AN1—written previously: (smiles all around).
AN1b—written now: I'm so sad and depressed right now. It's not even funny. I'm so depressed that I'm eating meatballs. And I've been a vegetarian since I was nine.
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Just kidding about the vegetarian thing; but I am depressed and sad and I am eating meatballs. No spaghetti, just meatballs.
Disclaimer: Nothing you recognize is mine except of course for Evelyn Malfoy and this, non-canon version of James Potter.
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Draco laughed as he looked through the old photo albums in the attic. Some of these were ancient! They went back to his Hogwarts days and, naturally, to hers as well. Still chuckling to himself he called out to his wife.
"Hermione? You should come up here and take a look at these! They are priceless."
Hermione walked up the stairs and stood in the doorway, her hands on her hips. "I'm pretty busy, you know, cleaning our house? That our oldest daughter and husband are coming to stay at for a week? Or did you conveniently forget?"
He scoffed. "Come on Hermione. Evelyn grew up in this house and it was constantly a mess. As for Potter Jr., well, who cares?"
"Honestly, it's like we are still in school again. Using surnames, Malfoy, really?" She blew a stray curl that had escaped from her hastily made bun out of her face.
"Yes, we are back to surnames, Malfoy." He challenged his wife playfully.
"Oh, very funny." She said, with no humor in her voice.
"I know. Now seriously, Herms you've got to come look at this." After making a show of rolling her eyes, Hermione sat down next to her husband and looked at the dusty album in his hand.
"What?"
"Look!"
"Mm, pictures; amazing, darling. Oh wow! Look at that; they move! It's like magic!" Sarcasm oozed from Mrs. Malfoy's lips.
"Will you stop being stubborn for five seconds and look at the picture? I don't remember that day, or that type of school robes. Where were you? More importantly, where was I?"
Hermione looked slightly uncomfortable at the turn in conversation. "I've really got to get back to cleaning, can we finish this later?"
Now of course, her blatant attempt to leave the conversation just made her husband even more curious as to what was going on. "It won't take that long; just tell me what was going on in the picture."
He glanced at it again and noticed something peculiar about it. "Wait, this picture isn't moving! It was taken with a non-magical camera."
"Congratulations, Sherlock. Now if you'll excuse me..." Hermione tried to step out of the room, but Draco laced his fingers through hers tightly so she wouldn't be able to leave.
"Please?"
"Fine. But I loathe you, just so you know."
"Love you too!" He smirked. "Now are you going to tell me or what?"
"Or what." He looked exasperated at her response and she collapsed into giggles, unable to keep a straight face.
"It was the summer of 6th year and I was doing this thing with my—well the high school I would have gone to if I didn't get my Hogwarts letter."
"Mmhm; and what pray tell were you doing?"
She mumbled something inaudible.
"What was that?"
"I was at a concert."
"Were you watching it?" As far as he had known, Hermione had no musical talent to speak of.
"No." She said crossly. "I was singing in the high school honor choir, or Madrigals as it was called."
"That's interesting. Why would they let you sing at a concert if you didn't go to that school?"
She didn't answer. Draco poked her sides and she laughed. "Stop it!"
"Tell me first, then I'll stop."
"I was in the concert because before I left for my "special boarding school" I was a shoo-in to get into the choir. You have to audition but they already knew I could sing. I went to the concert for old times' sake and they roped me into singing. They had an extra dress that I was pretty much forced into."
"Aha!" Draco said, as if he had figured out some huge secret. "So you can sing."
"Yes and your point is..."
"Sing for me."
Hermione blushed. "Seriously?"
"Of course. I've never heard you sing before and now I'm extremely curious." She didn't answer. "If you do, I'll help you finish cleaning."
The offer was very tempting, for half of the house still needed to be cleaned and she refused to use magic. Not for spring cleaning. Yes, it was too tempting to pass up.
"Alright. Fine, you win."
"I always do," he said as he kissed her cheek.
"What do you want me to sing?"
"Anything's good as long as it's something I don't know."
Taking a deep breath, Hermione started to sing quietly. As she grew more confident, her voice grew louder and with volume, it only got purer. "Close your eyes and I'll kiss you, tomorrow I'll miss you; remember I'll always be true." She paused to take a breath and to her surprise, her husband joined in; their voices rang in a near perfect harmony.
"And while I'm away, I'll write home every day, and send all my loving, to you."
She stopped and waited, hoping that he'd continue to sing, except this time, unaccompanied by her. She wanted to hear his singing voice again. He didn't continue. Instead he leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck and the kiss deepened quickly.
"You know what?" Draco said as he pulled away to get his breath back.
"What?"
"I think I just fell in love with you all over again." That being said, he pulled Hermione in for another sweet kiss.
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AN2—written previously: (more smiles and absentminded singing).
AN2b—written now: Please review. It will make my depressing life slightly better. Maybe I'll stop scarfing down meatballs and I'll barf them back up instead.
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I won't vomit, but please review! It will make me just a bit happier. But damn, if Jeff gets eliminated, I WILL cut myself.
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Okay, so I won't, but it will just add to the pile of CRAP that is my life right now. I spent my entire fourth period wallowing in my sadness and making reasons that I should just give up. (Not on life, something else.) My horoscope of the day said: "You are probably better off than you think..." But I beg to differ.
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Anyway, enough of my rambling. Please review!!!!
lovelove,
Amanda