Hiraeth // draco malfoy

PROLOGUE | PART TWO

where it all began

Ophelia never gave much thought to her future. She had a tendency to live in the moment, and let everything happen as it needed to. Her parents were always proud of her. And they constantly implored her to keep her secret to herself. Only select few people knew of what she possessed, and if word got out, she would become a target for the unimaginable. So Ophelia spent as much time as she could hiding the one thing that made her— her, to herself.

In first year, Ophelia was placed in Slytherin at Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft & Wizardry. This came as quiet a shock to her parents, as her mother had been a Hufflepuff and her father had been a Gryffindor. They weren't upset over her being a Slytherin, they only were concerned. It begged the question if she held a darkness to her due to her dark powers she held inside her fragile body. But they also worried for her due to Slytherin having a reputation of not always housing the kindest of students, but they knew she could overcome any hardships thrown her way. And when Ophelia befriended the biggest bullies at the school, her parents held faith she would not change her sweet persona. And she didn't. Ophelia quickly over the years gained more and more friends from different students in every year and different houses, and her reputation was of popular stature, simply for being the person you could go to if you had no one else. This, made her parents the most proud of all. Raising a gentle soul with a kind heart was often overlooked by others achievements, but they knew they won the lottery in terms of a daughter.
Ophelia felt the same way, but toward someone else, as Pansy had quickly become her best friend. The two of them were always found together, laughing and enjoying time spent. Some nights, Pansy would fall asleep in Ophelia's bed after staying up late and talking. And the girls had quickly became best friends with the three Slytherin boys that always were a topic of conversation amongst the school.

By second year, Ophelia had been excelling in her classes. Her focus was strictly on her studies and friendship came after. But, she found herself sometimes talking amongst a few other students from different houses. Her Slytherin classmates didn't quite understand why she was so accepting. To most of them, purebloods were superior, but to Ophelia, they all were just people longing for a place to call home. And everyone held a story within them, and she loved hearing all of them.

Third year, was where things took a drastic turn. She had always had a crush on the outspoken Draco Malfoy, and finally, the two had become something just a little more than friends. Even only being third years, they knew they had feelings for each other. They weren't 'dating' per say, but they had their own ways of expressing romantic interests, just by being so close to one another. So, due to daydreaming and longing for the Malfoy boy, Ophelia's mind was focused on something other than her studies. Her grades weren't terrible, but they were slacking slightly. Draco Malfoy always found little ways to brighten her days, and Pansy was always there to tease her for it. None of them had known the truth to who Ophelia was, yet.

Fourth year was where things really picked up at Hogwarts. The Triwizard tournament was creating much commotion throughout the halls and the visitors from the other wizarding schools made life a bit more exciting. When Harry Potter's name was drawn, everyone was surprised. The events that took place following that day, caused a drastic change in the atmosphere. And when the yule ball came around, Ophelia was more than eager to attend when Draco Malfoy had asked her to be his date. The two of them had become somewhat inseparable, with the exception of their friends as well, but now, their longing for one another was growing stronger. And a relationship began to form.

Fifth year, was when things went south. Draco had become a member of Umbridge's little gang and shortly after Christmas break, they had caught the members of Dumbledore's Army in the Room of Requirement. Including Ophelia herself. Ophelia was done with him and the torment he put her friends through. She couldn't stand by and watch him destroy everyone she cared about. So she told him to leave her alone. And then, she grew even closer to Fred Weasley. The two of them were hanging out quite often and Draco decided to take it a step further by dating the one girl he knew would hurt Ophelia the most— Astoria Greengrass.

Now, as Ophelia prepared herself to begin her sixth year at Hogwarts, she sighed at the thought of returning to a home with her best friends. Usually, she'd be ecstatic, but this was the first time since being a student at Hogwarts that she just felt numb to going back. Times were dark, and her friendships were scattered. She was torn between the good and the bad. And with her secret causing distress and pain to her mental health, she felt more lost in a place she had always felt comfort.

But this year, was a special year. And not in the way you would hope. This year, was the beginning to an end. And none of them had any idea what was in store for them.