Hermione received the good word from Harry about Rolf Scamander's willingness to facilitate and help study the Mombacho Salamanders and she was eager to share the exciting news with Draco.

She proceeded to floo called him, but Narcissa shared that Draco wasn't home and she didn't know where he was currently.

Hermione decided to head into Muggle Paris and do some shopping for her trip to Magny-Cours, which was the following weekend. She was greeted warmly at Samaritaine by her personal shopper, Claudette Bonnet.

"Bonjour, Mlle Alphonse. C'est bon de vous revoir après si longtemps."

(Good day, Miss Alphonse. It is good to see you after so long).

"Toi aussi, Claudette. Je suis à l'étranger depuis un certain temps et je me demandais s'il y avait des articles appropriés du prêt à porter de la collection de Karl."

(You as well, Claudette. I have been out of the country for a while, and was wondering if there were any suitable items from the pret a porter from Karl's collection)

"Oui, j'ai quelques articles sélectifs que je pense que vous pourriez aimer."

(Yes, I have a few selective items I think you might like)

"Très bon."

(Very good)

Hermione followed Claudette and spent the next two hours trying on a myriad of outfits. She was currently eyeing her latest choice in front of the large mirror, when a masculine voice cleared behind her.

"Hermione."

Looking over her left shoulder, Hermione was surprised to see Jean Baptiste standing there, his gaze taking in her outfit, which was decidedly a bit more on the daring side.

The dress was haltered, emerald green, and fitted to just above her knees. The back was open to below her shoulder blades, leaving her feeling a bit exposed.

"Jean Baptiste." She offered in French, "I'm surprise to see you here in the ladies section."

He smirked, and propped himself against the wall, ankles and forearms crossed. "I am here with my mother."

"Ah. How is Helene?"

"Well. She will be attending with me next weekend at the race. Are you still planning on joining the festivities?"

"Yes. Hence why I'm here."

He nodded, then went over to the small rack where she'd had Claudette place those items designated for purchasing. Jean Baptiste lifted up a pewter dress she'd chosen for a night out, and he nodded. "This one I like very well."

"I picked it out for Draco. It matches his eyes."

Bright eyes lifted, and Hermione could see the open disdain there. It was fairly obvious that Jean Baptiste didn't like Draco. She couldn't fathom as to the why, though.

"Ah, he is your intended, yes?"

Hermione's eyebrows lifted, but she nodded all the same.

"Interesting."

She sighed, slightly irritated. "And why is that?"

"No reason, per say. I just never considered you to be someone to settle down so young. You have always seemed to be more of the mindset to change the world and everything in it."

"I'm superb at multitasking."

That comment earned her a deep amused chuckle. "Touché. However, had I known you were open to formally courting, I might've been so inclined to enter into the fray."

Amber eyes widened in shock. "I'm sorry?"

"You seem surprised, but you shouldn't be, Hermione. We're both born from the same noblesse oblige. Hasn't it ever occurred to you that we would be well-matched?"

She shook her head a bit too emphatically. "I'm sorry, but no." Noticing Jean Baptiste's eyes narrowing, she was quick to add, "You never seemed the type to settle and if memory serves, I don't believe I've ever seen the same woman on your arm twice."

Jean Baptiste cocked his head at her, but he chuckled again. "Fair point." He walked towards the room exit, but before leaving, he stated clearly, "Perhaps I was just waiting for the right opportunity."

Hermione watched him leave, her expression completely dumbfounded.

In all the years she'd been acquainted with Jean Baptiste, he'd never so much as looked in her direction. He was callous, haughty, and altogether a pompous prat. Much like Malfoy.

That fleeting thought engendered a light giggle.

My, my! How quickly things could change.

Claudette appeared suddenly, and inquired if there were any other pieces Hermione wanted to try. A polite response in the negative and twenty minutes later, arrangements were made to have all Hermione's purchases sent to her home via courier.

One more stop for shoes and an hour later, Hermione decided to make a quick stop along the Rue de Magique and Master Flamel's shoppe.

