New Beginnings

Memories

'Where'd you guys all go?' Krystel asked, not looking away from the Quodpot game.

'Um...'

'Oh, Hermione, I wanted to ask you a fav...' Krystel's eyes widened when she saw Hermione's tear-streaked face. 'Shit, what happened?'

'Doesn't matter,' Hermione muttered. 'What did you want to ask me?'

'Never mind, it can wait...'

'No really, go ahead. How can I help?'

'Um, well my family are involved in a charity and there's this formal dinner coming up...I was wondering if you'd consider being our guest of honour?'

'What's the charity?'

'It's called Lumos*, a charity which aims to reduce the number of children living in institutions. It's still quite small...'

'...and having a "celebrity" endorsement would significantly boost the publicity...'

'When you put it like that...it was a stupid idea. I'm sorry, you barely know me...'

'No, that's not what I meant at all! I'd love to be involved. What's the dress-code?'

'Gowns and dress-robes. Oh, it's a New Years Eve thing, though, you probably have plans so, never mind.'

'I don't,' Hermione smiled. 'Honestly, it sounds great, count me in. I'll put it in my calendar right now.'

Hermione pulled her phone out of her pocket and tapped the information into it. Draco was getting used to those devices, though he refused to use one.

Hermione paused thoughtfully, then smiled and started quickly typing. Her phone whooshed as it sent a message.

'Do you guys have a website on the Magiweb?'

'The what?' Draco cut in, frowning.

'Magiweb,' Krystel explained. 'It's the Wizarding equivalent of the no-maj's Internet.

'The increasing integration of magic and technology is truly fascinating,' Hermione said, as Krystel nodded emphatically.

'I have literally no idea what you two are talking about...'

'We'll show you later. Anyway, Hermione, it's mmm.wearelumos.wiz'

'M...m...what?' Draco interrupted.

'M-M-M, instead of the World Wide Web, like the muggles use, they flipped it.' Hermione explained as she typed on her phone. 'It stands for something-magical-map, I think. It's contrived, but they wanted to have the three M's.'

'Riiiight,' Draco looked no less confused.

'I'll show you later,' Hermione laughed. 'So, who's winning the game?'

*****

Hermione and Draco left after the game finished. They walked in companionable silence through the dark woods, down the mountain.

'You up for apparating?' Draco asked once they were far enough away from the party.

'Sure,' Hermione shrugged.

'Hey, are you ok?'

'Not really,' she sighed. 'But I will be. I've survived worse.'

Draco frowned as she laughed hollowly.

'Really. I'll be fine. It just brought back a few unpleasant memories.'

Hermione shivered, wrapping her arms around herself. Her dark eyes were haunted in the wandlight.

'I'm sorry,' Draco whispered.

'For what?'

'Not getting there sooner. I came as soon as I realised-'

'It's ok. Let's just go home, alright?'

'Wait...' Draco ran his fingers through his hair, his pale face troubled. 'I'm...I'm sorry about everything...I...'

'I know,' Hermione smiled, sadly. 'I forgave you a long time ago.'

'I should have helped...I shouldn't have let her...'

'They would have killed you,' she said simply. 'Better a mudblood than a traitor. At least I bought us some time for a rescue. But who would have saved you, if you defied them?'

'Better to die doing what's right, than live as a coward,' he insisted, face twisted in self-loathing.

'Well, now you know for next time,' Hermione teased. 'Now, how about we go home before we freeze our assess off?'

'I didn't mean to make this all about me...'

'You didn't. But you can make me a giant mug of coffee to make up for it, how's that?'

'Sounds fair,' Draco laughed, reaching out for her hand.

Hermione slipped her hand in his and with a jolt they apparated home.

*****

A/N: 'Lumos' is a real charity, founded by J K Rowling - https://wearelumos.org

For those of you who have read my other works, (thank you!), you might know that I've referenced this charity before. In fact, I copy/pasted the whole sentence over here. Cheating, I know, plagiarising myself, but I feel that it's fitting to use JK Rowling's. I also seem to have had some kind of ball/fancy dinner in almost every story - but what's life without a little dancing? Or so they say, I can't dance so I wouldn't know...