Chapter 14 – Barmy Cat Lady Ambitions

7 April 2010

The Plaza Hotel

Draco's Room

New York City, New York

Draco Malfoy

I still can't believe she just disappeared on me. It's been two days. I sent her flowers. Asking for her to contact me at The Plaza. I have so much to say to her, so many things to tell her. I guess I could try to leave her the memories of Phea and maybe some of mine before I leave on Friday. I don't know how I'm going to get through the next three days. Granger's the only person I know in the city.

Yesterday I discovered New York City's magical district. It's nothing like Diagon Alley. It's a building over from the MACUSA and they call it The District. It's thirteen stories of shops, restaurants, and pubs. They all use electricity and the only way to distinguish the difference between The District and the multitude of muggle shops in the area is some of the merchandise and occasional sight of a wand. The Magical population all dress in muggle fashion. Some may dress a little eccentric, but there's not much difference than what you see on the streets of the City.

I visited the Enchantex store. The range of products is quite impressive. I wanted to purchase a cauldron that is programmed to set perfect temperatures for frequently used potions. When I asked the salesperson about the item, they asked if I live in the United Kingdom. I confirmed and they told me Enchantex products won't work in the United Kingdom. Granger's doing, I'm presume. She knows how to hold a grudge.

America doesn't have pubs like at home, at least not one I could find. I ended up at a night club in The District last night out of boredom. The way American witches dress leaves nothing to the imagination. After ten firewhiskeys, I found I didn't mind. I could have had a shag or four, but fuck seeing Mia after all this time looking like walking sex, made everyone fail in comparison.

In 2006, I started dating a Witch Weekly model, Monique. She was moderately intelligent, sexy, and elegant. The things she could do with her mouth would make any man fall in love with her. Monique lacked any depth, she was superficial, spoiled, and self-absorbed. Though I cared about her, I just couldn't see a life with her, at least not one I wanted. I ended things with her and was on a date in a week.

I don't know what it is about Granger. We only actually dated about six months when I was young and somewhat naïve. I was always honest with Mia. I had no intentions of fulfilling the betrothal contract with Astoria, but I had to make sure my mother was taken care of. Two weeks after Mia and I had that final argument, I decided none of it mattered. I needed Mia like I needed my magic. I went to her apartment, it was occupied by someone else. I went Potter to tell me where she was, after a few firewhiskeys he told me about the night of his birthday. We had searched for her, and hit nothing but dead ends. I spent two years as a barely functioning alcoholic because every thought of her made me physically hurt. It took five years for me to even entertain the thought of moving on. I'm not sure I ever did.

Seeing her after all these years was like a breath of fresh air. She fought our relationship every step of the way. She never trusted her feelings for me. She was so convinced we were nothing but friends. When she finally let me in, fuck if it wasn't the most amazing feeling to know she loved me.

3 January 1999

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Eighth Year Common Room.

Hogsmeade, Scotland

Draco

We arrived back to Hogwarts earlier tonight. The last week Granger had been infuriatingly distant. We still meet at nights and talked. She's so secretive, and I couldn't believe she told me about her tutor being Sirius Black. She told me he was completely innocent of his crimes. When I asked her how he escaped, she just gave her secret keeping smile and said she didn't know. During the days we were usually in different parts of Abbott manor. I'd hang out with Blaise, Theo, and Neville. Neville has been quite the surprise. He's a truly decent bloke and has a twisted sense of humor which I never would have thought he possessed. Granger has become really close with Hannah, Susan, and shockingly enough Pansy. Pansy is loyal and will make a steady friend Mia needs. Potter choosing sides and not supporting Mia, has really hurt her, though she acts like she doesn't care. That's the thing about Granger, she cares about everything way too much.

