Kingsley smiled at Harry and signed for him to go upstairs. Harry sighed heavily, they'd just sit down. Why not do this here?
"Neville? Would doing this here be possible?" Neville slowly lifted his face from his lap and smiled.
"Kinda hoped you'd say that. Accio files." Harry saw Kingsley roll his eyes but pretended he hadn't, and eventually their head of department came to sit with them on the floor.
"I guess it would be too much to ask of you for formality more than once a year, right?" The elder man chuckled to everyone's astonishment. Hermione was the only one to dare comment on that rhetorical question.
"As if you'd been expecting anything remotely close to formality hiring us."
"Right, but I can always keep dreaming eh? You know, being head of the auror's department, having formal meetings where everyone shuts the fuck up when I speak, hiring qualified aurors with actual NEWTS, and maybe come back home every night to a glass of firewhiskey …"
"Dreaming indeed." Cut Hermione before chuckling. Kingsley gave her a rare fond smile. Dean, who rarely spoke as a general rule, shuffled a bit on his bottom to face Kingsley.
"Don't beat yourself up about it Kingsley, we always get the work done, and with this brand new team we're going to kick arses so bad, Lestrange will fart fireworks."
Harry chuckled and was joined by all the others, even the former Slytherins. But Neville cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. He had opened all his files in front of him, and as they were all sitting in, more or less, a circle, Harry decided it was time to start the real work.
"Right, Neville, your analysis please?"
Hermione gave Kingsley one last affectionate smile before turning to listen to Neville. Her friend showed a serious face, wrinkled in concentration.
"I'll sum up, and then give you my thoughts. I haven't witnessed the beginning of this session but I trust it you'll update me Harry?" Harry nodded and Neville kept going:
"All right, personality and skill testing went better than expected. Both quick thinkers, ready to go around the rules, play as a team, not afraid to change their minds, no stubbornness, as far as work is concerned though. I sense a great capacity of analysis from Malfoy, maybe a bit of overthinking things, but meticulous and painstaking. For Zabini it's more of a go head first kind of spirit, but with a strong capacity in seeing all components in a situation." He paused and Hermione watched the newbies reaction. Malfoy was looking at Neville with fascination and curiosity, his head cocked to as side, as if he'd just met him. Hermione smiled for herself, Neville was showing his talent and skills and it was proving effective. His analysis was spotless as usual, and even Zabini studied him with a strange admiration.
"Right, wand art testing. Hermione reported a great capacity to follow instructions, for the both of them. Malfoy was ahead of Zabini though, and proved having great skill in learning on the job, but as far as physical strength go, sorry Malfoy, but Zabini was way ahead. It takes energy to perform so much in such a short amount of time though. She sorted through their skills too, and found quite a lot of abilities for the both of them, here." He passed a paper to Hermione and she made it follow to the others.
"Harry? Care to report please?" Harry nodded and cleared his throat before reporting everything that had been going on for the last hour, he finished his report by adding:
"I smell a middle and a front row there Neville, am I right?"
"Yes you are. I, obviously, do not recommend training, we all agree it was a rather successful test?" Nobody answered, it was, in fact, pretty obvious. "Right, I recommend a front row position, with reconnaissance specialization for Zabini, and a middle row position with planning specialization for Malfoy." Kingsley nodded and started the votes:
"For Zabini, in favour?" Everyone lifted their hand up in the air, a smile playing on all the lips, as Zabini grinned at whoever cared to look his way.
"All right, Malfoy those in favour?" Again everyone lifted their hand. Malfoy's reaction was more restrained, but as Hermione caught his eyes, the corner of his mouth lifted ever so slightly, and she couldn't help but smile widely at him. Surprise took his features for a fraction of a second before his mask fell back in place. Hermione bit her lip, trying to refrain a chuckle.
"All right, Malfoy, Zabini, agreed?" They both nodded but remained silent. "Perfect, now we take about … a half hour for files and the like and then you're on guys. Harry?"
