Chapter Three: A Glimpse
The next day dawned very bright indeed. The rays from the morning sun playing on Hermione’s face are what woke her up. She was left with happy visions of better times on the Hogwarts Express. Her, Ron, Harry, Ginny, Neville, and Luna, all playing Exploding Snap and Wizard’s Chess while the train zoomed towards their beloved castle.
The smile didn’t leave her face when Hermione realized where she was at. I’m in Paris! Hermione thought excitedly. She bounded out of bed and ran to her windows to look at the already busy city below. She couldn’t wait to begin exploring the streets and to start people watching.
After taking a refreshing shower, Hermione dressed in blue jeans and pink tank top. The Parisian weather was very warm so she also donned some pink flip-flops and put her hair in a bouncy ponytail. She ate a quick bagel and grabbed her purse to head downstairs.
The Bontecous were already up and their store had been open for an hour already. Customers came and went, each time a bell dinging over the door. Hermione however, made her way towards the back of the store into the wizard part. When she went through that door she was greeted with a very busy store. Wizards and witches were talking in rapid French about different books and news going on in their lives.
She found Mr. Bontecou talking to an old witch about a cooking book. Hermione hung back a minute waiting for their business to be done before she addressed him. “Oh, Hermione!” Mr. Bontecou exclaimed in a very thick accent. “How did you sleep?”
“Oh, I slept great!” Hermione exclaimed. “That loft is amazing. I absolutely love it!”
“I’m so glad, cherie. Do you have any plans for today?”
“I don’t know. Did you need any help around the store today? I could start working if you need me.” Hermione didn’t want to impose immediately on their hospitality even though she was eager to explore.
“It’s your first day and you shall not work. I won’t hear of it! No, no. Go explore the city. But if you would like, me and Bridgette are eating at Café Phillippe at noon and we would love for you to join us. We want to learn more about you.”
“And I, you. That sounds great.” Hermione was excited to be able to talk to this couple. She could tell she had much to learn from them.
“Magnifique! Here’s a map so you can find your way around and to find the café for lunch. We’ll see you later then.” Mr. Bontecou handed Hermione a map of Paris and then continued with his work as he noticed a small child trying to extract a picture book from a high shelf.
Hermione stepped out onto the Muggle streets of Paris. She decided to tackle wizard Paris another day. There were so many people walking around and shopping. She caught bits and pieces of conversations having a knowledge of the language. She didn’t really have a plan so she took a right in front of the store and just started walking.
She took note of shop names and street names just so that she could find her way back easier. She just went into random shops that seemed interesting. One shop was full of antique mirrors. Hermione looked around at all of the mirrors and they were so gorgeous. She stood in front of a large one for a while just admiring the antique frame and the way the light had shown off of it.
A little ways down from the mirror store was another book store. This book store specialized in English translation books. Hermione decided to remember where this store was since the one the Bontecous owned was mostly in French. Another shop she went in was a clothing boutique. The store had some interesting clothes but Hermione didn’t think they were really her thing so she left without trying anything on.
After about an hour of looking in stores Hermione found a bench and decided to people watch. She loved to do this in London as well. She formulated little theories as to where these people were going and where they came from. She liked to think that some people were going to meet secret lovers or that another was a government agent on a top secret mission.
Before Hermione knew it, it was a quarter to twelve and she had to rush to meet the Bontecous. She wasn’t sure where the café was so she consulted her map and found that a route had been marked already from her current location. She figured the map was magical and was very thankful for that. She found no problem in finding the place and found the couple already seated. Hermione collapsed in her chair out of breath and immediately began apologizing.
“I’m so…sorry…I’m late,” she gasped as she clutched her heaving chest.
“Don’t worry about it. You’re not late.” Bridgette motioned for a waiter to come and take Hermione’s drink order.
By the time their food and drinks were brought out to them, Hermione had caught her breath. Now that she had some time with the couple there were so many questions that she had for them that she didn’t know where to begin. She wanted to know all about Paris and the wizards that lived here and she really wanted to know some stories about Dumbledore.
“So Hermione,” Mr. Bontecou interrupted her thoughts and beat her to the conversation starter, “how are you doing lately?”
Hermione was a bit taken back by this question. It must have shown on her face because Bridgette responded by saying, “Yes, dear, we know all about what happened to you. And we’re so sorry for your loss.” The sincerity was evident in her voice and Hermione was very glad that they already knew so she wouldn’t have to explain it again.
