Chapter Text
Hermione stood at the steps of 12 Grimmauld place. Taking a deep breathe of the English air, the slight chill to the wind-ironically- warmed her soul. Luckily she was still added to the wards, and knocked on the large wooden door-steadying her breathe. The faint sound of feet shuffling before the door swings open.
“Kitten! You’re back!” Sirius cheers and pulls her into a tight hug, her legs swinging just above the ground.
“Sirius!” She laughed and swatted his arm. “I dont think Remus would want you calling me, Kitten.” She gave him a wink as he put her to the ground again.
“You should hear what I call him” The older wizard wiggled his eyebrows at her.
“Let’s not tell her. I would like to keep some dignity.” Remus emerges from the kitchen with a cup of tea and a book in his hand. “Come, I just made tea.”
They walk back into the kitchen, it was different than when she left. More open, surrounded by natural light. It was lovely compared to the dark and dreary design of Grimmauld previously. Remus poured her a cup of tea, and she sweetened it with one sugar and a splash of milk. The first sip was euphoric. The flavors melting on her tongue, she couldnt help but groan as she sat the cup down.
“I have not have proper English tea in a so long. I needed this.” She sighed.
“How long have you been in town? We havn’t heard from anyone.” Sirius questioned as he placed a tray of biscuits on the table.
“This was my first stop.” Hermione smiled at the two men. “I was not sure who all would be here, still. But I knew someone would be here. And I am here for the foreseeable future. I have no plans to travel for a while.”
“Well thank you for gracing us with your beautiful presence.” Sirius smirked at her, causing another blush on her cheeks. “Your room is still available to you if you need somewhere to stay. It’s just us now. Been a little too quiet if you ask me”
“I couldn’t impose.” Hermione grabbed her beaded bag, and started looking through it.
“Nonsense. Go shower and rest. You can come to the pub with us in a few hours. Everyone will be there. Perfect way to surprise them!”
“Oh, i’m sure they dont want me there. It’s been nearly two years since I’ve been home.” She stared down at the swirl of her tea. Two years away from her friends-her family.
“You are going. No excuses.” Sirius chided.
“But-”
“If you go, I will go.” Remus smiled.
“Fine. Fine. I’m going to shower and get ready, DADS.” Hermione left the table with a laugh. Remus laughed with her, while Sirius put a hand to his heart in a display of hurt.
She hadnt called either one dad in years. It was a joke before she left to travel. When she pulled Sirius from the vale with the help of Remus, Harry and Malfoy, Sirius and Remus turned into the parents of the group. Her parents memory was not able to be turned back, so she lived at Grimmauld with Harry and Ginny after the war.
She started as a secretary for the Ministry until she found what she wanted to do. Experimental magic. Very few people took study to it-or admitted to studying it, but she knew this would be her future. Experimental magic lead her to blood magic, which lead her to the vale. She spent 18 months studying the vale and every magic type she could decipher that was attracted to it.
Sirius had stepped through the Veil like no time had passed. For weeks, news articles hounded her - demanding statements from her, from Sirius, from the Ministry. She told them some basics of what she was researching and thanked the Ministry for their help. Remus, on the other hand, had thanked her every single day. He tried to buy her gifts, take her to dinner, hug her until she couldn’t breathe. Sometimes she wanted to snap at him, to tell him to stop hovering — but she understood.
What would she do if the love of her life had been taken from her twice, then given back? She would never stop being grateful either.
Hermione turned on the shower and dug through her beaded bag for something to wear. Tonight called for something simple- a black dress, simple and flowy, with her favorite pair of worn-in trainers. She had very few items to pick from-traveling so often called for only necessities.
She was applying makeup in the mirror of her room, when she noticed all the pictures. Muggle and magical pictures surrounded her, on the table, armoire and the walls. Pictures from her travels over the past two years. They kept every single one of them. It made her heart swell.
The first picture is from when she went was from America. She is on the beach with sunglasses and a very large hat. It may have only been two years, but it felt like a lifetime ago it was taken. Her hair was longer now, and definitely more manageable with charms and potions she had been given from her travel companions. She had found some wonderful products for curly hair, there were not many options in England. Her skin was more bronze, having spend time away from the English weather.
She walked down the stairs, finally ready. Sirius and Remus were at the bottom of the stairs waiting for her, just like the gentlemen they always were. Sirius gave her a wolf whistle- then Remus hit him in the arm.
“What? All im saying is if we were 20 years younger, you wouldn’t say no to a three-”
“Alright, hes staying here. Lets go, Hermione.” Remus grabbed her elbow and lead her to the floo.
