The Cousin
Daphny emerged, behind Malfoy, from the fireplace, within The Three Broomsticks. She coughed slightly, and brushed the soot out of her hair, and off her dark green cloak. Malfoy appeared to be soot free.
The Three Broomsticks was its usual busy self. Witches, wizards, trolls and what looked suspiciously like a group of vampires, all sat around the pub drinking their drinks, swapping gossip and showing one another their purchases.
Malfoy looked around, he kept expecting to see someone, and although he wasn't sure of whom he was expecting to see.
"So?" Daphny came up behind him, and casually slid her fingers, so that they interlocked with Malfoy's, "where do you want to go?" she smiled up at him. Malfoy didn't notice. He was looking across at the bar. Madam Rosmerta was looking directly at him. Her eyes were staring at him as though she were trying to shoot poisoned darts out of them. Even when she served the man in front of her, she continued to shoot these deadly looks over at Malfoy.
Daphny tugged on Malfoy's hand, and smiled at him. He turned to look at her, shaking his head, "sorry, did you say something?"
"Where would you like to go?" she said slowly with a small titter in her voice.
"Wasn't there a reason you had to come to Hogsmeade?" he asked her, as they walked out of the pub. He wanted to get away from Madam Rosmerta, and her eyes.
"Nope" Daphny said, laying her head on Malfoy's bony shoulder, "I just thought it would be nice to get away for a bit." She stopped and stood in front of him, putting her arms round Malfoy's neck she lent forwards to kiss him. As she kissed him she closed her eyes, and while Malfoy returned her kiss also putting his arms around her, his eyes remained open.
Daphny opened her eyes. She stepped back slightly looking slightly putout, "Draco?" Malfoy filched ever so slightly as she said his name, but he quickly recovered himself.
"Yeah?" he said coolly.
"Are you ok?" Daphny rubbed Malfoy's hand with her own, "you know if you don't want to be here I'll understand.. I'll understand if.."
"No" Malfoy interrupted her. He bent down and kissed her lightly on the lips "I want to be here. I really do" Daphny smiled harmoniously up at him.
***
Draco and Daphny spent the rest of the afternoon around the Hogsmeade shops. Occasionally they'd go into a shop, and browse around at the many items it had to offer. When Malfoy had been in Hogwarts he would have walked around these shops with Crab and Goyle, every now and then he would have manipulated them to steal something. Anything from blood flavoured lollypops, from Honeydukes, to an owl, from the post office.
Now he looked at the items on selves with no interest. Daphny seemed to notice his lack of enthusiasm, but tried desperately to not ask about it; instead she just asked him what he felt like doing. He always responded the shame, a shrug and "I don't mind"
This had been going on for another hour when Daphny decided to go grab a drink. "You don't have to come with me." She said calmly to him as she turned towards the New Wizard Kiosk, "Just sit there and I'll be back in a second," she kissed his cheek, "can I get you anything?" Malfoy sat down on a bench and shook his head, his blond hair flopped in front of his eyes, and he absentmindedly swept the blond strands away.
He watched Daphny as she walked into the Kiosk. He did like her honestly he did. She was a great girl. Blond, attractive, fun to be around and always smiling, it wasn't her fault that Malfoy was so miserable, just that something was seriously bugging him.
It had taken him an hour to realise what it was, but when Daphny had taken him into, the new muggle cloths store, he spotted something that reminded him why he was avoiding Hogsmeade.
On the second isle to the left next to children's wear was.
'3 AND UNDER'
The baby isle! Malfoy and stood heir for a brief moment staring, before grabbing Daphny by the arm and marching her right out the store. She had protested for all of about three minutes before Malfoy had shut her up by plating a passionate kiss on her lips.
Malfoy now sat on the bench outside the kiosk relived that moment in his head. For some unknown reason panic had lurched uncontrollably through his veins. All he had known was that he had to get out of that store and fast.
He closed his eyes and tilted his head back. He tried to clear his mind of all thoughts.
"Dang, Ginny I forgot my purse" Malfoy's eyes snapped open, his head jerked forwards. Coming out of the kiosk was Ginny Weasley closely followed by,
"Oh Hermione, do you want me to go back and get it for you?"
"No its ok. You go back to mine I'll be there in about five."
"Ok then, I'll make you a drink, tea fine with you?" Malfoy watched as Ginny walked off. He stared at Hermione as she rummaged through her bag. As he looked at her he took in ever aspect of her appearance. She was still very beautiful. Her hair was still brown and bouncy, her eyes where still big brown and sparkly, her nose still twitched slightly, she still chewed her bottom lip ever so slightly. Malfoy gaze went down to her front. Far from gazing at her chest, as his eyes has used to, they now rested firmly on her stomach. It was so large now.
