Serendipity
Chapter One: Places to Go, People to Ignore
"WHAT?"
Hermione Granger's voice raised an octave while looming over her best friend and co-worker, Harry Potter. The latter was clogging his ears with his fingers as she shrieked. He had rather expected her reaction to be like that. Her face showed her utmost rage and her usually soft brown eyes glistened with pent-up fury.
"H-Hermione, l-listen to me first," Harry stammered putting a hand on her arm to restrain her from hitting him. He sighed heavily as she relaxed in his grasp. "I know you wanted your well-deserved vacation, but this is it. This could be the breakthrough to your career! You can't afford to let this go."
"But Harry," Hermione emphasized his name for effect. She put a hand on her forehead and promptly closed her eyes. "I have my whole three years dedicated to being an Auror. Haven't I proven myself enough for this job? And all I ask is one month of uninterrupted vacation in Canada! Is that too much?"
Harry shook his head vehemently in agreement to his best friend's statement. When Hermione appeared to sober up, he grasped both of her shoulders and heaved a deep sigh. "Okay. You can have your vacation. But this project could only be put on hold for a month. I don't want you to let go of this so if you agree, you could go back here in one month, and then you could finish this mission and bam, you'll be promoted! Just trust me, okay?"
Hermione closed her eyes and pondered for five solid minutes. She then managed a small smile and nodded her affirmation. Harry smiled so big that she was afraid his face would stay that way for the next years to come. He seemed so happy at that moment that she couldn't fight the urge to smile back.
oOo
"Draco, you don't have to do this, you know," Astoria purred while fixing Draco Malfoy's tie as he faced the full-length mirror on the corner of his huge room. He was ignoring her as usual but she kept getting his attention in irritating ways possible. "You have those pesky employees in your company that could do this dirty job of travelling through a Muggle flying device—"
"It's an airplane," Draco growled, hoping that it would show his repressed annoyance for the youngest Greengrass. He, like other respected purebloods in the wizarding world, was betrothed to the youngest daughter of one of the oldest pureblood family in history, which was coincidentally, the Greengrasses. He even remembered going to school with Astoria, since she was two years below him, and her older sister, Daphne, who was in the same year as him. Nevertheless, he was not very enthused with the idea of getting married, contrary to popular belief.
Astoria moved to stand in front of him and then ran her hands up and down his chest. He fought the compulsion to cringe. "Still, Muggle germs are all over that, whatchamacallit, airplane? And I know you hate it too much, so…" she leaned over and placed her nose next to his while Draco kept his gaze forward and away from the lady. "…you always have the choice to stay here. With me. Don't you want that?"
Draco closed his eyes in restrain. "I'm really sorry, Astoria, but this is more important than spending time with you. Those investors won't settle with meeting my 'pesky' employees. They want me," he pushed away from Astoria and headed to his bed to close his suitcase and to grab it on its handle. "Specifically, to meet them and I wouldn't let them go just because of the Muggle germs on the airplane that I know I could tolerate."
The prejudiced and bigoted pureblood Draco Malfoy from before was now changed. For the better, if he dared to say so. Now, he didn't care about Muggles or Muggleborns or the germs they supposedly carry. The Second War involving Voldemort caused his family to give up everything even their untarnished reputation in the wizarding world to fight for the Dark Lord. If he doubted being a Death Eater back in sixth year, he even felt more remorse and trepidation during the War in his supposed seventh year. The thing that made the Malfoys go back on top of the social food chain was the pardon that Harry Potter gave to him and his mother after the Malfoy matriarch saved the Boy-Who-Just-Wouldn't-Die from being discovered by the Dark Lord. With Voldemort dead and his father Kissed by Dementors in one of the cells in Azkaban, they were finally free.
He was grateful but he'd rather die than admit it to Potter's face. Only Narcissa could do that.
But just when he thought that everything changed, here he was, engaged to a socialite pureblood of the name Astoria Greengrass. Narcissa, although over her aversion with Muggleborns and Muggles, would still want the pureblood line to continue. Another reason was that with Draco dating brainless bimbos here and there for the past months, his mother had had enough of his reckless conquests that she finally trapped him to a shotgun marriage. Bollocks.
If he knew shotgun marriage meant being with high and mighty Astoria Greengrass who seemed to be not good enough for anybody, even him, then he would've searched for a nice and submissive girlfriend to be with.
Astoria flopped down indecently on the bed as a frown marred her make-up filled face. She even crossed her arms in front of her chest and huffed, "You're just making an excuse to get away from me. Maybe…Maybe you have someone with you on that 'business trip' of yours that you refuse to tell me. Maybe, just maybe, y-you're h-having an affair!"
