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Beyond the Veil	By : Marionne25 Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 7964 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and am not making money from this story.

Chapter List
- 6
- 7
- 8
Author's Notes:

OMG I AM ALIVE.
I know that I've been updating very little on all the other stories and just now on this one.
The reasons?
1) summer in my country so my hands are full with teaching music schedules which is good because
2) I've FINALLY moved out from home. I'm presently living at my favourite part of the city therefore 50% of my time is consumed by work and the other half by moving in and out of all my things from mom's house to my own apartment now.
3) I've been suffering writer's block from all these hectic schedules and the stress that work and tasks of moving things around and from the old house and into my new apartment so apologies there.
A good cup of joe right now at 10.35 in the evening and I've finished work, accomplished some chores and everything else in between.
So good gracious, here's a very short YET significant chapter for all of you.
I have not abandoned this story nor my other ones.
After the summer schedule, I will have better time into witing and keeping things in a better order.
Hope all is well at your end.
Lots of love
xx

Chapter VI
Melrose Garden

“Oh, stop fidgeting, Hermione!”
Hermione stared at her reflection by her office mirror after berating herself for the nth time.
She had finished work the whole day and had changed into the extra casual dress she’d brought in herself for the date she was having tonight.
“No, it’s not a date.” Hermione reminded herself staring at her reflection and thinking if she should get some lipbalm or lipstick on herself. “It’s therapy. Therapy session. Nothing more. He just said it’s a date because he’s an arse.”
Hermione stared back at her reflection and turned around to check her whole dress if it was perfect in place and pulled her hair up and pulled them in a wavy manner back down over her shoulders again.

The tresses had tamed through the years but it was never really totally straight nor totally tamed at all. But nevertheless, it was nowhere wild looking as when she was younger.
As she pouted her lips over her reflection and decided to settle on a very light lipstick to match the dress she changed into for the night, she kept talking to herself that it wasn’t a date.
She agreed to meet him about 6.16pm in the lobby but decided to go down fifteen minutes later than she should because she didn’t want him to think she had been looking forward to this Friday night date.

No, it wasn’t a date at all.

And being late would tell him that she was a very busy person who was making her time for him and he should be grateful for it and not the other way around.
As Hermione stared at how she made herself, there was one thing that struck her.
She didn’t ask where they were going.
All they agreed upon was that he was going to pick her up at the lobby and didn’t tell her where they were going to do this ‘therapy’ session they were about to have.
She was hell sure it wasn’t in the hospital or at his apartment so that was safe.
But where exactly was he bringing her?
They didn’t talk about that one.
She also didn’t ask what she was supposed to wear.
Not that he has a say on it but she was suddenly concerned if her choice of clothing would match with the place he was taking her.
She didn’t want to be under or over-dressed at all.

“Granger? Granger?”
A loud and sudden knock came upon her office door.
Hermione nearly messed up her shading of her eyeshadow when the loud knock came.
She rolled her eyes and bit her lip cursing Draco’s name.
“I’m in here.” Hermione quickly said. “Give me a minute-“
“I thought we’re meeting by six?” Draco called out and she heard him settle himself against her door.
She panicked even more when she could hear him humming against the door – obviously bored and already impatient.
“Can’t you wait downstairs?” she called out almost irritably as she pulled her hair straight back over her shoulders.
“I’ve been waiting for like what – fourteen minutes?” he called back at her as she rapped against the door again. “Granger, I thought you’re very, very conscious with time.”
“I am!” Hermione called back through gritted her teeth as she ran around her office looking for her scarf and purse that she completely had no idea of their whereabouts at that moment.
Draco leaned closer against the door, listening more, listening closely and could probably visualize that she was panicking her wits out inside her office.
He shook her head, amused at the way she sounded at the other side of the door.
It took her about another minute before he had raised his hand to knock again when the door suddenly opened before him.
Eyes wide in shock and breathless, Hermione stared at him for a moment, comprehending the man in front of him.
A curve of frown appeared upon her lips and Draco lowered his hand and stared back at her with a raised brow.
He looked surprised and yet amused at the same time.
Hermione had dressed well, out of her Healer robes but was wearing a really nice Ravenclaw blue dress with a nice black hugging belt design at her midrift and her hair was worn down in a wavy style and a pair of nice earrings elegantly hang around her ears.
She was completely overdressed but she was not going to let him know that now that she thought the same thing he was thinking.
She almost rolled her eyes.
Draco stood straighter and leaned against the door, staring at her as if she was some gift the gods had given him for all things possible.
“Well, well.. Look who’s up and excited?” he asked her coyly unable to suppress his amusement at the way she had dressed herself.
“Excuse me?” Hermione asked him with a horrid look over her face.
It wasn’t formal attire, but neither categorized as some casual walk in the park dress.
“I can change.” Hermione muttered obviously irritated already but before she could move away from him, Draco quickly reached out for her.
“You look perfect.” Draco said, without a blink of an eye as he gazed down at her, his wavy blonde hair making an airy movement at his sudden gesture forward her.

