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How To Train Your Auror	By : Alcoholic_Rootbeer Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 7512 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, and I will not make a profit from this story.

Chapter List
- 18
- 19
- 20
Miss Pancake has since edited this chapter for me! Yay! She is quite awesome.
Sometimes you've got to bleed to know,
That you're alive and have a soul,
But it takes someone to come around to show you how.
She's the tear in my heart, I'm alive,
She's the tear in my heart, I'm on fire,
She's the tear in my heart, Take me higher,
Than I've ever been.
-"Tear In My Heart" by Twenty One Pilots
"Astoria!" Hermione knocked firmly on the bathroom door. "Astoria, really! I need to be to work soon!" The sound of a shower turning on did nothing for Hermione's foul mood. Draco's ex-wife had insisted on taking the bedroom if she were to stay 'in such a drab, muggle home', and Hermione had agreed willingly, but this… this was her bathroom. Hermione had a routine. Get up. Make a cup of tea. Read the morning Quibbler. Take a shower. Go to work. And besides, if Astoria ever knew what she and Draco had done in that bathroom, she might never want to set foot in there again.
Draco walked through the door, Scorpius slung over one arm, a bagel in the other. He had insisted on sleeping on the recliner last night to 'ensure the peace' for their first evening. Hermione had taken the couch. It had been an evening chock full of awkward silence and heated glances. "You might as well give up. She won't be out by the time we have to go."
"This is all… oh, give me the baby!" Hermione stole Scorpius from Draco's grasp and kissed him on the nose. "You're the only saving grace in this Hell filled morning."
"I'm right here, you know," Draco scoffed, taking another bite of his bagel. He tore off a piece and put it to Hermione's lips. She shook her head, but he insisted, and she opened her mouth. He placed the bagel bite on her tongue, brushed his thumb over her lower lip, and gave a wink. "Still a Hell filled morning?"
She chewed and swallowed. "Yes."
He rolled his eyes, strolling over to the bathroom door to give it a harsh rasp of his bruised knuckles. "Tori! Really now, this is a bit out of line! It's Granger's bathroom!"
The way he called her Granger didn't set right with Hermione. It was one thing when he did it in front of the class, when Greg would be watching and they had parts to play, but here in the intimacy of her own home in front of his ex-wife, it felt as if he were trying to hide them. And maybe he was. They weren't official, after all. And that had been her own fault. Or had it? What if the reason he wanted to talk it over was to ensure that they wouldn't put a label on it? What if he was nowhere near over Astoria like she had hoped? Hermione herself was on a completely different step of grief, almost at the top of the stairs, while Draco was only on step one or two. And then the worst question asked itself; what if his attraction for Hermione was all a rebound?
She gripped Scorpius tighter to her. "Come on, love. Let's go into the kitchen."
"Are you talking to me?"
"The baby, Draco! The baby." She sniffed Scorpius's soft hair, relishing in the smell of baby soap and prominent infant smell. "He's really the only reason I put up with you, you know."
"Quite…" Draco smirked. Hermione and Scorpius took their leave to the hallway, passing the pictures Hermione hung on the walls for decoration. She stopped at one in particular and raised Scorpius up to eye level to show him. "Those are my parents." She pointed to a taller gentleman with a clean shaven face, short, auburn hair that was thinning, and a large nose. "That's my dad. He looks a bit fierce, but he's a softy. And that," she moved her finger over to a shorter woman with curly brown hair and the same smile as her own. "That's my mum. She's a pistol, so watch out."
"History lesson?" Draco asked from the doorway. She hadn't heard him approach.
"Just thought I'd show him that muggles weren't all throwing witches into ovens."
He smiled, crossing the hall to stand beside her. "What are their names? I don't think I've ever asked you that."
"That's my Father, Jean. And my Mum is Helena."
"You look like her mirror image."
"The same could be said about you and your father. And Scorpius with you."
"History always finds a way of repeating itself," he mused. "What do they do? As a profession?"
"They're dentists. Muggles don't have spells to preserve teeth and that's what they help with."
