The Road

A Beginning

For the next week and into the next month, Hermione slept on Draco's couch. And it was quite honestly more comfortable than the spring bed in that dark, cold, and damp room. She wasn't quite sure what she was still doing there, since he pretty much guaranteed that the car would have been fixed by now. But she never questioned it, because Cherrywood had begun to grow on her.

Every morning, she'd have a small breakfast with Draco and then walk to the store. For lunch, Molly and Draco liked to stop by and join her. Abby sometimes would make them lunch, and she was an incredible cook. Then at night, Draco would pick her up and take her home where either she or he would make dinner. She wasn't sure how he managed to make good before, but she was sure that before she got there he never made his own food. They made a habit of him buying the food and she'd cook something, of course he would be stuck with the dishes.

Then when night came, she didn't sleep right away. She'd fall asleep reading on the porch swing and magically end up on the couch the next morning. Or they'd watch a movie together, which he would never stay awake for. His head would fall onto her shoulder, then her lap and she would do nothing to stop him. And after only a month, their situation was terribly...normal. Hermione didn't want it to feel normal or too real, because becoming attached to something or someone was the worst part of being on the run.

And this stop she made...may as well have been the best mistake of her life.

_____

As the day fell to night, Draco drove Hermione home, throwing his head back in laughter at their conversation. "I was a prick back then, wasn't I?" Draco said.

"Let's just say, you definitely deserved that hit. That's for sure."

"And you've got a good swing too."

"I've never had a more perfect moment to use it, so thank you," she said sarcastically.

He chuckled and pulled up to his driveway. The car pulled to a stop as the two of them stepped out. They walked side by side, as she was playfully pushing him to the side. But something caught their eye on the porch.

A white snowy owl.

"Oh my," Hermione stood shocked. It's been so long since she's seen an owl like that. And that definitely wasn't just any owl. "How is this possible?" she went up to the owl. She touched the owl with the back of her hand and felt it purr. "It's River," she mumbled.

"River?" Draco stepped up to the owl.

"It's...Harry's owl."

Draco's gulp was so loud, even Hermione heard it. "How did she find you?"

"I didn't think owls were able to fly so far," she reached for a letter in the clutches of her talons. The contents of the letter clinked when she shook it, but she removed the parchment before looking at it.

"Hermione," she read aloud, "It's been a long time since you've last written to me and I'm wondering if everything is working out well for you over there. I don't know, maybe you're mailing address has changed, I guess. I thought it might be too dangerous to send my owl over there, but I just had to get my message to you somehow. Don't worry, we're all fine here. We just miss you terribly. When you get the chance, please write back. I've commanded River not to leave without something back. I hope you're having fun and living the life you wanted. I also hope that you plan on coming home soon. With all our love, Harry and Ginny."

She flipped and continued, "P.S. Happy birthday, we hope you didn't forget again like you always do."

A red and gold necklace fell out from the envelope. A beautiful red flower with gold tipped petals and a gold chain dangled from her finger as she held it in the light. Hermione didn't know she was crying until she felt Draco stare at her intently. "I didn't know it was your birthday," Draco mumbled.

"It's tomorrow," she told, "But they must have sent it a few days in advance. Do you mind?" She handed the necklace and he took it delicately. She pulled her hair up as he wrapped it around her neck and latched the back. "It's beautiful," she said with tears in her eyes, "God, I really miss them."

"And they miss you too," Draco said as he stepped inside the house.

"Is everything alright?"

"Yeah," he said, unconvincingly.

"Doesn't sound like it."

"Well, I don't know, Granger. If you miss them so much, why don't you just go back?"

She scoffed, "Where is this coming from?" Draco stopped moving and looked at her. He breathed through his nose when he was mad, which he showed in that moment. "They were your family first. And if you want to go back, then just do it already," he explained, "Don't make me believe that you actually like being here."

"But I do-"

"You like the town and the people, yeah I get it. But let me ask you this, if I asked you to stay here in this town, would you?"

Hermione furrowed her brow and asked, "Why would you ask me that? I like this town but-"

"You wouldn't stay here if it were for me. I get it." He moved to the back of the house and disappeared into his room. She followed him and stopped the door from closing with her hand. "Malfoy, you aren't alone here. You have people that love and care for you-"

"Not for me, Granger!" he snapped, "They care about Drake Thompson. The troublemaker kid who fell in love with the book shop owner's daughter and became the town mechanic. They sympathize Drake because his girlfriend was a drunk and died. That's the person they know, the muggle they know!"

Hermione's expression faltered, and she'd give anything to make the sadness disappear from his face. "But then you came along. You know me. I don't know how you've done it, but you've managed to find out everything about me. When I'm with you, I'm not just some cover up story. Yeah, everything I've done here hasn't been complete bullshit. But you've seen all sides of me. You, Granger. And if you leave...then I'll be alone."

Something in Hermione's heart moved. It wasn't quick and painless. But it was slow, and moved at a month's pace. It wasn't Draco that changed because of her, quite the opposite actually. After a month of Cherrywood and seeing all of Draco, she realized that the movement in her heart wasn't a continuous breaking from her failed marriage.

It was mending from a new beginning.

"Ever since I came here...," she enunciated, "...and saw you again, I realized that there was no other place I could possibly go where I didn't wonder what the hell Draco Malfoy was doing in a muggle town in North Carolina. And through my curiousity and our...friendship, you Draco, have finally managed to steer my life in some sort of direction. And I will never be able to repay that."

"So what I'm trying to say is....I think leaving this place would be the stupidest decision I could possibly make."

A grin spread across his face as he lifted her up and spun her around. She laughed and hugged his neck. When he started letting go, her arms fell around his arms and down to his chest. She looked into his eyes and something within them refracted the light, almost like a spark.

She pulled away all too quickly and stood away from him. She gave him the smallest of smiles and walked back into the hallway.

And the next day, her car was fixed with a card resting on the dashboard that read: Happy Birthday, Granger.