Chapter 6: Nothing Has Changed

I awoke the next morning with a dozen text messages from Ginny wondering how the trip went and demanding pictures. I sighed and rolled out of bed, ignoring the messages. I walked over to the balcony doors and opened them. I breathed in the smell of fresh bread as I walked out onto the balcony. It was a Monday morning, and while it was vacation for me, the rest of Paris had started the work week and I could see cars zooming by and hear them honking as Vespa's cut them off. I walked back in and took a shower and put on a peach coloured sun dress. I decided to order room service and so I picked up the telephone and called for some tea and croissants to be brought to my room. When it arrived I picked up my book and had breakfast out on the balcony where there was a little table and two chairs. My parents had not planned anything today and so I took it as a free for all day to do as I pleased. The first item on my agenda was to sit and leisurely have breakfast while catching up on my reading and then going to the Louvre, as the d'Orsay is closed on Monday's.

After eating I put on my floppy wide-brimmed hat and took my over –the-shoulder purse, that had a map, my passport and some Euro in it as well as my phone and walked out my door towards the elevator.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Draco," I heard my mother call my name, I groaned and turned over to see the clock, it was only 9am. "Draco, Blaise is on the telephone."

"What?" I asked as I sat up. My mother handed me some contraption. I put my ear to what looked like a speaker. "Hello?" I spoke.

"Hey man, sorry to wake you and call you. I realize you don't know how to use a phone."

"I won't even ask you to explain, because I feel as though I won't understand."

"Anyway, how's it going with Granger? Have you killed her yet?"

"Why would I kill her? Things are well good I guess. At first it was a bit odd but I don't know, we are sort of moving towards a friend like thing."

"A friend like thing? Ok well do you fancy her?"

"No." I said.

"Why so quick to answer? Granger is attractive, and I bet she looks even better out of her school uniform, well unless you dig the whole private school girl fantasy."

"I can't fancy her Blaise. I shouldn't even be friends with her."

"Mate, things have changed. If you are worried about what people might say…"

"I'm not. I don't care what those idiots have to say about me or anything to do with me. I am not like them anymore but this thing with Granger, it is going so fast, I mean I used to hate her. And she definitely hated me, now all of sudden we are being civil and taking pictures and she put her head on my shoulder."

"You took pictures and her head was on your shoulder? Elaborate please."

"At that stupid French Queen's Palace yesterday. Girl Weasley wanted pictures of the two of us for Merlin knows what reason so I took some with her and then on the way back to the hotel she fell asleep and put her head on my shoulder."

"You fancy her don't you?"

"I just said I didn't."

"You also said you can't"

"I cannot fancy Granger. Look I know times have changed and I have changed and I have somehow overcome the brainwashing that I get to thank my dear Father for, but there are still rules. I can be friendly towards Granger, hell maybe I can even be good friends with her but I cannot shag her or fancy her. That is way too much change and I don't even know if my mother could handle that let alone the rest of the freaking world. What would people think when they saw Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger together?"

"They must have great sex?"

"How do I turn this thing off, I no longer wish to talk to you."

"Ok, sorry mate, look if you fancy her its fine by me, I think it's great."

"I don't, nor will I ever."

"Whatever you say, just be nice to her."

"I am. I'm being too nice."

"I'll talk to you later ok mate?"

"Yes, fine, I will try and learn how to work this thing."

"Bye"

I walked out on to the balcony and looked down, I saw Granger out on her balcony reading. I sighed, I bet she hasn't a care in the world. Not that I think her friends would be thrilled with us hanging out or shagging but I doubt her world would be as cruel as mine would be. This really is a holiday for her, to me this, being here in Paris, is a temporary escape from reality. I saw her get up and go inside, shutting the doors behind her. Moments later I saw her exiting the hotel and crossing the street. She walked down the street and turned right, disappearing around the corner. Where was she going? And by herself? There may be enemies here in Paris, for being smart she sure doesn't think things through. Or maybe I am just more paranoid than she is.

As if I wasn't even in control of my own body, I found myself putting on proper clothes, grabbing a few Euros and walking out the door, following her route. Unfortunately she walks at hyper-speed and I can't see her. Ok, time to apparate to wherever Granger is.

I end up at the Louvre, well outside the Louvre. I am right next to the big pyramid entrance structure. There are hordes of people standing in a very long queue, great how am I to find Granger. I look around and spot her standing near a door. Well that is peculiar. The door opens and a man steps out and hugs her and kisses her on the cheek. Merlin, is she meeting a secret boyfriend?

