AN: I'm sorry guys for the long wait! It's been a month! I've been having a hard time wrapping everything up, the story's ending guys! So I do hope you understand why this chapter's particularly long. I had to make it long. The end's near. Please, I still hope you read.
Enjoy! Please leave reviews too, I'd love them. :) Thanks for the past reviews also:)
"Good Merlin…" Draco trailed that next morning, as he woke up real early to check the delivery from WWW. He was alone in the Slytherin Common Room, it was 5:30 am and everyone was dead asleep.
He simply stared at it, not believing his eyes. Before him were five bouquets of fresh daisies, white and pure, smelling sweet and prank-free. Beside the daises were the most delicious looking chocolates Draco had ever seen; dark, white, milk, almond, hazel, caramel, mint…. everything. They were in boxes shaped like hearts, and they came in all sizes.
Then his eyes traveled to a little brown leather box that stood right after all the daisies and chocolates. What's this…? He said to himself as he reached for it and held it in his hands.
He opened the brown box, and inside it was a stack of small shiny silver papers. They looked like Muggle "Post-It".
What the hell do I do with this…?! He thought. He looked at the brown box again with the little silver papers, and then spotted a note.
To our valued customer,
We mean, to Mr. Draco Malfoy the Slytherin Prat,
Hope you like what we have delivered! The flowers are the freshest among the fresh, and the chocolates, the best among the best.
Also, you don't have to worry about hiding all these in some secret place. They are currently invisible to anyone else's eyes but yours, and until you give them to whoever you want to give them to, that is the only time they shall be visibly seen by anyone.
So while it's just waiting to be given, no one else can see it but you. Cool huh?
Now, you may be wondering what the hell is inside this brown leather box.
Well Mr. Malfoy, these little silver paper thingies…? It's the shiznits. We mean, it's the bomb. The shizzle. The sizzle.
Okay Fine. In English, this is the best kind of "card" we can give you. It's guaranteed to melt any girl's heart. [And we wonder who the lucky girl is too… ;) Hehe.
We call it the Silver Love Machine!!! Okay, just so you know, George thought of that. So anyway.
It works like a Muggle "Post-It", except, it's more convenient and fool proof. Now, all you have to do is look at your subject[a.k.a. the girl you like or anyone for that matter, think of the things you want to tell her, and it will be magically written down on the silver paper.
What's great about our Silver Love Machine is that if you don't want to be known by your subject, or let's say you're a secret admirer, your subject will never have a clue, because the paper writes by itself. No need to worry about your handwriting being decoded! You won't even write! All you need to do is look at her, and think. Voila!
Plus, let's say your subject is right beside you. She won't notice anything, because you 'physically' won't be doing anything. Just look at her, think about what you want to say, and it will be written. Hide the Silver Love Machine inside your bag, and it will still work! No one will notice ANYTHING.
Next, how will you give it to her?! Well, this paper is truly amazing! Once you're done mentally 'writing' your note, lightly tap your foot, and it shall automatically be sent to your subject! You won't need to give it, all you have to do is tap your foot and it shall send on its own!
But don't worry; it won't be zooming around like some lost bewitched piece of paper. Here's the wonderful part of this mad creation. It materializes and dematerializes on its own! Let's say it was inside your bag. Tap your foot, and it will dematerialize. It will then look for your subject, and, get this, think of wherever you want to put it, and it shall materialize there!!!
You can send love notes to her locker! To her diary! Inside her bag, her purse, wherever! Just think of the place while you're sending it. You don't want it to end up in some place she'll hate you for. Wink Wink. Don't send it in her undies. She'll think you're perverted.
Anyway. Hope you understood what we just said. We're currently high on Butterbeer. So yeah. We call it the Silver Love Machine because you can always compliment a girl through these notes, and make her melt.
Use it wisely.
Fred and George.
PS: We used it on you right now. We were looking at your picture while 'writing' this. It works too!
P.P.S: George stained it with peanut butter. We don't know how the hell it got there when everything was mentally done! I think George was thinking of peanut butter while sending it. Don't think of food when you send stuff.
Draco was smiling after he read the letter. Who knew these twins could come up with such awesome stuff?
He quickly got to work. He brought all the flowers and chocolates up to his bed and placed it in some place no one would sit or step on. He got the brown leather box, sat down on his bed, and tried it.
