||Black Scarves and Careless Hearts|| A Dramione Fanfic

26. Insecurities

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"Being negative only makes a journey more difficult. You may be given a cactus, but you don't have to sit on it."
~Joyce Meyer
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Draco deeply regretted accompanying Hermione to Australia. 

Not that he thought he shouldn't have gone. He knew for a fact that she would need someone to be with her at that time. 

The problem was, now they couldn't go back to treating each other like only coworkers. It was next to impossible, and it was with great reluctance that Draco accepted that he and Hermione were, as of then, a little more than acquaintences. 

It wasn't really a visible change. 

They didn't talk much during work. But Draco did wish her 'good morning' and 'good night' every day, because even if he didn't want to, his blabbering mouth wouldn't obey the commands his mind sent. She took to staying at the apothecary for lunch, but thankfully she had her own food so they seldom shared. They made a habit of spending Saturdays together, during and after the assignment. 

On her birthday, Draco had given her a quill and a hand mirror which was charmed to reflect the word 'Bucktooth' unless shaken, when it would turn into a normal mirror. It was meant to be a joke present, but Hermione had been overwhelmed all the same and had thanked him with one of her warm embraces. 

Now that he thought about it, she had hugged him quite often over the past few days. While they had been in Australia, she hadn't spoken much so her only way of conveying her gratitude to him was with her actions. 

She was more downcast than usual, which was expected. He just hoped she would get back to her normal annoying ways soon, because he  found himself beginning to constantly check on her to see if she was crying or anything.

Every Saturday they would meet up for the assignments. And for those few hours, Draco would only work with her, in silence or engaged in polite banter, and forget all about his other problems. 

On one occasion, Draco had thought of leaving his black scarf over her couch on purpose just so that she would be annoyed at him and deviate from her default sadness. 

If anyone looked happy about the developments, it was Mr. Blak. 

"You still with us, mate?" 

Draco snapped out of his thoughts when Blaise snapped his fingers in front of his face. Annoyed, Draco slapped his hand away and sat up straighter in his chair. 

They were at the Parkinson's. Mrs. Parkinson had invited Draco, Theo, Astoria, Blaise, and, to Draco's dismay, Daphne. Another surprise visitor was Adrian Pucey, who came along with Astoria. 

Astoria had chosen to sit next to Draco, with Adrian on her other side. 

Mrs. Parkinson had left them all to themselves for some 'catching up'. 

"What?" Draco asked in a surly way when everyone continued to look at him. 

"I was asking if you'd like to be my best man," Blaise said, looking irritated. 

Draco raised his eyebrows, surprised but touched, "Sure?"

"Good," Blaise said, then turned to Theo. 

Theo looked like he was in a whole other world in itself. He was leaning back with his arms crossed across his chest. His head was tilted towards the grey skies, and he would occasionally sigh. 

"He looks like he's in love," Astoria whispered to Draco. Daphne looked disapprovingly at her sister. Draco stifled a smile. 

Out of the corner of his eyes, Draco caught sight of Adrian looking wearily at him. Draco paid it no mind.