Chapter eight:
She's All Over the Place

The next morning brought the sun out, despite the storm that had occurred the night before. Sitting up from where he rested on the couch, Draco squinted through the blinding light. He found the offensive window and was startled to see the blinds were open.

Getting to his feet, Draco raced to the window, his intension to shut the blinds immediately, but he hesitated. Sitting in his chair, looking out over the cliff, was Serena. She looked content, sitting there out on the porch.

Draco couldn't think of any other time, when he'd seen her, that she had been this relaxed. She always appeared uneasy and cautious, even when she slept. But now, even though she only wore his t-shirt, with her bare legs tucked beneath her, she was content.

The sun had fully risen in the sky, brightening the gray overcast. He watched Serena heave a heavy sigh and slowly stand. Pulling back from the window, he quickly made himself scarce.

He heard the front door open as he entered the kitchen. "Uuh oh," he heard and came to the conclusion that it had been she, who had opened the blinds. Before, something like that would have upset him. But now, he found that he just did not care.

"Did I wake you," she asked as she walked into the kitchen. Draco looked up at her from where he was checking the contents of his fridge and shook his head. He had decided to check to see what he might have for something to make for breakfast. Only nothing looked appealing.

"Does eating out, seem okay with you," he inquired after shutting his fridge door. "I'm low on food."

Serena looked to the fridge and then back at him. "Yeah," she gushed, but then quickly blushed at her own outburst. "I mean, yes that would be great." She was still blushing, when she turned to flee.

"I'll go get cleaned up," she added as she hurried off. She went back to his bedroom, only to remember she lacked fresh clothes.

Hearing him enter the room behind her, Serena whirled around. "I forgot," she said, a little disappointment creeping into her voice.

"I think I might have something," he said, going to his closet. "If you don't mind wearing men clothing."

He saw her shake her head and Draco opened his closet to see what he had. "Its old," he said in warning, and pulled out an outfit from when he was back in Hogwarts. There had been on some occasions he'd had to walk in muggle populated areas and his mother had been a stickler about fitting in.

Those had been good memories, he thought fondly, thinking back to when his mother had been well and alive still. Before his father had gone completely mad.

"You're upset," he heard her say and it was her concerned voice that drug him out of the past.

Looking over at her, his brows creased, before he looked back at the clothes. "No, not really. They actually bring up some of the few good memories I can remember," he replied and handed her the folded outfit.

"I wore them when I was a few years younger than you, but I think I was about the same size then," he added, looking her up and down thoroughly.

Serena stared at the clothes she clutched to her chest. "Are you sure," she asked. "I wouldn't want to ruin them."

Draco shook his head, a rueful smile playing on his face. When the worried look wouldn't leave, he reached out with his hand and lifted her chin so that she could look him in the eye.

"I wore this outfit, only when my mother and I managed to get away from my father," he told her. "They were very few occasions when we could, but each one of them I committed to memory. It has nothing to do with these clothes."

He watched as her eyes became glassy, as if she was about to cry. "Thank you," she whispered, her lips turning up into a smile at last. "That's the first time you ever told me anything about yourself."

Draco dropped his hand, his gaze adverting to the side as he thought about what she said. "You have enough on your hands Serena," he said softly. "Then having to deal with my skeletons on top of it."

Looking back at her, he caught her sharp nod of understanding. It was a sort of an agreement, the two of them had made. They hadn't done it on purpose, but by accidental. There were some things they just would not share.

But he knew at some point, he would have to tell her something. She'd confessed her nightmares to him and even if it was while in an emotional traumatic time, it would only be courteous.

Draco stood there silently, his mind torn on what he should say to her, when she moved passed him and disappeared inside the bathroom. Looking up, when he heard the door close, he finally sighed aloud.

What am I doing, he wondered. He'd only known this girl for just over a months time. But he just couldn't kick her out, despite the danger he was putting her in, with her just being near him. He was a wanted man. On the run from the Ministry, who knew when they might find him.

And if they did, what would happen to Serena, he wondered. Looking at the bathroom door, he truly wondered about that. They would probably erase him from her mind.

That thought sent anger coursing through him. It was white hot and fresh, and the strength behind that rage startled him. He hadn't felt anything like it since before Azkaban, before he'd made that mistake of joining Voldemort's side.

The bathroom door suddenly swung open and Serena stepped out looking fresh and a bit comical in a pair of blue jeans to big for her waist, and a red t-shirt that was a bit baggy, but not nearly as bad as those sweatshirts she wore all the time.

She'd managed to pull her hair up into that strange style, he noticed she liked to wear. Twin buns with pigtails. "All yours," she called as she skipped out of the bathroom.

Draco nodded gratefully, his anger completely gone, as he passed her on his way to the bathroom. "Why don't you try using one of my belts," he offered, and pointed to the closet. "So that way we wont have to worry about your pants falling down during breakfast."

"Right," she replied, her face turning red as she went to his closet to find a belt. "So where are we going?"

Draco paused in shutting the door. "You'll just have to wait and see," he replied with a raise of his eyebrows, and shut the door.

