Summary: With his father jailed and his mother in St. Mungo's, Draco's point of view has shifted. And he has the perfect idea on how to make it up to the one girl he used to tease, but now loves. ONE SHOT! D/G
Minty Fresh Friendship
It was all different now. His opinions, his way of life, his purpose of life. It had all changed. For better or for worse, he still didn't know. But he was bound to living like this for now.
After the 5th year Harry Potter had proceeded in naming the death eaters present at the battle and that had included his father. After his father had been apprehended and sent to Azkaban, he had been sentenced to the Dementor's Kiss soon. But it had been argued over and it was decided to leave him in Azkaban to suffer a while longer.
But that wasn't all. Because her husband had been convicted she had found no desire or purpose to live, so she had gone insane. He would find her awake in the early hours of the morning crying hysterically. She would do the oddest things and she took up drinking. He, of course, had not liked her new habit. But he could not say a word against it in fear of the punishments that would overcome him when she got drunk and mad.
So he stayed in his room most of the time playing a new muggle instrument he had always wanted to take up but his father never let him. Now that his father was resting safely in Azkaban he had bought a guitar and spends endless nights making up songs and lyrics. And he had figured out that he was quite good at this.
Occasionally, his mother would break into his room and swing his guitar across the room breaking windows and tables and chairs. He would sit back and watch every time. And the next day he would buy a new one. Money was not in shortage even though his father no longer was able to supply for them. All of his relatives sent enormous shipments of money every week for his enjoyment and his mother's beverages.
His hair hung loosely in his face now that it had grown a bit longer over the summer. He no longer gelled it back and that seemed to attract more girls then ever before.
Now that he saw the world in a different angle he loved to shop at muggle malls. And he seemed much more generous. The homeless seemed to benefit greatly from his charities. He had gained muggle money by working as a waiter at a local restaurant. Anything to gain money and keep him away from his mother.
Draco came home one day to a note pinned on the inside of the front marble and oak French doors.
Draco Malfoy,
Your mother has been a dangerous threat on your life and has been sent to St. Mungo's for rehabilitation. She might not be released for a long while. After you left she had banged her head severely against a sharp table edge and has caused quite a memory loss and additional lunacy. You no longer need to fear her safety nor yours. Enjoy your last few days of summer.
Yours Truly,
Cornelius Fudge
Draco sighed and seated himself on the nearest leather couch. They had not impeached Fudge since Harry Potter had been able to defeat Voldemort. Draco had been with the impeachment and still was but it was all done now.
Then school began.
"Draco!" cried Pansy as she ran towards him and quickly wrapped her arms around him in a tight, breath-taking (literally) hug.
"Get your arms off of me, Parkinson," Draco cried as he pulled her arms off and trudged to the Slytherin Table awaiting the feast so he could rush up to his dormitory and talk to Blaise Zabini. Blaise seemed the only that actually understood Draco and gave more profound advices unlike Crabbe and Goyle's nodding heads and grunts. Pansy was a little taken aback at his snappish attitude but quickly recovered.
The sorting was quite long now that Voldemort had been vanquished. More students came no longer needing to beware for their safety. After Harry Potter had dueled with him in the Ministry of Magic they had met up again over the summer. It had been a single combat and Harry had won after several hours of down-right dirty combat. Harry Potter had come out quite uninjured except for a twisted ankle and a broken leg. He also had gained a minor memory loss that gave him a seat in St. Mungo's near Neville's parents. It was said that he would be released in October and he would be able to attend Hogwarts in his normal mind with all his memory back.
The feast finally began and seemed to end soon. Dumbledore gave a short speech like every year but also added a little thank you to Harry for his accomplishment and the cheering in the room was the loudest it had ever been.
During the speeches, he thought about her. He couldn't figure out why he had teased her. She seemed so unique: her laugh, her smile, her attitude. The way she held her spoon and the way she sipped her drink, so feminine, so cute. He found her so enticing, so tempting, and he couldn't wait to make her his.