He watched as she gently rested her bag on her stomach, her hands dipped inside and pulled out a purse. Shaking her head, she breathing a sigh of relief. Returning her purse to her bag, she rubbed her stomach slightly. The expression on her face told Malfoy that she was in milled pain. A sudden desire to get up and go see if she was ok, swept over him. He was about to move slightly when.
*** Hermione looked up from her bag. Her eyes fixed on the figure in front of her. It was Malfoy. She stood frozen for a moment, staring at him. He was sat with his arms behind him holding the back of the bench he sat on. His hair was flopping slightly onto his face; his skin was still the pale shade she remembered, and his eyes! His grey stormy eyes, they where shinning ever so slightly in the late afternoon sun, and they where staring directly at Hermione.
She watched him. Unsure if she was actually seeing the real Malfoy, or if her mind was playing cruel jokes on her. He stood up. She stared. He walked forwards. Her breath seemed to stop.
She could hardly breath; the ground beneath seemed to spin. Years seemed to swim by, and suddenly she found herself staring up in to Malfoy's warm stormy grey eyes.
Draco stared down at Hermione. She was least three inches shorter than him. He stared into her eyes, they where big, round, brown and beyond beautiful. They both stood still, for what, to them felt like decades, staring into each other's eyes.
Malfoy coughed and looked to the floor, "hi" Hermione blushed, "hi" she to looked at the floor.
"How have you been?" Malfoy tried to sound confident, yet he remained staring at the floor.
Hermione looked back up at him. She could see in his eyes he was nervous. His body was slightly tense. Just like hers. She opened her mouth to reply. "Draco?" a tall, slim blond girl walked up to Malfoy, and linked her arms around Malfoy's waist. Malfoy didn't push her away.
Ron has seen Malfoy in Diagon Ally; apparently the barmaid in the Leaky Cauldron has the hots for him. Hermione guessed that this girl would be that barmaid. She smiled at Hermione. Malfoy looked extremely uncomfortable; he slowly put his arm over the girls shoulder. He avoided Hermione's eyes. "Draco, hun aren't you going to introduce me?" Hermione watched as Malfoy blushed. The girl smiled and extended a hand towards Hermione, "hello, I'm Daphny, Draco's girlfriend.
GIRLFRIEND!!!
Hermione gawped. Inside her head she could hear herself screaming. The same word kept repeating itself over and over, girlfriend, girlfriend, girlfriend, GIRLFRIEND!!!!!!!!
Daphny coughed, lightly, her hand still extended. Hermione shook her head, then gave Daphny her hand to shake, "sorry," Hermione said half looking at Malfoy ", I felt a bit dizzy I'm Hermione Draco's."
"Cousin!" Malfoy blurted out, before Hermione could finish her sentence, "cousin, s...s...she's my cousin" he looked away from Hermione.
Hermione let go of Daphny's hand, and stared up at Malfoy. Cousin?!?
Daphny smiled again, completely oblivious to the tension building up around, and because of her. "Well it's a pleasure meeting you, but it's late and we really have to get back to Diagon Ally. I hope you don't mind" as Daphny spoke she lay her head on Malfoy's shoulder. Hermione clutched her bag tightly as she watched Daphny's finger twisting Malfoy's soft, silver blond hair. "Not at all" Hermione said, resting the urge to give Daphny a good kick, "I have to get back to my place anyway." Hermione gave Malfoy and Daphny a half smile and began to walk off.
"When is th baby due?"
Hermione spun around. Malfoy was stood there looking at her once again. Hermione thought se saw concern in his eyes, but refused to get her hopes up. Daphny was holding Malfoy's arm very tight. Getting the distinct impression that Daphny was trying to get Malfoy away, fast Hermione called back "the 28th" and turned sharply on her heels and walked away. Tears falling down her cheeks.
Malfoy stared after her for a few moments. Part of him wanted o push Daphny off and run after Hermione, but Daphny had such a strong grip on his arm, that the part of him, telling him to forget Hermione, won that particular battle.
***
As they stood in front of the fireplace, inside the Three Broomsticks, Daphny turned to face him. Malfoy had expected her too look somewhat angry but she was still smiling. She took him by the hand and sad soothingly "maybe today was a bad idea, but can we try getting away again sometime?" she fluttered her eyelids and pouted ever so slightly.
