A/N:Sorry for the long wait. Thanks for your patience. So I don't own most the characters just playing. Enjoy
Laykyn was released from the hospital wing two days later. She held her mother's hand as they walked back to thier rooms. "Momma?" Hermione looked down at her daughter in acknowledgement. "Where is Mr. Draco? I thought he would come visit me in the hospital.
Hermione sighed, "I don't know, Thena. He was probably just busy; grading papers or something. I'm sure he will be at the common room when we get there."
Laykyn leaned against her mom as they walked on. She was still weak but Healer Hannah had said she was lucky that Draco had gotten her to the hospital soon as he did. Laykyn could have been much worse off. She had released a ton of magic especially for a four year old. It had drained her. Hermione picked her up and Laykyn lay her head on her shoulder snuggling into her mother's shoulder. Hermione readjusted the bag Draco had brought down for them on Saturday and finished the long climb to thier room.
She whispered the password to the portrait trying not to wake Laykyn. However as soon as she heard the portrait creak open her head snapped up and she wriggled from her mother's arms searching for Mr. Draco. She looked the common room over quickly; seeing that he wasn't there she ran and knocked on his door. Hermione followed her. There was no response. She knock harder. Still no reply. Laykyn grabbed the doorknob and gave it a twist. "Mr. Draco?" the door swung open easily and Laykyn stumbled inside. Both Granger women looked around the room. It was empty. All the bookshelves had been emptied, the closet door hung open no clothes visible, and the mattress was bare. Laykyn ran in to the room concern written all over her young face. "Mr. Draco?" she called into the closet. "Mr. Draco, where are you?" she lay on her stomach checking under the bed. "Mr. Draco," her voice sounded more frantic everytime she called his name. From under the bed she rushed to look under the desk then behind the curtain calling his name again and again. "Momma where is he?"
Draco sat on the couch in Ms. Esther's flat with Matt. He explained what had happened in his first two weeks teaching at his Alma Mater. Had it really only been two weeks? Maybe it had been three? "I almost let her daughter die."
"You hate kids, Drake."
"But this wasn't a normal kid, Laykyn is different, like a grown up but you know only about three foot tall. And she taught me to play all these cool games. They were kinda dorky but…"
"I'm sure the whole thing has blown over by now. The kid just fell down some stairs. It's not like she won't recover. Just go back and do your job man. If the mom has issues it's not your issue; it's hers."
"But you didn't see her. I had to take her to the hospital. And I was responsible for her when it happened"
"Dude it was accident. Now relax." Matt reached forward and grabbed two video game controllers tossing one to Draco.
Draco tried to focus on the game. Matt hit him with a sniper shot through the head for the third time. His heart wasn't in the game. "What if she is really hurt, Hermione will never forgive me."
Matt gave a huge sigh of exasperation, "is she hot?"
Draco shot him a confused look, "what?"
"Is. She. Hot?"
"She's four." The disbelief in Draco's voice mirrored his expression.
"Not the kid, you prat. Her mum."
"What does that have to do with anything?"
Matt pause the game and looked at his best friend. "If she is hot then you do everything you can to apologize. If not say you're sorry and move on."
Draco gave him a thoroughly confused look.
"If she, the kid's mum, is attractive you do everything you can to fix the issue." Matt relaxed back in to the couch starting the game again. "You don't wanna burn any bridges. You don't wanna die single. I still have time but you…"
"I am only three months older than you."
Matt shrugged lining his crosshairs over Draco's avatar's head and pulling the trigger yet again. Kill shot. 4-0.
A full week had passed with no sign of Draco and Laykyn decided to take matters into her own hands. She thought of all the places and people he had mentioned. His mother and father would probably know but they didn't sound very nice. Matt would know but there was no way she was gonna talk to him. Mr. Draco said Matt was his best friend but that she knew was impossible. She, Laykyn, was his best friend and she had no intentions of sharing. She remembered then the cookies and brownies. Ms. Esther that's who she would write to. She pulled her crayons out of her art supply box and two pieces of construction paper. Letter first or picture?
Laykyn slid the last crayon back into the box having added the finishing touches to her picture. She read though her letter again making sure Ms. Esther would understand. She looked over her picture, the yellow for Mr. Draco's hair was not quite light enough but it would work. Slipping silently into her mother's room she pulled open one of the drawers looking for an envelope. Hermione kept them for letters to her family. Pens, pencils, highlighters, there in the back a box full of envelopes sat beside several pieces of parchment and a roll of stamps. She carefully folded the construction paper and slid it into the envelope. Now how to get to the Owlery? Aunt Ginny would tell her mom. Professor Longbottom would ask to many question and probably bore her to death on the way talking about plants. Good lord, he was the only person that could be more boring than her mom sometimes. Ms. Delacour? Laykyn could suggest a field trip. She gave a long sigh. Mr. Draco was a lot of trouble!
