A Second Chance

Narcissa's Tea Date

"Mother....Hermione?" Draco came to a standstill inside the tea shop. His mother had asked him to have tea with her during his lunch break, he just didn't expect to see Hermione there.

"Your mother asked to meet." Hermione gave an odd smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Don't just stand there, take a seat." His mother waved him over to the table. Draco didn't like this situation in the least. What was his mother planning? To please his mother and to hopefully find out an answer, he slowly took the only seat available, the one right beside Hermione. He felt her stiffen as he slid into his seat, understandable because the chairs were situated so close to each other Draco felt the warmth from Hermione's arm against his.

His mother gave a slight nod of approval, a knowing glint flashing in her eyes so quick that Draco almost missed it. "Now that everyone is here, we can get on with the main topic."

Main topic? Did she know that he liked Hermione? She had to, why else would his mother have dragged Hermione into this?

His mother smiled at the two of them. He saw something flash in her eyes but he didn't quite catch what it was, he just knew that it was different from the last emotion that flickered through them. "I'm sure that the two of you are aware by now that your children are seeing each other?"

Draco could feel Hermione relax beside him and he did the same while releasing a sigh of relief inwardly. This conversation was about Scorpius and Rose not him and Hermione. "He told you?"

His mother tsked. "Of course, my dear boy. My grandson tells me everything." Draco started to feel his guard go back up. What exactly did Scorpius tell his grandmother? What secrets did she know? Did she know that he had fallen for Hermione? No, he trusts his son. Scorpius wouldn't tell anyone his secret, not even his grandmother. "I'm really glad that he has finally got the girl and I'm pleased to hear that the two of you are getting along nicely. It will make it easier for the two knowing that their parents are...friends."

Draco didn't miss the deliberate hesitation in his mother's voice and apparently, neither did Hermione. Where he was suspicious,  she wasn't.  "We are friends. A good thing too or it would be very awkward for them if your son and I still hated each other." Draco's heart sunk a little at hearing her words, it seemed he was the only one hoping for more.

His mother chuckled into her cup. "I suppose it would be." She mumbled into her tea, quite unlike her usual self. She sat her cup down and looked directly at the two of them, making sure to look them both in the eye. "I'm afraid that was all I wanted to discuss." Draco didn't miss the fact that his mother sounded amused and just a little happy. "I'm glad that your children are doing something that you two seemed to have never been able to do, they've fallen for someone from a different house. A Gryffindor and a Slytherin." His mother showed amusement with this sentence by smirking. "Can you imagine if the two were to get married and have children of their own after Hogwarts? They would be smart, headstrong, and prideful, a combination I'm sure no one would want to mess with." Draco didn't want to think about his son having children yet, Scorpius was still too young for that, even if he was twenty, he would still be too young.

Hermione sat her tea down onto the table and for the first time since being there, she smiled a sparkling smile that reached her eyes. "I can't wait to see how they would react to having children as you imagine them. Though I doubt they would be that bad. Scorpius is such a well behaved boy that I have a feeling his children would be more like him then Rose. At least, I would hope so."

His mother frowned at Hermione's words even though her eyes sparkled with delight. "You do not believe your daughter to be well behaved?"

Hermione laughed and shook her head to rid Narcissa of her worries. "She's well behaved, she just takes after me a little too much." She continued explaining at Draco and Narcissa's concerned and perplexed looks. "She's able to hold a grudge and is not afraid to fight back."

Draco nodded before smiling. "If only Scorpius could be more like Rose but at least he has someone to look out for him." His son needed someone who could support him and make up for what he lacked in.

"Unless she's the one bullying him." She teased.

He missed the pleased smile that his mother wore as she stood up. "I'm afraid I have other engagements and must take my leave." She smiled down at the two before leaving, the skirt of her dress sashaying as she walked gracefully out the door.

After his mother was out of earshot, he sunk down into his chair, finally able to relax. Hermione stood up from her seat. "You gonna leave me?" He tried to make his voice light and teasing.

"After I received the invitation from your mother, George sent me a letter to meet him at....at the store." She glanced down out her watch. "Right about now actually. Huh? That was weird how the timing worked out."

Draco didn't miss the way her voice wavered at the mention of her brother-in-law's store. She must not have been there since that night. He couldn't blame if she hadn't been, he wouldn't have wanted to visit if he were in her shoes. "Why don't I walk you." She gave him a relieved smile and agreed to his offer.