Hogsmead
It was now the weekend and Hermione was stood by the entrance of the castle, in her warmest coat and hat because it had snowed overnight. She didn't know why on earth she was doing this. Never in a million years did she think she would be going to Hogsmead to buy a dress for a ball with Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zabini and Draco Malfoy.
As she stood by the door she spotted the trio in the distance as they rounded a corner. If she wanted to leave that was her chance before they saw her. Too late. Pansy started to wave at her as they got closer. "Hay Hermione." Pansy said. "You ready to go?"
"I think so."
Pansy was wearing a bright cherry red coat with a white scarf, the colour a stark contrast to her short black hair. Draco wore a forest green polar neck jumper with a black coat and green scarf. Blaise was wearing a dark blue jacket and a similar colour scarf. She hadn't really spoken to Blaise very much but when they had spoken when partnered together for a lesson once in a while or she needed to borrow something, he was never blatantly mean or rude to her. She would even go as far as to say he was shy.
They all walked out through the door, and as they did, the cold air almost took Hermione's breath away. It was freezing out. The bright white snow was covering every inch of the school grounds. Although it had snowed already it didn't last very long, a day at the most. This snow was everywhere and looked a foot deep in places.
"So when we get into Hogsmead you two," she pointed to Draco and Blaise, "you are booked in at the tailors for ten thirty, Hermione and I are going to get coffee and then we are going to try on dresses in Madam Pauline's shop. Just come in when you are finished."
"Jesus Pandy, how long have you been planning this?" Draco asked, a shocked look on his face.
"Not long." She turned to Hermione. "So how did it go working out that clue?"
"It was actually harder than I expected, I wouldn't have been able to do it without Draco."
They spoke light conversation into Hogsmead, Draco and Hermione explaining the clue most of the time. Once they reached the village square they split off.
It only took a few minutes to reach the cafe. It was a cozy looking shop with large windows at the front, the building itself painted a dark red colour with a little sign above the door that read 'the book nook coffee shop' in gold filagree.
Her hands were so cold that they were numb and she couldn't feel the handle of the door they opened as they walked into the cafe. They both walked over to a small table at the back hidden by some book shelves. Hermione immediately sank into a large flowery armchair, the plush cushions making feel as if she were being hugged. "Wow, I think this might be my new favourite place." Hermione stated as she brushed her fingers against three of the books on the bookshelf.
"So what do you fancy?" Pansy asked smiling at her.
"Umm, a black coffee please."
"Sure you don't want anything else?"
"Yeah."
She headed over to the counter and ordered coming back a few minutes later with the coffee. She sat down opposite her. "You probably don't remember this but we actually sat together on the Hogwarts express in our first year."
"Yes I remember." She replied as she placed her hands around her mug, trying to warm them from the cold outside.
"You know, I thought that we were going to be friends." She looked down at her cup as if in deep thought. "I guess the house system put a stop to that."
"I thought we were going to be friends too."
Hermione wondered what would have happened if they had been friends. Would she have been friends with Ron and Harry in the first place? Would she have helped as much in the war as she did? They were silent for a few seconds before Hermione asked "So what kind of dress are you going to get?" She took a sip of her coffee, the hot sweet liquid warming her from the inside. She carefully placed her mug back down on the stained wood table.
"I went in the shop a few weeks ago and saw a silver dress with an off the shoulder thing going on. What about you?"
"I have absolutely no idea." She laughed.
"I guess we had better go to the shop then so you can try a few on."
They finished their drinks and just as they were about to leave Pansy turned to her.
"I want you to know that I haven't seen Draco this happy in months, and before you mention that the war ended, it's not that, this last few weeks it's like he is back his old self."
"I doubt I have made that much of an impact on his life."
"Well you have, and he talks about you a lot, I don't think he notices. What ever is going on between you two, I think it's good...for both of you."
"Oh, nothing is going on between us, we're just friends."
"You have changed his life then."
"Well he has changed my life as well, up until I started to hang around with him I felt like I had no one to lean on or talk to about things that bothered me with out feeling like a joke."
"Well now you have a second person you can talk to about that kinda thing, me." She smiled.
"Thanks." She smiled back. It was strange how easy it was to talk to Pansy, it was like they had been friends the whole time.
She couldn't help thinking that maybe there was something going on between them, that maybe they were more than friends. She wondered what it would be like to have a life with him, it would probably be full of lavish parties and formal dinners, but he probably would like the quiet things two. They might go to book shops and talk about muggle books, get caught in the rain.
Suddenly she realised what she was thinking. What was she thinking, she was daydreaming fantasies about bloody Draco Malfoy.
Maybe she did like him in that way, she thought, but what did it matter, nothing could happen because he was a pure blood and she was muggle born.
As they stepped outside the cold air took Hermione's breath away. Snow was coating the cobbled street as they walked, leaving fresh footprints behind them. Suddenly Pansy stopped abruptly and turned to face a window. To Hermione's surprise it was her favourite book shop. "I have to go in, just for a minute. There is a book I have been trying to get for ages."
They walked into the book shop, a little bell above the door announcing their presence. "What book are you looking for?" Hermione asked as she too browsed the shelves and picked up a book she particularly liked the look of called 'Unusual spells with secret uses'.
"Oh, I think its something like 'Magical Mythology'"
Hermione flicked through the book and found a particularly interesting page on a echolocation spell that allowed you to see in the dark, when what Pansy said registered. "Wait I think I have that book. It's by Marline.C.Watson."
"Yes that's the one."
"You can borrow it if you want."
"Wait, really?"
"Yeah."
"Thank you so much." She smiled.
"I'm just going to buy this book and then we can go." She said as she walked over to the small counter nestled between piles of books.
They left the shop and it was only a short walk to the dress shop.
As they walked in Hermione's eyes widened at the number of dresses in the shop. "Jesus that's a lot."
"Yeah, go and pick one and try it on."
By the time she had decided which one to get she had tried on twelve dresses and had picked the nicest dress she had ever seen. Just as she was going to the till to buy the dress, Draco and Blaise walked in through the door.
"So how is it going?" Draco asked gesturing to the dresses in the room.
"It's going good, I'm just about to buy this one." She replied as she held up the dress bag.
"I'll pay for it." Draco said stepping forward as he reached into his pocket to pull out his wallet.
"No it's fine, I can pay, seriously." She smiled.
"No I'm paying, I'm the one who roped you into helping me in the first place, I should pay for your dress."
He walked straight up to the till and handed the money to the woman before she could refuse again. He turned around and smirked at her so she frowned back.
"Where is Pansy?" Blaise asked.
"She is in the changing room." Hermione replied. Just as she said it Pansy walked into the room, a bright smile on her face.
"Hay guys, we going back then?"
"Yeah I think so." Draco replied as he looked down at his watch. "Jesus look at the time, we had better go now."