I Care For You
By: Felicia M. Riddle
Chapter 1
"Hermione isn't it beautiful" a small brown-haired boy said to a tall brown-haired girl. "Yes, it is James, it sure is" the girl replied as she stared out at the sunsets' mixture of orange and red. She pulled the little boy to her and began tickling him, they laughed together. The scene faded as that same brown-haired girl was shown staring out the window of her bedroom. The laughter still rang freshly in her ears, tears sprung to her eyes as she remembered the fond memory. "Mione, you okay?" Ron asked as she nodded and resumed staring out the window, the door slid open. "Hello, Golden Trio!" Draco Malfoy said with a sneer and looked at the group; he gaze fell on Hermione and lingered there. "What's the matter?" he asked unusually concerned, "Nothing that concerns you" she said and her wavered.
Draco stared at her watery, yet defiant cinnamon eyes and an unnoticeable blush appeared on his face as he swiftly left the compartment. They arrived at Hogwartz and situated themselves in the Great Hall. Professor Dumbledore droned on about the rules, a large gray owl flew in through the window and landed in front of Dumbledore. He read the letter that was attached to its' leg to himself quietly, "Oh, dear" he said. "Mr. Malfoy, I'm afraid to say that your mother has...died" he said, Draco's face fell into an expression of sorrow. His lip quivered as if he was about to cry, suddenly tears rolled down his face, something that surprised everyone.
"My mum..." he said and looked at his plate with wide-eyes and squeezed his eyes shut. He stood up, "Draco..." Pansy whispered as she held his arm, he ripped it from her grasp. "Just don't touch me" he said and walked swiftly out of the room. Hermione's heart went out to him; she stood and went after him in an attempt to sooth his agony. She found him in the hallway in a sitting position against the wall. His elbows were propped up against his knees and his hands were on his eyes. He wasn't making a sound, but by the way his body shook and tears dripped off his chin, Hermione could tell he was crying.
"Draco..." she whispered soothingly and crouched in front of him, he launched himself into her arms and cried into her chest. Hermione wasn't sure if he knew it was her but she rubbed his back and cradled his head against her. He was mumbling incoherently but she could make out a few things like, "...Why mama, why..." or "...She was all I had left in the world...". "Draco, are you alright?" she asked, his gray eyes looked up from buried deep into her bosom and began to water again. "You have eyes just like her" he mumbled while trying to calm himself, "Big, brown, and innocent" he added.
She blushed and smoothed the hair on the back of his head, "She used to do that when I was sad or angry" he said. "She would gather me in her arms no matter what age I was and sooth me by rubbing my head and singing to me" he said sadly as more tears dripped down his chin. Hermione let a few of her own tears run down her face, "She was the only person that cared for me, my only friend and now she's gone" he stuttered with hiccups. Hermione had begun to sing a song, Draco stared at her in shock.
"If sadness is overwhelming you,
It's okay to lean on me and cry
I get, I get, I get, get the feeling
I get, I get, I get, get the dreaming
Just like this...
Come my way, near this darkness
Come close to me, I lit a light now
I'll be with you, I'll be with you
I'll be at your side only,
So come my way."
She smiled at him and he smiled back slightly, "Are you alright now?" she asked, he nodded. They stood, Hermione stared at her soaked vest and was surprised when Draco wrapped his cloak around her shoulders. She looked into his puffy, red, eyes and past the coldness into the stormy depths of his emotion and saw the true him, a helpless, lonely boy. "Hey, Gran-Hermione, thanks" he said and began walking down the hall to the Slytherin common room, "Draco, we're Head Girl and Boy" she called out after him, "Oh yeah" he said and jogged up to her, they began walking to their common room.
Sorry it was so short, the next chappies will be longer, pinky promise. That song was called, 'Come my way' from the Inu-yasha soundtrack.
-Felicia M. Riddle