Their conversation was interrupted twenty minutes in by the soft thuds of fast feet coming down the hall.
At Hilda's knowing smile, Hermione turned in her seat. Draco stood.
A hand caught the doorframe and the girl from the photo swung herself into the room, completely breathless. Her eyes widened at the sight of them and her face split into a huge toothy grin.
"Her-mi-o-neeee!"
She burst into the room and launched herself into Hermione's lap as the witch stood. Automatically, she found her arms wrapping around the young girl. In return, Agatha's own grip squeezed tighter.
"Hermione! Oh, I've missed you sooooo much! Sister Hilda said you were coming but I just couldn't believe it!"
"Agatha." Hilda's warning voice sounded softly across the table. "Remember what we discussed?"
Agatha let go slowly and bowed her head. When she spoke, her words were directed to Hermione.
"Sister Hilda told me that you can't remember."
She peeked up from under her dark bangs.
"That you have forgotten everything because of a spell...that you forgot me." She shook her head, sending her tiny braids scattering, and gave a small smile. "But that's okay! I've been studying ways to help!"
Hermione's eyebrows rose. "You have?"
The girl nodded vigorously. "Uh-huh! I've been reading this one text - by a charms master named Vigo - that says each spell has a thread that could lead to its opposite! Like by doing the spell, you should be able to trace a way to undo it as well or create a unique counterspell! And then, a curse master in Nairobi thinks..."
As she spoke, Agatha's eyes glittered. Hermione found herself hanging onto the girl's every word, not just for the information itself but because the girl was just so excited. It was almost contagious.
She did not, however, miss the look exchanged between Draco and Hilda.
They sat like that for some time, Hermione listening to Agatha with attentionative patience, Draco and Hilda speaking quietly behind them.
A clock in the hall chimed five in the afternoon.
Agatha looked to the door then back to Hermione, cutting herself off mid sentence.
"Are you staying for dinner, Hermione?" The girl asked excitedly.
Hermione opened her mouth, unsure what to say, when Draco spoke up for her.
"I'm sorry, Agatha, but we need to go home soon." He threw a slight smirk in Hermione's direction. "I'm sure Hermione has a lot to think on with your additions to her research."
Agatha beamed again, seeming happy to help in such an important way. Her smile waived after a thought.
"You'll come back soon, though, right?" She asked Draco.
She looked to Hermione.
"I can help some more. I'll show you the books I've been studying and we can discuss treatment options!"
Hermione smiled, the girl's eagerness warming her heart.
"Yes. That would be lovely."
"Awesome!
Agatha jumped up and hugged them both.
"I'll see you soon!" She exclaimed before sprinting out of the room to join other children in the hall.
As soon as she was gone, Sister Hilda cleared her throat lightly, turning the couple's attention back to her. She looked to Hermione.
"I am sorry, dear. I explained to her the best I could, but you know 10 year olds." She waved a hand in the air. "Thinks everything can be solved with a spell."
"It's...quite alright," Hermione answered absently. Her thoughts were still on the child.
~*~*~*~
"How dare you?"
Draco closed the door behind them and followed her down the steps.
"What?"
"How dare you?" Hermione spun on her heel, eyes blazing, finger pointed to his face. "You took me in there like- like some pig to slaughter!"
"Hermione-"
She swung her finger to the building and jabbed violently at the orphanage.
"I don't know that little girl, Draco!" Her lip trembled. She spun away from him, pulling herself together.
"I don't care what Hilda says, I have no recognition of that child!" The thought almost made her crumble. Her breath hitched and she growled, anger boiling just under the surface. She spun back around.
"What did you expect to happen?!"
Draco took a deep breath and exhaled through his nose.
"I thought if you saw her-"
"None of the things you are trying to get me to remember is coming back!"
"Well, what do you expect me to do?!"
He began pacing back and forth, running a hand roughly through his hair, the calm façade evaporating.
"I am doing all I can! Potter has three kids and a job, Weasley wants nothing to do with you - and, by the way, neither does that ogre of a mother! Seems to think you screwed him over by marrying me!- and your parents are blissfully living in Australia, unaware of their perfect little daughter!"
He stopped suddenly and faced her, inches from her, snarling.
"It's all on me. What do you expect of me?"
He was breathing heavy by the time his rant was over. She blinked, taking a second to process.
"Nothing."
His snarl melted away, blank confusion taking its place.
"What?"
She squared her shoulders. "I don't expect a thing from you, Draco Malfoy."
His features flickered and, for a second, she was glimpsing the little scared boy from sixth year behind his eyes.
He opened his mouth to speak but she beat him to it.
"You do not owe me anything, marriage or not..."
She closed her eyes. It was difficult to look at him right now. Her heart lurched, but she felt this was the right thing to do.
"Goodbye, Draco."
She turned on the spot, not giving him a chance to react.
As the world blurred out of sense, she saw a curtain fall back into place on the second floor of Sister Janynce's Orphanage.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Hi, guys! I am not going to lie: it's taken so long to update because I've been hooked on an Avatar FanFic by Dapplestormtrooper. Sorry, but not really. ;) Anyways, what do ya'll think of Agatha? I absolutely loved writing her! Please let me know what you think!
Author's Note:Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the Harry Potter series. Those rights belong to JK Rowling. I am only borrowing her beautiful creations.