Hello dear readers!
I know it's been a long while since I last updated. I'm really sorry for the wait! I am trying my best, and I will try harder to post sooner.
This chapter is very different, basically a little adventure for our favorite duo.
THANK YOU for being here and for continuing to read my story. I hope this chapter won't dissapoint!
I really hope you enjoy it!
Chapter 8: London Pursuit
Hermione stared at the ceiling as she lay in bed, her eyes following the faint shadows cast by the moonlight filtering through the curtains. She had lost count of what time it was and had basically given up on sleep at that point.
The day had been tumultuous, starting with a pleasant breakfast, followed by a bombshell admission, then a long stretch of silent research.
She had retreated to her room hours ago, cutting the evening short after sharing a quick dinner with him, mostly in silence, with the excuse of a headache and a need for an early night.
But how could she sleep, when all she could think of was the conversation she'd had with Draco.
And the kiss that had followed…
She closed her eyes, picturing it all before her once again, as her finger absentmindedly traced over her lower lip, still tingling from the memory.
He kissed me…
And I kissed him back.
Her mind was a jumbled mess, trying to make sense of his shocking and life-altering revelation, while also trying to come to terms with the fact that she, Hermione Granger, had enjoyed kissing the boy who used to make her cry.
Used to…
He did not seem to enjoy her tears anymore.
In fact, now he seemed to be more preoccupied with giving her thoughtful gifts and trying to ease her loneliness.
Well, mission accomplished, I guess.
Loneliness was the furthest thing from what she felt during that kiss. Quite the opposite, in fact. It made her feel seen, appreciated, needed…
Wanted.
By the same person who used to make her feel like an outcast, like a parasite unworthy of magic.
The touch of his lips against hers had been soft, almost hesitant, at first. But then it had deepened, becoming rougher, more urgent, hungry…
And oh, so exquisitely thrilling.
And she had liked it, no—she had reveled in it, every nip and tug on her lower lip sending sparks through her every nerve, like electricity.
Electricity, a concept he likely barely knew anything about.
The irony wasn't lost on her.
Hermione did not know what to make of it, and of everything else that had happened. The horcruxes, the prophecy, Voldemort's fear of Malfoy's powers…
But in that moment, as her fingers lingered over her mouth, she knew one thing for certain.
She would let Draco Malfoy kiss her again.
Or rather, she wanted him to.
The awkwardness did not quite cease by the next morning, with breakfast eaten with only a few words of greeting. He'd woken up after her, thanked her for preparing him eggs, and then moved to the study to get a head start on reading his grandfather's journals. She followed not long after, delving back into the horcrux chapter of 'Anima Maledicta and Sacra', wanting to make sure she hadn't missed anything on the subject.
But then, he called her name, taking her attention away from the book, telling her that he'd found something interesting.
"Here," Draco said, his finger tracing a passage. Hermione approached to read along.
'April 16th, 1943
Riddle's been overconfident lately, for a half-blood orphan that is. You'd think the son of a filthy muggle would respect his superiors, but he dared challenge Rosier to a duel, which ought to be interesting. Maybe he is more Gaunt than Riddle after all, despite his fine looks, Merlin knows how cursedly hideous the Gaunts are.'
"So, his mother was a Gaunt…that's why he can talk to snakes," Draco said, his brows furrowed. "The Gaunts are an old pureblood family descended from the line of Salazar Slytherin himself, which is why the parseltongue trait passed down to him."
Hermione added, her eyebrows raising in surprise, "And his father was a muggle, Tom Riddle Sr. I'm assuming? Since he's Tom Riddle Jr."
Draco nodded, "Most likely..." He looked at Hermione and asked "I imagine muggle hospitals keep birth records, correct? I cannot go looking for information at St. Mungo's without raising suspicion. Besides, with a muggle father, especially at the time, his mother would have surely gotten herself disowned or forsaken by her family, which makes it more likely that he was born in the muggle world."
Hermione nodded, "Yes, it is far more likely that he was born in a muggle hospital or orphanage." She beamed and looked into the blond's eyes "Draco, we finally have a solid lead!"
