Author's Note: Yes, I know. I have Draco driving in this. People are going to ask why just not apparate? Well, if you actually care that much, here: "...this can apply to a Portkeys and other spells as well. You can't create a Portkey to somewhere you do not know, you may not even be able to Apparate to a place you do not know..." And "Apparition becomes more difficult as distance increases." There you go. If you're going to be really nitpicky then I'll put up the links where I found that stuff, but hopefully you won't be mean and will just let it go. Happy reading.
Thanks: Amanda (Thank goodness for your long reviews. Anyways... Yeah, I luff Amy too. She's the best and not to mention a good little plot device. Oh and yay for your sister! Go Amanda's sister!), Fionger (All right. Thanks for the clarification. And, no, you're not annoying. -grin-), DanishGirl, Karana Belle (You've got this chapter and then one more. I might do an epilogue though, if I get an idea for it.), Danny Frank (Erhm... use your imagination.), anonymous, Horny-Cotter, Saiyachick (I have my first official stalker. Oh, and I checked about the bare/bear thing. It is bear. Old grammar books are lovely for that sort of thing. And I dun know how to get it double-spaced; mine just goes wacky when I upload. But maybe if you go to the Preview/Edit thingy and add spaces there? Hope that helps.), DMTABF (You'll have to wait until chapter 14 for Draco and Hermione to get back together. I have a few funny bits that are going to happen first! Glad you liked the Amy part. I luffed it too.), stallarr (Yeah, I'm a little night owl sometimes!), Gryffindor620, mesmer, RedCinders, mrs. brittany felton, Raesaline, super sycoh, sweet-77-thang, A Story Of The Year, Croaker, keddababy, The Prophetess (Yes, there's more!), Pigwidgeon188 (I am I am I am updating now!), Hyper Dudette (Ooh! Okay. I thought that we knew each other or something. Sorreh, blonde moment there. Won't happen again! Thanks for reviewing. Hope you like this chapter.), Callie, and Angelic Night Goddess.
Chapter Thirteen: Second Chances
Draco was driving terribly fast, going way over the speed limit. That was what Hermione had called it, right? He tried to remember what Hermione had taught him on the drive down. The ride to her parents' was long, and memorizing all the names of Hermoine's Aunt Lydia's cats was not his idea of fun, so he had Hermione explain the basics of driving.
After the lesson, he realized that driving wasn't so bad. He was pleasantly surprised at his new driving skills. His second time and he was rather good at it (Hermione let him drive an hour on the way down when she got tired). He smiled at himself and his newfound talent.
Well, that was until he saw flashing red lights in the rear view mirror.
Draco frowned, wishing he had apparated. Why, oh why, had he let his fear of getting splinched stop him? He grumbled to himself.
It didn't look too good so he decided to pull over. He watched as a tall, lanky man in some sort of uniform leisurely got out of the vehicle behind him and moseyed up to his car.
"You know what you were doing, son?" He asked, leaning down to look at Draco through the window.
"Driving…" Draco replied innocently, for in all honestly, he had no idea what he had done wrong. He looked at the clock on the dashboard. It was about five. He had driven to his flat to pack a few things he needed and was about an hour into the drive towards Hermione's parents' house.
"I'm in no mood for jokes. License and registration?" He peered over his aviator sunglasses at the man with platinum hair, waiting for his response.
License and registration, Draco thought, confused. What the bloody hell was that? Obviously Hermione had neglected to let him in on this muggle tidbit of information. No matter though, he could just talk his way out of this. Right.
"It's in my car. This is the company's." That was a good answer, Draco figured, and it was sort of the truth. He looked back up at the man through the open car window.
"Please step out of the vehicle." Came the officer's reply.
Nope, that was not what Draco was hoping for. The officer pulled out a small notebook; ready to write him a ticket when Draco realized this was taking way too long. He'd never make it in time.
"Look, I've got somewhere to be."
"And I've got a job to do. Step out of the car." The man said firmly. Draco flung the car door open and got out, growling obscenities under his breath.
"I don't think you understand." Draco started.
"No, I don't think you understand." He replied. Draco reached in his pocket searching for his wand, hoping that the uniform would not notice. And he didn't notice, his focus concentrated on writing out the ticket. Draco raised his wand and, before the cop could say anything, he was lying on the ground, being hit by Draco's spell.
He recited another and the officer levitated back to the police car. Draco pocketed his wand and got back in the car, racing off again as he muttered something about blasted muggles.
()()()()()()()()()()
Hermione listlessly readied herself for the New Year's Eve party.
She was not in good spirits. She had yet to tell her mother the truth. When her mother returned from the root canal, she was exhausted and Hermione had lost some of her nerve, so she just let her mother go to sleep.
