Chapter 3
Draco was now in front of Hermione's flat after their encounter a week ago. He was wearing his best clothes to impress her. Or not. Just to be presentable, he thought to himself. Enough to make her agree if he asked her in a date again. Yes, he was planning to take her in a date again after this. Why wouldn't him? He was single and most of all she was single, albeit the kids, but he can adjust to that. He already saw how adorable they were, who won't like them?
He knocked at the door and waited a few moments before the door opened and a small ginger boy popped his head out the door, looking at him. Draco smiled at the kid.
"MUUUUM!? There's a blonde at our doorstep!" He announced and ran back inside, then he saw Hermione opened the door wide enough for him to enter.
"Hey." She greeted shyly. She was wearing a fitted mauve dress partnered with black heels. Her hair was far from last week's disastrous one, instead it was in a neat bun. She was breathtaking, he thought.
"Hey," he greeted back.
"Come in."
"Thanks, for you." He handed her a bouquet of red roses.
"Thanks."
"And for the kids." He handed her two bags, pink and blue.
"Oh! You don't have to."
"I insist."
She got the bags awkwardly and called the kids to come over. When the kids arrived, she handed them both the bags. Blue for Hugo and pink for Rose. They excitedly ran back inside their room.
Hermione offered him the couch and she sat beside him. "Uhm... can we wait for Luna to come here?"
"Sure."
"She'll take care of them when we go."
He only nodded because he felt blank, he can't take his eyes off her. Both of them looked at the direction the twins went as they heard some running noise.
"Mum! Look!" Rose said as she show a moving figurine in front of her mother. Hugo followed the action. It was a set of all white figure of a Quidditch Player that can change it's appearance based on what team you wanted it to be. She knew it because the twins wished to have it ever since the toys were released at the start of the year. It was expensive and she was planning to give it to their birthday but now she must think of something else. Well, at least she won't spend a thousand of Galleons at these expensive toys. It's not like she didn't want the best for her kids but it was just so expensive for a toy set.
She looked at Draco, wide eyed. "You spend a lot for these?!"
"Yes," he replied.
"But why?!"
"I'm taking their mother out, that's why."
Then she got it. He was making a good impression. So he was serious about this?
Rose approached Draco. "Can you change my team to Holyhead Harpies? Aunt Ginny's there, they're my favourite."
Draco ruffled Rose's hair and casted a spell to turn her team in Holyhead Harpies' team.
"Oooooh! Mum! Look! Aunt Ginny's here!" Rose said happily.
Hermione laughed which Draco found beautiful. "I can see that."
He felt someone poked him on his shoulder. He looked at Hugo who was holding his team. "Can you change mine too?"
"Sure, bud. What's your favourite team?"
"Tutshill Tornados."
"They're my favourite, too." Draco said as he casted the spell to Hugo's team, too. Hugo smiled at him then back to his team.
"What'll you say to Draco?"
"Thank you, Draco!" They said and ran back to their room giggling.
A few minutes of silence occurred between them, but broke when Luna came by the Floo. An exchange of awkward hi and hellos between Draco and Luna and a few notes from Hermione then they were ready to go. Draco brought Hermione via Side-Along Apparition in one of the finest restaurant in Wizarding London, the Dragon's Nest. It was his personal favourite aside that it has resemblance to his name, it made him remember some familiar tastes of the past. He looked at Hermione and saw her blushing but he didn't brought it up. This place really surprised her and she was thinking why did he brought her here. Does he know something was up with her and this place? If he knew then it will be terribly embarrassing.
They went inside and took the table near the window.
"Why here?" Hermione asked, curious at Draco's choice of restaurant.
"It's my favourite here," he answered. "makes me feel...things."
"Oh." Hermione felt her cheeks reddened again. She just picked up the menu and hid her face there. Draco followed the action except for hiding his face.
A waiter came to get their order.
"I'll take the best seller." Draco said as he handed the menu to their waiter. He looked at Hermione who has her face still buried in the menu.
"Hermione?" He called.
Hermione peeked out. "Uhm...what?"
"What's your order? Can't you choose?"
Hermione finally lowered her menu and gave it to their waiter. Hermione shot the waiter a weird look according to Draco as he watched her. Did she dated this guy?
"Chef Hermione?!" The waiter said, surprised to see his boss dining in her own restaurant.
There it goes, the terribly embarrassing.
"Chef? What is he talking about, Hermione?"
Hermione face palmed and sighed. "I'll take the same, Jeff."
"Uhm... okay, Chef." Then their waiter went on. Hermione looked at the confused Draco who sat across her.
"Well, yeah. Chef. I own this whole place."
"What?"
"Yeah." Hermione smiled and blushed. "I took your suggestion and here we are."
"Oh." So that's why this place made him feel things. It was a familiarisation he had on Hermione's cooking. He smiled at her. "I'm glad you consider it. And I meant what I have said earlier, this is my favourite place to eat."
"Thank you."
"And you named it Dragon's Nest." He chuckled in amusement. She felt her cheeks warmed again.
"After you."
"After me."
"You gave me the motivation, so..."
"I'm glad I made something good. So how are you doing? Of course except for the kids and this." He gestured at the whole place.
"Nothing really, my whole life rotates between the kids and managing this after the divorce."
The food came and they started to eat but the conversation was still on.
"If this doesn't offend you, I hope it does not. May I ask why?"
"The reason for the divorce?"
He nodded.
"Like what the paper says, we thought we're better as friends. You look like you're wondering why we took that long, right?" She asked and he nodded. "We fell out of love around the second year of the marriage, we did tried to fall in love again because of the kids but we can't. It took few more years until we decided to end it all. We've got no hard feelings."
"So..."
"So?"
"He won't be angry with you dating?"
She laughed. "No. He won't. He's dating someone too."
"He won't be angry with you dating me?"
"I think so not."
"Are you sure? I mean, it's me and him we're talking about."
She looked contemplating. "Yeah, you're right. I've imagined his reaction." She laughed and he laughed along too.
"So, how about you?"
"How about me?"
"Dating?"
"Sort of."
"Sort of?" She asked with a chuckle.
"I've been busy with the family businesses and mother's so afraid I'll die single so she and Blaise sets me up with some Pureblood heiress."
"Have you like 'em?"
"The heiresses?" He asked and she nodded.
"Nah. They're so full of themselv—"
Hermione snorted. "And you are not?"
"You didn't let me finish, Hermione."
"Okay, sorry. Please, go on."
"As I said, they're so full of themselves and so am I, there's a lot of clashing going on." She laughed at his statement. He continued. "And they're not so interesting either."
Their conversation ended in here as they finished their food. After eating, they decided to take a walk in the nearby Muggle park.
"I'm wondering..." Hermione started.
"Hm?"
"You said that your mother and Zabini's usually setting you up with woman."
"That is correct."
"I'm wondering if have you gone in a date that it's you who asked."
"No, this was actually the first time."
Hermione stopped walking. "What?"
"Yeah. I don't have any interest about settling down or something of that sort."
"Why now? Why me?"
Draco sighed. "Why now? I actually don't know. Why you? I like you."
Hermione's eyes widened. "Woah! Draco, wait slow down. You like me? You said you like me? I must've heard it wrong. Did you really said that?"
"Tsk. Yes, Hermione. I did. You didn't heard it wrong."
"But you hate me before, and you just saw me last week. Isn't that very fast?"
He smiled at her and held her hands. "Believe it or not, I don't hate you, in fact you made me feel—" He lowered his face next to her ear and whispered. "—things." Then they apparated back to her flat.