Well. I didn't want to die this way. Hermione's arms struggled against the water, her legs kicked and flailed in a desperate attempt to get her head above water once again. Her heart pounded in her throat; lungs begging for air. She felt as though her insides would burst long before the river prevailed and became her grave. I don't know if I'd prefer to die drowning or exploding…
Her final thoughts echoed amid the water flowing so elegantly around her, teasing her with its gentle current. The river pushed her down with invisible strength; choked her with its invisible hands.
In one moment she felt so heavy, so tired. An eternal sleep beckoned to her.
There was a girl in the river. She had appeared so suddenly, it was a wonder how she had fallen in without a sound.
'Swimming?' Draco looked down upon her from the small stone bridge. He had caught a glint of color from the corner of his eye, and when he had turned to find the source he did not expect to discover a person trashing about in the water below. 'Not swimming. Drowning.'
Without another thought, Draco climbed the bridge wall that separated him from the river and pushed himself forcefully from the edge. He plunged into the surging river water, its coldness like needles against his skin.
He opened his eyes. The girl floated lifelessly before him, her dark hair strewn wispily around her, blanketed against her face. He reached out for the girl's arm, pulled her against him.
The need for air came to him, and with violent kicks, he found the surface. He gasped, never loving the feeling of oxygen in his lungs so much.
Draco swam numbly towards the bank, pushing the girl out of the water before hoisting himself up. He sprawled instantly across the ground, ignoring the grass prickling against his face.
The girl groaned beside him, rolling over in her dazed state.
Hermione woke up to the feeling of solid ground beneath her and the smell of grass in her nostrils. She smiled drowsily, uncaring as to where she could possibly be. It was paradise, and it was all she needed to know at that point.
The river. Hermione opened her mouth, expecting the cold water to fill it. Instead, there was nothingness. Air. She tried to roll over, but was stopped abruptly by another body. Surprised, she lifted herself from the grassy earth beneath her with wobbly arms.
All at once, she was shaky on her feet, and felt compelled to sit right back down. Gradually she tried taking a step. Every muscle in her body ached. A hand seized her arm with a firm grip, steadying her. "Thank you," she said hoarsely, and then fell into a fit of coughing.
It was dark, but as Hermione turned her attention back towards the stranger, she could make out his face. His expression was neutral and all too familiar.
"Draco? Draco Malfoy?"
"You don't remember anything?" Hermione looked up from her mug of coffee, a baffled expression. "Not Hogwarts, not even your wizardry skills? That's impossible."
Draco smiled lightly, something she was certainly unaccustomed to. "It does seem ridiculous." He set down his cup, sighed. "But after I was diagnosed, things have come slowly back to me. I was told to live among muggles until the process was complete."
"Until you remember everything?"
"No. They said I wouldn't be able to remember some things." He turned his gaze away from her, out of the restaurant's window. "Perhaps I won't even remember my childhood."
Hermione followed his dazed stare. A little girl stood on the other side of the glass, her little hand pressed against it. She watched Draco with a solemn face, reflecting his expression. He began to laugh under his breath; a husky sound that was pleasing to her ears, and the girl was quick to giggle along with him. Hermione felt herself smiling. "Thank you again for saving me. I thought I would die."
He turned to face her again, the smile fading from his mouth. "How long has it been? Since we've seen eachother, I mean. Since Hogwarts?"
Hermione nodded slowly, remembering how much hatred she had had for him throughout her years at Hogwarts. He was cruel then, much unlike he seemed now. "I'm turning nineteen soon, so I believe it's been quite a while. I'm still studying magic. I want to learn as much as possible."
Draco said nothing more, and seemed lost in his thoughts as she closely studied him. He had grown quite tall over the years, and everything about him seemed more mature. His face looked kinder. The way he spoke, the expressions… He wasn't the proud Malfoy she remembered.
"What is it?" Draco noticed her intent look all of a sudden, blinking rapidly from his thoughts. "Sorry, I must have let my mind wander. Where you saying something?"
She felt her cheeks redden under his inquisitive gaze. "Oh, n-no," she stammered. "I mean, I wasn't going to say anything, but-"
Her rambling nonsense was cut off by his low, soft laughing. Hermione looked up at him with a jolt, taken by surprise. She would never get used to the sound of his laugh over the sound of his cackle.
