Hermione spent as much time as she could in her room before finally getting ready for dinner. Soon after she finished changing she heard a knock on the door and went to open it. Her mother stood on the other side with a smile on her face
"We'll be waiting for you in the lobby" she said and Hermione nodded before closing the door to finish getting ready. She wore a black dress that was fitted at the top and flared out from the hips, it came just above her knees. On her feet she wore a pair of simple black heels, around her neck she wore a silver chain with a heart pendant she got for her sixteenth birthday, right before she obliviated her parents, and diamond studs in her ears like she did everyday. She wore natural looking make up as not to deter anyone from the natural 'beauty' people say she had and her hair was twisted up into a loose bun with a few tendrils hanging out to frame her face. When she finally decided she was pleasant enough to go out in public she walked out the door to lifts.
When Hermione stepped out of the elevator she was graced with the sight of her cousins hanging off of a tall man with platinum blond hair, it took her a minute to realize who it was, to her surprise it was the one and only Draco Malfoy. Who was to no ones surprise, impeccably dressed in a white dress shirt and black slacks, the top two buttons were open giving him a more casual appearance and his hair was ruffled and coming over his eyes, the way Hermione had said she liked it almost six years ago, she smiled inwardly at that fact. Hermione was quick to notice that he didn't seem to be enjoying himself one bit. Sighing she made her towards her family and to the poor man's rescue
"Don't you girls think you should leave him to do his business?" Hermione drawled. Her cousins, as well as Draco's heads snapped towards her direction, she saw both girls scowl but they reluctantly obeyed their older cousin, and Draco's facial expression changing to one of relief and then confusion.
"Granger?" Draco inquired with that confused look on his face "what're you doing here?" Hermione shook her head and smirked
"Really Malfoy? What're you doing here?" she laughed "I wonder" she sing- songed and noticed his cheeks starting to turn pink, then he cleared his throat
"I just meant that this is one of the last places I'd expect you to be, so hell really must have frozen over." He furrowed his brow leaning against the welcome desk with his hands in his trouser pockets
"Well you're correct on both aspects of that." She confirmed he let out soft chuckle. They didn't notice the death glares Hermione was receiving from her two female cousins
"How's Potter and Weasley?" he asked much to Hermione's surprise
"Well Harry and Ginny are on their honeymoon so I'd assume pretty good right now and the weasel is hopefully in pain." Draco's eyebrows rose in shock when he heard her say the last bit of her sentence
"Okay, you referring to him as weasel, which is my taunting nickname for him, isn't a good sign," he stated and she shook her head "what happened? If you don't mind me asking," she snorted
"I don't mind it's been over three years now, he uh... cheated on me..." she saw his eyes widen in shock "with Lavender Brown, one week after we got engaged." Draco could feel his jaw clench, he was angry at the weasel for hurting her that way. During eighth year Draco and Hermione put aside their differences and ended up becoming really good friends, however after school both their lives became hectic and they didn't speak often, but Draco was still upset that she didn't tell him, he knew in his heart that leaving her to Weasley was best for her, he would never hurt her. Turns out he was wrong.
"Isn't she dead?" he inquired curiously, Hermione shook her head no "why didn't you tell me when this happened?" he interrogated and Hermione could hear a little bit of hurt in his tone.
"It wasn't important" she replied shrugging, his frown deepened at this and he let out an angry scoff
"Not important! Really 'Mione I thought we were better friends than that." She smiled at his concern
"I did write a letter I just never sent it." She said looking down
"Why?" his voice was softer than it was before
"Because you were busy with the company and me bothering you with my problems would have made it hard for you. Okay?" he nodded seemingly pleased with her response and let the reason go
"I could still kick his ass if you want" she smiled at him but shook her head
"Though I appreciate the offer, he has already been disowned by Mrs. Weasley, bat- bogey hexed into oblivion by Ginny, beaten up by Harry and the rest of the Weasley boys are still giving him the cold shoulder, I am like a second sister to them you know?"
"Well that's harsh, but he deserves it" he replied thoughtfully, after a second they heard someone clear their throat, Hermione immediately swivelled her head to see her family looking at them with amusement, though Ella and Jane looked as if they would rip her head off.
