No Tomorrow
Chapter 6: A New Journey, A New Life
Draco and Hermione walked into a popular London clothing store and worked their way to the women's wear. Hermione could not believe her eyes at the aisles upon aisles of clothing there was. Skirts, dresses, tops, shoes, under garments, all surrounded her. It was a sight that she had never seen before. Hermione usually shopped at local vintage and good will stores, not being able to afford very many nice things.
"Mr. Malfoy, Ms. Granger, how wonderful it is to see the both of you. I'm Regina Gale, and I'll be your personal shopper here at Beckingdales." A woman, no older than 35, walked up to Hermione and Draco, dressed in a tailored blue power suit and her hair pulled up into a bun.
"Ms. Gale, how lovely to see you. This is my good friend Hermione Granger." Draco introduced the two women.
"Mr. Malfoy has told me that you were in need of a new wardrobe. I've picked out several things that he said would be according to your size, hair color, weight and height. Come along with me. Mr. Malfoy, you are certainly welcome to venture to the men's wear, or do whatever you please. We'll call you when Ms. Granger's finished."
"Have fun, Hermione," Draco quipped as Ms. Gale took Hermione by the arm. She looked back at Draco, with a scared but excited look on her face. Draco began walking upstairs to the men's department when his cellular phone rang. Looking down at the caller ID, it was his mother ringing him.
"Yes, Mother? What can I do for you?"
"The hospital just called and said you were fired for disorderly conduct, trespassing, aiding and abetting a patient's escape! What is the meaning of all of this?!"
"Calm down, Mother. Yes, the hospital fired me. The patient was someone I new from Hogwarts. She didn't want to be at the hospital anymore, her parents wouldn't allow her to come home if she left, so I brought her home with me."
"You have a 2 room apartment with a cat, no job and now you have a girl living with you? Draco what has gotten into you?!"
"It's Harry Potter's girlfriend, Mother. Her parents had her committed after he died. She didn't want to be there, she wasn't happy and I helped her leave."
"The Mudblood Granger girl?"
"Mother! She's been through enough, and the last thing I need from you right now is giving me a hard time."
"Well what are you going to do about money? Surely you don't think that your father will be willing to help you. As far as he's concerned you've been disowned."
"I have money left in my trust fund that you set up for me, incase you forgot. I'm working right now at finding another job at a better hospital. It'll be okay, Mother. I don't need you to be breathing down my neck right now about what I'm doing wrong and what I'm doing right in my life. I would appreciate it if you actually gave me a little bit of support in this. I don't care that Father doesn't consider me his son anymore; I'm better off with out him. Now, whether or not you still consider me your son is one thing, I don't really care anymore. I'm 18 and I've been doing a pretty good job of taking care of myself with out you. I'm hanging up now, Mother. Next time you call I hope it's something worth my while instead of you telling me how much of a fuck up I've been." Draco immediately hung up his cell phone and turned it off. He was very pissed of at his parents and did NOT feel like dealing with them at the moment.
A few hours later, Draco returned to the women's department to find Hermione with a number of bags and a huge smile on her face. Not only was she out of Draco's sweats and into a new summer outfit, but she had been taken down to the salon and given a facial, manicure, pedicure, and a new hair cut, the first in 8 months. No longer was her hair ragged and split, but now it was wavy, a little darker and she had bangs.
"You look amazing," Draco gaped.
"All thanks to you. I promise you one day I'm going to repay you."
"One step at a time."
"Mr. Malfoy, if you could please step into my office so we could settle the bill..." questioned Ms. Gale.
"I'll be right back, Hermione." Draco left and Hermione stood alone. She turned around and found a mirror. She looked at herself and for the first time, she felt like a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. The next thing she wanted to do was finish her education at Hogwarts. She only had a few weeks left before she was to complete school, and she was sure Dumbledore would allow her to return and take make up courses to earn her spot in the graduation.
Draco came back out and with a smile on his face, took Hermione's arm and walked out of the department store.
"What do you want to do now, Ms. Granger?" Draco asked teasingly.
"Actually, I want to go to Hogwarts and see Professor Dumbledore. I want to go back to school," Hermione declared.
"Are you sure you're ready for that? You haven't been out of the hospital for very long..."
"I know that I don't want to lay around your flat and feel helpless and invalid like I have been for the past 8 months. I know it's time to get on with my life and I know that it's time to carry on with my future. I was the best damn witch there was ever to be seen at Hogwarts and I am determined to go back and finish."
"You make me laugh, Granger." He put his arm around Hermione and led her to his car, where they took to the train station and headed off to Hogwarts.
"Why of course you can come back!" Professor Dumbledore exclaimed excitedly. "Oh Ms. Granger, it is so wonderful to see you again. You look so..."
"Skinny. I know. I was just released from the hospital...okay, so I escaped. But that's beside the point. I want to be able to finish my education, and I was so close before my parents sent me away."
