MY LAST NAME
Chapter 7
Hermione paced her office. She was counting down the minutes to a deadline and she still had four assignments to be handed in. She stopped and frowned at the clock for the second time that minute, before pacing once more. A gentle knock at the door made her heart jump. She rushed over to open the door, and rejoiced to see all four students stood there with their assignments.
"Oh thank goodness! You're only just in time you know" she smiled taking the heavy folders off them one by one. A mixed mumble of four apologies echoed round the empty corridor, she thanked them and they were on their way. She grabbed the rest of the assignments, and placed them into a large satchel. She picked up a few more books before locking her office and heading home.
The wind was sharp, and so was the night. The streets were loud and already full of people heading out for the night. She just wanted to be home, so she could sit with Snowflake, and start going thought the bleated assignments. As she arrived at her home, she noticed someone stood in the doorway. Whoever it was had a leather jacket on with a black hood. She slowly walked towards him, worried at the abnormality of the situation. The only person in her building who got visitors was Greta, and that was always her granddaughter.
"Excuse me?" She asked as she approached the figure. He turned around and her heart skipped a beat. There, stood on her doorstep, was Draco Malfoy. He smiled at her before walking towards her.
"I thought I'd come surprise you, and I also thought you could've shown me round Cambridge" he laughed "but seeing as I've been stood here for three hours, I should probably go now" great. Now he sounded like a fucking stalker. Hermione stood and watched him in amazement.
"No! Don't go, I'm so sorry I left you standing here, I was working late, waiting for some students to hand some papers in" she fumbled around her words, her tiredness getting to her. "Please come in, I'll make us some tea" she reached for her key, struggling with all her books. He effortlessly lifted up all five books she held, and carried them to the porch. She smiled at him, opened the door and walked up the stairs to her home. She opened the second door and dropped her satchel which had been digging into her shoulder, on her desk.
"Should I put these there too?" Draco nodded towards her desk.
"Oh yes please, that's great thank you" she unbuttoned her coat and hung it in her coat closet. She offered to take his jacket off him and he gently passed it to her. She walked into the kitchen and turned on her kettle. Draco examined her flat, it was warm, and cosy, yet rather minimalist. The walls were all an off white colour, with the furniture, rugs and ornaments being dark purples, reds, and browns. There were books wherever you looked.
"I'm sorry to have startled you" Draco hovered in the doorway which led to the kitchen.
"Oh! Don't worry about it, I don't usually get visitors" she smiled preparing the cups.
"That's why I thought I'd come" he walked a little further in. Hermione's heart was racing, it was the first time someone had step foot in her flat since Ron came a few weeks before their relationship ended.
"Well it's lovely to see a friendly face" she stated warmly. Draco's heart thumped as she said 'a friendly face'. He'd never heard anyone say that to him before. She handed him his tea, and beckoned him through into the snug. She had a small pot belly fire in the corner, with sofas that you could sink in to; it's where her cat, Snowflake, loved to stay. She purred as soon as she jumped onto Hermione's knee. Draco sat down in the chair opposite to her.
"How's your arm been?" He tried to make conversation.
"Much better, thank you"
"I can't believe that stuff actually worked"
"Well, it is magic" she laughed. Her laughter felt warm, and beautiful on Draco's ears, he smiled at her.
"Hermione there's a reason why I'm here" Draco's breath became slightly shallow and shaky. Hermione looked at him, concerned.
"Since you last came round, I haven't been able to dismiss you from my mind" he cautiously sat forward. Hermione listened with wide eyes.
"My brain is just being pulled to and fro, and it has, quite frankly, been driving me insane" he placed his cup gently on a table next to him.
"I completely agreed to what you said, the other day, about us being good for each other,about us helping each other cope. And I want that so very much. I want you in my life, but I just can't have that burden on my shoulders."
Hermione's ego crushed immediately. She didn't understand, first he's pouring his heart out, the next, he doesn't want her as she's only a burden? She looked at him with sad eyes, stroking Snowflake over and over.
"I didn't mean that so sound the way it did" he shifted awkwardly. "What I meant is, I don't want to be a liability upon yourself. People hate me, they despise what me and my family did, and I can't have that stain your bright, and well earned future. You deserve better, and I'm sorry to have had this carry on for such a sustained period of time"
"Draco, I -"
"Please don't say anything" he interrupted "I've been a fool, no, I've been a bastard, a total and complete bastard, yet again, and that's all that is laid out for my future. I ruined your time as a teenager I don't want to ruin anymore." He looked saddened.
"Draco, don't be absurd" Hermione finally snapped out of her frozen state. He looked surprised at her sharpness.
"If we are wanting to be friends, I don't care in the slightest what others may think. People judge and it's wrong, so very wrong, but I'm here for you, and I hope that you're there for me too." She smiled warmly at him and placed her hand gently on his knee. The contact was like electric. It was the first time he'd ever felt something when a woman had touched him, not like the cheap women he brought home after drinking himself into a coma on a Saturday night.
"I don't want to do that to you Hermione. Please don't make this harder for me" his heart ached.
"It doesn't need to be hard at all, Draco" she looked at him, into his eyes, "I want us to be friends." The words were beautiful to hear, he had never heard such words come from such beauty, ever in his 21 years.
Snowflake jumped off her knee and she moved forward. He felt so sad, but incredibly happy at the same time. He had never been accepted after what he and his family did, which led to the question:
"Why are you doing this?" He looked down, still disgusted in himself.
"Because I want to"
"But what I did..."
"Was not your fault"
"I had a choice"
"You were a child" she smiled at him, her eyes pouring with sympathy. It melted him every time. He stood up, if he stayed any longer he feared he may break down, he may completely crumble in front of her.
"I must go" he composed himself. She looked up at the man who was so clearly tortured still.
"You can stay tonight, if you want. It's late, I have a spare room?" She whispered. His eyes widened, they widened in disbelief.
"Hermione, that would be asking too much" he stuttered. She laughed softly.
"Oh please, it's 12:45, it's far too late to be apparating here there and everywhere." She started to walk to another door across the room. He followed slowly, not quite knowing what to think. She opened the door and beckoned him to follow. She turned back the sheets and grabbed a spare pair of pyjamas she kept in a draw, for when Ron used to stay over.
"Here" she passed them over to him, during the transaction, their hands touched. Hermione's were warm and soft whilst Draco's were cold, and rough. The contrast startled either one, and they both looked at each other. Draco froze, his heart skipping every second beat. He felt sick, he didn't know what to do. Hermione smiled, her heart beating out of her chest. She slowly walked past him and to the door. She looked back and whispered,
"Sleep tight Draco" she smiled once more and closed the door behind her.
Draco's tension was released, he sat on the bed, feeling completely exhausted. He stared into the black room, wondering what the bloody hell was wrong with him.