Chapter Eight

This chapter's song is one of my favourite artists "Duffy" and her song "Warwick Avenue" it's much less known than her big hit "Mercy" but I recommend you all check it out. All rights to her and her producers.

Warwick Avenue

"When I get to Warwick Avenue

Meet me by the entrance of the tube

We can talk things over a little time

Promise me you won't step outta line

When I get to Warwick Avenue

Please drop the past and be true

Don't think we're okay, just because I'm here

You hurt me bad, but I won't shed a tear"

"Draco," Hermione Granger shouted the moment she apparated into the hallway of the house Draco and Ron now shared. The pair had been living together a little over a month and Hermione often found their house an escape from the clutter of her new flat in Oxford.

"Whoa Hermione," Ron shouted walking out of the kitchen with an apron around him. She raised her eyebrow a little.

"Has Draco managed to domesticate you where I failed?" She asked.

"I am cooking for us," Ron smiled at her "not sure how it is going though. Why were you shouting for my boyfriend anyway?"

"Nothing, just a case at work I could do with some help at."

"Ok," Ron said not noticing the piece of parchment Hermione was moving into her left pocket. "He should be in any minute."

"How is the living together going?" She asked.

"I love it," he beamed "I am not sure about this cooking stuff though."

"Ron your mum is one of the best cooks ever how can you not cook?"

"You just said it mum is too good."

"Hi," came a shout from the front door. Hermione heard the front door bang and Draco dropping his keys in the wooden bowl the pair kept near the door.

"Hi Hermione," he smiled at her as he kissed Ron on the cheek. "How are you?"

"Fine," she smiled weakly.

"She is here to see you," Ron said to him "I'll check on dinner."

"What's up?" he asked the moment Ron had exited the hallway. She look a piece of parchment out of her pocket and silently passed it to him.

Dear Hermione,

I have looked at your note a hundred times and drafted a response probably twice as much. I would like to meet with you we have things that we need to air. Meet me on the last day of this month 11 a.m. at the entrance to Warwick Avenue tube station.

"No signature?" Draco asked once he had finished reading it.

"Did it really need one?"

"No I suppose not." He replied quietly.

"What are you going to do?"

"I really don't know," she replied shaking her head.

"The end of the month is tomorrow."

"I know," she smiled "it's just I don't think I can't go Draco. I will regret it."

"What are you talking about?" Ron asked as he walked through the door munching on some of the pasta he had been cooking before it even got to the table.

"Nothing important tricky case of dark magic for work anyway I'm going," Hermione said suddenly as she stood up.

"Are you sure?" Ron asked his mouth still full of pasta. "There is plenty-"

"No thanks for the offer," she replied cutting him off "I will see you later."

"That was weird," Ron said.

"Mmm," Draco replied non-commitently.

"Come on," Ron whined a little "tell me."

"I'll tell you tomorrow. I promise." Ron looked a little offended at this but Draco kissed his boyfriend on the forehead and sat down.

Hermione did not apparate straight back to her house but to Cornwall, one of her favourite places in the world, and walked along the beautiful beach for an hour or so. She allowed her mind to wander as she looked out to the sea over the St. Ives coastline.

"Can I go?" She thought followed by "do I need to go? What if I don't?" The following night in her house was spent restlessly as she tossed and turned. Eventually she got out of bed and made some coffee before the morning news even began. She had the day off work and spent the next few hours doing a hundred or so jobs to distract herself. When the clock reached ten o'clock she could not stand it anymore and walked to her local tube. She took it to Warwick Avenue when she exited, nearly forty minutes before their arranged time she saw him already there. He was leant on the fence belonging to a beautiful marble building. He stood out his black clothes contrasting to the pure white stone.

Hermione was unsure she had ever seen him in muggle clothes. He wore a pair of black jeans and matching shirt with a long black coat.

"Do you own any other colour?" She smiled when she was in earshot.

"Hello Hermione," he smiled slightly and Hermione felt her heart melt a little. He still smelt faintly of mint and he towered over her which made her feel protected in a way she could not explain. "How are you?" He asked sincerely.

"How are you?" She repeated louder."You left me in that room. I was alone and scared. I thought you were there to protect me."

"I was. I did I would have protected you with my life but the other's were getting suspicious and I had to be sure you could get out. I sent Draco your whereabouts."

"I was in 's for weeks I had malnutrition and exhaustion." She saw the look on his face change to something nearing concern but she couldn't be sure. That was the problem with Severus: she could never be sure.

"You could have told me something." She replied fiercely "You took my virginity and then left me abandoned for so long."

"I am sorry," he said softly as he pushed a curl back from her face.

"I am sorry too." She replied pulling back from him her heart thundering in her chest a sound so loud she was sure he could hear. "I thought I could do this but I can't. You have broken my heart once I can't let you do it again." With that she turned and fled down the stairs back into the Underground.