She was going out on a date.
A romantic date with Harry Potter.
Hermione giggled at the bizarre situation as she placed her belongings in her purse.
"Should I take the credit for this date?" Alicia, who was sitting on her bed cleaning her brushes, asked.
"What?" Hermione replied absently.
"Take credit, you know, because I was the one who suggested you to go out on a date with Harry a couple of days ago"
The brunette looked up at her friend and bit her lip, clearly nervous, "I actually forgot about your comment," she sighed, "I don't know Ali, this thing between us just came up in the moment and..." Hermione shrugged.
Alicia was aware of how restless her friend was, so she put her brushes aside and approached Hermione to gently place her hands on her shoulders and look directly into her chocolate-colored eyes.
"Everything will be fine. We are talking about Harry. You guys make sense".
"We make sense," she agreed.
And she kept repeating that phrase like a mantra as she entered Harry's building and walked to his room. The girl knocked weakly on the door and his friend, or rather, boyfriend, answered just a few seconds later.
"Hello Mione," he greeted
"Hi Harry," she gave him a smile, "Can I come in?" She asked when the boy didn't seem to intend to move from the landing of the door.
"What? Ah, yeah sure"
Harry cleared his throat and stepped aside. She walked into the room and put her bag on the bed.
When Harry closed the door behind him, a feeling of apprehension washed over her. Why, she wondered, did she suddenly feel hyper-aware that she was alone with him and in his room when they had followed this routine countless times in the past two years?
Harry, who seemed as uneasy as she, was the first to speak, "So where do you want to go today? Any ideas?"
"Not really. To grab some dinner, maybe?"
"Or we could go to the movies," he shrugged.
"Yeah sure, that sounds good too"
Hermione picked up her purse again and watched Harry put away his car keys and wallet before opening the door for her.
They left the building without saying anything, the thought of whether this had been a good idea hovering in their heads, although neither dared to verbalize it.
"Listen Mione..."
"Harry, I..."
They both spoke at the same time. Hermione giggled and Harry smiled too.
"This is very strange, don't you think?" She said.
"I do," he nodded, "But I guess it's normal, I mean we knew it was going to take a while for us to get used to all this new… dynamic"
He took her hand and Hermione laced her fingers through his. "We make sense," that voice repeated in her head. The girl looked into his beautiful green eyes and placed her hand on his cheek.
"You're right," she agreed, "And we also said that we would take things slow, so I suppose we could see this date from our usual friendship perspective, as least for now."
"Yeah, sure," he blew out a breath that he didn't know he had been holding and added, "By the way, you look very beautiful tonight, Miss Granger"
Hermione smiled, "And you look very handsome, Mr. Potter".
They both laughed
"Ready for a new movie experience, Mione?"
"Always", she nodded
They got into the car and Harry drove to their favorite movie theater.
The atmosphere between them was clearly more relaxed and Hermione genuinely enjoyed the movie. As usual, Harry's company was having a calming effect on her, so she didn't think too much when she snuggled up next to him once the lights went out. Harry laid his head on top of the girl's and they stayed like that for a long time, until they were almost the last people left in the room.
"Do you want to go for a coffee?" She asked when they left the cinema
"Of course"
They entered to a small, not very busy cafe and ordered.
Once they had their drinks they went to a table and Harry sat next to her, so Hermione felt overwhelmed by his musk and tobacco scent. Of course it wasn't the first time she smelled the fragrance but for some reason, it was the first time it seemed to awaken something else in her. Or maybe it was just due to the fact that he had wrapped his free arm around her waist and they were very close.
So Hermione felt the need to kiss him.
He seemed to be thinking something similar because he looked at her and lowered his gaze to her lips.
"Is it ok if I kiss you Mione?"
"I'd like that," she admitted.
She closed her eyes and felt the boy's soft lips just an instant later. The touch was as soft and chaste as the last kiss they had shared outside her building.
She placed her hand on Harry's chest and winced when he caught her lower lip between his teeth. Hermione parted her lips trying to deepen the kiss but suddenly he broke the contact. Their foreheads, however, remained united.
Hermione waited for him to say something but Harry just hugged her and then she snuggled into his chest once more.
"We make sense" Hermione repeated once more, "We make sense."
As Harry had well predicted, they needed time.
And they had time, especially since they were both staying in Boston for the summer because of their respective jobs.
After that first date, things had become more… normal. They continued to go out together and also hung out with their mutual friends. And while Harry and Hermione didn't hide their relationship, they weren't the type of couple who were on top of each other spilling physical contact at every opportunity.
But comparisons, of course, were inevitable.
Harry couldn't help but remember his time with Ginny. The fire she produced in him, the warmth of her skin against his, her hair as lively as her laugh, the anticipation he always felt when he knew they would meet. It was a bittersweet feeling, to say the least, as every memory was clouded once he remembered everything she had done to him.
Hermione couldn't help but think of Draco. She couldn't help but remember her vanilla and peppermint scent when she was alone after her dates with Harry. She remembered the way he would suddenly put his arms around her in the middle of the street or how he called her "girlfriend" every time they saw each other. Hermione remembered even the smallest details and it infuriated her. She hated herself for missing someone who had betrayed her in such a cruel way.
