And when the two collide, it's no coincidence
"No one asked your opinion, you filthy Mudblood."
"I got the idea of poisoning the mead from the Mudblood Granger..."
"Please do not use that offensive word in front of me."
"You care about me saying 'Mudblood' when I'm about to kill you?"
"Yes, I do."
...
Mudblood; noun. A term for a Muggle-born wizard or witch. One who is born with magical powers but not the lineage to back it up. Normally perceived as being of lower breeding and undeserving of their magic. Synonymous with "dirty blood."
This...is really what I had thought before? I'm not entirely ashamed to admit it because that's just the way I was raised.
There's a handful of things that would make my father furious if he knew what I was up to here in Luceti. Dating a vampire is one, and rather high up there, but I think the highest of all is being close to a Mudblood at all.
She's not a Mudblood. Not really. She's the brightest witch of our age and she's nothing short of quite amazing, actually.
And if she ever finds out I think such, I'll never hear the end of it.
Hermione Jean Granger. Born September 19th, 1979. Miss Granger started Hogwarts the same year that I did and was sorted into Gryffindor house. She became the second best friend of my greatest rival, and she became my own personal rival for marks. Honestly, do you think my father was happy to hear that a Mudblood had achieved higher marks than I had? Nothing more than a thief. That's what I'd resort to if I didn't work harder.
Hermione and I have never really gotten on. Ever. I would call her a Mudblood, she would either ignore me or snap. She's punched me once, actually, which is another fact I'd rather not admit.
And then...came Luceti.
Luceti brought me here first. It was July for Luceti, but the last thing I remembered was Dumbledore's death. The last thing I remember was watching the old man fall from the tower and hearing Snape's orders to run.
Then came September, and then came Granger.
It's funny...I had been in Luceti for a few months by the time she arrived and subsequently had mellowed out the slightest bit. I had Myuria and I had Hisoka. However, I had also just been involved in a miniature war with the rest of the village against the invading Third Party. I couldn't murder anyone at home, but I was damned if I didn't do it here.
...I had a conversation with ANI's creator a day prior to Hermione's arrival. The creator told me about the Horcruxes, how they're created when a person commits a murder and seals the broken piece of their soul into an object. I'll admit, I wasn't the nicest person when Hermione turned up, but why should I be nice?
...I got her to admit it that day. Admit that she, Potter and Weasley were hunting for the Horcruxes back home. And I think that's the day that the slightest bit of hope surfaced knowing someone was actively working to stop him. But I didn't put too much investment in it.
Hermione the first time she arrived was at least six months ahead of me in the timeline. More than six months, actually. The last thing she remembered was a horrifying concept of Bellatrix...my dear aunt Bellatrix torturing her when the three of them invaded my Manor. And apparently? I just stood by and watched.
She told me about it a few weeks later, you know. I asked her. She...it's actually sort of a strange quirk in Hermione; she's willing to give people a chance if they're civil to her. She was willing to give me a chance.
...there are just some events that force people to bond and become close. One of those events is defeating a giant mountain troll. That's how it worked for her and the two Gryffindors. Another is being the only two transported to a new world as test subjects where you're the only ones familiar with your home.
She believed in me, you know. Right from the very beginning, and I think that's really what made me realize that she wasn't as terrible as I thought. I'll admit...I was kind of a wreck when I first came here, and for the first several months, I couldn't understand what was happening. Hell, half the time I still can't quite understand what's happening. But that's what I have her for, I guess.
"Remember what I told you...about believing there's good in people? I believe that of you. You don't deserve what they did to you."
That's the day I decided to officially be civil with her. Nearly two weeks after she arrived. Two months and two weeks in Luceti was clearly enough time to resort my entire line of thinking that I've had for the last seventeen years. You can see why I wasn't exactly jumping at the chance.
Admittingly, I was scared, I guess. Scared to let her get close enough and scared of losing it whenever Potter and Weasley made their grand entrance. She seemed assured that it wouldn't get in the way, and I wanted to believe her...and then Potter showed up. And actually?
It's ridiculous. She stood up for me.
...it's taken me just a little over two years to realize that I was essentially a new project for her. Hermione wanted to watch me change and she was willing to do whatever it took to make sure I would change for the good. She understood, in a weird way. She sympathized, which was even stranger.
Let's get to the point, shall we? I don't want to talk about Potter and Weasley. I don't want to talk about anything but her at the moment.
...it's almost safe to say that currently? Hermione Granger is one of the closest friends I have, if not possibly my best female friend. Odd, isn't it? I'm terrified of what that means but I know I can trust her. She's proven herself over and over again and I just...
Gods, why is it so much harder to talk about her? I can prattle on and on about Caroline and all of the things involving her but when it comes to Granger I can't even express half of what I think about the whole situation.
I got a bit possessive over her; I know that much. She was my friend just as much as she was Potter and Weasley's...or so I wanted to believe. I know that she held her loyalties with them very highly and ultimately would choose them, but you know what? She's chosen my side just as often. She advocated for me more often than not, and she's gotten into a few rows with the both of them all because of me.
There are certain things that help people bond. One of those is realizing that your Patronuses are generally drawn to each other. The other is delving into the mind of a shared friend and fighting off the greatest evil.
Speaking of? Granger started the DA. Or Potter did, I'm still not entirely sure. My point is that Harry tried convincing me to join the DA, but it was Hermione who really pushed me over the edge. She's always had this way of talking things through to make sense versus just blowing hot air like Potter does sometimes.
I felt better having that moral support when Riddle was here. Yet another one of those certain things that help people bond.
