Immortal Flame

Part Three: The Dragon and the Lioness

It took me a lifetime to find you…

Why did it take me a minute to lose you forever?

*~*~

Hermione sighed as she browsed the inside structure of the Oblivion. It was a seedy bar, hidden in the streets of Mangier, London due to its "explicit" displays of lust, violence and "affection". She didn't know why she kept on going to this place every night for the past six months even if she knew its reputation.

She had found the place when she misapparated once and out of curiosity, entered the bar and found a perfect sanctuary to outpour her feelings. Those feelings which had no place in the Daily Prophet.

She presumed it was the beer that kept her stuck. The beer that always made her forget about the pains she felt and how broken she was. Or maybe something else that she couldn't point out what.

She had even made friends here. But she didn't give them her real name; instead, she said her name was Anne for she knew that her reputation may be stained forever if she did give out her name like some freebie. The bartender, Mr. Smith never fails to concoct her a special free drink; the host of the show (if there was any), Jack always makes her laugh and Susan, the waitress amuses her of her adult yet bluntly-said stories.

Indeed, Oblivion is the place to be for someone like her who wants to forget and shy away from the world.

*~*~

Draco shook his head as he saw a bickering couple create a scandal at the doorway of Oblivion. It wasn't an odd scenario. In fact, a night never passes by without any scandalous scene like that at Oblivion bar. Once, a man was even shot by another man over some woman they both liked. And another time, a brawl had caused the bar 10,000 Euros but fortunately, the ones involved were responsible enough to pay the damage up. There's no space for mildness at Oblivion.

He entered the bar and he expected the non-greeting. Even if he had been a regular at Oblivion for four years now, he preferred being friendless. Except if you wanted to buy drugs from him, then you'd be friends. He had discovered Oblivion when one of his clients met with him here. He became attached to the place because no one cared about anyone in Oblivion. No one would ask you why you ordered for three dozen beers here. Everyone let everyone sulk with their own depressions and slay their own demons. He had never slain his, however.

He sat on the tall chair beside some bushy-haired lady and gestured one to Mr. Smith (the unexpected confidante he acquired over the rounds of whiskey he swigged), although he knew that the guy would automatically give him a glass of whiskey. Some of the waitresses here had been his bed companions and most of them were amazing. Still, the emptiness he felt was only fully satisfied years ago and he guessed-it will never be filled again.

Or so he thought.

"D-Draco?" asked the lady beside him.

"D-Draco? Is it really you?" she asked again.

Draco looked back at her with a surprised expression in his eyes but he replied, "H-Hermione?"

Hermione's heart fluttered with joy. "It is really you… God, I've looked for you everywhere for so long… and now, I've found you, finally…"

Draco couldn't believe his eyes. It was really Hermione. The same brown hair that never knew the meaning of "tamed", the same intelligent eyes, the same angelic face, the same slim frame… he wasn't seeing Hermione in the front page of Daily Prophet now, he was seeing her in the flesh and it made his heart soar.

"Hermione… I can't believe we saw each other again… I-I've waited for this moment to come… you don't know how much… oh, Hermione, I'm so glad, " he said breathlessly, the words never seeming to reach his lips right.

Hermione touched his cheek and he took that moment in, closing his eyes, caressing Hermione's hand. "I know, Draco. I feel the same," said Hermione.

When Draco opened his eyes, Hermione was gone. "Hermione? Hermione, where are you?" he stood up and like a crazy man, looked for Hermione feverishly. The attempt was futile however.

"Hermione?! Hermione!!!!" he yelled at the top of his lungs.

*~*~

"Draco, wake up. C'mon, get up… Bloody hell, wake up will you?" Mr. Smith shook Draco forcefully--he had tried to wake Draco up for the past three minutes-- yet the latter only moaned as protest.

"Stop moaning that name. You've got some work to do, boy." He said it louder this time and Draco finally woke up from his half-shout. Draco rubbed his eyes and furrowed his brows at Mr. Smith. The latter pointed a boy beside Draco instead.

Draco looked at the boy-a frail, pale adolescent-and drawled, "What do you want?"

The boy almost jumped from Draco's angry drawl and said, "I-I would like to buy some morphine from you. I heard you sell them at a considerable price."

Draco furrowed his brows again and looked at the boy-whom he noticed was wearing shabby clothes-from head to toe. He grunted, "Go home, boy. You can't even buy proper clothes what more can proper narcotics?"

The boy held Draco's arm and begged, "Please… I need it. I'll give you everything I have just give me what I want."

Draco squinted at him and pondered, What wonders drugs really do to man. And former wizards too.

He sighed and nodded, "Ok… we'll see. How much have you got?"

The boy hurriedly dug into his pockets and brought out all the money he had which was half the money Draco was expecting. The boy anxiously looked at him.

Fortunately, Draco was in his generous mood. He dug into his right pocket and gave a packet to the boy. "Now, scram." The boy fled gleefully, shouting countless thank-you's for Draco.

Draco shook his head and gestured another glass to Mr. Smith. The latter obliged. "You know, you were moaning that girl's name again."

Draco drank his glass and nodded. "I know. I expected that to happen. You know what I dreamt this time? I dreamt I saw her in this bar right now."

"Really? Why don't you just go reconcile with her? You've been telling me that for four freaking years, Dragon Boy. I'm tired of it honestly," Mr. Smith grunted.

Draco chuckled softly, "You know that it's not that easy, Mr. Smith."

"I know, Draco Malfoy. I've known that for four years that's why every night, I keep praying to God that someday, you'd wake and realize how stupid you are," Mr. Smith rolled is eyes.

Draco chuckled again, "You can thank the heavens now, Mr. Smith. I've known that since before I knew you."

"On to my next prayer then which is wishing that you would realize how you've wasted your time," Mr. Smith shook his head and Draco only continued his drinking. The former's mood suddenly changed when a lady sat beside Draco.

Mr. Smith greeted her cheerfully, "Anne, nice to see you here again."

"You know that I'm a loyal drinker of Oblivion's beer and of Mr. Smith," the lady quipped and Mr. Smith cackled.

Draco furrowed his brows, feeling as if he had heard that voice before. Out of curiosity, Draco turned his head to look at the lady and realized all his dreams had finally come true.

*~*~

A/N: sorry if my chaps are too short… I'm having a hard time making long chaps… thanks to my reviewers:

Novi- nice to see your review again! Hope I see it next time ^_^

Sam8- oh I get it now… I didn't really think of that before…nice insight… thanks for reviewing again ^_^

Thepotionmaster- eh di pinatay mo ako pag alang Draco jr. debah?