Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter
Chapter Warning: None
Falling too fast to prepare for this
Tripping in the world could be dangerous
Everybody circling it's vulturous
Negative, nepatist
Everybody waiting for the fall of man
Everybody praying for the end of times
Everybody hoping they could be the one
"Stupid Saint Potter," Draco muttered to himself and chucked a rock into the Black Lake. Seconds later the rock spit back up and hit him in the face. Clearly the giant squid was not happy today.
Draco expected Potter to be home by now but the universe seemed to love Potter. McGonagall catches Potter flying when he isn't supposed too, he gets put on the Quidditch team; Potter messes with a troll, he gains points and friends; Draco catches Potter out late with a dragon, Draco, Potter, Weasley, and Longbottom get a detention together with Hagrid, Potter's good friend; Potter goes into a restricted area and faces an evil professor, he gets house points; Slytherin wins the house cup, Gryffindor gains last minute brownie points and becomes the winner making Slytherin second.
Draco sighed and plopped onto the grass. The train was to leave in two hours and Draco wanted one last look at the lake, his favorite place at Hogwarts. It took him forever to ditch Crabbe and Goyle. They had a forced friendship ever since Draco was seven. Until that point, Theo was Draco's best friend but his mother died, his father got sick, and he moved in with some family friend that was pretty much completely in seclusion.
"Are you okay, Draco?" Draco turned around to see Pansy prance towards him. "I volunteered to come find you because otherwise it would've been Crabbe and Goyle."
"It's just stupid Potter," Draco growled and chucked another rock into the lake. "He gets all the attention. It's stupid."
Pansy rolled her eyes. "He's just soaking up the attention. It'll be fine next year, Draco. Everyone will get over it."
"They better. I'm sick of it," Draco grabbed another rock to chuck, but he sighed and dropped it instead. "I want to feel important, Pansy. I want others to know I'm good and loyal like Weasley, smart and clever like Granger, and brave and heroic like Potter. I want to mean something to people, but with the way my life is set up, I don't have that path as a choice. Don't mention this to anyone."
Pansy grinned and grabbed Draco's hand. "I won't. Wouldn't want to ruin your reputation now, would I? Come on, let's go check our trunks one last time and go home. Perhaps you can work on your Quidditch skills and be honored as the next quidditch god."
Draco had felt honored when the Dark Lord appointed him with a special task. After he was told what exactly it was did Draco realize it was a punishment. The whole task sucked the life out of him and made him want to be dead.
But he didn't want to die. He didn't want to bleed out on the bathroom floor. Like most days, today was no different in the fact that Draco was absolutely exhausted and need to cry. He did so in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Myrtle had became a confidant to him. She also mentioned that he reminded her of a boy she went to school with. Myrtle made life a little easier.
Sometimes his friends helped out as best as they could. They made sure, along with Severus, that no one found out what was going on.
Draco hadn't realized Potter was on his case until he saw the boy who lived standing behind him with his wand out in the mirror. From the moment Draco turned around, his brain was shut off and he fought for his secrets, his family, and his life. He didn't see another choice in sight.
Now he was paying the price, laying on the floor in pool of red tinted water as he bled out. He could hear Potter and Severus yelling in the background, but it was too static for him to understand. The world was going white and black and grey around him. The grey stood out the most.
He could feel the his wounds being closed as the world grew darker and Draco retreated into his own mind. This is how his life was going to be Draco realized. He was going to fight for his life from all sides. He had no choice if he wanted to live. Nobody trusted him, except Theo, Pansy, and Daphne. Crabbe And Goyle were loyal but Draco knew there was no trust there. Blaise could potential be an ally. It was still unclear. He had allies outside the grounds too. Those were the ones who wouldn't kill him.
He cried on the inside, and maybe he did on the outside too. This was his life. There was no choice that could change that.
Hermione was ecstatic to leave for her first day, but she was also nervous. Except for the books she had read, she knew nothing about the magical world. She sat on the front steps of her house and watched her uncle put her trunk in the back of the car.
"Leaving for school?" Hermione jumped at the sound of her neighbor's voice.
"Hello, Thomas. I am leaving for school. You won't see me until Christmas," Hermione answered, smiling up at the man who was the closest person in her life. "What are you going to do without me?"
Thomas chuckled and leaned against stair railing. "I don't know. Our chats and outings are quite fun. I've been thinking about dabbling into family history. I know I had some ancestors from Ireland. I've been thinking about going there for a few months."
"That sounds lovely. If your back for Christmas, you'll have to tell me about your travels."
"Time to go, Hermione. Monica is already in the car," Uncle Wendell said walking up the sidewalk. "Hello Thomas. Saying goodbye?"
"Of course. There's no way I'd let her leave without a goodbye and giving her this since you'll be at school for your birthday," Thomas handed Hermione a wrapped present and letter. "Open whenever you want. Perhaps on the train. It is a long ways to Scotland."