She stared at him, almost enamored at the look he was giving her.
She blinked away from him as she furiously flushed red at his compliment.

“This is a therapy session, Malfoy.” Hermione said trying to regain her composure as her eyes moved up and down him. “Nothing fancy.”
“I’m not the one wearing something fancy.” Draco sneered at her with a bemused look over his face.
“We can absolutely not do this you know.” Hermione reminded him crossing her arms. “My clinic is very much open for you.”
She was about to turn and slam the door at his face when he quickly made a step up her doorstep and reached for her wrist.
“Sorry.” Draco said quickly letting her hand go as her eyes looked down at his hand around her. “A little excited.”

Hermione was silenced by the gesture and she straightened up when he moved away from her.
He was wearing what looked like something better than black jogging pants, a pair of gray long-sleeved sweater that could match the Weasley sweater a pair of casual snickers and the same red scarf around his neck, screaming in Gryffindor colours.

“What’s wrong?” he asked her as he noticed her eyes moved to the scarf.
“Nothing.” Hermione lied looking away and locking her office door.
For some reason, there was something nice and quite familiar in what he was wearing.
Which was absolutely ridiculous because Draco Malfoy – for all the years she’s known him which was a lot – would never wear something akin to what he was wearing tonight.
He was wearing something resembling Muggle clothes put together.

“Do you like my scarf?” he asked as he obviously saw where her eyes had wondered.
Hermione turned sharply at him.
“No.” she snapped at him before giving him a dark look and walking before him as she locked her door behind.
He smiled, quickly following her heeled steps behind her.
“You’re so irate.” Draco pointed out. “Are you hungry? We can eat first.”
Hermione eyed him as if he was already stating what was the obvious.
“Well aren’t we going to eat?” she asked Draco with a stern look. “Don’t tell me you’re taking me out today to sit in the park and just do that.”
Draco only smirked at her and then suddenly, he pulled her hand into his and pulled her out of the steps of the apartment.
“Too much talking, Granger.” Draco said at a bored tone staring at Hermione’s reaction who hasn’t recovered yet from what he had just done. “Seriously. You talk too, much. Come on, we’ll go somewhere else before we actually eat.”
“What? Where?” she asked in both an angry and worried voice as Draco locked the door up and pulled her with him.
“Still talking, Granger.” Draco said as a smile was spreading across his face and was looking more excited as he dragged her away from his place. “Just relax. We won’t go anywhere unexciting.”
“Unexciting?” Hermione breathlessly said and she tugged her arm back from him. “Where are you taking me?”
Her tone was suddenly accusatory and she was giving him a very stern look.
Draco stared back at her, slightly confused at her.
She stared back up as if ready to strike.
“Tell me where we’re going and I’m going with you.” Hermione demanded placing both her arms over her chest protectively.
Draco stared at her, contemplating and then he shook his head.
“You come with me and I’ll tell you.” Draco said staring at her closely. “This wasn’t part of my itinerary, really. But since I made a promise, I’m keeping it. This is a favor to a job requirement, yes?”
Hermione gritted her teeth.
He smiled wider at her as he offered his hand back to her.
“Oh come on.” Draco said with a luring smile. “Don’t tell me you still don’t trust me?”
He made sense and she hated him for it.
“I don’t trust you. Not an inch.” Hermione snapped at him but she gestured that she’ll walk first before him. “Tell me where to go.”
And without even trying to hide it, Draco laughed out loud behind her, telling her exactly where and how they were getting to where he was bringing her.