“It was a JOKE.” Sirius called out behind them, running to the living room after them.
Remus grabbed the floo powder and called out. “Twisted Dragon” before the flames lit up.
Hermione stepped out and grabbed the wall for a moment. She had not traveled by floo in quite sometime. She never liked it in general, but after a year of non-use it made her stomach uneasy-along with the thought of seeing her friends after two years. She missed them, of course, but she also told them to only contact her when needed as she would not be anywhere for too long. She worried they would reject her-they would have moved on from her.
She righted herself with the help of Remus and Sirius. She looked over to see her friends in a corner table drinking and laughing. Yet, the sight was a little different. Not just the pub they were in, but the seating arrangements had changed. Hermione tilted her head to the side, to take in the sight.
She walked with Sirius and Remus towards the table, wringing her hands together. They were already sweating and her heart was racing. What if they rejected her. What if they were nice all night long, then told Sirius to not invite her again.
“Look who we brought with us!” Sirius yelled, and flashed his hands towards her, shaking them as if they had won a grand prize on a game show.
Everyone turned in silence towards her, a beat of silence made her chest grow heavy. Then everyone erupted in cheers. She heard a loud screech before a flash of red headed towards her. Ginny wrapped her arms around Hermione and took her down to the floor. Both witches hugged around each other as tears streamed down their faces. Sirius and Harry grabbed the women, and helped them up.
“I missed you so much! How long are you back for? Please say forever.” Ginny pleaded at her with those big blue eyes she had so longingly missed.
“For the foreseeable future. I can’t say forever.” Hermione replied-trying to stifle the
“We will take what we can get.” Harry grabbed her arms and forced her into a hug. Harry felt like home. His scent, his hugs, his voice. He was the brother she never had. They held on to each other for a few moments before Harry kissed her cheek and stepped away for Luna and Neville. Quick hugs and statements of ‘good to see you’ ‘im so glad you are home’ from them.
Hermione takes a seat between Harry and Sirius at the end of the table. She surveys everyones expressions, some nervous, some excited.
“Okay, before we get down to business, i’m going to need a drink first.” She raised an eyebrow towards Harry, who blushed. He nodded his head and placed a firewhiskey in front of her. She took a sip of the dark golden liquid-a welcome burn to her throat. “Let’s hear it.” She placed her hands on the table and eyed them all.
The table stayed quiet for a moment before she looked at Harry with a raised eyebrow. She could get the context clues just from the interactions, but she wanted to hear it for herself. Harry pulled at the collar of his shirt, and pushed his glasses up his nose. A nervous habit he has had for years.
“Well, you see- Um a lot has changed the past few years-and um some relationships have changed-” Harry stumbled through his words. Hermione just nodded and let him get it out. “Well, Ginny and I broke up about a year ago and you see we were hanging out with the Slytherins a lot and then-”
Pansy sighed and rolled her eyes at the dark haired wizard. “Harry and Theo are fucking. Blaise, Ginny, and I are fucking. Luna and Neville are still disgustingly in love, nothing new there.”
“Alright then.” Hermione replied taking a drink from her glass.
“That’s it?” Nott questioned.
“Yeah. I assume you all are happy?” Hermione questioned the group. Everyone nodded with smiles. Ginny turned to look at Pansy and gave her a kiss on the cheek-which Pansy fully leaned into. Nott grabbed Harry’s hand and kissed it. All she ever wanted was for her friends to be happy.
“Yeah. Thats it.” She replied. She could of sworn she heard a small sigh from the table but couldnt find who it belonged to. “Just know,” she said, voice soft but razor sharp, “if you hurt my friends, I will end your bloodlines for eternity. Curse your surnames so thoroughly your great-great-grandchildren will be unlucky in love forever.”
She smiled at them before picking up a menu. Everyone gave her worried looks-some had an idea of what she had been researching, but not the full level. “After all, blood magic is one thing I have mastered over the last two years.”
Sirius barked out a laugh and raised his glass in a salut. She tipped her head at his reaction and went back to the menu. She has not had good pub food in forever. The smells were making her stomach growl. Neville leaned over towards her. “Just one thing? What were the others?”
“I would have to kill you if I told you.” She replied. Harry coughed into his drink, in haling it instead. Nott had to pat his back to right him.
She forgot how nice it was to be home. She thoroughly enjoyed every moment of traveling. There was no one to tell her to slow down, to relax and not work. She was able to work as much as she wanted, for as long as she wanted. Her thirst for knowledge knew no limit. She had notebook after notebook of each city she visited. From small magical tribes in Africa, who only used wandless magic. To northern Japan, where becoming an Animagus was so common that not being one was seen as strange to some villages.
