The sun finally began peeking out from behind the clouds, causing the dull grey sky to brighten. Hermione glanced around the street, still sodden from the squall that had ended only moments before. The square was filled with puddles of all sizes. Around her pedestrians hurried about, trying to avoid the damp patches and get to their destinations before the lunch hour ended or the rain returned, which ever came first.

A stream of cars trundled down the crowded street, too slow to cause those walking any bother, but quickly enough to splash passers by with water from the gutters. Hermione watched as a young couple was suddenly drenched by a passing Renault, their orange Sainsburys bags, already appearing fit to burst, suddenly tore apart from the force of being flung into the air as the pair attempted to dodge their sudden shower to no avail. For a moment Hermione smirked to herself, instantly feeling a twinge of guilt for doing so. It was not like she was fairing any better with the weather, true. However, it would have noticeable to anyone who might have been observing her that she had somehow managed to avoid getting even a drop of water anywhere on her person, and with no umbrella in sight her dryness could have been seen as something odd, definitely lucky at any road...but maybe a little too lucky...maybe something more...magical?

Hermione shook her head tutting at her own thoughts "something more magical?" honestly get a grip old girl, keep narrating yourself like this and it'll be a one way trip to St Mungo's. She let out a chuckle at this, the image of herself bouncing around a rubber room, bushy hair flailing madly around her head, accosting all those who dare approach her. She sighed, shaking her head. Mental, Granger, absolutely mental.

The slew of cars had broken off, allowing her and others to cross the street. As she did so the sky darkened and the air grew chillier, once more those around her began bustling away, desperate to avoid the imminent soaking. Down the street Hermione spotted a cafe. She checked her watch. A quarter to twelve. She thought to herself, I've been wandering around for nearly nine hours now. Shaking her head slowly she reasoned that she must be hungry. True, her stomach gave no indication towards this but she had found something to focus on in the prospect of a spot of food and if she was to be honest with herself she probably wasn't in the best state right now to belive what she told herself, stomach or otherwise.

No, she decided, this is the time to eat, to recoup things and...figure out her next move...or something. The realization of her own indecisiveness and lack of a concrete plan bolstered her resolve, and with a quick nod to no one in particular she hoisted her handbag further up her shoulder and marched toward the cafe.

It was called Blue Rondo a la Turk. The name was spelt out in smooth, curved lettering on the large glass windows that covered the walls of the place. Hermione pushed open the door. Above her a small bell tinkled, no doubt alerting an available barista who appeared almost instantly at her side.

"God chucking it down again, then?" said the waitress, nodding towards the street behind Hermione.

"looks like it, spring weather eh?" replied Hermione removing her gloves and knitted hat, shaking out her long bushy hair.

"Too bloody right" replied the woman with a warm smile. She was a head taller than Hermione (admittedly no great feat) and had short copper hair tied into a loose bun, held in place with a pair of long black pins. Her face was open and friendly, her eyes surrounded by neat spectacles and a smattering of freckles. She reminded Hermione of Ginny Weasley, a thought that caused a small twinge of sadness to flutter in her stomach.

"Sorry, million miles away there. Would you mind saying that again please?" asked Hermione, realizing that the woman had continued speaking after she had drifted off.

"Not a problem!" replied the waitress brightly, "just wanted to introduce myself, name's Enid and welcome to Blue Rondo. We get a fair amount of people in here most days but I can always spot a new face, especially one with hair like yours!" she let out a quick, cheery laugh at this. Hermione couldn't decide if she had just been insulted or not, but, seeing how upbeat and welcoming Enid was to her, combined with her general feelings of tiredness meant that she couldn't find it in herself to feel slighted and instead merely gave a shrug and a smile in response.

"Right yes, customer, right!" said Enid gesturing towards Hermione as if to confirm her existence, "let me get you sat down and get something warm in you!" she turned quickly and lead Hermione across the cafe, bringing her to a stop at a small table with a single chair nestled in the corner of the cafe where the two windows met. She pulled out the chair and after Hermione sat down she leant over to another vacant table and snatched up a menu and a table mat, she gestured towards an ashtray and Hermione shook her head, indicating that she wouldn't require one. "Good on you, can't stand the things myself, had to break off my last relationship because they couldn't decide which they preferred me or a pack of Marlboro" Enid's mouth made a small 'o' of surprise, "oh sorry, ignore that I get a bit chatty sometimes, no doubt you've got better things to be getting on with than listen to me gabbling on. Now what can I get you at all?"

