On the Way to a Smile
A/N: Hey all, this is a short one-shot I did during my free time. It's based on what I think happens to Draco following the Battle of Hogwarts and the downfall of You-Know-Who. I never really thought of writing anything like this, so it was interesting. If you haven't finished DH, steer clear, because there be spoilers ahead. I hope you enjoy it.
A big thank- you to JKR for giving us not only a wonderfully captivating story, but a beautiful piece of literature. I know we are all looking forward to your next writing project.
Description: Following the Battle of Hogwarts and the Dark Lord's downfall, Draco struggles to find a place for himself in the new Wizarding World. Luckily, he may not be alone. DracoOC One-shot.
Disclaimer: Lulz, I definitely don't own anything. I'm very poor. :D
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It had been a while since Draco had walked the streets of Diagon Alley. During his earlier years, he and his father would walk these streets together, enjoying the benefits that came when money wasn't an issue.
But then He returned. Everything changed then. His father no longer brought him to Diagon Alley. There were more important things to be done for 'The Cause'. That's what his father had always called it.
Draco didn't particularly mind at the time. To him, it had always seemed like there would always be next year. Always another time. It never occurred to him that he would never get another chance to- Well, what did he care anyway? He was a Malfoy. He was not to be affected by such petty, meaningless outings. Better to send some useless, sniveling servant to do it instead. Draco had better things to do. Well...not anymore. Draco was essentially on his own now. His father was promptly put back into Azkaban. His mother joined him. There was no one in the mansion but himself and the house-elves.
Sometimes, Draco thought he'd go crazy with the silence. He had nothing to do but think about the experiences under the rule of The Dark Lord. The people he himself had tortured. The things he had done. He was a murderer. He had left the confines of the gloom that surrounded the estate today to try and forget. But he was ostracized now. He had nothing to do and nowhere to go. People no longer bothered with feigning politeness. They didn't even fear him. Not now. Not when his Dark Mark had disappeared. Not since that night.
He sat down in front of an abandoned shop. The sign behind him cheerily shouted to those who passed by that a grand re-opening would be underway soon. Everyone seemed so happy. I suppose he would be too if not for the fact that he had been on the losing side. He buried his face in his hands and struggled not to succumb to the sense of loneliness, loss, and grief that threatened to consume him. Eat him from the inside out and leave nothing behind.
"Hello," a voice said cheerfully.
He looked up and saw a young woman holding a flower out towards him.
"Would you like to buy a flower?" she said with a warm smile, "They're two knuts a piece."
He stared at her for a moment and contemplated her. She had a warm face with hazel eyes that seemed to sparkle. The corners of her determined lips curled into a half-smile.
"Don't you know who I am?" He said coldly.
She should not be talking to him. Not to someone like him. Didn't she know that he was part of the family that had terrorized the Wizarding World? Seized power and destroyed everything in its path...Someone like him - who had worked to destroy everything good in this world - had no right associating with this girl who had the courage to smile.
She tilted her head to the side slightly. Her brown curls bounced as she nodded her head in concentration.
"Hmmm," she said, "Nope!"
"Excuse me?" he said in shock
She kneeled in front of him and leaned close as she frowned with thought. Draco examined her clothes. Her pink dress was frilly and extended down to her knees, where the edges were clearly frayed. Her white apron seemed too large for her and was unflattering. Its large pockets jingled with the sound of the day's earnings. She wore brown leather boots that had probably been given to her by an older sister. She wore no jewelry. It was evident to Draco that she was poor. At Hogwarts, he would have mocked this girl until she cried. And then he would've had Crabbe or Goyle hex her. What place did she have talking to him?
"Sorry," she said shaking her head, "I definitely don't recognize you."
"I'm Draco Malfoy," he said scornfully
He spat the words out as if he hated them. He did hate them. It left a bad taste in his mouth.
She smiled at him, "Pleased to meet you. My name is Cassandra."
She sat down next to him and looked up at the sky.
"Your name..." she said thoughtfully
Draco's stomach churned. She had finally found out. She had put the pieces together. She would look at him with disdain, take her flowers and leave.
"It's very pretty!" she said earnestly.
