A Place in This World
Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter characters
I don't know what I want, so don't ask me
Cause I'm still trying to figure it out
Don't know what's down this road, I'm just walking
Trying to see through I'm not the only one
Who feels the way I do
I'm alone, on my own, and that's all I know
I'll be strong, I'll be wrong, oh but life goes on
I'm just a girl, trying to find a place in this world
Got the radio on, my old blue jeans
And I'm wearing my heart on my sleeve
Feeling lucky today, got the sunshine
Could you tell me what more do I need
And tomorrow's just a mystery, oh yeah
But that's ok
Maybe I'm just a girl on a mission
But I'm ready to fly
After Hermione had closed the door she let out the kitten she just bought. She wasn't sure what she was going to name him. She wanted his name to mean something and she didn't want it to be to cliché.
She set up his water and food bowls and put litter in the cat box she had bought.
She finally got to take a look around the cottage. The living room was fully furnished with a couch that was a dark brown but looked to be very comfortable and well taken car of. Near it was a chair that could fit two of her in but she knew she would spend a lot of time reading in it.
She decided to start up packing her books since she was already near the bookshelves. They were made of dark cherry wood that went well with the couch and chair.
She picked up the few books that were already on the shelf and was happy to see that they were ones that she had never read before. She would keep them and eventually read them.
It took Hermione an hour to get the living room the way she wanted it. She had moved the chair and couch to an angle so that she could be near the fire and still be able to have a TV when she finally went out and got one.
When she was almost done she got the box with pictures in them. The first one she pulled out was of her and her so called friends in their first year at Hogwarts. She remembered that day. They had spent the afternoon with Hagrid. Things were so simple then. That was a time where her friends actually cared. It's when they all still had their innocence.
She thought about not putting the pictures up but then did it anyways because they were memories. The moments on film were the ones that actually mattered to her. They were the moments where she was thought of and not just the go to girl for answers. She threw all the pictures of Lucas into the fire and lit it. She didn't want any reminders of him. She already had enough scars.
She headed into the kitchen to see what she had to work with in there. Like the living room it was fully furnished. There was a quant little table that stood high with two chairs. She went and opened the cupboards and there was old china. It had blue flowers around the outer edges. There was silverware and cups. She next found all the pots, pans, and cookie sheets.
She got a really good price on this place. I mean it came with everything she needed except for food. She was going to have to go grocery shopping later after she got all of her stuff unpacked.
Hermione spent the next few hours unpacking everything else. The bedroom took the least amount of time because she chose to use her magic to hang all of her clothes. When she thought she was done she realized that she hadn't gotten any sheets for the bed. There were some on it already but they had been there for a long time she wanted ones she picked out.
"Looks like I am going to have to go back out shopping again. Might as well go and get groceries to then." Hermione muttered to herself.
Hermione chose to go to Diagon Alley to get the sheets and food. After she chose a purple comforter that was silk and lavender colored sheets she went to the nearest groceries store to get food supplies for the next week or so.
She picked out an assortment of pastas, meats, veggies, and lots of other stuff that would keep her for a while.
"I thought that you were going to spend the rest of the night unpacking?" A voice said.
Hermione turned around and saw Draco holding a smaller basket with food in it.
"I finished for now and noticed that I didn't pick out any sheets for the bed and I needed food." Hermione replied.
"So what are your plans for the rest of the night then Granger? Just going to sit at home and read?" Draco asked.
"I was actually thinking of catching a cab and going to downtown London later so that I can pick up a TV." Hermione replied.
"What are you planning on doing for dinner?" Draco asked.
'Why is he so interest in what I am doing?' Hermione wondered.
"I was thinking of getting take out then going home after I get a TV." Hermione said.
"Why don't you forget the cab and I will take you to downtown London?" Draco asked.
"I don't want to take all your time up Draco. I can get there on my own. You have to have better things to do then take me everywhere I need to go." Hermione said.
"Actually I had a date tonight but she cancelled so I was going to just get take out myself. At least if I go with you I won't be spending my evening alone. I will have someone to bicker with." Draco said as he smiled.
"Well if you put it that way I would be delighted to have your company." Hermione said sarcastically.
"Great lets go pay for our things, drop the stuff off at your house and go." Draco said as he grabbed her arm.
"I was kidding Draco. You don't have to come." Hermione said.
"I want to." Draco said.
Hermione thought about it for a minute. It would be nice to have some company while out in town. It wasn't the safest place to be anyways, besides she didn't want to be completely alone the whole night yet.
Once they had dropped everything off at the house they headed out.
"So where am I going anyways?" Draco asked.
"Do you not know how to get to muggle London?" Hermione asked.
"Hermione, this is me we are talking about. Of course I don't know how to get there." Draco said.
"Good point. I will drive then." Hermione said as she took the keys from him.
"Hey. Do you even know how to drive?" Draco asked.
"Of course, I was raised by muggles." Hermione said.
Once Hermione got in the car she adjusted the seat since he was so much taller then she was. She fixed the mirrors to her specification then started the car.
