It's slightly less nerve wracking this time, walking up to Potter's door. Draco has a sense of familiarity that is doing wonders for his disposition. When Harry's fiery wife answers and offers him a drink, he jumps right in like they are old friends.
"It depends. Are you making it, or can we rope Granger into playing barkeep?"
Ginny Potter laughs easily. "Oh, Hermione, definitely. You don't mind do you?" She looks to her friend and gives her the fakest pleading eyes Draco has ever seen.
Hermione allows a lopsided grin and rolls her eyes. "When have I ever declined?" She makes her way to the bar just like she did on their last visit and begins to take stock of her options. "What about... Moscow Mules?"
Ginny shrugs in polite agreement. "You're making; you choose. Good with you, Malfoy?"
He snorts in response. "As if I know what any of those muggle concoctions are. I'm working on pure faith here, Red."
"Moscow Mules it is." Hermione pulls out a pitcher and a set of what looks to Draco liked hammered copper coffee mugs.
"Oh good, you're here." Harry enters the room, fiddling with a button on his cuff.
"I bet you never thought you'd say that to me, eh Potter?"
"I was definitely talking to Hermione. Your invitation is tied completely to her you know."
"Are we the first to arrive?" Hermione address Harry as she carefully pours a precise amount of ginger beer into her slowly filling pitcher.
"Yes. Luna phoned to say they were running a bit late. Said Zabini was having issues with his tie."
Draco snickers at that and the other three look his way. "Just so you know, that's Blaise code for he's trying to get in her knickers before they leave."
"I did not need to know that, Malfoy." Potter looks a bit disturbed and approaches Hermione, reaching for one of the copper mugs she has just filled.
She slaps his hand away. "Nuh uh. You know you can't have it until I garnish."
"Merlin, 'Mione, I don't need the mint sprig or whatever the hell."
"You want me to play tavern wench you're going to wait until I'm done, Harry Potter. Understood?" All the while, she is continuing to work on the six perfect mugs, never skipping a beat.
"Yes ma'am."
"So the bossiness," Draco begins, "that doesn't go away then? I mean after years of friendship and that's still her default tone with you?"
Hermione glares his way and he gives her an innocent smile. "Just making sure I'm prepared for our future interactions."
"You'll be lucky to have a future," she mumbles back and he grins like a cat. He's still buzzing from their moment after his apology. They'd been so close. Physically but also he'd felt a connection with her that trumped any previous.
A knock interrupts any retort he might have offered and he watches with apprehension as Potter approaches the door. Draco clears his throat and clasps his hands together behind him, trying to appear nonchalant.
"Luna!" Potter leans forward and hugs a young blond woman with a slightly vacant expression. Draco barely recognizes her. His mind's eye remembers jewelry made of vegetables and ill-fitted jumpers and denim. Instead she is nearly polished. Pretty as well. Though with Zabini involved that's hardly a surprise. His Italian friend was always a bit on the shallow side. As he understood it, he came by that particular feature from his mother, notorious for going through men like water.
"Hello, Harry. Lovely to see you," she replies her trademark dreamy voice.
"Good to see you again, Zabini. Thanks for coming."
Blaise accepts Harry's hand graciously and offers a sincere grin. "Thanks for the invitation, Potter. Been a long time."
Harry steps aside and invites them in. There is a similar interaction with Ginny and then Hermione. All squeals and hugs for Luna; reserved hand-shakes and polite greeting for Blaise.
Standing to the side of the room, Draco is the last they both notice. Blaise comes alive a little. "Draco Malfoy! It's great to see you, mate." He offers him a gentleman's hug, clapping him on the back.
Draco nods. His agitation over Lovegood leaves him a little reserved, but he can't help the smile that stretches his face. "Zabini. You know you could've visited. I was pretty well a homebody of sorts that last few years. Or, you know, eighty-four months I believe they called. It."
If it were anyone else it might come across as uncomfortable but Blaise Zabini revels in Draco's snarky humor and laughs. "I suppose that's true but you know me. Never one for the quiet life. I've been checking out this new world."
Luna's quiet voice interrupts and she steps to Zabini's side. "Hello, Draco. I'm so pleased to see you are well. I've heard the muggle penitentiaries are rife with aquavirius maggots."
Draco's eyes dart the room and he finds Harry grinning affectionately and Hermione watching him with, dare he hope, affectionate concern. "Err… yes. Thank you. I'm uh… very glad to be out."
Luna glances behind her and points to the copper mug in Ginny's hand. "Ooh Moscow Mules. Did Hermione make those?"
"Pfft… of course. You know Harry and I can't mix a drink to save our lives." Ginny offers the mug in her hand to Luna and then grabs one of the remaining from the bar top. "Zabini? Can I offer you a muggle drink?"
"Muggle drinks are my favorite drinks." He winks at the red head and takes the offered mug.
Draco interacts a bit less than he might have after that. He finds himself stealing glances at Lovegood and trying hard to reconcile this pretty, interesting, well-mannered witch with his own memories of her. In his mind she is dirty and strange and huddled in the dungeons below his home. She's nothing but civil to him during dinner but Draco's guilt has never been completely tied to the forgiveness of victims. He's much more internalized than that.
After dinner, Blaise excuses himself to slip out side and Hermione nudges Draco. She whispers, "Why don't you go catch up. Harry told me he was so happy you'd be here tonight."
He looks down at her and nods, nerves still buzzing but grateful for her encouragement and her smile.
Blaise is standing outside a rear entrance to Potter's home with a muggle cigarette between his fingers when Draco finds him.
