Wednesday, September 19, 2001
Draco came into the kitchen that morning prepared. He and Harry had planned the whole day – Hermione's day – in advance and he knew his part. Conspiring with Harry rather than against him was a little strange but having Hermione at the centre of it helped to normalize things a bit.
They'd spent the previous Monday afternoon in a half dozen jewellery shops looking for just the right thing. Well, Draco was. Harry, who hadn't been imprisoned up until a month (almost to the date) earlier had already found the perfect gift – a weekend workshop on how to bind a book, with letters the three best friends had exchanged growing up set aside for the task.
Ron had helped with finding those old letters and tried to have this count as his gift but Harry refused to share credit and Draco didn't blame him, but it had put severe pressure on Draco to find the right gift and not just another piece of jewellery.
It wasn't until Harry managed to convince Draco to consider the muggle shop recommended by the last jeweler that Draco was inspired.
It was with that gift in hand that Draco approached Hermione at the counter, pouring her morning tea, and handed her the small green box. She took it, a smirk on her lips and an eyebrow raised at the deliberate choice in colouring as she loosened the silver ribbon,opened the box and peered inside.
"Pansy has a similar one that's quite a bit older," Draco admitted, having been inspired by the memory of it. "This is something I could have given you when we were children if we had been friends then. I thought it might be a fitting gift now," he finished lamely. He was trying to convey that he thought of her as more than a roommate but all he ended up doing was telling her he thought of her as, what, a fourteen year old girl? Pathetic.
But before he could apologize or try and do some damage control, Hermione was on her tippy toes kissing his cheek.
"I love it, Draco. And I see the wheels turning behind your eyes; don't worry. I get it," she said softly, and maybe she did because she immediately set down her tea and wrapped the thin beaded charm bracelet around before catching the clasp.
"There are only six charms for now, largely because I only liked six of them," Draco explained, pouring himself a cup of coffee as Hermione admired the detailing. There was a book, a cat, a moon, an Eiffel tower, an H, and one bead that was small diamonds designed to look like a white owl but with green eyes. Harry laughed when Draco admitted he chose it because it reminded him of Harry and thought Hermione would get it.
Judging by her smile, she did.
The charms were divided up by three glass mossy green coloured beads, leaving lots of room for Hermione to add to the bracelet if she so choose.
Harry had been roped into a court appearance related to a case he had closed months ago but would be free after three, so Draco found the omelettes Harry had made and hidden under a Stasi charm in the bread box and laid them out on the table, gesturing for Hermione to join him.
"Wow, the two of you coordinated this?" Hermione asked, watching as tendrils of steam rose from the three cheese and mushroom omelette sitting tantalizingly in front of her as she took the seat opposite Draco.
"The whole day," Draco confirmed, biting into his bacon and onion omelette with equal enthusiasm. They finished up and as Draco put the dishes into the charmed sink, Hermione grabbed her purse from its place near the kitchen door but then set it back down.
"Am I dressed appropriately for whatever it is you have planned? I don't want to be over dressed," she asked, having dressed as she normally would for a day of non-magical work: well-tailored, conservatively cut black dress with a classic beige trench coat on top. Simple jewellery, except for the bracelet which was a bit out of character. Draco merely picked up her bag and handed it to her, although he did caution her to go for the more modest heels as they finished readying. She took it they were likely going muggle, given Draco's navy blue slacks and crisp white button up.
He Apparated them away, almost throwing Hermione off the scent of their impending adventure until she took in the arrival point, which she was very familiar with. "Oh Draco," she exhaled, excitement clear in her voice. Draco smiled and took the hand closest to him and threaded it through his offered arm, walking her around the corner off of Rue De Lille and onto Rue de Bac. Within a moments' walk they were at the edge of the Seine, facing the Louvre, their destination for the better part of the day.
Draco had only seen as far as the Apparation point the day before when Harry had side-alonged him to give him his bearings, so he was properly enraptured by the well-known river, the sight of a Ferris wheel off in the distance, and the aged elegance of the gallery before them. Little did he realize, his reactions were part of his gift to Hermione today as she watched him with a soft smile and a delighted look in her eyes.
Draco regained his composure though and before they began the trek along the bridge, pulled a small camera from the white overcoat he'd donned on the way out. Hermione smiled brightly as he raised it to his face the way Harry had instructed, focused the machine, and hit the button.
"Well, you really did do your homework," she teased, taking the camera from him in order to get a photo of him as well, a trial Harry had predicted would happen. He was prepared to put the small contraption back in his pocket when a young woman who'd been walking past pulled strings out of her ears and asked Hermione if she would like her to take their picture together.