The feast ended and everyone made their way sleepily back to their warm dormitories. While Draco was listening to Pansy blabber, he saw her. Her red hair always stuck out from the brown and lack and blond tufts of hair. And her heavenly minty scent seemed to separate itself from all the other smells and drift around him. He turned around to spot where Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger were, but they were nowhere to be found. When he turned around again to look for the red-headed girl, she was gone.
The next morning he woke up anxiously and made his way quickly to the Great Hall for his Saturday breakfast. Along the way he heard Hermione and Ginny having a conversation.
"I love cinnamon. It's my personal favorite," Hermione said as she placed her hand on her chest indicating it was her favorite.
"Yes, I do like cinnamon tea, but I prefer mint. It's so refreshing like a new beginning or a new day or friendship," Ginny replied.
"I see your point. Mint is quite refreshing like beginning a new day or starting anything anew," Hermione agreed. They both walked off to the Great Hall continuing their discussion.
Draco memorized the conversation before making his was to the Great Hall and seating himself at the Slytherin Table. He took out a decorated paper and began a letter of great importance to him making sure to find the best-chosen words he could use.
A few hours later Draco was seated at a table in the Slytherin Common Room appearing to be reading what looked like a Potions book when Blaise Zabini walked in.
"What was Draco Malfoy doing in the gardens today?" asked Blaise as he eyes Draco suspiciously.
"Why do you care?" retorted Draco as kept his gaze focused on the fine print of the paper.
"When you see a cold-blooded Slytherin in the garden carefully choosing flowers and inhaling its scent, you know something is up," Blaise replied accenting the important words.
"They are for my mother. I am in need of a certain item and I'm trying to bribe her into buying it for me," Draco lied easily. His mind smirked at the ease of which he was able to lie and how truthful it sounded.
"Whatever you say, mate," Blaise replied. "Whatever you say." With that he walked out of the portrait and was gone in a matter of seconds.
Draco relaxed and continued writing the letter in the calming silence that echoed throughout the Slytherin Common Room.
Minutes later Ginny walked into her dormitory and her gaze fell upon a beautifully decorated parchment and a small lilac box lying alone on her nightstand. She walked over slowly and picked up the letter. A small smile tugged at her lips and a twinkle like Dumbledore's appeared in her eyes as she read the letter.
It read:
For all the times I made you cry
And teased you mercilessly
Here's a present to tell you
I'm ever truly sorry
I've passed you in the halls
Several many times
And your heavenly minty scent
Seems to always arouse my mind
Your vibrating red hair
And heart-warming brown eyes
Bring little highlights of happiness
Into my morbid life
So here's a little thank you
For making me tingle with joy
I love you, Ginny Weasley
You're my hearts affection toy
So if your heart be with me
And you choose to take me on
Sprinkle bits of my gift
Upon me when I am forlorn
As I end my poem
Here are two last important lines
I love you, Ginny Weasley
So will you please be mine?
~Draco Nicholas Achilles Odysseus Malfoy
Ginny had always had a little crush on the Hogwarts bad boy, Even though he had always teased her she couldn't help but love his gorgeous looks. I mean who could resist?
She picked up the little box and opened it gingerly. Inside was the prettiest and freshest mint herbs tied with a blood red rose. How he had managed to tie a bouquet with a rose, she had no clue. But he had done it. How had he known that he loved mint herbs? Then she remembered the shadow she had felt a few hours ago when she had been chatting with Hermione. That had been Draco! Boy, he was sneaky. She inhaled the heavenly scent and quickly placed all of them but one in a vase Harry Potter had given her for her birthday a while ago.
She looked outside the window and spotted a gloomy yet handsome looking Draco standing near the lake with Pansy, Crabbe, and Goyle listening inattentively to Pansy as she rambled on and on.
Ginny took the mint herb in her small, milky white hand and delicately tore it apart into little bits and threw them out the window.
Draco felt little tufts of an herb fall delicately on his head powdering his blond hair with a touch of color. He smiled as he looked up at the window and saw her shining face smiling back at him, giggling. At that moment, he knew that this was the beginning of a minty new friendship.
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