The Box
Hermione Granger sat in the Head Boy and Girl compartment on the Hogwarts Express, staring out the window. She and her friends had finished school yesterday. Seven years… over. Seven years at Hogwarts had given her so much - magic, adventure, friendship and love. No one knew of the last thing except for Hermione herself, but soon the object of her affection would know too.
She looked down at the box in her lap. This box contained everything that could convey her feelings for him more than any words could. Seven years she spent beside him, watching him, loving him, and he had no clue. A smile played across her lips as she thought about the raven-haired, green-eyed boy, no, man that she had fallen in love with. Harry. Hermione prayed that someday he could see her as anything more than a friend. Her hands trembled as she held the box tightly screwing up her courage to walk to the back of the train and give it to him.
Her thoughts were interrupted, her courage floundered when the blond boy - he was still a boy, never a man - cleared his throat expectantly.
"Yes, Draco," she asked semi-politely.
"Is that for Potty?"
She snapped, "Don't call him that! And it is none of your business anyway."
"C'mon Granger. I know you're in love with him. It's hard not to notice when we lived together for the past year. What are you scared of?" Hermione looked at him, mouth gaping. Hermione wondered if hell had frozen over, because Draco Malfoy sounded… like he… cared? Draco laughed at her impression of a fish. "Today is probably the last time you'll see him. I know that he is going to Auror training and you'll be off to University. Just give it tom him."
"All right. Who are you and what have you done with Draco Malfoy?" she stared at him waiting for the polyjuice potion to let up or the like.
"It's me, Granger… Hermione. Things have changed since my dad's in Azkaban. I know I still treated you like shit at school, but it's over. There is no one to witness this. I am actually pretty good friends with Potter." Hermione looked at him quizzically. "Snape brought me to the right side of the war. I've been meeting with the Order of the Phoenix for three months now. Outside of this compartment, I will be the same bastard that called you a mudblood, and I will curse you into an oblivion if any word of this ever leaves this compartment." Hermione nodded dumbly. "So, what are you afraid of? That he won't return your feelings?"
She nodded again. "Snap out of it Granger, you are usually the articulate one. I can't believe that I shocked you speechless. I'd bet Wesley and Potter have never seen you this quiet without your face buried in a book."
"Stuff it, Malfoy!"
"There, that's the Hermione we all know and love." She threw him a deadly glare which he seemed to ignore. "If you are afraid of rejection, let me take it to him. I can say that I found it on the floor in the aisle. I will still be the smarmy git that everyone expects, but Potter trusts me enough that he'll know I'm not pulling anything on him."
"Are you serious?"
Draco laughed. "Yes. No matter how much of an ass I have been over the past 7 years, I know that you and Potter are perfect for each other. He keeps you from being too serious and you keep his ego grounded," he said finishing with a smirk. Hermione threw her bag at him. "Hey, that was uncalled for!" he teased.
"Draco, you'd really do this for me?" He nodded and reached for the box.
"What's in it anyway?" he asked as she hesitantly handed it over to him.
"None of your business. He is the only one who would understand it, anyway." She said softly shaking her head.
"Give me a minute, I'll be back." Hermione watched the blond Slytherin walk out of the train compartment. Why did she so easily trust him? She was half waiting for her eyes to open and she wake up from this strange dream. She pinched herself hard on the arm. Nope, it's real.
*
Harry and Ron were sitting in the rear compartment of the train. They were lucky to get it to themselves. Ron's' girlfriend, Lavender was sitting with her younger sister who was a first year. Ron's sister, Ginny, was sitting with her Sixth year friends. And Hermione was sitting in the Head Boy and Girl compartment. They were playing a compelling game of wizard chess when the compartment door opened revealing none other that the Slytherin git, Draco Malfoy. "Malfoy, what the hell do you want?" Ron asked harshly.
Draco ignored the redhead. "Hey Potter, looks like you have a secret admirer. I found this out in the aisle," he sneered and threw Hermione's box into his lap. After a meaningful look to Harry, he turned and left the Gryffindors alone.
Ron went to grab the box and throw it back out of the compartment, but Harry stopped him. "It's all right, Ron."
"Harry, you can't really be serious. What if it's a bomb or something?" Ron asked pointedly.
Harry sat there staring at the box. He had caught the look on Draco's face. He knew it was something important. He could trust Draco, yet Ron didn't know that. Draco had come into the Order with Snape. Harry was doubtful at first, but it seemed that Draco really had changed. All outward appearances showed that Harry and Draco still loathed each other, but if something were to endanger either one of them, the other would be there to back him up.
Harry seemed off into his own world and Ron grabbed the box from him. "I don't trust him Harry."
"Ron, give it back!"
"No!"
Faster than Ron could blink, Harry had his wand out and had cast a stunning spell on Ron. "I'm sorry Ron, Obliviate."
Harry grabbed the box out of Ron's hands and sat quickly in his seat. "Harry, where'd you get that box?" Ron asked his friend.
Harry smiled, "I found it outside the door."
"What's in it?" Ron asked like it was Christmas morning.
