Seven
"Then he took me home, kissed me goodbye, and left. We agreed that he's not going to stay over as much as before, it just makes dating a little less special if we see each other all the time."
Hermione was relating her date with Harry to Draco the next day. They were at his pub, sharing a cheese plate that he brought from the kitchen.
"You're both so noble," Draco said, spreading a soft cheese on his cracker.
"You say that like it's a bad thing," she frowned and sipped her wine.
He shook his head. "Not bad, just…not what I'm used to."
"Well, you like us," she grinned. She felt so light and happy these past few days.
Draco shrugged noncommittally and she almost giggled.
"Did you have fun?" he asked.
"Sure. It was almost surreal at first but I guess all of this still is. This wine is incredible, by the way." She took another sip. Draco had perfect taste.
"Thanks. Special reserve. Better finish it before everyone else gets here," he warned, emptying his glass.
"Why?" she wondered, and stared at his Adam's apple as he swallowed.
"The Weasleys and... Pot- Harry," He tapped his forehead triumphantly. "Won't appreciate it. Theo and Blaise know how much it's worth and will know something's up if they see me share it with you. And Pansy will devour it like she's never seen wine before in her life."
She scoffed skeptically. "Do you really think they'll suspect there's something going on between us just because of a wine?"
"What can I say, my friends know me," he explained.
"Fine." She finished off her glass and poured them both the last of the bottle and Draco called a waiter to remove it from the table.
"Will you be able to control yourself around Harry and me in front of everybody?" He clasped his hands together, like he was really sorry for putting her in this position.
"Oh my, Draco, I'm not sure, you're just so damn irresistible I'm having a hard time keeping my hands to myself as it is. It is not like I've spent months in close proximity to you without pouncing at you at every conference meeting." She fanned herself with her hand dramatically.
"While that's true... you've also slept in the same bed as Harry for years without making a move, so I suppose I trust you," he said sarcastically.
She stuck her red wine-tainted tongue out at him.
"Careful, Granger. Someone might see you." He leered at her and her heart raced.
Maybe it was the half bottle of wine, but she leaned in and her lips were moving before she got a chance to reconsider.
"While I think it's important to use our first names, I have to say… I like it when you call me Granger," she confessed, blushing.
He leaned forward on the table with a devilish smirk. "You do, huh? It's kind of sexy, isn't it?" His voice was deep and low, and she almost felt it vibrating against her chest. "That's nice to know…for the future." Draco slowly traced her fingers with his and even though it was just her hand, she felt her entire system fire up.
"So," a voice interrupted them, pulling her out of her trance. They both jumped back, away from each other and looked up at Harry, who was staring down at them, arms crossed over his chest and a sly smile. "Thankfully, I had enough sense to come in first for this exact reason. Ron and Ginny will be here any second."
She tried to hide her arousal and embarrassment at the same time. Draco had already put on his mask.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Harry. Nothing was happening," he mentioned in a casual manner while Harry pulled up a chair next to her.
"It didn't look like nothing," he replied, pulling at his collar and clearing his throat.
Draco leaned in again, this time looking at Harry. "Did you like what you saw?"
"Draco!" Hermione hushed him, spotting two red heads in the distance.
The siblings approached them, Ginny looking spectacular as always, and Ron sporting colorful splotches all over his face and arms.
Draco stood up to greet them, even taking Ginny's jacket and hanging it next to their table.
"What happened to you?" Hermione asked Ron after kissing Ginny on the cheek. She hadn't seen her in a long time.
"New prank malfunction. You should see George," he explained, scratching his arms like a maniac.
"We should probably enlarge this table if more people are coming," Ginny suggested.
"Or, we could push two tables together like the Muggles do," Hermione chimed in.
Draco nodded. "I second that, people probably shouldn't see the owner doing magic,"
They pushed the tables together and got more chairs.
"This is exhausting," Ginny declared, claiming a seat on Harry's other side.
"You're a professional Quidditch player," Ron frowned and sat at the end of the table, next to his sister.
"Anyway..." Draco interrupted. "What do you want to drink?" he asked them while beckoning a waiter.
"Beer." Ron now scratched his face with both hands.
Ginny tried to read the list of drinks written in chalkboard next to the bar. "What's 'Pina Colada'?"
