CHAPTER 11 DRACO MALFOY AND THE MUGGLE CONNECTION
Because I lie better than you tell the truth
James Marsden in Gossip
The moment Draco heard the sound of the door of the stationmaster's room clicking shut; he sprang up from his chair, his wand held high his face livid with rage. Hermione on cue also moved away from him trying to put as much distance between them as possible. She knew offcourse that distances really did not matter when the other person held the wand.
"You are the most.... idiotic.... bloody ...non-brain entity THAT I HAVE EVER KNOWN" He said spluttering with rage. "I am going to …."
But Malfoy's threats did not really frighten Hermione. Before his slightest smirk would have raised her caution but now she was far more determined to make him see her point of view.
"There were too many people on the platform Malfoy, they would have seen you using magic" she said shrilly
"I could have taken care of that," he said indifferently. He was at that moment contemplating what sort of animal he should turn her into, the idea of her as a mate for Neville's toad was starting to appeal to him
"You would have used the Unforgivables on them" she said accusatory whisper.
She was startled slightly when he gave a groan of frustration and put his head in his hands.
"Granger, I want you to understand this. I was not going to Avada Kedavra them," he said throwing his hands out to show the imaginary people. "Neither was I going to Crucio them, all right. Because I don't know how to do those spells well enough.
As for Imperio I was just fooling around back there. A simple spell something like a hallucinating spell would have sufficed and we would have been on our way to. …… And why are you staring at me as if I have suddenly sprouted slimy tentacles?" He cut off his ranting to abruptly ask her.
She was looking at him with an expression of mild distrust and revulsion. "You said you didn't know the curses well enough, means that you do however know them." She said petulantly.
"Granger, THAT IS SO NOT THE POINT," he said exasperatedly. She, he knew had always been prim and proper but he had somehow reckoned that it was all probably an act to be a model student. The fact that fate had chosen the worst moment to prove him wrong didn't go down well with him and he cursed them along with a string of other people who he felt had something remotely at least to do with his predicament.
"You have got it all wrong Granger and I'll be damned If I have to explain it to a mudblood like you now" he said spitefully. "Look, when the muggle comes in I'll just…"
But Hermione cut in determined. "No, you will not. It's not all right using magic on muggles Malfoy, whatever the reason. They are defenseless and you shouldn't"
//exploit them? // He thought wryly wondering what her words would be if she had chosen to continue. He moved slowly to the other side of the table, his every movement looked down warily by Hermione. Once he reached the table he didn't look at her but instead looked at the table contents. Papers were scattered on it and on the top lay a railway timetable for the month along with a photograph in which no one moved.
He picked up the photograph, stared at it suspiciously, and then shook it to make the woman and the child in the photograph move, when however they continued to smile serenely at him, he put it down in haste. //some sort of muggle way to keep people stuck in pictures, how horrid. //
He was desperately racking his brain to come up with something to make Granger agree with him. He couldn't curse the muggle without her agreeing; for god knows what scene she might create. Most probably try and explain to the others in the station how they were wizards. He wished he could just curse her but he knew that was out of the question as the spell detecting tests that were likely to be run on her would surely pick up traces of whatever curse that he might cast on her.
He knew that he had only one option left and he almost smiled at the irony of it all. He would have to persuade the mudblood.
He took a deep breath almost contemplated casting a calming spell on himself then decided against it and started out
"Granger…Hermione," he said making an effort at earnestness. "Don't you want to go back home? Go back to your friends? Even though they are carrot top and potty. You don't want to be stuck here do you? With me? Even though I am the only gorgeous guy you'll ever have the chance to stand this close to again. We could have gone somewhere safe if you hadn't stopped me from casting that spell. Because of your…rashness, stupidity, idiotism, brain retardation we are stuck in a…" he cast his eyes around the small cozy messed up office before he continued " a perfect example of were people without money work." He finished earnestly.
Hermione tried her best not to burst out laughing at his choice of words. She had to hand it to him. No other person would have tried to coax her into submission by glorifying himself and insulting her and her friends in the course of his speech.
"Yes Malfoy……Draco," she said using his very tone "I want to go home but not by your method" she said soothingly knowing very well that he would blow up.
