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Saturday
Knock Knock Knock
"Hermione it's Ginny, open up."
She was sat on her sofa, blue fluffy dressing gown on, damp hair, no makeup. She had had a shower when she got home but didn't know when the tears ended and the water from the shower began. She was too awake to go to sleep so pulled on her pyjamas, wrapped her dressing gown around her and was cuddling Crookshanks on the sofa while watching nothing in particular on the television.
She heard Ginny knock but didn't move off the sofa.
"Hermione let me in, please." The muffled voice called again from outside her front door.
She called back. "Ginny... I … I'm fine just go home it's late." She wished the girl would listen to her, but she was stubborn and what Ginny wanted she usually got.
"Hermione, I'm not leaving until you open up this door immediately. I will stand here all night if I have to!"
Not wanting Ginny to wake her neighbours with the constant knocking and shouting, Hermione stood up and placed Crookshanks in the space she had just vacated on the sofa. She glanced into the mirror above her fireplace. She looked tired but atleast her eyes were less puffy now from her earlier tears. Ginny had seen her in worse states than this before. She would stand there all night and probably sing at the top of her lungs until she opened the door.
She shuffled out of her living room and into the small hallway with three other doors. One leading to her bedroom, one to the kitchen and one to the front door where the knocking continued.
Knock Knock Knock
"Merlin Ginny, I'm coming!" She unlocked the door with a twist of her wrist and pulled it open. There was Ginny still all glammed up with Harry standing next to her. Behind Harry she saw a flash of blonde hair. Her heart sunk. She looked round him and saw Draco Malfoy. The one person she really didnt want to see.
Ginny held up her hands vowing for peace, "Before you say anything, please can we just come in."
"No." Was all Hermione said before she moved to shut the door but Harry moved quick and stuck his foot in between the doorframe and the door preventing her from closing it. "Harry Potter you move your foot right now." She didn't want to sound angry but it was hard not too.
"Let us in, please."
She stood there staring at Harry for a few moments. She didnt have the strength to move his foot on her own and she left her wand in the living room with the cat. She huffed at him then swung the door open and left them standing in the doorway while she stalked off to the kitchen. She needed a cup of tea.
She heard footsteps, the three of them shuffling into the small hallway before the door closed with a click and someone moved into the kitchen behind her. As she walked to the far side of her kitchen and flicked on the kettle a voice called from behind her.
"Granger…"
She cut him off before he could speak. "Why did you bring him here?" She directed the question at either Harry or Ginny, not turning round to look at their faces. She grabbed a cup from the cupboard above her head and set it on the side, picking a tea bag out of the pot and a cube of sugar from another.
"You need to talk." Ginny said.
"No we don't." She opened the white fridge next to the kettle, picking the milk jar out before closing it and turning round to see the three of them in a row facing her on the other side of her kitchen, the small dining table pushed up against the wall between them. She was furious with all of them, mostly the tall blonde standing closest to her with his hands in his pockets.
"Hermione…" He started again.
"Don't." She held up her hand to stop him before turning her back on him and placing the milk jar on the counter, watching the kettle boil.
"'Mione, he's been a pain in the arse since you left the bar." Harry said. "You know I wouldnt voluntarily spend time with him or bring him here for no reason." She stayed quiet continuing to look at the slowly boiling kettle. Hearing a shuffle behind her.
"Jeez thanks, Potter." Draco said, his voiced laced with sarcasm.
"Don't mention it." She could hear the grimace in Harrys voice and it made her smile. They worked together every week yet still found it difficult to have a simple conversation.
"Fine." Harry was right. He wouldn't have bought him here for no good reason.
Draco spoke to her. "You think I'm still that kid from Hogwarts? The one that picked on you and called you names?"
"No..." If she was honest with herself she didn't think he was that person.
"Then why believe what she told you?"
She turned to face him. "Am I supposed to have complete trust in you?"
"I hope at least a part of you..."
"Its been a week!" She threw her hands up in the air. "Six days actually! What did you expect from me? To believe everyword you said to me because we kissed?" She crossed her arms over her chest.
"I'd hoped for a little bit more trust than what you gave me earlier!"
"And why do you deserve that?" It was a low blow and he looked annoyed because of it. She immediately regretted it. He took a deep breath before he spoke.
"Look..." He held out a hand in front of him. "I'm not going to spend hours standing here constantly trying to convince you that I'm not that person. I've strived over the past few years to change for the good and I'd hoped that was enough. This week has been an eye opener for me just as much for you but I'm not going to stand here and beg for you to believe me."
She didnt know what to say.
"I tried this week..." He continued.
"I know..." She responded.
"Then why believe her?"
"Because it's hard for me to trust you!" She said loudly. "I've been fighting this internal battle with myself all week because I've been feeling things for someone who used to be... the worst person in the world to me." Her hand was over her chest, protecting her heart. Her mind racing trying to figure out what to say next. "You were someone I hated and when this week started... yes it changed. My feelings changed. Everything changed. But there is still this part of me that thinks... Hermione what are you doing?"