He took out a picture of Pansy, looked at it, and thought of what to say.
'Good Morning Pansy' started writing on the silver paper, and Draco couldn't help but be amazed.
"Cool." He said. He tapped his foot, and watched as the paper disappeared. He closed his eyes, and thought of 'Pansy's school bag.'
The paper never returned, and he knew it was currently sitting on top of text books that had doodles of "Draco and Pansy 4Ever" on it.
"Okay class, settle down." Professor McGonagall said that Monday morning. Seventh year Gryffindors and Slytherins had Transfiguration first thing.
There was some hustle and bustle before everyone settled down, and it was only then that Draco noticed the seat beside him was empty.
Wait a second. Where's Hermione?
He looked around, and true enough, he couldn't find the bushy haired girl anywhere. The seat next to him was still empty.
Ron and Harry were right in front of him, and he had this itching urge to go and ask them where Hermione could be….
Go on. Just ask… It wouldn't hurt…
"Pssst. Potter. Potter." He whispered. Harry looked back. "What?" Harry whispered. Draco looked around before asking. "Where's Hermione?"
Harry's jaw tightened. He looked around to see if Professor McGonagall was looking, or if any other Slytherin was spying. "Why?" He said quietly.
"Just wondering."
Harry considered for a moment, thinking if he should tell, or wondering if telling would actually make a difference. He concluded to tell the truth. If he wanted to secretly help Draco and Hermione, he might as well not hide anything from the other.
"She's back at home, in her muggle home, she's helping her parents move. They're moving to a different place or house I think, I don't know. But she can already do magic, so, having her there would make everything easier for them." Harry said in one huff, and faced Professor McGonagall just in the nick of time.
Draco subconsciously nodded, spacing out for a moment or two. He had forgotten to ask how long she'd be gone.
"So I will be expecting you to transform this bowl into a small shark…" Professor McGonagall trailed, and Draco let go of thinking about Hermione for a while.
The hours passed slowly… like every teacher suddenly slowed down, as though they lost their thrill for fast-paced lectures and interesting activities.
Draco had no one to talk to, no one to tease… and subconsciously, no one to look at.
Lunch time came, and so did Pansy. Once the bell rang, her hand immediately slipped into his, she was cooing and saying nonsense to Draco's virtually deaf ears.
What would he do to the flowers he ordered? To the chocolates? To the Silver Love Machine?
"Pansy, do you like daisies?" He asked suddenly.
"…what?" Pansy said abruptly, she had been talking about something else and obviously had not been listening to Draco.
"I mean, do you like flowers? White ones? Like, daisies?" He asked uncertainly. He really didn't know what to do.
Pansy gave a flirtatious smile. "Oooohh…" She said. She went closer to him. "Of course I do… anything, anything from you is fine…" She cooed in his ear, and something cold went up Draco's spine.
He didn't know if it was guilt…that he'd be giving away what he planned for Hermione… or, maybe he just liked Pansy's cold breath touch his delicate skin.
"Come Pansy." He said, and he led Pansy to the Great Hall for some lunch.
2:00 pm… Draco looked at the giant clock of the classroom. It was ancient, and modeled just like the Muggle clocks. 2:01… He looked around the classroom. Everyone was listening…
Beside him Hermione's seat was still empty. It was such a lazy Monday afternoon; it seemed like everything passed through a daze…
He looked at the giant clock again… It was now 2:02.
Time passed by so slowly.
For some reason everyone he knew had blank faces, cold faces… expressionless faces. He didn't know if there was just something about today, or something about him… today.
He looked at the empty seat beside him, and imagined Hermione sitting there, writing away, concentrated and focused.
Draco inwardly smiled.
Now, she was someone he was sure wouldn't have an expressionless face, a blank face or anything… She'd have a face of motivation, and, he smiled, she would wrinkle her nose occasionally, frown and furrow her eyebrows in fierce concentration.
He smiled. He could almost feel Hermione was actually beside him.
"And so, that is why we can NOT mix beetle juice with beetle nuts…" Professor Snape had said clearly, snapping Draco back to reality.
Draco instinctively looked at the giant clock. It was now 2:05.
He let out a sigh of frustration as he shook his head and tried to concentrate once more.
