drabbles, sketches & intrusive thoughts

@dhrmonth

"Cold feet?", Draco asked Pansy, who was staring blankly at a painting in a white wedding dress - a picture of a perfect pureblood bride.

Pansy didn't acknowledge him and just continued staring. Draco moved to where she stood and observed the art. It was greenhouse full of flowers of different kind. All bloomed with splendor, but the most noticeable of all, was a garden of pansies. The painter seemed to want to draw attention to it specifically.

"Did he paint that for you?", Draco asked, turning his head to her. "Neville."

At the mention of his name, tears welled her eyes.

"It's not too late, you know.", Draco advised.

Pansy turned to him, eyes pleading. "But the wedding. The Flints will-"

"I'll take of everything.", Draco cut her. "So, I'll ask again - are you in love with him?"

"Yes.", Pansy replied, her voice full of longing.

Draco pulled out a small pouch from his pocket and handed it to her.

"What is it?", she asked, eyeing the red velvet as she took it.

"Open it and find out.", he gestured to the pouch.

She pulled open the strings and took out a galleon. And before she could react, the world warped, and the coin sucked her in.

Draco brushed off invisible dust from his coat and went to the gathering. Walking to the front pews, he stood at the empty space beside his wife. He leaned in and whispered, "Did you make sure Neville is at the chateau?"

Hermione turned to look at him and raised a brow, "Do you think my skills have gotten rusty, Draco Malfoy?"

@dhrmonth

"So, Draco, truth or dare?”, Pansy asked him, taking a long sip from her drink.

Draco squared his shoulders. He already prepared for this; he had a speech tucked inside his left pocket, weary with folds and creases from overuse.

"Truth", he declared.

This was it. Pansy was going to ask him if he would consider going out with Granger. He only had to say one word. One word, and then nonchalantly say something unrelated to cover his embarrassment.

But Pansy went for the kill. "Are you in love with Hermione Granger?"

"Yes.", he answered immediately. "Wait, what?"

Harry, who was already a bit tipsy, noticed that Draco did not take his drink yet. He abruptly stood and pointed at the shot glass, making everyone look at him.

"Malfoy, you haven’t drank the verita-" then, after the question had finally sunk in his brain, he quickly sobered.

"WHAT?"

Hermione stared at Draco, eyes wide and hopeful.

Then, with some conviction Draco repeated, "I am in love with Hermione Granger!"

Hermione suddenly stood and declared, "Me too!".

Then she covered her mouth and turned her attention to Theo, who was looking at his nails like they were the most interesting things in the world.

"Theo, did you put veritaserum in all of our drinks?", she accused.

Before Theo could protest, Pansy suddenly downed her shot and walked in front of Neville. She curled her manicured fingers around his jaw and forced him to meet her eyes. She licked her lips and said, "And I’m in love with Neville Longbottom!"

Neville’s eyes darkened. Pansy straddled his lap and claimed his mouth.

Ginny groaned. "Oh, get a room you two! In fact..." She suddenly grabbed Harry, who was still standing tipsily on his spot, and dragged him out of the room before shouting in a sing-song, "I’m in love with Harry Potter!"

Theo, who had a severe fear of being left out, sloshed his drink and positioned himself for a toast.

"AND I LOVE YOU ALL."

@dhrmonth

Australia, 2006

Draco was quietly reading The Daily Prophet in his new flat's local park when he heard a wailing child.

He tried to ignore the crying, thinking the parents must be nearby. So, he continued to read. A few seconds had passed when he noticed the crying had stopped.

Finally, some peace and -

"What are you reading?"

Draco shrieked and looked down to find a giggling child in front of him.

"You sound like girl", the boy said.

Draco huffed. "I do not sound like a girl."

The child laughed at loud.

Draco folded his paper and bent his body to level with the child's eyes.

The boy was, he had to admit, a handsome little brat. He looked to be about five or six. He had lush wavy brown hair that looked tame and unkempt at the same time, the color reminding him of a certain swot he used to date. Long lashes framed his wide doe eyes and tiny freckles splattered across his cheeks. Most peculiar was his eye color - it was a darker shade than his own and the upturn of his tiny nose looked oddly familiar.

Draco squinted his eyes and the cheeky rascal squinted back. 

"Where are your parents?", Draco asked.

"I'm not supposed to talk to strangers.", the boy countered.

Draco rolled his eyes and groaned, and, to his amusement, the pesky troublemaker mimicked him. He could not help but laugh.

