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Hermione walked into the designated restaurant indicated on her date card. She was full of nerves and already debating fleeing after being inside for three seconds. She internally was berating herself for attempting this blind date program that was advertised in the Daily Prophet. It was the Daily Prophet, so she really should have her guard up.
The hostess asked if she had a reservation and before answering she looked around the restaurant to see at least eight tables with a solo male diner. Others either had a couple or were empty. Some of the men were old and some were around her age that she recognized from school, but no one she knew personally. She sighed in relief that her date likely wasn’t someone that she knew.
The chipper hostess smiled and declared. “Everyone here tonight is part of the blind date program from The Daily Prophet. They rented out the restaurant tonight for this event. Do you have your reservation password?”
Hermione nodded with a small smile. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad . “Bookstore,” she said with clarity and confidence.
She watched the hostess immediately frown and looked down at the seating chart. She watched her smooth out her features, but the smile was gone. It was more of a blank face, like she was trying to be expressionless instead of polite and happy like before. “Your date has already arrived. I shall bring you to him.”
Hermione nodded, but inside she felt the doom. Anxiety swirled in her stomach. This date was going to be horrible. There was no going back since the hostess was already escorting her to a table. Two other females entered the restaurant behind her. “I’ll be right with you ladies.” She said in her happy, bubbly tone. “Miss, if you would follow me, please?”
Hermione walked behind her while staring at the floor. Maybe the floor would engulf her if she willed it enough . Then she suddenly stopped, Hermione looked around as to why they stopped. Catching a blond haired man beginning to stand from the secluded table that they were stopped at.
The hostess said nothing as she scurried away without a word.
“Granger,” the man said before clearing his throat. “Bookstore?” he asked with some hesitation and some intrigue to his voice.
She nodded. “Bookstore.”
He rounded the table to pull out the chair opposite from him. “Will you join me? I understand if you'd rather leave instead.” Under his breath, he whispered to himself, barely audible, “It wouldn’t be the first time.”
She furrowed her brows. “This isn’t your first blind date?”
His tongue clicked behind his teeth. “Third. It’s why I ask for a secluded table now. I assume most don’t want to be seen with me and it helps with the embarrassment when they leave after they see me at the table.”
She chewed her lip in thought.
“It’s fine. I understand.” He swiped a hand through his hair. She hesitantly sat in the chair. It was maybe a full minute later that he assisted with scooting her chair closer to the table and proceeded to sit across from her. He seemed unsure what to do with himself.
He opened his mouth to say something, but a waiter appeared at their table, handing them menus and asking for their drinks.
Her date proceeded to order them an entire bottle of wine. Maybe he needed to be drunk for this date to occur or he thought she needed to be. Either way, she studied her menu with projected interest while thinking about why the program put her on a date with Draco Malfoy, of all people. She was his third date in this program, meaning he had been in this for at least a month. Each candidate was surveyed over three weeks before given a date. They were only allowed one date each week. There would be a survey sent to each of them after the date to ask how it went. What features and qualities they liked and disliked in their date.
They each placed their order with the waiter and sipped on their wine in silence. Draco opened his mouth and then downed his glass before pouring another. Guess he was the one that needed to be drunk.
“If you wish to leave, go ahead.” She said before taking a longer pull of her wine.
“No. I…. Thank you.” He paused. She was unsure if he was going to say anything else or not. She just watched him. His pressed dress robes were perfectly tailored for his body. He was fit. He had developed muscles over the last seven years, his biceps would strain slightly against the fabric when he poured their wine.
They have run into each other from time to time in Diagon Alley, he had always been polite and cordial to her. One of the encounters, he apologized for his actions in school and the war. He told her he was learning and trying to prove he had changed his ways. Other than that one conversation, their other encounters had been quick hellos.
“Thank you for staying. For giving me a chance.” He fiddled with a ring on his right thumb for a moment. “I haven’t been on a date in years. No one stays once they see me.
