Author's Note: Yup, another chapter for you guys. Sooner than I expected, since I almost couldn't get through my Writer's Block. I really wish you could keep continue reading even you don't like this topic of this story, since I put very much effort into it. I changed the pennames of Draco and Hermione from Never Known, so it will be less obvious. I changed Silver to Castle's Dream, and GoldenCub to Egyptian Penguin(my favorite animal...).
Disclaimers: All Harry Potter characters and affiliates are all-rights- reserved to Ms. J.K.Rowling. I do not own them at all. Although I wish I am as talented as she is.
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CHAPTER 1 - Still Awaken, At Night
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Silver light of the scimitar moon shimmered through a dusty window, landing on the carpeted floor of a room in Number twelve, Grimmauld Place. This was the only place safe on Earth, apart from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Due to the fact that these two places were guarded by the only wizard Voldemort ever feared, he did not bother to intrude them by force. Although the second War against Voldemort had merely begun one year ago, thousands of lives were stolen by the saneless Dark Wizard. This time, strangely enough, the Dark Lord didn't seem to be after the Muggles, but only Wizards. To prevent the damage of his action, one group, however fought the him constantly, although neither force seemed to win any time soon. Many lives were saved by this group of light wizards--the Order of Phoenix, however, thousand other souls were still waiting to be rescued before Voldemort get to them.
Summers were meant to be warm, charming, delightdul, but this summer, everything seemed so different, so cold, so cruel. True, the sun was still rising from the east, continuing its cycle, the temperature neither seemed to drop, but the atmosphere was filled with grief and agony. Thousands houses were burned down, and the endless laughters of the Death Eaters followed the painful screech that could tear the dark cloth of so called "sky".
A certain brown-haired witch was sitting on her bed, in her white pajamas pants and a simple, pink spaghetti-strap. She looked up at the crescent moon through the shutted window next to her bed, and sighed heavily. The window could not be opened, since there would be spies even though this place was Secret-Hidden. Normal wizards would of wondered how this place got lights at all since it was hidden, but not for this girl.
Hermione Granger tried to get some sleep, but her mind never seemed to drift off into Dream Land. She wasn't particularily thinking of anything, but her already-filled mind seemed to be a jumble of color, blending in such as way as though the artist had no brain of color of all. She pull out the plain black robe next to her bed, and wrapped it aroudn her figure. She walked quietly toward her rosewood desk, conjured a piece of thin parchment from her wand, and settled herself down on the chair, made from rosewood as well.
She took out a bottle of stone-colored ink and a snow-white quill, as she started to write on the plain parchment with her neat handwriting. The letter was address to her penfriend, whom she told no one, and whom no one knows about but herself and the man who knows everything.
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Dear Castle of Dream:
Hello! It's me again, Egyptian Penguin.
I am indeed delighted that I am able to communicate with you in this livid point of danger. I hated this scenery, I hated death, I hated everything Voldemort(she did not fear to say the name) did. I don't know if you understand what I'm saying, for that you seem to know the potential of Dark Magic, and your life might be very different from mine very own. But I'm sure you wouldn't be disagreeing with me, and I'm sure that you strongly dislike Voldemort as well, just like I am to my very soul..
I hope you are doing fine now in your house, with your impossible fatherand all. But hey, no one would be fine with Voldemort on the Earth, chuckles. I'm sure that your father would come to his sense after all, I think he still loves you. But you know how a man is, not brave enough to express their feelings. Unlike you, you already told me very much about yourself.
Anyway, I think that's enough talking for now, owl me back as soon as you can. Sincerely Egyptian Penguin.
P.S., I would love to read the next chapter of your story.
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She seal this piece of parchment in an envelope of the same material that she conjured up with a spell that could only be opened by the person who it was addressed. This charm was invented by herself, and she was pretty proud of it. She summoned her owl, Aphrodite, and sent her away. Of course she wouldn't use the windows, she had told her smart owl to use the chimney, which was connected from the neighbor's chimney.
She couldn't write much in her letter, since the owl might be intercepted. She had, however told her penfriend almost all of her feelings, since she felt much better than to keep them inside herself. He, Castle of Dream told Hermione many thoughts of himself as well. Hermione felt really good that she has someone to talk to without getting known her identity. Castle of Dream was very clever, he seemed to have logic for everything Hermione talks. He was a very different character to talk to than Harry Potter, or Ron Weasley. He was so kind, too. Definitely the opposite of Draco Malfoy... She thought to herself, but she might just be very wrong indeed...