"Right. Hermione could you give them the code and regulation scroll you prepared?" Hermione turned to Harry and retrieved her beaded bag. She accioed said scrolls, and threw them at the two new members of their team.
"I wrote the code for coin communication, as well as the protocols, you need to know that by heart, it stays here. You'll find what to do if a member of the team is hurt, or what to do with a prisoner etc. This is really important, not following those rules could send you right to Azkaban."
"Exactly. You'll be strictly on this scroll until lunch guys. Now, I'll give you everyone's position and specialization in the team, as well as our files, as you requested." Hermione felt her throat go dry all of a sudden, just as Harry summoned their files. Her old team members knew what laid in hers, but Malfoy didn't. She wondered what he would think of her once he'd seen it.
Wait, when did that happen? When had she come to care that much about his opinion of her? No idea, the only thing she could think about was Malfoy reading the horrific things she'd done.
"All right, Neville first, as you might have guessed, he's great in analysing personalities. Neville's in charge of the first part of interrogating prisoners, he's specialized in environment analysis too, and had a back position in intervention, cover and healing that is. Everyone shall take a look." He took Neville's file out of the pile he'd summoned and gave it to Ron so he could look at it and pass it to the others after.
"Lavender's specialized in interrogating. She handles the err … brutal aspect of it I guess, and is currently learning to second Hermione. She's got a front row position in intervention. Attacks that is." Again he gave her file to Ron, who had passed Neville's to Dean.
"Dean, is specialized in cartography and positioning, he puts in action Neville's preparatory work. He's got a front row position too, but is defensive." Neville's file had reached Zabini who passed it to Malfoy. Lavender's one was still in Dean's hands, and Dean's landed in Ron's.
"Ron's specialized in supplies and organisation of interventions, he coordinates them whenever I or Kingsley are not around, he's got a front row position, defence." Ron took his own file from Harry and didn't even spare it a look, he just passed it to Dean. Lavender's file landed in Zabini's hands and Hermione, knowing exactly what was on her file, looked intently at his reaction. Surprise took his eyes and his mouth fell sightly agape. Lavender at her side tensed a little, but Zabini finally lifted his face from the file and grinned at her. He portrayed a mix of wariness and awe, with a twinge of understanding. Hermione guessed he'd seen what she'd done to catch Greyback.
"Hermione is specialized in ward breaking and administrative work, she's the one who reports to Kingsley and handles communication issues, partnered with Lee sometimes, and who prepares the interrogations. She's got a back position in intervention, healing and protective." Hermione swallowed heavily as Harry grabbed her file and gave it to Ron, who winked at her. He read her file quickly and passed it to Dean before Harry could continue. Lavender's file had just left Malfoy's hands to land in its owner, and he nodded to the half-wolf woman, his face devoid of emotions. Hermione couldn't decipher what his swirling grey orbs showed and felt frustrated. Her own file was leaving Dean's hand to land in Zabini's. She couldn't take her eyes off of him as he read it, Harry's voice muffled in the background.
"All right, for me, as you know I coordinate, I'm second to Kingsley, and have middle position in intervention. I've got my nose in every specialization. Kingsley's the same, of course he's above me, and takes the decisions in coordination with the prime minister."
Zabini wasn't smiling any more. He was reading with concentration. Hermione knew that her file was longer to read than the others, since her specialization required skills in more complex magic, meaning that she used more of this complex magic, thus implying that it was all reported on her file. Frustration, nervousness, anticipation and a bit of fear fought their way into her brain, her hands became moist and trembling, so she rubbed them together, trying not to fidget. Lavender's hand landed on hers, and she winked. Hermione took a deep breath, all the files were gathered in front of her now, and without reading any of them, she passed them to Neville at her left.
"Oh, Malfoy's file." Hermione didn't even care about his file, Zabini was giving hers to his friend, and turned his face towards her. His mouth stayed straight for half a second that felt like an eternity, but he eventually winked and grinned at her. Relief didn't show its face though, as Malfoy was now reading it.
