The Enchanted Marriage
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any related franchise. Harry Potter and all rights relating to thus are owned solely by J. K. Rowling.
Chapter 14
New York City was one beautiful city, so Hermione thought, and it made her feel she was living the life.
However, that life…was fake.
A fake husband, a fake teacher…
But, she wasn't faking her heart.
She loved her friends and didn't lie to Draco or anything.
But, still, she preferred to go out there and be true to herself.
"I love New York…" She whispered as she was sipping her black coffee.
It was Sunday morning.
Weather: Heavy rains and clouds.
Dear Diary,
For some reason, every Sunday, it seems as if all the pressure and stress is laid off from me.
Every Sunday seems so peaceful and relaxing.
It also seemed to also rain during those days.
And, me and Draco always seem to get along the best during Sundays.
I'm happy about it, but, I always know, it won't last long, since Mondays will show up sooner or later.
My time with Draco seems strange sometimes, but surprisingly, I'm always happy to see him when I am able to.
Draco…Why am I thinking of you so much?
What is it about you that makes me so interested to know more and more about you?
Draco…why can't I see the good in this fake marriage?
Yours Truly,
Hermione Jane Granger
Unlike her friends, Hermione never had a boyfriend. She'd had a crush here and there, but it never came to anything. Macey had had several boyfriends, and Lila, who was just crazy about guys, dated a few of them in just one year. All Hermione had was, well, Draco's kisses here and there.
Not that they counted. None of them were on the lips.
But, Hermione didn't care.
I don't need a man to make me feel beautiful or happy! She thought to herself as she stared out her bedroom window.
"Oh…what a beautiful day!" She whispered to herself.
Although she'd never admit it to anyone, reading and working had left Hermione with an intense longing.
She didn't know why, but, when she held a book or read words, her mind was elsewhere.
In the world she simply couldn't recall, where she would be able to relax and enjoy her reading.
There was a club in which Macey and Lila figured Hermione should know about. They say they go there every Sunday, since it was always women's day there, and they could get in for free.
You could only enter if you were eighteen and above, and since they were all over eighteen, it was perfect.
Macey and Lila's excitement about the club and the dances there began to feel contagious.
They told Hermione it was a special day that day, since, there would apparently be a special mini show going on, where professional dancers came and showed their moves.
It seemed interesting, and Hermione agreed to come as well.
The weather was cold and gray, but Hermione didn't care.
She wanted to have a good time while she was in New York, everyone in her age did.
And by now, even now, she was ready to go out. Her secret, romantic self-hoped that some cute guy from another place would show up at the dance and spot her in the crowd.
It never happened, of course, but she made sure she looked good just in case. This meant putting some product in her damp hair, and a good one, applying some makeup (ditto), and wearing a wispy, girly shirt Lila had gotten for Hermione. Lila, Macey, and Hermione agreed to get ready together later at noon at Macey's house, and ride the bus to the club.
"I wonder what I should wear…" Hermione wondered to herself.
She went over to her closet and opened it. She frowned, "Out of all the clothes I have, Lila was able to find a shirt I wasn't able to find!"
Maybe she should wear a dress instead?
That would be better…She thought.
She then decided she would wear her Ever-Pretty sexy halter races mini purple-black club dress with matching shoes.
"Not too revealing or too boring, I hope…" She snorted.
Draco was out with his friends again, but this time, they went out to eat breakfast together and then go to the Art Museum, since one of his friends was an artist and had an exhibition going on there.
An impressive man with impressive friends…Bastard! She thought.
_
Later that day, around seven pm, Hermione and her friends arrived at the club, which was already packed when they did.
Beyoncé's new single was playing, so they headed straight for the dance floor.
"The dancers would arrive later!" Macey called.
When it ended, another equally awesome song came on. It felt good to get lost in the music and Hermione spun around, her hair fanning out around her.
"Hi, girls!" Ms. P. Who was another librarian, a nice women in her 40's, waved her arms above her head to the beat of the music.
A few people laughed and pointed at them. Okay, so maybe it wasn't cool to be seen dancing with the public librarian. But Hermione didn't care. Some people were cool no matter what age they were. Ms. P. was one of those people.
Hermione wasn't embarrassed to be seen with the people she thought were cool. That was one of her strengths when it came to her, to be able to have pride and honor when it came to the people she truly cared about.
She danced with the girls until the end of the song, and then headed to the bar, where she got a soda for a drink. She still grooved thought, clapping her hands and swaying her hips, her behind moving side to side.
She had to laugh. She didn't seem to care that she didn't have any other friends at the moment. She enjoyed every time with her current friends.
And no matter in which age group they were in, Hermione was proud and honored to have them be her friends.
Hermione felt happy and freed for once here in New York.
The music seemed to drift her to another world as well, as books did too.
She danced, laughed, and drank. She felt happy to be in a club and do the many things that muggle people did while wizards did other things instead.