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Meanwhile, in the cold Malfoy Manor...A certain patinum-haired wizard was quite awake at the time of midnight. He was sitting comfortably on his French maplewood chair, writing a fiction. This had a reason, though; this wizard had more than enough spare time on his hand, and he also had a very gifted hand of writing. But between his casual, but neat handwritings, there hid his deep, confused thoughts...
The Dark Lord, he had chosen me to be his heir. But why? Father must have suggested me before the Lord. Father must be very proud of me right now, as I wanted him to be. I wish to make him happy, I wish he could be proud, but somehow I also wished that I could escape from this whole ordeal. No, shake off those thoughts, Draco. But why would I have thought that at the first place? Isn't that what I've always wanted ever since I could remember? I have longed this day, but now I am about to escape? Why? Father will be extremely happy if I become the new Dark Lord, and that's what I wanted. But is that really myself? What do I really think?
He soon stopped his mind-wandering, but the mind itself was still drifting. He fixed his blank gaze upon his half-filled piece of parchment and continued his writing under the bright lamp light. After several minutes, he found the parchment still half-filled, nothing had been added on the goat-sking sheet. The reverberating thoughs were still lingering in his head, not willing to be shaken off.
Am I just a puppet? Am I just a figurehead of Father? He lusted power, he lusted to be able to have power. Does he get this through me? Does he just want me to be the Dark Lord so that he could control me? No, definitely not—Draco refused to believe his genuine thoughts—Father loves me, he wants me to be proud, to be strong, to be—
A squeak rang from the cage of Draco's owl. The sienna owl Hermes—who was supposed to be sleeping—hooted excitedly as a serie of tapping sound clicked the ornamented window.
A cream-colored owl was pecking from outside, apparently a bit angry from the ignorance of Draco. She-Aphrodite-belonged to Draco's good penfriend, Egyptian Penguin. Of course this was her penname, and "Castle of Dreams" were Draco's. The owl was only for pen-letter deliveries, since that they claimed neither of them to find out who the others are from school, at least this was the least truthful. The beautiful owl flutter its wings, and entered Draco's study. He hastily took off the letter that was tied with a very pretty ribbon from Aphrodite's legs, and hushed her to his own owl's cage. They snuggled their heads together--cream feathers blended with the raven-black, and fell deeply into slumber.
"She surely makes a speedy delivery," the blond wizard muttered to himself, "Not a bad thing, neither was the timing."
He tapped his slender willow wand on the soft envelope, muttered "Propitiara", as the seal spell faded with a glowing violet light. He slipped the slim parchment out from the envelope, and started reading his dear penfriend's short, but sweet letter. Draco chuckled occasionally at the amusing parts, but the whole parchment was serious and comforting. Although Egyptian Penguin mentioned Voldemort very low, he could understand how a non-Death Eater would think at that moment.
Draco decided not to write a quick reply to his penfriend right then, since both Aphrodite and Hermes seemed so exhausted in their slumber. After reading the letter, himself felted somehow exhausted as well. He changed into his green silk pajamas, then climbed onto his king-sized bed as he fell fast asleep...
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After watching her owl flying out her bedroom, Hermione settled herself back down on her rosewood chair, and took out a thick, leathered covered book from the drawer. Les Comte de Mount Christo it was named, it was a Muggle literature from a famous Frech author, Alexandre Dumas. She soon immersed herself into the book, but with a pop, she felt a strong pair of arms wrapped around her body. She was surprised at first, but soon she realized as the figure behind her spoke gently.
"I missed you, Hermione..." He said as he switched one of his hands to twirl her brown curls. Hermione freed one of her hands from the book, and caress his hand.
"So did I," Hermione relpied, "Oliver..."
To Be Continued...
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Author's Note: Whew, another chapter done! I hope this chapter is long enough. Well, did I surprise you guys at the end? I hope so. I might need to change this story to PG-13, but I don't think it's necessary right now. Just so you know, Draco/Hermione readers, Hermione and Oliver are NOT going to have sex, they will just sleep in each other's arms, nothing more!! Well, if think my chapters are crappy, I can understand, but you can feel free to edit them and send the edited version to me! Oh yeah, give a round of applause to Applecsm, my dedicated reader and only reader who reviewed my prologue! Thank you for the support!