60. Chapter 60 (2/2)

draco was in and out in fifteen minutes. he and hermione bantered back and forth as they dressed. it was a good looking, well dressed couple that finally shared one last kiss before apparating to f&t.

/*/

conor had put a

ief word in theo's ear about not having a suitable outfit for the party, and theo had invited him to choose something from his own closet. conor had chosen handsome dark gray trousers, with an accompanying gray and black striped vest and a white, long sleeved shirt.

"you're looking might handsome mr. byrne. the witches will be falling at your feet."

"thanks theo, but it will be a blind witch who falls at these feet. at least until i become an employed wizard with a flat of my own."

theo chuckled. "until that happens, perhaps you should find a witch with her own. i have to pick up gloria. you have the apparating address. we'll meet you there." theo left one last cheeky remark before apparating away to pick up gloria. "why is it i have the feeling mick will be popping up?"

"i'd say not this time, but i did owl him about the party, so who knows. i'll see you there."

/*/

gloria was ready and waiting when theo turned up at her door.

theo kissed her cheek telling her how lovely she looked. gloria accepted the compliment with a slight blush inviting theo to have a drink before they headed to the party. not knowing the pub's set up for the night, theo suggested they get going to secure good seats. gloria acquiesced.

/*/

several of severus' group members landed at f&t about the same time. draco, hermione, theo and gloria greeted conor who appeared to be waiting for some familiar faces before entering the pub. as they stood talking, blaise and ginny walked up followed quickly by elroy, janna and cassie. anthony goldstein threw up his hand in greeting on the way in as he passed the people milling about the doors.

when hermione saw terry and the della approaching, she suggested they go inside to get the best seats.

"agreed," remarked gloria, giving theo a side look which didn't get past him.

giving gloria's arm a squeeze, theo grinned as he led her through the doors. the others followed.

once inside, the entire group looked around in amazement. dean and seamus had done an amazing job. the pub had been enlarged to three times its normal size. the bar and food areas were liberally decorated with small, magical flashing lights. f&t was also set up so there were massive amounts of food and beverages situated around the pub so no one had to stand in a queue. the banners hung all around the pub, shouting out their messages, were outstanding. walter had done a stupendous job going above and beyond the expected.

/*/

hermione and draco were still standing when justin approached with arms outstretched. "i hope you don't mind draco if i give my former champion a hug."

"no problem justin. she deserves a hug. i wish you well in your endeavor."

hermione grinned as she hugged justin back. "former champion my arse. i'll always have your back as you've had mine. all you have to do is owl."

"from the bits i'm hearing, it won't be long before i won't have to use an owl. anyway, you and i will speak a few words at 9:15. i believe severus' group will say a few words at 9:45. amazing isn't it that a supposedly dead wizard has come back to london and turned it on its head. i'm chuffed for tonight. i see terry looking over here like he's seen a thestral fly by. i know you and he are at odds, but please don't hex him. i need him for court on monday."

draco smiled and hermione chuckled. "if he doesn't want to be hexed, tell him to stay far away from me."

justin didn't know if hermione was serious or joking, but he wasn't going to take any chances. "i'll advise him to approach you with caution if at all."

draco responded before hermione had a chance to open her mouth. "fine plan justin. mighty fine plan."

justin nodded before walking away.

/*/

the pub had quickly filled while hermione and draco were holding the conversation with justin, but blaise had saved two seats at a very nice table. just as they took their seats, shouts from the front door caught their attention. severus and jean had arrived and were being cheered by their employees.

draco leaned in to hermione. "our group seems to be making their way over to severus and jean. we should be there as well."

hermione rose from the chair wondering how severus had become the focal point of her cele

ation. it was true she had been chuffed at the idea, however….

… she and draco had reached the edge of the crowd surrounding severus and jean. reaching out, hermione first shook severus' hand then jean's offering her

congratulations. whether it was by choice or a spontaneous uttering, hermione asked if they liked what she had done with the banners. draco cringed a bit feeling as though hermione was trying to make a point. what point, he didn't know. her banner comment could have waited until tomorrow at the meeting. to draco, it seemed as though hermione wanted to be recognized for doing a good deed. he would be happy when his witch finally got settled into a permanent position and let go of the, please notice me, attitude.

