Cabs laid on their horns behind her, and the group of people that had been crossing against the light gestured rudely at them. The sudden busyness of London nearly toppled her over; so different from the countryside she had come from.

Her hands shook as she rubbed her face and tried to bring her breathing back under control. There had been two options in her head when she had arrived at the Burrow, a proposal or a breakup, and somehow she managed to tick off both. Either way, she thought, standing on the sidewalk out front of a beautiful modern building, she knew it would've ended the same.

The balmy air and the subtle smell of carnations wafting over from a flower vendor calmed her slightly. Closing her eyes, flashes of the scene she had just escaped from overwhelmed her and she snapped her eyes open.

"Oh Ronald," she said quietly, "why did you have to do that."

Walking along the paved and neatly landscaped walkway she pulled open one of the glass doors and stepped inside.

Hermione stopped in front of the call box and a part of her had begun to regret coming here. She didn't know his flat number, hell, she didn't even know if he would be home on a Friday night. He could be out with his pick of witches, not waiting around at home in case a broken down witch who just dumped her boyfriend and embarrassed him in front of his whole family came knocking.

She laughed despite herself, acknowledging how ridiculous she was being.

There was no sense in dragging him into this, no sense being here at all. No, she could always owl Luna or if she had to, she could rent a room at the Leaky Cauldron for a few days. The desperation that had clouded her judgement cleared enough for her to turn around.

She made it halfway down the walkway before she heard someone calling her name.

Stopping, she closed her eyes and wished she could melt into the ground. Instead, she turned around and plastered a sweet smile on her face. "Draco." was all she managed before she noticed the girl whose slender arm was looped through his.

"Granger… what're you doing here?" he asked, confusion written clearly on his face.

"Oh well… I was just going home… and I was in the area."

"Last time I checked, you live on the other side of the Thames. So what's the real reason for the impromptu stop?"

Hermione grit her teeth, "Just out for a walk… but please don't let me interrupt your date."

They stared at each other for a moment, his eyes narrowed as if trying to read the thoughts in her head.

Hermione blinked hard, trying to stop herself from crying again. She would figure out what she would do next once she was out of there, with some space and a clear head.

"Hila… I'm afraid something has come up, but my driver will take you home." Draco said softly to the tall wonderfully curvy woman on his arm. Her face screwed up and she glared at Hermione.

"Draco you aren't serious are you?"

He didn't even look at her as he said, "Quite serious actually. The black town car at the end there," he nodded, "it'll take you wherever you want to go."

Hila shook her head, wrenching her arm from him as if she had been burned. She grumbled and brushed past Hermione, eyes blazing.

If looks could kill, Hermione thought bemused.

Draco didn't watch her go, instead he offered his arm for her to take. Without a second thought she took his arm lightly and allowed herself to be escorted back towards the doors. They didn't speak as they passed through the front doors, waited for the elevator and made their way to the sixteenth floor.

"You didn't have to do that… down there I mean."

"Don't worry about Hila, my mother has tried setting us up twice before and I… more tactfully… declined her advances both times."

"I just… I shouldn't have come here tonight but I didn't know where else to go."

"What happened, Granger? In the four years I've worked with you, not once have you turned up at my doorstep."

Using his wand he unlocked the door and held it open for her. She ducked under his arm and stepped into the entryway of the large flat.

The walls were a deep forest green and each one hosted a wide archway leading into different rooms. A small console table sat near a small door —probably a closet— collecting anything and everything he tossed on it; and she shot him a pointed look.

"Granger I like the colour green, ok. It's got nothing to do with school."

She snorted but didn't push it. He was doing her a huge favor even letting her in, let alone cancelling his date for the night. The least she could do was not mock his choice of wallpaper.

He took off his shoes and passed her, walking through the archway opposite the front door. She quickly kicked off her flats and trailed after him, not wanting to lose him.

"This place is gorgeous," she said breathlessly as she walked towards the huge windows overlooking most of London.

From this high up she could make out most of the iconic sights and if she looked closely she could see the top of her building across the Thames. On the ground she hadn't realized he lived so close to the waterfront but up here she watched the lights reflecting off the still water.

He sauntered up to her, holding out a glass half full of an amber liquid. "Firewhiskey, I'm sure you're going to need it if you're going to tell me what happened."

She turned to look at him, but changed her mind and dropped her gaze, forcing her attention back to the windows.

"Ron proposed." She sighed.

"Isn't that a good thing? Shouldn't you be there celebrating and enjoying your newly engaged status?"

