Thanks for the reviews! 2 per chapter sucks though… sorry it has taken me to long to update. I'll try not to let it take this long anymore.

Chapter Two: Stranger On The Street

Hermione woke up unwillingly as the morning sunlight screamed at her through the purple curtains. She turned her head to the side to look next to her, expecting to see Liam but he was not there.

She sighed, unsurprised and disappointed, before she dragged herself out of the bed before going into the bathroom to take a shower. She washed her dirtiness out of her hair and out of her skin, the dirtiness from the job that she was stuck working. Once she was finished, she got into a red sweater that complimented her eyes and a pair of jeans. Her casual clothes she seldom had time to wear.

Today was her day unless she wanted it otherwise. She blow-dried her long hair and slipped into some socks and a pair of tan books that had faux fur around the top. She grabbed a long black coat before jogging down the stairs and outside, hoping to see the Irish male. Her hopes were soon crushed though when she only saw one of the tenants who lived in the apartment smoking a cigarette. Hermione decided to walk down to the coffee shop that was just around the corner. Along the way, she couldn't help but gaze at the other happy couples who were embracing each other and giving small pecks and laughing. She had longed for such a relationship, not one that was on and off for two years but a deep relationship. She wasn't like the other girls at the club who were up for one night stands whenever. She wanted a real man.

She thanked a fellow coffee lover as he held the door open for her so she could enter. Once she had decided on a coffee, she moved up in line to the cash register.

"Hello, what can I get for you today?"

Hermione smiled politely at the employee who worked there. This was a kind of job that she could live with, asking people what kind of coffee or snack they would like.

"I think I'll have a French vanilla roast and a small raspberry Danish, please."

The woman punched in the numbers for it before smiling back at Hermione. "That will be four dollars and seventy-nine cents…"

Now that she was back in the part of London that she lived in, she had made sure that she had muggle currency on her wherever she went. She handed the cashier one of the five dollar bills that she had worked for last night.

Once Hermione had gotten her breakfast and her coffee, she exited the quaint little shop and began walking down the street.

Suddenly, someone caught her eye as she sat down on a bench in the park. This stranger had a shaved head, but not completely shaved. From what Hermione could see, he still had some fuzz on it, a nice, built frame. He looked so familiar…where had she seen him before?

Probably some student from Hogwarts, she thought to herself as she took a nibble of the Danish. Hogwarts… oh my god…Draco Malfoy? No, no; it couldn't be…

It was silly to even think of it. What would Draco be doing in the muggle world? He wouldn't stray too far from his roots. He despises muggles, what would he be in this world?

She was about to brush away the thought from her mind when the stranger on the street looked over at her. Their eyes didn't go off each other for a long while until he looked back in front of him, continuing to walk.

That was definitely him… but why would he shave his head? His blonde hair was a symbol of the Malfoy heirloom.

She looked down at the ground at the pigeons that had swarmed around her, begging for food. Hermione smiled at them, occasionally giving them a bit of her breakfast as she drank her coffee. They cooed appreciatively to her as they picked up each of the pieces.

"You'll eat anything, won't you? I'd give you bread if I had any, but I'm a bit short of it myself," Hermione smiled softly at the creatures.

Once she was done eating, she decided to go to her friend Parvati Patil's house. It wasn't too far from the park and she and Parvati had become closer when Hermione joined the club. Her place wasn't much better from Hermione's, but she actually had a house. Though small, the brunette found it cozy and warm.

Before she knew it, she found herself standing at the foot of her door. Hermione rang the doorbell mindlessly as she still thought about Draco. Her mind kept replaying him looking at her. The look that he gave her wasn't that friendly, but it wasn't cold and evil either. His expression seemed…

"Hermione! Please, come on inside! It's freezing out here…"

She shook herself out of her thoughts and smiled at her friend before walking inside. Everything except the bathroom was all in one room. Parvati slept on the couch, ate in the living room, and got dressed in the bathroom. Her house was significantly smaller compared to her apartment.

"So tell me, honey. How have you been since…well, I guess since I saw you last night?"

Hermione gave her slightly uncomfortable companion a warm smile. "I've been alright. Liam came around again and he spent the night. I wake up this morning, and the bloody bloke is gone! Can you believe it?"

Parvati shook her head in detest. "Men… I'm telling you. They're good-for- nothing pigs who just want to womanize us working women…"

"Speaking of womanizers, you won't believe who I saw today," Hermione told her as she sat down.

"Oh, Hermione, would you like something to drink, water, tea?"

"Tea would be great, Parvati."

Parvati made her way out into the kitchen but continued to talk to Hermione. "So tell me, sweetheart! Who did you see today?"

"Draco Malfoy!"

She heard her friend shriek in shock. "No way! What's he doing in London? I thought he was supposed to take over his father's work!"

She waited until Parvati brought back her tea and sat down before Hermione began talking again.

"I know… it's so strange. I just saw him walking down the street and he looked over at me for a good two minutes before turning his attention back in front of him. I don't know what to think. Maybe he didn't want to follow in his father's footsteps after all," Hermione suggested before taking a sip of lemon tea.

"Are you kidding? Where were you in the first few years of your Hogwarts education? That bloody ferret always called you a mudblood and do you remember our second year? Oh Merlin, that was a nightmare!"

Hermione nursed the porcelain glass that held her warm liquid. "I know, I know, Parvati but maybe… I don't know, maybe he's changed!"

"Changed? Draco Malfoy, heir of the Death Eaters? Maybe he's in this world because he's looking for some fresh meat, so-to-speak. He's looking for muggles to kill and women to screw. You know as well as me that he is no good! He must be up to something."

