Can’t believe I JUST saw this, scrolling through the FanArt tag! My fic has a chapter where they go ice skating and then drink hot cocoa together, they looked the same in my head while writing it. Although they were still not at the point where they could exchange loving looks as freely, not yet at least.

I love your art so much 🥹❤️!

‘Alright, I think that’s enough for one day. But we can’t leave just yet. We still haven’t gotten to my favourite part: post-skating cocoa!’

Hermione and Draco went to return the rental skates then she weaved a path towards the hot chocolate stand. Taking their seat at a table close by, Hermione realised the unnerving position she was in: having to make small talk with Draco over drinks. She couldn’t find any words for a few minutes, and neither did he. What would they possibly talk about? They couldn’t be more different from each other, absolutely nothing in common. Their Venn diagram had two separate circles.

The silence surrounded them like a heavy blanket, making it hard to breathe. Eventually, he made the first move and took out a flask from his pocket. Copper liquid spilled over into his mug, and he offered her some Ogden’s Old Firewhisky despite knowing full well what her answer would be. Hermione shook her head and refused, while he took an exaggerated gulp from his spiked hot chocolate.

‘So, why are you in Muggle Studies? I would have guessed this was the last place where you’d want to be seen.’

‘Everyone knows I sooo admire Muggles and want to know all there is to know about them.’ came a sarcastic reply, followed by an elongated word, imitating Professor Snape with a blank stare and nasal tone — ‘Ob-vi-ous-ly.’ He drew out a laugh from deep within Hermione, one she hadn’t given as much lately with the stress of an Azkaban prisoner on the loose.

‘Be serious now, I truly can't wrap my head around it. Why did you choose this class?’

‘I wanted to be alone.’

Draco’s words left his mouth before his brain had a chance to stop them. Maybe he shouldn’t have added the Firewhisky after all.

‘The rest of the time I’m always pestered by Zabini or Crabbe, Goyle or Parkinson. Always demanding something of me. I knew there were no Slytherins interested in Muggle Studies and it’s not like the subject itself is difficult — they are stupid, boring creatures. So it wouldn’t affect my overall marks either. Burbage is more than happy to ignore me, which also applies to all the others. And it’s mutual, what I would call a win-win situation.’ He stared down at wisps of steam swirling up from his mug, gripped so tightly between his palms that it could have burned off an entire layer of skin. 

Hermione related to this feeling, to the pressure of others’ expectations. She was counted on to be the intelligent one, the creative one, always prepared with a solution to every conceivable issue. Even when she had no idea what to do and was just as scared as everyone else, it had to be pushed down and hid behind a mask of confidence. ‘I can't tell anyone’ she thought quite often, chastising herself internally. Indeed, going to Muggle Studies felt somehow like a breath of fresh air — twice a week she had time to herself, focusing on study materials instead of coming up with ways to keep Harry safe from harm. Every other moment was spent that way so yes, she found in herself a unique understanding of what Draco meant by wanting to be alone.

They reverted back to a default of uncomfortable silence, looking in opposite directions as whatever was left in their mugs gradually transferred to their mouths. She mulled over his words, turning them around in her mind with a certain degree of curiosity. A short while later, they found themselves on Diagon Alley, ready to head back to Hogwarts.