Draco, Theo and Blaise eyed the black box with buttons that they can press for at least 5 minutes.
The box was placed on the dining table, it had what it seemed to a screen coloured in black.
"Well, now what?" asked Theo.
"Turn it on?" said Blaise.
"Thank you for that Blaise, this bloody thing would have already been turned on if we have any idea how the fuck to do just that in the first place."
This thing, was a laptop. Something Blaise purchased for his work on sourcing Muggle arts for his clients.
"We could just go to the shop and ask?" said Draco.
"Yeah like we'd understand anything they'd say." Blaise rolled his eyes. "Bloody hell, I need it before Monday."
"Or..." came Theo's voice, straightening his back and putting his pointer finger up. "We could ask Granger. What better way to ask how a Muggle technology works than to ask the 'Brightest Witch of Our Age' herself?"
Oh, bloody hell. Must I see her again?
The way you looked at her exposed collarbones last night says otherwise.
"Fine. I'll come by her place before dusk."
"Sweet."
————
Draco walked to her apartment complex with a laptop in his hand. He knocked on her door and waited.
It's Saturday. Surely she's not home? Probably out celebrating her victory over some newly established law that she—
"Malfoy?"
Or not.
Granger was indeed not out. She was dressed in a jumper that stopped just above her knees, a pair of some overly fuzzy socks. Her hair, was in a bun.
Stop staring.
"Granger. I need your help."
She raised a brow before Draco motioned his head towards the laptop in his hand.
Granger stepped aside, letting him walk inside of her home.
The foyer small, it led to three different rooms. The living room which was surprisingly tidy, a floor length bookshelves (of course).
He sat on thr couch and he placed the laptop on the coffee table in front of it.
"Must I remind you I'm not a tech savy. If your laptop has some serious damage, I can't help you. Tea?" she asked before leaving the room.
"Err, sure."
What the hell is a 'tech savy' ?
As Granger went to prepare tea, Draco was left to admire the space around him in detail.
Granger had a vintage rug underneath the couch and the coffee table. The fireplace was lit, a mirror hanging on top of it.
There was also a bar cart, and there stood an unopened Muggle Whiskey that Draco always get, he smirked at the sight.
There were few picture frames on the mantel; some were from her days at Hogwarts, and a picture of her parents.
"So, what do you need help with?" came Granger's voice from the kitchen as she levitated a tray of tea service behind her. Draco glued his eyes to strictly stay above her neck as she walked.
"Blaise had a hard time turning this thing on." she nudged his jaw toward the laptop.
She laughed.
"You came all the way here to ask me how to turn on a laptop?"
Draco looked at her.
Yes, Granger. Now please, sit or put on a floor length cloak.
"The shops are closed, we have no other choice than to ask the Hermione Granger herself on how to turn on a laptop."
She shook her head as she chuckled and sat down next to him. Thank you.
She put a throw pillow on her lap before placing the laptop on it. Thank you.
She pressed a button far right and suddenly, the screen turned white before letting out a faint noise.
"Done. Anything else, Malfoy?" She looked at him with an amuse smile.
He raised a brow, leaning against the couch with his arms spread on the head. "My, Granger, kicking me out of your home already?"
She turned her head to him, confusion plastered all over her face—something along the lines of unprepared, caught, natural. The front pieces of her hair were framing her face, the oversized jumper made her look tiny—almost swallowing her figure. Yet, Draco thought Granger was.. pretty.
"Well?" came her voice.
"Huh?"
Granger sighed, rolling her eyes. (She does it a lot.) "What else did you need from me?"
"Blaise told me he needed to put clients into his contacts. May you show me that as well?"
Granger clicked, pressed, before turning to him. "Do you have a list of these contacts?"
Draco gave her a paper, the numbers of Blaise's clientales. She grabbed it and did a short skim, her brows raised to her hairline.
"These names.. They're a huge deal in the Muggle world, h-how did Blaise manage to get their numbers?"
Draco simply shrugged. "Blaise is
good—charming, might I add."
Hermione smirked, and was giving him the side-eye as she typed the numbers into the contacts. "Are you trying to tell me that you Slytherins has a way with words?"
Oh?
Draco returned the smirk, resting a leg on top of his knee. "Well, you haven't kicked me out of your humble abode."
She stilled.
Oh.
Crossing a line.
Draco couldn't keep his eyes from her, she stopped pressing the buttons and was just staring into the laptop screen without saying anything.
Oh, so much for 'it's a fresh start', Draco.
Then, she let out a chuckle.
She turned to him and narrowed her eyes as she inched her face closer to him. "Well I'm sorry, I don't have a bed chamber where I sleep in satin sheets, with my pillows always fluffed by my lovely house-elves."
Draco could only stare at her, he could smell her shampoo—something floral. There was a feeling in his lower abdomen—what was it?
"I prefer silk, and sometimes Theo would fluff my pillows when he's on a timeout."
Granger parted her lips slightly, trying to hidr her grin as she shook her head. She resumed her typings as she explained how to answer an 'incoming call', how to send a text, how to 'call' someone from the contacts, and how to 'video-call' someone.
She closed the laptop with satisfied sigh. "Done. Anything else?"
"I think that's it. Thank you, Granger."
She raised her brow, feeling impressed. "Never thought I'd see the day Draco Malfoy thanking me."
Draco couldn't help but focusing on the sound of her voice saying his first name.
"I'd never thought I'd see the day I'd be thanking the Hermione Granger in her living room, but here I am."
Granger laughed and rose from her seat.
"I'd never thought I'd see the day Draco Malfoy just said my first name. It's that a 'it's a fresh start' thing?"
Draco rolled his eyes as he stood from the couch. "I'll stick to Granger, thank you very much."