She pulled on her new black cocktail dress that she bought just before she came to visit. She had magicked her hair dry, but could not be bothered to put it up in a fancy updo. Her make-up was limited, just enough to cover the bags under her eyes from her lack of sleep, some mascara, and a touch of clear lip-gloss.
She surveyed her appearance in her vanity mirror. She didn't look like her usual self... but this tired version would have to do.
She turned to walk downstairs when the glint of something silver caught her eye. She looked over to the bedside table, seeing the emerald necklace that Draco had given her lying there. Her eyes welled up. She told herself not to cry again, but she couldn't help herself.
Stop it! She hated herself for crying. She brought this whole thing on herself. She asked him to come. It was her idea!
But, of course, she hadn't meant to fall in love with him, but that was beside the point.
Her mind argument was interrupted by a soft knock on the door. "Leaving in five, sweetheart." Came her father's muffled voice.
"Okay, Dad." She managed, grabbing a few last minute items and shoving them inside her purse before heading out.
()()()()()()()()()()
Draco put the car in park and got out of the car so fast he very well could have set the record. It was dusk and he was terribly worried about not making it in time. He knocked furiously on the door, waited, and then knocked again.
He rang the bell. Once, twice, three times, still no answer. Coming to the conclusion that nobody was home, he sat down on the steps, putting his head in his hands.
He was too late. That was his attempt and he had failed.
He slowly got up and headed back towards the car. He opened the door and took one more look at the house. The lights, the decorations, there was a snowman outside. The snowman he had made with Marilyn's kids.
Then the most brilliant idea popped into his head: Marilyn. Marilyn would know where she was!
He had another chance.
()()()()()()()()()()
The party seemed to drag on all night, only marked by sympathetic gestures and pitied glances by those who knew. Hermione barely spoke, answering mostly in one-syllable responses. She didn't touch any of the food. She did, although, have something to drink. But as good as this muggle liquor was, it still was nothing compared to what she used to have at the Leaky Cauldron. Oh how she ached for some Old Ogden's Fire Whiskey.
Maybe that would help her pass the time 'til midnight.
()()()()()()()()()()
Draco pulled into the driveway, flinging open the door and leaving the motor running as he dashed for the door. He knocked, once, twice, three times. This time he had more luck. Finally on the third, the door opened, revealing a somewhat surprised looking Marilyn.
"Draco?" She asked, "What are you doing here?"
"Is Hermione here?" He asked, ignoring her question, replacing with one of his own.
"No, she's not." She replied and Draco's breath caught in his throat.
()()()()()()()()()()
Hermione kept glancing at the clock. Midnight was drawing near and for that she was glad. She couldn't wait to get home. Get home and go to bed and then leave for her apartment in the morning. She could go back to the newspaper and loose herself in work.
She was brought out of her thoughts when someone asked her to dance. She said no, but he wouldn't take that for an answer. She took his outstretched hand.
It was Drew, she noted vaguely, the son of her mum's old university friend. The band was playing a slow song and she held her hand on his shoulder, her eyes glancing around the dance floor. She closed her eyes and for a moment she felt like she were dancing with Draco.
But that was too good to be true.
()()()()()()()()()()
Marilyn had just gotten the kids to calm down and watch a movie when she heard a knock on the door. She was dumbfounded to say the least when she saw a desperate looking Draco on her doorstep.
He wanted to know if Hermione was there. She told him that she wasn't and then finally noticed the car in the driveway, "You drove all this way?" Marilyn asked, her heart practically melting.
She knew his intentions were good. This man was the one for her cousin and she knew it. She would do anything to help him.
"Yes," He said, "I did. Do you know where she is?"
Marilyn looked over her shoulder, her eyes settling on the small table against the wall in the house's entryway. Draco, unsure of what she was doing, started to ramble, explaining what had happened.
"We had this big fight and I need to talk to her, but I don't know where she is. I drove to her house but she isn't there and I didn't know where else to go and I need to see her." He said in a quick, rushed voice.
Finally Marilyn found what she was looking for. She turned around to face him. "Stop," She said, "You don't need to explain. I know... and here," She handed him a piece of paper. "This is an invitation to the New Years Eve party. That's where she is." Marilyn took a quick glance at her watch. "If you leave now, you should just make it."
Draco smiled. He had one last chance. He had to make it. And with a newfound determination, he turned from her and ran to the car, waving goodbye as he left.
Marilyn smiled dreamily, wistfully remembering the romantic things Connor had done for her. And speaking of Connor, she could hear his voice from down the hall ask, "Who was that, darling?"
She glanced back and said simply, "Family."