AN: Trying to post a new chapter every week! This is a bit of a filler chapter, but one that I thought needed to happen. Next chapter will have much more fluff!

Chapter 23

Monday and Tuesday were hectic for Hermione. Ron and Tina had apprehended the Death Eaters in New Zealand and were back in London. Everyone on the floor was excited at the capture, but dismayed when they discovered that there were more on the run from the Aurors. Harry was frustrated at this discovery, as he couldn't understand why people would still be loyal to a dead man. Especially after so many years had passed.

Wednesday morning was promising to be as busy as Monday and Tuesday. As Hermione settled in her office and began to open files, her secretary popped in with a rolled-up piece of parchment.

"More work?" Hermione asked with a sigh.

"No, I don't think so. I think it is a personal note," Althea said with a smirk as she placed it on Hermione's desk and walked out.

Hermione opened it to find a note from Draco.

Hermione,

Would you like to have lunch with me today? I would love to see you.

Draco

P.S. Blaise and Emma would like to have us over on Saturday evening, if that works for you.

Hermione smiled and immediately began writing her reply. Even though she had been busy at work, she found that Draco was never far from her thoughts. Honestly, she hadn't wanted to wait until Friday to see him, and it seems like he hadn't wanted to wait, either. She walked out and gave Althea her reply.

"Will you please send this for me?" she asked.

Althea smiled knowingly and nodded. Hermione walked back into her office with a spring in her step that wasn't there when she first came to work.

Hermione kept watching the clock. They had decided that Draco would pick her up at 11:30. The time wasn't going fast enough for her. She found that she had a hard time paying attention to her work, which irritated her, but also made her laugh at herself. At 11:25, Althea knocked on her door.

"Hermione? You have a visitor," she said with a smile.

"Is it Draco?" Hermione asked.

Althea nodded happily.

"Tell him I'll be right there," she said as she considered her appearance in her mirror.

"You look great, Hermione," Althea said.

Hermione nodded her thanks, stood up and grabbed her purse. As she walked out of the door, she saw Harry and Ron approaching her office.

Draco stood to greet Hermione, but before he could say anything, they heard Ron say, "What are you doing here, Malfoy? Come to visit some of your friends? Come to pay bail?"

"I'm actually here to see Hermione," he answered with more civility than Hermione would have given.

"Hermione? For what?" Ron retorted.

Harry grabbed his arm and said, "Mate, stop. Everything's okay."

"What do you mean 'everything's okay'?" Ron asked suspiciously.

"He means that Draco is more than welcome to visit me anytime he likes," Hermione answered.

She walked up next to Draco and stared at Ron, daring him to say anything. Draco felt warmth rise in his chest as she made it clear that she wasn't ashamed to be with him.

Ron looked puzzledly at Harry, then at Hermione.

Harry said, "You've been gone a long time, Ron. Things have changed around here."

"I can see that. What in Merlin's beard is going on?" Ron asked.

"Let's discuss this in Hermione's office," Harry offered and gestured to her office door.

Hermione and Draco entered first, followed closely by Harry and Ron.

"I think I should start," Draco said.

"No, I want to hear from Hermione," Ron said.

Hermione gave him a dirty look and said, "Too bad I don't care what you want, Ron."

Before Ron could answer, Harry said, "Let's be nice. Draco, why don't you start?"

Draco cleared his throat and told Ron about how he had realized what a prat he had been in school and apologized to Harry and Hermione. He explained how he would have apologized to Ron as well, but he couldn't, as Ron was out of the country at the time.

"So, Weasley, I would like to apologize now. I understand if you don't accept it, but I sincerely hope you will. I am not the same person as I was at Hogwarts. I would like to make amends," Draco concluded.

Ron looked at Harry and Hermione and said, "The two of you bought this rubbish? He can't be serious. Once a Death Eater, always a Death Eater."

Hermione stood up and made to slap Ron, but Draco gently grabbed her arm.

"Don't, Hermione. He has the right to believe that," he said softly.

"Don't touch her!" Ron exclaimed and made to draw his wand.

Harry was faster and grabbed Ron's arm.

"Ron, quit being a git. Don't you think Hermione and I are smart enough to tell when someone is sincere and when someone is not? Give us some credit," he said.

Ron turned pink at this and swallowed.

"All right, you have a point,"

He then turned to Hermione and asked, "Is something going on between the two of you?"

"Not that it is any of your business, but…yes. Yes, there is," Hermione said, looking tentatively at Draco.

Draco smiled and reached out for her hand, which she willingly gave. Ron watched their fingers intertwine and looked as if he just saw a dancing elephant go through the room.

Harry grabbed Ron's shoulder and said, "Let's go talk about this in my office. It looks like you need a drink of firewhiskey."

At Hermione's sharp look, Harry raised his hands and said, "Only for emergencies, I promise."

Hermione rolled her eyes, but said nothing as Harry and Ron walked out. Hermione then turned to Draco and said, "I am so sorry, Draco. I had no idea they were coming to talk to me."

"You have nothing to apologize for, Hermione. Nothing at all,"

He then squeezed her hand and said, "Still want to go to lunch?"

Hermione nodded vigorously, "Yes. I want to get out of here for a while."

Draco smiled and led the way, holding her hand the entire time they walked.

As Hermione went to sleep that night, her thoughts were of her lunch with Draco. Their conversation covered Ron's outburst, the pet that Scorpius now wanted, the last book she read, the upcoming dinner with the Zabinis, etc. She loved that Draco was a wonderful conversationalist and could easily keep up with her thought process. She realized that was something that had not been present in her relationship with Ron.

She also thought of the hand-holding and how her heart had seemed to swell when he kissed the back of her hand goodbye when he dropped her off at work. She sighed and fell asleep, smiling as she did so.