No, I did not make up any of the characters. The plot is completely mine :-
) Reviews are nice, but I don't demand them. I'd just like to know there
are some people out there reading my story. Anywho, I am going to be
updating more frequently now, which *I hope* is a good thing. Oh yes,
thanks to my wondrous beta Liz, who rocks my socks and my world. Enough of
my gibbering, on to the story.
Hermione walked up to the podium. She mumbled the word 'Sonorus' under her breath, a voice magnifying spell.
"I don't even know what to say about Draco that you all don't already know. He was....so many different things. I only recently became friends with him; I now wish that we were able to put aside everything much earlier. Draco turned out to be the best friend I ever had, and probably ever will have." she paused to take a deep breath, and then continued.
"I remember the first night that I actually considered him something other than an enemy. I was crying an ocean because I finally admitted to myself that I was in love with Ginny Weasley, and that 'just wasn't right.' Draco found me sprawled on the floor of the Prefect's library. He didn't leave my side the whole night; he was right there for me although we were 'enemies'. I poured my heart and soul out to him that night, I literally told him everything. Not just about Ginny, but about...everything. About the constant pressure I was under in class, and some more personal things. Some things I told him I've never said to anyone since. I've never felt that sense of security with anyone. Anyone. I knew that night that all my preconceived notions about him were dead wrong." she stopped, choked up at what she was going to say next.
"If it wasn't for Draco I wouldn't be who I am today. I wouldn't be happy. And I wouldn't be with Ginny." tears started to slowly fall down her face.
"He was the one who gave me the courage to tell Ginny how I felt about her. He was the one who convinced me to come out to my friends. And most importantly, he was the one who helped me to see that just because I'm a lesbian doesn't make me an evil person. Trust me, that thought ran through my head many a time. If it wasn't for him, I honestly don't see how I could be happy with my life. I would be in constant fear that I would slip up about my sexuality, about who I truly loved. Worse, I could be in a relationship with someone I didn't actually love." the tears were now pouring out of her eyes. She couldn't bring herself to look at her partner, knowing full well that she wouldn't be able to finish her eulogy. Hermione wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and took a breath.
"It took awhile for Draco to open up to me, I could tell that it was painful for him to think about his past, let alone talk about it. So I never pressured him. One night he owled me to come to our spot right away. I was worried so I grabbed my broom and flew out to him as fast as the air and my broom would carry me. I found him curled in a fetal position on the floor, crying. He told me so many things that I couldn't take them all in in one night. It took me awhile to really *see* Draco for who he was. Draco was a tainted soul, old before his time. He was made to grow up far before he was ready, and I really saw that. I noticed something about him for the first time that night, the way his eyes looked tired. Not sleep deprived tired, but tired from seeing the things he saw daily. Tired of life, exhausted by the people in it."
"On the other hand, I saw who Draco wasn't. He wasn't the evil bastard we all thought he was for so many years. I saw into his heart, into his very being. I saw something that select few ever got to see, and I'm proud that I did. I'm proud that he let me see him. That night, in the tower, as we clung to each other, Draco told me he loved Harry. I was speechless. I had known that Harry had a crush on Draco for quite awhile, but I never suspected that Draco returned that feeling. But I was concerned, I knew that Harry liked Draco, but I didn't know if he loved him. I couldn't allow Draco's heart to be broken once more, so I just stood by for 3 months without telling Harry. Then one day Ron pulled me aside and told me that Harry was hopelessly in love with Draco. I urged Ron to get Harry to tell him, as I knew that Draco would never, ever tell Harry on his own. The rest is history. I never saw Draco as happy as was with Harry; something inside him just came alive. If I could take back those 3 months that I didn't say anything, I would. I would do anything in my power to give them more time together, I hope that Harry can forgive me." she was finishing up.
"I would like to say that I truly loved Draco Malfoy. He was my best friend, and he will be deeply missed by everyone for as long as they shall live. His soul was a gentle one, and I will never forget him. I would like to finish with his favorite saying, 'you were stubborn, and fought against the storm, which proved stronger than you: but we bow and yield to every breeze, and thus the gale passed harmlessly over our head.'" Hermione finished and sat down next to Ginny.