"Are you allergic to pineapple?" Draco asked her and she shook her head.
"Order it, I think you'll like it," he recommended and then looked at Hermione and Harry.
"I'll just have whatever Hermione is having," Harry said, looking at her now empty glass of wine.
The waiter arrived, carrying a notepad and a …pen.
Hermione almost gasped. "This is the first time in my life I've seen a wizard with a pen. It's a historic moment. Isn't it so much more convenient than quills?" she asked the waiter who now looked intimidated by her eagerness.
"Um, actually, we just transfigure the Self-Inking Quills from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes to look like Muggle quills," he informed her and she deflated.
"Is that why you bought all those quills last month?" Ron asked Draco and he nodded.
"You could have gone to any Muggle shop and bought thousands of pens without having to go through the process of transfiguring them!" Hermione exclaimed, completely frustrated with these types of magical antics.
"Hey, he has his reasons, don't question it," Ron objected, looking smug.
"He's right. Self-Inkling Quills last twice as long as regular pens," Draco added and she huffed, looking sour. "Now, that was a beer, a Pina Colada, two wines and four whiskeys. Thanks, Keith."
The waiter wrote down the order and flashed them a smile before leaving.
"Four whiskeys?" Harry raised one eyebrow.
"For me, Blaise, Theo, and Pansy," Draco explained, like it was obvious.
Ginny rolled her eyes "So posh."
"You were drinking wine just now, doesn't it give you a headache to switch alcohol?" Hermione asked.
"I don't intend to get wasted so it shouldn't be an issue." He combed his hair with his hand but a few strands came back anyway. Hermione noticed Harry watching Draco intently.
Then the door to the pub opened and almost every head turned.
The three Slytherins sauntered in like they owned the place, when in fact it was a different Slytherin who owned it.
They stood out especially because they were all wearing robes unlike everyone else. Hermione hated to admit it, but they were ridiculously good looking. It couldn't be a coincidence, some pureblood families had to choose their partners based solely on their looks, to create beautiful offspring that then would go on and choose another perfectly symmetrical pureblood to reproduce with.
Pansy Parkinson greeted them first, looking like she just inherited a million galleons from a dead relative.
Which wasn't all that unlikely.
"Hello," she smiled, removing her delicate scarf. Draco stood up and took it from her, hanging it next to Ginny's jacket "Long time no see, Gryffindors."
"Indeed," Blaise Zabini agreed, not smiling in the least. His whole face seemed to be chiseled out of stone.
"Actually," Ginny chimed in. "I saw you two," she pointed at Zabini and Parkinson. "On the stands at one of my games last week."
Everyone else turned to look at them, even Draco.
"Really?" he asked like it was the most interesting piece of information he had ever heard. His smile was malicious.
Parkinson rolled her eyes. "Blaise dragged me there. Final tournament or something, I didn't really pay attention. Call me Pansy, I don't appreciate my last name," She faked gagging and sat at the table's other end between Draco and Hermione. She snapped her fingers up in the air to get the attention of a waiter.
"I already ordered for you," Draco told her and she nodded.
"It wasn't the finals. It was a friendly match." Ginny frowned.
Zabini's expression didn't change. "The tickets were a gift from a business associate and he was there; it would have been rude not to attend." He sat on Ron's other side. "On the same line as Pansy, there's no reason to call me by my last name, we're not at Hogwarts anymore…thankfully."
"That's not the only reason to use last names," Draco said, smirking at Hermione's red cheeks.
It wasn't until an extended hand appeared on her field of vision that she remembered that Theodore Nott was there. He seemed to have vanished for a moment.
"Miss Granger," he greeted politely from the other side of the table, sitting between Draco and Blaise. Hermione shook his hand a smiled. "How are you Nott?"
"I'm alright, thank you for asking," he responded and then looked at Ginny, extending his hand to her as well. "Miss Weasley."
Ginny shook his hand. "Call me Ginny."
He proceeded to do the same with Harry and Ron, calling them 'mister' and sounding like a professor.
Hermione didn't remember much of Nott from school and now she understood why. Although handsome with a boyish charm, he was reserved and quiet. His presence was pretty much swallowed down by Pansy's, Blaise's and Draco's.
The waiter arrived them, carrying all the drinks.
