Galleon for your thoughts
The crisp morning air nipped at Draco’s exposed skin, a welcome distraction from the turmoil churning within him. He was perched on the edge of a stone fountain in the Nott Manor gardens, the sprawling house behind him like a silent sentinel. He’d Apparated here after seeing Granger in St.Mungo’s, needing somewhere that wasn’t the silence of his own flat.
A glance at his watched showed it was just gone 10am, he hadn’t yet been to sleep. All he could think about was Granger, and how distraught she had been.
He thought about the war, remembering the fear, the desperation, the constant threat of loss and the relief he had felt, when he heard Hermione had survived. He’d told himself then it was because her survival meant the end of the war, knowing Voldemort would never have let her live if he had defeated Potter. But now, he knew his feelings for Hermione were complicated, as they always had been.
A twig snapped behind him, and he didn’t need to turn to know who it was. “Nott,” he acknowledged, his voice flat.
Theo settled beside him, a question etched on his usually impassive face. “Draco, I wasn’t expecting a visit this morning, everything alright?”
Draco shrugged, picking at a loose stone in the fountains basin. “I just needed some air.” Theo raised a skeptical eyebrow, “Something is clearly bothering you, come on tell me?” Theo placed his arm around his old friend “Is your mother alright, did the visit not go well?.”
Draco shook his head, “No, she’s okay, the same as always.” He glanced over at the lake, needing a second. “Granger was at the hospital, with Rose.”
Theo’s expression shifted slightly, a flicker of concern crossing his features. “Is everything okay?”
He looked up at Theo, his grey eyes filled with a mixture of confusion and something else, something he couldn’t quite name. “Rose was running a temperature, and Granger was panicked but she’s okay, an infection of some sorts but it just made me think..” his voice low, “made me think of Tori and Scorpius.”
Draco looked away, his gaze fixed on the dark expanse of the gardens. He thought of Scorpius, so small and fragile, wrapped in that pale blue blanket. Fixing to stop the tears from rolling down his face, he stared off into the distance.
Theo nodded slowly, understanding dawning in his eyes. “Draco, it’s okay to be sad you know, to think about them.” He looked back at Theo, his expression a mixture of pain and confusion. “Seeing Rose look so unwell, It scared me and she’s not even my child, she’s nothing to do with me.”
Theo leaned back against the fountain, his gaze thoughtful. He’d suspected for years that Draco’s feelings for Granger were far more complex than he’d ever admitted, even to himself. Now, seeing him like this, so clearly shaken by her distress, he knew he was right.
“Perhaps,” Theo said slowly, “perhaps it’s time you stopped pretending, Draco. Stopped pretending you don’t care about Hermione Granger.”
Draco huffed out a laugh, “It’s a bit late for that mate, I already asked her out, sort of.”
Theo met his gaze steadily. “Excuse me!” his voice high, “how do you sort of ask someone on a date?” He nudged Malfoy, “keeping secrets from me, how dare you and how dare she. Did she say yes?”
Draco’s breath hitched “I told her I’d be asking her out soon, she’s not ready for it yet and I don’t want to be a rebound Theo. My feelings for her are complicated but I know enough to realise I don’t want a fling with her.”
He looked out at the silent gardens, the weight of the last few days pressing down on him. He thought about Hermione and of that sweet little baby, who from the moment he had helped her come into this world had stolen a piece of his heart and he couldn’t understand it. “I think Theo, that I’m going to do my fucking best to convince that crazy witch to go out with me.”
Theo laughed, and winked “of course you are Draco, and incase you didn’t already know, she likes you.” Draco’s gaze shifted to him, “Has she told you this?” Theo shook his head, “of course not, I don’t think she’s even told herself yet but I see it, even if she's not ready to yet.”
Draco smiled to himself, Theo confirming what he already thought he knew. They stayed there in silence, watching the peacocks roam around the gardens, finally Theo cleared his throat, breaking the silence. Draco looked up, a questioning glance in his grey eyes. “Draco,” Theo began, his usual cockiness gone from his voice, “there’s something I wanted to tell you, or well ask really.”
Draco leaned back, a flicker of curiosity piqued “well, go on then?” Theo took a deep breath, “I ran into Pansy and Blaise last night.” Draco blinked, momentarily taken aback. Pansy and Blaise.. He hadn’t seen them since, well since the night Voldemort got killed. They had both ran with their families though he knew they had been questioned and proven innocent in everything that had gone on but it was unexpected. “Are they back then? Last I heard they were in France?”
Theo’s smile widened slightly, a hint of mischief in his eyes. “Oh they are back alright, we had a fun night of drinking and…” he trailed off, wiggling his eyebrows.
Draco rolled his eyes “How unsurprising of you Theo, but surely you aren’t just wanting to tell me about your evening entanglements?” Theo laughed, “no, but I can tell you all the dirty details if you like.” Draco held up his hand “no thanks, just get to the point.”
Theo’s face looked serious “They want to see you, and if you’re okay with it I was thinking we could invite them here for a lunch, catch up with them both?” Draco’s eyebrows shot up. Pansy was loud, opinionated and had been undeniably obsessed with Draco during their Hogwarts years. He’d always considered her more of a.. sister, and Blaise had always been part of the gang though more on the periphery, spending most of his time at Hogwarts stoned but they had been a family at one point. “Okay Theo” he gave in with a sigh, “we can do lunch”. Theo’s face broke into a grin, “I can’t wait to tell them you have a crush on Hermione Granger, oh maybe we should invite her.”
Draco scowled, “absolutely fucking not Theo, can you imagine Hermione in the same room as Pansy?”
They both laughed at the thought, "'I'd bet you 100 galleons, Hermione would throw the first hex." Theo said, "I think it would be good for you Draco, to see them. Finally put the past where it belongs."
“I’m free next Saturday, put a date in the diary. I’ve got somewhere to be and I really need a shower first.” With a wand raise, Draco Apparated away landing on the doorstep of his flat in London.