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CHAPTER 31.
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"Are you sure they won't follow us?" Harry whispered to Draco.
Draco rolled his eyes as he looked at Harry.
Harry was wearing a black hoodie which was up, presumably to cover his messy give-away hair and black jeans. In the middle of the freaking afternoon.
If that was his idea of a disguise or being discreet, Draco wondered how in the world did he ever manage to sneak out in Hogwarts. Oh yes! The invisibility cloak.
"Potter, how do you survive without your invisibility cloak?" Draco asked sarcastically.
Harry frowned. "You know about my cloak?"
Draco rolled his eyes again. He found himself doing that quite often in Harry's presence. But he had to admit, a slightly more grown up Harry was definitely more relaxed and fun- umm okay fun to be around than the silent, morose Hogwarts Harry.
"Harry I pretty much know everything about you and everyone Hermione associated with. She likes to talk." Draco said.
Harry nodded knowingly.
"But still, what if Hermione brings her here?" Harry asked looking worried.
"Potter relax! The girls have gone to the spa. Ginny forced Hermione there and Merlin knows she needs a massage to relax. Besides Katherine's joining them for lunch. And Hermione thought that you and I should male bond or something. Mental that woman." Draco shook his head.
Harry laughed. Draco Malfoy just reminded him of Ron at this very moment. He had just fondly admitted how mental Hermione was but still so special to him. Well special enough for him to actually male bond or whatever with Harry Potter. He wouldn't do that for anyone else.
"What's so funny?" Draco asked.
"You just sounded like Ron there for a moment. All through Hogwarts he kept calling Hermione mental." Harry said.
Draco looked a bit uncomfortable at being compared to Harry's late friend. But Harry seemed so casual about it. Like the memory of Ron didn't bother him. In fact he spoke of him quite fondly. He seemed at peace. Maybe he had his closure. Now only if Hermione could...
But she was getting better.
Her parents had come over for dinner last night and the 6 of them had a great time. Well, at least he was sure 5 of them had had a good time.
He on the other hand was antsy all the time. He was officially meeting Hermione's parents for the first time.
Of course they were gracious and apologised whole heartedly for being so prejudiced in the past. They accepted Draco with open arms. Literally. Mr. Granger, Draco learned the hard way, was a hugger. And he didn't spare Draco.
Draco had shot Hermione a save me look as Mr. Granger had enveloped him and all he got back was concealed muted laughter and relief in Hermione's eyes. She sure was glad that after all these years her parents had finally accepted Draco.
It had been only 3 days, but surprisingly enough, Draco had found himself needing no self control. He was behaving as promised to Hermione and wasn't even trying.
If he forgot all about their formative years, Draco could actually spend time with the Potter's and dare he say it? Even enjoy himself.
He found Harry and Ginny's relationship really entertaining.
They loved each other to pieces; a blind man could see that. But Harry still didn't waste any opportunity to argue with her. Obviously Ginny would always win. Even though she knew Harry was only riling her up out of habit, she could never refuse a refreshing argument.
They didn't care that they were bickering in front of Draco and Hermione; they behaved as though they had been friends for years.
Harry would often make suggestive comments to Ginny and most would end up in her pointing her wand at him accompanied by furious blushing. But after only 3 days of staying with the couple, Hermione and Draco had both realised that when such things happened, Harry and Ginny would mysteriously disappear under the pretext of power naps for dear old Ginny. But the very non-subtle slamming and clicks of the door into locking and silencing spells were enough to say otherwise.
The first time it had happened, it was 4 in the afternoon. They had all just napped and were enjoying a cup of coffee with cupcakes when Harry and Ginny had gotten into an argument.
How one needed to go back for a power nap after an afternoon nap, Hermione and Draco would never understand.
Of course, the hard door slam and muffliato charm caused Hermione to go red all over and she quickly got up to clean the dishes manually so Draco would not see her face.
Draco obviously was shocked too but not that embarrassed. He was rather impressed by Potter. He chuckled away as Hermione furiously scrubbed the already clean mugs.
Well the Potter's were far from boring. That much was for sure.
"So don't worry your messy head so much Potter. The girls are having a relaxing afternoon. We on the other hand are supposed to have an awkward man date." Draco said drily.
Harry laughed. "Oh lighten up Malfoy. It's not so bad. You promised me Australia's famous dessert. I'll be nice to you just for doing that for me." He joked. "But don't tell Ginny okay?" He added getting serious.
