Cassie Malfoy made sure to buy the prettiest daisies today. Her father had told her not to bother, as he was going to buy a bouquet as well, but she wanted to for her mother. Daisies have always been her mother’s favorite; she remembers when she was still little, her mother would always plant daisies in their backyard, and along with Cassie, they would water it and take care of it almost every day until they finally grew beautifully. Beautiful like my Cassiopeia, she would always hear. Cassie had tried to grow daisies on her own, but every time they would always wilt within a week. Her father had joked that her mother might just have the skills and talent for it that Cassie didn’t.
Walking out the bouquet store, she makes her way down Diagon Alley with the flowers in her hands. It’s no secret who Cassiopeia Malfoy is - being the daughter of 2 prominent figures during the War (her father would always say that being her mother’s daughter is far better than being a daughter of his but her mother would always just give him a smile and reassure him that he’s done all he can to repay his mistakes after the War). She smiles at the people who give her a nod and an understanding smile as she passes them. In comparison to a normal day, there were more flocks of people, some with flowers in their hands, and it would make sense as the Wizarding world is celebrating today.
Trying not to get caught up in the ground and wanting to avoid any small talks with anyone who may bump in her way, she reaches the Apparition point and apparates home.
“Cassie, is that you?”
She smiles as she hears her father’s voice as she knocks on his office door. Pushing it open, she sees him holding the Prophet, smiling fondly at it. She gives him a small wave as she steps in, showing him the bouquet of daisies she bought. He rolls her eyes at her as he points towards the corner of the room towards a table where a bigger (and more beautiful) arrangement of daisies were.
“I told you not to bother yourself with it anymore,” her father tells her, standing up.
“I wanted to, Father. I told you,” she replies to him as if it’s the most obvious thing before stepping into her father’s face and giving him a hug.
“How was Diagon Alley?”
“It was fine. Crowded as one would expect.” His father snorts at that and she just gives him a grin.
Stepping away from his embrace, Cassie glances at the Prophet her father was reading and sees the face of The Brightest Witch of Her Age glancing at her and flashing her a grin. Timeless War Heroine, the title read. Cassie’s lips quirk at that.
“She really is beautiful,” she comments offhandedly, still gazing at the newspaper. Her father hums, placing his forehead on her hair. Absolutely stunning, he answers.
They stand like that for a while, Cassie clutching the bouquet of flowers in her hands and her father standing still, but she knows where his gaze is settled. She tugs at his sleeves, asking him if he’s ready to get going.
He replies by reaching for the newspaper, folding it and tucking it in his robes, before going to grab his own bouquet. Cassie follows him out the door.
Cassie knows her mother was very much loved - still is. She’s thankful, though, that during days like this, they don’t need to openly celebrate or visit with the public. Her feet reach the familiar grounds of a separate Malfoy Estate, glancing upwards towards the sky and realizing that the sun is almost setting, the amber skies reflecting. How fitting, she thinks.
“Come on,” her father tells her, holding out his hand which Cassie took.
In a span of 2 years, Cassie has been to this place a total of 297 times. She doesn’t know why she has kept count. Maybe because she helps his father with his schedules and meetings and she would always see a circled date which she knows is reserved for this and she goes with him almost every time. She knows his father has visited way more (she won’t be surprised if he goes here at least 5 times a week, even if it’s only 2 minutes). And even though a portrait hangs along the Malfoy Manor near her father’s room, Cassie feels that it’s different.
The trudge the familiar cobble path, reaching a gravestone. Draco Malfoy settles his bouquet, before muttering a charm to make sure they last longer than intended. She knows he never charms one to last permanently because he always brings a new one each and every time. He squats, fingers tracing the engraved writings and from her angle, Cassie sees her father smile.
Hermione Granger Malfoy
1979 - 2027
Best Friend. Lover. Mother.
L'amour intemporel se trouve en toi
Cassie follows suit, dropping her own bouquet beside her fathers. Draco swishes his wand again as he charms Cassie’s own bouquet.
“Hi, mom,” Cassie says. “Sorry we’re later than usual; Diagon Alley was packed as you know. You’re so loved out there.”
“Forgive Cassie, I told her I was going to be the one to handle but she persisted. Hence, we’re late. I know Potter and Weasley already visited you today here before I did which I promised to never happen. Apologies for that, Granger.”
She rolls her eyes at that and she hears the laugh in her father’s voice before his voice turns serious and somber, wistful and sad. “Hello, love. How are you been?”
Pulling out the newspaper he tucked in his robes, her father went on to sit on the grass and Cassie followed suit. “Look at what the Prophet said today. Timeless War Heroine: Remembering the Brightest Witch of Her Age, Hermione Malfoy,” her father laughs at that. “I know you hate being called the Brightest Witch of Her Age, but referring to you as Hermione Malfoy and not Granger Malfoy? Oh, you would’ve had a field day.”
Cassie grins at that; every time Cassie would tell her mom that her friends were gushing about her being the Brightest Witch of Her Age, Hermione would cringe. As for Granger Malfoy, she remembers sitting with her mom one time and jokingly complaining that Hermione Granger Malfoy is quite the mouthful. Her mother rolled her eyes before smiling wistfully, telling her that she wanted to keep Granger to remember her parents, and most specially to remind her of who she really was (and proud of) – a muggleborn.