"It's lovely!" Pansy squealed in the Slytherin Common Room that Monday night. Draco had her wait while he went inside the boy's dormitories to get one out of the five bouquets of daisies Fred and George had given him.
"Do you like it?" He smiled.
Pansy looked at him. "Of course I do! You never gave me flowers before!" She squealed.
Draco frowned, "I haven't?" He asked confused.
"Of course not! This is the first time!" She said excitedly. She looked at the daisies, admiring its white petals and fresh scent, then her eyes trailed to Draco. "But, why? What's the occasion?" She asked him sincerely.
Draco didn't know what to say. Pansy rarely made eye contact, and he was surprised at how her eyes made his knees buckle. "Uhm...nothing, just thought I'd give you some flowers… you know, I just felt like it." He finished lamely, smiling and avoiding eye contact.
Since when did Pansy Parkinson make Draco Malfoy feel sheepish?
"I love it Draco, thanks so much." She moved closer to him.
Draco started getting butterflies.
Her face was inches away from him, she was moving closer. He could smell her. He could make out every aspect of her face, her eyes… her nose… her lips…
Draco was rooted to the spot.
Draco could see no one else but the girl in front of him. Was there anyone else? All he could hear was the warm sound of the crackling fire that kept the room cozy… Part of its warm light hit her face, and she looked angelic.
Then, without warning, Draco let out a gasp.
"What?!" Pansy said worried. "What is it?!" And she took a few steps back.
Draco was staring. "Nothing. Nothing." He said immediately. He shook his head. He looked at the fire, and back at Pansy. She looked at him as though he was mad. "It's nothing. Just remembered homework.. gasped, you know… didn't finish it yet." He said, and smiled.
Pansy frowned. "Oh, I thought it was something serious!" She said as she gradually smiled, walked to Draco and hugged him. "Thanks again…" She trailed as she turned her back and made her way to the girl's dormitories, leaving Draco all alone.
Draco stared at the fire, and at the space where a moment ago…
…He thought he saw Hermione inch close to him, with soft warm fire light that hit her face and made her look so… perfect.
Tuesday morning came, and there was the usual hustle and bustle in the Great Hall for breakfast. Draco groggily sat down, and his eyes subconsciously traveled through the Gryffindor table.
He saw the usual heads of Gryffindors and their backs, then he saw a girl with bushy brown hair, and he thought to himself. Ah, she's back.
And so he continued to eat his pancakes, as Pansy continued blabbing about the daisies the other night, while she held on to Draco's arm.
"It was beautiful, right Draco?" She cooed in his ear.
"Hmmmm…?" Draco mumbled, he was eating his pancakes happily and wished for some peace and quiet. "Yeah..yeah sure…" He said haphazardly.
The bell soon rang, and everyone started getting up, getting books, all ready to go to their classes on a sunny Tuesday morning.
"Okay Gryffindors and Slytherins, take your seats, we shall be practicing that shark transfiguration charm again…" Professor McGonagall trailed.
Everyone took their seats, and soon the class started.
Draco looked to his left. It was still empty. There was no Hermione there. No bushy haired brown girl sitting quietly…scribbling away, and occasionally scolding him.
Where is she? Who was the girl I saw a while ago…? Draco inwardly thought, for he could've sworn he saw a bushy haired girl in the Gryffindor table during breakfast.
He looked around. Not one of the Gryffindors in his class had hair that could come even close to Hermione's.
He looked at the seat beside him once more. Just days before a bookworm was seated beside him, who laughed in such a cute way… who concentrated in such a weird manner… a girl who made him think and yet still be confused at the same time.
The hours passed by…
Still no Hermione.
More classes went by…
Draco was becoming restless.
"What's up with you, Malfoy?" Ron asked after Potions class. "You're so restless." He said.
Draco frowned. "It's only because I have no Mudblood to tease, Weasel." He said coldly and looked away. He had no time for a 'conversation' with Ron. He looked around.
Everyone had the same blank faces they had before. It was like there was a decrease in laughter about the room. It was either that, or, Draco simply was oblivious to everything around him.
Even more hours passed by, and still more classes…
There was a certain emptiness that enveloped Draco. Every time he looked at the chair that had no Hermione sitting on it, everything else would seem lazy… everything else would slow down, as though all the world conspired with him in feeling a certain loneliness.
He lay his hands on the table, and soon, fell asleep.
