Black Envelopes - A Drarry Fanfic

Chapter 1 - The Letters

It was a few weeks before Christmas when Harry first began reviving letters from an anonymous sender. At first, he ignored the envelopes and stashed them away in the chest at the end of his bed. Each letter had 'H. Potter' swirled in silver ink on the front in immaculate cursive handwriting and small doodles drawn around them. The envelopes were always black, so whenever he'd see one on his bed, he could
quickly put it away. He had guessed that they had been from a girl in his house or a girl in a year below him. He decided that he'd open them some other day, or just throw them out. He began receiving them every couple of weeks, then every five days, and then every couple of days. He reached December expecting to see a letter on his bed every day because he was getting them every day.

Then the packages began to arrive.

The packages were neatly wrapped in black paper and tied with silver string to match with the letters. When Harry first got one, it was sitting on his bed with the usual envelope and a note. 'Enjoy'. His curiosity got the better of him and he opened the package, candy from Honeydukes inside and a book about Quidditch. At first, he didn't know what to do with the gift. He put the book with his trunk with the letters and shared the candy amongst the other Gryffindors in his dorm over butterbeer, but he couldn't stop thinking about who the sender might be. 

A few days later, Harry received another package, also attached to the usual envelope. More candy and some broom accessories. Expensive, top of the line broom accessories. What would Ginny think about this? He'd think to himself every now and then. He wanted to tell her, but-

* * *

"We have potions, Harry," Hermione said, tapping him on the shoulder gently. "Are you alright?"

Harry had been so caught up with the letters. Something was keeping him from opening them, but they had all stopped arriving for a week now. 

They were in their final week before the Christmas holidays. He had decided to stay at Hogwarts again for Christmas, even though Ron and his family had offered to host him. He just wanted to take some time away from people and relax by himself over the break. 

"Huh? Yeah, sorry Hermione. I'm fine." Harry smiled shakily, standing up from the table they had been studying at. He gathered his books and quills and put them in his satchel, blinking tiredly. 

"You don't look fine," Hermione frowned, and they began to walk towards the door of the library. "Have you been sleeping alright?"

"I don't know Hermione. I just haven't been able to concentrate recently because of..." His voice trailed off as he thought about the letters. 

"Because of what, Harry?" 

"It's nothing." He shrugged. "I'm just tired."

"Well, you should see somebody about it. Go to Madame Pomfrey's after potions. If you're having trouble sleeping, you could always ask for a potion for Dreamless Sleep." They left the library and started to make their way to the dungeons. 

"Yeah, alright." Harry sighed. "Thanks, Hermione."

"Hey Potter!" 

Malfoy.

Harry turned around instantly to a smirking Malfoy, who cockily stood between his group of Slytherins. He huffed and rolled his eyes.

"What do you want, Malfoy?"

"Nice glasses, Potter." Malfoy snapped, his goons around him chuckling. 

"Malfoy, I've had these glasses since first year, what's your point?"

"They look stupider on you every day. Stupid glasses, stupid hair, stupid Potter."

"They're the same glasses, Malfoy." Harry sighed.

Hermione shook her head and clutched her books closer to her. "Just ignore him Harry. He's not worth it."

"You're not looking as great as you usually do" Draco sneered sarcastically, "Not that you ever look good. Not sleeping properly?" His group chuckled again. 

"Yeah, Potter," Crabbe snorted. "Why d'you look so dumb all the-" 

"Shut up, Crabbe." Draco huffed, rolling his eyes. Hermione grabbed Harry by the arm and pulled him away from Draco, and they arrived in front of the potions room where Ron had been standing with Neville.

"There you guys are," Ron said, walking over to Hermione and Harry. "I've been waiting for bloody ages." His eyes caught onto something behind them, and then he shook his head. "Bloody Malfoy."

"Let's just go inside," Hermione said. They sat at a desk and Ron and Hermione began to talk about the homework for the week. Harry started to think about the letters again. There was something that made him want to open them - just to find out who they had been coming from, or at least get a hint. His thoughts were distracted by a substitute teacher's slamming of the door open, and marching into the classroom. 

"You're learning about elixirs, are you not?" The woman sighed in an accent. 

"Yes, Professor," Hermione said. 

"Right," The professor replied. "You," she said, pointing to Ron. "Partner up with him." She pointed to Neville, who sat in the front row of the class. "You," she pointed to Harry. "And you. Partner up." 

"Professor, you can't-" A voice complained from the other side of the room.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" The professor snapped. "I can't what?"

"You can't put me with him, professor."

Harry turned his head tiredly to see who he had been partnered up with. He followed the direction of where everyone's eyes had been focused, and where the substitute's finger had been pointed. 

Right at Draco Malfoy.

"Deal with it." The professor snapped, to which Malfoy scoffed at.

Harry buried his head into his desk and sighed as the substitute sorted the rest of the class into their partners. When she finished, she cleared her throat and clapped twice. 

"Get into your partners. You're stuck with me for the rest of the semester, so you better get bloody used to them." Harry's eyes met Draco's icy ones for a split second before he sighed, stood up from his table, said goodbye to Ron and Hermione and made his way over to where Draco sat, now alone. He sat as far away from him as possible, and neither of them said anything. Harry unloaded his potions books from his bag and onto the desk, Draco avoiding looking at him. 

"Let's just get this over with, Potter." He said after a few seconds, ruffling a hand through his blonde hair. Harry sighed. 

"Fine, Malfoy."