09 Well-disposed enemies
06 January – 07 January 2000
"I'm planning to go to the cinema tonight. In London," Hermione announced over her breakfast.
Slightly lowering his newspaper, Severus peeked at her.
"They happen to have built some of those in Manchester too."
"It's supposed to be a certain one. Going there was something like an end-of-holidays tradition with- before and I've decided to uphold it," she clarified rather clumsily.
Severus now openly looked at her and seemed to contemplate it, while Draco cleared his mouth and arched his eyebrow, "Am I supposed to understand what you are going on about?" he asked.
"Obviously not. You are far too non-Muggle for grasping this," she provoked.
He let his spoon drop deliberately loudly into his bowl staring at her derogatively.
"Care to enlighten me then, your superiority?" Draco asked with feigned submissiveness.
"It's a terribly Muggle thing. Might let your precious wizard brain explode. And when I think of all the mess, I'm-"
"Oi, velvet face, feeling suicidal at this hour of the day already? I'd offer to lend you a ha-"
Severus look turned murderous.
"Refrain from such implications and insults, Draco," he now interfered growling, "I'd appreciate if you two waited with your quarreling until I've had my second coffee of the day. At least pretend to be decent human beings, will you?"
Hermione felt sufficiently chastised by the landlord, who had invited them after all and decided to try for decency.
"A cinema is a big hall with very many seats all directed at a silver screen on which a film is shown. A film is like a play. It's a series of still pictures that create an illusion of continuously moving ones when shown in rapid succession on a screen. It can be replayed again and again," Hermione tried to explain.
"What's that play about?" Draco asked.
"There is no that play and it's called a film. There are actually thousands of films on numerous topics: can be tragic, romantic, funny or a mixture of all. Simply every story that can be thought can be made into a film."
Draco snorted. "How that without magic? How about flying Muggles?"
"Muggles have technical ways of creating an illusion when it comes to magical or really weird ideas, like giant gorillas climbing on skyscrapers or flying through outer space searching for or meeting aliens," Hermione explained to him and then, without addressing anyone in particular, she added, "I'm still convinced that Muggle Studies should be compulsory for everyone. It really is a question of being up to date with humankind as a whole."
Severus forbiddingly arched an eyebrow at her comment, which made her press her lips together. She concentrated back on her food. Hermione couldn't help but to add another provocative comment after having spent three full days in Draco's arrogant presence. His constant and often not really only passive aggressive behavior was straining. He stayed out of free will and given his repeatedly displayed irritation by her presence, she couldn't quite put a finger on his reasons. She assumed some kind of power play and underlying aggression due to unsolved issues with their shared experience. Maybe even some fight for Severus' favor as it must surely be mind-boggling that he obviously didn't dislike her anymore and even allowed her liberties no one else had. Despite Draco of course, who was as close to family as it got for Severus.
"On behalf of Slytherin House I'm thankful for not having you to decide about the students' schedules," Draco threw in.
Severus now was really unnerved and shot him a displeased look.
"On behalf of Slytherin House I shall appreciate it if you refrained from lumping all Slytherins together, while leaving out all those prejudiced and narrow-minded pureblooded snobs that do still inhabit the other houses despite everything we've been through. And feel reminded that your snotty attitude towards people being different in general doesn't suit you anymore," Severus said sharply and Draco, who clearly struggled with being chastised by the Head of Slytherin on his typical Slytherin attitude only managed to nod before returning to his breakfast.
The older man's attention now turned to Hermione. "Talking about schedules. You are still aware of yours?"
"I am. I thought I might put some more effort in it during the day. I'd really like to go tonight- if you don't mind," she said disarmingly.
Of course there was no need to ask permission, but she was also aware of what he did for her and simply didn't want him to be mad at her. "I take it, Draco is happy not being invited. How about you Severus? Would you like to come?"
He tilted his head and hoped his eyes hadn't betrayed his surprise at her invitation. "Someone needs to ensure your return in one piece."
"As thoughtful as I had expected you to be. To make up for your dutifulness I'll endeavor to make it a pleasant experience. Very likely involving popcorn and ice-cream," she said teasingly.