After their intimate greeting he leads her inside the door and it closes behind them. If she has a boyfriend then why does Girl Weasley want her to shag me so much? Unless Granger didn't even tell her best friend. I walk over to the door and pull on the handle. Locked, perfect, well I am officially insane. What in Merlin's name am I doing running all over the city stalking Granger, who I do not really care about. I should really go back and find something else to do with my day. I am curious though, I want to know why she has a secret boyfriend and why she is using the back door to a museum. Good little Granger isn't waiting in line with all the other muggles, I am shocked. Ok, well I guess I am once again apparating.

OOOOOOOOO

After a lovely walk from the hotel to the Louvre I waited by an alternative entrance as the museum didn't open for another two hours. I however had a connection, involving a certain someone who is in charge of dusting the portraits in one area of the museum. I knocked on the door and all of a sudden it opened.

"'Mione! It is sure great to see you. How is my favourite cousin doing?" He said as he enveloped me in a hug and kissed my cheek.

"I am good Travis, how are you? I cannot believe that you live in Paris, I am very envious." I said, as he ushered me in the door.

"It takes a bit of getting used to, I am still a country boy at heart. So here is your pass, in case anyone asks. Unfortunately I have to go and make sure one of the portraits is securely on the wall. It is the one of Napoleon in one of his battles. Yesterday it sprung off its hooks and nearly crushed someone."

"Oh dear, well yes go, I don't want to keep you from your work. Thank you for the favour." I said and hugged him again before he ran off. I walked off in the direction of the Mona Lisa, I know it is so cliché to come to the Louvre just to see the Mona Lisa but I wanted to get a chance to look at it before the crowds of people came.

As I was standing in front of it, reading the little blurb on its description plaque I heard a voice behind me.

"So this is where you went. You do know that there is a line you are supposed to wait in right?"

Without turning around I retorted "Funny, I was going to say the same to you. What are you doing here? And why did you feel the need to follow me?"

"I am here because you are here, and I followed you because you decided to walk off on your own, in a city you are not accustomed too. There could be enemies here you know, just because the war is over doesn't mean that darkness ceases to exist."

"You are very paranoid and contrary to your belief I do know that there is still darkness out there and I am not living in some fantasy land where everything is sunny and bright now that the fighting has stopped."

"Really? Because it sure seems like it."

I turned around, officially annoyed at the audacity of telling me this and the rudeness he brought into my otherwise perfect day to myself. "Did you follow me just to lecture me? I am sorry if I worried you and I don't know whether to be pleased that you care so much about me or insulted that you care so much as to act like my bodyguard. I fought in that war too Malfoy, I saw just as many people die as you did, probably more and I had the curciatus curse hit me probably triple the amount you have. I do not need a bodyguard. I do not need a protector."

"I don't care. I wasn't trying to be a bodyguard or protect you. It isn't my fault if you get hurt, it isn't my fault if they find you here and frankly I probably wouldn't care a whole lot if they did. We are not friends."

"I know we aren't friends. We aren't anything. There is no we or us. Which is why I am curious as to why you felt like you needed to follow me. Are you trying to warn me? Do you know of enemies in the city or people who are looking for me?"

"No. I just wanted you to be aware of the possibility." He said, his voice a bit calmer.

I sighed, trying to keep calm myself, "Ok, well then thank you. I will be more alert."

After moments of silence, he spoke, "I know this is a holiday for you. I know that your life is hard and you have been through all the dark shit I have, but I know I have been through more of it. I grew up in it, living it every day until a few months ago. This is not a holiday for me. My mother may act as though it is a typical Malfoy family holiday but this is just an escape from reality."

"I know that Draco." I said, I didn't know what else to say really. If this were Harry or Ron I would give them a hug but, well it's Malfoy.

"What's your boyfriend's name?"

I think Malfoy may be Bipolar. He jumps from one extreme to the next. "I beg your pardon?"

"That guy with the secret entrance and the hug and kiss and the laughing. Secret boyfriend Granger?"

"Not that is any of your business, but no he is not my secret boyfriend."

"What is his name?"

"I'm sorry I only divulge personal information to my friends, and it is clear we are definitely not that." I said and walked off to another wing of the Louvre, hoping he wouldn't follow. He did.

"Come on Granger, tell me."

"Malfoy, leave me alone please. Don't you have anything better to do? Why don't you go outside and try and find some suspicious looking person and then grill them to see if they are a part of the 'enemy'".

"Great suggestion, however I am more likely to leave once I know a bit more about your boyfriend. Is he a muggle or a wizard?"

"Why do you care?"

"I don't care, I just want to know."

"Well it seems to me like you are jealous of him, which is quite amusing albeit annoying."

"Like I would be jealous of anyone you fancy. I know I am way more of a catch than any guy you could fancy."

"Well that is a bit rude don't you think."

