Disclaimer:
This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
A/N: This is in response to the 48 Hour Challenge issued by Rotiart at FAP. Also, pretend like HBP never happened, because I did, when writing this story. Er, I think I pretended like a lot of things didn't happen...so, let's make this an AU. :D
STUCK
...So It Ends
Three Weeks Later
I was eating breakfast, just as I normally do, when a school owl came and plopped a letter into my goblet. The owl waited, while I read the letter.
Hermione,
A friend once gave me advice to write you a letter when I told them I didn't know how to express my feelings to you. So here I am. I like you. Very much. And I'm scared. Scared of how you'll feel when you find out who's behind this letter, scared of rejection.
So, I have a proposal. Why don't we get to know each other through letters, first? I don't have the confidence yet, to see if you'll return my feelings. So, could we try this first? Just send a letter back with this owl, with your answer. If you don't wish to, I won't bother you again.
With love,
Your Secret Admirer
I looked around, trying to find anything out of the ordinary, trying to find who sent this.
What I found was Draco Malfoy staring at me intently, and that triggered the memories that I had tucked away for safe keeping, to ensure my sanity.
I remembered the weird way he was acting, when he woke up after being knocked out. I remembered his journal. I remembered trying to find out the identity of that girl he seemed to really, really like, combing over his entries for any clue. And then I remembered something, something totally obvious I shouldn't have missed it, something in his journals. Two excerpts from two different entries, to be precise:
But then, in all my years with her, she's always seemed to be oblivious to the obvious.
And Granger! I admit that she's smart. But sometimes, she can be so oblivious to the obvious.
I guess he was right. I was oblivious to the obvious. But not anymore!
Remembering those two lines, I realized now that I was jealous of that girl. I was jealous of me. I was that girl.
When I looked to where he was sitting again, he was gone.
I remembered that I had given him that advice.
--------
I looked for him during lunch, but he wasn't in his seat. So, I decided to forget lunch and go looking for him.My feet led me to the library. My sanctuary. And, as I found out, his too.
I sat down next to him, and when he turned to look at me, I took a chance. I kissed him.
He kissed me back, drawing me closer to him. I would have to say that I was really getting into it, until someone cleared their throat.
We pulled apart, a little guiltily, and turned to look at Blaise, who was giving me a sly smile. I blushed, and buried my face into Malfoy's shoulder.
"I—We—Er, you're late Blaise," Malfoy said.
"Well, I'm glad I was, if that's the kind of studying you had in mind." Blaise shook his head, laughter in his eyes. "Sorry, mate, but I don't swing that way. And I'm afraid I couldn't have helped you out. Good thing Granger got here first." He waved and began walking away. "Catch you later. Ciao."
I lifted my head to find Draco looking at me, a faint, reddish tint appearing on his cheeks. He was rubbing the back of his neck nervously and I couldn't help but laugh at the situation. Draco Malfoy, nervous around a girl? Who would've thought that girl would be me? Definitely not I.
Soon, he was laughing with me and we were ushered out of the library, for being too loud.
We began to walk down the hall in silence, and I decided now was as good a time as anyway to tell him...
"You know," I began, "we don't have to get to know each other through letters."
He stopped then, and turned to me, a shocked expression. He began to open and close his mouth, like a fish, and I couldn't help but let out a small laugh again.
"How did you know it was me?"
"I'm not stupid, Malfoy. And, I gave you the advice."
"Oh."
"Yup. So, what do you think? Still need the letters?"
He shook his head, and then took my hand. "So," he smirked at me, "we're dating now?"
I nodded, smiling. "I guess so."
Who would have thought being stuck in a room for forty-eight hours with such an insufferable prat would have brought me some of the happiest moments of my life, would have brought me my soul mate?
Definitely not I. But I, for one, am not questioning it. I'm glad I was stuck.
FIN
(for real)
A/N: Okay, now it's really done. Hoped you liked it. :) Tell me what you think, please. Constructive criticism is welcome, as always. ;D