AN: Sorry about how long this took! I just finished my finals but my summer semester also starts next week, so, depending on how demanding the class is, my updates may still be a bit sporadic. I also just realized my formatting of these chapters aren't really transferring properly in that scenes that are supposed to be separate seem to be continued scenes based on the spacing. Well, anyway, here's the next chapter! Hope you enjoy!

Chapter Five

Hermione rummaged through a rather large pile of papers on her desk, all letters from concerned wizards and witches regarding her unorthodox proposals and drafts of legislation pertaining to werewolf rights. While the larger part of the community was coming to understand that werewolves were indeed people, there were still many concerns. One issue, in particular, was the access and limited availability to the Wolfsbane potion. As many werewolves found it difficult to secure proper jobs, it made it near impossible for the werewolves to be able to afford the potion.

Lost in her thoughts and her skimming through the various parchment, she didn't hear or notice the soft knocks on her door.

"Granger?" The door opened slightly, Theo's head poking in through the room. "Are you busy?"

"Hm?" Hermione answered distractedly, her eyes still focused on the letter before her. Preposterous?! That werewolves should get the care they need? Hermione felt a spike in her irritation, her eyes narrowing as she continued reading on the highly insulting letter.

Theo cleared his throat noisily and Hermione's focus snapped on the intruder in her office, her face clearly expressing her annoyance.

"Oh," Hermione blinked, her irritation all but disappearing, replaced with a slight shock. "Is it lunch time already?"

"Well," Theo looked at the time. "A little past the usual lunch hour since I was also backed up with work, but I'm a bit disappointed to see that you were also too busy to notice my glaring absence."

"Well, I had to distract myself somehow, seeing as how thinking about you takes up most of my time," Hermione replied sarcastically, getting up while shuffling the papers back into a neat pile. "Where should we go?"

"I originally wanted to take you out somewhere nice, but I really do have to be back in the office in an hour so I'm afraid I don't have much time," Theo said apologetically.

"That's fine," Hermione smiled. "I also have some things to catch up on and I'm anxious to get back to my office, honestly."

"Hopefully not so anxious that you can't enjoy a break," Theo raised an eyebrow. "Don't want you to be thinking about how much you want to go back to work when you're having lunch with me."

"I'll try not to think about how much I love my work," Hermione laughed, grabbing her coat. "Is it okay, then, to just go to that small café just down the street?"

"Fine with me," Theo turned towards the door to see Harry Potter and Ron Weasley walking in their direction.

"Oh, no," Hermione caught sight of her two best friends as she peeked over Theo's side.

"Haven't told them about our lunch date, have you?" Theo whispered. Potter didn't look too surprised, just wary, but Weasley's eyebrows were narrowed in confusion and disgust.

"Well, Harry knows," Hermione whispered back, stepping out in front of Theo.

"Harry, Ron," Hermione said a little too cheerfully. "Wasn't expecting you to drop by."

"Thought you'd be back from your lunch by now," Harry replied evenly. He nodded his head towards Theo. "Nott."

"Potter," Theo nodded back, his hands in his pockets.

"I haven't gone yet," Hermione smiled awkwardly. "We were just about to leave, actually."

"We?" Ron finally spoke up, ignoring Theo's presence.

"Look, Ron, I'll come find you after lunch, but we haven't got much time left to eat and I'm starving, so," Hermione grabbed Theo's arm while shooting her two friends apologetic looks. "I'll be back in about an hour!"

Harry and Ron were left to stand there, speechless.

"Oh, I haven't got time for all this," Hermione huffed as they walked out onto the streets.

"They probably do deserve an explanation, though, Granger," Theo looked at her amusedly. "It's all great fun for me to see the two there with dumbfounded looks on their faces, but I reckon you care more about how they feel than I do."

"I know," Hermione sighed resignedly. "It's still a bit odd for me too, though. I can't seem to fully wrap my head around all this."

"Two dates in a row too much for you?" Theo asked, grinning.

"Two dates in a row with two different men," Hermione replied, thinking out loud. "And not just any two men, two former Vol—"

Hermione stopped speaking mid-name and looked sharply to her side to see Theo staring straight ahead at the streets, no expression visible on his face.

"Finish your sentence, will you, Granger?" Theo glanced down to see Hermione looking at him worriedly.

