“Harry! Harry! Get a load of this!”
Ron had been running down the hallway, nearly plowing through the Patil’s, frantically waving a sheet of parchment in the air. Ignoring the murderous glare Padma was oh so kindly giving him, he stopped short of running them over as well.
Ron had a wide smile plastered to his face, one that spoke of secrets and mischief. When Hermione threw a questioning glance at Harry, Harry had simply given her a sidelong glance and shrugged his shoulders. How strange, usually these two can basically read each other's minds.
“You will not believe what I just found,” Ron quickly looked around and over his shoulder. Obviously, this was going to be another one of his schemes. If it wasn't the red hair and freckles that would give it away, the glint he held in his eye was a dead ringer for Fred and George. Ron must have seen something or someone coming because the next thing Harry and Hermione knew, they were being shoved into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.
Okay this is just ridiculous, Hermione thought to herself when she saw him peeking through the door to see if the coast was clear. Satisfied that they were not followed he walked towards them all while waving the slightly bent parchment.
“What is it, Ron?” Harry urged.
“Yeah, get on with it! I have more important things to do than to watch you play detective.” At this, Ron rolled his eyes. Obviously, she didn’t realize the importance of the gold mine he had come across in the library.
_____
He had stopped by to speak to Neville in hopes that he would kindly help him out and write a few more pages to his Herbology essay. He was already on thin Ice and the last thing he needed was to get another howler from his mother. He still couldn’t live it down and it had been years ago.
After looking around, he let out a deep sigh, he couldn’t find Neville and that meant more than likely he would be writing lines with Pomfrey. Ron dragged his feet on his way out only stopping short to the sound of Malfoy.
“What, poverty doing a number on you is it? Well, don't drag your feet, the other one hasn't grown out of his shoes yet.” Draco had held a twisted smirk. Ron wanted to wipe it clean off his pointy face, but it seemed that Malfoy had taken the hint that his prodding would not be met kindly today after glancing at his watch. It was about time that the pointy faced prick learned who was going to come out on top. Draco had gathered up all his belongings and made his way to the door, not without aggressively bumping into Ron. He was almost tempted to throw a book at the back of Draco’s head when he noticed that by the leg of the chair was a sheet or paper. Malfoy gets good marks… He wouldn’t care to help a lad out, Ron thought slyly. Only after reading the first two words did he take off running.
_____
“Well,” he stated with an air of superiority, “Turns out that our favorite albino ferret has got himself a secret girlfriend and guess who just found a love letter? I'll give you three guesses.” With a laugh, he held the note up high in the air and pulled at it twice, resulting in a snapping sound.
Harry let out a laugh and quickly moved himself so he was looking over his best friend's shoulder as he brought the note down. He too held a little more than a glint of mischief in his eyes. “Read it! I want to know who he is writing to, because obviously they are either mental or are crying for help!” He let out a laugh.
“Alright! Alright!” Ron moved to perch himself on the edge of the sinks and held the note out with one hand and dramatically placed the other on his heart. Harry rolled his eyes at the next few coughs and dramaticized attempts at clearing his throat. “Well, are you gonna read it or not?” Harry complained, crossing his arms across his chest. Ron just gave him the side eye and began to recite the contents of the letter.
“My Dear, The affection I have for you can not be measured by any number of- hey!” Ron was cut off by the abrupt seizing of parchment. Harry was taken aback by the abrupt movement, nearly falling into the sink behind him.
No one had noticed how Hermione had blanched at first mention of a secret girlfriend; they did however, notice how livid she was now. The letter was held firmly in her hand and her curly hair was like the lion's mane on her house crest. Wild and fierce.
“What is wrong with you? How dare you read something as private as this?” Hermione was seething.
Ron’s look of confusion quickly turned to one of irritation, Harry at least had the decency to look at least the least bit embarrassed. “What is your problem, Hermione? It's not like he has done us any favors, the least he could do is give us a few laughs at his expense.”