"Indeed, you were very close." Professor Dumbledore scanned through Hermione's personal school file. "You only have 3 courses remaining before you graduate, and it seems that your parents took the proper actions to have those classes deemed as "incomplete". I say within a couple of weeks you will have completed these courses and you will be able to receive your witching diploma."
"Oh Professor Dumbledore, that's wonderful! When can I start?"
"You can start tomorrow if you'd like. I can have Mr. Filch clear you up a private room near my office. You're remaining classes are with Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape and Professor Sprout."
"Draco did you hear that? I can start tomorrow! What about tuition, Professor?" Hermione asked, a look of panic suddenly sweeping her face.
"Not to worry my dear. Your parents had already filled out the tuition forms your final year here and it carries over to the remaining 2 weeks. Mr. Malfoy, it's so good to see you again. What will you be doing while Ms. Granger is with us?"
"Oh, he'll be looking for a new job."
Professor Dumbledore raised his eyebrow in curiousness.
"He was fired helping me leave the hospital. It's a long story."
"Well, Mr. Malfoy, if you would like, I can make some calls on your behalf and see if we can have you placed at a different facility."
"Thank you, Professor, but that won't be necessary. I'm determined to find work on my own, no offense."
"Quite alright, Mr. Malfoy, you were always the independent type."
Professor Dumbledore called in Mr. Filch and had him take Hermione's bags up to her new room.
"I'll give you two a moment to say goodbye."
Hermione and Draco walked to the front of the castle.
"Draco, thank you for everything. You've been so wonderful to me, and I don't know how I'll ever repay you. I promise as soon as I graduate and get a job, I'm going to reimburse you for the clothes, the food, everything. I don't know what I would have done with out you." With out a second thought, Hermione leaned up and kissed Draco softly on the lips.
The kiss surprised them both, but Draco didn't pull back. Rather, he wrapped his arms gently around Hermione's frail body and returned her kiss, allowing their lips to tenderly embrace. Sparks ran up and down Hermione's spine, and she felt her knees grow weak.
After what seemed like an eternity, they parted. Draco looked down at Hermione with his piercing blue eyes, but they had a gentle essence behind them. He gave her another soft kiss on her nose. "I'll be back in two weeks to watch you get your diploma. I'm proud of you, Granger." With that, he walked down the castle steps and headed towards Hogsmeade. Hermione, her heart racing, watched him leave, before returning inside the castle and retiring to her room.
Chapter 6: A New Journey, A New Life
Draco and Hermione walked into a popular London clothing store and worked their way to the women's wear. Hermione could not believe her eyes at the aisles upon aisles of clothing there was. Skirts, dresses, tops, shoes, under garments, all surrounded her. It was a sight that she had never seen before. Hermione usually shopped at local vintage and good will stores, not being able to afford very many nice things.
"Mr. Malfoy, Ms. Granger, how wonderful it is to see the both of you. I'm Regina Gale, and I'll be your personal shopper here at Beckingdales." A woman, no older than 35, walked up to Hermione and Draco, dressed in a tailored blue power suit and her hair pulled up into a bun.
"Ms. Gale, how lovely to see you. This is my good friend Hermione Granger." Draco introduced the two women.
"Mr. Malfoy has told me that you were in need of a new wardrobe. I've picked out several things that he said would be according to your size, hair color, weight and height. Come along with me. Mr. Malfoy, you are certainly welcome to venture to the men's wear, or do whatever you please. We'll call you when Ms. Granger's finished."
"Have fun, Hermione," Draco quipped as Ms. Gale took Hermione by the arm. She looked back at Draco, with a scared but excited look on her face. Draco began walking upstairs to the men's department when his cellular phone rang. Looking down at the caller ID, it was his mother ringing him.
"Yes, Mother? What can I do for you?"
"The hospital just called and said you were fired for disorderly conduct, trespassing, aiding and abetting a patient's escape! What is the meaning of all of this?!"
"Calm down, Mother. Yes, the hospital fired me. The patient was someone I new from Hogwarts. She didn't want to be at the hospital anymore, her parents wouldn't allow her to come home if she left, so I brought her home with me."
"You have a 2 room apartment with a cat, no job and now you have a girl living with you? Draco what has gotten into you?!"
"It's Harry Potter's girlfriend, Mother. Her parents had her committed after he died. She didn't want to be there, she wasn't happy and I helped her leave."
"The Mudblood Granger girl?"
"Mother! She's been through enough, and the last thing I need from you right now is giving me a hard time."
"Well what are you going to do about money? Surely you don't think that your father will be willing to help you. As far as he's concerned you've been disowned."