"Orion, where are you?", a female voice called out.

Orion. That has a nice ring to it. That would be a great name if he had a kid of his own.

Draco took the boy's tiny hand in his and stood from his bench to take him to, whom he assumed, his mother.

He stopped short to find-

"Hermione?"

The witch turned to them and gasped; her fingers covered her mouth in shock. Her eyes drifted from Draco to the child he was holding, who now let go of his hand and ran to his mother.

Hermione scooped Orion in her arms and just stood there. Her brows creased in worry.

Orion's dainty hands touched his mother's cheek. Hermione turned to his son. "Mummy, doesn't he look like daddy? In the picture you gave me."

"What?", Draco snapped.

@dhrmonth

The female death eater cackled gleefully before shoving Hemione to the floor.

"Your mudblood, Handler.", she told the masked figure in front of them.

Head bowed and hands tied behind her back, Hermione braced for the impact.

Large hands grabbed her middle before she hit the ground, then lowered her to a nearby chair. The death eater clucked her tongue, displeased by being deprived of entertainment, and stormed away.

When she was out of their sight, the masked death eater, the Handler, lowered himself in front of Hermione and gently cleaned her blood-streaked face with a clean handkerchief.

The gentleness caught Hermione off guard, and she slowly tilted her head to meet his eyes. The Handler quickly looked away, but she caught a glimpse of gray that seemed oddly...familiar.

She was escorted by an elf to an empty bedroom. A small feast, she noticed, was sprawled in a small table in front of a warm fireplace. She looked down to where the elf stood but the creature was already gone, and, to her confusion, so were her binds.

Hermione surveyed the room's contents - a large bed, a settee, two doors and a bookshelf. She ran her hands on the spines, finding some of her favorite titles. Her brow crinkled further.

The two other doors lead to a bath and the other a closet full of clean clothes. She ate the food and went to bed, weeks of restlessness finally catching up on her.

It was after she woke up the next day that she realized that, for the first time in months in the confines of this room, she had never felt more safe.

She got up, took a bath, ate the warm food that always replenished, read the books and went to bed. For days, every morning, the routine continued.

And every night, the Handler would visit her. He would sit opposite her, watching her read her books. He never spoke, despite her goading, and he never leaves even after she went to bed.

There was a time when he sat so near, Hermione unconsciously reached out to touch his mask. He caught her wrist before she could go any further and slowly turned his head from side to side.

Then he suddenly left. Hermione didn't attempt to do it again.

At near dawn, Hermione woke up from a fitful sleep. It was the first time in a long time. She was about to get up when she noticed him.

The Handler lay sprawled on the sofa, the mask hanging loosely on his face, revealing a patch of pale skin.

Embolden, Hermione slowly walked to him. She gingerly lowered herself to her knees in front of his sleeping face.

She had a suspicion who it was, but she needed to confirm it. No one else possessed the same intense grey eyes. It had to be him.

With some courage, Hermione removed the mask.

She swallowed her gasp and trembled violently. He was alive. Gods, he was alive! And he was helping her.

Tentatively, Hermione's right hand rose and hovered lightly above his sleeping face -tracing his eyes, his nose, the cupid bow of his lips.

Draco Malfoy stirred and, noticing his mask was off, quickly scrambled to his feet.

He heard her before he saw her.

Hermione looked up at him in wide, tearful eyes.

"Why?" she asked in a small voice.

Draco's jaws clenched and his mouth set on a grim line. Anger and heartbreak... then resignation danced in his features.

His eyes softened and he sighed heavily. Draco took her chin between his fingers and searched her eyes.

@dhrmonth

She walked down the stairs in a shimmering golden dress, her smile as brilliant as the midday sun.

Theo nudged his elbow. "Stop gawking and just talk to her."

Draco looked at his friend incredulously. "You know I can't."

And, as if to prove his point, cameras flashes erupted left and right.

Resigned, Draco retreated to the farthest end of the ballroom. He knew, that like Icarus, if he flew closer to the sun, he would crash and burn.

@dhrmonth

One afternoon while reading at the library, Hermione suddenly felt something coil around her finger. She observed it closely- it was a bright red string, intangible, ghost-like, and it went on and on and on.

Curious, she followed it, wondering if the one who possessed the other end was in the school grounds. Her wandering led her to the Owlery.

And there was only one person there.

From the back, she couldn't tell who it was. The black robes bellowed behind him, showing no hint of what House he belonged to. He was also tall, so tall. And his head was covered by a furred winter hat.

