Disclaimer: This disclaimer is applicable to all chapters of this story. All recognizable characters belong to Joanne Rowling. This plot, however, belongs to me!


Chapter 1

Hermione strolled through the aisles of "Loch Crescent Bookshop", feeling nostalgic as she inhaled the smell of the books. Loch Crescent Bookshop had been around ever since her father was a little boy. In fact, it was her father who first introduced Hermione to the Bookshop and had watched in delight as his daughter ran amok in the Bookshop, flitting from one book to another. Hermione remembered the day only too well. She had returned to her father with an armful of books, insisting that he buy them all. Her father, not wanting Hermione to grow up into someone used to having their own way always, had wisely agreed to buying only a fourth of the books. If Hermione wanted the rest of the books, he decreed, she would have to earn them. The Bookshop occupied a special place in Edward Granger's heart as well, for it was here that he had first met his wife, the lovely, wild-haired Jean Granger, nee Lewis.

So lost was Hermione in her reminiscing that she failed to notice a figure approaching her. She let out a cry as she struck their chest and fell backwards. Suddenly strong hands appeared out of nowhere to steady her. Hermione blushed and stammered out an apology as she raised her head to look at her savior. The blush turned into an angry red flush as she spied his face. "Malfoy!"

"Granger."

"What are you doing here?"

Malfoy raised an eyebrow, "Isn't it quite obvious? I am here for the same reason that you and several others who frequent this establishment are."

Hermione coloured even deeply, if possible. "I was merely surprised to see you at a muggle store". Malfoy glared at her, her implication was not lost on him. "For every step ahead I take, judgements and biases like these set me two steps backwards", he hissed out. Hermione took a deep breath. "Did you know", she said conversationally, "The Cruciatus Curse leaves scars."

"Well. What's your point?"

Hermione backed up a bit. Looking Malfoy in the eye, she shrugged off the jacket she had been wearing to fend off the cold. Underneath, she had on a short sleeved blouse. She gathered off her once bushy mane – age had tamed it into into a thick mass of curls around her face – in a messy bun at the top of her head. Malfoy gasped and recoiled as he spied what she intended to reveal to him: A thick red scar running all the way from the side of her neck and turning and coiling around her left arm. It resembled an angry red Chinese dragon tattoo, only it was much uglier. It also looked like it hurt her physically.

"Dark magic, at its worst," Draco whispered.

Hermione smirked as she put on her jacket and rearranged her hair. "Your dear Aunt Bella gave me that, all those years ago, in Malfoy Manor. It did not appear immediately. It grew gradually, beginning an year later. We have managed to stopper the growth for now. Unfortunately there seems no way to remove it."

Draco was quiet for a while. "I'm sorry," he finally said, "For lashing out earlier. It is just that I have been trying hard to redeem myself ever since… you know… but everyone seems to be pulling me down. I realize I deserve it, all of it, though."

Hermione was quiet. In her experience, whenever Malfoy had opened his mouth, it had been to insult, boast, grovel or complain. Never had she heard him be so apologetic. Maybe people did grow up and outgrow their old selves. But after everything that had transpired, she did not have any sympathies to dole out to Draco Malfoy.

"I apologize, Granger, for that night in Malfoy Manor, when my – that harridan tortured you and I – being the cowardly bastard that I am – stood by and did nothing"

Hermione held Draco's gaze for a moment. She must have found something – sincere - in his eyes for she nodded, "There is nothing to forgive. We did not expect your help. And it was probably for the best that you did nothing." She paused and then continued, "Also I have been following your finances for a while. All the charity work that you have done – it is very admirable Malfoy. Also, your behavior during and after house arrest has been impeccable. You are well on the way to redemption, Malfoy."

"How did you know about all that? All those donations were anonymous!" Draco was aghast. Hermione winked, "I have access to information that others don't. After all it is my job to know."

"As expected," Malfoy smirked. She was pretty high up in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, if he remembered correctly. The youngest witch in history to occupy the positon, in fact, and a muggleborn witch at that. The old pureblood zealots must be rolling in their graves, Draco thought. It was a pleasurable thought. "If anyone deserves to be the Secretary of the MLE, then it is you. You have worked damn well hard for it. If anything, the MLE is lucky to have you."

Hermione's head was spinning. What a curious day! First she finds Draco Malfoy in a muggle bookshop, then Malfoy apologizes to her and then he compliments her! Also Hermione was surprised that she had shown him the scar. Not many people knew about it, and Hermione was keen to keep it that way as it reeked of Dark Magic.

"So you are a Healer?" Hermione found herself asking him. "Yes. I specialize in healing or alleviating long term damage caused by curses. Though you probably know all about that." Draco's gaze slid over to Hermione's arm thoughtfully. He especially specialized in healing cursed wounds. Bellatrix's mark, which marred Hermione's white flawless skin somehow made his heart clench with anger. Perhaps there was something he could do to help remove it.

"Ah, I do. Are you looking for a particular book?" Draco was drawn out of his musing. "I have found it", he held out a book towards her. Hermione leant forward with interest. It was the first edition of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Hermione took it reverently. "It is for Teddy. Teddy Lupin." Draco continued. This was a new one. "You are in touch with Teddy", Hermione's eyes were as round as saucers. "We have tried to – reestablish ties – with my Aunt Andromeda and my nephew", Draco said uncomfortably, "She was wronged by the Blacks, and then by the Malfoys. It has been tough, but we are working at it, being a family and all that."

Hermione's head was reeling. This was too much for today. "Well, Malfoy, that's wonderful to know. It was – er – lovely seeing you but I have to leave now. Um, see you around."

Malfoy nodded, "Goodbye Granger."

Hermione turned on her heel and all but fled out of the quaint bookshop. Draco exhaled deeply as he watched her leave, a wistful expression on his face.

X-X-X-X-X

Loch Crescent Bookshop, estd. 1890

The Loch Crescent Bookshop is not an ordinary book store. It is a living, breathing force of nature, heavily imbibed with the oldest and the subtlest forms of magic. The magic pulses and shifts around, often working to imbue feelings of warmth and optimism in the visitors. It is said, no two people meet here by accident. It has been responsible for establishing a number of successful lifelong relationships, romantic and otherwise. However, it does not create feelings that are not there – it just moulds them and brings them to the "surface" as such the affected person is more keenly aware of them than before.

- from "A History of Magical-masquerading-as-Muggle Establishments in Great Britain" (1843)


A/N: This is an idea that has been growing on me for a while. So I put pen to paper, err typed it out on my computer and decided to publish it here. Thanks for reading. Please leave a review letting me know what you think!