𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐁𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐃 | d. m

1. Ripley In Love

Diagon Alley / London

August, 2005

I've always thought of love as something that happens to everyone else. I've watched acquaintances grow even closer, strangers falling in love at first sight, childhood friends reuniting and realizing there was so much more to them than just being friends. I've seen pretty much every kind of love story play out in front of me, and yet, I've never been on the receiving end of one. I've always just been in the backdrop, living my life vicariously through others; and for the longest time, I was fine with it. I had no objections really, no real desire to be in a romantic relationship with anyone. I always just thought it to be unnecessary, a waste of breath, something that exposes you to a person you probably shouldn't have trusted in the first place.

I believed it couldn't possibly be worth the trouble I'd seen it cause the people around me; the heartbreak, the unnecessary hurt. It just seemed to me—who hadn't really experienced more than a passing fancy myself—that it only attracted misery and grief, and I had too much going in my life to want to waste my time on such a thing.

That was until I met him.

Draco Malfoy.

Son of Narcissa Malfoy née Black and Lucius Malfoy.

Auror at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

Ex- Death Eater.

And the man I've been harboring the world's biggest crush on since I first started working at the MoM myself six years ago.

But you see, there's a massive problem with this equation. One that I can't seem to wrap my head around no matter how hard I try. One that is heartbreakingly difficult for me to grasp.

The fact of the matter is, I just found out my best friend since school, famous author and the one and only Golden Girl Hermione Granger, is getting married.

Three guesses as to who the lucky guy is?

That's right.

My best friend is marrying the love of my life.

Just my luck, huh?

So I suppose you can understand my dilemma.

"You--you're getting married? To each other?", I questioned when I first found out the news. I was utterly confused and equally heartbroken to learn that I was going to be the Maid of Honour to the bride who was to be married to the person I've been loving from afar for the last couple of years. "Wow", was all I managed to speak aloud, desperately trying to hide my real reaction. I didn't wish for either one of them to know of my true feelings.

That I was absolutely destroyed by the revelation.

"It's exciting, isn't it? Oh, I can't wait to marry Draco!", 'Mione embraced me in a warm hug, her excitement doing absolutely nothing to hinder my own disappointment. I guessed I would just have to keep up the act. I've been pretending not to be hopelessly in love with her now fiancé for the last six years, after all.

Keeping up the charade for a while more shouldn't be too hard, right?

"Yes, super exciting." I faked a smile, forcing back the tears I wanted so badly to let fall. I kept myself occupied by chugging down the rest of my butter beer, wanting nothing but to be rid of my ability to feel.

It would be so much easier if I could just feel this way about someone else. Anyone else, really.

I kind of wished I drank til I forgot what we were even talking about, to be honest.