Laykyn finally decided that Luna would be her best choice for an accomplice. She waited until lunch the next day to make her move. It was her first day back in class with Ms. Delacour. Laykyn played with her classmates, colored, and did everything expected of her on the outside. But in her mind she was planning what she was going to say to Luna, she finally decided on the easiest route, the truth.
At lunch Laykyn looked over the dishes offered. Gabrielle Delacour dished some macaroni and a few pieces of chicken on to her plate and a scoop of applesauce. For the most part Laykyn just pushed her food around on her plate she did eat a few bites of her macaroni and most of the applesauce. She watched the teacher's table as soon as Luna rose to return to the grounds to prepare for her next class Laykyn shouted to her. "Luna," on hearing her name Luna immediately turned to see a smiling Laykyn waving her over. She made her way over to the preschool table.
"Thena," Luna smiled softly at the girl before scooping her into a hug. "How are you feeling?"
"Much better," Laykyn smiled. "I was wondering if you could help me with something?"
Luna knelt down so she was on Laykyn's eye level. "What with?"
Laykyn reached in her pocket and pulled out the envelope containing the letter and the picture. She took in a deep breath and leaned in to whisper. "I am trying to find Mr. Draco, so I wrote this letter to his friend Ms. Esther. I need to go to the owlery to send it but…" She looked around to make sure no one was listening. "I think Ms. Esther is a muggle so an owl might scare her. I don't know her address though so I can't use the post."
Luna thought for a minute "I seem to remember Mr. Draco getting a package of brownies and cookies last week. Were they from Ms. Esther?"
Laykyn nodded her head slowly not quite understanding what this had to do with the situation at hand.
"Well it came during the morning owl post. So Mr. Malfoy must have explained a few things." Luna's gaze darted around. Laykyn looked up to see what Luna was looking at, but saw nothing. Luna was obviously concerned. "We'll have to tell McGonagall we need to get rid of the Lytimore."
"What's a Lytimore?"
"They crawl in your ears at night and cause nightmares… or dreams of singing unicorns. They are what most muggles get thier ideas for horror movies and children's shows from."
Laykyn looked at her puzzled but made a mental note to make sure her ears were covered when she went to bed that night.
"Ready to go?" Luna offered a hand to Laykyn. Laykyn accepted and Luna told Ms. Delacour that she would bring Laykyn back to class in a few minutes in time for storytime and naptime. The expression that passed over Laykyn's face said how disappointed she was to not be missing nap time, but if a nap was the price she had to pay...
Hermione jumped when she heard the tapping on the window. She looked up from the papers she was grading to see a very familiar owl. That same owl had delivered at least a dozen letters in the last week. She had read the first. It was from Edward full of apologies and regrets. Apologies for how Draco had handle her daughter and regrets that he hadn't taught that "filth" a lesson. Filth was the nicest name he had called Draco in that letter. She had burned the letter and all the letters that had arrived after that. The tapping continued so Hermione finally let it in. She took the letter with a huff and walked toward the fire to burn this one too, but something about it was different. The paper of the envelope was obviously expensive. A deep red with gold ink and the texture felt good under her fingers. Against her better judgment she opened the envelope. It had a strong smell. Fruity of floral maybe? The ink was elegant and even across the page and there was a decorative border all the way around the page.
Dearest Hermione,
I wish to apologize for my horrid behaviour the other day. I was worried for you and your daughter. I know that we have only know each other for a few weeks but I feel as if my life is incomplete without you in it. If any permanent damage had been to your daughter I knew you would never recover. Somethings are just too much for anyone to bear.
My fear for you caused me to react in a way that in retrospect I greatly regret. I pray that you can find it in your heart to forgive me.
I know it is too much to ask but I hope that you will give me another chance. I have plans on Saturday that I hoped you and your daughter might join me for. If so please meet me in front of my store at 8:30.
Yours affectionately,
Edward.
Hermione ran a finger across the border along the edges of the paper. She read the letter through again two or three times. She thought hard. What had Edward done? Why was he apologizing? Saturday at 8:30. She wondered what his plan was. Excited to see she began to mentally countdown the hours until Saturday. She really liked Edward. Laykyn would like him too if she spent more time with him. Maybe Saturday would be a good bonding time for them. Humming to herself she returned to grading the papers on her desk.