I question if she cares about me. I woke up The day after Christmas alone. I worked hard to be able to get her to cuddle for as long as she did. We fell asleep, and fuck, it felt so good to have her in my arms. I woke up at 9 a.m. and she was gone. It was like a stab in the chest. She wants me, I know she does. She holds herself back, I haven't figured out why. On New Year's Eve at the stroke of midnight I took her in my arms and she kissed my cheek and scurried off to the other side of the room. She didn't meet my eyes for about an hour. I don't fucking understand her because I thought I made my intentions very clear. The bracelet was not a inexpensive present. Giving jewelry to a girl means more than just friendship rather you're a pureblood or not. I'm just too much of a fucking coward to tell her. I just want a sign that she feels half of what I feel for her.

The Daily Prophet has been ruining apology articles for the last two weeks for all the Rita Skeeter's articles. Granger received an apology package from the Weasleys. Granger laughed at it and sent a simple thank you. She was not impressed with their efforts. She has received quite a bit of apologies from people who have previously sent her hate mail. The Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shackelbolt released a statement about all Granger's war efforts and sacrifices. Every article that is released seems to anger her. She said during dinner one night that they are trying to use The Golden Trio for publicity. They can't very well cash in on the celebrity of The Golden Trio if they villianize " the brains" of the operation.

We have been back in the Common Room from dinner in The Great Hall about an hour ago. Mia took off with Daphne and Pansy. Most of our usual group is around the seating area by the fireplace. Theo and Blaise bought about a hundred bottles of firewhiskey over break and smuggled then in. I'm sitting in the chair that Granger always sits in. On the couch is Theo, Blaise, Hannah, and Longbottom. The Patils and Tracy Davis are sitting on the floor in front of the tea table Susan Bones and Luna Lovegood are in the settee across from me.

Without any warning I get a face full of hair and my drink stolen. Granger is in my lap drinking my drink. She's never done this before! Yes!

I huff, and grab for my drink and say, "Get your own drink Granger!"

She laughs and says, "No, I'm quite enjoying yours Ferret-face!"

I playfully give her a dirty look and start tickling her. She yells and starts laughing and before I know it she is off my lap and I have a wand in my face. Fucking Potter! "LEAVE HER ALONE MALFOY!

Granger turns around and yells, " EXPELLIARMUS", and Potter's wand flies into her hand. Then she points the wand at Potter and says, "How fucking dare you Harry! Don't you dare point your wand at Malfoy again! You have made it really fucking clear, I mean fucking nothing to you. Go back to your fucking corner, Potter!"

"I'm sorry Hermione, that's not the case at all, can we talk? Please?"

She lifts her chin and waits a few seconds to put his wand to her side and says, "Ok…we can talk."

They go to the seating area on the other side of the room by the bay window. I cast " Auscultatio" very quietly so I can eavesdrop on their conversation. I'm not going to let fucking Potter ruin everything, not when she voluntarily sat on my lap. Fuck! She came to me! We've cuddled up at Hannah's, but this is the first time she came to me.

Potter says, "I'm sorry Hermione. I heard you yell and saw you with Malfoy and thought he was hurting you."

She huffs and says, "Harry you need to stop assuming the worst. The war is fucking over and I'm fucking tired of fighting. I've been fighting since I entered this world, Harry. Malfoy and I have had many conversations he apologized, I've apologized to him. We have become friends in the last four months. He has been my friend while you have been too busy putting your cock in Ginny!"

I can't believe she said the word 'cock'! If Granger said that to me, she'd turn bright red and wouldn't make eye contact for a week.

"That's unfair. You know I love her and how much I missed her last year."

"That's great Harry I'm glad you have Ginny and Ron. You have always been a great friend to Ron. You have always stood by him for everything. I'm glad you have him. However, that's not the case with me. Time and time again you have taken Ron's side over mine. I have always supported you. I have saved your life countless times. When we were low on food I made sure you and Ron had plenty to eat over my own needs. I laid my life and soul on the line for you. I killed for you. I obliviated people for you. I stole food for us. I had sleepless night studying so I could help could keep us fucking alive. Ron always spouted his insecure bullshite and every time you choose Ron over me. You haven't talked to me since October, Harry! Don't you dare begrudge me a friend, Harry Potter, when you have yet again taken their side. The Weasleys made it all very clear how they feel about me. That apology dinner over the summer was fucking ridiculous Harry. Mrs. Weasley apologized and in the same breath told me my losses weren't as important as hers because Fred was a wizard. The fucking motherly beacon of light basically told me my parents didn't matter because they were muggles. You sat there and didn't say a fucking word. Then on the train and during the sorting ceremony, I was chastised for not being at the Burrow all summer. Ginny had the audacity to say to me that I didn't care anything about Fred. Harry I helped the twins with half their products for their store! Fred was my friend. I still get royalties for all the products I helped them create. I went to his funeral and every Weasley was rude to me except Arthur, George, Bill, and Fleur. I lost people too! I lost my whole fucking family to Death Eaters. Fred chose to fight, my parents didn't even know they had a fucking daughter when they were murdered!"