And then...there was the relationship with Potter. Oddly enough? Well, I'm not sure support is the right word, but she tolerated and understood it.
...I'm going in circles. Let's just bulletpoint.
-Hermione Granger is quite possibly something akin to a soulmate.
-I may have had feelings for her at one time, and I may possibly still do, I don't know.
-She's the best confidant I have, even moreso than Myuria was and Hisoka is. Why? Because she's lived through it. Because she knows how it all is.
-She helps me keep my head on straight.
-I'd possibly die for her at this point.
Oh yes...Father would certainly disown me for this.
...my life went to hell again (it does that quite often in Luceti, actually), back in March of this year. Care to know why? Of course you do.
Hermione finally disappeared. My one major tie to home had been sent back. I still had Harry, of course, but the problem with having Harry is that despite the fact I was in relations with him, there were still things I couldn’t trust myself to tell him because of what kind of person he is. Hermione’s the one who gives me the best advice, and honestly I can’t believe I’m saying this but I think I’d be slightly dumber without her. We all would be.
She came back a few months later, and one of my greatest fears came to life. Sure, she had come back…but she didn’t remember a damn thing.
I wasn’t Draco anymore. I was Malfoy; I was the enemy.
And I wasn’t sure how to handle it. So what did I do? I stayed as far away as possible for a while while I tried to unscramble my head and remember how I was supposed to treat her. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to revert to old habits after being under the influence of positive change for the last year and a half? Nearly impossible, that is.
She had about the same amount of memories, so naturally I was doomed from the start. I tried, I guess. I tried to be civil with her and I tried to discuss certain things with her like reforming the DA and the like, but I guess…well, my worlds didn’t hold much weight.
Doesn’t matter though, she disappeared again a few months later.
Another few months went by and one by one everyone else went home. Weasley was the last one to leave…September, I believe. Really it was like déjà vu all over again. I was all alone, and honestly I may have been better off that way. I needed the time to myself to regroup, figure out what I was doing with my life here, figure out what to do with the people that were still left that I cared about. Hisoka, Tsuzuki, Caroline, Xion…those kind of people.
But things are never that easy, are they? Luceti never wants to make my life easy, and honestly I have been thrown for more loops than a roller coaster.
November 7th. Check the date, that was about a month ago.
“It would seem I've returned,” she said.
At first, I thought perhaps it was the one who had been here the last time, the one who was a Gryffindor through and through and who would only trust me as far as she could throw me.
“I was wondering when I’d hear from you.”
I…couldn’t have been any happier, actually. I still didn’t get my hopes up too much, but she proved it. She was my Hermione, the preferred version, the version I had come to realize that I was almost utterly useless without. I realized…I missed the guidance. I missed the companionship. I missed the friendship, and bloody hell she made me a Gryffindor and I still kind of resent her for that but at the point I didn’t care because she had come back.
She was from a little further in time this time. The first time she was tortured by my aunt. This time she came in after posing as her and breaking into Gringotts.
I’m a bit proud of her, really.
I made her move in with me. Selfish? Probably, but I’ll be damned if I let her out of my sight again. I’m not allowing her to disappear under me like that ever again. I don’t think…well, it doesn’t matter what I think, it’s just simply not happening.
She knows about things now, to say the least. She’s aware of the last few months’ events that have occurred without her, and she’s aware of my life situation. She’s aware of Caroline and Harth and the Shifts and the revelations I’ve made.
…the problem with Hermione is that she’s take to investing a little too much into my life.
S.A.V.E. The Society Advocating Vampiric Education. She came up with it all on her own, which is interesting considering what a flop S.P.E.W. ended up being. I guess it helps that she recognizes that my girlfriend’s not a monster.
What was the point I’m trying to reach? That I can’t function properly without Hermione Granger? Hah! I’m sure we could both manage perfectly fine without one another…
…but would we want to? I have to wonder what my world would be like if we hadn’t gotten involved in each others’ lives the first time she arrived. Would I still be an arrogant little prat raised to believe in blood purity? Would I still be a coward?
…probably.
How strange it is to know that it only takes one person to completely change your entire life? Harry changed it one way, Myuria changed it one way, Hisoka changed it one way, and Caroline changed it one way.
Hermione? Probably changed it about six ways.
I wonder if she would see what I see if she could see herself right now. A bright young lady who’s passionate about things that may or may not work but she’s going to try anyway because she strongly believes in justice. I won’t be surprised if she goes on to work for the Ministry after all of this is over.
…she’s beautiful, actually. Potter I’m sure sees her just like a sister, but I think I fall more in agreement with Weasley. Now that her teeth are a normal size and her hair’s calmed down, she’s not that hard on the eyes.
However. Rest assure I’m dedicated to one person this time. Her name is Caroline.
…but I can still look, right?
Anyhow…here we are today a few weeks shy of Christmas. She’s parading around handing out S.A.V.E badges like there’s no tomorrow, and I’m acting as moral support.
I vaguely wonder what she thinks of me. If there’s any sort of hidden secrets she hasn’t told me at all, but I highly doubt that. Hermione’s been fairly honest with me as far as I can tell, especially considering she’s a horrible liar. But if she did have thoughts…I wonder what they would be. Maybe I’m being entirely too idealistic and she doesn’t even feel remotely the same.
Now that’s just being pessimistic, Draco. Get over it.
I guess I’ll never know unless she chooses to tell me. For now, I suppose I’m content with what I have.
I think…I’ve just written a bunch of words without making a real point. Perhaps I’ll organize them later, but for now it looks like she might need my help.
So. In short, what have we learned today from me?
She’s my walking lexicon, and I’m her biggest challenge.