Enjoy!!!
Draco couldn't believe she was standing in front of him. It was like his mind had brought her in and then his magic had brought her here. She continued to spin in the afternoon sun. Her white cardigan swinging in unison turning with her body as she spun. She looked happy, happier then she had before. Draco couldn't recall the time she had last time she had smiled so. In ten years he had been in her circle, yet this is the first time he witnessed her joy.
It hit him, he was here. He was in front of her, she was on his property, and his garden was the source of her joy. He felt himself smile, and warmth crawling up the back of his calves to his back, flowing over the shoulders. He watched as she lost her balance and sat hard on the ground and burst out laughing. He too laughed with her and walked over to her offering a hand. She took it but instead of letting him lift her from the ground she pulled him down beside her and lay in the grass. He looked at her and followed suit. Draco had realized even as a small child he had never laid in the grass staring at the sky. It was his first time seeing the sky from the horizontal position.
He watched the small fluffy clouds fly by in silence. He glanced at Granger who was staring straight up at the sky with a petite grin and her eyes wide. Draco smiled and turned his attention back to the sky. Draco shifted his weight and started to slowly relax. Soon he closed his eyes and listened to Granger's soft breathing. He felt as though her presence was calming to him. She had this amazing ability to sooth him. Even when she herself didn't even know she was doing it. It was effortless. They were companionable. Draco didn't know if he liked it or not. It felt natural in many ways, but unnatural in the way of the past. They had always detained so much animosity towards each other. Both himself and Granger had hated one another with so much passion the room would heat from their conflicting energy.
"I am not going back to the Ministry." Granger spoke calmly, slowly pulling him from his thoughts.
"Pardon?" Draco asked opening his eyes finding her on her side leaning beside him.
"I am not going back to the Ministry." Granger repeated. Pulling grass up from the roots, piling them beside her.
"What do you mean?" Draco asked lifting his body to face her. Matching her position with his hand supporting his head off the ground.
"Simply, I am not going to go back." Granger continued her grass pulling.
"You're quitting." Draco said slightly lost in the conversation.
"Yes." Granger answered quickly.
"Why?" Draco asked.
"I don't want to be there. I woke up this morning with this big relief. I woke up without wanting to hurl into the toilet or have an attack. I realized it's work that's causing this." Granger explained.
"Granger, it's not work. I know you don't think it now, but it's not going to go away. It may be at bay for now. You'll have an attack as soon as you get stressed about other things. Trust me. I didn't always work. I don't have to either. I do work to create routine. Granger, listen. Take the time you need, but don't kid your-self. You are sick. I am sick. Most of our friends have some kind of imprint of the war, that at anytime can claim us. Whether its heart and lung problems, mental and psychological, or physical. We are all sick. It's just how we learn to live with it. We cannot block ourselves from every tradition of living. We just have to live knowing that maybe one day it may become too much. We all have to work to make sure that day is not tomorrow." Draco said calmly, he watched her face contort with confusion and anger.
"Malfoy, it's not just that I am sick. It's the fact that I have done my duty. Seven solid years of the Wizengamot in the years they needed it the most. I am ready to move on." Granger admitted brushing her long auburn hair behind her small ear.
"You're good at what you do. I don't understand why you would want to throw it all away. Especially if it's only been one day. It's hasty." Draco told her looking into her dark brown eyes.
"This decision has been made for a while now. It just needed to be initiated." Granger dropped his gaze and laid on her back with one hand under her head and the other on her stomach. Draco didn't press the issue; she needed to figure it out for herself. He closed his eyes once again. He could still here her deep breaths, and soon he felt himself fall asleep.
Draco woke to a feeling of dampness and sheer cold. It was raining, his eyes shot open in shock. He felt weight on his chest he looked down and saw Granger's head of curls at top him. It started to rain harder.
"Granger! Wake up!" Draco said touching her head softly, she shifted her weight and shot up from his chest she looked around and then upwards.
"Raining." She said starting to shiver. Draco stood quickly and took her hand to pull her up with him. He led her into the sun patio and started to laugh.
"Of course it has to ruin my bloody nap." Draco laughed out loud. Granger chuckled sweetly. Draco felt warmth in his hand, and realized that Granger's hand was still in his. He didn't want her to let go. Never mind the fact that he himself didn't want to let go. They stood together at the doorway as the rain poured harder. The air in the patio suddenly got warm, Draco felt the need to step out into the rain but Granger pulled him out before he could make his own effort. The rain hit his skin in icy pearls. It felt almost relieving to be pelted with rain. The warmth of Granger's hand washed all over his body. He looked at her and she returned his gaze. He was warm in a sea of cold.
