A Starbucks Love
Chapter 2 - The Leaky Cauldron
Draco P.O.V.
Malfoy Manor. Two large, wrought-iron gates met me at the front of the paved driveway, leading into my glorious home. Snape would pay for what he done. I walked up, opening the gates up easily and walked down the paved path to the house. A grand fountain stood between the house and the gates in the shape of a great dragon spewing water from its mouth and running on his open wings down to the pool. Beautiful and terrifying was the only words that could appropriately describe it. Its lethal face meeted me as I walked up the walkway as my home has apparation shields on it. In tattered clothes I make my way to the front.
It was unusually quiet and it made me uncomfortable. Where is my mother? Shouldn't she be meeting me at the door? Where was she! I stopped for a moment, my breath caught into my throat. My heart quickened as I ran to the house, throwing open the doors and finding there was no Louis to open the door. My blood ran cold. What had happened? 'Should I do a search or would it be too dangerous?' I wondered as I decided to step lightly into the house. Into the formal living room, I stepped lightly. Fear pounded within my heart along with worry as I searched for my mother, for the servants, for the house elves - nothing. Into the kitchen, I found nothing. I ran up the ebony wood staircase to search more - to my parents room.
Nothing. Wait! There was a hint of a sound. I searched the bed, the closets, everything. It was silent for a long time until I heard it again. I dove onto my stomach, which hurt from lack of food and rough handling, and I saw my mother. I bit back a scream. She and her house elf Abby were there. "Mother?" I asked softly and she moaned in pain. I took her hands and drug her out from under the bed as well as Abby and was about sick when I saw the blood in her hair. It looked as though someone had come in and hit them over the head with something sharp. Death Eaters probably. She had probably been hit with the cruciato curse as well. It had been a few hours though, and the blood there now was sticky, and nearly black. He grabbed both her and Abby and dissolved the apparition barrier on the house and apparated to the Leaky Cauldron. . .
Tom was washing some glasses and smiling cheerfully when Malfoy apparated within with the two. "Mr. Malfoy sir! What has happened?" he asked and Draco glared. "Get someone quick to get my mother and the elf a room. Prepare one for myself and I shall be back shortly." he said cooly and apparated back to the manor house. By the time he was back, he had one man's hand in his and a heavy set woman's in his other. Both were knocked out cold. They looked as though they had been hit and cursed with the same curse his mother had been hit with. "These in the same room." he said and slammed down some money. "I need to find a healer." he said.
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Hermione P.O.V.
Head girl. I had gotten head girl! Harry again, had gotten the quidditch captian badge and Ron had the prefect. I had convinced Harry that they needed to finish thier school year and finally Harry had relented. And I had decided what I had wanted to do. I wanted to be a healer. I was just passing through the leaky cauldron when a silver haired boy came out in tears. Draco Malfoy in tears! He saw me, his silver eyes cloudy now, more a dusky gray than silver now and grabbed me by my shirt. "Hey! Malfoy, you'd better let me go before I jinx you into yesterday!" I cried but he didn't hear me. He dragged me into the Leaky Cauldron and dropped me when we were in his room, or so I thought. I was scared to death! "Malfoy, what - " I asked when I saw the tears and he pointed to his mother. I noticed Narcissa, her beautiful white blonde hair matted with blood. "Malfoy, what - " I began to ask when he interrupted me. "All I have - left." he choked. "Your going to be a healer right? I heard Weasel. . .Weasley. . .say so. . .do something. . .anything. . .please?"
Malfoy begging her, the one he called a mudblood every time he saw her! She nodded. "I'll help. Get me a fresh cloth, warm water, and some bandages." she said and Malfoy ran to do her bidding. "Very unlike him." she said when she saw Narcissa scowl at her. "Um. . .Narcissa is it? I'm going to try to help. I know you don't like me because I'm a muggle, but. . .it doesn't matter." she said softly to her. Malfoy returned. "Thanks Malfoy - " she said when he spoke. "Draco, Granger. Call me Draco." he said. "I hate being called that." Hermione looked at him and was surprised when he gave her a little smile. "Save her, please?" he begged her. Hermione got one of the clothes he had brought her and dipped it into the warm water, and worked on the gash that was on her head.
