Disclaimer: See first chapter.
Author's Notes: To my two reviewers -
PhoenixRae: Thank you, your input helped me out a lot! And Da pesky kid: Thanks, your enthusiasm got this chapter written quicker.
Quickly: Ella's age will have to be lowered to five or six, as she was too old to have born after Hogwarts.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"so the lines are lost
on the smallest details
of the life that we tossed
pushed out over the rail
and the wounds run deep
through the one man so bad
he's fallen beneath
the touch of your hand"
-"Drawn Out"
Dishwalla
Hermione Granger was sitting in a small sandwich shop, eating lunch with Draco and Ella Malfoy.
Yes, you read that sentence correctly. After discovering who the other person was, Hermione and Draco had hurriedly forgotten that fact in the search for Ella's books. Much to both Draco's and Hermione's surprise, Ella had then walked over to Hermione and motioned for her to read Ella the book. Hermione looked to Draco, and seeing no objection, she sat on a pillow in the children's corner. Ella sat down next to her, waiting for Hermione to begin. By the look on Draco's face, she could tell Ella rarely did this.
For close to half an hour, Hermione read to Ella, Draco listening near by. All during this, Draco and Hermione had avoided looking at each other. Rosa came to peer at the odd scene once and awhile, but no one noticed. Sneakily, she used her wand to flip the 'Open' sign over to read 'Closed'. She didn't want them disturbed. As Hermione rang them up (Ella and Draco were taking home three of the books in a series of five), Ella watched Hermione carefully. She seemed to be studying her. Draco thanked her, took Ella's hand, and turned to leave.
Part of Hermione was pleased. This was just to awkward to bear. Another part was desperately curious. What was Draco doing in California? How did he have a daughter? Who was his daughter really? What was new with Draco? The last time she had seen him was seventh year. Gradually, he had grown tired of teasing the "Golden Gryffindor Trio", and while things were never friendly between he and the Gryffindors, they stopped trying to hex each other between every-other class. Hermione had noted Draco becoming more and more withdrawn, but that didn't stop him from becoming captain of the quiddich team, and a prefect. 'Draco wasn't just daddy's boy,' Hermione thought, 'There were brains in there.' Harry never mentioned him in his letters.
Just as the enchanted bells hanging above the door jingled, Draco seemed to have a change of heart and turned back around. "Hermione, at the least I owe you a lunch." These simple words shocked Hermione, and would would imagine coming from someone who tortured you for four or five years of your life. "There's a lot to talk about." he continued. A war started within Hermione. Is he even worth listening to? Am I that desperate? What if this is a trick? What if he knows about Ron? What if-
"I've got a lunch break in fifteen minutes." Hermione took the plunge, surprising even herself.
Draco smiled. His smile disengaged Hermione, knocking down the shield she had built in the past years. Has she ever seen him smile, without smirking or at someone else's misfortune? Maybe when he was announced the captain of the quiddich team, that was one time she remembered. His smile now was warm, genuine. He truly was happy she had agreed to eat with them.
So her they were, Hermione eating a vegetable sandwich, Draco a BLT, and Ella silently eating a grilled cheese sandwich. Hermione had taken note that Draco pointed at items on the children's menu, instead of just ordering for her. Ella tugged on Hermione sleeve, and when she looked over, Ella just stared. Hermione picked up a crayon, and drew a tick-tack-toe grid on her paper kid's menu. They played, Ella won. Ella put down her crayon angrily and looked away from Hermione. This startled Hermione; didn't children like to win? Draco smiled apologetically, then said quietly, "She knows you let her win." Hermione was delighted, but sorry she had offended Ella. This time she tugged on Ella's sleeve.
"Play again?" she asked. Ella looked at Hermione, which again, unnerved her. She seemed to be measuring Hermione, looking deeply inside her. A shadow of a smile touched Ella's face, then left. She did pick up the crayon though; Hermione won the second round.