"Whiskey again?" Pansy complained. "We had whiskey last night at Daphne's."
"Well, I wouldn't know, would I? She didn't invite me," Draco muttered.
Pansy narrowed her eyes at him. "Only because you blew her off last Saturday for some 'business meeting'. Who does business on a Saturday?"
"I do," he answered without hesitating.
Hermione and Harry looked at each other. Last Saturday was Draco's date with Harry.
Harry cleared his throat and raised his glass. "In the spirit of new beginnings, cheers!"
Everybody clinked their glasses together, except Pansy who was already taking a sip when she noticed the rest looking at her.
"Oops," she said, not looking sorry at all, but clinking her glass nonetheless.
"So this is your pub," Blaise commented dryly, glancing around. "Not bad."
"You've never been here?" Hermione asked, confused.
"No. Although I agreed it was a brilliant business idea." Blaise was apparently a business man and Hermione wondered what kind of business someone like him could do.
Pansy put her hand on Draco's forearm and smirked. "Little Draco here was telling us you want to hear some of the Slytherin dirt."
Ron snorted and Ginny leaned in, pointing a finger at them.
"Spill it. Were you the ones who took my underpants and hung them like a flag on the Great Hall?"
Harry, Ron, and Hermione spoke at the same time, "What?"
Ginny turned to them. "Oh that was when you three were gone."
Pansy snickered quietly. "Busted. Draco and I did it."
"You have to admit it was good. I think I even saw Snape smiling," Draco added and Hermione thought she noticed a nostalgic tone when he mentioned the professor.
"It would have been funny if it had been someone else's. How did you even get them?" Ginny asked.
"Quidditch locker rooms. You always left everything scattered around your bag." Draco shrugged one shoulder and Pansy giggled.
"Blaise, tell them about the time in sixth year when you got drunk," Pansy said conspiratorially.
"You'll have to specify," Blaise answered, sipping his whiskey.
"Do I, really?" She raised one perfect eyebrow and smirked.
Blaise exhaled in defeat. "Alright, if I must. Theo brought some excellent brandy back from Christmas break. I drank so much that apparently, I agreed to do something that will haunt me for the rest of my days."
Hermione prepared herself to hear something ghastly and most likely not funny at all. What kind of sense of humor could a girl like Pansy have anyway?
Blaise looked at them and then lowered his gaze. "I polyjuiced into Slughorn."
There was a brief silence before everyone else erupted into laughter. Including Nott.
Zabini only smiled a bit. "They took advantage of me, I would have never done that sober."
"He barged into the fifth-year dormitories in the middle of the night to tell them that they had to do ten inches for the next morning," Draco remembered, still laughing.
Pansy tipped her glass back, finishing her drink before speaking, "He didn't even said on what, he was just mumbling 'potions, potions, you have to do ten inches on potions.'"
"Why did you even have polyjuice potion?" Hermione asked, wiping the corners of her eyes.
"Theo lost a bet and had to brew it to pretend to be me and pass the Charms OWLs the year before. We had some left," Blaise explained.
"I'd say that being a Slytherin is an endless string of bets and dares," Ron commented.
"You'd be correct," Nott confirmed, swinging his glass of whiskey on one hand.
Harry opened his mouth like he was about to say something but then he closed it and leaned back.
"What?" Hermione asked him in a whisper, knowing he must have kept quiet for a reason.
Harry shrugged. "Nothing. I was about to tell them about our own polyjuice experience but I wonder if it's too soon," he told her quietly, but unfortunately, not quietly enough.
Draco cleared his throat loudly and she and Harry turned to look at him with innocent faces
The three of them looked at each other only for a few seconds, but it felt like minutes, and the stubborn expression on Draco's face told them that they couldn't back down now.
Harry sighed. "On our second year, Hermione brewed polyjuice in the girl's bathroom. Ron and I turned into…" He stopped for a second and Hermione noticed everyone looking at him intently. "Crabbe and Goyle."
While Ron and Ginny laughed, the Slytherins looked confused.
"Why in the world would you want to do that?" Pansy wondered almost with disgust. Draco looked like he was trying to figure it out before Harry explained it.
"We wanted to spy on you," Harry looked at Draco who only smirked a bit. "We thought you might be Slytherin's heir."
Blaise seemed to find that amusing as he started laughing quietly.