"Ok so fair warning it's been a while since I last drove I might be a little rusty." Hermione said.
"How rusty to you mean?" Draco asked.
Just as he asked that question she started to pull out of the drive way a little to fast for Draco's liking.
"Ummm…….at least a year." Hermione said.
"We are going to die before we get there aren't we?" Draco said.
"Relax Draco I just need to get the feel for it again. We will have time before we get anywhere near people." Hermione said with a smile on her face.
It didn't take long for Hermione to get the hang of driving again. It took Draco great control to not tell her to pull over and let him drive. At first she was swerving all over the road and going fast. To put it frankly she scared him with her driving especially since it was his car.
"See I told you that I would be fine." Hermione said.
"Yeah, whatever I am still going to drive on the way home." Draco told her.
"That's fine. I don't like driving when it's dark anyways." Hermione said.
It took them an hour to get there. They found a store that sold TV's and went in. Hermione was just going to get a small TV until she saw the new plasmas. She figured that since she was working for Draco it wouldn't matter how much it cost she would be able to pay it off over time.
"Do you this one or want to look around some more?" Draco asked impatiently.
"This one is fine but I want to look at the DVD players first. See this is why I wanted to come alone. You're being impatient." Hermione said.
"Well we have been here for almost an hour while you have looked at TV's. I am hungry woman." Draco said.
"It has not been an hour." Hermione said as she looked at her watch.
"Wow, it really has been an hour. Ok I promise that it wont take me long to look for a DVD player. They are easy to choose." Hermione said.
True to her work it only took her a few minutes to pick one she wanted.
When Hermione was going through her wallet she was going to pull out her credit card when she noticed another one behind it. She pulled it out and looked at it. It was one her parents had given her. Hermione thought about it for a minute. She could use hers and pay it off or use her parents and not have to worry about it. They could for once in their lives pay for something. They hadn't called her in months. She left them that note when she had stopped by there the other day and left a not. They hadn't even called after that. She felt like being vengeful. It was a good way to get her parents attention and maybe they will care a little more.
When she was done paying she told them that they had a big enough car to take it themselves. She also told them that she didn't need help loading it in that's what she had Draco for.
"Ok I know that I am strong and everything but there is not way I can load that thing in my car. It too big." Draco said.
"I have not intention of loading it in the car. Once we are out of site I am going to shrink it and put it in my bag so don't get your knickers in a twist." Hermione said.
"Glade you have a plan not give me the keys I am not letting you drive. You scare the crap out of me when you do." Draco said.
"I am not that bad of a driver." Hermione said.
"Yes you are you need practice." Draco told her.
"Fine if I need practice then I nominate you to help me." Hermione said with a smirk.
"You would. If I do help you then we are going to use the older car. I am not taking the chance of you wrecking this one." Draco said.
"Fine. Let's go get food. I am paying this time. I have my parent's credit card and I plan to rack up a huge bill for them." Hermione said.
Draco was wondering what was getting into her. First today she yells at people who he thought were her friends. I mean don't get him wrong he doesn't like those two anyways but still with all that was happening with her he thought she would want her friends around but instead she chose to spend time with him. He was still wondering why she was taking it out on her parents. He intended to find out.
"Trying to make your parents mad or something?" Draco asked.
"Yeah I am. I am tired of being ignored. I am tired of being alone but that's not something I can change at the moment." Hermione said.
He looked at her before pulling out the parking lot. She had a solemn look on her face. She really believed that she was alone. He knew how that felt. He had been alone most of his life. If it wasn't for Blaise he would not have anyone. It was sad to see that Hermione had no friends left. They all seemed to have gone on with their lives and forgotten about her.
He made up his mind then and there. He wasn't going to let her be alone. She would at least have him. No matter what he was going to be there for her, plus maybe he will be able to get a date with her and see what it would have been like. He never got over his crush on her in school. Seeing her again just reawakened it. Now was his chance to see if anything would have been there.
"You're not alone Hermione. You have me; I am not going to go anywhere. I mean besides Blaise you were the only friend I had in school. I would like to think that we are still friends." Draco said as he grabbed her hand.
Hermione looked at him with tears in her eyes. She forgot how sweet Draco could be at times. She just realized how much she had missed him after school. He was there when she needed to talk. Even though they only could be friends in their common room it was still more then she had.
"You don't know how nice it is to know that I have a friend still. I missed being able to talk to you Draco. You were the only one who ever really heard me. Thank you." Hermione said as she squeezed his hand.
Those words made Draco's heart start beating rapidly. He cleared away the lump in his throat and asked her where she wanted to get take out from.
"I was thinking somewhere with hamburgers, but you choose my treat." Hermione said.
"Ok, where can we get a good hamburger around here?" Draco asked.
"Well, the best place is McDonalds. Have you ever been there?" Hermione asked.
Draco looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Right never mind lets just go there. We can eat there or take it back to my house." Hermione said.
"Let's get it to go so that we can get that TV set up for you. I want to see what is so great about them." Draco said.
"You live in a box you know that?" Hermione asked as she laughed.