"Sorry, I just," Hermione took a deep breath. "Well, I'm not wrong, am I?"

"No," Theo stopped to open the door to the cafe, gesturing to Hermione to step in first. "Which makes me wonder why it is that you agreed to meet me."

Hermione didn't reply right away as they were seated by the window. After being handed their menus, they sat in silence for a few minutes as they perused the menu.

"Why did the two of you want to take me out?" Hermione finally asked, her eyes still trained on her menu.

"I believe I asked you first."

"It's simple, really," Hermione looked up and found that Theo's eyes were intensely focused on her. She cleared her throat, maintaining eye contact. "I was curious."

"Curious?" Theo raised an eyebrow.

"Well," Hermione reached for her water. "I've been hearing things around the office."

"Office gossip?"

"Not really gossip," Hermione bit her lip. "Just… surprised at how many people thought so highly of you."

"I see," Theo tensed. "Any particular reason why they do?"

"No," Hermione frowned at how stiff he looked. "Just your personality in general and about how hard you've been working. Couldn't have been easy trying to become an Auror after the war."

"Right," Theo exhaled before taking a large sip of water, suddenly relieved by the presence of their waiter. They each ordered their lunch before Hermione looked at Theo pointedly.

"Your turn."

"What?"

"Why you wanted to take me out," Hermione leaned forward.

"Didn't Blaise already tell you that?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You expect me to believe that you liked me back in school?"

"I did," Theo shrugged nonchalantly. "You were smart, outspoken, and a bit naughty."

"Excuse me?" Hermione laughed incredulously.

"You can't tell me that you didn't break a few rules while at Hogwarts," Theo said with a sly smile. "If even half the rumors I heard at school were true, you, Potter, and Weasley probably broke the most rules out of all of us."

"And Malfoy?" Hermione raised an eyebrow.

Theo's expression darkened and Hermione immediately knew that Malfoy wasn't a topic that Theo wanted to discuss.

"Draco… had an unfortunate series of bad choices," Theo replied calmly. "It's not like he had a variety of choices available to him… but let's not talk about him."

Hermione nodded and looked down at the food the waiter had dropped off.

"I'm sorry," Theo sighed. "This isn't quite the way I expected the conversation to go."

"It's fine," Hermione smiled weakly. "I shouldn't have been talking about your friend like that."

"You didn't really say anything."

"The implication."

Theo smiled back tightly before clearing his throat. "Now about those werewolves…"

Hermione smiled widely. This was what they were here to talk about and this was a conversation that she knew she had under control.

After their lunch and spirited debate about werewolves, Theo walked Hermione back into her office, both of them grinning widely. Hermione because she won the debate, Theo because her smile was infectious and put him in a good mood despite losing their debate.

"That was fun," Hermione looked up at Theo, her eyes twinkling.

"It was only fun for you because you won," Theo chuckled, shaking his head. "I'll get the next win."

"Right," Hermione cocked her head to the side. "Good luck with that."

"You do realize that this side of you is the side that I'm most attracted to?"

"What?" Hermione's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"This confident, bright woman," Theo replied honestly.

"If you're trying to throw me off," Hermione paused a moment. "It's actually working."

Theo laughed out loud before stepping in to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. "You've discovered my evil plot," he whispered in her ear.

Hermione tried not to blush at the feel of his lips so close to her and she instinctively stepped back, hitting the front of her desk. Theo grinned at her mischievously as he stepped back towards the door.

"I've got to get back to work but I enjoyed our lunch, Granger," Theo gave her a genuine smile, making his eyes crinkle a bit. Hermione felt her heart jump.

"I did, too, and it's Hermione," she replied, trying to keep her voice level. "You can call me Hermione."

"Right then," Theo nodded his head. "I'll see you around, Hermione."

"Right," Hermione smiled at him softly, watching him walk away. She stood there for some time before remembering that she told Ron that she'd visit him after lunch. With a groan she hurriedly rushed out of her office and to a lift to get to his floor.

"Ron?" Hermione knocked on his office door.

"Come in," his voice was muffled but Hermione could already tell that he was not in a good mood. She opened the door and was surprised to see Harry sitting in one of the two chairs in front of Ron's desk.

"Harry?" Hermione frowned. "Do you not have work to do?"

"Well, considering," Harry glanced at Ron. "You know, Ron. You. Nott. Temper."

