"I love you," Draco whispered. The Granny Smith apple in his hands seemed to glint in the sunlight. It surprised Draco that any sunlight made its way to his small secluded spot in the Forbidden Forest, but he was glad to see the beautiful affect it had on Apple. He gently brought the apple to his face. He inhaled. "You perfume is so pleasant." He caressed it. "Your skin is so smooth and perfect." He brought it to his mouth. "So...good...need...you." And he kissed it. He let the apple linger upon his lips for just a moment longer.

And then he hared the crunch of fallen leaves.

In one fluid movement, Draco placed the apple in the pocket of his trousers and turned around. "Who's there!" He shouted it. He heard the bush chuckle. "Crabbe? Goyle? Come out at once!" Draco commanded whom he believed to be his cronies. The bush rustled a bit, the laughter growing louder.

The first thing he noticed if the intruder was his scarf. It wasn't the green and silver scarf that his fellow Slytherins displayed. It was red and gold: Gryffindor colours. Draco squinted in the sunset to make out the face of the Gryffindor standing in front of him.

"Malfoy...*laugh*...you...and the apple...*laugh*...what the bloody hell is going on here?" Harry Potter could hardly get the words out with how hard he was laughing. It was one thing to catch the blonde Slytherin sweet talking Pansy Parkinson; he was always trying to shag her. But an apple? Harry just couldn't fathom what Malfoy was doing.

"POTTER. You spying on me? JUST WAIT TILL MY FATHER HEARS ABOUT THIS." Malfoy was infuriated.

"Oh yeah? And have him find out about your love affair with a pear?" Potter shot back.

"SHE IS AN APPLE. She is the most beautiful specimen I have ever laid eyes upon," he brought her back out from his pocket, gently, so as to not drop her into the dirt. "You would never understand what we share. She listens. She comforts. She's twice the woman your stupid ginger blood traitor could ever be!" Draco wasn't sure why he was fighting. He should have been figuring out how to get Potter to keep it to himself. But instead, he was just trying to make him mad.

"DO. NOT. INSULT. GINNY. YOU. STUPID. APPLE. LOVER."

Draco lunged at Potter. He wanted to fight for his love. He didn't want to be judged. Why were people able to accept the fact that Crabbe and Goyle were in love, but thought the idea of Draco and Apple was ridiculous?

Just as Draco was about to slug Potter in the face, Harry grabbed the apple and took a huge bite. He then threw it across the clearing and ran away, laughing.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" cried Draco. He ran to Apple. He gently picked her up and brushed off the leaves and dirt. A chunk was missing out of her side. Tears streamed down Draco's face. "I love you, Apple. Never forget that. I will forever remember you. Forever and ever." He buried the only thing he had ever loved in that clearing and walked melancholically back to the castle.


It's been 20 years. Draco never found another. And every fall, Draco returned to Apple's burial site. Still in love. Forever.