Draco took all of this in with interest. This was the most emotion he had seen in Ella since she was an infant. Ella was an excellent judge in character; she was either her quiet, withdrawn self around you (a good sign), or she left the room whenever you entered (bad sign). Her mother had been killed when she was about one. But Draco did not think about that. At first he thought Ella had suffered some kind of brain damage, when she stopped responding to things. Doctors had assured him it was normal, she'd be back to normal within weeks. Weeks turned into months, months into years. Aucella - little bird in Latin. His little bird did not sing anymore.
Hermione was good for Ella. He could see that immediately. Maybe he could bring her back to England, make her Ella's permanent nanny. Money was not an issue; his father had left him everything after he died in Azkaban. Draco was so amused that his father's actions as a Death Eater had never been found out; he went to Azkaban after using an Unforgivable Curse on his wife and the Muggle she was having an affair with. He had no family, no friends, but Ella. They were vacationing in California, a wish of Ella's. She wanted to see the beaches and palm trees she'd seen pictures of. He had no idea Hermione had relocated here.
Hermione was standing to leave. The three walked outside, where it was bright with sunshine. Ella moved a few feet away, and bent to look at a worm on the grass. Draco and Hermione stood awkwardly, both watching Ella. They began to speak at the same moment. Draco motioned for Hermione to continue.
"I've got to get back." This was not what Draco wanted to hear.
"I'd like to see you again. We both do." He replied.
Hermione was stunned, again. Draco, who's nickname for me was Mudblood. Draco who tormented me, hexed me. Draco whom I was never friends with. Draco who never smiled at me until today, years after graduation. Draco who is now a father.
Hermione did not reply. Draco bent and scooped Ella up, who leaned against her father's chest. He pressed a slip of paper in Hermione's hand and said, "well, hope to see you again. It was nice to talk to you. Say goodbye, Ella." That shadow-smile appeared on Ella's face.
"Goodbye, Hermione."
It wasn't until they were out of eyesight that Hermione looked at the paper, it was a Muggle phone number, an extension at a wizard hotel, near the Flourish and Blott's that Hermione worked at.
'I didn't know he could work a phone.'
Author's Note: Next chapter coming soon, maybe tonight!
Author's Notes: To my two reviewers -
PhoenixRae: Thank you, your input helped me out a lot! And Da pesky kid: Thanks, your enthusiasm got this chapter written quicker.
Quickly: Ella's age will have to be lowered to five or six, as she was too old to have born after Hogwarts.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"so the lines are lost
on the smallest details
of the life that we tossed
pushed out over the rail
and the wounds run deep
through the one man so bad
he's fallen beneath
the touch of your hand"
-"Drawn Out"
Dishwalla
Hermione Granger was sitting in a small sandwich shop, eating lunch with Draco and Ella Malfoy.
Yes, you read that sentence correctly. After discovering who the other person was, Hermione and Draco had hurriedly forgotten that fact in the search for Ella's books. Much to both Draco's and Hermione's surprise, Ella had then walked over to Hermione and motioned for her to read Ella the book. Hermione looked to Draco, and seeing no objection, she sat on a pillow in the children's corner. Ella sat down next to her, waiting for Hermione to begin. By the look on Draco's face, she could tell Ella rarely did this.
For close to half an hour, Hermione read to Ella, Draco listening near by. All during this, Draco and Hermione had avoided looking at each other. Rosa came to peer at the odd scene once and awhile, but no one noticed. Sneakily, she used her wand to flip the 'Open' sign over to read 'Closed'. She didn't want them disturbed. As Hermione rang them up (Ella and Draco were taking home three of the books in a series of five), Ella watched Hermione carefully. She seemed to be studying her. Draco thanked her, took Ella's hand, and turned to leave.
Part of Hermione was pleased. This was just to awkward to bear. Another part was desperately curious. What was Draco doing in California? How did he have a daughter? Who was his daughter really? What was new with Draco? The last time she had seen him was seventh year. Gradually, he had grown tired of teasing the "Golden Gryffindor Trio", and while things were never friendly between he and the Gryffindors, they stopped trying to hex each other between every-other class. Hermione had noted Draco becoming more and more withdrawn, but that didn't stop him from becoming captain of the quiddich team, and a prefect. 'Draco wasn't just daddy's boy,' Hermione thought, 'There were brains in there.' Harry never mentioned him in his letters.
