Memories - Dramione story

Chapter 2

Hermione's POV

Diagon Alley was as cheerful as it could be. There were only two weeks left before school, and many familiar faces roamed the streets.

All that was left to buy on my list were books. My eyes spotted the door of Flourish and Blotts, and excitement rose in me. Harry and Ron, on the other side, clearly didn't share the same excitement. I knew very well that the only shop that interested them was Quality Quidditch Supplies.

As soon as we entered Flourish and Blotts, the scent of parchment, paper, ink and books hit me, causing my excitement to grow, whilst Harry and Ron looked strangely pale. Bringing back my attention to my favorite shop, I scanned said shop with wide eyes full of stars, making a plan in my head about where I will go and what sections I will visit first. My plan consisted of taking my school books first, before visiting a wide range of sections and, as the cherry on top of the sundae, visit the quill section.

Not being able to stand still any longer, I darted towards the section where I could find the first school book on my list. Harry and Ron followed behind me, dragging their feet.

«Come on you two, as soon as you are done buying your school books, you will be able to go to Quality Quidditch Supplies», I said with an encouraging tone.

We found our books quickly enough, especially because this year was going to be complementary, and therefore, the supply list was shorter than the other years. I put the three books I had on the floor before casting a levitating charm on them, making them hover at my side at eye level. Ron and Harry did the same with their books, although they had more books than me (I had already bought the other books on the school list years ago to read them for fun). They started to walk towards the checkout. Ron turned around. «I guess we'll meet you later?» he asked, knowing very well that I would stay here. I nodded and started walking towards the first section of books I wanted to visit, a section with a wide range of arithmancy books that seemed very appealing to me, my school books still hovering at my right side, commanded by the wand in my hand that was pointing at them.

I started reading the titles of the books in the section, my eyes stopping occasionally on a particular book, before I found the second volume of «New Theory of Numerology», that recently came out. My hand instantly darted towards it, driven by my intense curiosity and thirst for new information about my favorite subject.

I opened it and started to read, the book in one hand, my wand in the other one. I didn't even notice how I started to walk slowly down the section, before I suddenly bumped into someone, dropping the book in my hands and my wand, which caused all the books that were hovering at my side to fall. I panicked and gasped, a flood of words started to come out of my mouth: «I'm so sorry! I didn't see you, are you hu-» As soon as I saw the person that I bumped in, I stopped right into my tracks. Draco Malfoy. But something was different about him... He surely gained at least five centimeters during summer, because he was noticeably taller than before, though this wasn't what surprised me most. What surprised me was the look he gave me. It wasn't the usual evil, overly confident stare. He looked at me with softness in his eyes, and this is something that I have never seen him do to anyone.

«Be careful Granger, walking while reading isn't the best thing to do,» he said like a parent scolding his child with a tone that was unusually calm, kind, and surprisingly far from mocking, although he did smirk. Even his smirk seemed slightly different.

«Yeah, sure», I said as I hurried to take back my wand and cast the same spell as earlier on my books again, before turning around as quickly as I could and starting to walk in the opposite direction than the one I came from.

Draco's POV

I watched as she hurriedly reached for her wand on the floor as if it was a matter of life or death. It didn't take her long before she started going away from me.

«Granger», I called after her, catching up to her level in two big steps. She froze and turned around, looking at me with choc in her eyes.

«I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry,» I said, my voice shattering a little bit. I was not used to saying this kind of things.

Her eyes widened.

«What for?» she asked, surprise clear in her voice.

«Everything. Including that time I called you a mudblood, of course.» I specified, my voice steadier after I regained some confidence.

She stared at me for a long time, looking more confused than ever. Looking right into her eyes of a deep brown, I felt like I could see her thought process.

«I don't believe you.» She said, her gaze hardening before she turned around again.

My heart skipped a beat. It was hard. So hard to regain people's confidence after all I had done. I knew very well that this very probably wasn't the only time I would get rejected by someone that way, but it hurt. It hurt to see how my past dragged me down. I stood in the corridor, watching her go away. Suddenly, my mouth opened by itself.

«How can I prove it?» I yelled after her so that she could hear me. I couldn't believe I said such a childish thing. Why would I need her to believe me anyway? Though a voice in my head told me that I did need her to believe me. I wanted people to believe that I changed, and I had to start somewhere. I had to convince at least someone.

She turned around, looking unsure for some brief seconds before her gaze hardened again.

«Find a way.» She said before turning around one last time.

...

Still Draco's POV

I came back to the manor, still disappointed after my encounter with Granger. I can't imagine how hard it would be for me to find a job if no one believes that I can have good intentions. I was already lucky that the Ministry of Magic didn't lock me up in Azkaban. 

A house elf popped in front of me, taking the things I bought. «Mrs Malfoy is waiting for you in the library, Sir,» the elf said shyly. I thanked him, which surprised him, before heading towards the stairs leading to the second floor, and, by extension, towards the library.

«I'm back,» I said as I entered the library. My mom was sitting at a desk, several sheets of parchment spread in front of her. I came closer, looking over her shoulder to be able to see the parchments. On each parchment was a picture of a house, the cost and characteristics of the house written beside the picture.«This one will be perfect,» she said, pointing at one particular parchment, on which was a picture featuring a house that looked modest and rather cozy and seemed to have two floors. I looked at the other parchments before agreeing that this house would, indeed, be the best choice. «What will we tell the journalists if they ask?» I asked her.«I already thought about that. We need to be careful. It will be better if we try not to give too much information. We should probably say that we didn't need such amounts of money and decided to give it for good causes instead of wasting it or doing nothing of it,» she explained, her voice calm and analytical, as if she was explaining a strategy to win a chess game against an unskilled opponent.«I agree,» I answered just as calmly.