The Road

I've Given It A Thought

Draco popped the last chip in his mouth, much to Hermione's disappointment. "You were supposed to leave me the last bit," she complained.

"Sorry," he mumbled and tossed the empty bag in the garbage. He drummed on the register with his hands, much to Hermione's annoyance. He's gotten so used to stopping at the book shop for lunch with her. Although it was a nice gesture to eat with her, he was terribly annoying whenever he did that drumming. He even sat behind the counter with her now, since Abby left an extra stooll back there just for him. "Hey, knock it off, will you?" she said in annoyance.

"Knock what off?"

"That, what you're doing now."

"What, this?" He did it again and she nodded. "Old habit, I guess."

"Or too much caffeine." She dropped her book and placed her hands over his. He immediately stopped and looked at her with equal annoyance. "How do you manage to sit in this shop all day, when practically no one comes in?" he asked.

"I like the quiet," she answered truthfully. Realizing her hands were still on top of his, she removed them and went back to her book. "It's terribly boring," he commented.

"Not everyone can fix cars for a living," she mumbled, "It wasn't this quiet last week, since me and Abby were renovating." The walls were painted with a fresh coat of mint green, and the window sills were a new and brighter white. Hermione even suggested adding window seats, which were currently still in consruction. "I could have helped," Draco added.

"Please, you've done so much for me already. It's alright," she reassured. Hermione's eyes averted to her book again, until Draco's drumming continued. "You're doing it again," she noticed.

"Doing what?"

"Hey, I mean it!"

"Mean what?"

"Cut it out!" She reached for his hands, but he pulled away too quickly, causing his stool to tilt and both of them to lose their balance. Hermione's stool fell out from under her, and her body landed awkwardly on top of him. "Ow, Granger," he groaned beneath her. She fumbled, slightly disoriented, until her face was dangerously close to his. Their noses touched, and she could feel his breath on her cool skin. Her hair framed her face and fell past his head. For a moment, she swore she felt his hands reach for her waist. But she was too quick to remove herself from the situation and stand up, fumbing with her skirt.

Draco coughed awkwardly and stood. As soon as he did, however, his eyes spotted what Hermione stared at. Her cheeks were red as she spotted Abby at the stairwell, who smirked all too happily.

"Now, you know the rule, Drake. No kissing in the store," she informed all too happily.

"We weren't kissing," they said simeltaneously.

"We fell," Hermione explained, "It was nothing."

Abby huffed, clearly not believing it. "Well, I'm just going to-" Draco excused himself.

"Yeah, yeah, I will, um, see you later," Hermione painfully looked all around the room, refusing to look at Draco or Abby. The door shut and Abby went over to the register where Hermione fixed the stools. "He should know better," Abby chimed.

"We weren't doing anything," Hermione reassured.

"Funny, my daughter said the same thing once."

"That was different," Hermione reminded, "We're different."

"Hey," Abby reached for the younger woman's hand, "Two people can be different, and still make something from that. Drake hasn't been this...alive, since when my daughter was still here. You two have a connection, it's like you've known each other for so long, even if it's only been a few months."

She looked down at her hands and said, "It's just that... when I came to this town - to America - I just got out of a really complicated relationship. My ex, well, he just wasn't content. Now I'm starting to think that maybe I won't be good enough for anyone."

"Hermione," Abby began, "Let me tell you a story. When I was your age, maybe even younger, I met this boy. He was sweet, charming, and had an incredible taste in music. He was my best friend, and I always thought that I may have liked him a little bit more than he did. There were moments when he was just my friend, but then I'd look into his eyes and see something unexplainable, like he was my soulmate. And I accepted that. I accepted that my soul mate was my best friend, and that was that."

Hermione absorbed her words and smiled. Then she asked, "Abby? Do...do you believe that soul mates have a way of finding each other....even when they weren't looking to begin with?"

Abby gave her a knowing smile and said, "Absolutely."

Hermione thought deeply for a moment before asking, "So what happened to yours?"

Abby laughed and replied, "Ha, I married him."

_____

When Draco picked up Hermione, he was tired out from working on the room "If you just wait till I get home, I could help you," Hermione told.

"It's alright. I don't mind the work," he said, then yawned. Apparently, he wasn't too tired to see her staring at him out of the corner of his eye. "Something on your mind?" he asked.

"No, but- Never mind."

"Tell me."

"It's complicated."

"Everything is complicated once you start belieiving that. Just tell me." He pulled into the yard, and stopped the truck. Removing the key from engine, she huffed one huge breath and said, "Do you think that...if we had a fresh start, no blood or house prejudice, where we only knew ourselves as two separate people...well, do you think we could have been friends?"

Draco silently studied and committed her words to memory. What was she saying? Why was she saying this? "You mean...if we met at Hogwarts and there was no hatred and we became...friends?"

"Well, when you say it like that, you make it sound like it's not even an option!"

"But what do you want me to say, Granger?!"

"I don't know, but I'd like to be considered as something if that were the case."

"Are you asking about back at Hogwarts in an alternate universe, or here and now in the universe where that past exists?"

She was silent, and wasn't sure why she even brought up that topic. "Truthfully, Granger?"

"Truthfully," she replied.

"Back at Hogwarts," he paused, "Maybe."

"If we were at peace?"

"Yes."

"And..."

"And what, Granger?"

"What if we became...more than friends? Do...do you think that would be possible as well?"

"Honestly...yes, I think so."

"Why do you think that?"

"Are you fishing for compliments, Granger?"

"Just tell me."

"Because you were - and still are - you. You're intelligent, witty, prettier than you realize and one of the few people who can challenge and even surprise me."

Hermione tried to stop the blush which was rising in her cheeks but knew it was unsuccessful.

"And what about now? Here and now in the universe where that past exists," she recited. It was a rebellious question, one that passed through the cracks in the walls she's built around her. It crossed his boundary line that made him emotionally unavailable for everyone since Mary. But alas, it was a question that needed an answer.

He leaned into her side and finally kissed her. It was soft and slow, but it felt like he was holding himself back from going further.

"What was that for?" she whispered when he pulled away.

"That was my answer."