He smiled at her, his silver eyes brimming with something akin to hope, "Indeed. I need to go to muggle London as soon as possible to begin my search. Where do you reckon we can get a list of hospitals and orphanages?"
Hermione shook her head "You will stick out like a sore thumb gallivanting on your own in muggle London. You have to take me with you – "
"Absolutely not. We can't risk it." Draco firmly stated, avoiding her demanding eyes.
Hermione crossed her arms, a determined expression on her face. "Draco, we can't afford to waste time. If we want to find out more about Tom Riddle's past and potentially locate the Horcruxes, I need to go with you. I know my way around the muggle world."
Draco sighed, realizing the validity of her argument, but he hesitated. "It's dangerous, Granger. We don't know what we might find, and I won't put you at unnecessary risk."
Hermione took a step closer, her eyes locking onto Draco's. "We're in this together, remember? We can use glamours to change our appearance and transfigure your clothes into something more akin to muggle fashion. We'll be careful."
Draco met Hermione's confident gaze, a swirl of conflicting emotions evident in his stormy eyes. He couldn't ignore the reality that their journey into the muggle world might expose them to unforeseen dangers, especially considering that she's supposed to be dead. What if someone from the wizarding world was there, for some reason, and recognized them?
"I don't want anything to happen to you," he admitted, a rare vulnerability slipping into his voice.
Hermione reached out, placing a reassuring hand on Draco's arm. "I don't want anything to happen to me either, or to you for the matter. Thankfully however, I happen to be more than capable of holding my own – you know, brightest witch of her age and all. And if we find ourselves in a tight spot, rest assured, I have the strongest wizard of his age right by my side to protect me." She playfully batted her eyelashes at him, and he responded with an amused roll of his eyes.
Draco paused for a moment, pondering the risks yet acknowledging the merit behind her reasoning. Eventually, he acquiesced with a nod. "Fine. But we must exercise caution and adhere to the plan. No reckless shenanigans or any attempts at heroics, got it miss Gryffindor?"
Hermione squealed with excitement, prompting him to groan in return.
"Agreed! Now, let's get everything planned for tomorrow. We need to blend in seamlessly to avoid drawing any unwanted attention."
Over the next few hours, Draco and Hermione practiced casting glamours and transfiguring his clothing to adopt a more inconspicuous muggle-like appearance. Draco's once immaculate platinum hair was transformed into a casually styled dark brown, complemented by a simple ensemble of jeans, a navy sweater, and a dark winter jacket. His eyes shifted to brown, his nose broadened, and a touch of facial hair graced his altered face. Meanwhile, Hermione sported short, straight dirty blond hair, vivid green eyes, a lengthened nose, more defined cheekbones, and slightly fuller lips.
As they stood before a full-length mirror in his bedroom, Draco felt satisfied enough with the successful transformation. "Well, we certainly look unrecognizable now."
Hermione chuckled, looking over her his new form, "Indeed. So, let's go over the plan again. We'll apparate to a discreet location in Muggle London, head to the public library to gather information on hospitals and orphanages, and then proceed from there."
After meticulously reviewing their plan and backup plans multiple times, Draco and Hermione dispelled the glamours and decided to retire to bed, needing a well-deserved night's rest before their impending adventure.
Sleep proved elusive for Hermione, who was too excited about leaving the cottage for the first time in what seemed like forever.
She was going back to London, finally.
Even if it's just for a short while…
The following morning, they swiftly enjoyed breakfast, reapplied their glamours, and transfigured Draco's clothes to exactly what they'd concocted the day before. Hand in hand, they stepped outside of the cottage and into the crisp snow.
"I still can't believe the amount of power you have to be able to apparate us across Europe to the British Isles. I'm starting to get jealous." Hermione muttered, looking up at Draco with slightly narrowed eyes, earning her a chuckle.
"Ready, Elizabeth?" Draco asked with a smirk.
Hermione smirked back. "Ready, William."
He apparated them to a quiet alley near the Leaky Cauldron, and they quietly and discreetly ventured into Charing Cross Road. Draco's eyes widened with awe at all the bustle and hustle that was Central London, which wasn't surprising. The wizarding world's population was minuscule in comparison to that of the muggle world. Hermione smiled at him, taking his hand as she led him through the crowd of busy people and cars until they reached the Leicester Square Underground Station. She giggled at his hesitance to enter, and felt like she was having to physically drag him in.
