JJ Maybank Stole My Heart

you turn to the next page of your book, eager to meet the main character’s triumph. the scene is tense and utterly raw, causing you to forget your own setting.

you're no longer in hogwarts, instead, you’re fully consumed in the new world you’re reading of. you’ve long forgotten the faint music you put on and your rowdy friends having a faux duel on the grass around you. the two mates continue to circle to the tree you’re reading against— but they can’t knock your focus.

just as the climax of the story hits, the words on the page begin to contort and fumble until they’re gone, leaving blank pages. you flip through your book, confused.

“told you i knew the spell.” a brash and girlish voice speaks from your side.

you look up to find pansy parkinson, draco malfoy, and an awestruck vincent crabbe.

your friends stop in their tracks at the sight of the slytherin bullies. you however, glare up at the girl.

“can you put my book back to normal, please?” you ask, ears turning hot from anger.

pansy gives you a scowl before speaking, “what do you think draco? should we fix the little hufflepuff’s book?”

the blond doesn’t immediately say anything, just looks at you with eyes full of something you're unable to place before huffing, “merlin, pansy, fix her book. we’re not first years.”

the girl seems annoyed but complies and the words return to your book. you look to the blond boy, standing like a omnipotent god.

“thank you,” you say to him.

he gives you another once over before nodding curtly and walking to the direction of the road to hogsmeade, his friends following.

“that was— weird.” your friend, abbie says.

“beyond weird— since when has malfoy had a soul?” your other friend, laura laughs.

you roll your eyes at the two of them, “great help the both of you are. if malfoy hadn’t been feeling merciful today, i would have had to hex parkinson into the next year.”

laura giggles as abbie playfully shoves you, “piss off.”

the three of you resume your previous notions easily. you find yourself entranced in the words of your story, world around you becoming obsolete yet again.

days later, you’re in the library, on a mission. you're walking circles trying to find a book that can live up to the expectations the previous one has given you. you’ve inspected the right half of the library, and you’re beginning to think that maybe nothing will look appealing enough for you.

as you enter the next section, you’re greeted with draco malfoy and blaise zabini hunched by the window and speaking to each other in a hushed manner.

the pair look to you quickly and you freeze, somewhat terrified that malfoy may not be as merciful as he was previously.

“oh, sorry.” you say, rearing to turn in the other direction.

“l/n, right?” draco’s voice makes you halt. “you’re fine. blaise and i were just discussing—literature.”

you watch as zabini stifles a laugh.

“oh.” you pause, “have either of you read anything good recently?” you truly were eager to find something, anything. even if that meant asking malfoy.

"all yours draco." zabini gives the blonde boy a smirk before patting his shoulder and walking off.

draco glares at his friends’ retreating figure before speaking, “of course. i wouldn’t read something i didn’t find interesting.”

you nod, half-listening, and grab a book from behind him titled, 'the garden curse'

the spine of the book is dark and deep forest green with gold lettering carefully etched into it. it's thick with pages, perfect for getting absorbed within.

“have you read this?” you ask draco, genuinely curious.

he peers down, “i don’t read fairytales. they're unrealistic.”

you scoff, “why? what on earth is wrong with a good fairytale? and how can you say they're unrealistic when,” you gesture to the window outside. “we live in a world muggles can only dream of.”

“first, i highly doubt muggles could ever dream of a world this complex. and second, i find them boring. simply boring.” he grins.

“boring? draco, how?” you exhaust, eyebrows furrowed.

"they're all the same. the hero gets their lover, beats or outwits an enemy, and learns some valuable lesson that's really only meant for the reader. simply put, they're boring and unfeasible." he shrugs.

"that is not all they are— but even still, isn't it nice?" you ask, leaning into him slightly to place the book back onto the shelf.

"nice..." he trails off, watching you depart back from him, "yes— i'm sure it's nice to read something so simple, but i urge you to read the stories of those whose endings aren't happy or perfect. much more realistic."

you huff, "i'm not going to deny that those sorts of stories are more realistic and good in their own regard, but, fairytales can take you completely out of this world and into a new one."

"escapism?" the boy quirks a brow.

you roll your eyes, "all books could qualify as escapism— at least fairytales are interesting."

"okay, if you're so stuck in the mud about this, i'll read one. what's your favorite fairytale l/n?" he questions you, eyes burning with an intense sense of sincerity. he truly wants to know.

"well i dunno, i'd just be upset if you come to hate my favorite fairytale.."

"oh come on, show some guts! you just told me i'm missing out. i swear i won't come down too hard on it." he smirks.

you're pleasantly surprised by his promise and his care. you never would have thought draco malfoy could hold a tame conversation. maybe you judged him too soon?

