A Second Chance

Christmas Shopping

"Mrs. Weasley, what are you doing here?" Draco looked at her with genuine confusion in his grey eyes.

"Please, call me Hermione." She looked around the small hallway, seeing that all of the doors were shut. "I'm looking for Harry, or Ginny. I was hoping to grab at least one to join me for lunch and maybe some quick shopping in Diagon Alley."

Draco gave a small, reserved smile. "They're both out for business." Hermione's lips tugged downward at the thought of her friends being out. "It's my lunchtime, I can join you if you'd like?" His voice was unsure.

Did Hermione want Draco to join her? She still didn't know him well enough to consider him a friend but he was kind to her the other day. "Yeah, I would like that." She couldn't believe how true her words really were. Once she had uttered them, she knew that she had meant them. His grey eyes lightened to a greyish-silver and his lips flickered into a brief smile. He held out his arm for her. She placed her hand into the crook of his elbow and they were apparated to Diagon Alley.

"Where would you like to eat?" Draco dropped his arm that held Hermione's. Diagon Alley was dusted in a thin layer of snow. It wasn't supposed to snow for another few weeks.

"A new shop opened up and I heard they have a spearmint flavored tea." She was excited to try the new flavor, though she knew it couldn't be as good as spearmint toothpaste.

A chuckle drew her attention out of her thoughts. She looked over to find Draco covering his mouth, trying to pretend to be covering a cough instead of laughter. Hermione's nose wrinkled and her hand moved of it's own accord to pinch his arm. "Hey! What was that for?" Draco glared ar her but she could see the teasing look that his eyes held.

She walked away, shrugging her shoulders. "Thought it would help with your...cough." She shot him her own teasing look from over her shoulder. She heard him snicker and had the feeling that he was shaking his head.

The little shop was busy with only one table free when they arrived. Hermione ordered a spearmint tea while Draco ordered a rose tea. "What?" He asked when he saw her looking at him questionably.

"Rose?" She couldn't help the disbelief that laced her voice.

Draco shrugged as he took the tea into his hands. "It's my mother's favorite. She used to make it quite frequently when I was growing up." They made their way to the empty table and claimed it before anyone else could. They lapsed into silence as they sipped their tea. Hermione was stunned to find that the tea tasted exquisite. She now had two favorite spearmint flavored items. "So...what were you planning on shopping for?" Draco began slowly.

Hermione cleared her throat and sat the teacup back onto the table, the greenish-brown liquid rippling slightly. "I thought I would get a headstart on Christmas shopping since I forgot last year."

Draco gave a sympathetic yet relieved smile. "I had the small fear that you needed input on something for you."

"Something for me?"

Draco took a hesitant sip of his tea before answering. "Something for your single life." His grey eyes shone silver at his teasing.

Hermione's cheeks instantly heated up. She was secretly glad that he decided to tease her instead of trying to play sympathetic. She lightly kicked his foot underneath the table. "I certainly do not need your input nor would I want it." She was laughing by the time that she finished. She was pleasantly surprised when he joined in on her laughter.

Once their laughter died down, Draco stared at her with a small smile. "I could actually use your help with picking a present." Hermione cocked an eyebrow, silently asking him to continue. "Scorpius asked me to help him pick a present for Rose."

"Ooh, he still has a crush on her?" Draco nodded. Hermione actually really liked the boy. Despite being a Slytherin, he was quiet, friendly, and extremely brave when it came to helping his friends, he was more like a Gryffindor than a Slytherin. She was pretty sure that Rose was developing a little crush herself not that she would ever admit it. Hermione sighed. It was a little unfortunate that her daughter took after her more than she did her father.

Draco mistook the meaning behind her sigh. "That's fine. You really don't have to. I'm sure you wouldn't want someone like Scorpius with your daughter."

Hermione became concerned with the direction that Draco's thoughts were heading. She shook her head, laughing. "I would love to have Rose with someone like your son." She admitted truthfully. The tension in Draco's shoulders lifted slightly. "If I tell you the reason for my sigh, you have to promise not to tell anyone." Draco nodded for her to proceed. "That also includes Scorpius." She warned him.

"I know what a promise is. I swear, I won't tell anyone." Hermione stifled a laugh when he crossed his heart. It seemed he was gaining a lot of knowledge on muggles in his job.

Hermione looked around them to make sure that no-one was eavesdropping. She leaned over the table and waved her hand for him to do the same. He hesitantly leaned forward. She cupped her hands around her mouth before whispering her, well, Rose's secret. "Rose is developing a crush on Scorpius." She leaned back into her seat, watching as Draco did the same. "Unfortunately, she is my daughter, which means she would never admit it. I'll help you pick a gift and hopefully one of these days," Hermione rolled her eyes. "More likely, years, she'll accept him. Right now, she's just too embarrassed to admit it."

Draco cracked a relieved smile. "That's good to hear. I was afraid that he would have to suffer a heartbreak."

His words held so much love in them. "You really care for your son."

Draco looked taken back by her statement. He looked away from her for a second, his fingers drumming against his teacup. "He doesn't have the love of a mother. I'm terrified that I will turn into my father." He finally looked into her eyes and gave her a small smile. "Hearing you say that means a lot to me." Hermione was taken back from his honesty. Not knowing what to say, she turned back to her tea only to find it empty. Draco finished the last drink of his then they left the shop.

As they were walking down the streets, an item in one of the windows caught her attention. Going inside the shop she headed straight for the gold charm bracelet. The description card described it as being a charmed charm bracelet. The wearer could shrink down an object and attach it to the bracelet like a charm. It was beautiful and had a practical use. "I think this would be a perfect gift." She looked down at the price tag. "Nevermind."

"What is it?" Draco leaned over her shoulder to peer at the bracelet on display. "Looking for Mrs. Potter?"

Hermione started to shake her head but thought better of it with how close he was standing to her. She would have hate to accidentally smack him in the face with her hair. "For Rose, actually. I was thinking it would be the perfect gift for Scorpius to give her but it's too expensive."

She felt a hot breath tickle her ear when Draco let out a chuckle. "Did you forget who you are with. That price is nothing. I'm actually afraid that it might not be enough to buy her a plain bracelet. It would be nice to have some charms already on it for her."

Hermione had, in fact, already forgotten the background of the man beside her. The way he talked and acted was completely different from how he used to be. She suddenly became aware of just how rich Mr. Malfoy was. "What would be some good items to attach to it?" His question pulled her out of her thoughts.

She leaned away from him so that she could look him in the eyes. Those grey eyes were the same as back then but also not the same. They seemed less guarded and not as fearful as they had been back in school. She tugged a strand of hair behind an ear. "I think maybe a book. Rose inherited my love for reading." Her lips broke into a smile. "I know just the book."

After they had purchased the bracelet and the book that Rose had been asking for, for her personal collection, Draco's lunch break was over. They parted ways. Instead of staying in Diagon Alley, Hermione decided to head home to relax and to warm up. She may not have gotten the things that she had come to do but she had fun.