Hermione could hear her heart pound in her ears. She'd read about The Red String of Fate and she knew, without a doubt, that she was about to meet her soulmate.

Then he turned. He looked surprised to find her there.

"Granger.", he greeted with a curt nod.

Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat. "M-malfoy."

Fate must be playing tricks on her, for how did it know that she was pining after Draco Malfoy for months?

She'd saw how he quietly redeemed himself through small but significant things- how he assisted Headmistress McGonagall in organizing the Slytherins, how he helped Neville in reviving the Greenhouse, but most of all, how she witnessed him apologize to Hagrid and everyone else he wronged, including her.

Hermione didn't notice she was staring at her finger, or Malfoy moving closer.

His voice was barely a whisper near her ear. "Do you finally see it?"

Hermione turned her head abruptly and met his eyes. He was so close that their breaths mingled. He looked down and took her hand in his, and her eyes widened at the other end of the red string attached to his ring finger.

@dhrmonth

Hermione drew the last rune and set to reciting the spell...

But nothing.

She moved to one of the books and flipped through the pages diligently, then stopped short when she found a curious page.

Hands and knees back on the floor, she erased a few symbols and redrew them.

"What are you doing?"

Hermione let out a frustrated growl.

𝘔𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘯, 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘣𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘺. 𝘔𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯.

"Just an experiment. Now, leave me alone, Malfoy.", she said without looking at him, trying -but failing- to concentrate on the transmutation circle.

When the drawings were done, Hermione looked back to find Malfoy rifling through her notes, mumbling incoherently.

"What are you-"

Malfoy raised a hand to shush her. Hermione fumed because - the audacity! No one shushes her!

She stood and walked to the table angrily but Malfoy took one look at her circle and started to it, re-redrawing some of the runes.

Hermione was about to admonish him when he suddenly chanted a spell, and the piece of lead at the center of the circle turned to gold.

Malfoy looked at her, eyes bright. Hermione went to him, crouched to where he kneeled, held his face firmly, and kissed him smack on the lips.

"Malfoy, you did it!", she said, gleefully.

Hermione, delirious with joy, did not understand the gravity of what she'd done- how she shook Draco's very state of being.

She saw a determined glint in his eyes, making her heart beat wildly.

Before she could release him, Draco snaked his hand around her waist, pulled her to him, pinned her to the floor, then kissed her properly - the gold already forgotten.

(inspired by the Katabasis book trailer)

@dhrmonth

From the top of the hand (magic)-crafted tower, Juliet moved to the balcony and recited her lines.

"Oh, Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art though, Romeo? Leave me alone for I am but fourteen and you're just a love-sick moron who shags anyone with a pretty face..."

Quiet chuckles filled the stage.

Backstage, Harry scratched his head. "Uhm, I don't think that's how the line goes, Hermione."

Hermione crossed her arms and huffed.

"Shut up, Tibetan. Let her say her piece so I can say mine.", Draco announced from under the balcony.

"That's not my name, ferret.", Harry argued through gritted teeth.

Draco waved him off and cleared his throat.

"Oh, Juliet, Juliet! My lovely Juliet! How could a cold and calculated witch like you ever understand love? Can you not see that love is free and knows no age?"

Hermione cast a stinging hex his way and Draco barely managed to dodge it.

"Oops.", she said in a sweet voice, a grin playing at the corner of her mouth. Draco stuck a tongue out her way.

From the front benches below the stage, Miss Charity Burbage, the Muggle Studies professor, was at her wits end.

"Stop it! Stop it! You are ruining my play! This is a muggle Classic - one of my favorites! Say your lines properly or all of you will get an F! Don't test me.", she warned.

And with the way the professor's eyes twitched maniacally, the class straightened and pretended to read their scripts.

"Now, from the top."

@dhrmonth

The day started out ordinary for Harry Potter.

He woke up, cleaned his face, ate his breakfast and went to the library to get started on his Astronomy essay.

It was a normal routine. But today, he had this foreboding feeling that he had forgotten something, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't put his finger on it.

He sat blankly on an empty chair and started fiddling his wand.

Ron walked to his table, sat beside him and yawned. Harry mirrored him. They had Astronomy that midnight, where the stars are at their brightest and had Divination in the morning. But it wasn't the lack of sleep that had him anxious.

Ron rolled his parchment and opened his Astrology book, then started to write something but came up empty.

"Hey, have you seen Hermione? I'd like her help on the essay.", Ron asked him.

