Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. I'm just playing in the sandbox.
It started the first time we laid eyes on each other in first year. He was a skinny pale awkward boy, who walked around like he owned the place. I was the bushy haired, bucktoothed, bossy and awkward girl just starting puberty. He hated me because I was a muggle born and smarter than him; I hated him because he was a pureblood and more confident than me. Small little crush an outside observer might say. To us it was like we were throwing arrows burning with bright red fire at each other.
First year came and went. Our mutual hatred of each other continued. I beat him in every subject and he hated me for it; he was even more confident and smug and I hated him for it.
Second year the gloves came off as well as the initial layers. I discovered that words did hurt. He called me Mudblood for the first time. Yet as he spoke it the word didn't reach his eyes making the word hurt more. His eyes looked sad and jealous. Why in Merlin's name would Draco Malfoy, pureblood rich kid, be jealous of me, muggle born witch…it would take a number of years for that question to be answered. I had my boys, Harry and Ron, and they kept me very busy.
Yes the Polyjuice brewing was my idea…but not for the reason you may have been led to believe. I wanted to see Malfoy without his "oh so carefully" constructed mask. I wanted to see if he acted with his friends like I did with mine…that is, when he was away from public eyes. I wanted to see if I could get a glimpse of who he was. Well as you know I turned into a cat. Somehow Harry and Ron's account of slipping into the Slytherin Common room as Crab and Goyle did not answer my curiosity. Then I got petrified…and did not know that a certain Slytherin snuck into the hospital wing every night and on his last night left a piece of paper in my hand that helped Harry discover the Basallisk. I would not find that out for many years.
Third year…I became a women. I was done with the awareness of puberty and came into my own. I really did not think much of Malfoy…I was worrying too much about keeping Harry alive. I did, however, gain my confidence. I hit him right in between the eyes. It felt liberating and awesome. Years later I found out the punch made him respect me.
Fourth year…Boys discovered I was a woman and I was busy trying to keep Harry alive through the tri-wizard tournament. I was also trying to get Ron to notice me as a girl. It seemed that while all the other guys knew this, Ron was having a hard time noticing I was not just one of the guys. The Yule ball was perfect, Victor had been the first boy to show any interest in me…I take that back…Malfoy showed interest also…Victor just actually showed it by being nice to me. Oh, if you think Ron was jealous I was with Victor that night…Malfoy was livid. How did I know that you may ask… well has someone ever looked at you with utter disgust shaping their face and utter love filling their eyes? That night I knew that Malfoy had feelings for me…he was too cowardly to show me and I was too cowardly to notice.
Fifth year…. was intense…powerful…sorrowful and filled with hatred. It began with Umbridge and ended with a battle to stay alive and, most importantly, keep Harry alive once more. Malfoy was an afterthought for me this year. It was not until years later that I found out he tried to deter Umbridge from finding the Room of Requirement; joining the inquisitorial staff to ensure my safety. He visited me in the hospital wing once more when I was recovering for the curses I received. He gave me a kiss on the cheek, squeezed my hand, and told me he loved me…I heard and felt everything.
Sixth year…we all grew up. Our childhood was over. I knew this the first moment I walked into the Great Hall and performed my usual scan of the Slytherin table. Malfoy looked exhausted, like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. Sure I knew his father was arrested and at Azkaban, but his eyes had something different, human almost. He looked lost…his confidence was lost I concluded. 'What the hell happened the past summer,' I asked myself at the time. Years later I found out about his unattainable task, his love of his family and most importantly his courage. That year I fell in love with him.
Seventh year…we were freed. I did not expect to go to his home while searching for Voldemort's pieces of soul, yet there I was standing in front of his mother, aunt, father and others. His eyes showed me his shame at his aunt's actions, of being brought to his home in the way I was; his voice told me he was afraid for me, his actions made me love him. The curse hurt, there are no ifs ands and buts about it…what I found out many years later was that it could have been worse. I was unaware that I was shielded from the main intent of her curse, which was to kill me from the inside out with as much pain as possible. Draco shielded me by whispering the counter curse that saved my life. I saw him one last time that year…he was at a table with his parents, relief and loss in his eyes. He looked up at me and nodded. I in turn gave him a small smile of thanks and love.
We saw each other once more, actually four years ago, at our children's graduation. I had lost Ron a few years back; Draco had lost Daphne. We spoke for the first time in years. He congratulated me on my professional success. I congratulated him on his charitable deeds. I looked into his eyes and saw peace, desire, and love. He looked into mine and saw the same. He leaned down to kiss me…before our lips met he said "You are my sweetest downfall' and proceeded to take my breath away.
The End
AN: A special Thanks to hafthand for looking over the story for me. Enjoy!
Story was written as part of the three keys ficexchange for iamextraordinary.