Hermione was taken aback slightly by this sudden flurry of speech directed at her and clung to the end of Enid's question. "Erm, just a coffee maybe, unless you can recommend anything different?"

"No, coffee's good, although can I tempt you to a bit of homemade tiffin, made this morning by yours truly?" Enid added with a hint of pride. Hermione smiled and shrugged, "How can I say no to an offer like that?"

Enid nodded, then getting her order she bade Hermione a goodbye and said that her stuff should be with her in a few minutes before heading off to the counter at the other side of the cafe.

Now alone, Hermione unbuttoned her jacket and turned to drape it over the back of her chair, this gave her view out of the windows. The cafe was at a street corner and from her table she could see down both streets. Rain spattered the glass, covering everything in a grey blur. Hermione watched the people on the streets for a moment or two before returning to survey the cafe.

It was a decent size, not too big but with enough space to fit at least twenty-odd people comfortably. All of the tables and chairs were made of black metal, with round orange cushions on the seats. The walls were red brick with pictures, photos and small plants hanging across them. To Hermione's left a corner of the cafe was taken up with a small fireplace (currently unlit), surrounded with a few comfy-looking couches that reminded her a little bit of the ones in the Gryffindor common room. She sighed at the thought of times past and picked up the menu, attempting to distract herself. She didn't look up a few minutes later when a waiter arrived with her coffee and tiffin. There was a rattling clink as the plate and mug were dropped onto the table. Hermione looked up suddenly and saw that her order had been shoved rather unceremoniously onto the table in front of her. The saucer had been splashed with coffee and her tiffin was half on its plate, half on the table. Irritated by this Hermione scanned the cafe for her waiter but couldn't see anyone likely. After a few moment's fruitless neck craning she sighed once more and began to fix up the table, dabbing up the spilt coffee with a serviette and replacing the shifted tiffin back onto the plate proper. She picked up the long spoon and stirred her coffee listlessly, what little good mood she had built up now ebbing back into her previously cloudier one.

Picking up her mug in both hands and taking a sip of coffee she let her eyes wander once more across the room, she couldn't decide if this was a last ditch attempt at spotting her substandard waiter or simply distracted people-watching. Whatever it was went undisclosed when her attention was caught a second later by a patron sat alone a few tables away.

It was a man, rather thin and tall. He was reading a broadsheet, his back to Hermione's table. her eyes scrolled across his form, taking in his shoes, his black trouser, his dark green shirt and finally his short blond hair. Hair that she had seen countless times in potions classes and walking away down school corridors, albeit usually slicked back, and no doubt the back of a head held high in some sign of smug superiority. This combined with an unmistakably familiar posture sent her mind screaming towards a single conclusion.

She was sat in a Muggle cafe with Draco Malfoy. She and Draco Malfoy were sharing a public space, a public Muggle space no less. And he had no idea she was there.

She had to check, she had to be absolutely sure that she wasn't going completely barmy. Then again, taking a sudden obsessive interest in one of the people she hated utmost in the entire world was probably one of the least complicated things that had happened to her recently so she supposed that if she had totally flipped she could at least have a little fun.

She quickly drained her mug, swallowed a spoonful of tiffin and wiped her mouth with a clean serviette and stood up, wincing as her chair scraped noisily (in her mind) against the cafe floor. Slowly she made her way around her table, her eyes fixed on the back of Malfoy's head. She began to move across the cafe, casually enough not to draw any attention to herself, but slowly enough not to alert Malfoy to her presence. As she drew closer Malfoy remained unawares of her approach; his back remained in the same relaxed position and his face continued to be engrossed in the paper he was reading. At one point he coughed rather loudly causing Hermione to flinch, and she had to hastily dart to the right when he dropped a spoon and had to bend down to retrieve it from beneath his chair.