Pity. She wasn’t sure if he wanted her to intentionally pity him, but she did. No dates in years, because he was a Death Eater. She twisted her hands in her lap, pulling on the skirts of her navy dress. Should she sit here with this awkwardness or should she try to push through. Maybe she should ask him something.
She opened her mouth to ask him a question when the waiter arrived again. I swear they were doing this on purpose. Every time either of them worked up the courage to speak, he showed up.
They picked up their cutlery, but before sampling their food.
“What made you join -”
“Do you work at-”
They both asked at the same time and stopped at the same time. “Ladies first, he gestured for her to continue.”
She set her fork on the side of her plate. She decided to give him a summary, similar to what she answered in her survey. “I originally worked at the ministry, but found it unfulfilling. They wanted me for the heroine status and not for my knowledge and skills. So, I left and decided to enter the Healer training program. I have been a healer for the last two years now. St. Mungo’s likes to have me in all their advertisements in the papers to gain funding, but other than that I like my job. Then there was dating. Many of the men who asked me out, did so to say they went on a date with Hermione Granger. To brag. I joined the program for anonymity. I want to date someone who wants to date me, not my status or fame. Someone who wants to get to know me.”
“I understand. I joined for similar reasons. I also want to be anonymous. I wanted to be set up with someone who didn’t know who I was. Someone who would give me the chance to prove I am not that little shit anymore. Someone who doesn’t see me and flees.” He squeezed the fork in his hand until his knuckles turned white. “Besides dating. I secretly brew potions to supply the hospital. I do it under my company name instead of my own. The company only exists inside my home, so no one would be able to link it to me. So, I get to do what I love while helping others.”
“Do you ever want to open a potions shop?”
“Maybe one day, but I’m fine being a one man set up for now. I don’t need the money, but I enjoy what I do and I have some flexibility. St. Mungo’s sends me a list of what they are low on and I choose what to make from the list. I am thinking of working to improve the quality of the medical potions as well. Make them taste better or work faster. Maybe smaller, more potent qualities. I am dabbling into pediatric doses as well, for those under age eleven.”
They slowly ate their food while discussing medical potions until they ran out of things to say. There were many moments of complete silence and other moments where they both started talking at the same time.
He suddenly rushed to ask her. “Okay, Granger, which Deathly Hallow would you choose, and why?”
Hermione chewed her lip, deep in thought. ‘ What a random question, ’ she thought. She had obviously used Harry’s Invisibility Cloak and knew how useful it had been. Did she choose one of the others because she would like to try it? Does she not choose the Elder Wand because Harry broke it? Is she supposed to be philosophical? Ugh, she’s thinking about it too much.
Draco murmured, “Maybe while you're deep in thought over there, I’ll tell you what I would choose first. Deal?”
She gave him a single nod. Maybe hearing his answer will help her decide on an answer.
Draco leaned back in his chair, shoulders posed with perfection. “I would choose the Elder Wand.” She scoffed at him under her breath, but he heard it anyway. She rolled her eyes and thought ‘of course you would. ’
“I am a good duelist, as I am sure you have seen my skills before. So, I would be able to defend the wand. Anyways, I am already the wand's current true master, so I would have no problems using it.”
Her jaw dropped. “How do you know that you're the true master?” As far as she knew, it was not common knowledge that Harry had beat Voldermort with Draco Malfoy’s actual wand.
“Potter’s little speech to the Dark Lord before their duel. I was paying attention. I disarmed Dumbledore, which means I am the wand's master.” He smirked at her.
“You were the wands master when you disarmed Dumbledore, but Harry disarmed you for your own wand. Therefore, Harry was the master of the Elder Wand during the duel with Voldermort. However, he did defeat him with your actual wand. So, maybe that will mean something since he has since returned your hawthorn wand.”
Draco’s eyes were alight with intrigue. “So, I guess I am the owner of the master wand that defeated an evil wizard.”
