For The Greater Good (A Draco Malfoy Story)

Wake Up Call

      Rose.

Sunshine prompted my eyes to open. The smell of lavender and fresh air clued me in that I was home again. I used to always keep my window open when I'd sleep back then, the scents of nature had been soothing. Looking up, I grinned at the sight of my father. He sat at the nook by my window, looking out into the sunshine.

"Hello there, stranger," he smiled as he turned towards me.

"Hey, Dad. You show up at good moments, did you know?"

He chuckled. "Punctuality always was my thing."

"So," I sat up and smoothed back my hair. "What's the lesson this time? Are you going to tell me I have gills next?"

"Not exactly no, although that would be useful." He stood up and walked out of the room, calling behind him. "Are you coming?"

Quickly following him, we walked down to the backyard, to my mother's garden where an insanely tall man was waiting. "Who's this?" It was beyond weird seeing another people in my dreams, especially someone I didn't know. I had always thought of these moments as sacred. The various scents of the garden soothed my anxiety. My mother had planted this garden when my brother and I were born, drunk with the pride of creating life. Gabriel and I used to run around the garden when we were small, grinning under our hands as we got scolded by our mother for stepping on her violets.

I smiled to myself, the usual pain I felt when I thought back on my childhood didn't come and I was grateful for it. My father squeezed gently on my hand when he stopped and looked at the man in front of him. I studied the man, head to toe. He had the same blue eyes as my father and I, with chestnut hair with white mixed in, and the corner of his eyes crinkled when he smiled, which he was doing when he saw us. He was wearing a blue button up shirt that complemented his eyes, dark jeans that hugged his slim figure and brown working boots. He was surprisingly very tall and muscular looking. I had to tilt my chin up and literally look up at him. Other than the age lines on his face and the white hair, he looked pretty youthful. He also had a brown goatee and a hooked nose, reminding me of a hawk.

"Rose, this is Jason Alvers...your grandfather," my father suddenly said. I couldn't help but widen my eyes. Blimey, this was not how I pictured Grandfather Alvers to look like. I could see how we were related, however. It felt surreal, to meet someone who died before I was even born. To meet someone dead in general! He had died on a Auror mission a year after my parents married. "Nice to finally meet you, Grandpa," I extended my hand for a shake but he just shook his head, chuckled and pulled me in for a bear hug. A squeal left my mouth before I gasped for breath as I was crushed against his barrel chest.

"My dear, I havena waited all this time to meet my granddaughter just to get a hand shake!" he boomed with a loud but raspy voice, a thick Scottish accent rolling off his tongue. My father laughed loudly. I missed that laugh, I couldn't remember the last time I heard it so strongly.

"Father! You're crushing Rose!" he exclaimed with amusement.

"Och, whoops," my grandfather said sheepishly while putting me down, allowing me to breathe. I arched back, cracking my spine with a groan.

"I think I need to visit my chiropractor now." Jason let out a deep guffaw of laughter and apologized.

"Alright, alright, now that we have the introductions done, it's time to get down to business." My father said to me, rubbing my back.

"What's this about now?"

"I haven't explained the colors you've been seeing to you enough. I brought your grandfather here because he knows more about than I do. I'm sure by now you've figured out what those colors are?"