"fine." you say. you swiftly remove your bag from your shoulder and begin rummaging through it, finding the creme hardcover you always keep on you. with a small and worried sigh, you hand the book to draco.

he looks it over, curious, "the princess bride?"

you hum, "i re-read it every year. i absolutely adore that book."

you watch the grey eyed boy scan the first page. his ring clad fingers are gentle against the pages, putting you at ease knowing that he'll take care of your prized possession.

"there's a bunch of markings in it, sorry." you bite your lip, suddenly too aware of the countless annotations.

"i could i add some as well? so you can see i actually read the book." he replies.

you nod, "be my guest."

he slips the book into his bag, "i'll find you after dinner and tell you my first thoughts. we could go to the astronomy tower?"'

a small smile tugs on your face, "the astronomy tower sounds nice, i'll see you then."

malfoy bids you farewell and you watch him saunter out of the library, his walk confident. you find yourself replaying the scene in your head, thinking giddily of the interest you spiked in him.

you truly hope he finds your favorite book enjoyable— you've never had anyone care enough to read it for you, and the idea of it has you gleaming.

working yourself out of your trance, you turn to the book you had been eying earlier. without much thought, you grab it and walk to check it out.

"you brought back the last one late. don't let it happen again." madam pince snides, wicked eyes glaring down at you.

if you ever wrote a story of your life, you'd make that woman the villain. the sheer amount of times she's withheld books from you for preposterous reasons is countless, and you're sure she's actually an evil being.

"i won't." you say, taking the book from the counter, ignoring the woman's gaze.

she huffs as a response and you walk quickly out of the library, ready to slip away from the world you're in now and into a new one.

├——— ✧ ———┤

between laura's music and abbie's complaints about her charms essay— you've not made it very far into your book.

"what's the wand movement for a fire making spell?" abbie asks, hands in her hair.

"verbal or nonverbal?" laura asks, turning her music down slightly.

"nonverbal." abbie says, biting her lip.

"flick and pull." you answer, closing your book.

the girl sighs and throws her head onto her desk, "i'm going to fail. i can't remember any of this."

placing your book down, you walk over to your friend, "well you're mixing up verbal and nonverbal— i have notes on each. do you think that would help?"

she nods, head rising to look at you.

shuffling through your bag you find the notes and hand them to her, "each group is separated— no more confusion."

"you're a lifesaver, y/n." she smiles.

"well miss lifesaver, my life is about to end if we don't get food soon— i skipped lunch to help dean thomas with his herbology homework." laura says, pointing to the clock, showing the both of you that it was mere minutes until dinner.

"were you helping him with herbology or helping him with getting his tongue down your throat?" abbie teases, sitting back in her chair.

"very funny— seriously, i need food. your essay can wait."

you chuckle, "it has been hours abbie, let's get food. might even aid in your cognitive function."

the dark haired girl below you rolls her eyes before rising from her chair, "well hurry up, i want to get this thing finished before bed."

the walk to the dining hall is filled with the three of you arguing over any and everything. your small friend group finds joy in teasing and disagreements— you're sure that at this point some might think you all secretly hate each other with the way you act.

in all honesty though, the three of you have grown past just dorm mates or even friends— you're sisters.

"you eat the same thing everyday." laura says, pointing at your plate.

"we have the same foods everyday." you reply, tearing into your chicken.

abbie steals a spoonful of mashed potatoes from laura's plate, grin on her face, "well, you hog the mash."

laura feigns a shocked sigh, "you thief!"

you roll your eyes and eat your food, thankful for the hot meal. the weather has drastically began to cool, causing you to swap your morning iced coffee for a hot tea— hogwarts' winters are simply brutal.

you get your fill of dinner and are halfway into a slice of pumpkin bread when you feel a sharp poke on your side. turning angrily, you meet abbie's wide eyes.

"y/n, i don't want to frighten you— but malfoy is looking this way, and with a smile on his face." abbie whispers.

you smile and turn to look at him, standing by the doors, "he's reading a book i suggested. i'm going to hang with him for a while— see you guys later."

your friend gape as you leave and greet malfoy with a smile.

"evening malfoy." you say, walking through the dining hall doors.

"evening, y/l/n. are you ready?" he replies, book in hand.

you nod and follow along beside the boy, ardent to hear his thoughts.

"well?" you ask, head nodding in the direction of the book.

draco shrugs, "humperdinck makes me want to vomit— but westley makes up for it enough. i like him."

"and buttercup?"

draco smiles, "despite her unfortunate name— she's a lovely character."

you grasp the railing, working up the steep astronomy tower steps. draco's ahead of you, long legs making the journey easier for him.

when you finally meet the top, draco hold a hand out to help you up, you oblige him.