His friend offers the pack and Draco shrugs before deciding to take one. He's not smoked anything of any nature since the summer he found his father's cigar box with Theo. It was right before their third year and they both ended up feeling quite sick.
"Of all the nasty muggle past times for you to pick up..."
"You could have declined."
"And make it awkward, standing here doing nothing while you smoke? Please."
Blaise chuckles at that. "Slytherin reasoning but it seems the Gryffindor is rubbing off on you. That was dangerously forth-coming to admit."
"Must you align everything to House behavior?."
Blaise shrugs with a casual grin. "So how is it, really? Living with Granger. She bust your bullocks on a daily basis?"
"Well..." he ponders for a moment before answering. "She can't cook. Pawned that off on me on day two. And she leaves her socks inside her shoes in the foyer like a peasant. She insists on singing, terribly off-key, in the shower while I'm trying to sleep. She operates her vehicle like an insane person. Oh and the music... it's a wonder she can even concentrate on driving with whatever nonsense she has blaring. I doubt I'll survive too many more trips. There's always vehicular accident news in the paper..."
Blaise has been holding in a snicker and finally lets it escape. "So it's just terrible then? You sound like a married bloke complaining about his wife."
Draco glares at his friend and protests, "I sound like no such thing. I'm cohabitating a living space and it's difficult to suffer all of her personality quirks."
They are quiet a moment, each taking a drag off their cigarettes, before Blaise speaks again. "How are you? Outside Granger. An adjustment I'm sure, yeah?"
Draco nods, staring out into Potter's garden. "I couldn't even imagine. When I was locked up, at least I knew what to expect most every day. There was a schedule, a daily regiment, so I didn't have to think about what it was like out here. The first few days, I was fairly overwhelmed."
Another quiet falls over them and Draco is considering what he wants to say next, not sure if he wants to voice it. Blaise is a tease still, as he always was, but he is also a relatively considerate friend and Draco has some level of faith he won't use what he's about to admit against him.
"I think... maybe... I'm fortunate. Out of all the possibilities, I mean, to have ended up assigned to Granger." He thinks to elaborate but he's never been one for a heart-to-heart; never one hundred percent comfortable with his own emotions. Indicated by the way Blaise simply nods and passes no judgment, he imagines saying more isn't necessary.
"So, you and Lovegood?" Draco changes the subject before he is drawn farther into his own rabbit hole.
Blaise smiles and looks at his friend. "Who'd have thought, right? Trust me though, she can surprise you, once you know her."
"I doubt she would be interested in knowing me at all," he grouses.
"Because of what happened during the war? At the manor?"
Draco nods but has trouble looking Blaise in the eye. "You know she doesn't blame you for that. You just spoke to her in there. Did she strike you as a girl holding a grudge?"
"She should. If she wasn't daft, looking for imaginary whackadoodles or whatever it is she does."
"Hey," Blaise frowns and smacks Draco's shoulder with the back of his hand. "That's my girlfriend, you git."
Draco smirks and rubs his shoulder. "You always did like them a bit quirky, Zabini."
"Quirky girls are the most fun," he offers a roguish smile, their tiff quickly forgotten. "They are surprisingly open when it comes to bedroom matters."
"Bedroom matters? What are you, ninety?"
They both laugh a little and Draco feels comfortable in a way he hasn't yet. Even with Hermione, as much as he has come to enjoy their time together. With her there is always an element of stress. Sexual tension and self-doubt and guilt all wrapped up with the delight she can bring. With Zabini it's easy. Casual.
"So Granger looks good."
It's an abrupt change and Draco scowls. "Doesn't seem like where your eyes should be straying, with Lovegood on your arm."
"That, my friend, sounded suspiciously like you might be jealous."
Draco rolls his eyes and tosses the butt of his cigarette into the grass. "Not at all. Just making an observation. Wouldn't want you in trouble with your girl."
"How do you know my girl wouldn't welcome a... visitor... into our bed?"
"What-no. You're messing with me."
"Hey, she's a free spirit, Drake. And you know I was never too tied down by convention. Who am I to judge her? I'm just thankful she lets me play too."
"You're serious."
Blaise grins and claps Draco on the back. "Don't worry I won't ask you and Granger to join. You were always too selfish to share."
With that, Blaise tosses his filter away as well and gestures back to the door. "Shall we?" He walks back inside, leaving Draco staring after him for just a moment, his mouth flopped open like a cod fish.
Ultimately, he just shakes his head fondly and follows his friend back inside.
After dinner, Hermione drives them home. She'd declined most drinks during the evening, claiming she didn't want Harry to have to drive her car home for her again. Draco doesn't particularly want to end up a tanked mess with a sober Granger, so he pulls back as well.
"Was it so bad?" She asks once they are inside. She is toeing her boots off and slips a sock inside each one. Draco bites back a grin.
"Well, I've certainly had worse evenings."
She gives him a knowing grin and says, "I'll take that. You did great you know."
She surprises him when she leans up and pecks his cheek in much the same way he's seen her do with Potter. By the expression on her face, she's almost as surprised as he is. "Well. Good night, Draco."
She's almost out of the room when he mumbles, "Night, Hermione."
A/N Yet another chapter I probably didn't vet enough but hey, at least I'm updating right? I've had quite a few faves and follows added since I got back on a semi decent update path which is more encouraging than I can say so thank you a thousand times. I've tried to respond to each review as well but an extra shout-out for those because reviews are love and who doesn't need a little love?
I'm about to post another WIP as well. Maybe tonight or tomorrow. It's been sitting on my laptop 1/2 done for months so I have a nice cache of pre-written chapters and a pretty solid end game. Hope to see reviews as always and would love if you joined me on the other story as well!