Chapter Text
Eighth year at Hogwarts brought many surprises. A renewed sense of academic vigour for Hermione, certainly. A closer friendship with many of her classmates in Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff was to be expected, especially considering the absence of Harry and Ron. More freedom to act as an adult outside of class time was a welcome change, and Hermione found herself in Hogsmeade during many an evening, sharing drinks and bowls of snacks with Neville and Hannah, or Padma, Justin and Mandy, or, as on this occasion, Ginny and Luna.
The seventh years didn’t technically have the same freedom as the eighths - Hermione and her fellows had blanket permission to visit Hogsmeade any weeknight, and permission to apparate home or to London on weekends, while the sevenths could visit Hogsmeade on weekends only, but it was nice to have the chance to talk to Ginny and Luna outside the castle. Hermione was still ferocious about her studies, but with adulthood and victory in war came change, and with a distinct lack of threats to her life or to the lives of others (cough Harry), Hermione didn’t feel compelled to spend all her free time in the library, but rather to experience her school years as she had yet to do, and to have fun.
Although, on this particular Saturday evening, the Three Broomsticks was fairly quiet and there wasn’t much fun to be had. It wasn’t a free weekend for the rest of the school, and so there were only a couple of groups of teenagers scattered around, and Ginny was going over a letter she’d received from Harry, telling her all about his latest trials at Auror training, when the door burst open and two more students came tumbling in from the cold.
That was a mischaracterisation, though, Hermione decided. The weather was certainly chilly enough for most people to flail around at the entrance, removing scarves and cloaks and stamping snow off boots, but Hermione doubted the two boys - the two men - at the entrance had ever tumbled through a door. Instead, Draco Malfoy simply brushed a speck of snow off his shoulder as he removed his cloak smoothly, and Theodore Nott pulled off his woollen hat and raked a hand through his dark curls as he followed Malfoy to a seat at the booth next to Hermione and the girls. Malfoy sat with his back to them, but from her space across the table from Ginny, Hermione found herself looking into Theo’s eyes as he took his seat, and he nodded politely at her. ‘Hermione, ladies,’ he said in greeting.
‘Theo, Draco,’ Hermione replied, equally as civil. The Slytherins and the rest of the older students had come to a polite understanding, mostly. Those that had returned had either not taken the Mark and had not actively fought in the war - Nott, Greengrass, Zabini, Bulstrode - or they had taken the Mark but had suitably repented - Malfoy.
Hermione had to admit Draco appeared to be a changed man. He’d accepted his punishment - house arrest during summer, probation at Hogwarts for a year, and his wand surrendered to his Head of House outside school hours. He no longer strutted around the school, and he’d spent his first week or two making an apology tour of sorts, beginning with Luna, Dean and Neville, moving on to Rosmerta, Ginny and a few other students, and ending with Hermione, in a conversation that had been witnessed, on his request, by Ginny and Theo.
‘I apologise, unreservedly,’ he’d told her. ‘I was a complete arse to you in our younger years, and blaming it on youth is no excuse, but I was an ignorant child who had never realised or been shown that I could do better. I’m sorry for bullying you, and the name calling, all the pranks.’
Hermione had nodded. ‘We were children too, Malfoy,’ she’d replied, ‘and we did some equally awful things to you, although, I will maintain that you started it.’
‘I did,’ he said with a quick grin before he sobered up. ‘But from fifth year onwards, I don’t think there is anything I can say in my defence, especially since that’s also when I started to realise I might have been wrong. I started to understand that what my father taught me - what my aunt was teaching me - was wrong, but I went along with it anyway. I watched them do horrible things to you and Potter and Weasley, and I knew it was wrong, and I didn’t stop them. I’m sorry, Hermione,’ he said, and it was the use of her name that tipped her over as tears started to fall. Ginny grabbed her hand and squeezed, and Theo was there, a hand on Malfoy’s shoulder, watching her closely with his serious, dark blue gaze, and Hermione pulled herself together.
