"I saw that my life was a vast glowing empty page and I could do anything I wanted."

-Jack Kerouac

When Draco got home from his afternoon with Hermione, he found the apartment empty. Emily must still be with her Mother he thought as he walked into the kitchen and rummaged around for his bottle of Fire Whiskey to pour himself a glass. The one thing America didn't have was good Whiskey, the stuff they tried to pass off as top shelf was a horrible excuse for alcohol. Not being able to go without a decent glass of Ogden's was too much to bear so he started to have it delivered. Emily thought he was crazy, but she obviously didn't understand.

He took his glass and walked over to the large window off the sitting room and looked out over the city as the sun started to set and tried to keep the guilt from taking over. He still had so many secrets he kept, from Emily and from Hermione, from his mother and from the few friends he still had back home. No one knew who he truly was, only Hermione and there were things he still hadn't told her. Turning Henry off the first time had been easy, Hermione had been so certain in her choice which only broke his heart more, turning him off had turned the grief off. This time though it hadn't been that easy. Hermione's sudden appearance had awoken Henry yet again, something he hadn't been prepared for. He hadn't been ready to be bombarded with all those feelings once more. Not when he had been so uncertain about his true feelings for Emily. He hadn't lied to Hermione when he had told her that he loved his fiancé, he did. It wasn't the same though, he knew what true passion felt like, he knew what the fire someone else ignited in you felt like. Emily was passionate, and she was caring and loving all the things any man could hope to find, she could make Draco happy and she did but if there was a chance…

He had been able to tell that Hermione was unsure of her first decision to keep him at arm's length, he could spot a lonely person a mile away because at one time that had been him, and given their connection it was easy to see it in her. The part of him that was Henry was hoping that she had changed her mind, but she hadn't and he would be lying if he said that didn't feel like rejection all over again. The hurt he had felt before he had shown her how to turn them off only lead to the guilt he felt now.

Something he hadn't told Hermione when he had shown her the way was the eventual feeling of not feeling whole. She had been right to be scared, Henry and Helena were so very much a part of who they were, even if they were separate. She wouldn't feel it right away but with time she would, and she would know that he had held this simple truth from her, along with some many others. Emily deserved someone whole, someone who didn't have such a past, someone who was willing to share all of themselves with her. Someone like Finn. Hermione though had captured the poor man so similarly to the way he had captured Emily, and he was afraid that the poor guy didn't stand a chance. How could he, not when he knew what Finn was up against.

When he was able to put what Henry felt to the side and look at Hermione for who she was outside of Helena it was a wonder every man on this earth didn't fall at her feet. She was strong, and brilliant, and beautiful in a way that wasn't so obvious but breath taking all the same. The guilt took root, as he stood at the window and watched the busy city below, he loved Emily that he was sure of, more sure of than he was of most things. There was something else there and he couldn't put his finger on it just yet.

…..

Hermione's Sunday afternoon in the park was something to behold for sure. For the first time, she had been able to feel like she was getting to know him. She had long believed that she already knew the man, and she did. She knew Henry, but she didn't know Draco, and it was nice to spend the afternoon getting to know him better. Seeing the man that was carefully hidden behind the mask that rest of world got to see.

He had come to America as soon as he was allowed to leave England. Of course, he had to get through some red tape to be allowed to stay but had managed to prove he meant no harm to the American's. Once he had he started working on his company, and he had been able to build a rather solid business all thing considered. He supplied potions to all the major hospitals in North and South America. He employed over 100 staff, 50 of them were potion brewers. He was working on starting up a division for experimental potions, not everything was curable, and he wanted to change that. He had been in negotiations with MACUSA and the top two hospitals for months. It was his hopes that by the end of the year they would be able to launch the program.

When she had asked why he hadn't moved into the European market, he shrugged "I think my last name would hinder any good I might be able to do there." It was a shame he felt that way, she knew for a fact St. Mungo's had a hard time keeping up their supply of even the most common of potions. There wasn't enough potion brewers and no good company to be able to outsource too.

"Why not under a different name? They don't have to know it's you."

"And what happens when people figure out it is me?"

"Its just something to think really think about Draco," not wanting to make him uncomfortable she dropped the subject but promised herself she would talk to Kingsley about this in more detail.

He told her more about his relationship with Emily Chamberlin, how they had meet, and even how he had managed to propose to the witch. It seemed that he and Finn had been rather good friends for some time, having met through Emily. He didn't seem to worry about their past relationship. "Not many people end up with the person they dated in school." He had said to her question. Harry and Ginny did, so had Author and Molly. She didn't say this, he obviously knew the two better than she.

