Chapter Ten: Not Ron
The clanking from the kitchen pulled Hermione from her hazy sleep. It only took a minute but the events from the night before came racing back to the forefront of her mind. Hermione just lay in bed a little while, listening to the soft talk of her friends.
Hermione guessed that Harry and Ginny were cooking breakfast, the smell of bacon started wafting into her room. She tried to drive the night with Malfoy out of her mind. She couldn’t believe she had been such a prat with him.
The sudden clanging of pots falling on the floor jolted Hermione up. Then the light giggles of Ginny helped her to forget about Malfoy. Hermione got out of bed and got ready for the day. She put on some jeans and black t-shirt; she figured that the Bontecous wouldn’t miss her help for a day. In fact, Hermione was pretty sure that they let in Harry and Ginny.
Hermione walked out of her room as she was pulling her bushy hair up into a bun. Harry and Ginny were hugging and laughing together. It looked like they had just had a sort of fight because Harry had flour in his hair and Ginny had some batter on the tip of her nose.
Hermione just stood and watched with a smile on her face. She loved seeing her friends so happy, it almost felt like everything was still perfect. She half expected to see Ron sit up from the couch and yell at Harry for touching his sister.
But Ron didn’t show up.
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The three friends finished their breakfast with a lot of jokes and stories of the summer. Harry and Ginny told Hermione how big Bill and Fleur’s daughter was getting. And they also revealed how big Fleur was getting with the new baby she was expecting.
The twins were both doing well in their business. Their expansion to Hogsmeade was doing very well with the restart of Hogwarts and they were already thinking of building another shop somewhere near Durmstrang.
Charlie was off in Russia somewhere searching for dragons, but Ginny had a feeling he might have a girlfriend. Or at she was hoping fervently.
Ginny also confessed to the side that she hoped Harry would propose soon. And if he didn’t propose, she definitely would.
Hermione related her involvement in the bookstore and the various sites she had seen. However, she avoided the topic of Malfoy altogether, not quite sure if she should mention it.
At around ten o’clock the three friends put on light jackets to combat the onset of fall and decided to do a little sight-seeing. They trampled down the stairs that led to the storage room.
“You know,” Ginny started when they reached the landing, “I’ve always wanted to see the Eiffel Tower.”
Hermione turned towards the door that led to the Muggle store but upon seeing a bright blond head she maneuvered into the doorway, blocking the store from sight.
“Actually,” Hermione felt a bit flustered, “I was thinking we could go see wizarding Paris. It won’t be too busy at this time of day. We can see the Tower another day.”
And with that she unceremoniously ushered Ginny and Harry into the wizarding store. They exited the store and were met (thankfully) by an almost empty street. Most of the witches and wizards were at work so it left the shopping area free of traffic.
“Perfect!” Ginny exclaimed. “I’ve always wanted to see what kind of French fashions there were in robes!” Ginny squealed in delight as she raced over to the nearest robe boutique. Harry groaned and sent a glare at Hermione. Hermione shrugged and followed Ginny; at least they didn’t think she was hiding anything.
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Hermione almost regretted her decision of taking Ginny to the robe shops. They spent all day watching her try on robe after robe after robe. Hermione had to admit they were quite beautiful but it was very boring.
Harry often had a glazed look over his eyes but would always jump in to tell Ginny how beautiful she looked before he drifted off again. At the last store, Hermione found some entertainment in putting all kinds of hats and boas on Harry when he was in one of these states. She wished she had a camera to take pictures of it but soon Harry woke from his trance and started throwing the items back at Hermione. It wasn’t long before the store owner kicked them out.
They had to wait almost another hour before Ginny emerged from the store looking a little angry but laden with many purchases so the mood didn’t last long.
By the time they made it back it to the apartment, the book store was closed, much to Hermione’s relief. They trudged up the stairs with all of Ginny’s purchases and Hermione made them all a light dinner.
They talked late into the night before turning in to bed. Hermione lay awake wondering what she was going to do with the Malfoy problem. She hoped fervently that it wouldn’t be a problem at all, but she wasn’t that naïve to believe it.
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Hermione got lucky for the next few days. She successfully convinced her two friends to stay in wizarding Paris and visit all of the shops. A few times she caught a glimpse of Malfoy in the bookstore. She wasn’t sure if he noticed her or not but she never had a chance to find out.
It was late one night, nearing midnight, and Ginny and Harry were going over the finer points of Quidditch with Hermione.
“I just don’t get the intrigue,” Hermione said exhaustively. She was getting tired and the conversation did nothing to stifle her yawn. “It’s just a game.”
Ginny gaped at Hermione with an incredulous look on her face while Harry melodramatically clutched at his heart. “You hurt me,” he winced. “I thought we were friends?”
Hermione cracked a smile at his antics and threw a pillow at his head. Soon they were lobbing pillows and cushions at each other.