He rolled his eyes at her, but was secretly pleased. "Less talking, more chewing. You're having a busy day."
Now she also rolled her eyes at him, but Severus had already returned to his part of the newspaper.
.o.O.o.
"Oh, where are you going?" Hermione asked deliberately ignorant on spotting Draco at the bottom of the stairs.
She was astonished to see him in jeans and a woolen V-neck pullover over a button-down shirt. He congenitally looked downright good, but tonight he did so in a very aristocratic and even Muggle way. Severus had very likely assisted him in getting the basics right, but the woolen fabric surely betrayed that Draco had added his distinct taste. Now she was curious what Severus would be dressed like.
"Muggle thing I wasn't invited to," he answered.
"How unpleasantly surprising of you," she returned with a faked smile.
"Aren't you a lucky girl?" he reflected her facial expression.
Severus came down the stairs and cleared his throat to silence them. She took him in and smiled brightly. He looked the same as always, black trousers, white button-down shirt, although under a black woolen Muggle coat.
Severus liked to see her beam at him like this. "Enough now. Behave yourselves or I'll take measures and before asking insolent questions now, rest assured you won't like them," he growled with a menacing look. "Finchley Road, London, you said. Right?" he asked Hermione, who nodded.
"Draco, you go ahead now," he advised with a firm gaze and then turned to Hermione, "and we'll side-along to preserve your core. Come on."
Severus was pleased that Draco had taken his hint and had disappeared immediately with a crack. Hermione stepped closer to Severus, but was unsure how exactly they would Apparate this time, but there was not much time left thinking for adequate movements on her behalf since she was hugged close immediately and intuitively answered with encircling his waist. She sighed subconsciously.
"Are you alright?" he asked in a low voice, while savoring the feeling of her immediately returned embrace.
"I am. You?"
"I find myself being challenged by two kids with deficiencies of getting along and none of which I could murder without remorse. It's hard to bear such a lack of possibilities to act."
She hugged him harder. "I am sorry for our quarreling. I do know it's straining- for me too. I actually thought about leaving for Hogwarts again tomorrow." Hermione tilted her head back to look at him. "To give you some peace and quiet before the term starts again. And Draco surely relaxes when having your exclusive attention," she offered with a knot in her stomach.
Severus tensed at that anew revelation and selflessness and hoped neither voice nor contents would betray his stirring emotions on this idea.
"Simply refraining from provoking Draco in the first place would be sufficient on your behalf. I repeat myself: You may stay as long as you want. If Draco's behavior continues to be this childishly jealous and if it drives you off, he will return to his house."
"To prevent a scenario in which I'd take you up on your offer of giving me a hand with the dirty work," she tried to lighten the mood.
"Right," he confirmed with a grin.
"I think we've made Draco suffer long enough for now by having him wait alone amongst Muggles," she weighed-in and snuggled up at him again.
Severus chuckled at that. "Ready?"
"Whenever you are."
And with a crack they disappeared to London.
"What took you so long?" Draco asked unnerved when they finally arrived next to him. He stood in a side-street with a good view at the busy streets of Muggle London. It was holidays and people were out and about.
They slowly disentangled themselves, Hermione fighting for balance.
"Making out. Even the most secret affair needs regular cultivation and who are we to pass up two minutes of intimate togetherness," Hermione said nonchalantly, which made both men practically gape at her. Smilingly she addressed the younger man, "Lovely! I found a way to mute you without drawing on my core. I shall take my chance then: I apologized for our behavior while being guests in Severus' house. Sadly also only after he rubbed my nose into it. Maybe you should contemplate making concessions, too," she finished and on turning around to walk to the cinema she added, "Anyone popcorn to go with the film?" She didn't expect an answer of course. On walking towards the door her amusement was written all over her face and she wondered how long it would take them to recover from her words and join her.
They had managed to pick up the tickets Hermione had had reserved and now they had some time left before the film started. She enjoyed the atmosphere of Muggle London.
"Cinemas are popular, I take it?" Draco asked while letting his gaze run over the crowd filling the hall. His neck got clammy.