True to her expectations he screamed at her "WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO? TELL HIM THE TRUTH AND HOPE HE'LL LET US GO?"
"Yes," she said firmly.
His jaw dropped in disbelief and he was just about to say something which Hermione was in no hurry to hear and so she cut in hastily " as much truth as we can tell him."
As Draco started arguing she continued, "If it doesn't work, we'll just do it your way."
She knew she was setting herself up by making this offer but she had to at least try.
Draco seemed bent on arguing but then almost suddenly his mouth twisted into a wicked grin and he said, "deal."
Hermione knew for sure then that she had made a big mistake.
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By the time the door opened they were seated on the chairs. As the door opened Hermione rose out of respect, Draco would have liked to continue his laid back, no care posture before the muggle but for the stern look that Hermione threw at him. He almost smiled as his prediction of how the muggle would look came true. //he would be a fat stupid muggle. // And that was exactly how he looked, especially since he wore an oversized Hawaiian shirt. Of course his cheerful face and suppressed smile were completely lost on him.
Hermione's heart however rose as she saw him. She had been wondering what she would do if she had got someone really cross like Snape, but here was hope.
The man in his mid forties sat down on his chair, glanced up at them, and smiled. "My name is Eoin and though I don't look like it, I am the station master of Stratford Railway Station. Well, A couple of hitch hikers. We don't get many of them here, this being a small station but it sure causes a stir. I had to forgo my holiday for you two, so you better have a good story in store for me." He said folding his hands and looking up at them enquiringly.
Hermione took a deep breath and was just about to start out when suddenly he cut in and said "oh and one more thing. If this is going to be the story about how you were really well off and then were kidnapped by Czechoslovakian circus troops when you were children and when finding out the secret from your dying supposed mother you ran away from the circus, I've heard that one before. I just wanted you to know that I'd like something else, just for variety sake." His tone throughout the wonderful tale was dead serious and it was only now he let out a small smile at Hermione who was now suddenly aware that it would not be easy to fool this man.
Draco blinked, then thought he had heard wrong. Muggles having a sense of humor was unheard off. "They don't have enough brains to understand a joke, Master Malfoy." That had been the assessment of his fourth nanny. (Draco Malfoy had before he was even four seven nannies, each of whom had later on sued Lucius Malfoy for loss of one or more limbs. Lucius Malfoy had on the other hand sued them back (and won) for mental torture to which supposedly his son had been subjected to)
"Er, its…its not like that …sir," "I …..We" stammered Hermione suddenly finding herself lost for words. She would have indeed stopped just then in her effort had not it been for two things. One Hermione Granger was not a looser and two she could never let the pale-faced weasel have his way.
It was this resolve that made Hermione launch into her story with utmost clarity. The same clarity with which she had in her first year convinced the stern Gryffonder head that It had been her idea to go after the troll. She recounted with wonderful detail of how they had "misplaced" their money and how it was vitally important for them to get to Dublin where their parents were waiting for them. Despite her best efforts she was aware of the fact that the story sounded pretty vague and flimsy and once she had finished she waited with baited breath to see whether he would call the Irish police to look up missing children.
Eoin however did no such thing. He had not interrupted even once during the course of the entire narration and he now started asking all the pent up questions.
"Right lets get started then. From where exactly did you come to Stratford?"
"Athy" replied Hermione. The silver painted writing on the train still clear in her mind.
He nodded his head and continued, "So you came in, got down and then realized after the train had left that you had left your wallet inside it. Am I right?" the question this time was directed at Draco.
// I am answering a muggle, a muggle, a muggle // his head screamed as he answered finally "yes."
"I see and your parents trusted you enough to let you come on the next train after them. So they left yesterday? Eh?"
Hermione nodded in assent.
"You understand that the Athy Stratford train is only once a week on Tuesday. So perhaps you could tell me which train they used to go to Dublin yesterday?" Eoin's omnipresent smile widened slightly making the wrinkles near his eyes deepen in mirth.
Draco Malfoy almost grinned triumphantly at Hermione's sudden lack of response. The stupid girl had been to busy trying to make sure that he didn't curse the stupid muggles to have thought through her plan carefully.