"I'm right here," Ron rolled his eyes. "And excuse me for being bloody surprised about my muggle-born ex-girlfriend going out for lunch with a former Slytherin and Death Eater."

"Technically…" Hermione started to speak but was silenced by Harry's quick shake of his head. "Right."

"So I've already told him that this started with the night-out with Ginny," Harry said quickly.

"Ginny," Ron muttered. "Betrayed by my own bloody sister."

"I think," Harry spoke up again, trying to keep things level. "We just need to know what is going on and, honestly, I still don't get why."

"I'm just," Hermione sighed and sat down in the chair next to Harry. "I'm just dating around. That's all."

"But why Nott?" Ron asked, scowling. "Why's it have to be him? And don't say it's because I'm jealous or something because even Harry thinks it's weird that you're out with him."

"I should just get this out of the way," Hermione leaned forward, bringing her fingers up to her temples to try and ease the headache that she felt coming. "I went out with Zabini yesterday."

There was an odd, tense silence that followed her statement where Ron sat stiffly for a moment while Hermione and Harry gauged his reaction.

"Moving quite a bit quickly, there, aren't you?" Ron finally spoke out spitefully.

"And what has that got to do with you?" Hermione fired back.

"Hermione, these are all people who supported Voldemort back during the war," Harry tried to reason with her. "How can you expect us to be fine with it? How can you be fine with it? I'm not trying to really talk you out of it but you're going to have to try and reason with us."

"It's hard to explain," Hermione looked down at the ground, avoiding the direct glare that Ron was throwing her way. "It was technically by chance, meeting them all at that bar, but I'd be lying if I wasn't the little bit curious as to whether or not there was truth behind some things I heard around."

"Like what?"

"It's just some small things, like people telling me how polite and kind they were," Hermione said slowly. "But then I also heard some things about how someone saw them paying respects to the casualties of war. The people who were on our side. The innocent bystanders who were caught in the crossfire," Hermione lifted her gaze up to Ron and then to Harry.

"They have no right," Ron said through gritted teeth. Harry said nothing but Hermione noticed the way his fists were clenched.

"It wasn't just the one time," Hermione continued, her voice softer. "I kept hearing these kinds of things floating around. Of course, some people were mentioning these kinds of things spitefully," she looked pointedly at Ron. "But nonetheless… it's something."

"And how are they justifying how they treated you?" Harry asked.

"Well, they haven't really said anything about that," Hermione bit her bottom lip. "Although Nott and Zabini didn't really antagonize me the way Malfoy or Parkinson did. They just… kind of…"

"Ignored your existence?" Ron spoke up sarcastically.

"Yes," Hermione said with a sigh, exasperated. "But that was so long ago. Why are we so stuck in the past?"

"Hermione," Harry leaned towards her, his eyes narrowing. "You were tortured. And these two were affiliated with the people who tortured you. People who were hell-bent on killing us."

"You mentioned the torture already, Harry," Hermione tried not to let her voice falter. She would be lying if she said she didn't still have nightmares about that night.

"And you replied with 'it's complicated'," Harry reminded her.

"Anything to do with a war is complicated," Hermione argued. "You can't make it black and white, Harry. Sure, I do believe that we were fighting for the right side but the Order wasn't completely innocent either. Bellatrix Lestrange was the one to torture me. And she's dead. It has nothing to do with Nott or Zabini."

"And Malfoy?" Harry pressed. "You mentioned you saw him that night at the bar, too."

"Malfoy?" Ron looked between Harry and Hermione. "You didn't mention anything about Malfoy. For fuck's sake, Hermione, are you dating Draco bloody Malfoy, too?!"

"No," Hermione replied sharply. "I mean, he hasn't… not that… I—"

"Hermione," Ron's eyes narrowed.

"Who I date isn't something that needs to be regulated by you two," Hermione stood up from her chair. "Of course, if something serious ever develops… of course I want you to approve but for right now, nothing is set in stone. Please, don't worry about me."

"I just hope you know what you're doing," Harry said gently.

"I hope you know that I'll never approve of this," Ron said sharply. "Merlin, Hermione, it's like you're deliberately trying to hurt Harry and me and yourself. This can't be healthy."

"I know it's… hard for you to understand and I don't even fully understand what I'm doing but," Hermione exhaled. "I just know that those three are different now. They're not the same as they were back in school. I mean, we're not the same as we were back in school."

