Dear Stranger

Chapter 11

Two Weeks Later

Draco's first day had gone very well and the following two weeks had gone just as smoothly. Hermione and him had resorted to a work relationship of witty banter and occasional scathing comments. So all was well. His relationship with Colin was even gradually improving. Colin obviously wasn't willing to just automatically jump on board with the idea of friendship, but they worked together well and Colin was a really enjoyable person.

But Draco was ready to start on his plan. In their letter relationship, Hermione had still not replied to his apology. He had hoped she would at least say something but he had not seen hide nor tail of a letter from her since. He had sent her a few, saying he understood that she was angry but he wanted to talk things out and that he didn't want to lose her. That was clearly a bad strategy.

Today was the day, nevertheless. He was going to start a conversation with Hermione about that fateful Sunday and see if it went anywhere interesting enough for her to divulge personal things to him. If she did, they'd be on a new level of trust and he'd be one step closer to getting her back. Of course, he was still a bit confused about his own feelings. He was certainly in love with letter-Hermione, but actual Hermione? He had come to enjoy her more in the last two weeks than he ever thought possible, but he wasn't sure if he loved her. She was different in person. That's thing about letter-writing affairs, you can cut out anything about yourself that may be displeasing or unattractive and be altogether splendid. And when you're an absolute complete stranger, you can even lie about the truth. Though he doubted she had ever lied to him. He had certainly never lied to her.

It was about 12:45 on a very pleasant Tuesday and no one happened to be in the store at the moment, including Colin who was out with a fever and a headache. Hermione was sitting at the front counter, pouring over a sales book like it meant the end of the world. He took a deep breath, fixed his jumper, and mustered his courage before approaching the counter.

"Hermione?" He asked before getting too close.

"Do you need something?" She said a bit dazed as she looked up from the book.

"Um, not really I just wanted to ask you something."

"Oh okay go ahead." She said, turning on her stool to face him.

"It's kind of personal, I suppose." He said, hesitating at his wording.

"Personal? You're asking me something personal?" She seemed to laugh a bit at the thought.

"Well not something personal about me, but something probably personal about you." He leaned on the counter with his elbows.

She pondered with a quizzical brow for a moment before making her decision. "Okay, I'll allow it, but just this once."

"Good, because it's been bothering me." He moved one of his elbows off the counter and leaned heavily on one side. "Sunday before last, when I asked you for a job and Harry and I had come into The Three Broomsticks, you said you were waiting for someone and then a few minutes later you got up in a huff and left looking incredibly disappointed, and I was wondering... did Harry and I ruin something for you?"

She sat there on her stool, looking despondent and shocked at his sympathy. She took a deep breath again. "I was waiting for someone and they didn't show up. By the time you got to me and asked me for a job, I was relatively heartbroken. Which probably explains why I gave it to you, I was undeniably senseless at the time." She said with a small smile. He smiled back.

"I hate to be nosy, I don't actually I'm just saying that out of respect to my good breeding, but I'm assuming it was a man?" He asked trying to lift her spirits somehow. She looked down at her hands in her lap.