“I’m doing very well actually.” Hermione meant it too. She hadn’t really thought much about Ron’s death all day. She had been way too busy exploring the city and observing others to wallow in sorrow. “With the settling in and exploring I haven’t really thought much about it today.”
“That’s good dear,” Mr. Bontecou added reassuringly. “You should keep busy to ease the pain.” He took a sip of his tea and went on, “You know, Albus was right about you. He said you had incredible courage and strength. I can tell he was very correct.” Mr. Bontecou gave Hermione a very endearing smile like a grandfather would give his granddaughter.
“You know Professor Dumbledore?” Hermione asked with a bit of surprise but she had pretty much guessed this to be true anyway. She was very excited to have it confirmed though. Since his death the man had intrigued her thoughts. She spent countless hours looking him up in books to find out his mysteries but to also help Harry with the horcruxes.
“Me and Albus go way back,” Mr. Bontecou said fondly. He had a distant look on his face that came into focus in a second. “We met during our fifth years during the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Which I heard they brought back a few years ago…but that’s beside the point. Me and Albus were both trying to get Belle to go to the Yule Ball with us.” Mr. Bontecou began to chuckle at the recollection. Hermione couldn’t imagine a young Dumbledore; she could especially not imagine him trying to get a date.
“Belle was exactly what her name implied.” At this Bridgette harrumphed and looked offended. “Nothing compares to you though, dear. But at that time she was perfection to us. Well, as you can imagine, me and Albus got into many fights over her. We made quite the pair of fools to tell the truth. She ended up going with some boy named Dirkov from Durmstrang. Neither of us found a date either. We ended up making nice and became friends since then. We never fought over a woman again.”
Mr. Bontecou placed a loving hand on top of Bridgette’s hand. “Besides, I found Bridgette which is a much better choice than Belle would’ve been. I saw a picture of her a few years back. Not the best looking girl anymore.” He blew out his cheeks and held his hands in a round gesture indicating that she had gained a lot of weight. Hermione and Bridgette laughed at this.
Lunch continued in quite the same manner. The Bontecous told Hermione a few more stories, mostly from their youth as they ate their way through three courses. They were sitting there finishing their pie as Hermione looked around the café. She noticed the cute little tables with their umbrellas which made it all very picturesque. As they waited for their check, Hermione turned to her favorite hobby of people watching.
She watched as various waiters and waitresses cleared the tables from the lunch crowd. It had dwindled quite a bit since their party took a long time to eat. When she was watching she noticed one waiter who had vividly blonde hair. I know that hair, Hermione thought quickly. That looked like the trademark Malfoy hair. It was platinum blonde and kept long. It wasn’t slicked back like Malfoy usually kept it but the similarity was uncanny.
It can’t be him, Hermione thought. Malfoy would never work at Muggle café. Or would he?
The look of confusion must have shown on Hermione’s face because Mr. Bontecou asked, “Hermione? Is everything okay?”
Hermione looked at the couple in front of her. “It’s just that waiter over there. He looks very familiar.” As she turned to point at him again, he was gone. Hermione looked all around but couldn’t see that hair anywhere. “Well he was right there. I don’t know where he went.”
At that moment, their waitress showed up with the check. After much deliberation, the Bontecous paid but Hermione swore to take them out someday to which they agreed. Hermione still didn’t see that waiter again as they left. But it was all she could think about for the rest of the day.
Hermione spent the rest of the day into the evening on a bench watching people. She half hoped to see the same waiter again but didn’t hold out too much for it. She mostly just wanted to feel like she wasn’t alone. She just sat there and watched people until it got dark.
After dark she made her way back to the loft. When she entered and sat on her couch, Crookshanks immediately jumped into her lap for attention. Hermione absentmindedly started stroking his ginger fur, lost in thought.
If that was Malfoy, what was he doing here in Paris of all places? I haven’t heard anything about him since shortly after sixth year. And why is he a waiter at a Muggle café?
These and similar thoughts filled Hermione’s mind as she got ready for bed. Even as she began to fall asleep, she was still thinking about Malfoy and what really happened to him after that fatal night on the Astronomy Tower. Only two living souls knew what happened on that tower and Hermione was sure that one of them was now living in Paris.
Second Chance by WebSpinner
Chapter Notes: Sorry this took so long. I thought I had submitted this before but I was wrong. Hope you all like it!