"Mrs. Malfoy, bear with me." she said and bit her lip, trying to think. She conjured a small bottle of white cream and dabbed a little around the gash. It began healing the skin on her scalp, turning a raw pink at first. Narcissa let out a small cry when it happened. "I'm sorry, its healing it so it will be sore for a little while." she said and checked on it again. It was a healthy white though there were some pinkness to it. Hermione bound a bandage under her chin and worked on her other wounds. Once she was done with Narcissa, she done everyone else. "They need some rest right now. I gave them all some sleeping tonic so they can rest easier." she said, and looked at Malfoy. Cuts went without any protective medicine, as well as the bruises. "Your turn Malf - I mean Draco." she said and reached out for him. He shook his head. "No, I'm fine Granger." he said and sighed. "Call me Hermione or 'Mione if you like. Everyone else does. You look like you've been through hell. Come on, follow me." she said after fixing his clothes to where they were whole again.
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Draco's P.O.V.
'God knows I must be going soft. I'm letting mudblood call me Draco. Well, maybe she isn't too bad after all. She DID save mother.' he thought to himself. "C-come with you? Where?" he asked. She just smiled at him. She just smiled. Not glared, not laughed at him, not anything but smiled. "To a little place I know. You look like you could use a hot drink." she said and he nodded. "I suppose, but what about-" he asked, nodding towards his mother and servants. "They will be alright until we get back. Tom will look after them." she said. He nodded, sighing. 'I'm so tired. I don't even have the energy to fight with her.' he thought. He looked down at his clothes, and noticed they were back to normal. 'She fixed my clothes?' he thought puzzled.
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Hermione's P.O.V.
'He's worried about his servants too? Well, if I haven't judged him wrong!' she thought as she smiled at him. "I promise that they will be fine. So, if your ready. . ." she said. "Yeah." he said and she went to the main part of the Leaky Cauldron. "My parents are staying the week here so we can meet up with Harry and Ron when we get our school stuff." she said and blushed. 'Seeing them is bound to stir up things. I need to write them soon to explain!' she thought.
"Oh yeah?" he asked. "Great, Potter and I will be at one another's throats again." he said and sighed. Hermione stopped in her tracks and looked at him. "Your - different." she said hestitatingly. "Yeah, so I am Grang - Hermione. Dumbledore saw to that I suppose." he said, the last part quietly. Hermione gasped a little. "Dumbledore. . ." she said softly.
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Draco's P.O.V.
"Yes, I said Dumbledore. He was trying to persuade me that I should go to the good side when Snape killed him. The death eaters - they were around me urging me to do it - to kill Dumbledore - I didn't want to, told him that the dark lord was going to kill me, that I didn't have a choice." he said and sighed. "Dumbledore said something about how could they kill me if I was already dead and told me to come over to the right side, that he could hide me more than I could possibly imagine and get mother tonight. That my father was safe in Azkaban for the moment. . .and thats when Snape killed him." he said quietly.
"I've decided. My father will no longer run my life. I am going to fight for the right side this time, and I'll watch the Dark Lord burn!" he said passionately. 'Damned if I will ever go back to him. I will be a slave to no man or to no one! Even if he declares himself a god!' he thought. He looked at Granger for a moment. Was it him or was she getting teary-eyed? "Granger? Your not getting teary-eyed on me are you?" he asked hesitatingly.
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Hermione's P.O.V.
"Ah, no. Sorry, its just that, I was wrong about you." she said and wiped at the salty tears. "Its as though your a new person. Welcome to the good side." she said happily. "Now how about that hot drink?" she said, hiding more tears. 'He really has changed. Oh! He saw Dumbledore's death and it must have shaken him up some I suppose, but. . .I'm so glad!' she thought to herself. She was just about to walk to the other side of the street when Draco put a hand on her shoulder.
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Draco's P.O.V.
"Wait, that's the muggle side. Where are you going?" he said confusedly. She smiled at him again. 'Okay, this is wierd, she just keeps smiling at me. What have I done right? She is much prettier when her hair isn't so bushy. She has changed her hair, hasn't she?' he puzzled over.
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Hermione's P.O.V.
"Yeah it is, but I want to take you to my favorite coffee shop. I keep a little bit of muggle money on me. Its called Starbucks. They have great coffees, including icies and stuff. So, you going or not?" she said and he could tell that this would be a normal for him. "Yeah I guess." he said. "Good. Oh and its inside a bookstore too." she said and he rolled his eyes. "And I wonder why its your favorite, Miss-know-it-all?" he said innocently and she elbowed him. "Very funny Malfoy." she said and laughed. He laughed along with her. "Yes, I love the book store too, but I like Flourish and Blotts better. You can't imagine how fasinating it is for a muggle to get the news that she isn't strange after all, that she is a witch and that there are many of them." she said and smiled.
