Chapter 3

She had a bad feeling that Malfoy was true to his word. He would probably harass her again. If only she could go on leave for a while. She would love to not be there the next time he turned up to taunt her. But leave was a foreign concept when it came to mudblood employment. She didn't even have a day off each week.

Hermione woke before dawn and got dressed in the icy cold room. She did her hair into a bun. Working with food, she had to have her hair confined, and it was typically a bun or a French twist. Her hair had mellowed a little with age, or maybe it was the poor quality shampoos she had to use. The bad shampoos actually made her hair better, by the sheer fact that they didn't work so well.

She made a fire for Delia and Edna who were still sleeping in their beds in the bigger room. With that done, she went for work. The frozen ground crunched under her feed as she walked. The sun was just starting to rise and this was Hermione's favourite part of the day. There was hardly anyone around, if there was they were either going to work or were too drunk to harass.

The day was going along nicely until the dreaded blond head appeared on the outside seating. Hermione could feel the shoulders slumping as she saw him. What insults or threats would there be today?

"Mudblood." He said when she got outside. "I seem to have developed a fondness for the atrocious coffee you peddle. It is so bad, you just can't stop trying it to confirm that it really is that bad."

"I will bring you a cup then." She said. "Anything to go with it?"

"Maybe one of those bricks you call a scone. I will risk my teeth."

"As you wish, sir." She said and went inside.

She prepared a cup and a plate with a scone and brought them outside. He made a grimace when she put them down in front of her.

"Enjoy." She said and walked back inside.

He called her outside almost immediately.

"You lied to me, mudblood." He said. "That is a pretty serious infraction."

Hermione was shocked, she didn't know what to say. It was a serious infraction and she tried to rattle her brains.

"You said you were involved with someone and it seems that's not true."

"You've been spying on me?" She blurted out before she could help herself. That's demented, she managed to keep to herself.

"I asked around and you don't keep anyone company." He said teasingly.

Hermione gritted her teeth. She could deny it, but that would be lying and being caught in a blatant lie was not good.

"Doesn't mean I will keep your." She said guardedly.

"Tsk, tsk." He said with a pleased smile. "Are you a virgin, Granger?"

"No." She said, she wasn't a virgin and it was best to admit that. Some guys had funny ideas about virgins and she did not want to get onto that track. She wasn't a virgin, far from it really. She had lost her virginity to George, which was a desperate mutual attempt for comfort which didn't last long. Then she had been together with Dean Thomas for a while and they had explored to their hearts content really. They had been together for a while, but they didn't have much in common outside of some pretty fabulous sex. They broke up after a while and he eventually fell in love and ended up marrying.

"I bet you are." He said.

"I'm not." She repeated. "And I'm not interested."

"I bet you're frigid." He said with his horrible smirk.

"Yes, I'm frigid." She said in an attempt to make herself took unattractive. "Guys like you just don't do it for me."

"What does it for you?" He asked, tugging slightly on her skirt.

"Girl." She said. "I like girls. Me and Ginny Weasley, were a hot couple. I thought everyone knew." She knew Ginny wouldn't mind. Anything to throw people of the trail of Harry's kid didn't hurt.

"You're lying to me again." He said, and licked his lips. "In fact, I know for a fact that the Weaselette didn't run that way."

It was Hermione's turn to hrmph.

"Perhaps you've never been handled right." He said.

Hermione felt a wave of nausea rise.

"I'd rather die." She finally stated.

"Maybe we should see." He said. "Garcon." He yelled.

"What are you doing?" She demanded. "Stop."

"Garcon." He yelled again.

"Malfoy please." Hermione pleaded.

The shop owner practically ran out of the store.

"What it the matter, Mr. Malfoy. I hope nothing has displeased you." The man had a worried look on his face.

"This girl was rude." Malfoy stated.

Hermione's eyes widened in an attempt to plea with Draco.

"And then she spat in my face." Draco said and wiped some imaginary spittle off his face.