"You guys look so cute," Susan said
Hermione was having a quality time afternoon with Susan, Luna and Tracey at the latter's house. They were sitting on the edge of the pool, drinking cocktails and enjoying the hot July sun.
"Well, I still find it very strange to see you two together," said Tracey
"Tracey Davies! That's not a nice thing to say" exclaimed Susan
"No, it's ok," Hermione replied dismissing the other girl's comment, "It was also strange for us at the beginning"
"I think you make a good couple, you complement each other very well," said Luna
"How long have you been together, anyway?"
"Mmm just over two months"
"And have you already taken the relationship to the next level?" Tracey wanted to know with a mischievous look in her blue eyes
"I'm not going to discuss that with you," Hermione replied, looking away and drinking from her margarita.
The truth is that she and Harry hadn't slept together yet.
They were also taking their time in the physical aspect of the relationship. Of course as the weeks went by, and having adjusted better to their new status as a couple, they had gone from chaste kisses to snogging sessions in Harry's bedroom, but they hadn't gone much further. Neither of them had actually tried yet. Hermione hadn't had to ask him to stop, nor had he hinted anything, which she was glad of as she wasn't sure yet if she could have sex with Harry.
If she was honest the idea had crossed her mind a couple of times. Harry's kisses were very stimulating and his caresses, even over the clothes, managed to ignite the need for more skin-to-skin contact. But something in her brain was still holding her from letting go.
"This is our last year in college," Luna suddenly sighed, bringing Hermione back to reality.
"Yes, it's kind of sad, isn't it?" Asked Susan
"It is," Hermione nodded
"Let's not get melancholic yet," Tracey said. "We still have a long time ahead of us, many opportunities to continue enjoying our moments together".
"You're right Tracey," Susan then turned to Hermione, "Your birthday is shortly after the start of the semester right?"
"Yes, a few weeks later," she agreed.
"Do you plan to celebrate it this year?" Tracey wanted to know
"Uh..." Hermione smiled to herself, "I guess it might be a good idea. Last year I didn't really enjoy it so… yeah I think I could use some fun this year"
"That's great!"
The girls spent the rest of the afternoon discussing possible ideas for Hermione's party until Harry stopped by to pick her up, as they were going out on a date.
Hermione smiled at the sight of the boy standing and leaning against his car, and walked over to him, who took her by the waist and rushed to kiss her.
"I still think it's very strange," Tracey's voice separated them
"Hi Tracey," Harry greeted
"Hello Harry," she came over and handed him an envelope, "I have here the budget that our sponsor sent for our activities. Take a look to the numbers, will you? I'd like to buy everything we need for the visit that we will do in August as soon as possible"
"Sure Tracey, I'll let you know soon if everything is okay"
"Thanks, bye guys, have fun," Tracey winked at Hermione and went back inside her house.
"What was that about?" Harry wanted to know
"Nothing, it was nothing," Hermione felt her face blush, having understood that her friend was referring to the conversation they had had a while ago, so she tilted her gaze
"Hmm, it's funny," Harry commented
"What is it?"
He smirked and gently cupped Hermione's chin, making her face him, "You haven't blushed in a long time"
"Really? I hadn't noticed before," Hermione pulled away from his touch and took his hand, "Shall we go? Tracey gave us a lot of cocktails but not much food, so I'm starving. Italian for tonight?"
"Sure, let's go"
It was being the most boring summer of her life
Unlike other years, Ginny had to stay this one in Boston. Not so much by her own decision but by the fact that she was failing almost all her courses, so if she wanted to graduate that year she had to take different subjects in the summer and try to get enough credits.
The redhead was struggling to achieve her new goal, trying to put aside the many distractions that the campus possessed, as her father had spoken very seriously with her about her college rendition. But she had reached a limit. It was Saturday and she deserved a break. And shopping was one of her favorite activities and it wouldn't be as much of a distraction as partying with Melissa or Diego.
Ginny left the house and got into her convertible, heading for the busy downtown streets. She parked her convertible and began to visit the different stores, buying what she wanted until her hands were full of bags. After leaving all of her packages in the trunk, Ginny entered a restaurant, ordered a salad, and ate in silence until a voice interrupted her.
"Ginny? Ginny Weasley?"
It was Tracey. Ginny wiped the corner of her mouth with her napkin before giving the girl a smile, "Tracey, hi" she greeted
"Hi Ginny, wow, we haven't seen each other for a long time, right?"
The redhead felt a twist in her stomach at Tracey's comment. Of course they hadn't seen each other for a long time. Her contact with Harry's friends had ended along with their relationship.
"You work here?" Ginny asked when she noticed that Davies was wearing a waitress uniform
"Yes, that is to say, sometimes during the summer. Mom owns the restaurant so I have to help her from time to time; I do it since I was fifteen," she sighed and sat down in front of her, "So how have you been?"
