A/N: Hi again! Completely overwhelmed so many people even saw the first chapter of this! That's crazy! I'm not a professional writer, nor will I ever be, but I've always wanted to write out all the little ideas in my head so this is a nice outlet. Sorry for any grammar mistakes, I try to catch them all because I'm quite picky, but I do make some mistakes! Thank you for the reviews so far, it means a lot! This chapter actually begins the story (the song). I don't have an outline or anything so I'm just gonna go with the flow and see what happens!
Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own Harry Potter. Would looooove to own Draco Malfoy though.
"I wanna take you somewhere so you know I care
But it's so cold and I don't know where
I brought you daffodils in a pretty string
But they won't flower like they did last spring"
He hadn't thought much of Granger in the past two weeks since he'd seen her last. However, reading The Daily Prophet this morning he couldn't help but think of her. Think of her, feel bad for her, feel guilty for being so rude to her the last time they spoke. The cover story today featured a picture of that disgusting ginger git trying to eat some poor girl's face- at least that's what it looked like. That wasn't the part that had his interest though. No, that would be the sight of Granger walking out of the building behind the ginger, seeing the disgusting mating ritual happening in front of her, and watching her heart break all over again. He couldn't stop watching the image as it repeated, over and over again. The small smile on her face before her entire body seemed to deflate as she quickly averted her eyes and ran away. He didn't know why, but he felt he should reach out to her. Just to make sure she's okay, because they're in similar situations, not because he actually cared or something ridiculous like that. Yeah, he definitely didn't care for that annoying, bossy, beautiful know-it-all. Wait what? Shaking the ridiculous thought from his sleep-deprived mind, he grabbed a quill and a piece of parchment before he totally came back to his senses.
Miss Granger,
I hope this letter finds you in good health. It has come to my attention that perhaps I might have been a tad rude the last time we spoke. Would you allow me to make it up to you?
Sincerely,
Draco L. Malfoy
She was in her new apartment sitting on her "vintage" couch when she heard a tapping at the window. Curious, she got up and let the regal looking owl in. She'd never seen this owl before, but that wasn't saying much considering the amount of mail she'd been receiving lately due to those stupid Prophet articles. She just hoped this one wasn't hate mail or another howler. Upon opening the parchment and quickly reading it her heart skipped a beat. Malfoy? Draco Malfoy wanted to see her? Unsure what to do she slipped the owl some treats from the bowl on the window sill and went in search of some parchment. Quickly scrawling out a reply, she attached it to the owl's foot and watched it immediately take flight back out her window. Sitting back down she thought about what had happened between her and Malfoy a few weeks back. She knew the only reason he had been rude and blown her off was because he clearly wasn't having a good day. At least, she had had her hopes that was why. She hadn't really done anything worthy of deserving such a brush-off so it seemed the only reasonable explanation. She wasn't sure why he wanted to make it up to her or if this was some kind of trick but it's not like she had anything to lose anymore. Crookshanks popped up on the couch and curled up against her legs. She gently pet his head before relaxing against the back of the couch and closing her eyes.
He was sitting in his study on his fourth drink when his owl returned with her reply. He waved the regal beast over and gave his head a pet before detaching the parchment from his leg. Opening it up he read:
Malfoy,
I am well, thank you. I hope you can say the same. I don't believe there is anything to make up, but if you'd like to, who am I to decline? Owl me back with the details and I will be there.
Thank you,
Hermione J. Granger
She accepted his invitation? He couldn't say he wasn't surprised. He was genuine in his wish to make it up to her, but with their history he didn't know if he'd get the chance. Not knowing what she was expecting, he wasn't sure where to take her. It was the dead of winter now, so anything outdoors or that involved a walk seemed an improbable decision. He wanted to take her somewhere nice though, to show he cared. Erm. To show he .. was sorry? Oh who was he kidding, for some reason, he cared. Maybe it was because he now knew what she was going through. He knew what it was like to have the person you're committed to betray you. Maybe she accepted because she knew he was going through the same shit she was. Maybe she just didn't want to be a broken person by herself. It was a damn lonely existence. He made a decision right then that it didn't matter that they were both broken, he was going to try to make this work. At the very least, he needed a new companion, and she seemed to need one too. He walked outside into his mother's garden and looked for a flower that wasn't dead in this dreadful weather. After walking back inside, he found a piece of parchment and scrawled a reply with the details of where he wanted to meet. Maybe his rash decision this morning wouldn't come back to bite him in the arse afterall.
She awoke from her slumber when a knock sounded on her door. Getting up she glanced in the mirror hanging on the wall and grimaced at her appearance. She truly looked a mess. Oh well, not like I have anyone to impress anyway. With a yawn she opened up the door and looked at her visitor with wary eyes.
"What are you doing here?" she slowly asked.
"I came to see how you're doing, Hermione. I'm worried about you," came the soft-spoken reply of Harry Potter.
"I'm fine, Harry," she lied with a small but hopefully convincing smile on her face.
"I've known you since I was eleven, Hermione. I may be daft sometimes but I know when you're lying to me," he gently admonished.
"I'm sorry Harry, I just-" she began, before being interrupted by an owl screeching at the window inside her apartment. Turning back around to face Harry she raised one finger in a "I'll be back in one minute" motion before walking off to let the poor owl in. Recognizing Malfoy's owl this time she eagerly detached his parchment, when something fell out of it and onto the floor. She reached down to get it when a masculine hand intercepted it.
"Who's sending you dead flowers, Mione?" Harry warily inquired.
Gently snatching the flower out of his hand, she ignored him for the time being and quickly read the letter.
Granger,
I'm fine, thanks. Be that as it may, I would still like to make amends. The horrid weather doesn't allow for much at the moment, but we can meet at that coffee shop in muggle London perhaps? If you're free, I'll be there tomorrow morning at 8. I look forward to making your acquaintance again.
Sincerely,
Draco L. Malfoy
P.S. The squashed daffodil was the only almost-living flower I could find on short notice, but it seems oddly appropriate, don't you think?
She smiled remembering that daffodils, also known as the narcissus flower, represented new beginnings. She was lost in her own world for a minute before hearing the sound of someone clearing their throat. She jumped, forgetting that Harry had ignored her warning and was standing right next to her with a suspicious look in his eye.
"Hermione? Who's the flower from?" he questioned again.
"I'm not sure, Harry. A friend, I think. I hope," she murmured, still smiling and looking at the squashed daffodil.
A/N: Two chapters in one day? I know, I know. Probably will never happen again but I'm procrastinating pretty bad and your reviews inspired me to write some more! So if things seem a little random so far I promise it would make more sense if you listened to the song. That's why I'm going to be attaching the lyrics at the top of the chapters. I know things are moving fast with Draco and Hermione and I left out a lot of details about everything that's happened but I did it on purpose because this isn't going to be a novel, it's just a short little song fic. The story is going to directly coincide with the lyrics so it might not always make you happy, but I'm gonna try to make it a good story regardless! Thank you all for reading, it means the world to me!
