Just a Kiss

Chapter 9

 Hermione wakes in a particularly good mood a week after Harry's visit and rolls out of bed to write a quick letter to the minister, grinning widely. It was no more than an hour later that a response comes while she is sipping coffee in the kitchen. After quickly scanning the letter and giving her owl a treat, she runs to the stairs. 

She shouts, "Malfoy, come here!" 

Draco bounds down the steps, expression pinched. "Do you have a fixation with waking me up early? I would like just one day to sleep in, this is a punishment, not torture." He yawns and idly scratches his chest. 

"I've got a surprise for you, though," she says. 

Draco's eyes light up with curiosity. "Really, now? For me?"

Hermione nods. "I asked the minister if we could go to London for the day, given that you've been well-behaved and improving well over the past week." His jaw drops in shock and he's left just staring at her. "He permitted it as well! As long as we stay out of any magical shops, then we can have the entire day to explore the town." 

He grins, looking genuinely pleased, and Hermione knows she made the right choice with this idea. "I'm finally getting out of this damned house for something other than the library!" Hermione chuckles, rolling her eyes, but otherwise doesn't comment. "When are we leaving?" He's already heading upstairs to get ready. 

"As soon as you finish, so hurry up," she says, going to the small closet by the front door and grabbing their coats. It's only a total of five minutes before they are apparating London. 

They've barely landed before Draco is taking off in the direction of his favorite shop, knowing that she would like it as well. He laughs when he notices that she couldn't match his longer strides and keep up. "Come on, Granger, you'll have to go faster than that!" 

Hermione huffs, jogging a little to catch up and snatch the collar of his jacket, giving it a sharp tug to force him to slow down. "You have to go slower, Malfoy." He snorts but doesn't try to walk ahead of her again. The pair is silent until they reach the shop that Draco had been leading them towards. "A muggle bookstore? This is your favorite place?" 

"Yes, as a matter of fact, it is," he snarks. Upon seeing the grin that was slowly appearing, he adds, "Now don't go all smug on me. I never said that I was completely clueless when it came to muggles." Draco speaks a little too loudly though, and the man at the front counter gives them a strange look. 

"Malfoy, be careful with your words," she whispers to Draco. To the shop owner, she offers an apologetic smile and says, "don't mind my brother, he sometimes can't differentiate between fantasy and reality." The man seems to accept this and returns to reading the book in his hands. 

Draco shoots Hermione a dark glare. "You made me sound like I'm mad," her grumbles. "I still have a reputation, that I'd like to keep intact, mind you, and here you are tearing it to shreds." Hermione scoffs and shoves him farther into the shop.

"Just go look around. If you need me, I'll be over there," she says, pointing to a small nook to their right. He nods and disappears into the maze of bookshelves. Hermione watches him for a moment before grabbing a book and settling down in the nook to read.

 Time slips away as she immerses herself in the written words and her worries follow soon after. It's a good deal time later that she breaks away from the pages, realizing quite suddenly that she hadn't seen Malfoy for some time.

Bursting to her feet, the book forgotten, she rushes to the front counter. "Excuse me, sir," she pants. "Have you seen the man I came in with leaving?" 

He shrugs, scratching his chin. "Sorry Miss, I haven't been watching who comes and goes." Hermione groans and runs deeper into the store, hoping he was still here. He was doing so well with her, learning his lessons just like he should. If he has run, the Wizengamot will toss him into Azkaban.
She calls, "Malfoy, are you here?" There was no response. "Malfoy, come here!" A helpless feeling twists in her chest after nearly five minutes have passed without seeing him. She rounds another corner, heart in her throat, and tries calling him again. "I swear on everything, I will end your existence," she hisses. Still nothing.