Out The Door

Chapter 2 – Run Ins

By amarthaine

It all started a year after Ron died – do you remember? We had gone shopping for your wedding clothes when all of the sudden you disappeared on me. I remember the day like it was just yesterday. So I thank you for allowing me to see how much I could love, even if it did hurt in the end.

But I was left in that blasted wedding dress shop; I do curse you for that. The lady was having fun forcing me into bridesmaid dresses – she even had me try on a wedding dress! I was humiliated to say the least, but I finally got out of there. When I got outside, I was looking around frantically for you. Eventually, I ran into someone because I had been craning my neck around a corner at a flash of red hair I'd seen. And lo and behold it was Malfoy.

Unaware at the moment of who I'd run into, I hastily back away and was apologizing in a tumble of words before I finally looked up only to have my words die in my throat. I knew he had been pardoned by the Ministry, a fact that most people despised, and I knew he was basically harmless, but I was still scared out of my wits. I thought I would always be scared of him; he had the mark on his arm to prove what he had been a part of.

As it also dawned on him who had run into him so rudely, he quickly placed that sneer on his face. "Watch where you're going, Granger." Sticking that pointy nose up in the air, he wiped off his clothes where I had touched him.

A sound like a growl issues from my throat, and I stared at him for a while before I spoke. "You should probably watch where you're going. After all, all I have to say is that Malfoy's switched again and you can good bye to your life." My voice came out at a low hiss, and in pleasure I watched as he paled three shades.

"You wouldn't dare." He snarled, his tough boy act not working at all since he had already paled.

"Try me."

With that, I watched as he walked away, his head held proudly as he pretended nothing had happened in public where I showed him down. It was only then that I wondered why he would even bother showing his face in public. He was hated. He may have had, and still does, money and the Malfoy name, but he was still despised for everything his father did. You know as well as I do that his father received the kiss only a month before your wedding, so this would have been the day after I believe. His mother had been let off once Snape had been able to say something.

And for the time being, all I was concerned about was finding you and getting out of the busy shopping center. I didn't care after that instance any more about Malfoy than I ever had before. I should have paid a little more attention to the details in the beginning…

A week had passed. The preparations for your wedding were taking their toll on me. I had so much to do being the maid of honor and everything had to be perfect for your wedding because I knew all of those reporters would show up and start their snapping of photos. So one night I found myself in a bar. Yes, I know I don't usually drink, but I was barely handling everything at the time. Don't blame yourself, it all ended perfectly for you.

I decided it would be safer if I went to Muggle London and to a bar there than in the wizarding world. I wouldn't risk anyone knowing me and I wouldn't be a known sight, so I wouldn't have to worry about the tabloids announcing to the whole world that Hermione Granger was seen drinking just the other day. I think I deserved a break. So I went.

At first it was all good, the bar tender flirted with me and I flirted back, obtaining myself numerous free drinks. I danced with random strangers and I was having a good time. The first time I'd been able to forget about Ron really. But it was only the alcohol having that effect on me. This one guy there had discovered he had an obsession for me, so I did spend quite a bit of the night running from him. That's when I discovered I wasn't the only person with magical blood in that particular bar.

In my attempts to run from the man and keep my eye on him, I would look over my shoulder and run. Assuming that anyone I did hit would assume I was just dancing, or they would move out of my way. Of course, I never thought to consider those stubborn enough to believe they should never have to move. But of course, I would encounter that one person there.

"Granger, really now, you should have learned to watch where you're going." He said with a smirk on his face as he looked down at me where I had fallen. Muttering under my breath, I made my way back to a standing position before I spotted my stalked over Malfoy's shoulder.

Frantically, I grabbed the front of Malfoy's shirt in what I hoped looked like a natural move I would make to everyone else as I began speaking in a hurried whisper. "And if you have any sense of keeping our magic a secret you'll gladly pretend to be my boyfriend long enough for me to get away from a stalker." Looking up at Malfoy's face, I was surprised to see that his face held no contempt what so ever, just a very bemused expression.

"Then I suppose we'll need to make it convincing, won't we?" He said smoothly, and I couldn't help but stare as I watched his eyes, which were actually laughing for the first time I'd ever seen them do so, slowly come closer and closer to my own face. Before long, he was centimeters from my lips. "Don't fight. It won't help." And then his lips were on mine.

Now if you're confused about how far he was willing to go to help me, just imagine my own brain. The cogs were turning as fast as they could trying to determine why he would be so civil today after the other day he was snarling at me in the middle of a bustling shopping center. But before long, my brain shut up as I felt the warmth radiating off of him. It was unlike anything I'd ever felt before. His lips were slow and caressing mine ever so softly, it was almost like he actually cared about me.

After what seemed an eternity, he finally pulled away and I found myself breathing heavily. Looking up at Malfoy, I saw he was also breathing heavily, and he seemed to be just as confused as me. Hesitantly I swallowed, and attempted to say something.

"T-t-thanks, Malfoy." I stuttered out, seeing my stalker walking off dejectedly. As I had looked at him walking off, Malfoy had muttered something, but I missed it, so I looked back up at him. "What?"

As if I'd turn a key, his face quickly shut down and he scowled down at me. "I said, don't ever sucker me into anything like that again. Kissing a mudblood indeed." With those words, I watched as he stalked off into the throng of people, more confused than I'd ever been.

Author's Note: So here is the next chapter ) the third chapter will be up very soon also, seeing how as I've already finished it. Chapter Four is going to be worked on today, so I hope to get that to you guys also! As always, let me know what you want and think and all of that stuff!!