‘Thank you, Draco,’ she said, and his shoulders relaxed, just a little, in relief. ‘I accept your apology, and, well… we all had pretty shitty school days, I guess.’
He visibly recoiled at her swearing as Ginny snickered a laugh, and then he and Theo both gave a similar laugh, and Hermione grinned.
‘We’ve only got a year left,’ she told them. ‘I can’t be bothered wasting energy on pointless feuds, can you? You’re sorry, I’m sorry. I got tortured, you had to live with your bitch of an aunt and the psychopath she called - Merlin, actually, I don’t want to know what she called him.’
‘Oh, you heard those rumours, too?’ Theo murmured, and Hermione gave him a quick grin.
‘Let’s just move on, shall we? I don’t know if you remember first year - on the train?’ she asked, and Malfoy nodded. They’d had quite a nice conversation for a few minutes before Hermione had announced she was Muggleborn, and Draco’s smile had turned from sweet to sharp in an instant. ‘For those few minutes,’ she said, ‘I thought we could be friends. Can we at least now try to be civil acquaintances? There are not many of us doing the advanced classes, it would be nice to have someone competent to study with, at least.’
He’d stuck out a hand, and she shook it. ‘It’s a deal, Granger. See you in Ancient Runes?’
‘Save me a seat, boys,’ she’d replied, and that had been enough.
Now, Ginny tossed a quick look over her shoulder at the Slytherins, then went back to reading from her letter.
‘So he says he’s going to have a couple of free days over the Christmas break next week,’ Ginny said. ‘Wants to know if we all want to catch up. Ron’s apparently still on location with Seamus and a couple of others, but Harry will be free. He says we can meet him at the house and then maybe head out to London?’
‘That would be nice,’ Hermione said. ‘It’s been a while since I’ve been to Muggle London properly. I do have some shopping I need to do, and maybe we could have dinner and go see a movie? Luna, you interested?’
Luna nodded but before she could speak, Ginny said, ‘Absolutely. Maybe you two can shop and Harry and I can go off then meet you after?’
‘What could you possibly do in Muggle London that would take an entire day, Weasley?’ Malfoy had turned in his seat and was looking over at them.
Ginny turned and glared at him. ‘Um, lots, Malfoy. Eating, shopping, walking, sightseeing… finding a dark hidden corner in which to kiss my boyfriend who I haven’t seen in three months.’
‘You can do all that in Diagon Alley,’ he said, and Hermione tilted her head to consider him. He didn’t sound superior or mocking - he actually sounded curious.
‘Have you… not been to Muggle London?’ Hermione asked lightly, not wanting to sound judgmental, although she couldn’t explain why.
‘Of course I have,’ Malfoy said, although Hermione caught sight of Theo shaking his head in the background and holding in a smirk.
‘Where?’ Ginny challenged. ‘Name a street you’ve been to.’
Malfoy floundered. ‘Well, I - I don’t know the street names,’ he insisted. ‘Where have you been, then?’
As they started arguing, Theo left his seat and slipped in next to Hermione. He was much taller than her, and his presence beside her was warm and comforting. They’d become reasonably friendly over the last few months, studying together most afternoons and sharing nearly all their classes.
‘This is going to end badly,’ he said, ‘or hilariously.’
Hermione considered them. ‘Malfoy doesn’t have his wand, does he?’
‘No, he dropped it to Slughorn before we came down tonight.’
‘We should be okay then, I don’t think Ginny would attack an unarmed wizard.’
‘Oh, you are so full of yourself, Malfoy. You wouldn’t last an hour in Muggle London, let alone a full day,’ Ginny laughed, mocking, but not spiteful, and Malfoy sneered back at her in much the same fashion.
‘If you can do it, Weasley, it can’t be that hard.’
‘Prove it,’ Ginny said. ‘I bet you can’t.’