The nerve of this woman. He didn't know if he wanted to strangle her or punch himself in the face. Astoria started bawling like a baby that Draco sighed and laid a hand on his forehead as if in pain. "I'm going away for business and business only. I never had the chance to redeem myself to my investors for months of playing around. Now that I meant to be serious, I would go all the way for the business that my family has invested in for years. It doesn't mean I was having an affair."
Astoria beamed and ran over to hug him. He closed his eyes not to savor the moment but to refrain from hitting himself. He never wanted to let her believe that they would be together forever. But he was not just a sadist, also a self-confessed masochist.
She then pulled away to kiss his cheek. His hand was itching to wipe it with the back of his hand but he tried his very best to stop. He should be given an award for that.
"Then, I hope you seal the deal," she said sincerely, her smile glued to her face. Draco found himself grimacing and squirming under her touch.
oOo
Hermione smiled for the very first time in days as she went out of her flat with a suitcase in hand. Her yellow sundress and her untamed bushy hair flew with the wind. She had to wear a hat to cover her face from the hot summer sun and to prevent her hair from going wild. She hailed a taxi and off they went to Muggle airport.
She checked her purse for her ticket, her brush, and her wand, above all. When she saw that her stuff was complete, she fished out her mobile phone from inside and speed dialed Harry's phone.
"Hey, Hermione!" a surprisingly familiar girly squeal greeted her after a few seconds of ringing. Hermione had to smile at the eager greeting of her best girl friend, Ginny Weasley. "Are you in the airplane now?"
Hermione chuckled. "No, Gin. I won't be for the next five hours. I'm on my way to the airport."
"Well, I already miss you," the redhead faked a sad voice.
"But we just saw each other last night. Remember sappy movies and tons of pizza?" she reminded. Ginny gave a hearty laugh at that.
"Yeah, yeah. Wait, here's Har—" Ginny never got to finish her sentence when Hermione heard someone shouting in the background, demanding for the phone. After the uncomfortable sounds of struggle, two voices greeted her enthusiastically, "Hermione!"
"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed. "I didn't know you were home!"
"Well, I just got home today and I heard from Harry and Gin that you'll be on vacation for a whole month. Good for you, 'Mione," Ron stated in his sincerest voice. She and the redhead had gotten together after the War but since Hermione's stuck with Auror training and Ron with his Quidditch training with the Chudley Cannons, they never had the time to rekindle their relationship. They had broken up after a year of being together but not physically being together and they parted in good ways. They were still the best of friends though barely seeing each other.
"Well, I couldn't let myself get old early just because of my job. I needed a vacation or I'll be forced to resign," she teased. She knew Harry heard her remark as well so she couldn't help but grin.
"Hey! We talked about this!" she heard Harry's faint voice from the background. She knew Ron distanced himself away from their temperamental friend.
"You don't have to do that, you know," Ron stated, chortling with her. "Harry's already disappointed that you're going away for a merited vacation. Don't rile him up even more with disparaging remarks about your Aurorship."
Ron was the only one who knew of her secret wish to become a Healer. Yes, she may have been dreaming to become an esteemed Auror when N.E.W.T.s came but her goals seemed to change its course when she saw the casualties in the War. She wanted very much to help in healing having enough knowledge but she never had the time to train healing spells. But healing has appealed to her even more since then.
"Okay, okay. Tell him I'm keeping my promise," she chortled. She transferred her phone to her other ear and trapped it between her ear and her shoulder blade as she zipped her boots into place. "How are things with the team?"
"We have our next match in Paris and I hope we win," Ron said, hopeful and wistful for a brief moment. "You know that this is my first match outside the country, yeah?"
"Of course. Good luck, though. I read that the Paris Quidditch team hadn't lost one match for the past three years," she joked. She heard her friend swallow nervously and she had to laugh. "I was kidding, Ron. You know I'm not interested in Quidditch stuff."
Ron laughed with her. "Well, I've heard enough about them already so I'm passing the phone to these lovebirds over here—"
"Happy trip, 'Mione!" the three hollered over the phone loudly that she had to pull away from it to prevent going deaf. "And come back in a month!" she heard Harry shout in the background before they hung up. Oh, she'll miss them. But she would make sure she'd have the best vacation ever!
oOo
Draco Malfoy, dressed in a crisp black tuxedo, arrived at the airport in Muggle London at noon. His silvery blond hair was disheveled, mostly because of the wind outside. His silver eyes were obscured from view for it was hidden behind dark sunglasses. Many may mistake him as a celebrity but he knew in himself he was more than that. He was a very prominent person in the wizarding world and Muggle world alike.
