Chapter 6- Rendezvous of Unpleasant Nature

Disclaimer: There are many things that are false. Like aliens. And time machines. And us owning any of the characters or the song in here. ;) (It's "Hanging By A Moment" by Lifehouse for all you music junkies.)

Desperate for changing
Starving for truth
Closer to where I started
Chasing after you

Draco landed inside the Leaky Cauldron, which was really starting to brim over there were so many people in there. Quickly, he worked his way through the crowd to a table in the far back corner. It was here he would wait for Blaise Zabini, Pansy Parkinson, Crabbe and Goyle. Out of the four Blaise was the least likely to either bore Draco out of his mind or just plain old irritate the snot out of him. The only problem was he had an ego that rivaled Draco's in size, and it showed in the most unpleasant times. Pansy, of course, was a different sort of problem altogether. Every time Draco had the displeasure of seeing her she lived up to her nickname, 'The Human Leech.' It was like she had to be in constant physical contact or she would die on the spot, which wouldn't be so bad if she wasn't Pansy. And Crabbe and Goyle…. well, they were slow, dumb, constantly-hungry, oversized tubs of lard, just as they'd always been. Frankly, Draco really didn't know how they passed their first year of school.

And so he sat in his darkened corner of the cramped wizarding pub. As he sat there in solitude he absently checked his watch, wishing that just once he could not be a Malfoy so he wouldn't have to wait for everyone, then mentally slapped himself for his blasphemous thoughts.

I'm falling even more in love with you
Letting go of all I've held onto
I'm standing here until you make me move
I'm hanging by a moment here with you

It was during this session of mental scolding that Blaise walked coolly up and gracefully slumped into the seat next to Draco.

"Oy, Malfoy. Sorry to bring you out of your dream world but we're up for another day around town accompanied by a very unpleasant posse. And I'm not about to let you take the easy way out and leave me to deal with them by myself." He said, after observing Draco stare absently for several seconds.

"Don't remind me," Draco replied, still coming back from his reverie. "I was really hoping you'd let me get away with imagining I was somewhere else all day."

"Nice try. So who's the lucky girl this time? It is a girl isn't it? Please, tell me it's a girl, because if it's not I'm afraid our friendship is over. I know I'm sexy, but I don't swing that way." He said quite seriously.

With a flicker of a smile Draco replied. "Neither do I, neither do I. But it's not a girl. I've just been trying to prepare myself for the sight of Pansy."

Forgetting all I'm lacking
Completely incomplete
I'll take your invitation
You take all of me now

"Is it working?"

"Unfortunately not, because there she is. I swear my worst nightmares have nothing on her."

To this they both laughed somewhat maliciously and continued laughing until Pansy took her seat on Draco's left and immediately latched herself to his arm.

"Oh, Drakie-poo, I missed you so much. I don't know how I survived a week without you…. Did you miss me?" Pansy said in an entirely-too-sweet-to-be-authentic voice.

"Three things, Pansy. One, my name is not 'Drakie-poo', its Draco, and you're never to call me that name again. Two, you're cutting off the circulation in my hand. And three, no, I most definitely did not miss you." he said in utter disgust.

I'm falling even more in love with you
Letting go of all I've held onto
I'm standing here until you make me move
I'm hanging by a moment here with you

"Oh, Draco. You don't have to act tough around me. It's ok to miss the girl of your dreams." She said with concern in a voice that dipped of sweetness.

"I wasn't acting, Pansy. And I do have to act this way around you because you are most certainly not the girl of my dreams. My nightmares, maybe, but never my dreams." he said condescendingly.

"Hah-ha, Draco, you're so funny," she cooed.

"I don't think he was joking, Pansy. And would you please let go of him, his hand is likely to fall off any minute you're holding it so tight." Blaise said quietly from across the table.

"Of course he was. Don't be silly, Blaise. You're just jealous. Draco, baby, tell him I'm not hurting you," Pansy replied as she simpered at Draco.

"Don't ever tell me what to do, woman," he said angrily. "And once again I wasn't joking," he said as he jerked his arm from her grip.

I'm living for the only thing I know
I'm running and not quite sure where to go
and I don't know what I'm diving into
just hanging by a moment here with you

At this, the table fell silent as they waited for the rest of their party. Pansy made a sad face at Draco who obstinately ignored her, relieved for the first time of his life to see the two fat oafs he counted among his followers enter, both seemingly more clueless than usual.

"It took you long enough," Blaise sneered as the two large boys came to the table.

"We got off at the wrong place," Goyle said, obviously embarrassed.

"Come on, let's get out of here," Draco said impatiently. "I've been waiting around for the lot of you for almost an hour," he said as he exited the booth and imperiously took the lead of the group.