Malfoy grabbed a pinch of floo powder, and placed it in Daphny palm and closed her fingers around the green powder. Bowing slightly he gestured to the fireplace, "after you"
Daphny emerged, behind Malfoy, from the fireplace, within The Three Broomsticks. She coughed slightly, and brushed the soot out of her hair, and off her dark green cloak. Malfoy appeared to be soot free.
The Three Broomsticks was its usual busy self. Witches, wizards, trolls and what looked suspiciously like a group of vampires, all sat around the pub drinking their drinks, swapping gossip and showing one another their purchases.
Malfoy looked around, he kept expecting to see someone, and although he wasn't sure of whom he was expecting to see.
"So?" Daphny came up behind him, and casually slid her fingers, so that they interlocked with Malfoy's, "where do you want to go?" she smiled up at him. Malfoy didn't notice. He was looking across at the bar. Madam Rosmerta was looking directly at him. Her eyes were staring at him as though she were trying to shoot poisoned darts out of them. Even when she served the man in front of her, she continued to shoot these deadly looks over at Malfoy.
Daphny tugged on Malfoy's hand, and smiled at him. He turned to look at her, shaking his head, "sorry, did you say something?"
"Where would you like to go?" she said slowly with a small titter in her voice.
"Wasn't there a reason you had to come to Hogsmeade?" he asked her, as they walked out of the pub. He wanted to get away from Madam Rosmerta, and her eyes.
"Nope" Daphny said, laying her head on Malfoy's bony shoulder, "I just thought it would be nice to get away for a bit." She stopped and stood in front of him, putting her arms round Malfoy's neck she lent forwards to kiss him. As she kissed him she closed her eyes, and while Malfoy returned her kiss also putting his arms around her, his eyes remained open.
Daphny opened her eyes. She stepped back slightly looking slightly putout, "Draco?" Malfoy filched ever so slightly as she said his name, but he quickly recovered himself.
"Yeah?" he said coolly.
"Are you ok?" Daphny rubbed Malfoy's hand with her own, "you know if you don't want to be here I'll understand.. I'll understand if.."
"No" Malfoy interrupted her. He bent down and kissed her lightly on the lips "I want to be here. I really do" Daphny smiled harmoniously up at him.
***
Draco and Daphny spent the rest of the afternoon around the Hogsmeade shops. Occasionally they'd go into a shop, and browse around at the many items it had to offer. When Malfoy had been in Hogwarts he would have walked around these shops with Crab and Goyle, every now and then he would have manipulated them to steal something. Anything from blood flavoured lollypops, from Honeydukes, to an owl, from the post office.
Now he looked at the items on selves with no interest. Daphny seemed to notice his lack of enthusiasm, but tried desperately to not ask about it; instead she just asked him what he felt like doing. He always responded the shame, a shrug and "I don't mind"
This had been going on for another hour when Daphny decided to go grab a drink. "You don't have to come with me." She said calmly to him as she turned towards the New Wizard Kiosk, "Just sit there and I'll be back in a second," she kissed his cheek, "can I get you anything?" Malfoy sat down on a bench and shook his head, his blond hair flopped in front of his eyes, and he absentmindedly swept the blond strands away.
He watched Daphny as she walked into the Kiosk. He did like her honestly he did. She was a great girl. Blond, attractive, fun to be around and always smiling, it wasn't her fault that Malfoy was so miserable, just that something was seriously bugging him.
It had taken him an hour to realise what it was, but when Daphny had taken him into, the new muggle cloths store, he spotted something that reminded him why he was avoiding Hogsmeade.
On the second isle to the left next to children's wear was.
'3 AND UNDER'
The baby isle! Malfoy and stood heir for a brief moment staring, before grabbing Daphny by the arm and marching her right out the store. She had protested for all of about three minutes before Malfoy had shut her up by plating a passionate kiss on her lips.
Malfoy now sat on the bench outside the kiosk relived that moment in his head. For some unknown reason panic had lurched uncontrollably through his veins. All he had known was that he had to get out of that store and fast.
He closed his eyes and tilted his head back. He tried to clear his mind of all thoughts.
"Dang, Ginny I forgot my purse" Malfoy's eyes snapped open, his head jerked forwards. Coming out of the kiosk was Ginny Weasley closely followed by,
"Oh Hermione, do you want me to go back and get it for you?"
"No its ok. You go back to mine I'll be there in about five."
"Ok then, I'll make you a drink, tea fine with you?" Malfoy watched as Ginny walked off. He stared at Hermione as she rummaged through her bag. As he looked at her he took in ever aspect of her appearance. She was still very beautiful. Her hair was still brown and bouncy, her eyes where still big brown and sparkly, her nose still twitched slightly, she still chewed her bottom lip ever so slightly. Malfoy gaze went down to her front. Far from gazing at her chest, as his eyes has used to, they now rested firmly on her stomach. It was so large now.
