Our apologies go out to everyone who's been following the story. No, the
story isn't finished yet, and yes, there's a lot more on the way :) We've
done a lot of backup writing, drafts and plans, I just haven't had the
chance to update much. Thanks again for supporting our story!
*****
The day passed by rather quickly. Too anxious to sleep, yet too tired to do much, Hermione and Draco passed the time by Hermione explaining some things about the Muggle world to a befuddled Draco. At around eight in the evening, Hermione went to the fridge and pulled out two silver trays. She placed them on the kitchen counter and got some forks from the drawer, not noticing Draco's confusion.
"What is this?" Draco poked the TV dinner in front of him with his wand.
Hermione laughed.
"It's a TV dinner. I need to nuke it in the microwave."
"What's a-" He was cut off by Hermione pointing at the microwave next to the kitchen sink. As Draco poked and prodded it, Hermione went to her bedroom, which she had tried to avoid during the day. Everything in the room brought back memories of her life before Hogwarts. A glance at a picture on her bedside stand brought misty tears to her eyes. A five year- old version of her, one hand each held on to my her parents. A time when nothing couldn't be solved by a hug and a bandaid. A time when there were no big ugly evil people wanting nothing more than to see her dead. There were soft footsteps from the door.
"Hermione, are you okay?" Draco came over and wrapped his arms around her.
"We can't stay here Draco. They'll find us. We have to go somwhere else."
"What, like a cheap motel or something?" He grinned at her. "I'm not completely daft when it comes to the muggle world you know."
"Draco, I'm serious. Maybe we do need to a motel in the middle of anywhere. At least we'd be harder to find there."
Draco's eyes took on a tender look of love and concern. His fingers gently held Hermione's chin and tilted her face towards him.
"I have never, ever, felt loved...not truely." He hugged her fiercely. "Not until I met you. And nothing will ever come between us. I won't let anyone ever take you from me."
Hermione realised that right then and there, in Draco's arms, she felt safe. She had half a mind to say "bugger it!" to everything, settle where they were, and stay forever with Draco, wrapped in the perfect moment of happiness. But the ugly truth of reality came back, and she pulled reluctantly away from him with a sigh.
*
They arrived in Soho district around eleven. They'd shrunken their brooms to fit in their bags and enchanted their trunks to look like normal luggage. Their wands, however, were tucked away safely in their pockets.
The man at the counter of the motel grinned nastily at them
"A young couple...newly weds eh?"
Hermione looked horrified, and let out a small sound of protest. Draco smirked and whispered into her ear.
"Come on Mione, I can't be that bad can I?"
Hermione blushed furiously and swatted Draco. She all but ripped the keys out of the man's hand.
*
After walking up what seemed like hundred of narrow stairs, they finally reached room 47.
"Finally!" breathed Draco in relief. "I've never climbed so many stairs in my life!"
Hermione laughed.
"There's more in Hogwarts!"
"I know," he sighed, "It's just that I'm so tired."
"Right, same here." She replied as she unlocked the door. They walked in to a three room apartment. The living area and the kitchen were connected, and there was also a bedroom and a small bathroom
"That's it!" Draco said loudly suddenly. "I'm going to bed!" The threw his luggage across the room and slumped down on the couch. Within minutes, he had fallen into a deep sleep. Well, he has the right to, Hermione thought, placing her bag next to Draco's. She wanted nothing more than to curl up in a soft warm bed. After watching Draco for a few minutes, she left his still form and went into the bedroom, where she collapsed in bed, utterly exhausted.
*
About 5'am, Draco woke up, yawning and rubbing his eyes. Stretching his arms, he went into the kitchen to get a glass of water. As the cool liquid slid down his throat, he heard a soft rustling of sheets from the bedroom. Draco stepped into the room and found Hermione tossing and turning fitfully in her sleep, the sheets around tangled and twisted. After placing the covers back on her, Draco sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed. He lovingly brushed a strand of hair off her face, and kissed her cheek softly. Leaning against the bed's headboard, he closed his eyes. He had intended on merely resting his eyes, but seconds later, he fell asleep.
