Never in a Million Years {Dramione}

07: Blaise and Pansy's House

"Take my hand, Granger" Malfoy insisted, thrusting his arm to the brunette. She scrunched up her nose and flicked her head away.

"I don't need to hold hands with you to apparate, Malfoy" she said.

"Oh. Oh yeah. I uh, forgot..." Draco's pale cheeks began to blush red. He looked at the floor awkwardly, "uh, put your hand on my shoulder... Then... I suppose" Hermione did a curt not and grabbed onto Draco's muscled, broad shoulders.

"Let's go then, Malfoy. My hand is getting tired" Draco could sense Hermione's lie and knew that that was her way of saying, 'I don't want to touch you, deatheater boy. Hurry up so I can get off you'.

"Uh... Off we go! I guess" Draco smiled with his mouth, but not with his eyes. In one flicker of colour, Hermione and Draco disappeared into compressed darkness.

Finally after what seemed like a long time, Hermione could finally feel her limbs in their correct position. Gasping for well-earned air, Hermione bent to the ground only to realise it was wet with sludgy mud.

"Yuck!" She shot up abruptly and wiped down her legs. "Mud! Mud and more bloody mud!" Draco shook his head sharply and ran a hand through his platinum blonde hair.

"Yep. Mud. This way" he pointed his chin over to a row of large brick houses. The sky looked as if it was a big vat of white candy floss, looming over, ready to pour with icy cold rain. Your typical English town. They both trudged through the mud, the bottom of Hermione's skinny jeans getting covered in the soily substance. They began to pass the gardens, all with neatly sheared hedges in the shapes of the most intricate animals. Finally they reached a house that appeared nicer than the rest, with quite a large garden. In the hedge an enormous cobra was sheared into it, it's leafy fangs bared.

"I'm guessing this is the house" Hermione said, glancing over to Draco.

"Yup. You wait here, I'll pop in" Hermione crossed her arms and frowned.

"Why don't you want me to come in?"

"Well" Draco looked to the sky to avoid eye contact with the irritated female. "Well, you know... The war... I... look. I doubt Blaise and Pansy will be 'forgiving' about things. About them. They are good people now, but I think they still may feel a bit edgy around the heroine of the golden trio" he rested his hands in the depths of his jacket. Hermione's eyes practically popped out of their sockets and she threw her hand to her head and groaned.

"Pansy's here as well? Just when I thought this day couldn't-... You know what, Malfoy? I'll wait out here" she zipped up her jacket as the sky was enveloped in a stormy purple colour and walked to the side of the gate. "Well go on then, I reckon it'll rain any second"

"Whatever" Draco rolled his eyes, for no real reason and headed to the door. He knocked on it twice, and was greeted by Pansy, looking slightly taller and more stronger than the war.

"Aye, Draco! What are you doing here? Come on in, Blaise is just watching the Ireland vs Hong Kong football match. You can come and watch as well" she ushered him to come inside. Draco liked their home. It was definitely a family-sized space and Draco thought that this size and style would be great for when he started a family. Someday...

It was two levels and it always had that painty aroma hanging around it. He and Pansy entered the open lounge to be welcomed by Blaise sitting on the edge of his seat, cheering at the TV as if it were a real person. On the coffee table next to him was bowls full of pretzels, M&Ms and a couple of beer bottles were there as well.

"Hey Zabini" Draco slumped down on the sofa space next to him and grabbed a handful of pretzels, beginning to munch away on them.