Love Bites (Harry Potter: Official Dragon Tamer, Part One)

Hell Freezes Over

Friday Afternoon
07 August 2009
Harry's POV

"So, erm, Harry," Hermione said suddenly, biting her lip.

We were having tea in muggle London, enjoying the last days of summer, lounging on the patio of one of our favourite tea spots.

"Hmm?"

"I know you and Blaise got on okay at your party," she launched right into it, glancing at Ron for encouragement, I supposed.

"Yeah, he was great," I admitted. "Why? Want to hang out again?"

She nodded, smiling happily.

"Yes," she sighed, still swirling her teacup in her hands nervously. "Ron and I were thinking of going out for a pint with both our work partners," she continued. "And we want you to come with, obviously."

"Ok," I agreed, not understanding how she could be so nervous about that. 

Then, Hermione took a deep breath and looked me straight in the eye.

Uh-oh. This wasn't good.

"My work partner is Draco," she stated, watching me closely for my reaction.

Oh.

Draco had mentioned that they worked together, but I hadn't thought of them as work partners, per se. I'd assumed there was a whole bunch of them in the Department of Mysteries, all working together to, well, you know. Solve mysteries.

I carefully schooled my face into what I hoped was a neutral expression.

"Oh?"

"Erm, yeah," she glanced at her hands, twisting nervously in her lap.

"He's really changed," she added quickly. "Really."

"He's not at all the way he was at school," Ron added helpfully.

"You've hung out with Malfoy?" 

Merlin, what was my world coming to?

Ron shrugged.

"He's joined Blaise and me for a few," he admitted. "He was fine. Bloody hilarious, actually. Witty bugger, that one."

"Draco does have a wicked sense of humour," Hermione admitted, smiling fondly.

I sat there staring at both of them. Never mind that I was fucking Malfoy. That was different, mind.

"So, what do you say, Harry?" Ron asked.

I looked from him to Hermione, taking in the hopeful expressions on both their faces and sighed.

"I can't believe I'm agreeing to this, but...ok."

"Excellent," Hermione was all but beaming at me. "You'll see, it'll be fun."

I snorted.

I was sure this outing was going to be any number of things. I just wasn't sure fun would be one of them.

***

Turns out, they'd invited Pansy Parkinson along, too, I realised as I entered the pub and saw Hermione, Ron, Blaise, and Pansy sitting at a table in the corner just past the bar. Draco was yet to show, it seemed.

It made sense, I supposed. She and I, the third-wheel to their working-partner duos, or something like that.

Ron, Hermione, and I usually hung out in muggle establishments to keep me out of the limelight, and I'd been surprised that Blaise and Draco had agreed to this. But Parkinson in a Muggle pub? This had to be a first.