Fractured Hearts | Draco Malfoy

9 ~ I suggest you leave

FRACTURED HEARTS

i suggest you leave

A few days had passed since the first task of the Triwizard Tournament, but the adrenaline from that day still lingered. The morning light filtered through the enchanted windows of the Great Hall, casting a warm glow on the bustling breakfast crowd. Hermione, Harry, Ron, and I were nestled at the Gryffindor table, our plates piled high with eggs, toast, and whatever else the house-elves had deemed fit for our morning repast.

"Honestly," Hermione was saying, "I think we're due for a study break. If I read one more paragraph about Transfiguration—"

"—you might turn yourself into a puddle of frustration," I finished, grinning at her. "I swear, I feel like I'm becoming more familiar with the contents of our textbooks than with my own bed."

Ron snorted, his mouth full of porridge. "Might not be a bad thing. At least then you'd have a proper excuse for failing all our tests."

Before Hermione could fire back with one of her classic retorts, an owl swooped down, its wings beating with a soft whoosh. It landed with remarkable precision on the table in front of me, depositing a neatly folded letter before fluttering off.

"Looks like someone's got mail," Harry said, raising an eyebrow.

I stared at the letter, my curiosity piqued. It wasn't every day you got a letter delivered by owl. I reached out, hesitated for a second, and then unfolded it. The handwriting was neat, elegant, and utterly unfamiliar. My brow furrowed as I read the words:

Dearest Celia,

I hope this letter finds you well. I've been admiring you from afar and couldn't help but be drawn to your charm and wit. I'd love to get to know you better. Perhaps we could meet sometime soon?

Yours truly,

Your Secret Admirer

I stared at the letter, my heart racing. "What on earth..." I mumbled.

Hermione leaned in, her eyes widening. "Who's it from?"

"I have absolutely no idea," I said, trying to keep my tone light despite the flush creeping up my neck. "Apparently, I've got a secret admirer."

Ron and Harry exchanged a look that was a mix of amusement and curiosity. "A secret admirer?" Ron echoed, his voice dripping with disbelief. "Sounds like a plot twist in a really bad romance novel."

"Or a serious invasion of privacy," I countered, crumpling the letter slightly as I slipped it into my bag. "I mean, who even does that? And why?"

Hermione gave me a sympathetic look. "Maybe it's just someone who likes you. Or, you know, admires you from afar."

"Yeah, but it's weird," I said, shrugging. "It's not exactly comforting to have someone stalking you with a quill and parchment."

Harry gave me an encouraging smile. "Don't let it get to you. It's probably just some misguided romantic. You'll figure out who it is soon enough."

"Yeah, I hope so," I said, trying to sound casual. "I'd hate to have a secret admirer who turns out to be a complete nutter."

The conversation shifted back to our usual breakfast banter, but my thoughts kept drifting back to the letter. The mysterious admirer, whoever they were, had certainly succeeded in getting my attention.

As the meal wound down and we all began to prepare for our day, I found myself lost in thought, trying to piece together the puzzle of my secret admirer. Meanwhile, Hermione's chatter about Transfiguration and Ron's complaints about his "life being unfair" faded into the background. It wasn't until I was nearly finished with breakfast that I managed to push the letter out of my mind and focus on the day ahead.  Potions class. Another round of dealing with Draco Malfoy and his sharp tongue. Because, of course, Snape decided that after the First Task, nothing would soothe our nerves more than brewing something ridiculously complicated while paired with the person I most wanted to hex.