For the last fifteen minutes, Hermione thought that they’ve come to the wrong place.
Draco had left her in a small lobby area of what looked like a small townhouse.
There were pretty much flowery decorations all over the walls and large comfortable couches.
He rang the bell and entered and told her to wait at the small waiting area.
Looking around she saw photos of old and young wizards alike, several shelves with what she supposed were some old books, a few lamps, dusty old carpets and the decors were nothing short of simple and basic.
She could hear Draco gently talking to a woman in her late 40s at the small registry area but couldn’t understand what they were whispering or talking about.
As she was busy looking around the arrayed photos of some cats and dogs with older people, she didn’t notice Draco had returned for her.
“Interesting, aren’t they?” his voice happily asked walking behind her.
She squealed and stared back angrily at him.
“Where are we?” she asked in a hushed tone.
“You’ll see.” Draco excitedly said taking her hand.

For a moment, she was reluctant and was about to snatch her hand back when the woman he had been talking to came into view.
She was wearing simple clothes but a very happy smile over her face.
“They’re ready, Mr. Malfoy.” she said in a happy tone as she nervously fidgeted her wand at her side.
“Alright then.” Draco said with a happier look over her face. “Thanks Candice. Come on, Hermione.”
Hermione only nodded and let Draco introduce her to the woman and vice versa as they walked down the small corridor to several more until they reached the back of the townhouse.

Candice had been talking a few things to Draco that barely made sense to Hermione and so she kept quiet and observant of her surroundings.
She led them at a backdoor and told Draco she would prepare tea and some snacks and left them.
“Remember, you have to speak very, very clearly.” Draco told her as he held the knob and was about to open it.
“What?” Hermione asked him with narrowed eyes. “What do you-“
“You’ll see. Don’t scream at them or talk too loud. They don’t like that. Just be clear about your words and tone. Alright? Are you ready?”
“I don’t-“
“Good. Let’s go.” Draco said and he pressed her hand firmly into his as he opened the door for them that led them to the large garden area at the back of the townhouse.

For a moment, Hermione thought that they have really come into the wrong place.
There were about a dozen of old people at the back and most of them were seated along wheeled chairs, some were toying around the garden’s flowers, some were seemingly speaking quietly or playing around some leaves and some were eating at one of the circular tables.
Her eyes were quick to notice atleast two other witches same age as Candice and one wizard who was helping out two elderly who were seated by some pots of the garden.
“Welcome to Melrose Garden.” Draco introduced happily as they stepped out onto the sunlight lit garden.
Before Hermione could even speak, two of the elderly women saw Draco enter and they started waving their hands happily and started to point excitedly at their direction.
The other elder people looked back at the direction and started to call Draco and were waving excitedly at them and asking the Medi-Witches to aid them to get to Draco’s direction.
“Yes, one by one. I’ll be right there.” Draco said as he let go of Hermione’s hand and immediately hugged a short fat old woman with a red hat and black peacock feather over it.
She excitedly pointed over the hat and then at Draco.
Hermione watched with an open mouth as Draco smiled back and embraced the old woman.
She was speaking in soft yet excited manner and all Hermione could understand was that she had been waiting for him last week and he didn’t come over.

“I’ve been a little busy Ms. Leticia.” Draco said embracing her and twitching the hat onto the right place and then gesturing to Hermione. “I brought a friend with me.”
“Cissy!” she excitedly said pointing at Hermione’s direction.
Hermione’s eyes shot back up at Draco and he quickly smiled and embraced the woman again.
“No, no, Leticia.” Draco said. “She’s not my mother. She’s a friend.”
Hermione felt something cloud up in her throat at the mention that she was ‘a friend’ for some reason.
“But Cissy-“ she whispered almost disappointingly as Hermione came into a clearer and closer view and she realized that it wasn’t the woman she was talking about. “But Cissy-“
“You remember mother she has bright sunshine hair.” Draco slowly told her with a gentle smile as he introduced Hermione. “This one here has a different hair.”
“Chocolate!” she squealed excitedly as Hermione came closer. “Oh no, no – the colour of valley and the sun-“
“Yes, yes.” Draco said trying to keep his eyes away from Hermione who would surely ask about it later.
“I gave her my mom’s old hat.” Draco whispered at Hermione’s ear as he helped Leticia step onto the garden path and return to one of the elderly woman who was showing her a blue rose from the garden area. “Yes, I’ll stay and see you later.”
“Come and see the blue roses you gave.” Leticia whispered with a happy smile and she suddenly reached for Hermione’s hand and pretty much audibly and happily said. “Pretty.”
Soon enough, Leticia who was too excited at the prospect of the blue flower, was led by the Medi-Witch and had completely forgotten about Draco and Hermione.
Draco stood next to Hermione with his hands reaching inside his pockets and just staring at the view around them with a relieved kind of look.