Blaise handed Granger's file to Draco. After reading Brown's, and getting confirmation that Gryffindors were not that goody good any longer, Draco felt pretty good about his own file. Brown's, as well as Weasley's and Thomas', were the perfect reflection of their front row position. It contained nasty curses and the like, but Brown's remained astonishing. In red had been transcribed the Unforgivables, and only one had been used by the half-wolf blond, the cruciatus. Of course it'd been on Greyback, and Draco couldn't blame her. The Wizengamot hadn't either.
Opening Granger's file he gave her one quick glance, and regretted it. She looked about to pass out. What the fuck was in there? Draco read. It was way longer than the other's files, but as a ward breaker, she used heavy magic all the time. The first part of the file contained mostly complicated charms attached to locations seized by the ministry, not so long after the end of the war. Then ,were a few pretty nasty curses, among which was Sectusempra. Draco scratched his chest, he remembered painfully what that curse did. Then a few more charms, and then, there it was, the Unforgivables. First Imperius, on Nott senior. Then a whole bunch of curses and charms, then again Imperius, on William Macnair this time. And then the worst. The cruciatus curse was there, used on Macnair too. It was all though, as the rest felt insignificant compared to that, few curses, few charms, and so on.
Draco didn't lift his face to her, trying to gather his thoughts, and gave the file to Brown. Granger had used the Imperius, on two of the most dangerous ex death eaters. All right, maybe they'd needed to control them, but the cruciatus? She'd been under it, and yet she'd used it? Why? Of course Draco didn't give a damn about Macnair's pain, the man was mad and one of the most manipulative and psychotic crazy shithead he'd ever known. But thinking of Granger using such magic put in perspective the perfect picture he'd made of her in his mind. Draco knew she'd changed, he knew she'd been an auror for two years, and that inevitably involved getting her hands dirty, but the cruciatus?
He lifted his face to her and she was looking right at him, her eyes wide and her jaw clenched in what looked like guilt. Her whiskey eyes shone, and Draco realised she was about to cry. He couldn't smile though, as he just couldn't process what he'd seen, he simply didn't understand. She took her face in both hand, rubbed her eyes and looked away. Draco couldn't believe she'd put herself in such a state over his reaction. Of course he hadn't had any, so she had to be confused. But being on the verge of crying and now trying desperately to keep her hands busy by grabbing whatever paper Longbottom was giving her, was pushing things a bit far. What did it matter to her what he thought? Did she care that much?
Blaise elbowed him discreetly, and as Potter and the weasel were accioing their work from the day before, Draco's friend lowered his face to him and whispered:
"What are you doing?"
"Nothing."
"She's about to collapse."
"I didn't do anything."
"You looked at her as if you didn't know her is all." Spat Brown, between her teeth. She lowered her face to him too, and Draco suddenly felt cornered. Having the two lovers whispering to him made him feel a tad claustrophobic.
"I did not."
"You did mate." Contradicted Blaise.
"She didn't do anything worse than I did, and if you knew the circumstances you'd congratulate her." Pushed Brown.
"Well I don't know the circumstances. I assumed them as far as you're concerned, but Macnair …"
"Is a horrible piece of shit, he deserved it." Growled Blaise.
He was right, and Draco agreed. It had nothing to do with whom she'd cast it on, but more about the fact that she wasn't really what he'd expected her to be.
"I know. It's not that. Mind your own business." Draco cleared his throat and as it made a few faces lift from their papers, Brown and Blaise pretended they hadn't been speaking to him.
Blaise perused Draco's file quickly and snorted:
"Goody good you are mate." Draco rolled his eyes and took his file from him, to give it to Brown. Granger was still looking everywhere but at him, and apparently trying to catch her eyes would be useless.
"Zabini, Malfoy, you work on those scrolls Hermione gave you now." Potter ordered and Draco nodded, unrolling said scroll, but not reading it.
He wanted to know those circumstances Brown had mentioned, and it was all he could think about. Blaise was reading his scroll while the others were laying plans on the floor and talking vividly. Draco would never be able to concentrate. He stood, realised his whole body ached, and slowly went to sit in a corner of the room. Blaise followed.