Hermione handed the woman their camera and immediately wrapped an arm around Draco's waist, making his face heat up. Please don't let my face look red, he chanted repeatedly in his head as a small smile settled on his face and his arm settled across Hermione's shoulders.
"Such a smart looking couple," the woman commented with mild French accent and a dopey look on her face as she handed back the camera and took her leave. Hermione merely shrugged as Draco began to splutter lightly, taking a swift photo of his gobsmacked expression. Unwilling to lose his cool now, Draco yanked the camera free from the devious witch and again offered her his arm, guiding her to the gallery and the beginning of their day.
. . . . .
With only a brief pause for a light lunch, the two explored the museum for hours. They would have gone late into the evening, which Hermione said was one of the best times to view the grounds, if not for their dinner reservation with Harry at 6:30 p.m. They met at a lovely little French café that Hermione explained they visited every time they visited the Louvre and met Harry at a table outside.
Hermione, the keeper of the camera, snapped a photo of him.
"I thought I told you to keep a reign on her," Harry joked, tossing a half-hearted glare at Hermione as she laughed and Draco as he shrugged, pulling Hermione's chair out for her. She dimpled, as she had been all day at the observations and conversations she and Draco had had, and took her seat. They heard from Harry about the trial he'd been forced to endure and recounted parts of their day.
They dined on a half dozen French appetizers that Draco for the most part recognized and ordered a pasta dish each, paired with a wine recommended by the waiter and approved of by Draco. By the time the sun had set a little over an hour into their meal, the candles were lit and the hanging lights overhead had created a wonderful ambiance that left the three of them sitting in a comfortable silence, drinking the area in.
Their waiter came for what would be one of the last returns of the night with chocolate gateau adorned by a small candle. Hermione blushed lightly as Harry kissed her on the cheek and started singing some muggle birthday song. Draco could only watch with a bemused look on his face as Hermione struggled to keep the smirk off her face and finally, as Harry let out the last bars, turned to blow out the candle. Draco, who had summoned the camera away sometime earlier and hidden it in his coat, quickly took it out and got a shot of her leaning over, the candle lighting up her face, about to make her wish.
Draco would, several days later, make a duplicate of that photo and keep it aside where no one would find it.
The three laughed and drank a bit longer, the night creeping up on them. It was by Draco's guess close to eight o'clock when two familiar faces joined their table unannounced. Sitting between Harry and Draco were Ron and Pansy, best friends side by side.
"Harry birthday 'Mione," Ron said, immediately putting a wrapped present that was probably a book, on the table. Hermione responded by sliding what was left of her cake over, her best friend immediately lifting the fork and finishing it off.
"Just to be clear, that's only from him," Pansy said, eyeing the gift on the table somewhat disdainfully as Hermione picked it up and unwrapped it. The Basics of Mermish earned a much better response from Hermione though than Draco would have guessed, Hermione dimpling once again and thanking her best friend profusely. She began flipping through the pages, not even asking Pansy what she had gotten her, already enraptured by a new book.
"Ahem," the insulted witch said, drawing the birthday girl out from her newest treasure with longing eyes. "Thank you. My gift is in here," Pansy said, bringing a lilac coloured bag up onto the table and sliding it over to the witch. Hermione took it with hesitance and peeked inside before pulling out the little black dress being gifted to her.
"It's gorgeous," she whispered, fingering the delicate lace on the shoulders, earning a smile of approval from Pansy. "It will look better on you, so let's go change. I'm taking you out tonight."
Hermione looked up, starring first at Draco then Harry, both of whom smiled and nodded to let her know it was in fact a part of the plans. Hermione, so far exceedingly happy with her birthday, consented and begrudgingly left the table with Pansy to prepare for the girl night of excess drinking ahead. She gave Harry and Draco both kisses on the cheek for such a lovely and well thought out birthday.
"Now what?" Draco asked, sitting awkwardly at the table with Harry and Ron well after the women had departed. Ron revealed three tickets, although the revelation meant nothing for Draco. "Well, with Quidditch on strike this season, we've gotten into football, the muggle sport. So come on then, the match will be starting any second."
Authors note: I wasn't joking when I said that this chapter would be long, and this isn't even the edited down version. I managed to move the rest of it into the next chapter without making it necessarily a two part story, which is a fitting way to celebrate (I think) because with this chapter Silver Linings is going to hit 50,000 views and I'm just so happy that so many people are enjoying my little fic. What better chapters to mark that than with those celebrating Hermione?