Chapter 2- The Snow Globe.
Draco must have finally dosed off in his chair. He was awoken hours later by Pinkie;
"There is a gentleman here to see you ," she informed him cautiously.
"Tell him to bugger off, I don't want to see anyone," Couldn't he be left to wallow in his own misery? He silently wondered.
"The Gentleman says it is important it is about the late Mrs. Weasley," as Draco was sure was intended that got his attention. "Alright Pinkie," Draco conceded, "show him in."
"Mr. Malfoy," the rather rotund wizard held out his hand in greeting. Draco ignored it impatiently.
"What do you want?" Draco asked, his patience and manners having long since deserted him. The man stiffened clearly steeling himself to have the encounter over as quickly as possible.
"Mr. Malfoy my name is Theissen Klimt, I represent the estate of the late Hermione Weasley nee Granger. I am sure you are aware of Mrs. Weasley's sad parting…"
Draco scoffed by way of acknowledgement waving the man on to continue.
"I am here to inform you that Mrs. Weasley left you a bequest in her will. She assumed you would not be willing to come to our offices to collect it so she instructed that we bring it to you."
"Get on with it man," Draco grumbled, "else I'll be dead before you finish."
The lawyer grimace but reached into his bag to produce a black velvet bag draw string bag.
"She told me to tell you; 'that you would know what to do with it,'"
"Is that all?" Draco snapped.
"Umm! Well yes." The lawyer concluded looking put out as if he had expected Draco to explain.
"Then good day Mr. Klimt, Pinkie will see you out."
Draco held the bag as if it might burn him. As soon as Klimt left the room, with shaking hands he prized the bag open. A wry smile spread across his face as he removed the snow globe from the bag. I remember this, he silently recalled, I remember this day, I remember how it was the first time I had felt hope in what had felt like forever. I remember having it made to recall the moment and I remember how I learnt to be selfless and gave it to her.
He shook the globe, the snow swirled around the figure of a young woman running, her hair flying like a pennant in the breeze a dragon kite trailing behind her. He recalled how Hermione had raced along the beach laughing as spindrift flashing at her heels. It had been a beautiful day a day he had had her all to himself, when she had taught him to hope that he might have a chance at redemption. It was all an illusion he thought bitterly, unreal like the girl in the globe no more attainable than bottled moonlight.
There was a tiny draw in the base he recalled; when he gave it to her the draw had held a promise ring. He wondered did she ever wear it. Tentatively, he opened the draw praying the ring and the note were not still there that she had at least known that she had meant something to him. It was still there the ring where he had left it, Draco's despair only deepened as he withdrew the note. Turning over the parchment he realized that it was not in his own hand. He unfolded it with shaking fingers-he knew that hand.
'Draco my love', the note began, Draco almost choked on the sob that rent through him as he read those first words.
Days earlier
Hermione knew she was dying, knew she didn't have long left. There was little the healers could do for her now and they had granted her wish to go home so she could pass in peace in familiar surroundings. But she felt no peace, there was a gnawing ache in her soul, there was something she had to do, a chance she had to take before she could rest.
Seating painfully slowly at her writing desk she pulled out a quill and parchment. She began to write but faltered, how did you address the man you had pined for for decades? She contemplated. She stared at her wizened and age spotted hands, at the ring that she had never removed. The ring she had refused to remove despite Ron's churlish attempts to replace it and finally she began simply and honestly she addressed him:
Draco, my love,
If you are reading this then I am gone. Do you grieve for me? Would you want to be with me again if only you could? Are you brave enough to take the risk if there was a way? If there was one last chance for the life we should have had together? If there was a moment in time when you could go back, do things differently, live life again would you take it?
This is my bequest to you my love. I offer you a second chance, the means to spend a life time with me rather than a life time of misery. Be brave my love, you know the moment stand up and claim me.
I await you,
All my love, always,
Hermione
Slivers of tears lined her eyes as she folded the note, took of the ring and placed it in the hidden draw of the snow globe he had given her. Then she placed the small black velvet pouch that she had kept hidden for years alongside it and closed the draw turning her attention to instructing her lawyers on how they must deal with her bequest.
At last her will and bequests settled Hermione took to her bed never to rise again.
Author's note
Believe it or not this is going to be a happy ending. Please review