"Well, I can't say I'm not flattered," Draco said. He had not responded in the way Hermione had thought; she imagined he'd be shocked or upset, but then he turned to look at her with something soft in his eyes and her stomach dropped.
"You were able to brew polyjuice potion on our second year?" If she didn't know any better, she'd say there was admiration in his voice.
She nodded with a smile.
"That's remarkable," Nott announced, impressed. She figured this night would not go the way she had expected.
As the evening and drinks progressed, Hermione realized that the famous Slytherin coolness could be easily melted away by alcohol.
Too easily.
Blaise was currently engrossed in a very loud conversation with Ron about Quidditch, both of them unnecessary shouting and banging on the table.
Nott seemed to be the type who got too engrossed on philosophy and politics when the alcohol started to have effect. He was trying to convince the rest of them that wizards will never accept the internet.
"I'm telling you, I'm telling you," he repeated, shaking his head.
"Our generation learnt a lot from the war and these past few years, I think you're underestimating them," Hermione argued and he laughed.
"I don't think that's possible." He almost snorted.
And Pansy apparently, once drunk enough would hit on anyone in sight. Including Hermione.
"Granger, that dress looks great on you," she interrupted the conversation, leaning forward to take a better look.
"Thank you," Hermione smiled, genuinely flattered that someone like Pansy would complement her.
"But seriously it's, it's... I never knew you could hide a body like that under terrible Muggle clothes but that dress really does it justice. Why don't you stand up so we can all take a look at it?"
Hermione blushed. Now it was getting weird.
"I don't think so," she laughed nervously.
"Come on, Hermione. Give us a show," Draco insisted too and she sent him a death glare. Though, it was hard to really be mad at him when he looked so irresistibly shameless when tipsy. He was openly staring at her, eating her up with his eyes.
"See? Draco likes the dress so much he's even calling you Hermione," Pansy said, leaning into Draco and looking up at him. "That's sounds so weird coming out of your mouth."
Harry gave her a side look and they both tried to hide their smiles.
"Yeah Hermione let's go, stand up and shake it!" Ginny was all riled up after a few Pina Coladas and Pansy was loving it.
"Where were you all hiding all this time? You stupid Gryffindors are all hot. Look at Potter." Pansy pointed at Harry who seemed taken aback. "Potter, you've gotten really hot. And look at redhead over there." Now she pointed at Ron, who raised his head from his conversation with Blaise.
"Uh?"
Blaise shook his head and dismissed Pansy with his hand. "She hits on anything with a heartbeat when she's like this, it'll pass soon."
"Draco, you're gay. Doesn't he look good now?" Pansy asked him and Draco rolled his eyes.
"I'm not gay."
"I know, I know. But now that I think about it there was some other hot Weasley right?" she wondered, leaning back on her seat and nursing her whiskey.
"Charlie," Draco answered instantly and then blushed slightly at the wide-eyed look Hermione and Harry gave him.
"Yes, that one too. I think we need shots." Pansy stood up and left for the bar.
Nott had joined Ron and Blaise's conversation, quoting statistics and numbers while the other two groaned.
Ginny banged on the table suddenly. "Are you seriously advocating for the Wimbourne Wasps after what the captain said last month?"
Blaise seemed shocked for a split second but then he gained his composure back. "I'm aware that his remarks were classless and politically incorrect, but that doesn't stop him from being a brilliant player."
Hermione could recognize the almost murderous look on Ginny's face. "Classless my arse! He said that witches have no place in a real Quidditch tournament!"
"I'm not saying I agree with him!" Blaise argued.
Soon, everybody including Draco and Harry were caught up on the conversation, except for Pansy who decided to stay chatting with the bartender, and Hermione who didn't care enough about Quidditch.
She finished off her current glass of wine and looked at Harry, passionately defending his point of view while Draco tried to shut him down. They looked so good together, so fiery and intense. She just wanted to be alone with them and flirt endlessly.
A particularly wicked idea came to her mind and she almost smirked to herself.
Draco was right across from her, so she slowly reached up with her leg until she made contact with him.
He didn't flinch, but as soon as he finished talking, his eyes found hers. He was exceptionally good at keeping up appearances when needed, but she could see the glimmer in his eyes.
