Lost: Dramione Story

Chapter 9: Third Time's a Charm

After about and hour, Emilee let me go. "I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help"

"that's quite alright, thank you for your time". I was tired as I walked back down the marble corridors and down the stairs. But the sight of Draco Malfoy standing in the reception area lifted my heart for some strange and unusual reason.

"hi" he choked.

"hi"

"coffee?" he said after an awkward second. I tried to say no, but my heart wasn't in it.

"yes, yes please"

We walked to a near by muggle coffee shop. "what can I get you?"

"A cappuccino please" I said sitting by the window.

"anything to eat?" I glared at his stupid smile.

"I ate breakfast you mother hen, no thank you". his shoulders shook as he walked away towards the counter. He kept looking over his shoulder, as if he was scared I was going to leave. Do I think about? Maybe. Would I have done it? No. maybe because I was nosey, maybe because I wanted to know why he waited. Or maybe because deep down I actually enjoyed talking to Malfoy. He came back with two coffees. He sat and undid the button of his black suit jacket. The white shirt underneath pristine.

"we don't have to talk about it if you don't want to" I let out a sigh of relief.

"same goes, unless you want to" I said stirring my coffee. He looked like he was considering it. Toying with the idea.

"I can't believe I'm about to tell you this", I raised my eyebrows as he took off the suit jacket. "don't worry Granger, I'm keeping it PG"

"Shove off Malfoy". He chuckled undoing the cufflinks on his left arm sleeve. His dark mark was there but the skin around it was mangles and burned. "what did you do?"

"I tried to get rid of it"

"on your own?"

"don't Granger, I almost killed myself doing it, I don't need a scolding" he muttered re doing up the sleeve"

"does it hurt terribly?" I bit my lip. It looked pretty bad

"worried now Granger?" he smirked.

"No, I'm just annoyed you nearly died and it wasn't me who did it"

"charming" he didn't bother to put the jacket back on. Draco had always been small, much like Harry and Ron. But he had grown up a lot since last year. Filled out a bit, he was handsome. Snap out of it, Granger.

"why?" I asked.

"let's just say after my father went away I went through a rough patch" he grit his teeth, his jawline sharp as a razor. "I just didn't want to be here anymore. I didn't want to live in this world". My heart fell. He done awful things. Unspeakable. But to not want to live. To want to die. "I knew that trying to get rid of this would be bad. Snape once said it was worse than the unbreakable vow" my breath hitched slightly "so, I just tried everything. I ended up in St. Mungo's. my mother nearly had a heart attack".

"I'm sorry"

"you didn't force me to take it" he leaned back to study me fully.

"I'm sorry you were forced to in the first place". He leaned forward, placing his hands on the table. Our fingers were millimetres apart.

"I think we were all forced to do things we didn't want to do". I nodding, knowing all too well what he meant. "We've all got scars Hermione". That was the second time he'd called me that. "some are just going to take longer than others to heal".I swallowed, he didn't break contact with my eyes. I had never noticed the beautiful grey colour of his. "talking, to people who understand. That helped me" I nodded and then spotted the clock above the cashiers desk.

"I need to go, I'm expected in the Burrow soon, but thank you, thank you for the coffee"

"anytime". I felt all flustered. Why did he make me feel like this is? I walked towards the door. "Granger" I turned, he smirked once more. "I'm staying at school, if you, I don't know, needed to know that. Anyway" I giggled, realising he was just as frazzled as me. "Happy Christmas Hermione"

"Happy Christmas Draco", maybe third time really is a charm.