Hermione's mind was buzzing with options of how to confront Malfoy. Should she be direct? March up to the table and demand to know what he was doing? No, probably not, he seems to be simply having lunch in a cafe and it was all too easy to imagine that smug smirk crawling across his face as he explained this to her after she stormed up to his table. Perhaps she should take a more insidious route? Slowly make her way to the table and, whilst he isn't looking, sit down at his table and catch him off guard with a sudden (and rather malicious) barrage of polite conversation? With each step Hermione became more and more unsure of how to handle the situation, and, for a fleeting moment she wished she had mistaken the man sat there for Malfoy and she could return, untroubled, to her own table and her own solitude. Or maybe it would be best to-

"Intending on hovering there all day Granger?"

Hermione was shocked stiff-Malfoy had yet to take his eyes away from his paper and somehow he had spotted her coming! Perhaps he had seen her in the reflection of a glass or a spoon or something. then again maybe she was just much louder than she had assumed-

"Once again Granger, I ask, if I may. Are you going to just stand there like a lemon, and if yes, how long for and can people take pictures?" By this time he had carefully folded up his paper, placed it delicately on the table and turned to face Hermione.

Hermione was shocked to see how little Malfoy had changed from school. He still appeared thin and wiry, his skin was as pale as ever and his face was still pointed and bearing the slightest suggestion of a sneer. The only real change that occurred to Hermione was his hair, which was now cut short in a messy Muggle style, a contrast with his long, slicked back appearance from their school days.

"Malfoy, you erm...that is to say that it is a surprise...meeting you...erm..."

"Ah as clear and eloquent as ever Granger, so good to see the brightest girl at Hogwarts has lost none of her shine" said Malfoy, a smirk playing across his lips.

"But, how did you...?"

"See you coming? well hear you really. Honestly woman you sound like a troll, clomping around in those (rather tacky) boots of yours. I could have heard you a mile away!"

"Tacky boots? I..." but Hermione had been caught off guard by Malfoy and now the fight was out of her, she sagged slightly then spoke, voicing the question that was weighing heavily on her mind, "what the hell are you doing here?".

"Oh dear me Granger was your so-called brilliance only found in the confines of the classroom?" smirked Malfoy, his eyebrow raised mockingly, "Well, I suppose I should give you a hint. You will notice I am sat at this table yes, and may I draw your attention to the paper here, or the empty mug and plate here? Now from this empirical evidence what conclusions can we make?" his voice now a drawl loaded with smugness.

"Yes alight Malfoy I get the picture!" snapped Hermione, now bristling. "Honestly nine years out of school and you haven't changed a jot have you? Still the same spiteful creature now as then I see"

Malfoy held his hand to his chest and spoke with mock hurt "you wound me Granger. Cut me to the quick with you biting words! Can I be blamed for upholding the finest Malfoy traditions?"

"What, bigotry, smugness and cruelty?"

"Absolutely" replied Malfoy with a dark chuckle.

Hermione rolled her eyes "Ugh! Honestly Malfoy I had thought that after all this time you could have at least learned to be a civil human being. I came over here thinking-"

"-thinking what might I ask? Did you really expect time to have healed all wounds or did you hope that I was the same sniveling toad of your youth, perfect for a long overdue tongue lashing hmm?"

"No I thought that-"

"-come now Granger indecision is unbecoming, surely you didn't really expect for me to have changed all that much? Wasn't the point of this little tete-a-tete simply to remind yourself of what a bastard I always was?"

"God Malfoy, I really can not believe how...how...the same you are! After all these years you still make me so frustrated!"

"Well glad I could have been so helpful in confirming your initial beliefs. Now if you don't mind I'd like to cut this short, fascinating as it has been of course" he added with a roll of his eyes.

"Bored of me already?" asked Hermione, her arms folded.

"Well, yes. Not to put too fine a point on it Granger but I'd find having my nipples forcefully pierced with a fish slice more stimulating"

"Perhaps you're just intimidated by the thought of being confronted by someone much smarter than you, who doesn't take any of your nonsense"

There was a slight pause, Hermione glared daggers at Malfoy who cooly returned her gaze with a smirk seemingly etched permanently into his face. Across the cafe a man was heard calling for a waiter to serve him.

