I'd like to make reference to an e-mail that I've received over the course of the story. Firstly, the name Sean is traditionally male. I'm a guy. I'm not a girl. No more 'You go girls or 'I can't believe you can grasp the male point of you so well!'. I can grasp how a guy thinks because I am one. Secondly, I'm in the Army. I couldn't serve in the military if I was homosexual. I promise I am very straight. I love women as much as any dude, I'm just a hopeless romantic.
Draco followed the girl silently. She walked out of the kitchen, using a side door to exit out into the dark night. As she walked, she undid the white apron around her waist and balled it up in one hand. She took off the tight bonnet and shook out her long brown hair. As he watched the hair cascade down the girl's back he felt slightly ill. Blood rushed to his head and his breathing quickened.
Man, Draco thought. I'm really messed up if her hair can do this to me. What will I do when she finally talks to me?
The girl strode off across the gravel driveway and headed toward the high walls of the gardens. In the moonlight, the lively green foliage had turned black. The girl ran a hand through her hair and strode into the gardens.
Draco followed, hunched over, quietly keeping pace with walking girl. He realized that if the girl saw him, she would have the wrong idea about him. After all, how many reasons could he have to stalk a girl in the middle of the night? Draco knew that skulking after the girl probably wasn't the best was to get to know her, but he didn't fell as if he was ready to talk to her, yet. Potter had told him to just walk up to her and talk to her. Easy for him to say. Potter had always had a way with others. People were drawn to him, as if he were some human magnet. Draco had spent most of his life making people hate him. It wasn't easy to switch gears.
Draco saw the girl disappear around one of the corners of the gardens. He followed after her, avoiding dry leaves and twigs that lay on the ground. Draco hugged to one of the vine covered walls as he tried to locate the girl. After turning the corner, she had disappeared from sight.
Draco saw the fist at the last second. He lunged backward, trying to avoid the punch. Instead of colliding with his face, the balled fist struck him on the shoulder. His fist dove into a pocket of his blue jeans for the wand that wasn't there. His wand was in his trunk sitting at the foot of bed in one of the Grangers' guest room.
No magic, Draco thought grimly as he turned to his assailant. Draco's ability in the wizarding arts had always made him a powerful foe, but without it he was practically defenseless. It had never been a priority of Draco's father for Draco to be able to defend himself physically. Still, the years of playing quidditch had shaped his body and he considered himself to be of average strength.
His breath caught in his throat when he turned to see the same girl he had been following. She had her legs spread at an easy, comfortable distance and she was bouncing lightly on her toes. She seemed surprised as he was but her surprise didn't last long. She took a step forward and swung a lazy fist at Draco's head.
Draco easily ducked beneath the slow swing but didn't see the real purpose of the attack until her knee crashed into his face. Colors flashed in his sight and he knew that if he didn't end this fight soon, he might not make it out of it. The girl was fast. He quickly back stepped until he was out of the girl's arm length. He threw his hand up in front of him. "Wait!"
The girl looked at him though angry eyes. "Why are you following me?"
Draco shook his head. "I know what this looks like, but I just wanted to talk to you."
The girl's hands came down to her sides and opened out of the fists they had been in. She looked at him warily. "You're the boy who ran into me, earlier today. And the one who was staring at me when I brought in the food." Her cheeks flushed. "You made me drop that plate you were staring at me so hard. What did you want to talk about?"
Draco ran his hand though his long, pale hair, his mind racing. He hadn't really been prepared to talk to her, but now that the girl had seen him, he was cornered.
"Yeah…uh…I am the one who ran into you in the garden."
The girl must have thought him brainless by the look on her face. "And…?"
Draco felt an irrational wave of anger at the situation. How had he gotten himself into this? Draco felt his stomach doing back flips. If love felt like this, he wasn't sure if he wanted it. How had this happened?
Draco opened his mouth to give a biting remark that he was known for in school. But when his eyes connected with hers his train of thought was derailed. She was so beautiful. He ran his hand through his hair again. "Look…I don't know what to say. I don't have the words."
