The Babysitter (Dramione Fanfiction)

The Reunion

"I'll... think about it," he finally replied, head already reeling with pros and cons.

Harry nodded his head in understanding. "Seriously think about it, Malfoy," he warned. "I know you think people might not accept you in the DMLE, but fuck them, I will still vouch for you like what I did during your trial."

He looked at The-Boy-Who-Lived with barely concealed surprise.

"You've... changed, which is a good thing," Harry expounded, refusing to meet his eyes. "And Hermione trusts you with her whole life. I might not have done well in Hogwarts, but one important lesson I've learned is that Hermione is always right."

Draco slightly smirked, absolutely concurring. He knew if Granger wasn't part of the Golden Trio, there might have been a chance that Potter didn't win in the Second War. Shivering, he refused to think what life would have been if Voldemort had won and wreaked havoc in the whole Wizarding World.

"Think about it!" was Potter's parting words. Draco opted to stay a little longer, head still muddled with the choices he had to make.

Suffice to say, he was late for the afternoon shift, and McLaggen looked like he would have an aneurysm. Draco wondered if he'd be able to endure this in the long run.

His golden ticket weighed heavily inside his wizard robes. He seriously needed to decide soon.

_________

"Why won't you let me wash the dishes?" he asked, perhaps for the umpteenth time, and he could see that Hermione was starting to get fed up by it. A slow, very Malfoy smirk grew on his face as the brunette bristled and gave him a glare. She would have looked terrifying, but the soap bubbles on her hand made her a little too endearing.

"Because," she grounded out, "this is my house. And you're just a guest, Draco. I can't let you wash the dishes."

Draco sighed and leaned back on his chair. "I've been crashing here for days, Granger," he reminded. "The least I can do is help you with the chores."

She shot him a distrustful look, prompting him to roll his eyes.

"I may have a house-elf, but I still know how to do my own chores, thank you very much," he snarled with a scowl.

"You've been doing enough by keeping Rose out of my hair," she insisted. "Just... bugger off, Malfoy. I like washing dishes!"

The Malfoy heir huffed in annoyance, but didn't fight back anymore. He was, after all, fighting with a stubborn witch. He knew whatever arguments he raised, his effort would be put to waste when Hermione's mind was already set.

"You're still staying here for the night, right?" Hermione then asked, her back fully facing him as she went back to washing the dishes. Draco's eyes unwittingly beheld her sight, lingering a little too long at how her Muggle denim jeans wonderfully accentuated her bum. "Draco?" she asked, craning her head to look at him when he still hadn't answered her question.

The blond noisily cleared his throat and averted his gaze, his cheekbones slightly pink in embarrassment at being caught. "Right," he said, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck. "Well, I think Tippy had been crying these past few days because I don't go home often so..."

His gaze returned to Hermione. Although he could only make out one half of her face, he knew she was pouting.

Sighing, he lightly smiled. "Maybe if you allow me to summon Tippy in your flat, he would feel better," he said. "Think about it. Rose will see him too, and you know how much your daughter loves my house-elf."