Overture {Dramione}

Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again

Wishing you were
Somehow here again
Wishing you were
Somehow near
Sometimes it seemed
If I just dreamed
Somehow you would
Be here

The line for Borgin and Burkes was unusually long for a Wednesday afternoon. Hermione tapped her foot impatiently on the cobblestone, watching the line move inch by inch. She pushed up her sleeve to check her wristwatch. 12:45. She only had another 15 minutes before she was expected back to Malfoy's office and she was hoping to pick up a few supplementary research pieces on wolfsbane before returning.

"Hermione?" she heard a familiar voice from behind her.

Startled, she dropped her wrist and turned her shoulders to find Mrs.Parsons smiling broadly with a few shopping bags in each hand.

"Mary!" Hermione returned her smile, "What are you doing here?"

The woman shook the bags pointedly, "Just picking up a few things here and there, are you not at Malfoy Apothecaries today?"

Hermione bobbed her head enthusiastically, looking over her shoulder at the slowly dwindling line. "I am actually, I'm trying to pick up a few books to go over before we submit our final documents to the board. We have an appearance date at the end of November, just before the full moon."

Mary hummed. "I have to say, I was surprised when I heard that you'd be working with Draco Malfoy on this project."

"How so?"

"Well, I know you've had a tumultuous past," Hermione suppressed a snort, "and I had no idea you two were even in contact. It was a pleasant surprise, you two have such brilliant minds. I--"

"Sorry," Hermione cut off, her brows furrowing. "Do you... Do you two know each other?"

Mary laughed. "Oh yes. I was great friends with his mother in Hogwarts. We reconnected in the past few years, before well..." she gave Hermione a small, sad smile. "Anyway, I still see Draco for tea from time to time."
"Do you?"

"Oh yes," Mary gushed, "He has been so wonderful through all this. Giving John and I extra vials of wolfsbane, helping with this law overturn. Don't you think?"

Hermione licked her lips thoughtfully. Who was this new Draco Malfoy everyone seemed to know? Harry and Ginny, now Mary, raving about his charm and generosity. Was she missing something? Did all these people forget this is Malfoy and everything he does is in his own self interest?

"Yes," Hermione answered instead, giving Mary a thin smile. "Yes, he's been... wonderful."

Mary returned her smile, although hers was genuine. "Anyway, between the two of you I just know the board, and the Ministry no less, will have to rethink their position..."

Mary continued in her ramblings, making various points about the restructuring of the law as Hermione hummed and nodded at all. Meanwhile, Mary's voice was drowned out by her own rapid thoughts.

Malfoy and Mary? Why had he never mentioned it? Did Mary ask him to offer his help? No, she seemed genuinely surprised by their collaboration. Even so, was Malfoy getting something in return from Mary for his aid? Perhaps unlimited restrictions on his ingredient extraction or a few galleons "conveniently" cut from his apothecary licence fee each year?

Mary stopped suddenly, giving Hermione a puzzled look. Hermione's heart quickened, had she missed something important while lost in her thoughts?

"Sorry?"

"Your necklace..."

Hermione's hand flew to her chest, fingering the pendant. "My necklace?"
Mary nodded slowly. "I can't place it. It looks so familiar... like..." she seemed deep in thought, as if trying to peruse each individual file of her memory. She seemed to shake herself from her thoughts, offering Hermione a bright smile. "Deja vu, I suppose. I should be off anyhow, but it was so lovely to run into you. Perhaps the next time we see each other will be to celebrate, hm?"