Nichole rushed down the hall towards Amanda and Christopher's flat to pick him up for dinner with her parents. She couldn't deny that she was a bit nervous- not only was this a date (sort of) but it would be the first time Chris was meeting her dad for an extended period of time. She took a deep breath as she reached their door then knocked softly on it three times. When it opened her breath hitches as she gazed at Christopher standing in a pair of black slacks, a white button up shirt, and a green tie.

"Chris you look-"

"Is this okay? Am I over dressed? Under dressed? Do I look bonkers? Because I feel bonkers and-."

"Chris stop," Nichole laughed softly stepping towards him and reaching up to kiss his cheek. "You look wonderful, and you'll definitely win some points with the green tie. Have I told you? Green is one of the main colours of our house at school- Slytherin."

"Is that why you always wear it?" Chris asked finally pulling the door closed behind him; she hadn't even heard if Amanda was home. "I thought you just liked the colour."

"Well, it's mainly because it drives my mother bonkers," she grinned evilly. "She was a Gryffidnor and their colours were scarlet and gold."

Chris was still laughing as they stopped outside of Nichole's door. She turned to face him and her breath caught as he gazed down at her, their eyes locking. He reached a hand out to her cheek and titled her face upward, leaning down to press his lips softly to hers. She gasped as their mouths met and that small parting of her lips allowed him to take the kiss one step further, licking her lips and asking for invitation; she obliged, parting her lips further so his tongue could slip easily inside.

Her hands snaked up, one around his neck, the other on the back of his head holding him close to her. It was their first real kiss and she forgot, for just a moment, where they were standing. When a throat cleared itself the couple sprang apart, both breathing heavily, to see Draco standing in the now opened door way with his arms crossed and face set firmly. His eyes passed over Nichole to land on Christopher who swallowed audibly, quickly sticking his hand out.

"Hi- uh- sir. We- we haven't officially met- I'm Christopher, Nichole's friend, and-."

"Boyfriend," Nichole quickly inserted; Chris glanced at her, his face flushed, but smiling. "You're my boyfriend, Chris."

"Right." He looked back at Draco, his hand still extended. "It's nice to finally meet you. Uh- Nichole has told me a lot about you and-."

"Is that so?" Draco growled in a low voice. Nichole sighed heavily, silently pleading her father not to embarrass her, but Draco ignored her. "What exactly has she told you about me? That I fought on the wrong side of a war and can hex you into oblivion if I ever see you touching my daughter like that again?"

"Dad," Nichole hissed, her eyes wide.

Again Draco ignored her. "Or how about the fact that I am a far more experienced wizard than you will ever meet- I know more curses and dark magic than you could ever imagine."

"Stop," Nichole moaned, slapping her forehead with her hand. She knew that her father was just trying to act tough so he'd scare her new boyfriend- it was the wizarding equivalent to what a muggle father might do, especially in America where they scare boys off with guns. She wasn't worried about her father actually harming Chris, but she knew the young man was shaking in his boots as Draco took one more step towards him.

"Don't forget- I could make you disappear and none would be the wiser."

Chris gulped but nodded, his face a little pale. "I understand, sir. B-but you should know, I'd never do anything to hurt Nichole. We've been friends for so long and-."

"Oh enough of this." Hermione had arrived, gently slapping Draco on the chest and smiling warmly at Christopher. "Ignore him, Christopher, he's just being overly protective. Besides, he knows that I am a far more powerful witch than he is wizard- if he tried to harm you he'd get it back tenfold." Nichole tried to hide her laugh, pressing her lips together firmly, but a small squeak came out as she reached for Christopher's hand. Hermione winked at her. "Well, why are we all standing in the door way? Come in and have a seat. Dinner's just about ready."

"What are your plans for the fall Christopher?" Hermione asked taking a sip of her water. She'd just finished setting down the food- roasted chicken, corn, mashed potatoes, and gravy- and everyone was busy serving their plates. Nichole smiled as Chris picked hers up first and gave her a little of everything before serving up his own- Nichole also noticed a flicker of approval in her father's eyes as he did so.

"I'm not sure yet," Chris admitted taking a bite. Once he finished chewing he continued. "I finished school early and have the choice of working for a year or going straight to Uni here in London. Amanda and her mother have been very accommodating and have said I could stay for as long as I need to but I would like to get a place of my own."

"You're a bit young for that, are you not?" Draco stated, raising his glass of wine. He narrowed his eyes. "I thought he was the same age as Nichole."

"He's a year older," Nichole shrugged.

Christopher blushed as he admitted, "I got held back a year early on in my education- I had difficulties focusing on my school work, but that was quickly resolved and since then I've put in a lot more effort- hence why I was able to finish early, with a scholarship if I choose to attend school."