By the time a slow song came on, Hermione was thirsty again, and Lila said her feet were killing her. So the girls headed toward a vending machine at the back of the club. Lila kept tripping in her sky-high wedges, so they were walking very slowly
They bought sodas, and Lila leaned back against the wall, taking the weight off her feet. "I hope to get lucky tonight!" she said irritably, opening her can of Coke and taking a sip.
"Maybe another one of the one's will show up and swift you off your feet!" Macey giggled, only to be receiving a glare from Lila.
Lila had been obsessing over men for years. Macey always bugged her to make the first move already—as much for their sanity as for hers—but Lila had never made a move. She always thought men were supposed to approach the woman first.
But come on, it was the twenty-first century.
Hermione thought it was for the best to just have fun and forget about men for once. Women sometimes need a break from men and have some time for them to enjoy and have a girl's night or whatever.
"Men are not the only joy in this world, Lila," Hermione pointed out.
"Um, yes, they are," Lila replied, rolling her eyes. "Okay, Hermione. If you think guys are not all that, I dare you to ask one to dance. After all, it wouldn't be a big deal would it?"
But I'm not allowed to…Hermione thought.
"No, thanks." As her gaze skimmed over the dance floor, she realized that no one here inspired any excitement in her. How sad that she felt more of a connection to Draco than to a better guy.
After chatting for a few more minutes, the girls headed back to the dance floor. The sodas had given them a new kick of energy. Lila took off her wedges and danced barefoot, swinging her shoes around, but yelped when someone stepped on her foot.
By the time another set of slow songs came on, they decided to get going. The professional dancers weren't all that, they showed moves that were quite old and already know. There was nothing new or exciting about it.
The girls just had a good time dancing. That was good enough to Hermione.
The club would be closing soon, anyway, so they figured they'd beat the coat-check rush. Unfortunately, a bunch of other people had the same idea.
"See you next Saturday, Ms. P.," Hermione said, catching her in the midst of a yawn as they filed out of the club and onto the busy New York streets.
"Do any of you girls need a ride home?" she asked.
"Nah, we're good," Hermione said for all of them. The bus ride was part of the fun—that's where they'd rehash the night's events. Not that anything exciting had happened, but they'd find something to talk about.
They picked up some snacks at the deli across the street before boarding the bus with a crowd of people their own age. The High School students gathered at the back, shouting, tossing food wrappers, and sloshing drinks at one another. The bus driver told them to settle down. Hermione realized that sooner or later, the prostitutes would be among them, fooling around even more.
"Ah…" She sighted.
She was the first of her friends to get off the bus. A few other kids got off at the same time, which was good because the area wasn't the most welcoming late at night. It was only a five-minute walk to her apartment building, but the heavy post-rain fog made it seem farther away.
She walked quickly, eager to get past the park. Pleasant Park was the city's attempt to green up the area by planting some trees and bushes. A couple of dilapidated buildings had been torn down and a basketball court, play structure, and swing set had been put in. It was deserted at this time of night, and the sight of it wrapped in fog was creepy.
Suddenly something slammed into her windpipe, cutting off her air. Her body reeled with the force of impact. She caught a glimpse of dark black hair inches from her race, heard a vicious snarl.
I'm being attacked, she realized, frozen with horror.
An arm snacked around her and then she was moving so fast it felt like she was flying through the air.
A dark figure leaped from the shadows and grabbed her attacker, who was forced to drop her to the ground. She scrambled to her feet and started to run. She could hear blows, grunts, and a sick, almost inhuman growl. A high-pitched screaming filled her ears, it was coming from her.
"Are you all right, madam?" Someone had run up beside her, a long coat flapping in the wind. "Are you injured?"
She stopped running. A nearby streetlight illuminated the fog, giving her a glimpse of the guy's face. He looked very familiar, but she couldn't place him.
"Where'd he go?" She gasped, shaking. She scanned the bushes, terrified her attacker would jump out at any second.
"Ran off. I could not catch him."
Catch him? This guy had to be crazy to think about running after her attacker.
She glanced at him, and felt like the air had been sucked out of her.
His profile was straight and chiseled. Light blond hair curled slightly over the collar of his long, cape-like coat. A line from real life came to mind: He would have been classically handsome were it not for the forbidding expression on his face.
She gave her head a shake. Jeez. After all she'd just been through, she was still thinking of Draco. She did a double take, but his face and figure were now shrouded in darkness and mist. It must have been a mirage—her mind's way of bringing her comfort after the terror.
With trembling hands, she pushed the wild strands of hair out of her face. She didn't know who, or what, had just attacked her, and she had no idea who her savior was. All she knew was, she had to get home, to Draco.
"I will show you to your door, miss," the guys said... "Is this the way?"
She looked around and then at him. He looked so familiar. They weren't able to see each other very well due to the darkness and Hermione's voice was barely able to be heard.