(Author's note: Draco's favorite saying was from "The Oak and the Reeds", by Aesop. Hermione's character is modeled after a good friend of mine; she knows who she is.)
Hermione walked up to the podium. She mumbled the word 'Sonorus' under her breath, a voice magnifying spell.
"I don't even know what to say about Draco that you all don't already know. He was....so many different things. I only recently became friends with him; I now wish that we were able to put aside everything much earlier. Draco turned out to be the best friend I ever had, and probably ever will have." she paused to take a deep breath, and then continued.
"I remember the first night that I actually considered him something other than an enemy. I was crying an ocean because I finally admitted to myself that I was in love with Ginny Weasley, and that 'just wasn't right.' Draco found me sprawled on the floor of the Prefect's library. He didn't leave my side the whole night; he was right there for me although we were 'enemies'. I poured my heart and soul out to him that night, I literally told him everything. Not just about Ginny, but about...everything. About the constant pressure I was under in class, and some more personal things. Some things I told him I've never said to anyone since. I've never felt that sense of security with anyone. Anyone. I knew that night that all my preconceived notions about him were dead wrong." she stopped, choked up at what she was going to say next.
"If it wasn't for Draco I wouldn't be who I am today. I wouldn't be happy. And I wouldn't be with Ginny." tears started to slowly fall down her face.
"He was the one who gave me the courage to tell Ginny how I felt about her. He was the one who convinced me to come out to my friends. And most importantly, he was the one who helped me to see that just because I'm a lesbian doesn't make me an evil person. Trust me, that thought ran through my head many a time. If it wasn't for him, I honestly don't see how I could be happy with my life. I would be in constant fear that I would slip up about my sexuality, about who I truly loved. Worse, I could be in a relationship with someone I didn't actually love." the tears were now pouring out of her eyes. She couldn't bring herself to look at her partner, knowing full well that she wouldn't be able to finish her eulogy. Hermione wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and took a breath.
"It took awhile for Draco to open up to me, I could tell that it was painful for him to think about his past, let alone talk about it. So I never pressured him. One night he owled me to come to our spot right away. I was worried so I grabbed my broom and flew out to him as fast as the air and my broom would carry me. I found him curled in a fetal position on the floor, crying. He told me so many things that I couldn't take them all in in one night. It took me awhile to really *see* Draco for who he was. Draco was a tainted soul, old before his time. He was made to grow up far before he was ready, and I really saw that. I noticed something about him for the first time that night, the way his eyes looked tired. Not sleep deprived tired, but tired from seeing the things he saw daily. Tired of life, exhausted by the people in it."
"On the other hand, I saw who Draco wasn't. He wasn't the evil bastard we all thought he was for so many years. I saw into his heart, into his very being. I saw something that select few ever got to see, and I'm proud that I did. I'm proud that he let me see him. That night, in the tower, as we clung to each other, Draco told me he loved Harry. I was speechless. I had known that Harry had a crush on Draco for quite awhile, but I never suspected that Draco returned that feeling. But I was concerned, I knew that Harry liked Draco, but I didn't know if he loved him. I couldn't allow Draco's heart to be broken once more, so I just stood by for 3 months without telling Harry. Then one day Ron pulled me aside and told me that Harry was hopelessly in love with Draco. I urged Ron to get Harry to tell him, as I knew that Draco would never, ever tell Harry on his own. The rest is history. I never saw Draco as happy as was with Harry; something inside him just came alive. If I could take back those 3 months that I didn't say anything, I would. I would do anything in my power to give them more time together, I hope that Harry can forgive me." she was finishing up.
"I would like to say that I truly loved Draco Malfoy. He was my best friend, and he will be deeply missed by everyone for as long as they shall live. His soul was a gentle one, and I will never forget him. I would like to finish with his favorite saying, 'you were stubborn, and fought against the storm, which proved stronger than you: but we bow and yield to every breeze, and thus the gale passed harmlessly over our head.'" Hermione finished and sat down next to Ginny.
(Author's note: Draco's favorite saying was from "The Oak and the Reeds", by Aesop. Hermione's character is modeled after a good friend of mine; she knows who she is.)