Disclaimer: Harry Potter & related insignia belong to J.K. Rowling, scholastic, Warner Bros. and the like... Plot.. mine! xp
Just a one-shot bugging the hell out of me.. waiting to be read and hopefully reviewed hint hint ahem ahem cough cough kuchi kuchi
The fountain
A 23-year-old Draco was seated on the edge of the fountain reading a book entitled "Aurorship for Dummies." His eyes were concentrated on the book. He was really in to what he was reading… When suddenly, he averted his gaze to the left…
There was a lady, wearing a blue blouse and a pencil skirt. She was wearing a hat that had a pink flower on it… Draco observed her through the corner of his eye… She was munching on a donut… And she was licking her fingers… She was looking on the pigeons that were flying back and forth on the cobblestone tiles.
Draco's focus was not on the book anymore, it was due to this foreign presence… He was used to having his private moments on the fountain… It was his fountain… Well, technically, it wasn't. But, he was the only one who hanged out there when people had their lunch breaks. His co-aurors went to coffee shops, fancy restaurants or wherever the hell they go to, to eat their lunch but not him… He always headed straight to the fountain, to read a great book, look up his cases, sip a cup of coffee, (He had this strange love for coffee during lunch breaks, not mornings) or do whatever he pleases… The fountain was a witness to his three-year career as an auror… It was where he stayed while waiting for his turn for the interview; it was where he was, when he read the letter that says he was promoted… It was basically not just his hanging spot; it was a part of his life…
Draco was a loner. He stopped interacting with people when the war ended… Before the war started, he switched to the light side but many were still suspicious of him. Who could blame them? He was one of the reasons why Hogwarts lost one of its greatest and most compassionate headmasters… The memory scarred him, and up to this point, he would still dream of that night, the night when he almost killed one of the greatest wizards in the history of magic, Albus Dumbledore. After this event, only a few people talked to him, but he could still feel their unease when with him… Afraid that murderer Malfoy might kill them off next… He was even surprised that he landed a job in the auror's office… Maybe because Potter showed that he had learned to trust him… He and Potter were nothing like friends, nor were they enemies. They can be what others would call as civil. In fact, Potter was one of the few persons who had the guts to talk to him, lest come near him. So, Draco Malfoy, from pompous-arrogant-prick-headed-git, became a quiet and mysterious loner.
So, now, he wasn't used to the "company" he now has. He tried to read the book but the sound of the lady ravishing her donuts was racking his brain. Actually she was just munching them, but Draco wasn't used to this noise… He tried to take off the munching sounds off his head…
Chum chum chum chum
He near the end of the 5th chapter… Just a little more… a litt---CHUM CHUM CHUM…
The munching sound was nibbling on his brain. He wanted peace and quiet… Stupid, stupid lady! Stupid stupid donuts! Stupid stupid munching sounds!
Chum chum chum chum
----
Hermione was seated on a fountain, eating her donuts, looking at the cute pretty pigeons that were playing on the floor. She enjoyed eating her donuts. She was a donut-lover…
She was looking at the pigeons when...
"OUT!" A voice says… it must be the man sitting next to me, reading a book.
She was startled… "Pardon?" She asked, although the annoyance can be heard in her voice.
"OUT!" The man said…
And lo and behold, the two saw each other's faces…
"MALFOY/GRANGER ?" They said simultaneously.
After one minute of shock…
Hermione broke the silence… "No…" She said firmly
"OUT NOW GRANGER! BEFORE I HEX YOUR ARSE OFF OF HERE!" He said threateningly
"No…" She firmly said… "This is public property Malfoy!"
"I don't care who the hell made this! Just get out!" He said strongly
"Well, whoever made this certainly did not make it for you!" She said, finally standing up and "stabbing" her finger on his chest…
"Just get out, Granger, for the love of Pete!" He said in annoyance
Hermione took a seat on the edge of the fountain and again answered "NO…"
"Fine!" Draco said finally giving up. This crazy witch was as stubborn as a mule.
