Signum Vitalis (a dramione story)

In which there are buses and ice cream

Ari, of course, didn't object and it was agreed that they would meet up the next day for ice cream. Not really familiar with the area, Hermione told them to meet her at the shop she and Luna had already gone to once. Hermione arrived first and ordered her dessert by the time that the other two showed up.

Ari studied the myriad of flavors through the glass and then leaned over to whisper up into Hermione's ear. "Is this a Muggle shop?"

Looking down at the ice cream, Hermione supposed that it was a bit mundane compared to what he was used to; no Whizzing Fizbees or cinnamon candies that induced fire breathing. Deciding to help him find it exciting, she said, "Yes, it is. Luna says" –she pointed to a few different flavors- "these taste good together."

Malfoy, who had been systematically taste testing the ice cream on tiny spoons, spoke up. "It's probably disgusting, Ari. She's the one who wore the pirate costume and I'd trust her culinary tastes as much as her fashion ones."

"But that was cool," Ari said, still staring down at the flavors.

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Which ones did she point out?"

Ari pointed.

"Pineapple, pistachio, and peppermint?" Malfoy asked. "I stand by my first statement."

Ari looked a bit disappointed.

"How about you test it first?" Hermione suggested. She gave Malfoy a look to dare and contradict her as she asked the boy behind the counter to give Ari a small bit of each of the flavors. Malfoy just crossed his arms and watched.

Ari shoved all of them into his mouth at once then gagged and nearly spit it out.

"Just swallow it!" Malfoy admonished.

With a pained face and only a little theatrics, Ari did.

"Here," the boy behind the counter said. "How about you try this instead?" He held a florescent blue bit of ice cream out to Ari on another spoon.

Ari treated it with some trepidation but tried it anyway. His face cleared once he put it in his mouth. "I like that one!" Ari said.

With the young man's help, they were able to find a few flavors that actually agreed with Ari. As they paid for Ari's ice cream, Malfoy was still debating between two flavors.

Ari took the chance to whisper to her. "I wanted to do more than ice cream."

"I know," Hermione replied. "I just think that doing too much at once might make Malfoy suspicious."

Ari watched Malfoy finally pick one flavor. "I guess."

Hermione and Ari chose a high table next to one of the windows. As they were settling down, Malfoy joined them with a cream colored ice cream with a cookie wafer pressed vertically into the top.

Hermione couldn't help jabbing at him. "After all that deliberation, and you got something this mundane?

Malfoy raised an eyebrow, removed the cookie and bit into it. "I don't see any point in polluting the flavor with pointless garnishes. Isn't that right, Ari?"

Malfoy looked towards Ari, who had a gummy worm halfway into his mouth. "Erum..." he managed around the mouthful. Hermione looked down at Ari's ice cream, which was barely visible under chocolate candy and gummy worms, and snorted.

"Heathens," Malfoy muttered.

Hermione's snort turned into a half laugh.

Malfoy looked up, his eyebrows rising up, before he gave her a wry smile.