Draco felt a chill in the pit of his stomach. She was humming.
That was always an unfortunate sign.
To anyone passing it might seem cheerful, but to those who knew Hermione Granger intimately, humming was a warning. Draco immediately moved closer as they reached the street corner, casting a discrete tracing charm on her coat before taking her hand.
She looked up at him, her dark eyes alight. "I'm going to leave the Ministry."
Draco stared down at her, arching an eyebrow. "Are you?"
She nodded and raised her hand, gesturing forward into the distance. "Yes. I've been thinking about it for a while now. I need to stop thinking and just do it. I'm not going to make the difference I want if I just stay where I am now. I need to travel and see things for myself rather than always reading about them."
Draco tucked her hand securely in the crook of his arm, resting his fingers on top of hers.
"I thought you liked reading," he said, his voice dry.
She laughed and rolled her eyes. "I do, but there are certain things you can't get from books. The theory isn't enough for some things; I need to experience them."
"Ah." Draco nodded, but his tone had become muted.
Hermione nodded resolutely to herself, expression steely and determined. "I'm really going to do it. I'm going to quit. I think it's important that I do. I'll travel, maybe for years."
Draco's stomach plummeted.
"Harry and Ron can't assume I'll always be right here to bail them out. I think it's time."
There was a hollow, throbbing sensation spreading steadily throughout his chest, but he forced a pained smile. "I'm sure you'll enjoy it."
She smiled brightly accompanied by a quick enthusiastic nod. "I will."
She gave another hum and apparated without warning.
The first time Draco arrived at Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, while Hermione was getting her coat, Potter pulled him aside.
Draco braced himself for threats of dismemberment, but Potter just said, "Don't let Hermione get drunk."
Draco assumed it was some kind of protective warning, that Potter suspected Draco would try to take advantage of her if she were vulnerable and intoxicated.
Draco had no intention of ever cutting any corners. He barely paid attention to the warning and eventually forgot about it entirely after the first few months until an attentive waiter kept their wine glasses full for several hours straight. Hermione gave a loud and abrupt peal of laughter in response to an only mildly humorous joke and it occurred to Draco that she might have had a bit more to drink than usual.
However, she seemed fine. Her speech was unslurred; her eyes attentive and bright, brighter than usual perhaps. Her hands moved more emphatically when she spoke, but she didn't seem drunk.
Until they were leaving.
She gave a little happy hum and apparated without any warning.
Draco had barely managed to grab hold of her sleeve and nearly splinched himself when they reappeared in an animal shelter. He'd stood by, nauseous and bewildered, as Hermione hurried over and began removing cats from their cages, stuffing them inside her coat.
By the time Draco managed to get her home, they were both holding cats, covered in scratches, and Hermione was crying and kissing a resistant tomcat while talking about how animals just needed someone to love them.
