A Chance Encounter

Chapter 1

Draco

                Draco made his way down the wet, slippery streets of London. He didn’t really know where he was going; he just knew he had to get away from his world for a while. The muggle world was nothing new to him; he had been in it many times before with his mum. Narcissa had liked to shop for nice things in the muggle shops, despite his father Lucius’s disapproval. Draco knew his way around well enough. He also knew he couldn’t use magic, so luckily he had thought to bring an umbrella.

                Draco walked at a slow, but steady pace, watching all the people pass him by. The street he was on was close to the theater district and one of the busiest around. There were all sorts of people out in the drizzling rain. His mind wandered to his wife, Astoria. She would disapprove of his being here if she knew, but that was the whole reason he came here. It was as far away from her and his loveless marriage as he could get. The only thing he hated was leaving his young son Scorpius behind, but he was only four and better off staying with his mother right now.

                Draco and Astoria’s marriage had been a marriage of convenience. It had benefitted both their pure-blood families. They had not married for love or even attraction. At first there had been some attraction, but then he found out how she truly was.  It had been arranged by their parents and Draco had gone along with it like a well-trained puppy. What a fool he had been.

                He kept walking and was coming up on a corner intersection. The rain had suddenly gotten heavier and then it became a down pour. He made it to the intersection and was waiting for the pedestrian light to change when a young lady started squealing, pulling a hood up over her head she started to run across the street. She didn’t see the car coming with the hood pulled up over her head. Draco didn’t think he just reacted and threw the umbrella and grabbed her with both arms, pulling her back just in time as the car went screeching by, the driver blowing his horn long and loud.

                He had his arms wrapped around a very wet bundle of girl. He held her for a moment and then she reacted, “Oh my god,” she half whispered, and started trembling, “Thank you,” she gasped out, still clutching his arms. She was not a tall girl, the top of her head just reached his chin, and she didn’t weigh much because it had been very easy pulling her back from the car that was about to take her out. She looked up at him and Draco caught his breath. She was lovely, even wet, with the rain running down her face. She had the most beautiful blue eyes head ever seen framed by thick dark lashes, wet with the rain. Her hood had come down and her hair was wet so he couldn’t really tell what color it was.

                “Are you okay?” he was finally able to get out.

                “I think so,” she said still in shock. She finally realized that she had been gripping his arms, partially being held in an embrace. She quickly pulled back, “If I don’t catch pneumonia I might be alright,” she laughed.

                Draco quickly went and grabbed the umbrella where he had thrown it aside and brought it up over them. Now he was wet, but not near as wet as she was. “Don’t you own an umbrella?” he asked, not trying to be smart, but it certainly sounded that way to his ears.

                But she just laughed, “You know I asked myself that same question when I left my flat this morning.”

                She has a beautiful laugh, Draco thought, very deep and genuine, nothing false or fake about it.

                “Well, I need to run, I’m running late. That was the reason I was in such a rush to cross the street,” she said, “Thanks again, I will never forget what you did.” She was about to run off again.

                “Wait,” Draco shouted, grabbing her hand before she took off, “The least I can do is walk you to wherever you are going. You don’t need to get any wetter.”

                “I would appreciate that,” she said with a small smile.

                Draco held the umbrella over the both of them, getting in close beside her and holding the umbrella more over her than him. “It’s not too far down here,” she started talking, “I work in a little all-night pastry and coffee shop.”

                “Why were you in such a hurry? You said you were running late.”

                “Yes,” she said frowning, “I work two jobs and try to attend the University during the day. My other job had me running late for this one.” He looked over at her; she did look tired. He couldn’t believe this petite beauty was doing all that. Suddenly for no reason he could comprehend, he felt very protective of her and angry about it.

                “Have you ever thought you might be over doing it?” he said with a small sneer that was just part of who he was.

                She looked up at him surprised at first, and then she grinned, “You know, I have been told that before, but it doesn’t change the fact that a girl has to do what a girl has to do.”

                 “How old are you?” Draco asked suddenly. He didn’t know where that came from, but he wanted to know more about her, everything about her.

                “That’s a little personal, don’t you think?” she looked over at him, her arm rubbing gently against his as they walked, “I don’t even know you. Why in the world would I tell you?”

                The friction of her arm against him was very distracting and he could feel something stirring in him that he had not felt in a very long time. She was right though; he was getting a little personal for someone he just met. “Sorry, I guess that was a little forward,” he looked her in the eye, “But you seem a little young to be doing all that you are.”

                “I am twenty-two and about to turn twenty-three next month, the 14th of November as a matter of fact, so I am not that young. How old are you?”

                “I am twenty-six, if you must know,” he said with a smirk.

                “Oh my, you are such an old man,” she laughed. She must have noticed the look on his face, “I am just kidding,” she said sweetly, and lightly punched his arm playfully.