He was completely taken aback. Was this girl completely stupid?
"You're a Hufflepuff, aren't you?"
"I'm a what?" she said in confusion
"Didn't you go to Hogwarts?" He demanded
She shook her head, her curls bouncing around her shoulders.
"I was never taught how to do magic. I don't even have a wand."
"You don't even have a wand," he repeated dumbly.
She smiled and turned towards him with child-like glee
"But I can do magic!" she said happily, "Look! Watch!"
She picked up a flower that was at the bottom of her wicker basket. It was old and shriveled. It had probably sat there for days, not interesting anyone enough to pay two knuts for it. Placed at the bottom and ignored by everyone except her. As she touched it, it unfurled with a burst of color. The petals opened and the stem hardened, leaves turning a brilliant green. It was almost as if the flower had been reborn and given new life.
"Ta da!" she said with a giggle as she held it out to him with pride.
He took it numbly, surprised by her glee at such simple magic. This girl was completely different from him in every way. He had used his magic to destroy and bring despair upon others, but she - she spread joy around her. He watched her in amazement as her clear eyes looked up into the sky. What was she thinking about as she watched the clouds roll across the blue expanse?
"My family didn't have enough money to send me to school anywhere," she said finally.
"What about the Hogwarts fund? They buy your supplies and-"
"My family needed me to work," she conceded, "While I was never taught, I had a good enough control over my powers, and even though I didn't have a wand, I could still do some magic. The only magic I can really do is gardening stuff. I get along with flowers."
He nodded and waited for her to continue.
"My family used to have money," she said softly as she looked at her boots, "But my father died when I was eight. So, naturally, it made things more difficult. I wanted to help out in any way I could. Despite my objections, my mother was determined to send me to Hogwarts...but...it was just the two of us, and I couldn't just leave her..."
She bit her lip.
"Then...then mummy died too. She got sick and the Healers couldn't do anything. I was already sixteen by then though, so I could take care of myself."
She looked like she was about to cry.
"How did your..."
He hesitated and she looked at him. She gave him a little smile.
"My father was a part of some...some kind of Order. It was back during the first war," she said softly, "He was killed while fighting."
Draco paled as a wave of guilt rushed over him.
"I'm sorry," Draco mumbled.
It was the first time he could remember that he apologized to anyone.
"It's not your fault," she said quietly, "Sometimes things happen that you have no control over."
"But..." Draco felt like he was going to be sick, "My family was on the other side! My family was killing people like your father!"
He felt like he had been punched as the words were torn from his body. He breathed heavily and looked up at her, expecting to see hatred and disgust painted across her pretty face. But she was crying. He could see through the cheerful exterior and saw that she, too had not been unscathed by the war. She looked broken. And he was part of the regime that did it.
He stood up to walk away, but he felt something holding him back. It was her. Her hand clung to his emerald robes. Her eyes begged him not to leave.
"Why?" was the only question he could manage.
"Because..." she breathed, "I'm lonely...and you are too."
"You can't be serious," he sneered, "I was a part of the force that destroyed your life."
"I forgive you."
Draco felt his knees buckle and he wanted to collapse onto the cobblestones beneath his feet. But he couldn't. He was going to be strong now. He was going to be strong for her. He held out his hand and he helped her to her feet.
"Let me take you to dinner," he said, "For the flower."
"But it only costs two knuts!" she protested.
He rolled his eyes as he led her down the street. Children ran by and laughter seemed to fill the air. People bustled about, cheery and bright. Shops were opening. New life was being brought to everywhere around him. The sounds of brooms sweeping dust out of stores, the sounds of windows being cleaned and new wares put in the glass displays...they were the sounds of happiness. He thought that maybe, he too could try and find his own happiness.
"Cassandra," Draco asked out of curiosity, "What was your father's name?"
"Hm?"
"Your father," he repeated with impatience, "What was his name?"
"Oh," she said with a large smile, "Scorpius."
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The End.
A/N: Well, there it is. Please tell me what you think about it. I hope you enjoyed it. I personally am not too pleased with how I wrote the ending. In my head, it all sounded a lot better. Hahah, well, I suppose there's not much that can be done about that. Thanks for reading!