“I don't care, you have the chance to be the bigger man and you are acting like a child! You should be ashamed of yourselves. If not for Malfoy, then at least spare the girl's feelings. Do you even know who she is?”
“No, you took it before I could get to the good part! I only saw that it was a love letter from Lord Ferret and thought it would be a good laugh” Hermione let out a sigh and shoved the note down, deep into her school bag. “What? No Hermione!” She ignored Ron’s cries of protest and looked to Harry, willing him to say something. It had taken him a minute, but finally after a few seconds he took the hint.
“Ron, Hermione is right. It really isn’t right. I don't really care for how it’ll affect Malfoy because he’s a right git, but the least we can do is spare the girl the shame of reading her letters.” He gave Ron a pat on the back. “Come on, let's go to the field, practice is starting soon and we are definitely going to win this game.”
Begrudgingly, Ron lifted himself off the sink and joined Harry as they began walking out the door. But not without throwing one last comment at Hermione. “You need to calm down Mione, if it had been anyone else, I would have thought he was writing the letter to you!” The boys made their way out the bathroom laughing at the joke.
Only, it wasn’t a joke. Unknowingly, Ron had hit the nail on the head. It was for Hermione. She had felt all the color drain from her face when he said this and thanked Merlin in all his greatness that he and Harry had been on their way out already. Quickly she made her way to the back of the restroom and climbed to perch herself on the edge of the large circular window. She had tried this once, after hearing Myrtle talk about how she would think about death while glancing outside. Surely, the view was not that horrid?
After sipping a few times, Hermione had been able to get to the window and see that it was not a horrid view at all; in fact, it was quite lovely. From it, you could see the green houses and a beautiful view of the distant mountain range. She had made it a habit to sneak up to the window whenever she felt she needed a moment alone.
Once settled, Hermione tentatively pulled out the parchment she had taken from Ron. It was a bit wrinkled from hastily being crammed in her bag so she grabbed both ends of it and began to smooth it across her leg and then on a piece of the ledge itself.
Satisfied with most of the wrinkles out, she gave one last glance around the bathroom before she began to read the all too familiar script.
My Dear,
The affection I have for you can not be measured by any number of words. They all fall short and all pale in comparison. I am not sure if you are aware of the effect you have. That even a glimpse of you is like a breath of fresh air I didn't even know I was missing. It pains me to keep this a secret, even though I know that it is something that can’t be helped right now. I am aware it was my idea and that you are probably rolling your eyes and stating as such-
Of course she was going to roll her eyes, as much as she had tried to convince him that she didn’t care what other people thought. He had been adamant, however, and she had given in. If it gave him peace of mind to know that she wasn’t being harassed for being in a relationship with Draco Malfoy, she would gladly give it to him.
-but, I am glad that you took pity on my nerves for something I felt so strongly about. I could never forgive myself if others began to attack you for your connection to me. Believe it or not, though, It kills me all the same to have this kept secret. I want to fly to the highest mountain top and scream to all of Scotland that I, Draco Lucius Malfoy, am irrevocably in love with you, Hermione Jean Granger. I am not sure if I will give you this letter or if I will keep it, like I do many others I feel are not good enough to send you.
Others? Does that mean that there is a stash of secret undelivered letters somewhere in Hogwarts? Hermione had truly believed that he would just write out a quick note and send it in the post whenever they went to Hogsmeade. Not out of indifference, but out of confidence in his approaches. It melted her heart to know that her love was as nervous as her. By the way he acted in class no one would even begin to guess that he had even an inkling of a crush on her, he seemed completely indifferent, which Hermione guessed was truly the point of all this.
More than likely, I wont and this will be another entry in the book of unsent letters. And since you will never get this I can boldly and almost heartachingly say that you are my first thought when I wake up and your face is the last I think of . The nights we sneak out of the castle to meet by the outskirts of the forest or to stargaze from the rooftops are my favorite part of the day. Morso, I enjoy it when we partake in clandestine midnight flights. While I know that you are scared of heights, I love that in those moments you completely forget the world and it is just you and I amongst the stars. These moments are vastly different from rushed kisses in empty halls and stolen glances from across the room. I can't stand to see Weaselbee throw you lovelorn glances. I couldn’t hold myself back from breaking McLaggan’s wrists the other day, though I doubt you know about that.