"i'm not going to say i like fairytales yet. the book is okay— but i do like it so far." he says, taking a seat by the opening in the tower. you nestle beside him.

"i think you're downplaying just how much you enjoy it" you grin at the boy, eyes teasing. "by the end of this book, you'll finally be able to admit the truth."

draco furrows his brows, "the truth?"

you tilt your head, "that you like fairytales."

"oh— yes, maybe. depends on how good your book ends up being."

you stifle a laugh, "it will. i swear it."

"i'm not as confident," draco says, smirk tugging at his lips. "but i'm going to read here if you want to stick around."

you nod and grab your own book out of your bag, "i'll join you."

the two of you slip into the words on the pages in front of you. you enjoy your story, really, but your eyes seem to be more interested in the boy beside you.

you sneak small glances at him, admiring the way his eyes scan the page, stopping only to mark something of note. his plump and pink lips part ever so slightly at certain scenes, before he'll take his bottom lip between his teeth.

looking back down to your book, you wonder how you could have ever ignored someone so beautiful. the way he cares enough to do this with you is enough to tell you that draco malfoy is someone worth knowing.

"you have nice handwriting." he says, snapping you out of your trance.

you turn to him, "you're just being nice."

his grey eyes hold sincerity within them, "no, i'm serious. your handwriting is quite unique— i love it."

you smile, thanking him silently, before turning back to your book.

├——— ✧ ———┤

"the stars have aligned!" abbie yelps, shaking you from your slumber.

confused you furrow your brows, "what are you talking about?"

last night was the third time you and draco had met to discuss the book, and the two of you stayed up quite late. you enjoyed his company— admittedly more than you care to divulge. he had let you spark conversation about whatever was on your mind, and his listened with unwavering intent. he made you feel special.

your friend shoves a paper in your face, "i passed my charms essay! with your help of course, those notes really helped!"

you give her a small smile, "i'm glad, but how'd you get your score? it's saturday."

the black haired girl purses her lips, "i might have cried to professor flintwick at breakfast this morning— so i got it early."

you hear laura speak, "she had a full on tantrum more like it. i was so embarrassed to even be near her."

abbie turns her attention from you, staring daggers at the strawberry blonde, "well, you're dripping water everywhere."

laura shrugs, wet hair dripping around her, "there was only one towel left— you should have done laundry yesterday."

your friends continue to bicker, causing you to stifle a groan into your pillow. all you wanted was to sleep— but those two were making it extremely difficult.

accepting the fact that you're not going to get to sleep in any longer, you quickly get ready for the day, and head to the greenhouses.

professor sprout said you were always more than welcome to pay a visit— and you could use a good stroll looking at magical flowers.

the glass room is empty as you make your way inside, but you don't mind. with a happy sigh, you start caring for all the plants and taking notes of any issues for sprout.

you're inspecting the leaves of an umbrella flower when you hear a throat clear behind you. turning, you find draco, eyes tired but face holding that aristocratic expression he's so known for.

that giddy feeling comes back to you full force— and then it hits you.

you've grown quite fond of him. so fond you might even say that you harbor a crush on him. the thought alone has your stomach in knots— never in a million years would you have expected to have a crush on malfoy.

but as you look at him, clad in a slytherin jumper and black pants, you realize that you've always thought the boy handsome. it's only now, after sharing fleeting and tender moments with him, that you've been able to acknowledge the crush.

it's so easy love someone when you truly know them, and not the perception you have of them.

"hi malfoy, what brings you here?" you ask, placing your notes down.

he smiles at you, "finished your book— missed breakfast for it, but i finished."

his words send you into a small shock. of course you knew he'd eventually finish the book— but that means no more meetings. no more excuses to see him. your crush on him destined to stay unknown and unrequited.

your eyes widen, and you walk over to him, "what did you think? did the ending suffice? what about—"

the blond cuts you off with a chuckle, "i wrote down all my thoughts in the book. read it and find me in the astronomy tower after dinner."

"okay fine— but can you answer one question?" you ask, taking the book from him.

he quirks his head to you, eyebrows furrowed, "what question would that be?"

"would you ever read another fairytale?" you voice is soft and truly wondering.

"i— i suppose. though, i still find them unrealistic, but maybe you can change my mind after you read what i wrote." he replies, eyes staring into yours.

you give him a half smile, "how could i change your mind after i read what you wrote?"

he bites his lip, "you'll see. i'll meet you in the astronomy tower at ten."

and with that, he's walking out of the greenhouse, leaving you beyond confused as you stare down at the book.

minutes later, you're back in your dorm, eager to know what his annotated thoughts were. your dorm mates are nowhere to be seen, allowing for you to crack the book open.

all over the pages, next to your own writing— is draco's. crisp and perfect font.

you let your eyes scan over his words.