"Eh well… you can imagine, I'm very busy with the university and the sorority"
"Right, of course," agreed Tracey and added "Anyway it's a shame you stopped coming to our charity group activities. You were a great support to us".
The redhead felt uncomfortable again at her comment. Was Tracey being honest? Did someone in that group really miss her?
"Sorry, I spoke without thinking," the girl apologized, "I imagine it must have been very hard for you to be around Harry after the breakup and..."
"I trust you understand that we don't... we didn't end up in the best terms"
"Well Harry is usually very reserved and he never told us about the reasons for your breakup but..."
"He didn't tell you why we broke up?" Gasped Ginny
"No, he didn't say anything," Tracey looked at her with barely concealed curiosity but Ginny didn't notice, still wondering why Harry hadn't discussed the reasons for their breakup with his friends. Was it because he felt embarrassed of the way she had sabotaged him? Or perhaps he had wanted to protect her from the gossip that her repulsive actions would occasion? "Sorry again, Ginny, I just wanted to tell you that it would be nice if we hang out together again, don't you think? It's been, what? More than a year since you broke up? You both moved on, right? I mean he's dating Hermione now and you...
But Ginny didn't hear another word of what Tracey was saying.
Her heart had begun pounding and her ears had been flooded with a sudden buzzing. Ginny gripped the sides of her chair and took a deep breath before facing Tracey, "What did you say" She asked with a weak voice
"What? I was talking about..."
"You said Harry is dating Hermione"
"Yes, you didn't know? It seemed strange to me too because they always insisted a lot on being just friends but suddenly they started dating," she shrugged, "I was with Hermione and the other girls at my house a few days ago and she told me..."
"I need to go to the restroom," Ginny cut her off, "If you'll excuse me, Tracey"
"Yeah sure"
Ginny grabbed her bag and strode across the room to get to the bathroom. Her reflection in the mirror greeted her and the girl observed how pale she looked and the clear trail of tears that were struggling to come out.
"Not here. Keep your shit together Ginny," she whispered as she entered one of the cubicles. Ginny rummaged in her bag until she found the little white package. With trembling hands, she unfolded it, placed it on her makeup case, and inhaled the remedy that would surely help her calm down.
After a few minutes she came out of the cubicle and touched up her makeup before leaving the bathroom. Having no desire to see Tracey, she walked over to the receptionist and left a couple of bills in her hand before leaving the venue and heading to her car.
"He's dating Hermione."
Tracey's words kept echoing in her head as she drove back to campus.
No. It couldn't be true. He couldn't have a relationship with her. It was impossible, right? They were just friends. Despite the jealousy and annoyance their friendship had always generated in Ginny, they had never been romantically interested in each other.
No, they couldn't be dating.
But even though she tried to convince herself otherwise, her mind told her that Tracey had no reason to lie to her or make up something like that, so it was most likely true.
But she had to see it with her own eyes.
Ginny changed suddenly of direction and headed for Harry's building. She didn't know if she would find them there but she couldn't think of any other place to go. She parked her car a few feet before reaching the building and walked the distance that separated her from the dorms.
And as usually happens when we desperately wish something not to be true, fate insisted on proving her otherwise. She was dangerously close to the entrance of the building when she saw them.
They were coming from the other direction, he with an ice cream in his hand and she laughing at something that surely he had said. Ginny stepped back to be protected by some nearby bushes and peeked out to continue watching them.
It didn't take long to confirm her suspicions. Harry and Hermione stopped in front of the building and she brushed her thumb across Harry's upper lip, which appeared to have ice cream on it, before standing on tiptoe to kiss him.
And Harry was kissing her back.
More than that. He had passed his hand over the girl's waist and now he was stroking her back as his lips, the lips that had once belong only to Ginny, caught Hermione's.
The redhead felt her heart stop and her face burst into silent tears. A sudden urge to move toward them and separate them washed over her, but what good would it do? What would she accomplish with that? Only for Harry to hate her even more. He had always been very protective of those he loved and now that included Hermione.
Hermione.
Why did everyone ended up always choosing her? Why did she always got everything? She got Draco's love, Harry's affection, the appreciation of the sorority sisters.
The kiss ended and Hermione hugged Harry's body, her boyfriend's body. The idea made her nauseous and Ginny turned around, hurrying back to her car.
This time she did go to the sorority, which was of course almost deserted as only a couple more sisters stayed on campus for the summer. Ginny parked her car and noticed a stranger one parked ahead.
Without giving it any importance, she entered the house and went directly to her room, but someone was already there.
"You're finally here, Ginevra"
The girl was stunned to observe her father standing by the window of her room, "Dad? What are you doing here?"
"What am I doing here?" He snorted, "Do you have the nerve to ask that, Ginevra? We had an appointment today since it was a very important day for me".
Her father's voice dripped with anger. He had never spoken to her the way he was now, so Ginny felt even worse remembering that she had agreed to accompany him to some work lunch.
"It was today, right? Your lunch from..."
"The recognition they gave me for a lifetime of sacrifice!" He blurted out, "An acknowledgment that should have been a family occasion, but where was my daughter? Who knows! I looked like a fool when the host said your name but you never showed up. How do you think that…?"
