Cafe Rendezvous
Chapter Seven
Draco Malfoy, currently going by the name of Hayden White, sighed. 'This is going to be my home for the next few years,' he thought to himself. He honestly didn't know what to do with his future. Everything was planned out by his father, he was supposed to follow Lucius Malfoy's footsteps and marry his best female friend, Pansy Parkinson. Everything changed since that night. Up to now, Draco felt prepared to start a new life. But as he took a look around the streets, he frowned, it felt so big and confusing. Nervously the ex-blonde gulped, he looked at the street in front of him, filled with moving cars, holding his luggage. An elder woman approached the now brunette boy, and asked him; "Dear, are you lost?"
Draco looked at her, and smiled weakly. He briefly nodded his head. The woman smiled at him, with compassion in her warm brown eyes, "Do you need some help, my boy?"
The teenage boy looked down at the sweet grey-haired lady and replied, "Yeah, actually. I do."
"Come with me." said the older lady, "My name's Estelle."
"Dr-- Hayden. Hayden White." said Draco, almost slipping out his former identity. He had to remind himself that Draco Malfoy wasn't alive anymore, that he was nonexistant. Estelle took out her hand for Draco to hold onto, while her other hand held a wooden cane. They walked together in comfortable silence for a several minutes, Draco looked at the lady. She seemed so sweet and innocent. He just kept holding onto Estelle's hand, being near her made him feel safe-even for just a few minutes- in this big, scary world that made him feel completely lost and unsecure. A couple of blocks over, Estelle brought Draco to a comfortable Cafe, named Cafe Rendezvous. He looked at the window, there was a sign saying 'Help Wanted.' Draco didn't understand why would they post that on the window, why couldn't the people just simply ask someone to help?
Draco helped Estelle to her seat, which was placed by the window. He took the opposite seat, which faced Estelle who smiled at Draco sweetly, "What do you need help with?"
"I just moved here... And well, I haven't really settled." admitted Draco, "I don't know what to do or where to go."
Before Estelle could reply, a waitress approached them. This woman apparently knew Estelle because she said, "Hello Estelle, how are you today?" and the elder lady replied with, "I'm marvelous! Why, thank you for asking. How are you on this fine day?"
The woman, the name still unknown to Draco, faced to Draco. "Hello, young man. My name is Maggie, may I take your order?"
Before Draco could say anything, Estelle told him to order anything he liked because she'd be paying for it. Draco thanked her, and ordered a black coffee. Recently, Draco had become addicted to coffee because it was only thing that made him alert since he travelled so much in the past week, he couldn't just have a break and sleep. He couldn't miss his transporation devices appointings. It cost money, which one day Draco would run out of.
Maggie left. And Estelle and Draco were free to converse.
"So you're here on your own?" asked Estelle.
Draco nodded his head shly. She nodded her head in response to incidate that she understood. She wasn't being judgemental at all. "Are you from England?" She questioned him.
Draco gasped. "How did you know?"
Estelle chuckled happily. "Don't worry! I'm not some undercover agent or anything like of the sort. It's the accent, my boy!"
"Oh." whispered Draco. "I'm sorry."
"Now, I could let you stay at my place temporarily." Estelle began, "But I'm an old lady, and I can not take on so many responsibities. Ha, I raised eight children, five boys and three girls. I retired from motherhood a long time ago. I will let you stay until you get a job and get your first paycheck. And I know a few landlords who could give you a place for a reasonable price."
"Oh Estelle! Thank you so much! But I don't have to stay until I get a job. I mean, I have some money on me that could last me for a while. A week or two is all I need." said Draco.
"Oh! Perfect, perfect." exclaimed Estelle, smiling.
"Thank you. I really appreciate everything you're doing for me."
"No problem, sweetie!"
The waitress, Maggie returned with Estelle's and Draco's orders. They chatted for about half an hour. Draco looked at the window and remembered the sign. He told Estelle that he was going to offer the Cafe some help since it was wanted.
"Maggie!" called out Estelle, "My grandson Hayden here, wants to speak with you." she informed Maggie.
"May I speak with you in private?" asked Draco.
"Oh, of course!" exclaimed Maggie. She brought Draco to the register counter which was located at the very back of the cafe. "What is this question in reference to?" she asked Draco.
"Well, I saw the sign on the window... And I was wondering if I could possibly offer you some help?" he asked her.
"Thank you very much. We would have to set up an interview for another day, and you need to bring in a resume with the interview." explained Maggie.
"Wait, wait..." said Draco then he paused, "That sign is for a job position?"
