Disclaimer: The HP series belongs to JKR.
A/N: Filler info: Draco's 'grandkid' is actually his Godkid's son. But 'grandpa/grandson' is the easiest way for them to refer to each other. Besides, pureblood families are really close.
DRACO'S POV.
It was the first snowfall of the year. The white flakes fell from the sky like soft pieces of cotton, coating the ground's layer of dirt with its white purity. It covered everything in its path, enveloping it with its fresh coolness. It was a fresh start, casing all the filth and preparing it for the coming of spring. It was a new beginning of a new season and a new year.
A tentative smile rose to my lips as I looked through the window keeping me from the pure start. My breath ghosted across the glass, creating an icy fog across the surface. I licked my lips, my tongue running over the dry cracks on them.
I raised a finger and put it against the glass. The cold quality of the glass sent chills through me, but I just smiled. I moved my finger, it wiping some of the fog from the glass and creating a clean line. My lips twitched. I moved my finger absently, drawing a heart in the fog.
I stared at it for a second, the image being imprinted in my mind. And suddenly, the window sucked up my heart from its surface, as if neglecting it and throwing it away. It fogged back over, and my heart was gone. That was it.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and raised my finger again to make another heart, this time, determined to not let it be engulfed by the cold. I redrew it again, before it could fade. And again and again. Giving away a heart was effortless, but keeping it there, was strenuous.
"Grandpa?" a small voice piped up from behind me. I ignored it, focusing all my mind on my heart. "What are you doing Grandpa? OOH! That's a pretty heart!" the voice said. I nodded, still lost in my own thoughts. My finger was numb with cold as it retraced the heart countless times.
"Grandpa?" A hand reached up to me, climbing up onto my lap. A finger joined mine, helping save my heart from dying. The tiny, delicate finger traced one side of the heart whilst I traced the other, and for a second, I could feel my own heart leap inside my chest.
"It's a pretty heart Grandpa," the small boy on my lap declared happily.
"I know," I replied softly, giving my grandson a one-armed hug. He giggled and hugged back, enveloping me in his arms. My eyes widened as my heart started ghosting over, the fog covering it once again. It was gone. I bit my lip and turned away, down at my grandson.
"Aww, the heart is gone. It's okay, we can go outside in the snow and make a BIG one! And snow angels too!" Michael piped up happily, pointing outside at the layer of snow covering the earth. A smile rose to my lips at his earnest childishness.
"Sure, just go put on a jacket and grab a scarf and a hat and some gloves," I responded, flicking his nose. He let a high yelp of excitement before jumping up and running out of the room. A smile played across my face as I stared back out the window.
The tree branches swayed in the wind. Maybe I should get a coat to. With a groan, I got up, feeling my muscles move under me wearily. My footfalls echoed through the hall as I walked on slowly. I grabbed the closet's door handle and pulled it open, revealing a plethora of coats. I grabbed my gray one and pulled it on.
Just as I got the zipper up, a small bundled up body ran toward me, colliding with my frail, old limbs. A laugh escaped from my lips and I ruffled the boy's blonde little head. "Come on, brat, let's go," I said softly, grabbing the keys.
He gave me a toothy grin before grabbing the door knob to the front door and pulling it open, bringing in a rush of cool wind and a few snowflakes. Michael grabbed my hand and pulled me out into the snow-filled world waiting in peace.
"I'm glad Mom and Dad had to go to that wedding! It's fun having you here," Michael told me while grabbing my hand in his and swinging them between us.
"Thanks. Actually, it's fun to be here. Hogwarts gets lonely at times," I responded truthfully. The dungeons seemed cold and eerie by then. All my experiences in those dungeons kind of shook me off of it.
"I bet you're an awesome teacher," Michael announced, oblivious to my thoughtfulness.
"Nah, the kids all think I'm a crazy old guy." I chuckled softly. Some of them openly despised me for my role in the war. But most of them ignored my existence, except for lessons. I lived all alone in my rooms, remaining on past times- times that were gone, never to come back.
"Nuh uh, they probably love you! I know I do," Michael said, clutching my leg in an awkward hug. I laughed and hugged him back, my stomach doing flip flops. It'd been a while since I'd heard someone say that they loved me.
"Thanks, that means a lot to me," I said shakily in response, both because of my overwhelming feelings and the cold freezing my bones.
Michael just nodded before running a bit in front of me. We headed for the park, part of our undiscussed agreement. The playground was freezing, but the snow was fresh and fun for little kids. I looked around, noting several little children playing in it with their parents over watching from close by.
And then, one curly brown head caught my eye for a second in a way that my heart skipped a beat. My mind raced back to the past and to her hair. A wistful smile rose to my lips as I imagined that it was her. And that I could talk to her and explain how it was all a big mistake- a huge misunderstanding and how I loved her, and only her.