‘I’ll take that bet,’ Theo said, and the two of them whipped around to stare at him as Hermione did the same.
‘What?’ Draco and Ginny said in unison, then both looked askance at each other.
‘I’ll take the bet,’ Theo repeated. ‘I’ve never been to Muggle London either, but I bet I can manage to get myself around. How about it?’ he asked, looking at Hermione.
‘Me?’ she said, in a voice that was definitely not a squeak.
‘Yeah,’ he said. ‘Let me take you out in Muggle London. If I manage to show you a good time without getting hopelessly lost, then… you have to go to the next Quidditch match in Slytherin colours.’
Ginny’s eyes were wide and delighted as she stared at Hermione, and from behind her, Malfoy had a similar look in his eyes.
‘I - okay?’ Hermione said, not really sure what was happening. As soon as she’d accepted, though, Ginny and Draco jumped back into conversation, as if not wanting to give her the chance to back out.
‘What do you say, Weasley, same deal?’
Ginny laughed and mimed gagging. ‘I’m not going on a date with you, Malfoy.’
Hermione’s heart jumped. Had she just agreed to a date with Theo?
‘Don’t worry, Weasley, I have no interest in your virtue. Bring Potter with you. Lovegood, you in? We’ll make it a double.’
Wait, did Malfoy just ask Luna on a date? What was happening?
Plans made, Theo and Draco said their goodbyes and left Ginny to continue recounting every word of Harry’s letter as Luna nodded along, as calm and placid as she always was, if with a little bit of a secret smile on her face, and Hermione’s mind whirled with all the possibilities of what she might have just agreed to.
The next few days went both excruciatingly slow, and incredibly quick. Hermione finished off her last assignment that was due, and managed to get a little additional reading done. She’d packed a few things ready to head to the Weasley’s for Christmas, with an invitation extended by both Ginny and Molly, although they were expecting a quieter than usual holiday this year. Fleur was heavily pregnant, so she and Bill had elected not to travel. Charlie was back in Romania, and both Ron and Harry would be on location with their trainers until Harry returned to London a couple of days later. For Christmas, it would probably just be Mr and Mrs Weasley, Percy, George and Ginny, and Hermione wasn’t sure what to expect.
On their last day of classes, Theo found her in the library and handed her a lovely embossed calling card. ‘My address,’ he said, ‘You can owl or floo me in case you need to reschedule, although I’m hoping you don’t. I’m looking forward to spending a day with you outside of this place.’
‘I’m looking forward to it as well,’ Hermione told him, almost unable to believe her own daring. ‘We’ll see you at 11 at the Leaky Cauldron, right? Muggle attire only,’ she added teasingly, and he grinned.
‘It’s a date, Hermione,’ he said, and that answered one rather important question, she supposed.
Christmas went by in a flash, and it was sad, and quiet, but also somehow nice. George spent the day with them, wrapped in his mother’s or his sister’s arms, but he was spending a lot of time with Angelina, as well, who popped by for dinner one night and gave Ginny a rundown of her time trying out with various Quidditch teams. Percy, too, it seemed, was seeing someone, although he didn’t want to talk about it much, and Hermione and Ginny let him be.
The day before their trip to London, Ginny dragged Hermione out of bed and shoved some clothes at her.
‘Up, up,’ she said bossily. ‘We have to go to London, we have important shopping to do.’
‘Gin,’ Hermione said sleepily, ‘we’re going to London tomorrow.’
‘No, we have to go today as well,’ Ginny said. ‘We need new clothes. Those posh wankers will show up dripping in the latest Muggle fashions and I am not letting Malfoy show me up like that. Plus I haven’t seen Harry in three months and I am not letting him take me out in old jeans and a quidditch t-shirt. And you have a date so you need a new dress, don’t argue with me.’
Hermione found she couldn’t actually argue with that logic, and so she resigned herself to two days in a row in London. At least with Ginny in tow she could do some of the shopping that she didn’t really want to get done during her date - new socks and knickers and cosmetics and pens - and they both came home with Hermione’s old beaded bag stuffed to the brim.
