Author's Note: Hey everyone! I am Vidushi and this is my first story. So, I hope that all of you who are reading my story, even if you don't feel like reviewing, I don't mind, I myself never review. But, you see, this is my first story so just let me know that you have read it. Well, I guess I should give the disclaimer now... I never understood what use is that but here goes...
Disclaimer: Ofcourse, the characters don't belong to me, if they would, you would've been reading this lovely story in a paperback or a hardback edition. Anyways, even the plot's not entirely mine. Just this totally awesome movie I saw, I thought that the characters would go so well with the plot. OK, if any of you recognize the movie, tell me! So, on with the story!
"Here are the papers, Mr Malfoy. I, as Narcissa Black's solicitor, demand of you, the total value shares owned by my client in this company, as well as in all others, a five year advance of her income and other advantages, all of which have been listed under section C, page 13 of my report. It'll be best if you pay attention to it ASAP Mr. Malfoy."
"The annual report has to be out in about one and a half months, sir, and the accounts have been totally muddled up."
"Our new brand has failed abysmally. I just got the reviews on it sir and I am sorry to inform you but we'll have to somehow cover up our losses otherwise we'll lose our share holders. The share prices are already dropping…"
"Sir, this had to be looked over and signed day before yesterday. It was the last date for us to be able to procure the loans we required. What will we do now sir?"
"Draco, what are you doing? Are you listening to me buddy? Just don't sit there; we've got work to do… C'mon…"
"This company is in a mess because of you boy. Just don't sit there, do something, otherwise we'll all be on the road, with nothing to put on the plates for our children at dinner time…"
Such was the position of the board room of the leading company Malfoys Ltd. They had gotten a new chairman, the new owner of the company just last month but things were not settling as they should've. Everything, from the company's accounts to productions was in a chaos. Clearly, it was not a pleasant time to be the chairman. Though nobody was saying that, it could be seen in everybody's eyes whom they deemed responsible for their disposition.
Draco Malfoy, 23 years old, son to Lucius Malfoy, the sole owner of Malfoy industries, which dealt in all sorts of fields, from communication to media, from clothes to electronics was sitting at the head of the table in the board meeting room of his father's, now his, office. His young, handsome face creased prematurely with worry and dread in his hands. His anxiety increasing every time he heard another person speaking to him. His life had gone from perfect to the present state, personification of the words confusion and despair. It was his father's entire fault. Only if he hadn't died… This would not have happened...
His father, his role model, whom he idolized and believed to be above everyone else. He, who would do anything for his dear son, whose command was his son's every wish, had died a month before…
Draco was the obvious heir to his immense wealth but his life was totally turned upside down. One day, he was perfectly at peace with the world, happy and free with the love of his life Pansy next to him, next moment, he had been informed of his father's untimely death and before he could come out of shock, he was stuck in this dreadful place people liked to call, one of the leading companies of London. He had tried his level best for everything to work out, but the situation had gone from bad to worse. He was nearing a nervous breakdown when another blow hit him; Pansy was getting married to his childhood acquaintance, Blaise Zabini…
Draco got up. Ignoring everyone who called him back, he walked out of the door, straight to the men's washroom. He walked steadily up to the wash basin looked at his own reflection in the spotless mirror above it, which stared back at him, drained of thought and energy to go further. How clichéd, thought Draco, his image was a perfect image of his soul at that time. Tired of all this, in order to get such depressing thoughts out of his mind, he splashed some cold water on his face and wiped it with his handkerchief. Just then, the door to the washroom opened and Harry entered. He went straight over to his best friend and said to him in what he thought was a sympathetic tone, "Listen buddy, I know it's very hard for you but you have to pull yourself together. You can't go on like this. The company needs you in your best form. We are already running in losses. What are you so worked up about? Don't deny that, I can tell."
"You mean other than the obvious, life fucking me?" Yeah, that's me and my life in a nutshell.
"Yes, I can tell something happened… Is it about Pansy? Is she OK?"
"You bet she is… Today's her wedding day…" I wish I could rip that BlaiseZabini apart from limb to limb, was it because of money she did that or just out of sheer stupidity.