"Ever thought about going into the profession yourself?"
"Hardly."
They could hear the pipes squeal as Astoria turned the shower off. Hermione sighed, trudging her way on to the living room. "I feel completely grimy. Could she not have waited until after I'd left for work?"
"She's like a cat. She'll assert her dominance in your household until you either push her off the counter or concede. Believe me. I lived with her."
"And what did you do?"
"I learned to use the guest bathrooms."
"Oh joy. We're going to be late for training. We can't just leave Scorpius alone in the living room while we wait for her to primp herself."
"This isn't a magical moonlit stroll for me either," said Astoria, walking into the room in nothing but a towel. Her wet hair draped over her shoulder like a waterfall, and her breasts were barely covered by the plush towel that was much too little to wrap around comfortably. She gave a long stretch, pulling the towel up her thighs. Hermione glared when she caught Draco staring. "The bathroom's all yours, dear." Astoria offered out her hands to take Scorpius.
"I won't have time now," Hermione grumbled as she set Scorpius in his mother's arms. "But thank you."
Astoria glanced over to Draco and smiled. "You're letting the fairies into your mouth, Draco dear."
He snapped his mouth shut, eyes narrowed. "Come, Granger. We have work." He kissed his son atop of his head, purposefully dragging his face close to Astoria's. Hermione wanted to vomit until she saw the smirk that pulled up his lips when Astoria's face tinted pink. "Have a pleasant day, Astoria." He picked up his work robes from the back of the sofa and approached Hermione's fireplace. "Granger. Now."
"Right." Hermione went to the closet, pulled out her set of work robes, and jogged over to Draco's side. They both stepped into the floo and it was Draco to speak. "Ministry of Magic." His hand slipped around her waist. When they landed in a Ministry approved floo in the entrance hall, he dropped his arm and stepped out first. "That woman loves mind games."
"Yes… and apparently you do too." She scowled at him, shrugging on her robes. She noticed his face fall into concern but ignored it, dodging her head low and brushing past him. "We have an appointment with Harry at two. Don't be late."
"Hermione… oh, come on! Hermione!" He called to her, but she didn't stop to wait for him. She found the elevators and slipped inside just as they closed. Her chest ached and her breathing was shallow. This feeling that overcame her tried its best to tear her reasonable demeanor to shreds. She didn't know how hard this would be. And she didn't want to think what would happen if Astoria decided that she couldn't live without her white-blonde ex. Because she got the terrible feeling Draco would be reeled back in just like the fish that Hermione and her father used to catch every Saturday morning at the lake near their house.
"Hello Miss Granger," Greg greeted her as she came into the classroom. He already had set pop quizzes on everyone's tables, face down. Hermione approached her desk at the front, trying to act as if Draco and Astoria's tit for tat had done nothing to hurt her for her self-esteem.
"Hello Auror Diggle," She replied with a smile. It was hard to force, but she did her best. Greg seemed to notice, because he quirked a sideways look at her and set down his quill.
"Something wrong, Hermione?"
The room was quite empty aside from them. Hermione decided that to gain Diggle's trust, she should attempt conversation. "I just ran behind this morning, is all. There was a rat in my bathroom."
"Heaven's bells." Greg's eyes went wide. Draco entered the room and a fog of tension thickened the air. He approached their desk slowly, avoiding eyes from both the others. "Good morning, Malfoy."
"Sir," Draco muttered, setting down his book bag. He gave Hermione a firm nod, still avoiding her eyes, and took his seat.
"Hermione," Said Greg, pulling her attention back. "Would you like to have lunch together today?"
Oh lord. Hermione's mouth went slack for a moment, completely taken aback by the offer. She coughed, rubbed her throat, and said, "Well, Auror Diggle… it would be a bit informal, wouldn't it?" She had hoped Diggle wouldn't dare bring this up in front of everyone, so either he was very thick or trying to defy her requests for purposes unknown. She saw out of the corner of her eye Draco's knuckles clench the edge of the desk.