"You're not going to talk to her?" He whispered as soon as they'd settled down.
"And tell her what?"
"I don't know. Sorry for being a prat."
"Look, I don't care that she used the cruciatus, it's just …"
"What? Brown used it too. I did once too …"
"You did?"
"In Italy. I'm not proud of it. Granger's not a bad person …"
"I know that it's just … look it was unexpected. I mean, can you imagine her using it?"
Blaise looked behind his shoulder at Granger and confessed:
"No, I don't. But then I don't really know her, and Brown's said …"
"I know. I was just surprised is all."
"Tell her that mate. Now." Stressed Blaise when Draco didn't answer.
"What ... and give everyone in the room a good look at ..."
"I didn't picture you as an idiot before but you're correcting that quite efficiently. You've used that parchment a thousand times to joke around mate, even if you still pretend you didn't, so use it."
Oh right. Wait.
"What do you mean I pretend ..."
"I've seen the smiles mate." Shit.
"It's not what ..."
"I think? What is it then? After this morning you can't pretend there's nothing between the two of you." Right that morning. The hug. Blaise hadn't seen that, but he'd seen Draco's anger and Granger's snap. The hug. Shit he had to explain. Speaking of explaining Blaise was giving him a questioning look.
"I guess we're ... I don't know... friends?"
"Oh really?"
"I think so." He kind of hoped so too. "It's not like we talked about it. It's ... I just ..."
"Care? No kidding. She cares too apparently. But she won't for long if she thinks you're judging her." He was right of course. Draco rummaged through his pocket that now also contained a golden coin. He unfolded his parchment and taking the quill Blaise was handing him, started to write.
- I was just surprised. Don't read too much in my absence of reaction Granger.
It was the first time Draco addressed her without any sarcasm. It felt like it could be the end of something if he didn't explain himself. Who was he to judge her anyway? Ex death-eater, stupid prat that had bullied her for years? Why did she even care? Were they really friends ? Or had he been imagining things and that hug had only been triggered by pity?
- Disappointment was more what I thought. I understand anyway. I'm not proud.
Had he been disappointed in her? Nonsense. It's not like he'd had any expectations. Well, he'd had some, but for the old Granger, the one he'd despised for years, the one so uptight about the rules she'd never use an unforgivable. Not the Granger he knew, and had come to care about. The one that swore aloud and didn't let him insult her any more. Plus, who was he to talk when he'd already used the cruciatus too, and once he'd even tried to use it on Potter. She was as human as he was, she'd made mistakes and she'd told him she'd done her share of bad things after the war. What had he been expecting anyway? A body-bind jinx? What an idiot.
- I have no right to be disappointed. I guess I just went against your recommendations and pictured your Gryffindor head as a goody good little thing. I shall feel relieved you're not that much. My file can be as clear as water, my past is far from being.
Draco looked over his shoulder and caught sight of her. She was reading his response, wringing her hands together. As she nudged at her bottom lip, the line on her forehead was worrying hugely. She looked ashamed of herself. Draco guessed she regretted it, as much as he regretted all he'd done in the past. She finished reading and spared him a quick glance that froze when she realised he was looking at her. Her face was torn but she kept his gaze. Her eyes were red and her lips a thin line of stress, and she swallowed. Draco could see her freckles. Even from the far end of the gigantic room, he could see them. Or he knew them so well he could guess them. That thought was disturbing. Those damn freckles were again putting way too much of his attention to waste. Longbottom talked to her and she had to look elsewhere. The impressive potato gave her a paper that she perused quickly. Her face swapped expression faster than she could blink, her forehead smoothed, as her eyebrows lifted in surprise over something. Then she grabbed her muggle pen and started toying with it, with her other hand, and without lifting her eyes from the paper, she opened her muggle note book and started taking notes blindly. She scribbled furiously for a minute or so and even if Draco could actually feel Blaise's amused looks he ignored them. She looked tired but she just kept working. She'd recovered. She put her notebook down, and without looking at him, grabbed her parchment.