                They finally arrived at the coffee house and Draco wished they could have talked longer, “Thank you for the umbrella,” she stood inside the doorway. Draco watched as she took off her long coat and hung it on the coat rack. She shook out her long wet hair, which fell halfway down her back. He still couldn’t tell the color, but it looked to have a slight golden tint to it. But her body was what had him in awe. For a slender, petite girl she had curves in all the right places, which he could tell because of her tight fitting, damp clothing. Her jeans clung to her curvy hips and fanny and the tank and sweater she had on showed off her small waist. Draco couldn’t stop himself from glancing at her chest. The wet material of the shirt clung to her and he could tell she was a little cold because her nipples were apparent. Her breasts were just right as well, and some very perverted thoughts went through his head as he imagined them in his hands. They would fit perfectly. In fact, she was perfect as far as he could tell. Draco quickly looked away before she saw him watching her.

                “Why don’t you come in and have a cup of coffee. It’s on me and it’s the least I can do for you,” she smiled; her soft pink lips damp also, “we also have tea, if you prefer that.”

                “I really need to be going,” Draco knew better than to go in there and he really needed to get far away from this girl. He turned and started to leave but she called out to him, “Hey, wait. I don’t even know your name,” she looked at him deeply, those blue eyes full of warmth, like a summer sky.

                “It’s Draco Malfoy,” he looked at her again, hoping she couldn’t see the interest or longing in his face.

                “I am Elizabeth Thorne. Thanks again, Draco,” she said in that sweet, upper London accent, “maybe, I will see you again,” she looked back at him one last time as she headed in to the shop.

                Draco watched her for a minute as she went behind the counter, pulling an apron up and tying it into place. He watched as she talked to the manager, probably explaining to him why she had been late. The guy seemed to take it well, but then Draco watched as he looked Elizabeth over when she walked out onto the floor. Her jeans were even tighter because of the rain and the guy was staring at her butt. Draco itched to pull out his wand and use a spell on him; maybe causing an unexplained swelling in the eye area. What in the world was wrong with him? How could he be so attracted to a girl he had just met? And she was a muggle. He finally pulled himself together and headed back out into the rain. It was time he went back home to his cold home and even colder bed.

Elizabeth

                Elizabeth was late as usual. It always happened when they had opening night at the small theater. The little troupe of actors she worked with had tried their best to get her to stay and celebrate with them, but Elizabeth just couldn’t do it. She knew it wasn’t right that she had to leave, especially since she was one of their lead players in the Shakespeare production they were doing. She was playing the part of Viola, who becomes the boy Cesario after being shipwrecked, and then falls for the Duke, Orsino. The romantic comedy was just what she needed in her life right now with the way things were going.

                Elizabeth ran out the back door and headed down the crowded street. It was raining, as usual, a steady drizzle. And of course she had no umbrella with her. She headed quickly down the street, almost at a run, for the little coffee shop where she worked late nights. She should be studying and she had a very lengthy paper due for her Art History class, but it would have to wait. She was just coming up on a major intersection when suddenly the sky let loose and a heavy downpour began. She couldn’t help squealing and she quickly pulled the hood of her coat up tight over her face.

                Elizabeth saw the light changing but she had to hurry and she knew she could make it. She didn’t see the car coming, but she felt the strong arms that quickly pulled her back up on the sidewalk as she was about to take off, the car that nearly hit her only inches from her. Elizabeth felt her body being pulled back and was clinging to her rescuer having turned into their arms after the near miss with the car. She could feel her body trembling, but not from the cold or rain, but from what almost happened.

                She finally looked up at her rescuer and into the lightest, silver blue eyes she’d ever seen. He was beautiful, if you could call a man beautiful. He had chiseled features and his hair, which was a pale blonde, was now getting wet. Water was running down his cheeks and nose. He was taller than her by about a head and she could feel his strong arms through his coat were she was gripping him. That was the night she met Draco Malfoy. He had been her hero, like some character out of one of her plays; he was there just in time to save her.

                He had escorted her to her job, keeping his umbrella over them both and she noticed how he kept it mainly over her head. He is gentleman, she thought. His arm was against hers, and she could feel it like heat rubbing her skin.  As they walked along, he had asked her some questions, with a little sarcasm, but she didn’t take it personal. It just seemed to be the way he was. Elizabeth could feel herself becoming attracted to him, the farther they walked. She couldn’t do that, she had a fiancée. And she was happy with him, well, mostly. But lately things had changed in their relationship. She didn’t know if it was all the work and school that was keeping them from seeing each other, but her fiancée had started being very possessive and hurtful. Elizabeth attributed it to the fact that she was so busy.  It had not always been that way though.

                They had finally arrived at the coffee shop and Elizabeth had asked him to come in for a cup, it was the least she could do after he’d saved her life. But he had refused; which made Elizabeth sad for some reason. She had been hoping to talk more to him, even though she knew she shouldn’t. Elizabeth was drawn to Draco Malfoy. Just looking into those light silver blue eyes made her feel all warm inside and she felt that he needed her for some crazy reason. Of all the people in London, she couldn’t believe that someone would need her, but she had felt that coming from Draco Malfoy. He seemed very sad and lonely.

                Elizabeth thanked him again and headed into the shop to start her shift. She looked back at him one last time, feeling depressed because this was probably going to be the last time she saw him.