500 Hours: Chapter 42: Sunday Brunch And Happy Endings
The knocking on the door confused Hermione. It was eight in the morning, and after weeks of needing to be out the door before six, she could barely sleep past seven. Even after being up most of the night for the wedding reception, Hermione was up and dressed, but she hadn’t been expecting anyone.
When the brunette opened the door to see Draco on the other side, she was even more confused.
“Good, you’re already dressed,” The blonde said without prompt.
“Um, you’re, uh, mum isn’t here,” Hermione said awkwardly.
Draco rolled his eyes before admitting, “I cast a Homenum Revelio on her flat before making my way up here. I did not want to find the two of you together.”
Hermione blushed all the way through the tips of her ears.
“Anyway, brunch.” Draco cleared his throat. “Let’s go.”
“Wait, where are we going?” Hermione asked as Draco turned down the hall. The older witch grabbed her coat and closed and warded her door to follow him.
“Brunch,” The blonde repeated as he hit the button for the lift.
“You are being quite frustratingly literal.”
“I learned it from my mother. Get used to it.”
The two rode the lift down to the ground floor and walked out of the building. Once they reached the side alley, Draco held his arm out for Hermione. The witch hesitated for a short moment. She had known Draco for ten years and for the better part of that decade he had treated her dreadfully. However, in that moment’s hesitation, she saw a gentleness in Draco’s eyes she hadn’t seen before. It was that gentleness that made her believe he wouldn’t hurt her, not anymore. Perhaps the war really had changed him.
Seeing Draco in this new light was strange for Hermione. After the war, a lot of people split off into strange groups. Of her graduating (even those who never returned to Hogwarts) class, there was a mixture of every house working together in the ministry. Draco was working with the DMLE, Astoria and Daphne were cursebreakers, and even Pansy found a spot as a bureaucrat. Perhaps the segregation at Hogwarts did cause more issues rather than provide house pride.
They apparated to Curtain Rd and Hermione found herself laughing at the restaurant of choice.
“Red Rooster?”
Draco shrugged and held the door open for the witch. “They have an amazing brunch.”
Read more here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24776017/chapters/66683737 or here: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13618651/42/500-Hours