"Grandpa! Help!"
The cry broke me from my thoughts and my head snapped to the source of the voice, a gasp rising to my lips as I noted my grandson's place in the branches of a tree. I jogged over quickly and strained my head to look up at him. "Michael? How'd you get up there?"
The blonde boy just whimpered and tightened his hold on the tree branch he was holding onto. "I don't know," he whispered quietly through clenched teeth.
I automatically figured out what happened. Accidental magic. I cursed softly under my breath, reaching into my back pocket for my wand, only to be met with an empty pocket. I cursed my old, senile brain for forgetting my wand once again, before biting my lip in thought.
My grandson was stuck in a tree. Great.
"Okay, relax Michael. I need you to try and shimmy down the trunk. I'm right here to catch you if you fall," I coaxed confidentially, trying to transfer that confidence into the trembling little boy above me. I inched closer to the tree and spread out my arms, ready to catch him.
But Michael didn't move. Instead, he shook his head and held on tighter, his hands going white with the strain. A shiver ran through the boy's spine as the cold wind rushed past him, sweeping his hair into his face. Whimpers escaped Michael's mouth as he screwed his eyes shut.
"Michael! Please. You've got to trust me. You do trust me don't you?" I yelled through cupped hands. Michael nodded slowly and peeked open an eye, looking at me. I gave him an encouraging smile and nodded my head for him to move. With one look down at the white snow below and at the tree's height, he shook his head earnestly. I sighed, a hand massaging my temple.
"Need help?"
I spun around at the familiar voice, my heart skipping a beat and my breath catching in my throat. She was standing in front of me. Hermione Granger… My eyes widened, and I wished I had dressed nicer. "I uhhh… Hermione… it's… you."
The corners of her lips twitched. "Yes, it's me. And you're you. I'm glad we have that established."
"But you… oh wow," I stuttered out, still shocked by her appearance. She looked exactly as Ishe had when I left her. Yes, there were the wrinkled and the graying hair and the frail look about her, but she was still as beautiful as always.
"I guess you're not much of a smooth talker anymore," she joked, pulling out her wand.
With a flourish of her wand and a quick incantation, my grandson was back in the snow, running over to me in a frantic flurry of limbs. I grabbed him and picked him up, holding him against my chest and grunting under his weight.
"Thank you Hermione," I said, giving her a smile. She just nodded before tucking her wand back into her robes and turning around to leave.
My mind raced. There were so many things I wanted to say. For years, I dreamed of a second encounter… a second chance. And now, when I was right in front of her, I couldn't find the right words to day. Suddenly, my explanations seemed lame and like horrible excuses.
"I'm sorry!" I yelled out at her, desperate to convey my feelings. Though somehow, those two words didn't' seem like nearly enough.
The brunette stopped in her tracks, her feet sinking into the cold snow packed underneath her shoes. I held my breath and somehow, Michael knew this was important to me. He didn't say anything, instead observing the interaction.
I saw Hermione's shoulders rise and fall once before she spun around to face me. Her eyes shimmered with tears and her lip quivered. She began to run toward me. Michael jumped out of my arms, sensing the emotion surrounding us. He backed off and Hermione came forward, enveloping her arms around me.
I, in turn, brought my own arms around her and pulled her close to me in a tight hug. "I love you," I whispered into her ear.
I could hear the quiver in her breath as she opened her mouth and said those same three words back, "I love you." I closed my eyes and rested my chin on her shoulder.
"Grandpa! Look, I made another heart in the snow!" My eyes opened to see my grandson standing in the middle of a heart drawn in the snow. I chuckled at him, hearing a giggle next to me. I reached down, entwining my fingers in Hermione's.
My heart was back and it was here to stay.
A/N: This is my hundredth fic… And I personally put a lot of effort into this fic. It's not really funny, but I think that the writing in this is epic. Hehe. I tried to put in description and analogies and personification and symbols and all those literary things that you learn in middle school.
HUNDRED! Do you guys realize that?! A hundred fics in less than a year. I'm so proud of myself. Actually, when I look at my user stats, it says that I have roughly a total of 150,000 words written.
Haha, I actually have a soundtrack for this oneshot. Yeah, that's how bored I am. Look Through My Eyes by Phil Collins (it's from Brother Bear). When You Wish Upon a Star from Pinocchio (the Jesse McCartney version). Once Upon a Time in New York City by Hewy Lewis (from Oliver and Company). So Close by Jon McLaughlin (from Enchanted). It is You I have Loved by Dana Glover (from Shrek). You'll be in My Heart by Phil Collins (from Tarzan). My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion (from Titanic). Haha, all of them except the last one are Disney. Disney rocks like that.
I'm rambling… Good night.
XOXO
Flame
PS: Please review; spread the love.