Remain Nameless

Chapter 5

July 2007

A downpour the likes of which this summer hadn't seen yet was occurring outside. But inside the entryway of the café, Hermione was fretting the likes of which Draco had never seen.

"What on earth is the matter with you?"

But she paid him no mind, just kept reaching further and further into her magically expanded bag and muttering "oh no, no, no, there's no way I don't have one!"

People kept having to scoot around and between them as they left or entered the café while Hermione kept frantically searching her bag and Draco huffed in impatience.

"Oh I don't believe this, I forgot an umbrella!"

Draco smirked. "You mean in the entire house, library, and office you've got stuffed in there, you forgot something as simple as an umbrella? Tough luck, it looks pretty nasty out there."

"Oh shut up." She gave up her search and then looked fearfully outside at the storm and then hopefully up at him.

His smirk only deepened. "Not a chance, Granger."

She actually stomped her little foot. Like a child. "Come on Malfoy! Give me your umbrella! I have to present my rune translation to the Mer-People liaison as soon as I get to work!"

"No way! It's not my fault you're so ill-prepared for the elements this morning."

"Some gentleman you are! Didn't you have etiquette lessons during your pampered little aristocratic childhood?"

"Twice a week. But that doesn't change the fact that I need my umbrella because as I already told you I have a very important meeting with the Ministry reps and the higher-ups at my firm this morning. A meeting which you are going to make me late for, so best of luck Granger."

Draco opened his own umbrella and strode out into the pounding rain, biting the inside of his cheek to keep from chuckling. Little Miss Know-it-All was in quite a conundrum: there were too many Muggles around for her to transfigure or conjure an umbrella or duplicate Draco's.

Turning around to watch the show, he waited under the dryness and comfort of his black umbrella. Hermione gingerly opened the door, made way for a couple rushing inside, and then stood frozen under the awning. It was her last defense against the impending downpour, and he watched her face go from fear to grim resignation. She began unbuttoning her gray suit jacket and Draco realized with growing horror that she was intending to use her flimsy little jacket to cover her hair, which meant her white blouse underneath would be completely exposed to the rain and within seconds, most likely become absolutely see-through. It was truly a desperate sight.

Cursing his sudden calling to chivalry and chalking it up to not wanting to be late, he stalked up to her. "Oh don't be so ridiculous Granger, come here!"

He yanked her forward by her forearm and pinned her to his side, under the safety of his umbrella. She gave a small yelp and had to brace her body and re-gain her balance by throwing one arm around his waist and the other behind his back.

Neither of them said a word as he practically marched them down the street together. Draco concentrated on counting his breaths, but also on not breathing too heavily, and did he always have to focus this much on just breathing? I am in control of this.

She was much shorter than he'd ever noticed before, the top of her head would barely touch his chin, if she were embracing him from the front, instead of from the side. Which is, of course, not at all the position they were currently in. They were certainly not embracing by any means. He was merely escorting a lady in need to her place of employment. Polite and proper. It wasn't his ruddy fault she chose this particular morning to be forgetful.