"Why didn't you take your new family then, huh?" Ginny also blurted out, but she felt suddenly nervous when she saw Arthur's expression, "Look dad, I'm sorry, I completely forgot but I'll make it up to you, okay? Surely there is something that..."
"I don't know why I bother," the man interrupted her, "You always end up being a disappointment Ginevra"
His words cut her like sharp knives piercing her soul.
"I have tried my whole life so that you and your mother always have the best of everything. You have had luxuries since you were born and you have never lacked for anything. You have been a spoiled child, I never denied you anything and how do you repay it? Missing classes? Failing all your subjects?"
"I'm working on that daddy, I'm sure I can have enough credits to graduate next year"
"And then what? What are your aspirations, Ginevra? What do you want to achieve?" When he didn't receive an answer, he continued, "Just like I imagined it. I honestly don't know what's wrong with you but you are as weak as your mother".
"Don't bring mom into this," Ginny whispered
"I'm tired Ginevra," continued the man without paying any attention to her, "This exceeded all limits. From now on the luxuries are over. I will cancel all your credit cards and reduce your monthly allowance to something minimal. Of course I am not a monster so I will continue to pay for your studies, because I believe that although you are clearly not cut out for this, it is your right to receive an education".
"Dad, please... dad..."
But Arthur left the room without even looking at her.
Once alone Ginny flopped down on the bed.
What was wrong with her? That's what her father had asked her, and that's what Hermione had also asked the afternoon the redhead had tried to slap her, shortly after the break-up with Harry.
The images of the two kissing mixed with those of the recent argument with her father and Ginny couldn't bear it. She had to forget about everything.
Ginny knew it wasn't a good idea to use more cocaine when it had barely been an hour since she'd last used, but she still opened her nightstand drawer and dug for more of her white powder.
She found nothing, however. She had finished everything she had and right now, when she most needed to forget the mess that was her pathetic life, she had nothing else.
Ginny got to her feet and put on sports clothes, put cash in her front pants pocket, and drove to the apartment that Melissa and some friends rented.
"Did you bring the money?" Melissa asked as soon as she crossed the threshold
"As always," Ginny dropped onto one of the rickety sofas, "I need something different. Something strong, something that... something that makes me forget everything for a while".
"Bad day huh," Melissa commented when observing her swollen eyes. Ginny glared at her and she shrugged, "Fine, I won't say anything else"
"Do you have something like the thing I'm looking for?
"Of course," Melisa stood up and went to the kitchen, returning a few minutes later
"What is it?" Ginny asked looking at the small black leather case
"This is the best thing I have," Melissa's voice sounded so confident that Ginny relaxed.
She watched her take out a small bottle, a rubber band, and a large needle, "Do you have to inject it necessarily?" She asked, nervous
"Are you afraid of this?" Melissa smirked showing her the needle
"I don't like marks," Ginny answered, scathing
And yet she rolled up the jacket she was wearing and exposed her forearm, "Begin," she ordered
"As you wish," Melissa sucked up the liquid with the needle, held the rubber band around her arm, and injected the substance, "The money?" She asked in an avid voice
"Here," Ginny took it out of her pocket and leaned back against the sofa starting to feel more and more relaxed, "Wow, this is incredible"
"It's the best thing in the world," Melissa commented
"I believe so too," accepted Ginny
And she closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensation of flying far away, to a much better place.
DRACO
"Hey Draco are you ready?"
Mark was looking at him expectantly while Draco still stared at the spot where his mother's car had disappeared.
"Draco?" Repeated the boy, "Shall we begin?"
"What? Ehh yeah, I guess so"
The blonde shrugged and followed the boy through countless doors until they reached what looked like a private parking lot. Mark guided him to a motorcycle parked between two fancy cars.
"As Mrs. Malfoy said I will be your guide here, so I thought I would show you first the place where you will live".
"Are we going there by motorcycle? Don't you have a car?"
"I can't afford a car here," explained the boy, "Motorcycles are cheaper and require less maintenance".
Draco was internally enraged at the fact of having to travel by motorcycle, but he didn't reply because he didn't feel like annoying the only person he knew in that place and thus staying without a place to spend the night.
The blonde got on the motorcycle and concentrated on observing the island's landscapes as Mark drove through the streets of Bali.
It took them about half an hour to get to a less touristy part of the city with more buildings and houses. Mark parked his motorcycle in front of a gray five-story building. Draco followed him down to the second floor.
"This is our apartment," announced the boy opening the door.
"Our? Will you also live here?"
"Of course, it's a shared apartment".
"How many other people live here?"
"Two more: Lynn and my sister Tammy. Come, I'll show you your room".
To be honest the place was not bad at all. It was small, of course, but it was neat and clean. And Draco would have his own room, which was good considering that even in the fraternity he didn't share his personal space.
"Does this place also belong to my mother's resort?"
"No, of course not," Mark laughed
"Then why live here? I understand that these hotels offer accommodation to their employees. The ones in the US do".
Draco had spent part of his vacation visiting the rooms shared by some of the pretty girls who worked at his mother's hotels.