The girl stared and Draco felt blood rush to his face. He was an idiot and he was blowing it. Potentially the best thing that could happen in his doomed, dark life was slipping away because he couldn't say the right thing, couldn't say anything.
The girl seemed to hear his inner dialogue because she suddenly dropped her eyes and blushed herself. Draco saw this and was heartened by the sight. "He took as step toward the girl and she backed away. Draco dropped to the ground with a sigh. He sat on the grass and pulled his knees to his chest. He put his chin on his knees and looked up at the girl "This isn't something I usually do." He admitted lamely. "I don't usually tip-toe after girls in the middle of the night."
The girl smiled slightly. "You aren't very good at it. I heard you back by the house. I thought you were Gerald come to bother me some more."
"Gerald?" Draco asked.
She shook her head in disgust. "A boy that works her on the estate. He's the chauffeur's son. He thinks because there aren't any boys my age that he can run his bloody hands all over me."
Draco felt a pang of anger rise from his gut. He suddenly wanted to have this Gerald in front of him so he could teach him a lesson about manners.
The girl continued, "Gerald doesn't take a hint. He tries to corner me in the gardens and behind the garage to…do whatever he wants. He never gets very far. You'd think that with all the bruises and sore shins I've given him that he would leave me alone." She looked up at Draco and laughed. "That's why I took off my apron and my bonnet. I didn't want anything getting in the way when I thrashed him. When you came around the corner I hit you because I thought you were him. I hit you the second time because I was angry at you for following me. Sorry about that."
Draco rubbed his throbbing shoulder. "So am I. That was quite a punch."
The girl blushed in pleasure. "My father taught me how to box before he died. He was a light-weight champion, himself, when he was young."
"He taught you well."
The girl nodded and then suddenly: "You go to the magic school with Miss Hermione, don't you."
Draco's head swam. How could she know? There were so many laws and restrictions to keep the Muggles from finding out about the wizarding world and now this girl knew. "Yes, I do." He said cautiously. "How do you know about that?"
The girl sank down to the ground next to him. She shrugged. "I've known for years. I was never a good friend of Miss Hermione, like some of the other kids whose parents work here. My father was just getting sick, then, and I was so wrapped up in that. But, I noticed things the other kids didn't. Like when Miss Hermione was young and things started happening. Strange things. One time, when I was young, I was sweeping the walkway behind the house. That is one of the only jobs they trust with kids who were only six or seven. Hermione was the same age and she was running around the gardens, playing in the fountains. Old Tom was the head gardener until he retired a couple of years ago. He was pruning the hedges on this tall ladder. He must have missed a limb, because I saw him fall. He hit the ground and I heard a sick crack. Old Tom had broken his legs and was screaming in pain." The girl shuddered as if she could still hear the screams. "Hermione heard him yell and she started crying. She ran over to Old Tom and told him to stop screaming. She didn't understand what was wrong with him. She covered her ears and screamed, too." The girl was staring into Draco's eyes intently. "All of the sudden, Old Tom stopped screaming and looked down at his leg. It was fine. Not even a bruise where seconds ago it had been broken. If that's not magic, I don't know what is."
Draco nodded. "So how do you know about the school?"
The girl shrugged. "Hermione's gone for most of the year. Her parents are amazing employers, but they've lived with servants for so long that they don't even notice when they're in the same room with them. I was setting the table a couple years ago when I heard them talk about the school."
Draco understood. His father's estate had been thick with house elves and after a few years, Draco had stopped noticing them. Draco looked at the girl. "You're not supposed to know. Only the student's family members are supposed to know. You could get in a lot of trouble if you tell anyone."
The girl raised an eyebrow. "Tell anyone? How could I tell anyone? No one would believe me."
Draco nodded. "True. No one would believe you."
The girl looked up at him. "What's it like there?"
Draco knew he shouldn't tell, but the girl already knew so much. "I never really liked it there." Draco admitted.
"Why not?"
