Work Text:
It was a beautiful clear night. The air was mild, and the moon and stars painted the sky.
Hermione was glad her flat was centrally located. She had more drinks, at Harry's celebratory party, than planned. At least her walk home was just a little over 15 minutes from the Leaky Cauldron.
She wasn't near pissed. Though, she could feel her body inflame from one too many butterbeers and shots of firewhisky. Still, she didn't need Draco escorting her home. Despite her protests, he insisted.
Two more minutes and she'll be alone with Crookshanks to unwind.
"Granger, I need to stay over," Malfoy breaks the silence.
"Who invited you?"
"You."
Hermione said nothing. She silently gaped at him like he lost his mind.
"I mean, you haven't yet, but you will."
"And why would I?"
"Because I'm fairly inebriated, and we have an important early meeting tomorrow. If I apparate home now, there's a risk I'll be splinching myself."
Hermione stopped in front of her building. She studied Draco before her, "You don't sound and look inebriated. In fact, you seem completely sober."
"Of course I don't. I'm very good at keeping my composure. You even told me so before," Draco rested his eyes on her mouth. Unconsciously, Hermione bit her bottom lip. "It's one of the reasons why I'm great at work."
"I said that for a different reason," she mumbled inaudibly.
Correcting herself, Hermione shook her head and continued to the lifts. "Why not just floo home? Or, I can floo-call Harry and see if he has extra sober-up potions. Then you can apparate home."
"I can't. You refused to connect your floo to mine—" He was right. In the years they worked together, it was the first time she regretted not connecting to his floo.
"—and Potter left with Ginevra. You don't want to be that witch and ruin Potter's fun." He chuckled to himself, "Although, I won't stop you if you do."
He had a good point. Hermione saw the way Ginny and Harry had been staring at each other the entire night. It made her feel damn near voyeuristic.
"Why did you even bother walking me home, especially in your condition? You know I'm capable of taking care of myself."
"What kind of gentleman would I be, if I didn't walk a lady home at night? Besides, I may be unable to apparate, but my wand aim would still be accurate," Hermione didn't miss how Draco's voice lowered towards the end.
"Ha."
"It'll be alright, it's just for a night. I can stay in your guest room and you won't even know I'm there."
"I don't have a guest room."
"Alright. Then, your couch."
"I have a studio flat."
"A what?"
"A flat with a single multi purpose room." Draco still looked confused. Hermione sighed and tried to explain further as she opened the door to her flat. "It's an open plan."
"I see. Does that mean we'll be roommates?"
- FIN -