A Song without Words
Disclaimer: Still not mine. All characters are owned by JK Rowling. Story line is all mine though.
Enjoy Chapter Two!
Chapter 2
"You what?" the fire died from her eyes and she had a bewildered look on her face. Before he could utter a word she started talking again. "Wait. Don't repeat that, I don't want to hear it." She covered her ears and turned her eyes to the pale ceiling, completely oblivious to the smirk playing on her flat mate's face.
Draco smirked, obviously. That was the most he had heard her speak since October. In truth he slightly missed the quick tongue of hers as she would snap back at his rude comments. The short sentences she had just uttered were the best sounds he had heard in a long while. He could also see that there was still a small spark of her old self. Standing off of his couch he walked over to the reclined girl.
"You know?" He hesitated. 'What am I going to say?' he thought rapidly. 'Oh well, too late to back out now.' He tapped the seat next to Hermione's shoulder. She uncovered her ears and slightly moved her head towards him.
"I know many things. But continue." He smirked, 'Good, she's still there.'
"I lost my mum last school year." Hermione's dark eyes widened ever so slightly. "Mother was the only reason I put up with Father. It's not like Dad is a bad person, but…he's human like everyone else. But is extraordinarily greedy. He didn't mind hurting others to get ahead in the game. It was better me than my mum. But she got sick and Dad didn't notice until too late."
"Didn't she do anything to try and get help?" Hermione looked at Draco's face. "Couldn't she call for a healer or something?"
"She could have, but for some reason she didn't. Anyway, that's not the point. The point of me bringing myself to mentioning this immensely tragic memory, to one of the people I have been feuding with fro the past several years of my life," he took a breath, "is to show you that I've been where you are. I've grieved before. I've grieved hard. And through different stages. I'm sure that you've felt them too. Denial, grief, solitude, hate, confusion, pain. But I've been watching…" Hermione's eyes showed surprise. Draco continued, "And I've seen something different between our cases. Take a guess?"
Hermione closed her eyes and took a single deep breath, as she opened her eyes she spoke, "You were never grieving alone. In potions, you didn't answer Professor Snape's question he asked you. You looked lost, but so did your close friends. Parkinson and Zambini looked like that too. So the difference is that you weren't alone, but me… I am." She laid her head back against the cushion. Hermione hadn't spoken that much since the letter. She was quite exhausted.
Draco smiled at her. "Glad to know that your memories and senses are still sharp." He saw a frown line appear between her eyes. "To be truthful I was kind of worried about you. But now I know what's wrong. And I'm going to fix that."
"How. How does one 'fix' me? Especially when you are Draco Malfoy?" The frown vanished from her face.
"Easy. Don't let anyone else see." He stood up and grabbed Hermione off the couch. His touch was not loving, definitely nothing close to it, but pure understanding instead. Draco walked up to the Head Girl's room. Putting her on her feet he told her, "Change your clothes into something comfortable and come back down."
Hermione opened her door and disappeared behind the door as Draco headed to his room.
Hermione descended the stairs dressed in satin pajama pants and a matching shirt under a warm black dressing robe. She saw Draco sitting in his seat in front of the fire. His grayish eyes looked at her as she landed next to him. Tucking her feet under her butt, Hermione looked at the young man, her enemy, and her savior beside her.
"How do you plan on fixing me?"
"I never said I'm fixing you. I'm fixing the problem. Stop making it sound as if there's something wrong with you. There isn't, okay?" He looked sideways at the woman beside him. She was such a shadow of her old self. 'Once she gets through this, she'll be stronger than before. In only one way though.' The Slytherin thought to himself.
"Fine. How are you going to fix the problem?"
"Stop acting so negative. And it's 'we', no just me. You're doing the hard work." He was turning a sparkling something in his hand. "Christmas is tomorrow. It's my first one without my mum too. I thought I could handle it. I guess not." His voice choked slightly. " I couldn't sleep tonight, I didn't want to sleep."
Light flashed in his hands.
"You really miss your mother, don't you?" Hermione turned to face him. "What was she like?"
Draco smirked, "Always the nurturing aren't you, Hermione?"
Hermione was stunned. She blinked twice quickly, "You called me Hermione."
"Hm… I guess I did. Do you not want me too?" The boy turned his head to the brunette.
"No, it's ok. I guess. I just never heard you say my first name without malice." She smiled. "Anyway, back to nurturing…"
'Tables are turned aren't they?' Draco thought to himself. "Mother was dedicated, strong willed, beautiful, loving, and hard working. She works just as hard as our fleet of house elves. I once caught her being scolded by one of the kitchen elves for not being careful by the fire. She was learning how to cook; it was always a childhood dream of hers."
Hermione smiled.
"I loved Christmas holidays the most. Mum and I would hunt for the perfect present for Dad. And I would be in a house filled with happiness. Dad would come home early for dinner on Christmas Eve and take Christmas day off. I got this gift for Mum for this year's present. I bought it last Hogsmeade day, it was perfect and I forgot that she wouldn't open it tomorrow." He opened his hands; within his clutches was a crystal angel figurine. Only an inch and a half tall, Hermione could still see all the features on her face. The angel had a sad smile, a smile of rest, her eyes were closed, but she was watching. She held violets in her hands, each blossom a beautiful amethyst, the leaves peridots and emeralds.
"She loves it." Hermione whispered. Draco shifted his eyes from the figure and put her on the table as he looked at Hermione. "I bought my parents a present too. I don't know what to do with it."
"What did you get them?"
"A grand piano."
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