Just a Kiss

Chapter 34

  Hermione and Ginny mingle with old classmates, laughing and reminiscing the past. It's an easy task to fall back in with their old friends and, as time passes, Hermione feels her anxiety ebbing away. It doesn't disappear, but it becomes easier to ignore. Not one person so much as sends her a foul look, and very few dare to actually breach the subject. The ones that do only ever express concern for her. 

They've just finished speaking to Neville, who's now a professor at Hogwarts, when a voice sounds through the room. 

"Please, find a seat at one of the provided tables. Dinner will commence once everyone has made themselves comfortable," the voice declares, seeming to come from all directions. 

Ginny drags Hermione to a nearby table, wishing Neville a wonderful evening, and the two girls sit and wait for their respective partners. 

Harry appears first, looking in higher spirits than he had before, and drops into the chair at Ginny's left. With Hermione on her right, Draco, when he comes stalking towards them, takes the fourth seat at the table on Hermione's right. Neither boy looks like they plan on murdering the other, so Hermione counts it as a victory. 

As they sit, Harry shoots Draco a glare that no one else sees. Swallowing hard and bowing under Harry's gaze, Draco picks at the table cloth. Lucius would be furious in the face of this kind of cowardice, which is perhaps the only thought that keeps Draco from launching himself at Harry in a rage; the fear of acting like his father is a strong motivator to do the opposite of what Lucius would do. 

"What did you two talk about?" Hermione asks, blissfully unaware of the tension between Harry and Draco. 

Something jabs at Draco's shin, evoking a strangled yelp that is smoothly transformed into a cough. While Hermione and Ginny aren't looking, Harry smirks and waves his wand above the table this time. No hex is cast, but Draco still feels the sting of the last. 

Growling under his breath, Draco turns his focus to Hermione. "Nothing too intriguing," he lies. "That git over there thinks the Chudely Cannons are sure to win over the Banchory Bangers, but I beg to differ." He grins like the conversation they had was really that simple. 

"Well I think you're an absolute nutter!" Harry snorts, picking up the lie and going along with it. "How can the Cannons lose against the worst team in the League?" 

"We've never lost to you in the past, have we?" Draco shoots back. 

Huffing indignantly, Harry cuts the conversation off there before it becomes something genuinely friendly. 

Hermione shares a look with Ginny before both girls burst into bright peals of laughter. "We leave you alone and the only thing you do is argue over sports?" She gets out between sharp gasps for breath. Draco is about to reply, feeling his dignity stung, but a voice behind them interrupts. 

"You mind if we sit with you all? The other tables seem to be filled," Blaise points out, gesturing to the two remaining chairs at their table. 

Quick to agree, Hermione smiles and lets them sit, without so much as a glance to the others at the table. Nobody else rejects, though, so Blaise and Luna settle down. Even still, Draco glares down at the table when Hermione grins so happily at Blaise. There is a chortle from Harry and Draco side-eyes him, wishing for a moment that looks could actually kill. At least then Potter wouldn't be an obnoxious blackmailing thorn in his side anymore. 

Before conversation can pick up, plates appear in front of everyone. Silver platters piled high with the very favorite dishes of the eater, wisps of steam curling up and filling the room with a myriad of delectable smells.