A Second Chance

Friends

Draco left his office for his lunch break. Standing out in the hallway with her back turned toward him was Mrs. Weasley. He mentally chided himself for using her married name. She had told him time and time again to call her by her first name, something that he admittedly take time to get used to.

"If you're looking for the Potters, they've already left for their break." He hated that his voice sounded so curt and slightly rude, she was supposed to be a friend, wasn't she? Was speaking to her in a friendly tone going to be just as hard as calling her by her name?

Hermione spun around, her brown curls whipped around in the air, nearly hitting her in the face. A soft smile painted itself across her lips when she saw him. "Everything's so confusing since they changed offices and no, I was looking for you, actually. I enjoyed our time together last time and was hoping that we could do it again." The soft smile disappeared when she shook her head. "Nevermind, you're probably busy." She turned to leave but Draco stopped her by touching her hand. Astoria had informed him that girls liked to be stopped with a touch and not just a comment sometimes, though, that could have just been Astoria's personal view.

Hermione turned to stare at him with astonished brown eyes. He quickly removed his hand. "Sorry." He rubbed the back of his neck. It was unfortunate that besides Astoria, Scorpius, and the occasional Potter, now that their sons were friends, that he never really conversed with people, his parents not included. "I was just taking my lunch break," He tried instead. "I wouldn't mind the company. We are...friends...after all." He wanted to curse at himself or facepalm himself for sounding so hesitant and unsure even though he was completely unsure of himself and his standing with this woman.

Her brown eyes lit up and a smile appeared. "We are friends, aren't we." She put her arm out for him to take. "Where to, today?"

He smiled at her question. "I was thinking about a trip down memory lane." He spoke before he realized the implications of his words. Memory lane for the two of them wasn't a very pleasant one. Hermione's smiled flickered for a second but still remained on her face. He quickly apparated them away before he could ruin their steadily growing friendship. With a pop, they landed on a snow covered ground.

"Hogsmead?" Hermione took in her surroundings in disbelief. "I haven't been here in ages. I remember that Harry used to make us tag along just to spy on you."

"What?" Draco remembered the three of them being at the Three Broomsticks a few times while he was there but he had never realized that they were following him. "Potter must have had it pretty hard for me, huh?" He said instead, not wanting her to know how astonished he was at her revelation.

She looked at him with a sparkle in her brown eyes. "You really had know idea?" Her amusement was clear. How the hell did she know that! She shook her head at his silence. "That is the one thing from Hogwarts that you still do. When you're shocked or baffled by something or someone, you make a snide remark or a joke. I much prefer the joking than the snide remarks." She admitted with a laugh. He laughed right along with her, glad that someone saw right through him, even if he was a little annoyed to be caught so easily.

Bushy brown hair caught his attention. He quickly grabbed Hermione and pulled her to a nearby alleyway. She tried to pull his hand away but he silenced her with a finger to his lips. "Rose is all by herself?" His voice came out as a question. Hermione stopped struggling and peered out from behind his shoulder. She watched as her daughter stopped at the entrance to the Three Broomsticks and looked around before she entered. Draco let go of her and leaned away. "She's acting like she's walking into a secret meeting." He mused out loud.

Hermione snorted. "Who would she meet....Scorpius?" At her confusion, Draco turned back to the scene, easily spotting the white hair of his son. Scorpius stopped in front of the entrance to the Three Broomsticks before casting cautious glances over his shoulder. Once he was satisfied, he disappeared into the tavern. "What was all that about?" She asked in a contemplative manner, her brain probably coming up with a million theories and ideas.

Draco arched an eyebrow at her and smiled mischievously. "There's only one way to find out." He grabbed her hand before pulling her along with him.

It was rather quiet inside the usually busy tavern. Rose and Scorpius were nowhere to be seen. "We need to get out of here before they see us." Hermione whispered.

Draco shot her a bemused look. He figured if anyone would spy on their children then it would be Hermione. He was starting to think that Potter was the fun one. "Aren't you the least bit curious?"

"Insanely. But when they catch us, they'll lose all their trust in us." It didn't go unnoticed to Draco that she used the word when instead of if. She also had a point. Even though he loved his dad, he had hated it when his father interfered, it made him not trust him as much. He also really didn't want that to happen with Scorpius. He would be devastated if his son stopped trusting him or worse, grew to hate him. He knew he was dramatizing the situation and Astoria would have probably laughed at him if she were still alive, but he couldn't risk it. Taking Hermione's arm, he apparated the two of them to Diagon Alley.