"Not sure," Harry said as he lifted the lid of the wooden box. Inside was a bit of what could only be considered junk, and a letter. Harry opened the letter and read:
Dearest Harry -
This box holds my most treasured possessions. They may look like trash or junk at first, but if you look closely, maybe you will see what I see. You don't know who I am right now, but you will soon enough. The items in this box will show you what you have meant to me and what you mean to me now. These items speak for themselves. I love you and have for a very long time. I hope that someday you may see in me what I see in you.
A Friend
Harry's face showed every emotion he could have at one time - shock, fear, admiration, apprehension, curiosity, love?
"Harry, what's it say? Who's it from?" Ron asked excitedly.
Harry didn't answer but he started to rifle through the items in the box, pulling them out one by one. A pair of broken glasses, a feather, a Dumbledore's Army coin, a vile with a black hair in it, a small cork, a handheld mirror, a large white feather, a daisy, and a copy of a Skeeter article from Fourth year.
Harry stared at the objects dumbfounded, Ron stayed silent, biting his tongue to keep himself from asking any more questions. These items will speak for themselves. Harry tried to sort it all out in his mind. What could all this mean? The items in this box will show you what you have meant to me and what you mean to me now. Harry's heart skipped a beat. Suddenly, it hit him and he knew what everything was. He frantically started going through them, explaining out loud the meanings, half to himself and half to Ron who looked like his head was going to explode from curiosity. Harry handed him the letter and started going through the items again.
"A cork? It's small like the bottles from when I had to go through the fire to get to the Philosopher's Stone in first year." He thought a second and picked the vile with the hair. "I bet you anything this is a cat hair," he said smiling to himself. "And this…" he said as he picked up the mirror, "is the mirror that she was holding when she was petrified."
"Hermione?" Ron asked.
Harry nodded and went on picking up the feather, "Buckbeak." He picked up the newspaper clipping, his voice choking up a bit, "Skeeter's blasted article." Harry shook his head memories flooding him of what Hermione went through for him over that article. He picked up the DA coin and smiled, "She was the one who came up with the spell to make this work." Ron nodded smiling almost as big as Harry.
"Bloody brilliant." Ron could not believe that she saved all these things. He had guessed at Christmas that Hermione had something for their other best friend, but never knew it went this deep. Tears were tugging at the back of his eyes as he watched all these strong emotions flash across Harry's face.
"How did she get these?" Harry asked to no one in particular as he held up the broken glasses.
"Are those the one's that broke after your fall during the Quidditch Cup Match last year?" Harry nodded.
"I thought they were lost for good. They couldn't be repaired anyway, but I can't believe she saved them." Harry was having a hard time keeping his emotions in check. He had been in love with Hermione for well over a year, he never thought that she could feel the same. He couldn't help the stupid grin that was plastered on his face. She loved him. She loved HIM!
Harry was brought out of his elation as Ron held the daisy in his face. "OK, so what's this?" he asked curiously.
Harry sighed. "Remember the day we found out that Hermione's parents were killed last fall?" Ron nodded. "You had been somewhere with Lavender and Hermione and I had gone down to the lake. You know, to get her mind off of everything. I picked this on the way and gave it to her. She said it brightened her day. I hugged her and held her as she cried." Tears were now streaming down Harry's cheeks as he took the flower from Ron.
Ron snorted. "Harry, what are you waiting for? Our best friend is in love with you, and I think you love her too," Harry nodded, stupid grin and all. "Then go get her before I have to drag you to her."
Ron didn't have to say another word. Harry was out the door in a flash, running as fast as he could to the front compartment that the Head Boy and Girl rode in. Harry stood at the door for a moment gathering all his will to go in and sweep his best friend off her feet. He could hear her sweet voice, she sounded like she had been crying. Harry felt an ache in his chest. Then he heard Draco's voice. "Trust me Hermione." Harry smiled at the realization that Hermione had Draco give the box to him, he hadn't just found it. Hermione must know about Draco then, he thought. Harry stood there for another moment, feeling like a fool standing out in the aisle with a daisy in his hand.
*
Hermione was staring out the window again. Her cheeks were tear-streaked from crying on Draco's shoulder. He had been shockingly supportive. She was so afraid that Harry would laugh at her and she would never get the chance to show him the love he deserved. Hermione didn't hear the compartment door open, Draco excuse himself and someone else enter the compartment.
Hermione was startled when a daisy suddenly appeared in her face. She held her breath. It couldn't be. She turned around to see a pair of emerald green eyes burning into hers. It is. She smiled and he smiled back. Before she could say anything, Harry had softly pressed his lips to hers, moving them gently to taste her, to love her. Harry's arms came around her waist and pulled her to him. He gently released her lips and whispered, "I love you too, Mia. I always have." He gently kissed her again, their cheeks were wet with tears, but neither knew whose they were, neither one cared.
Hermione hugged him tightly then pulled back slightly to look at him. "This is it isn't it? You leave tomorrow." She said sadly trying to pull her gaze from his.
"This is how it will be. I promise," he whispered as he brushed his lips over her cheeks, kissing away her tears. "Let's spend the rest of the day in Diagon Alley and not think about tomorrow." She smiled brightly and nodded curling up in his warm embrace ad not thinking about anything but the man who loved her.