"I didn't mean it as an insult to you, but more of the blokes you seem to go for. Weasley, come on, even you have to admit I am way better looking than Weasley."

"I am not admitting anything. Ron is lovely, he is nice and kind and one of my best friends and you could do with taking a page or two out of his book."

"No thanks, I am more interesting. Kind or nice, I know I am not but you have way more fun with me than you do with him."

"Ha! Now you know that isn't true. You call this fun? You call the past few minutes' fun? No I have a much more fun and pleasant time with Ron. Now stop following me." What is wrong with him today? I honestly do not know where this inane need to pester me comes from. If he doesn't care then why follow me. No I am not going down the whole he likes you so he's annoying you road. My cell goes off and I know it is another text from Ginny.

"Are you going to answer that?"

"No." I say and walk faster.

OOOOOO

I know I should really leave her be. But a part of me needs to know who that bloke is.

"Granger…"

"Oh for the love of Merlin! He is my cousin! Travis is my cousin. He works here and let me in early as a favour." She screamed as she suddenly stopped and whipped around throwing me off balance a little.

"Whoa Granger…" I started to tell her to calm down.

"Now bugger the hell off. I hate you; you have not only made me miserable but probably ruined my day. I know this isn't a holiday for you and that it is an 'escape from reality'. Well guess what Malfoy it is a freaking escape from reality for me as well. You think you are the only one who is still suffering, the only one who wakes up in the night screaming because you dreamed you were being hit by an unforgivable or that he was torturing your family? Well news flash you are not the only one. So shut up, leave me alone and stay the hell out of my life."

And just like that she was gone. She ran off. I could have followed but I didn't. I guess I was in shock. She hates me. I didn't think something like that, something like Granger hating me would hurt so much. For some reason it did. I walked back to the hotel, half wishing a death eater would come to relieve me of my misery. I've been sitting on the end of my bed for what seems like hours. Blaise called, I guess Ginny got an upsetting call from Granger.

"Mate, what happened? You said everything was going fine. You said you were being nice."

"I guess I couldn't act anymore."

"Draco, I know you ok. I know you weren't acting with Granger. I know you wanted to be nice to her. What did you do?"

"I pushed her buttons too far, she snapped. She said she hated me. I mean I always knew she did. It's something about actually hearing her say it right in front of me, to me, that has thrown me off. I used to hate her. I don't hate her anymore, and I think that stopped when I saw her in my living room curled in ball on the floor. She had no reason to ever stop hating me though. I never gave her a reason not to hate me."

"Yes you did, the past few days. She doesn't actually hate you Malfoy. Ginny says it's not in her DNA to hate people. You just made her angry."

OOOOOOOOO

"Ginny I cannot believe you actually wanted me to be friends with him! Well that is no longer happening."

"Hermione please calm down."

"I will not. He is an annoying little prat and I don't want him in my life anymore."

"He was just teasing you. I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it."

"I don't care about the Travis thing. He acts like a victim all the time and I know he had a hard life. It was very traumatic for him to grow up in that atmosphere I get that. But if he were truly a good person he wouldn't let that keep him from moving forward. He acts as though he doesn't have a choice but to live that way or at least hold on to a part of that life. Yes I know my life has been very good, I am truly blessed but in the magical world my life wasn't always rosy and pretty. Half the time I was with Ron and Harry in life or death situations not knowing what was going to happen."

"I don't know what to tell you Hermione. You know him better than I do…"

"I don't know him at all. He is just as much of a mystery to me as he was in school."

"Blaise knows him, they grew up together and he says that Draco really is a good person. You know how he is with this mother. He would do anything for her and has tried all his life to protect her. He came to Paris for her. She wants him to go back to school in September and that means she will be alone. She has no family, no husband and she can't go back to her house without fear of revenge for being a 'traitor'. Things are calm right now but that can change in a moment. You know that."

"I still don't like him and although I will be civil as that was our agreement I will not be letting my guard down again. I will just try and hang out with Mrs. Malfoy. I like her, she, unlike her son, is very pleasant."

"You don't hate him do you?"

"No. I feel sorry for him. I think he might prefer that I hate him."

"Goodnight Hermione."

"Goodnight Gin"

OOOOOOO

Ok so I know that was a long time to wait for a chapter. I think I posted the last one in April? Or May? Anyway I am sorry. I had about 3 pages written and then I couldn't think of what to write next but lately I have had all these ideas form in my head and I decided to work really hard and finish. So now there is about 8 and a half pages. I hope you guys like it. I have an idea of how I want to start the next chapter but I am deciding if it is creepy or not. I go back and forth a lot with ideas. Anyway if you have any suggestions, ideas, comments or criticism please review!