Hermione bit back a provocative comment. "Very much so. But I think the throng will dissolve very soon. When several films end at the same time, many people are just lingering because they are waiting for those using the equally crowded bathroom- vicious waiting circle, you see?" she asked with a disarming smile and hoped for Severus' sake that Draco would come up with something cordial as well.
"These are many people. I mean, how many seats are there per screen?" Draco asked indeed cordially, but sounded distracted.
"Depends-, could be up to one thousand in the biggest one."
At that information Draco's eyes widened in slight alarm. It suddenly occurred to Hermione how threatening being outnumbered at large in an unfamiliar environment by humans he had learned to despise for being worthless might really feel, especially when you have lived like a hermit for nearly two years.
She approached Draco very closely.
"If you feel uncomfortable, we could just leave. You only need to say," she said lowly-voiced and got a look of incomprehension from him. Severus hadn't heard what she had said and looked at her questioningly.
"I don't know what you're going on about, velvet fa-. You just bought our tickets," he snarled.
Hermione scowled at him. Okay, she mused, he is the tough guy and far be it from him to feel uncomfortable amongst Muggles, let alone admit it. Taking a deep breath was her try to retain her composure and ensure an even intonation. "I could always come back tomorrow, buy another one and watch it then. There's no problem there."
Now it also seemed to dawn on Severus what was going on as he assessed the paler-than-usual younger man vigilantly now. "I'll fetch some water," he said and disappeared.
Hermione scanned the hall to see if there was a free bench or chair where they could seat him shortly and indeed managed to find a spot. She maneuvered the meanwhile seemingly will-less Draco through the crowd to the seat and kept one hand on his shoulder to ensure him of her presence and he was obviously distressed enough to not shake it off.
On scanning the hall again for Severus, her gaze came unexpectedly to a halt on an older woman with brown curls. Hermione blinked, hoping this would be some kind of imagination, but when the woman waved at someone, her eyes followed the direction and spotted her parents and their daughter struggling through the crowd towards her grandmother. Intuitively Hermione clutched Draco's shoulder harder to steady herself since her knees seriously menaced to buckle. How on earth was this possible? The universe must be having some cruel sense of humor.
Her ears buzzed and she didn't hear Draco asking her what was going on, she also didn't recognize her tight grip on him and that his hand was covering hers now. No, she simply kept starring at those four people that should be her family. Alyssa looked remarkably like Hermione; there was no arguing about that. This, it hit her, was like watching a film. As if someone had filmed their annual visit to the cinema ten years ago and was now replaying it for her to watch. It felt obscene, but she couldn't look away.
Then they came towards them, obviously heading for the exit. In the moment that Draco's voice was loud enough to make her hear him call her name, they also did and automatically reacted. Hermione wasn't a common name after all. For the duration of a second, maybe less, she saw them looking at her, but then all adults blurred their vision and looked right through her while steadily walking past her to the exit. Alyssa and Hermione locked eyes, when she had managed to gaze away from her mother.
The strong urge to approach them combined with the sudden realization that they refused to acknowledge her presence at all felt like a punch in the stomach. Like in trance she turned around and slowly followed them. When the cold wintry air hit her at the door she stopped and kept watching them walking out into the night. Alyssa turned around and smiled at her. Nicely so, Hermione mused. But she was turned around by her mother.
Only now that the hand on her shoulder squeezed a bit firmer, she became aware of the young man next to her. He looked concerned, which she had surely appreciated more had she not just been busy stopping herself from breaking down in public. Hermione clutched his hand and he returned it, but otherwise she kept starring after them. Severus had meanwhile arrived behind them and at the unexpected sight of Draco's hand on her shoulder, his spy mode was activated and he had decided to approach them silently. He had arrived in time to spot the people down the street with the smiling child between them as well and had recognized the girl from the picture in the newspaper. He cursed himself for having been away and while searching for a way to elegantly withdraw Draco from the situation before he would do any more damage by talking, the blond man started to speak.
"I've always wondered if your hair was the result of a certain Muggle fashion or simply of genes."
"And what conclusion did you just draw?" she asked without much intonation.
"That you are a victim of your genetic relations. In more terms than just hair. Similar to me."
"Spot-on," she nodded.
"I didn't know you had a sister."