Draco shrugged. "I don't make friends easily. I've always been surrounded by people I don't trust." Your own fault! his mind screamed. "But I guess that was always my doing. I've never been a nice person."
"What about Miss Hermione and the others you came with? They seem to be your friends."
Draco couldn't help but smile. Harry Potter and the rest, friends with Draco Malfoy? Impossible, but true. "Yes, they are my friends. I didn't really know what that was until not long ago."
The girl nodded and then extended a hand to Draco. "You can never have too many friends. Emily Combs. Pleased to meet you."
Draco tokk her hand and shook it gently. "Wizard Draco Malfoy." He laughed. "I'll be your friend if you promise to never attack me again."
Emily smiled and Draco felt his heart ache. "It's a deal." She looked up at him shyly. "So you're a wizard?"
"Of course!" Draco said. "I'm certainly not a witch!"
"I thought males were called warlocks. That's what all the tales call you."
Draco thought about his father and all the other Death Eaters. He thought about all the horrible things they had done. "I know some people who could be considered warlocks."
Emily shuddered. "So do I."
Draco put a clumsy arm around her shoulder. Surprisingly, she leaned against him and put her head on his shoulder. Draco was sure she could hear his heart pound. "Why do you stay here, Emily?"
The girl shrugged. "I like it here. The grangers are good people. They kept me on even after my father died. They didn't have to. I didn't really know how to be a servant. They don't know about some of the bad people they employ."
Draco thought about the old man, Henry and how he had almost killed Hermione's mother, earlier that day. "I wouldn't be surprised if they started taking a little more interest in who they employ."
"That's good."
An idea suddenly struck Draco. "Would you like to go for a ride?"
"What kind of ride?"
"Have you ever seen a Nimbus 2001?"
Another very short chapter. I had to sneak it in, though. This is Draco's final reckoning, the final stage of his becoming one of the 'good guys'. He needed to experience love. But not only that, he needed to experience it with a Muggle, the people who he hated with all of his being only a short while ago.
The story is definitely winding down. Only a few more chapters. Voldemort will not be killed. That's for another story. Ron and Hermione will be married and everyone will be happy.
I've been thinking of a follow-up story, where I fast forward about ten years. Tell me if you would be interested. To tell the truth, I'm surprised you're still interested in this story.
Draco followed the girl silently. She walked out of the kitchen, using a side door to exit out into the dark night. As she walked, she undid the white apron around her waist and balled it up in one hand. She took off the tight bonnet and shook out her long brown hair. As he watched the hair cascade down the girl's back he felt slightly ill. Blood rushed to his head and his breathing quickened.
Man, Draco thought. I'm really messed up if her hair can do this to me. What will I do when she finally talks to me?
The girl strode off across the gravel driveway and headed toward the high walls of the gardens. In the moonlight, the lively green foliage had turned black. The girl ran a hand through her hair and strode into the gardens.
Draco followed, hunched over, quietly keeping pace with walking girl. He realized that if the girl saw him, she would have the wrong idea about him. After all, how many reasons could he have to stalk a girl in the middle of the night? Draco knew that skulking after the girl probably wasn't the best was to get to know her, but he didn't fell as if he was ready to talk to her, yet. Potter had told him to just walk up to her and talk to her. Easy for him to say. Potter had always had a way with others. People were drawn to him, as if he were some human magnet. Draco had spent most of his life making people hate him. It wasn't easy to switch gears.
Draco saw the girl disappear around one of the corners of the gardens. He followed after her, avoiding dry leaves and twigs that lay on the ground. Draco hugged to one of the vine covered walls as he tried to locate the girl. After turning the corner, she had disappeared from sight.
Draco saw the fist at the last second. He lunged backward, trying to avoid the punch. Instead of colliding with his face, the balled fist struck him on the shoulder. His fist dove into a pocket of his blue jeans for the wand that wasn't there. His wand was in his trunk sitting at the foot of bed in one of the Grangers' guest room.
