Between Pages: A Dramione Fan Fiction

Between Pages

First Year

It took her a while to select the perfect book. This was to be her introduction to the magical world, after all. Sending along an old favorite to a potential new friend. In the end, she chose a classic fairytale collection. It was illustrated in lovely watercolor and she'd had it since before she could remember.

Professor McGonagall had told her to include a letter explaining why she chose the book. It was to be anonymous, and Hermione found that exciting. Like having a secret pen pal. And maybe her first friend at Hogwarts.

Dear Reader, she wrote, Sometimes the answers we need are in the oldest of stories, don't you think? This is my favorite collection. I really like to escape in these pages and I hope you will, too.

She wrapped it in brown paper and tied a blue ribbon around it, then tucked it into her school trunk. Ready to deliver it to Professor McGonagall's office after the welcome feast.

When she arrived a few hours after they were sorted, she was handed a rather small book, in fine silver wrappings. Her greedy hands tore into it in the corridor. It was one of Merlin's notebooks on potions, published with annotations from famous potioneers throughout the ages like Vindictus Viridian and Hesper Starkey. It was obvious to Hermione that it was a rare and valuable book. A note was tucked inside the front cover. The handwriting much nicer than her own. The stationery expensive.

I like this book because potions are interesting. Don't feel too bad if I'm top of our class.

Second Year

After the chaos of the end of first year's term, they'd exchanged another book before the summer holidays. This time, McGonagall had told Hermione to call for Calliope in the owlery. The barn owl would get her book to the right person and would bring one back for her. She spent the summer reading her first wizard-written novel, The Mysteries of Nicolas Flamel by Jane Mallowan, and taking notes. Reading and rereading the letter that accompanied it: Sometimes getting lost in a book is better than the doldrums of real life. You're right about that, at least. This is the first in the series, but my favorite is the fourth book.

She sent a book she had initially found in the Hogwarts library and then ordered her own copy while home at Christmas. It was the diary of Arsenius Jigger, a former headmaster of Hogwarts and renowned potioneer. Because her book exchange partner sent a book on potions she thought they might find this one interesting, too.

As she read her own book she wanted to write her pen pal, to let them know what she'd thought of the novel, but without the school's owl she had no way of reaching them. So she waited until the start of term, eager to post her letter and a new book as soon as possible.

The morning after the welcome feast the understatedly elegant bird swooped down to her, leaving a letter atop her porridge. She cleaned it with a spell and tucked it into her robes. When she was alone, she tore it open. They'd read the diary in one sitting, just as she had.

Third Year

Professor McGonagall was amused when Hermione asked about keeping a correspondence with her book exchange partner over the summer. But she allowed the use of Calliope on three designated days throughout the break, which meant that Hermione could share three books and received three in response, all before returning to school. They'd talked about the books they'd read and shared theories on the magical titles her partner sent and their opinions on the Muggle books she'd sent.

Her course load was tiring, and the need to keep things secret with the Time Turner made it harder to find time to read for pleasure, but she squeezed it in where she could. Reading a few pages over lunch and again before bed, until her eyes were too heavy to go on. They agreed to exchange on a monthly basis. Their letters growing longer and longer as the year went on. Talking in vague terms about classes and friends to maintain their anonymity.