She Will Be Loved

"What animal would I want to be? I guess I would have to say a bird because I would be able to know how it feels to be able to escape whenever I want. To be able to fly away whenever I want." –Hermione

Hermione stood on the balcony of the highest tower at Hogwarts, contemplating about life in general. She was already in her seventh year, but she had been having some problems. Among them: her parents, or more specifically her dad. He had been rather abusive lately. Not so much physically but emotionally. She couldn't wait until she graduated and turned 18 and was able to leave the house.

Truth be told, she was still the same, know-it-all, Hermione Granger. The only main thing that had changed was that she was now, surprisingly, a friend of Draco Malfoy. It all started one night when Hermione was out late and was lying on the side of the lake. She loved it there, especially at night when she would just lie on her back and stare up at the countless stars. But something unexpected happened that night that she wouldn't have ever imagined would happen. She saw a figure in the sky. It had the body of a man, but with wings. It had obviously seen her, and began swooping down on her. It wasn't long before she realized that it was Draco.

After conversing bitterly that night, she learned that he was actually a half-fairy. He had been stretching out his wings for the night. He normally does it every other day or so, after keeping them folded in his back for practically two days. It was then that they began acting more civil towards each other.

Hermione contemplated what she had written down for a survey a while ago. It was a meaningless questionnaire that McGonagall made them take during class one day. The question asked what animal would she choose to be if she was given the choice. She had always marveled at how it would feel like to be a bird. To have wings and fly. She closed her eyes and tried to imagine it.

Beauty queen of only eighteen
She had some trouble with herself
He was always there to help her
She always belonged to someone else

She was startled out of her reverie when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She quickly turned around and let out a sigh of relief when she realized it was only Draco.

"Hey, didn't mean to startle you," he said.

"It's alright."

"So what are you doing up here?"

"Nothing, just thinking."

"About, your... dad?"

"No, not necessarily. Just life in general."

"Oh," he said. Hermione had told Draco about her dad a while ago, thinking that it was only fair since Draco had explained about who he was. She didn't go into specific details, but she told him enough for him to know that it wasn't necessarily good parenting.

"So, what are you doing here?" asked Hermione, breaking the silence.

"Oh, this is where I take off from for my midnight flight."

Hermione nodded her head in and mouthed "oh" in realization. She went back to staring up at the stars. Draco just watched her, examined her.

I drove for miles and miles
And wound up at your door
I've had you so many times but somehow
I want more

"Hermione?" she turned to look at him. "If given the choice what animal would you want to be and why?"

Hermione rolled her eyes at the fact that he actually memorized that survey, but smiled nonetheless.

"I guess I would have to say a bird because I would be able to know how it feels to be able to fly away whenever I want."

Draco smiled, as if a certain idea just struck him. "Do you trust me?"

"What?"

"Do you trust me?"

"Um, yeah I guess so?" she replied, with a questioning look on her face. She didn't know where this was leading.

"Well, that didn't sound very convincing," scoffed Draco.

Hermione chuckled softly as she responded again with more confidence this time. "Yes, I do trust you?"

"Oh, good. Ok, now close your eyes and face outward," he said, motioning to the Hogwarts grounds.

Hermione gave him a questioning look before doing what he told. Draco removed his shirt, so that he won't rip it, and let his wings extend silently. He flexed them a little bit, and then grabbed Hermione around the waist. She tensed up slightly. Draco leaned into her ear and whispered: "Trust me."

He felt her relax a little bit, so he slowly lifted up into the air with her.

I don't mind spending everyday
Out on your corner in the pouring rain
Look for the girl with the broken smile
Ask her if she wants to stay awhile
And she will be loved
She will be loved

He dived downward slightly as he gained more speed. He felt Hermione grabbing onto his hands at her waist for dear life. He grinned and stopped in mid-air, while pulling her up into his chest so that he could whisper into her ear again. "Open your eyes, and spread your arms out. I tell you the view from up here is rather lovely."

She peeked and slowly opened her eyes the rest of the way. Her expression went from one of fear to one of admiration at the sight of it all. She mouthed a soft "wow" before Draco began flying again. This time Hermione took full advantage of it by spreading her arms.