No magic, Draco thought grimly as he turned to his assailant. Draco's ability in the wizarding arts had always made him a powerful foe, but without it he was practically defenseless. It had never been a priority of Draco's father for Draco to be able to defend himself physically. Still, the years of playing quidditch had shaped his body and he considered himself to be of average strength.
His breath caught in his throat when he turned to see the same girl he had been following. She had her legs spread at an easy, comfortable distance and she was bouncing lightly on her toes. She seemed surprised as he was but her surprise didn't last long. She took a step forward and swung a lazy fist at Draco's head.
Draco easily ducked beneath the slow swing but didn't see the real purpose of the attack until her knee crashed into his face. Colors flashed in his sight and he knew that if he didn't end this fight soon, he might not make it out of it. The girl was fast. He quickly back stepped until he was out of the girl's arm length. He threw his hand up in front of him. "Wait!"
The girl looked at him though angry eyes. "Why are you following me?"
Draco shook his head. "I know what this looks like, but I just wanted to talk to you."
The girl's hands came down to her sides and opened out of the fists they had been in. She looked at him warily. "You're the boy who ran into me, earlier today. And the one who was staring at me when I brought in the food." Her cheeks flushed. "You made me drop that plate you were staring at me so hard. What did you want to talk about?"
Draco ran his hand though his long, pale hair, his mind racing. He hadn't really been prepared to talk to her, but now that the girl had seen him, he was cornered.
"Yeah…uh…I am the one who ran into you in the garden."
The girl must have thought him brainless by the look on her face. "And…?"
Draco felt an irrational wave of anger at the situation. How had he gotten himself into this? Draco felt his stomach doing back flips. If love felt like this, he wasn't sure if he wanted it. How had this happened?
Draco opened his mouth to give a biting remark that he was known for in school. But when his eyes connected with hers his train of thought was derailed. She was so beautiful. He ran his hand through his hair again. "Look…I don't know what to say. I don't have the words."
The girl stared and Draco felt blood rush to his face. He was an idiot and he was blowing it. Potentially the best thing that could happen in his doomed, dark life was slipping away because he couldn't say the right thing, couldn't say anything.
The girl seemed to hear his inner dialogue because she suddenly dropped her eyes and blushed herself. Draco saw this and was heartened by the sight. "He took as step toward the girl and she backed away. Draco dropped to the ground with a sigh. He sat on the grass and pulled his knees to his chest. He put his chin on his knees and looked up at the girl "This isn't something I usually do." He admitted lamely. "I don't usually tip-toe after girls in the middle of the night."
The girl smiled slightly. "You aren't very good at it. I heard you back by the house. I thought you were Gerald come to bother me some more."
"Gerald?" Draco asked.
She shook her head in disgust. "A boy that works her on the estate. He's the chauffeur's son. He thinks because there aren't any boys my age that he can run his bloody hands all over me."
Draco felt a pang of anger rise from his gut. He suddenly wanted to have this Gerald in front of him so he could teach him a lesson about manners.
The girl continued, "Gerald doesn't take a hint. He tries to corner me in the gardens and behind the garage to…do whatever he wants. He never gets very far. You'd think that with all the bruises and sore shins I've given him that he would leave me alone." She looked up at Draco and laughed. "That's why I took off my apron and my bonnet. I didn't want anything getting in the way when I thrashed him. When you came around the corner I hit you because I thought you were him. I hit you the second time because I was angry at you for following me. Sorry about that."
Draco rubbed his throbbing shoulder. "So am I. That was quite a punch."
The girl blushed in pleasure. "My father taught me how to box before he died. He was a light-weight champion, himself, when he was young."
"He taught you well."
The girl nodded and then suddenly: "You go to the magic school with Miss Hermione, don't you."
Draco's head swam. How could she know? There were so many laws and restrictions to keep the Muggles from finding out about the wizarding world and now this girl knew. "Yes, I do." He said cautiously. "How do you know about that?"