"No not really" said Malfoy, breaking the silence between them. "From what I've seen so far I'd say I was just bored of you. You complain that I haven't changed much? Me thinks the lady doth protest too much. It seems to me that the same bushy haired muggleborn who would flounce and fluster around me is standing before me, nothing really changed apart from her choice in clothing becoming more common than the uniform she used to wear. And, with that I really must insist you vacate my line of sight. Tatty bye." He waved his hand lazily at her. The man a few tables away continued to call for service, his voice noticeably more annoyed now.

But Hermione refused to budge. "Why so quick to dismiss me Malfoy? Ashamed to be seen with someone better than you?"

"No I thought we had already covered this; pierced nipples, fish slice, you being dull as dishwater. All valid reasons for you to leave me alone"

"I don't know Malfoy clearly you want me out of here rather quickly and I am awfully curious to find out why, so I think I might just stick around for a bit" she turned, grabbing an empty chair from another table and sat herself down opposite Malfoy, a toothy grin covering her face.

"Listen Granger, just go away, leave this place and let us both get on with our lives okay?" said Malfoy, his temper beginning to rise, the image of serene control starting to slip away.

"Oh what's up Malfoy? Got a hot date with some poor Muggle girl who hasn't found out what a ratbag you are yet?" said Hermione, leaning forward on the table, her head resting in her hands, grin still in place.

Malfoy suddenly grabbed Hermione's arm, squeezing it. Hermione jumped at the sudden contact, and winced slightly at the force Malfoy gripped her arm with.

"Listen Granger, I don't care what you think of me but for your own sake, and mine will you just get out" His teeth were gritted and anger flashed across his features. Hermione instantly became worried, not for her own safety but also for the safety of those around them.

"Malfoy if you are involved, or going to be involved in something I demand you tell me now. Otherwise I can have this place flooded with Aurors before you have time to reach your wand"

Malfoy's face suddenly changed to an expression of confusion. "What? You think I'm involved in...Granger you couldn't be more wrong, just...I ask you...leave...please" Hermione was surprised to hear Malfoy like this, was he actually pleading with her? She saw his expression, he had never looked so helpless before.

"Is this some sort of trick Malfoy?" she asked, her skepticism rising.

"No, no tricks just please, go away" he replied, the same desperate note in his voice.

"Are you in some kind of trouble? Malfoy I can help, I know people who can help you-"

"-no its not that its just-"

"Draco, what the hell are you doing? That bloke at table fourteen has been calling you for ten minutes now, haven't you been paying attention?"

Hermione watched, stunned, as Enid made her way over to the table, clamped her hand on Malfoy's shoulder and proceeded to give him an earful. "You were just supposed to be cleaning this table not taking a break to chat up customers, sorry miss" she added with an apologetic smile towards Hermione.

Hermione watched Malfoy's face crumble, he dropped his head onto the table, banging it loudly.

"Sorry Enid" he mumbled, defeated. "I'll get right on it"

"Glad to hear it" said Enid, "sorry again for this prat, hope he hasn't been giving you any hassle"

"Oh not to worry, he's been doing that for years, since school" replied Hermione, finding her voice.

"You know each other? Well Master Malfoy will have to give me all the details later, once his shift ends" she said, jabbing the top of his head with her finger.

"All right, all right! I'm going!" cried Malfoy, raising his arms in surrender, feebly attempting to bat Enid's hand away.

"That's a good wage slave" chuckled Enid, "and don't forget to apologize to the nice, patient customer" she shook her head in amusement before moving off towards other tables. As she left she glanced back at Hermione giving her a quick wave and a "see you around". Hermione replied with a wave and smile before turning back to Malfoy, a victorious smile on her lips.

"Don't say it" mumbled Malfoy darkly, his face still resting on the table.

"say what?" Hermione purred, "I have absolutely no idea what you could mean Malfoy, or, is it 'wage slave' now?"

Malfoy raised his head slowly to look at her, an expression of purest loathing covered his face.