Draco shook his head in disbelief. Ginny was a smart woman. And Harry knew that. Draco was sure that Harry knew that Ginny knew he would be off eating dessert somewhere. Yet he tried hiding it.
Draco reckoned it probably was a part of the games they played. They had been married for quite a few years, but they certainly kept their marriage entertaining.
"Potter! You do know that she will still find out?" Draco asked.
Harry scowled. "Yeah I know. But what can one do? I'll just tell her we split it since you couldn't finish it all on your own eh?"
Draco laughed. "You are ridiculous."
"Fine mock me. But let me tell you, this all started at Hogwarts. If it wasn't for the wonderful treacle tart and the amazing desserts the elves made, I wouldn't really have such a sweet tooth. Besides, I don't think I even knew how cake tasted until Hagrid got me one for my 11th birthday while rescuing me from the Dursleys." Harry said sadly.
Draco just looked at Harry. After some time he said, "Potter! You really want me to buy that and feel sorry for you? I can totally tell you're milking it. Does Ginny fall for that crap?"
"Damn!" Harry said. "That usually gets everyone. When did you get so smart Malfoy? In the beginning Ginny used to buy it. But now she just kicks my ass."
Draco laughed again. "I'm a Slytherin remember. We usually know when we are being manipulated."
"Oh well." Harry said sadly.
"Fine." Draco sighed. "I won't tell her. But that doesn't mean she won't know already."
"I know!" Harry said happily. "But it's worth a try."
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"Hermione!" Katherine yelled from across the restaurant. She came hurrying to the table where Hermione and a pretty red head were sitting at. "It's been too long." She hugged her.
Hermione laughed. "Katherine! I saw you 3 days ago."
Katherine frowned. "Yeah well I know. But for someone I meet every day and spend two nights at the hospital with every week, 3days is far too long."
"Oh that's so sweet." Hermione said. "I missed you too. I'm so glad you could come for lunch today. I'd like you to meet Ginny, my best friend from England."
Katherine and Ginny exchanged pleasantries as Hermione told them a little about each other.
Soon they had ordered and the table was filled with delicious food and wine. Well, iced tea for Ginny, though she longingly kept looking at the wine bottle from the corner of her eye.
"Oooh Hermione." Katherine said excitedly as she wiped her lips and reached for her purse. "I completely forgot to tell you."
She fished out a brown and gold envelope from her purse and handed it to Hermione.
"The hospital is having its annual charity ball day after tomorrow. I was told you had declined to go but I got you the invite nonetheless. I'm hoping to convince you to go this year." Katherine said.
Hermione frowned. "The charity ball? Really Katherine, you know I'm not interested in all these things. I didn't even go last year."
"I know!" Katherine said. "But come on Hermione, it'll be fun. Besides guests are allowed too! I figured Draco and the Potter's could come too. Please Hermione, it will be great!" She urged.
Hermione's brow furrowed in thought. She looked at Ginny and then back at Katherine, who still had an expectant expression across her face.
"Oh... I don't know, Harry and Ginny are here only for a while. I don't want to go to some ball when I can spend time with them." Hermione contemplated.
"Oh Hermione. It's okay. It's a brilliant idea actually. If we do go to the ball with you we'll still be spending time with you. And besides, a ball equals shopping!" Ginny said excitedly. "This should be fun! Come on, Katherine's right. Let's go!"
"Ginny ..." Hermione said with a sceptical expression.
"Please Hermione!" Ginny made puppy dog eyes. "It'll probably be my last ball where I could fit in a pretty dress without looking like a balloon."
She looked so sad and forlorn that Hermione caved.
"Fine." Hermione said unhappily. "You Ginny Potter should have been in Slytherin. Has Draco been teaching you that look?"
Ginny beamed instantly. "Oh yeah. I saw it on him when he suggested you should call your parents over. I decided then I should try it on you. I didn't know the opportunity would present itself so soon."
All of them laughed.
"He is bad influence." Hermione declared.
"Oh shush. I think he's fun. I wonder why he was so not fun in school. We could've been friend's ages ago." Ginny said.
Hermione smiled. Out of all her friends, Ginny had been the first to accept Draco when Hermione had revealed that they were friends.
Ginny had always been understanding and Hermione was really thankful for that.