Hermione couldn't remember the day that she met the 'real' Draco Malfoy. 'Real' meaning the one Draco Malfoy who, like anyone had his moments but did not live his life in fear anymore. The real Draco Malfoy only sneered when he was being patronized, voiced his opinions only if he was asked to do so and yelled when he couldn't contain a certain emotion any longer.
This man had simply become someone, a person that most couldn't imagine immerge from the household that he was brought up in and the times he was molded into. Hermione secretly possessed some sort of pride in knowing him. She had come from a good home, had a wonderful mother, and a doting father. How could she be standing the freezing rain and feel perfectly warm with a sworn enemy? Gazing into his gray eyes she felt as though she could stay transfixed in this place until she could no longer feel her body, till her mind froze and her heart stopped; perfectly content. They had come from two totally different places and yet, they shared this warmth with each other.
She felt a longing for him to hold her close, in his arms. She knew though that it was not going to happen today. She also knew that it wasn't going to happen tomorrow or the day after that. Draco is a person who has a heart, who has feelings and who struggles everyday to create this new life of his. Hermione wouldn't want to ruin it. She was not a selfish person nor would she ever be. Hermione felt if she were to be with Malfoy it would ruin them both. They're are both in fragile states, Hermione understood that even though Draco had learned to deal with what the war had left upon him, but he had surely not prepared himself for her. Gaining her and possibly due to her own health problems losing her. She would not do that to him. He lost everything and to lose again would be breaking. Hermione shook her head and slowly dropped Draco's gaze looking out into the garden. She felt the cool rain soak through her cardigan, the she felt her hair flatten in the waters weight. She looked up at the dark grey sky, she could remember the last time she just stood and felt the rain. It felt so beautiful.
"Hermione? Oh my Merlin, I thought you had gone back to St. Mungo's!" Pansy's voice echoed through the patio, Draco dropped her hand almost immediately stepped back into the patio ushering her in. Hermione put on a fake smile for Pansy and faced her as she was barraged with questions of her appearance and her disappearance from her house.
"I walked up the path to see your garden ripped apart. I thought some one had broke in." Pansy said quickly.
"I am fine Pansy. The door was locked and everything. I came here for aid. My garden is beyond my help. Malfoy here agreed to help." Hermione smiled looking over at a now surprisingly distant Malfoy.
"Why are you soaked?" Pansy asked as she furrowed her brow.
"I had to walk up the drive, I am not aloud to apparate." Hermione admitted.
"Which is now remedied." Malfoy interjected the two women.
"Thank you. I will see you tomorrow afternoon correct?" Hermione winked. Malfoy merely nodded quickly.
"Bye Pansy." Hermione started to walk out. She felt a small hand on her arm.
"I was looking for you, that's why I went to your house silly." Pansy said laughing and led Hermione to the patio couch. Pansy sat beside Hermione with her hand in hers. "I need to ask you something." Pansy declared sweetly. Hermione looked up to see Malfoy closed the patio doors softly trying not to disturb them.
"Yes, Pansy." Hermione said nonchalantly trying to ward off the feeling of cold in her wet state.
"I would like you to be my maid of honour!" Pansy said almost squealing. Pansy hugged her before she could even think. "Now I haven't picked the dresses yet but the colour is going to be a light green. The ties as well. Blaise will be your partner, Harry is best man and Ginny is a brides maid, also Draco will be the other grooms man, and Daphne Greengrass will be his partner." Pansy announced excitedly. Hermione heard a loud sigh from the other end of the room. Malfoy stood almost straight still.
"Pansy, really. Daphne are you seriously considering—"Draco, she's my cousin." Pansy cut in snidely.
"I know but Luna has been a devoted friend, far more so then Greengrass ever has." Malfoy stated.
"Oh dear, I forgot about Neville and Luna! Well I will have an extended bridal party. Thank you, Draco! I have to go ask Luna and Neville. They would be delighted of course." Pansy said getting up, waving and disappearing out of the room.
"Not fun." Malfoy sighed into a chair across the room. Looking at Hermione almost as if his energy had been drained from his body.
"Lucky you." Hermione chortled. She watched as Malfoy visibly struggled with the news.
"Well, now I know how drunk I will have to be to endure this torture." Malfoy said stretching out his arms.
"How drunk?" Hermione asked inquisitively.
"Out of my mind." Malfoy said nonchalantly and rested his hands on his thighs. Hermione couldn't help but laugh. "It's not nice to laugh at one's misfortunes." Malfoy added.
"Sorry, at least we'll be entertained. Well at least I will, watching you plot ways to kill her." Hermione giggled feverishly and was soon joined by Malfoy.
I hoped you enjoyed it, please review!!
MDM
