The Nutcracker Pas de Deux

December 2003

She attended with Ron. He attended with his mother.

Hermione turned her gaze to her left and upwards, towards one of the private boxes that dotted along the outer rim of the ballet theatre.

"I honestly didn't believe you when you told me Malfoy would be here tonight," muttered Ron, torn between amusement and bewilderment.

She almost didn't believe it either. The sight of the Malfoy heir and his regal mother sitting stiffly in luxury, casting their eyes down upon a room full of Muggles, was certainly a curious one. Malfoy, as if sensing her gaze upon him, looked in her direction and gave a curt nod which she acknowledged with a cheery wave.

She faced front again and Ron slid a comforting hand up and down her arm as she settled back in her seat.

"Feeling alright?" he asked.

"Quite," she smiled warmly and turned her attention towards the stage as the orchestra started up.

The familiar, classical music washed over her, the dances and dramatic beats she'd seen play out countless times sped by, but Hermione's mind drifted back to last week in her office.

A soft knock disturbed her concentration. Hermione looked up to see Draco Malfoy hovering in her open doorway. His office sat a few doors down the hall from her in the bowels of the Artefacts and Runes Division of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

He'd maintained a quiet presence within the division for a few years; filing steady and accurate reports and they'd developed a careful, polite working relationship when cases called for collaboration.

"Granger."

Unfailingly distant and borderline deferential.

"Hi. Can I help you with something?"

He took a hesitant step forward.

"If I wanted to... well ah, that is, I had hoped to seek your counsel, but I'm not sure where to begin."

He twisted his signet ring around the fourth finger of his right hand.

"Is this about the Boyles case? Because I already submitted my reports but I can see if—?"

"No, it's not work related."

She waited him out with an encouraging smile and eventually his request came out in a more halting fashion than his normally confident way of speaking.

"It's my mother. She's had a... tough time. Adjusting. Without my father around. I thought perhaps you might know of a Muggle holiday tradition or event of some kind she might enjoy. It's... difficult for her to be out in public, but I know she misses evenings out."

Her jaw didn't drop, but it was a close call.

"You'd like my... help in thinking up a fun Christmas event for your mother? And it can be in the Muggle world?" The words out of her mouth, as increasingly incredulous questions, sounded positively insane but Draco nodded.

She took just another moment to grapple with this odd request before an idea struck.

"I know just the thing! Does your mother enjoy ballet?"

"Very much."

"Perfect!" Hermione took out a new slip of parchment and dipped her quill in fresh ink.

Draco took another tentative step into her office as her hand whizzed across the parchment.

"The Nutcracker is the ideal ballet to see at Christmas," her gaze drifted over to a framed photo of an older couple on her desk.