"Fine!" She shouted at him also, although slightly surprised that he had given up that easily…
WRONG
He took her box of donuts, and carried it to his place.
"What the hell!" She cursed… There were a few moments when Hermione Granger actually cursed and this was one of them.
Draco, who was seated on his spot, continued reading and acted as if Granger's presence in front of him was not of existence.
She attempted to grab the donuts, but Draco's hand was a lot faster…
When she got tired of reaching, grasping or whatever the hell they call it, she finally stopped, "If you wanted some Malfoy, all you had to do was ask…"
His gaze was redirected to her. "I do not like donuts!" He said…
"Well then, why did you get them?" She asked
"Your fucking munching sounds are depriving me from reading!" He said annoyed
"UGH! You should've told me!" She told him
"As if you would listen, Granger… If murdering bastard Malfoy asks if you can 'lessen the munching sounds a little bit' would you listen? Damn no you won't! Nobody ever cares to listen to me Granger! Now, why the hell would you be different?" He said in a very infuriated fashion. He then gave her the donuts and then left…
---
Draco carried his file of cases…His work was loaded so he decided to spend his lunch break working on them.
He sat down on his place when he noticed her again.
She is still eating those damnable sugar-coated donuts, but with no sound at all.
He was finally happy that the environment was quieter. At least Granger complied to his request… Well, he kinda had to shout his brains off before she got his message, but still, she complied.
She then went to the pigeons and stooped down to their level. Then, she opened her palm which was filled with tiny pieces of the donuts. The birds at first, were hesitant but they finally learned to trust her and they ate at her palm. Draco was watching as the scene unfolded. It was a beautiful scene… Human-animal interaction.
When Granger finished feeding the birds… She looked at him and told him… (although they weren't near each other),
"About yesterday, yes… I am different Malfoy… I am me…" And then she left…
Draco was puzzled with her words… expect Granger to leave you hanging at times like this.
Then he found little pieces of donuts on the floor… He picked it up, tore it into tiny little pieces and went to feed the birds… "Well, I am doing this so that there won't be any scattered trash in the fountain area…" He said aloud… SO that if anyone sees him they'd think he wasn't off to feed the birds, he was just 'protecting' the environment…
But I have my wand and I can easily 'scourgify' the mess… Pathetic excuse, Draco, very pathetic… But still…
He went near the birds and tried to feed them, he opened his palm, but the stupid birds won't just stupid come near him. He finally gave up. He threw the donut on the floor, which bounced and almost hit one of the birds, put his hands on his pocket, took his files and left…
And a muffled laughter could be heard from the back of the fountain…
----
Hermione came to the fountain the next day and had found Malfoy stooped on the birds' levels… yet no birds approached him…
Maybe he was not satisfied with what had happened during his bird-feeding session, so he decided to spend the next day on the fountain, feeding birds…
What he held were scraps of bread, not donuts… He did really hate donuts.
She could not stifle her laughter when one of the birds even pecked his hand…
"Bloody bird!" He said and then mumbled a string of curses… He heard muffled laughter… GRANGER.
"Find it funny when a beast pecks someone on the skin?" he drawled
This even made her laugh more.
"What beast? Those are just little pigeons for the love of merlin!" She exclaimed happily… "It does remind me of an event in third year when buckbeak—"
"The BLOODY CHICKEN!" He cut her off…
She tried to control her laughter, "Yes… Yes… The bloody chicken…"
She was like a moron, laughing in the middle of a park…
And he was a moron for smiling at her new-found happiness…
"Finally! A smile…" She said, acknowledging his recent behavior
The smile turned into a frown…
"No! No! Keep the smile up… It makes you five years younger…" She said trying to comfort him a little
"And your laughter-OH I MEAN GUFFAW-makes you look like a five year old moron Granger…" He said seriously
She looked at him and started laughing more… Then she looked at her when she finally composed herself, and told him, "Watch and learn, Malfoy…"
She took some of the scraps and opened her palm. At first, the birds were hesitant but after a while, they took some bread and ate at her palm…
"To feed the birds Malfoy, you should let them feel your friendliness towards them…"
"Here… Take some…" She offered the scraps of bread
"No…"
"Malfoy, your pride won't get you anywhere… You know how much you'd like to learn to feed birds…"
"No… Wait? How did you?" He asked puzzled
"I have my ways Malfoy… I have my ways…"
"Still no…" HE said stubbornly
"Fine… Maybe you're just scared to get beaten up in feeding birds, much alone by a girl…"
"You're a girl?" He asked her
"Oh, shut up!" She said although it was playful… "scaredy cat…"
"Am not Granger!"