Potter is staring at her and frowns, and says, "Your right, Hermione. I haven't been the friend to you I should. I'm so sorry. I love you so much, you're my family, I guess I took advantage of you. I try so hard to keep the peace that I neglected you as my friend over the past couple months so Ginny would leave you alone. I was pissed at the Weasleys that day last summer, and chastised Molly for treating you so rudely. She sent you a care package over the holidays. I think she just needed someone to blame for Fred's death."

She sighs, "Harry if I had a time-turner and went back to the battle, I could have done so much more damage. If could have saved Fred, Remus, and Tonks, I would have, but I could have caused so much more damage. What if my actions took your life, or Ron's? What if my actions lead to the Voldemort winning? Mrs. Weasley said I should have been able to save everyone. How? She was horrible to me for no reason. Her shite apology meant nothing when she wrote Howlers for Rita fucking Skeeter's lies."

"I thought you returned the time-turner to McGonagall at the end of third year," he accuses.

Granger sighs, "I did Harry I handed back to her the last day of third year. My point is, Molly, made accusations of not saving people. How was I suppose to save everyone? Her saying that to me was as ridiculous as me having a time-turner save everyone."

Potter says, "Mrs. Weasley is genuinely sorry, Hermione."

She rolls her eyes and says, "That's a lovely story Harry, but I hold Mrs. Weasley under no more obligation to show basic common decency."

"'Mione. Please forgive me. I promise I'll be a better friend to you. I've missed you so much. You mean so much to me. You're right, I've been a shite friend to you, but I'll make it up to you, I promise."

Granger sighs, "Harry I'm not going to make you choose. Ron and Ginny have proven they can't be my friends. I'm done with them putting me down because they are both insecure. My insecurities can't take it anymore!"

Potter says, "They'll need to show they are really my friends and treat my only family with respect. I love you so much. You can't lose me Hermione, I'm the only person you can say the word cock to and not turn bright red. You need me too!"

Granger hugs Potter, "I love you too, Harry. You are my brother. If we are going to be proper friends, you have to put the past behind us. No more treating the Slytherins badly! Goyle is in Azkaban, all of the rest, including Malfoy were sent home with probation and after one year all charges will disappear. You will be nice to them, even Malfoy. I'm not going to come between you and Ginny or Ron, but I won't allow them to treat me badly. I expect you as my friend to stop them."

Potter nods. "I understand 'Mione. You have always had my back, and it's time I have yours. So what's the story with you and Malfoy, huh?"

She sighs, "We are friends. It's taken a while and we have had a lot of talks, he's apologized."

Harry smiles, "Are you sure there isn't something more going on with you and Malfoy. He keeps looking over here."

Granger laughs, "Yes Harry, I'm sure. He is only my friend. He has shown no interest in me what so ever. There's rumors about him being with a bunch of girls, beautiful girls, Harry. He's not going to want me. If those girls couldn't keep him interested I don't stand a chance."

Harry shakes his head, "You have never seen yourself properly. Don't you wonder why Ginny is so insecure about you? It's because your beautiful and brilliant, and about the nicest person alive. You are forgiving and self-sacrificing. You are a powerful witch and know more than anyone else. God, Hermione half the boys in school follow you with their eyes. You are a full package and to top it off you are so clueless that you don't have the flaws that other beautiful women have. You are not vain, self-absorbed, or materialistic. I don't know why you think no one wouldn't want you. Even if who you want is stupid Malfoy."

