A/N: This fic is rated M for a few reasons; one of them is language. I personally don't think the language in this chapter is really that bad, or that it's too much, but I thought I'd warn you. ;)

.:*Atlantis*:.

Chapter 3

Ridiculous Rage

September 27th, 2001

Thursday

8:45 A.M.

Murray's Deli was abuzz with animated conversation and a plethora of activity. There was so much energy in the place, that you could literally feel it charge you as you walked in. She suddenly felt more awake, and maybe even a bit excited. The eatery looked like a eccentric fusion between a '50s diner and a New York deli. It was already mostly full and Hermione could only imagine what it would look like in a few hours; she shivered at the thought. The hostess led them to a crescent-shaped, leather bucket booth at the very rear, in a corner with a window.

"Your server will be with you shortly, in the mean time, what would you like to drink?" she asked.

"Coffee for me, please." Hermione answered with a smile, while Draco looked at her with a combination of curiosity and amusement.

"I'll have an orange juice," he told the hostess.

"I'll have them right over." She was gone so fast, Hermione thought she must have blinked.

"Coffee? Really? Is that how you managed to somehow study for hours on end, back in school? It's amazing how you still had the energy to answer each and every question ever

asked by a professor." He smirked as he perused his menu.

She chose to ignore his last comment, and scoffed at the first one, "Me, abuse coffee to study? Not at all, my dear Draco. That was just a little something called willpower and determination. Something I thought a Slytherin, more so a Malfoy, was sure to recognize," she laughed. "No, the coffee is one of a few terrible habits I have acquired since then."

"I'm not sure if there's a veiled compliment in there or not." He grinned at her smugly.

"You may take it as one, I suppose," she said sighing dramatically, as if giving in to a stubborn child.

"In that case, I will." He paused, raised his right eyebrow slightly, and asked, "What are these other 'terrible habits' you seemed to have picked up? If you don't mind me asking." He snapped his menu closed, placed it on the table and looked at her expectantly.

"I'm sure you'll find out soon enough, if we're going to be working together," she answered, snapping her menu closed as well. Just then the waitress arrived and placed their drinks on the table. "Good Morning, my name is Kara, and I will be your server today. Have you decided on what to order, or would you like more time?" she asked.

"I think we're ready. I would like the breakfast special, the eggs over-easy, with sausage links, not bacon, and a bagel instead of the toast," Hermione finished with a smile, but noticed that Draco was giving her that amused/curious look again. She had anticipated all of the girl's questions, and Kara just nodded as she scribbled furiously, trying to catch up.

"And for you?" she asked Draco.

"I'll have an omelet, with mushrooms, spinach, sausage and mozzarella cheese. I would also like a side of ranch salad dressing." This time it was Hermione's turn to raise her eyebrow at him, as she fought with the corner of her mouth trying to make it stay down. She would have never expected him to order that, yet it seemed to suit him perfectly somehow. The thought was so strange (since she could hardly say she knew him anymore), that it proved too much and she burst out laughing. After at few seconds, Draco began laughing openly as well. They went on that way for a couple of minutes, neither one of them even knowing what they were laughing about. They finally quieted down, although Hermione was hiccupping a bit and they were both still wiping at their eyes. She took a moment to look out the window, at the deep blue ocean waves crashing against the white sandy beach. She sighed and smiled, she hadn't felt this carefree in a long time. Who would have ever thought she would be at ease while having a breakfast/business meeting with humankind's greatest aggravation, Draco Malfoy. She giggled softly and pressed her forehead to the glass.

"So this is what you left me for, Hermione?"

The voice that came from beside her, bursting with pain and anger, made her spin her head around in a nanosecond. She barely had time to register Draco turning, apparently, he too had been looking out the window. The thought was quickly shattered and shoved aside as she saw who stood before her.

"Ron?" she asked, bewildered. She sputtered for a second, then started firing off questions, "What are you doing here? Is everything alright? How did you eve know where to find me? Why didn't you owl me first?" The last question was laced with impatience bordering on anger.

"What for? So you can lie to me some more? I can't believe you would do this to me, and much less over… Malfoy," he said the last word through a clenched jaw, as if he was trying to shred the word to pieces as he said it.

"WHAT? What are you even TALKING about Ronald? I never…"

"NO Hermione!" He interrupted her harshly. "You said you didn't feel you loved me anymore, and that you weren't sure who you were and all that… I figured that I should give you time to get over the whole 'war thing', so I did! It's been over a year now, and I've let you run around and try to figure yourself out. And then you show up out of nowhere yesterday, and tell me you're leaving? And you don't even tell me where you're going? And when I finally find you, you're sitting here with this piece of shit, smiling like you don't know that I'm worried sick over you. No, I don't think so, Hermione. You can't just run away anymore, I won't let you. I'm here to take you home".