The most powerful wizard in the world is queasy around crowds, that's rich.
They bought passes and headed down to wait for the train.
"I've never seen so many people in one place at a time" Draco exclaimed, his nose wrinkling "And what's that awful smell?"
Hermione laughed, "Welcome to the London tube, it's smelly and packed, but it's very quick and efficient."
A couple of minutes later, Draco flinched as the train rushed in through the tunnel and halted in front of them. Hermione shook her head amusedly as they pushed through the rows of commuters to get in.
"Hold on tight!" she warned as the train started again at full speed.
"Woah, this is fast! Are you sure it's safe, Granger?"
She looked at him with a raised eyebrow, "Says the bloke who does backflips on a flying broom."
"Somehow this feels different," he retorts.
"You've never been on a nightbus?" She asks, but from the appalled look on his face, she realizes that his privileged bum would never be caught dead taking that thing.
A few minutes later, the train starts to slow, and she ushers for them to get out.
"This isn't actually our stop, we are here for a transfer, but I think you will find where we are very interesting." Hermione explains, grabbing Draco's hand as they got out and began climbing up the stairs and walking through the station until finally reaching what she had been hinting at. Draco's eyes widened, scanning across the expanse of the space where they stood.
"This is King's Cross, isn't it?"
Hermione grinned, nodding, "It's crazy to think how two completely different worlds can exist simultaneously in the same physical place."
He couldn't agree more.
"Now come on, we have to head back down for our transfer to Euston!" she said, and they started sprinting back to the underground.
After another quick tube ride, Draco and Hermione left the Euston Underground Station and walked to the British Library. As they walked inside, Draco was taken aback by the sheer grandeur of it, and Hermione smiled sadly, recalling her many visits here with her parents.
"You know, this is one of the largest libraries in the world…it even contains the Magna Carta, which is a doc—"
"I know what the Magna Carta is,Elizabeth" Draco interrupted her with a sly grin on his lips, "I may not be used to this world, having not ventured into it physically before, but I have read a lot about Muggle history. More so, I'll have you know that, when it comes to this specific subject, it is very much intertwined with my own family's history."
The young witch looked at him confused, "What do you mean?"
He hunched down to whisper in her ear, "Granger, don't you know that one of the rebel barons at the time was a Malfoy?"
Hermione's eyes widened with disbelief as her hand flew to her mouth, "No!"
"Yes!" He said, a playful smile on his face, "My ancestor, Atticus, was very instrumental inhelpingthe Archbishop of Canterbury draft the whole thing, if you know what I mean."
"You must be joking!" Hermione stared at him, dumbstruck. "Are you seriously telling me your ancestor is behind one of the most important documents in human history?"
"You're welcome." Draco smirked, pulling her in before she could say anything else, steering them further inside the grand library and towards one of the help desks. There, Hermione asked if they could have access to a computer to do some research. The librarian obliged and wrote down some website links for them to use in their research for hospitals and orphanages and explained how the library's computer directory worked for them to look for physical records.
Once in front of the computer, Hermione took a few moments to explain to the wary wizard what the machine was and how it worked, then, they began their search for the locations of hospitals and orphanages that were active in London in the 1920s.
They managed to get the names of some places online, but then used the directory to search for more.
After that, with Draco's hand at the small of her back, they maneuvered their way around the narrow aisles, searching the bookshelves for any historical records that might hold the key to Tom Riddle's birth.
Hours passed as they meticulously combed through dusty archives, uncovering snippets of information about various muggle institutions. Draco's irritation grew as he realized how arduous the task was.
Hermione, sensing his frustration, placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "We might not find everything in one day, Draco. Patience is crucial in this."
He sighed, his fingers massaging his temples, "You're right. Let's press on."
Their search led them to a forgotten corner of the library, where they stumbled upon a collection of archived records. Hermione's eyes lit up as she pulled out a dusty ledger.
"Draco, look at this," she exclaimed. "It's a list of orphanages that were active in London since the first world war!"
