Chapter Three
Hermione
"Oh, please Hermione?" Angelina was pleading. "It's Septimus' birthday. Just a quick lunch and we'll come right back". She was trying to convince Hermione to leave her work for a birthday celebration for another Magical History department colleague. In the three days since the spilled cappuccino and burning elbow incident, Hermione had arrived at the Ministry very early, stayed very late and didn't leave the building all day. Since it seemed to have been her luck to run into Malfoy at every turn lately, she decided to avoid everyone altogether in an effort to get over this, this… whatever it was.
"Alright Angelina, just a quick bite I guess." Hermione decided.
"Great!" Angelina practically squealed. "Leaky Cauldron at 1:00."
As the lunch hour approached, Hermione's stomach felt less and less hungry and more and more nervous. Why should she worry about a lunch with friends? Because that was where this all started, that's why. What if Malfoy was there again? She felt like a scared school girl again, instead of one of the "Golden Trio" as she, Harry and Ron were known. The bravest and smartest witch of her age. HA, she thought. Her stomach was clenching at the thought of Malfoy again, just like a scared first year. Angelina poked her head in Hermione's office, "Ready to go?"
Hermione started to make some excuse, but Angelina wouldn't hear it. She practically dragged the witch from behind her desk and out the door. They apperated to the street outside The Leaky Cauldron and went in to the pub.
Draco
Still sitting at the same table, drinking the same fire whiskey, again, he thought. What a waste. Still, what could he do? No one wanted to be friends with or even admit to knowing Draco Malfoy, the minion of the Dark Lord. He should be in Azkaban. Certainly no one would ever trust him enough to give him any sort of a job. Visiting his mother at St. Mungo's would require him to stay sober until well into the afternoon, during visiting hours. That was a feat he had not managed since moving to London. It was all over. He had had such a blazing bright future before the Dark Lord's return. Now it was all ashes, his past and his future all felt like ashes. Wallowing in this self pity, he motioned for another drink.
The bell above the door of the pub chimed and a group of five people walked in. They all seemed to be happy; it was some kind of celebration obviously. All but one. She hesitated at the door, looking cautiously around the pub, and then her eyes found his. Granger again, he thought. I need to find a new place to drink. He drained his whiskey, threw some money on the table to pay his bill and stumbled out of the pub.
Hermione
She watched him leave the Leaky Cauldron and almost felt sorry for him. What kind of demons was he fighting to be that drunk this early in the day? Oh, well, she thought. Not my concern. She turned to the table where her friends were sitting, plastered on a smile and sat down with them to celebrate Septimus Seaton's 100th birthday.
After lunch, Hannah Abbott brought over a special tray of cauldron cakes for their little party. As she was leaving the table, Hermione touched her arm.
"Hannah?" started Hermione, "Was that Draco Malfoy I saw leave earlier?" even though she knew it was, she was hoping that by asking in this way, Hannah would give her all the information she wanted without seeming like she was concerned for him.
"Oh yeah" Hannah replied. "He's in here nearly every day, almost all day. He eats a little and drinks a lot" she informed Hermione. So, Malfoy was drinking. Quite heavily by the sounds of it. Her encounter with him outside the Cauldron last week wasn't a one time; I got depressed and drowned my sorrows binge. Apparently Malfoy was really, truly in trouble.
"Oh. Thanks Hannah. Great lunch by the way. Happy Birthday Septimus! Angelina, I have an errand to run, I'll see you later! " Hermione turned, left the Cauldron and disapperated.
Draco
He stumbled back to his apartment, not trusting his apparition skills when he was drunk. Several times he had tried to apperate by thinking "Home" and ended up at Malfoy Manor. He took the long route back, to try to sober up a little bit. He opened his door and was shocked to see Granger sitting on his couch, waiting for him.
"What are you doing here?" he slurred as he turned and shut the door. "Can't get enough Malfoy, huh?" he asked teasingly, trying to give what he supposed was a sly grin.
"Apparently not" she replied. "I still don't know exactly where you live, I came by Floo again. I came here to offer you a job at the Ministry of Magic."
"You're joking" Malfoy spat back. "Draco Malfoy, trusted employee of the Ministry of Magic? I'll believe it when Merlin himself offers me the job." He started to stumble off to his bedroom. He was tired, and he just wanted to curl up with her shirt again and sleep. But it had lost its smell of her from all his handling of it. Now it just smelled like sour fire whisky. He vaguely wondered if she would wear another of his shirts for him, then realized if he actually asked her, she would probably Confringo him into the next apartment.
He turned back to her. "Just leave, Granger" he mumbled. He hated her seeing him like this.
"Alright, Malfoy" she said. "But think about the job, ok? If I don't hear back from you in a week, I'll just post the position in the Daily Prophet". Then she walked out the front door, and he heard a "Crack" as she disapperated.
Later that night he woke burning hot and covered in sweat again. Nagini this time. Would these nightmares ever end? Why had Granger been able to keep them away? And could he ever find a way permanently keep them away? Her job offer, he thought. What was that all about? In his half drunk-half asleep state, he realized, that might be one way he could be around her more, and maybe, just maybe it would be enough. Why should he accept the job? Because it was looking more and more like Hermione Granger might be the only friend you have, he thought.