They had all fallen on the floor in a fit of giggles (just like at Hogwarts, Hermione mused) when they heard some yelling.
“Hermione! Her-Hermione!”
Hermione knew that voice but Harry and Ginny both clutched their wands and jumped up from the floor.
“Who or what is that?” Ginny asked cautiously.
Hermione had to think fast to avoid suspicion and to keep her friends up in the loft. “It’s probably just a delivery or something for the store. In fact, I think it’s one of the employees.” Hermione hoped this was convincing enough. “I’ll just go down and check.”
Harry made to grab her arm but stopped.
“I’ll be fine, Harry. Don’t worry.”
“Just call if you need us.”
They gave her reassuring smiles but Hermione knew that there wasn’t any danger downstairs and as she reached the landing and saw her late-night caller, she knew she was right.
“Malfoy!” Hermione whispered. “What are you doing?”
Malfoy looked through bloodshot eyes at the girl before him. It seemed to take him a while to comprehend what she just said but he soon slurred out, “Why are you avoiding me?”
“I’m not avoiding…” Hermione started but recognition dawned on her face. “Are you drunk, Malfoy?!”
“I’m not dr-dr-drunk,” Malfoy took a pause, seemingly to gain his thoughts and then he burst out, “Quite changing the subject!”
Hermione glanced up the stairs to her apartment and then decided she couldn’t risk this conversation to be heard. She grabbed Malfoy’s arm and dragged him outside of the store. There was an awning above the front of the store that shielded the two from the windows above. Hermione hoped that their voices wouldn’t carry.
“What do you want?” Hermione asked, a trace of a smile playing on her lips. She was trying very hard to not laugh at Malfoy in his disheveled state. His blond hair lay limply, framing his face. And his clothes looked distinctly rumpled like he had slept on the ground. The two were standing were standing close so they would keep their voices down and Hermione could smell the Firewhiskey on his breath.
He looked slightly vulnerable and that gripped at Hermione’s heart. She could see pain in his eyes, pain she had no clue about. She could also see some desperation, which she had seen so many times during the war.
“Why are you avoiding me?” Malfoy repeated. He was still slurring his words but a slight clarity was coming to his eyes from their close proximity.
“I’m not avoiding you,” Hermione’s eyes shifted away as she lied to Malfoy. She wasn’t really sure why she was trying to protect him.
“Don’t lie!” Malfoy shouted. “I know you are.”
“Shhhhhhhhhh!” Hermione tried to hush him and pulled him a little closer, urging him to keep his voice down.
“Fine, you’re right,” she conceded. “Harry and Ginny are visiting and I didn’t want them to see you.”
With this statement Malfoy sobered up some more. “They’re here?” he whispered, fearing they could hear him.
Hermione put a comforting hand on his arm, feeling his muscles tense up at the touch. “They don’t know you’re here, don’t worry. And I’m not going to tell them, Draco.”
Malfoy stood there in silence for a moment, contemplating a decision. Hermione could see the fight going on behind his eyes but didn’t want to press his thoughts. She was busy wondering why she called him Draco and not Malfoy.
The silence stretched on before Malfoy finally looked up and locked eyes with Hermione. “Will you meet me for lunch tomorrow?”
Hermione tried to read his thoughts but had trouble because her mind was reeling with this proposition. She already was planning on how to get rid of Ginny and Harry to meet him. “Yes.”
They stood there a little longer and neither broke the eye contact. Draco’s vision was still a little blurry and they were standing closer than they ever had before.
Before Hermione knew what happened, Draco had leaned in and planted a gentle kiss on her lips. She closed her eyes at the gesture. It seemed to feel so right and it had been so long since she’d been this close to anyone.
But as soon as she stepped in towards Draco, a freckled, grinning face with clear blue eyes swam to the front of her consciousness.
Ron.
Hermione quickly broke the kiss as tears threatened to pour down her face. Draco looked at her questioningly. All traces of drunkenness seemed to have evaporated and he regarded her closely.
“Hermione?” he asked tentatively.
But Hermione just shook her head and backed towards the door. “You’re not Ron,” she said as her hand slid across the door trying to find the knob. “You’re not Ron,” she repeated as she swung the door open and slammed it in his face. With a click of the lock, Draco was left alone on the doorstep.
Hermione slid down the back of the door and pulled her knees close. She hugged her arms around herself and could no longer hold the tears back. They poured freely down her face and she did nothing to stop the torrent.
She hadn’t kissed anyone but Ron since he died. She knew it was silly; it had been months since his death. Ron would want her to move on. But not with Malfoy, a small voice said.
There by the door is where Hermione finally cried herself to sleep while a battle raged inside her mind and heart.
Second Chance by WebSpinner
Chapter Notes: I hope this wasn't too long of a wait for you guys. I decided to up the rating because there's some drunkenness in this chapter. I hope you enjoy and please review!