She did know about that. Well, it hadn’t really been confirmed, but it had started a few weeks back when Cormac McLaggen had begun to flirt with her. Obviously, she couldn’t outright say that she was currently dating Draco Malfoy, former Death Eater; instead, she had simply told him that she was already involved with someone else. It seemed to work for a few days, but when she refuse to name the one who held her affections, McLaggen assumed that this was just a ruse from a silly girl playing hard to get.
Obviously, after a few attempts Draco began to notice and would get a sort of pinched look on his face. She guessed his resolve broke the day McLaggens attempts at flirting turned from heavy compliments and gifts to touches. He hadn’t grabbed her aggressively, but it hadn’t been quite gentle either. She had told him off and by this point Harry had noticed as well and told him to leave her alone, standing in between them and moving Hermione behind him.
Right after, she had quickly scanned the room for the familiar gray eyes and was confused to see that he wasn’t there. She hadn’t thought anything of it at the time, and thanked the higher powers that Draco hadn’t seen because she wasn’t sure that he wouldn’t have thrown Cormac out the second story classroom window.
It wasn’t until after, when Harry, Ron and Hermione were in the dining hall that she overheard from Lavender Brown that Cormac McLaggen was in the infirmary. Apparently he had fallen down the staircases and broke both wrists but that it kind of looked like he had been thrown around. Obviously, nothing could be done unless he outright told the truth.
Hermione was smart, too smart to think it was a coincidence that after the earlier events that had transpired. Taking a breath she turned around and just like earlier looked for his white blond hair. He was sitting at the table with his friends, deep in conversation and laughing about some joke.
At first glance, he looked the same as he always did, hair neatly styled, fitted robes, crisp white shirt, and a green slytherin tie in a Windsor knot. Everything was perfect, well almost everything. Just below the hem of the sleeve of his robe where it had ridden up a bit was a red speck. Blood. Her eyes had suspiciously moved to his hands and they were not much different than usual save for a light pink tinge to his knuckles.
She couldn’t really ask him in the middle of the dining hall, but later that night when she had asked where he had gone earlier that day, Draco had simply told her that he had gotten sick and just needed to step out for a minute. She hadn’t wanted to push and they enjoyed the rest of their night.
The next day, Hermione braced herself for another one of Cormacs advances, but they never came. “Maybe he finally learned to take a hint?” Harry had said. She had given him a distracted nod agreement. She had noticed the slightest flinch when he walked by Draco’s seat. Draco had an almost permanent smirk plastered to his face the rest of that day.
This letter proved that she had been right. She glanced at it to see how much she had left, not much, and kept reading.
I know that you wouldn’t have approved of it. Now when I think about it I can safely say that I was acting part in jealousy and part in anger. McLaggen found out that we were committed to each other that day, but I had kindly let him know that while this time I had temporarily relieved him of writing and spell casting, I could also relieve him of walking if he resumed his advanced towards you or even hinted at the idea of a relationship between you an I to anyone else. He had been taken aback at the moment, but he is a smart man and knew what was best for him.
You are what is best for me. My greatest sin will forever be not being there when you needed me most. That horrid night at the manor will forever live in my nightmares and I vowed to protect you at all costs since. In our young age, we have seen far too many evils, more than most see in their lifetime; however, I am glad we both survived because I will spend every day of the rest of my life making it up to you.
Forever Yours,
Draco L. Malfoy
Reading the letter one last time, Hermione neatly folded it and placed it in a special place she had in her bag for Draco’s letter. With a shy smile on her face, she made her way down from the ledge. Just as her feet touched the ground she heard a deep whine. Moaning Myrtle Swooped down low and glided her way to the stall to Hermione’s right.
“I do have feelings, you know, even if I am dead and I am happy that It is all working out for you, you deserve a chance at happiness.”