Entranced (Draco Malfoy)

•four•

Once again, Dove Taylor is in the library. However, she's not reading. The book Draco Malfoy had given her is still in the bag resting at her feet. She's in her usual green chair, but instead of being curled up like usual, she's stiff.

Draco had sent her a letter this morning. A letter of all things! The only time they used letters was over Christmas or summer break! It had only consisted of one sentence.

Meet me in the library at nine.

Luckily, it was Saturday, otherwise she'd have been unable to come, seeing as she has classes. What on earth could Draco be wanting to meet her for?

Finally, at quarter past nine, Draco strolls in, looking as if he hadn't slept a wink last night. He stops walking when he sees her, pain in his eyes.

Dove stands, concern for the boy sweeping through her. She, too, had come to a few important conclusions last night. She was ready to tell him, but then she had received his letter.

"Good morning," she says hesitantly, almost afraid to speak to him.

The familiar racing of her heart begins, reminding her that she is still very nervous around him, which is to be expected. But she wants to be closer to him. She longs to hold him as he held her yesterday.

"Morning," he replies hoarsely. "We need to talk."

"What about?" She asks innocently.

Draco curses himself in his mind. Why is he doing this, not only to her but to himself? He genuinely cares for her. He has ever since first year. It's taken him this long for him to admit his feelings for her, why should he stop now? He shakes his head at himself, causing Dove's eyes to narrow slightly.

"What about?" She repeats, but her voice is less innocent.

"We...shouldn't hang out anymore," he says lamely.

"Why?" Her voice is clear, not a hint of any emotion in her voice.

"There's danger coming, Dove," he tries to reason with her, but she's having none of it.

She steps closer to him, grabbing his hand.

"Do you have feelings for me?"

He wants to lie. To say no. To let her go now, before he gets attached. Instead, he finds himself nodding.

"Yes. Yes, Dove Lorraine, I have feelings for you," he admits.

She is unable to hide her smile, but she gets serious again after a moment, speaking from her heart, even though she doesn't know what to say.

"Danger will always be coming. There is a war brewing, can't you feel it?" He nods, knowing of it firsthand. However, he wonders how she knows of it. Has she been hanging out with Potter? Or is it because of Diggory's death? "I don't know how much more time we have, Draco. Let's please use it wisely."

He sighs deeply, hooking his arms around her waist to bring her closer to him. She wraps her arms around his middle, her cheek pressed firmly into his robes. She breathes him in, relishing in the fact that she won their argument.

"Okay," he agrees.

"Er, Dove," Hermione says awkwardly, knowing she's interrupting something big. "Could I borrow you for a moment?"

Draco reflexively tightens his hold on her, not wanting to release her. He almost lost her. His hands shake slightly as he realizes what he had almost done. He almost let go of his moon, his stars, his light.

For the past five years, they'd been each other's anchors. And he'd almost pushed all of that away, and for what? Fear? War? Those things are what will bring them closer together, not tear them apart.

"Sure," Dove replies, her voice muffled by Draco's robes. "I'll see you at lunch?"

He nods, "Meet me in the Room of Requirement at twelve."

She grins, grabbing her bag and walking away from him. However, Draco has different plans. With the hand still holding hers, he tugs, pulling her back into him. He hugs her once more and kisses both of her cheeks delicately.

Her heart warms as she beams up at him, happiness all throughout her. She tightens her grip on her bag before basically skipping to Hermione, looking back once to wave a goodbye.

Draco Malfoy watches Dove Taylor walk away from him once again, with a small smile on his face. He waits until he cannot see her anymore to settle down at a table and pull out a quill, ink holder, and a piece of parchment.

He begins writing a letter to his mother, hoping she will obey his wishes and keep the letter a secret from his father. He'd been debating this for weeks but not as long as he'd been debating whether or not to change everything between him and his Dove. He's afraid to say the wrong thing, to make her angry and possibly disown him.

Taking a breath and deciding to let his heart do the talking, he places his quill to the parchment and begins writing.

Mother,

There is something I must tell you. My only wish is for you to keep this letter and what I tell you a secret from Father. I'm in love, and I have been in love for the past four years. Do you remember in first year when I couldn't stop talking about a dove? I didn't mean the bird.

I'm in love with a girl named Dove Taylor. I was only her friend for four years, not wanting to change things between us for fear of upsetting you and Father. You see, Dove isn't a Slytherin. She is a pure-blood, but she's not a Slytherin. She's a Hufflepuff, and she is also the sweetest and most amazing girl I've ever met.

Her eyes are green, but not overly so. They're a dark green, a Slytherin green. Her eyes sparkle like the stars when she's happy, which is all of the time. I've never ever seen her eyes not sparkle. Her smile, though, is my second favorite thing about her.

Her smile lights up wherever she is. It dazzles just like her eyes do, but her smile is even brighter than the sun. My favorite thing about her, however, is her mind. She's so creative, so full of curiosity and knowledge. She's brilliant, Mother, she really is.

And most of all, she's loyal. She forms her own opinions about people, through first-hand experiences. She doesn't let mistakes define people. She's never once gotten angry with me over something I've done.

Instead, she talks to me. She tells me her opinion about the situation, and she lets me explain why I did what I did. She forgives me always, even when I don't deserve forgiving. The way she looks at me, Mother... It's as if I'm the only person on the world worth looking at. I feel like I'm flying high on my broom whenever she looks at me.

I want you to meet her. I know you'll love her just as much, maybe even a little more, than I do. Please, don't be angry with me. I fought my attraction for her, but I won't fight it anymore. If you don't approve, I understand, but I won't let her go.

I love you, Mother.

Draco

Draco, with his heart in his throat, walks to the Owlery and sends the letter with his owl, watching as he soars through the sky with his big, strong wings that have sent hundreds of letters before. As he watches him, he can't help but feel as if this letter is the most important of them all.