It was three years since the victory of the Battle of Hogwarts.

Following the imprisonment of his father, Draco Malfoy fled the scene and was never heard from again. Magic had only seemed to nullify his senses as an adolescent, and the abuse of his powers led to countless incorrect decisions. Blood purity wasn't so pivotal when it meant that so many had lost their lives.

Following the Battle of Hogwarts Draco wished to strip himself of all magic and humble himself by discovering what it felt to live like a true Muggle.

It was a simple life in the Muggle world, and admittedly boring at times, but it was exactly what he had signed up for.

Hermione showed up at Draco's pub following his shift the next day as promised. After closing up his shift at work he took it upon himself to have a seat with her on the patio for a quick cup of coffee.

Yesterday he had been caught red handed living among the Muggles, even working as one, by the Muggle born. This was, of course, following all of the nasty comments he had made to her as a child.

But given his current status and alternate outlook on life, he was aware that he certainly wasn't any 'better' than Hermione; someone who he'd always secretly admired from afar in school. And if anything, his time away from the wizarding world made him come to the realization that those he pestered in school were actually those he looked up to. Even him; the Boy Who Lived and refused to die.

Draco is torn from his thoughts as Hermione stretches her arms across the table and lightly taps his forearm. "Thanks for meeting with me. I must admit, it was a bit of a surprise; running into you here."

"A surprise?" Draco repeats with a smirk. He pulls out a leather envelope from his apron that's full of tips from the day. He mindlessly counts the money before tossing it against the steel circular table. "Myself, counting muggle money before Hermione Granger; confirming that I made enough to make ends meet for tomorrow's rent? What about that strikes you as surprising?"

"Nothing at all." Hermione waits for the playful smirk on his face to appear before smiling back at him. The lighthearted commentary on such a trivial topic leaves her feeling perplexed. Yet the friendly smirk on his face and overall relaxed façade keeps her at ease. "So what have you been doing after all of this time?"

"You're looking at it." His eyes roam the spacious bar surrounding them. "Five days a week."

"And you've been working here for.."

"Two years."

"And what of your girlfriend from yesterday? A.. Muggle?"

Draco raises his eyebrows while fiddling with a balled-up piece of napkin between his fingers. "Camille got me the job. And what of Weaslebee?" he shoots back. "You don't have to be the only one drafting up an interrogation, Granger."

Hermione's expression saddens. "Ronald also works in the Ministry. However, he and Harry are Head Aurors." She bites down on her lip as her eyes fall to the table beneath them. "Things didn't exactly work out between myself and Ron."

"And why is that, love?"

The overly fascinated, slightly pleased look in his eye unleashes an unexpected batch of butterflies in the pit of her stomach. Draco Malfoy was many things, but he had always been terribly handsome..

"Let's not get off subject," Hermione chirps interlacing her hands beneath her chin. "So you haven't noticed anything that seemed.. out of place? The Ministry is investigating the usage of levitation and summoning charms in the city," she informs. "This bar has been targeted as one of the central location to such charms."

Draco listlessly raises both shoulders. "Haven't seen a trace of magic in three years," he confidently replies in almost a proud manner.

His attention is noticeably drawn from their conversation as he peers to a couple in their 50's charging through the patio to the entrance. He promptly pushes his chair from the table and rises to his feet. "Excuse me." He ties the apron hanging from his neck around his torso and darts inside.

Hermione watches on as he approaches the couple. Using the same charm that she had yesterday, she heightens the voices of the man and woman who are currently speaking with Draco.

The man raises a dismissive hand while passing the blonde. "Where is she?"

"Who?"

"Madison, of course," the woman states in a patronizing, nasty tone. "She didn't come home last night and didn't go to school today."

Hermione leans forward in her seat while using pristine focus.

"Well she isn't here," Draco replies while closely following on the couple's heels. "Perhaps if you kept a closer eye on her, you wouldn't be losing her all of the time?"

