Innocents Be Damned

Flower Crown

"Draco." Harry kneeled next to the pastel boy. "Are you alright?"

His voice was more gentle than Draco had ever heard. He placed his hand carefully on Draco's knee.

Draco pulled his tear-soaked face up and stared at Harry.

"M-my flower crown," he whispered.

Harry frowned. "Draco, how bad are you hurt?"

"Not bad, not bad, I swear, but where's my flower crown?" The desperation in Draco's voice was clear.

Hermione walked up quietly, and delicately set the ruined crown in Draco's hands.

The main circlet was ripped in half. Six of the flowers were ripped off, and two were dangling.

Hot tears flowed down Draco's face.

"God, no," he whispered.

Harry obviously didn't know why he was so broken over a flower crown, but he knew enough to realize that it had meant a lot to him.

"Maybe we can fix it," he whispered. "Glue, or tape, or-"

"No!" Draco shrieked. He stood, throwing the flower crown on the ground. "It's worthless now! Ruined, worthless, destroyed!"

Tears were no longer falling, replaced with rage. His white Vans kicked the wall behind him in frustration.

"It's her fault, her fucking fault!" Draco was breathing hard. "What did you say her name was?"

"Astoria. Astoria Greengrass," Hermione muttered.

Draco paced, his blonde hair tangled in his own fingers, before he sat back down again, crying.

Shocked, Harry sat down next to him gently, and wrapped his arms around the blonde's shoulders.

The bell chose that moment to ring.

Draco stood quickly, and rushed to their first period.

Harry picked up the broken flower crown pieces and put them in his pocket.

Hermione saw, and chose to say nothing.