"That's wonderful Christopher," Hermione exclaimed. "I could always write a reference letter for you, signed by the muggle minister. I have connections to their office after all through our ministry."

Chris looked momentarily speechless, "that- that would be wonder, Ms Granger, thank you-."

"Oh you haven't called me that in years," Hermione laughed with a wave of her hand. "You know you can call me Hermione."

"You may not call me by my first name," Draco growled. "It is seen as disrespectful-."

"Oh Draco, hush," Hermione lightly tapped his shoulder again. "You must excuse him. He was raised in a very- noble society, much different than what Nichole nor I was raised in. They have some very specific rules- a lot of which I don't agree with," she stated firmly, her eyes now on Draco who grumbled and took another sip from his glass.

"You see Chris," Nichole took up explaining as she took a bite of chicken smothered in gravy. "There's a certain hierarchy in our world that my mother and many others have been working tirelessly to admonish for a while now. At the top are the purebloods, like my father, who can trace their heritage back centuries. It means that both your mother and your father are pureblooded themselves and have not intermingled with Muggles. They think they're the best of the best- they think they're royalty- but they're not."

"Now you know they don't all think that way," Hermione interjected. "The Weasley's are pureblood and they're the most humble family you'll ever come across."

Draco snorted into his wine glass but didn't respond; Nichole knew her father wasn't a fan of the red headed tribe.

Nichole rolled her eyes, "anyways. Under purebloods are half bloods- that would be myself. They are the witches and wizards born to a pureblood and a muggle, or a muggle born, such as my mother. They are treated fairly decently in our world, but many pureblooded families look down upon them due to their 'tainted' blood.

"My mother is a muggle born, which means both her parents are muggles, such as yourself, but that somewhere in her ancestry there must have been at least one magical member of the family to pass along the ancient powers which runs through her veins- thus creating a witch. The Ministry studies this, though they won't admit it," Nichole stated with another roll of her eyes, "in an area called the Department of Mysteries. Muggle borns are rare, the majority of our population are half bloods, but it's not unheard of.

"Finally at the bottom of the hierarchy are squibs- which is a child born to a magical family who for some reason never received their magical abilities. This is a far rarer occurrence than those of a muggle born, squibs happen like once in a trillion- but it still happens. They get the benefit of living in the wizarding world but essentially live like a muggle. Some believe they are capable of learning magic if they try hard enough but it hasn't been proven as of thus- despite the fact many claim it."

Christopher was staring at her blankly as she took another bite and shrugged, "it's really not all that complicated once you get us to it all."

Hermione smiled and shook her head while Draco glowered at his daughter. "Are you sure it is wise to trust a young muggle such as he with this type of information regarding our world Nichole?"

Nichole rolled her eyes for a third time. "I trust Chris. He wouldn't do anything to betray me- would you?" Almost roboticly Chris shook his head still trying to process everything he'd just learned. "You see?"

Finally Chris seemed to find his voice as he asked, "but where would I stand in your world? A mu-muggle?"

Nichole paused, considering her answer, but it was her father who spoke up. "You would be in constant danger. Many wizards do not take kindly to muggles wandering our streets and learning our secrets. There was even a time, sixteen years ago, where your very presence would have ended in death."

"Draco!" Hermione snapped, her face hard. "That was a long time ago, our world is not like that anymore!"

Draco laughed humorlessly, pushed his plate away, and picked up his wine glass. "Don't kid yourself Mione. We both know there are still many wizards out there who would start up the organization if they had the chance. You can't change the minds of everyone."

Hermione glared at her boyfriend, then softened her features as she glanced at a now terrified looking Christopher. "My parents escorted me to the wizarding world many times, Christopher and they were always perfectly safe. That's not to say you can go everywhere or see everything, but as long as a muggle is escorted by a witch or a wizard, then you will never be in danger; despite what Draco is saying, our world has come a long way in the last sixteen years. There is no more danger to you than there is for me to wander the streets. Okay?"

Chris nodded and Hermione pushed her chair back and began to gather their now empty plates. Trying to sound a little more cheerful she asked, "who's ready for a spot of dessert?"

Nichole and Christopher sat on the couch watching a movie after dinner; Hermione and Draco had left to her bedroom and Nichole was fairly certain, by the silencing charm she threw up as the door closed, that her mother was giving her father a piece of her mind about what he'd said at dinner. Even Nichole had been a little shocked at what her father had to say about their world to a mere muggle- was he really trying to frighten him off?

Chris's arm was wrapped around her shoulder and her head was leaning on his chest. She glanced up and whispered his name, trying to draw his attention to her; he looked preoccupied, his eyes on the screen but glazed over, not even watching. After calling his name a few times he finally blinked out of his trance and glanced down at her. "Sorry, what were you saying?"