Tap on my window knock on my door
I want to make you feel beautiful
I know I tend to get so insecure
It doesn't matter anymore

It's not always rainbows and butterflies
Its compromise that moves us along
My heart is full and my door's always open
You can come anytime you want

Hermione felt alive. For once, she wasn't afraid of flying. She gave all her trust to this one man that she had barely known for no more than a year or so. Not even Harry nor Ron could get her to fly a broom, yet here she was flying through the sky, with the one man she used to hate with a passion. The one man had never said one single nice thing to her up until that day at the lake no more than a year ago. The one man she never used to be able to trust.

She felt like she was on top of the world, and she loved it. She liked knowing how it felt to fly. She was grateful to Draco for teaching her how it felt. She spread her arms out and imagined she was the one with the wings. They zigzagged through the Hogwarts towers, over the edge of the Forbidden Forest, over the lake that looked like nothing more than a drop of water from the height they were at, and over the Quidditch Pitch, before turning back around.

I don't mind spending everyday
Out on your corner in the pouring rain
Look for the girl with the broken smile
Ask her if she wants to stay awhile
And she will be loved
She will be loved

Draco dropped his height down a little bit, and flew over the lake again. They were so close to the water that Hermione let her hand glide over the surface. She was enjoying this flight thoroughly.

They circled all around the lake over and over again. Draco pulled her close again and whispered in her ear, "I'll always be there for you Hermione when you want to escape. All you need to do is ask and I'm there, no questions asked," he said, while looking at her seriously into her eyes. Hermione felt tears brim her eyelids and Draco saw them.

I know where you hide
Alone in your car
Know all of the things that make you who you are
I know that goodbye means nothing at all
Comes back and begs me to catch her every time she falls

Before she could respond, however, he pulled her back up above him an arm's length away and swooped upward gaining more and more speed. He heard Hermione squeal with delight. When they were way above the Hogwarts towers, he let go of her for a couple of seconds and she dropped down into his arms, so that he was carrying her bridal-style (A/N: if u don't know what I mean by bridal-style just email me and I'll tell you). Draco slowed down and just glided in mid air. She looked at him with joy and admiration in her eyes.

"Thank you, Draco."

Tap on my window knock on my door
I want to make you feel beautiful

Draco smiled warmly, and leaned in. He gave her a small peck on the lips, so as not to take things too fast and scare her away, and pulled back softly, savoring her taste. Hermione gave him a confused and shocked look, before gently wrapping her small hand around his neck and pulling him in for another kiss. This one was a bit longer and deeper. All this time, Draco had been slowly descending back down to Earth, without either of their knowledge.

I don't mind spending everyday
Out on your corner in the pouring rain
Look for the girl with the broken smile
Ask her if she wants to stay awhile
And she will be loved
And she will be loved
And she will be loved
And she will be loved

Draco was startled when he abruptly felt the earth under his feet, and pulled back from her lips. She looked around and saw that they were back in reality, and that she wasn't floating on Cloud 9 anymore. Draco put her down on the ground. But he kept one arm around her neck and she kept on arm loosely around his shoulder, while the other one slowly went down his bare chest. He felt shivers go up and down his spine, as her hand settled over his heart.

He pulled her into him closely, and brought their lips together once again in a feverish manner. He loved her taste. It was different from all the other girls that he had kissed. But, then again, Hermione was different from all the other girls. Their feverish manner slowed down until it was at a gentle pace and then they broke apart, staring into each other's eyes.

Draco broke away from their gaze and looked up into the sky. He got an almost upset look on his face and said, "It's late."

Hermione looked at her watch and nodded, saddened by the fact that it was all over. It was almost one o'clock, and they had classes the next morning. Draco picked her up bridal-style again and flew off, while she rested her head against his shoulder. She rested her eyes and felt peaceful and content. When she felt they had stopped flying forward, she opened her eyes and found that Draco had stopped right in front of the Gryffindor Girls' Dormitory.

She opened the latch with her wand, and Draco set her down gently on the windowsill, making sure that she was safely in. He leaned in and kissed her one last time gently on the lips and flew away.

Please don't try so hard to say goodbye
Please don't try so hard to say goodbye

Try so hard to say goodbye

Hermione watched him as he flew away into the black night.

The End