The Power of Pain

Chapter 47

Draco smiled as he brought out a plate of sandwiches and crisps, Hermione had gone to reading silently, her arm wrapped lightly around his daughter. Her fingers lightly running through the curls at the ends of dark blond her. Hermione gave him a gentle smile and shifted waking the girl in her lap.

"Are you hungry Princess?" Draco asked moving to kneel beside them. Seraphina gave him a sleepy smile and nodded patting her stomach. Draco smirked and held out the plate for Granger to take, nodding his head to her, "Some there for you too." He glanced at her almost dreamy smile, it still unnerved him how she looked at him as if he'd never committed a single sin.

"Thank you. Is it alright if we stay out longer?" She offered a small sandwich square to Seraphina who took it into her lap opening it up to eat the pickles first.

"Sure, I don't see why not." he flicked his shoulders looking back to the house, "Personally, I don't think you'd want to come back anyway, he's gotten himself into a right foul mood." he made a bit of a face looking down the arch of his nose.

"You're welcome to join us." She offered, knowing just how foul those moods could be. "I was just moving onto the Serpent and the wandmaker."

"Dat Papa's favo'id" Seraphina supplied, stuffing a bit of bread into her mouth.

Draco rocked back on his heels a bit, looking between the open door and the book still open in Granger's lap. His daughter patted the grass beside her before taking the meat into her fingers.

"I suppose I could stay for one story." He sighed through his nose taking a nice seat in the shade with plenty of space between him and Granger. The latter chuckled and offered him the plate when he tried to steal a sandwich.

As all parties settled back into place, Hermione turned the book to its proper place. Stifling a yawn before she popped a small sandwich square into her mouth; the combination of the gentle breeze, warm waning sun, and the relaxing story was starting to take its toll.

Her lips curved gently at the girl who came back to press into her side, running her tiny fingers over a slightly moving picture. Hermione swallowed and cleared her throat. Resigned, she nodded and straightened her back to try to keep focused. Her words soft but with inflection, she painted the wonderful scene before them, the magic of the book resonated with her words, turning them into a soft projected picture show. Draco relaxed back idly watching as the images from the story shifted over the tree line.

When the fable slowly came to a close, Hermione couldn't suppress the deep yawn that left her throat. She sniffled just a bit trying to clear her head, her fingers turning to start another story automatically. Her voice had lost most of its enthusiasm but she pressed on. She could feel Seraphina's head against her thigh as she started anew.

"The Elementalist and the Prince.

Once upon a time, there was a powerful wizard, the very first of his kind. He had the amazing ability to control all the world's elements with just his will alone. He hadn't a need for a wand or a staff to do his magic. He had an unimaginable strength and an even kinder heart.

His life hadn't been easy, for you see, he had gifts no one in the world possessed and even though he never used his magical powers for evil, the people of the world just weren't ready for his amazing powers. So, in the dead of night, the young wizard was stolen away from his mother and locked away in a deeply secretive place.