- I'll tell you the whole story if you'd like. If I'm being totally honest I worried you'd change your mind and go back to hating me. Your file is indeed crystal clear, I guess you changed for the better when I did the exact opposite.
She didn't lift her face, her hair not entirely covering it, but hiding her sufficiently that Draco couldn't see her expression.
- Are you fishing Granger? I think I made it quite clear that I didn't hate you. I don't see why that would change. And you changed for the better too Granger, you took that broom off your arse. Must feel better.
- I'm glad then. It's a disgusting analogy but I guess you're right. It does feel better to swear aloud. Especially insulting idiotic broomsticks.
- I hope you're not referring to me. It'd break my heart.
There. She was smiling, if ever so slightly.
- Oh but I'm referring especially to you.
She gave him a tentative look, apparently still worrying. She really cared about what he thought of her. By extension Draco realised she cared about him. His bowels felt like dancing again.
- Here, heart broken. Not that you care.
Why in hell would he write that? What was wrong with him? Draco slapped his forehead, obviously having forgotten he wasn't alone. As Blaise chuckled he saw Granger pinch her lips. Salazar he was the stupidest man ever. Why did he again have to ask for trouble? What did he want to know that he had to push for ? He fucking cared so much about Hermione Jean bloody Granger that he had to know if she did too. But he knew she did! She'd practically cried over his reaction! He was mad, right, he'd lost his mind. Yes, he was completely nuts.
- But I do. And I've come to think you do too. Maybe I'm loosing my mind and the world is upside down. Neville was right. I think we, as in Draco stupid ferret skeleton Malfoy, and I Hermione ex bushy haired whatever (insert mean nickname here) are ... friends? Isn't that the oddest and most disturbing thing you've ever heard?
It was. It so bloody well was. No way to go around it or pretend otherwise, Draco couldn't bury his pretty nose in denial any more. Even when trying not to, they kept confessing shit to each other. Draco saw the hint of worry in her attempt at a smile. Like she feared he'd reject the idea. He sighed.
- It is the most atrocious and disgusting and disturbing thing I've ever read, but I think so too. Maybe we should agree not to ever talk about this kind of rubbish Hufflepuff, too soft things. Shall we?
- Agreed.
Great, no more feelings. Draco only hoped he'd manage to control his apparently questioning mind. He was about to tuck the parchment in his pocket when she added:
- Does this stop then?
Fuck no, why would this stop? Draco turned abruptly, attracting Blaise's smile in the way. She looked on the verge of crying again. Draco gave her a questioning look she answered with a shrug. He shook his head, she swallowed, so he wrote without thinking.
- Not as long as there's insults somewhere, agree?
He saw the relief take her entire face, even her shoulders relaxed a bit. Thank Salazar she didn't want to stop writing. As she did nothing to answer, and kept her gaze firmly on him, Draco added, trying to put things back to normal. After all he'd put himself in that shitty mess.
- Otherwise I'm out. You tart.
He saw her pinch her lips hard again and he had to do the very same at her response.
- Couldn't agree more. Now work, you pie.
"I take it things are good again? You could talk about Brown you're all over her."
"Shut the fuck up Blaise."
"No denying it ?"
Hermione looked odd, Harry was certain something was going on, right under his nose. As she talked with Neville he could tell her hands were trembling. She was trying to hide behind that fake and disturbed smile she always pulled when she learned bad news but was pretending to be all right. Something was off. Harry was just about to get closer and ask her what the matter was, when she wrote something on a torn piece of parchment. Malfoy. Of course it had something to do with Malfoy. The blond idiot was watching her over his shoulder, from the other end of the room, his gaze fixed on her, but his face was devoid of emotions. What the hell was going on?
They apparently exchanged a few more messages, and before Harry could even begin to comprehend what all that had been about, Hermione was smiling again, and to his utter astonishment, Malfoy was too. Well, he wasn't properly smiling, but more biting his lip furiously not to. Hermione seemed back to normal, and resumed working, while the two Slytherins apparently argued quietly over something. Their argument didn't last long though, as it finished with Malfoy elbowing a giggling Zabini in the guts. What the hell was going on?