*****
The day passed by rather quickly. Too anxious to sleep, yet too tired to do much, Hermione and Draco passed the time by Hermione explaining some things about the Muggle world to a befuddled Draco. At around eight in the evening, Hermione went to the fridge and pulled out two silver trays. She placed them on the kitchen counter and got some forks from the drawer, not noticing Draco's confusion.
"What is this?" Draco poked the TV dinner in front of him with his wand.
Hermione laughed.
"It's a TV dinner. I need to nuke it in the microwave."
"What's a-" He was cut off by Hermione pointing at the microwave next to the kitchen sink. As Draco poked and prodded it, Hermione went to her bedroom, which she had tried to avoid during the day. Everything in the room brought back memories of her life before Hogwarts. A glance at a picture on her bedside stand brought misty tears to her eyes. A five year- old version of her, one hand each held on to my her parents. A time when nothing couldn't be solved by a hug and a bandaid. A time when there were no big ugly evil people wanting nothing more than to see her dead. There were soft footsteps from the door.
"Hermione, are you okay?" Draco came over and wrapped his arms around her.
"We can't stay here Draco. They'll find us. We have to go somwhere else."
"What, like a cheap motel or something?" He grinned at her. "I'm not completely daft when it comes to the muggle world you know."
"Draco, I'm serious. Maybe we do need to a motel in the middle of anywhere. At least we'd be harder to find there."
Draco's eyes took on a tender look of love and concern. His fingers gently held Hermione's chin and tilted her face towards him.
"I have never, ever, felt loved...not truely." He hugged her fiercely. "Not until I met you. And nothing will ever come between us. I won't let anyone ever take you from me."
Hermione realised that right then and there, in Draco's arms, she felt safe. She had half a mind to say "bugger it!" to everything, settle where they were, and stay forever with Draco, wrapped in the perfect moment of happiness. But the ugly truth of reality came back, and she pulled reluctantly away from him with a sigh.
*
They arrived in Soho district around eleven. They'd shrunken their brooms to fit in their bags and enchanted their trunks to look like normal luggage. Their wands, however, were tucked away safely in their pockets.
The man at the counter of the motel grinned nastily at them
"A young couple...newly weds eh?"
Hermione looked horrified, and let out a small sound of protest. Draco smirked and whispered into her ear.
"Come on Mione, I can't be that bad can I?"
Hermione blushed furiously and swatted Draco. She all but ripped the keys out of the man's hand.
*
After walking up what seemed like hundred of narrow stairs, they finally reached room 47.
"Finally!" breathed Draco in relief. "I've never climbed so many stairs in my life!"
Hermione laughed.
"There's more in Hogwarts!"
"I know," he sighed, "It's just that I'm so tired."
"Right, same here." She replied as she unlocked the door. They walked in to a three room apartment. The living area and the kitchen were connected, and there was also a bedroom and a small bathroom
"That's it!" Draco said loudly suddenly. "I'm going to bed!" The threw his luggage across the room and slumped down on the couch. Within minutes, he had fallen into a deep sleep. Well, he has the right to, Hermione thought, placing her bag next to Draco's. She wanted nothing more than to curl up in a soft warm bed. After watching Draco for a few minutes, she left his still form and went into the bedroom, where she collapsed in bed, utterly exhausted.
*
About 5'am, Draco woke up, yawning and rubbing his eyes. Stretching his arms, he went into the kitchen to get a glass of water. As the cool liquid slid down his throat, he heard a soft rustling of sheets from the bedroom. Draco stepped into the room and found Hermione tossing and turning fitfully in her sleep, the sheets around tangled and twisted. After placing the covers back on her, Draco sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed. He lovingly brushed a strand of hair off her face, and kissed her cheek softly. Leaning against the bed's headboard, he closed his eyes. He had intended on merely resting his eyes, but seconds later, he fell asleep.