"Oh, as friends of course," Greg smiled. "Malfoy, would you like to join us?"
Draco's eyes flickered up to Diggle, heated with fury. She knew Draco was jealous of Diggle, but she was sure she was missing something. He took in a heavy breath, released it, and shook his head. "No, sir. Thank you."
"I can't either," Hermione said quickly. "I already have lunch plans."
Diggle's smile dropped. "Oh?"
"Yes. With Harry. We're going to be visiting Ron's grave today during lunch." She sat down next to Draco, brushing knees. He shifted, turning in his chair to avoid her contact. "But thank you."
"Tomorrow then."
"Tomorrow, yes."
She tucked her head down, pulled out a pencil from her bag, and awaited class to start in awkward silence. Today just wasn't her day, indeed.
Lunch time finally came around, and Hermione left first, as to not draw attention to the fact that her and Draco were both in fact leaving to the same place. When she made it to the elevators, she gave a heavy sigh. Class had been terrible. She had barely passed her exam with a ninety three percent! This tension between Draco and her was going to need to be resolved. But it didn't help that his ex-wife now occupied the only comfortable bed in Hermione's house and that there was hardly a moment that she would have Draco alone to herself. Not that she wanted him alone again… no… yes.. wait. What was going on in her mind lately?
She couldn't deny the attraction she felt towards him, especially after Friday night. But she was an adult and sometimes sex was just that: sex. It had been fifteen years of anger and hatred turned into an unbridled moment of passion. 'Sexual tension' as Draco called it. But why now? She had always put stock in kind, gentle men like Ron, and now all she could think about was an arrogant, self-proclaimed prat with soft lips and an arse that - Oh, stop thinking this way, Hermione! Get your head together!
Even though her elevator landed just minutes after her departure from class, Draco had managed to make it to the entrance hall first, smirking as he caught her eyes across the bustling room. He stepped into a floo, said something that she couldn't hear, and disappeared in a burst of green flames. She found a floo nearby, grabbed up a bit of powder, and whispered into the flames. She arrived in an outdoor floo located at the entrance of Hogsmeade. Draco was already waiting for her, leaned up against a brick wall across from the floo.
"Hello," he said, though his face was stern.
"Hi," she said crisply, stepping out of the fireplace and brushing herself off. "Do you think Greg bought it?"
"I dare say he's not going to stalk you at your dead husband's grave just to see if you're telling the truth. Not unless he was a real nutter."
"Look, Draco, about earlier…"
"Yes, what was that about?"
"Really? You have to ask?"
"I'm just curious what bunched up your undergarments."
"Well, if you don't know, I'm certainly not going to tell you!" Hermione started to walk towards The Three Broomsticks, where she was to meet with Harry. "Just drop the subject."
"Fine. Are you really going to have lunch with Diggle tomorrow?"
"And if I am?"
Draco stopped dead in his tracks and Hermione slowed her pace. He took in a deep breath. "He's just trying to rub it in my face, you know."
"Hmm? What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that your pretend boyfriend suspects your real one."
She nearly tripped over a cobblestone as she halted. Her back was turned to him, and she was thankful because if she were turned around he might have seen the way her eyes widened to a point of comic relief. Had she just heard what she thought she had? Did he honestly infer to himself as… her… oh, no. It wasn't possible.
Hermione kept her back to him as she replied in her best casual tone, "I don't have a boyfriend, pretend or not, Draco. Come on, Harry is waiting for us."
She didn't turn around to see if he followed her or not, but she wasn't going to any time soon. She knew that there were feelings harbored deep, deep down inside of her heart for Draco Malfoy. But to label them… wasn't that what she had wanted? To know that he had wanted it too?
"Hermione…" Draco said behind her, his long fingers wrapped around her wrist, pulling her back. She was forced to turn around, but her eyes fell to their feet to avoid his gaze. "You're going to have to talk about Friday eventually."
"I know." She nodded, staring at her trainers. "But with all that's going on, I do not think this is the best time to talk about it."
"When, then?"