"If I said yes do you really think I'd be standing here in your apartment."

He laughed and turned, walking over to the couch and perching on the arm. Hermione followed him over and settled in on the far side, pulling one of the cushions over her legs.

"So you said no," he said stiffly, "why? I thought you loved him."

"I do love him but… I don't, not enough, not like that."

He nodded and took a sip of his drink. He kept his eyes trained on the kitchen as if there were something more important hiding in there.

"I knew it was coming I think… I should've known better… Ugh, why did I go there tonight."

She rubbed her temple and lifted her glass to her lips. The firewhiskey burned all the way down and she winced.

"Don't do that," he said roughly.

"Don't do what?"

"Don't make this your fault. If you don't love him like that then don't beat yourself up about it. It's done now, you can't unring that bell, just move on."

Hermione stared at the pillow in her lap, realizing —begrudgingly— that he was right. Even though guilt and shame rattled around in her bones, latching onto her, and flashing the sight of him reaching the clearing as she apparated away. An unexplainable lightness had washed over her, one she hadn't known in the four years they had dated.

"So that's why you're here?" He said, a small smirk creeping onto his face and she pulled herself out of her thoughts and looked at him.

"What?"

"You came here because you knew Weasley and Potter and god knows who else would be popping by your flat unannounced. You needed somewhere to lay low until this blew over."

His tone told her that it wasn't a question, he had already figured out why she was there and he was waiting for her to either admit it or lie. He had pulled his attention away from the kitchen now, and was watching her intently, waiting to see if she shifted or squirmed.

"Yes."

A blink was the only thing that told her she had surprised him.

"What?" she rolled her eyes, "did you expect me to lie to you… because I won't, you're right. I don't know if any of them will be coming by and I'd really really rather not deal with them for the next few days."

"Was that your plan all along? Turn down his proposal and show up on my door." he asked seriously but his eyes told her he was joking. "Because truly Granger, I'm flattered."

"Draco that isn't funny." She reached to put her glass down and a coaster flew to meet the bottom of it.

"I know… I'm sorry," he said, dropping his eyes and focusing on the swirling liquid in his own glass.

Hermione got up and pulled her hair from the bun that had grown tight on her scalp. She ran her hands through it and considered the mess she had gotten herself into.

She could practically see Ron turning up at her place, eyes glassy and rimmed red from crying. Her name on his lips would be soft, but his body language would be hard and unflinching. A clear contrast as he spoke aloud, telling her that she was making a mistake. Only, he wouldn't find her there.

Surely his anger would explode and she tried to keep herself from flinching.

How much of her flat would still be standing when he was done?

And Merlin… if he found her here. If anyone found her here.

"I was going to leave… tonight, when I got here." she turned to him again, "I wasn't thinking straight. I needed to go somewhere they wouldn't think to look but when I got here, it was like the fog was gone and I could see again. I was leaving when you came outside with…"

"Hila."

"Hila… I didn't mean to impose on you or put you in a situation like this…"

"Granger please," he drawled, pulling his wand from somewhere on his body and sending the glasses to the sink, "you being here is not imposing, we are partners for Merlin's sake."

"I know but…"

He cut her off, "you did a lot for me when I got hired on at the Ministry. Maybe it didn't seem like it to you but it helped, more than you know. I think I owe you at least one favor."

Hermione took a deep breath and pressed her fingers to her temples. "No one can know I'm here."

Draco laughed, "Noted. Do you really think i'd be stupid enough to tell anyone anyways? The last thing I need are Weasley and Potter, Aurors supreme, showing up at my office and dragging me away on death eater related suspicions."

"They wouldn't do that," she argued.

Draco leveled her a flat stare that told her he believed they would. "Either way, not a chance I'm taking. However you are more than welcome to stay until this blows over. If you'd like, I can even give you a tour."

For the first time all evening, a small laugh escaped her. "Please, by all means."

A wicked smirk graced his lips and he abandoned his perch, and led her towards one of the halls, "here you will find my bedroom in case you need anything at all."

Hermione groaned, "Ok Malfoy, let's get a move on, I doubt there is anything you can offer me."

He laughed and shook his head, "Maybe not right now but we'll see."

Turning away from his door Draco resumed his lead and momentarily she was grateful. Grateful that he was letting her stay, grateful that he wasn't asking the hard questions and grateful that he was clearly trying to keep her from crying again.

This wasn't how she had expected the night to go, but she could at least say she wasn't completely torn apart about it.

Maybe Draco was right, what's done is done and all she can do now is move on.