Love Changes (Dramione)

[thirty five]

By the time New Year's eve rolled around, it was safe to say that Draco had succeeded on impressing the Granger's down to the core.

"Who knew you were so talented?" Hermione teased, which earned her a poisonous glare from Draco

"This is the second time you've questioned my breeding, Granger." Draco narrowed his eyes, completely offended

"Hey! I just didn't know you were so good in gardening and cooking." Hermione raised her hands in defense. They were both lounging on the outdoor loveseat facing the backyard. Dan had made them both a cup of hot cocoa with marshmallows. "What other talents are you hiding under that blond head of yours, huh?"

Draco smirked smugly "Granger, like I said, I'm a pureblood wizard from a wealthy family. We're groomed down to the very last hair on our arms."

Hermione narrowed her eyes in challenge "Okay, fine. Tell me all."

"At age eight, I became fluent in French. I was asked to choose a language and I chose that after meeting Celine." He shrugged "Because my mother frequently threw social balls, I had to learn several dances. Name it, I know it."

"Cocky." Hermione rolled her eyes

"I mastered piano by the time I reached thirteen, and I learned the guitar by myself a year after." Draco smirked "I'm good at gardening because my mother spends most of her time tending to the gardens at the manor when I was younger." he continued

"Good morning, sir." Draco had come out to meet Dan in the backyard, where Hermione had enchanted a small patch of it to be green despite the winter. He was tending to the fully bloomed magnolias, trying to figure out which to pick for their dinner table.

"Good morning, Draco. Do you need something?" Dan asked politely

"Not really, sir. Mrs. Granger sent me to see what you were up to." Draco shrugged "I see you tend to the gardens too."

"Too?" Dan looked up and raised a brow "You garden?"

"My mother likes spending her free time tending to our gardens in the manor." That sounded somewhat snobbish, Draco silently cursed himself "I grew up helping her. It's a small hobby of mine."

"I see. That's convenient. Hermione loves flowers." Dan gave him a small smile "These are magnolias—"

"One of her favorites. It's her bath...wash." Draco cleared his throat as an embarrassed blush rushed to his cheeks. That wasn't something he should be telling his girlfriend's father he knew.

Dan pretended to not have heard the last part of his sentence as he stood from his crouch "Why don't you be the one to choose the batch that'll go on our dinner table tonight, lad?"

This was a test, to see if he really knew how to garden. Only those who really tended to plants knew how to pick the right ones and cut them properly. Draco crouched down and picked the beat flowers he could find, cutting the stems in a slanted angle. He showed Dan the flowers he chose and the perfectly snipped stems "Should we find a vase?"

Dan grinned widely

"It was a way for me to bond with her. Cooking, on the other hand, was something Blaise was very good at. Obviously, I didn't want anybody to be better than me, so I learned how to be better than Blaise. Besides, it's a lot like potions, which I'm very good at already."

Jean Granger was patiently rummaging through their refrigerator for ingredients when Draco knocked against the door frame "Cooking lunch already?"

"Yes, dear. Do you have any dish in mind?" Jean asked

"Why don't you let me help?" Draco rolled up the sleeves of his jumper and stood next to Jean, assessing the contents of their fridge