He pulled out his ticket on one of his slacks' pockets, and felt for his wand on the other. He was in a first class flight to Canada and he would make sure he'd enjoy every second of it.
oOo
Draco's suitcase went through the scanner and as soon as it was cleared, he made his way to the entrance. His hold on his ticket loosened as he bumped onto a wrinkly old lady. Out of forced chivalry, he picked up the old lady's stuff and handed it to her with a bow and then proceeded to take care of his stuff. His ticket was thrown a meter away from him that he grumbled colorful profanities under his breath and continued his journey to the entrance.
This flight better be good.
oOo
Hermione merrily skipped inside the airport and had her suitcase checked in just ten minutes. She picked up her case from the conveyor belt after going through the scanner and placed her ticket beside her bag to check her things for a second time. She didn't notice a man place his bag beside hers and his ticket laid out beside her own. The conveyor belt moved. Neither noticed which ticket was which so the man had to grab the first one he saw and scurry away from Hermione. The young witch grabbed her bag and unknowingly picked up the wrong ticket with her.
oOo
First class flights in Muggle airplanes were the worst. Draco Malfoy was sandwiched between a fat Muggle woman and another unknown passenger that has yet to board the plane. The fat woman was munching on potato chips and seeing that he was looking intently at her, she offered him the huge bag of junk food. He shook his head and grimaced. He wanted to throw up but he couldn't.
Draco leaned away from the woman and closer to the unoccupied seat beside him. He would be extremely lucky if no one occupied the seat. Although that was highly unlikely. What if he bought the seat?
As the imaginary light bulb lit up above his head, he didn't notice a bushy-haired mane sit beside him in an enthusiastic manner, whistling a happy tune. She stopped as soon as she turned to see the man seated beside her.
"M-Malfoy?" asked an annoyingly familiar voice beside Draco. He groaned and turned to face his other seatmate. He feigned a smirk and greeted, "Granger."
Hermione Granger changed, was the first thing that came into Draco's mind. Her frumpy clothes back in school were replaced by a sunny colored sundress that hugged her curves perfectly, a pair of furry boots and a hat to complete her summer look. She looked different yet beautiful. But as a frown crossed her happy face upon seeing him, maybe praising her mentally was a very bad idea.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, appalled with the fact that she was sitting beside a nemesis she had hated and hated her back for years. The blond just merely shrugged after recovering from the shock of seeing the famous Muggleborn here, of all places.
"I'm riding an airplane, which I assume is what you're doing as well," he stated matter-of-factly. He relaxed his back and leaned casually on his chair. He paid no heed to the fat woman beside him as the smell of salt lingered in his nose.
Hermione leaned back on her seat as well, as casual as she could and shrugged. "You might get unwanted Muggle germs, Malfoy. They're highly contagious," she muttered to him under her breath. She even pointedly looked at the fat woman who turned to them and smiled through greasy lips. Both had to smile back, although reluctant.
"Shut it, Granger. The woman's not doing anything wrong to you," Draco muttered back through half-lidded eyes. He didn't want to spend another minute talking to the former Gryffindor know-it-all.
Hermione mocked a shocked look, "Oh, is she your fiancée? I heard she's a known pureblood socialite but you didn't tell me she had a fetish for potato chips and soda." She was chuckling silently as Draco opened his eyes and glared at her with passion.
He leaned over her as she relaxed on her seat with her eyes closed. She could feel his hot breath close to her ear that gave her shivers all over her body. "For your information, Granger, my fiancée is so much better-looking than you. Unlike the two dunderheads you call 'friends', I have good taste in girls."
Hermione seethed but kept her eyes shut, controlling her emotions. She would not get riled up with simple insults. She was used to that. And he was dangerously close to her face. Anything could happen. "Well, at least, I'm not forced with undesirable company. Your whole engagement thing was a fraud, if I dare say so. You looked obligated to stand beside her in every event."
Draco furrowed his brows at the woman who looked calm and collected sitting beside him. She appeared to be sleeping but the trace of a smirk on her face confirmed his suspicions that she's not. He breathed heavily and counted up to three. He desperately wanted to call her 'Mudblood' but the word, unlike before, couldn't pass through his lips easily anymore. Like what was said earlier, Draco Malfoy was a changed man.
He mimicked Hermione's position and ignored everything around him, the fat woman beside him included. He blocked every sound in the background and forced himself to take a nap. He took a last peak at the lady seated beside him that he has tormented for years and hadn't seen since the last Ministry ball which was a year ago. Her face was finally peaceful and her breaths were even. He assumed she was asleep. He couldn't help but muster a small smile and thanked the High deity for tolerable company.
Next chapter: Wrong Flight—this isn't Canada!
A/N: Read and review! I enjoyed writing that fat woman scene, by the way! :) I hope you enjoyed it. I already posted the second chapter so, I hope you enjoy it as well.