"I don't think I have one. Granted, we look alike, but they had her adopted before officially disowning me after the war. I don't want to elaborate," she said matter-of-factly and he simply squeezed her hand in affirmation. The young man was glad she did not turn around to witness his shock.
"Draco? Did you just see her smile?" she asked hoarsely while continuing to stare into the distance where they had disappeared into the dark. Tears were silently running down her cheeks.
"I did."
"How-, how did it look to you?" she wanted to know.
"True," he returned without hesitation. It was the first that came to his mind.
A Slytherin answer was what she had hoped for. Hermione swallowed hard and nodded as if confirming it to herself as well. Her hand let go of his to wipe away her tears and Draco encircled her shoulders.
"Velve-," he said in a heartfelt tone and made it sound like an endearment, "it's freezing cold. Let's get inside."
When she didn't move, Draco started to pull her with him. "Come on. We should go find Severus. He's surely annoyed by our absence."
"Concerned," Hermione corrected and looked at the younger man now, "he rather is concerned."
Draco nodded and Severus felt warmth at hearing this. "I'm right here," he now said behind them and they turned around.
"Sorry for having vanished-," Hermione offered.
"I really needed fresh air," Draco interrupted and took the water from Severus, "thank you."
Focusing back on the obviously shaken woman, Severus now simply handed her a handkerchief. "Do you prefer going somewhere else?"
Hermione was only able to shake her head, as her mind was still dumbfounded by Draco just having covered for her so she wouldn't need to talk. Now that was an interesting development.
Severus, however, had no intention of simply believing this. He took her face in his hands and locked his black eyes with her brown ones. "Panic? Calming Draught?"
"Not yet and not yet, thank you," she answered quietly and closed her eyes, because despite his curt approach she had seen his concern and his struggle for composure in front of Draco in them and she was busy enough to keep her own at bay. Suddenly it dawned on her that the younger man had indeed been concerned too. And very explicitly and publicly so. This was not only odd, but felt oddly nice as well. She smiled absently.
"Keep me posted," Severus simply advised.
She squeezed his right hand at her face shortly and leaned into it. Severus let go of some of the tension he hadn't recognized he was holding and it occurred to him why: His mind hadn't been sure if his caring was still appreciated. He had felt exclusion and jealousy of the intimate situation between the youngsters before. Merlin, this was going to become problematic.
"Shall we get some popcorn before the film starts?" Draco asked deliberately airy. "Ahem, how do we know when it starts?" he added and Hermione had to bark a laugh at that.
"Popcorn is a must. And had the starting time been a- fuzzy issue, I would have invited Sybill, but trust me that we'll easily be able to help ourselves by reading," she gestured at the screens above the ticket counter, "and by checking the watch. I happen to know that you have one in your pocket," she said with a smile and Draco grinned, but managed to feign confusion.
"Uh, sorry. Ahem, I'm at a loss again. What was the right sequence?" Draco teased now.
Shaking her head in feigned disapproval Hermione turned Draco around.
"Come now, it's about time. Trust the big girl with the really cool super power of telling the time from a watch."
Shoving Draco in front of her through the meanwhile nearly empty hall, while spontaneously taking Severus by the hand and dragging him along, she maneuvered them to the right screen. Severus was clearly too nonplussed to revolt. And too pleased, he recognized.
.o.O.o.
"Would you let me go to bed now if I promised to make a list of must-see films from different genres and then ensure you'll be able to watch them? We'll need electricity for it, but I'll find a way," she begged.
Carefully speaking, Draco was intrigued by the cinema experience. She nearly had to swear an Unbreakable Vow to never tell anyone that a Malfoy found something desirable in the Muggle world. But also without it, he was just unable to stop himself from raving about the film and how non-magical masking and that technique thing made something as authentic-looking like the Grinch even possible. That he showed enthusiasm for something different than bullying her was appreciated and the extension was kind of adorable, but after a couple of hours it had the potential to make a saint swear.
"Severus, I could do with some help here. Can I please hex him to sleep now?" she begged with feigned despair.
"Two hours ago you refused to fraternize with me against him and his- enthusiasm. Now he is all your responsibility," the addressed man returned airily.
