Chapter One.
Stunning.That was the first word that flashed across his mind in a technicolor neon sign. Her hair flowed gracefully in the light breeze that caressed her silky locks. When the sun shone on it at just the right angle, it looked golden...
"Snap out of it boy! What 'chu starin' at?", said a passerby.
"Sorry..", the young pale man said, taking his eyes off the beautiful girl--no, woman that was walking in the the opposite direction.
"You blocking the street. Now 'chu gets a move-on, 'foh I call dah cops on 'chu.", he said in a thickly accented voice.
"Yessir.", he mumbled to the old man. Could you really call the cops on some random stranger daydreaming in the middle of the street?
Draco Malfoy made his way down the Muggle street in London, and entered St. Mungo's, passing through the glass window as if it was smoke.
"Wand, please.", said the security guard. He was a stout chubby fellow, and Draco handed him what he wanted.
"Mm-hmm.", the guard said knowingly. "Here you go, boy. And don't you cause no trouble, hear?"
"Yessir."
Draco made his way to the lifts, past the justling crowds, and pressed the button that called it down. That's when he saw her. Again. She was walking his way, but appeared not to recognize him. Had he changed that much? She stood patiently next to him, fiddling with her purse zipper. Draco breathed in her scent. The sweet intoxicating scent of rasberries. This fragrance had haunted him for years now.
The lifts clanged open, and he stepped in, holding the door for her.
"Thank you.", she said.
"No problem..", he said, and hesitated. "Hermione."
"Do I know you?", she looked suprised, confused, and just a bit uncomfortable.
"Come on, six years together before you ran off with Potter and Weasley and you don't recognize me?", Draco asked in an amused voice.
"Erhm--", she still looked confused.
"How about this?", he pulled a jeering face and smirked.
"Malfoy.", her voice was no longer polite and curious, and her face was hard with menance.
"Come on Granger, it's been, what, ten years? Let it all behind you already?"
"Never. Not after--"
Clang. The lifts opened.
"Well, this is my stop. See you around.", Draco cut in.
"Bye.", she said quietly, and as the doors closed, Draco could've swore he heard a hint of regret in her voice, but not the I-wish-I-took-the-chance-and-cursed-you but the other kind. The nicer one. If there was any gentleness at the way she felt about him.
Draco sighed, and walked down the hallway into the private patients' room.
"Hello father."
"Son.", Lucius Malfoy acknowledged his son's presence.