The next day dawned clear and bright, and the girls were sent off with a cheery ‘send our love to Harry, dear!’ They collected Luna, and then Floo’d from the Lovegood residence to the Leaky Cauldron, where Harry was waiting with a grin and hugs for them all. Hermione and Luna got their hugs over quickly, and then let Ginny attack her boyfriend with all the enthusiasm she’d been storing up. Luna looked at Hermione with a cheeky grin. ‘Do you suppose there’s an infestation of wrackspurts here?’ she asked. ‘There must be, to cause all this fuss.’
‘I don’t think they need wrackspurts to cause this sort of fuss,’ Hermione said, as Luna giggled, Harry and Ginny broke apart, and the fire roared back to life with another arrival.
As the Slytherins tumbled out - and there really was no other way of describing it this time - Ginny burst into laughter, but Hermione took in a deep breath.
‘Oh, Malfoy, no,’ Ginny said, still laughing, as she pulled him off to the side and started stripping him of his - admittedly sharp - three piece suit.
Theo made his way to Hermione as Ginny demanded that Harry give her his bomber jacket so ‘this idiot doesn’t look like a right wanker out there.’ Hermione watched the show for a moment as Ginny forced Malfoy to remove his tie and vest, and put on Harry’s jacket, and she transfigured his trousers to jeans and his wingtips to sneakers. Malfoy’s expression was both horrified and delighted, as was Harry’s, and Hermione tried to hold in her giggles as she turned to face Theo.
He was looking a little sheepish as she looked him over.
‘Did I get it wrong already?’ he asked, and she shook her head.
‘No, you look incred - you look fine,’ she said, ‘just a little overdressed. This is a very formal look, so it’s like wearing dress robes to Herbology class. Easy to fix -’ she tapped his shoulder for him to remove his jacket and vest, then she transfigured his shoes also. She rolled his sleeves up a little, drawing her hands over his forearms as she did, and she left his tie but changed it from austere black to a lovely deep blue to match his eyes and Ginny gave her a wink.
She looked him over critically and stepped in close and she could feel him draw in a breath as she placed a hand behind his neck and gently pulled his head down towards her, and started ruffling her fingers through his perfectly styled hair. His curls sprung back to life and she couldn’t help but smile.
While Ginny gave both boys a last glance over, Harry drew Hermione aside. ‘Are you sure you’re happy to go off alone with him?’
‘I am,’ she said. ‘I’m looking forward to it, actually.’ Harry gave her a sceptical look, and Hermione laughed. ‘Really,’ she said. ‘It’s been - well, it’s been different at school this year. Malfoy’s still a git, but he’s a lot more reasonable about it, you’ll see. And Theo - well, we’re friends,’ she said, and Harry grumbled.
‘He wants to be more than friends, Hermione.’
Hermione bit her lip. ‘I’m actually okay with that, Harry. That might be something that I want, too.’
‘Well,’ Harry said, ‘I don’t like it, but I suppose I don’t have to. So long as you’re happy. You’ve got your coin? Message me or send a Patronus if you need anything.’
‘Yes, Dad,' she teased, and Harry kissed her temple.
‘Be good, daughter,' he teased back, and then it was time to go.
They gathered at the London entrance, and Hermione went over the plan again.
‘We’ll meet you back here after dinner,’ Hermione told Harry. The plan had been to meet for dinner, but then she’d seen Theo in his tie and his rolled up sleeves and she quickly decided she didn’t want to sacrifice any of this day back to the group.
They were about to leave when Harry called out. ‘Hey, Nott.’
‘Yeah, Potter?’
‘Look after my sister, okay?’ Harry had the faintest blush over his cheeks but his gaze was strong and his words were clear, and Theo nodded with the same serious expression.
‘Always,’ he said, and they were gone.