For Them | Draco Malfoy

Year 6 Part 1

"Happy Birthday to Harry and Esme! Happy Birthday to you!" sang the chorus of gingers. Esme quickly flashed a smile at her twin as they blew out the candles on the delicious-looking birthday cake. Unsurprisingly, the candles continued to stay lit as the Potter twins attempted to blow them out again

"Oh for heaven's sake, really? Candles that don't blow out? Must you two do this on their birthday?" Mrs. Weasley yells as she wags her finger at Fred and George who have their heads thrown back in laughter.

Even in the darkest of times, there was no place on earth that made Esme happier than the Burrow, although anywhere would be better than staying with The Dursleys. Here, Esme and her twin, Harry, were loved and well-fed, two components that their childhood lacked greatly. Every single one of the Weasley's held a special place in their hearts, they were the family the twins never had and always wanted.

As usual, Harry and Esme attempted to refuse any presents offered to them, but when it was time to retire to bed, Hermione was relentless in her pursuit.

"Oh can you two please just come off it? Let me give you these presents." she begged as she shoved a present towards the two of them. Not willing to argue with the curly-haired girl anymore, they took the presents and settled into their seats in Ron's room.

"A brand new pair of quidditch gloves? Hermione how did you know these were the ones I've been wanting?" Harry asked as he grabbed Hermione in a hug.

"Ron helped me, so technically it's a gift from the both of us!" She said gesturing towards the tall ginger boy who shrugged in response.

When Esme opened her first present, she immediately felt a flush creeping onto her cheeks. Hermione and Esme were close despite being sorted into two different houses as Esme couldn't help but love anyone who genuinely cared for her brother. Hermione being the one who always gets her brother out of the worst of situations, it was fate the girls would become best friends. Over the past year, the girls have been secretly enjoying steamy romance novels; every week owling the other their most recent read. While it would be surprising to many that Hermione Granger would enjoy a deliciously detailed sex scene, it wasn't to Esme. Esme had been the friend that Hermione confided in through her short, but well-lived flng with Viktor Krum.

The blush faded away and laughter bubbled as she read the title of her newest book, Secrets. An enemies to lovers novel, in which a rich Slytherin and a poor Gryffindor have to keep their love a secret from other students at Hogwarts.

Hermione's shit eating grin spread from ear to ear as Esme wrapped her in a hug, "It's not exactly you and your blonde Slytherin prince, but you might as well be an honorary Gryffindor so really the story fits."

Harry and Ron broke out into fake gagging noises, "You do realize this is my birthday too? No talk of Malfoy until tomorrow please. I almost went a full day without Esme mentioning his name."

Esme threw a rude, one fingered gesture towards her brother, but spoke no more of Malfoy for the rest of the night. Though her thoughts always wandered back to him.

Draco Malfoy had absorbed a lot of Esme's thoughts this past summer - his lack of communication sounding a million alarm bells off in her head. She figured he would likely withdraw from her this summer, with his father being thrown into Azkaban, yet what she did not prepare for was his almost complete radio silence. She had received all but four letters from him this entire summer, none of which had arrived today. They were uncharacteristically short, and while they drew no suspicion of his faltering love for her, she still worried for him.

"Esme,

There is no one I would rather be with at this exact moment (and every moment really). Things are not great here at The Manor, but I am glad I can be with my mother. She, as you can imagine, is not taking father's imprisonment well. I never thought I would say this, but I wish my father were here. There is a lot of unwanted responsibility falling to me.