Excitement coursed through Draco as he looked at the pages, "We need a copy of these."
Hermione nodded and walked towards a photocopier to make the necessary copies. After that, they asked the librarian for a map of London, and they started pinning the locations of the orphanages they would need to visit.
"It's still 2 PM, we can probably make it to one or two."
They left the library and went through the motions again, going from one tube station to another. The first orphanage on their list turned out to have closed down some time in the late 1980s, and the second held no record of Tom Riddle. With time allowing them to visit one more, they eventually stood in front of Wool's Orphanage, a quaint building in a quieter part of the city. They approached cautiously, checking each other to make sure their glamours still held before entering.
The matron of the orphanage greeted them with a bored look. Draco and Hermione explained that they were working on a university research project, and asked if they could see records related to children born around the 1920s. The matron seemed skeptical at first at their unusual request, but then, surprisingly, led them to a dusty room filled with aged documents.
Hermione stared at Draco with a questioning look, to which he gave a shrug and then leant to murmur in her ear, "Confundus."
Her eyebrows shot to her hairline.
A wandless and wordless one at that…insane.
As they sifted through the records, Draco's eyes widened when he stumbled upon a familiar name. "Tom Marvolo Riddle," he whispered, pointing to the entry in the register. "This is it."
Hermione, heart pounding with anticipation, scanned the information. "Born on December 31, 1926, in Wool's Orphanage. Mother: Merope Gaunt. Father: Tom Riddle Sr. Yes! We've found him!"
The realization sent shivers down their spines.
The information in Abraxas' journals had been correct all along, Voldemort really was a half-blood.
Pureblood supremacists were being led by the son of a muggle man…
Hermione wanted to laugh, unable to help herself from feeling some sense of twisted vindication.
The matron, unaware of the significance of their discovery, stood by the doorway reading a magazine, while the pair just stood there, lost in thought.
Having found what they'd been looking for, Hermione turned to thank the woman, but then Draco quickly moved past her, his jacket brushing against her as he did, to stand in front of the matron.
With his shoulders squared and his hands in his pockets, he let out a faint whisper.
"Obliviate."
Hermione's lips parted as she watched the woman's face go blank.
Her gaze went back to Draco, who simply walked away, leaving her to trail behind him towards the exit.
"Wait D–"
He looked at her from the corner of his eye and moved his finger to his lips.
He's shushing me…the ferret!
Once outside and farther away from the building, Hermione glared at him, her hand pulling at his sleeve.
"Was that necessary?"
"We can never be too careful. Don't worryElizabeth,I only wiped us from her memory. She's fine."
Hermione sighed, looking down at the floor.
Who was she to judge anyway, when she'd done worse to her own parents.
They don't even know I exist anymore…
"Anyway, we should get going—"
He heard her let out a deep breath. She didn't want to go back to the cottage just yet. She didn't want to remember what this whole day had been for.
She wanted to pretend that this was a regular outing. That they were just spending a normal day in London.
"You okay?"
"Yea, I'm fine," but then she looked up and gave him a sly grin, "Well I don't know about you,William,but I'm absolutely starving, and I bet you've never had a burger."
"No. We're leaving–"
"But I'm hungry!"
"There's food at home."
"Not the food I want!"
Draco's eyes narrowed at her "No,Elizabeth,we said we would only be here for our mission, and then we would head straight back. Don't make me regret that I brought you here!"
Hermione scoffed at his angry face, "Oh come on! Where's your sense of adventure? You're just scared of trying new food, aren't you?" she teased, shoving him playfully.
"Stop playing around."
"Please?"
He found her staring up at him with large eyes, pleading.
She looked adorable, even behind her glamours.
Draco grumbled, but the corner of his lips twitched in a reluctant smile. "Fine, but we leave immediately after. Got it?"
"Yay!" She exclaimed, wrapping her fingers around his, tugging him towards the road as they walked back in the direction of the underground.
They returned to the busier parts of London and strolled down the busy streets, stopping every now and then for her to point out some factoids about the area to the oblivious wizard. The air was filled with the scent of various cuisines as they navigated their way to a burger joint. As they entered, the aroma of sizzling patties and fries enveloped them.
