Worth the Wait
Chapter Twelve
When Hermione responded to Draco's letter to accept his offer, she carefully chose a somewhat newly opened Italian restaurant in her neighborhood. She wanted to avoid any of the restaurants that she and Draco used to frequent during their prior relationship, which, as it happened, was most of them.
Hermione spends a truly ridiculous amount of time trying to choose an outfit and almost enlists Pansy's help, but she knows that that would only take even longer, so she refrains. Eventually, she decides on a maroon, long-sleeved sweater dress, which she pairs with black tights and boots. It's comfortable and she thinks it'll be warm enough. She decidedly does not consider whether or not Draco will like it.
Hermione knew that she could have declined his offer. She almost had, in fact, but then she considered how nice it might actually be to catch up with him. She had enjoyed talking with him at Pansy's party, after all– ill-advised flirting notwithstanding.
She's also well aware of how dangerous it is to even entertain Draco Malfoy. He broke her heart once, and there's no guarantee that he won't do it again. Hermione promised both herself, as well as Pansy and Ginny that she would be careful, and that this dinner would be just that– just dinner. Just a casual catching up between friends– or between two people whose hearts used to only beat for one another, but whatever. Semantics.
Hermione insisted in her letter that she and Draco meet at the restaurant. She knew that if he picked her up at her flat that this meal feeling like a date would be inevitable. She would also run the risk of running into Mr. Roman, who had plenty to say to her after seeing Draco leave her apartment the last time he was there. The old man had always liked Draco and was plenty happy to see him around again.
Hermione had, of course, tried to explain that they were not getting back together, but Mr. Roman would hear none of it.
Hermione takes one last deep breath and pulls open the door to the restaurant. Her heart leaps into her throat when she sees him. He's standing by the hostess' station, making polite conversation with the hostess herself. Hermione recognizes the look on her face as yet another woman captivated by Draco Malfoy– unfortunately, that is a look that Hermione knows all too well because she's seen it in the mirror a few too many times.
To Draco's credit, though, he could not look more bored. To someone uneducated on the ways of Draco Malfoy, he might look mildly interested, but Hermione knows that he isn't. His perfect, Pureblood politeness is on perfect display as he converses with the woman, but his eyes aren't sparkling like they're wont to do, and the dimple on his right cheek isn't showing when he smiles.
Draco notices Hermione immediately. The poor hostess is mid-sentence when Draco walks away from her to greet Hermione.
"Hermione," Draco says, forgoing his usual greeting of Hermione's surname.
Hermione watches Draco shove his hands into his pockets, which flexes his Quidditch-toned biceps. Maybe this was a bad idea.
He's beautiful. Of course he is. Draco Malfoy may as well be a Greek god or a statue carved out of priceless marble– he's that beautiful. It's really quite unfair to girls like Hermione. How in this world or the next is she supposed to survive him?
"Draco," Hermione says back, trying to hide the fact that she absolutely just ogled him like a piece of meat for a minute there.
"Shall we?" Draco questions, stepping to Hermione's side and placing his hand respectably on her upper back to guide her.
Hermione nods and follows Draco's lead over to the hostess' station.
"Two, please."
Hermione doesn't miss the mournful look on the hostess' face when she realizes that Draco is here with her. She would explain to her that this is not a date if Hermione was even inclined to believe that anymore herself.
The hostess leads Hermione and Draco to a quiet booth in the back of the restaurant. It's intimate, if Hermione had to choose a word for it. Hermione apologizes silently to whichever god she offended because someone obviously has it out for her in this moment.
The hostess drops two menus onto the table with a little more force than is probably necessary before she walks away without a parting word.
Hermione flicks open her menu, pretending to scan it as she actively tries to avoid looking at Draco.
"Thank you for agreeing to have dinner with me," Draco breaks the silence, setting his menu down on the table.
Hermione smiles a half smile, deciding on her drink and meal order so she can set her own menu down. She supposes that it wouldn't do to be rude to her dinner partner.
"It was a nice idea," Hermione says tightly. She mentally scolds herself. She needs to relax.
"Hermione," Draco starts, meeting Hermione's eye from across the table. "I know this is unusual, but if you give me a chance, I will spend the rest of my days making it up to you for the pain that I have caused– that is a promise."
Whew. Straight into the deep end, then.
It's not until Draco speaks again that Hermione realizes that she said that last bit out loud.
"Well, I am not usually one for beating around the bush. Wastes time," Draco smirks, and that smirk makes Hermione's stomach do a somersault.
Hermione can't help the small laugh that bubbles up at her former boyfriend's statement. He always could make her laugh. She supposes that that was one of his more endearing qualities.
Hermione is offered a brief reprieve when a waiter approaches the table and introduces himself. She and Draco both place their orders and then the waiter leaves them alone again.
Hermione exhales heavily, steeling herself for a moment before she speaks.
"Draco, I believe that you are repentant, I do, but this isn't that simple," Hermione frowns, her eyes locking with the stormy gray ones opposite her.
Draco nods, and somehow Hermione has a feeling like she's talking to a brick wall. Draco might understand what she's saying, but she's getting the feeling that he doesn't exactly agree with her.
"Hermione, you once told me that forgiveness is a choice. You chose to forgive me once, for far worse crimes. What can I do to convince you to do it again?"
Of course, Draco would remember her exact words to him. Forgiveness is a choice– Hermione does really believe that. She just doesn't know if she is capable of making that choice a second time– not when the first time was such a spectacular failure.
"I don't know, Draco," Hermione frowns. "Just… I don't know, tell me about your wife and your son."