"Were you always this tongue-tied?" He watched her awkwardness with a humored appearance. "Well, never mind that. What brings you here, to the muggle world? Surely there is nothing here for your wizardry knowledge. Muggles aren't much help."
Hermione took the spoon up from the table and stared at the swirls of milk in her coffee as she stirred it. "Actually, I was visiting some family. I'm… half muggle and half witch, after all." She felt ridged in her seat, waiting for his response. Draco had always hated her kind.
"Well, that's interesting." He leaned forward then, his face curious. "I don't remember anything about that. You must be special, then."
As she stared back at him, distracted, the spoon slipped from her grip and clinked against the coffee cup. The sound broke her thoughts. "Special? You think so?"
He shrugged, smile broadening. "It makes plenty of sense to me. Do they have a title for half-muggles? Or are you still known as a witch?"
Mudblood was your title for me. Hermione looked down at her coffee again, feeling sheepish. "There are some titles which are best left unknown." She averted making eye contact, and instead concentrated on drumming her fingers against the table.
Draco propped his chin in his hands and turned to watch the window again. The girl had left, and there was nothing but a crowded sidewalk and a busy road to look at.
Hermione despised uncomfortable silence. She glanced sidelong towards Draco, eagerly willing him to speak again. He turned his head to return the stare, but only responded by raising an eyebrow. She smiled uneasily and spent the next moments feeling stupid.
"I'll walk with you until we reach the Leaky Cauldron." His voice was flat.
She saw what seemed to be a look of sadness cross his face, but it vanished even quicker than it had appeared. She opened her mouth to say something, but felt at loss for words. Could he not return? How long would he be confined in the muggle world?
"Um… Thank you. For everything."
Draco stopped suddenly, looked beyond her; across the street. "Here's your stop," he announced. "When I had first lost my memories, the Leaky Cauldron was only a blur. I can see it clearly now." He met her eyes with a neutral look, but forced himself to smile. "You don't have to worry. I can take care of myself."
Clumsily she took hold of his sleeve, tugged it a little. "But you're alone here. Very alone. What if you fall in to trouble and can't get yourself out? And nobody is here to assist you in the muggle world. It's completely different from the world you belong to!"
"I don't belong to that world right now." His eyes were fixed on the Leaky Cauldron once again. The urge to enter it was almost overwhelming. "Someday I'll be able to return, but not today."
Realization struck her and the sleeve she had been holding onto slipped from her fingers. Her arm fell back, limp against her side. "There are spells to bring back memories, or at least quicken the process! Why on earth are you making it so difficult?"
He shook his head, his movements suddenly much slower. "I can't explain that easily. I suppose it's because I like doing things the hard way. I wanted to heal without the convenience."
"What a strange thing to do." Hermione gazed at the Leaky Cauldron, and then Draco. She felt a grin on her lips. "Strange was always my title in Hogwarts. Perhaps we aren't so different."
His smile wasn't forced then, for it lit up the coldness his eyes. "Who said we were different?"
"You'll need my assistance, then." She turned away from the Leaky Cauldron, pulling him along with her. "I'm half muggle, after all. I may be useful."
His smile remained, but his expression was confused. "What?"
"I owe you a favor. You saved my life, I'll bring back yours." She felt a sudden cheerfulness take hold of her as the laughs rose in her throat. "Besides, I'm feeling terribly sorry for you, in this condition. You remind me of a stray dog. It's saddening, really."
"Stray dog!" He choked on her words, his eyes wide as he regarded her joyful state. "Don't you have places to go? I don't even know how long it will take!"
"That's fine." Her look silenced his protests at once. The confidence in her manner was apparent. "I'm going to be the one to cure you."
"You really are strange."
Author's Notes: All I can say is ugh. The first chapter is horribly rushed, and I feel the urge to redo it again. I suppose, in the future, that will be a definite decision, but for now… I'm tired, and I wanted to get the first chapter out as soon as I could. It's rushed, sloppy… Don't worry about telling me such things. I believe it is quite obvious already. As for shortness, I promise it will be much longer next chapter. Please review, your feedback is treasured!