Shoulder to Shoulder // A Draco Malfoy Short Story

𝓔𝓹𝓲𝓵𝓸𝓰𝓾𝓮

It's been years since I last saw Jinx. I thought about her often and asked her for advice. I'd always get some sort of message that would help me, I liked to believe it was from her.

I haven't felt empty since then. I never sold the house, I never touched her room again and I never went back.

Until today. I had a kid now, a boy, and a wife. I brought them with me to see the home. I named my son after Jinx. Philip Jinx Malfoy. Astoria was insistent on Philip, I didn't mind. I just hoped my son would be like Jinx, a never-ending joy filling him.

I held a bundle of Phlox in my hands, her favorite flowers. I was going to put them in her room. Philip danced around the garden. I had kept house elves in the house, making sure they kept everything orderly. I banned them from Jinx's room.

They were free, I was paying them a great sum to live in such a place. They loved it here, they were a beautiful couple and went out for the day, so I could spend my time home with my family.

I left Astoria and Philip in the kitchen, Astoria wanted to make lunch for us. So, I went on my own way to Jinx's room. It was still as chaotic as the way she left it. A vase was over in the corner with new flowers, the elves were deathly allergic to pollen so they couldn't have put them here.

I recognized them, Lily-of-the-Valley. I smiled, I knew it was Jinx. Some way, somehow. There was a small piece of parchment in front of the vase. I picked up and read it.

Kairosclerosis.

I laughed, a small tear running down my aged face. I switched the flowers out for the Phlox. I took a glance around the room. Papers were still littered about, a small layer of dust on each ball. The room still smelled of her and the blankets were still messed from the last time she slept.

I sat down on her chair and rifled through the ripped out pages, each having little notes on them, or the beginnings of the letter she wrote to me.

P.S. You didn't know it at the time, but I was falling for you.

Now it is just too late, and we cannot go back. I'm sorry.

I am so scared, and I can't tell anyone about it.

I'm okay.

I'm doing everything I can.

I love you.

Thank you for all the small things.

Together forever. Shoulder to Shoulder.

Most of them were shredded up, unintelligible. I pieced together as many as I could, attempting to read her thoughts of her last days. She left her journal around here somewhere, so I looked for it.

Most of it were random thoughts she had, or moments we shared that she gave insight on. She talked a lot about her home life that I had to skip through because I couldn't stomach the things she wrote. About herself, about things that had happened or her family.

She wrote a lot about how much she was going to miss me and how much this would hurt the both of us. There were ink blots that were translucent in the center with a dark ink ring on the outside, caused by water or tears.

I shut the book gently and put it back where I found it, along with the notes she left about. I grabbed the flowers she left for me and paused at the door. I turned back around and grinned.

"I'm still blue and you're still yellow." I talked to the room that I didn't quite think was empty. "But adomania is no longer my favorite word and my favorite poem is no longer my favorite poem. Jinx, you're my favorite word and my favorite poem is the one of a girl who needed the most help, and helped a boy that didn't want help. Thank you."

With the last goodbye I left the room and joined my family who were joyfully cooking. I saw a wisp of movement out of the corner of my eye, it looked strangely like a curly-haired girl I once knew.

"Where did you get those Draco?" Astoria asked me as Philip ate his lunch.

"Jinx left them for me." I kissed her cheek gently and pushed her hair behind her ear.

"Oh really?" She laughed. "Whatever you say darling."

I sat, watching my wife and son chatter excitedly about the adventures he was going to have today. I smiled and pushed my food around my plate. My son snapped his head to his right and rubbed his shoulder.

"What is it Philip?" Astoria petted his head.

"Something just touched my shoulder." He looked at me confused and I grinned.

"It was just your Aunt Jinx. Don't worry, she's here to look over us." I looked out into the garden. "Shoulder to Shoulder."