Sleep Tight
Draco bit his lip as Theo surveyed the kitchen, his eyes darting back and forth from their faces to the floor. "It was the house elves, Theo." Draco responded slightly gravely while wondering how exactly Theo knew Hermione. He turned and withdrew his wand out to begin cleaning the mess Pax had made.
"I see." Theo said, his voice even as he faced Hermione. "And if it was the house elves, wouldn't it be their problem to clean?"
"Well, Draco has a baby house elf. Did you know that, Theo?" Hermione piped up. Draco paused his wandwork for a moment—she hadn't called him Malfoy.
"That I did, Miss Granger. Pax is just the sweetest thing while he's learning his magic. I took him home to Nott Manor once and his magic ripped up a rug in an attempt to fluff it."
Draco let out a small laugh. "Yes, and the portraits nearly vomited on themselves seeing it—a fourteenth century rug that was."
Theo hummed his agreement and he stepped over a few vegetables to stand in front of Hermione, his dark eyes now only focused on her. In defiance of his size, she looked up at him with narrowed eyes, almost expecting what was coming. "I didn't know you had any plans to break up Draco's engagement and to sweep him away to the other side of the country, Granger. I would've helped had you told me."
Draco paused his cleaning to face the duo; he could practically hear Hermione's gears turning for an excuse.
"It's—complicated." She started.
"Complicated?" Theo began, a smirk forming on his face. "Oh, and how so? The two of you practically had the most ..." He paused and let out a laugh. "Explosive exit together from London. That and the way the post is showing the two of you interacting together before you went off through the portkey. Astoria hasn't commented on anything yet, by the way. Nor has your mother owled me." Theo added, mainly addressing Draco who turned his back again.
"I doubt the post will ever have anything pretty to say about the likes of me, Theo." Draco added in a dull voice. "You know how Granger is with her charity cases."
A furious blush spread across Hermione's cheeks as she turned to face Draco's back. "You're not a charity case!"
Draco turned to face her, feeling the slow rush of adrenaline that normally crept up when he pushed her. "Oh, is that so? And what is it that made me so enticing, Granger, that had you snatch me out of Astoria's grasps?"
"Not your fucking mouth, Malfoy." She growled back, and Draco's eyes widened at her vigor. He watched as she strode out of the kitchen, effectively disappearing down the hallway.
Theo was carefully watching Draco's face, and in that moment the only relief he felt was knowing that Theo was not a legilimens. Theo tilted his face and in a low voice questioned. "What in Merlin's name is she doing here? And don't even start with whatever affair rumor the two of you have started—you barely moved from your spot when I was inches away from her face. If you wanted to woo Granger, I can't understand why the countryside would be the place to start."
Draco grimaced. "Wasn't her explanation that it was complicated enough?"
"Not particularly no, and besides, she'll tell me if I ask again."
"It's a complete secret, Theo. There are only a few people that know from the DMLE." Draco started. "There's going to be a dark object exchange on the coast in a few weeks. They needed people that could handle any defenses, as well as people that could handle the potions that might be involved for stabilizing the objects."
"You broke your engagement for a cover? Does Hermione even know about Astoria?"
Draco ran a hand through his hair. "She knows that its over. And it is better that it's over."
"And Hermione?"
"And Hermione, what?"
"Don't play coy, Draco." Theo warned, his voice dropping into a whisper.
"I'm not starting anything."
"And what the two of you did to this kitchen—"
"It was the house elves, for Salazar's sake." Draco hissed back.
"Don't drag her through this if you don't mean it Draco."
"I won't."
Theo leaned back, apparently satisfied. "Good. Now go and apologize for being an arse."
Draco closed his eyes and groaned. "I did start that, didn't I."
"Mhmm."
"You still haven't explained how you know her." Draco said, his eyes snapping open to Theo's face.
"I joined SPEW, remember? Back at Hogwarts, when I thought Padma had joined?"
Draco let out a cold laugh. "And you've just been jolly with her since?"
Theo shrugged. "We've kept up. Similar hobbies and whatnot."
Draco nodded. "I see. Well... I'll go up now, convince her to come down."
"I suppose that leaves me to clean the flour."
"Welcome to Beccles, mate."
***
Granger's door was open when Draco approached her room, the sound of papers being organized was the only indication that she was inside. Barely stepping into the doorframe, Draco knocked, spotting her casting wandless magic to sort through what looked like a few of the case files. She looked up; her brown eyes expressionless as she saw Draco. "Come in."
Draco stepped into the room. "Are those the case files?" He asked.
She nodded. "Harry gave me a few boxes, so I'm just trying to get ahead of the paperwork."
"You can put them up here." Draco slowly strode into the room, passing Hermione and stopped at the large dark armoire. Grasping the sides of it, he gently pushed it to the side, revealing a door behind it. "Alohomora." He said with his palm against the door, which gave a click and Draco turned the handle, revealing a smaller room inside.
It was a small study, complete with a desk, bookshelf and the same ugly curtains that were draped across all the windows on this floor. There was a blank wall behind the study that Draco lifted his arm to. "Yours to put papers up, and this room is free for your use too. I don't think it's ever been used."
Hermione paused, her hip leaning against the window still. She turned to look at him and gave him a small smile. "Thank you."
Draco nodded. "And... I'm sorry for being an arse."
"It's fine."
"I told Theo what the cover was; he'd be here too much to not figure it out."
Hermione cracked a smile. "He'd figure it out without either of us having to say anything."
Draco returned the smile. "I was surprised the two of you knew each other, what with him being head deep in Slytherin."
"We met in SPEW, I'm not sure if you remember it—"
"I do."