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Draco's P.O.V.
He raised his brows. No, he certainly couldn't. How different he thought of them now, the muggle side. He still had a long way to go before he turned like Granger - er - Hermione was, but he was doing better. "I can only imagine." he said dryly. Hermione rolled her eyes again. "Whatever Malf- Draco." she said and he smirked. "I suppose I'm going to have to change my name to Maldraco, since you keep calling me that." he hinted. She blushed, but what a pretty one it was. It wasn't like Pansy's who, when she did blush, was a deep red. No. Hermione's was a rose colored blush. Natural, feminine. Lovely to say the least. Once they were there, he opened the door for her. When they got to the counter, none of the 'coffees' made much sense. "Uh, which one do you usually get?" he asked.
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HermioneP.O.V.
She giggled at him. "I normally get a Caffe Verona. Its sort of sweet, light and creamy. What do you like?" she asked. "Mmm. . .I generally like mine bold, dark and sweet." he said and Granger looked at the board and chose one for him. "Perfect, how about a gold coast blend? Its dark, bold, and sweet, just like you like it." she said and smiled.
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Draco's P.O.V.
He snickered at her. "Perfect Grang - 'Mione." he said and instantly liked the nickname. Once they got thier coffees' Hermione led them to a table for two and put a touch of honey in her own. Draco watched her, and decided to risk it. Stirring his with a small red and white striped 'stirrer', he tasted it. "Mmm. . .this is what you call good coffee." he said and she giggled. "What?" he said asperatedly and she tried to stop laughing, but found she couldn't. "Its just funny. Oh and I suppose I'll have to change my name to Grangmione." she said casually and Malf-Draco almost choked laughing. "Very funny 'Mione." he said. "This is good though. They should have one of these in the wizarding worl-" he started to say when Hermione looked at him strangely. "Ooh that's right. Muggles. Sorry. I guess I'm just not used to - " he said and shrugged.
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Hermione's P.O.V.
"Its alright. I can understand how strange it must be for you. At least your really trying." she said and grinned. 'I can't believe this! Malf - I mean Draco is actually sincere and caring!' she thought. 'Draco, Draco, not Malfoy. Draco.' she pushed and smiled at him. As soon as he had finished his and she drained the last bit of hers, she vanished the cup, making certain that no one was looking first. "Ready?" she asked.
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Draco's P.O.V.
"Uh, where do I put this?" he asked. This place certainly was interesting. And 'Mione was certainly different when she wasn't with Potter and Weasley. "You can just throw it away or keep it. Sometimes I keep mine, sometimes I toss it. And sometimes I just vanish it. Just make sure no muggles are looking when you do." she said and he grinned at her. "THE Hermione Granger, Miss-know-it-all is breaking a rule? How. . .charming." he said with a mischievious grin. So the goody goody actually broke the rules? He knew of a few instances, but not like that.
"So what else have you been into, miss not so goody two shoes?" he teased. She laughed. "I'm not telling." she said. Draco smirked at her. "Somehow that doesn't surprise me like it should." he said. She laughed again and stood. "Ready to go?" she asked and he nodded, deciding to vanish his cup until later. "So. . .what did you do to your hair?" he asked as they were walking back to the Leaky Cauldron.
Hermione looked at him strangely. "I didn't do anything to it, why?" she asked. Draco shrugged. "I dunno, it looks different is all. Its not as bushy as it used to be." he said and shrugged. Just then, she grinned the most mischievious grin he had ever seen from her. "I used a certain spell to tame it. Just. . .don't say anything to Harry or Ron. I want to see if they actually notice." she said. Draco grinned. "So, I take it that they don't notice many things huh?" he offered and she nodded. "Yeah, pretty much. I think the thing that most shocked them is when I done my hair for the yule ball." he said and grinned. "Pansy was so jealous of you." he said.