He shook his head with a laugh as her pouting face filled his mind as he turned to get ready for another day.

----

He took her to a restaurant for breakfast. Serena smiled, her eyes taking in the nice decorations, that made the place cozy.

A waitress approached them with a bright smile on her face. "Hello," she greeted warmly. "Would you like a window seat, or a place near the back?"

Draco looked to both choices. The back would give them privacy, each seating separated from the next. Looking to the young girl with him, he inclined his head.

Serena looked around, but knew immediately where she wanted to sit. "The window please," she said and looked at Draco to see if he approved. He nodded in agreement and soon they found themselves seated with a menu to look at.

"Thank you," she said to him from over her own menu. He glanced at her briefly, but kept his attention on his choices for breakfast. "I haven't been to a restaurant since I was kid."

Folding his menu, Draco looked at her. "I've been to plenty growing up," he admitted. "I can't really say I ever enjoyed eating out."

He saw her nodding, listening to him, with her menu lying forgotten on the table. "The last time I went out, was for my sixth birthday," Serena told him. "My dad liked to take me out for my birthday, he said he wanted to share with the whole world what a beautiful daughter he had."

Draco noted the sadness that crept up into her voice. "When is your birthday," he asked, but he had a feeling he already knew.

"June 30th," she said, her eyes dropping to her fidgeting hands. She quickly dropped them beneath the table. "I'll be eighteen."

Suddenly the waitress appeared, as if knowing they needed a distraction with where their conversation was heading. "Are you ready to order," she asked.

Draco glanced at Serena, but saw that she was staring at her menu with a sad expression still lingering. So he ordered for himself first, before asking Serena what she would like.

The young blonde lifted her gaze, and he could tell she was going to give him an excuse to not order any food. "Serena," he said calmly, quieting her protests. "Please order."

He had meant to say more, but he saw a change quickly enter in her eyes. She looked away, her eyes lifting to look at the waitress. "I guess I'll have the waffles," she said. "With some bacon, and um- how about milk to go with it."

The waitress smiled, and collecting their menus left them alone once more.

An uneasy silence fell over the two, as they silently waited for their meals to arrive.

"The last time I went out for a meal, it had been with just my mother and myself," he suddenly said, breaking the tension that surrounded them. "I was sixteen years old, and I cant remember any other dinner that I enjoyed more than that one."

Serena caught her lip between her teeth, pleased to hear him talking about his past to her. "You really love your mother don't you," she asked, her eyes shinning with unshed tears.

Draco lifted his gaze to meet hers. "In a world filled with hate, and violence, she was all that I had," he admitted aloud. While you have no one. He lowered his eyes, his fists clenching beneath the table. It angered him to think that a mother could neglect their child. Not care about the pain their child was going through.

Clearing his throat, he struggled to rein in his emotions. "Can we talk about something else," he asked her. He could not deal with the emotions that seemed to run wild whenever he was near her. The rage and anger that consumed him at the thought of someone hurting her, and pain and grief that swallowed him at the sight of her tears. And the joy that swept through him at a single smile. Especially one that was sent at him.

Serena nodded her head and soon their food arrived, and they talked about something else.

----

Serena had expected them to go straight home after breakfast. But instead, Draco had taken her shopping. They went to several small shops that were downtown and he spent a lot of money.

At any slight thing she took great interest in, he bought it. She faintly wondered where all his money came from. But despite the fact that he was burning a hole in his wallet, he didn't mind. It seemed to please him whenever he bought something, so she quit arguing with him.

They spent the whole day in the city, going from store to store. He even took her out to lunch, where they managed a better conversation than the one they had shared over breakfast.

"Wow," Serena breathed, her eyes dancing over the glass cases. They had paused momentarily in a jewelry store. So far they had shopped around in antique stores, old toy stores, candy shops and even clothing stores.

"Wow Draco look at that," she whispered, her finger pointed to a beautiful wedding ring. Dropping her bags to the floor, she fell to her knees before the case.

It was a beautiful diamond ring, surrounded by more diamonds that wrapped around the larger stone. In the lighting, the ring seemed to just sparkle.

"If I were ever to get married," she said to the man over her shoulder. "I would want a simple ring. Nothing to fancy, or to big."

Standing up, she looked at the clerk. "Could I-" she began to ask. The clerk smiled and opened the case for her. "Of course," the woman answered.

Serena sighed as the clerk took the ring from its stand and held it out to her. Gingerly she took it, as Draco came up behind her. Then on impulse, she slipped it on her ring finger, and held her hand out to inspect.

She hmmed beneath her breath, and quickly removed the ring and gave it back to the clerk. Ignoring the pain in her chest, Serena moved on, looking at other cases, and didn't notice Draco studying the ring from within the glass case.

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Well i hope this chapter is to ur liking. Much more cheerful than all the others. and little bonding between the couple has finally arrived D Just wait till the next chapter, things r going to pick up real fast between then to only to wind down to an ending. Happy Holiday D

LP