"90% of the workers are local so they don't need any accommodations at the resort. The other 10% find shared apartments, although we have an allowance that covers the rent within our salary".
"And I guess I won't get that allowance?"
"No," the boy shook his head, "But you heard your mother, only your first rent is paid. Anyway don't worry too much about that, this place is not that expensive compared to others. Besides your mother's resort pays much better than other in the area".
"Do you have a lot of experience in this job?" Draco asked, taking a closer look at the boy, who seemed to be barely a couple of years older than him.
"Yes, I've been working on this for several years"
Draco set the small suitcase he had brought for a few days of traveling with his mother on his new bed and turned to Mark, "And now what?"
"Now we go back to the resort. Mr. Goldberg, one of the managers, will surely want to talk to you. You will also need to pick up your uniform".
"Am I going to have to wear a uniform?" Draco moaned
"All employees use one"
Employee
The word didn't get to him until an hour later, when Goldberg told him that the rest of the week he would take care of cleaning the suites.
After that, he picked up his uniform (white shorts, dark blue polo shirt), was assigned a locker in the changing rooms, and was given an electronic key that would grant him access to the employee areas.
Draco waited until Mark finished his shift and returned with him to the apartment, "How will I get there tomorrow?" He asked when they entered the place
"I can give you a ride on the days that our shifts start at the same time. And the rest of the days you can take the van that the resort uses to transport the employees. They go out at specific times so you should ask about that tomorrow."
Draco nodded and after eating a frugal dinner, he locked himself in his room thinking about the new life he was about to begin living.
The next morning the alarm on his phone woke him up at six o'clock. Draco struggled with himself to get out of bed and went to the shared bathroom to take a cold shower. After get into the hideous uniform, he joined Mark in the small kitchen of the apartment.
"Good morning," he greeted
"Hi Draco, there's coffee if you want"
"Yes thanks"
Draco poured himself a cup and ate a couple of toasts before heading to his first day at work.
Since Mark worked at the lobby reception, Draco was assigned a partner to supervise his work.
"It's your first time working on this, right?" Amira asked, watching Draco arrange the sheets on one of the beds.
"Can you really tell?"
"You're not very skillful," she nodded
"Well I think I'm doing pretty well," he replied
Amira smiled
"If I left the room like this, the guest would probably leave a claim at the reception. Look, this is a simple task, you just have to…"
The girl explained the correct way to arrange the beds and to vacuum the room. She also explained that they had to replace towels, toiletries and, in the case of the most exclusive suites, leave certain gifts from the hotel.
There were many details to attend to and it took him several days to be able to handle everything on his own. Even so, he continued to accompany Amira on her shifts for the rest of the week. He liked the girl because she didn't feel the need to fill every silence with meaningless conversation.
" Where are you from?" She asked one afternoon when they were having lunch together in the employee lounge
"New York," Draco replied. "You're from here, right?"
"Thailand, actually, but my family moved here when I was ten years old. So you could say that I am a local".
Amira also helped Draco to get to know the hotel better as well.
And the more the blonde worked there, the more he realized that his privileges had made him oblivious to many things.
Never, not once in his life, had he thought about the people who worked for his mother. He had spent the holidays in his mother's resorts in the USA, skiing or enjoying the beaches of Florida; but he had never looked more than superficially at the employees. Even in the fraternity, he hardly knew the woman who was in charge of the kitchen or the one who cleaned the rooms. How could he have been so indifferent to these people?
Draco too, as the weeks went by, began to realize how difficult it was to live on his own. Sure, at the beginning Mark and his sister Tammy (with Lynn he had hardly had contact) had made things easier for him, but in addition to working there was also a lot to do in the department: cleaning the common areas, paying for services, taking out the garbage on time. They were such simple and common things for anyone but Draco had never had to worry about before.
"I knew your room would be a disaster," said Tammy leaning against the door frame, "It smells terrible in here"
"I haven't had much time to clean Tamm," Draco replied. "I've been working extra shifts so I can buy a motorcycle like the one your brother has. I'm sick of taking the company vans."
Since Draco was continually changing job areas, his shifts didn't usually coincide too much with his roommate's.
"Oh poor thing," Tammy rolled her eyes, "Isn't today your day off?"
"Yeah, luckily," the blonde sighed as he dropped onto his bed
"Then stand up, I'll go do the laundry. It would be convenient for you to do the same, I don't think you have too many clean clothes left," said the girl pointing to the mountain of dirty shirts that were stacked on the side of the bed
"Not a chance, I want to sleep all day," he replied
"Come on, move your lazy butt", the girl approached him and hit the side of his bed with her foot
"You're a pain in the ass you know, Tammy? I've been working intensely for the last month, I deserve to rest"
" Intensely? I'm a bar tender and I spend entire nights at the parties organized by the hotel, then I must help order and clean everything, and also I must put up with the entitled bastards who believe that because they give good tips they deserve more than a drink from me".
Draco grunted.
"Fine, you win," he jumped to his feet and hurried to put the dirty clothes in a basket that Tammy had brought with her
The boy followed her into the basement of the building, where the laundry room was located.
