just so you know this is cheesy af & also pls vote if u like it, hunny bunches

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The next day, I wake up early and dress quickly. Before I can think twice, I march straight to the Owlery, clutching in my hand a letter I wrote last night.

Malfoy,

I've told you this already, but I mean it now.

You're really going to have to stay away.

Please, go back to hating me. It's better like that.

Not bothering to sign my name, I fold the parchment and attach it to one of the school owls. As I watch him fly off into the morning air, I am torn. Do I want him to stay away? Yes. Do I want him to kiss me again? Also yes.

Just then, something shuffles behind me. I whip around, feeling guilty. Hermione is standing by the doorway, looking utterly unsurprised to see me here. I haven't had the chance to talk to her since the kiss, but I'm sure she's heard. Everyone's heard.

I move closer to her. "Are you angry?"

Hermione makes a sound of disbelief. "Am I - of course I'm angry, Isobel. I don't know what you were thinking."

I turn away disappointedly. I'm not sure what I was hoping her reaction would be, but it wasn't this. "I'm not quite sure myself," I mumble, but it's almost a lie.

"I mean, it's Draco Malfoy," she continues, but her tone isn't angry; more confused. "I thought you hated him, we all did-"

"I – I did," I say miserably. "He's... I don't know, he's different."

She gapes at me, incredulous. "Different? Is he not the same person that's tormented us all since first year?"

I shake my head. "You don't understand," I say quietly. "When I'm with him, he's - there's just so much more to him. I'm not sure I understand either."

Hermione furrows her eyebrows, clearly flustered. "But it's Malfoy, for heaven's sake."

"I know." I shake my head and turn to stare glumly out of the Owlery window. "It doesn't matter now anyway. I've sent him a letter." I laugh softly, acknowledging the stupidity of it all. "It won't happen again."

"That's probably for the best," she says gently. She shakes her head. "Isobel, you might feel all of those things right now but you have to think straight for a second. If you date Malfoy, it'll change everything... Think about us. There's few people in the world that Harry hates more than Malfoy and-"

"Okay," I say angrily. "I'm sorry, okay? It's not like I went through the list of people Harry hates and picked one to-" I break off. "To kiss. I'm sorry. I didn't plan it out like this."

Hermione looks doubtful. "Do you trust him?"

The owl is long gone, and I wonder if Draco has read the letter yet. "Yes, I trust him."

Hermione pauses, a moment too long. "Ron seems to think that maybe – just maybe, he's trying to get information on the DA out of you."

My jaw drops and I swing around to face her, furious. "You think he's using me? You don't think I'd be able to tell?"

"No, Isobel, I-"

"I'll have you know he hasn't mentioned a thing about the DA, not a word. And if you think-"

"Isobel," Hermione interrupts. "Calm down, I believe you." She sighs and places a consoling hand on my arm. "I don't understand why you like him, and I probably never will. But I do know that it would be better for everyone – including yourself – if you just tried to forget about him."

I open my mouth to scoff, to scorn the idea of ever simply forgetting about Draco Malfoy, when a voice interrupts me. "Young! There you are!"

I whip around to see who else but Draco Malfoy at the other end of the corridor, clutching a dreadfully familiar piece of parchment. "Young!" he repeats loudly, striding towards us. "Sorry, I mean Belly."

Hermione is watching me carefully, and it makes me even more nervous. She raises an eyebrow at me, as if to say, your choice.

I shake my head, and sling my bag over my shoulder. "I'm sorry," I say, avoiding her eyes. "I just have to at least talk to him."

I hitch up my bag and walk towards Draco. Once I'm close enough, he turns to walk with me, throwing an arm around my neck. I shrug it off awkwardly, turning back to see if Hermione saw. But she is gone.

"I liked your letter," Draco says. Despite his cocky grin, he looks like he hadn't slept very well either. His shirt is only half buttoned and his tie is loose, and hair flops lazily into his face.