“I go to this place when I’m stressed out.” Draco said as his eyes moved over the largest tree at the middle of the garden. “Makes me feel grateful about the things I’ve had in my life.”
“What is this place?” Hermione asked seeing the beauty of the place for the first time and actually having a hunch of what the place was. “I mean, I know.. I kinda know what this place is.. but.. I don’t understand. Where are we?”
“Melrose Gardens.” Draco said. “One of mother’s charities.”
“For the elderly?” Hermione asked staring at Leticia who was now enjoying the blue roses that were blooming with a few of her old friends.
“For the retired war heroes.” Draco simply answered her with a certain constricted tone in his voice.
Hermione’s eyes shot back up at him in wonder.
“War heroes?” Hermione repeated. “Veterans?”
“War heroes.” Draco nodded at her with a look of wonder in his eyes. “The abandoned. The lost. The forgotten.”

Something ached in Hermione’s heart.

“Mother took care of this place.” Draco said. “Never told anyone. Never told father. Except me.”
Hermione’s eyes wandered around, suddenly feeling sentimental.
“And she left this to you?” Hermione asked him.
“I asked her to leave it to me.” Draco said. “She invested her first savings here. I don’t know why, not really. But I asked her if I can have it.”
“So you can take care of it?” Hermione asked with a small smile.
Draco slowly looked back at her as if contemplating his answers.
“Something like that.” Draco said as he nodded at her.
“Something like that?” Hermione repeated with a raised tone as they walked down the beautiful pathway.
“I asked her to leave it to me..” Draco slowly said avoiding her gaze again this time. “So that if I grow old, I’ll have a place to stay.”
Hermione’s smile faltered.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Hermione asked with a look of concern in her voice although she already knew what that could possibly mean. .
“I told you what this place is.” Draco said with a smile again.
“Draco, I don’t understand-“
“You’re smart. Go figure.” Draco said with a knowing smile. “Hold on, I’ll help them out.”
But before she can go figure, Leticia has returned with two other witches carrying trays of snacks for everyone and Draco quickly went to them to help.
Hermione watched from afar as he helped them out and the elder people became excited to get to the area with the circular tables where they obviously ate at the garden spot.
It took her a while to realize what Draco was trying to tell her.
It was a sort of home for the aged in the wizarding world and Narcissa Malfoy invested to open it – without telling anyone but his son.
The place must be special for her to keep it especially from Malfoy senior.
She could already tell where Draco’s indifferent attribute had come from.
And Draco was taking very good care of it not just because his mother had left it to him or because she was dear to him – but because he somehow felt that he doesn’t belong into any world or with anyone but that place.
Something ached in her heart once more.
Why would Draco Malfoy think that way?

She watched with curious eyes as Draco helped into preparing and feeding snacks to the elderly with a genuine smile over his face.
And they were talking to him happily and excitedly as if he was their most precious grandson and he returned the favor by hugging and laughing at their antics.
She had never in her life ever imagined this version of Draco Malfoy.
She felt this was some bizaare dream.
No, she felt like she was going crazy.

“Would you like to meet them?” Draco asked as he handed her a small plate of cookies from the tray after a few minutes.
He had managed to disentangle himself from the crowd of old people who seemed to see him as some sort of hero and family all the same time.
She heard them call him various of names for which he didn’t bother correcting.
They forgot his name from time to time but recognize his face – no, recognized his kindness to them.
“That’ll be nice.” Hermione said accepting the cookie from his hand and taking a nice bite from it.
His eyes were settled on her and she knew that he was waiting for her to say something.
And there were just too much thoughts in her head right now for her to come into a conclusion of just one right and comprehensible concept to tell him.

