Draco's Hufflepuff | Emerging

Two: Exceeds Expectations

A/N: There is mentions/implied parental abuse in this chapter.

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Sunday, 4th August, 1996

I think I had read Draco's last letter about thirty times. It just broke my heart to think of him roaming around that manor all alone, with no one to talk to. A side of me also feels guilty, as I knew I was partly responsible for the argument between him and his parents. I think because of that, I was avoiding writing back to him.

Most of our day had been relatively quiet. My mum and I went to a small coffee shop near to our house whilst my dad met up with some of the Order members for a quick chat.

We had dinner together and ended the day watching some TV all huddled on the sofa. Mum made us all some homemade vanilla milkshakes and cut us a piece of chocolate cake for pudding. I was instantly taken back to Draco's birthday and when I asked Lakly, the sweet house elf, to make him a cake.

I was sorting out the last of my belongings, mindlessly listening to the Muggle radio, when something came over me, and I opened the drawer to my bedside table. My fingers ran over the cold metal of Draco's serpent pin. I decided to get a grip and write to him, whilst I had a burst of bravery hit me.

Dear Draco,

I am so sorry to hear about falling out with your mother and father. Have you made up with them yet? I hope you don't believe them when they say you'd be a disgrace to the Malfoy name... you could never disgrace anyone. I'm just sorry.

I feel like I'm to blame for you being treated so badly. If it weren't for me, then you would be taking a date to your gala. I just want you to know that I really am sorry. I can't think of anything else to say other than that. I feel awful knowing I'm to blame.

Please make sure to look after yourself. It hurts to think of you going hungry, dehydrated, or being cold. Can you arrange to see Blaise or one of the other Slytherins for a few days?

Although we're not together physically, know I am always here for you. I wish there were a way we could talk instantly and not have to wait days. This would be where a telephone would come in handy.

I almost don't want to go away, because it's bad enough being just 100 miles away from you. I hate the thought of an ocean being between us.

Just think... there's less than a month to go now until we're reunited. I guess that's what we just have to hold on to and keep remembering. I know that's what I keep thinking of... the moment I finally get to see you again.

Draco, I would never, and I mean never talk about you in that way. Not behind your back nor to your face. Showing this other side of you is something I couldn't take for granted. I hope you believe me when I say that. The last thing you are, Draco, is pathetic. What it's taken for us to get here, is something only we know. It's special and there's no one else I'd rather have gone through it with.

You can be quite the romantic when you want to be, I haven't forgotten. Thrillers or anything scary isn't the kind of fiction I generally gravitate towards, but I shall certainly have a think and get back to you.

Just please, try not to get into trouble by doing magic outside of school. I can't bear the thought of having to go back to Hogwarts without you. Why is that so hard to believe? You must know by now that I would do anything to make you happy.

If it meant I got to be with you? I would lie to anyone a million times over. I like to think it's a good mixture of you being bad and pushing me out of comfort zone. I've never broken as many rules as I did when I was with you.