The Fractured Flame | Draco Malfoy Love Story

Chapter Thirteen: Stirring the Hotpot

It was then that Hermione heard a word from Draco she'd never heard him say before in such a sincere, honest manner.

"Please?"

He looked so hopeful that it felt like an out of body experience.

Draco Malfoy.

Sarcastic, rude, Draco Malfoy, king of insults and being an absolute prat... was asking her nicely to cook for him. Why would he be so desperate he's swallow his pride to say 'please?' And for Lancashire hotpot of all things? It was a stew of meat, potatoes, and vegetables. Basic as it got for English cooking. Wouldn't the house elves-

Hermione stopped her inner monologue. The house elves always cooked for him whether it be at the Malfoy Manor or Hogwarts. Had he never had a meal cooked in front of him for him until today? Was that why he practically inhaled the breakfast food before Theo could steal his or something happen to it?

She cleared her mind, aware that Draco was starting to look uncomfortable again. She was taking too long to answer him.

"The grocery stores will be closing soon, so we need to get a move on. I'll give you a pair of lounge wear you can transfigure to fit you." She replied calmly, sliding off the counter. Then she gave him a stern look. "If I cook for you, it's going to take time. You can't rush Muggle appliances or you'll mess up the food. So I don't want to hear any complaining when it takes a couple hours, do you hear me?"

Draco's lips twitched as he gave her a mocking smile that stirred a a foreign feeling in her. "Yes, ma'am."

Stirring the Hotpot

"You look rather miffed." Draco quipped, placing the groceries down on the island.

She shot him a glare, "And what gave it away?"

He smirked, starting to unpack the vegetables and meat. "I'd say ever since the Muggle tried to help me pick the best potatoes from the stand."

Hermione took a deep breath and then went on her tirade, "It was bloody ridiculous! First she tried to tell you the best potato for a Lancashire Hotpot were Russet potatoes-which I don't necessarily disagree with-but she handed you sweet potatoes! The woman didn't know a damn potato from an onion. Then she followed us all the way to the carrots and tried to give you baby carrots instead of large ones. And let's not mention the fact that I was looking for lamb stew meat and she said that we were better off with tofu. Bloody. Tofu."

This was her fault. She could admit it. Handing Draco a pair of grey sweats and a white hoodie he'd transfigured to fit him was the downfall. Women were ogling him like he was a piece of meat to buy in the store. Then because he couldn't see the prices in the fine print, he pulled out his reading glasses.

Draco Malfoy.

Grey sweats.

Reading glasses.

And now he was looking at her with a sinful smirk, wearing those glasses, and looking at her expectantly. "Don't worry, I think she was terrified after you threatened to throw the bag of potatoes at her head after she handed me a note with numbers on it."

"As if you would ever buy a Muggle cell phone." Hermione muttered before heading over to the sink to start washing the vegetables. "You mentioned forgetting to bring the floor layout for the Death Chamber. Why don't you grab it from the Manor and we can start discussing a plan for the ceremony. Halloween is only a couple weeks away."