Forbidden || Draco Malfoy

1. Dear Eleanor Granger

DEAR ELEANOR GRANGER

I hurry down the stairs after my sister, who had already hurried to the letterbox in the garden. Today she should get the letter from that wizard school she goes to, telling her what to buy for the new school year. I've already bought everything for next year, a few things from last year and some pencils for drawing, we Muggles get by just fine that way. The term Muggle was explained to me by Hermione in one of the many letters she sent me in her first year at Hogwarts, it's less strange to me now but it still surprises me that my sister has magic in her blood and I don't. It shouldn't be like that, we shared the same placenta as each other. It shouldn't be like that, we share that but not magic in our blood, it doesn't seem fair. I try to push those thoughts away and concentrate on following Herms, who is already opening the letterbox and I haven't even left the house.

First and second year, we had to wait for an owl to come and give Hermione the letter, but then she came up with a sort of owl mailbox that we only use when she sends letters home or when she gets her letter from the school each year. It's very useful. Hermione comes running up to me with an envelope in each hand.

-What's wrong? -I ask when she's close enough to hear me without shouting.

Her tousled brown curls sway in time with her footsteps as she half-runs, half-jumps closer. Anyone watching us would say it's an unusual scene. Two identical girls, one dishevelled, the other combed to perfection; one with dark circles under her eyes from reading at night, the other with a perfect coat of mascara and lip gloss; one in a black tracksuit, the other dressed in a light green jumper and white jeans; one jumping for joy and the other with a look of unbeatable confusion on her face. That's Hermione and I, identical on the outside and not much alike on the inside. We both like to read, but prefer different genres; we both love cats, but prefer different breeds, although we both love Crooshanks, the best cat in the world. I could go on and on, but it would take too long.

-Look! -Herms shouts at me-. It's for you!

-Keep your voice down, you're in the middle of the street -I tell her to stop all the shouting. I grab the letter with my name on it and am shocked to see that it has the Hogwarts seal on it.

-Open it -my sister urges me.

I listen to her and start to open the envelope, thinking that they've probably made a mistake and it's for Hermione. I read the letter inside and I can't believe it.

Dear Eleanor Granger,

Please be informed that you have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We have discovered that you possess unusual magic, which normally makes itself known between the ages of fourteen and fifteen. We would like to offer you the opportunity to spend from the 30th of July until the start of term with the staff at Hogwarts to learn how to master your magic better before the school year begins.

We are expecting an owl before the 20th of July.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress.

-What does it say? -Hermione asks, peeking her head out trying to read the letter and covering her mouth with her hand as she finishes reading it.

-They must have made a mistake -I say, sighing. I don't have magic, I'm not like my sister. I'm just an ordinary person with ordinary blood and an ordinary life. Or so I thought. What's this 'unusual magic'?

-No, there's your name and our address -says my sister, and then she jumps up and down-. ¡Today is the eighteenth of July, we must hurry!

And without letting me protest, she grabs my arm and quickly pulls me back into the house and into her room. He picks up a pen and a piece of stationery, puts them on the table, pulls the chair away from the desk and pushes me into it.

-Write -he says, dictating what he thinks is appropriate to reply.

-Yours... sin... cere... ly... Eleanor... Granger -I say, as I finish writing.

I drop the quill and Herms immediately picks up the paper to hand it to an owl so it takes it to Hogwarts.

-That's it -she says with a smile. I sigh. I don't believe it, this must be a joke. Me? A wizard? Very funny.

-Girls, what are you up to up there? -we hear our father's voice from the kitchen-. Come down for breakfast, I've made crêpes! -he says, in a French accent.

Herms and I laugh, glance at each other and hurry downstairs as I shout:

-Rotten egg whoever gets there last!

I run out and slam the door to her room, I hear her laughing and struggling with me until I run away towards the stairs and my twin opens her door. I slide down the banister of the stairs and Hermione yells at me:

-That's cheating! -She says as she comes down, jumping down the stairs two at a time-, I don't know how to do that!

-Well, then learn -I say, walking into the kitchen and touching the counter with my left hand. With my right, I make a victory gesture-. I win, you rotten egg.

We all laugh in the kitchen. Hermione, Mum, Dad and me. Even Crooshanks meows. We sit down at the table and look at the pancakes waiting for us.

-You didn't burn them this time, George -says Mum, smiling.

-Because I'm an expert cook, Jean -he replies. We laugh.

-That's not true, and you know it -Herms and I say at the same time.

We all laugh again. Suddenly, my sister nudges me and whispers:

-Tell them.

I clear my throat as Hermione drops the letter in my lap.

-Dad, Mum, I have to tell you something -but I'm interrupted before I can continue.

-Oh, sweetheart, we know -I gasp. What? I didn't even know before this morning, how can they know?

-It's OK -Dad says. I look at my sister, who has the same confused look on her face as I do.

-Yes, we understand that you and the Travers' son are together, he's very handsome -Mum says with a mischievous grin.

-What?! No! Ew, no, we're just friends -I say, laughing-. That's not what I have to tell you, but this.

I spread the letter on the table in front of them. When they finish reading it, they have the same reaction as Herms, my mother speaks.

-This is... Eleanor, I'm so glad! -she says. Mum and Dad are the only ones who call me by my full name, but I don't mind if they do, I'm used to that, although I prefer other people to call me Ello. Mum is going to hug me but interrupts herself-. Today is the eighteenth of July, we must hurry up and write!

-We've already done it -Hermione says- and we've sent it, we just have to wait until it's the thirtieth and see if they come for Ellie.

-That's good, child! -says Dad. He hugs me.

-But the thirtieth is too soon! I want to spend the whole summer with my two little witches -Mum says, after hugging me and giving me a thousand kisses. Hermione and I laugh at the nickname.

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