The man's face turns a bright red as he spins on his heels and jams a finger into Draco's chest. "Don't lecture me on how to parent. How many times must I tell you to stay out of our business?"

"That's not possible; I'm subjected to this rubbish more often than I'd like to admit."

The stout short man puffs out his chest. "I employ you. Don't forget where you came from, boy."

"And I'm full of gratitude," Draco replies with, to Hermione, recognizable sarcasm. "Yet I regrettably insist; Madison is not here."

The mother to Draco's girlfriend and younger sister looks down her nose at him. "Well if you hear from her, you know what to do. She looks up to you.. for whatever reason."

Draco gives a curt nod. He waits for their exit while keeping an eye on the patio. Hermione's vision automatically lowers once their eyes meet. His fists clench while walking back outside. He coolly takes a seat and balances a foot across his knee. "Sorry about that, love."

Hermione crosses her arms with contemplative eyes. "What was that all about?"

"Nothing of much concern." He crosses his fingers over his stomach while tilting his head to the side. "Owners to the pub. They're not my biggest of fans. And if I'm being honest, I resent them myself."

"Your bosses," Hermione notes. "I suppose no one gets along too well with their supervisors, do they?"

Draco smirks. "So the Minister for Magic is just as much of a twit as I suspected, then?"

She faintly giggles while coiling a finger against her lips. "On the contrary, Kingsley is quite lovely," she replies while putting on her jean jacket. "Well, Draco.. I'll let you get back to closing up. I appreciate you speaking with me. I'd like to inspect the kitchen and behind the bar tomorrow."

A wave of severity suddenly washes over him. He has shift eye contact and it appears as though something unsettling had donned on him. "Can't do that."

"Why not?"

"It's not my pub." Draco takes off his apron and unbuttons the cuffs of his dress shirt while rolling them up. "On the bright side.. now you know what the owners look like; should you wish to ask them." He ignores the discouraged look on her face and stands to his feet. "Don't become a stranger, love."

"You know I won't," she replies as if it were a challenge.

Draco gives her a toothy smile before disappearing in the dimly lit pub. After a few minutes Hermione gathers her things and begins to clear the area. She pauses once she notices that he had left his envelope of tips on the table. She grabs the envelope for him, enters the bar and waits for him to reappear through the curtain barricading the kitchen.

The curtain fluidly morphs to the side as Draco emerges from the back area of the bar. A girl with died black hair, striking lavender eyes and bright red lipstick follows closely on his tail. It wasn't the same girl from yesterday that Hermione had identified as Draco's girlfriend, and she was significantly younger; probably in her mid-teens.

Hermione promptly dashes to the side of the room out of sight. She peeks her head from behind the wall while watching what appears to be Draco reprimanding the young woman.

He grips either sides of her shoulders and speaks with fiery intimidating eyes. The girl solemnly nods her head while running a finger beneath both eyes. Draco hands her his cell phone before storming off in the other direction.

Hermione fidgets with the envelope in her hands while emerging from behind the wall. The girl with onyx hair peers at the cell phone in hand with watery eyes. She slips it in one of the large pockets of the long apron that ties around her neck. Her bright lavender eyes light up as they land on Hermione who was staring at her harder than intended.

"Excuse me." Hermione leans over the bar while offering the envelope with a tight grip. "Could you do me a favor, and give this to Dra- the man with blonde hair? I saw him drop it on the floor over there."

The girl with apple red lipstick nods her head while taking a few steps closer. "Sure."

As she approaches nearer, Hermione keeps a firm eye on her name tag. It's silver exterior shines against the candlelight as she moves directly in front of her.

It reads: Madison

As Madison reaches across the bar the sleeve of her shirt rises revealing an all-black tattoo of the solar system etched on the inside of her arm. She retrieves the envelope from her grip and walks away while typing on Draco's cell phone.

Once she disappears around the corner Hermione promptly takes out a pad of paper and jots down the name and unique appearance of the young woman.