In The Sunny Garden

Young

All things come to pass with time, but I want everything now, to be all mine.
-Young, Vacations.

July 8th, 1985, Flint Estate, Salisbury.

"Now, darling, we've spoke about this before," Narcissa Malfoy said in a tone, she used when Draco was supposed to act well. "I would be pleased, if you'd be on your best behavior. The Flint's are lovely people, with a lovely daughter we would like you to meet, alright?"

Draco didn't understand why his mother kept speaking about the daughter. Surely she wasn't that special. Besides, if he wasn't wrong- and he never was- then there was a older boy in the family too. Now, he sounded much more interesting, because the Quidditch hoops around the large backyard couldn't possibly be anyone else's.

But because he didn't want to have another lecture about pureblood customs, he simply responded, "Yes, mother."

She pet his head and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Wonderful. Well, surely we should get going, then. It's very impolite to be late."

They were greeted by a poorly clothed house elf, who wore white pillowcase, similar to the clothes the Malfoy elves wore. What did catch his attention, however, was a blood red bow, placed in the elf's head.

"Welcome, Mr. And Ms. Malfoy and young Mr. Malfoy. You are waited in the balcony, but firstly Winky will take your luggage!" The elf said, enthusiastically and with a 'POP' she apparated away, their bags with her. A moment later, she popped back, and lead them through the halls of the manor.

While Draco walked through the halls, he noticed how different the decorations were. Like in the Malfoy manor, much of the furniture were made of wood, but it wasn't the usual mahogany, but something lighter. There were also many vases filled with fresh looking flowers. Overall, the house looked more alive? Well maybe that wasn't the right word, but it certainly was very unique.

Arriving to the balcony, his mother and father politely greeted the host and hostess, and soon enough began small talking about work in the ministry.

Draco, not being the slightest bit of interested, glanced at the taller boy, with dark hair, much like his father's. If Draco would guess, he said that the boy was around four years older than him.

His question was answered, when Ms. Flint said: "And of course now that Marcus is starting Hogwarts next year, we wanted him to get started with his studies early. Oh, but little Hermione was so excited, that she wanted to learn too, so much to Marcus's annoyance, they study Astronomy and French together."

His mother laughed, very lady likely. "That's quite impressive for a five year old. Where is little Hermione, anyway?"

"She'll should be arriving soon. The sweet thing wanted to pick some flowers for you, to express her great fullness of your appearance. Now that the Greengrass's are visiting Bulgaria, she hasn't met any of her friends for a few weeks and I'm sure she's just excited." Ms. Flint responded.

"Isn't that lovely!" Narcissa said sincerely. Draco knew that a way to his mother's heart was through flowers.

They continued their small talk, before Lucius spoke. "And have you too had the time to think about the arrangements, we've been discussing?"

"Certainly, Lucius. Of course, we would be more than happy to sign the contract!" Said Mr. Flint, sounding overly joyed.

Draco rolled his eyes. He didn't like, when people talked about things he didn't understand. Gladly, the younger Flint leaned in and whispered, "They're going to marry my sister off to you."

Draco, being the five year old he was, fake gagged and hissed, "I don't want to marry anyone!"

The boy, who was earlier called Marcus, smirked. "Well, too bad. I'm already betrothed to someone called Gemma Farley. They made the contract as soon as it was confirmed that she wasn't a squib."

"Oh," Draco said. "Well I'm going to go and find my future wife now, if you don't mind." He then turned to Ms. Flint, "Excuse me, miss. You said she was picking flowers? Maybe I should go check on her in the garden."

Ms. Flint beamed at the idea. "What a good idea, darling. Winky will take you, surely."

She called the elf, who asked Draco to follow her. The walk was quite long, and finally Draco's curiosity killed the cat, so he asked, "Where did you get that bow? Our elves don't have those."

The elf smiled brightly and said, "That's all little miss Hermione! She gives us her old bows everytime she gets a new one."

Oh.

"Well, that's... Nice, I suppose."

Finally they arrived to the large garden and the elf disappeared, leaving Draco to find the girl all alone.

Great.

He walked past some rose bushes and many other flowers, he didn't recognize. When he thought that he was already walked past the whole garden, he heard a muffled sound, like sniffing.

Turning around, he followed the voice, walking past a large oak tree, which lead him to a small bond. There, he found her. She probably hadn't heard him yet, since only her back was facing him.

He coughed awkwardly, trying to get her to hear his presence. He succeed, and she turned around to face him. She had the biggest eyes Draco had ever seen. They were brown, but not dully looking. Her hair, little lighter than his brother's, was tied up in two purple bows. She also had a similar colored dress, which he noticed, was little blood stained around her knee.

"Are you alright?" Draco asked, though he knew it was a dumb thing. The girl was crying and she had a blood stain in her dress.

"Oh, I'm lovely. Just a little accident," she responded in a quiet dreamy voice.

Draco frowned and took few steps closer. "accident?"

The girl- Hermione -hesitated, before her cheeks turned lightly pink. "I fell into a rose bush."

Draco tried to hide his laugh, but failed miserably, chuckling at her.

"Don't laugh!" She said and smacked his arm playfully. He would've felt bit bad, but she was smiling, so he knew she didn't got upset.

"I'm sorry," he said, not sounding sorry at the slightest. "Why'd you fall to the rose bush for?"

"It wasn't in purpose!" She defended herself. "But I was going to get a really pretty pink rose, since mummy mentioned that your mother liked them, but it was too far out of reach, so I fell and ruined my new dress by bleeding."

Draco didn't know how to comfort the crying girl in front of him, so he shrugged. "Well, maybe no one's gonna notice? It's not that big stain."

Hermione wiped her eyes and stared at the crimson spot on her dress. "My mummy notices everything. And then she'll be mad at me."

Draco patted on her shoulder, before sitting down next to her. Before he noticed, his fingers were trailing the ruined spot of the dress, and when he looked again, the stain was gone.

Hermione's eyes wide and her pink lips parted slightly. "How did you do that?" She asked in pure amazement.

In reality, he had no idea. But for some reason, he wanted to impress the girl in front of him, so he grinned, "I'm actually quite good at magic already," he smugly said.

"Wow, really?" She beamed and he nodded.

Before he had time to react, the girl threw herself into his arms, and hugged him. It took him a second to progress what was happening, but eventually he wrapped his arms around her.

"Thank you," she whispered into his shoulder, where her head was buried.

"No problem, but we should probably go back," he said, and let go of her, as much as he didn't want to. He quite liked being here, at the bond, with a pretty girl who was just hugging him. Not just any girl though, his future wife.

"Yes, that's a good idea. Do you think your mother will like the bouquet?" she asked, pointing at the different neatly arranged flowers, that were laying on the ground next to her.

"She will absolutely love it. Now come on!" He said, and pulled the smiling girl up with him.

He noticed how she was bit shorter than him and how her smile stayed on her face the whole way back. Even Draco's lips turned up slightly.

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