"Prove it…"
"Alright…" He took some scraps and opened his palm…
"Make them feel your friendliness…"
"Shut up! You're ruining my style!" He whispered
"Malfoy… You're making them feel your hostility…" She said with a sigh
He then tried to calm down… inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale…
Then one bird, no two, three… And a lot of birds ate at his palm.
Then he heard clapping behind him, and this time he did not try to hide the smile that was long gone from his face since about six years…
----
The next day, Draco brought another book to read… It was entitled "7 Habits of Effective Leaders"
"Hi…"
He looked up at her… She was wearing a blue long sleeve and a skirt, and still, the pink hat that she dearly loves. "Hello…"
"Donuts?" She offered
"Nope…"
"What are you reading?" She asked
He turned the title to her and flashed it to her…
"Oh… Is that a good book?"
"Yes…"
"Can you recommend some books to me? I haven't read new books in like… uh… ages!" She said
"Which books do you want? I don't have romance or drama, Granger… Don't ask…"
"Romance? Heeehee.. you must be kidding… Romance is crap.. It's just rubbish…" She replied
She really is weird… "Are you certain that you're a girl?"
"Of course I am!" she shouted kidding
"Why are you being friendly with me?" This question took her by surprise.
Then she retorted, "Why shouldn't I?"
"Well, I am a former death eater for one, and two, I am one of the reasons why Dumbledore is dead, three I called you mudblood, four, I never did any good to you during our Hogwarts years, and five I have always been the prick who taunted you and your friends."
"No you're not…" She said blankly "If you still are, why aren't you fighting with me now? Why aren't you calling me mudblood? Why then?"
"I asked you a question first… Why are you being friendly to me? Now answer…"
"Fine, but you have to answer mine after… Okay, remember what I told you during the second time we met? I'm different. I'm me… Now my turn… Why aren't you calling me mudblood?"
"Your answer wasn't even a decent one…"
"answer…"
"I don't call you 'mudblood' anymore because, I just grew up from those days… Being me Granger… All the things I've experienced, you just can't help but change… Do you know how much it pains me to see what the death eaters were doing with innocent people? DO you know how much it is to see the suffering of the side that before you were against at? That's too much. To see both sides of the war is traumatic. You were lucky Granger, you only saw this side, not the far side… But I have experienced both… I have experienced rejection in both, I have experienced participation in both… So, how can I not grow up from an old school grudge?" He asked seriously
"Oh…"
"Now answer my question decently… Why are you being friendly to me?" He asked, eyes narrowing at her.