Hermione tries for a change of topic. Perhaps if they could have a conversation that didn't revolve around their past, she'd be able to think more clearly.
Draco cocks his head to the side, clearly surprised by the change in conversation, but he doesn't falter– not that Hermione would have expected him to.
"Astoria is my ex-wife," Draco clarifies. Hermione knew that, of course. She supposes that she just wanted to hear him say it. "As for my son… Scorpius is, by far, the greatest thing I have ever done. I would have brought him with me today if I could have. I hate being away from him."
Hermione smiles at that, although she is glad that Draco decided against bringing his son along. She's not sure she could resist him if he was holding a baby.
"I seem to picture a miniaturized version of you when you talk about your son," Hermione muses, laughing lightly.
Draco laughs in return, shaking his head slightly.
"You are not far off. He has Astoria's eyes, but evidently the Malfoy genes are quite strong."
Hermione smothers a laugh again. As if she wasn't aware just how strong the Malfoy genes are already from seeing Draco with his own father.
"Do your parents know where you are right now?" Hermione asks, almost without realizing it.
Well, perhaps it's best to get some of the bigger topics out of the way first. The bigger topics that don't include their own personal tumultuous past, anyway.
"They do. Everyone in my life is aware that I am pursuing you again."
Hermione nods, biting her lower lip. That means that Narcissa is probably already planning a Spring wedding– great.
Before Hermione can think of something else to ask, Draco does.
"What about you? Does anyone know where you are right now?" he asks, raising an eyebrow at Hermione.
Hermione sighs, meeting Draco's eye.
"Pansy and Ginny," she replies, remembering when Draco's letter showed up at her flat. "Harry and Ron obviously know that we are in contact, but they don't know that I agreed to see you again."
Draco nods, and Hermione feels the conversation lag for a moment.
"Look, Draco," she starts, leaning forward on the table, as inelegant as it may be. "I want to give you the benefit of the doubt. I want to trust you. Every cell in my body is screaming at me to get up and run like hell away from you, but here I am. I just… I need time."
Draco nods, seemingly unsurprised by the shift in conversation again.
"That's all I'm asking for, Granger. Time."
Hermione walks alongside Draco down one of the quiet streets in her neighborhood.
"Thank you for dinner, Draco," Hermione says again. Draco had, of course, insisted on paying for dinner, ignoring Hermione's attempts to pitch in.
Hermione's arm tingles when she brushes against Draco's side as they walk.
"Are you going to allow me to escort you home?" Draco asks, his voice light as he heads in the direction of Hermione's building. "Or shall I go home and tell my mother that I have disregarded my rigorous etiquette training?"
Hermione thinks about that for a moment. It might be playing with fire to invite this version of Draco Malfoy into her home– this earnest, clearly interested in her, Draco Malfoy. The last time Draco had been at her flat, it was under very different circumstances, even if it was only a few weeks ago. Hermione also thinks that it might be fun to see Draco interact with Crooks again– the animal always did have a very love/hate relationship with her former boyfriend.
"I suppose that could be alright," Hermione says, and she surprises herself by how comfortable she feels with that idea. She's not sure that she hid that surprise from her voice, though.
Draco either doesn't notice, or chooses not to comment. Hermione thinks it's more likely the latter.
Hermione walks alongside Draco quietly as the pair approach her building. She silently thanks whoever is listening that Mr. Roman isn't standing outside like he is known to do, even in cold weather such as today. She doesn't think she'd be able to convince him of her innocence regarding his suspicion that she and Draco are getting back together with the unmistakable blonde man following her up to her flat.
Hermione unlocks the front door to her flat and steps inside, tossing her keys onto the entrance table beside her door as she steps aside to allow Draco to follow her in.
"Tea?" Hermione offers, trying to ignore the pang in her chest at seeing him standing in her flat again.
She knows that she saw this sight recently, but something about this Draco Malfoy– the one wearing Muggle denims and trainers and who just took her out to dinner– feels more like the Draco Malfoy she knew three years ago. That Draco Malfoy worries her infinitely more than the still-married Draco Malfoy who showed up at her flat a few weeks ago.
Draco nods, accepting Hermione's offer for tea.
Hermione gestures for Draco to make himself comfortable at her dining table, while she putters around to prepare their tea.
While Hermione has her back to Draco, she hears him speak– but not to her.
"Oh, did you miss me, you beastly furball?"
Hermione takes a peak over her shoulder and deflates slightly. She had, unfortunately, hoped that Crooks would hold some resentment toward the blonde man after being forced to comfort Hermione for months following their break-up. Evidently, he does not.
Crookshanks is nuzzling his head against Draco's leg, while Draco scratches behind his ears in just the way Crooks likes.
Traitor.
Lol, so, irrelevant to this chapter: I may or may not have added 1,700 words to the epilogue chapter of this fic today. :x Oops. I just got it in my head that a something specific happened to this couple after what I had already written and just had to add it. So. This fic was finished, and then apparently it wasn't, but now it is again. :P My bad. :P
ANYWAY. Look! They finally went on a date! How do y'all think it went? (There's still more in the next chapter, but this is the majority of it.)
Sorry that this chapter is up later in the day than usual, it's been a long couple of days, lol.
In other news, the other Dramione that I started writing is still in progress, and I'm starting to really like where the story is going, so I do believe y'all will be seeing more from me (I hope. I still make no promises, lol.) after I return from my trip. :P
See y'all again tomorrow for chapter thirteen! (:
I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and PLEASE review! (: