Hope you all enjoy!
"So do we look away first?" Blaise asked though his gaze was still fastened on a startled Hermione Granger, rather enjoying the shock on his former classmate's face.
"No," Daphne answered immediately, a part of her not wanting to be outdone by the war hero that was now seen as some kind of gift to wizarding kind when much of them sometimes struggled to go to a pub and get fire whiskey without being jeered or leered at in her and her sister's case.
Draco though didn't hear them because his dark stormy grey eyes met light caramel ones dead on. Brows furrowed, Granger almost looked like she wanted to say something to him but thankfully the man in front of her had said something at the exact same time causing her to look away. Draco honestly preferred to think yesterday did not happen because not only had he seen Granger in barely decent clothes but he had also nearly run her over. That would go well with the new vindictive ministry that had taken its loose hold after the war; the new Ministry would probably love to fortify its actions by indicting him for nearly killing its war maiden. He was only a former Death Eater after all, the details of the act being rather irrelevant when compared to that bare fact.
"She looks kind but somewhat snooty," Astoria Greengrass added somewhat timidly not sure if she should really say anything or not.
Pansy snorted. "Somewhat? She's thought she was better than us since day one just because she already knew every school lesson by bloody memorizing the stupid textbooks before any of us stepped on the Hogwarts express."
Theodore Nott really wasn't one to talk but he knew that the last thing Gregory Goyle and Cynthia needed were for the bitter emotions to be brought up to conscious by the female third of the Golden Trio." I think we have established that the female in question is Hermione Granger." Theo finally said.
"Do muggles really wear clothes like that?" Blaise interrupted him almost fascinated by Granger's attire despite having seen Cynthia in somewhat familiar clothes just the fact that it was Granger of all people!
Exchanging one subject for another, the females at the table began their breakdown of Hermione Granger's attire, in which all the males groaned.
Draco just wished and hoped that Greg and Cynthia would be there soon.
!
"So Mom says you're a chemist?" Peter began having remembered all the points his mother had told him to bring after he told her that he honestly had no idea what to talk about with Hermione. Their history only went so far…summer school when they were kids. One could only talk about that for so long before feeling the need to crawl under the table and escaping.
Hermione glanced away from her glass of water, having been rather fascinated by the single melting ice cube. Watching the thaw of the ice cube had helped her not think about her former classmates… sitting just meters away from her. She didn't like to think she was arrogant but the hair prickling on the back of her neck told her, they, at least some of them were talking about her. "Yes…" Hermione drew out the word.
"Cool…" Peter did the same, the awkwardness lingering in the air, stretching across the room.
Hermione resisted the urge to glare at the laugh that could be heard a few tables away. A laugh that she could unfortunately recall vividly as well as pinpoint just who it was from.
!
"Pansy," Theo sighed, rubbing the side of his temple while Draco scooted his seat away from Pansy's and closer to Daphne's.
"I'm sorry but," Pansy tried to chortle her laughter. "This is rather entertaining." She said rather loudly because Hermione Granger's head shot their direction, her light brown eyes peering at them.
"They are rather awkward aren't they?" Blaise muttered behind his napkin. Either Granger's hearing had tremendously improved to supernatural levels or she just simply knew they were watching her for entertainment; Granger's eyes narrowed at them, her flush pink lips lightly parting to form a small o before pursing, her look rather teacher like, but remarkably familiar to them that Pansy swallowed.
Theo cleared his throat as Draco blinked, his gaze still in Granger's direction despite her already looking away.
"Okay did anyone just get a flashback of Professor McGonagal or was it just me?" Blaise had to ask at last.
Astoria Greengrass softly echoed in agreement as the rest of the table was engulfed by silence, rather dumbfounded by the look they hadn't seen in years but feeling it ingrained in their memory once more.
!
Conversation flowed slightly better after Hermione and Peter ordered their meals. They were currently talking about the changes in the neighborhood including the new pool house that had been completed a few months ago. It may have also been due to Hermione feeling less unease because Gregory Goyle had entered the restaurant with a pretty blonde in tow. The blonde though was so small and petite that Hermione was shocked but she tried not to show it. It was none of her business… that much Draco Malfoy was unfortunately right about. But still, a muggle. Gregory Goyle was marrying a muggle. She could almost feel the itch to contact Harry to ask if he knew.
