Written for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments)
~ Etymology ~
Lesson: Latin roots—let's face it, they're everywhere in the English language. Today, we'll look at a few basic ones.
Task #1: Aud- (from the Latin word "to hear.") Prompt: Write about a good listener.
Of all the people in all of Hogwarts, dead or alive, that Draco thought would be a good listener, Moaning Myrtle didn't even make the list. From what he heard, she was a crier and was very fond of making the toilets overflow that he would take Luna Lovegood over her any day.
He's not sure what possessed him to start talking to her. She randomly popped into the prefects private bathroom one day while he was trying to get some private time to think.
"Get out!" Draco demanded in anger, his hands gripping the sink so tight that his knuckles turned white.
"I know what it's like to feel alone," Myrtle piped up. She watched for the blond's reaction. "I wasn't always like this, you know." She floated down so she was hovering behind him. "I would only hide in the bathroom when Olive Hornby would tease me."
"I'm not being teased!" Draco snapped as he spun around. "You don't know what it's like."
"Perhaps not," Myrtle agreed with a shrug. "Tell me what's wrong, I can help you."
"No one can help me." Draco sunk to the floor and cradled his head in his hands.
"I find that having someone to confide in makes it somewhat more bearable." Myrtle hovered over him. "The only person who comes to see me is Luna Lovegood, nice girl she is."
I'd rather be talking to her. Draco thought. He rubbed at his eyes as he thought.
"Maybe I can't help but I can listen," Myrtle prompted gently.
Draco did something that still surprised him to this day, he started crying. "I feel like a failure!" He blurted out. His gray eyes widening, he clapped his hand over his mouth.
To his surprise, the ghost just waited patiently. Maybe talking to her would make him feel better?
"Take your time," she encouraged. "We have nothing but time."
"But we don't." Draco said miserably. He eyed Myrtle wearingly. "You swear what we talk about stays in this room?"
"I promise." Myrtle nodded.
Taking a deep breath, Draco let it all out. The task he was given on killing Dumbledore... how he didn't want to be a Death Eater but felt like he had no choice... he even told Myrtle about how he himself got bullied from time to time.
"I completely understand how you feel," Myrtle assured him. "Believe me when I say it gets better." She floated up towards the ceiling.
"When?" Draco demanded as he got up and dusted off his clothes.
"I can't say when," the ghost admitted. "But do you feel better talking?"
The Slytherin nodded. He honestly did, maybe this ghost wasn't too bad after all.
"That's what really matters." Myrtle smiled. "And don't worry, what we say stays between us and no one will know it's you."
After that day, Draco made a habit of visiting Myrtle in her bathroom, which he knew no one ever went into because of her. To his surprise, he found himself forming a close friendship with her.
"Thanks for listening," Draco said as he left the bathroom. "I do feel better."
A/N: This honestly took me back to when I had to take medical terminology. I had to know all the suffixes and prefixes.