Disclaimer: Own nothing, am paid nothing, don't sue.
By the way, I realise that this story is jumping around in time a bit. Sorry but it's necessary.
Coffee BeansConsidering he'd always thought her a ditz, Draco was surprised to see Lavender Brown's name on Dumbledore's original list. He was even more surprised to discover she owned her own booming business.
'Coffee Beans' seemed to be modelled on 'Central Perk' from the Muggle TV show 'Friends' Draco had once seen. The coffee shop looked warm, friendly, inviting, and seemed to have, even from the outside, a relaxed feel to it. Draco knew quite a bit about 'Coffee Beans'. According to the Muggles he'd overheard talking about it, it was extremely popular with the twenty-somethings of Central London. According to the Muggles he'd overheard talking, the owner of the famous 'Coffee Beans' was none other than a curly-haired Lavender Brown fitting the description of the Miss Brown Draco hadn't liked very much during his youth.
Bearing his 'word-of-mouth' information in mind, the youngest Malfoy had apparated into Central London from his mother's Gloucestershire manor at 6pm on Christmas day. He wanted to find out if the curly-haired Lavender Brown of 'Coffee Beans' was the same curly-haired Lavender Brown of Hogwarts class of 1998.
Under an Invisibility Cloak in the four inches of snow lying on the ground, Draco Malfoy stared through the large glass windows of 'Coffee Beans' into the large red and gold ('How typically Griffyndor') room before him. He had waited until the six Muggles inside had left before approaching the place. From the look of it, it seemed they had been having some sort of small Christmas party. They had all left carrying large bags. He guessed that they contained gifts from one another.
Draco watched Lavender clearing up the beer bottles and wrapping paper as she sang along to the music he could dimly hear coming from a Muggle CD player. She hadn't changed much. Her hair was wavy rather than curly now, still the same shade of chocolate brown. Lavender was a little slimmer than he remembered her as being but aside from that she was still the same. He had to admit she looked good, dressed in a baby blue v-neck sweater, brown skirt and stockings. She looked good, although, he reminded himself, not as good as he was sure someone else did.
Lavender looked up and Draco felt his breath freeze in his throat, temporarily forgetting that he was under an Invisibility Cloak. She stared right at him for a second before her gaze continued to sweep the rest of the street outside. Draco turned himself, seeing that the street was silent and empty. When he turned back Lavender had her wand out and was speeding up her cleaning.
Draco had often wondered what had made her so special, special enough to be included in Dumbledore's selective list. He'd never thought her a particularly powerful or talented witch. In school she was just another giggling girl. Dumbledore was yet to explain his reasons to him but, as he watched the fire die in its grate, it clicked. Lavender was pointing her wand and obviously casting spells, but she wasn't saying any incantations.
***
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry loomed above him in an assortment of towers and battlements. It had been a while since Draco had last seen it and, walking through the grounds towards the front doors, he found himself feeling eleven again. A little nervous, a little intimidated, a little excited, all belied by the cool, calm and collected look plastered across his face. Eleven. So much had changed since he was eleven.
His awe at the grandeur of Hogwarts faded when he remembered why he was there, and it sure a shell wasn't for Christmas dinner and sherry trifle. Climbing the steps to the front doors he mentally checked all of his facts and went through what he needed to say to them all.
Draco, although looking forward to seeing Albus, Severus, Ruth and his cousin, Anton, rather wished he didn't have to be where he was. He wanted to be spending Christmas with his mother, not leaving her alone to rattle around the manor with only the house elves for company. However, as he had explained to her when she had helped him pack his things, something he suspected she wanted to do to still feel like she had a little boy, this needed to be done and time was of the essence. Things were staring to happen on both sides of the coin and his side needed to come together and fast.
Swiping his blonde hair out of his eyes (the slicked back style long abandoned) he pushed open the doors of Hogwarts, not expecting a welcome party and to go straight up to Albus' office as planned. However, he stopped in the middle of the Entrance Hall as his gaze met another's. Stood before him, small, wire framed glasses on, her shiny auburn hair down, faming her face, wearing a mid-length grey skirt, stockings and a baby pink v-neck sweater (cashmere, by the look of it) not that unlike Lavender's, was the woman he had been looking forward to seeing all day and who had plagued his thoughts for nearly a month.
"Happy Christmas, Draco," smiled Ruth.
***
Again, short, I know.
Let me know what you all think, be brutally honest, please. Any suggestions, criticisms, questions are welcome.
Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and to anyone who does.
The next chapter is on its way and will be called 'Rose Coloured Glasses'.
Hope everyone has a good day!