Chapter 8

Golden Girl Steps Back Into the Limelight, And She's Not Alone

By Parvati Patil

It's been months since our second favourite couple, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger has called it splits, and Merlin knows just how devastated all of us were since then. No one saw it coming, except if you recall, this reporter who saw it from a mile away. After all, they were as different as night and day. He loved the spotlight, and she preferred the shadows. How much could a couple like that even have in common anyways? It's a wonder they even lasted the five years they did.

Since the time period, Ron Weasley has been linked with socialites such as Jane Dumont, Marianne Bordereau, and most recently Ava Knightingale. That is not to mention the multiple short-term flings he's had, and the rumoured one night stands. If these rumours are anything to go by, he has definitely been one very busy man.

Granger however has taken a very different approach to her newly single life. Like the bookworm she is, she had completely submerged herself into her work, which most recently has been in the pureblood serial murders (for more on this case, see page 4). When asking around her workplace, the common response was that she had turned into a complete workaholic (more than the usual, which if I recall, was one of the reasons Weasley ended their relationship. Really, she did the complete opposite of what would get him back). One co-worker even stated that Granger 'never leaves her work, and if anyone came by to ask for her to come out in a social manner, [Granger] would flat out turn them down. She only cared for her work, and not even Harry Potter was successful in deferring her from it.'

So imagine this reader's surprise when Britian's newly single bachelor, Draco Malfoy has been spotted out to lunch with none other than Miss. Granger. Malfoy is a healer at St. Mungos speciality ward, in which he treats the most rare diseases. If that's what it takes to get his audience, then I'm half tempted to get myself diagnosed with Dragon Pox. While previously married to Astoria Malfoy, née Greengrass, their marriage crumbled to the ground, roughly around the time of Granger and Weasley's. Hmm…this author can't help but wonder if there's something more to the break up to both these relationships that is not public knowledge…

Granger and Malfoy allegedly went out for a lunch date, however, it quickly turned into a dinner date when the conversation seemed to keep flowing. Witnesses say that sparks were flying everywhere and the chemistry between them was so hot that it was a miracle they were able to keep their hands to themselves! If Granger is one thing, it's a lady, and a lady never displays such an indecent display in public. The couple has apparently been spending quite a bit of time together, as when Granger was apparently seen on a date the previous day with Malfoy when his former sister-in-law disrupted and stirred up quite the commotion. Matching the etiquette of his beau, Malfoy manage to defer the situation without attracting any more attention.

I don't know about you, but I am dying to know more about this new delicious couple! Ask me if I ever thought I would have seen this coming, and my answer would have been a definite no! In Hogwarts, they were so opposite from each other. But something about them now is attracting my curiosity. I want to know everything about what makes them tick, and just how they feel about each other.

So stay tuned readers, because I will get to the bottom of this mystery, or my name isn't Parvati Patil. You know my motto, 'If something is a secret, then you better just share it, because I will unravel all of your dirty laundry'.

Hermione snorted into her cup of coffee as she read the last line of the ridiculous front page Prophet article that was on her desk that morning as came into work. Didn't Parvati have anything better to do than speculate, very poorly if she might add, into Hermione's love life?

Not that there was one to really look into anyways. The article was pure garbage! She didn't even have feelings for Draco that way. She couldn't wait to laugh about it with Ginny later! The witch would have a good laugh knowing just badly Parvati was mistaken.

She groaned after remembering just who Ginny was married to.

"Is this true?" Harry said as he dumped his copy of the article on her desk as he came in. he stood opposite to her, crossing his arms, with his eyes staring deeply at hers. It was as if he was searching her, waiting to see what she said so he could figure out if she were lying or not. "Are you dating Malfoy?"

She stared at him, incredulously, "No!" she exclaimed. "Of course I'm not dating Draco Malfoy! Honestly Harry, if I were to get involved with someone, it would be very, very slowly. I'm not completely up to dating again, just yet. You know that."

He looked as if his cool demeanour was beginning to crack, however he still held up a little bit, "So you didn't spend hours with him yesterday at lunch? Because I just talked to Diane, and she mentioned how you never came back from the apparent one hour break you were planning on taking. How is it that Malfoy of all people, is able to convince you to take a break from work, and when I try to ask you even to go down to the Auror café, you refuse flat out, saying you have too much work? When did this even happen?"

She shut her eyes, "Take a seat, Harry," she said, as she gestured to the chair opposite to where she was sitting. She knew he would not be pleased until he heard everything about any so called relationship she was so called having.

He didn't budge, so she gave him a pointed look, which eventually broke him down.

