Chapter IV – Owls
'Bloody stupid owl! '
Draco Malfoy's absurdly blond and usually sleek hair was slightly ruffled due to the fact that one of the school owls had just decided to collide with the top of his head. Draco swatted the owl away in an aggravated manner and smoothed his hair down again, sighing. He coaxed his family's eagle owl down and tied the brief and generically detailed letter of life at Hogwarts that his mother so desired to hear about to his owl's leg. Draco watched as the owl soared out of the window, longing for the freedom that owls in general had that Draco simply did not. His mind mulled over the task the Dark Lord set to him yet again as he did almost every minute of every day. He simply could not do it! It was impossible. Yet if he did not try and succeed, he and his family would be killed.
Sitting down on the ledge of the open window, Draco drew up his legs and just stared out into the grounds, wishing he could just disappear. He wouldn't have any responsibilities, commitments or the Malfoy image to uphold. The brief panic which always flooded his system when he thought of his task subsided as he thought about something else which erased the Dark Lord temporarily from his mind: Hermione Granger. His infatuation (or whatever this was) with Hermione had been odd to say the least. She was muggle born, a Gryffindor and a best friend of Harry Potter, all qualities which should have deterred Draco from her. Yet Draco couldn't help but notice things about her that he found intriguing and captivating. She was brilliant—nobody could deny that fact. She was top of the year and it was common knowledge that she had gotten ten Outstanding O.W.L's and only one Exceeds Expectations. She also was a lot prettier now than she had been a few years ago. Draco had noticed the definite decrease in the volume of her hair ever since their fourth year, when he finally noticed her beauty for the first time at the Yule Ball. She had bright brown eyes which reminded Draco of chocolate. Her skin was naturally tan and he knew her body to be slender and graceful.
Draco hit his head against the cool stone wall as he remembered the insult he had thrown at her earlier that day. It was a defense mechanism and he knew it; he did not want to seem vulnerable around her as that would agitate him and make him nervous, something he rarely publicly portrayed. His thoughts then drifted to the events that occurred after that… how he had begun kissing her, that overpowering urge that had overcome him and egged him on, and the final intense look that she had given him when they broke apart. It had been bliss and it had been far too brief. He longed for the feel of her again, to be against him, kissing him hotly. He longed for the feel of her lower back and her lace underwear… Draco let his mind wander at that point.
Though his thoughts lingered on Hermione, his melancholia from his thoughts about the Dark Lord still persisted. He could feel the gloom under every other emotion he had, waiting for the moment to rise and engulf him. Sighing and closing his eyes, he returned to Hermione in his mind's eye, replaying the scene. He didn't know what he was going to do or say if he saw her, though something had to be said at some point. Draco did not have a chance to think up anything good because at that moment, Hermione had just come into view at the top of the stairway holding a letter in her hand.
Hermione spotted Draco on the farthest window ledge peering out over the deep blue lake and surrounding snow capped mountains. Hermione noticed that she had surprised Draco because he gave a little start when he saw her appear at the top of the stairs. Hermione held Draco's gaze for a moment then moved across the room to sit next to him on the window ledge. Draco had followed her progress across the room with his eyes and when Hermione finally sat next to him on the ledge she could feel a slight blush on her cheeks. She could feel the effects of the perfume egging her on, so she was the first one to speak.
'You get a really beautiful view from this spot; I've never noticed it before.'
Draco did not reply, just merely nodded.
Hermione judged Draco's despondent mood and was overcome with an urge to make him feel better. What she wanted to do was hug him close, but she thought that might scare him off so she timidly placed her hand over Draco's in a comforting gesture.
They sat there for a long while both staring out into the grounds almost under a spell as the only sounds were the soft shifting of wings form the owls above and the sound of the light breeze passing by the castle outside.
After a couple of low hoots from returning owls and a distant sounds of heavy footsteps Hermione realized that she had not sent her letter yet and that it sounded like someone was coming up the stairs. Hermione scooted herself off the ledge and grabbed her letter to her parents. She noticed that Draco stood up as well. He walked over to her and waited for her to choose an owl. The owl hopped down in a friendly manner and held out its leg for her to attach her letter to. She watched it fly from the window turning into a little black speck until it finally disappeared into the daylight.
'Who was it to?'
Hermione looked away from the window and turned to look at Draco.
'My parents, they like to hear from me now and again.'
At hearing this response Draco gave a wan smile.
'Are you close with them?' he asked.
'Pretty close, I'm an only child so it was a bit hard for them adjusting to me being here most of the year. Do you have any brothers or sisters?
Draco's face hardened for a moment then spoke. 'No, I am an only child as well, though I think my parents enjoy my absence more than my presence during the holidays. Father does at least.'
Hermione noticed the twinge of pain and bitterness in the last few words and did not press the matter.
The muffled footsteps she had heard on the stairs earlier grew louder now as a group of eager looking second year Ravenclaws entered the Owlery, laden with various letters and packages to be sent off. The moment that she had with Draco seemed to break as the group of second years began to attempt getting their own owls or the school owls down from their sleepy perches up above. With a look at Draco and a sudden push from the perfume, Hermione took Draco's hand and led him out of the Owlery, down the steps into the castle. Hand in hand, she led him back to the Room of Requirement and repeated the process to get the same room as before, though she made the change which would allow Draco to enter. They had not met anyone on the way back from West Tower which Hermione was grateful for. Hermione had noticed that Draco had not reacted negatively to their hand holding, nor did he seem to mind the fact that Hermione was leading him into the Room of Requirement. Draco seemed so detached and forlorn that he simply did not care where Hermione was taking him. The room materialized as before and everything was the same except for Gryffindor's red and gold which had been replaced by a more neutral palette with pale blues and creamy tans, which was much more soothing.
Hermione let go of Draco's hand and he walked over to the day bed and sat down. Hermione followed him over and sat down next to him.
'Draco…'
Draco looked at her and she immediately realized that it was the first time she had spoken his first name to him.
Draco leaned back on the bed and lay down closing his eyes as he did so. Hermione did the same and moved so that she was fully stretched out on the daybed, like Draco. Hermione wondered if she should say something, but it was Draco who spoke next.
'Do you mind if we just stay like this for awhile?'
Hermione rolled over on her side to look at his profile. He had his eyes closed and he looked almost peaceful lying there with her. She reached over and took his hand, like before. Hermione saw him give her a small smile, and with a swelling happiness she returned it.
AN: I was listening to Aphex Twin's Avril 14th when I wrote this, I suggest you go listen to it if you don't know it already.
As always, reviews are much appreciated! Chapters may come out faster if you do...