"So it's settled then?" Katherine piped. "All of you are coming?"
"Oh but we'll have to ask the guys." Hermione said.
"Oh Hermione. You ask Draco. I'll just tell Harry." Ginny said mischievously.
"Unbelievable." Hermione said as she laughed and they paid the bill and left the restaurant.
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"What? No thank you." Draco declared breezily as he pulled a bottle of coke from the refrigerator and plonked on the couch reaching out for the salted cashews.
"What? Why? Come on Draco! If I'm being dragged into this, I'm not going down alone!" Hermione whined.
Harry and Ginny sat on the other couch very close to each other, Ginny leaning into him and Harry's arm around her. They watched silently.
"You work there! You're obligated to go. Me? I'm a free bird." Draco said.
"But Harry and Ginny are going. You won't be alone." Hermione tried persuading him.
Draco laughed. "Really Granger? You're tempting me with them?"
Harry laughed out loud too but a cutting look from Hermione made him stop midway and he retreated back to his wife who was giving him an equally icy glare.
"Okay. Matt's going to be there too." Hermione tried.
Draco cocked his head to a side and pretended to think deeply. In less than a second he turned back to Hermione and said "Naah. I don't think Matt's going to be as tempting either."
Hermione made her lips in a thin line and folded her hands across her chest. "So if we all are going to be at a ball what in the world are you going to do alone?"
"Well... Let me see. What other exciting options do I have? I could catch the semi final of the football game on the TV or I could go to a club or probably cook something new or I don't know... Go to sleep? All of the above sound way more exciting than a boring charity ball." Draco said.
"Fine. If you want to be that way, suit yourself. I didn't go last year either but this year I thought since all my friends are insisting we could all go and have a good time. But obviously that's not enough of a good time for you." Hermione said coldly. "So to help you, from all of your options, I'd suggest you go to a club. Find a skank there and make her your number whatever number you are on these days."
Then she turned her back and retreated into her room slamming the door on her way in.
The silence that followed her was deafening.
Harry began to shift uncomfortably in his place and Draco just stood there with his coke in hand, mouth open in confusion. Probably wondering what the hell just happened in there.
"Okay then." Ginny said sharply and got up immediately. "Harry stay here and talk to Hermione when she comes out. Malfoy, in your living room NOW." She said and popped out of Hermione's flat.
Draco turned to look at Harry with a quizzical expression on his face. Harry just shrugged. "I usually do what she says when she says it in that tone."
Draco looked disbelievingly at Harry.
"Believe me Malfoy. You don't want 2 women to be mad at you. Especially if they happen to be these two." Harry advised.
"Whatever. I'm not scared of Red." Draco scoffed rather feebly.
"Well then you should be." Harry said grimly.
Draco gave him a dazed look again.
"Look I'll say this fast but you better hear me well. You have full reason to be scared. Of both of them. You don't know, but they'll get you. Hermione will give you the silent treatment and you'll be so sick of it that you'll wish shed yell or something. But then Ginny will yell her cords out and you'll be wishing she'd shut the hell up. And when both of them do it together? It's lethal man. I swear it is. You don't want to be at the receiving end of that." Harry shook his head as if someone had died.
Draco gulped. He couldn't believe that Harry freaking Potter was trying to scare the pants off him and was succeeding.
He shook his head to clear it and mainly to clear the Goosebumps across his neck.
"Look Potter, no need to exaggerate. Now be cool. I'm going to see what Ginny wants. Not because I think your warning means anything, which I don't by the way, but just because she's alone in my flat and I should uh keep her company." Draco said.
Harry smirked and patted Draco on the shoulder. "You do what you have to do man."
Draco gave him a scoffing look and popped out.
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When he entered his flat he saw Red (as he had nick-named her that) pacing on his carpet.
"Finally. I didn't think that NOW meant 5 minutes later." Ginny said sarcastically.
Draco raised his hands. "Whoa woman. Will you relax? What's got your wand in such a tight knot?"
Ginny swirled and put her hands on her hips. Very Molly Weasley-ish.
"Are you out of your freaking mind?" She yelled.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Draco asked looking genuinely surprised.
"Why in the world would you decline a chance to go to the ball with Hermione?"
"Are you joking? It's not like it's the opportunity of a lifetime. It's going to be a boring hospital charity ball... Wait wait wait... Back up there for a second." Draco suddenly said. "What did you say? With Hermione? What do you mean by that?"
