Hello and Welcome to Chapter 7! Sorry it's been a while, it's been hard to find motivation the last few weeks but I somehow found it and here it is! :D Thank you so much to everyone who is reading and reviewing. A few of you are speculating if this is going to be a HM/DM, HM/TN or a HG/DM/TN story - you'll have to wait and see where our characters feelings take them :P I hope you enjoy this chapter, let me know what you think!

"Right," Harry Potter turned his gaze on the blond man as soon as they were comfortably back within the confines of Draco's office. "Spill it."

"Spill what?" Draco pulled a bottle of Fire Whisky from his drawer and motioned for Harry to get the crystal tumblers perched on the counter behind him. If there was one thing that Draco Malfoy had taken from his father, it was his penchant for fancy things. As he poured out two, very generous, measures, he waited for Potter to continue.

Harry rolled his eyes, taking the offered glass and opening his Leaky Cauldron takeaway box, "Seriously, what's wrong with you today? You have the same sulky look you had that week after Hermione punched you in the face in third year."

Hmm, interesting you mention that Potter, Draco thought. He'd been trying so hard to keep his thoughts off of the curly-haired witch and the date she was on, that Potter's mention of her almost made him scowl. He caught the expression before it could sour his already dark features further and took a deep gulp of the Fire Whisky. "I told you, Potter. It's the fucking overtime you've got us on."

"You've been doing overtime, very happily I might add, for over four months now, Malfoy. Don't think you can fool me." Potter shook his head, eating the pie in front of him so sloppily that, if he didn't know any better, Draco would have thought he was watching a polyjuiced Ron instead. "If I had to guess," The Gryffindor smirked, "I'd think this little mood might be about Hermione's date with Theo."

Draco almost choaked. Once he'd managed to compose himself, he poured them both another drink and said, "Then you'd be wrong."

"The only person you seem to be fooling is yourself, and Hermione it seems, Malfoy."

"What do you mean?" He looked confused.

"It's so obvious." Harry laughed, closing the card box and shoving it away from him in favour for the refilled drink. "You've been crushing on Hermione for years."

"You are insane." Draco forced a laugh out with some difficulty. "You've been hit on that Golden Boy head of yours a few too many times I think."

Rolling his eyes, Harry reached for the bottle, "The sooner you open your eyes, the easier this will be."

"There is no way I like her, we are just friends." Draco said, shaking his head and allowing Harry to fill his glass again. They really had to slow down, the alcohol was going to hit them both soon.

"Why didn't you want Theo to take Hermione out tonight? He's not a bad bloke and she could certainly do worse." Harry asked.

Shrugging, Draco flicked at some non-existent lint on his shirt and avoided Potter's gaze, "I didn't not want Hermione to go out with Theo."

"Why didn't you want Theo to take Hermione out tonight?" Harry repeated, staring at his friend until the blond met his eyes.

"He's not good enough for her." He finally sighed, "That doesn't mean I like her, it just means I have eyes. Also he's not good for her, not at this point in her life anyway."

Both men were definitely starting to feel the effects of the numerous glasses of Fire Whiskey, and Draco had somewhat started to lose his filter. He was normally so composed, that it was a slight shock to Harry, "What does that mean?"

"Theo is a good guy, but he always gets what he wants; he does what he wants. He lives life on the edge and takes a lot of risks. Hermione is looking for danger right now, and he's going to give it to her, and I don't know if she's going to be able to handle it." Draco ran a hand through his hair, "I'm just worried that he's going to make her completely lose herself, and then won't care enough to put her back together. In fact, I'd bet the manor he won't care enough; Theo likes easy and as soon as things take a bit of effort he runs."

Harry conceeded Draco had a point, "Hermione is a big girl, we can't tell her who she can and can't date, Draco."

Draco nodded, taking another big draw of amber liquid. "I know, I just wish it wasn't bloody Theodore Nott."

Harry chuckled darkly, "If you tell me again you don't like her I'll punch you in the face." Harry said in a deadpan tone, before bursting into a fit of giggles. Draco didn't say anything; he couldn't possibly fancy Hermione… could he?

When she finally stumbled through her door, still beaming from the events of the evening, it was almost two in the morning. She couldn't believe how they'd let the night get so far away from them. Hermione couldn't wipe the smile from her face; she hadn't felt like that in such a long time. Who knew that all it took was one, very handsome and charming, Slytherin?

As soon as she shut her door behind her, she realised that there was something amis. Her wards had shifted and warned her of another, human, presence in the house. As she turned, she noticed there was a lone light flickering underneath the door to her living room. Hermione pulled her wand out, gripping it in a slightly sweaty palm, and inching closer towards the closed door.

Her heart beat was loud in her ears as she whizzed through a list of defensive spells she could use against the intruder. Gripping the door handle in her free hand, she twisted it slowly, gearing herself up for a fight, "Expelliarmus!" She sprung through the door, spinning to face the large body of a man who was facing away from her. His wand shot from his hand and into her waiting grip.

The stranger turned to look at her. "Hello, Granger," She finally noticed the shock of blond hair.

"Draco! Merlin, you almost gave me a fucking heart attack. I could have seriously hurt you." She stormed towards him, holding out his wand and waiting for him to take it back. He took it, leaning back against the edge of her kitchen table. "Why are you here, drunk, at 2 o'clock in the morning?"

It was hard to tell Draco Malfoy was completely off his face. There was the blood shot eyes, the messy flop of his hair and the overwhelming stench of Fire Whiskey. "You never came to talk to me." He looked sad, his eyes cast down to the floor where his sock scuffed the carpet. Suddenly, she felt the guilt she'd been forcing down for three days came right back and slapped her in the face. She hadn't seen him look like this in a long time.

"Draco -" She started forward, holding out her hands towards him, but he shook his head and stepped away.

"No, I want to talk." He pointed a finger at himself and then turned to pull a glass out of the cupboard, filling it with water from the tap and taking a long drag. "A long time ago, you said something to me that made me turn my life around. I was depressed, drinking myself into oblivion every night and trying to exist in a hole of self-pity and hatred." Hermione watched him quietly, sinking into the sofa and letting him speak. "You helped me through that. All I want to do is be there for you in the same way."

"But I don't-"

"You do," He cut her off, shaking his head and turning his sad eyes on her, "You just can't see it yet." Hermione didn't say anything, instead, she looked down and played with a trailing thread from her sofa throw, "I just want you to know that I'm not just going to walk away because you ask me to or because you say you don't want my help. Friends are there for each other, even when they aren't there for themselves." Draco stopped talking, putting down the glass he still held between his shaking fingers. He got up and walked towards the floo, taking a handful of powder in his hands and holding it.

"Draco, I-"

"You don't need to say anything, Hermione," He shook his head, "I shouldn't have come by so late," He swayed, the alcohol catching up with him, "Just know that I will always be here for you, even if you push me away." With that, he stepped through the floo and disappeared.

Hermione stayed where she was sat, looking at the shoes he had left in her living room. She wondered how long he had been waiting for her.

There it is! I hope it was worth the wait, sorry that it's a bit short :') I hope everyone is keeping well and not getting too bored in the Lockdown!