He didn't say anything but continued to look at her, running a hand through his hair and exhaling loudly.
"When she said all that I felt like I was thirteen again. I overrracted, okay. A part of me knew she was lying but another part of my thirteen year old self was terrified that I had a got it all wrong."
He moved a step closer and spoke softly. "I know it's difficult... it's difficult for me too. But this is something you are going to have to move past if this is ever going to be anything."
She looked down at her feet on the wooden floor knowing what he said was right. She either made the decision to move forward, forgetting their past and looking forward or she didn't. If she didn't then whatever this was couldnt go anywhere. And she hated the thought that she might give this up before i had even started.
"Last year. At the Christmas party. Thats when it started. This hasn't just been a week for me." He spoke quietly.
"What?" She looked up at him and he took another step closer only one step away now.
"You were wearing this long black dress and your hair was up... I was stood behind you at the bar. You were talking to Jas Blakely about the kids that had started the Feindfire over at Blackgate a few years ago... the ones who had their wands taken away from them. You spoke of redemption and giving them a second chance because kids do stupid things, you said it yourself."
Her heart was beating erratically. She remembered the conversation. It was after a few cocktails and Jas was only listening to her to be polite but she didn't remember him being there.
"I tried for eight months to ignore whatever you sparked in me but this week just further ignited it. I used Lacey as a distraction for a few hours but that didn't work. After that I drank myself silly and I've thought of nothing else but you since. Then I started to notice the way you looked at me sometimes..."
"She said she was with you last night, and this morning." She knew the answer but asked it anyway.
"I haven't seen her since Tuesday night and I don't ever want to see her again. I promise you Granger. Give me all the Veritaserum in the world and I'll swear it again..." He took the last step towards her so their feet were side by side. He lifted his hands and stroked them slowly down her arms. "All I see is you." She was captivated by him, staring into his grey eyes. She had forgotten about the other two in the room when Harry spoke it made her jump.
"Well this is getting sufficiently awkward..."
Draco huffed loudly moving away and resting his tall frame against the worktop next to her. "You really know how to pick your moments, Potter." The sarcasm was back in his voice.
"Shut up, Malfoy." Harry glared at the blonde.
"Harry stop it..." Ginny rolled her eyes.
"What... He's being an arse!"
"Well that's something your going to have to get used to." The three of them stopped arguing and turned to look at her, contemplating her words. Ginny gave her a small smile before she spoke again. "Do you mind leaving Draco and I to talk?"
"It's nearly midnight isnt this a bit late?" Harry continued.
Draco huffed again and rolled his eyes. "It's not a school night, she can stay up at late as she wants."
"Come on, were leaving." Ginny said pushing Harry out of the kitchen before he had chance to respond. She watched as they left the room, shuffling around until she heard the front door open and close. Just then the kettle whirred and clicked off from boil. Draco and her stood looking at one another for a few moments.
"You're going to need to learn to tolerate eachother." She said looking at him sideways. His eyes burning into hers.
"Is that a dealbreaker?" He smirked her way then smiled.
"Yes."
"Then it's done." Seconds passed between them. Not knowing what else to say.
She turned round, picked up the kettle and and started poured the hot water into her mug. "Do you want a tea?"
"No, I'm fine."
She stirred the black liquid with the spoon then poured a dash of milk into the mug, trying to distract herself from his stare. It didn't last long.
"I can't get you out of my mind Granger. I don't know what you've done to me… but this isn't normal."
She stopped making the tea, leaving the spoon to rest in the mug and looked sideways at him again. He cupped her cheek with his hand and moved in to place a kiss on her lips. This was exactly where she was supposed to be. It took less than a second before she moved her body to face him and he stepped into her, pushing his body into hers and putting both hands on her waist.
She placed her hands round his neck, warmth spreading through her and she tasted mint as he lightly kissed and nipped at her lips. She opened her mouth to him, their tongues warm and wet against one another.
He broke the kiss first pulling her dressing gown off her shoulders to fall on the floor behind her. He looked into her eyes as he stroked her hair away from her shoulders, making it fall onto her back. He smiled and bent his head, placing soft kisses along her neck and shoulder, pushing her pyjama sleeve down her arm. He kissed to where her skin met the material then kissed back all the way up her neck until he reached her ear. Both of his hands moved from her waist to wrap around her back pulling her into a hug. She tightened her grip on his neck getting as close to him as she could.
"Will you stay with me tonight?" She whispered into his ear. She couldn't imagine him leaving now.
"If you want me to." He whispered back, clutching her that bit tighter.
She smiled and pulled back from him, taking his hand and leading him out of the kitchen and through to her bedroom.
"Love the pink nightwear by the way." He smirked and she looked round as she pushed the door open.
"Don't worry. I won't be wearing them for long..." It was her turn to smirk at him and it made him stop in his tracks as she continued into the room holding the door open for him. He groaned quietly looking at her before he stepped in and she shut the door behind them with a click.
The clock in her living room muffling a chime for midnight.