There Were Those Moments
September 7, 2011
Chapter 3:
Rumors were spreading around the entire school that the Dark Lord was indeed coming. Whispers and murmurs about the dreaded attack echoed throughout the castle walls, that no one ever seemed to notice the frequent disappearance of a certain blonde Slytherin. No one, that is except for a particular bushy-haired witch who grew more and more curious each time she found his spot empty in the Slytherin table. Twice, she had heard from a group of girls that someone had taken the place of Moaning Myrtle in the second floor bathroom, weeping non-stop as if he or she had suffered from a fate so ugly and inescapable. They couldn't tell who it was, because the door was always protected and a silencing charm was consistently cast. It was Myrtle herself who had walked out of the bathroom, feeling very annoyed at the intruder who decided to take her place. One night, curiosity finally got the best of Hermione. As soon as everyone in the castle fell into a deep slumber, she snuck out of the dormitories, borrowed Harry's invisibility cloak (by borrowed, she actually stole), and made her way towards the second floor loo.
When she entered, the bathroom was empty. Even Myrtle was nowhere to be found. She walked around, checking each cubicle; looking for any piece of clue or evidence that could lead her to something; anything. Just as she checked the last cubicle, she heard the bathroom door open swiftly then slam close. She then heard quick, shortened breaths—like whoever it was had been crying for quite a while.
Could it be Myrtle?
Slowly, she walked towards the source of the commotion, making sure the invisibility cloak was wrapped tightly around her small frame. When she saw a lean figure of a boy sitting on the cold tiles and leaning against the white, porcelain sink, Hermione nearly gasped at the sight.
It was Draco Malfoy, and he was crying like he had been broken and could barely breathe. He would pull at his hair, if he wasn't pounding his fists on the ground or clawing it. His eyes were so red and puffy; she could almost see the veins in them. His tears and sweat mixed together, allowing his pale skin to glisten more under the reflection of the moonlight on the mirror. Hermione found herself frozen in her spot; like she had been stupefied. She watched him as he would sometimes gasp for air—the intensity of his cries robbing him off of his own oxygen. When he would calm down, he would shakily take his wand and attempt to conjure his flying paper birds, then he would watch them—temporarily putting him in a calm and quiet state.
Hermione had never been so astounded.
And then in a snap, he would return to crying; the paper birds falling gently onto the tiles, getting soaked in the bathroom's puddles.
That was when she realized Draco Malfoy was also human.
The days following that incident, Hermione followed him each time he entered the girl's bathroom to release his pent-up emotions; like it was a dam breaking through a concrete barrier. It was then she understood a task had been set out for him. She didn't know what it was or exactly who it came from, and each time she tried to figure it out, he would completely disappear in the Marauder's Map. Of course, she had her own problems to worry about. She couldn't just let her studies slip, she continued to secretly pine for Ron even though she knew it was hopeless with him dating Lavender Brown these days, she had to be the ever-supportive friend of Harry Potter, and a war was about to ensue in the Wizarding World.
At times, when things took a toll on Hermione, she would sit on her favorite spot at the bottom of a deserted yet familiar staircase.
And that was where Hermione found herself again, after walking in on Ron and Lavender snogging in the Gryffindor common room—of all places. She needed to clear her mind. There were more important things than Ron, she reminded herself. With a flick of her wand, paper birds sprang out and flew just above her head in a steady rhythm.
"Fancy meeting you here, huh Granger?" came that familiar drawl once again.
She jumped slightly at his voice; her paper birds losing their momentum and falling onto the ground. Draco walked down the steps and took his familiar spot beside her. Casting a simple spell on the fallen birds, they began to glide off the ground and fly above their heads once again. "I see you've taken a liking to my spell," he smirked, watching as the birds formed random patterns in the air.
"It does have a calming effect," Hermione answered, placing her palms on her lap and staring at the birds.
"I heard Weasley got himself a new girlfriend," he snorted, capturing a paper bird in his fingertips then letting it loose.
"It doesn't matter," Hermione said, a bit annoyed. "There are more important things I have to be worried about."
"Here," Draco spoke, pulling a book out of his black carrier and placing it on the ample space between him and Hermione. The leather-bound book was entitled Angel Wars, and Hermione knew it was a very rare book to find.
Hermione eyed the book in awe then looked at Draco skeptically, tilting her head to the side. "What's with the sudden change, Malfoy? Why are you suddenly being nice to me?"
Draco shrugged. "I'm just…tired, Hermione. Tired of it all." And with that, he stood; letting the birds fall like leaves and making his way up the staircase.