"WHAT?" Harry's emerald green eyes bulged out of their sockets, behind his glasses. "How do you know? But, how could she do that, she knew you were in a state."
"Just when I thought I could overcome all this, she had to do that." Why did she do that to me, I loved her…
"Mate, I'm sorry to hear that. Anything I could do for you?"
"Harry, cover up for me, I have to go see her…" exclaimed Draco desperately.
"There's no need to do that to yourself." Oh yes, there is. You don't tell me what to do and what not; I've had enough of that already.
"I have to do that damn it! Anyways, I can't stand the board meeting anymore. I don't understand how my mother could have done that to us, to me… you tell me, what am I to do?"
"Shit happens man, alright; go on, I see you need to do that."
Without another backward glance, Draco walked away with long strides from his best friend, out of the classy, staff only washroom, down the corridor. Everyone, as he passed, stood up and wished him but he hardly took any notice. They could've been doing the salsa starker with their bodies painted and he wouldn't have even raised a brow. He walked out of the 30 storey building and ignoring his driver, opened the driver's seat of his Aston Martin and sat in it, slamming the door in the driver's face. Accelerating to a 100 km per hour, Draco reached his destination in less than half an hour.
He got out of his car on reaching the cathedral where the wedding was to take place and walked straight in, not even acknowledging the people who had come out to receive him, who, he thought were just doing so because of his last name. All the flowers used to decorate the cathedral were beautiful and fragrant and around him as he walked on. Anyone would have just stopped there to look at the lovely church and smell it even but to Draco, it was a showoff. A showoff by the world to let him down, like his father had, like his mother had, like Pansy had and now, like his employees were trying to do. He walked straight towards Pansy and Blaise Zabini who were right now standing on a pedestal and receiving everyone's gifts and well wishes for their marriage, the ceremony having finished an hour ago. Pansy was latching onto Blaise's arm and her every action made Draco's blood boil. He stepped over on the pedestal.
"Hey Draco! Nice to see you here." Said Blaise when he saw who had just graced them with his presence. Though Blaise had never harbored any ill feeling towards the former, the mutinous thoughts running through Draco's mind, if Blaise could read them, would be enough to make him run, screaming blue murder as fast as he could in the opposite direction. Pansy, who was staring at her feet which were strapped in snow white, high heeled stilettos, didn't lift her pretty blue eyes to meet Draco's icy gray ones. Her courage had failed her even to acknowledge a former lover. When she finally did lift her chin, no words were needed. Everything Draco wanted to say to her was there in his eyes and his expression. A mixture of anger, hatred and despair said it all. He didn't need to open his mouth once to make her eyes glassy and ashamed of herself. But, she did not give any other response to his non verbal accusations and after gathering courage, she lifted her lovely face and stared defiantly in his eyes back again perhaps trying to convey her decisions and thoughts to him. Draco was however in no mood to heed any of her responses. But, she decided that she would not be weak. Fortunately, this scene went unseen by the many people present there including Blaise.
Disgusted as well as disappointed, Draco walked away, out of the wedding, not wanting to create a scene. He drove away in his car, not knowing where that road was leading him. Turning left on the first turn, right on the second, going straight on the third and repeating this process several times, until he was totally lost.
Contrary to beliefs, Draco was neither heartless, nor unaffected. His heart had broken seeing Pansy, his Pansy in the arms of Blaise Zabini! As much as he had wanted to pound his face in his own wedding, he held himself. Even though his company was running in losses, he was still the head of it and had to maintain some sort of sophisticated image of himself. He would not give in to the temptations of physical violence towards his childhood friend, even though he had stolen his girl. Draco, at that moment was not depressed, he was miserable. The thought of running away from everything, from the muddle called his life was seeming more and more inviting every second. He suddenly stopped his car and stepped out. Taking out his BlueBerry cell phone from his perfectly tailored coat's side pocket, he kept it on the car and started walking away from it. The young man didn't know for how long had he been walking but stopped suddenly as he came near to a railway station. Not knowing better, he went straight towards the train which was standing at the platform. No ticket in his hand and no means of communication, but not giving a damn about the consequences, he went ahead sat himself in the first free compartment he saw, closing his eyes, leaning on the cool window glass, not noticing a lone tear running down his cheek.
