Lifelines (Draco X Hermione)

Chapter 16 DIAGON ALLE

HERMIONE had convinced Draco to watch Love Actually with her. To hide from the staring eyes, they went into her room – where she excitedly dug through her bags and pulled our packets and mugs. Malfoy watched as she poured the brown liquid into the mug, pointed her wand and muttered a soft heating spell. She scattered little white squares on top and with a big smile – passed Malfoy a mug. He took a sniff at it and picked up on the smell of chocolate. He had been watching the white cubes float on top of the liquid that he hadn't noticed Hermione pull out her laptop and place it on the bed. She placed the DVD on the disk and waited for the film to load.

The muggle contraption confused him, but he didn't say a word. "Please do have a seat" she pointed. There was a small chaise lounge by the window, that he sat on stiffly holding the mug. She placed the muggle device in front of them and snuggled into the cushions beside him. "Cheers!" she smiled taking a sip happily. Malfoy followed and was surprised by the sweetness and peppermint flavour. The white cubes were a type of muggle sweets. "My parents were dentists, so we only drank this on special occasions" she added with a smile, leaning forward to click a button to play the film. Sound and images began to play on the bright screen.

"Dentists?" Malfoy asked taking a sip. He suddenly wished that he had paid more attention in muggle studies.

"Healers for teeth" she clarified quickly. "Do ask if there is anything that doesn't make sense" she adds cradling her mug happily.

"Always the know it all" he scoffed unintentionally with a small smile.

"Well, I do understand what it means to not belong somewhere and have everything feel foreign and strange. I grew up with this stuff, the same you grew up with magic" she adds knowingly. Draco decided not to say anything more until the film continued. Muggles had certainly figured out how to live without Magic, and he was surprised how much he enjoyed the silly story line and mundane lives of muggles. He hadn't even noticed Hermione fall asleep beside him, until she let out a soft breath.

Feeling stiff and uncomfortable she woke up suddenly to see the film had finished and it was night-time. The small watch on her wrist told her that it was in-fact one in the

morning, and Draco had already left. She would never have known he was there if there had not been two cups left behind. Surprisingly a blanket had been laid over her body, and she felt touched by his consideration. It was so strange how comfortable she felt with him. Draco was till a brick wall of mystery. The Malfoy family in general was a mystery to most. The whole time she had the vile with the timeline stored inside; the more curious she got about it.
Getting cleaned and getting dressed she walked down to the empty reception, bar area.

"Excuse me. Might you know anywhere that has a pensive?" she asked. The old man behind the counter let out a loud sigh as he started thinking. Muttering to himself in thought. The package in her hand was carefully tied.

"Try the bookshop down the road. If you knock at the back entrance, they might let you in. It's very late mind you" the man was wiping down the sticky counter from butterbeer. She smiled and pulled her coat tighter around her body. The shop owner had been unpacking a shipment of books that had just arrived. It didn't take much to convince him after he recognised Hermione and let her in immediately.

After knowing she was alone, she pulled out her wand and muttered the words she had heard Medera say, all too many times. All she said when she had handed the vile over, was that Draco could surprise her. That it could all be simple, simpler than she could have ever imagined. Hermione sucked in a deep breath watching the water ripple in a colourful display, she submerged into the new world.