"I don't know…"
"Dinner, then." He rubbed her palm with his thumb. "Saturday night. We can have dinner at my home and discuss… things."
"I don't know…"
"It's just dinner, Granger." He released her hand from his, defeated. "I understand if this is too much for you. It's a lot for me to process too. But you're not alone in this, and you should stop acting like you are."
"What did you mean… when you said Diggle was trying to rub our lunch plans in your face?" She finally brought her gaze up to his. He looked torn, as if he were trying to make an impossible decision by telling her.
"After the trial, he said some things…"
"What sort of things?"
"Does it matter?"
"Of course it does. Whatever Diggle says matters. If he threatened you -"
"It's nothing like that." He shook his head. An elderly witch with shoe boxes past between them, and Draco backed up a few paces. His face hardened. "He might have said that he knows I fancy you."
"He did?" Hermione furrowed her brows. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because you were injured, and you looked so happy talking about your stupid muggle film and… I didn't want to ruin it. Because believe it or not, I do care about your happiness. Bloody Hell, I never thought I'd hear that come out of my mouth."
"Did he say anything else?"
"Oh, the usual cock strut. That you're his and that I'm to lay my Death Eater mitts off if I have any sense."
"That's a threat, Draco." Hermione couldn't believe he wouldn't share something like this with her. "We're supposed to confide in each other. You shouldn't have hidden this from me."
He shrugged. "I was going to tell you. Guess this was a good of time as any."
"Well, he's wrong." Hermione found a new confidence in her as she stepped closer, lessening the space between them. "I'm not his. And don't you dare believe it for a moment."
"He's not wrong about everything." Draco retracted from her. "It's funny, you know? I'm a Malfoy. I have money. I have status, though it's tarnished. I used to could quite literally have my pick of the field. And because of one mistake, it's all trashed. And I'm not saying I wouldn't have picked you out of the bunch from the beginning, you know. Because I would have… if things had been different." She knew he meant her blood status, and it pained her. He tucked his arms behind his back and tilted his head off to the side to watch the Hogsmeade traffic. Anything to avoid her eyes. "You're intelligent. You can hold your own in any battle. You're a warrior and yet… there's a softer side of you. One that sees the good in everyone, even when there's nothing good to be had." His laugh that followed was empty. "And you're beautiful. Not just physically, but your soul… Diggle was correct; you're a perfect balance of sense and sensibility."
"Draco…" She stepped closer again, reaching out and placing a hand on his chest before he had a chance to back away. "Don't put me on a pedestal. I'm also bossy, meticulous, hard headed and strong willed. Sounds a lot like someone else I know, actually." She reached up, turned his face towards her, and smiled. "I don't know where we go from here. But I do know this - I don't want to go forward on my own without you in my life. You're very important to the fabric of my reality." She patted his cheek. "Try not to tear a hole in that, alright?" He looked worn, but he forced a smile and nodded. "Good. Now, wait here. Come inside in about five minutes, alright?" She leaned up, kissed him on the lips, noting the hesitant way he kissed her back. "And dinner on Saturday sounds lovely."
She took notice of the beaming smile he had when she left him to enter The Three Broomsticks.
"Alright, Hermione, what's this all about?" Harry asked as Hermione approached him in the corner table of the lofty pub. "Your letter said you had some information about Cane. What happened? Did Diggle let anything slip?"
"No." She took a seat across from him, shrugging off her work robes. "It's nothing like that I'm afraid. Auror Diggle's lips are sealed shut as of this moment."
"Then what?"
"You told me that if I wanted you to take me seriously about my information on Cane, I should give you my source. Well, it so happens that Cane threatened his family. And he wants to come forward."
Harry's face lit up. "Well that's brilliant! Where is he?"
"Outside." Hermione placed her hands on the table and folded her hands together. "But you won't meet him unless you do something for me first."
"Anything, Hermione. Name it."
"You're to pardon him of any crimes he might confess to you in the following conversation, and any others to follow."
His face dropped. "You know I can't do that."