"I honestly didn't see him since the trial until I interviewed him about Adrian Pucey. But he, along with Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott all came out clean. Even after that, there wasn't much correspondence. But when you were admitted, he was your healer, as he was in the on-call ward that night, as you remember. And when I was waiting outside while Ginny was in with you, I started talking to him. He told me about one of his patients, Jamie, who is diagnosed with a rare disease, and how he loves to read, and that he was a huge fan of mine. He asked if I would meet him, because the poor boy is orphaned and he has absolutely no one."

"And you just went with him? What if he was using this so called child as a way to lure you to your death? How do you even trust him?" Harry asked her, with slight judgement seeping through his voice.

"Harry, he's a healer who works with children. They wouldn't let someone who could possible murder their patients be a healer. So of course I trusted him!"

"I wondered where you went that night," Harry mused, "Ginny said you'd simply gone home, seeing how it was getting late and all."

She looked down guiltily, "I spent most of the night with Jamie, and Draco. We were talking about books, and we took turns telling him all about Hogwarts. Harry, the kid is so young, and there's a chance he may never be able to even see the school! I just want to be able to help."

Harry gave her a pointed look, "Yes, Kingsley mentioned that you would be consulting on a case for Mungos. I meant to ask you about it. I take it you offered to help Malfoy, and don't think I didn't notice that you used his first name."

"We're kinda friends," she said sheepishly, knowing what his reaction would be.

"Okay," he said, surprising her.

"What?" she asked him in shock. "You aren't going to reprimand me on being friends with a Death Eater who could probably kill me because of my blood status and whatnot?"

He shook his head, "I still don't trust him, and it's going to take a lot for me to even get to a place where I could consider it. Besides, I testified for him; I wouldn't have done that if I believed he truly was rotten to the core. At the same time, he's getting you out of your post-Ron funk. He's gotten you to see the light, and has got you involved in projects that aren't exactly related to your work. Do I wish it was me who got through to you? Yes. But I'll take what I can get. And if being friends with Draco Malfoy is what you need, then I can accept that. However don't think that I won't warn him about hurting you. Because I will; and I'll be explicit about what will happen if anything were to ever happen to you."

She got out of her seat and hugged him, "Harry, I want you to know how much I love you, and Ginny. If I didn't have you after all of this, then I don't think I would have been able to have coped. You are my brother, and nothing could ever change that. I love you more than anyone, and I always will. Being friends with Draco will never change that. But thank you so much for giving him a chance. I was so worried that you would yell at me, and listen to the article without letting me explain. Draco is just a friend. It was nice to be able to talk to him yesterday, and we simply lost track of time, nothing more."

"I believe you. Just don't think you need to hide part of your life from me okay?" he asked her softly, "I will always be here for you, and I can accept anything you throw at me. I love you too, and I would never do anything which would mean losing you."

He didn't loosen his grip around her back. Instead, he simply chose to hug her tighter. She felt guilty; in the months since her break-up she had chosen to ignore the rest of the world, including Harry. He didn't take sides anymore, not like he had in third year. So there was no reason for her to have cut him out. But she still did. The article was right in that factor, in which she submerged herself so far into her work to avoid having to face reality; that Ron hurt her, and she didn't know how to deal with it.

"Thank you, Harry," she said softly.

"Come over for dinner tonight," Harry said. "And invite Malfoy. If he's going to be in your life, then I want to get to know him a bit, just to make sure he's as decent as you say he is."

She shook her head at him, but laughed softly, "I'll send him an owl and ask if he's up to it. But Harry, just warning you, he has a son, so he really has changed, for Scorpius. He's responsible and he's raising Scorpius on his own, so whatever he chooses to do will be best for him."

"Malfoy reproduced?" Harry asked, as his eyebrows rose. "I don't even want to know. But tell him that Ginny and I will be more than happy to have Scorpius at dinner, especially with Ginny expecting and all."

"I'll keep that in mind," she said with a grin.

"Right," Harry said, as he released her. "Then I'll let you get back to whatever it is you were doing. Be sure to come by for 6!"

He placed a kiss on her forehead and left the room, leaving Hermione to her thoughts.

"So are you together?" Ginny asked her the minute she got Hermione alone. She had arrived promptly at 5:59, with Draco and Scorpius.

He had been highly hesitant about coming over to dinner with the Potters because of their past, but she had assured him that neither would be judgemental and that they just wanted to get to know him without all the social stigma that separated them in school. She had promised that Ginny and Harry would be nice to Scorpius and that they just wanted to see their friendship first hand.

She then pulled a card about mending burnt bridges, a muggle phrase which she had to explain to him, much to her chagrin, however it had finally gotten him to cave. She had given him her floo address so he could come over before the dinner, so they could all go together, to save him from any awkwardness of arriving first.

