A Tale of Two Dragons: A Dramione Story

Chapter 6

Though it had been a week since the library, Draco was still in unbelief about how much he had enjoyed spending the day with Hermione. He couldn't remember a time when he had laughed so freely, and Hermione's infectious smile was etched into his memory. How had he never noticed, in six years of classes together, that she had a dimple on her left cheek when she smiled? The day they had spent together was so opposite from the relationships he had with other people. Home was a place of fear and manipulation, and he hadn't really had many friends in the Slytherin house. Crabbe and Goyle were more minions than anything else because they were both so incredibly stupid. He didn't have a particular teacher that he felt close to, either. The closest thing to a friendship he could think of was the Slytherin Quidditch team. Was Hermione his only friend? Was she the only person that cared about him? Was she the only person he cared about? No, of course I care about more people than just her, don't be silly Draco, he told himself. But deep down he knew he was wrong, and that how he felt about Hermione might have been different from any other friend he may have had.

~~~***~~~

Hermione was thoroughly stumped by the mystery of the dragon. She knew it had to be significant, because one doesn't put a piece of yourself into just any object. She felt like she had run out of ideas about who to ask. This was the sort of thing that Harry and Ron would have always been able to help out with. Harry had an amazing sense of intuition and Ron was dense enough to see the obvious solution rather than get caught up in the details.

Wait, Ron. The Weaselys.

Of course! The answer had been there the whole time. Why didn't she think of it before? Ron's brother Charlie worked with dragons in Romania. And Romania wasn't even that far from Albania. Charlie might know some local information about the dragon, or where they could find more people to talk to. It was worth a shot. Hermione quickly sent an owl to Mrs. Weasley asking if they could come visit her and ask some questions. She then opened up her notebook and penned a quick note to Draco.

Meet me for lunch at the Hungry Hippogriff. I get a lunch break at noon. I have a few ideas.

~~~***~~~

When Draco had a moment, he checked his notebook. He had heard it whistling earlier but hadn't been able to get away.

Meet me for lunch at the Hungry Hippogriff. I get a lunch break at noon. I have a few ideas.

Draco took a moment to admire her handwriting. It was so perfectly neat and concise.

It was bold of her to assume that he would drop everything to meet her at noon. But Draco's heart had soared at the invitation and he wasn't about to turn it down. He rearranged his schedule with his employees, and eagerly waited for noon to arrive.

Hermione had arrived first at the café, about five minutes early. She had left her office a bit early because she couldn't sit there, an anxious ball of nerves. She was sitting on a nearby bench in the sun waiting for him. His pale frame rounded the corner and Hermione stood up.

"You just couldn't wait to see me again, Granger? You got here early?" Draco said with a mischievous grin.

She hated that he was right and flushed a little and she looked down, scuffing the toe of her toe into the cobblestone of the street to hide her face.

"It's Hermione, remember? And I just didn't want to get a table that was...too small for you. You're quite tall," Hermione lied. Out of all the lies I could have picked, I picked the absolute worst one.

Draco laughed and held the door open for her as they entered the café. They both ordered sandwiches and sat down. "So what's this all about?" Draco inquired.