He admitted his reluctance to set a date was because of his past. He still had a hard time understanding how someone in Emily 's position could be so understanding to his checkered past.

Yes, she had learned a lot more about Draco Malfoy that afternoon, he was even a gentleman and asked that she allow him to walk her home. "I know you can take care of yourself, but it's a big city and you are still new here." She assured him it was not necessary but had allowed him to do it all the same.

"Do you have a cellphone?" He asked before he turned to leave when they had made it back her building unscathed.

"Yes."

He pulled a business card from his pocket. "It was nice getting to know you today, it's been a long time since someone from back home was here. Call me, if you ever want to get together. I promise I'll stop just showing up. Balls in your court." She took it with a small smile.

"Ok, I will." She said before watching him go.

When she got upstairs to her apartment, she had a package waiting for her. Inside was a bouquet of Lilly's with a card, the neat handwriting was familiar, it was Finn

Seeing as I have already had dinner, how about a coffee? I don't think I can wait till tomorrow morning to see you. Just scribble your answer on the back, it will send it straight to me.

Finn.

She smiled to herself, and quickly flipped it over to write yes.

...

That week flew by, between working on all the different proposals for the upcoming exchange programs and getting more Wizarding countries on board. Time seemed to just slip by. It didn't hurt that she had been able to spend almost every waking moment with Finn. In the morning they would meet for coffee before heading to the Woolworth building, they had lunch together every day expect for Wednesday whenever she slipped out to see Draco. And dined with Finn most nights before calling it a good evening.

Ginny had been thrilled whenever she called to fill her in on her new life in New York. The redhead couldn't wait to come to New York the following week with Harry to meet this mysterious man for herself.

It was Thursday which meant it was time for the two of them to head to Canada to meet with Minister Moore about the new Auror Army. Seeing as they were traveling aboard, they had to take a port key. Finn had agreed to meet Hermione at her apartment, so they could leave from there. The port Key would take them directly to the Canadian Wizarding headquarters. They were to meet with Minister Moore all day before retiring to the hotel Thomas had secured for them, Friday they would either be heading home or heading back into negotiations with the Canadians.

"Are you ready to go?" Finn asked when he walked into the door. He had become very familiar with her small apartment in the last week, most nights they had grabbed takeaway and brought it back here to eat.

"Yes." She said picking up her small overnight bag. Finn pulled out a small mirror and held it out to her, the moment she touched it she felt the familiar pool behind her navel.

Over the years she had learned to land more gracefully than her first experience at the Quidditch World Cup. Once they were both back on firm footing Finn pocketed the mirror and head towards the welcome desk. An annoyed looking wizard sat behind the desk "Finn Bishop and Hermione Granger, here to see Minister Moore."

"Take the lifts, his office on level five." The wizard said slipping them both visitor's badges. Taking the badges, they did as they were told. Finn lead the way seeing as he had been here on many occasions for various reasons. After having to wait for thirty minutes they were greeted by an aging wizard with a bald head. Hermione knew from her conversations with Kingsley that minister Moore was an old man set in his ways. He was of the opinion that everyone should be on their own. Even for years refusing to help a fellow country who had found themselves in a sticky situation.

"Come in, I do hope you didn't have to wait to long." Moore said as he ushered them over to the small couch. "My morning meeting ran a tad longer than planned."

"Not long." Hermione said lying.

"Great." He clapped his hand together "So down to business." He sat down opposite them in a large wing backed chair.

"Right. Have you had the opportunity to look over the information sent to you by my assistant?" Finn asked pulling the file concerning the new initiative from his bag and placing it on the table between them all.

"Briefly, I am a very busy man as you both should know." There was a bit of snark in his tone and Hermione could feel her anxiety rise. "You both serve your government loyally; you know that so much of a leader's day is taken up by the problems our individual communities are facing."

"Yes, and we are grateful you were able to find time in what I am sure is a very busy schedule to meet with us." Hermione said plastering a smile to her face. She was going to need all her years of experience to get through this meeting.

"So, tell me more about this proposed initiative," Moore said making himself comfortable in his arm chair.

"We want to form a wizards army." Finn said getting to the bottom line. "It is the feeling of many, that an army would beneficial if the time ever arrives that a country is faced with a dark wizard. Britain received no help from their allies during their last great Wizarding war. We want to change that."

"I see, and how would we Canadians fit into all of this?"

