Rivals Not Enemies (Drarry Slowburn)

HERMIONE'S ANIMAGUS

Transfiguration started late on Friday, as the arrival of their professor was coupled with the announcement that McGonagall still needed to grade a stack of assignments from her other NEWT level classes. She implored the four of them to use this time to meditate‭, ‬as it would benefit them greatly to do so‭. ‬Before she could cast the‭ ‬encasement charm‭, ‬Draco regally declined—mainly due to the encouragement of Hermione‭.

While she cheered with him‭, ‬Ron sat beside her on the bleachers‭, ‬slack-jawed‭. ‬

Harry‭, ‬on the other hand . . . well‭, ‬Harry wasn't paying attention‭. ‬

He was staring off into space‭, ‬thinking again about the letter Draco had wrote to Hermione‭. ‬He never would have guessed Draco‭ ‬could be so heartfelt‭, ‬so vulnerable‭. ‬Even now‭, ‬Draco had foregone the need for a protective shield‭, ‬but he would never admit the reason why‭. ‬There was no tension between him and the golden trio anymore‭. In fact‭, ‬he considered them his friends‭. ‬‬(minus Ron, but that was a work in progress)

It was too sappy and sentimental for Draco to confess‭, ‬but it still went without saying‭. ‬When Draco asked them if they would fare well without the additional precaution‭, ‬they agreed emphatically‭. ‬The absence of magical restraints perturbed all of no one‭. ‬

Draco seemed surprised by this‭.‬
"I figured by now you would've heard the rumor going around about me‭,‬"‭ ‬he professed‭, ‬"that I'm going to curse the school‭. . ."

Hermione became vehemently affronted‭, ‬"What a load of rubbish‭!‬"‭ ‬She descended down to the bleacher row where Draco sat to comfort him with a hug‭. ‬"Don't let them get to you‭, ‬Draco‭.‬"

Ron whispered angrily to Harry, "What's gotten into her?"

Harry had to monitor his terrible poker face to avoid rousing Ron's suspicions, lest they be without basis. He understood his frustrations, though. It had only been a few weeks, but Hermione and Draco seemed incredibly close. In Ron's eyes, she was more affectionate and doting with Draco than she was with him.

Harry just shrugged, averting his eyes, hoping Draco would be able to clear up the misunderstanding at the right moment. Draco whispered something to Hermione that neither Harry nor Ron could hear, and it seemed to stop her from hugging him.

She pulled away with pink burning on her cheeks‭. ‬Ron cooled down momentarily after‭, ‬though he despised the secrecy displayed between the unlikely duo‭. ‬

Hermione spoke sweetly, as if trying to remind Ron how much she loved him without saying it‭,
"You should show Harry the book we found‭.‬"

Ron chuckled harshly‭, ‬"You mean that‭ ‬I‭ ‬found‭.‬"‭ ‬He thumbed through the books in his school bag‭. ‬"It was in between two Quidditch magazines—"‭ ‬

When he looked up‭, ‬he stopped blabbering‭. ‬Hermione had a scowl on her face‭, ‬one eyebrow raised severely‭. ‬Ron relented‭, ‬knowing‭ ‬he wouldn't have been in the library to begin with if it weren't for her‭.

‬"Okay‭, ‬okay‭, ‬we‭ ‬found it‭,"‭ Ron said, handing the book to Harry while trying to shed the fright from his face‭. ‬"Since you figured your Animagus might be a bird‭, ‬we thought it could help you‭.‬"

Harry accepted the book gratefully and thanked them both, not really caring who found it. The book was filled with photos of feathered creatures of all kinds—some magical and others not. The pages featured large enchanted pictures similar to those in the‭ ‬Daily Prophet‭ ‬but in full‭, ‬vibrant color‭. ‬