"One last thing," Harry stood up, putting his hands in his pockets. "How do you know that they're not just using you to gain public favor?"

"I don't," Hermione sighed. "But I'm pretty sure the media is still out to get me, so if that is their plan, it's a rather terrible one."

"Be careful, Hermione," Ron sighed, slumped over his desk. "I don't trust any of them."

"I know, Ron," Hermione replied with a tight-lipped smile. "I can only hope that my gut feeling is right and prove you wrong."

"Like you haven't done that enough already," Ron cracked a small smile. Hermione let out a soft laugh before giving Harry a hug.

"Say hi to Ginny for me," Hermione tried to smile reassuringly at Harry who still looked at her with apprehension. "And stop worrying."

"It's hard not to worry," Harry replied. "But I'll try."

"Alright," Hermione stepped back towards the door. "I have a lot of work to catch up on. I'd suggest you also get back to work, Auror Potter."

"Right, I just have a couple of things to sort out here with Ron," Harry smiled. "See you later, 'Mione."

Hermione smiled back before leaving Ron's office. She let out a deep breath, somewhat relieved of some of the stress that had been hanging over her head. She hadn't expected Ron or Harry to be particularly thrilled about her choices as of late, but… Hermione grinned to herself. Maybe they were all really growing up.

"About time," Hermione muttered to herself as she walked towards a lift.

"Granger."

Hermione looked to her side to see Malfoy walking towards her. She had seen Malfoy occasionally around the Ministry building but they had never interacted with each other at work. How could one night at a bar break so many barriers?

"Malfoy. What are you doing here?"

"I work here, Granger," Draco raised an eyebrow.

"I meant this floor," Hermione rolled her eyes. "Don't you work on level five?"

"Had a meeting," Draco shrugged. "Stopped by to greet Weasley, did you?"

"Ron and Harry wanted to talk," Hermione replied nonchalantly as they waited for the lift.

"I see."

"Malfoy, you've never talked to me at work," Hermione said awkwardly. "You don't have to talk to me just because of Nott and Zabini."

"How were your dates?" asked Draco.

Hermione looked at Draco suspiciously. Of course, being the perfect Slytherin, his face was void of any kind of expression. He just looked a bit… bored.

"Why do you care?"

"Because I want to know what I'm going up against."

"What does that mean?"

"We're all mates," Draco turned to face her, his grey eyes boring into hers. Although his face was devoid of expression, his eyes were so intensely focused on hers she felt that she couldn't look away. "But we know that all three of us are attracted to the same woman."

"Why now?" Hermione narrowed her eyes despite the flush spreading throughout her body at his words and the intensity of his gaze.

"Because now we know that you're attracted to us, too," Draco replied with a smirk.

"Well, 'attracted' is a bit strong," Hermione retorted with a scoff, leaning against the wall behind her.

"I recall a rather flirty Gryffindor at the bar that night."

"A Gryffindor under the influence of alcohol."

"Fancy a drink, Gryffindor Princess?" Draco stepped closer to Hermione, that wicked smirk still gracing his aristocratic features.

"With the Prince of Slytherin? I'd have to think about that," Hermione rolled her eyes, trying to seem unaffected by their conversation. The talk with Ron and Harry was still present in the back of her mind. Malfoy had antagonized her all throughout school, was tortured in his home by his aunt… Hermione looked at Draco who kept his gaze steadily on her. She had never really had the chance to properly look at him up close, and now that she did… she would be lying to herself if she didn't find his eyes mesmerizing. They were intense but there was something else there… something that seemed to be warring with the intensity, some kind of suppression.

They stood in silence for a few seconds, just studying each other before Draco stepped in even closer to Hermione. Her heart raced as the coolness she felt pressed against her back reminded her that she couldn't even step back as he drew closer. Bracing herself for anything that could happen (was he going to kiss her? Hex her?) Hermione kept her gaze locked onto his defiantly as he reached an arm around her… and pressed the button for the lift.

Draco stepped back out of her personal space, grinning, and Hermione resisted the urge to exhale at the relief of the tension she felt.

"Going down, too, right?" Draco asked, that amused grin still on his face.

"Right," Hermione replied distractedly, trying to sort out the whirlwind of thoughts in her head.

What had just happened?