Hermione was going to Birmingham, her hometown. Her family had lived there for quite a few generations. After finally finishing High University and successfully graduating top of her class, she was going to see her family! It had been ages since she last saw them. If she remembered properly, they had come ( they constituting her father, mother, uncle, aunt and her closest cousin, Ginny) to see her last on her 22nd birthday that january and it was now june. For someone so attached to their family as she was, it was a wonder she didn't run away from hostel earlier. And now, she was finally going there. But, for anyone who thought otherwise, it was not as if she was going there to stay forever. No sir, Hermione Granger was not one of your run of the mill, weak, dependent girls. She was outgoing, independent and a high spirited girl who had always been taught to follow her heart wherever it went. She was totally happy go lucky and loved to talk which made her very difficult for her mother and teachers to discipline but she always remained as she was! Unfortunately, maybe, for her, she was also taught to always obey her parents and elders but what she was about to do would make her go against every wish of her parents and prove that she definitely was a strong and independent girl who listened to no one except herself. She was going to elope with her boyfriend of 6 months, Ron Weasely!!! But for now, her plan was to go to Birmingham, meet everyone and after a few weeks, as soon as she got her chance, she would run away. After marrying her beloved Ron, she would go back to her parents and apologise. They would have to forgive her, she was their only daughter out of three children. Then, she would go back to London with Ron and get a good paying job or stay with Ron in Liverpool ( that's where he lived) and live her life, fairytale style with her featuring as the heroine and Ron as her prince charming!
She had applied for a plane ticket to Birmingham but all flights had been full. She was somewhere very low on the waiting list and knew it would be futile for her to wait for the plane. Thus, she got a train ticket booked to Birmingham. Right now, she was rushingto the railway station. She ran all the way to the door of the train from the platform as the train had slowly started to move but not at all fast. With all her luggage in her hands, it was with a great difficulty that she was able to catch the train. She go on it and took out the train ticket from the back pocket of her jeans an checked to see where her compartment was. It was towards the back of the train and right now, she was standing near the middle. Though the train wasn't as full, she could see very few free compartments as she made her way to her own.
When Hermione finally got to her own compartment, she saw someone, a man to be specific, sitting on her seat. He looked about her age and was quite handsome. Wearing an armani suit, he struck as a quite rich and sophisticated person but his face told another story. It was a mess of emotions. Hermione, though, walked up to him and said in a gentle voice, "Excuse me , this is my seat." He did not reply and kept on staring outside the window and Hermione could see that he had not heard her. She repeated in a slightly louder voice but there was still no response from the mysterious blond. She called to him two more times, with no reply and finally growing frustrated, she patted him slightly on his shoulder. He suddenly jerked his head in her direction as she finally got his attention. Thinking that perhaps he was deaf, owing to no reply from him earlier, she told him in hand actions that seat number 23 was hers. Though his eyes showed a tiny bit of amusement at her antics, he did not say anything and got up to sit in the seat opposite to where he had been sitting earlier.
Draco, as if coming out of a trance noticed a girl, a quite pretty one at that with dark brown hair which were in ringlets and with a height, some 5 inches lower than his own, trying to get his attention. She was using hand actions to convey something to him. He was a bit comfused, why was she doing that? Then it struck to him that perhaps he had not listened to her when she may have said anything to him earlier. He understood what she was trying to say and got up from his seat and sat oppsite to his previous one.
"Hey! do you have the ticket to this seat mister?" Exclaimed the girl as soon as she sat on her seat tucking all her luggage under her seat. Before draco could even open his mouth to reply, she went on…
"Then you must be like me! I mean, nobody wants these end of the train compartments but I always insist for them! The people in the reservation get really surprised but I have a funda that my journey does not end with the train."
"I am going further to Birmingham. My family lives there. Everyone has a family, even I do!"
"Everyone says that London is very crowded. What crowded?! Its people like us only who make the crowd. We make the crowd and we only have a problem."
"I came to London when I was 17 for higher studies. St. Mary's Girl's hostel, Good Hope Girl's Hostel. Hostel, Hostel, Hostel. I bet you 1000 bucks that never again in my life am I ever gonna stay in a hostel again. I am totally fed up of them."
