Pen Pal (Drarry) HIATUS

4

Dear pen pal,

You can call me whatever you'd like, maybe it would make it easier if you knew I was a boy. I don't think we are unable to share that information, I truly don't remember.

Do not apologize, and take your time responding. We are all healing in our own ways and I think that's exactly what McGonagall wanted to portray with the exercise. It lets us see it from another's perspective, healing is not linear.

I'm glad you said what you did about moving on, seeing as people don't feel what we feel. The ministry and all of those people who sat back and watched while a bunch of kids fought in a war, they don't understand.

You don't have to move on yet, and I think it's silly that people expect you to. Thank you, despite how hard I'm sure it was, for opening up a bit to me.

I hope that you have a better tomorrow, and a good rest of today my friend.

-Yours

Well, me still I guess.

Harry felt like he'd reread the letter a hundred times over. This person seemed to understand exactly where he was coming from, and he grew increasingly suspicious of how well McGonagall paired the pen pals.

It was now the next morning and he still hadn't responded, so he sighed figuring he'd write back before breakfast.

He grabbed his supplies, and sat at his desk fishing for what to write. He couldn't very well afford to just ramble on about his life. Well maybe he could, but he didn't really want to.

Dear pen pal,

Perhaps we were going about the nickname thing wrong.. maybe instead of making one for each other we just.. make one for ourselves.

That way we don't have to make up a name for someone we don't know. So you can call me Evan. It's nowhere close to my real name!

Also I am a boy as well.

"Healing is not linear." I must say I really like that line. It is beyond true. Everything can feel great one minute, and then I'm just angry and bitter the next. Perfect way to describe it.

What kind of music do you like? I believe I'll end each of these with a question. Kinda fun. If you want you can answer back and then ask ME a question.

Sorry for rambling, today's one of those days I'm great. For now at least I suppose. Have a good day.

Yours truly,
Evan.

Draco was laying on his stomach on the library floor when the owl landed on his back to drop off his letter. He picked it up reading it slowly, a smile creeping on his face for only a minute.

"You and your pen pal seem to be getting along well," Draco jumped at the unexpected voice, "Granger, Merlin how long have you been there?"

"Not long, but long enough to see you smile, I don't believe I've seen that since third year when you were being a prick in Hagrids class," she tilted her head to the side smirking.

Draco chuckled, shaking his head, "I believe I smiled at you just before you punched me in the nose actually."

"Oh yes, that was one of my finer moments," she smiled slightly, thinking back to the memory. "Our only problems then were you being a prat, life was so simple."

"Why are you talking to me Granger?" Draco asked cautiously, with an eyebrow raised. He didn't really mind, he was over the pathetic views that his father shoved down his throat. He was sure his father would never speak to him again when he got out of Azkaban, granted that wouldn't be for over a decade. Still though.

"The wars over Draco. I'm just Hermione Granger, a student at Hogwarts. I never stabbed a hocrux, I never got tortured and cut open by Bellatrix. I never broke into gringotts."

"I like to read, I like to study, I like to organize my notes with colorful tabs that muggles use. I'm a human before I'm a soldier, as are you. We were used as pawns in a war starting before puberty, now you can sit here all you want and tell me that you actually enjoyed all of that absolute rubbish we went through.. and I'll gladly never talk to you again. Or you can tell me the truth, and we can be friends. Your call, pretty boy."

Draco stared with wide eyes for a moment, trying to process the whole speech. When he finally did he laughed, truly laughed, and looked Hermione up and down, "you truly are a firecracker sometimes Granger, but I feel like I should apologize before we go declaring ourselves anything other than Granger and Malfoy. I was horrible-"

"You already apologized, and you needn't do it again. I have this scarred into my skin forever," she held up the 'mudblood' scar from Bellatrix, and Draco winced, "you don't see things that way anymore, and you only did it because of your fathers views."

"That's still wrong, and you're an absolute arse, but you're growing. If every person in this world had their teenage views held over their heads their whole life we wouldn't be able to talk to anyone. Sit with us at breakfast, I think you'll be good for us. Think about it."

With that she got up and walked away, leaving Draco feeling a gentle mix of confusion and surprisingly relief. If Hermione Granger could forgive him after all of the horrid things he did to her, perhaps the rest of the wizarding world would come around someday.

He decided to quickly write back his pen pal before heading to breakfast.

Dear Evan,

Evan. I like that.

You can call me Luke I suppose. It's got a corny meaning but you won't be able to figure out who I am by that. I cannot think of anything else.

Healing is absolutely linear, and it's okay that you feel that way some days. Somedays I feel like I can't breathe, no matter what I do.

I walk with my head down because I'm afraid. I'm afraid to face the world around us. I'll get there someday, and I know you will too.

I listen to classical music mostly, some jazz. Muggle pop music is my guilty pleasure tho, there's this group called Boyz II Men (they're Americans) that have amazing songs out right now. I listen to them sometimes while I paint.

What are your hobbies? What do you enjoy doing when you have free time?

Until next time.

Yours truly,
Luke

-

A/N I wrote this in an hour while listening to Taylor's new album; happy release days swifties.

I'm so sorry that I'm horrible at updating lately. I'm trying I promise.

Hope you enjoyed loves.

Much love,

-H🫶🏼