New Beginnings

Reunion

The next morning Draco shrank his trunk and balanced it under his arm. After grabbing some fruit for breakfast and bidding Jim goodbye, he disapparated to the landing outside his door.

Draco arrived with a loud crack. He heard a squeak, then the scurrying of feet inside the apartment. He let himself in and saw a newspaper and half-eaten toast abandoned on the counter.

'Hello? It's just me, I'm the new tenant.'

'I wasn't expecting you so early!' A muffled voice called from the other bedroom.

'Just wanted to unpack before work,' he shouted back, re-enlarging his trunk in his room.

Draco had never been very good at tidying spells, so he hung his clothes in the closet by hand. As he arranged his belongings, he tried to decide how he wanted to decorate his room. His room, in his own apartment!

Footsteps crossed the living room and kitchen, stopping outside his door.

'It's a pleasure to meet...' a woman's voice said. He turned around. 'YOU!'

'You?!'

They whipped their wands out and pointed them at each other. Draco felt suddenly trapped by the narrow walls of the closet.

'Get out of my flat!' Hermione cried, eyes narrowed in her dark face.

'Your flat?! This is my apartment!'

'Oh, hell no.' She shook her head, braids whipping fiercely. She blasted his trunk aside and dragged Draco from the room.

'Get your hands off me!' He shouted, glaring at her.

'We're going seeing Serena. Now.' Hermione commanded, pointing at the door.

Draco bristled but stomped down the stairs. His senses were all on alert, waiting for an attack.

They argued and shouted as they stormed through the streets to the realtor's.

Serena looked up in surprise as they burst into her office. It took a few moments for her to understand, as they kept spitting insults at each other.

'Oh...oh dear...' Serena shook her head, regretfully. 'I'm afraid you both signed a 12-month contract. It's magically binding...'

They gaped at her for a second, before exploding.

'You'll have to move out,' Hermione snapped at Draco.

'Me?! I can't afford to rent two apartments! Besides, all the other places are absolute shite! You move out!'

'I can't afford to do that! You're the spoiled little rich boy. Just tell Mummy and Daddy you're stuck living with mudblood filth. They'll soon rescue you!'

Draco and Serena flinched at the slur. Hermione sneered at him.

'If it helps...' Serena cut in quietly, 'Hermione moved in two months ago, so her contract ends in ten months, not twelve...'

Draco stamped out of the office.

'Where do you think you're going?!' Hermione chased him down the street.

'To finish unpacking in my apartment!' He shouted over his shoulder.

Once they reached their flat, they both went to their own rooms and slammed the door.

'Bloody Granger!'

'Bloody Malfoy!'