Two hours later in a small flat in muggle London. Ms. Esther shook her head looking at the young man sleeping on her couch. She had tried all she could to encourage him to go back, told him it wasn't his fault, that when you spend time around kids accidents happen. There had to be something more to the story but he wasn't telling, wouldn't even tell Matthew. She wandered into the kitchen and began to wash the dishes. The radio on the counter beside her played Sinatra softly and she swayed gently her mind traveling back to her husband and thier youth.
Ms. Esther was snapped rather violently from her memories by a loud tapping on her window. She jumped and dropped the cup she had been washing in the sink splashing water all over her and the floor. She looked up to see an owl outside her window. She might not understand much about the world Draco had come from but she had been privy to some things. The mail service was one of them. She opened the window and the owl fluttered in and settled on the counter as if he owned the place. He was a smaller owl than the one Draco sent but it was cute and she liked it. It must have been a younger owl its feathers were still a soft down when she stroked its back and began to untie the letter. She started to call for Draco assuming the letter was for him but the she caught a glimpse of the name on the envelope. Most of the writing was in green crayon but the name had every letter in a different color. To Ms. Ester whoo makes the bestest cookies. There was a sunshine in the top left hand corner and a pink flower in the bottom left. Her name was misspelled but it was definitely addressed to her. Draco had told her he was sharing the sweets she had sent him she guessed she would now know who he had shared with. Flipping the envelope over she ran a finger under the flap breaking the seal. Inside were two pieces of paper. She pulled them out and unfolded them. The top one was a letter she began to read.
Ms. Ester,
My name is Laykyn Athena Granger. I am four. I am looking for my freind Mr. Draco. He talked about you a lot and shared the cookies and brownies you sent with me. They were very good thank you. If you know where Mr. Draco is could you please tell him that I am ok. I was not hurt bad, and I miss him. He is my best freind. Please tell him. I drew you a picture so that you would know what Mr. Draco looks like. It's me and him playin candyland.
If you don't know Mr. Draco I am sorry for botherin you.
Laykyn A. Granger
The older woman couldn't help but smile at the letter written all in green crayon. She pull out the second sheet of paper and let out a small laugh. Of course you would never be able to identify Draco from that picture but she smiled at the painstaking effort the little girl had put in to it. The picture showed two stick figures. One with short yellow hair with a green shirt and black pants, the other was shorter with longer brown hair and a red shirt with blue shorts. In between the two was a brown square with she assumed was a table, with a green square in the middle that would have to be the game board and a green squiggle and a yellow squiggle that had to the game pieces. Ms. Esther looked the picture over again smiling as she noticed that the stick figures even had fingers. Painstaking detail for four-years-old.
Draco had to go back and she had a plan how to do it. She pulled a spare piece of paper and began to write.
Dear Laykyn,
First let me compliment you on your artistic abilities. Your drawing of Mr. Draco was spot on. He is at my house. I have been telling him he needs to go back to the school but he doesn't listen. He is hardheaded. I have a plan to get him back but I will need your help…
Ms. Esther explained her plan to Laykyn as simply as she could and sent the owl back with her reply. She looked back round the edge of the doorframe at the young man asleep on her couch. This would work. Draco had been closed off since she met him. He had opened up to her slightly but not very much. She didn't know much about his past or his family. He had told her about three months after they had met that she and Matthew were the closest thing to family he had. 25 years in the public school system had made her fairly good at telling what a child's home life was like. From his reaction the first she had hugged him.
It had been about 3 weeks after he had moved into the building. She had invited him over for dinner after he nearly set the apartment on fire. He had come over after cleaning his mess and throwing the burnt spaghetti out. He told her he had never cooked before. Never had to learn as a child and he had been eating take-out every day since he moved in. She handed him an apron. "Well hun, you can learn now." The next hour was spent in laughter as the two of them prepared a salad, french bread, and a lasagna. Matt sat at the counter talking and laughing with them. The dinner had been something he had never known full of smiles and jokes. Ms. Esther told stories of Matt when he was young. Afterword she had walked him to the door telling him to come over for dinner anytime he wanted. She wrapped him in a soft hug as they neared the door, his whole body stiffened. He stood awkwardly like he didn't know what to do, how to return the hug. Hugs were foreign to him. Affection of any kind was unknown. She had done her best to correct that in the last several years.
This little girl though. Somehow she had gotten under his guard. Yes she was the key.
Thanks for reading let me know what you think. Reviews help.
1 Corinthians 12:12