So my dad had his birthday party today and it was really boring so I decided to write another chapter. Enjoy and please review!
"Granger, what's wrong?" Draco's voice snapped Hermione out of her reverie suddenly.
"What? Um, why do you think something is wrong?" Hermione asked nervously. Draco looked at her sardonically.
"Well, maybe the not listening to a single word I say bit tipped me off."
Hermione blushed and stammered,
"S-sorry. I'm just a little…preoccupied. Just a few pressing problems."
Draco did not look convinced. He merely nodded and went back to his soup, though sneaking a glance at her every so often. Eventually Hermione got fed up of it.
"Malfoy, just say it and quit staring at me!" she said, exasperated.
He shrugged, and wiped his mouth on his napkin. She noticed how kissable his lips looked and how much better-stop! That was so not appropriate when she had a boyfriend who…loved her. True they were having a rough patch, but he still loved her after all. Noticing her gazing at his lips, Draco raised his eyebrow, causing Hermione to blush.
"You're really unnerving you know, Malfoy?"
He laughed and said,
"In what way, Granger? After all none of my friends ever get…unnerved."
Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Your friends have all known you for ages. Of course they wouldn't find you unnerving. Plus you probably don't try to make them uncomfortable!"
Draco laughed again, but said seriously,
"Anyway, it's Weasley, isn't it?"
"What?" asked Hermione, thrown off by the sudden change of subject. "What are you talking about?"
This time Draco rolled his eyes.
"You really are quite dense sometimes you know Granger for someone who is supposed to be really intelligent. The thing that's bothering you. It's Weasley."
Hermione looked at his face for a sign of mocking, for malice, for triumph, for anything that would make this question less out of the norm. There was nothing but curiosity and concern. Concern for her? That couldn't be. He hated her guts and she hated his. They had always despised and avoided each other, liking anyone who could make a fool out of the other. But this was different, he actually seemed worried for her.
"Yes. Yes, it is, but I'm sure that it'll blow over. I mean we make sense. We've been best friends for like forever and we survived Voldemort together and so we make sense right? We're supposed to be together…" she trailed off, her words sounding lame even in her ears. Draco raised his eyebrow and said,
"Do you always do something just because people expect you to?"
"No!" Hermione said hotly, but that just made him look more amused and her more childish. "You're being annoying now!"
Draco just laughed and said,
"Well indignant is better than depressed and broody."
Hermione, crumpling her napkin into a ball, threw at Draco who caught it with a Seeker's unerring eye. He looked at it briefly before tutting and scolding,
"Hermione, hasn't anyone taught you never to throw things across a room at people? Of all people I would not have expected it from you."
Hermione giggled, but then realized that he had used her first name. He obviously didn't realize or didn't care. In fact he had realized and was now cursing himself for letting the fun get out of hand. But he couldn't show his discomfort in front of her so he just pretended that nothing peculiar had happened, but the humour and the jokiness had gone out of the lunch and by the time they parted once again they were business associates.
GROWING UP GROWING UP
"How was your lunch Draco?" Blaise asked his best friend, once the blond had sat himself down on the sofa. Draco paused for a moment and then said,
"I had lunch with Granger."
Blaise froze for a moment before very slowly turning to face Draco.
"You what?"
"I had lunch with Granger. It was purely business Blaise. Do you really think that I would tell you to stop thinking about the weaselette only to start hankering after Hermione Granger? Seriously, you must think I'm crazy or something."
Yet Draco had his fingers crossed during this entire speech. He didn't know why but he had had this weird feeling when Hermione was rambling on about Ron as if he wanted to murder the redhead for hurting Hermione, but that was ridiculous. This was Hermione Granger, Gryffindor, bushy-haired, insufferable know-it-all. 'Well her hair wasn't so bushy anymore' his inner voice seemed to say. 'And she did come to you for advice on that investment proposal plus she was a Gryffindor, but that was in the past. The house that one is from shouldn't label them for the rest of their lives.' He shook his head, trying to push these thoughts from his head. He shouldn't even be thinking of having these thoughts yet they persisted to run through his mind.
"Why are you shaking your head like a maniac, Drake?" Blaise asked him, noticing the curious expression on his best friend's face.
"I was just thinking of something from work. It doesn't make sense so…and how many times have I asked you NOT to call me Drake? It makes me sound like a freaking feathered duck!" Draco said, attempting to change the subject. It worked.
"Whatever, Drake. I've got to go, but I'll see you later. Might drop in on you and Pansy tomorrow. To say hi," Blaise answered back, bored.
Draco nodded and Blaise went on his way, leaving Draco to meditate some more on the lunch he and Hermione had had.
GROWING UP GROWING UP
"Ron? I'm home," Hermione called out as she hung up her coat. When there was no reply she walked into the living room, thinking that he might be napping. Suddenly there was a tap on the window. She turned around and let the owl in, simultaneously untying the piece of parchment from its leg. It had been roughly tied on and the handwriting on the letter was almost illegible.
'Hermione,
Lots of work. Have to stay late. Will be home by 10 tonight. Have to go, in a rush.
Ron'
Hermione crumpled the letter up angrily and threw the owl out of the window, not even giving it any food or water. The owl hooted irately before flying off into the horizon. She grabbed her cloak and walked out, heading towards Ginny's house. Ginny was sitting in the kitchen with Luna when Hermione stormed in.
"Your brother is the most annoying, insufferable, unbearable git in the whole wide world, Ginny! He doesn't even bother to write me a proper note. He didn't write in full sentences and to top it off he didn't write 'I love you'. Oh God, he didn't write I love you. Do you think…"
"No! He does love you, Hermione!" Ginny had quickly recovered from her first shock and was immediately stepping up to comfort her best friend.
"I'm just so afraid. He keeps on staying late at the office. He never used to. He never uses any of those endearments which I find so annoying. He never says I love you anymore. I think…I'm scared that he's having an affair. I mean his secretary is so beautiful and she has always wanted him. What if…?"
She couldn't finish her sentence. Ginny wanted so much to refute her fears, but…with so much evidence against the alternative, she couldn't help but agree.