||Now It's Just Us||

Chapter 29

"When you said you had a place in mind," Draco looked at the building in front of him with badly masked distaste, "I didn't know you meant The Frog on a Bike."

"It's the only place I could find which required less than what I have with me," Hermione frowned, "it's not much, but it's something."

"It's The Frog. On a Bike." he raised his eyebrows at her, waiting for her to change her mind about it. 

It looked like a terrible place for anyone to want to live in. The building was made of white and grey brick, however the white looked grey as well because of how dusty it was. A lamp hung from a rusty iron bracket, it's glass so filthy you could barely see the light flickering dimly inside it. It was two floors high, but very narrow. The door had stained glass panels in the wood, which was perhaps the only pretty thing of the whole place. The wooden sign above the door had an engraving of a frog wearing a tailcoat and hat, seated on an old fashioned bicycle. 

"Oh come on," Hermione huffed and grabbed his arm, and they walked inside. 

Inside wasn't much better. Draco restrained himself, and curbed his instinct to sneer immediately.

The tables were made of dark wood, with four or three chairs to match. The bar counter had several large bottles placed on it, and upturned glasses. The cash register was on a table beside it. The wall behind the bar counter had a wooden plank, with a fake stuffed boar head on it. The yellow lights were of very little power. Most of the things had a thick layer of dust over it, except the chair seats.

"How may I help you?" 

They both turned toward the bar counter. An aged man was sat on a stool, his red checkered shirt visible under his dirty apron. His hair grew in a rim around his head, and was brown and whispy. His beady eyes scanned Draco and Hermione, lingering for longer than required on Hermione. She glared back defiantly. His round face showed signs of amusement.

"Got yourself a real looker, mate," the man commented to Draco, "any bloke would pay anything to get their hands on her."

Draco balled his fists. Hermione noticed his action, and placed a hand on his chest, holding him back. She gave him a look that said 'let me handle him'. Draco's nostrils flared in his rage, but he listened. 

"I don't think there are many others with your way of thinking, but I suppose you've got friends in low places," Hermione said sweetly, "Mister…?"

"Fernest," the man said through gritted teeth, all traces of amusement gone.

"Wonderful," Hermione said coldly, "if you've got a place to offer for a few days, we'll be glad and thankful. If not, we will leave."

"I may have a room," Fernest grumbled.

"Good," Hermione walked forward and placed a few notes of currency on the counter, "how many days can we stay here with this much?"

The man greedily eyed the money under Hermione's palm. He licked his lips, thinking, then nodded to himself, "Throw in a hundred more and I'll give you five days."

Hermione scowled. What she had offered was nearly everything she had left after they had bought their sparse groceries to last them a few days. Looking at Hermione's hesitance, the man grinned, happy to have gotten one over her. 

"Fine," she muttered, adding another note to the rest. The man snatched the money from her hand and shoved it into his cash register.

"Henry!" Fernest called over his shoulder, "Come take them to the spare room, will you?"