"Let me? LET ME?… Take me?" she sputtered, but just then the waitress came up carrying two plates, and placed them on the table. Hermione took a deep, deep breath. "Kara? We're going to step outside for a moment, and will be back."
"Of course, take you're time," Kara said, giving Hermione a quick smile as she walked away.

"Ronald, Draco, we're going outside to sort this out," she ordered, "I'm gonna need a fuckin' cigarette for this one…" She mumbled the last part mostly to herself, but Draco heard and raised an eyebrow. He was undoubtedly wondering when in the world she had started smoking, and more importantly, why he was needed outside. However, he must have decided that he didn't feel like getting his head chopped off right at the moment, since he just stood and followed her out.

Once they were outside, Hermione lit a Camel Menthol, and took a few furious drags as she paced up and down the sidewalk. Once she felt her sense of control kick back in she swiveled to face the two wizards. She zeroed in on Ron Weasley.

"Okay, listen up, Ginger," she spat the last word, pointing towards him with the two fingers holding her cigarette, her eyes blazing, "I'm only going to say this once. I did love you, and I still do, but not in the way you want me to. I'm a different person now; people do change you know. I love myself for who I am, and will not change for you or anyone else on this Earth. I have never lied to you. In fact, it seems to me that you were the one who lied, since you reassured me that you felt the same way I did about where our relationship was headed. You can't manipulate me like that Ron! Furthermore, you do not have to 'let me' do anything, nor do you have the right to 'take me' anywhere. I do what I need to do, go where I need to go. I do what is best for ME. Right now, this is what is best for me. No, don't you dare fucking say it… I am not here with Malfoy. I came here to make a career, to do what I love to do, and try to make something out of my life. Malfoy just happens to be the best talent manager around these days. Petty school rivalries have little to do with the real world. I've grown up, so has he and everyone else. Time for you to catch up to the rest of the world, Ron." She finished softly and looked away at the ocean.
"Fuck you." He said it softly, but full of a venom she had never known could even exist within him. "I'm tired of you treating me like I'm fucking mentally retarded. I may not be as smart as you Hermione, but who the hell is, anyway? You've always talked to me in such a condescending way… It's like you look at me as a pet. So go ahead, have your 'life', if that's what you call running away and hiding from the world. I'm done with this bullshit." Ron was beet red, face scrunched up in rage, breathing heavily, a vein popping out of his temple and a bit of sweat on his upper lip. Suddenly, he turned on the spot and Apparated away. Hermione stood there for a moment, looking at the ocean once again. Realizing her cigarette was out, she walked back towards the door. She stopped at the ash tray by the door and tossed in her cigarette butt. She stood there, just looking at the ash tray, until she suddenly felt Draco standing behind her. She felt a cautious hand rest on her shoulder. It brought her back, and taking a deep breath, she turned to look at him.

"Shall we go back inside and have our breakfast? It's probably cold by now, and we still haven't had our business meeting you know," she smiled up at him tentatively, hoping that he would have the sense to not mention what had just happened.

"A cold breakfast? Heavens, no! Did you forget I'm a wizard?" He exclaimed obviously trying to lighten her mood.

"Draco Malfoy, did you put a Warming Charm on our plates?" She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "In the middle of a muggle restaurant?"

"But of course!" he exclaimed, "I have priorities, after all." Linking her hand through his arm as she giggled, he led her back to their booth. As they resumed their seats, Hermione forcefully pushed away all thoughts of Ron. She would think about that later.

"Ah, yes. As I recall, you and I were just laughing at our respective meal choices." Draco took a sip of orange juice and then continued. "So here's my stance on the matter, mine is not only more nutritious, it also is more visually appealing," he proclaimed, as he gave her a look that clearly said 'Ha! Beat that!'.
She snickered before saying, "Visually, all it does for me is remind me that I have a gag reflex."

He laughed uproariously at this, before replying, "It's people that usually have that effect on me, to be honest."

She threw a sugar packet at him, as she laughed, "Alright Mr. Malfoy, lets get down to business, shall we?"

.:*******:.

A/N (again): This seemed like a really long chapter to me, I hope you all don't mind. I just kinda got carried away. Hee hee. So I would like to ask, what do you prefer chapters to be like? Shorter, with faster updates? Or longer, with a tad bit more time in between? I would appreciate any and all input! XD