All Is Numb - Chapter 4
Draco and Hermione spent the next couple of weeks doing nothing, but talking. It was nice. Draco hadn't spoken to anyone in years so talking to someone he really didn't know helped him a lot. Being able to talk with someone without hiding his magic life or vice versa, hiding his muggle life, was like therapy for him. He just needed to talk about anything other than her.
She obviously needed some help too. She was also a guarded person, but when it came to work. She was hiding from him and he knew it. Something behind her smile and her small talk were well hid lies. He knew, from the little bit that she had slip, that she was running from Death Eaters.
"I'm sorry. Can we just get out of here? We've been in this house now for nearly three weeks. I need to go do something or I'm going to go crazy."
"It's not good for you to be seen right now."
"Let me worry about that. Besides, you don't even really know the circumstances. You're exaggerating." Draco thought for a few minutes looking at her. There was the possibility that the guy who attacked her was still around or worse. He may not know all the circumstances since she refused to tell him, but he knew what it meant to be on the run from Voldemort. Something was not right with her and he, for some reason, wanted to help her. "Please, let's just go for dinner or something. I'm sorry Draco, but you're a horrible cook."
"Alright."
"Yes!"
"While we're out, let's pick you up some clothes too. It might be best." She smiled at him before he stood up and said, "Alright. Let's go."
Draco gave her a long jacket of his. She kept it tight around her so it merely looked like a stylish coat. They went out of the house and Draco locked it. He knew the locks would be rather pointless against those who actually knew how to do magic, but it made him feel better none the less.
They went into the city where people were all about doing last minute shopping. Christmas was only a week away and the area showed that. Christmas lights were shining all over the place and shopping bags were about as common as the people themselves. He directed her towards a store that seemed nice and rather reserved. Hermione felt so uncomfortable.
"This store is really nice Draco."
"Don't worry about it." he said nonchalantly.
"Draco I–"
"Consider it a Christmas gift from me." She looked at him with raised eyebrows.
"I thought you don't celebrate Christmas."
"I don't, but someone I know does and she happens to be right here. So go crazy. Trust me, I can afford it. Don't want to sound arrogant or anything, but I have more money than Merlin."
"Oh I don't doubt that, but I still can't."
"Look either you pick out whatever you want or I'm going to and I will pick out the most hideous things I can find." She smiled at him. "We've spent the last couple of weeks doing nothing, but talking. I think you know how serious I am."
She smiled at him. She tried on a few various things and Draco purchased everything for her. She was in such shock. She'd never been treated like this before. She forgot what it was like to be in the presence of a guy. Especially a generous one.
Hermione wore one outfit out. Draco couldn't help, but notice how beautiful she looked in the snow like that. In a white sweater that hung off her shoulders with jeans and black boots. She had snow in her hair and a black scarf around her. She looked really good in his eyes. This is not the Granger that I grew up with.
They went to a very classy restaurant, one that does not usually seat people without a reservation. However, Draco being the persuasive man that he is, managed to get them a table without any questions. Hermione couldn't believe that Draco was doing all of this. Something was obviously on his mind to make him do all of it. They ordered and their dinner was great. The waitress then brought them their desserts, but had a slight mishap when she tripped and accidentally dropped Hermione's in her lap. The waitress frantically tried to clean her up, but Hermione merely laughed.
"Don't worry about it. It was an accident."
"I'm so sorry. That must have been expensive blouse." said the waitress looking at Hermione covered in chocolate ice cream.
"Well let's just say that I have a knack for taking out stains. Some call it magic." She smiled at Draco who hid his laughter.
"I'm very sorry."
"It's really okay, but it's cold so I need to take care of this."
"And it's white. Oh I really messed up. This isn't good on my first week here I suppose."
"I promise it will be gone in a few minutes so no worries. I'll be right back."
Draco nodded as she went to the washroom. He looked outside the window to see the snow falling down all over again. Something about the snow was calming, but being in that restaurant was weird. The last time he was at this restaurant he was with her. He looked down at his ring spinning it around, his nervous habit.
Draco felt a tap on his shoulder and his mouth nearly hit the floor when he saw his in-laws standing right there.
"Hello dear." said the woman with a soft smile and honey blonde hair framing her face. Draco stood up immediately as though at attention.
"Janet and James. What are you two doing here?" he asked, his breathing level rising slightly. The pretty woman simply shrugged lightly at his question.
"Well we're only in town for two days and then we're back off to Germany. I was hoping to see you, but we weren't sure if you were busy or not."
"No, it's good to see you." said Draco attempting a smile.
"We're sorry if this is a bad time."
"No, no. Sit down."
They sat down on the other two seats at the table that weren't occupied. The woman looked at Draco in a kind manner while her husband's expression was not too comforting for Draco. He was looking as though reaching across the table and strangling his son-in-law would not be such a bad thing. Janet finally decided to break the silence.
"So how have you been?"
"I don't know. There are days when it's easier. I haven't been sleeping much lately."
"Oh I'm sure." said James with sarcasm in his voice. Draco nodded looking down at his fumbling fingers. The last time that he had seen Janet and James had not been a friendly experience. His body felt numb, his nerves reaching a high point.
"Well how has your personal life been? Any new girls?" asked Janet attempting to break the tension in the room.
"No. None." said Draco shaking his head.
"You sure?" asked James. Draco looked up at him hearing the accusation in his voice and nodded back at him. James looked down pointing his finger as he asked, "Then whose is that?"
Draco looked and saw Hermione's jacket next to the shopping bags. He looked back up and said simply, "Well I have a friend staying with me right now."
"A girlfriend?" Right after James asked the question, Hermione walked back out not looking up, but at her clean shirt.