"Oh yes it is oh so funny isn't it? 'How the mighty have fallen' and all that bollocks am I right? Well I'm glad you find this miserable excuse for my life so amusing. This must be a red letter day for you surely? Not only did you get to see that your old school enemy is the same person he was ten years ago. But wait! Now he's sneering at you from the gutter!" he spat not trying to hide the venom in his voice.

"Yes you're right Malfoy you are still as pathetic as ever and might I say that this has to be one of the single finest examples of cosmic justice I have ever had the pleasure of witnessing!" said Hermione back, her surprise now replaced with anger at Malfoy's latest outburst.

"Good! Well alls well that ends well for Granger and the rest of the Gryffindor trust then? No more Dark Lord to bother you and all us scummy Slytherins are down on our hands and knees scraping up the Muggle muck!"

"God Malfoy I don't think I've-"

"Oh shock horror! A Gryffindor doesn't think! Alert the Prophet! You can do that on your way back to whatever wretched life you lead nowadays because you are going to get out now" Malfoy stood, his hands balled into tight fists.

"Make me Malfoy!"

"With pleasure!" snapped Malfoy, suddenly hoisting Hermione up by her arm and dragging her towards the door, "allow me to help you with your journey you Mudblood cow!" The rest of the cafe had fallen silent, watching the scene between Malfoy and Hermione unfold before them. Hermione' anger flared at the 'mudblood' comment and she wrenched her arm away from Malfoy and pulled it back, delivering a sharp, ringing slap to Malfoy's face.

The sound of impact hung in the air. The whole cafe watched in stunned silence as Malfoy stumbled back from Hermione his hand clutching the side of his face. Hermione stood, her hand still raised, her face red with anger and eyes beginning to well with tears.

"You know Malfoy, I don't know what possessed me to speak to you and right now I wish I hadn't, because at least then I wouldn't have the knowledge that after all these years, time well spent by most people growing up, you've remained the same disgusting, cruel little bully you were as a child" she fished in her purse and pulled out a few five pound notes. "For the food and the trouble" she said, her eyes not leaving Malfoy for a second. "And here, a tip for you" she added, dropping a single penny onto the table, "maybe you could use it to by some decency one day"

Malfoy glared at her, his face red from embarrassment and anger, he blinked fighting away tears of frustration. "Just get out" he whispered, "Just...just go" Hermione raised her head, beginning to respond before Malfoy cut her off.

"GO!" he roared, an arm flung dramatically towards the door. Hermione didn't need telling again, and she wanted to get the hell out of there, and maybe scrub this incident from her brain. She turned back to her table, gathering up her coat and hat then heading for the door.

"Granger, don't tell them"

She turned back, surprised by the intensity in Malfoy's quiet request.

"What?"

"Please,don't act stupid. You and me both know that within minutes you are going to be wagging your tongue to Potter and that idiot Weasley. Don't. Like I really need those two Neanderthals gloating at my pitiful existence"

"As if I would waste the words" replied Hermione haughtily.

"I mean it Granger...don't tell them...please" he whispered, an audible sign of despair in his voice.

Hermione bit her lip, for a moment she genuinely felt a pang of pity for Malfoy, before it was washed away in memories of what he had said just a few minutes prior. Slowly she made her way over to Malfoy, breathing slowly and heavily.

"Malfoy" she said icily, "Whilst this may be a novel concept to the likes of you when I say I won't tell anyone of this I will not tell anyone, understand?" Not that there is any chance of me telling those two anything right now, and not that you need to know that, she thought.

Malfoy looked into her cold, stern eyes for a moment before turning away sharply, a bitter smile on his lips.

"Thank you" he spat. Hermione held her gaze for a moment longer before nodding curtly to Malfoy, turning away and briskly strolling out of the door and onto the street.

After she had walked out of sight the silence in the cafe broke, the customers turning back to one another and picking up where they left off. Malfoy remained standing, a look of dejection in his eyes. From across the cafe Enid called out to him.

"Draco Malfoy. Stockroom. Now!"

With one last sigh Malfoy turned to face her, his shoulders slumped in defeat he slowly made his way over to her, his head swimming with thoughts not only of the imminent punishment he was to receive but also of the things Granger had said about him. She was wrong; he wasn't the same person from their schooldays, that boy died years ago, leaving only this miserable excuse for a man behind.