"Are you thinking that I'm a spy for the ministry? Trying to spy on you? I am not!" She said indignantly… "You know Malfoy, that's your problem isn't it? You just don't trust people… Honestly, all I wanted was to at least know you… To be able to talk to you without the name-calling and the taunts… To just be civilized… That was my intention… That's all… But you always put blame and doubt on other people… That's why you're a loner now… You're afraid to be rejected by people… again… Sorry, but their actions are completely out of my control… But haven't I told you before? I am different, I am me… After I first met you, I became interested in you… I wanted to befriend you… I know you are lonely… DO not try to deny it.. I can see it in your eyes… Why would I bother to come here everyday aside from seeing that fountain? To see you of course… But I guess I regret it now…" And with that she stood up to leave… But she swore she heard a mumbled "sorry"
----
Draco sat by the fountain… It had been a week since she came… And he kinda felt the loneliness envelop him again… He was lonely again… She was right… She was definitely right… He was such a bastard for doubting her like that…
And then, she came…
"Granger…" He approached her… His pride did not stop him… Throw fucking pride out of the window…
"I'm sorry…" They said simultaneously
"YOU—" They were simultaneous again
"Okay, I'm sorry… I was wrong… I was afraid… Please forgive me…" He said sincerely
"I'm sorry too… I guess I over reacted… I just wanted to rush things up… Completely ignoring you and your feelings… That was very inconsiderate of me… I'm sorry too…" She said truthfully
"Donuts?" She asked smiling
"Nah…" He said
Then they sat on the fountain…
"Why do you hate donuts?" She asked out of the blue…
"I just hate donuts because, they're too girly…" He said
"What?" She asked puzzled and then she laughed
"Well, every time I see a donut, there's this automatic message in my brain that registers and it says, 'Hi I'm a donut… Coated with sugary sprinkles, chocolate and a cup of hot boiling love… So c'mon eat me!'" He said wincing
"Where did you get this idea?" She asked chuckling…
"Well… I dunno…" HE said truthfully. "Hey…" He took something from behind and said "SURPRISE!" and handed her books
Her eyes were sparkling… "WOW!"
"Those are my all time favorites… Hope you haven't read them yet…" He said
"I think I may have read a good three or two, but the rest are wow…" She said amazed "How much of those do you have left at home?"
"A library I think… You should drop by sometime… Trust me, you'll love it there…" He said with a smile
"Oh… SO many books, so little time…" She said sadly
"little time? Why?" Draco asked
Her face went passive… "Oh nothing… Nothing at all…"
Granger was such a book-addict she needed two life times to finish all the books of this world. Then he smirked…
"What are you smirking about?" She asked…
"Nothing… Nothing at all…"
"Draco…"
"Hmm? Wait! You called me Draco! Haha.. You did! You just did!" He said excitedly
She made a confused face, "Well, that's your name isn't it?"
"That just indicates that you strongly like me and you just can't confess your undying love for me…" He smirked
"You and your wild imagination… Is that an effect of a long span of loneliness?" She said chuckling… "Anyway… I don't have anything to give you… Nothing at all… You should've told me! At least I could've brought something for you too…"
"Nah.. It's okay…" He said smiling
"Here… The donuts are yours…"
"No! I would never… Oh merlin, the message is replaying in my head Granger… Merlin…"
----
They kept on meeting like this… Doing nonsense things that were a lot of fun…
Draco was little by little changing… Even his officemates noticed this… He went to work a lot happier now…
"Is there someone Malfoy?" Harry asked
"None of your business Potter…" Although they both knew that the hostility was not present anymore
Harry smiled… He was happy for Malfoy… Finally, someone…
He sat back on his chair… When an owl came
Draco,
Meet me at the fountain. 10pm sharp.