"I have money left in my trust fund that you set up for me, incase you forgot. I'm working right now at finding another job at a better hospital. It'll be okay, Mother. I don't need you to be breathing down my neck right now about what I'm doing wrong and what I'm doing right in my life. I would appreciate it if you actually gave me a little bit of support in this. I don't care that Father doesn't consider me his son anymore; I'm better off with out him. Now, whether or not you still consider me your son is one thing, I don't really care anymore. I'm 18 and I've been doing a pretty good job of taking care of myself with out you. I'm hanging up now, Mother. Next time you call I hope it's something worth my while instead of you telling me how much of a fuck up I've been." Draco immediately hung up his cell phone and turned it off. He was very pissed of at his parents and did NOT feel like dealing with them at the moment.
A few hours later, Draco returned to the women's department to find Hermione with a number of bags and a huge smile on her face. Not only was she out of Draco's sweats and into a new summer outfit, but she had been taken down to the salon and given a facial, manicure, pedicure, and a new hair cut, the first in 8 months. No longer was her hair ragged and split, but now it was wavy, a little darker and she had bangs.
"You look amazing," Draco gaped.
"All thanks to you. I promise you one day I'm going to repay you."
"One step at a time."
"Mr. Malfoy, if you could please step into my office so we could settle the bill..." questioned Ms. Gale.
"I'll be right back, Hermione." Draco left and Hermione stood alone. She turned around and found a mirror. She looked at herself and for the first time, she felt like a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. The next thing she wanted to do was finish her education at Hogwarts. She only had a few weeks left before she was to complete school, and she was sure Dumbledore would allow her to return and take make up courses to earn her spot in the graduation.
Draco came back out and with a smile on his face, took Hermione's arm and walked out of the department store.
"What do you want to do now, Ms. Granger?" Draco asked teasingly.
"Actually, I want to go to Hogwarts and see Professor Dumbledore. I want to go back to school," Hermione declared.
"Are you sure you're ready for that? You haven't been out of the hospital for very long..."
"I know that I don't want to lay around your flat and feel helpless and invalid like I have been for the past 8 months. I know it's time to get on with my life and I know that it's time to carry on with my future. I was the best damn witch there was ever to be seen at Hogwarts and I am determined to go back and finish."
"You make me laugh, Granger." He put his arm around Hermione and led her to his car, where they took to the train station and headed off to Hogwarts.
"Why of course you can come back!" Professor Dumbledore exclaimed excitedly. "Oh Ms. Granger, it is so wonderful to see you again. You look so..."
"Skinny. I know. I was just released from the hospital...okay, so I escaped. But that's beside the point. I want to be able to finish my education, and I was so close before my parents sent me away."
"Indeed, you were very close." Professor Dumbledore scanned through Hermione's personal school file. "You only have 3 courses remaining before you graduate, and it seems that your parents took the proper actions to have those classes deemed as "incomplete". I say within a couple of weeks you will have completed these courses and you will be able to receive your witching diploma."
"Oh Professor Dumbledore, that's wonderful! When can I start?"
"You can start tomorrow if you'd like. I can have Mr. Filch clear you up a private room near my office. You're remaining classes are with Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape and Professor Sprout."
"Draco did you hear that? I can start tomorrow! What about tuition, Professor?" Hermione asked, a look of panic suddenly sweeping her face.
"Not to worry my dear. Your parents had already filled out the tuition forms your final year here and it carries over to the remaining 2 weeks. Mr. Malfoy, it's so good to see you again. What will you be doing while Ms. Granger is with us?"
"Oh, he'll be looking for a new job."
Professor Dumbledore raised his eyebrow in curiousness.
"He was fired helping me leave the hospital. It's a long story."
"Well, Mr. Malfoy, if you would like, I can make some calls on your behalf and see if we can have you placed at a different facility."
"Thank you, Professor, but that won't be necessary. I'm determined to find work on my own, no offense."
"Quite alright, Mr. Malfoy, you were always the independent type."
Professor Dumbledore called in Mr. Filch and had him take Hermione's bags up to her new room.
"I'll give you two a moment to say goodbye."
Hermione and Draco walked to the front of the castle.
"Draco, thank you for everything. You've been so wonderful to me, and I don't know how I'll ever repay you. I promise as soon as I graduate and get a job, I'm going to reimburse you for the clothes, the food, everything. I don't know what I would have done with out you." With out a second thought, Hermione leaned up and kissed Draco softly on the lips.
The kiss surprised them both, but Draco didn't pull back. Rather, he wrapped his arms gently around Hermione's frail body and returned her kiss, allowing their lips to tenderly embrace. Sparks ran up and down Hermione's spine, and she felt her knees grow weak.
After what seemed like an eternity, they parted. Draco looked down at Hermione with his piercing blue eyes, but they had a gentle essence behind them. He gave her another soft kiss on her nose. "I'll be back in two weeks to watch you get your diploma. I'm proud of you, Granger." With that, he walked down the castle steps and headed towards Hogsmeade. Hermione, her heart racing, watched him leave, before returning inside the castle and retiring to her room.