"I'm dating one of the biggest toe rags this side of the equator to obtain information for you. And as such, you promised me a favor. Anything I want. This is what I want."
Harry internally struggled with her request. His face scrunched up, and he pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing. "Has your source murdered anyone?"
"Not to my knowledge."
"…Fine." He took off his glasses, rubbed them against his robes, and placed them back on his face. "But this is your one favor. You understand that?"
"Perfectly." She grinned, rising from her seat. She went to the door, opened it, and said, "Alright. You can come in now."
Draco twitched, surprised by Hermione as she emerged from the pub. "You can come in now." He wasn't entirely sure he still wanted to this, but he thought of the note sent to Astoria tucked in his pocket and found his resolve. He followed her into the building and the face that Potter made was definitely worth every moment. Harry Potter looked as if he were about to have a heart attack as Draco approached the table, pulled over a chair and took a seat. Hermione followed, noticing her friend's horrified expression and patted him on the arm. "It's alright, Harry. I know this might be a bit of a shock…"
"Malfoy?" Potter growled. "Why is it every time there's a big bad in this world, Draco Malfoy is involved? Please, Hermione. Tell me this isn't your source."
"I don't like to lie, Harry."
Potter turned his green eyes on Draco contemptibly. "You're Hermione's source."
"Looks that way," Draco said, reaching over the table and stealing Potter's drink out from under him. He took a sip of the frothy foam and smirked. "I'd like some fish and chips, if it's all the same. And a butterbeer."
"What?"
"You're going to buy me lunch, or I'm not saying a word." He chugged down the rest of Potter's drink and slammed the mug onto the table. "What will you be having, Hermione?"
"I'm not buying you a damn thing," Said Potter. "You're rich. Buy your own food."
"But I thought this was a lunch date?" Draco smirked. "And I don't know if I can recall of the details on an empty stomach."
Potter sighed, flagging down one of the waitresses. "Excuse me. My… associate would like the fish and chips, please. And three butterbeers for the table. Hermione, what do you want?"
"Oh… um… just some chips would be nice. Thank you."
The waitress smiled and walked away. Potter turned back to Draco, arms crossed. "Alright, Malfoy. You got what you wanted. So spill it."
"Not yet." Draco was having fun. It had been quite a long time since he could make the Harry Potter squirm. He was going to milk it for as long as he could. "How's the missus, Potter? I hear you're on baby number two."
Harry cast a sideways glance to Hermione. "You told him?"
"We're friends, Harry. I tell Draco a lot of things."
"Stop." Harry threw his hands up onto the table. "Just stop. You stop calling him Draco. You stop calling her Hermione. If Ron were here to see this…" He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his temples. "He'd never believe it."
"But he isn't here, is he, Potter?" Draco said seriously, bringing his attention back around. "And because of that, you've got a mystery on your hands. One that is connected to Cane. Who is connected to me. So here we are." He spread his arms out wide and wrapped an arm around Hermione's shoulder, pulling her closer for show. Partially, he wanted to be next to her and the other half really just wanted to see Potter's eyebrows go up in a state of shock. Which they did. In fact, his entire face paled.
"You know…" He said after a moment. "It all makes a bit more sense now."
"What do you mean, Harry?" asked Hermione, brushing Draco's arm off of her, but he put it around her again, tighter. She gave up with a roll of her eyes.
"Well… when I found Malfoy in your bedroom yesterday, I thought that there might have been something going on between you two. But if he's your source, then it makes sense why you were spending so much time together alone. I mean… for a moment… I thought…" He laughed. "But that's just rubbish. You two wouldn't possibly be interested in…" He read Hermione's blushed cheeks and Draco's unabashed smirk. "…each other… blimey." He closed his eyes. "Hermione… please, tell me nothing's happened between you two."
"You know how she doesn't like to lie, Potter."
Hermione elbowed Draco in the side. It was worth it to see Potter nearly fall out of his chair as he attempted to get a grip on reality. "Hermione! He's Malfoy! He's a…" Draco braced for the words 'Death Eater'. "A Malfoy!" Well, that wasn't quite what he expected.