Time seemed like it just wanted Draco to fall into a deep sleep, where he would not need to care about who was and was not present in the real world.
Next day came, he had now given her two more bouquets of daisies. Only two lay innocent and undisturbed near his bed, while three of them were now under Pansy's unmerciful hands. She'd smell them 24/7, talk about them 25/8.
"Right. Get to work." Was their morning greeting from Professor Snape that Wednesday morning. Gryffindors and Slytherins had double potions first thing.
Draco sat down on his chair, and the moment he touched the fine wood, he already knew his seatmate was still absent. The wood felt cold and hard to the touch, like the feeling that suddenly wrapped about Draco.
Sitting in a place that was incomplete made Draco feel a certain coldness. It felt like something was lacking. Missing. Wrong. Something felt wrong to him, like singing a song that you do not memorize anymore. The look and feel is different. Everything just doesn't feel
The same.
And so Draco searched the classroom. Ah, there she is. He had thought. She is very beautiful. He said to himself. She was laughing at something Blaise had said, and her hair fell back as she laughed.
Then, he thought of something. So this is why he had been feeling lonely all along. So this is why the days suddenly felt lazy and empty. He did not have her close to him, especially now that the opportunity was there, that the space was ready to be filled.
He looked at Pansy. Pansy. After double potions, come sit beside me. Granger's not here, we can now spend time together! Hah, thank Merlin. I miss you terribly. I'll be expecting you. ;) Draco.
He tapped his foot, thought of Pansy's desk, and voila. After thirty seconds, he saw a silver paper suddenly materialize on Pansy's desk, right before her eyes. She read it quickly, then looked at Draco. She had on the biggest smile, and gave him two thumbs up.
Draco smiled back. Score, he thought to himself.
"Pansy, what are you doing here?" Ron asked truthfully. Harry looked at them.
"Why, that Beaver girl isn't here right now, is she not? So I can sit here. And besides, Draco asked me toooo…" She cooed as she rested her head on his shoulders and wrapped her arms around his.
Ron's eyes darted quickly to Draco. "You asked her to stay beside you?!" He asked disgusted, eyes wide open, face pale. Harry hissed a low "Ron."
Draco smirked. "Why not, Weasel? She's my girlfriend, isn't she?" He raised his eyebrows and put his arm on Pansy's waist. "Now, please, I'm trying to concentrate." He smirked.
Ron and Harry exchanged glances before turning their backs. "Later." Ron mumbled. "Definitely." Harry mumbled back.
"No… I don't think that's right…" Draco was saying as he looked over Pansy's work. "Did you get the fins of the sharks right?" He asked tired. He had been trying to help Pansy with the shark transfiguration charm, but it was just no use.
He never had this with Hermione. With Hermione... everything just went like a breeze... smooth... flawless...
It was a good thing Professor McGonagall didn't mind that they were currently sitting beside each other.
Draco ran his hands through his hair as he let out a sigh of frustration. "Aaaah. Listen babe, I'm sorry but I don't know what to do anymore." He said truthfully. Pansy looked up at him.
"It's okay Drakie, at least you tried to help me. I appreciate it a lot." She said, and gave him an all-time classic Pansy Flirt Smile. "I love you Draco." She said in her girly voice.
Draco smirked. "Of course you do. And you know I love you too." He said in his sexy Slytherin voice.
They got back to work, while the two Gryffindors in front of them started conversing fiercely.
"Did you hear that?!" Ron said incredulously, trying to keep his voice low.
"Shhh shhhh." Harry said hissed. "And yeah, I did." He said pissed.
"You know what this means." Ron said dangerously. "And Ginny comes along too." He said.
Harry nodded. "Yeah. We do it tonight. I think his password's lemon cockroaches, yeah?" He asked while waving his wand fiercely, trying to transfigure a goldfish into a baby shark.
"Yeah." Ron answered while he himself waved his hands in an attempt to turn his goldfish to a shark too. "That old man has the weirdest passwords I know…."
"Mr. Weasley!" Professor McGonagall suddenly shrieked. "That's your third tadpole this week! Aren't you concentrating? I shudder to find out the different things you think of while pitifully transfiguring harmless fish….!" And the harassed professor approached Ron, looking terrified and stupid, as she transfigured his tadpole into a handsome baby shark.