'i can't believe i'm reading this book for you— i hate fairytales. i already told you that, but i figure you should know again.'

'i think westley is an idiot for leaving. his perfect woman is right there— completely in love with him. i told you fairytales are unrealistic. i would never give up such love.'

'what a twist! he was alive the entire time— maybe he'll show that prince humperdinck the sharp end of his sword. i hate that man.'

his notes make you smile, but as you continue on, his writings morph from being about the book, to being about you.

'you're wearing a new jumper today. nearly choked on my pumpkin juice when you walked into the dining hall today. i truly hope you wear it to meet me tonight.'

'i'm up at three reading this damned book, just because it reminds me of you.'

'i know i said i hate fairytales— and that's still true, but you've fallen asleep on my shoulder and i think this may be the closest to a happy ending i'll ever know.'

you spend hours reading through his notes, eyes wide and heart fluttering. he spent so much time writing this for you. by the time you get to the last few pages, dinner is almost over.

you let yourself look back down at the book, at the very end, taking up three entire pages, sits a full on letter. it's addressed to you.

'y/n,

i assume that by now you understand i find you absolutely wonderful. although this book is the reason we began to talk, i've watched you from afar for a long time. i know you like to eat a slice of pumpkin bread after your dinner, that your potions book is always filled with bookmarks, that you walk in the middle when with your friends, and that your eyes sparkle like stars when you're deep into a book.

i know i've told you that fairytales aren't for me, and that's because i've accepted the fact that my fairytale can't come true. you've been the brightest part of my existence for a very long time. i suppose it started back in fourth year, i caught a glimpse of you reading by the lake. you started reading there everyday, and i became bewitched with you. entirely bewitched.

you looked so perfect— and i was confused as to why i'd never seen you before. i swallowed my pride and asked blaise for your name. y/n y/l/n, he said. i liked the way it tasted on my tongue. your name only added to the fire you had unknowingly lit inside of me.

i've spent years admiring you from afar, and the thought of this admiration leading to shared love is my ultimate fairytale. i don't expect you tell me you feel the same, that's unrealistic— just like the books you read. still, i can't help myself from hoping that maybe you'll surprise me and make me believe in fairytales, just as much as you do.

for your eyes only,

draco malfoy'

tears fall for your eyes as you take in his words, beyond what you ever could have expected. you clutch the book tight to your chest as you look at the clock, mere minutes until ten. the creme covered novel now takes on a new meaning of prized possession.

you dry your eyes before you're making your way out of the hufflepuff common room, rushing to the astronomy tower.

as you meet the end of the stairs, you catch a glimpse of the blond hair you've grown so fond of, sending butterflies to your stomach.

book still firmly in your grasp, you find your eyes looking straight into his cloudy grey ones.

"you said i could change your mind?" your voice is small.

draco sighs, carding his fingers through his hair, "a stupid notion, i assume?"

you shake your head, walking closer, "no, not at all. i told you that i love fairytales. but i never told you i've always wanted my own. i used to dream about multiple ways i could obtain one— and the entire time, you were there— waiting to deliver my personal fairytale."

you see his cheeks flush a tad, "i wouldn't say i'm good enough to be classified with the hero's in your stories, but i will say this, y/n, i think the world of you. i would read all the fairytales in the world just to see you smile."

"you said something about the thought of us together being unrealistic, but i'd like to argue that the only unrealistic thing is your belief that i could read that letter and not be entirely consumed with love for you. you, draco malfoy, make any fairytale romance seem minuscule." you're speaking with such conviction, trying your hardest to make him understand.

"you mean that?" he asks.

you grab hold of his hands, tugging him closer to you, "i most definitely mean that, malfoy."

he gives you a small smile, "i'm in awe of you."

you chuckle a little, inching your face closer to his. your eyes are questioning— hopeful. the boy leans closer to you, and that's enough for you. your lips capture his, kissing him with the same passion and conviction you spoke to him with.

his lips feel like heaven— maybe better, for you're sure heaven could never touch you as deeply as this kiss is.

he smells of vanilla and vetiver, and the scent envelops you. you're sure there's nothing as addictive as this man.

draco pulls away, hands resting gingerly on your shoulders, "i didn't think i could have been anymore enamored by you, and how wrong i was. i could be content, kissing you as the entire world disappeared around us," he lifts a hand to stoke your face, lifting your chin up to him, "you, my darling, are bewitching in all aspects."