Title : Café
Characters : DHr
Rated : PG
Word Count : 1,037 words
Summing It Up : "What if I said, I already have, but he just never took the chance?"
Slowly, he leaned down and gently kissed the corner of her lips. "I'd say, give the poor guy another chance."
A/N : MERRY Christmas ROANNE!
Coffee. Beautiful. London. Rain. Fruity shampoo
She knew that he had set aside his differences and accepted her as a muggle born during their last year at Hogwarts. In fact during that year they had been forced to work together – which made a truce a much better solution than constantly biting each other's heads off– their relationship had grown much closer, considering the fact that they had been mortal enemies for the past six years of their lives. She knew that the only muggle born he was comfortable around was her.
What shocked her most was that the next time she would meet him outside Hogwarts would be down in the heart of London, in a coffeehouse she would frequent to before heading off to work. The coffeehouse was known to be constantly filled with people throughout the whole day. There he sat amongst the people, reading a magazine. Muggle born people; reading a muggle magazine. Yes it has probably been two years since they has last seen each other, and people mature, she reasoned to herself, but people who have grown up with such strong influences couldn't have changed that fast... right?
Stirred by her curiosity and her nature of wanting answers, she collected her latte from the counter and walked over to his table and set her latte down on the table, pulling up a chair and plonked herself down onto it, leaning back and folding her arms across her chest.
"Okay, spill. What are you doing here in London?" demanded Hermione.
Looking up from the magazine, Draco smirked as he leaned forward, putting the magazine on the table. "I see you after two long years, and the first thing you have to say to me is an accusation of a motive for my presence? No 'Hello Draco, how have you been' or 'Nice to see you after all this while'?" said Draco, innocently.
Smiling, Hermione shook her head. "No, I meant what are you doing here? I know you do not like muggle people, I highly doubt that mentally would have change in a time span of just two years. So what are doing in a place that is constantly filled with muggle people? From what I remember, one muggle born in school was enough to send you off the edge," she said, chuckling to herself.
"Well, someone told me I would be able to find you here," he retorted, his cheeks turning slightly red from being mocked by his fellow peer.
"Oh," blushing Hermione immediately stopped laughing. "Well... why are you looking for me?" she stammered.
"What can I say Hermione?" replied Draco nonchalantly, "I missed your nagging these few years? My days are so empty without you constantly egging me on about homework and duties?"
Slowly his face contoured into a smile that turning into a laugh. Hermione found herself laughing along with him. "I think the last time I laughed this hard was... two years ago in the common room? It was practically every night. I missed those times," said Hermione as she clutched her stomach.
Suddenly there was silence between the two people as Hermione realized in embarrassment what she had just said. "Yeah, I really missed it too," murmured Draco.
"Oh..." stammered Hermione as her cheeks felt hot, "I'm sorry, I... I have to get to work if not I'll be so late and I've never been late before... I really shouldn't start now..." Hermione trailed off meekly, realizing she had been blabbering.
"Wait!" shouted Draco. "I mean, wait," repeated Draco, "I've something to show you." and without waiting for an answer he grabbed her wrist and weaved through the crowd and out of the coffeehouse.
Once out of the coffeehouse he quickly released her wrist in fear of offending her. Stuffing his hands into the pockets of his coat he began to walk. Taking a few steps, he turned around to find Hermione had not budged an inch from the entrance of the coffeehouse.
"Let me guess," said Draco, "For the past two years you have been living in London, you have yet to explore the place. Everyday is just the same routine over and over again. Don't you ever get tired of your comfort zone?"
Hermione hesitated. He was right, everyday her routine was the same, in the morning she would pick up her coffee and head off to work, stay there for the rest of the day and head home at night. Sure there were occasional reprieves of this routine but they were usually company functions and sometimes dates. She had never ventured about London by her own before. Shrugging, she reached her hands into her pockets for her gloves and followed him.
It began raining shortly after they left the coffeehouse. "Oh bollocks!" shouted Draco as he looked up at the sky.
"Come on, you're not worried about your hair are you?" replied Hermione sarcastically.
"No," Draco retorted as he started walking again. Shaking her head, she followed after him, around the corner and into Hyde Park.
She had never been into Hyde Park before. When they reached Hyde Park was she was stunned by the beautiful architecture and the flowers and trees that flanked the place. Taking her hand, Draco led a dumbstruck Hermione into the park. Amazed, Hermione could only stand where Draco had left her, closing her eyes she took in the lush atmosphere, the raindrops tickling her nose as Draco wandered over to a vendor.
"Here you go," said Draco when he returned, pulling a rose from behind his back. "You need to learn to fall in love."
Reaching to pluck the rose from his hands, she replied with a smile, "What if I said, I already have, but he just never took the chance?"
Slowly, he leaned down and placed a gentle kiss the corner of her lips. "I'd say, give the poor guy another chance. I'll see you at eight."
He smirked as he left Hyde Park, the sweet, tangy smell of her fruity shampoo lingering in his mind. He recognized the scent as the same scent that lingered on his pillows back in Hogwarts. A scent left behind only by a sleeping Hermione on the common room couch with books strewn all around her.