"I suppose you know that you should separate the white clothes from the colored ones, right?"
"I'm not that stupid," Draco replied, giving her a look of annoyance that he later replaced with a smile. "Although I admit I only know because Amira told me the first time we had to take everything to the laundry".
Tammy laughed, "Well this here is done," she said when the washing machines started working, "Now let's go up to your room, and I'll help you clean it"
"I'm sure I can handle cleaning my bedroom," Draco assured, "After all, I've spent the last month tending the resort suites."
"Whatever," they entered the apartment and Tammy went to her room, "I have some cleaning products here. I keep them here because we used to share them with Lynn at the beginning, but she never collaborates to replace them and uses a lot more than necessary".
"About that... I will receive my first salary in a couple of days so I will be able to pay you and Mark what you have done for me," Draco said feeling alluded to by the comment, "I might even invite you to dinner to repay your generosity"
"Easy tiger," Tammy laughed again and they left her room, "If you really want a motorcycle you're going to have to adjust your budget. You will have to pay the rent and buy food, personal hygiene products, I don't know, whatever you need and that comes before inviting your roommates to a restaurant"
"But…"
"Come on let's go"
Tammy didn't let him finish and placed a broom in his hand. They spent about half an hour tidying up the room, which was scented and clean after they finished.
A few days later, when Draco received his first check, excitement and pride mixed within him. It was the first money he had ever received for his work. And it had been hard for him; he had tried hard to fulfill his obligations and had been responsible at all times.
"Congratulations rich boy," Tammy patted him on the back
"Thank you Tamm," he smiled at her
"You should make a budget. You know," she explained when Draco placed his gray eyes on her, "Make a list of the things that you will have to pay and know how much money you will have left after that"
"Can you help me with that?"
"Sure. I always help my brother with his budget. He honestly wouldn't survive without me"
Tammy sat down next to him and Draco started listing the things he had to buy and pay for. In the end he was left with...
"Fifty dollars?"
"Is not so bad," she replied
"But that will not be enough for me to buy the motorcycle"
"Draco, this may come as a shock to you, but most of us have to save for a long time before buying something we want"
Draco sighed. He knew the girl was right, he was going to have to work several more months before he could have the motorbike, "Hey, would you accompany me on the weekend to buy the things I need? I have no idea where to go"
"Yes, of course," she gave him another pat on the shoulder, "Cheer up Draco, I'm sure you will soon be able to have a bike of your own".
"I guess so," he sighed again, "Hey Tammy I'll go to sleep. I have a long day ahead of me tomorrow."
"Good night Draco, rest well"
It took Draco another four months to save enough money for the motorbike. During that time he worked as much as he could, especially as a bartender, as the many middle-aged ladies who stayed at the hotel tipped well.
Of course the motorbike wasn't a new one nor was it in the best condition, but it worked well and allowed him to be much more independent. That afternoon he did invite his friends to dinner. The place was a small restaurant located away from the tourist area of the city, but Amira had assured him that the food was good.
So Mark, Tammy, Amira, David and Sanjay enjoyed a delicious dinner and a couple of drinks, all courtesy of Draco, to celebrate his new acquisition.
Tammy walked over to him as the others made their way to the dance floor.
"So I wanted to ask you," she said. "What's your deal with Amira?"
"What do you mean?" He asked
"Well you seem... close"
"She's a good friend, nothing more, certainly not the funny ideas you're probably thinking about" assured Draco, "Besides she is engaged and has a kid"
"I didn't know that," Tammy drank her beer, "Sorry, I didn't mean to imply anything, I just thought that maybe there was something else. Don't take it the wrong way but you look like a fuckboy"
Draco laughed, "I guess at some point I was one," he admitted, "But not now."
" Well you haven't lacked opportunities," she said, "I have noticed the looks you receive from women when we had shifts together, so why not?"
"Because I am not interested"
Tammy pierced him with her black eyes and Draco sighed, "I have someone back home"
"Ahh! That makes sense," Tammy laughed, "Do you have a picture of her?"
Draco hesitated. Besides Amira, he hadn't discussed Hermione with anyone else.
"It's ok; you don't have to show me anything", the girl hastened to say
"It's not that Tammy, it's just that we… Hermione and I are not really together," he admitted feeling the lump re-forming in his throat despite the months that had passed.
"Oh I thought… I'm sorry Draco, I didn't mean to bother you with my questions"
"It happened a while ago, before I came to Bali"
"Was that why you came to the island? Is it because of her that you decided... to get away from everything and try to live how the other half lives?"
"Something like that," he gave a graceless laugh, "Actually Bali was another excuse to keep running from the mistakes I made".
Tammy looked at him for a while before saying, "You don't look like a coward to me. Every mistake you make, you can also fix it. As my grandmother used to say, while there is life there is hope".
Draco wanted to contradict her but chose not to. He knew he had very little chance, if not any, of earning Hermione's forgiveness.
