Chapter 7
The next day after the musicale Draco was just leaving the library when he was summoned to the drawing room. He immediately recognized the Marchioness of Abernathy and he assumed the tall gentleman with mousy brown hair was the Marquess.
"Your Grace, let me present my husband, the Marquess of Abernathy." The gentleman bowed to Draco.
"Pleasure to meet you, Your Grace," he said with a pleasant deep voice.
Draco bowed and replied, "Pleasure is mine, sir. I hear that you shall be able to help us in this rather unique situation."
The man smiled. "I shall try my best to help you."
Hermione came rushing into the room with curls of hair escaping its coiffeur. She smiled brightly as she was introduced to the Marquess.
"How wonderful to meet you at last; your wife is such a delight. She's told me so much."
She was breathless but radiant. Draco felt his heart squeeze. She was magnificent in moments like these.
The Marquess was grinning. "Now I see why my lovely wife has taken such a liking to you." Hermione blushed and gave a delighted laugh. "Shall we be off?" He inquired.
At Draco and Hermione's consent they all headed out to the carriage that held the Marquess' crest on it. The Marquess reached a hand up and knocked on the roof. The vehicle gave a lurch and they were off.
"Now I understand you are to be part of the House of Lord; I'm afraid you may be in for a bit of overwhelming experiences. It tends to leave one to feel wary at night." He looked to the Marchioness and smiled, "Unless you have someone to come home to."
Draco gave a half smile. "One day, perhaps. For now I shall bare this on my own."
Hermione gave him a cross look. "We are in this together. Nothing is to be bared alone."
A sardonic brow rose as he taunted, "Are you to sit at my feet at night and comfort my struggles then, madam?"
She had a retort ready on her tongue but the carriage jostled and sent her slamming into Draco.
"Oh, dear," the Marchioness murmured, "I meant to tell you to hold on. Sharp turn that one is."
Hermione blew a curl out of her face. "So it would seem." She murmured.
The carriage came to a great lurch and the doors were thrown open. She was handed out and looked about her in awe. It was like the Diagon Alley she knew just altered to meet this time periods ways. She felt her heart soar at familiarity.
"Oh, Draco," she exclaimed "The Leaky Cauldron!"
He didn't get a chance to answer her; she was already headed for the bookstore. He chuckled and spoke to the Marquess. "She was worse when we were in school. I believe she has a library unmatched in all of London."
The Marquess chuckled. "If only my Josephina would be that way, but alas, her heart belongs to bond street. I, her mere husband, is left to pick up the bills and the scraps of her affection."
Draco was still grinning when they walked in under the tinkling bell to let the clerk know they had come in. A small man's head popped up behind a stack of books. "My Lord, it is good to see you in these parts again."
"Thank you, Smitty, this is my friend Draco. We have a little issue we need help to resolve."
As Draco and the Marquess spoke to the clerk about what they were looking for Hermione gave a triumph cry and came from the back of the books somewhere. "I believe this will aide us nicely."
The clerk gave a laugh. "I believe the lass is ahead of you gentleman. Pray tell how did you know where to look?"
Her cheeks grew slightly rosy as she said, "My library looks a bit the same as your store."
The clerk nodded and smiled broadly, "Sounds like quite the collection. What book have you there?"
"It's a book on ancient spells." She replied.
Draco looked up at the ceiling. "How do you know what we are looking for hasn't yet been made?"
Hermione out right ignored him. "This is a start. I've been thinking on the riddle and I've got a hunch about what it could be."
"Care to explain?" he drawled.
She gave him a haughty look and held the book to her chest. "No I would not, thank you. You already have turned your nose up at my book you can pursue your own avenue rather than working with brilliant me."
He gave a resigned sigh and headed deeper into the bookstore. He dug around through dusty old tomes. He shouldn't have said anything to Hermione but she was so brilliant he envied her since their school days. He wanted easy camaraderie she'd shared with Ron and Harry. He knew that was out of the question.
Draco stumbled upon an ancient tome of potions and leafed through it. Even if the potions proved to useless to him there were several interesting things in there that caught his eye. Tucking it beneath his arm he meandered through the stores for several more minutes before taking his purchase to the front.
As they were walking out Draco excused himself to go to the apothecary. Looking at a spell he wanted to try he walked around collecting ingredients.
Phoenix tears
Dragon scales
Draco stared in consternation at the two things he knew he could get. How the devil was he going to get phoenix tears and dragon scales? He picked up all that they offered at the store and walked out.
Hermione was sitting on a bench flipping through the book with a look of concentration on her face. The sun covered half her face showing a glow he'd never really noticed before. He swallowed around the lump in his throat and shook off his feelings.
"Are you ready to get a wand?" He asked her.
She was so immersed in her book she jumped to the sound of his voice.
"What did you get?" she asked curiously.
He gave her a sardonic look. "You, madam, shall have to wait. Was it not you who told me I was on my own?"