"Told you it was just like magic…" She stopped herself when she saw the couple sitting at the table with Draco. Draco put his hands to his face as Janet and James looked at Hermione. Behind his hands, he was biting his tongue, hard.
"No girls huh?"
"She's just a friend that I'm helping out. Nothing more."
"Oh I'll bet."
James stood up and Draco looked him in the eyes, the same eyes that she possessed. James was mad and a red hue was rising up in his cheeks. "You move on quick, Malfoy."
"It's been three years. He has that right." said Janet looking up at her husband.
"No. He never had that right with her. You going to kill this girl too?" Hermione looked from James to Draco unsure if she had heard right.
"I didn't kill her sir."
"Yes you did. The second that you married her. You killed them and you know it. You bloody well know it you son of a bitch."
"Stop it James," said Janet again, but her words had gone unnoticed by her husband. "He does not need this and neither do we."
"Sir, I loved her with everything that I had and I'm still desperately in love with her. That will never change."
"Right."
"I should leave–" began Hermione, but was cut off by James who had thrown his hand up.
"No. He has a right to move on. Just be careful with this one. He can get you killed."
Draco nodded his head at him knowing how angry he was. He has the right to be angry. "I loved her and I don't care what you think about that. I am still so in love with her and you're right. If it weren't for me, she'd still be here.
"Then why didn't they take you instead of her?!" yelled James who was turning redder with every passing minute.
"Sir I ask myself that everyday. You know what, I can't answer that. I begged for them to take me instead of her. I did everything to protect her."
"And you failed."
Draco looked down at his ring, those words cutting through his whole body. Nobody really knew, but hearing that phrase was actually his biggest fear. Nobody had said that to him.
"We don't blame you."
"Yes we do." Janet and James both looked at each other before James said, "We're leaving. We have nothing more here or with you."
"I'm sorry. I wish it were different. I wish it were me."
"So macht ich."
Draco stared back at him feeling the hurt from his last statement. Hermione was at a loss not understanding really what was going on so she remained quiet. James walked out the door and slammed it, shaking nearly every table in the restaurant. Many people were staring.
"We don't both think like that." said Janet after a long period of silence.
"It's okay. Happy Christmas."
"Happy Christmas." Janet then began to walk to the door, but stopped herself. She looked back at them both. "I'm happy you can move on."
"I was being serious. She's just a friend I'm helping out."
"Gut hoffe ich, dass Sie eine Tag Bewegung auf können. Es war nicht Ihr Fehler. Ich weiß wie viel, das sie Sie geliebt hat. Wow war sie je verliebt in Ihnen. Sie hätte Sie gewollt, sich zu freuen." Draco managed to smile at her words.
"Vielen Dank." said Draco before she nodded and went out the door. Hermione sat down and looked at Draco. He closed his eyes as he put his hands to his chin all the while Hermione didn't know what to say. She wasn't sure if she should say anything.
"So you got the stain out?"
"Yeah. It's fine."
"Good. Well I think I'm going to skip dessert." She nodded at him quickly as he threw down money for the bill. "Let's go." She nodded and stood up. They walked out and back into the snow which was looking rather blue because of the darkness surrounding the area.. They started walking back towards his home. Draco stopped her from walking.
"Look I take walks every night. Kind of zhens me out. Therapy even." he said not looking in her eyes. "Do you mind? I haven't taken one in a while."
"Not at all. Go ahead."
"I just…I need to do this...alone."
"Okay. I'll meet you at your house?"
"Yeah. Here…" Draco reached into his pocket and gave her his keys. She looked down at them as he spoke again, "I have a spare key so…"
She nodded as he walked towards the park, the need to be by himself fluttering over him. She turned around and went the other direction knowing full well that Draco was not one to be messed with at that moment.
Draco sat down on their bench and closed his eyes, her face coming into perfect view. Snow was falling yet again and snowflakes landed on his shoulders and lap.
"I miss you."
There was nothing, but wind.
"You're all I think about. You're all I dream about. I just…miss you so much."
He felt his eyes tearing up.
"I want to go back. I wouldn't have done what I did. I'm so sorry…"
He closed his eyes and saw her face. He missed her so much. She was everything that he needed and the only one that he wanted.
Suddenly he heard more noises. He then looked down at his wrist which began to burn like no other. He lifted up his jacket sleeve to see it glowing green yet again. He figured that it would be best if he left. He, however, was nearly blinded as he stood up. He looked up at the sky in hopes of seeing nothing, but stars. Instead he saw a Dark Mark replacing the beautiful lights.
"Hermione…"
A/N: Alright well I guess you're all a bit confused since not all of this was in English. The other language that I used was German. I apologize to those who can speak German since my knowledge of the language is a bit sketchy. I think I got all of it right, but if not then I'm sorry. Anyways the translations are as follows:
So macht ich - So Do I
Gut hoffe ich, dass Sie eine Tag Bewegung auf können. Es war nicht Ihr Fehler. Ich weiß wie viel, das sie Sie geliebt hat. Wow war sie je verliebt in Ihnen. Sie hätte Sie gewollt, sich zu freuen - Well I hope you can one day move on. It wasn't your fault. I know how much she loved you. Wow was she ever in love with you. She would have wanted you to be happy
Vielen Dank - Thank You
So I hope you guys liked this chapter. The chapter is titled All Is Numb which is a song by 32 Leaves. It's an alternative rock song, but it's a great listen and the lyrics are great. Another song that I recommend.
READ AND REVIEW!!! If you can read it, you can review it.
Iris is a work of fanfiction. The characters belong to J.K. Rowling, but the featured story is mine.