Signum Vitalis (a dramione story)

Salem's Shop

As they ate, Hermione continued to quiz Luna about the latest happenings at work. She even tried to covertly glean more information about Rolf Scamander's apparent crush. However, Luna seemed oblivious to her attempted intelligence work and his overtures to pureblood flirtation, so Hermione's curiosity was left unquenched.

Luna and Hermione decided to go to wizarding NY the following day. Hermione needed an alternative insomnia cure and Luna needed a list of ingredients with purposes unknown to Hermione. They were walking along the streets of muggle NYC when Luna suddenly pointed across the street and said something Hermione couldn't make out over the traffic. Hermione started to yell back but Luna flitted across the street. Before Hermione thought to follow, the 'don't walk' sign flashed and she decided not to race the light. Hermione watched Luna's progression by tracking it between the traffic. A little ways down the street, Luna tapped someone on the shoulder.

Hermione's view was suddenly blocked by a young man who seemed to be trying to get her attention. Covertly, Hermione palmed her wand under her jacket.

"Er... yes?" Hermione asked, assessing him for any threat.

"You're Hermione Granger aren't you?" the random young man said enthusiastically.

"Erm... yes," she answered, calming slightly as she remembered this kind of behavior from after the war. She leaned around him to see the man Luna was talking to and saw Draco Malfoy! What was Luna doing with Draco Malfoy, she wondered a little frantically.

"I'm in your Healer's class!" the young man continued. She nodded absently and did a quick perimeter check to make sure no one was using this kid to ambush her.

"Okay?" Hermione said as she scanned the other side of the street for a possible attack. Malfoy had also looked around before turning sharply to say something to Luna.

"My cousin came home from Hogwarts last year and told me all about you and Harry Potter!"

"That's nice."

Luna started talking and Malfoy leaned slightly away, looking progressively more uncomfortable.

"-and how you saved his butt in the second wizarding war-"

Luna reached up to touch Malfoy's shoulder. What happened, Hermione wondered frantically, why is she doing that?

"-and Harry Potter saved everyone by beating he-who-must-not-be-named in an one-on-one duel and-"

Hermione's breath hitched. "Please, stop talking. I don't like talking about it," she said sharply, anxiously glancing at the light. Malfoy had stared at Luna's hand for awhile before putting his own hand over hers very lightly.

"But nothing fazes Hermione Granger! You're like a pillar of knowledge and magical prowess-" Hermione tuned out what sounded like a direct quote from one of the newspapers. Malfoy seemed to be saying something, his head bent towards Luna's. She was nodding in that careful, gentle way of hers.

"-made sure Harry Potter stayed alive through all his Hogwarts years to-" the young man continued to rant, waving him arms around to emphasize points.

The wide gestures set Hermione on edge as she had to focus on him to make sure he was going to attack her. Hermione gritted her teeth and glanced impatiently between the young man, the light and the scene unfolding across the street. Just as she was sure she couldn't resist strangling the kid, the 'walk' sign finally lit up. With barely any apology to excuse herself, Hermione rushed across the street.

She walked up behind them just as Luna reached up and pulled Malfoy down into a hug. Malfoy stiffened and very awkwardly shifted his hands around Luna, patting her back lightly. The unpleasantly wired feeling from the previous conversation was still vibrating through her body, urging her to tear him off of Luna. Hermione paused a few steps away, fighting an irrational urge to throw a spell in the middle of these muggles. However, Malfoy looked up, probably sensing her stare. He met her eyes, his own unguarded and sad, and, startled, she forgot what she had been planning to do. Luna stepped away and, seeing Malfoy's line of sight, turned to Hermione.