He also looks like a work of art.

I narrow my eyes at him. "You liked it?"

"Actually, no," he says. "I hated it. It was the worst thing I've ever read."

I furrow my eyebrows. "Why did you hate it?"

He stops and turns to me. "Because it didn't make any sense. Why would I stay away from you?"

People are starting to file around us now and they send us curious looks. I pick uncomfortably at the hem of my sleeve. "Isn't it obvious?" I ask, trying to keep my voice low. I gesture at the space between us. "This – whatever this is – it's never going to work out."

Now it's his turn to be confused. "Why not?"

I shift on my feet, very aware that people are now listening into our conversation. "Why do all of our conversations take place in the middle of busy corridors?" I say weakly. It was meant to be a joke, but it sounds awkward and feeble.

He's irritated now. "Oh, if they bother you that much-" Draco takes my hand and leads me away from the people. Once we find a secluded classroom, he shuts the door and swings around to face me. "What's the problem?"

"Malfoy-"

"Back to last name terms again, are we?"

I stare at him. "Fine, Draco. I think we're wasting our time here."

"I don't," he replies evenly. "I think we've been wasting our time for a very long while. But not now."

His honesty startles me and I blush. "Really?"

"Yes." He watches me. "I like you, Belly."

I shake my head, trying desperately to ignore my thudding heart. I turn away, hands on my hips. "I'm sorry," I say. "I'm sorry, but my friends have such a bad history with you and they don't want-"

"So?" he interrupts. "Who cares what your friends what? Shouldn't you think about yourself for once? What do you want?"

I collapse against the wall. He doesn't understand. "It's not a matter of what I want, Draco. Practically all of my friendships are on the line here, friendships that were established years ago, and losing those friendships isn't what I want!"

His expression softens and he draws closer. "Well," he says gently. "I think that if you're willing to make sacrifices for them, they should be for you."

I look down. "I know."

"Why are you following your head over your heart?"

Despite myself, I smile. "You're the last person I'd have expected to tell me that."

He dismisses this. "Just give me a chance, Belly. Why are you so scared?"

I don't reply, and Draco is silent for a long time. Then, he places his hands on the wall, either side of my head. He isn't very close, but it makes me look up at him.

Every bone in my body is telling me to lean into him, but my mouth betrays me. "I'm sorry," I say. "But there are so many reasons why not."

Draco leans closer to me, his lips turning up ever so slightly at the corners. His eyes are soft, and suddenly, I see him not as the same Draco Malfoy I have visualized for years, but someone who is kind and careful, and all these other things I've failed to see before. "Tell me them," he says quietly.

I pause. "Well," I say. "Firstly, we're in completely different houses."

Without warning, he plants a soft kiss on my cheek. My eyes flutter to his and he smiles politely. "Yes, continue."

"Secondly, we don't even know each other that well."

Draco smiles again. "I beg to differ," he says, and presses his lips to my other cheek. "Thirdly?"

"Well, we're both very, um, hot-headed, and I think we would fight a lot."

He kisses my forehead. "A bit of excitement never hurt anyone. Go on."

"Lastly," I pause again. "Lastly, I think that maybe, if all my friends leave me," I bite my lip. "Well, you might just get sick of me."

He raises an eyebrow and pecks my nose. "I'll never get sick of you."

I want to melt into the wall. "What are you doing to me?" I ask weakly.

He shrugs, a helpless, cute shrug. "You tell me." He's close now, but not the kind of close that makes my heart pound in my throat, like the day in the corridor. Instead, it comforts me. I feel safe.

"Kiss me," he whispers, but it's not an order. It's an invitation.

"The problem is," I say breathlessly. "If I kiss you now, I don't think I'd be able to stop."

My cheeks are on fire now, as I take in what I just said. But Draco is smiling – a genuine smile. He tucks my hair behind my ear and leans closer. "You have too many problems."