"Come in Mr. Potter, Mr. and Mrs. Weasely." Professor Dumbledore's voice said from inside the office, just before Harry was about to knock on the wooden doors that led to the circular room.
They gave each other unsure looks first, before Harry opened the door and led the way.
"Take a seat, take a seat. I haven't talked to you three in a while…" Dumbledore said with a smile. Harry, Ron and Ginny each took their seats in silence. "Lemon drops?" Dumbledore offered to each of them, all of them refused.
"So, why come to me at 11 pm?" Dumbledore asked casually.
Ron looked at Harry, who looked at Ginny, who rolled her eyes at both of them.
She waved her arms. "Professor Dumbledore!" Ginny said impatiently. "It's Pansy and Draco! Because you allowed Hermione to leave for a while, Draco and Pansy are getting really affectionate….!" Ginny trailed, frustrated, flipping her glorious red hair.
Dumbledore just nodded his head. "Mhmmmm. I see…." He trailed.
"Yes. Now Draco's even more in love with Pansy. They're spending so much time together. He's going to ask her to that dance thing, I just know it." Ginny mumbled hopelessly and crossed her arms.
Dumbledore's eyebrows furrowed for a slight moment, then went back to its normal relaxed state. He smiled.
"So, you're trying to tell me that you three are scared that Mr. Malfoy's falling in love with Ms. Parkinson… that they're getting closer and closer to each other… spending more time, being around the other… and, you think Mr. Malfoy's going to ask Ms. Parkinson to the dance that's soon to come…?" He asked politely.
Ginny, Ron and Harry nodded.
"Why should it bother you?" He suddenly asked.
Ginny's eyes widened. "Well…well.." She started. "Professor Dumbledore, if we want Draco and Hermione to get back together, shouldn't this thing be something to worry about? To be bothered about?"
All Dumbledore did was nod. "Yes, I understand it is normal to feel scared, to be worried and bothered about this. But then, what do you get out of worrying? You get stressed… stressed and anxious over things you only anticipate. Or, let's say it's already happening, and it is something you don't anticipate. Worrying about it doesn't make the situation any lighter, does it? We could all be happier if we started letting go of some worrying…" He trailed.
"But Professor Dumbledore…" Harry hesitated. "How can we… not feel worried about this..?" He asked confused.
Dumbledore sighed. "Oh... the youth… how lovely it would be to be young again." He said. He gazed far, focusing on nothing in particular, as though he was staring at space, trying to spot memories floating in the air, waiting to be caught and reminisced upon.
"There is this one thing I learned during the many years I walked this magical world… and that one thing I would like to share with you, which, by the way, I think both the Muggle world and Wizarding world should know:
We can not really force someone to love one person if he or she can not find it in his or her heart to do so. We don't really have the power to control the feelings and emotions of a person.
Prior to that, whatever feelings/emotions the person possesses is not his or her fault or downfall, and that whatever it is shall be justly accepted, because we all have the right to love and hate, to cry and laugh, to leave and come back…
To fall in and out of love."
He got a new lemon drop, and continued to smile.
Harry was apprehensive at first, but then courageously asked.
"Ermm.." He started. "Is that why we're not supposed to uhm… care or worry about Pansy and Draco…?"
Dumbledore's piercing eyes met Harry's green ones.
"Harry, you must understand that what is happening is way beyond our power.
It is beyond our power to have someone feel what we want them to feel towards us, or others. It is also not in our power to get mad or angry at a person for whatever feelings/emotions they may have towards anyone… for, that is entirely his or her right to feel, and we should just respect it."
"So what, you mean, we should just respect that Draco chooses that slut over our Hermione?!" Ginny said fiercely.
"Miss Weasley, that 'slut' is currently the subject of Draco's affection. Draco has every right to choose whoever he wants to give his affection to, and we have no right whatsoever to deprive him of his freedom to love and love some more. Love is for free. Just give and give love. Why encourage the absence of love?" He asked sincerely.
"Just respect whatever Draco feels and decides, and acknowledge the people he acknowledges too." He said once again, and his blue eyes traveled towards Ron.
Ron looked uncomfortable. "I can't take all this lovey-dovey talk. When's Hermione coming back anyway?" He asked eagerly.
Dumbledore smiled. "Don't worry Mr. Weasley, you'll see her soon enough."
"Professor Dumbledore….?" Ginny suddenly asked.
