Everlasting (Draco Malfoy x Reader)

End of Year One

And, essentially, that was your life. Throughout the entirety of the first year at Hogwarts, you slept most days with Hermione, sometimes with Harry. You argued, fought, spat at the Slytherins, and your relationship with Malfoy deteriorated vastly over the year. You'd never gotten into a physical fight though, surprisingly - the most you'd done to each other was a harsh push, but never did it go beyond that. Other Slytherins, yes, you did have physical fights with. Once your arm had healed, you didn't give yourself much time to get used to using it again, as within the first day of having your cast off, you threw a punch at a Slytherin boy who mocked your appearance in the hallway. Detentions became a common thing for you - especially you and Malfoy, only you were always placed separately, so you couldn't argue anymore.

"You and Malfoy argue a lot, I've noticed," Snape said, sitting at his desk, sorting papers, as you sat on the end of his desk also sorting his papers as your punishment.

"I think everyone has."

"Two Slytherins, yet very different personalities. Interesting."

"Or perhaps, the exact same personality. Which is why we clash."

Snape paused, turned to look at you. You, noticing his look, also paused and turned to him. He did not speak, but raised his eyebrows for a second, then continued sorting papers, and so you did too.

"Your parents were both Gryffindors," Snape said, quieter this time.

"I know."

"And Mr Potter got put into Gryffindor. But you?"

"The sorting hat is rigged, I tell you."

"It is not rigged."

"Clearly is. I should be in Gryffindor. Look, I even get along with the Gryffindors the best."

"That does not mean you specifically are a Gryffindor. Before you came to the wizarding world, what were your aims in life?"

"My aims in life?" You looked at Snape, noticing that this winter evening he was unusually talkative. Continuing, you said, "well, I hoped to finish secondary school, then go to sixth form, then university, then hopefully get a respected job."

"Like?"

"Maybe a lawyer."

"Do you read?"

"Yes, a lot."

"You're very good at studies, I have noticed." He said, clearing his throat. "Do you have a main goal in life?"

"A main goal in life?" You looked at him. He nodded. You paused your sorting, looked up towards the ceiling, and thought in silence, breathing heavily, trying to think about a main goal in life.

"Don't stop sorting."

Huffing, you continued. But you remained deep in thought, thinking about your main goal in life.

"I suppose," you began, "it's to be successful. But also happy. I want to get to a good place - I want to be respected."

"Then, you are a Slytherin."

"Why?" You scoffed.

"You're clearly very ambitious, Potter. Your attitude proves that you'll do anything to reach the respected position."

You didn't reply. Snape was right - yes, perhaps you had traits of a Slytherin. Perhaps, the sorting hat was not rigged after all. And the two of you merely spent the rest of your detention in mostly silence, occasionally saying a thing or two here and there. But your constant detentions with Snape resulted in him growing on you, and you growing on him. He had a hard, cruel personality, you knew that, but you grew to know how to approach him, and he grew kinder to you, which was unusual.

For Christmas, you and Harry remained at Hogwarts. Hermione and Ron returned home, and so the whole of Christmas was just you and Harry, messing about. Luckily, most Slytherins went home - especially the rude ones, so your fists stayed clean for sometime. By the time of Ron's and Hermione's return, you and Harry had created late Christmas presents for them, the same way Ron brought back two jumpers with the initials of yours and Harry's names made by his mum.

By spring, Snape treated you horridly in lessons, constantly picking at you, giving you the difficult answers, scolding you, hitting the back of your head - it was always you - and yet, during every detention, he grew more talkative and you grew to trust him more, learning that his public cruelty was a public facade as he opened up to you during detentions. For what reason he did this, you did not know. It was a gradual process, too. Yet, whenever he looked upon you, it seemed as though he yearned for something deeper; every placement of his eyes on you revealed a solemn sadness about his eyes, which you were curious of, but never asked about.

Summer came around soon, days began becoming brighter and moods started to become more cheerful. During one summer Saturday, the sun was shining well as you hung out in the courtyard and taught your Hufflepuff friend Cedric Diggory what football is. Once you'd taught him, the two of you kicked an ordinary ball and played football almost everyday after school, until more Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws began to join in; the muggleborns knew very well what it was and thus you were not required to teach them. As for the others, you didn't mind teaching them football, until you had enough players to make two football teams and you all played every now and then. The Slytherins did not like how well you'd integrated yourself within the others, for if you were against Slytherins, you were to be hated. Many days, Professor McGonagall, Dumbledore and Snape all watched you from within their offices, intrigued by this not-so-ordinary character of [F/n] Potter and how well regarded you'd become.

But the school year was to come to a close soon enough. And when summer holidays came around, you and Harry felt ultimate sadness as you sat in the train back to Platform 9 3/4. In a compartment with Hermione and Ron, you huffed every two seconds at the thought of returning to the Dursleys for six weeks.

"Come and see us, will you?" You said to Hermione.

"Of course. Just text me and send me your address."

"Or maybe we'll go and see you." Harry said. "The Dursleys aren't a good bet."

"Do we meet at my house before the school year?" Ron asked.

"Yes. That's all settled." Hermione said. "A night before, is that right? We'll meet your family properly."

"I'm going to miss you, guys."

"Me too," you said, "I will not miss the Slytherins, though. Especially not Malfoy."

"No one will miss him."