Conversation With A Friend
"If I could die right now, I would be glad."
"You're so dramatic, Harry," Hermione sighed, rolling her eyes fondly at her friend.
She had missed this, she realized, missed being able to just hang out with her best friend like they used to. Of course it was different now, what with Ron being… missing, but it was still good. Different, but good.
"I'm serious, Hermione," Harry answered with an exaggerated whine, "I think they're trying to kill us at training. I didn't kill Voldemort for this."
"That's what you get for choosing to be an Auror," she shrugged, hiding a chuckle behind a cough. "Unspeakables have no such problems," she added, teasing.
"Speaking of Unspeakables… Somebody told me that someone had caught your eye…" Harry trailed off, winking salaciously.
Hermione blushed down to the root of her hair. "There's nothing going on," she denied sternly, swatting at his arm. "And nobody 'caught my eye' as you say, and certainly not Draco Malfoy!"
She huffed deeply, crossing her arms, and realized only too late what she had just said.
"I never gave any names," Harry smirked triumphantly.
"That's not-I didn't mean… Argh," Hermione stammered angrily, at a loss of word.
Harry laughed. "It's really fine, Hermione. If you're happy, I'm happy for you, and well… Malfoy isn't as bad as he was when we were in school. I mean, you could do worse," he cringed, but it was too late to take the words back.
"Oh, I could do worse?" Hermione asked in an even voice, arching an eyebrow. "Well, thank you for your approval, Harry," she continued, her eyes narrowed in displeasure.
"Sorry?" Harry apologized sheepishly, and just like that Hermione's lips twitched, and she couldn't hold her laughter in anymore.
It was over way too soon, but her spirits still felt lifted.
"Anyway, I didn't expect such a glowing recommendation from you," she asked with no small amount of curiosity once they had gotten their breath back, a smile teasing at her lips.
"Well, he did help me on a few cases last year – confidential stuff, you know, but yeah… He's not that bad these days."
"No, he really isn't," Hermione agreed quietly, the smile on her lips turning fonder.
She was so lost in her own thoughts after that that she missed the way Harry's eyes softened, and almost didn't hear his next words.
"Anyway, Ginny wanted me to ask you to come for dinner sometime this week – just drop by, no need for a warning. She also said she'd be very disappointed if you didn't show up, and that you were free to invite whoever you wanted. And Ron won't be there," he added, anticipating her next question.
"I… Sure, I'll be there."
"Great," Harry smiled. "See you then."
They parted ways not long after that, each of them Apparating back home.