"Everything all right Mione?"
"Course, why?" She shouldn't have asked.
"Because Malfoy and Zabini are arguing and you just talked to the blond pretentious."
"I didn't Lavender."
"You're not that subtle Hermione, sometimes I think you forget you don't have a huge nest of hair any more."
"And I think sometimes you forget I can see right through your little smiles and blondie calling."
"All right. There's work to do."
"Indeed."
Malfoy and Zabini were no longer arguing when Hermione glanced at them. Zabini was rubbing his guts in apparent pain, but on his torn face, still played the remains of a grin. Malfoy was scowling. Maybe Zabini had seen they were talking, as Lavender had. Those two made quite the pair, poking their insufferable nose where it didn't belong. Hermione found herself scowling too just when Zabini shot her a glance. Shit. The troll chuckled and cocked his head a bit to grin at Lavender. Hermione wanted to throw him something right in the face. She decided against it, even if she felt a twinge in her arm, the urge to throw things. She cleared her throat loudly and decided to embarrass him.
"Is my regulation scroll funny Zabini?" She asked loudly, getting everyone's attention in the way. Zabini's eyes widened and he arched in embarrassment under Kingsley's stare.
"No, no." He mumbled and buried his nose in it. Malfoy turned an amused gaze upon her, which oddly, made Hermione's insides shuffle. He was no longer scowling and, she wasn't sure if she'd imagined it, but she could swear he'd winked before lowering his face to his own scroll. Hermione had to bite the inside of her cheeks not to smile, as she saw the corner of his mouth lift a bit under his beard, now way too long to look "a few days old". He still hadn't shaved. It gave him a dishevelled and untidy appearance she'd never suspect he could pull. But he did, and quite well. Wow, she definitely had to stop noticing things like that. Having the balls to actually state they were friends had been enough for a life time, she had to work now.
The rest of the day went by, with Hermione determined to work her ass off, or more ignoring the I-don't-shave-any-more blond. After lunch, both new team members had joined the festivities and they had now approximatively outlined their plan. Details needed to be sorted through but it would be for the next day, with Lee. Their departure was fixed at eleven pm the next night. They would split in two teams, one would stay at the Manor with the bait, Zabini that was, waiting for signal, as the other would go track that bloody parchment of Lestrange with Lee, and surround the ex death-eaters. It could take days, weeks, maybe months. Maybe they'd get lucky and would find them quickly. Hermione snorted. They wouldn't. Rubbing her face with both hands, she perused one last time her notes, and gave them to Lavender.
"That's the last few things you need to know."
"I can't right now, my eyes don't work any more."
"Stop whining blondie it's not attractive." Smirked Zabini. Hermione winced, he didn't know what he'd just done. Do never irritate a tired wolf. NEVER. Lavender stood, took two slow steps and reached Zabini, whose smile dropped instantly. Ron, at Hermione's side chuckled.
"He's gonna get his arse kicked." Hermione whispered her answer:
"Shh, let him get to know his team Ron." She couldn't keep the smile off of her face, the troll was indeed going to get his arse kicked.
"Look at me Zabini." Lavender ordered harshly. "Do I look like a fucking care how attractive I am?" Considering the look on his face, Zabini had no idea what to say, or do for that matter. Hermione sadistically grinned at him.
"I … err … There's no bloody right answer to that."
"Pick one anyway." She hissed, her head lowered menacingly to his face.
As Blaise faked puppy eyes, Draco knew he'd been right, his best friend was in for the challenge.