"I also have a special girl at home," Tammy admitted suddenly, "Things were also tense between us when I decided to come here with Mark, but I don't regret it. I have a reason to be here and that is what keeps me going."
Draco was about to say something but she stood up, "Come on, let's put the sad stories aside and dance"
She took his hand and he followed her determined, at least for a few hours, to forget about the mess he had left behind.
And so the following months went by.
Draco worked in most areas of the resort: cleaning the pools, tidying the lounges after the theme parties, serving as a waiter at different restaurants, assisting guests on their walks around the island, he was a golf assistant, and he worked briefly in the kitchen (something he failed at, as he was terrible at everything food related).
However the worst part wasn't dealing with the managers, but with the guests. For people allegedly looking for to have a calm time, they had a terrible temperament. Draco had had to bite his tongue several times to keep from yelling at them. As Amira had reminded him, they were in an advantageous position and by being rude to them he would only get fired.
So he put up with derogatory comments from some guests and moved on. And at the end of the day he was very proud of himself.
There was nothing in Bali that directly reminded Draco of Hermione and yet he associated every single thing with her.
Even now, almost eight months after arriving on the island for the first time, he kept thinking about how wonderful it would be to enjoy the fantastic scenery that the place offered. Draco hadn't stopped thinking about her ex-girlfriend for a single day, because he wasn't really trying to forget her either. He kept his memory as present as always.
The ringing of the phone interrupted his memories. Draco took the device from the nightstand and answered the call. It was his mother
"Draco, darling, I just landed in Bali, could we meet tomorrow?" The melodious voice of Narcissa Malfoy asked.
"Of course Mother, but did something happen?"
"No, nothing happened," she sighed, "Is it strange for a mother to call asking for a lunch meeting with his only son?"
Draco smiled, "It isn't, and I'll be glad to see you tomorrow. Where should we meet?"
He agreed with his mother the time and place and, after a brief goodbye, cut off the communication. Draco took a shower and entertained himself by watching a movie on television, as it was his day off and he planned to spend the whole day relaxing in the apartment.
The next morning Draco headed to the resort and fulfilled his tasks trying to concentrate as much as possible on teaching little girls how to swim, although he didn't quite succeed, excited as he was at the prospect of meeting his mother.
When the lunch time finally came, Draco got in his motorbike and drove to the restaurant his mother had chosen. Narcissa was already waiting for him when he entered the place.
"Mother, it's so good to see you," he gave her a soft kiss on her cheek and took a seat in front of her.
"Hello darling. I can see that spending some time here has done you a lot of good to you," she commented, observing him carefully.
"You're talking about my tan, right?" He asked with a half-smile
"Yes, that and the fact that you look much more... mature," she nodded, "And judging by the reports I receive from Mr. Goldberg, you certainly seem to have grown up in the past months, at least as an employee"
"I try to do my best at work," Draco said
"I know, and you have done a fine job," she smiled at him and took his hand
The waiter approached at that moment and offered them the menu. They ordered a bottle of wine along with their food.
"Draco, I came here because there is a matter that it is time for us to address, so I will go straight to the point and be honest with you".
"I wouldn't expect otherwise from you Mother," he interrupted her
"I think it's time for you to come home," Narcissa said, ignoring Draco's comment.
The boy put his silverware on the plate and looked at her. "To go back home", he thought as his mind quickly considered all that going back entailed.
"You've been here for too long, Draco," Narcissa continued and he paid her attention again. "I'm sure you knew from the beginning that this was just a temporary situation. And I think we had already established in advance that you cannot continue running away from your problems"
"But Mother, you told me yourself that I'm doing a good job here..." he replied
"And you are," she drank her glass of wine and continued, "That's why is important for you to continue your education and, with all the knowledge that you have gathered here, you can be properly qualified to help me run the company"
"I can work here." Draco drank from his glass as well. His throat had suddenly gone dry.
"This country is no place for you," she waved her hand, "Your place is in America"
"What does Father think about this?" He asked
"Honestly darling, I don't care what Lucius thinks," his mother smiled sideways and the sighed, "But I do care what you want, so don't take my… suggestion as an order. If you want to stay here I will understand"
The tone in his mother's voice gave away that she would be annoyed if he decided to stay in Bali.
But Draco knew that Narcissa, unlike his father, wouldn't try to force him to do what she wanted. Narcissa had proved that she did take Draco's opinion seriously.
"I'll think about it," he said at the end
"Good," she started eating her food, "But just so you know, no matter if you decide to stay here or return to America, you will go back to college"
"Got it," he giggled and she smiled at him
And after that they continued having lunch while Draco detailed his experience as a resort employee.
After a couple of hours Draco said goodbye to his mother outside the restaurant and watched her drive away in her car. Once she was out of sight he got on his motorcycle and drove out of town, heading towards the beach.
Thanks to his mother's visit, he had the afternoon free, so he took the opportunity to walk on the white sand and feel the water between his toes. After observing for a long time the sea and the few visitors that were in that area, he entered a rustic cafeteria and sat at the table furthest from the place. Draco ordered an iced tea and drank it slowly as he looked at the photos of Hermione that he had on his phone. He hadn't erased the pictures despite the intervening months because he never intended to give her up, and yet at some point during his stay in this land he had gotten used to the idea of not being with Hermione.