"Yes, but back then- in the good old times, I still had the optimism that it was his absurdly high popcorn-induced sugar level we owe this - well, you name it enthusiasm, I'd rather go for craziness - to. But meanwhile I'm afraid, it's just him." She increased the theatrical despair in her voice.
"Hey, I'm still here. I can hear you! Be warned that I won't take you with me when I go next," Draco menaced.
"Which will earn you our eternal gratitude," Severus deadpanned and Hermione burst into laughter into which he joined.
Draco tried to feign indignation, but started to chuckle himself.
"It was a lovely evening and I thank you both so much for it, but I'm calling it a day now," Hermione announced, rose to her feet and bid them good night.
When she lay in bed she realized that she still wore a smile. And she did, because she had indeed enjoyed herself tonight, despite the horrible scene the two Slytherins downstairs had managed to calm and distract her from successfully. Harry would never believe this, and while her smile faltered at this automatic thought, it hurt much less than before and she successfully shoved it away and dwelled on the content feeling the men had left her with while gently drifting off to sleep.
.o.O.o.
"What the hell? Lumos," he said and immediately saw what had caused his scare. "Hermione, what are you doing on the floor?" he asked gently, putting his hand on her shoulder.
She was a bit confused about the circumstances, but then remembered how she came here. "Sorry, I had a nightmare. Your door wasn't firmly shut- ahem, I needed some company, I think," she stammered and could face-palm herself now for this childish behavior. Hopefully, he wouldn't see her blushing in the dim light of his wand.
"You were supposed to wake me and not secretly curl up on the floor against my bed," he chided gently, "Did I hurt you?"
"No. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, sir," she said in earnest and started scrambling to her feet. She hadn't intended to irritate him by sneaking into his room at night. Now it occurred to her how intrusive this had been indeed.
"Don't be silly." He flicked both their bedroom doors quietly shut and she looked puzzled now, even more so when Severus shoved over and patted on his warm side of the bed. Still wrapped in her blanket Hermione thankfully climbed into it.
"Are you cold?" he asked and realized that he was slightly irritated by both his offer and her acceptance.
"A bit," she conceded. Severus additionally pulled his blanket over them both. "It may have escaped your notice, but I don't particularly like the sight of you freezing on a cold floor," he said lowly-voiced.
Without thinking Hermione rested her head on the man's chest. "I didn't want to disturb you. It was just a bad dream. I'm feeling childish enough to have intruded here due to that at all," she admitted embarrassed.
Since she hadn't changed her position again a flabbergasted Severus simply put his arm around her and felt how she slowly relaxed into him.
"Silly. Again. Your brain needs sleep. It has forgotten about our establishment of a boundary crossing tradition," Severus said.
After a couple of minutes, he realized that they both were still awake.
"Was it about your family?" he asked in a whisper.
"I think today's events proved that there isn't anyone, who'd confirm having such relations with me," she said snidely, but then added disarmingly, "Sorry, I cannot wrap my head around the universe's special humor."
"Even being doomed to idleness was challenging. It did something for all our perspectives."
At this Hermione noticeably held her breath. It was clear that he referred to Draco's spontaneous change in attitude towards her, which had saved the evening indeed and would hopefully last for another day. However, she wasn't inclined to broach the issue now.
"Are you indicating to have found something good in the- non-encounter?"
"Seeing the topic's delicacy and the fact that it's my Slytherin mind talking, I'd render it highly unlikely that something this suicidal had been indicated."
"Unless- said Slytherin mind was half asleep," Hermione contemplated aloud.
"Then it cannot be blamed," Severus insisted and they both chuckled at that.
As rather often he subconsciously started to play with her hair. "Do you want to continue sleeping here?"
"Would you mind?" she asked hesitantly being once again very aware of the situation's moral dubiety, which she meanwhile didn't care about in the least.
"I just invited you," he muttered.
"And I was even fine with the floor next to you." Hermione struggled her right arm free and put it on his chest where she could feel his fastening heartbeat. "Enough obviousness stated?" she asked to lighten the mood. She really wanted to sleep right here and like this.
"Brat!" he said and kissed her on top of her head. Feeling very content, Severus fiddled with some of her curls until he gently drifted off to sleep.