!" She smiled devilishly.
"He'd probably have a heart attack if he found out I was living with Malfoy. He thinks that we're friends already because he came with me to get my stuff back. He looked like he'd seen a ghost."
"He deserves it after what he did to you."
"Thanks Tracey."
"Come on, we better get back to the table before Draco files a missing person report." She said, giving Hermione a quick hug.
"Whatever, you can get me a drink sometime for all those Malfoy hints." Hermione laughed.
They reached the table giggling hysterically. "What are you two practically wetting yourself about?" Theo asked. "And what took you so long?"
"We were having a heart to heart." Tracey replied.
"In the toilet?" Theo questioned Tracey, who he had been dating for three years now.
"No, in the kitchens. Yes, in the toilet. They're very nice toilets, lots of lovely people in there." Tracey guffawed and Hermione joined in. As they were leaving the restrooms one of the chefs had walked in thinking it was the men's bathrooms and tripped over the bin when he realised and the two women hadn't been able to stop laughing since.
"What were they fed?" Malfoy pondered, making them laugh even more.
"I just don't understand what's so funny!" Blaise exclaimed.
"Let's just leave them until it passes, best not to leave yet or they'll fall over each other from laughing so much." Theo shouldn't have said that, the hysterical laughter increased. It didn't help that they'd had a few cocktails that evening. "What? What did I say?"
"Merlin knows." Draco replied, watching the two girls with amusement. He was glad to see that Hermione was forgetting about the Weasel.
After Hermione's and Tracey's outbursts, the night was even more light-hearted, probably with the increase of alcohol consumption. Hermione got talking to Daphne and Millicent as well, although she was continuously reminded of when she turned into Millicent's cat during second year. After a few more drinks Hermione ended up telling the group that story much to their amusement. She was never going to live this down, why did she have that last Cosmopolitan cocktail?
When Malfoy paid for the bill rather generously with the rest of the men, Hermione tried to offer to at least pay her share. But Malfoy obviously refused. "No you wouldn't have come out tonight if it wasn't for me so I'm paying."
"Yes but you wouldn't have gone out if it wasn't for me either, this was a forgetting Ron Weasley celebration. You probably forgot about him years ago!"
"No, that's not true, his red hair haunts me so it's difficult to forget." He said, making Hermione laugh. "And I'm doing the gentlemanly thing and paying, what on earth would my mother say?"
"You've got a point there." Narcissa would probably have his head for not paying for her. "So thank you Malfoy." Malfoy just looked smug. "And wipe that smirk off your face." She laughed and the comment only made him smile more.
"Come on guys, let's get out of here." Draco said, turning to the rest of the group.
Considering the fact that everyone had had quite a bit to drink, they managed to get out of The Bluebell's doors fairly well, apart from Hermione, Pansy and Tracey all having to link arms to stay upright and giggling at everything, whilst Malfoy, Blaise and Theo were preparing themselves for Tracey to fall over (who was as drunk as an Irish man on St. Patricks Day) and to take the other girls down with her. Daphne, Millicent, Marcus and Goyle were all walking ahead placing bets on how long it will take for Hermione and Draco to get together now that they were living together. Plus, it's only a matter of time before Pansy decides to play matchmaker.
Hermione and Tracy had now filled Pansy in on the chef nearly falling over and they were now howling with laughter. Tracey decided that she wanted to rein act it and just as she unattached herself from Hermione she stopped dead in her tracks, stood by the other four Slytherin's ahead.
Hermione heard a "this won't be good" from Daphne before she saw the reason for their stop. Just ahead of her, staring at her linked arms with Pansy Parkinson, was Ginny Weasley.
Draco, Blaise and Theo saw her at the same time and Malfoy put a supporting hand on the small of Hermione's back. It was a small gesture, but it meant a lot bearing in mind their past. His reassurance in a time where she thought she had no one was a relief.
Pansy leaned in to whisper "if you want me to slap her, I have absolutely nothing against that."
"It's fine Pansy, hopefully she'll fall down a drain in the street." Yes, she definitely shouldn't have had that last cocktail.
"I didn't believe my brother when he told me, but it seems you have, in fact made friends with the snakes." Ginny spat, giving a distasteful look at Pansy. She needs to look at herself, wearing a skirt that short it could be classed as a belt and a top that left little to the imagination. She had turned into such a classy young woman. There were two other girls with her who had a similar sense of style. Or lack of. It seemed that they had been turned away from a nearby club. This part of town was obviously too good for the likes of Ginny Weasley.
"And your problem is?" Hermione asked.
"I'm just suggesting that you get your priorities sorted. You are so stupid that my brother even had to hit you and now you're friends with them? Wow Hermione, you've really done well there.." She said, slowly clapping and stepping forwards.
"Hermione didn't deserve to be hit by your brother; no one deserves to get hit like that." Blaise said.
"Except maybe you, would you like me to demonstrate?" Pansy said, walking forwards and unlinking her arm from Hermione's.