Draco had given Harry a bottle of Odgen's Finest, and presented Ginny with a bouquet of flowers, one that was far less extravagant than what he had given her, but nonetheless beautiful.

Ginny had pulled her into the kitchen, claiming that she needed to talk to her about female things, and said the boys should get to know each other. Scorpius was occupied as he played with one of the toys he had brought along from his home.

"What?" Hermione asked in surprise. "No! I already told Harry that when he came by earlier."

"Yeah, but I figured you just said that to get him off your back," Ginny said as she rolled her eyes. "So what's the truth?"

Ginny was currently at the stove cooking various dishes, a talent she seemed to inherit from her mother.

"That is the truth, Gin. There's nothing between the two of us. He's just my friend," Hermione said, something twinging inside of her.

"That's it?" Ginny said, sounding a bit dubious. "You aren't shagging the incredibly good looking single father?"

"No!" she exclaimed. "Besides, it's not as if he's completely available. He has a son! Scorpius will come first to Draco, and that's how it'll always be."

"So do you want to date him?" Ginny asked her.

Hermione thought about it before answering. "I don't know. We aren't there yet, and right now we're just friends. He's a great guy, and a better father. I don't know if I am ready to date again, but I wouldn't be completely opposed to the idea if it ever evolved to that point."

Ginny shot her a victorious smile, "Good. He's super hot, and if I weren't happily married, I definitely wouldn't hesitate to jump his bones."

"Ginny," Hermione exclaimed with a laugh. "Merlin, you better be joking."

She laughed, "He is really good looking, but I love every fiber of Harry's being, and I honestly wouldn't want another man. But it doesn't mean that I can't look, now does it?"

She shook her head at her female friend, knowing Ginny all too well. "Let's get back to the boys, shall we? I'm a bit worried that we've left them alone for so long."

Ginny took out the final dish, "Could you get them all seated at the table and tell them dinner is ready?"

"Of course."

She didn't know what to expect as she made her way back to the sitting room. Harry and Ginny had chosen to live in Grimmauld Place after they got married. Hermione had helped them redecorate to make it far cheerier and they had finally gotten rid of all the negative portraits that previously hung on the wall (something which required many blasting spells), and replaced them with family portraits, and even one of Harry's parents. They had gone back to Godric's Hallow to see what Harry could salvage from the house, and it was one of the few things they had picked up. Most of the belongings were left there however to remain monumental to his parents.

Whatever she had been expecting, seeing them chatting like old friends was not it.

"But that catch of the snitch was completely illegal! It shouldn't have even been allowed to happen! The referee took too long deciding whether to call a foul or not, and the Falcons swept in and took victory away from the Magpies," Harry argued.

"They deserved it though! After the season they had, any victory is a small one," Draco replied back. "It's not as if they're going to win the cup for the season or anything."

"Figures," Hermione said, drawing their attention, "You two are such boys! I leave you two alone for a little bit, and you end up talking about quidditch! Men…."

"Are we men, or boys?" Draco teased her softly as he stood up.

"Wouldn't you like to know," Hermione said with a teasing smile. "Anyways, Ginny said that dinner is ready, so we should go sit at the table."

Harry shot up, "What do you say, Scorpius?" he addressed the boy. "Shall we go sit at the table so Ginny can bring us some food?"

"Foo!" the two year old said as he clapped his hand, "Hawwy, foo!"

"That's right, Buddy, why don't you go with Harry, and he'll get you all washed up and ready to eat."

Scorpius kept clapping his hands as he went with Harry to get cleaned up.

"Looks like the two of you are getting along well," Hermione said as she turned back to face Draco.

"Yeah," he said softly. "It was weird at first, and he kept asking me about my 'intentions' towards you. I told him that I only wanted for you to be happy and that I wouldn't ruin that. I enjoy your company, and even though we don't know each other that well, I already know that I want you in mine and Scorpius' lives."

She hugged him. She wasn't sure what possessed her to do so, but she lunged at him, and wrapped her arms around his neck. He was caught off guard by it, but he wrapped his arms around her too, tightening his embrace around her.

"So the rumours are true," a voice sneered from the doorway.

Hermione looked up from the hug to see Ron standing at the door. Oh Merlin, would this be fun.

A/N: Hey guys! How are you liking this story so far? I find that the words just seem to flow when I start writing a chapter, and I love posting a new one for you guys each week! I just wanted to thank you all so much for the follows, favourites and reviews, and like always, I love hearing your feedback so I know how you guys are reacting to what's happening!