"Yes... I'm sorry, were you mistaken? Do you not want an interview?" she questioned him. Draco suddenly looked frightened, "Oh, um, I do want an interview... At first I was mistaken, because I thought it was just a simple thing that you needed help with.
Maggie laughed. "Oh, no. It's for a job position."
"So, what now?" asked Draco, he didn't know what to do about acquiring a job. He had no job experience whatsoever. Maggie smiled, "So you're a job virgin?'
Draco felt like screaming. He had heard the word 'virgin' too many times in the previous week. So what if he's a virgin in pratically everything? It didn't mean he was worthless. He actually belonged to the third richest wizarding family in the Wizarding World. But that was then. Draco thought, 'Perhaps, I am worthless now.'
"Yes." Draco answered briefly, he didn't want to speak any more because he was afraid that he would lash out in frustration.
"That's okay. Well, I'd need your phone number, so I can call you and contact you about the interview." suggested Maggie.
Draco, not knowing a lot about the 'muggle' world, didn't know what was a phone, and he assumed that it was somewhat similar to a floo call. Even though Draco spent a lot of summers at Prince-Snape's home, he still hadn't learnt much about the muggle inventions. He knew how to work the lights, and the telly. But that was about it. Draco felt that he is a fast learner and would adapt quickly.
"Uhm, I don't know my grandma's phone number. I'm staying there for a while. We just moved here to... Syracuse and we haven't exactly settled yet."
"Oh, I understand! I actually have Estelle's phone number, we deliever our baked goods to her house occasionally." said Maggie.
"Great. I guess I'll be waiting for your call." replied Draco. He walked over to Estelle who was waiting at the table across the room.
"Ready to go?" asked Estelle. Draco nodded his head. They walked outside, and then Estelle took out a whistle and blew it. A yellow cab came by and stopped when the whistle was blew. Estelle got in the cab first, and Draco lunged his new wheeled suitcase over to the backseat and slided in.
"34 Fonthill Avenue, please." stated Estelle. And the cab took off.
-
It was halloween night, Harry was looking out the massive window, sitting on the window seat. He dreaded halloween ever since he found out about that it was the anniversity of his parent's death. And something horrible always happened on this particular day. He just didn't understand why. Every year, on this day, he couldn't help but feel depressed. He could have had the opportunity to have a family if Voldemort hadn't killed them. He was so happy that he finally killed Voldemort just shortly before he turned eighteen. He looked outside, it was still light out, and there were so many dressed up and happy children recieving candy from complete strangers, Harry didn't understand this custom, but it was an american cultural thing.
Draco on the other hand were sitting at the table in the kitchen, which was only a few steps from Harry. On the table, there were a variety of candy, and junk. Draco really enjoyed seeing children's happy faces when they recieved candy, and he liked seeing costumes. Especially after being away from the wizarding world, he didn't see so many aspects of magic anymore. At least on one night out of all year, he could reflect on his past and remember the magical world. He loved seeing witches, wizards, vampires, werewolves, fairies, and anything magical. He didn't mind the fact that those children weren't really any of those magicial creatures or people, he just loved that those children believed that there was actually such a thing. Even though, the children believed that there were a such thing as a magicial world, they also knew it wasn't real, after all they are only muggles.
Draco laughed because of the position he was in right now. He was born a pure-blooded wizard and raised like one. Then he went through a significant change in his life, the biggest one he had ever endure to. Giving up magic and the wizarding world, to live as a muggle. Draco felt that he was pratically a squib.
Harry just kept sulking, while Draco was being patiently waiting and giving out children. Harry took glances at Draco every single time he answered the door. It was a comfortable silence. Even though they were boyfreinds, and living together... They were taking it slow, especially after they rushed into a couple of things too quickly. They decided to get to know each other more and respect each other's space. Draco still hadn't come out on his sexuality nor decided on it. Harry was being very patient about it.
After it went dark, Draco dumped all of the remaining candy to a bag and put it away in the bottom cupboards. He looked over to Harry and realized that his boyfriend wasn't being his usual self, he seemed so sad. He walked over to Harry and sat on the windowseat. He held Harry's hand which made the green-eyed boy look up from the window and looked directly at gray-bluish eyes. Draco kissed the front of Harry's hand. Harry smiled at the gesture.
"What's the matter?" asked Draco. Harry sighed; "It's halloween." he told him. Draco smiled, "Isn't that obvious?"
Harry nodded his head sadly.