Hermione led Draco to a small booth by the window. The waitress, a friendly young woman with a warm smile, handed them menus. Draco eyed the unfamiliar items with skepticism, while Hermione eagerly perused the options.
"I'll have the classic cheeseburger with chips, please," Hermione said, handing the menu back to the waitress.
Draco, still unsure, hesitated before settling on a simple bacon burger. The waitress, sensing their unfamiliarity, grinned at them. "First time here?"
Hermione nodded, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "His first, yes."
The waitress chuckled. "Well, you two make a cute couple. I'll be back with your order in a jiffy!"
Draco, catching Hermione's blush, raised an eyebrow and a smirk played on his lips. "A cute couple…well, she's not wrong about that."
Hermione's face reddened even more, and he couldn't help but laugh.
She really is adorable.
He decided to have fun with the situation, grabbing her hand and planting a gentle kiss on it.
"Wha—"
"Forgot to ask you lovebirds, did you want anything to drink?" the waitress returned, asking them with a teasing grin.
Hermione swallowed and attempted to regain her composure, managing to request two fizzy drinks. The woman, noticing the girl's flustered demeanor, asked playfully, "With extra ice?".
Dear Merlin…
She sank into her seat, completely warm in the face at this point, and nodded as the waitress walked away again, leaving Draco in a fit of laughter.
"I like her!" He exclaimed, thoroughly amused.
"Oh, come off it!" Hermione retorted, which only further fueled his snickering.
"Yes, dear," Draco said, his laughter subsiding as he shifted the conversation to inquire about the various Muggle cuisines they had seen earlier outside. Their discussion flowed effortlessly as they awaited their food, and Hermione found herself appreciating his willingness to step out of his comfort zone, even if it's just for something as simple as muggle fast food.
When their burgers arrived, Hermione took a moment to savor the first bite. A delighted smile spread across her face. "This is amazing! Go on, try it."
Draco, cautiously trying his own burger, raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Well, I suppose it's not terrible."
She giggled, shaking her head at his reluctance to admit that he actually likes it.
As they enjoyed their meal, the waitress returned to check on them. "How's everything?"
Hermione beamed at her. "Absolutely delicious! I may have to come back here more often."
The waitress chuckled. "Glad you like it. You hear that, boyfriend? Now you know where to bring your girlfriend when she's craving a burger!"
Draco laughed and said, his tone teasing, "Whatever she wants, she gets."
Hermione's cheeks flushed again as she tried to bury her face in the food, but Draco grinned and winked at her.
As they finished eating, Draco admitted, "Alright, maybe trying new things isn't so bad after all."
Hermione laughed, her voice light and triumphant. "Told you so! Maybe now we can go get some dessert!"
Draco shook his head, but the smile on his face lingered. "Don't push it,Elizabeth."
With satisfied smiles, he paid the bill and they wandered back outside. Exhausted by the day's many activities, Draco apparated them back to the cottage. Once inside, they each collapsed onto their respective armchairs by the fire. He then raised his hand, swishing it in the air to dispel their glamours, their features shifting back to their original form.
"I can't believe we did all this in one day," Hermione said, rubbing her eyes.
Draco, equally fatigued, nodded. "But we've made significant progress. We know where he was born, and now, we can focus on finding out more, hopefully leading us to the horcruxes."
He then leaned back, gazing at Hermione with a twinkle in his eye. "You were right, Granger. We do make a good team."
Looking back at him, she almost gasped when she saw him back as himself. She bit her lip, realizing in that moment just how much she had missed looking at his face.
What even?! Get a grip, Hermione.
"Granger?"
Shaken away from her thoughts, she forced a smile, trying to remember what they were talking about.
Ah yes, Voldemort.
They were making headway in figuring out the story behind the despicable wizard that was holding their entire world hostage.
That was holdingDracohostage.
"We're not done yet. Tomorrow, we continue our research. We must unravel everything, until there's nothing left for Voldemort to hide," she said, her tone as serious as she felt inside.
Voldemort won't win, she won't allow it.
No matter what.
Draco and Hermione spending a day in London!
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Until next time!
Cleo26