“Alright everyone it is 10 p.m. You know what that means!” Someone from another part of the pub yells. Hermione turns to see who said it, but couldnt see over the crowd of people. Most of the pub cheered at his words and huddled to the other side of the room. Hermione turned to give Harry a conspiratorial look.
“Oh right. You have not been here before. It’s karaoke night.” He smiled.
“Karaoke. Like muggle karaoke? in a magical pub?” She questioned looking around to survey the surroundings. She feels like she is missing something.
“Yeah. Come one, Kitten. I know for a fact you will like the music.” Sirius grabs her hand and pulls her to the other side of the room with the crowd. She sways for a moment-not realizing how many glasses she has had. Once she got righted on the dance floor with Sirius, she realized she did like the music. It was early 90s music. Gods, so many memories flooding through her mind.
She danced with Sirius, before moving around to be with Pansy and Ginny. They were twirling between each other-letting Pansy lead of course. Singing the lyrics to a girl anthem. The complete shock that she had when all the women in the bar sang The Spice Girls music. She had nights out with colleagues while away, but nothing compares to this. Her best friends, a night out like nothing had changed in two years. They welcomed her with open arms.
Pansy grabbed her arm and swung her around to face the stage. She leaned in close to Hermione’s ear, her perfume tickling Hermione’s nose. “I think you may want to watch this performance.”
Hermione turned toward the stage, curiosity sparking - and then her lungs forgot how to work.
Draco Malfoy stepped into the spotlight. Not just any Draco Malfoy. This was a Draco she almost didn’t recognize. His white blond hair was longer, pulled partially back into a loose bun with a few stray strands falling into his face. Tattoos climbed his forearms, ink peeking out from under the rolled-up sleeves of his white shirt. The mic stand sat between his knees, one leg propped on the stool’s footrest, the other braced on the floor-comfortable, this was clearly not his first time in front of the mic.
Her heart stuttered. Merlin, he looked good. Too good. The first notes rolled out of the speakers a low, haunting, and familiar- Hermione’s stomach dropped.
And then he sang.
Come as you are, as you were
As I want you to be
As a friend, as a friend
As an old enemy
Take your time, hurry up
Choice is yours, don't be late
Take a rest, as a friend
As an old enemy, yeah
Memoria
Memoria
Memoria
His voice was rich, deeper than she remembered, the rasp of it sending shivers through her spine and stirring something deep in her chest. When his eyes scanned the crowd and landed on her, it felt like a punch to the chest. Her skin heated, her palms slick with sweat as she gripped the edge of the bar stool. The air felt too thick to breathe properly. She could still remember - too vividly - the last time she’d heard that voice this close, whispering against her skin two years ago.
Nope. Absolutely not. Hermione spun around and flagged down the bartender with more force than necessary. “Shot. Please.”
“What kind of shot?” the witch asked gesturing to the wall of alcohol behind her.
“Something to make me forget a man I can’t have.”
“Tequila it is.”
The bartender poured, and Hermione downed the first shot, wincing at the burn, then immediately gestured for another. Her pulse refused to settle. Behind her, the music swelled, and every note seemed to drag another memory to the surface. Two shots later, she risked a glance back toward the stage and caught him staring again.
Her stomach flipped as he left the stage thanking the crowd for the cheers.
Hermione choked on the lime she had wedged between her teeth, as he started towards her. Quickly pulling it out and turning around-as if it would make her disappear entirely. Of course he was smiling at her-that stupid, perfect, pure white smile. On his stupid-perfect face. She shuffled quickly to the table her friends still occupied before he approached.
She sat next to Remus this time, laying her head on his shoulder. The group was reminiscing about a funny event from a year ago. Hermione was trying to keep up, but they were finishing each others sentences-realizing she was very out of the loop of her own friends. She was becoming flustered with herself for being gone for two years. Hermione excused herself to the bathroom. She needed to run some cold water on her face to calm down.
It wasn't that she was uncomfortable around her friends now, it was that she felt like she didn't know them now. Everyone had changed-which is fine- but its such a drastic change she wasn't prepared for. That would be her fault after all. She told them to not worry about her, and only contact her on an emergency basis. She should have went home a few times at least. Holidays or a Birthday maybe.
She righted her hair, and touched up her makeup before stepping back out of the bathroom. Malfoy was across the from the door, leaning against the wall.
“Oh, Malfoy. You startled me. Need the women’s restroom?” She tried her best to give him a ‘Malfoy smirk’ but she knew she faltered.
He shook his head lightly, smiling at her. “So are we going to pretend it didn’t happen?”
