Chapter Seven

Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Harry Potter or the characters that come with it. I have begged JK for Draco, but sadly she said no. :(

A/N: This story contains spoilers for book six! Beware!

The activity in Flourish and Blotts had never been so cheerful. Hermione had wondered what she had done to deserve such torture. After checking out customers at the register while wearing a smile that was killing her cheeks, she went to the storeroom to check the textbook inventory.

"I take it the letters have come in," she said to no one in particular while checking off the list and writing a few titles down on her yellow ruled notepad.

Doing inventory had always given her time to clear her mind of the days' events, but now it haunted her. She didn't want to think about anything. Ron was coming over tonight along with Harry and Ginny. It would take all she had in her to be the perfect Hostess. Everything had to be perfect in her little world, and now it was weighing her down. On the outside, no one could tell that she was hurting. Her little girl was going to school in a few weeks, she had a new fiancé that took a lot of her energy, and she still did not have the finances to start her own business, and truly she was wondering if she even wanted to. There were times she felt she needed to get away, to travel the world, or to just take a vacation. That middle thought struck her all the time. To travel the world, it seemed like a far-fetched dream. She had always wondered what it felt like to feel the wind in her hair as she sailed the Mediterranean, or to feel the sweat on her brow as she ventured the caves of the Grand Canyon, or to even feel the sweet sugar of a Mai Tai while relaxing in a bungalow on a Hawaii isle.

"Oh, bother, there is no use!" she exclaimed after coming back to earth.

Venturing into the front lobby to check the shelves, she noticed from the corner of her eye, a platinum blonde clad in shiny forest green. Forgetting her duties, she strolled up to him.

"What are you doing here Malfoy," she said venomously as his surname fell off her tongue.

"Tut, tut little Mudblood," he replied after replacing a book back on the shelve "It would be in your best interest to make sure the customer is always right would it not. It would be a terrible shame for you to get fired from this quaint little…" he looked around in disgust at the book store "Well, I don't know if I should even call it a career."

"Malfoy, leave before you regret it," she said, but with less venom noticing they had now gained the attention of the other customers in the store. "Please," she added as a side note.

"Have we resorted to begging now? I know that I have…influence would be the word, but now, I don't think that you should have to beg me."

A short squatty man was now approaching, as soon as Hermione noticed her boss making her way over, her shoulders fell. She knew of Mr. Scribbons' temper towards misbehaving employees, and this would in fact fall under that category. She braced herself for the worst as she raised her shoulders and heightened herself as if nothing was wrong.

"Is there a problem Mr. Malfoy?" he asked as he glared at Hermione.

"No sir, this young lady was just helping me select a great read. We were just playfully arguing whether Jane Austin or Mary Shelley actually had an influence in the Wizarding world. Were we not…Hermione?" He stated smoothly along with ending in his trademark smirk.

"Yes," she nodded, as she questionably looked Draco's way as if to ask why he was saving her arse. "That was it sir. You know how passionate I am about such things," she mumbled while stealing looks between her boss and Draco.

"Well then, since things are in order. Why don't you go handle the registers until your lunch? It might clear your mind," Mr. Scribbons told her firmly as he turned his attention to Draco. "I am sorry if there was any disturbance Mr. Malfoy sir. Feel free to continue your stay if you would like."

"Yes, I think I might do that," he said as he pulled a book from the shelf and relaxed himself into one of the overstuffed chairs watching Hermione retreat to her position.

"Very good sir," Mr. Scribbons said as he shuffled out of Draco's line of vision and on to help another customer.

Draco decided to take his time sitting there in Flourish and Blotts. Being the Wizarding world's richest bachelor had it perks, as soon as any young lady 18-30 years old saw him he could not help but smile. He knew he was a womanizer, but it had laxed the last few days. In truth the only woman that had been in his life for the last few years was his mother. Don't be deceived though, he did have women, but none in which lasted more than a few days, or until he was done with them.

It was times like these that he wanted to crawl into a dark hole. He had so many eyes on him at all times that he felt violated. Even in a small bookstore, he attracted attention that he did not ask for.

"What are you still doing here?" she asked while looking at him intently. "Sitting in a bookstore for two hours is not exactly in your repertoire is it ferret boy?" she said smiling to herself.

"No, but waiting for you to get off lunch is," he said while pushing himself off the chair to stand only a foot from her face to face.

"Well, you are wasting your time, because I don't want to see you," she retorted, "Eight years of not seeing your face has given me quite the vacation. So, forgive me for not wanting to see a killer's face. That is what you are, am I correct?" she said while gaining her confidence. His niceties had shaken her, but not enough to let her guard down.

His face contorted to her comment. "I am no killer," he said sending rays through his icy cold eyes to her fiery honey ones.

"You might as well be," she spat.

He noticed the hate in her words, and wished he could have taken back the actions and choices he made those many years ago. He had finally come to grips with those actions, but now hearing and seeing the hatred and venom that she sent his way had pulled all the guilt in the world back down on him. Walking out of the store and down the street, he sat on a bench to think. Had he expected her to just forgive him like that?

"I am daft," he muttered under his breath.

"Now that is something you are Malfoy, glad to see that you can get some things correct," she said looking down on him.

"Are we into stalking now, Granger?" he asked while smirking at her. He was determined not to let her see him weak.

"No, but I won't let someone walk away from me when I am not finished with them. Of course, I could just finish this conversation the way I did in third year," she said as she smiled, happy with her comment and the reaction that she got from him for it.

"You can't put away the past can you Granger? Maybe that is why you are stuck in this hellhole of a life," he said as he waived his hand towards Flourish and Blotts.

His words had stung and left a mark. He had no idea what he had just said and the way it affected her. The instant the words rolled off his tongue she stepped back wide-eyed and open. Words had escaped her for what seemed like forever as she stood there looking at him, and then furrowed her brow.

