Chapter 5 – The Feast

"So, when you said 'the whole neighbourhood' I've got to confess I didn't realise you meant yourself, Draco, an elderly couple who looks like they're about to stop breathing at any second and a family with more kids than they can count." Hermione said the next weekend as Tom offered her a welcome-drink.

"Well, that's life in the middle-of-absolutely-fucking-nowhere for you, love." Tom grinned. "The elderly couple are Mr and Mrs Butterworth. They've lived here since forever. The family with all the kids are the Bakers'. That's the mum, Bethany holding little Alice. And that's the dad, Michel trying to stop Iris and Clark from getting into the fireplace. That one over there, pulling down everyone's' cotes from the hanger, is Susanne." Tom named them as he pointed at the people in the room.

"They seem like a nice gang." Hermione nodded.

"They are, they are just usual." Tom shrugged. "Too bad you didn't bring that tall, dark, handsome friend of yours."

"Well, unfortunately he was busy tonight." Hermione said, taking a bit of a chance.

Tom gave her a probing look.

"Maybe next time then." he said after a few moments.

"It's a nice house you've got. Live here on you own, eh?" Hermione asked and glanced around the room.

"Yeah, my mum and dad left me this treasure. And I'm really glad Draco moved in next door. Saved the family-business he did." Tom said reassuringly and nodded towards Draco who just managed to save the quite sloshed Mrs Butterworth's drink from spilling all over Tom's piano.

"Did he now?" Hermione asked and raised a curious eyebrow.

"Oi! Draco!" Tom called to Draco who patted Mrs Butterworth on the shoulder and made his way over to Tom and Hermione.

"How's the elk coming, Tom?" Draco asked as he reached them.

"Bloody hell! I better go and check!" Tom mumbled and hurried out into the kitchen.

"Good call, mate." Draco said as Tom left.

Hermione chuckled.

"You know, judging from your letters I didn't picture you'd live this life at all." Hermione said and took a sip of her drink. "Merlin, this is the best drink I've ever had. What is it?"

"Secret recipe, love. If I told you I'd have to kill you." Draco smirked, mimicking the answer she'd given Tom earlier.

"So, I still haven't found out; what do you do now-a-days, exactly?" Hermione narrowed her eyes at him.

"Only bad things. But you knew that already." he said as he raised his own glass to take a sip.

"Tom tells me you're involved in this family business that's suddenly blooming since you showed up. Care to explain that?" she asked and gently leaned on his shoulder.

"I didn't know you were all of a sudden working for Magical Law Enforcement? How come you never told me?" Draco asked and leaned some of his weight on her.

"I don't. I'm just curious." Hermione confessed.

"And you just happen to have two best friends who works in that department. Whom you tell everything." Draco whispered.

"I'm not here to infiltrate your life and snitch on you, if that's what you think." Hermione said and turned her face towards him.

"So it's really just about unicorns then?" Draco turned to face her as well.

"Yeah. That. And also, I sort of missed you. I know that's a strange thing to say since we didn't really hang out before. But I felt like I got to know you through our letters." she said in a low voice.

She leaned in towards him just enough to be noticeable.

"Right, we didn't hang out." Draco repeated.

He leaned in towards her just a bit. She was close enough for him to feel her warm breath on his chin. He watched her amber eyes searching his. Then she leaned a little closer to him. Draco let out a breath he didn't realised he was holding.

"Right, you lot!" Tom shouted, causing both Draco and Hermione to jerk away from each other. "The elk is served!"

The elk, served with roasted potato wedges, tasted brilliant. After dinner Tom took a seat at the piano and let his fingers dance over the keys making brilliant music fill the room. Draco was asked by the five-year-old Susanne to dance, which he happily accepted.

"Who's the pretty lady you came here with?" Susanne asked as she stood on Draco's feet and he moved them around the room.

"You think she's pretty? She's someone I know from school." Draco smiled.

"I think she's very pretty. And she's super nice as well!" Susanne smiled.

"She is, isn't she? Is she looking at us?" Draco turned his back towards Hermione so that Susanne could see her.

"Yeah. And she's smiling." Susanne laughed.

"Good." Draco said, more to himself than to Susanne.

When the song ended Susanne hopped off Draco's feet and hugged him around the waist before she ran off to play with her siblings. Draco walked over to Hermione who was sitting by the table.

"Do you dance, Granger?" he asked.

"I do if you ask me properly." Her reply was snappy, but to Draco's great pleasure there was no venom in her voice.

"May I have the next dance?" Draco said and bowed deeply as he offered Hermione his hand.

"Why, Malfoy. I'd never taken you for such a gentleman." she cooed and took his hand.

"It's always been in my blood, love. You just never got the opportunity to see it." he said as he spun her around out in the room with the other dancing couples.

"So, you've got this bloody brilliant side to you, and you decide to never show it and act like the worlds biggest twat for seven years instead?" Hermione asked as she spun into his arms.

"That's about right. In hindsight it wasn't a wise choice." he smirked.

"Too bad. Or else we could've done this a lot sooner." she grinned.

An image flashed before Draco's eyes of the two of them at the Yule Bale, dancing, laughing, and then dancing close together leaning into each other. He quickly discarded the notion.

"So, where are you staying tonight?" he said and slowed the pace as the music changed into a slower rhythm, something he could've sworn Tom had done on purpose.

"In town. At my hotel, obviously." she answered and leaned her head against his shoulder.

"You're driving tonight then?" he asked.

"Well, yeah. I've only had one drink, and it was about three hours ago." she answered.

"It's not the alcohol I'm concerned about. It's the weather. There's a storm coming. Look, it's already started." Draco said and nodded his head towards the window.

He was right. The snow was falling heavily outside the window. Hermione moved a little closer to him.

"Looks like a miserable business to drive in." she groaned.

"You know, I don't wish for this to be an improper relationship or to cause trouble for you of any kind. But I've got a spare bedroom. If you don't wish to drive in this weather." Draco suggested casually.

"Like I said; it's just about the unicorns. This isn't about you." Hermione repeated.

"So… Does that mean you'll be sleeping with me tonight?" Draco smirked.

Hermione hit his shoulder playfully.

"I'd love to accept your offer to sleep in you guest bedroom, Malfoy." she chuckled.

"The Malfoy home is always open to Ministry workers, love. We're a very prosocial family." he smirked and rested his head on top of hers.

"Right. Prosocal family." she repeated.