A/N: Just a quick interlude to show what Draco/Hermione have been up to before the full chapter release on Wednesday.

20 km outside of Liverpool

October 31, 2006

Hermione watched Draco sleep, his cheek pushed against the window and a slight rivulet of drool escaping his mouth. He seemed so - innocent. So far removed from the monsters that still haunted her memory from that campsite 17 years ago.

She resisted the urge to brush a strand of hair behind his ear, reminding herself once again why she couldn't trust him. But as they ventured from city to city - doubling back when one of them felt as though they were being followed - it grew more difficult to remember.

"Draco." She gently patted his shoulder. She watched his eyes scrunch and his shoulders adjust as he returned to consciousness.

"It's morning?" he asked with a yawn.

She nodded. "We should be in Liverpool in less than half an hour."

He righted himself, cracking his neck and blinking a few times. "I never thought I'd miss being in the middle of nowhere," he mumbled.

Hermione chuckled, nodding in agreement. "I always imagined when I returned to civilization it would be to go on holiday."

"You don't consider this a holiday?" he asked with a smirk. "We've certainly travelled a bit."

"Yes, that's true. Though I think I would prefer someplace warmer. Perhaps the south of France in the summer." Her gaze flitted out the window, where she looked out at the rising sun with a sense of longing.

She felt constantly tense, never able to actually relax, always looking over her shoulder. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Draco watching her, his gaze thoughtful.

"What?" she asked.

"Are you alright?" he asked, frowning slightly.

It was telling how long they'd spent solely in each other's company that he'd begun to pick up on such things. "I'm just stressed," she told him finally.

He nodded, raising his eyebrows. "I have something that might help."

He handed her a bag of licorice. She blinked, accepting the candy, a small smile forming on her face.

"They're my favorite," she mumbled, opening the bag and taking one out, savoring the sweet treat.

He shrugged. "Just swiped it in Derby."

She shook her head. "You know, we shouldn't shoplift unless absolutely necessary."

He seemed unbothered. "Well, I saw you eyeing those back in a shop in Aberdeen. You may say it's unnecessary, but I believe sweets can solve all problems." He dismissed her concerns, but he looked nervous regardless, eyeing her carefully.

The rational part of her mind wondered if he was up to something. But another part of her, the part that found comfort in his inadvertent touches and the way he'd press his hands against her shoulders when she was tense, wondered if his nerves indicated something else.

She shook her head, clearing her mind of the errant thought. "Well, that's very kind of you. But it's unethical to simply steal when it's not necessary."

"So then, how do you define when stealing is necessary?" He grabbed a licorice and popped it in his mouth.

She frowned; the line seemed obvious in her head, but she couldn't quite find the right words. "Well, to survive I guess. So right now, we need non-magical disguises and food to survive - so I don't see an issue with taking those things."

"Alright; but then according to that logic we should only be taking just enough food to survive, right? And with the clothes we should take only the cheapest clothes." He pointed out.

She chewed on the inside of her cheek. "I see your point; but regardless, candy clearly falls outside of what is necessary."

"Ah," he smirked, "but you need it. Perhaps your body doesn't, but maybe your soul needs something sweet every once in a while." As if to emphasize the point, he bit another piece of the candy, shutting his eyes and appearing to bask in the treat.

"But what if a person deems that for them to be okay, they need something more than a candy? Perhaps they need a car or a computer? Is stealing okay then?" She raised a single eyebrow.

He frowned. "So are people not provided such things automatically in the WEA?"

Hermione shook her head. "No. Things like a car are considered more of a luxury. We have social programs in place to help people who need food and housing. But for other things, a person must use their own funds. How is it with the Death Eaters?"

He shrugged. "We don't exactly have tons of luxury items to begin with, but most things are allocated to us."

She turned completely in her seat facing him. "That's fascinating. I guess you can do that, though, with such a small society." He had started blending in so well, she had moments where she would forget about where he came from. "This world must be so strange to you."

He gave her a slight smile. "It's interesting."

She narrowed her eyes. "Just interesting?" She tried to imagine how she would feel if she'd grown up in a small commune and suddenly experienced the broader world. She imagined words like "wonder" and "majesty" would cross her lips.

He shrugged, looking out the window. "I didn't really expect anything to be honest. We were only told everything outside of Hogsmeade is tainted by Muggles." He looked vulnerable in a way that reminded her of their first days together.

"So - what's the verdict then?" she asked.

"Hmm?" He frowned.

"What do you think of the WEA?" She was curious, continuing to imagine what it would be like to see so many people after being around the same small group his whole life.

He continued to look out the window, and Hermione fought the urge to grab his hand and force him to look at her. "It's big," he said finally and slowly turned towards her. "I guess it's much more civilized than I could have imagined."

"You expected us to have sticks and stones and to grunt at each other?" she suggested, chuckling at the mental image.

He shook his head. "Perhaps once upon a time. But once I met you, I guess I started expecting more." His lip quirked.

"Why, Draco Malfoy, are you complimenting me?" She couldn't help smiling at the thought.

He rolled his eyes. "I'm just saying you're quite intelligent. You set quite a high bar for the rest of the world." He was so aloof, his tone almost offensive, that it took a moment for her to process his words.

"Thanks. You're not too dumb yourself." She nudged him with her shoulder.

He shook his head, laughing slightly and an automated recording came through the speakers:

"Liverpool bus depot."

"That's us." Hermione stood, watching Draco grab their minimal belongings with ease and trying to remind herself once again why she shouldn't trust him.