Harry had become an auror straight out of the war, wanting to round up the last of the Death Eaters that had tried to make their escape after Voldem- no Tom Riddle's death. But in the past months Harry had acquired a new position in his Auror Department. He was now in charge of keeping tabs on all the former Death Eaters in England. The last man with the task, a Cleverly Rhode, had abused his power. He had harassed and often times tried to extort money from the former Death Eaters, making them even bitterer than ever towards the new Ministry. Hermione was rather proud of him for stepping up to the task because she knew that he would be a good man, better than Rhode ever was and treat the former Death Eaters as the humans they were. And he was, he treated everyone equally no matter their history… even though he could've been the one with the most resentment against them and no one would blame him so.
"Hermione?" Peter asked, his finger slightly tapping on the silver fork on his right.
Hearing her name, Hermione blinked, her thoughts back to the present. "Sorry, yes?"
!
"Congratulations," Nott simply said, nodding at Goyle at the news, new that he had already expected.
"Good job Goyle," Blaise added with a smile, trying to welcome Cynthia in order to not make her feel at all unease around them.
"Thanks," Goyle said, his plaster white cheeks instantly warming with a blush while Cynthia let out a small soft laugh as she placed her hand over his.
"And Draco is the best man?" Daphne asked having watched Draco's reaction, or non reaction to be accurate.
"Yes," Goyle and Cynthia both said together, already so couple like that Pansy resisted the urge to pull a face.
"And your bridesmaid,"
This time Cynthia blushed while Draco shot Pansy a look to not say anymore. Really, Parkinson should know that there was little chance that Cynthia was asking her. Dear Merlin, Parkinson could rarely refrain from introducing Cynthia as a muggle every time she talked about her, even to company that already knew Cynthia was magicless.
!
"That looks delicious," Hermione smiled as she admired Peter's plate.
Without a word Peter took his appetizer fork and scooped some of his food up for her causing Hermione's eyes to widen and slightly lean back. She was only trying to make small talk… she hadn't been asking to try it. She wasn't Ron. But would it not be awkward if she turned him down?
"Do you not want to try some?" Peter asked causing Hermione to falter. Heavens, she thought, she just wasn't cut out for this. "It's rather delicious."
"Um," Hermione looked down at her plate as if it would giver her the answer but alas it did not. "I would love to," Hermione said at last, hesitantly taking the spoon.
Peter let out a small sigh of relief, the awkwardness almost crushing.
"Uh," Hermione looked down awkwardly at her own plate once more, wondering if she was supposed to now offer him a taste of her food or not. "Do you, do you want to try a bit of mine too?" She asked at last.
!
Hearing the sound of a clatter, the Goyle party all glanced up to see Hermione Granger practically jump out of her seat as her date began to turn an unnatural shade.
"Peter?" Hermione asked because her date was looking and acting rather panicked, causing her to panic.
"Aller…nit." Her date managed.
Hermione's eyes widened when she finally registered what he meant. Shit! Her date was allergic to nuts and her meal was made with almond oil! Hell, she just poisoned her date by accident!
"Doctor, someone call the doctor!" She yelled before reaching out to her date, trying to catch him before he fell over, nearly taking her with him as she precariously tittered on her dark brown heeled boots.
"Madame-" The waiter began to ask but Hermione cut him off.
"He's allergic to nuts and he just had some!" She yelled as the waiter helped her put Peter back in his seat. "Please call emer-" She was cut off this time at the appearance of a certain blonde doctor that had come running to her and her date.
"I'm a doctor but call emergency now." He said so that the waiter immediately moved over for him. Glancing up, Draco looked straight into Hermione Granger's light brown eyes hoping she would understand what he would say. "He's having a severe allergic reaction. We might need a little magic but I might have an epi pen in my coat by Blaise." Draco Malfoy said sternly, his words not so subtle and slightly confusing but the situation was slightly dire. He hoped that Granger understood what he meant and most of all, knew what the hell an epi pen was because Blaise was looking thoroughly confused as he held the only thing he had found in Draco's coat, a mere quill.
With a nod, Hermione Granger indicated to Draco's relief that she knew exactly what an epi pen was. Blaise simply handed Granger the coat as she silently transfigured the quill into an epi-pen, thankful that she had gone back and finished her studies with McGongal so that she could finish her N.E.W.T.S. in Transfiguration. Who knew though that her knowledge would come in handy because she poisoned her date? Merlin's beard, what was she going to tell her mother? Peter's mother?
All these thoughts still whirling, Hermione silently handed the transfigured epi-pen to Draco Malfoy. What had the world come to? She had poisoned her date and Draco Mafloy was now trying to doctor him. And now Hermione had one more reason why she shouldn't date.
How was it?
Thank you so much for all of your reviews, I love reading them so much! Hope you all liked this installment and will bear with me as I try to update again soon!
Also if any of you are reading my story Undeniable Heartbeat on Wattpad, it was updated the 11th of this month if you haven't read.