Hermione couldn't help but roll her eyes at her friend's thinking. She could be right, but that chance was slim to none. Draco hadn't been that sadistic and horrible in school. They all graduated from there; maybe he actually matured and grew up. Maybe he was sick of his father and the pressure.

"I don't think so. When he looked at me, it was nowhere near the looks that he gave me in school. This look was mysterious and yet… curious. It wasn't like he despised me and wanted me dead. It was like, he was a normal person. He was like a muggle… who had feelings and a heart."

"Yeah, and all that's missing now is a brain for the scarecrow," Parvati laughed. She stopped instantly though when she saw the young woman's sad expression. She placed a hand on Hermione's comfortingly. "Hermione, you must forget about him and move on. You have to admit though, he hasn't been that smart. He's made some stupid choices and decisions and he's paid for them."

"He's done his dues and he's here for a new life, to forget about the one he had while in school," Hermione argued lightly.

Parvati gave her a curious look. "Oh Merlin's beard, Hermione… please, please don't tell me that you have a thing for Malfoy!"

Hermione sipped her tea and shook her head. "A thing? I don't think so, Parvati. I seriously doubt it. He was such a foul git to me in school, maybe it's naïve of me to think that he could change his stars."

"Good, now let's talk about something not related to Draco Malfoy, shall we? Are you coming into work tonight?"

"I have off tonight, sweetie."

"What? Uh no, Matthew must have not phoned you. He called me and said that the other girl's not coming in tonight and you have to."

Hermione sighed, feeling tears well up in her eyes. She looked away and blinked several times to make them go away but not before her friend could say something.

"Oh honey, what's wrong?"

Hermione set her tea down on the coffee table in front of her and wiped her eyes with her hands. "It's just… I've worked every day, including the bloody weekends for four weeks! I-I don't think I can do it anymore. I'm exhausted, tired, and just so physically worn out!"

Parvati stood up and quickly walked over as Hermione stood, wrapping her arms around her friend into a warm hug. "Now, now Hermione, take deep breathes. It's going to be alright, sweetie. How about I work tonight along with you? Would that make you feel better?"

Hermione shook her head and fixed her hair. "No, I couldn't do that to you, Parvati."

She smiled at Hermione and looked into her soft chocolate eyes. "Really, it's okay. I don't have a problem. I'll do it as long as you'll come tonight."

Hermione knew she didn't really have a choice. She had to go tonight or their boss Matthew would fire her. They could only miss so many days.

"Alright, thank you… you're a sweetheart, Parvati."

"Alright, good. You know, you'd think that since we've been there for several months, we'd be able to afford better places," Parvati chuckled.

"I don't get many tips and I just don't understand."

"Maybe you don't show enough skin?"

Hermione gave her an incredulous look. "Enough skin? I'm only in a flimsy pair of knickers a bra!"

"Try just taking off that bra! Dance for them! Do whatever it takes…"

Hermione smirked at her and drank down the rest of her tea before taking a short nap. Tonight was going to be her best night ever, and she'd make enough tips so Matthew would let her take a break.

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By the time Hermione left Parvati's house it was already half seven in the evening. She had thirty minutes to get showered and bring her "stripper undergarments" along with her to the club. Hermione ran the rest of the way to her apartment and climbed up the stairs before unlocking her door.

She quickly jumped in the shower, got dressed, blow dried her hair, and tucked a pink and black bra and matching knickers into a small bag. Hermione made sure to lock her door again before running to the club. By the time she got there, she already saw Parvati on stage. The young woman changed her clothes and no sooner than five minutes later made her way on stage.

Cat calls and whistling quickly made their own appearance as she headed towards the pole next to Parvati, who winked at her before walking towards the men who had their attention on her.

Hermione danced around the pole, just about putting her leg over her shoulder at one point before swinging around the silver object. She suddenly looked deeper into the crowd and saw the same man she had seen earlier. The man who could possibly be Draco Malfoy, her nemesis. She could afford to be distracted so she looked at the other men in the crowd who looked thirsty for her taste. Hermione walked over to them in her five inch black heels before kneeling down in front of them.

"How are you tonight, gentlemen?"

Instantly, she got a fifty handed to her. "Thank you," she said as she slipped it into the leg bracelet. "I take it you like what you see?"

The three men who were standing in front of her simply nodded their heads before handing her a twenty.

"Thank you."

Hermione stood up before she reached in back and undid her bra. She let it fall to the floor and then let down her hair. She got clapping and hoots and howlers as she walked slowly back towards the pole, some of her long hair covering her naked breasts. She swung around the pole, licking her lips seductively, unrevealing her skin.

Then, her eyes found the stranger again. He didn't look like anyone else in the crowd. He just looked so utterly disappointed, and maybe even disgusted. Her seducing mask faded as she suddenly began to feel dirty and unclean the more she looked at his face.

She looked over at Parvati who nodded at her, telling her that she saw the stranger too. When he shook his head and went back to the bar, Hermione quickly grabbed her bra and went back into her changing room.

She began to change back into her regular clothes when she heard Parvati come in. "Hermione, I saw him too. Don't take what he did personally! There are still lots of other men out there who will pay!"

Hermione began to pull her black leather pants on and a matching short shirt and then her black coat, tying it together quickly. "Piss off, Parvati! I need money and I need money tonight but I am not going to show my body off to any bloke who wants to fuck it!"

She wasn't sure where that anger came from but she just knew that she had to get out of that club, and fast.