Cruel and Beautiful World

Chapter 6: Blackbird

Pretty much every day for the next week, Draco came home to find Bronson there with Hermione. Gay or not, he did not like the amount of attention he was giving her.

Surely Quigley was starting to wonder why his flatmate was never around anymore. But when he asked him about it, all Bronson said was, "Nah. He's been seeing this new broad for a couple of weeks now and spends most of his nights at her place. Bloody curfew, you know?" And then he looked at Hermione and winked.

On this particular day, Draco walked in to find them both sitting on the sofa, leaning in towards something that seemed to be talking on the coffee table.

"Evening, mate."

"Malfoy, look what Bronson got me at the Black Market," said Hermione, holding up what he could now see was a small radio. "Did you know that Potterwatch is still a thing?"

"Careful, Hermione," said Bronson. "You don't want to go blabbing all of the resistances secrets to the big, scary Death Eater."

"I am already fully aware of the broadcast," said Draco, taking off his shoes. "Did you steal my money to purchase this bloody thing too?"

Hermione and Bronson looked at each other and laughed. "A girl needs her own knickers, mate. She shouldn't be forced to wear ones that belonged to your random slags."

"Thank you!" said Hermione. "And if you're going to be angry at anyone for that, Malfoy, it should be me. I'm the one that gave him your money to get them for me."

"Yes, and I would still like to know how you knew where I kept it."

"Well, you didn't exactly make it difficult. Sock drawer, Malfoy? Really? If you don't want me to take it then find a better hiding place."

Draco narrowed his eyes at her. "You're both getting too bloody comfortable here."

Hermione and Bronson looked at each other and laughed again.

"Don't worry. I bought it with my own money, mate," said Bronson. "I do have some, you know?"

"Whatever." Draco groaned and headed for his room.

Hermione stood and followed him. "Malfoy, I wanted to ask you something," she said, shutting the door behind her.

"Make it quick," he said, taking off his cloak. "I'm supposed to go meet Theo for a drink tonight."

"Well, I haven't had much of a chance to use this wand since you gave it to me," she took it out of her pocket, "and I was hoping to get some practice with it."

"So practice." Draco began digging through his drawers for some clean clothes.

"I mean really practice, Malfoy. Like, for a war."

He stopped what he was doing and slowly looked over at her.

"You told me before that the only people who live in this building are you, Bronson and Quigley. So I had Bronson go and check to see if there's a basement. There is and he says it's pretty well-sized. He cleared the space and says it will be perfect for—"

"No."

Hermione huffed. "Why not?"

"It's not safe for you to leave the flat."

"But it's not like I'll be leaving the building. I'm not going to be staying here forever, Malfoy. I need to prepare!"

"Just practice here."

"There's not enough space! Malfoy, please. Will you just look at it?"

Draco straightened up and crossed his arms. "Have you?"