Hermione on the other hand felt her heart sink in despair as she realized her thinking was so muddled up that she hadn't thought of this. She had always been proud and not too secretly too, in her ability to think things out clearly but just now when she needed it most, her ability had failed her.
However before she could say anything there came a reply from behind her.
"They went to Dublin by the Athy-Kildare route." Said Draco, his tone suggesting that it was ordinary for him to know where his imaginary parents were. Eoin looked at Draco for a second then nodded his head to show that he believed him.
Hermione shot him a quick look, which bordered precariously between admiration and disbelief. //what do you do? Spend your time memorizing train timings in Ireland? // Her thoughts seemed to relay.
He itched to shoot her an arrogant look and to boast many times over the fact that he had had the brain wave to check the railway timetable on the muggle's table to see the train their supposed parents were traveling in.
He was however prevented from doing this by Eoin who was making his next attack on Hermione.
"So you both are siblings?" he asked shooting a quick look between the two.
"Cousins actually" stated Hermione for Draco's benefit. He had vehemently opposed when Hermione had put forward the suggestion that they pretend to be siblings. When she had pointed out the fact how people would think they were running away together he had screwed up his face in disgust and had pretended to be sick in the wastebasket.
He had finally agreed to pretend to be her very far away cousin on her mother's side who had she assured him a brother working for the richest muggle in the world. (One of her uncle was a software engineer.)
"Cousins? Why isn't that convenient. It explains a lot. There's not the slightest likeness between you two." Eoin said and glanced once more at Hermione and then Draco who for the first time in his life found himself agreeing with a muggle.
"He looks like his father." She said earnestly. "French" she added to make an emphasis on difference even though she was not very sure if there was a big difference between French ferret's father or British ferret's father but anyway.
Eoin seemed to take moment to consider her answer then he again asked, "What is your phone number? Hermione."
A wave of relief washed over Hermione as she told him her phone number clearly, thanking her lucky stars that against all the advice of wannabe liars she had told Eoin her real name.
Draco was acutely aware that the man had picked up a metal rod and was sticking it to his ear. He seemed to press a button for each number Hermione told him. He looked very silly, Draco decided holding a metal piece to his ear. Much to Draco's relief (though he would never admit that) he finally put it down after a short pause.
He looked up at Hermione who was finding it hard to keep her joy in check. "It was your answering machine." He said.
Hermione nodded, fully aware of the message that had been left on her parents' answering machine when they had gone into hiding. "This is the Granger residence. We have gone on a holiday and won't be back for some time. Please leave…" the message had been left so as to not arouse the curiosity of the countless number of muggle friends and patients who were likely to call and from the looks of it, it also added credibility to Hermione's story.
"So…so .do you believe us," said Hermione finally when Eoin didn't ask another question.
"Well," he said and then paused." your story checks out. Some of it anyway. I am however curious as to why exactly didn't you carry any money with you, Hermione?"
Hermione answered almost immediately "because I don't have any pockets," she said exasperatedly pulling her skirt to prove her point.
Eoin laughed out loud at this and said, "all right, fine, I believe you. Though it still doesn't excuse you from trying to hitch a ride…"
But he stopped short when Draco who had been getting sick and tired of listening to muggle suddenly strode forward. For a fleeting second Hermione thought he was going to curse Eoin but something made her stand still and watch the scene unfold before her.
// I am standing so close to a muggle, so close, so argh// "look, we are sorry we tried to hitch a ride all right. Except we really needed to, okay? It was the first time our parents had ever trusted us and we didn't want to screw it up." Draco paused for breath, tired of pronouncing each word out distinctly so that the muggle could make sense out of it. After all it was comman knowledge that muggle brains could only process a single word at a time.
"Here," he said and placed a galleon on the table. It is a real gold coin. We didn't think anyone would take it and we didn't have any …." //drounds? Frounds? // "Pounds." He finished triumphantly, finally finding the right muggle term for money. "Check the coin if you want but it is real."
"A gold coin? Where did you get that from?" Eoin asked picking up the coin and fingering it in his hands. "Galleon" he read out loud the inscription on the back of the coin. "What's that?" he asked.
