Letters of Great Importance

Part 1

Harry was surprised to see someone sitting on the window sill.

It was a very late winter night. Only a few more days until Hols. Harry had been unable to sleep, while everyone else it seemed had no troubled thoughts, all of the Gryffindors quietly resting, well not all quietly Neville’s constant snoring was accustomed background noise. So with a quick check of the marauders map for Filch and Mrs. Norris whose dots were stationary in their rooms. So safe he left for his favorite spot in the Astronomy tower.

On a warm night in spring you would be hard pressed to find an unoccupied spot in the tower. Couples flock to this tower in droves when Spring fever descends, but on long cold winter nights, you never saw anyone. So to see a figure huddled on a sill looking out at the silent dark grounds was surprising.

Harry held his breath. He did not want to startle the person. He could see their head was down resting on their knees. There was not enough light to be able to tell the persons hair color. Until suddenly the head shot up and startled eyes stared into Harry’s. Those familiar grey eyes were staring into him. In the light from the window he could now make out the familiar silvery hair, but an unaccustomed sight was also present, there were tracks of tears flowing down the cheeks of the one person he thought would never cry, the one person he thought was incapable of tears. Draco Malfoy.

Draco quickly swiped the tears from his cheeks, absently hoping Harry may not have seen them.

“Do you have something to say… or are you imitating a goldfish?” Draco asked suddenly. Falling back into familiar territory of insults and snide commentary. One can’t go wrong with the classics right?

Harry quickly closed his mouth. “I… Sorry.” Draco looked even more startled. Potter had apologized to him. Draco began to laugh, this was a very odd turn of events indeed.

“What are you laughing at?” Harry asked nervously. Maybe Malfoy was a bit unhinged.

Draco quickly stopped his laughing. Leaving the cold empty halls echoing for a few moments. “Nothing just irony.” Draco replied quietly.

Harry stepped forward and sat next to Draco on the sill. “Do you mind?”

Draco gave a dismissive gesture to the question. Silence reigned as both boys stared out over the grounds. Harry realized why he had thought it felt extra cold in here, the window was open. He reached for his wand to close it when Draco grabbed his wrist quickly. “I wasn’t going to hex you, I was going to close the window, aren’t you cold?” Harry asked as Draco let go of his wrist. Draco’s hands were like ice, he resembled ice in many ways Harry thought to himself. The way his blond hair was falling into his eyes resembled icicles, Harry idly wondered if he reached up and touched them if they would feel like ice.

“No I’m not cold. But you can close the window if you would like, Potter.” Harry nodded and pulled out his wand, muttering the spell that would close it. The cold breeze stopped, Harry pulled his cloak tighter around himself.

“Malfoy, can I ask you a question?” Harry asked quietly. He had never had a conversation with Draco that was civil, and this was an opportunity he was going to not pass up.

“Okay…” Draco answered reluctantly.

“Why are you a git?” Harry asked, he quickly noted there was a look of pain that crossed Draco’s face, then was quickly covered by his normal blank façade. “What I mean is, aren’t we passed this fighting yet. Can’t we just get along already?” Draco turned to look out of the window again for a minute. Harry was considering leaving, maybe he had pushed it too far.

“I suppose so… I won’t be saying any more mean things to you…” Draco wouldn’t look Harry in the eye.

“Just like that?” Harry was shocked this was fine by him, but it seemed to be coming to easily.

“Yes just like that. Now would you mind if I asked you to let me sit here awhile by myself. I have something I was going to do.” Draco kept his eyes downcast. Harry looked at him with his brows furrowed. What was he up to? There was something up with Draco, Harry thought to himself.

“K. Question first, are you staying here over the Hols?” Harry didn’t know what possessed him to ask but he felt they might be able to get to know each other during the Holidays. Something was telling him he really wanted that.

“I don’t know, I want to, but Father wants me home so probably not.” Draco glanced up into Harry’s eyes.

“Well if you do stay we could play chess, I’m not very good, but it could be fun.” Harry smiled warmly.

Draco felt a welcoming smile forming on his face. “Sure, Potter.”

“You can call me Harry, whenever you call me Potter I think of how mean Snape is to me. ‘Potter this’ and ‘the Famous Potter’ that.” Harry stated.

“Sure, I’ll try. You could call me Draco if you want.” Draco felt the smile he was giving Harry all the way into his soul. Irony was a Bitch. Things can go so right, at the same time they are going all wrong.

“Okay, well then see you, Draco…” Harry waved as he hurried away down the hall.

Draco turned back to window. He reached for his wand to open the door once more. But decided against it. Give it a couple more days, maybe something can be done. He sighed heavily.

“Accio letter.” Swiftly an envelope landed in his outstretched palm. It had crossed its journey from the lower dungeons up to the tower in seconds. Scrawled elegantly across the front was only the name, “Sev.”

Draco placed the letter in his cloak pocket, silently thanking the stars that Snape hadn’t already found it on his door. Oh the problems that would have caused. Draco stood stretching out his tired bones.

Was it possible things weren’t going to be as bad as he thought?

End Part 1