Out they went into Diagon Alley, where the streets had become quite empty because of the weather overhead.

"Where are we going?" Crabbe asked finally from his place in the back of the group.

"Flourish and Blotts for some new writing implements… but it's not like you'd know anything about that," Draco replied scathingly.

Crabbe and Goyle quickly ceased talking, smart enough to realize when Draco was in a bad mood. But Draco seemed to have no luck this day- for when he entered the store he was met with thick crowds. "Good Merlin, can this day get any worse?" he growled as he pushed through the crowds towards the back of the store, ignoring the protests of his entourage as he left them behind.

There's nothing else to lose

There's nothing else to find
There's nothing in the world
That could change my mind

There is nothing else
There is nothing else
There is nothing else

With a good amount of relief Draco took in the selection of fine quills and inks before him, looking at each appraisingly. Once again, he felt the familiar weight of duty on his shoulders. Even something as simple as buying quills and ink became complicated. Anything less than the best was unacceptable for a Malfoy, especially the heir of the Malfoy estate. He hesitantly reached up, taking a relatively perfect quill made from a simple barn owl and sighed, putting it away again. It was off limits, like so many things. "You owe everything to your family, Malfoy," he silently berated himself. "So suck it up and stop feeling sorry for yourself. You're one of the best, of the purest stock there is. And nothing's more important than that."

Desperate for changing
Starving for truth
Closer to where I started
Chasing after you

"Excuse me," a strange voice from behind him said. "I just need to get right here," the stranger said, reaching up to take down the same quill Draco had been just contemplating.

"Oh, sure," he said, quickly stepping aside before he realized what he was doing. But she was too short to reach, "Ah, I'm sorry, but… could you…" she said turning, embarrassedly to Draco.

"Which one did you want?" offering his assistance.

"That one will do. Thanks. Sometimes being short isn't all it's cracked up to be." she said with a smile, which gave Draco an unexplainable feeling of warmth.

"I'm sure it's got it's perks." replied Draco with a flirtatious grin.

"I suppose. I don't have to duck as often and I can get through crowds easier…" she replied, catching on that he clearly listed himself among the perks of being short. "See I told you." he responded, letting her change the course of the conversation.

"So you did." She admitted.

"And, don't tell anyone I told you, some guys like smaller girls." He whispered, stepping closer.

"Really, I never would have guessed, thank you ever so much for telling me." She said, sarcastically, stepping back.

"You're welcome."

I'm falling even more in love with you
letting go of all I've held onto
I'm standing here until you make me move
I'm hanging by a moment here with you

"Now for ink," she said, getting back to her quest, with the same splendid smile as she reached up on her tiptoes to get down a bottle of plain black ink. "Can you reach it this time?" he asked, slyly.

"Yes, thank you." she responded, with the bottle snugly in hand.

Draco nodded. "No problem," he replied, smirking.

"Draco!" Pansy said loudly, rushing to him. "There you are, baby," she said, putting her hand on his shoulder. "We couldn't find you…"

"Perhaps," he said coldly to Pansy, his countenance completely changed, "it was because I didn't want to be found."

The blonde haired girl looked strangely at Pansy for a moment then turned away, going off down another aisle, causing Draco to feel a strange sense of disappointment as she left. Almost an after thought, Draco grabbed his normal variety of quills and fine ink. Quickly pushing any feelings aside, he turned to find Blaise looking after the girl with a smirk, and as Draco passed he made sure to knock Blaise on the shoulder, taking his attention away from the girl.

"Come," he said to his followers. "We're leaving this abysmal hole," he announced imperiously as he went to the counter, paid for the merchandise and left, his black cloak billowing about him in the strong wind outside.

Meanwhile, back in the store Sarah watched him go. "How odd," she muttered as she looked out the window to see him go towards the strong wind. "I wonder if all of England's going to be like this."

"Full of total hotties?" Meagan asked, coming next to her sister. "I hope so." Sarah rolled her eyes but had to smile. "Got all of our stuff?"

"Yeah. It cost a small fortune, but it's all here," Sarah replied, producing a large parcel. "Want to go back to the inn?"

"May as well," Randy piped up, coming up behind his two sisters. "It looks like England's about to throw us a welcome party in true English style," he said sarcastically.

Sarah and Meagan looked to the darkening sky above and laughed as the trio walked out, heading down the street to the Leaky Cauldron, all looking forward to settling into their new lives.

I'm living for the only thing I know
I'm running and not quite sure where to go
and I don't know what I'm diving into
just hanging by a moment here with you
just hanging by a moment
hanging by a moment
hanging by a moment
hanging by a moment here with you