Granger raised a brow and crossed her hands, a smug plastered on her face. "So, saying 'Hermione' is too much for you but paying a Locksmith for 150 pounds is not?" Draco gave her a bored look. "Would it be that horrible? No one's around."
Draco looked at her, he could feel a smirk growing on his own smug face. "Granger, if you want me to say your first name when no one is around, all you have to do is ask."
Granger froze, eyes went wide at his words. Draco knew he would burst in flames right at the spot if his smirk kept growing. It did, by the way.
Draco took the laptop, and turned to a frozen Hermione Granger. "I'll walk myself out, thank you again for doing this. I owe you one."
She simply nodded as she watched him leave her flat.
——————
Hermione
Hermione and Ginny decided to have lunch together in Wizarding London.
"How's your flowers?" asked Hermione.
Ginny stabbed a baby carrot with her fork. "We found another vendor. Hopefully this one won't chicken out."
"Well, that's one less thing to worry about."
"Yes. However, we still haven't found you a dress yet. You're the maid of honour! I'm not going to have my maid of honour in something horrendous." she stabbed a potato this time.
Hermione chuckled. "I'm sure we'll find it."
Ginny chugged her water before a levitated jug poured some more water into the empty glass. "Now, on to some serious talk. How did you manage to have Malfoy's ID for a second time? I thought you got that issue resolved?"
"Oh. I came to his flat that he shares with Theo and Blaise. They made dinner and insisted that I leave with a well-fed stomach."
Ginny grinned. "Oh, playing house already?"
"Hardly! It was one time!"
The grin on Ginny disappeared as she took out a brochure. "I was strolling through Muggle London and came across this boutique. They have some pretty dresses and I was going to give this brochure to you last Saturday, but you seemed pre-occupied." she set the brochure on the table and she tapped her nails on it.
Hermione's eyes went wide. Last Saturday was the day Malfoy came over to her house.
"What, are you snooping on me now?" she said jokingly.
"So you were pre-occupied, hmm?" Ginny narrowed his eyes accusingly at Hermione.
She let out a sigh. "I mean you were there Gin, I can't say that I wasn't alone, no?"
"So? How was it?"
"How was what?"
"The shag? Duh?"
Hermione widened her eyes at her friend. Her cheeks flushed heavily as time went. "Ginevra Weasley! I did not sleep with him!"
The tables around then turned to eye the pair when Hermione was shouting, and telling the whole restaurant that she in fact, did not sleep with him.
Ginny rolled her eyes, leaning on her chair. "Okay, okay. I think whole bloody London heard you." she took a sip of her water. "Isn't he dating Astoria Greengrass? Why is he in Muggle London?"
Hermione shrugged. "He's on his 'it's a fresh start' journey. Courting The Astoria Greengrass would distraught his healing journey, don't you think?"
Ginny narrowed her eyes again. "Have you been doing your research on him already? And you're accusing me of snooping? Such a hypocrite."
"I have not!"
"Liar."
Hermione sighed in defeat, her next words came out quieter than she had wanted. "I did pull old papers from The Prophet from 5 years ago and onward."
Ginny raised a brow, "And? What is the conclusion?"
"Draco Malfoy had been out of the public's eye for years, and is still. And yes, he is single."
"And fit."
Hermione shot her a look, Ginny rolled her eyes. "I'm not blind nor stupid, Hermione. The man is ridiculously handsome."
Hermione toyed with her ice cream that had melted into a pool of vanila. "I guess he's quite the sight."
Ginny chuckled, "Are you still on your 'I'm focusing on myself' journey?"
"I have never said that nor claimed I was on one."
"Hermione, from the way you are acting, you are going to grow old with at least 50 cats. Have fun, go easy on yourself. Enjoy you're twenties before you have to stress about a florist not being able to do their job 4 weeks before your wedding day."
Hermione chuckled, "Already giving me marriage advice, Gin? A bit advanced for my situation, no?"
Ginny leaned forward, crossing her hands on the table. "Well, we have to start somewhere yes? Tell me at least you've given relationship a thought."
"You're acting like I haven't dated anyone at all. I dated your brother once you know."
Ginny rolled her eyes, "And that ended, thank Merlin. No offense, but you're too bright for him. And don't even get me started with Krum, the man can't even say you're name right."
Hermione laughed at the memory of Viktor Krum trying to pronounce her name.
"Her-mee-yon"
"Hermind"
"Hermayon"
Hermione flinched at the memory.
Then, suddenly, a voice appeared in her head.
"Granger, if you want me to say your first name when no one is around, all you have to do is ask."
Her cheeks flushed and heated abruptly as the memory continued to one particular moment that left her.. stunned.
What did he mean by that? Surely nothing inapproriate. But that look on his face when he said it—
"Hermione!"
She shook her head when she heard Ginny pulling her back to reality. The redhead was eyeing her suspiciously with a tilted head.
"Yes?"
"I said, would you come down to the boutique this Friday? I've pulled some dresses from the rack for you to try."
Ginny slid the brochure towards Hermione.
"Yeah, I'll come down as soon as possible after work."
Ginny smiled. "Amazing. I'll see you Friday."
When Ginny left, Hermione was left to wonder about what happened last Saturday in her living room.
Things were starting to became rather anomally; having dinner with the Slytherins, Malfoy coming to her for tech advice, Ginny getting married in 2 weeks.
Though, she might be seen as a hypocrite. Sometimes change is good. She thought to herself.
Images of her typing her own phone number in Blaise's laptop came to her mind.
She grinned at the memory,
"Wife
079 4376 4663"
Sometimes, having fun didn't have to be too peculiar. She kept telling herself she had done so to let them contact her easier if they ever needed any more help.
Of course, that was it. Nothing else.