The shocked owner turned to Hermione.

"After all I have done for you." The owner said.

Hermione was shocked to her core. Malfoy was getting her fired. For what, for turning him down? Didn't he have any idea of what the consequences was for her. She would never get another job if she left this one without references.

Hermione whipped back her arm and slapped Draco across the face as hard as she could. It was already too late, so why not, she thought. It wiped the evil grin off his face and Hermione could see blood on his lips.

"Miss Granger." The shocked owner said, "we cannot condone..."

"Yeah I know." Hermione said and ripped her apron off before he could finish. She threw it on the ground and walked away.

She didn't know where she was walking, she was so angry her steps were just propelling her forwards in whatever direction was in front of her nose. Her hand was ringing with the impact of the slap. She pulled her fingers into a fist and released again and again to make the feeling go away. She wanted no reminders of him and his selfish, pathetic life.

It took a good fifteen minutes of walking before she started crying and once the tears started they didn't stop. She had to brace herself against a wall as the sobs hit her. Her eyes were so full of tears she couldn't see.

Her life was over. She wouldn't be able to find another job now. She wouldn't be able to support herself and the ladies. How was she going to pay the rent? Her little nest egg wouldn't see them through the week. Neville and Luna might help her out of a tight squeeze, but they didn't have much to spare. She couldn't depend on them for any length of time.

If only she could make it to France, to Bill and Fleur. Her insides hurt so much she could barely walk, but she walked a little while further and made her way to the Leaky Cauldron. It was the entrance to the muggle world. The entrance wasn't open because people rarely moved between the two worlds these days, but she could imagine hearing the cars outside. If she ran, they would find her within a couple of hours. She had no money and nowhere to go.

The bartender stared at her. They didn't serve people like her as customers unless and pureblood or halfblood were buying.

"Got any work?" She asked Tom.

"No. Now get out of here before I throw you out." He said coldly. He had been so friendly when she was young. Served them butterbeers with a smile and a wink.

Maybe the hunt was the way to go. What else did she have left? It would mean pain and imprisonment, maybe even disfigurement and death.

No, she told herself, she wasn't a coward. There were good people in the world, someone would give her a job, she just had to keep trying.

She walked back to the apartment. The ladies were surprised to see her at that time of the day. They knew something was seriously wrong, but didn't mention anything. Hermione went straight to bed and went to sleep.

She slept for a little while, but her worried mind wouldn't let her sleep all that long. Draco had ruined her life for a bit of entertainment, and just a cheap thrill at that. He wasn't stupid, he knew full well what the implications would be. Was there no low he wouldn't go to?

She tried to muffle her crying during the night, because even though the old ladies made out like their hearing was just about gone, in reality they heard everything.

Hermione had dreamt of being able to sleep-in one day, but now that the day were here, it was less than fun and relaxing. She didn't know what to do with herself. She paced back and forth in her room until the sun was high in the sky. She decided to go do what she always does when things get too tough, go to see Harry.

Harry's grave was in Godric's Hollow, next to his parents. He had a nice grave. The world was still grateful to him when he was buried, but the sentiment changed over time. Hermione didn't go often because there was no public floo in Godric's Hollow so she had to use Neville Grandmother's floo. Hermione would usually bring something from the bakery when she used Mrs. Longbottom's floo, but she would have to apologise for coming empty handed today.

Hermione had learnt that there were people tending Harry's grave. She wasn't sure who, but she suspected in might be Arthur Weasley. She always got really sad when she visited Harry, but she was also reminded of his never give up spirit and that is what she needed today. Even in the darkest hour, Harry never gave up.

She wondered how the world would be different if he had lived. It was funny how important Harry had been while he was alive. Reluctant as he was, but the world seemed to organise itself around him. He would never have stood for the injustices in the world today, but maybe in the end he wouldn't have been strong enough. Who knew. They would probably have labelled him as an attention hungry loony like they did in fourth year. Although that showed how scared they were of him.