"What is it about halloween that irrates you? It's supposed to be a joyous holiday." pointed out Draco, he was deeply confused.
"It is a joyous holiday for most people... but it's just not for me, and it hasn't been like that for many years." admitted Harry. Draco looked at him, he knew Harry wasn't telling him the entire story, "And why is that?"
Harry laughed bitterly. "Why is that?" he asked, mainly to himself. "You see, for many years, something horrible had happened on halloween almost every single year when I attended my private boarding school back in England..." he said, his eyes beginning to water. Draco took both of Harry's hands with both of his own hands and placed it closely to his heart.
"I don't think you're telling me the entire story," said Draco, "And I want you to be able to trust me."
"It's not that I'm not able to trust you... I do trust you even though I only know you for a short time." confessed Harry, tears streaking his face. He looked at Draco's eyes and saw something that was unrecogonizable, then he spoke again; "You're so mysterious, Hayden. I love that about you."
Draco smiled. "I do have a shady past." he admitted but he made it out as a joke. He didn't want people to know the truth about his past. At least not right now. He didn't completely trust people. Draco had never told people that he had met and known over the years about his past nor did he make up one. He had never told a single person anything.
Harry sighed. "I guess I should tell you..." Draco nodded his head, enouraging Harry. "Eighteen years ago, I was fifteen months ago. I had both of my parents with me. We were all together this particular night, and it was the last time we spent halloween together. Especially because it was the night they were killed. My dad was driving me and my mom back home, then all of a sudden... There was a blast of green light. I actually remember this, I still have nightmares about it. A drunk driver named Tom hit us, killing my dad headfirst; my mom died protecting me. They didn't understand why I survived the accident, I should've been dead. There was a 99.99 percent chance that I wouldn't have survived but I beat that. I recieved so many nicknames over the years, and there were always the public asking about my life and everything. It was horrid, it was as if I was some hero. I actually only had 0.001 percent of suriving, and I did that."
"Wow." said Draco, he couldn't believe this. Harry did have a shady past, and he realized that he must have went through a lot of emotional issues in his life after the accident. "I'm so sorry, " he added.
"Don't be." replied Harry, he smiled. "I'm glad that I got the courage to tell you this. It makes me feel so much. I know you're joking about having a shady past and all that. But I'm the one with a shady past, and it's not easy for me to confide and trust in people. I'm glad I have you. Thank you for being there for me."
Draco felt guilty. He did have a shady past. He wish he could tell Harry everything right now, but he really couldn't. He promised his father. His father gave up everything for his son's survival. He couldn't trust anyone with his secret. It was a huge burden on his shoulders. Draco smiled softly. Harry ran a hand through Draco's hair and gasped.
Draco jumped off the windowseat, completely freaking out. "What is it? What is it!" He screamed. Harry gulped, "You're going gray!"
"Already?" exclaimed Draco. Harry looked at Draco's hair and analyzed it closely, "Actually, it's more white."
Draco raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?" he asked Harry who nodded in response. "I'll be right back, I'm going to the bathroom and check."
"Allright." said Harry, and he waited at the windowseat. He heard a laughter coming out from the bathroom. 'Is Hayden going crazy?' he pondered. After that critical-thinking question, Draco returned to the windowseat and sat beside Harry, facing him, while still laughing.
"Evan..." said Draco, his laugher faded away, his tone becoming more serious. Harry nodded, waiting for him to continue. "You see this colour?" he asked Harry.
"What about it?" Harry asked in response, then added, "I like the colour, actually."
"Thanks, but... you see, it's not my natural hair colour." confessed Draco, not a lot of people knew that he was a natural blonde. Harry was confused, "Then what is your natural hair colour."
"Platinum Blonde... Which is the colour of my roots. It's so blonde that it seems white at times." he told Harry.
Harry gasped. "You're a blonde?" He remarked in disbelief. "A blonde!
"Uh, yeah." assured Draco, "I dye it. A lot."
"I can see that." said Harry, still in disbelief. Draco didn't seem the type of person to be blonde.
"Well, yeah. I'm out of dye, so I'm going to the store." said Draco, as he walked over to the kitchen and grabbed his wallet then put it in his back pocket. "See you in a few mintues."
Harry decided to walk over to Draco, before he did so. He yelled out; "Wait!"
"What?" asked Draco, surprised.
Harry smiled, "I like you a lot." then he kissed his boyfriend on the lips. He enjoyed the soft moisture of the other boy's lips. It was the first time Harry gave Draco an actual good-bye kiss.
"I like you too." said Draco with a smile then he left.