-HG
----
"Granger, why the sudden late meeting? Couldn't get enough of me huh?" He asked kidding
She was pale and sickly
"What happened?" He asked…
They sat down on the fountain…
She was looking at the stars… "What if you knew, you only had one night to live, what would you do?" She asked him…
"Buy a luxury car, run naked in the street—" He said kidding but was cut off…
"Seriously…" She warned him…
"Just do what I do… Go to the office at the morning, meet up at lunch with you… and then, die in my sleep…" He said smiling
She was crying… "I am dying…"
His face went white… He was shocked… "Granger, joking about death isn't—"
"I am not kidding! I am dying Malfoy! Dying of leukemia! Two years ago, this fucking illness came into my life… And I am so scared… So scared Malfoy…" She was sobbing
He hugged her… "Shhh… Everything will be alright…" He comforted her, although he too knew that everything wasn't going to be alright. "Do you know of the tale that says when you throw a coin in the fountain, and you make a wish, your wish will come true?" He asked…
"Yes…" She said while still in his embrace
"Here, a coin…" He said pulling away from her and handing it to her…
"It's so beautiful, and shiny… What currency is it?" She asked him
"Granger, it was custom made for my mother… It's the last of it's kind…" He said
"And you're giving this to me to throw? Oh no that would be a was—"
"No… Just throw it… And make a wish…"
"Draco… You keep it… To tell you the truth, I already threw something in there… And I want that wish to come true… Throwing another coin might cancel the effects…" She said happily
"Which one?" He asked…
"That one…" She pointed at a coin…
"What currency?" He asked…
"Roman… My favorite coin…" She added…
"Draco, can I lie down on your lap?" She asked…
"Of course…"
"Look at the sky… It's so beautiful…" She said gazing at the sky
"I love you Granger…"
Then she took his hand into hers… " I love you too…" She said…"Throw the coin… You haven't wished yet…"
He did…
"What did you wish for, Granger?" He asked… stroking her hand…
"Before I sat down on that fountain… I took a coin and wished to find someone who would give me happiness despite my illness… After that I met you, you shouted at me… Then I thought, stupid wishes… Why did it have to be Malfoy? On the next day I saw you feeding the birds with the left-over donut and you threw it in frustration… Which almost squished a pigeon…" She laughed… "I then came back day after day there… And then a thought came to me that maybe you were the fulfillment of that wish, but I kept on ignoring it… And you know what I wished for?"
He was crying… "What?" He said in hoarse voice…
"To die in the arms of the one I love… And I feel that tonight, the stars won't deprive that from me." She said "What did you wish for? Let me guess… More time huh? Correct?"
"No…"
"What then?"
"I wish you'd become one of the stars Granger… So that after tonight, you'd still be there… No more meetings at lunch… No more bird-feeding… No more book-swapping or any other activity… But at night, you'd be up there…"
She was crying too… And then she sat up and kissed him… "Draco, promise me, that one day… You'd be up there too… Rejoining me…"
"Promise…" He said
"Be a good boy, or else, heaven won't open up for you…" She said laughing
"Draco… I'm cold… Could you hug me?" She asked him…
"Alright…"
"You know, minutes ago, I was so afraid of death… But if I die, and your eyes are the last thing I see… Then I know the beauty heaven holds for me…" She said…
"I love you Hermione…" He said while kissing her forehead
"You finally called me Hermione!" She said happily
"Well, that's your name isn't it?" And some memories flashed back
"Draco… I'm sleepy…"
He was crying… "Sleep now Hermione… God is calling one of His angels to return…"
She hugged him tighter… He felt this… He did not wish for more time… That was just pathetic… She was dying… and they both knew it… But he loved her… he did… She changed his life… Funny how a single person can change a lifetime… He was contented with what they had… They had no relationship… It was even less than a month… Maybe God gave her to him, to change his ugly life and let him see life's beauty, and he was given to her, to make her happy… He had made someone happy… And no, he had no regrets… That the girl he loved died, he did not even think of regretting their meeting at the fountain… He wasn't a person who would sulk all lifetime after her death… Instead of a negative influence, she had a positive influence on him… Funny how it was just like yesterday when they were at the fountain at each other's throats and now… this… The fountain… Had witnessed part of his life, his career and now, his love and hope…
So it doesn't matter If you have fifty years, or five or a week or a day…What matters is what you do with the time given to you. Because, love is eternal… And he knew… He just knew, that one day… He would see her again… in a place without suffering or sorrow… in a place that they could consider as the fountain…
A place of love, memories, friendships and hopes… He just felt it… One day…
He'd see her again…
And her grip loosened…
No more bird-feeding, donut-offering, no more book-swapping or wishing… But definitely, there would still be Hermione… up there… waiting for him… in their fountain... heaven…
a/n: hate it? love it? gimme your thoughts! review... you know that reviews are the fuels of authors like moi.. have a great day! c;
-kc