/*/

as they left the crowd around severus and jean, hermione and draco came face to face with anthony.

a smiling anthony nodded at draco. "malfoy. how are you hermione? i look forward to your, passing the baton, speech tonight as well as attending the meeting tomorrow."

draco returned the nod. "goldstein."

before draco and anthony could get into a duel of glares, hermione heard justin calling her to the front.

"this shouldn't take long. i'll be back." she said, giving draco's arm a squeeze.

draco moved back to the table without giving anthony another glance.

/*/

dean had been appointed to sort out how the remarks would go. taking a few minutes to explain to the crowd, dean had then

ought justin, hermione and terry to the floor.

acting like the owner/head of finch-fletchley & boot he was, justin stepped up before terry could appoint himself speaker. "hello all. terry and i are here to cele

ate taking over the business formerly known as granger & associates now known as finch-fletchley & boot prosecutorial services. we are also here to wish our former owner well in her future endeavors knowing whatever she chooses to do will be spectacular. i'll now turn the floor over to hermione so she can say a few words. perhaps i'll rephrase a bit as i've never known hermione to be satisfied with a few words. as a reminder, i'll warn all criminals that hermione may be gone, but finch-fletchley & boot can pin your arses to the wall just as well."

clapping and shouts of laughter filled the room as hermione stepped up to deliver her goodbye to the firm she had owned and headed for the last two year. while hermione spoke, she noticed lucius malfoy himself speaking to severus. the pureblood bastard had made his way to the lower class world. as hermione was finishing her remarks, she noticed draco head towards his father. after a few waves and smiles, hermione turned the floor back over to dean who was calling severus and jean to the floor as she headed for draco.

/*/

once again, clapping and shouting erupted from the employees of wizarding communications systems as severus then jean had their say. hermione heard the remarks, but kept moving toward the malfoy men. just as she came a

east of draco, lucius malfoy turned away, which seemed deliberate to hermione, to greet a wizard she didn't recognize. draco waited until after lucius greeted the wizard before introducing him to hermione.

"father, i'd like to introduce you to hermione granger. hermione, this is my father lucius malfoy. hermione and i are dating father."

ignoring draco's last comment, lucius malfoy turned to hermione with the malfoy faade on his face. not a flicker of emotion, good or bad, crossed his face. with a barely perceptible nod in hermione's direction, lucius greeted his son's witch. "miss granger. very nice to see you. i understand you are part of severus' team. well done. your group is about to make history."

being belligerent, but trying not to let it show, hermione returned lucius' small nod. "i believe you are on the mark when you say severus and the team are about to make history."

another subtle nod. "if you'll excuse me, severus is back to his table. your mother and i will see you sunday evening draco."

hermione was fuming inside as she watched lucius disappear into the crowd. the pureblood blighter dared not say, nice to meet you because he had met her and knew exactly who she was. whatever.

recognizing hermione's tense mood, draco steered her back to the table before she could draw her wand and hex someone. once hermione was safely seated, draco headed to the nearest food and liquor station to get them both a plate and a drink. he chose wine for hermione,

andy for himself and baked chicken sandwiches for them both. by the time draco got back to the table, hermione's mood had improved and she was animatedly chatting with ginny and gloria.

"thanks love. i'll have the wine but pass on the sandwich. i'll have something light when we get back to the house."

"that's what i said," added ginny. "i want to keep a nice figure for my handsome wizard."

"haha really ginny?" hermione clapped back. "i don't think blaise would notice if you put on ten pounds."

holding up a hand, blaise glanced at hermione. "please don't speak for me miss granger. although i admit to being smitten with the lovely ginger, i'd rather she keep the fit shape she has now."

ginny rolled her eyes but didn't say a word.

draco knew hermione would go back and forth all night to have the last word, so he spoke up. "it's close to midnight. some of us have to be at wcs by 11:00 am. this handsome wizard is going to say goodnight so he can get a bit of sleep."

theo smiled at blaise. both wizards knew exactly what draco had done. he had effectively ended the conversation before anyone got offended.

