A/N: Hi! This is my second attempt on oneshooting! Yay Me! *winks and poses* Hahah.
This is entirely illogical, since I just came up with it after I read something and I just... poured everything out. I'm sure I'd think of a better plot if I got enough time, but I didn't want to wait. :\
Disclaimer: A-L-L characters belong to the great lady, by the name of J.K. Rowlings and I'm merely borrowing her characters for entertainment purposes.....
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My glasses slipped down my nose and the image of the colorful, but tacky take-away paper in my hand went out of focus for a second. My hand trembled; the paper shook like leaves in the wind too.
I sucked in a mouthful of air in frustration. I was hungry; I could have stuffed the plastic-y paper in my mouth with hesitating (If people weren't looking). I was sure paper didn't taste bad at all, since Crookshanks was always chewing up odd bits of paper from my work desk.
But I had to eat like a normal human, right? Well, take-away food was considered normal, compared to instant food and cans. At least it was cooked thoroughly by skilled cooks…
A conversation with Ginny Weasley bubbled up in my mind.
'You have to eat, and chill out, sometimes, Hermione!' my best friend says exasperatedly, sorting through my tower of instant noodles and cans of food from the kitchen counter.
I glance at my friend impatiently. 'I know! But work's kind of busy at the moment…' I sip on a cup of strong coffee. Whew. Work has been so busy, I barely slept last night.
Ginny spins around from the counter, suddenly irritated. What's her problem? 'Work? Work's always busy at the moment for you, Hermione Granger! Stopping for a second to go to the mall or to a holiday won't kill you! You don't ever spend time with us anymore.' She trailed off miserably, and that fueled my anger.
'What do you know about my job, Ginny?' I question her, my voice hard. 'There is no downtime, or holidays in a lawyer's life. I can't just run away to some stupid mall or holiday resort because I'd lose a client and everything I've done will be ruined! That's the way it is, Ginny!'
She glares at me and stomps out of the door, not even bothering to take her stuff.
I hadn't talked to Ginny since. And it was about two months' ago.
Anyways. We had these arguments (and always about the same subject) every day of our lives—I was used to it. Either she or I would trudge dejectedly to the other's house, apologizing profusely and everything would be forgiven and forgotten.
How much were a hamburger and fries, anyway? If they cost more than what I have in my purse, I would have to walk home…
Whamp!
A sudden jostle and my briefcase went flying across the pavement, spilling my hard work everywhere. My work! I spent two whole nights brainstorming and doing my research!
I gasped and crouched down immediately, grabbing papers left and right. My fingernails scraped at the rough concrete and I knew I must be looking pretty stupid, with my glasses and my crouch, rather like those pathetic book-nerds gathering their beloved books when someone knocked it over.
'My, my,' A smooth voice said, distinguishing itself among the noisy chatter on the streets. 'You must love those paper very much…'
I jerked my head up, glasses slipping further down my nose. I couldn't see anyone. I twisted my head to look better—
FLASH. That irritating camera flash took me by surprise and I sat back on the ground with a thump. And I saw the most beautiful man I had ever seen in my life.
He was tall; he held a sleek camera in his left hand; he was immaculately dressed without a speck of dust on his tailored shirt; he was blowing on a drying photo (undoubtedly a picture of me); he was blond and a smiling mouth; his eyes were twinkling with amusement…
He was Draco Malfoy.
He turned to look at me, his face against the setting sun, so I couldn't see his face. Before I could react, he had grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet. I felt his large, warm hand on my own small one, and my pulse quickened, much to my chagrin. What was wrong with me? What was going to happen next? Was he going to bundle me up and sweep me off to some alley? I could always blame my hormones if something really did happen…
No, Hermione. Shut up, Hermione!
'Are you alright?' That smooth voice said again—argh, darn his voice—and he dropped my hand. 'You look pale…'
I looked up at him quickly and was surprised, no, flabbergasted by the lack of malice on his smooth, flawless face. Calm down... He was genuinely sorry and concerned; I saw it in his eyes.
Something flashed in his eyes when I made eye contact with him—my heart jumped—but it was gone before I could find anything wrong. He smiled suddenly and his delightful eyes crinkled up and he had that easy, confident smile that I adored in men. He had a dimple on his right cheek too!