She moved her leg up and down, caressing his leg and making sure his attention was on her. She placed her left hand flat on the table and slowly dragged it down, never looking away from him. Draco glanced down at the movement and then back at her, curious.
Her hand was now under the table and she placed it carefully on Harry's thigh.
Unlike Draco, Harry was terrible at pretending, so he jumped slightly and then froze completely.
Hermione caught Draco's surprised look before turning to Harry, who was very awkwardly nodding along to what Ron was saying.
She noticed he was able to look at Draco, who was staring at the both of them hungrily, taking advantage of how drunk and unfocused everyone else was. Harry blushed, hard.
Hermione felt powerful, almost elated as she rubbed her hand against Harry's thigh and her ankle against Draco's leg. Having them both under her touch and attention was exhilarating and keeping it hidden made it even better.
"Isn't that right, Draco?" someone asked and he turned abruptly, trying to appear normal.
"Of course," he replied readily.
"See?" Zabini gloated.
"What does Malfoy know?" Ron scoffed.
The conversation continued, with Harry contributing again, despite being really tense as far as Hermione could tell. She held her empty glass of wine casually with her other hand and seemed to all appearances perfectly casual.
She turned around to see if Pansy was coming back, as she was the one who could notice something from her seat, but thankfully she was still in deep conversation.
When she turned back she caught Harry and Draco sharing a look. She didn't have time to wonder what it was because suddenly a hand was holding her leg up while another landed on her knee. She yelped in surprise and Ron turned to her, frowning.
"Are you okay, Hermione?"
She nodded, mortified about her reaction. She let go of Harry's thigh but that didn't make him let go of hers.
"Are you sure? You look a bit overwhelmed," Draco said, resting his chin on his palm while stroking her leg under the table.
"I'm sure," she smiled sweetly, narrowing her eyes slightly at him.
"Do you want me to get you something?" Harry asked, turning to her with a fake serious expression that she could see right through.
"No, really, I'm okay. Ginny what, were you saying?" she looked at her friend, trying to stir the attention away from herself.
Ginny started talking again and Hermione was able to focus on bringing her heart rate down and try not to let them know how affected she was.
Draco's fingers were drawing circles on her ankle and Harry's hand was moving back and forth between her thigh and knee.
She had only herself to blame, really, but who knew that tasting your own medicine could be so good?
It was over too quickly, however, when Pansy arrived, clumsily levitating eight shot glasses filled with a clear liquid. Harry removed his hand and Draco carefully let go of her leg.
"Would you mind not using Magic here?" Draco asked her as she placed the shots down on the table.
"How else am I supposed to carry all this?" She objected, taking her seat again.
He simply pointed at one of the waiters with a tray and she pouted.
"Sorry." She picked up a shot and indicated for them to do the same. "This is tequila, John said you like it, Draco."
"I do, but this is not the proper way to drink it. We need limes and salt." He rose from her seat and headed to the kitchen.
"What are we supposed to do with salt?" Ron asked, grimacing.
"You have to-" She stopped herself midsentence and smiled. "You know, I'm going to wait for Draco to explain it because it'll be more fun," Hermione answered and Harry raised one eyebrow curiously.
"You spend so much time with him at work that now you call him Draco?" Ron pretended to gag. "I don't think I could ever call him something other than Malfoy."
"What about ferret, I always liked that one." Pansy smirked.
"Oh yeah," Ron grinned.
Draco came back and stood behind Harry to address everyone. She didn't know if it was deliberate or just her imagination but every movement he or Harry made seemed filled with intensity and meaning.
He reached over Harry's shoulder to place one small plate with quartered limes and another with salt.
"You need put some salt here on the back of your hand." He indicated the space between the thumb and forefinger. "You can lick it first so it really sticks."
Harry craned his neck to watch Draco over his shoulder and she couldn't decide if she wanted to see Draco licking his hand, or see Harry practically drooling at that sight.
After sprinkling the salt, he bent slightly over Harry's right shoulder again to take one of the shot glasses and a piece of lime. Without straightening up he explained the process.
"First you lick the salt, then you do the shot, and finally you bite the lime. Clear?"
"Why do we have to put saliva on our hands again?" Blaise asked, looking slightly disgusted.
"And why do I have to ruin my lipstick by sucking on a lime?" Pansy added.