"And just what's wrong with me being a Malfoy?" Draco jutted out his chin.
"Aside from your entire family being pompous, egotistical, self-centered… jerks! Oh I don't know!"
"Harry." Hermione scolded. "You're making a scene."
The waitress came back by, dropping off their drinks. Potter grabbed up his and in an instant began to down the entire mug until it was gone.
"Don't you have work in an hour?"
"Just… give me a moment."
They sat in silence until the food arrived. Draco scooted Hermione her plate and sat one of his fish fillets on her plate. "You shouldn't just eat chips. Protein, Hermione. Protein."
"Alright," said Potter. "You've got what you want. Tell me about Cane. How do you know him?"
"Before I tell you, you have to promise me you're not going to throw me in Azkaban."
"Hermione's already backed me into a corner on that one."
"Really?" He turned his head to her. "You did that for me?"
"You're dragging this out," Hermione said. "Just get on with it, Draco."
"Alright." He picked up a fish fillet and bit into it. He chewed and swallowed before he continued. "Cane hired me to look into something called a Pandora Stone. Its magic works in the same way as that thing that attacked Diagon Alley. It's called a Pandora Box. They both steal magical energy and hoard it."
"A Pandora Stone." Potter crossed his arms. "I've never heard of it. Hermione?"
"I haven't either. It's not in any of my textbooks I've ever come across. But Draco's shared some memories with me, Harry. It's real."
"So Cane hired you to… what? Analyse it?"
"And to apply some of my magical theories in order to reproduce it's magical properties. He told me he believed that the stone held the secret to removing a Dark Mark."
Draco waited for Potter's reaction. He was surprised when Potter reached into his pocket and began to scribble down notes. "Alright. Go on. Describe this stone."
"Blue. About the size of a pebble. Gives off a bit of a glow. I've only ever seen one. Cane says it's the literal magic from the myth of the Pandora's Box."
"How did he obtain it?"
"I have no clue."
"What does he want to do with it?"
"Well… he claimed it was to protect muggles. That's why your most wanted wizards are missing." Draco pointed a chip Potter's way. "He used them for experiments."
"And were you involved in those experiments…?" Potter looked up from his notes.
Draco felt the apprehension set in. This was something that he hadn't discussed with Hermione previously, and he knew he was going to be in hot water for avoiding it like the plague. There were still many skeletons in his closet that he feared sharing. But this was for Scorpius, he told himself. He needed to confess his sins. All of them. "I conducted every one of them."
"What kind of experiments were they?"
He suddenly lost his appetite, scooting his food over to Hermione, avoiding her stare. "Vile ones. Ones that would strip layers of magic off the soul. Painful ones." He gulped. "I-It might just be better if I showed you. I could put some of my memories in a pensieve."
"You would do that?" Potter asked, raising his eyebrows.
"The sod threatened my ex-wife and son. I'd do anything to protect them." He pulled out the letter and set it on the table. "Do you recognize this seal?"
"Not off the top of my head," Potter replied, picking up the envelope to look over the seal. When he was done, he unfolded the parchment inside, eyes widening. "You think this was Cane?"
"I know it was." Draco leaned forward. "He approached me in the second Auror trial."
"Draco, we've been over this," said Hermione, "It was just your fear setting in."
"How did he approach you?" asked Potter, very seriously. It was a relief that he would take Draco's words to heart without dismissing them.
"It was a simulation. I'm not sure if he was physically there, but I know he was there in spirit. And before you tell me he wasn't, Hermione, I know for a fact he was." He shifted his eyes to Potter. "He wants the information I have in my head on the Pandora Stone. I was nearly complete replicating it on a grand scale. It's why he used one of my Mines in Diagon. To prove a point. He's dangerous. He'll do whatever he can to get the last pieces of the puzzle."
"So what happened in Diagon… why you ran inside…"
"It was to defuse the bomb. A bomb that I made - inadvertently. Cane added the bit where It blows up." He gestured a grand explosion with his hands before setting them back on the table.