"The food is so bad in hostels. I don't know, do the mess supervisers take out their pent up frustration on the poor veggies and meat…"
Draco couldn't help but stare wide eyed at the brunette. She was talking non stop, not caring that he was showing not even the slightest bit of interest in anything she had to say. She was still talking…
"I just hope all the digging near the railway station stops before the rains come, otherwise, the place would turn into a muddy mess. It would be so difficlut for anyone to get here don't you think so?"
"Anyways, I am going away, leaving London atleast for the time being. I don't know whether I would return here or not-"
She cut off as the door to their compartment opened to reveal the ticket checker.
Saved! Thought Draco to himself with a relieved sigh…
The ticket checker came in and asked to check their tickets. The girl took out her ticket from the depths of one of her numerous bags. He turned to Draco who replied in a monotonous voice,
"Sorry sir, I don't have a ticket…"
Hermione couldn't believe her ears. Well, the guy looked rich enough and decent to her, not like those punks who hiked for free rides she had sen in the city. But, if he was taking a free ride, he certainly must be totally broke! Poor guy! She would help him!
The ticket checker was glaring at him and she suddenly broke out,
"You see sir, his plan got changed at the last minute. He was rushing to get the train and in this chaos, there was no time him to buy the ticket. I hope you understand. Anyways, the train is quite free, why don't you make a ticket for him right now… sir, are you already convinced or should I say more?"
The checker looked towards the blond, "Where do you want to go mister?"
"Where is the train going?"
"Last stop, Liverpool! Pease make a ticket for him till Liverpool!", Hermione cut in. " Actually, I should tell you, he's had an accident. Going through bad time. He's still in trauma… The ticket!"
The ticket checker got up and Hermione saw the guy pay him money for his ticket. So, he was certainly not broke, she thought to herself. The ticket checker went away, out of the compartment and hermione sat back in her seat.
The girl looked up to Draco, amazement written in her big brown eyes…
"Whoah man! Whats the matter. You're so quiet, not noticing anything around you. Are you high or something? Taken Drugs or what!"
Surprised, Draco gave her a weird look but this did not stop her from saying anything else-
"You see, if you have a problem, you can tell me without any hesitation! I'll give you good advice! All my friends at the hostel, used to come to me for advice for their problems. And I used to solve them! You know, I'm that type of girl, like Agony Aunts in magazines! That type. C'mon, c'mon, tell me. Don't be shy! Go on, why are you hesitating?! Tell me!"
"You are my problem. You've ben talking and talking and talking. Don't you ever keep quiet? Can't you see that I'm not interested in anything you say. I don't want to talk to you. I don't want to know whether you are going to Birmingham or, or Timbuctoo. I, I don't care whether you used to live in a hostel or a brothel. I so not care alright. So, for god's sake, get a bloody hint and please leave me ALONE!"
Draco didn't know what came over him to burst out like that but seriously, enough was enough. He had had enough with her. When sudden quiet met his ears, he realized that perhaps he had gone a bit too far. He lifted his gaze slowly from his polished shoes to look at her and he could see that she did not look happy with him.
"You shouldn't have said that about a brothel. It was wrong…"
"I know, I am really sorry for that, I didn't mean it, you see I am kinda upset so I jus-"
"Yeah, I know," The girl replied with vigour and interest returning in her eyes! "You are clearly very upset about something. But that's OK! I didn't mind. You see, I don't mind a lot of things these days. Do you know why? Because I am getting married very soon! To the love of my life, Ronald!"
"We are eloping, he is not from England you see, my parents wouldn't agree. But what can anyone do after marriage…"
"I've always loved mountains! He used to live in mountains earlier. What a lovely life! Don't you agre?"
"Well, whats the difference between a hill and a mountain, I could never understand… "
"Since I was five, I always had a craze about marriage…"
She was on again. Draco just slumped back on his seat, wide eyed and astonished. Looking at her now going on about whether or not to buy shoes from Edinburgh, he asked God, why the heck was he stuck here? But, her lips kept on moving, not caring whether he was listening or not. She didn't even get thirsty! How could anyone possibly speak so much?!
Guys, just let me know that theres someone out there reading this please!