The Road

The Mechanic

"I-I don't understand," she muttered.

"I don't believe it," he mumbled.

Draco Malfoy. She knew those eyes anywhere. A piercing greyish blue, and she recalled the menacing glares she once got from them. But he was so different now. His hair wasn't that horrid, white blond that was slicked back with gel. His hands were rougher and dirty. His skin had a sweaty, tan glow to it. Apart from all those features, it were his eyes that gave away his identity.

Hermione Granger. Her eyes were also a dead give away, a hazel brown that he could read like a book. But her face was paler, and she looked skinnier. Her hair that was once a messy golden brown, now a dark chocolate brown cut short.

"What- What are you doing here?" he began, "Did someone send you?"

"What? No, I live here now. In America."

"But, what the bloody hell are you doing away from the Ministry? Away from- Potter...did he send you?" He took two steps towards her and she unconsciously backed away. She wished with all her might that she had a wand with her in that moment. "No one sent me, Malfoy! I came here on my own!"

"Then how did you find me?!"

"I didn't-"

"Who eles knows my location?!"

Suddenly it dawned on Hermione why he was asking all these questions. It was a long ago, but she recalled his name being mentioned on a list of wanted Deatheaters. The Ministry has spent years looking for these monsters.

And she just walked right into one. She was the only person who knew his exact location and identity.

Oh god, he's going to kill me.

And just like that, Hermione blacked out.

_____

"Is she dead?"

"Molly, step away. Give her air to breath."

"So she's not dead?"

"Molly, go home."

"No, I want to meet the pretty lady."

Hermione groaned and squinted against a dim yellow light across the room. "Drake, she's awake!" a little girl yelled in her ear. That definitely woke her up as her eyes windened and hands went to her sides. She was on a couch, in some sort of living room. A flash of golden blond hair ran past her and into the next room. She rubbed her eyes and sat up. She heard mumbling over in the next room.

Then out of nowhere a little blond head popped up from behind the wall and stared. Light blue eyes and curly blond hair. "Hello," Hermione greeted the girl, "What's your name?"

"Molly."

"Hi, Molly," she looked around again, "Are your parents here?"

She shook her head and then they both heard, "Molly," in a scolding voice from the next room.

"I'm going, I'm going," the little girl walked into the living room and out the screen door. Hermione moved aside a blanket that was draped over her shoulder and stood. Peering into the next room, her memory was unfortnately correct and she did run into Malfoy and fainted in his front yard. His back was turned and he looked like he was making something. "Malfoy," she breathed out.

He turned around slowly and met her gaze. Then there were no words. She could have sworn that in her entire life, there has never been so much silence in one moment. In one moment exactly, a new fate has steered her off of her trek through the wilderness and onto a road she did not want to be on. Hermione knew that from this point on, there was no way she could leave this place knowing a part of her old life still remained in tact. She couldn't care less if he wanted her there or not, but there was no way in hell she was leaving the one person that reminded her of what was.

"Are we ready for explanations, or are you going to faint again?" he spoke.

"I'm ready."

______

Again, an awkward silence ensued as they awkwardly sat on the couch. Hermione clenched her mug of coffee, trying so hard not to let her stomach grumble even though it was nearly impossible. Draco was just as nervous, who knew what she was really hear for?

"I'll go first," she took hold of the situation, "A few months ago, I got divorced. It was sudden. I didn't even want to be in the same country as the man. So I moved here, thinking that a fresh start would be good for me. But moving into the city with high hopes and high standards was not a good idea. But long story short, I left the city and drove, not really knowing where I was going to end up."

He paused and stared at her. He was impossible to read, which was unusual since she could pretty much read anyone. "Your turn," she said.

But clearly he wasn't going to give up his life story that easily. "You're so incredibly stupid," he began.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me, Granger. You're stupid. Why would you move to a different continent thinking the pain would be easier to bare? That pain follows you because you allow it to take hold."

"You don't know what I've been through, Malfoy!"

"I know exactly what you've been through! No where is a good enough for you, you can never feel like you have that home! Don't tell me what I don't know!"

Within five minutes, the man has already managed to infuriate her.

"Then what's your story?! How does a pompous, pureblood-obsessed git end up in a muggle town, with a muggle alias, and a muggle profession?! Oh yeah, and a kid!"

He glared at her, nostrils flaring, "I can't tell you that."

"Why not?"

"Because it won't matter. You're leaving, as soon as I get that bloody car of yours fixed."

"You don't get to tell me what to do, Malfoy!" she yelled but he was already out the door. She followed him but was surprised to find that it was heavily pouring. She thought he might not pick it up today, but she spotted him getting into his tow truck and starting the engine. Hermione ran to the truck and opened the passenger side door, hopping in and shutting it. "Who told you you can come?" he urged.

"I did! I have to show you where the bloody car is anyway..."

"Fine," he huffed and pulled out of the yard, "But don't think I'm gonna tell you my life story."

"Who could I possibly have to tell?!"

"Potter. Weasley."

"They're not with me. I don't even speak to Ron anymore. And Harry, well, it's been hard to send him letters."

"Where's your owl?"

"Back home with Ginny and Harry."

"Your wand?"

She looked at him knowingly.

"So, in other words, you're purely muggle now?"

"That's what I was going for. Unlike, some people I don't need my wand for everything."

"Who says I have my wand?"

"You don't?"

He looked at her knowingly.

"Huh," she contemplated, "How do a couple of 'muggles' like us end up in a place like this?"

With too much of a past to mention.

She didn't hear what he said, but she could most certainly tell he wasn't happy. At all.