"She's not even worth it Pansy. The amount of makeup she has on would cushion the blow." Hermione said, standing by Pansy. It seemed that they'd grown inseparable throughout the night.
"I see you've invested in some makeup Hermione." Ginny sneered. "Realise you were too ugly?"
"She's better looking than you Weaslette any day, with or without makeup." Malfoy stepped in, bless him.
"And at least she knows how to be subtle, unlike you." Tracey spoke up.
"Whatever, at least I'll get a guy. My brother was the only one that ever liked her. And even that was a stretch." Ginny said.
"She already has a guy actually." Pansy challenged, glaring at the ginger girl.
Ginny guffawed. "Oh really? Who?"
"Draco."
"What?" Ginny raised her eyebrows, as Hermione tried to hit Pansy so that Ginny wouldn't notice. Now look what she'd done. Whenever she saw any of the Weasley family she was going to have to pretend that she dated Draco Malfoy. Great. "Oh like he'd go out with her."
Malfoy moved to put his arm around Hermione's shoulders. "Well actually I am as I prefer girls who don't put out every day and are actually intelligent. And anyway, we already live together." What is he playing at? Why is he going along with this? Was Hermione missing something? Now they were both going to have to pretend.
"I, well- you're wasting your time there. She won't do anything. You'll end up hitting her like my brother did."
"Yeah well we're not all pricks like your brother. I would never hit a woman, never." Draco said, deadly serious.
"That's what my brother thought."
"Your brother and I are very different people."
"Ginny, why are you even here?" Hermione asked. "Shouldn't you be tricking some poor guy into sleeping with you?"
"Whatever Hermione, you're just jealous of me."
"Why on earth would she be jealous of you? You're a trampy bitch!" Pansy defended Hermione.
"Well said Pans." Blaise smiled.
"We're leaving now because we've got better things to do than talk to you." Hermione led Malfoy away and the rest followed, leaving Ginny and her two slutty friends behind, staring after them dumbfounded.
Pansy caught up with Hermione again. "Yep, I really do hope she falls down a drain."
Draco pulled his arm away from Hermione's shoulder which had still been there to allow Pansy and Hermione to hug each other when they'd reached the apparation point. It seemed they'd become strangely close that day. Draco didn't know if it was a good thing or not.
When everyone had said goodbye, they apparated home. Malfoy side-apparated with Hermione to be on the safe side, she had had quite a bit to drink. Draco unlocked the front door and followed Hermione into the house. They went into the living room and sat down.
"Thank you for tonight Malfoy. I had a really good night." She smiled at him.
"Even though you saw Weaslette?"
"It was still the best night I'd had in a long time, and she wasn't there for very long so the good outweighed the bad."
"Good." Was all Malfoy said. They sat in comfortable silence for a little while longer.
"I could just curl up with a duvet and watch a movie whilst eating Ben & Jerry's right now. I wish you had a TV."
"A what?"
"A television. Didn't you learn about them in muggle studies?"
"I didn't do muggle studies."
"Of course you didn't. Anyway you watch programmes or films on them."
"Why would you want to do that?" Draco asked, confused.
"Because it's interesting. Have you ever seen a play or been to the theatre?"
"Yeah once or twice when my mom forced me."
"Well it's like that, but you're not actually there."
"Oh..."
"We should go to the cinema!" Seeing Draco's questioning look, she continued. "Where they show films..."
"What, now?"
"Well it would probably be closing now, how about tomorrow night?" Hermione asked, getting excited. Who'd have thought she'd be taking Draco Malfoy to a muggle cinema.
"Yeah, why not?" he agreed, looking slightly uneasy.
"Sorted! What type of film do you want to see? Action, romance, horror, comedy, sci-fi?"
"I have no idea, it's up to you."
"We'll just see what's on when we get there." Hermione grinned.
"And what's Ben and Je- Je-"
"Ben and Jerry's?"
"Yeah that."
"Only the best ice cream ever made. We'll have to get some tomorrow."
"Cool."
"Oh and by the way, we're going for brunch at your parents tomorrow."
"What?" Draco looked alarmed. "When did this get decided?"
"Earlier when we were shopping and at the salon."
"Formositas?" Hermione nodded. "How was Paolo?"
"Good, he asked about you. Your mother filled him in."
"Of course she did."
"And he did an amazing job."
"Yeah, you look really good Granger. Weasel will be jealous."
"Thanks, and I really don't care about Ron anymore. I haven't for a long time. He's dead to me." Hermione said honestly.
"That's the spirit!" said Draco brightly, causing Hermione to laugh.
"Well I better go to bed if we're going to your parents tomorrow. I'm nervous, the last time I was there-"
"You'll be fine; they don't even use that room anymore. It's a completely different place, trust me."
Trust Malfoy? Having brunch at Malfoy Manor with Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy? What is the world coming to?
A/N: Okay so that was a pretty long chapter. Next chapter: Malfoy Manor.
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I'm not very sure when I will next get to update because of exams etc. coming up, but I will do my best to have it up as soon as possible!