"Yes, my dear?" Dumbledore asked politely.
"Everything you said… about, you know, respecting feelings and people and all that… Does that mean we… technically, do nothing about it? We just watch them fall in love and do nothing while Draco subconsciously forgets about Hermione…?" She asked seriously. She toyed with the end of her skirt, wringing it in her fingers, anxious and nervous for an answer.
Dumbledore rubbed his hands over his face, his tired wrinkles showing, as though with age shall come the burden of helping the young understand things that could only be learned through experience. Let everyone fall in and out of love, feel rejection and acceptance, he thought. Maybe then no one would need all this counseling.
He sighed, and continued. "We can not force things to happen. We shall simply let the chips fall where they may." He said, knowing that maybe they didn't understand, or maybe they couldn't understand. Their minds are so closed; they trap out new things that could help them grow. Well, most of the youth who go blind for love.
Ron's face was ready to retort, but as soon as he opened his mouth, Dumbledore held out a hand to stop him.
"Let me finish first, if you please, Mr. Weasley. Is it alright?" Dumbledore asked. Ron simply nodded and shut his mouth tight.
"Now, letting the 'chips fall where they may' does not mean that we just sit and watch our lives unfold before us, and not take any action when it calls for, or to just simply let fate do its part and be unhealthily dependent…
Remember, we can not force things to happen or not happen, we can not make things occur if the people involved in it don't want it to occur. And so, letting the chips fall where they may simply means that during those cases where we can never really do anything about something, when we can't force things to happen and people to create significant human experiences… when you know you're as powerless as turning the blue sky black…
We shall stay still, be patient and wait with an open mind until whatever happens, happens.
And then we embrace it with open arms and an open heart, knowing and understanding that this, this was meant to happen. This is destiny. This is what makes the blue sky black when we wait with an open heart. The sun sleeps and the sky changes color to welcome the coming of night. And look, stars to make every corner a bright space. It is fate.
This is fate.
And then, once we have waited and embraced fate with open arms and an open heart, we say, "From here, from this intersection with fate, I create the next chapters of my life."
Do you understand now?" He said hopefully, looking at the three delinquents seated wide-eyed across him.
No one dared speak. No one wanted to break the impenetrable silence that always followed after Dumbledore's words from the heart. The silence seemed to help digest whatever was said. It was a mark that proved everything said was being sealed and secured, always to be remembered.
Finally, Ginny spoke. "Wow, Professor. We… we…" She looked at the two boys. "We really don't know what to say." She finished.
Dumbledore nodded. "It's okay." He smiled.
"Professor?" Harry suddenly croaked.
"Yes, Harry?" Dumbledore replied.
"When's Hermione coming again?" Harry asked.
"Oh. Soon, I think. You'll see her soon, don't worry…" Dumbledore said vaguely.
"Does it really take that long to move?!" Ron asked impatiently.
"Hmmm… what? Oh, well, I don't know…" Dumbledore trailed, as he looked at the grandfather clock in his office.
"Just remember." He suddenly said. All three pairs of ears were listening.
"What is currently happening between Pansy and Draco is something we have no power over and right to deal upon, and therefore, what we shall do is to let the chips fall where they may, right? What we can do is use something we all have the right to possess-- our hope, our faith that during these times where we can not do anything but watch things unfold,
we believe that it unfolds, for a reason." He finished, and stood up.
Dumbledore's rise meant for the three that the session was over, and so they stood up too.
However, their Headmaster was not looking at them. He wasn't facing them in time to say their goodbyes.
Instead, Dumbledore was gazing fixedly at his fireplace, eyes straight, concentrated, and a slight smile on his lips.
Suddenly, the fireplace burned emerald green and they could hear someone, someone spin, spin, spin, and soon land clean on the office floor.
"Hello guys, I missed you!"
Ron, Harry and Ginny simultaneously looked towards the source of the voice.
"HERMIONE! You're back! We missed you!"
AN: Guys, what do you think? Please leave reviews:)
Also, I'm already telling you this. I don't think I'll be able to update real fast, okay? I'm really having a hard time ending my story, and I'm going to need all the time I can get. It's something I really have to work on, and so I hope you guys understand that I might have to take my time.
I'm really sorry. Just please leave some reviews and tell me what you think of my story so far. :) Thanks a lot, too. :)