Rusted From the Rain
Summary: Draco is having a difficult time dealing with the loss of his wife and one of his friends help him out. VERY short OneShot.
Rating: K
Disclaimer: I do not own anything in the world of Harry Potter except this specific plot.
"Hello? Draco?" She knocked on the door as she slowly pushed it open.
The stench immediately hit her, and she looked around warily. "Draco?"
She could hear the quiet sobbing coming from the back room, and, avoiding the dirty clothing and old pizza boxes, she crept towards the bedroom. The sight before her was heartbreaking.
Draco was hunched over, sitting on the edge of his bed, sobbing. His hair was lank and greasy, his weight loss was obvious, and his clothing was rumpled and stained.
"She's gone." His voice was so low she had to strain to her, "Forever."
She nodded and sat on the edge of the bed beside him. "I know."
She pulled him into her arms, and allowed him to sob onto her shoulder. His heart was broken and all she could do was try to understand. "She's gone." He repeated over and over like a mantra.
After what seemed to be hours, he slowly lifted his head, and looked at her blearily. She could see the tears streaming down his face. "I miss her." He whispered.
"I know, sweetie, but we have to get you cleaned up." She gently pulled her arm from around him, and stood up.
Draco nodded numbly, not really paying attention to what he was agreeing to, but recognizing the routine. He shuffled towards the bathroom, and she listened carefully for the running water before beginning to tidy up.
No more than seven minutes later, a much cleaner Draco exited the bathroom and stumbled his way back to the bed. She followed him. "Draco, darling, you need to get up. We need to get you back on your feet."
He shook his head, and buried his face in his pillows. She heard his choking sobs, his body racking with each one. Draco was really hurting.
"Draco—"
"I know!" He shouted, suddenly angry, but still sobbing. "I know, okay! I know what I'm supposed to do! I know how I'm supposed to behave. I know I'm supposed to be over her by now. But it's too hard. She...she...she's d-d-dead."
Draco broke down again, suddenly spent. "Hermione's dead and there's nothing I can do about it. I loved—I love her and there's nothing I can do about it. So please, just please, let me mourn my wife in peace."
Pansy finally nodded her head and exited quietly.
They both knew that she'd be back next week and that they'd go through this all over again. She knew it couldn't have been easy for him to lose the only woman he had ever loved, but it had been almost six months since the war-to-end-all-wars had taken the life of his wife, and she was beginning to tire of their routine.