Hermione’s eyes widened at his words. “No- I wasn’t going to. I was just-”
“Just what?” He tilted his head to the side. A predatory look swept across his eyes. A look she knew all too well.
“Well,” She tried to draw out her Gryffindor courage. “It was one night, two years ago. I’m sure there is a lucky witch or wizard waiting for you at home. We don’t have to talk about it.”
He laughed before leaning closer to her. Hermione’s back was to the wall, Malfoy had a hand on the wall beside her head. “There have been many witches and wizards over the last two years. They graced my bed for one night, then they left.” He leaned in closer, his breathe barely teasing her ear. His voice dropped-low and silky. “No one is waiting for me at home.” His eyes roamed over her. He inspected every freckle, every eyelash until he landed on her lips.
“Oh.” was the sound he tried to make, but it came out like a squeak.
Her pulse roared in her ears. The rational part of her brain told her to move, to say something clever - but she was frozen. His grey eyes stayed on her, as if he could read the thoughts she hadn’t even admitted to herself.
“Hermione.” Remus coughed next to him. “I am headed back to the house, did you want to join me?” His eyes darting back and forth between the two.
Maybe she took too long to answer, or maybe Malfoy answered too quickly-she wasn't sure. “Go ahead, Granger. I need to finish closing up soon.” He plucked a curl at the side of her face. “I will see you tomorrow.” before he walked away. She may have been staring for far too long, because Remus bumped her arm.
“Tomorrow?” She turned to Remus in question.
“Oh, Theo is having a party at his. I’m sure your invited, its just been known for awhile. Come on, love.” Remus answered while placing a hand on the small of her back to move her to the floo.
She said goodnight to everyone at the table still, explaining she was tired from traveling. They did indeed invite her to Theo’s party tomorrow. Once through the floo at Grimmauld she darted to the kitchen for a sober up potion. Her head was reeling from the night she just had. Remus started some tea and sat next to her at the table.
“So. Do you want to talk about it?” He asked with a inquisitorial tone.
“No.” She sighed as he poured her tea from the kettle. “What was I supposed to think after two years? It feels like everyone has moved on. I mean-Harry and Theo? Ginny with Pansy and Blaise? And then he shows up looking like that! Then started to talk about-” Hermione closed her lips faster than she thought was possible. Her cheeks starting to bloom pink.
Remus chuckled at her display of embarrassment. “I know about your one night stand with Draco, Hermione.”
“He told you?!” She gasped.
“No.” He lingered for a moment, a flush of crimson graced his cheeks. “I came home early that night. It was close to the full moon, and I was not feeling my best. I left everyone at the bar hours earlier to get some sleep. I wake up to you and Draco, dry humping each other in the hallway.”
Her hands fly to her mouth. “Oh my god.”
“You two may have started in the hallway, but I am glad you finished in your room.” He winked at her.
“That was a very Sirius thing to say. You have been with him for far too long.”
“I couldn’t help myself.” He shrugged taking a sip of his tea. “So, what's the issue? Are you not wanting to see him again? Or did you meet someone abroad? Because it is definitely not performance issues, from what I can recall.”
Hermione spit out her tea and started to choke on it. “Fuckin-Remu- What the hell?” She wiped the tea off of her mouth and answered. “He is Malfoy, and I’m Granger. It will never work.”
“Ah, I see. You may be a little behind on your friends lives. Which is understandable, and no one faults you for it. We all have been waiting for you to get back.” He takes her hand and gently squeezes it. “But you are not Granger, and he is not Malfoy. You are Hermione and Draco now. If you notice, almost everyone is on a first name basis now. Harry and Theo are living together. Ginny, Pansy and Blaise are inseparable. Grossly attached at the hip. So, I ask again, what is the issue?”
Hermione sat back in her chair to think about the night. They all used first names. Just her and Malfoy did not. Malfoy also said witches and wizards were in and out of his bed often. Maybe he was just wanting a one night stand again? That couldn’t hurt. It definitely didn’t hurt last time. Gods he looked good. The tattoos, the piercings, the long hair fit him so well. He reminded her of-
“Reminds you of Sirius, yeah?” Remus interrupted her thoughts exactly. “Right after you left, Draco started hanging out Sirius more and more. Basically over here everyday, and it has stayed that way since. He wanted to know everything about muggle life and culture. Sirius was the best person he knew for the job. I think he just kinda picked up everything else along the way. He’s a good guy now. He owns the bar, doesn’t really speak to his parents from what I know. He even advocates for creature rights.”
“Huh.” Hermione hummed into her tea. Maybe her freak out was not necessary, but then again she needed to see if he wanted a one night stand or something more serious.
But what did she want?