Nichole sighed and sat up angling her body towards his. "I was wondering if you were okay with everything you learned tonight- I know our world can sound a little scary and intense but I promise you, it's not as bad as it sounds."

Christopher let out a puff of air. "There was a lot of heavy stuff said, Cole."

"I know." She lowered her head and shook it, her hair falling across her face. When she looked back up she had to brush it aside. "But I need you to know that I will always protect you- you will never be in danger with me, especially not in the wizarding world. I am the daughter of a war heroine and a Malfoy- both of those names carry a lot of weight in our world."

"So what you're saying is you're like royalty?" he joked, a small smile gracing his face. "Princess Cole?"

"Shut up," Nichole laughed picking up a pillow and hitting it with him. "But seriously, Chris, my father may have been wrong to say what he said, but he wasn't exactly lying. There are still many witches and wizards angry at the outcome of the war sixteen years ago and wouldn't hesitate to get their revenge if the opportunity presented itself. If you're serious about being with me- and I'm talking long term, not just dating for a couple weeks- then you need to know the reality of the world you would be getting involved with. Magic sounds amazing, being a witch may seem easy- but there are a lot of dangers that lie within the shadows of our world and you need to be prepared for what may happen in the future- especially in terms of myself.

"You see, none of the jobs in our world come without an element of risk, it comes down to how skilled you are at defending and protecting yourself. Lucky for you I'm the top of my class, much like my mum was, and I'm shaping up to be a fairly powerful witch. You'll never have to worry as long as I'm there by your side."

"Couldn't you- I don't know- leave the wizarding world behind and find a job in the normal world? Become a lawyer, or a teacher, or chef- I don't care, anything that doesn't require risking your life, Cole."

Nichole smiled a little sadly as she replied, "the wizarding world is a large part of who I am Chris. I can't just leave it behind and I don't want to. It would be unfair for you to ask that of me. I'd never ask you to stay out of the muggle world, that's your life, a part of who you are- just like the wizarding world is for me."

Christopher sighed and rubbed his now tired eyes. "I guess I didn't think about any of this stuff." he admitted.

"What do you mean by that" she asked wearily, leaning back so she could look him full in the face.

"I think I just need time to think about it all-."

"What's there to think about?" Nichole asked. "I'm not asking you to change anything about you- just accept me for everything that I am and the world I come from. It's not that difficult."

"Actually it is," Christopher disagreed facing her. He now looked angry. "This- this world you come from- it's fucked up, Cole. Your father threatened me with magic, and he said that I would be treated as scum if I were to walk the streets with you. You're telling me that no matter what career path you follow will lead to danger and there is nothing I can do to protect you because I don't have magical powers- I'm basically weak and useless in your world! Why would anyone want to live like that Cole?"

Tears glistened in Nichole's eyes as he spoke and by the time he finished a single tear was rolling down her cheek. "Are you saying you don't want to be with me if I choose to stay in the wizarding world?"

"I'm saying I don't want to be a part of that kind of world."

"But that world is my home, Chris," Nichole emphasized. "I refuse to leave it behind."

Chris nodded as he sighed, his eyes now looking sad as he gazed at her. "Then I don't see how we can be together, Cole. I'm sorry- I really am- but I can't do this."

"Chris wait!" Nichole cried as he stood up and strolled towards the door. Her mothers door opened and she heard Hermione whisper, in a sad voice, "Obliviate."

"What? No!" Nichole spun to stare at her mother who also had tears in her eyes, her wand trained on the young mans back. After a moment his eyes closed and he gracefully fell to the round, asleep. Nichole ran to him, tears still falling freely, as she clutched at him. "Why would you do that? We could have worked it out!"

"I'm sorry Nichole," Hermione whispered sadly, walking fully into the room- her father was nowhere to be found. "But there was no changing his mind, he had it settled. I'll help you bring him back to Amanda's, we're going to have to modify her memories as well."

"No, mum, you can't-."

"Christopher lives with her, my dear," Hermione replied sadly. "If she let's something slip-." She sighed and shook her head. "I'm sorry it has to be like this Nichole. But it's for the best."

With tears still falling down her face Hermione and Nichole worked together to bring Christopher back home where Nichole cried more silent tears as her mother modified her best friends's memories. She never asked her mother how she adapted the memories or if she simply erased them all together, and in the moment she didn't care. She was too heartbroken over losing Christopher, the boy she'd loved for many years.

Maybe it would be best if she left the muggle world behind and stayed in the wizarding world for good.

A/N

I have no idea where this chapter came from. Honestly I had all intentions of keeping Nichole and Chris together- but as I wrote my brain took over and this was the result. But it makes sense- Nichole is still very young to make such a decision regarding a muggle and took a huge risk revealing herself to her friends. Still- it breaks my heart to do this, but it's done. Hope you enjoyed it! Next up- Draco and Hermione come out to the public!