Forum Wide Competition: Week Three
Challenge: Prompt Table Seven: Late, and you?, maybe then, certain, looking, set, table. (I've used the ones in bold)
Disclaimer: None of the characters belong to me :(
Time is a Wonderful Thing
The sun set late that night; disappearing beneath the horizon not long after midnight. Hermione had been sat there since lunchtime, her eyes glazed over tears steadily dripping down her cheeks, looking out over muggle London. She watched as people went about their business and the sun's progression across the sky; it was the one thing she could be one hundred percent certain about at the moment in time if nothing else. The sound of the door opening by a couple of inches caught her attention. She stared wildly around the room certain she had felt the presence of another person, sighing she assumed it must have been the wind blowing. Hermione turned back to the window, her eyes once again becoming focused on the street below. She had come to The Leaky Cauldron late the previous night; sat at a table with a bottle of firewhisky and her own thoughts for company. People came and went; walking past her on their way home, giving her barely a glance. As the clock struck midnight she paid and rented one of the upstairs rooms. Climbing the stairs to her room she collapsed on the bed; hot tears burning their way down her face. She fell into a fitful sleep and it was only as the sunlight filtered in through the curtains that Hermione slowly stirred. She moved from the bed to the window ledge not long after she awoke and that was where she remained for the rest of the day.
It had taken Narcissa all of that morning to locate her; she'd tried everywhere she could think of. In the end she had decided on a break and gone to get herself a drink. The Leaky Cauldron was nearly empty; unusual for that time in the afternoon Narcissa thought but in the end she didn't mind. Ordering herself a drink she sat at the end of the bar, hood pulled up in order to obscure her from the rest of the patrons. It had only been when she caught sight of food being taken upstairs that she realised; this was exactly where Hermione would have sought refuge. Draining her glass she left it abandoned on side and slipped up the stairs. The door to one of the rooms was slightly ajar and she waited until she was certain that there was no one around before pushing it open just that little bit further. From her position in the doorway she could see Hermione sat in the window, her hair half-covering her face. It was the sound of the slight movement of the door that caught her attention and Narcissa had to stifle her shock as she caught sight of the younger woman's face. Her eyes were red rimmed, simply slits in her face and tears were still leaking down her cheeks. Red blotches looked almost permanent on her once pale cheeks and Narcissa choked; her heart ripping itself apart even more than she had thought possible. She watched as the younger girl turned back to face the window, before pushing the door open far enough to make her way into the room. She was sure she saw Hermione shiver as she focused on her but resisted the urge to approach her from behind.
"I never thought I'd find you here," Narcissa watched as Hermione jumped at the sound of her voice and spun round to face her. The shock at her presence abated quickly and the younger woman replied in barely more than a whisper,
"And you" Hermione managed a weak smile as the older woman laughed lightly. Narcissa took a step forward, only to pause as she saw Hermione shuffle backwards towards the window.
"Neither did I" the two women stared at each other; both trying to read the others thoughts. Narcissa was the first to break eye contact, sighing she took a seat on the edge of the bed. Hermione stared at her for a second longer, before turning back to the window.
"Why? Why did you do it?" Hermione's voice came across as sounding nothing like her usual self but still Narcissa had no idea what to say. They stared at each other for what felt like an eternity before Narcissa cleared her throat.
"I... I had to, for Draco," Hermione laughed sadly; that was always her excuse. She had to do it for her son. Standing Hermione shook her head,
"This can't go on forever Narcissa, it's time to make a choice," Hermione gathered her travelling cloak and picked up her wand, pushing it into her sleeve. She paused at the doorway and murmured briefly "I'm sorry," before Narcissa realised what was happening Hermione had apparated with a faint pop. Staring at the spot where she had last seen the younger woman, Narcissa's eyes closed briefly before she too stood and apparated. There was no point staying there, Hermione wouldn't come back.
Narcissa wasn't able to make a choice yet, her family still needed her, and Hermione knew that. What Narcissa knew though, was that it wasn't fair of her to expect Hermione to wait forever. She just needed more time.