When Stars Align

Chapter 17

Hermione, realizing that she hadn't asked Draco about his emergency at work amidst everything,

"Oh, I forgot to ask! What happened to the emergency at work?"

With a wince, Draco relayed what had happened.

"Thankfully, we were able to contact an expert in endangered magical creatures and work with her to resolve the issue."

"Oh, that's good. I'm glad the creature is safe."

After a pause, Draco asked with a nervous smile,

"Granger, did you have dinner yet? If not, I know a Korean place that Penny and I go to quite often. I haven't had dinner yet and it'd be great if you could join us. If you've already had dinner, maybe I could take you out later this week?...It's just, I want to thank you for what you've done for us and it's the least I could do...Not that I'm only asking because you did me a huge favor, but I actually enjoy talking to you as well..." Draco stopped once he realized that he was rambling.

'Wow' Hermione thought. It was incredibly surprising to see visible signs of nervousness coming from Draco Malfoy. Surprising and refreshing.

"I haven't had dinner yet. I would love to join you both."

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The Korean place, Namu, had a warm and refreshing ambiance. As they entered, the greenery and flowers all around reminded her of a garden. It was a balance between cozy and modern.

"Wow, it's like we're at a garden and a museum, not a restaurant." Hermione was amazed.

Seeing the amazement, Draco chuckled.

"Yes, the name of the restaurant, Namu, means tree in Korean. I guess they did the interior design of this place to reflect that. It has the best Korean barbeque and delicacies."

Draco was excited he was sharing this place with her. This was one of Penny and his absolute favorites and this was the first time Draco brought anyone else to this place.

As they got settled in a private and cozy nook, Draco asked.

"Are you familiar with Korean food?"

"I can't say I am well versed in the Korean cuisine, but I have some favorites. I really like bibimbap, bulgogi, and kimbap."

"Ah, some of my favorites as well."

Glancing at Penny who was sleeping in her stroller,

"Penny here can't really have the food here yet but nonetheless, she loves the ambiance here. Everytime we come here, she either has the biggest smile or the best nap."

"Do you know what you want from the menu?" Draco asked.

Hermione, looking at all the options,

"Ugh, everything looks so good! I don't know what to choose. As a regular here, what do you recommend?"

"Hmm...Usually when I get here, I order at least three dishes because I'm a pretty big eater but also because I have difficulty choosing only one. How about this. If it's okay with you, we'll order about four to five dishes and share? That way, we can sample a little bit of everything."

At Draco's suggestion, Hermione laughed with delight.

"I'd like that."

As they shared their four dishes and one dessert throughout the evening, Draco and Hermione talked for hours until the restaurant was about to close.

That night, as Hermione was about to fall asleep, she realized that today was one of the best days of her life. With the startling but happy realization, Hermione slipped away.