Hermione Granger always loved fireworks. Her childhood friends-who all believed she attended a boarding school-were continually confused with her obsession. It didn't matter what occasion, the intelligent brunette always celebrated with fireworks. She even mourned with them once. Her neighbor, Lucie, found her in tears when they were seven, after Johnny Wist threw the valentine Hermione had made him on the floor. But there she was. Lighting up the never-ending supply of fireworks in her driveway when Lucie caught up.
This year was no different. As soon as Lucie saw Hermione in the back of her parents car, back from boarding school, she grabbed a box of matches and ran over to greet the other sixteen-year-old girl. As she stepped from the car, Lucie grinned. Her hair was as bushy as ever. Even though Hermione was gone for a year, some things never change.
“Lucie!” Hermione squealed, throwing her arms around the girl and squeezing her tight. “How are you!”
“As great as ever!” Lucie responded enthusiastically. “Oh, I missed you so much!!”
“I missed you, too! But you know what we should do to really kick off the summer?” Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow.
“FIREWORKS!” Both girls screamed in unison, and ran off to the pile in the backyard shed.
Mr. and Mrs. Granger smiled at the two girls, happy they had remained friends even after Hermione left. Shaking their heads, they walked inside, hoping to fall asleep before the girls brought out the larger fireworks.
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Draco quickly walked away from the gates, hoping to escape before his father noticed he had left. Lucius Malfoy would've scoffed at Draco's nightly walks. During his fifth year at Hogwarts, Draco would often walk around the lake to clear his mind. Now that he was back at the manor, he would have to be more careful. He sneered when he remembered his father's cold face as he said 'welcome home.' The manor wasn't a home, it was a prison.
Shaking his head forcefully, he willed himself to stop thinking about his joke of a family. His father was an over-bearing force and his mother was scared to death of him. Grimacing, he realized he was still thinking of him.
“Daddy, Daddy!” he heard a little girl plead. “Please give it back!” Draco turned his head as the laughing father returned the daisy to his daughters hair, just in time for her mother to snatch it and place it behind her own ear.
Draco sighed and resumed his walk, wishing he had a loving family. Wondering how different his life would've been with parents who actually cared about him.
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Hermione and Lucie shrieked in delight as the fireworks lit up the sky. When they needed more, Lucie jumped up and returned with handfuls of bottle rockets-her favorite. Hermione grinned and grabbed a can to put them in. Lucie rolled her eyes at her friends safety while Hermione's back was turned. Lucie would've preferred to light them and simply throw them in the air, but Hermione always insisted on “cautionary practices” with the bottle rockets.
Tossing the box of matches to her blonde friend, Hermione grabbed three rockets and started twisting the fuses together, laughing at the look of delight on Lucie's face when the rockets launched. Tossing the matches back and forth, the girls continued to laugh, enjoying each others company. And the fireworks.
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Stopping to glance at a deserted park, Draco realized the houses were getting smaller, and closer together. He also noticed the increasing number of families spending time in the fresh summer air. Together.
Hearing a faint boom, he looked up and saw colored sparks, like from a wand. Draco picked up his pace, his curiosity piqued. As he neared, he saw more sparks, and heard the shriek of teenage girl's laughter. Inwardly smiling, he smoothed his hair and straightened his clothes. He couldn't remember any witches living this close to him, and wondered why his parents never mentioned them. Draco also wanted to know why they kept insisting on using magic in predominant muggle neighborhood.
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Lucie quickly checked that Hermione was busy with her fire works, before hastily striking a match. Throwing the match box on the ground, she lit the bottle rocket's fuse before tossing it in the air and watching it shoot toward the line of trees between her house and Hermione's. She smiled cheekily at her friend's scowl, until she heard a deep voice yell “Merlin!” . Paling rapidly, Lucie started running toward the property line. Hermione paled too, but for a different reason. She didn't know of any wizards living near her, yet what muggle would say 'Merlin'? She took off after her friend, anxious to reach the wizard before Lucie, who she knew would ask about his exclamation.
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Draco grew more excited with each step towards the magical sparks. He saw a red light shoot through a line of trees. Ducking immediately to avoid the spell he inadvertently shouted “Merlin!” He was picking himself up off the ground when he heard the pounding of footsteps racing toward him. They reached him while he was dusting himself off.
“OhmygoodnessdidIhurtyou?” Lucie said in one breath as soon as she reached the man. “Andwhydidyousaymerlin? Andwheredoyoulive? AndwhyhaveIneverseenyoubefore?” Lucie kept firing off question after question, not giving him anytime to respond. Hermione quickly cut her friend off, knowing she wouldn't stop anytime soon.
Reaching out her arm to shake his hand, Hermione smiled. “Hello, I'm-”
“-Hermione Granger.” Draco finished stepping closer to her.
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“Malfoy?” Hermione said disbelievingly.
He smiled at her. “The one and only.”
“Howdoyouknowhim? Whydidn'tyoueverintroduceus?” Hermione's friend asked her.