"Because it's the proper way to drink tequila. Now, will you stop fucking around and do as I say?" Draco really had a way with them, because they started to comply.
Hermione laughed, finding hilarious the sight of all those Slytherins licking their hands and sprinkling salt on top. She followed the instructions too, having seen it in movies and read about it in books, but never actually doing it herself.
When everybody was ready, Draco repeated one more time, so close to Harry's ear that it couldn't be a coincidence.
"Lick. Drink. Bite."
Hermione heard Harry inhale sharply and then she watched almost in a trance as both he and Draco licked the salt off their hands, throw back their shots and then bite down on the lime, never taking their eyes away from the other. She couldn't believe no one else was watching this.
"Come on Hermione, you're the last one!" Ginny shouted, bringing Hermione back to reality. Everybody else was biting on their limes, their faces scrunched up from the sour taste.
She quickly licked the salt, did the shot, and sucked on the lime to get rid of the strong alcohol taste.
Draco had straightened up and was looking down at her with a smirk. The effect from the tequila was instantaneous, as she was already having a hard time focusing.
"You're okay there?" He asked her and she nodded, still sucking on the lime. He went back to his seat.
Pansy threw her head back and laughed. "Oh, I hate to admit this, but that was delicious. Is this another Muggle thing?" She asked Draco and he nodded. "We need to do it again! Keith, get us another round of this, will you?" She shouted at the waiter who rushed to the bar.
After only a minute, Keith was back with more shots and Hermione grabbed one, not even thinking as she sprinkled more salt on her hand.
"One, two, three!" Pansy and Ginny counted together and everybody did their shots. Hermione barely noticed that the tequila slid down her throat like water.
She looked around the table who seemed to be spinning. The Slytherins were clearly drunk, but they had had about twice as many drinks as the rest of them. Ron was very nearly falling asleep, Ginny giggled along to everything Pansy said or did, and then there was Harry, who was being blatantly obvious about staring at Draco's beautiful face.
He was truly incredibly beautiful.
Apparently, she was also being blatantly obvious, because Nott looked briefly at her before leaning in and whispering something into Draco's ear. He snickered and then whispered something back at him and Nott looked impressed.
Suddenly she started feeling too dizzy and lightheaded. Her legs were like jelly and she grabbed onto Harry's forearm and closed her eyes.
The first voice she heard, though, was Draco's.
"Hermione, what's wrong?" Even through her discomfort she could sense the worry in his tone.
Harry had turned to face her and held both her hands in his. "You're very cold. What is it?"
"Nothing, just a little head rush. I'm okay," she assured them as she slowly opened her eyes. Draco had rushed to her side and looked pretty pale himself. More than usual.
"I'll take you home," he said seriously. "Let's go."
"Wait. Hermione, do you want to go home?" Harry asked her but before she could answer Draco was speaking again.
"Of course she needs to go home," Draco claimed, looking at Harry like he was insane.
"She said she was okay, what is the problem?" Harry argued, seeming angered.
"The problem, Potter, is that she's not feeling well and I'm taking her home," he raised his voice.
Harry stood up and she could recognize that look in his eyes.
He had it at Hogwarts every time Draco was around.
"Harry," she tried to stop him, but it was too late.
Harry squared his shoulders and looked up at Draco who was slightly taller. "No. The problem, Malfoy, is you. You're not even listening to her and this is not about you."
While they argued behind her she noticed that everyone else was looking at them, not fully understanding the situation. It was obvious something else was going on.
Pansy leaned towards Nott. "Am I not understanding this because I'm too drunk?" she asked him and Nott shook his head.
Hermione closed her eyes and massaged her temples for a second to gather more strength.
"Boys, enough!" she shouted as much as she could.
She slowly rose from her seat and turned to face them. "Harry, I do want to go home. Draco, I do not need you to take me." She then addressed the rest of the table. "I'm sorry for this. It was very nice to see you all again. Ron, Ginny, we need to catch up sooner. I'll call you both."
She grabbed her purse and strode away, thinking about how she was too dizzy to disapparate and would have to walk home. Maybe some fresh air would do her good.
Before the pub's door closed behind her, she heard the two familiar voices.
"Hermione, wait!"
Author's note: Huge shoutout to divergentofhogwarts for being a wonderful beta!