"Yes, well, a few years after the war we bumped into each other and now we go out occasionally." She said pondering. Draco must've made a face because her eyes rounded and she continued on. "Oh! Not like—not like that. We're friends; he comes and visits Australia with me occasionally, and we take trips to muggle libraries. He enjoys the fiction." She said thoughtfully.
"Australia?"
"Oh, my parents are there."
"I see." He said nodding. "Well, I suppose since Cricket's busy with Pax, I'll get started on dinner."
"Do you even have food left after Pax?"
Draco stopped in his tracks. "I..."
Hermione laughed, a pure sound that filled the study. "Don't make fun of me, but while I was unpacking... I realized I packed with quite the haste. My bag has vegetables—enough if you want to attempt ratatouille. Though, I think there's only enough to sustain us for today."
Draco smiled, his laughter getting stuck in his throat. "The stores here open back on Monday, but the farmers market will be open tomorrow morning, so we'll be fine after tonight. I suppose today, the three of us can try making ratatouille."
***
Draco slept deeply, dreaming of the ratatouille that had tasted like burnt baked vegetables; the two wizards and one witch not enough to transform it into anything more. He pulled his covers up higher around him to combat the chill that seemed to be seeping into his room, only awoken by the noise he distinctly knew to be Cricket apparating.
It was during times like these he knew the war hadn't really left him, not in the way he had silently slid out of bed and grabbed his wand, immediately pointing it at the appearing figure of Cricket who looked terrified.
"Cricket?" Draco asked, almost relieved Cricket wasn't screaming. "What's wrong?"
"Miss Granger, sir. She—" She stopped speaking, and reached out a small arm for Draco to take, effectively pulling him through elf apparation to Hermione's room.
"Hermione?" Draco asked hoarsely, attempting to make out the shape of her in her bed in the dark. "Cricket, what's going on?"
Cricket threw open the blinds, revealing Granger writhing in the sheets, her hands out in front of her as if she was almost reaching for something.
Draco felt lead in his stomach as he lurched forwards, grabbing her shoulders. "Granger!" He yelled.
"Cricket is think she is having a nightmare, sir. Cricket is wake to her whimpering."
As if on cue, Granger gasped, her hands finding Draco's collar and pushing. "Wait... just give me a second. Wait."
"Granger?" He whispered hoarsely. "Granger, wake up."
"Give me a second, wait. I'll find the spell." She whimpered, her head lolling forwards.
Horrified, Draco stepped back and out of her clutch. "Hermione." He whispered, pointing his wand at her. "Rennervate!"
Hermione shuddered as she awoke, letting out a small scream as she saw Draco, scrambling out of the covers. "Draco!"
"Hermione—"
"Oh Miss Hermione!" Cricket cried, climbing into bed and cradling Hermione's head in her lap. "It's a nightmare, Miss Hermione."
"Cricket—" Hermione and Draco started at the same time, and Draco's eyes snapped up to Hermione's face hearing her voice return back to normal. Her brown eyes that were normally filled with life and passion were dull—she was occluding.
"Cricket, return to your room, please." Draco said. With a small pout, Cricket disapparted.
"I'm sorry if I awoke the two of you." Hermione started, leaning against the head board.
"You won't fix it if you occlude."
Hermione's lips thinned. "It makes no difference to me."
"Stop."
"No. Isn't as if you don't occlude, Malfoy." She said coldly.
He almost flinched. "Just because I can, doesn't mean I do."
"Hmm." She murmured, and Draco watched as she slipped out of bed and began to rummage through her bags.
"What are you—" He began to stand once he saw her tip back a blue vial and downed it in a single swallow. "Oh, a coward, are you?"
Hermione glowered at him. "No."
"If you can't handle occlusion, don't do it."
"Let me be, Malfoy."
"I can teach you how to occlude the proper way, Hermione. And only when you need it—whatever Stefen is teaching you—"
"Is working." She spat back.
"Put it to the test?" He said, standing up at full height beside her bed post.
Granger's eyes narrowed as she straightened. "Fine."
As if they on cue, they threw an arm out pointed at each other and cast their respective spells. "Legilimens!"
Hermione didn't stand a chance; Draco broke her walls of occlumency within seconds, he was keeping his distance in between the little bricks that she had built up. Hermione let out a groan as she sunk to a knee and Draco pulled out, once again taking in his surroundings.
"Hermione." He walked forwards and took her by the elbows, dragging her up to standing. "You don't have to occlude in this house."
Her bleary eyes looked up at him, the dull gone. "Mhmm."
"Come on." He said guiding her into bed, and watched as she drew the covers over herself. He sat on the edge of the bed, watching her as her eyes were fixed on the wall behind him. "What did you dream of?"
"Your aunt. That night in the cellar."
Draco's eyes slid down to the mudblood scar that was still on her arm that was thrown over her blanket. "I'm sorry." He said standing slowly, guilt filling him. What was he thinking, aiming a legilimens at her? "Will you be able to sleep?"
"No." She said quietly, and patted to beside her. "Stay."
"What?"
"If you touch me, I'll hex you so hard they won't be able to find your body, but... stay, please." She murmured quietly.
Every fibre in his body was telling him that Theo would've been the right person to call... hell, even Potter would work, but Draco only nodded and quietly asked. "Are you sure?"
She nodded, loosening her grip on the covers, and rolled over to the left side of the bed, leaving a section of the blanket for Draco. He slid under the covers, sliding an arm underneath a second pillow, feeling closer to her than he had ever been and feeling the warmth of her through the blanket and sheets. Her hair smelt of vanilla and her eyes were slowly fluttering shut as sleep called her once more. "Goodnight, Draco." She called out softly.
"Goodnight, Hermione."