"Really?" she said with a grin and Draco laughed. "Yeah, really. I was a little surprised too. Hell Granger, you looked like a model. You blew away every girl there. And that's coming from me." he said and she blushed deeply. "I, uh, need to check on, uh, your mom and all." she said shyly and he could tell that what he had said had her speechless. Then he thought about what she said 'I have to check on your mom,' and that made him anxious to see her and his servants to make certain they were alright as well. "Yeah, I suppose your right." he said and followed her back into the leaky cauldron.
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Hermione's P.O.V.
What was it with him? Of course she had broken rules before, and she'd probably break them again too. 'He must be really unaware of how much I break rules at Hogwarts.' she thought. Not to mention that he said that her hair wasn't as bushy as usual. Ron and Harry wouldn't have noticed, she was pretty certain. A memory came back to her from her fourth year. 'Keep that bushy head down Granger!' yelled Malfoy. They had been running to escape the death eaters that had appeared at the World Quidditch Cup. 'Had Malfoy tried to warn me after all?' she wondered.
"Oh come on, I'm not THAT pretty!" she said and laughed. He shook his head and she wondered. 'Am I really?' she thought to herself and grinned at the thought that Pansy was jealous. That certainly made her feel better! 'I got to get back to check on everyone though - dang, why do I have to when he's being so nice for a change! She thought as she was about to open the door. "No, I'll get that for you." he said and opened it for her. She blushed slightly and he grinned. "Thanks." she said and went to the room with him. When they got there, mostly everyone was doing much better. She took out her wand, running it professionally over each of thier bodies to catalog thier injuries while it lit up with a white light. When she ran it down thier bodies again though, blue light went through it, seeping into thier body, healing their wounds and relaxing thier muscles.
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Draco's P.O.V.
He watched her as she done the wand trick. "Your definantely meant to go into healing." he muttered as his mother slept peacefully. He noticed her blush and grinned. "You think?" she asked him and he nodded. "Hell yes, Granger. Where did you learn it? I know they don't offer it at Hogwarts, even in thier highest N.E.W.T.s. That's something alright." he said and then she gave him the second most mischievious smile of the day, reached under her shirt and pulled out a pendant. "Ookay, and what is that for? It looks like just a piece of muggle jewerly." he said with a slight frown. "Its a port key. It lets me go straight to St. Mungo's and back to Hogwarts. The headmaster charmed it for me. Basically, its a port key." she said and went to check on the others, letting the pendant show. She continued to check over everyone else and nodded.
"Alright, that's the last of them. Its getting kinda late and I haven't checked in with mum or dad yet. Just let them all sleep and by ten, I'll be back to check on everyone again." she said and gave him a small kiss on the cheek before leaving. His cheeks turned pink and he watched her leave, still staring at the door for a few minutes later before turning around and looking at his mom. Putting an extra blanket on her, he kissed her goodnight and lay in the bed a long time before going to sleep, thinking about the kiss on his cheek.
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Hermione's P.O.V.
She blushed before she left, not daring to look at him. 'He certainly has changed!' she thought as she came into her and her parent's room. "Hello dear, you've been gone nearly all day." said her mother. "Sorry mom, I ran into an old. . ." Mmm. . .enemy that turned friend? How to describe him now. "I just ran into an old aquaintence." she answered, chewing on her lip. Her mother smiled, not noticing anything out of the ordinary. "Did you have fun? Ron and Harry will be here tomorrow. Mrs. Weasley sent us a letter by owl." she said and Hermione's eyes widened. 'Oh god! Harry and Ron doesn't know yet!' she thought and looked at her mother. "I'll be up in my room if you need anything mom." she said and raced up the stairs to her room, hearing her mom say that she was going to have dinner done in a minute. "Okay!" she yelled back and grabbed a spare piece of parchment.
'Dear Harry and Ron,
I have some news that might surprise you. Malfoy is here and has really changed a lot.
I was just walking through the Leaky Cauldron when I was suddenly grabbed by him and
well, he drug me into his room where his mother and what looked like his servants had been injured somehow. He was down on his knees, pleading with me to heal her since I was going to be a healer and well. . .he's really not the same.
See you guys tomorrow,
With Love,
Hermione Granger
Hermione heated the wax and sealed it. Ready to deliver, she got a new little owl out of the cage. It was bigger than Pig, but it was smaller than Hedwig. "Alright Miri, off with you." she said. "This goes to the Burrow, to either Ron or Harry." she said and let her little owl fly. Afterwards, she went down to dinner and went to sleep, dreaming of a silver eyed, silver haired boy.