"I'm way too cute for you to be angry at me." He pouted, his lower lip curled in an idiotic baby like pout and Draco had to bite his tongue not to burst out laughing. As he bent to the side cautiously, he wouldn't risk getting eaten after all, he caught sight of Granger. She was sitting next to the weasel, and both were silently giggling their faces off. The thick git was so red it verged on purple, that ugly shade widespread from his neck to his ears. Granger was hugging her ribs with both her arms, and when she caught Draco's eyes, she had to hold her mouth shut with both hands. Draco couldn't hold it any more, her cheeks were a catching shade of pink and damn those mother-fucking freckles. He slapped his hand above his mouth but what made him explode in laughter, which astonished the shit out of him later, was the weasel's exclamation:
"Beware Malfoy! You're in the danger zone!" Red-face burst out laughing loudly and Draco followed like a madman. Taking Granger down with them, both men ended up laying on the floor, hugging themselves in uncontrollable giggles.
"Quick! Crawl over here before you get eaten!" Managed Granger, extending a hand to him. Draco would never know what took him at that moment, but Granger joking triggered something within him. He pretended to be too far away to reach her, and in a dramatical play, stopped laughing and faked a trembling bottom lip. Brown's astonishment was quite the sight.
"No! Go Granger! It's too late for me! Take the weasel with you! I'll hold her back!" Even Potter laughed at that. Thomas and Longbottom didn't seem to find it that funny, if nothing they watched them all as if they were completely mad. Of course it didn't help Draco's laughter, and what made them all reach the bottom, was Blaise's play in the game.
"No! Draco! Go! Save yourself!" Brown didn't look angry at all any more. Taking the game maybe a bit too seriously not to be called nuts, Draco decided it wouldn't hurt to crawl out of her reach, and ended up joining Granger and her purple henchman:
"I'll never forget you!" He literally cried. The laughter was uncontrollable and even as the Weasley idiot grabbed him, pretending to protect him, it didn't falter.
"You're saved ferret! Worry no more! For I'll protect you!" Draco now half-sat half-laid between the two thirds of the golden trio. Fortunately Granger seemed to have lost it as much as he had, and as the weasel decided to play hero, she grabbed Draco's shoulder to help herself sit, and get a better view at her friend. Draco chose to grant his sudden gut dancing at the fact he'd laughed too much.
"It's over Lav-Lav, you're surrounded!" Weasley said, lifting his quill as a wand. Brown rolled her eyes.
"Godric's bollocks I can't believe I ever dated you. Or befriended any of you for that matter. You are all nuts. All of you. NUTS."
"Oh but we love you Lav-Lav!"
"Shut the fuck up Won-Won." She said, letting herself fall on her arse next to Blaise who lifted a mischievous eyebrow:
"Won-Won?" It was Potter's turn to burst out laughing.
"Yes Won-Won!" He exclaimed. "The hero fighting Voldy with a quill! Beware death eaters! For he's to come after you!" He said, joining the red git.
"Yes I will! I will tickle your chin to death!"
At this point, Draco was laying on the floor, wiping his eyes with a sleeve, all too aware of Granger's hand, still on his shoulder. She'd calm down too and, as her best friends kept extolling idiocies, she said:
"I had no idea you had it in you Malfoy."
"Me neither." He confessed, truly surprised, maybe his nerves had finally snapped.
"Here, we've lost them. Well done." Scowled Longbottom as Draco decided it was time to sit back up, even if it meant that Granger would have to let go of his shoulder. She did, as naturally as if she'd been keeping herself steady on scarhead, and smiled. His insides twisted a bit more and Draco chose to look somewhere else.
Shakelbolt cleared his throat loudly, and everyone turned their gaze to him. He sported a fatherly half-smile but even without speaking, they all seemed to know they'd better listen.
"I realise what with the testing and the very long day you all needed that to let off some steam. Now, it's already ten, we skipped dinner, and as you seem to be loosing your minds I recommend we all eat and get some sleep. Tomorrow we start at seven sharp. Of course, as we acquired two very smart and behaving aurors who have no idea in what conditions we travel, we crash in tents tonight." If Draco hadn't known for a fact that their head of department had been sorted in Gryffindor he would have sworn that smirk belonged to a Slytherin.
All the old team scowled. Blaise gave him a questioning look Draco could only answer to with a shrug. Tents? Where were they going to put a tent?
"Regular field?" Asked Potter, his face resigned but tensed on the mouth.
"Yes, it's been arranged. I've made the schedule."