Hermione smiled and accepted the gift. "Thank you, Thomas. I'll miss you."
She hugged the older man. He chuckled and gently hugged her back. "And I will miss you, Hermione. Better get a move on so you don't keep your aunt waiting and miss the train."
Hermione nodded and raced to the car. "Saying goodbye to your best friend?" Hermione nodded and buckled herself in. Wendell began driving towards London. "What's the present for?"
"It's my birthday gift since I won't be here. I think I'm going to open it now." Hermione ripped the paper off and found copies of Anna Karenina, The Count Of Monte Cristo, and The Winter's Tale. These were her favorite books.
Monica glanced back to see the gift. "Those books aren't right for your age, but I'm not about to take away your gift." Monica turned back to talk to her husband about some new type of floss.
Hermione stared at the books grinning. She opened and read the letter next.
Queen Hermione,
"Though I am not naturally honest, I am sometimes so by chance". For me personally, I have never read such a truthful line. Actually that is a lie, I can think of seven better ones off the top of my head. Going to boarding school is a new chapter in life. I was your age when I left the orphanage for boarding school.
As I've said many times in the past, you and I are similar, and I know one thing I desired was perfection. Tolstoy was correct when he said, "If you look for perfection, you'll never be content". Do not let perfection control your life. There is no such thing as perfection just as there is no such thing as light and dark and good and bad. "All the variety, all the charm, all the beauty of life is made up of light and shadow". This is the concept of yin and yang—you need good to equal out the bad even though everything is a mixture of both. Order and chaos go hand in hand just like left and right.
I bring this up because children your age are idiots. "Hatred is blind; rage carries you away; and he who pours out vengeance runs the risk of tasting a bitter draught". I have made foolish mistakes in my past because of this. Don't let anyone tell you you don't belong at this fancy school. You do just as much as the rest.
These are my lessons of guidance to you. I feel the need to pass on my wisdom because, as we've said many times in the past, we are family. We've been through a lot, Hermione. I was cleaning out my attic the other day and I found a box of pictures you had made me along with the cloak I wore and the crown you wore during the tiring escapades as the princess warrior and the warlock. I want you to have fun and focus on the greatness youth can be. I grew up too fast and I don't want that for you. You're going to do great things at this school. If you ever need me, just write to me at the address on the sticky note.
Remember: "When everything goes to hell, the people who stand by you without flinching—they are your family". I'll always be on your side.
Your friend and family, Warlock Thomas Marvel
Hermione smiled at letter. Thomas's letter made her feel better. She was ready to prove her worth to the magical world.
Waves of nerve washed over Hermione as she stepped out of her house and closed the door. She had just obliviated her aunt and uncle. She looked around her neighborhood one last time before heading to her backyard. She sat under the willow tree for a final time.
The July wind kept her cool from the hot sun as she leaned against the tree. She would definitely miss this tree the most. It held many memories.
"Reminiscing?"
Hermione's eyes snapped opened. She forgot about him. "Oh, hello Thomas. How are you?"
"I'm well, and yourself?"
"Just peachy," She noticed men walking in and out of his house. "What's going on?"
Thomas glanced behind him. "I'm moving out. The place has gotten too big for me and I've decided to travel more and accomplish other goals I should've years ago. I'm going to miss this place."
Hermione nodded. "I will too," she agreed. Her hands balled into a fist after realizing her slip up.
"Going to university or exploring right after you graduate then? I wouldn't want to come back to this small town either after I've gotten a taste of the world," Thomas smiled. "I was hoping to see you before leaving. I have a gift. I found it during my most, uh, recent travels."
Thomas reached into his pocket and pulled out a bracelet made of silver and gold with emeralds, sapphires, rubies, and peridot decorating it.
"This is beautiful."
"The colors reminded me of you talking about your boarding school. I thought you'd like it. Happened to find it in Scotland too."
"I will treasure this. I suppose this is goodbye for us then," Hermione said, relieved that she wouldn't need to worry about obliviating Thomas.
Thomas shrugged. "I'm certain we will meet again. For now, yes this is goodbye, but family sticks together."
"Fate does have a funny way of keeping family together," Her mind wandered to the thoughts of her friends and how they are with their families and how little they truly know about hers. "Then I guess this isn't goodbye."
"It's not. I've told you before, it's the people who stand by you through hell without flinching who are your family. We've both been through hell and have never flinched ."
Hermione agreed. She glanced at watch and realized she need to meet up with the others at Harry's place in Little Whinging. "I have some friends I have to meet, Thomas. I will miss you."
Thomas initiated a hug, which Hermione greatly accepted. "It's only natural to miss family. We've been through lots together from scraped knees to political debates to breakdowns to parole hearings. We have yet to flinch."
Who's ready for war?