Hermione Granger and The Pub Quiz That Changed Her Life
Words: 5,602
Rated: Teen and Up
No Archive Warnings Apply
Ship: Dramione
Tags: Draco Malfoy is a Little Shit, But Hermione Likes it
Grand Gestures, Fluff, Humor, Plans Gone Awry, Pining Draco Malfoy, Pining Hermione Granger, Marriage Proposal, Developing Relationship, Falling In Love Tooth-Rotting, Fluff
On AO3
Summary: When Harry invites Draco to their weekly Pub Quiz, Hermione is sure she's never going to be able to enjoy the event again. And her life is changed forever...but just not how she thought it would be.
The first time Hermione and Draco were at the same pub quiz night, it felt electric. She’d been purposely avoiding him. She was well aware he and Harry were Auror partners and had become friends. But, the first few times Harry mentioned he’d be joining, she’d found excuses not to go. She hated missing the weekly pub quiz, but the idea of seeing him in a social setting felt strange, wrong. She knew he wouldn’t call her a slur and he probably wouldn't insult her hair, but she just didn’t know what their new dynamic would be. Eventually, though, she gave in, she wouldn’t let him keep her from seeing her friends.
She walked into the Leaky Cauldron and found Harry, Ginny, and Neville at their team’s usual booth. She waved to them as she walked over and settled next to Harry at the wooden table.
“Thanks for the drinks mate,” Harry called out. Hermione followed his eyeline and spotted the poncy git himself walking over with the first round for the table. She wasn’t sure how she’d missed the shock of blond hair when she’d first walked in. Malfoy got to work handing out the drinks, Butterbeers for her and Ginny, Gin and Tonic for Harry, Fire whiskey for himself and Neville, and an ale for Ron, who seemed to be running late, as usual.
Draco shrugged, responding to Harry’s thanks. “It was my turn to buy, but you are up next,” he said looking at Hermione.
Draco’s eyes met hers now. She’d never noticed just how strikingly gray they were before. If he were any other man, she’d even say they were attractive. But he was him, so they weren't. “Why is it my turn to buy?” she asked incredulously.
He looked at her his eyes pitying, “She’s lost her brains since graduation then?” he asked the table.
Harry laughed openly, Ginny tried to hide her giggles and Neville just glanced away, trying to avoid conflict.
“I haven’t ‘lost my brains’ as you put it, I just don’t see why I should get moved up in the rotation when I haven't been here. I always buy after Ginny.”
“Yes and as you missed the last three weeks, you’ve not bought after anyone in far too long so you are up.” He sat down across from her. His long legs barely managed to fit under the table and his knees bumped up against hers. She waited for him to apologize or pull his legs back, but instead, he just smirked and bumped her knee again, on purpose. She was just about to pull out her wand and hex his knees off his stupid body when the quiz host walked to the front of the pub with an announcement.
“Hello, I am Chester Borgin, and welcome witches and wizards to the Thursday night Pub Quiz!” He’d cast a Sonorous on himself to amplify his voice over the crowd gathered for the quiz. “We have answer sheets and self-inking quills up at the front table. Send up the team captain to collect the materials and we will begin shortly!”
Draco stood at the same time as Hermione. Ginny looked at them, laughing as they both froze. She sighed, wiping her tears of laughter aside, and explained to Draco, “Normally Hermione is our team captain, and she gets the material and writes the answers,”. She turned to Hermione. “But in your absence, Draco had taken over,”
Draco did not sit or retreat. “I’m closer to the host’s table,” he pointed out. “How about I just go and collect the materials then?” He had a fake smile plastered on his face.
Hermione sprung into action, scooting out from her side of the booth, her skirt annoyingly riding up her legs as she tried to squeeze past. “No, thank you,” she said in her most sickly sweet voice, walking towards the front. She could feel him racing right behind her, trying to beat her. But Hermione was small, she was able to slip through the crowd more easily. She reached the table just a moment before he did and felt his body crush against hers as the momentum carrying him forward propelled him into her. She ignored the slight pain from their collision and called to the host.
“Team We’re not Lion. There are six of us.”
“Actually, since I joined we go by team Dirty Lion Snakes,” Draco corrected from just behind her, his body still pressing against hers from chest to hips. “It’s the same pun, just more fun,” he explained, his breath fanning over her ear.
“Yes, I understood the wordplay, thank you,” she said, rolling her eyes, despite Draco being behind her and unable to see the gesture. She pushed forward trying to get him off of her back, but it just pushed her further into the table, her hips pressing into the wood, as she felt his strong chest warm and solid behind her.