Chapter 5- The Run-in
They apparated in an unobtrusive alley way beside Kings-Cross Station. Hermione brushed the dust off of her robe, and proceeded to lightly dust Draco as well. Draco inhaled sharply as she dusted him off, her being completely unaware of their close proximity. Draco cleared his throat and stepped away.
Hermione looked at him in surprise, but shook it off, and straightened her hat. Draco offered his arm towards her, avoiding her gaze.
"Shall we?" He asked.
They must've looked odd in the eyes of many of the muggles around them. Much to formal and most definitely wealthy, but to those who knew how important the first of September was, took no heed to their attire, for it was normal to them.
Hermione smiled in nostalgia as she walked past the scuttling muggles, and the nervous looking eleven-year-olds trying to find their way with their parents right behind them. Hermione sighed in an almost longing. Did she want children? Yes. Did she want children with Draco?
She glanced up at the man beside her. His eyes were focused and hard. Would he be a good father to their children? Would he ever love her like a husband should love a wife?
Hermione shook her head and reprimanded herself for such thoughts. That's ludicrous. She shouldn't be thinking about this.
"We're here." Draco said, stopping right in front of a brick column, with numbers above it that read the numbers 10 and 9. Hermione beamed at the sight of it, and Draco had to crack a grin at the sight of his wife's happiness.
"Well? What are we waiting for?" Hermione asked, pulling Draco with her towards the middle of the column, before being sucked in completely by the brick wall.
The sound of the train's whistle and the white smoke puffing out of its top brought mixed feelings to both Hermione and Draco. Hermione took hold of Draco's hand and pulled him to the train.
"It's been a while hasn't it, Draco?" She asked, looking at all the nervous looking little boys and girls waiting with their parents to board the train.
"Yes, it has." Draco replied. He didn't know what he felt. Happy? Scared? No, no, no, Malfoys were never scared. Slight uncomfortable with the present setting was more like it.
Before Hermione could say anything, something hit her from behind, causing her to stumble forward. Draco steadied her with his hand and turned to find a small red headed girl blushing furiously.
"I'm s-sorry." She stammered, gathering her belongings. Hermione's eyes widened at the sudden click in her head. As if someone flicked the on switch in her brain. Draco looked at Hermione's blank face and helped the little girl with her things.
"Watch where you're going next time, you could've gotten hurt." Draco said firmly, yet not unkindly. The girl nodded furiously. She looked up at Hermione and looked down.
"Sorry, ma'am." She apologized. Hermione seemed to have snapped out of her shock and shook her head.
"No need to apologize, it was an accident." Hermione said kindly, yet curiosity still etched on her face.
The girl smiled weakly and turned around to leave. Hermione looked at the retreating figure of the little girl, and then turned to Draco. "Call me crazy, Draco, but did that little girl seem…"
"MUMMY!" Hermione's head snapped to the right, giving her a minor whiplash in the process. Her eyes widened at the sight before her.
Green eyes met amber. Hermione froze, her hand tightened around Draco's.
I knew it. Bloody hell, I just knew it. The red hair. The eyes. That girl had to be related to them.
Hermione started to panic when they began their approach on them. She cast an alarmed glance at Draco, whose face was as impassive as ever. Her throat constricted as another wave of nausea hit her. Draco noticed her discomfort and gently squeezed her hand in reassurance. She took a deep breath and held her head high, standing dutifully beside Draco.
"Potter." Draco greeted, a hard expression on his face. Hermione was silent as the exchange happened. Harry nodded politely at the two of them. Being in different Auror departments, it was easy for Hermione to say that they haven't seen each other in a long time. Especially Ginny.
"Malfoy." Harry greeted back. He glanced at Hermione and his eyes softened. Hermione nodded her head in greeting, not trusting her voice at the moment.
"What would you two be doing here, if I may ask? I didn't know you had a child." Ginny said, her voice hard, and her eyes focused on Hermione, more than Draco. Draco furrowed his eyebrows.
"We don't. If you must know, McGonagall asked us a favor." Draco said. Hermione kept her head down.
"Oh? And what might that be?" Harry asked, his voice tense and cautious.
"To be the new Defense against the Dark Arts professors." Hermione blurted out before Draco could say anything else. Draco looked at her disapprovingly. Hermione threw him a sheepish look. Harry watched the exchange in mild interest and disgust before the new found information could sink in.
"Professors you say? What's your curriculum, Malfoy? How to fire an unforgivable?" Harry spat out. Draco gritted his teeth, squeezing Hermione's hand in the process. Hermione glanced at Draco in what Harry might've thought was a concerned glance.
"And you, Mrs. Malfoy?" Hermione's head snapped to Harry, whose eyes were hard and cold. Hermione felt her heart drop at the unfamiliar reference.
"I request for you not to insult my husband, Harry." Hermione said softly. She put a light hand on Draco's chest, as if wanting to push him away from Harry. Draco however held his ground.
"Having your wife defend you, Malfoy? Not much of a surprise, Death-eaters are cowards after all." Harry hissed. Ginny frowned, holding on to Harry's hand in restraint.
"Harry, not here." Ginny said. "No need to cause a scene. They aren't worth it." Harry growled at the couple in front of him. Draco's gaze burned as those words were uttered. Those blasted Potters and their superiority complex. Little bloody hypocrites, that's what they are. Damned Potters.
Hermione looked at the now unfamiliar couple before her. She glanced up at Draco and then back at the couple.
"Come, Hermione. We'll miss the train." Draco said, keeping his eyes on the Potters. Hermione nodded. "Potter. Weaslette." Draco smirked and gave a rather mocking bow, before turning on his heel, and walking away. Hermione looked at his retreating figure in alarm and walked after him after casting a withering glance at Harry and Ginny.
Draco kept walking, while Hermione tried to keep up with his long strides. They reached the train, and entered a compartment. Draco was silent, as Hermione looked dolefully out the train window. Draco looked at Hermione and suddenly felt the urge to just scoop her up into his arms.
Which I of course wouldn't do. Not bloody likely.
"Potters a git, if you ask me." Draco blurted, his eyes trained on the brunette in front of him. It rather surprised me that Weaslette even agreed to marry him to be honest." He added. Hermione would normally defend her 'friend' against her husband's verbal harassments, but right now, she had no energy to. She just smiled sadly, and resumed her staring out the window.
Draco fell silent once more, slightly put off by the response he got.
"I mean, what is up with his hair? Has he ever heard of a comb? I bet the bloody prick's too busy being a saint to possess such a comfort." Draco kept going. Hermione chuckled softly and patted the hand that rested on his knee.
"I'm alright, Draco, really." Hermione said. Draco only nodded, not knowing what more to say. He ran out of insults, and was happy Hermione stopped him.
Another lapse of silence.
"Thank-you though." Hermione murmured. Draco's head snapped up at the words. Hermione didn't look at him, but he saw a small trace of a smile lighting up her face.
"Your welcome." He uttered, before the train whistled, and set its tracks for Hogwarts.
Okay, so I'm finished with Chapter 5! This is actually the chapter wherein… I stopped. So that means… I FINISHED EDITING! :O (Note my totally awesome surprised face.)
Yeah, that was supposed to be far more exciting… oh well. Suggestions on what happens next?
I'm nearly in the mood to start with the sixth chapter, so fingers-crossed that I get it finished by then.
It's the season to jolly, so I hope to have it finished before December ends. (Hopefully before or even on Christmas itself :)
Anyways, thank you guys so much for your feedback! I really appreciate it! Keep them coming!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
-Miss Serendipity