"i concur." blaise replied, grabbing ginny's hand. "i must get my lovely…."

ginny cut across blaise. "if you don't want a taste of the lovely, redhead's wand, everyone will stop talking as though she's not here at the table, especially you mr. zabini."

not wanting ginny to go into one her weasley rants in public, blaise stood and held out his hand to ginny. "draco has a point. it is late. let's be on our way love. nice night hermione, thanks. goodnight everyone."

"it has been a nice night hermione." ginny replied, echoing blaise. "i'll be back in london for good next friday. we'll have to have a night out."

"okay," said hermione, rising to give ginny a hug. "we'll walk out with you and blaise. goodnight everyone. see you all at the meeting."

theo and gloria stood as well. "i'm going to say goodnight to jay and conor, but we'll be right behind you."

/*/

theo wasn't surprised to see a grinning mick byrne sitting with his arm around the back of parvati's chair. "hello everyone. this is gloria isles. gloria, you know conor. that's jay, leanne, parvati and declan's other uncle mick. you made good time mick."

gloria smiled and gave one sweeping, nice to meet you.

"we're on our way out. just thought i'd remind you the wards are still keyed to both your profiles. you may apparate directly into the house. don't worry about waking declan. he's with esther tonight. call cely for anything within reason. i'll see you at the house. goodnight."

as theo and gloria headed for the door, they were both thinking along the same lines, but neither spoke their thoughts. it wasn't until they were at the door to gloria's flat that theo spoke.

"i know the gentlemanly thing to do is leave you at your door. however, i'd like to see you inside and perhaps have one last drink. i promise to be less aggressive."

gloria let out a soft chuckle. "i thought we were past the aggressive bit. i like you just as you are. please come through. have a drink and pour me a wine while you're there. it was a nice event tonight. hermione and justin spoke well. i think i even saw severus smile once. he's probably walking around with a

oken jaw."

theo didn't want to get into any discussions about the event, life, the state of the country or anything else. he wanted to hold gloria in his arms with hopes of going farther. "come sit with me. i'd like a kiss or two before i leave."

"leave? i thought the entire reason to see me inside was to explore our options. in my mind, that means we will pass the night together. if i'm being too

azen, tell me. i won't change my mind, but i'll temper my words."

"there's no need to temper your words gloria. i'm of a like mind. i'd like to spend the night. shall we have our drink then explore our options?"

extending her hand, gloria spoke her mind. "if i don't have to temper my words, let me just say, drinks can wait."

reaching out for gloria's hand, theo agreed. "drinks can wait."

/*/

draco didn't go directly to sleep once he and hermione reached the house. he first had to listen to hermione complain about his father's attitude then about him cutting across her conversation with blaise. when hermione started going on about how a cele

ation meant for her and justin had turned into a massive love fest for severus and jean, draco had enough. knowing if he said one wrong word, hermione would turn it into a war, draco took the chance and spoke his thoughts anyway.

"hermione. i've been listening to you complain for over an hour. it's almost 1:30 am, and i'm tired. please take a calming draught or something, but please calm down. listening to you go back over a night that wasn't to your liking is annoying. come to bed."

hermione was taken aback by draco's words as well as his tone. she was simply venting to her boyfriend. "really? i should take a calming draught. i'm complaining? i'm annoying? i'm all that, but you want me to come to bed? am i to understand you don't want to hear my voice, but you'll willingly fuck the shite out of me? i think not. i'll just go to my own flat where i can complain and be annoying in peace. i'll see you at the meeting draco."

draco threw back the covers and sat up. "i didn't say anything about fucking the shite out of you. i'm too tired to lift my dick you're upset. we can discuss all this later today. right now, i want you to calm down and come to bed."

hermione who didn't bother changing out of her pajamas glared at draco from across the room. "there's no need to discuss anything. i'll see you at the meeting. goodnight."

pounding his pillow then summoning his wand, draco swung the wand haphazardly around to extinguish the lights as he growled out his last thoughts. "another fucking, lovely night in the malfoy/granger relationship. i'm fucking overjoyed."

at her flat, an angry hermione sat rigidly on her couch in the dark thinking that draco malfoy and everyone else could just kiss her arse.

hermione didn't fall asleep until 4:00 am.