The winter winds bites at his face and yet Draco still finds himself strolling through the gardens in an effort to organize his thoughts.
A killer on the loose—it's a sobering thought. It could be anyone, most likely someone he already knows. The warming charms he cast earlier seem to be wearing off, rendered ineffective by the changing season. The trail is littered with the remnants of the first snowfall of the season and he pulls his cloak tighter around himself as he starts the long trek back to the manor.
There is something about the symbol that isn't sitting right with him. It is different from the Dark Mark. Draco is intimately acquainted with that, considering he has to stare at the fucking thing every day. Something about the skull and the viper coiling around it almost seems familiar still.
It's unsettling. He knows that symbol, but it evades him. A snitch just out of reach.
Draco is greeted by familiar voices ringing out and he follows the voices to the receiving room, where he is greeted by the sight of an arguing Pansy and Blaise. His mother sits beside the pair, a fond smile gracing her features.
This is the norm for both of them, bickering constantly and incessantly over nothing. His two oldest and dearest friends. He doesn't try to hide his elation, a large smile taking over his face.
Pansy notices him first and walks up to him, grabbing his hand, "Come on Draco, we have a reservation!" Before he can reply she whisks him out of the room. Draco hears Blaise's footsteps behind them, calling out a goodbye to his mother.
They arrive at a quaint little restaurant, a charming place near Graybrooke. Pansy knows the owner apparently and soon enough the trio is comfortably settled and digging in for a late lunch.
They have a lot of catching up to do. It's been a long few years for all of them, but they dance around that subject. They stick to recent happenings and fall back into a comfortable rapport, and Draco relishes the familiarity.
The food is delicious and the sun streams in through the large windows. A lazy warmth surrounds them, even as a few snowflakes start to drift down again.
He stares out the window, watching the gentle snowfall and the hustle and bustle of the busy street. There's a certain comfort in the way it comes down to kiss the earth.
Cruel and harsh in its frigidity and yet it bows to the golden rays of the sun. It's not cold enough outside—not yet—and the snow soon gives way to regular old rain.
It melts at the slightest warmth; a facade of strength and brazen promises. The steady light drizzle will wash away the remnants of slush, brushing away the memory of the wary snow.
"Surprise en route," Blaise interrupts Pansy, jutting his chin out, gesturing to the entrance. Pansy pauses in her furious recounting of her latest fight with her father. Exchanging a quick glance with her, Draco turns slightly to look at the door.
Granger.
She walks in with another familiar face—someone who is pictured in the Daily Prophet nearly as much as she is. Ginny Weasley is laughing alongside her and Granger looks lighter. Happier.
Good. She of all people deserves a bit of joy.
Recently, whenever he has seen her in the Ministry, she seems anxious and frustrated. The case is weighing on her and there still hasn't been any breakthroughs. She's always had a habit of placing the world on her shoulders—stubborn Gryffindor.
He wouldn't be surprised if she felt personally responsible for each missing case. It's just the kind of person she is.
He has gotten so used to her regulation attire that the casual outfit startles him. She is wearing a soft red sweater and has a large overcoat hanging over her frame.
YOU ARE READING
And She Was Golden
Fanfic[Dramione Fic] Their eyes meet just for a fraction of a moment, and that's all it takes. All his boxes and walls come crashing down. He's always been weak in the face of her reality- no matter how furiously he would deny it. Breathe in. Draco Malfoy...