She stood up and shook out her skirts giving him a look that made him want to smile. She was vexed with him but didn't feel the need to put it into words.
They walked in silence to the Wand Shoppe. It was shrouded in more darkness than the bookstore was. The dust was thick on the long forgotten boxes precariously stacked to the roof. Draco watched Hermione run a finger over the front of box with gold engravings.
A voice called from the back, "One moment 'n I'll be right wit' ye!"
"We are in no rush." Draco called back.
His first time wand shopping came back to him in a bitter sweet memory. To be young again; to have one's innocence still. He knew as a full grown man that it wasn't possible, but the longing was ever still there.
Draco felt a pull deep within him and glanced up looking around. Something called to him from deeper in the store. He followed it like a siren's call. The closer he got the more resonant the feeling was. He followed dark twisting paths of the store until he came to a shelf stacked with red boxes.
He reached out a hand and brushed his fingertips over the front of a box. He felt the power pulsing. Pulling the box out he blew dust from the top before opening the box. Nestled on a bed of velvet he saw one of the most beautiful wands he'd ever seen.
The polished gold wand glittered brightly. He picked it up and turned it gently in his hand. He could see hints of silver entwined. The weight of the wand felt right in his hand. He gripped it and swished it once like when he was a child. Several boxes around him started to levitate. A smile formed on his lips.
"Powerful wand that one is, gov'na," said a voice behind him.
Draco turned to see a man of medium height with black curly hair.
His eyes were drawn back to the wand. "I can feel it."
"That wand is meant only fer the most powerful and honest o' men." He watched Draco closely, taking his measure.
He replaced the wand back in the box and put it on the shelf. "I'm afraid that would not be me."
A toothy grin appeared on the shop keeper's face. "The wand picks the person, gov'na, the person simply dun't pick the wand. 'Tis silliness, fer sure."
Draco shook his blonde head. "I am not an honest man, sir."
The toothy grin spread wider. "Ye can deny it until yer blue in the face, but it sees deep wit'in ye. Might as well take it wit' ye fore it wa'n't meant fer anyone else."
Draco still felt the power pulsing around him. Although he felt the shop keeper spoke pure nonsense he picked up the box and followed the man to the front of the store. He scoffed in his mind, an honest man! He was nowhere near as powerful as the man believed.
Hermione came from behind a stack of wands and smiled brightly. "I believe I have found the one I am looking for."
The shop keeper nodded his head. "A good choice, that one; made from pixies blood."
After making the purchases Draco trailed out behind Hermione into the street. The air was a much familiar smell he longed to have back around him. He trailed Hermione from one store to the next. The first thing he noticed her do was enchant her reticule so it was bigger than what appeared.
They met back up at the Leaky Cauldron for luncheon. After the buxom waitress took their ordered and sauntered off with a seductive wave of her hips Draco immediately leaned forward in his seat to address the Marquess.
"Where is one to find a dragon amongst these parts?" He asked.
The Marquess' brows flew up. "A dragon you say? Any specific kind you are happening to look for?"
"I'm not exactly sure. I potion I was looking at didn't specify. I'm in need of some scales and it would seem none of the shops keeps any." Draco replied.
The rich laugh of the Marquess drew many eyes to their table. "I should hope not. That is a fool hardy task even for the bravest. Who would willingly go head to head with such a beast?"
Draco smiled humorously. "I believe you are looking at that brave fool, sir."
The Marquess shook his dark head and gave Draco a speculative look. "You believe you can safely fell one of these beasts?"
"Quite," was all Draco replied confidently.
"I shall help him, of course." Hermione said next to him.
Draco's blue eyes turned piercingly at her. "You are mistaken, madam, you shall not be there."
"Of course I will. What nonsense you speak." Hermione reached for cup as their food was placed before them.
Draco waited until the waitress had moved off before continuing. "The task is too daunting and dangerous. I cannot allow you to go with me."
Her face immediately took on a hard look, her eyes blazing. "I'm quite afraid you are stuck with me. We are in this together. If you try to do this without me I will simply follow."
He studied her face and knew she had never been more serious about anything. He felt like grinding his teeth at this impertinent chit. She was always one of the first to jump head long into danger. Couldn't she see for once that she didn't always have to play the brave one?
"Fine," he bit out icily, "But you do not go off head long like some brave lunatic, do you hear me?"
She fluttered her lashes and smiled brightly at the win she just had. "Why of course, how silly that would be."
"Oh, darling!" called out the Marchioness, "We shan't miss the fun. We must join them in their quest." Before the Marquess could reply she hurried on, "I shall go without you if you deny me this."
The Marquess turned sulky eyes to Draco, "Your friend is a bad influence on my wife."
The women laughed heartily as the men glared at them. "She has been like this as far as I've known her. Bravery always seems to win out on good sense. Which I have started to think she greatly lacks."
All Hermione's answer was a dazzling smile.
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