Stepping inside, the tinkling bell heralded Hermione's arrival and she was pleasantly surprised to see both Madame Pernelle and Master Flamel walking out from the back.

"Hello, Hermione!" Perenelle offered sweetly. "How are you today?"

"I'm well. I just wanted to drop off a few of the books Master Flamel gave me from before."

Pulling out her enchanted box from her beaded bag, Hermione placed it on the counter and as before, enlarged it and then took out said reading material, handing it to Perenelle.

"Did you have any questions?"

"No." She replied and then beamed with eagerness. "Harry did write to me. It appears as if he was able to secure Rolf Scamander to head up the preserve for the Mombacho salamanders!"

"That's wonderful!" Perenelle offered warmly, and Nicolas nodded in agreement.

"I'll be taking my NEWTS at the end of August, so I will be focusing more on my studies for the next month."

"That sounds more than reasonable." Nicolas spoke up, shuffling towards one of his bookshelves near the side wall. "I just have one book for you to peruse at your leisure."

He handed over the volume, which was fairly small. Hermione nodded her thanks, placing the rare tome into her box and then shrunk it before securing it back into her beaded bag. Saying her farewells, she walked out of the shoppe and perused down the 3rd arrondissement briefly, then meandered for a while, stopping to pick up her favored lavender truffles on a whim. After a bit, she noticed a bright red door to her left and smiled fondly in remembrance of the lunch she'd shared with Draco not too long ago.

He had surprised her that day. His attentiveness, good conversation, and overall demeanor had spoken well of his upbringing. As they sat there at lunch, Hermione remembered thinking to herself if not for her mother's death and the War, that perhaps this was the Draco she might've gotten to know without all the harsh and hateful baggage between them.

There were still times she had difficulty reconciling the Draco of now, with the boy he was at Hogwarts. It still rankled far more than she cared to admit, and even though she was doing her very best to put those negative emotions aside, it wasn't always easy. Sometimes, something innocuous would negatively trigger her. She knew the internal scars she bore from the War wouldn't fade near as easily as those she'd borne on her flesh, but still—it wasn't always easy to be forgiving.

About to turn around, she stopped when the red door opened and out walked Draco. But that wasn't the thing which brought her up short.

No, it was the witch whose delicate hand was wrapped around the forearm of her intended.

They hadn't noticed her yet, and in that single moment of indecision, of whether to disillusion herself or disapparate quickly, was lost when gray eyes lifted and widened in surprise.

The young witch, who Hermione recognized as Astoria Greengrass, turned her head quickly upon noticing Draco's body hardening and his gait, pausing suddenly.

For what felt like an eternity, Hermione stared at the two of them, unsure of what it was she was feeling at this precise moment in time.

Was it anger?

No…

Hurt?

Perhaps…

It took her exactly ninety four seconds to realize the swirling emotion clenching inside her gut was white, hot jealousy.

Draco though, went to open his mouth and just as quickly, Hermione waved her hand and wandlessly silenced him.

They were currently in public, and this wasn't the place to have this particular discussion.

She shook her head in warning, before turning around and walking with a determined gait, back to the nearest apparition point.

Hermione didn't know if Draco would choose to follow her, but it didn't matter because thirty seconds later, her wand was out and a crack as loud as thunder, echoed throughout the streets of magical Paris.

Draco though, just stood there in dismayed shock. He'd been so surprised upon seeing Hermione standing there that for the first time in his entire life, he simply didn't know what to do.

Then he felt Astoria sighing.

"You didn't tell her about our date, did you?"

He shook his head in defeat.

"Do you want to go after her?"

Draco wasn't sure it was a wise idea to follow Granger. He knew how she was, and how easily provoked she could be when properly vexed. But even so, this situation didn't look good for him at all.

"Let's just get you home." He offered with more calmness than he felt.

Astoria thankfully, didn't comment. She just allowed him to escort her to the public floo area. As he watched her disappear into the green flames, his heart sank within his chest.

Why did this shite always keep happening to him?