“We’ll just stay for a few more minutes and then we’ll go grab something to eat and we can have our session over the meal.” Draco said as he took one cookie from the platter he was holding out from her.
“Oh, yes, yeah.. yes, ofcourse.” Hermione answered completely forgetting why they met up in the first place. “Yes we can do that.”
If any, this wasn’t the type of place she thought he’d bring her into.
“Are you alright?” Draco concernedly asked her seeing the look over his face. “I mean, I know that this isn’t exactly-“
“I like this place, Draco.” Hermione said with a calm look over her face. “And I understand why you like it here. It’s very.. different.. far from all the life and stress you know?”
“I know.” Draco smiled back at her as he bit the last of the food in his hand.
“This place makes you feel good?” she asked him with a smile as they watched the group of elderly people having fun at the garden and having their snack time.
“Calms me.” Draco corrected her. “Or makes me feel grateful for whatever I have right now or have had before.”
She looked up at him and the same familiar sadness passed his eyes again.
Before she could ask what he really meant, Candice came up to them again carrying what looked like a few parchments.
“Oh, here can you hold this for me.” Draco said suddenly handing her the small plate.
She handed Draco an old feathered quill and had read through the parchments before signing about half a dozen of them.

Hermione wasn’t usually the person to pry but as she was close by and her eyes reverted towards the documents she saw that they were seemingly donations for the place and one of the documents she has read clearly with the amount of something like 10,000 galleons worth of food and other medical supplies for the place.
She choked over the cookie she was eating.
“You alright?” Draco calmly asked her as he continued to sign the last of the documents.
Hermione nodded coherently, eyes wide as she forced herself to look away from the documents he had been signing.
“Do let me know if there’s anything you still need.” Draco said to the head caretaker of the place who smiled kindly back at him. “The small cottage will be put up where some can stay when the rooms will be renovated. Did the team come over last week?”
“Yes, Mr. Malfoy.” She answered with a grateful look over her face. “They will be bringing in the new couches and beds two days from now.”
“Good.” Draco said as he signed the last parchment and read it over and handed it to her. “I’ll have the outside exterior painted over their three days visit at the special day show, yes? So that they won’t be here to smell the indecent scent of the paint.”
“Yes, that will be.. that will be so wonderful, Mr. Malfoy. We are.. very.. you don’t know how much..”
“Oh, shush, it’s okay.” Draco said firmly pressing her hand before she could cry in front of them. “It’s fine, this is just.. I’m just continuing what my mother had been doing years before.”
“Yes, yes, ofcourse.” The woman said with tears in her eyes. “When she passed.. we thought.. it’ll be the end of us, of these elderly people.. that we’d close down cause there will be no donation and well..It’s a private home for the aged and being not completely and publicly registered, we did feel it’s the end of us I don’t know.. I’m really… I’m so sorry, Mr. Malfoy… you just really make them so happy and loved.”
“Everyone deserves to be loved.” Draco said cheering her up with a smile. “Now, don’t cry. You know how touchy they could be.. go have some snack too, I’ll see you later at your office before we leave. And speaking of it, the documents to fully register this place is already being processed so just wait for it alright? But everything’s being taken very good care of.”
The woman nodded at her as Draco turned and smiled back at Hermione.
The woman smiled back at Hermione and took the documents back and happily joined the crowd and was high-fived by an old wizard who was too happy at the moment at a garden spot he had for himself.

Hermione couldn’t help the warm tears threatening to leak at the side of her face.
“Are you alright?” Draco asked as he had been staring at her before she had noticed it. “Don’t tell me you’re all touchy too?”
“Oh, shut it, Malfoy.” Hermione said wiping her tears with the back of her hand and sniffing away. “I just caught something in my eye.”
“Really.” Draco said standing straight before her and folding his arms in front of her.
“Really.” Hermione said rolling her eyes an before she can move away, Draco pulled her hand to his and pulled her face closer.
“Let me see it.” Draco said gently pulling her chin in place so he could take a closer look.
Hermione’s heart had suddenly started to beat faster as if she was in a heart attack.
Their faces were a few inches apart and although Draco looked serious and sincere into checking what has caught up in her eye, she could tell that he was blushing somehow as he realized what he had done.
She opened her mouth to say something but he quickly let go and moved away from her.
“I can’t see anything.” Draco said stepping back and avoiding her gaze but obviously red in the face. “You’re such a drama queen.”
“I’m such a what?!” Hermione asked indignantly. “I’m not a-“
“You heard me.” Draco said with a smirk. “Come on, let’s get out of here. I’m quite starving.”
And before she could even have a say again, Draco had turned away from her and had started to make his way to the group of elderly who were waving excitedly at the sight of him as he made his way to bid them goodbye for that day.
And she stood there, unsure of everything around her and most importantly, unsure of herself and why she was feeling like she has been here before and had experienced this very moment with Draco somewhere, somehow before.
- 6
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- 8
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Beyond the Veil