Chapter 11 - "Love"ly

Draco sped by the streets of London in his sports car, slowing down once in a while to look outside the window. He finally got off and yanked open the car door.

"Hermione!" he called, gripping hold of the brunette's arm. "Where have you been? I'm really sorry..." Draco trailed off.

The brunette was not Hermione. In fact, she was too short to be her.

"S-sorry," he stammered. She gave him a look that suggested he was loony and walked off in a huff.

Draco was desperate. He had been cruising around town since last night. He hadn't even slept a wink, knowing Hermione was out there, still furious with him. He was nervous at the prospect of seeing a bad-tempered Hermione but he was even more afraid of losing Hermione. Thus the searching began.

He knew she was still in London. She said she would not be at the airport or the tube. That was a clue, as small as it was. Hermione wouldn't use magic in front of her mother, therefore she could not have flown by broomstick or traveled by Floo powder.

Have you found her? Harry's annoying voice weaved around his mind to make sure he was heard. It seemed their Thoughts Potion lasted longer than it should have been. It was supposed to be over by the time they rescued Hermione's mother. Indeed, they had added too much ingredients and now their minds were opened to each other, until they died, as much as they hated it.

No, Draco answered irritably. He impatiently pushed back a lock of blonde hair that fell into his eyes and surveyed the surroundings carefully. He felt slightly stupid. Who would be up at seven in the morning? If things were normal, he would most certainly be snoring blissfully in his four-poster bed.

Hang on. He stared. Is that-?

A brunette with longish brown curls was walking along the road. She slowed down and finally paused, to glance around her.

"Hermione!" Draco shouted and sprang across the road to get to Hermione. Unfortunately, he did not succeed. A car drove on, after honking at him, and blocked his way - and view.

She disappeared. Hermione was gone.

Draco crossed the road and looked up and down the streets frantically. She couldn't have Apparate. She was there - a second ago... There was not a sign of the brunette with curls. It was almost as if she had vanished.

He felt defeated. Sure, he killed off the Dark Lord and got the stupid tattoo (Dark Mark) off him but he could not even handle his own love life. No doubt he's a mess.

Or so he's been told later.

"You're a mess," Harry finally said, eyeing the tousled-haired blonde in ruffled clothes. The usual air of mystery and danger the bad boy had was gone. Draco simply looked... stumped.

They were in Blue Swirls Café, having coffee and toast. Harry had offered to keep Draco company since he himself could not go back to sleep. Draco, upset having lost Hermione because of a stupid car, absentmindedly agreed.

"I know," Draco muttered in reply. He sighed and buried his head into his hands. "I saw her," he said, his voice muffled. "But then I lost her."

"She will turn up," Harry consoled. He stirred his mug of coffee and looked outside the café. It seemed only yesterday that Draco, Harry, Ginny and Hermione were here for breakfast. A sudden thought came into his mind. "Hey, Malfoy. I popped the question."

"What question?"

Harry was unable to suppress his grin. "I asked Gin to marry me."

A ghost of a smile flitted on Draco's lips as he looked up wearily. "Congratulations," he replied. He truly meant his words. "How did it go?"

Harry held up his hand. His third finger wore a plain gold ring with carvings on it. It said "Till death do us apart".

"Very romantic inscription," Draco commented dryly, raising his right eyebrow. He sighed again. A month ago, he was boasting to Harry about his engagement with Hermione. And then he lost it, just when the normally reserved Harry asked Ginny to marry him.

A certain woman outside the café caught his attention. He averted his eyes from Harry's ring and concentrated on the woman, who looked around late fifties, talking to a blonde around Draco's age. She was surprisingly familiar.

"Isn't that Hermione's mother?" Harry asked the same question that had been swarming in Draco's head. Both of them stood up with amazingly alike timing and walked towards the door as quickly as their legs could carry them without actually running.

"Mrs. - Allen," Draco called out.

The older woman turned and her smile faded when she saw Draco and Harry. She quickly whipped her head back and started talking to the blonde in a brisk manner. Before Draco knew it, the women were running away from them.

Draco, of course, could not let that happen. Being fit by jogging with Hermione all summer, he caught up with them in a matter of minutes. Harry was lagging behind though.

"Mrs. Al-" Draco started.

"Pulcheria," she interrupted coolly. She glared at Draco, then at his hand, which was gripping her arm. Draco immediately got the message and let go.

"Pulcheria," he repeated awkwardly. "Please, where is Hermione?"

"I don't know," she replied stiffly. He could see she wasn't a very good liar.

Obviously the other blonde had noticed as well. "Hermione's out of the country."

If Draco wasn't in love with Hermione, he might have chased after this girl instead. Her voice was melodious and sweet. She did not look too shabby either. Draco was strongly reminded of a Veela.

"I'm sorry," Draco said, looming over the two women who were cowering in fright. "I thought I heard something. What was it?"

He could be really intimidating if he put his mind to it.

The two women said nothing. They each took a couple of steps back.

Draco was so desperate he started begging. "Please," he said. "I really need to apologise to her. I-I don't know if I can live without her-"

The younger woman gave a sob. "Oh, Auntie," she sniffed. "Can't we tell him? He sounds really sincere..."

The firm look on Pulcheria seemed to have withered as well. She looked touched by Draco's words.

"She's in the hotel downtown. Level fifteen, room sixty-two."

Draco could not bother driving over. If someone had told the younger, schooling him that he would be living in the Muggle world in the future using legs to get about his destination, he would have knocked the person flat.

He ignored Harry's yells from behind as he raced down the streets. I'm coming, 'Mione. Just wait. Draco skidded to a halt when he reached room sixty-two.

He would never forget the look of astonishment on Hermione's face. Her next look was even more priceless when he finally spoke.

"Will you forgive me?" he murmured. "And give me, and us, a chance?"

][ A u t h o r 's N o t e ][

In the next chapter... I can't say what's in the next chapter. Supposed to be mysterious and all that, but I can tell you it's the epilogue. Which means, the END! *cheers*

* To be updated next week. I'm starting school, so guess I'll update on next friday.