Draco and Hermione both arose hours before the arranged time. They were both anxious as to what the day would bring. Draco was hoping for forgiveness; Hermione, a valid explanation and possibly an apology as well.
Hermione rummaged through her closet and pulled out a pink sweater with lilac embroidering and a matching pencil skirt. She got dressed quickly, and killed time by divulging in her latest read.
On the other hand, Draco had already decided on what to wear and spent his morning reiterating exactly what he wanted to say to the girl.
Once the clocks neared 9, Draco apparated nervously to the backside of the coffee house to avoid detection. He walked in, palms sweating, heart racing.
"Good morning," greeted the girl at the counter. She was young, maybe 17, and very enthusiastic. "What can I get for you today?"
Forcing the edges of his lips to curl into a false smile, Draco tried to calm himself. "Nothing yet, thank you. I'm waiting for someone."
She nodded and smiled, disappearing into the kitchen. Impatiently Draco tapped his foot on the ground, the anxious tick helping to exert some of his suppressed energy. He began to wonder if Hermione would even show, but just as the clock stuck 9, she was there.
"Hi," she said awkwardly.
"Hey," Draco replied, just as uncomfortable. "Shall we go order?"
Hermione nodded and they walked up to the counter. "What can I get for you?" asked the girl as she emerged through the door to the kitchen.
"A large cappuccino scuro for me," Draco said immediately, already knowing his order.
Hermione took a moment to contemplate the options. She wasn't big on coffee. "A strawberry milkshake," she said with a giggle.
"You're having a milkshake at 9 in the morning?" Draco asked, raising a curious eyebrow.
She nodded. "Yep, why not?"
He shrugged and offered a large bill to the lady behind the counter. "Keep the change." She glanced over it, shocked at how much he had tipped her.
"I could've paid for mine," Hermione muttered. Draco just rolled his eyes.
The pair made their way to a corner booth. "So," Draco began with a sigh. "I know you don't trust me, and these words probably sound empty, but I'm sorry. I shouldn't have even gone to Blaise's stupid party."
Hermione studied his face, reading the truthful expression.
"I drank too much, and then Pansy decided we should play spin the bottle. Astoria and I kissed, nothing more."
Finally making up her mind, Hermione found herself feeling forgiveness. "We were never official. So it doesn't matter. It's okay," she said gently.
The waitress came with their drinks, smiling brightly. "Here you are," she said.
"Thank you," Hermione replied. Once the waitress left, she resumed the conversation. "What are we?"
The question left Draco speechless for a minute, because he didn't know what to say. "Friends? Or..."
"I like you Draco, I do. But if anything happens, we should keep it on the down low for now." He nodded in understanding.
"You know I didn't mean half of the things I said at Hogwarts, right?" Draco wanted to mend things. "It's just... well, you know my father."
Hermione nodded. "It's all good."
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@ notaferret: she seriously ordered a milkshake at 9am @ mionejgranger