"By participating, sending Auror's if the times comes that the army is called upon." She had a feeling he knew this already. Moore was a lot of things, but he was never unprepared.

"So, you want us to send Auror's to fight potential dark wizards, even if the struggle does not concern Canadians directly?"

"I think we can all agree that a dark wizard could directly affect all of us." Hermione said, trying to keep her clipped tone under control. "When Lord Voldemort rose to power for the second time, we were dangerously close to catching the attention of the muggles."

"Yes, but that was in the United Kingdom. Not here, being an Auror is a dangerous job, how can I ask my own people to fight for a cause that won't affect them in the long term."

"If we are exposed it will affect all of us sir." It was Finn who tried to be the voice of reason. "The Canadian witch's and wizards only migrated here after the Salem witch trails. It was their fear of Persecution that led them here. Do you honestly think that just because a wizard is found out on the other side of the world that it won't affect you here? As it is the only reason our world is still a secret is because the No-Maj's find it easier to dismiss the things they cannot explain as superstition. To them the idea of magic really existing is too terrifying for them to even entertain."

Much of the day went on the same way. He would give a reason as to why he shouldn't agree to such a measure, and they would prove his point to be invalid. It had taken all day, but in the end though he agreed to bring the Canadians to the table for negotiations at the next conference, but he made no promises to officially sign onto the project. Hermione hoped that once he was there at the conference, the other leaders would push him till he signed on the dotted line.

By the time they left, they were both exhausted mentally, and starving. They had worked through lunch, just to keep the man talking. Since Finn was more familiar with the area having come on business before he led them to an amazing little bistro not far from their hotel.

"Keep the wine coming." He had told the waiter after he had taken their order.

"Well at least we don't have to go back tomorrow and listen to more of that buffoons' ridiculous excuses." Hermione said which earned her a chuckle from Finn.

"I can drink to that." He said raising his glass in the air before taking a long sip.

"Really the nerve of that man, to call my Ministry inept, I would love to see what he would do if put in the same situation."

"You know I met Fudge once, I was done with school before the war broke out and already working for MACUSA." He looked thought fully.

"That was a brilliant Segway." Hermione laughed.

"Well you have to admit that he was a bit inept." Finn said with an apologetic look on his face. He clearly didn't want to start over something like this.

"Yes, I can. But you always must understand what it was like. Before Voldemort came back to power most people who thought he was dead still feared even saying his name. To think that he was back and rising to power once more, well a lot of people didn't want to believe it."

"That year on the run, what was it like?" in the time that they had spent over the last week getting to know one another, he hadn't asked this. She could tell by some of their conversation's that he had wanted to but hadn't gotten the courage to.

Hermione thought a moment trying to put into words just what they had went through. "We were three teenagers barely of legal age, on the run from the ministry of magic, the very people that were meant to protect us. It was terrifying even at the best of times. We feared being discovered before we could finish what we had started out to do. We nearly were once, you know it was Malfoy who had saved us that night."

"He doesn't talk about his past." Finn said.

"I would imagine it's a time in his life he is proud of." She knew this of course; they had touched on the subject over coffee.

Her phone buzzed startling her for a moment. "Sorry." She said pulling it out she saw it was a message from Draco 'congratulations M said you managed to convince the old tosser.' She smiled and typed back a quickly reply. 'Still on for lunch on Sunday?' a few seconds later she had his reply 'yes, coffee tomorrow when you get back?' 'Yes' was her quick reply.

She put her phone away, knowing how annoyed she got when Harry or Ginny did this to her while they were out. "Sorry." She said again. "Where were?"

"No problem, who was it?" his curiosity rubbed her the wrong way for some reason, and she couldn't really put a finger on why exactly that was.

"Harry. Confirming details for his trip," she wasn't sure what made her lie, but something kept her from telling the truth, it was probably the same reason she was annoyed with his curiosity.

"I really can't wait to meet him." Finn said excitedly. Hermione smiled and tried to squash her annoyance and the guilt over her lie. The wine helped; the waiter had done what he had been instructed to do and had kept the wine flowing all evening. Seeing as they had both had too much to drink, they walked the few blocks back to the hotel. When they reached the door to her hotel room, he leaned down to kiss her, it wasn't the slow sweet kisses they had shared all week, this was full of passion and hunger. It ignited a fire within her she thought she might never feel again. Had she been in a more sober state of mind she might not have utter the last words they would speak aloud all night, but she wasn't, and she was tossing caution into the wind "why don't you come in for a while." He did, but they didn't do a whole lot of talking. In fact words didn't seem to matter anymore.