Draco woke up the next morning to a knocking at his door. Before he answered Pansy came into the room and stopped directly next to his bed.
"Get up!" she said cheerfully. "Lunch is in 20 minutes. That's enough time for you to shower and get dressed."
"Go away," Draco told her and rolled over.
With a flick of her wand, Pansy sent his covers into the air. "Up," she said. "Now."
Draco grumbled as he dragged himself out of bed and stumbled into the bathroom. He shut the door behind him. Ten minutes later he came out to find Pansy sitting on his bed.
"Get out so I can get dressed," he said.
"I will in a minute," Pansy said. She pointed to a set of dark green robes she'd set out. "Your mother says you've been wearing nothing but black. So I bought you those."
"I don't need you to shop for me," Draco told her, annoyed.
"Yes, you do," Pansy replied. She stood and walked to the door before turning back to look at him. "Don't be late," she said and walked out of the room.
Grudgingly, Draco dressed in the green robes and fixed his hair. Taking a breath, he walked out of his room and down into the small dining room. His mother sat at the head of the table and Pansy sat to her left. To his surprise, Blaise sat to the right of his mother. Draco took his seat at the other end of the table. Jake appeared and a moment later the table was brimming with food. With a snap of his fingers, Jake had the food plated and disappeared. They began to eat in silence. Draco noted there wasn't a trace of alcohol at the table.
"You look sober," Blaise said. "Heard you went on a bit of a bender."
"I'm fine," Draco replied. "I thought you were pissed at me."
"Draco, language," his mother admonished. "I asked Blaise to come so the two of you could make up after that dreadful spat you had."
"Are you still angry?" Draco asked Blaise.
"Are you still a jerk?" Blaise asked in return.
Draco laughed. "Yes, definitely."
"Well, lucky for both of us, I'm not still piss-angry," he quickly amended after a look from Narcissa.
"Wonderful!" Pansy said clapping her hands together. "Because I was going to ask you both to have dinner with me Sunday."
"That sounds great, Pansy," Blaise said with a smile.
"Er, yeah, sounds good," Draco said uncertain.
"Ron will of course be joining us, Blaise would you like to invite Gina? Perhaps Draco you could bring someone?" Pansy asked with a smile. "Dinner will be at 7:00pm at my house. My chef will whip us up something fabulous."
Draco opened his mouth to object but Blaise kicked him under the table and he winced instead of spoke.
"That sounds brilliant," Blaise said. "I'm sure Gina will be thrilled."
"Wonderful," Pansy said. "Ron mentioned to me that Hermione needs a break, apparently she's been working non-stop for the last seven days." Pansy looked directly at Draco when she said the last part.
"I don't know why you're looking at me," Draco said.
"Draco, you're supposed to be working with the girl!" his mother scolded him. "In your absence she's apparently taken it upon herself to do your work in addition to hers. Honestly, you'd think I hadn't raised you with manners!"
"Sorry, mother," Draco said through clenched teeth. "You do realize I was working with Hermione Granger? The Chosen One's best friend? One third of the Golden Trio? Everyone's favorite muggle born witch?"
He stared at his mother waiting for a reaction, something that would show she was still on his side, but she merely took a bite of her chicken and, after chewing, said "You gave her your word Draco. A Malfoy never goes back on their word."
Draco sat back heavily. His mother was supposed to be the one person he could count on to keep their beliefs. She and his father had been the ones to teach them to him after all. But now it seemed his mother had become a traitor as well.
"If you'll excuse me," Draco said, rising from the table. "I believe I have to go to work."
"But it's only 12:30pm!" Pansy exclaimed. "You don't have to be there until 1:00pm."
"I'll make it work," he replied. Without another word, he rose from the table and walked out of the room.
"Should we make sure he gets to work?" Pansy asked Blaise.
"No," Blaise said. "I think he needs to get there all on his own."
Blaise, Pansy, and Narcissa continued to eat and chat amiably while Draco strode through the house and made his way to the apparition point. It had been days, he realized, since he'd stepped outside. It was a beautiful day, he mused. The sun was shining, there were only a few clouds in the sky, and the temperature was perfect. He stood for a few minutes just absorbing the sunlight and enjoying the weather. When he began to feel his pale skin begin to heat he decided he'd had enough of the weather and stepped out to the apparition point. He realized it had been days since he'd seen Granger. And the last time he'd seen her, he'd been angry with her. Enough time had passed, he decided. She'd have forgotten about it by now and they wouldn't have to discuss it. With that in mind, he flooed to St. Mungo's. He walked in the front door and was hit with a strange feeling. It was almost like, coming home? He strode through the familiar hallways and made his way to Hermione's office. He figured he should probably stop there first and find out what she wanted him to do. He knocked on the door and when her voice called for him to come in, he did.
Hermione didn't look up from her desk when she heard the knock. She figured it was one of the interns coming to bother her about something ridiculous.
"Er, hello," Draco said.
Hermione's head shot up at the sound of his voice and her face expanded into a huge smile. "Hello! Oh, you're here! Are you well? I'm sorry you were sick."
Draco almost laughed at the pure joy radiating from her. No one had ever looked at him that way, he realized, and he felt an uncomfortable shift in his chest.
"I'm well," he said shortly. "What do you want me to do?"
Hermione quickly reigned in her excitement. She'd momentarily forgotten who she was talking to. Draco wouldn't be happy to see her. He was here because he had to be, she reminded herself.
"I've done a great deal of research over the last few days," she said curtly. "Perhaps you'd like to review it and give me your thoughts on it?"
"Fine," Draco said. "I assume everything is in the same room it always is?"
"Yes," Hermione replied, the formality of the conversation paining her. "I'll come by before my rounds and we can discuss it."
Draco nodded and walked out of the room. It wasn't until he was halfway down the hallway that he realized he'd been holding his breath the entire time. What was wrong with him? He thought, agitated. Pushing his thoughts aside he went in to the room, assumed his usual seat behind the desk and began to review what Hermione had found.
In her office, Hermione was mentally kicking herself for her behavior. "You're a fool," she said to herself. Shaking her head, she went back to the notes she'd been going over when Draco came in, putting Draco out of her mind.