It was Hermione who answered quietly," it's a football team in his school. He got that for outstanding performance."
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Ten minute later they were waiting to board the train. Eoin had gone to get the tickets, leaving Draco and Hermione alone on the now almost empty platform.
Draco Malfoy was feeling elated. So what if the muggle had turned out to be contrary to some of his beliefs, he had been in the end just a greedy, fat muggle. His single gold coin had done the trick. One galleon and the man like any other greedy muggle had been willing to help them.
Hermione Granger however did not share his elation. She was saddened by the fact that out of the million muggles, they had managed to meet one, who panned out to Draco's expectations.
She smiled however as Eoin came forward after having a chat with old Samuel who was still regarding them suspiciously.
"Here," he said, handing Draco an envelope. "And don't loose It." he added with a grin.
Draco took it and was surprised to feel a rather hard object inside. He opened the envelope and stared at the contents for some time silently with Granger peering in from behind whose smile suddenly gained in length.
Draco looked up at Eoin but before he could say a word Eoin explained "I am not so evil as to take away from a boy, his football medal."
"Its alright," said Draco numbly holding out the galleon to Eoin, "I've got many." The weight at his shoulder proof to his statement. Eoin laughed at the comment but didn't take the galleon.
"Eoin, what is the money for?" asked Hermione. In addition to the tickets, there were also a few bills of paper, which Draco realized was muggle money.
"It is a day-night trip to Dublin. You are bound to get hungry."
When Hermione started to thank him he objected saying slowly, "Please, it is nothing. Though I might work in a place which is a perfect example of where people without money work, I can still afford to send you two, to Dublin." His eyes sparkled with delight at Hermione's sudden realization and Draco's complete obliviousness."
To Draco's complete surprise he found Hermione staring open mouthed at Eoin as if he had suddenly proved the "Roudella's equation of madness." //what the hell did he say so great? Not like I hadn't said the same thing…// "before." Draco said softly, finishing his thoughts in words.
"You knew." Said Hermione in a strangled whisper looking at Eoin, who was looking rather smug with himself.
"How long were you there?" asked Draco finally
"Not long. Just enough to here you make up your plan but considering that your story is one of the better ones I've hear and also considering from what I heard you planned all this just so that you could go back home. I reckon I'll give you the benefit of the doubt." He said simply shrugging his shoulders.
Both Hermione and Draco stood lost for words as the guard signaled to Eoin that it was time to go.
"Well," said Eoin withdrawing his hand from his pocket and holding it out to Draco. "Good luck"
Draco hesitated for a split second before he offered his own hand to Eoin. His third nannies advice of not touching muggles as they transmit contagious diseases still ringing in his head. He stood silent, staring at the golden galleon in his hand as Hermione with a grin hugged Eoin with her Gryffonder over the top thank you.
Then as he climbed up on the train after Hermione, he turned around; his mind made up and said the words, which were almost as alien to him as the person he was saying them to.
"Thank you,"
With that the door closed and they were on their way.
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VERY VERY HAPPY AUTHOR NOTES
That's right folks. My exams are OVER!!!!!!!! I cannot begin to describe my joy. I did pretty well except in physics but since almost everyone else also did not do that well in it I am darkly contented. You'd think that I'd be a free bird now but decisions, decisions cloud over me. What subjects will you take? What do you wanna do? Which school do you want to go to for the next two years? Yeah and did I mention my results don't come out till June and that I have to write entrance exams to places that I really don't wanna go to. Yeah I know my life, is filled with exams!!!!
Still, I can write now and that's what counts. Thank you so much, all those people who reviewed. Did I do this okay? I knew I wanted Draco to meet a muggle and a nice one to boot but it doesn't mean he'll turn to muggle campaigning. I just wanted to shake his beliefs at the very foundation slightly.
By the way for record sake kildare and Athy are real places in Ireland (and you thought I was lazy). Do you know my head has been brimming with ideas for new stories and I am dying to write them. Maybe I'll post them after I finish this or perhaps in the middle. Just hope you guys will read and like it too.
Yours
Writing after a long time
Kshetra