The girl sank down to the ground next to him. She shrugged. "I've known for years. I was never a good friend of Miss Hermione, like some of the other kids whose parents work here. My father was just getting sick, then, and I was so wrapped up in that. But, I noticed things the other kids didn't. Like when Miss Hermione was young and things started happening. Strange things. One time, when I was young, I was sweeping the walkway behind the house. That is one of the only jobs they trust with kids who were only six or seven. Hermione was the same age and she was running around the gardens, playing in the fountains. Old Tom was the head gardener until he retired a couple of years ago. He was pruning the hedges on this tall ladder. He must have missed a limb, because I saw him fall. He hit the ground and I heard a sick crack. Old Tom had broken his legs and was screaming in pain." The girl shuddered as if she could still hear the screams. "Hermione heard him yell and she started crying. She ran over to Old Tom and told him to stop screaming. She didn't understand what was wrong with him. She covered her ears and screamed, too." The girl was staring into Draco's eyes intently. "All of the sudden, Old Tom stopped screaming and looked down at his leg. It was fine. Not even a bruise where seconds ago it had been broken. If that's not magic, I don't know what is."
Draco nodded. "So how do you know about the school?"
The girl shrugged. "Hermione's gone for most of the year. Her parents are amazing employers, but they've lived with servants for so long that they don't even notice when they're in the same room with them. I was setting the table a couple years ago when I heard them talk about the school."
Draco understood. His father's estate had been thick with house elves and after a few years, Draco had stopped noticing them. Draco looked at the girl. "You're not supposed to know. Only the student's family members are supposed to know. You could get in a lot of trouble if you tell anyone."
The girl raised an eyebrow. "Tell anyone? How could I tell anyone? No one would believe me."
Draco nodded. "True. No one would believe you."
The girl looked up at him. "What's it like there?"
Draco knew he shouldn't tell, but the girl already knew so much. "I never really liked it there." Draco admitted.
"Why not?"
Draco shrugged. "I don't make friends easily. I've always been surrounded by people I don't trust." Your own fault! his mind screamed. "But I guess that was always my doing. I've never been a nice person."
"What about Miss Hermione and the others you came with? They seem to be your friends."
Draco couldn't help but smile. Harry Potter and the rest, friends with Draco Malfoy? Impossible, but true. "Yes, they are my friends. I didn't really know what that was until not long ago."
The girl nodded and then extended a hand to Draco. "You can never have too many friends. Emily Combs. Pleased to meet you."
Draco tokk her hand and shook it gently. "Wizard Draco Malfoy." He laughed. "I'll be your friend if you promise to never attack me again."
Emily smiled and Draco felt his heart ache. "It's a deal." She looked up at him shyly. "So you're a wizard?"
"Of course!" Draco said. "I'm certainly not a witch!"
"I thought males were called warlocks. That's what all the tales call you."
Draco thought about his father and all the other Death Eaters. He thought about all the horrible things they had done. "I know some people who could be considered warlocks."
Emily shuddered. "So do I."
Draco put a clumsy arm around her shoulder. Surprisingly, she leaned against him and put her head on his shoulder. Draco was sure she could hear his heart pound. "Why do you stay here, Emily?"
The girl shrugged. "I like it here. The grangers are good people. They kept me on even after my father died. They didn't have to. I didn't really know how to be a servant. They don't know about some of the bad people they employ."
Draco thought about the old man, Henry and how he had almost killed Hermione's mother, earlier that day. "I wouldn't be surprised if they started taking a little more interest in who they employ."
"That's good."
An idea suddenly struck Draco. "Would you like to go for a ride?"
"What kind of ride?"
"Have you ever seen a Nimbus 2001?"
Another very short chapter. I had to sneak it in, though. This is Draco's final reckoning, the final stage of his becoming one of the 'good guys'. He needed to experience love. But not only that, he needed to experience it with a Muggle, the people who he hated with all of his being only a short while ago.
The story is definitely winding down. Only a few more chapters. Voldemort will not be killed. That's for another story. Ron and Hermione will be married and everyone will be happy.
I've been thinking of a follow-up story, where I fast forward about ten years. Tell me if you would be interested. To tell the truth, I'm surprised you're still interested in this story.