Just as the enchanted bells hanging above the door jingled, Draco seemed to have a change of heart and turned back around. "Hermione, at the least I owe you a lunch." These simple words shocked Hermione, and would would imagine coming from someone who tortured you for four or five years of your life. "There's a lot to talk about." he continued. A war started within Hermione. Is he even worth listening to? Am I that desperate? What if this is a trick? What if he knows about Ron? What if-
"I've got a lunch break in fifteen minutes." Hermione took the plunge, surprising even herself.
Draco smiled. His smile disengaged Hermione, knocking down the shield she had built in the past years. Has she ever seen him smile, without smirking or at someone else's misfortune? Maybe when he was announced the captain of the quiddich team, that was one time she remembered. His smile now was warm, genuine. He truly was happy she had agreed to eat with them.
So her they were, Hermione eating a vegetable sandwich, Draco a BLT, and Ella silently eating a grilled cheese sandwich. Hermione had taken note that Draco pointed at items on the children's menu, instead of just ordering for her. Ella tugged on Hermione sleeve, and when she looked over, Ella just stared. Hermione picked up a crayon, and drew a tick-tack-toe grid on her paper kid's menu. They played, Ella won. Ella put down her crayon angrily and looked away from Hermione. This startled Hermione; didn't children like to win? Draco smiled apologetically, then said quietly, "She knows you let her win." Hermione was delighted, but sorry she had offended Ella. This time she tugged on Ella's sleeve.
"Play again?" she asked. Ella looked at Hermione, which again, unnerved her. She seemed to be measuring Hermione, looking deeply inside her. A shadow of a smile touched Ella's face, then left. She did pick up the crayon though; Hermione won the second round.
Draco took all of this in with interest. This was the most emotion he had seen in Ella since she was an infant. Ella was an excellent judge in character; she was either her quiet, withdrawn self around you (a good sign), or she left the room whenever you entered (bad sign). Her mother had been killed when she was about one. But Draco did not think about that. At first he thought Ella had suffered some kind of brain damage, when she stopped responding to things. Doctors had assured him it was normal, she'd be back to normal within weeks. Weeks turned into months, months into years. Aucella - little bird in Latin. His little bird did not sing anymore.
Hermione was good for Ella. He could see that immediately. Maybe he could bring her back to England, make her Ella's permanent nanny. Money was not an issue; his father had left him everything after he died in Azkaban. Draco was so amused that his father's actions as a Death Eater had never been found out; he went to Azkaban after using an Unforgivable Curse on his wife and the Muggle she was having an affair with. He had no family, no friends, but Ella. They were vacationing in California, a wish of Ella's. She wanted to see the beaches and palm trees she'd seen pictures of. He had no idea Hermione had relocated here.
Hermione was standing to leave. The three walked outside, where it was bright with sunshine. Ella moved a few feet away, and bent to look at a worm on the grass. Draco and Hermione stood awkwardly, both watching Ella. They began to speak at the same moment. Draco motioned for Hermione to continue.
"I've got to get back." This was not what Draco wanted to hear.
"I'd like to see you again. We both do." He replied.
Hermione was stunned, again. Draco, who's nickname for me was Mudblood. Draco who tormented me, hexed me. Draco whom I was never friends with. Draco who never smiled at me until today, years after graduation. Draco who is now a father.
Hermione did not reply. Draco bent and scooped Ella up, who leaned against her father's chest. He pressed a slip of paper in Hermione's hand and said, "well, hope to see you again. It was nice to talk to you. Say goodbye, Ella." That shadow-smile appeared on Ella's face.
"Goodbye, Hermione."
It wasn't until they were out of eyesight that Hermione looked at the paper, it was a Muggle phone number, an extension at a wizard hotel, near the Flourish and Blott's that Hermione worked at.
'I didn't know he could work a phone.'
Author's Note: Next chapter coming soon, maybe tonight!