Ginny rolled her eyes. "You are so stupid Malfoy. Obviously with Hermione. Who else? I'll be going with Harry and Katherine's bringing Matt. Do the maths." She ordered.
Draco swallowed. "You mean she was asking me to go to this ball with her?"
More eye rolling.
"As in.." Draco swallowed again. "As in, you mean.. Like her date?"
Ginny put up her hands exasperatedly. "Do you want me to spell it out to you?"
"Ohhhh." Draco said deflated as he sat down on his sofa. "Damn."
"Damn right damn genius." Ginny offered.
"How dense are you Malfoy? If you looked at her that way when she wore a simple dress, I wonder where your eyeballs will be when you see her wearing what we've bought today." Ginny said smoothly.
Draco's throat turned dry. He looked at Ginny beseechingly.
Ginny shook her head. "What were you thinking really? Some slytherin you are."
"I know. I'm such a git." Draco said.
"And an idiot." Ginny added.
"Tell me about it." He said as he ran his hands haphazardly across his face. "Wait a minute!" He shouted. "Why the hell are you telling me this? And why would you think I cared about going with her in whatever she was wearing?"
Ginny looked at him with a bored expression on her face. "Really Malfoy? Now you ask me this?"
"Yeah. I ask this now. Why do you care and what do you know?" He asked childishly.
She rolled her eyes again and came and sat next to Draco. She put a hand on his shoulder. He didn't flinch like he thought he would have.
"Draco" she said kindly. "I've seen you look at her. A blind person could see what you feel for her. Although Hermione is way past blind in such cases. But it's pretty obvious. Even Harry is aware."
"Wow." Draco thought. If Potter had figured it out then he must have been plenty obvious.
"And you're okay with this? I mean not only is she your sister-in-law and best friend but it's me, Draco Malfoy." Draco said.
"Malfoy, we forgot everything the day you started out wanting to help us find Hermione. Well, I forgave you and forgot it all when Hermione told me about her friendship with you. So I'm the last person you should be worried about." Ginny said. "Besides, look what you've done for her. She's coming out of her shell all thanks to you. We are here together and she's urging you to attend a social event and not the other way round. Don't you realise how far she's come? And it's all because of you. How could anyone have a problem with you? Clearly you're good for her."
Draco looked down at his rug all the time Ginny was speaking.
"I was just being a friend. I mean anyone would have done that. If you had found her, you would have gotten her out of her funk." Draco said softly.
"But we didn't. You did. You got her back to living her life and not just existing. That counts for something Draco. Don't you think?" Ginny said.
"You called me Draco!" Draco exclaimed.
"Well yeah. So? Get used to it." Ginny smirked.
Draco smiled. But soon turned glum again. "I'm not good enough for her Ginny." He said using her name too. And it didn't sound unnatural.
"Says who?" Ginny dared.
"Come on. You can forgive but can you really forget? I'm Draco Malfoy. Son of death eater. Almost death eater. Slytherin. Casanova. Pureblooded and so much more that just won't allow it to work between us." Draco claimed.
"You are so so stupid." Ginny shook her head. "You're good enough to be friends with her but not good enough to be more?"
"Ginny ..."
"No. You are being so dumb. Is all I can say. You may be half of those things you said you were. But that was all in the past. Besides, your father was a death eater. You are not your father. Do you forget that eventually you declined Voldemort's offer and turned to the order? If that's not atonement enough for you I don't know what is." Ginny declared.
Draco stood there hearing these words come out of the mouth of the person whose family he had hated for almost all his childhood life.
He had stopped hating them the moment he had befriended Hermione. But today he learned why really Hermione cared and loved them so much. They were worth so much more than any bigoted, pureblood family ever would be.
"So you're okay with this? And Harry?" Draco asked.
Ginny laughed. "Didn't peg you to be the types to take Harry's permission."
"Oh please." Draco fake scoffed. "Was just asking out of curiosity."
"Yeah right." Ginny pretended to play along. "He's fine with it too. In fact more than fine after spending some time with you."
"Time? It's barely been 4 days." Draco said.
"It's enough." Ginny said confidently.
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Kay then.
I wanted to show some Malfoy-Potter bonding!
I know 4 days and one chapter is too little time to create such bonds but Ginny and Harry are magnanimous people. Plus they love Hermione!
Hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Thanks for reading!
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