You've Got Owls!

Dear HG,

Do you ever get that feeling sometimes...like the life you've built for yourself was a total mistake? Something happened today, which made me realize how positively shallow and annoying my 'friends' are and, more importantly, that all the things I've been working hard for have failed to make me truly happy.

I've also become aware of just how good of a friend you've been over these past few months. I've been through a lot of stressful changes, but I always look forward to your letters. I'd like to get to know you better...I'd like to meet you. Would you agree to meet somewhere? Perhaps we could have dinner? I know a great place on Diagon Alley, called Café Three.

Write back soon.

Love,

London 557

Hermione let out an involuntary squeal and gave an impulsive hop of excitement.

"What in Merlin's name...?" Vanessa asked, poking her head into the Owl Room. Hermione quickly suppressed her uncharacteristic giggles of anticipation and gave her co-worker a smile.

"I've got a date!"

*

Dear London 557,

I would be delighted to meet you at Café Three! It's a favorite of mine, also. How about you meet me there this Saturday, at eight o'clock? I'll take the rose you gave me, so you'll know who I am.

Love, HG

Draco gave a short, involuntary whoop of excitement as he finished reading the letter, a wide grin spreading across his face. Little butterflies came to life inside his stomach and began fluttering around in crazy, kamikaze spin. He looked up from his desk to the mirror, which hung conveniently across from him, and let out a long, loud laugh.

"Mr. Malfoy...is...something wrong?" his secretary asked hesitantly, sticking her head in the door. Draco gave one look at her pinched, pale face and continued laughing.

"Hm," Blaise snorted disdainfully as she passed her ex-boyfriend's office, eyes sharpening in wounded disgust. "Draco Malfoy making such a fool of himself...tut, tut, what is the world coming to?"
*

Hermione squirmed excitedly in her chair at the quaint little Café Three, her fingers running absentmindedly over the smooth green stem of her white rose, which shimmered in the dim candlelight. Only a few other people were there, sitting at little tables and booths that lined the charming, brick-faced walls of the restaurant.

"Can I get you anything, ma'am?" a waiter asked softly, materializing before her.

"Um...I'll have...a cup of coffee, please," she stammered, blushing. He smiled and intoned a quick spell with his wand, and a cup of steaming black coffee came soaring in from the kitchen.

"Here you go, ma'am," he said as he set the cup on the table. "Let me know if you need anything else."

She nodded and checked her wand again for the time. Five of eight. She tapped her heels impatiently against her chair leg, wondering what her secret friend would look like. Would he be tall, dark and handsome, like Harry? Was he the always-on-time type, like she, or the tardy type, like Ron? How would he like his coffee?

She heard the slight tinkling of sleigh bells that hung from the handle of the restaurant door and looked up expectantly. Instantly, she froze, seeing the tall, pale-haired young man standing in the doorway.

Draco Malfoy.

*

Draco made his way briskly down the street. Café Three did have a broom storage service, but he preferred to have a nice, long, mind-clearing walk before his planned date, to give him time to think.

He was practically skipping through the chilly, ice-dusted streets as he thought about Her. What would she be like? Would she be a striking beauty queen like Blaise? Or maybe, a more professional-looking woman, like Pansy? She would be on time, right? Oh God, he couldn't stand tardiness! Hm...how would she drink her coffee?

As he reached the twinkling fairy light storefront of Café Three, he paused for a moment, and peered inside the foggy plate glass. His eyes pried for a white, shimmering rose. He looked over the waiters, and a few couples, until he saw a woman sitting in the corner, a white rose lying on the table beside her.

He squinted, trying to see her more clearly. All he could make out was a head of bushy brown hair and a small form wearing a green dress...something about the way she sat was altogether too familiar. He smeared the fog away from the window and looked harder.

Suddenly he realized who it was. Hermione Granger.

Panicking, he looked away, his eyes glowing madly as if in some freakish nightmare. Surely it could not be her! He looked again. Hermione uncrossed her legs and stirred her coffee.

It was her. And that was, without a doubt, his rose.

How could this be? How could the charming, carefree, funny witch be that...know-it-all Mudblood Granger? But as he thought about it, the whole thing seemed to fall gently in place. For one, she was muggle-born, and so was his correspondent. The day she had written to him saying she was taking a visiting friend to the movies, he had seen Hermione there with none other than Potter! She was an Auror. She had also said she was stressed because of work - which made sense, because he was about to close her down! And her mail name...HG - were her initials!

He slapped himself on the head in realization. How could he have been so foolish! Of course it was Hermione...

But what to do? He couldn't just walk in there and tell her HE, Draco Malfoy, was her secret date. She would never believe him! But he couldn't just let her wait all night for someone that wouldn't show up...that would be rude, and hurtful. He frowned in shock. Since when did he care whether he hurt Hermione Granger?

Since you fell in love with her.

Did not, he insisted, brushing away the little voice in his head. How could I...fall in love...with HER? He stared wistfully into the café and sighed. He was stuck, and he knew it. How was he ever going to get himself out of this mess?

Before he knew what craziness was going on inside his head, he opened the door and stepped into the café.