Chapter-7: Something's missing

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter but I hope someday I'll.

When Hermione woke up this morning, she felt odd like something was missing but she didn't know what was missing. Everything was going perfectly. She had recovered much and she was normal again. She still had nightmares about the war and the 'incident' but the nightmares had lessened somewhat a little. Today was a weekend, so she was home with no plans for doing anything or meeting anyone. There was hollow a feeling that she didn't know why it was there.

Something was missing...

It's been a month and half after the day Draco mistakenly called Hermione. They'd become friend over the time they spent talking to each other. They talked almost everyday or with a day break at most. The less time the lesson occupies, the more time was spent into knowing one another. And by the end of the week, they got to know each other more than they ever know about the other during their seven years of studying together at Hogwarts.

Hermione learned that Drake Maguise was at Hogwarts the same as her. And he was in Slytherin. She didn't remember him but she didn't know half the Slytherins that went with her. She just didn't pay enough attention to them. She didn't think that she needed to know all her fellow Slytherins but now she clearly regretted not knowing. She also learned that he played a role in the war but he was in the opposite side of the war as rest of the Slytherins of their year. He said that he very much regretted his decision of becoming a death eater but he had family responsibilities as his father was in Azkaban then and he was the only one to protect his mother against the Dark Lord.

And then he changed the topic and Hermione understood that it was a sore topic for him and never again brought it up. She knew that his favourite colour was blue which was the colour of his mother's eyes. He preferred Italian food to others even though he liked to eat every food that tasted good. His best friend was the sole reason to his liking to Italian food. Hermione found that she liked talking to him. It was pretty hard to find a man with whom you could starts conversation with and continue without even feeling bored or a man who can talk about everything that didn't include Quidditch in every sentence. Hermione learned that Drake loved Quidditch and was once a Seeker. And even though he couldn't understand her dislike for Quidditch, he never bored her with Quidditch talks like Harry and Ron seemed to do every time the three of them would meet up. And it seemed as if there was no one who could hold a decent conversation with her except for Kingsley, as it was. Most of the people in her department were complete morons and the rest of them were simply arrogant. Drake, on the other hand, was someone who can talk with whatever topic he was given. He actually know how to talk to people and always have those witty comebacks that she actually enjoys talking to him.

Above all, she found that they had more in common than not. Drake like reading and spent most of his free time reading like Hermione did. They both had a passion for Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. Even though they both favored different subjects. Hermione's favourite was Charms and Drake's favourite was Potions. They both were fluent in a foreign language. Hermione in French and Drake in Italian. He always liked to be prepared for everything as like Hermione. Hermione hated kidney pie as did Drake. She preferred winter to summer because she likes snow. She found that he also likes winter.

Hermione never thought she could find another person who match her likes and dislikes as much as he did.

Hermione sighed. She'd been thinking a lot about him lately. When she was at work she would sometimes looked up at the clock that was set on the wall in front of her desk to see what time it was. She would get anxious after she got home from work as she waited for his call. And she knew that the relief and happiness she felt when he actually called was not something that normally happens to a girl who believed to be friends with the said person. She might have started to fancy him a bit. No. She knew she fancied him a bit.

Hermione knew it was too early to fancy a person after knowing him for a month and half only. Yes. He seemed like a decent bloke but she didn't know him long enough to actually start fancying him. That was illogical at best. And Hermione Granger was not known for her irrationality. And Merlin, she hadn't even seen him yet. He might not what he said he is. He was a Slytherin, for all she knew. But Hermione also knew not to judge someone based on which house they resided in. So she wouldn't judge him so fast.

Hermione shook herself out other reverie and looked at the clock on the bedside table. She spent the whole day curled up in her comfortable couch and read books though her mind was elsewhere. It was well past twelve now and he even had to make a call that he obviously forgot to make. Again. But he never forgot to call her. Maybe he worked late and was tired now and forgot to call her. Maybe she should've called him. However, she couldn't make herself move to make a call to him. It was his duty to call her, not hers. Hermione knew she was being irrational now. But she could care less about that. She was feeling too anxious and worried about him to care now. Whatever she said to herself, she couldn't deny that she cared for him.

Suddenly, she again felt like something was missing...

She don't know why but it felt like it.

It has became a habit of theirs to talk to each other before they went to sleep. They would talk until it was two am and then reluctantly hung up because both of the had work the next day. On weekends they would talk until four am and the they would spent most the afternoon talking if they didn't have any plans. Drake would usually call her at eleven thirty and sometimes early if became home from work early. Up until now Drake didn't missed any day if he didn't have something important up to do. But that was only about one day or at most two days. But it's been five days since the last time she talked to him. And she was so bloody worried about him. Even when he forgot to call her or give her a message saying they couldn't talk tonight, the he would send her a sorry message the next day. But it never had been so long.

Hermione knew she was again being irrational but she couldn't help but worry. What if he's in some kind of trouble? What if he needs help?

This is silly. He is okay. I'm just a little worried, is all. It's not like him to close off all contacts with me. But it's not like I know him better. I'm just acquainted to him for a little over one month and half.

Hermione sighed for the hundred time that day. Hermione was pleasantly surprised to know that Drake wasn't like the other Slytherins she came to know during Hogwarts days. His views were different or had changed after the war like what happened to Blaise and a few others.

After the war, Blaise being the neutral party in the war participated in the implementation of the law for the eradication of blood purity nonsense from the society. He was the first pure blood to accept the law without any fuss. He also joined the Aurors then with Harry.

Hermione again looked at the clock. It was 1:30 am. She better get some sleep if he's not gonna call. Hermione closed the book she was pretending to read and placed it on the nightstand before lying down and pulling the covers up to her chin.

As she closed her eyes, their last conversation played in her mind.

"Hey, Drake, what do you think about muggles?" This was something that had been bugging Hermione for quite sometime now.

"Honestly, I don't think that the muggles are that much different from us. Really, the only difference is that we can use magic and they can't. Even then they have their technologies to replace magic."

"So you really don't think of me as someone beneath you?"

"Merlin, no. I've been talking to you for nearly two months but you still think I'm an arrogant bastard, don't you? Drake said with a little hurt in his voice.

"No no...Definitely not. I..I didn't mean say like that. Umm...Just forget that I ever said that. Sorry I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

"It's okay. I know you don't want to hurt me because you think I'm awesome, don't you?" Hermione could literally hear the smirk in his prideful voice and rolled her eyes.

"Talk about arrogant," she replied with a smirk of her own.

"Hey..." He said with mock hurt. Hermione laughed out loudly. After a moment later, he started laughing with her.

Hermione closed her eyes hearing his laugh as she fell asleep. Her last thought before drowning in her dreams was that...

This was what she was missing.

Another chapter done.

I called Draco here as Drake as this is Hermione's point of view. Hermione knows Draco as Drake. So I portrayed Draco as Drake here in this entire chapter. Same will happen in case of Draco's point of view until they know about there true identity.

I hope this will answer if anyone is curious.

I hope you all enjoy and review.

Until next chapter...