The Accidental Malfoy

18 | Endings

Disclaimer: I do not own this, nor am I profiting off the display of this story in any way.

"We weren't... well, I wasn't sure whether to invite Malfoy or not," Ginny said, amending her statement at a look from Harry.

Hermione was over at the Potters for another midweek dinner. With the upheaval in her life settling down, she had made time once more for little things like dinners with her friends. It was nice to get back into the routine now that the tabloids had stopped camping outside her house and following her everywhere. Of course, that didn't mean they stayed away from her and Draco if they were ever out in public together.

"Why would you invite Draco?"

"Well, would you ever consider inviting Harry over for dinner without me?" Ginny asked, a cheeky smile wreathing her face.

"No, but that's because you are a couple, that would be... oh! Oh, ha ha! Very funny, Ginevra, but Draco and I aren't a couple."

Ginny raised her eyebrows at that, patently disbelieving. Hermione threw her hands up in the air. "Okay, so we're getting on and I never thought I would hear the day when I said that. But we are just friends. Nothing more."

"Nothing more? Hmmm... I believe you, Hermione, but thousands wouldn't."

"Harry!" Hermione said, appealing to her best friend to step in.

"Hey, don't get me involved in this. If you are claiming that there is nothing between you and Draco, then that's on your shoulders," Harry said, pushing his glasses back up his nose, a teasing glint in his eye.

"What? You don't believe me either?"

"Do I think you and Draco are dating? No. But don't ask me if I think you and Draco could be dating, because I'm not sure you'd like the answer."

"You are both impossible," Hermione said with a pout.

Harry leaned forward, patting her hand across the table, the amused smile gone from his face. "You know that wouldn't be a bad thing, right? I mean, the pair of you have weathered this whole mess remarkably well and that you've managed to become friends out of it is pretty remarkable, especially when you factor in where you have come from."

Hermione was touched by Harry's words. She and Draco had made a real effort to get past the bad history between them and were now at a stage where meeting for lunch or going together to look at baby things was no longer awkward. She was enjoying the new found understanding, and Draco was a lot more interesting that she could have imagined. But despite thinking about it since his birthday, Hermione had no idea if she wanted to take their friendship any further. She had lain awake more than one night thinking the options over.

And then there was Draco himself. He had shown no inclination that he wanted to mean any more to Hermione than a friend and the father of their baby. At times, she wished things were a little less complicated and that she knew her own mind in this matter.

"I don't know, Harry. I'm not sure either of us would be ready to jump into anything like that."

"Maybe because the pair of you are over-analysing everything," Ginny jumped in, jolting the table with her baby bump as she rose. "I swear, I get bigger every pregnancy."