It took her a few moments to orient herself. "It's on the other side of the apartment complex." She whispered.
She practically had to run to keep up with him, while at the same time scanning the darkness for signs of another attack.
"I'm lucky you were there," she said, still trying to catch her breath.
"It was not luck," he said tightly, his voice being even more familiar. "I was about to pounce on him before he grabbed you, I might say. I cannot imagine what possessed you to break curfew and leave yourself so exposed. There is no excuse for suck recklessness."
She was dumbstruck. He was blaming her for getting attacked?
"I wasn't breaking my curfew. I don't even have a curfew." Draco had never needed to impost one on her, thank god!
He shot her a glare. "Indeed? I wonder if the town council would confirm that."
She had no idea what he was talking about or why he was speaking in such a weird, formal way, same way Draco did, but she didn't care to ask. She had bigger problems.
"Wait a minute…" She wondered and said as they reached her building, and she practically dove for the heavy glass door. "I'm going to call the police." She fished in her purse for the key. "I hope you can give them a better description than I can." Her fingers closed around the key, but her hand was shaking so hard that it took several attempts to fit it in the lock.
"Call the police? Are you mad? They are of no use against him. They are too afraid themselves."
She turned around to look at him. His voice sounding even more familiar since he spoke louder and was able to hear him very well. The area was well lit, and for the first time, she could see him clearly.
And it hit her—again—how much he resembled Draco Malfoy, right down to the stony expression he wore when he spoke to her seriously.
She stared at him for a few seconds, stunned by his pitch-perfect performance. Then she realized, "Wait a minute…" She looked at him closer, "D-DRACO?—"
"Took you long enough." He shrugged and frowned.
"Draco!" Hermione shouted and pushed herself against him and hugged him tightly. "I'm so glad you're here!" She sobbed and smiled gladly. Draco was only stunned and too shocked to speak. But that didn't last long,
"Are you okay?" He asked softly and kindly.
"Draco…" She whispered, "I was so scared…"
"It's okay, I'm here now." He hugged her back, protecting her.
That one tender one minute moment then turned into two, then two three, then to five, and then to ten minutes.
Slowly she pulled away. She looked back at him again. Seeing the intensity in his eyes, she felt a frisson of fear. "What if he knows where we live?"
"I assure you he doesn't. He's a death eater, and I always know what they're thinking, he was only hungry and found you fresh in the street—"
"Oh god!" She cried again.
Draco shook his head. "You almost got yourself killed, Hermione." She looked down. "Death eaters never leave their victims alive."
Something stilled inside her.
"What if he comes back—"
"Even the stupid own wasn't there to save you…Hhhh..." He snarled angrily.
"I'm sorry—"
"How many times must I tell you to take care of yourself! Never walk the streets alone at night! Call me or your friends, but please! Don't put yourself in danger again as you did tonight!"
Hermione was stunned. Was he really that worried about her?
Hermione then abruptly stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the fifth floor, but jumped back when a booted foot lodged itself in the door. It automatically reopened.
"Not so fast." His light eyes were penetrating. "Not until you promise me to never do that again!"
"I walked the streets alone at night since we stayed here!" She shouted.
"That's different! You were surrounded by people! You're even lacking in common sense girl! You were at the park completely alone. Do you hear me? Have some sense in your mind or next time you will be killed!" He shouted back.
God…She thought.
She stepped out of the elevator right away. This guy was getting scarier by the minute, and she'd always had a fear of being cornered in an elevator. At least in the lobby, someone might come in. But tonight, there was no one there but her and Draco.
After a moment, Draco took a deep breath and said, "Why don't we sit down," he said. It was clearly not a question.
When he took her arm, she didn't resist. She let him walk her over to the sagging chintz couch. He sat next to her.
"I would like you to promise me to take care of yourself. Please." He asked, completely worried and hopeful she would.
She inched away from him as subtly as she could. "All right. I promise, I'll take care of myself and stay out of trouble and being alone at night." She looked into his gray eyes.
"Maybe we should call the police after all?"
"I told you, the police are ineffective. Rather than patrolling the streets at night, they adhere to the curfew. They are not qualified to take on the Death Eater and his coven. This cannot be news to you."
He genuinely seemed to believe what he was saying, which only left one option: He was better knowledgeable in witchcraft and wizardy than Hermione was. He was born a pureblood for god's sake!
And what was she compared to him? A mudblood? A poor mudblood?
Hermione was having a moment of weakness.
She sighted and glanced back at the waiting elevator.
His nostrils flared and he pouted his lips. He looked at her up and down and sighted, "Hermione…" His anger growing again.
Hermione blushed and then grinned.
Run! She thought to herself. And then, by that, she stormed to the elevator faster than Draco could ever think, pressing the button quickly, and thankfully it closed before Draco had the chance to reopen it.
"HERMIONE!" He shouted.
She sighted, "Should I lock myself in my room?"
Man, I don't need this right now! She thought.