Wait. Malfoy smiled at me?
Did he not recognize me? There was no way Draco Malfoy could forget Hermione Granger… If he did not remember my excellent grades and being the Head girl in sixth year, he would have certainly remembered the few occasions we had 'talked' (more like exchanging insults) at school! Merlin, I was even tortured by his deranged aunt Bellatrix Lestrange in his manor! No way…
I cleared my throat and smiled. 'I'm fine, thank you,' stepping away from him, 'Thanks for asking, anyways.' I picked up my briefcase with ease and planned to walk away, all in my dignified glory.
'Wait…' his unsure voice made me stop, 'Can I have your name, miss?'
I spun around with disbelief, expecting the game to end and to see Malfoy with his mocking face and hard eyes. I even had a few insults ready on my tongue...
But Malfoy was merely smiling uncertainly, his right hand held out in sincerity. I gulped. It was probable that Malfoy had lost part of his memory during the war; there were rumors that the younger Malfoy succumbed into a coma after his mother and father died in Azkaban, thus resulting in his losing his memory, but that would be a little too nice for reality, wouldn't it? Though, it would be nice for a change with Malfoy really did lose his memory... that would be a nice Malfoy, I'm sure.
What are you thinking, Hermione? Really.
I decided to test the waters before really jumping head first into the pool.
'My name,' I said in my best court voice and grasped his large hand confidently, 'is Theresa Dale, but you can call me Risa. Oh, I'm a photographer.' I added hastily as a spur of creativity hit me, seeing the gadget dangling from his hand. That lie just came to me as easily as I would have Charmed a match into a needle.
I searched his face urgently for any signs of recollection or disgust. None.
To my immense surprise, Malfoy shook my hand politely without wincing or recoiling. 'Draco Malfoy. But everyone just calls me Drake.' He handed me the colored picture he had been shaking dry, showing me sitting on the ground surrounding by papers. I looked at it in horror. I really looked like a nerd. Suddenly, he threw back his head and laughed heartily.
I stared at him in awe. Never, ever in my life would I see Draco Malfoy laughing in the middle of the street. Never.
'You should have seen your face when you saw the picture,' he gasped between snorts, 'it was like this.' He tried demonstrating the way he thought my face had been, but his bursts of laughter always broke through before.
Soon, I was laughing along with him. Two mad people standing in the middle of the street, laughing their heads off. Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy. What had the world become?
'So, do you want to go out to eat? I know a very good place.' He said brightly, after he recovered from his laughing fit.
'What?'
'A place,' he repeated every word clearly and separately, 'to…eat,' he gestured between himself and I, 'to-geh-ther.'
I scowled and pushed up my glasses, a habit I had when I was about to debated about something. 'I know it when you say it, but why? How do I know you're not some guy wrong in the head and—and drug me then drag me to some place faraway?' My imagination always got better of me, but hey, this was Draco Malfoy we were talking about!
He rolled his eyes and started walking. When I didn't move, he sighed and turned back, beckoning me vigorously.
A date—no, a meal (Yes, a meal, Hermione) with a friendly Draco Malfoy seemed tempting enough… Not like anything would come up right? I had my wand--if anything happened I could defend myself!
He was already half a street from me and I had no choice but to follow him.
We talked about all kinds of things as we squeezed through the busy bodies on the sidewalk. Malfoy surprised me by having an interest in everything I was passionate about: literature, liberty, freedom... it never occurred to me that Malfoy and I could have something in common.
I laughed at something he had said and figured, either he lost his memories of his teenage years or, he was one damn good actor.
If someone told me at Hogwarts I were to walk side-by-side with a guy none other than Draco Malfoy, talking about human rights, I would've sent him straight to Madam Pomfrey with a well-aimed (not to mention well-deserved) Jelly-leg Jinx. But, after all, we were petty teenagers. Nothing was absolute in those golden ages, I had probably seen Draco Malfoy's more childish, immature side at Hogwarts. Well, people do mature...
He was staring at me. 'What?' I asked consciously, tucking a strand of hair unnecessarily behind my ear.
