"You know what, Granger?" Draco asked as they finished putting away the dishes, "We should stop calling each other by our last names."
Draco watched in amusement as she stood up straight, her eyes wide.
"How come? I like calling you Malfoy, it suits you." she smiled.
Draco's heart rate accelerated at the sight, but he disguised it with one of his own. "And I like calling you Granger. But let's face it, we used those names back in Hogwarts when we were trying to kill each other. Now that we're much more civilized, I think it's time to start saying first names."
He didn't say it aloud, but lately he'd loved the way Hermione rolled off his tongue when he spoke her name. It was smooth and simple, and had a touch of elegance to it. Granger was a good last name, but it didn't sound as sophisticated as Hermione.
Hermione nodded. "Okay, I agree with that. It's a deal. I'll say Draco from now on, and you say Hermione. This could take some getting used to Malfo- I mean, Draco."
Draco felt a shiver run up his spine at the sound of his first name escaping her lips. The way she said it made him want to hear her whisper his name over and over until the end of the world.
He held out a hand for her to shake, the two of them grinning like fools.
"Well luckily we have plenty of time to work on it."
¥
Teddy sat on his bed, waiting for his parents to come in and help him get dressed. Sometimes, if he had been really good the day before, his mum would let him skip a tub. He hoped she would do that this morning- he didn't feel like cleaning himself.
A long time passed and neither of his parents had come in yet. He frowned and looked towards the door, wondering if he should go find them.
Suddenly, he heard his parents' bedroom door close sharply a few feet down the hallway. Teddy's frown increased, sensing something was wrong. He finally decided to get up and see what was going on.
There was a small crack between the door and the frame of his parents' room. He paused in the hallway, leaning his ear against the wooden structure and heard his dad speaking.
"...what? What do you mean 'no"? Ginny, we have to tell Hermione what Ron's planning! If he somehow succeeds in getting that Time Turner, he'll do whatever it takes to get Hermione." his voice sounded a little scary.
Auntie Mione? Teddy wondered. And Uncle Ron?
His mum sighed. "I already told you Harry, I talked to Ron! I gave him a lecture about trying to hurt Hermione again and I swear he promised to give it up! So there's no point in stressing her out about it."
"How can you be so sure Ron'll actually keep his word? He might have agreed in front of you but what if he sees something else that changes his mind? I won't let Hermione get hurt like this again- we need to warn her!" his dad's voice had risen in volume, making Teddy flinch.
"He's my brother. I know he's been an arse lately but he's still a good person. I know when my brother's being earnest and when he's lying between his teeth. And when he said he'd stop trying to pursue Hermione he couldn't have been more sincere." his mum's tone was a mixture of soothing and firm. Similar to how she spoke when she wanted Teddy to finish his food.
Silence passed for a bit before his dad spoke up.
"I want to believe you, Ginny, I do. But I can't. He's just so desperate to get Hermione away from Malfoy- I can't let him do anything to my best friend."
"She's my best friend too, Harry. And I don't want her getting hurt either. But I've known Ron my entire life and I have a feeling he's going to keep his word. So let's just drop this for now before Teddy hears us." Teddy's eyes widened as he realized his parents were moving towards the door. He scrambled away and started to walk quietly back to his room but then he heard a cough.
"Teddy Lupin, what are you doing out here?"
Teddy turned to see his parents standing behind him, both looking tired. His mum had her hands on her hips and his dad's arms were folded across his chest.
"I- I was waiting for you to come help me get dressed," he answered honestly. "But you never came."
His mum's stance softened as she kneeled down to his height. "I'm sorry, Teddy. Daddy and I were just talking. Do you still want me to pick out some clothes for you?"
He nodded gleefully, taking her hand in his and racing off to his room. In the back of his mind he wondered more about what happened between his Auntie Mione and Uncle Ron but decided to forget about it for now.
He'd ask his parents tonight during story time.
¥
Narcissa rolled over to her other side and tried her hardest to let sleep consume her again. She loathed being awake, for it reminded her of just how sad she truly was.
She'd been in bed for nearly four days now. She only got up to fix herself a small meal or change her clothes. In the back of her mind she wondered why Draco hadn't come to check in on her- wouldn't he be wondering where his mum was?
No, Narcissa reminded herself tiredly. He's got another woman to pay attention to. That Granger girl whom he absolutely hated while at Hogwarts. She still didn't fully understand their relationship. How did two youngsters go from lunging at each others' throats to fancying each other? It was beyond her comprehension but somehow, it worked.
She had never seen Draco so alive and happy. She thought back to the days shortly after he left school, and how he always seemed angry or frustrated. In those days the only smiles he gave were polite or sarcastic. She'd missed his true, genuine one. The one he'd make when he was a toddler first learning how to talk. The one he wore when she brought him to Diagon Alley to buy him his first set of robes.
That smile had disappeared for a long time. But because of Hermione Granger, it was back. The girl who had caused a permanent scowl on her son's face his entire childhood was also the one who had ended up plastering a permanent grin on it as well. What were the odds?
Although she hated to admit it, Narcissa was grateful towards Hermione Granger. She wasn't exactly praising the girl but was now able to respect her. After all, Hermione Granger was the one making her son, the only man she would always love, fill with joy and happiness.
And suddenly, Narcissa knew what she had to do.
¥
Pete Borgin used a ratty cloth to clear away some of the dust collecting on the shelves. It was useless- the particles were practically glued to the wooden surface.
He took a look around the store, grimacing at how gloomy and dilapidated it was. Over the years he'd meant to clean it up, open some windows to let light in- but he'd never gotten around it. Something about the darkness of the room matched the vibe of Knockturn Alley. If he filled the shop with sunlight, customers would think he was a Diagon Alley shopkeeper who was misplaced.
As he glanced around, he thought about all the customers who had been to the store. He'd met wizards and witches from all over England but the most intriguing pair by far were none other than Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. Not only had they been regular customers, he'd become somewhat close to them over the years. He remembered the days they'd enter through the door and stroll around the shop for not more than an hour before buying something. And they always bought something.
Lucius and Narcissa had been an interesting pair for numerous reasons. First, they were somewhat detached from each other yet also connected. They weren't the couple who smiled at one another and shared affectionate gestures yet Borgin knew how much they cared for each other. Second, they came off as extremely cold and bitter at first sight but after getting to know them turned out to be not so bad. And lastly, they showed their love for Draco in different ways.
Borgin frowned at the thought of Draco. Merlin, he hoped that boy was okay. The poor kid was trying hopelessly to see his dying father who practically banned him from stepping foot near the treatment center. It must have been torturous for Draco to endure.
But although he felt bad for Draco, Borgin's heart ached mostly for Narcissa. He knew how much she loved and admired her husband, and knew that not being able to visit him on his deathbed was killing her.
He wanted to visit the Manor and comfort her, but he didn't know how.