“The picture they chose was beautiful, though. You’re always beautiful. I remember this - it was when you were promoted in your department. Fastest promotion in the Wizarding world,” her father said fondly, love shining in his eyes as he flipped the pages of the newspaper.
Cassie leans in, looking at the contents. 2 pages were dedicated to her mother which Cassie would make sure to reach later when she gets home. Pictures were also present - the Granger-Malfoy wedding day, the Golden Trio, her and Cassie, as well as an individual picture of her. Her father was tracing that solo picture, eyes never leaving it.
“Cassie and I miss you. Every day,” he gives a small, sad, laugh. “Potter and Weasley are a total wreck without you - I told you, you were the glue of that group.”
They sit in a comforting silence, her father still tracing the picture and Cassie leaning her head on his shoulder. She knows her father won’t say much when he’s with someone, but Cassie knows that he talks with Hermione - even in the simplest things as if she was there, still there. And Cassie knows that her father would prefer mourning alone, remembering the time when she accidentally overheard him in his room, sobbing. She thought of going in, but decided against it. The words I am so lost with you, ‘Mione echoed throughout her head the night.
At 22 years old, Cassie glances at her mother’s gravestone, longing and ache filling in her heart. She’s thankful she got 22 years of Hermione Granger Malfoy in her life, but at the same time, she’s very much regretful of only having that much.
Her father nudges her head with his shoulder, “Let’s head home, Cassie?”
They stood up together, leaving one last look at the gravestone. Something glued Cassie on her spot.
“Father, would it be okay if I stay behind for a while?” she asks him. If Draco Malfoy was surprised, he didn’t say anything but just gave her a smile and nodded, kissing her forehead.
Before leaving, her father pulls out his wand before conjuring his Patronus - a silver otter swims around the air, curling around the tombstone. He smiles at that before kneeling again and touching the engraved name.
“I love you. L'amour intemporel se trouve en toi. Still. Always.”
Cassie waits for her father to leave, giving him a wave, before looking at her mom again. She suddenly feels an overwhelming wave of sadness as she tilts her head to the side, inhaling a breath.
“You know, mom,” she starts off, “I resonate with father. I am so lost without you.” She doesn’t expect anyone to answer back but she pauses anyway.
“I’m 22 for Merlin’s sake. But I just… Is it supposed to get easier? Uncle Harry and I talked about you just last week while he was preparing for your anniversary today. You know what he told me? He said that you were always there every step of the way with him and Ron. He wonders how life would be without you. And I think he didn’t mean it in the way who he would depend on now, but rather it was more like… your presence, mom. How can he live life without you being by his side?” she tries to explain lamely.
“And that’s for me, too, you know? I suck at things - I can’t grow daisies, I still don’t know how to drive. I don’t know how to prepare for my meeting with the Minister next week. And you know, those were the things I was expecting to do with you, to learn from you. But more than that, how am I supposed to go on without you just being there? Without my mom? Just living without you is hell, mom.”
She feels tears on the corner of her eyes before she wipes them away, exhaling a breath. “I don’t know how dad does it. But I know he’s probably got it worse. He loves you, you know. So much.” She remembers her mother’s wedding ring hanging from his father's neck, remembers the tattoo of her name that he got just below his faded Dark Mark, the countless pictures framed around his room and his office. Mentioning her in speeches even now, thanking her, celebrating her.
“He told me that when you were already fighting for your life in that hospital bed, you told him to never mourn. To just celebrate when you’re gone because that’s what it is, right? You said it was a celebration of life. I hope you know he tries really hard to not let the mourning get the best of him. Heaven knows you’d call him out if he spends his days sulking,” Cassie says laughing, as if her mom was really listening.
She sits back down on the grass, trying to imagine her mom just sitting in front of her, listening to her rambles and talkings like she always used to. “You were always so wise with words. Remember, I’d get so annoyed sometimes because you always had a different perspective of things than father and I. Look at the bright side, Cassie - that’s what you’d always say.” she looks down at her hands, fiddling with the ring her mother had given her for her 18th birthday.
“I guess, the bright side is you aren’t hurting now, right? No more painful visits at the hospitals with those needles. No more waking up late at night, screaming in pain.
“And I guess, at least you’re looking down at me now. Protecting me. I trust you with my life, mom. Please don’t let me do stupid things. Hex me from above if you have to.”
Cassie sits and just listens to the breeze and ruffles of leaves. Glancing towards the amber sky, she thinks of her mom and everything she embodied. Maybe her mom never left her at all, Cassie thinks. She sees her mom in her father, in Uncle Harry and Ron, even in Aunt Ginny. She sees her mom’s success in the Ministry. She sees her mom’s bravery in Hogwarts and the annual celebrations of the War. She sees her mom when she’s planting daisies even though she’s terribly bad at it.
She knows her mom is alive when people talk about bravery, wisdom, power, and love and all Cassie thinks about is her mom. Maybe Hermione Granger Malfoy was right (as always). Maybe it’s time to celebrate her life rather than mourn.
Cassie stands up then, gazing longingly at the tombstone. “You were perfect, mom. I wish I could’ve asked you for your life’s manual or just everything about you. Everyone loves you. Deservingly so.”
“I love you, mom. And I miss you everyday. Later, I’ll go to the celebration at Hogwarts in your honor. I can’t wait to see you there.”