Draco let out a long breath and brought his hands to the necklace with the stone that Hermione had given him one Christmas and that he used every day. "Should I go back?" he asked internally. And after that question, many more arose that invaded his mind.
Would it make any sense to go back to Boston? To leave everything he had built here, his friends, his job, his independence? Narcissa herself had said that he could, if he wanted, continue studying here. It wasn't essential to go back to America.
"But you would keep running away," said the voice within him that sounded dangerously similar to his mother's.
Running away and leaving Hermione behind. How was Hermione doing? Would she still think of him from time to time? Had she moved on with her life? "Maybe she has someone else already" The simple thought terrified him greatly.
Imagining Hermione in another relationship, kissing someone else, moving on and having a future with someone other than him, hurt. It hurt to even conceive that she might have a new partner.
"If I stay here I will give her up forever" he said quietly. And he couldn't allow that. Even if she rejected him a thousand times, he couldn't just let her go. He couldn't let go the love of his life. It was time to put away the fear that her rejection provoked in him, and fight for Hermione.
Then he had his answer: he would return to Boston and he would fight to ear Hermione's forgiveness.
Draco stood up instantly, dropped some bills on the table, and headed back to the resort, where he knew he'd find Narcissa.
"Mother, I have decided to return to Boston," he said once they were alone in her office.
"It's the best decision you could have made, darling"
"I know," he nodded, "But if you don't mind, I must leave everything in order here. You know, they will need a new worker and I must train my replacement"
"Of course," she smiled and Draco detected the pride in his gaze, "I'll arrange everything for your trip in, say, two weeks."
"Two weeks"
The days passed quickly as Draco helped the boy who would take his place.
The day before his trip, his friends threw a surprise party for him.
"We're going to miss you, rich boy," said Tammy giving him a hug for the first time
"I'll miss you guys too, Tammy"
"You were a great roommate," Mark smiled at him
"Hey let me know when you get back to the USA. It would be nice to see us and catch up"
Draco then approached Amira and handed her a package, "It's for your son," he explained, "I actually have no idea what the little kids play with these days so I hope he likes it"
"I'm sure he will like it," the girl smiled, "Thank you Draco"
"Thanks to you Amira, you were very nice to me from day one".
"I hope you do very well in Boston," she replied, "Remember that your Hermione is a lucky girl to have you. I'm sure she will give you a new chance".
Her words moved him deeply and Draco hugged her lovingly before joining the others and continuing the celebration.
The next morning, after leaving the motorcycle to Mark and telling him to do what suits him best with it; Draco took a taxi to the airport. While waiting for his flight, he walked through the stores and entered a jewelry, as a beautiful ring with a red stone embedded had caught his attention,
"It's jasper. This type of entirely red jasper is very rare," said the woman
Draco looked at the beautiful gold ring with its delicate details and smiled, "I'll take it" he said.
And although the ring took practically all of his savings, he was happy to have a detail for Hermione that was related to Bali, the place where Draco had learned valuable life lessons.
With the idea of giving it to the girl as a birthday present -even when September was still a month away- Draco got on the plane and fell asleep immediately after it took off.
Once in New York, Draco got into the car his father had sent to pick him up and went to the offices of Malfoy Corporation.
"Father," he greeted while receiving the hug that Lucius had given him when entering
"Well Draco, I must say that I'm surprised," his father said smiling sideways, "I would have preferred you to stay a while longer in Bali, but I suppose your mother insisted that you return to US"
"I also wanted to return," he clarified as he sat in front of the man, "It is time for me to resume with college"
His father gave him an incisive look, probably trying to figure out if there was another reason behind his eagerness to go back to college, "I'm sure I can arrange your transfer to a university here so that you can continue to work together in the family businesses," he said after a few seconds, "Because I guess that's your plan, right?"
"It is," he smiled sideways and continued, "But I will resume my studies at my usual college. I can also work at the hotel branch in Boston, as it is not far from campus"
Lucius glared at him and Draco held it up. He knew his father was not at all happy that he chose to work in Narcissa's business.
Their father's secretary interrupted them by bringing the drinks they had ordered. Draco thanked the woman and drank his tea.
"When are you planning to travel to Massachusetts?" Lucius asked as soon as the secretary left
"Tomorrow," he answered instantly
"I guess you miss your friends," his father laughed but the joy did not reach his eyes
"I do," Draco shrugged, "My parting was very abrupt father, I left many unfinished matters that I plan to take care of now"
"I hope you end these matters... for good," Lucius stared into his eyes
"I think I'll decide how I resolve my personal matter, Father," Draco stood up, "And now, if you'll excuse me, the trip has left me exhausted and I'd like to rest"
"Of course," Lucius stood up as well and accompanied him to the door, and before leaving he put a hand on his shoulder and said firmly, "I trust you make the best decisions from now on Draco"
"I will father, don't worry about it"
Draco wriggled out of his grasp, smiled one last time at him, and left the office.