Chimera

Chapter 25

Present Day...

A shadow fell across the library computer and a familiar cologne tickled her nose.

"Please go away," Hermione groaned, putting her head in her hands.

"Where's the girl?" Draco asked. He scraped a chair loudly over to the desk, making Hermione grit her teeth.

"She has a name, you know."

"Actually, I don't know," he said mildly. "Well, I assumed she would, but you won't tell me what it is."

"Because it's none of your business!"

"Really?" Draco raised an eyebrow at her. "They might not have taught maths at Hogwarts, but I can still count. I'm pretty sure it's very much my business."

"Oh yeah? What makes you so sure?!"

Draco looked at Hermione for a long moment. Her seething temper dampened under his steady gaze. She frowned and looked down at her books.

"Well, believe it or not," Draco said at last, "I know...knew...you pretty well. I know you weren't seeing anyone."

"Maybe I...maybe I met someone...after."

"Uh huh. Sure. That's possible," Draco agreed pleasantly. "Except that Potter's investigation into your disappearance was extremely thorough. If you were, he would have found them."

"Oh my God...does he...does he know...?" Hermione's voice came out in a horrified whisper.

"About that night? No. He doesn't."

"Thank God!"

Draco didn't try to hide the hurt on his face at her evident relief. He visibly swallowed the retort that rose to his lips. A nearby clock ticked as silence stretched between them.

"I could have helped," Draco said softly.

"I don't need your money," Hermione spat.

"That's not what I-"

"We've managed just fine on our own, thank you very much, without ruining things for you in the process."

"That wasn't your decision to make," Draco hissed. "And ruin things? Merlin, Hermione, why would that-"

"Whatever. It's done."

Draco sighed as Hermione scowled at the computer. Instead of pushing the matter, Draco pulled the nearest book to him.

"So, what are you doing?" He asked, flipping through the pages. He pulled a face at the long paragraphs full of muggle jargon.

"Studying. So if you could please go away...?"

"Why?" He put the book down and picked up another one, promptly losing her page.

"What do you mean, 'why'? Because I have an essay due next week."

"What for?"

"For university."

"What's university?"

Draco smirked at Hermione's rising irritation. She took a deep breath before replying, trying not to give in to his needling.

"It's a kind of muggle school. Now, please leave me in peace,"

"Why are you going to school?"

"Oh my God," Hermione snapped. "How old are you?! 'Why, why, why, why'. You sound like Allie when she was two!"

Draco raised an eyebrow at her, smiling victoriously. Hermione clapped a hand over her mouth, as though trying to stuff the name back inside.

"Allie, hm?"

"Althea," Hermione sighed. "She's called Althea Florence."

"Pretty name."

"I'm glad you approve," she muttered, her tone scathing. She picked up a ballpoint pen and started making notes on the paper in front of her.

"What are you studying at university?"

"Law."

"That's cool. What for?"

"To be a lawyer."

"Oh, that sounds interesting."

"I'm sure it will be."

Draco looked through the book in his hand, making no move to leave. Hermione pointedly ignored him and kept writing. She occasionally typed quickly on the keyboard in front of her.

"So, you're not trying to keep working at the shop then?"

"Nope," Hermione replied in a tight voice. "They've been great to me over the years, but it's not exactly where I want to spend the rest of my life."

"Makes sense. Seems a little difficult, imagining the future Minister for Magic selling sweets."

Hermione flinched.

"Well, that's why I've been putting myself through university. It's all well and good having OWLs and NEWTs, but they don't count for much around here."

Hermione gestured at the few muggles dotted around the library, who kept stealing curious glances at the English couple squabbling at the computer desk.

"You could work for the Irish Ministry."

"And have Harry at my doorstep in seconds?"

"He misses you."

"I know." Hermione put her pen down, resting her head in her hands.

"I don't get it," Draco said, rocking back on the chair slightly. "I mean...I'm pretty sure I understand why you're hiding from me, but why did you cut them out too?"

Hermione shrugged. She massaged her temples and refused to meet his eyes.

"Merlin's balls Hermione, we thought you were dead!"

"Bit over-dramatic," Hermione scoffed, shuffling uncomfortably.

"You disappeared completely, you stopped showing up to therapy, you quit taking your potions..."

"Is there no such thing as patient confidentiality in your world?" Hermione snapped.

"Our world," Draco corrected. "And there is, but it doesn't apply to the coffee shop you went to before each therapy session to calm your nerves, or the ice cream shop afterwards to reward yourself for going."

"Am I that predictable?"

"You were. Right up until you disappeared off the face of the earth. Besides, as much as it pains me to compliment Potter, he's actually very good at his job."

"How did you know about my meds?" Hermione asked, looking up at him with a puzzled expression.

"Remember after you and Ron broke up, and you couldn't leave your flat without Skeeter shoving a quill in your face?"

Hermione nodded, her face twisted in disgust.

"You filled out paperwork-"

"-to let Molly pick up my prescription on my behalf," Hermione finished, dropping her head back into her hands. "Dammit, I forgot about that."

There was a long pause.

"How are they?" Hermione asked in a small voice.

"They're ok, but...not quite the same. Potter took it hard. He still jumps at any reported sighting of you. He was out in Albania last month, following a lead. Seems to think he let you down somehow. Weasley struggled too. Lost his way for a while. He's left the aurors. Now he works at the joke shop. Weaslette threw herself into practice. Worked herself to near-exhaustion. She's pregnant with their first kid at the moment, so she had to stop playing. That hit her hard too."

The computer screen went black and Hermione picked up her books, snatching the one out of Draco's hand.

"I have to go."

Without a backwards glance, Hermione almost ran out of the library.