:Remembering:

XxXxX

I stepped out the door and pull it shut behind me. With my back pressed against the solid wood, I dug through my purse for my keys, casually glancing up and down the street. Satisfied, I slid my key into the lock and turned. As I stepped away from the apartment into the crowd, I tugged my hat snuggly over my ears to protect them from the wind and grinned.

She surged forward with the crowds of people, but wasn't making much of an effort to blend in. Two blocks down, she slipped into a coffee shop. I could have sworn she waved for me to follow as the door shut, but she couldn't possibly know I was watching. Right? Stuffing my hands into the pockets of my overcoat, I looked around before stepping forward. A warm blast of air engulfed me as I entered the small shop, but even the suffocating heat could not persuade me to remove my scarf and coat. Then I spotted her, sitting in a corner with a steaming mug wrapped in her fingers, calm eyes on me. Swearing, I made my way over.

He was not happy to be spotted. I told myself it didn't mean anything, but I was delighted none-the-less. He kept anxiously looking around as he sat down, removing his coat only. I took a sip, enjoying the warmth of it.
"Just settle already," I told him as he continued to squirm in his chair.
His voice was rough, more hoarse than I remembered it, but as arrogant as ever, "Why are you here"
I looked at him sharply. He never was one for blunt questions, preferring to lull a person into a false sense of trust. Reaching forward, I pulled down his scarf. He winced slightly, but allowed it. I stifled a gasp as the cloth fell away. His face was gaunt and marred by scars, old and new. His nose looked as if it had been broken and improperly healed. The only recognizable features were his eyes, but the stormy gray voids were filled with sorrow and suffering, and a stubborn determination that had not been there before.
"Merlin, Draco..." I breathed as I traced a gash from the bridge of his nose to just below his jaw. "What happened to you?"

Her fingers were gentle as she took inventory of the scars. It seemed nostalgic, sitting there with her, and unconsciously I relaxed, wondering why.
"Why are you here?" I repeated.
She smiled, "To see you, silly"
Her words flashed across my mind, as if from a memory. I struggled to recall whatever it was but, as quickly as it had appeared, I lost it. Deja-vu's a bitch.
"Why," I demanded, "are you always around? Who am I to you that you feel the need to go out of your way just to see me"
She bit her lip and dropped her gaze to her hands. "I..." she trailed off, unable to put words to her thoughts. Suddenly, she stood, still looking at her hands, and said, "You still don't remember." She brought her hand up to my face once more, but did not touch my skin. "When?" she asked, but the question wasn't directed to me.
For a brief moment, hurt washed across her face. She must have seen some reaction in me, because she spun away and was out the door before I could stand. Without knowing what drove me, I snatched up my coat and ran after her. At the door, I scanned the crowd. I spotted her turn the corner back towards the apartment and chased after her. The next I saw her, she was at the door. She looked back and looked at me with sad eyes before stepping through.
"Hermione!" I cried out as the door clicked shut.