"You two know each other?" Hermione's grandmother asked she nodded her head and opened her mouth to reply
"We went to school together Grandma, we became close friends in our last year. This is Draco Malfoy" She stated glancing back at Draco. Her parents who had been looking straight at him for the better part of ten minutes, finally realized who he was
"My goodness Draco, I didn't even recognize you." Her mother exclaimed apologetically
"That's alright Mrs. Granger, I try to blend in as best I can," he laughed and she laughed along with him
"Yeah right" Hermione snorted
"Excuse you, I do" he replied with a pout, Hermione laughed at his childishness.
"Yeah, says the man who in third year got scratched by an animal and decided to roll around on the ground saying 'oh it's killed me, it's killed me'" Hermione mocked and then laughed
"I will have you know that that animal mauled me" he stomped his foot. "I have a scar from it" Hermione continued to laugh, while Mr. and Mrs. Granger chuckled at their banter
"Well we best be off to dinner, would you like to join us Draco?" Mr. Granger asked, Hermione was about to speak up and decline the offer for him, knowing he was way to busy to join them for dinner, but before she could she was cut off by Draco's sultry voice
"I would love too." Hermione looked at him with her chocolate orbs and noticed he was gazing at her, he smiled and she couldn't help but smile back. It was one of those things Hermione just couldn't resist, he smiled so infrequently that when she saw him do it she couldn't help but plaster one on her face as well. The family started to make their way out the door with Draco and Hermione following along, farther behind the others so they could catch up.
"So how's the love life?" Draco asked out of the blue
"Ah starting with the deep questions I see." Hermione chuckled "terrible, been on a couple dates all of them were awful."
"So still single then?" he questioned, Draco noticed Hermione smile and his heart sank a little, thinking she had someone
"Still single." She confirmed. He let out a sigh of relief before he heard her ask the same question he did moments before
"Single, with the company I rarely ever get to go on a date and when I do, they're only after my money. They don't think I can tell but I do." He sighed
"I'm sorry Draco, that must be really awful."
"Nah I don't mind, I haven't had sex in a while but there's nothing I can do about it." He dramatized
"Well I'm sure if you asked Ella or Jane they would be more than happy to help you out." She laughed at his look of disgust
"Really Granger? Not you?" he chuckled at her up turned nose
"Eww."
"Did you just call me eww? I think I'm handsome, and I honestly don't know how you've controlled yourself for this long." He teased
"You're insufferable" she smiled shaking her head
"Yeah, but you love me anyways." He sing- songed skipping a little ahead of her for dramatic effect
"You are such a drama queen, did you know that Ferret?" she asked laughing when he stopped abruptly to turn around and scowl at her
"Well then," he said with mock hurt "guess we can't be friends anymore" and he walked even farther ahead of her
"Draco" she called, he stopped and let her catch up
"Yeah?"
"I missed you" he smiled and put an arm around her shoulder, pulling her close to his side
"I missed you too, my know- it- all" they continued to walk to the car park in silence still farther behind the rest of the Granger family, but within view of them
"I've noticed your cousins keep glaring at us." Hermione shook her head and looked towards her cousins, who were in fact scowling and staring in the couples direction
"Not at us at me" she corrected
"Okay then, why do they keep glaring at you?" he inquired, Hermione chuckled
"Well first off they already hate me," she glanced up at him and noticed the look of surprise in his stormy eyes, then she patted the hand that was still over her shoulder "and second of all they are both in love with you and do not like the fact that you're paying attention to me, their and I quote 'bushy haired, buck toothed, know- it- all of a cousin'"
"You are neither buck toothed nor are you bushy haired anymore, so they should really stop calling you that. And there is no way in hell I would even consider dating one of them, so they should really get their heads out of the clouds." Hermione laughed at his statement.
Besides I have eyes for someone else, he thought.
"Try telling them that." She whispered, when they reached her car. Her parents had planned for her to ride in her own vehicle instead of with the rest of the family so she could leave if an emergency came up.
"What do you think you're doing?" Draco asked when she went to get into the drivers seat
"I think I'm going to drive my car" she replied with a hint of sass
"Let me. I am a gentleman after all." He heard her scoff at that but she tossed him her keys anyways
"Fine but only because I don't feel like driving" she stuck her tongue out at him
"My, my quite the lady" Draco said sarcastically
"Of course" she said with a wink. She made her way to the passenger side of the car brushing past Draco on her way. They both got into the car and headed to the restaurant.
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