'Did you always wear glasses?' He was peering at me out of childlike interest. I couldn't help but smile at his face.
'No, I didn't wear my glasses until I was twenty or so,' I wrinkled my nose. 'Computers really ruin your eyesight.'
'You shouldn't have worn glasses. You look so much better without glasses.' His compliment made blood rush to my already-warm cheeks. Oh no, I thought, panicked. The more I tried to calm down, the more I blushed.
Flash. He took yet another picture of me! And this time, I was blushing so hard too! He grinned when he handed me the still picture of me hiding my face behind my hand in the streets, silhouetted against the background of rushing people.
That was a pretty good picture.
'Earth to Risa,' whispered an infuriatingly smooth voice. Was that me, or did my 'name' sounded like 'Heresa'? Whatever.
'You shouldn't wear glasses,' Malfoy stated, smiling a bit down at me. My pulse fluttered. 'You'd look better without them.'
'How,' I managed to squeak, 'would you know?'
'From my years of photographing experience.' He said firmly, nodding to prove his point. I snorted but I slipped my glasses from my nose and placed them in my briefcase. From the corner of my eye, I saw the traitorous camera being lifted up again.
'Risa, look!' He gasped convincingly, but I wasn't to fall for it the third time! I turned my head as if to look at him, then swiftly brought up my hand to cover my face as the camera flashed.
'Damn,' he muttered as I walked jauntily beside him. When he finished drying the picture, I peered over his arm to look at my picture.
'Damn.' It was my turn to say, because my hand came up to fast and it was only a brown blur; my face was still visible! I reached for it but Malfoy was too quick. I tucked the picture carefully into his pocket and said cheekily, 'Nuh uh, I'm keeping that. Hah! You without your glasses!'
We stopped at a local restaurant tucked away between a jewelry shop and a dingy bookshop. People passed by it, their eyes sliding from the sparkling jewelry to books displayed in the bookshop without pausing. That restaurant was a magical shop.
'Wait out here,' Malfoy held up his hand as I made to follow him over the threshold, his eyes twinkly with mischief. I made a face—it just came out—and his grey eyes widened with surprised amusement. I shrugged and leaned on the doorframe, saying, 'Sure. Go on. I'll wait for you out here.'
He beamed and ducked into the shop. He maneuvered his way to the waitress, her tag read 'Gabby' and greeted her with a crooked grin, making my heart skip, even though it wasn't meant for me!
Even from my distance, I could hear their conversation perfectly.
The waitress smiled and said, 'Good evening, Mr Malfoy, what can I do for you?'
'Table for two, please.'
She opened her eyes a tad wider (for innocence, I suspected) and caught sight of me leaning on the entrance. She snapped her head back at him and smiled. 'Any special requests? We have a few private booth and our violinist just came back from his leave…'
He laughed his hearty laugh and said, 'No, no, Gabby, don't get it wrong, but I'd like you to meet my friend,' He casually ran his hand through his hair, making it all deviously ruffled, 'since you're so eager to see her.' He turned his face to me, grinning like the cat from Alice in Wonderland. 'Meet the Hermione Granger, Gabby.'
I barely heard the waitress' gasp and the buzz in the dining area. I just stood there, dumbfounded.
He knew. He knew? Then why didn't he acknowledge me when he met me? If he had known, why did he call me by my false name, when he knew all along I was Hermione Granger? Did I let slip something that indicated my identity? But then, why did Draco Malfoy, who openly scoffed at Muggles at any available chance, talk and joke with me all the time to the restaurant? Did he bring me to the restaurant just to show he could get any girl, even me, the ever stoical and un-sociable book-nerd and workaholic? But again, we had joked and talked about all kinds of stuff walking, and he didn't seem that mean.
I ran our entire conversation in my head. He knew all along, I realized with a jolt.
I sighed in defeat. I didn't know Draco Malfoy that well, after all.
The only thing I knew was that Malfoy was a damn good actor and, after glancing down at the picture of me on the street, a damn good photographer as well.
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A/N: And there you go! Pictures by Writersz Cramp. :) Hope you had a good time reading my rubbish. [;
Oh PSHHH, you know what to do. *Points at the button* That's right! Reviews!
-wc