"Bloody bastard," she hissed as she turned on her heal and ran leaving him standing in the middle of the street looking confused.

She had no idea where she was running to until she looked up at the sign and saw the playful handprints of children on the white hanging board. She walked in without knocking, and was immediately pummeled by a small raven headed girl.

"Mummy, you are early!" Lola exclaimed as she grabbed tight to Hermione's robes.

"No, no dear, I'm just here to visit. What have you been doing today?"

"It's bloody boring here. I am the oldest, and I don't think it is fair," she exclaimed with a flourished pout.

"Well, you won't be staying here long. Look what came in with the post today," Hermione said while pulling a yellow stained envelope out of her robe pocket. It was the day Hermione and Lola had been waiting for, and now Hermione dreaded it. "Here ya go. Go on. Open it," she said as Lola just stood there staring at it.

"Are you sure it's real, Mum," Lola asked as she slowly took the letter from her mother's hands and turned it over to reveal the Hogwarts crest blazed in the sealing wax.

"Oh, darling, I am sure it is real," she replied pushing all thoughts of the events that had just happened a few moments ago to the back of her mind. What mattered now was her daughter and her happiness.

Opening the letter and reading it once over, Lola squealed with delight and ran to show her friends.

Hermione knew what was coming. She would be alone soon. Yes, Ron would be there, but only after practices and only if he didn't have a game. It was in this moment that she began to dread the date of September the 1st. However, she didn't leave her mind to dwell as she got up from her seated position and went to retrieve her daughter from the circle of youngsters to tell her that she would be back in 5 more hours.

"I love you, Mum. See you tonight," Lola yelled out as Hermione opened the door to leave.

She turned and smiled. It never failed. Lola had succeeded in making her happy once again. Just with those three words. "I love you too, baby. I'll be back soon," she replied as she shut the door.

The grin that her daughter put there never left as she walked down Diagon Alley and into Flourish and Blotts, and finally into the break room. She turned to put her jacket on her hook, and check her face in the mirror that was attached to her locker door.

"Hermione, this was just dropped off for you," a coworker said as she place a wrapped single red rose in her hand.

"Did you see who dropped it off?" she inquired with a smile on her face while twirling it around to smell its sweet aroma.

"No, I didn't, but I am sure he is the sweetest man alive," her coworker exclaimed giddily.

"Yes, yes he is," Hermione whispered as she thought of Ron.

After the display that happened in Diagon Alley, Draco apparated to his bed chambers in Malfoy Manor. Screw his duties; he just wanted to be alone to sort out his thoughts. What had he said to affect her like that? He knew that she was going to be a handful, but he had not expected this.

"Well, we are just going to have to try again," he said as he wandered out of his room, to the lobby, and then on to his office. It was absurdly large with décor only seen in art galleries, but in truth it suited him. He had always loved having money, and it wasn't until lately that he thought it all to be a bit extravagant.

He sat in the large gleaming leather chair, and sat in front of his desk as he ran his hands across it. Stacking the various files over and over again, he knew he was fiddling and that he had to go somewhere, anywhere. In the back of his mind, he knew where he wanted to go, and that address was settled right in his robe pocket, but he knew that now was too soon.

Hermione had finally finished her duties and was closing up the shop. It had been a long day, and it showed her face as she wiped down the counters and dusked the shelves. She hadn't noticed anyone come in until it was too late.

"We are closed," she called out nonchalantly while going back to her work.

"I would hope that you could at least make and exception for me," a voice said as he rounded the corner.

It was then that she looked up and into the soft blue eyes that looked down at her. "Oh, Ron, you scared me," she said as she turned to give him a hug. "You really brightened my day, you know."

"And how did I do that, love?" he asked questionally. "Don't tell me its because I just showed up, because that would mean that you had a terribly bad day, and I would just have to fix that wouldn't I?" he said slowly and seductively as he held on to Hermione's small form.

"No, silly, I mean the rose you sent. It really made my day," she said while looking up to him with a playful smile.

At her statement, he pulled himself from her and held her at arms length. "What rose?" he said calmly.

"This one," she replied as she showed him the rose that was lying there on the register.

"Um, 'Mione, I didn't send you that."

"Sure, you did. Stop playing coy with me Ronald Weasley. Who else would be sending me a rose?"

"I am not sure I want to know, but sure as hell didn't," he retorted as his ears and face started to turn a shade of dark red.

"Are you telling me that you did not send this?" she questioned as she took the rose from its sitting place as up to her nose.

"No!" he exclaimed as he turned to look at anything but her. "And, if I find out who did, they are dead."

"Ron! Don't say that. It's just a flower, no harm. You need to grow up, maybe it was Harry, or yes, I may have a secret ad..mi..r..er..." she said slowly as she backed into the counter and looked down at the rose that she held in her hand. It hit her like a brick. She had known who gave her the rose the moment she looked at it. Ron was sweet, but not the flower giving type. He would be more likely to give her something from his brother's shop.

"Malfoy," she said under her breath.

"What?" Ron said angrily as he looked up at her.

"Nothing, it was nothing. Why don't we go?" she said as she deposited the rose in the trash bin as she made her way to the back to get her jacket. It wasn't until then that she let her mind take over for the few seconds she had until Ron would come back there to see if she was ok.

Why me? Why Malfoy? Why now?

After a few minutes, just like clockwork, she heard him call her name. "Hermione, you alright?"

"Coming Ron, I'm coming," she called out as she readied herself, and headed to his side just like the perfect fiancé.

Wow, this chapter is really long compared to the others! w00t! I would like to dedicate this chapter to my dormies who have pushed me to continue! Holla to Badger Hole #4!

Please Please Please review! It just takes a second! I promise:-)