She shakes her head and giggles, "Harry, thank you for trying. You are a good friend. I'm dealing with a bit of an unrequited crush, that's all. He spent years telling me how ugly I am. He's so beautiful, Harry. Someone who looks like that is destined for a woman with more legs than brains and breasts the size of my head, not someone as insignificant as I am. Let's not forget how his family feels about people like me. No Harry. Malfoy only is ever going to want to be my friend. I'll just be the really fun Aunt to all your kids. Barmy cat lady seems like a super ambitious role to have."

Potter laughs, "Maybe we could put wings on your cats and get you some shiny ruby slippers."

Granger giggles, "I don't know Harry. I think I just want to go to Cambridge or Oxford and become a doctor. I am having a difficult time reconciling staying in a world that hates me. I'm hated for just being born with this amazing gift I never fucking asked for. In a couple of years all the Death Eaters will be free, and I'll be targeted. Nothing changes in the wizarding world. Even among most of my new friends, I never really belong. You and I get along because we were raised in the muggle world, you understand my muggle references. With everyone else I'm always careful what I say. Someone asked me what Physics was and I just sat there for minutes trying to find a way to explain what physics is without having to answer seventeen other questions. I finally gave up and said, 'It's science'. How can I stay in a world that completely ignores the rest of the world? Do you know how simple it would be to be able to type in what you are looking for on a computer and have all the information on that spell? That reality will never happen in the wizarding world because they still don't use electricity. Electricity has been widespread throughout the United Kingdom for over 60 years! Wizards reject it because it's muggle."

Potter laughed, "I've missed you Hermione. You know how I know we are going to be alright?" She shakes her head. Potter continues, "Because you are rambling. It's when you refuse to talk I need to be scared."

She smiles, "Oh Harry, I have missed you!"

He laughs, "I've been meaning to ask you, so you have any jars with beetles inside we need to discuss."

Granger laughs, "I had nothing to do with that vapid cunt quitting this time. Did Kings write you about the anniversary ball on 1st of May? He wants us to wear gold. Gold, Harry! I don't want to go!"

"It will be fine. You could ask Malfoy to go with you."

Granger buries her head in her hands again, "Stop! I shouldn't have told you. You can't say stuff like out loud. What if someone heard you? He wouldn't want anyone to get the wrong impression."

Potter laughs, "How are you such a fucking genius about every subject on the planet, but so dumb about blokes? Malfoy has been watching you since the first week of school. You are so busy avoiding eye contact with him to hide your feelings you can't see his. I'm going to Gryffindor tower before curfew. I need to talk to Ginny. I love you 'Mione. I'll sit with you tomorrow at breakfast!" Then he kisses her forehead and then looks at me and raises one eyebrow.

How am I ever going to convince her I care about her? How am I going to convince her not to leave my world? How did our headmistress justify giving a time-turner to a 13 year old girl? That conversation has left me with so much to dissect. She so convinced I'm not interested in her, she's completely blind to the signs it's time for a more direct approach.

After a couple of minutes Mia walks over to me and I pull her back into my lap and cradle her in my arms. "Are you and Potter alright, Beautiful?" I whisper in her ear.

She pulls back to looks in my eyes and smiles. "Yes Draco, everything is great." Then she puts her head on my shoulder and I squeeze her tighter into me. It was the first time I ever heard my given name from her sweet lips, and I couldn't wait to make her say it again and again.

7 April 2010

The Plaza Hotel

Draco's Room

New York City, New York

Draco

I haven't left my room today. It's almost 5 p.m., and the most I have accomplished was deciding Americans truly have the worst fucking tele programming on the planet. It's atrocious! They show something for two minutes and then have five minutes of commentary of what you just fucking watched. Just when you think they might get back to the fucking program, they switch to three minutes of advertisements. After the horrible advertisements, they recap what you just fucking watched. Are muggle Americans this fucking stupid?

I look down and I'm lounging around in my faded Metallica shirt and silk sleep trousers. I should probably get dressed and find some food. Fuck!

Knock, Knock*

Curious, I open my door and everything changes.