Harry stood abruptly. "Oh, crap! I left my book on the tower. I'll be right back."

Harry hurried up the tower. When he reached the spiral staircase, he heard ... 𝘯𝘰𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘴. Moans of pleasure and grunts of appreciation echoed throughout the floor above and Harry felt his cheeks flush.

"𝘋𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘰, 𝘺𝘦𝘴, 𝘺𝘦𝘴, 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦."

"𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘪𝘵, 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦. 𝘚𝘢𝘺 𝘮𝘺 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵. 𝘠𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘦𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵. 𝘎𝘰𝘥𝘴, 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵."

Harry was not one to eavesdrop but catching Draco Malfoy in a compromising position would certainly earn the git a lot of demerits - maybe even expulsion. The corner of his lips lifted.

So, Harry slowly started walking up, but stopped short when he noticed a Gryffindor scarf...

then a Gryffindor tie....

then a Gryffindor robe...

This must be a joke.

When his head was able to peek out the tower floor, the sound got louder and dirtier. He could make out the naked back of Draco Malfoy, head bowed to another figure - the Gryffindor girl's back was against the wall, a set of nicely shaped legs wound around his middle.

And there was no mistaking the mop of brown curls hidden from his view by the blonde git's relentless thrusting.

Harry's breakfast was in danger of being hurled out. Is this what it was like to accidentally catch your sister shagging his boyfriend?

He shook his head viciously. The mental image would haunt him forever.

Draco Malfoy let out a loud grunt and Harry covered his ears to drown out the sound that followed after.

Harry cast a Muffliato on his feet and ran down the tower, seriously considering to obliviate himself for good measure.

But then something flashed in his mind - 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘔𝘢𝘭𝘧𝘰𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘯𝘰𝘨𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘭𝘭.

Harry took note to ask Hermione to obliviate him 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 - or maybe a potent potion.

The day ended with a traumatized Harry Potter and his forgotten Astrology book.

@dhrmonth

"They had sex.", Ginny stated while observing Draco and Hermione eye-fucking each other from across the room.

"What? That's ridiculous.", Harry disagreed, loudly chewing what was left of their toddler's dinner.

"Oh, they definitely had sex. Either a lot of times or both of them are just really, really fertile - or both." Theo chimed, who suddenly came out of nowhere, startling them both.

"And how would you know that?", Harry asked skeptically.

Theo grinned mischievously. "Come with me."

They followed Theo to the sitting area where the Black Family Tapestry was plastered on the wall.

He stopped walking at the far end of the woven fabric and pointed to a particular sprouting bud, where a small curly lock of yellow hair was peaking out.

Harry choked on his food and Ginny laughed gleefully and shouted, 'Clocked it!'

@dhrmonth

Hermione ran through the corridors to the open space in front of the castle to take part in the Muggle festivities.

The Ministry had insisted the school to do a muggle-related activity to promote peace and more understanding on Muggle Culture.

The grounds were buzzing. Hermione stood on her toes to search for the prominent red roof and Hollywood lights. When she spotted it, she squared her shoulders and headed for the booth.

She tapped Padma's shoulder, who was pursing her lips for Dean Thomas' kiss. Hermione took stock of the line behind him, Cormac McLaggen looking all smug, and a number of other boys lining up, and sighed.

She was going to hex Lavender for suggesting Kissing Booth as their class event.

"Hermione, thank Godric! My lips are becoming sore.", Padma said, touching her chapped lips.

"Sorry, got distracted at the library.", Hermione winced apologetically.

Then she sat on the booth only to be face to face with -

"Malfoy?!", Hermione squeaked.

She was sure it was Cormac. The rest of the line was gone as well.

"Hello, Granger. I am here for my kiss.", Draco said as he sat on the opposite end.

"B-but- "

"Am I correct to assume that the Kissing booth means I get a kiss for a galleon?", he asked smugly.

"Actually, it's only 20 knuts-"

"Twenty knuts?! Are they crazy? Is that how much your kiss is worth these days? Even a galleon isn't enough." Draco rifled through his pockets. "Here, take ten.", he said as he handed her the coins.

Hermione was momentarily shocked, so Padma took it for her.

"Enjoy your snogging. Seems like Malfoy booked you for your entire shift.", Padma said, winking at Malfoy.

Hermione recovered. "Wait, that's not how-"

"C'mon, Granger.", Draco said and grabbed her hand, twinning their fingers together, then dragged her out of the booth.