the cat cafe ✞ dramione

seven; one day.

warning: minor mentions of drug use.

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she really shouldn't have spent half of her shift keeping an eye on the door, but she did. hermione couldn't even deny it - not when megan and georgia brought it up every hour or so. they were used to malfoy being here just as much as her but he hadn't managed to slither his way into their lives as much as he did hers, so they didn't really understand.

it wasn't like hermione understood it either. somewhere between when he first found out about her job until now, malfoy made himself a permanent fixture in her life. harry didn't let her forget it, zabini sent her knowing smirks and padma couldn't wrap her head around the draco malfoy showing any kind of interest in something that wasn't himself. and after the whole mess with the photo, hermione couldn't shake the nagging thoughts in her head. what did malfoy mean to her? did he mean anything at all or was she just seeking validation from someone she never expected it from? it was all terribly disconcerting.

the only thing that had kept her mind somewhat clear of all-things malfoy related were the thick-headed trio. hermione couldn't tell if they were high or not - justin was always the most functional one and even though he wasn't all that academically inclined, he was still a pretty sharp figure - but seamus was adorably dumb so he was always unintentionally funny and dean somehow piggybacked off it, making the duo relentless in their pursuit of making her laugh. justin was quite dry and sarcastic, almost uncomfortably so, but dean made sure to tell her that he was like that because he sometimes forgot to add emotion into his voice. hermione didn't know what that meant or how it was possible but she didn't question it.

however, they left a few hours ago and now hermione only had the mundane things to keep her distracted. taking orders, feeding the cats, keeping the kitchen clean and whatnot. the cafe was still understaffed and despite the numerous help wanted posters on the windows, down the street and any other place one may find a job advertisement, no one had walked in with a cv. hell, at this point hermione was sure if someone did then megan would forgo all the formalities and hire them on the spot.

hermione checked the time. just a little more than an hour left before her shift ended. she started losing hope while internally berating herself for even wishing to see malfoy's stupid, ugly face walk through the cafe doors.

"and you say you don't like him," megan teased as she slid next to hermione. the former helped clear the vacated table of five (who all had somehow managed to order enough food to feed twenty people). hermione bristled, trying not to blush heavily under her manager's watchful gaze. "you keep checking the clock and door like i'm paying you to do it."

clearing her throat, hermione picked up as many plates as physically possible for her before advancing towards the kitchen doors. unluckily for her, she heard megan follow right after. "i just... have a lot of studying to do. so i'm a little anxious."

"yeah, that's why," megan laughed as they deposited the dirty dishes with the rest. hermione made to stack the plates on the small conveyor belt but megan beat her to it with a cheeky grin. "you know, it's okay for you to admit that you like -"

"i don't like anyone!"

georgia cut in with a loud laugh. "sure, and i'm not a lesbian. come on, hermione. at least make it sound convincing."

glaring at the two chuckling hyenas, hermione decided to not grace that with a reply. instead, she huffed a tad bit dramatically, lifted her nose in the air and stalked out of the kitchen. megan shouted something as she walked away that made georgia laugh even harder but hermione paid no mind to it.