"So what's Cane's motivation?"
"Muggles. He says he wants to protect them."
"Hermione said she thinks that's the connection between Diggle and Cane. Did you ever come across Diggle in any of your time with Cane?"
"Do you think if I did I'd be calling him 'sir'?" Draco scoffed. "He's possibly a pawn used to replace me after I threw away Cane's offer. Or maybe he's spying, looking for any information inside the Ministry."
"Tell him what you know about the powder," Hermione encouraged.
"How does he know about that?" Potter's eyes narrowed.
"We might… have stolen some files from your office…"
"You what?"
"Remember when you asked me why I would go out with a sod like Diggle in the first place?" She attempted a smile. "Well…"
"Hermione…! Come on. You stole from me?"
"Technically, I did." Draco interrupted. "But that's beside the point. When I was going through your files-"
"- Which is completely illegal."
"I discovered -"
"- Should have you arrested."
"That the powder found at Weasley's crime scene is Cane's own concoction of sleeping powder. Have your attention now, do I? Whatever happened to Weasley, Cane was definitely involved. It's how he caught all of his guinea pigs. It's a paralytic, giving Cane complete control of his victim. He can even physically will them to do things while under its effects. And before you ask me, I have no idea how he created it."
"So… Ron might have been controlled before he died?" Asked Harry. Draco nodded.
"You never told me this…" Hermione said quietly.
"If we're being completely honest, I didn't think it was relevant until now. I'm coming clean, remember?" He slid his hand over hers, brought it to his lips, and kissed her fingertips. "I'm sorry. I should have told you sooner."
"Don't do that." Potter grimaced. "Just… not in front of me, alright? What you two… do on your own time… I don't need to know any of it. Malfoy, you and I need to set up a time for you to come over and use my pensieve. I don't think it's wise to use the one at the Ministry. -Hermione, you'll need to keep Diggle busy while we do. We don't need him popping up at my house while Malfoy is over."
"Oh honestly…" Hermione rolled her eyes, though she looked a bit more down than before. Draco suspected his confessions probably didn't help that. "Alright. I'll speak with Greg."
"Just not on Saturday," Draco said, catching her eyes. "Right?"
"Again, I really don't want to know any of this." Potter, like a child, put his hands up to his ears. When he was sure that nothing else would be said, he stuffed his notes into his pockets, along with the envelope. "I'll check into this. See what information I can pull from it. You two better get back to the Ministry soon." He threw some money onto the table and stood. "And I'm sorry, Malfoy. But Saturday might be the only night I'm off."
"Fucks sakes…" Draco grumbled. He crossed his arms huffily as Potter nodded to Hermione before leaving. Hermione bit into one of her chips, contemplating. "Are you alright?"
"Yes…" She said quietly. "I'm just… taking it all in."
"You and me both. On a side note, we don't have to pretend around Potter anymore. That's something."
"We don't even know what we are to pretend to not be anything," she pointed out. "If I go out with Greg on Saturday, we can still have dinner together. It would just be after."
"So… you'd still like to?"
She smiled warmly to him. "Anything to relieve this awkward question brewing over our heads. -Would you like to invite Astoria as well? I'm sure she'd make a great accessory."
Draco's lips pursed. "Not funny."
"Well, neither is her gallivanting around in a towel in the early morning hours in front of my… whatever you are."
He smirked. "Green is a fetching color on you, Granger."
"I'm not jealous. I'm just sharing my thoughts."
"Which are jealous." He grabbed up his mug and sipped down half his butterbeer. "I'll see you back at the Ministry soon?"
"Yes." She nodded. Draco took the chance and leaned over, kissing her cheek. The pretty red that spread across her nose and cheeks was adorable. He chuckled, plucked a chip off of her plate, and left, unsure of where everything was headed. But one thing was for sure; a weight had been lifted off of his chest. He knew he was one step closer to redemption.
HAHA. I loved this so much.
Please leave your thoughts! *kisses*
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How To Train Your Auror