“Yes, you are, since Harry returned your hawthorn wand. Harry, however, destroyed the Elder Wand. So, you would be in possession of a broken wand, if that was your choice of Deathly Hallow.”
“Why would Potter do such a thing?!” Draco exclaimed.
“It was too much power. Too many people died battling over it. He used it to repair his own wand and then he snapped it in half. However, I do see your intrigue as a duelist to want to choose it.”
“Well, we all know that Potter had the Invisibility Cloak. However, he trailed me so often that I could easily seek him out. If he had been more stealthy then the Cloak would have been a great choice, but I lost my intrigue for it as he is the owner.”
“It was very useful throughout our years at Hogwarts, but I agree. Since Harry had it all along, it did lose its intrigue.”
“So, you would pick the Resurrection Stone?” He leaned toward her with curiosity.
She shrugged. “Harry explained it as being able to talk to spirits. You couldn’t bring them back from the dead, but you could talk to them again. I think if I had it, I would feel guilty for all those that lost their life in the final battle. Even though it was years ago, it’s still too fresh to want to use it. I think I would go crazy, talking to spirits who have crossed over, but it would give some closure.”
“Hmmm,” he hummed in agreement. “So, what would you pick?”
“Part of me wants to choose the Wand because it does intrigue me. I’m curious how much power it really holds, Ron and I never got to use it. Then part of me knows the ability of the Cloak and its usefulness. I think overall, I would probably pick the Cloak.”
“Always the practical option, Granger.”
“Not always,” she replied deviously. “If that were the case, I wouldn’t be on a date with you.”
“Touche,” he smirked. “So, why did you decide to stay on this date with me?”
Her eyes sparkled. “Intrigue. If I’m being honest. Why would someone like Draco Malfoy want me to stay? To change your reputation, to get into the papers, or some other motive.”
His eyebrows flew into his hairline and his jaw dropped open slightly. “Are you saying that you stayed on this date to figure out my motivation?”
She dipped her head once, urging him to continue, to confess why he was here.
“Interest, Granger. I have always been intrigued by your knowledge, maybe fancied you a little. I have always let my parents choose my path in life. After the war, I decided to focus on what I wanted in my life, not what was expected of me. I took some time to soul search and work on things that made me happy. Once my father passed away in Azkaban last year, I became Lord Malfoy. Therefore, my choices matter now in the Malfoy household at least. While I want to show wizarding Britain that I have changed, my happiness matters more. So, the opportunity to get to know you, even if just on a friendly level, I would be stupid not to seize the moment.”
Her jaw had dropped open during his speech. He reached across the table, used his index and middle fingers to push her jaw shut. Which snapped her out of her thoughts to control her own body.
Merlin, what a change of events. She was stunned at the turn this conversation was heading. Draco Malfoy fancied her, at some point in his past. Maybe even now?
“So, you’re saying that I’m not a filler of time, someone to have forbidden dirty muggleborn sex with before your marriage contract is up and you marry a pureblood wife?”
He laughed. A loud, boisterous laugh that she was not expecting to ever come from Malfoy. “No. Is that what you thought this was? That you were someone who I could live out my fantasies with… to sow my wild oats… prior to marriage.”
She shrugged. “What else was I supposed to think?”
He leaned forward and took her hand in his. “Maybe that you are extremely desirable. That you are not just the brightest witch of her age, but also the biggest catch imaginable. That I would be stupid to not attempt to win over and claim the smartest war heroine in existence. You're gorgeous, intelligent, brave, loyal, sexy, and intriguing. What is not to yearn for?”
She smirked at his colorful words to describe her.
He turned deadly serious. “Anyways, I had never desired a single pureblood witch ever the way that I desire you. I plan to show you my loyalty and commitment, if you choose to accept it, that is.”
She beamed proudly at his intentions. “Let’s see how the rest of this date goes and maybe a few more before we get to that point. You have made your intentions clear and I agree to giving you a chance.”
He smiled at her and squeezed her hand that was still in his. “As you wish, Granger. We shall go at any pace of your choosing.”