“He goes to bording school with me” Hermione said confused. “Malfoy, what are you doing here?”
Malfoy winked at her friend, who promptly blushed. “Is there something wrong with me taking a walk, Granger?”
“Hermione,” Lucie nudged her in the ribs. “Introduce us!” she said though gritted teeth, smiling at Draco.
“Yes, Hermione, do tell me who this lovely woman is.” Draco agreed sarcastically, but only Hermione noticed.
Hermione sighed. “Draco Malfoy-Lucie. Lucie-Malfoy. Happy?”
“I'm very pleased to meet you, Draco.” Lucie told him, batting her eyelashes.
Disgusted, Hermione pulled Lucie away from Draco, telling him over her shoulder that she needed a minute.
He laughed as Lucie waved at him when Hermione's back was turned. This girl was obviously a muggle. And, smirking, he realized it didn't matter to him.
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“LUCIE! What are you doing!” Hermione whisper-yelled.
“What? Goodness, he's not your boyfriend, is he? Oh, Hermione, I'm so sorry I had no idea!” Lucie appologized.
“B-b-boyfriend?” spluttered Hermione. “Far from it!”
“Why? He's hot! You should totally be dating him!”
Hermione punched her in the shoulder. “He is a complete monster! He's evil. And arrogant. And cold. And can't have a single civilized conversation. And-”
“He's hot.” Lucie interrupted.
“No he's-well-maybe-a little? Yes. He's bloody gorgeous.” But he'd never go for me. Hermione added in her head.
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Draco stood at the end of the driveway watching the two girls argue with a slight smile. Granger was using her hands a lot, trying to emphasize a point to her friend, Lucie. Letting his eyes roam over her, he had to admit she was quite pretty. Gorgeous even. She really had some incredible qualities as well. No one in Slytherin was like her. She helped everyone with a smile, and never seemed to judge anyone. He saw them turn around to start walking back towards him, and dropped his eyes to his feet so they would not know he was watching them.
Lucie grinned as soon as she was three feet away from him, and positively beamed when he was a mere twelve inches away. He saw Hermione roll her eyes and instantly remembered why he was drawn to that house in the first place.
“Hey Her-Granger.” Draco corrected himself. “Can I please talk to you for a second, alone?” He saw Lucie's smile falter a bit and felt sorry for the girl. She was cute, but he knew that he could never be involved with her. He never understood how life would work with a muggle and a wizard.
“Uhh....” Hermione started uncertainly. “Sure?”
He started walking away from them and turned around to see the two girls whispering and looking in his direction. He rolled his eyes. “I'm not going to bite you, Granger.”
Blushing slightly she ran up to him. “Sorry, Lucie's a bit..interested in you.” Hermione explained.
“Mmmhmm.” Draco nodded. “I realized that.”
Hermione laughed and he laughed with her. It was contagious.
“She has yet to learn the art of subtlety.” Then realizing who she was talking to, Hermione clapped her hands and turned serious. “Honestly, Malfoy, why are you here?”
“Because you were using magic.” He stated simply. “I didn't know it was your house and I was curious who it was. So, Granger, why were you using magic in front of a muggle?”
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Bewildered, Hermione ran through everything she had done since she got home. Cocking her head she asked, “Magic? When?”
Draco frowned. “I saw sparks in the air. That's why I'm here.”
Hermione burst out laughing. “Those were fireworks!”
Draco raised an eyebrow. “Fireworks?”
“Bottle rockets to be exact.”
“What is a bottle rocket?”
Still laughing, Hermione grabbed his wrist and pulled him back to Lucie. “Light up the bottle rockets, Lucie!” She shouted. Turning toward Draco she smiled with bright eyes. “You're going to love it, I promise!”
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An hour later, Draco was starting to admit to himself he was having a good time. The fireworks were a blast. When Hermione and Lucie started cleaning up, he felt disappointed. Lucie must have noticed his look of sadness, because she asked him cheerfully if he was coming back next week.
“Next week?”
“Next week.” Hermione repeated. “Lucie and I light them every weekend.”
Draco smiled slightly, “If I'm in the area, I might stop to watch a few.” He decided.
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By the end of the summer, Draco was a regular at the firework parties. Hermione was surprised he could interact with her and Lucie and never once sneer. He was almost like a friend to them. She wouldn't admit it to anyone, but she was actually looking forward to seeing him every week. Hermione couldn't believe how much he had matured.
Draco was thrilled that he and Hermione could have a civil conversation. He was a bit anxious about what would happen when they went back to Hogwarts, but he pushed that thought to the back of his mind. He longed for her company each week.
And so, near the end of August, as their relationship grew closer, so did they. And as Lucie turned around to tell her friends that she was going to get more fireworks, she saw them laying in the yard talking, their hands intertwined between them. Smiling, she started to quietly clean up. She walked home, knowing she would miss Hermione dearly over the year, but was looking forward to her and Draco's return. She couldn't wait to kick of next summer with them. And a pile of fireworks.