The sky was blue, the weather was perfect today. And today is exactly the day four years ago.
Hermione Granger, 23 years old now, was walking slowly towards the cemetery field. Her mind was on somewhere else… someone else… The trip to this place was always brought Hermione's memories back to her. Her smile, her kindness and how their path crossed each other.
No more tears Hermione!
For God sake, you promise to yourself that this year there will be no tears!
She was so much in her deep thought that she did not realize that someone else was already there, in front of her grave. Not until a few meters away. Shock was understatement. She stopped death on her place and jaw dropped, but only for a moment. Her face was back to normal again, although her heart was pounding loudly. What was he doing here?! Not just here in this grave yard, but specifically here in her grave?!
It was already too late for her to back away. All she can do now was try to act casually.
"Malfoy?"
"Granger" he nodded. His eyes look at her with curiosity. This is their first meeting after the battle.
Was that sadness in his eyes?
"It's been a long time, what are you doing here?" Hermione cannot supressed her curiosity.
"I mean, I never see you here before… I mean… a relative of yours?" She tried to sound normal and glance to the grave. What his connection to her? Her mind was racing rapidly. And then she saw it! The symbol! Oh my God, she closed her eyes for a moment. This act did not go unnoticed by the man stand next to her.
"Why the sudden interest Granger?" ask him suspiciously.
Hermione did not seem to hear his question. Her eyes still fix on the symbol in the grave and then went to his face. Puzzle and confused in her face. There it was, lying on the top of the grave, a symbol, a circle with a cross in the middle of it. The symbol was…complete now. There was a symbol before, but not like this one, she was certain for that. It was slightly different. It was complete!
She always has been here every year. She touched her locket hidden under her robe unconsciously.
"Did you just… I mean… craft this symbol?" she could not hold her question again. "Who is she? What was she for you?"
"I believe that that it's none of your business Granger and I am leaving now" he was starting to leave. But then he stopped his feet and looked back at Hermione again.
"What were you doing here Granger?"
"And what do you know about the symbol?" he asked dangerously.
"Mm… I just noticed the symbol, it was such a unique one, so I am curious, I thought somehow that it was slightly different now, but I am not sure" she tried to explain smoothly and prayed that he would not noticed the lies in her words. It seemed that he bought her explanation.
"I was….mm…visiting the Lupins, they are over there" she directed her gaze to the corner of the cemetery. It was true, the Lupins were buried in this cemetery as well, but of course she knew better that that's not her main reason to be here. Of course, after visited this grave she also would spent sometimes to visit Remus and Tonks…
"She was your cousin…you know…I mean Tonks" she added, again, tried to hide her nervousness. Her hand began to shake and she felt that her legs weaken. Damn it Hermione! Don't cry! At least, not in front of him!
"I know that Granger, still I have to go" he then vanished with a loud crack.
"But wait, Malfoy!"
No longer to be able to carry her legs, Hermione was down on her knees now, kneeling next to the grave. Tears were in her cheek.
"Jasmine… how are you dear?" Please don't tell me that it was him…" Please…" She was sobbing now.
After sometimes, she finally able to settle down, no longer cry, she tried to focus on the symbol again.
"I was so stupid!" she cursed herself.
All these years I was trying to find the meaning of this symbol, trying to tracking down the origin of this symbol… no wonder that it all failed. The symbol was incomplete…
There, in front of her, now the symbol was completed. She traced the symbol with her finger carefully. All the books… libraries, bookstores… hours, days and nights that she spent to decipher the symbol…
And then she laughed…. Laughing on her own foolishness. Why didn't I think about it? Why it never cross on my mind that the symbol might be incomplete? What know? What to do?
First thing first, she need to be sure about the relationship between Jasmine and Draco Malfoy. Her mind went to the man she just met. Oh what a fate… she sighed.
"Jasmine, as I promised you…"