He watched as she gently rested her bag on her stomach, her hands dipped inside and pulled out a purse. Shaking her head, she breathing a sigh of relief. Returning her purse to her bag, she rubbed her stomach slightly. The expression on her face told Malfoy that she was in milled pain. A sudden desire to get up and go see if she was ok, swept over him. He was about to move slightly when.
*** Hermione looked up from her bag. Her eyes fixed on the figure in front of her. It was Malfoy. She stood frozen for a moment, staring at him. He was sat with his arms behind him holding the back of the bench he sat on. His hair was flopping slightly onto his face; his skin was still the pale shade she remembered, and his eyes! His grey stormy eyes, they where shinning ever so slightly in the late afternoon sun, and they where staring directly at Hermione.
She watched him. Unsure if she was actually seeing the real Malfoy, or if her mind was playing cruel jokes on her. He stood up. She stared. He walked forwards. Her breath seemed to stop.
She could hardly breath; the ground beneath seemed to spin. Years seemed to swim by, and suddenly she found herself staring up in to Malfoy's warm stormy grey eyes.
Draco stared down at Hermione. She was least three inches shorter than him. He stared into her eyes, they where big, round, brown and beyond beautiful. They both stood still, for what, to them felt like decades, staring into each other's eyes.
Malfoy coughed and looked to the floor, "hi" Hermione blushed, "hi" she to looked at the floor.
"How have you been?" Malfoy tried to sound confident, yet he remained staring at the floor.
Hermione looked back up at him. She could see in his eyes he was nervous. His body was slightly tense. Just like hers. She opened her mouth to reply. "Draco?" a tall, slim blond girl walked up to Malfoy, and linked her arms around Malfoy's waist. Malfoy didn't push her away.
Ron has seen Malfoy in Diagon Ally; apparently the barmaid in the Leaky Cauldron has the hots for him. Hermione guessed that this girl would be that barmaid. She smiled at Hermione. Malfoy looked extremely uncomfortable; he slowly put his arm over the girls shoulder. He avoided Hermione's eyes. "Draco, hun aren't you going to introduce me?" Hermione watched as Malfoy blushed. The girl smiled and extended a hand towards Hermione, "hello, I'm Daphny, Draco's girlfriend.
GIRLFRIEND!!!
Hermione gawped. Inside her head she could hear herself screaming. The same word kept repeating itself over and over, girlfriend, girlfriend, girlfriend, GIRLFRIEND!!!!!!!!
Daphny coughed, lightly, her hand still extended. Hermione shook her head, then gave Daphny her hand to shake, "sorry," Hermione said half looking at Malfoy ", I felt a bit dizzy I'm Hermione Draco's."
"Cousin!" Malfoy blurted out, before Hermione could finish her sentence, "cousin, s...s...she's my cousin" he looked away from Hermione.
Hermione let go of Daphny's hand, and stared up at Malfoy. Cousin?!?
Daphny smiled again, completely oblivious to the tension building up around, and because of her. "Well it's a pleasure meeting you, but it's late and we really have to get back to Diagon Ally. I hope you don't mind" as Daphny spoke she lay her head on Malfoy's shoulder. Hermione clutched her bag tightly as she watched Daphny's finger twisting Malfoy's soft, silver blond hair. "Not at all" Hermione said, resting the urge to give Daphny a good kick, "I have to get back to my place anyway." Hermione gave Malfoy and Daphny a half smile and began to walk off.
"When is th baby due?"
Hermione spun around. Malfoy was stood there looking at her once again. Hermione thought se saw concern in his eyes, but refused to get her hopes up. Daphny was holding Malfoy's arm very tight. Getting the distinct impression that Daphny was trying to get Malfoy away, fast Hermione called back "the 28th" and turned sharply on her heels and walked away. Tears falling down her cheeks.
Malfoy stared after her for a few moments. Part of him wanted o push Daphny off and run after Hermione, but Daphny had such a strong grip on his arm, that the part of him, telling him to forget Hermione, won that particular battle.
***
As they stood in front of the fireplace, inside the Three Broomsticks, Daphny turned to face him. Malfoy had expected her too look somewhat angry but she was still smiling. She took him by the hand and sad soothingly "maybe today was a bad idea, but can we try getting away again sometime?" she fluttered her eyelids and pouted ever so slightly.
Malfoy grabbed a pinch of floo powder, and placed it in Daphny palm and closed her fingers around the green powder. Bowing slightly he gestured to the fireplace, "after you"