"Hey it's not my fault that my parents were so set on there Wizarding ways." Draco said.
"You could have taken and interest if you wanted to but you chose to believe that all muggle born and half-bloods were unworthy. At least you changed your ways now. You've come a long way." Hermione said.
"Why thank you I tried so very hard." Draco said with amusement.
When they got to McDonald Draco was shocked by all of the choices he had.
"I don't know what to choose." Draco said.
"Well what do you like?" Hermione asked.
"I've never had a hamburger. They weren't delicacies for my family." Draco said.
"Do you want me to just order you something then?" Hermione asked.
"Sure why not?" Draco replied.
After Hermione ordered two Big Mac meals they headed back to her house.
While Hermione started eating when they got there Draco just sat and stared at the burger.
"Are you just going to stare at it or are you going to eat it?" Hermione asked.
"It just doesn't look right. You sure that this isn't going to get me sick?" Draco asked.
"Just try it. If you don't I am just going to force it down your throat." Hermione said as she laughed.
Draco just looked at her like she was nuts then bite into the burger with a look of apprehension.
"Hey this is actually good." Draco said.
Hermione just laughed. While they finished eating Hermione was thinking about what to name the kitten. She was having many problems with what to name him. At the moment he was playing with a yarn ball that she had conjured up for him.
"What do you think would be a good name for him? I am having problems choosing one." Hermione said.
"Well what kind of name do you want him to have?" Draco asked.
"I want it to have meaning behind it. I was thinking of some Greek name. Like Apollo, Phoenix or Astraios." Hermione said.
"What do they mean first?" Draco asked.
"Apollo was the Greek God of medicine and healing, Phoenix is self explanatory, and Astraios means the dawn of the stars." Hermione told him.
"I think with his coloring you should name him Astraios. It seems to suit him well." Draco said.
"Astraios it is then." Hermione said.
They sat there for a while watching Astraios play with the yarn. When he tired of that he went over and sat in Draco's lap.
"He likes you." Hermione commented.
Draco just sat there petting him. He seemed to take pleasure in having the little fur ball in him lap. After 10 minutes of petting him, Astraios fell asleep soundly.
"Well I am going to set up the TV." Hermione said.
"Do you need any help?" Draco asked.
"No I have it covered; besides you have a kitten on your lap who is sleeping." Hermione said.
As Hermione was setting the TV up using her wand of course Draco sat there watching her. He liked watching her when she was doing some sort of task. She was so beautiful is his estimation. She had the most gorgeous brown honey eyes and chestnut brown hair that fell down in soft curls. It was no longer untamable. It cascaded down her back. He wanted nothing more than to run his fingers through her hair and feel how soft it was. He wanted to hold her in his arms and kiss her. He wanted to….
"So you really never watched TV or a movie before?" Hermione asked.
"Nope. That's why I want to see what is so great about them." Draco said.
After Hermione was done setting up the TV she had to use magic to get cable and all that because she didn't want to have to call anyone. She programmed the remote and handed it to Draco.
"What am I supposed to do with this?" Draco asked.
"You push channel buttons and change the channel. Find something to watch while I clean up." Hermione said.
When Hermione came back Draco looked so entranced by the TV she laughed making him look at her.
"What?" Draco asked.
"'You just looked so cute. It's nice to see that something so little can fascinate you so much." Hermione chuckled.
Draco just stared at her. Had she just called him cute?
"So what was that other thing you bought? The DVD player?" Draco asked.
"It plays movies. So you don't have to watch them on TV channels that have commercials. I don't have any at the moment but I plan to go to a movie store sometime this week. Maybe this Friday we can have a movie night and watch them?" Hermione asked hopefully.
"We will see. I don't know what this week is going to hold in store for me." Draco said.
"Ok, no problem." Hermione said.
That look on her face was one that he hated to see. One that said she was alone and had no one.
"Well let's say that we have plans unless one of us finds something more important to do alright?" Draco asked.
"Sounds good." Hermione said.
"Its getting late and I have an early meeting in the morning. I will see you tomorrow afternoon. Be on time Hermione. I would hate to have to fire you on the first day." Draco said as he got up and put on his coat.
Hermione walked him to the door.
"I wouldn't dream of being late Mr. Malfoy. By the way the title of the book is Alice in Wonderland. I have an old copy but trying to find a first edition these days is extremely hard." Hermione said.
Draco looked at her for a minute as if she was nuts. Then he remembered what he had told her.
"Ok I will see what I can do. I will have it for you as soon as possible. Night Hermione." Draco said along with a hug.
"Night Draco." Hermione said.
After Draco left Hermione noticed the time. It was midnight and she was extremely tired. She wanted to go to sleep so badly but first she needed a shower and to make sure that Astraios had everything he needed.
While she was showering she contemplated how her life was going. Was everything going to be ok soon or would she continue to live in a world where she is nothing; a nobody. She was alone. Yeah Draco said he was there for her but he wasn't going to always be there for her. She didn't know what she was going to do with her life now. Not after everything that has happened. She was so lost.