Chapter 2: Midnight Outings

The dim light shining from the lantern on the desk feebly fought back against the darkness through the window, all the other girls had gone to bed already and it was hours past curfew. Jasmine scribbled the last few sentences in her diary before slamming it shut and locking it away in her desk quickly. Gracefully she fastened her dark cloak around her shoulders and flicked her long ebony hair out of the way. Smoothing down the robes she wore under her cloak she ensured her wand was in her pocket and carefully eased the door to her room open and slipped out.

Jasmine now lived in an orphanage in London near Diagon Alley. Thankfully when Draco had taken her to the ministry they'd realised that she'd had a bout of underage accidental magic and that they needed to take her in as there was no way they could send her back to her time. It still depressed her that the only things that she knew about her family were what she could find in history archives and books. She'd looked them up not long after she'd started at Hogwarts. She had been documented as going missing at the age of nine and nothing ever having been solved. Her younger sister lived on to become Duchess of York and married a stuffy noble that she couldn't remember having heard about. Her mother, unfortunately, had died in a bout of influenza about ten years after her disappearance.

Drawing her mind back to the task at hand she kept her ears and eyes open as she crept down the unlit corridor of the orphanage. She smiled at all the memories she had of her and Draco, he was her best friend, even after she got sent to the orphanage by the ministry. She was no longer a Lady of the nobles of England. She now found herself as Jasmine De Hayes, an orphan of London, supported by the ministry to attend Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry.

Looking each way as she entered the foyer of the orphanage she crept to the door and found the key in the Warden's usual unimaginative hiding spot.

Above the door.

Letting herself out the door she ran swiftly down the pathway and over the low garden gate, before heading down the road towards Diagon Alley.

It was a warm night being midsummer, and unfortunately meaning they were out of school and had to sneak out to see each other. The orphanage kept strict tabs on their wards till they reached seventeen and Draco's father didn't think it fit that he was best friends with a Ravenclaw, him being a Slytherin and of purer blood than she. What he didn't know was that Jasmine's family was actually pureblood (family secret) and her mother was a squib, her magical father died before she could have been exposed to much magic. This resulted in the shock of her accidental magic.

Draco paced the little park impatiently, Jasmine should've been there about five minutes ago. He was starting to think the warden might have caught her finally. They'd been sneaking out to meet each other since Jasmine had first been taken to the orphanage when they were nine. He hoped that she hadn't been caught, especially when he'd gone and made plans for her birthday in a few days.

Jasmine rounded the corner into the park to find Draco pacing and looking worried. Chuckling under her breath she snuck up behind him lightly on her feet and wrapped her arms around his waist. Feeling him start in her arms she allowed him to turn sharply in her grip, his eyes wide. His face broke into a relieved smile when he saw her and he embraced her in turn.

"Hey, you're late! Is everything okay? Did you get caught? How are you?" the worried questions came out in a rush and made Jasmine laugh. Smiling she hugged him back hard, "Did you know that you stress too much?" she asked him as she laughed at how sweet his worrying over her was. But that was usually the case, he was the same at school to.

"Drake it's fine, I git distracted and lost track of time, I came as quick as I could once I realised I was running late." He looked down at her with a horrified expression.

"What on earth could make you late to visit me? I thought I was more important than anything else on the plane!" he pouted to exaggerate his little act and it succeeded in making her laugh. His antics earned him a playful shove before they started wandering through the park continuing their playful banter, ending up on the bank of a pond in the middle of the park. Draco leaning on his elbow, his grey eyes looking down at hers as she lay in the grass next to him.

"So what are you doing for your birthday tomorrow? It is your seventeenth after all, the whole coming of age thing. Pretty important date! We had fun celebrating mine after all" She smiled at the memories and then realised she'd now been in this world for eight years tomorrow. In two weeks they'd be returning to Hogwarts and leaving the orphanage forever. She sighed.

"They're throwing me a little lunch party at the orphanage and then I guessed I would be coming to see you? I get a lot more freedom once I turn seventeen, until I leave for Hogwarts I get a spare key to the front door but it doesn't work after midnight, so I still have a curfew I guess. You know I'll just ask Mrs Potts when I talk to her tomorrow. You'd have to come get me, she won't let me out unescorted." Sitting up a little suddenly with a cheeky expression on her face she asked, "So did you get me a present?" Draco laughed loudly at the childlike expression on her face that quickly turned into a pout when she realised that he wasn't going to tell her. He leant over and tickled her mercilessly until she begged for mercy. She eyed him sulkily, "I did after all get you a present mister! And I at least gave you a hint!" Se reached up with one pale, slender and fingered the dragon pendant that hung at his chest, her finger flicked up and tapped him under the chin playfully. Meeting his eyes she wasn't quite prepared for the intense look she saw hidden in the smoky grey depths that he tried to hide with a playful smile.

You'll not find out till tomorrow night my little lady! And no clues for you either." He laughed again at the crestfallen expression on her face.

Draco's mind had honestly been filled by his plans for her birthday. They'd been inseparable since they'd met all those years ago and they'd stuck with each other through dramas, fights at school, house rivalries and blood wars due to his father. They were honestly closer than friends, sharing everything with each other and helping the other through anything that happened. Draco was worried to finally admit to himself that he felt more for Jasmine than mere friendship, far more than friendship. But he didn't want to say anything lest he ruin all the happiness he already had.

For the rest of the evening, Jasmine kept trying to guess his plans. And he refused to budge an inch. Finally, only because it had started to rain, Draco walked Jasmine back to the street the orphanage was on. It was very late, Jasmine turned to him when they reached the corner to say goodbye, not wanting to make noise near the door.

Hugging her tightly and kissing each other on the cheek, Draco promised to come collect her the following night.

He walked home slowly that night, wondering about how to act on his feelings. Would she want to be any more than friends?

Jasmine stripped out of her robes and cloak, fetching out her cotton pj's from the wardrobe. Was she mistaken or did Draco seem to be acting like he wanted to be more than friends? She furrowed her brow in thought, she'd wished he would think of her as more than a friend for a long time, but she didn't want to ruin what she had with him. She growled quietly in frustration, guys were so frustrating!

A/N: hey guys hope you're enjoying, please review and let me know how I'm doing!