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Y/N was used to Draco screeching, much to her dismay. Not the horrible kind of screaming, but the annoying, ridiculous, way only someone with Black blood could.
In other words, dramatic as hell.
So, when Y/N woke up that Saturday morning to Draco screaming bloody murder, she simply turned around to the other side of her bed.
Unfortunately, for her, his Malfoy genes gave way.
A boom burst through her room, her door almost flying off its hinges. “Y/N!” She bolted up, her hand flying to her hammering chest. “What the bloody hell is this?!?”
“Draco!” Y/N screeched back, “What the bloody HELL are you doing?”
Now, her cousin was of course dramatic. She occasionally could be too-the Black blood does not discriminate. But he had never burst into her room like this.
Draco stomped over but just as he reached her bed, paused mid-step to reconsider what he was doing. However, it seemed the slight guilt went away as quickly as it came.“I found this,” he sniffed, looking over to her pictures on the wall with his nose pointed up.
Y/N snatched it from him, making sure to stick her tongue out at him when he looked away. It was a letter. But the letter was rather peculiar. It certainly was not from the wizarding world with its distinctly muggle poststamp. Yet her address, Grimmauld Place was printed. Y/N knew for sure that no muggle would be able to breathe it, let alone write it as they would be cursed a very painful death.
Briefly, she played with the idea of Hermione then quickly dismissed it. For peeking out of the already opened envelope (she shot Draco a quick death glare) was a bright red paper heart. Curiosity won over her, and she quickly unfolded it.
It read:
Dear Y/N,
Saturday is Valentine’s day. Because of that, I decided I should be brave about this, as I am no snake. I’ve never been very good at subtlety anyway.
There will be more.
Love,
Your Secret Admirer
A sharp gasp escaped her, her heart filling with warmth. She giggled, rubbing her fingers against the indents of the paper.
Y/N had always wanted a secret admirer, finding the whole idea rather romantic. During her Hogwarts days, when Valentine’s day came, she would always fantasize the idea of a certain bespeakled, dark-haired boy gifting her with anonymous gifts.
Now, at the ripe age of twenty-two, she was a bit more practical.
“What is it?” A groggy voice, then another bang-speaking of the devil and he shall appear-Harry came through the door. He looked rather disheveled, not that she minded. He was a sight for sore eyes on any day.
His hair was a mess as always, wand hand at the ready, flannel pajama pants on and a zip-up sweatshirt that looked thrown on haphazardly as it was twisted about his torso. As he stepped further into her room, he shoved his glasses up further his nose.
Draco sputtered, his nostrils abnormally flared.
Y/N rolled her eyes and handed Harry the letter. He hadn’t looked at her yet, still glancing about her room for imaginary threats before settling on her form. His eyes then softened, his stance relaxing as he realized it was just one of Draco’s dramatic episodes again.
“Morning,” he mumbled, raking a hand through his ridiculously messy hair. Something in her chest melted and oozed.
“I am no snake” Draco spat and Y/N almost jumped-forgetting he was still there. “If your admirer thinks Slytherins lack bravery, I’d be happy to provide a counterexample.”
Y/N didn’t pay him any attention and instead handed Harry the letter-trying to gauge any reaction as he scanned over it. The only reaction he gave was a slight furrow of his brow and a clench of his jaw but she dismissed it as a sign of concentration and probably annoyance towards Draco for waking him up on one of his days off.
Once he finished it he took a deep breath and handed it back to Y/N without looking at her, “Malfoy, you cannot seriously tell me you woke me up for this.”
“My cousin has a stalker,” Draco snapped, waving his hands around wildly, “And that's all you have to say, Potter. I thought damsels in distress were your expertise. Being the savior of the wizarding world and all.”
Y/N bit the side of her cheek hard to not burst out laughing. She had learned the hard way how insecure and jealous Draco could be. It was one of the reasons why most of her friends and Draco had clashed so much when they were young-Draco was convinced they were trying to take her away from him.
The idea had been so incredibly absurd to her but Draco was an only child-a very spoiled one at that. He wasn’t used to others taking away things he loved, people especially.
“Like how you used to stalk me and my friends when we were young?”
Draco scoffed, “I did that to make sure you were safe. Potter was dragging you around on all his stupid attention seeking quests because of his incurable hero complex.”
Y/N rolled her eyes so hard it almost hurt and shuffled her slippers on to get up. “Honestly, Draco. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. Besides, this is just an innocent gesture before Valentine’s day. It’s probably the new secretary that my co-worker just hired.”
Harry suddenly stumbled over her rug looking at her strangely. It was then that she looked down to see herself clad in the most embarrassing pajamas possible. Her eyes widened as she took in the ratty, t-shirt that displayed a giant firewhiskey bottle-something she had thought was hilarious when she was young and stupid paired with her christmas gnome fuzzy pants.
“I am not going to have a security breach in my own house! I’m launching a formal investigation!”
-
As a junior legal assistant for the Wizegamont, Y/N cherished her time with her coworkers. Her friends were sweet and made sure to show curiosity in her day to day life but they didn’t understand the grit the job took nor any of the terms she used.
In fact, Harry and Ron had been rather disgruntled when they first heard she got the job. Ron had even called it a betrayal, as though she’d volunteered to preside over Harry’s trial herself.
Hermione had been the only one to understand that she wanted to help change the system, not condone it.
“You’re ditching us for dumb and dumber again?” asked Edgar, one of the other assistants and surprisingly sassy for a Ravenclaw.
Maybe Y/N was becoming too predictable.
Susan Bones scoffed from next to him, “We all know you would be jumping at the chance to have lunch with the Harry Potter.”
Y/N left them to bicker back and forth, heading towards her desk where she left her lunch. However, the legal documents that were usually strewn around her work area were instead replaced by a simple heart shaped box.
Her heart picked up and she glanced over to make sure Edgar and Susan were still too busy arguing to take notice of her and darted over. As she expected, a note sat on top and she hurriedly ripped it open.
Dear Y/N,
I hope you enjoyed my last letter. For now, chocolates and letters will have to suffice until I can love you in person.
In the meantime, be my Valentine?
Love,
Your Secret Admirer
Y/N bounced on the balls of her feet trying to keep in her squeal of excitement as much as she could. Already, the idea of a secret admirer was incredibly romantic-but this.
It was something she couldn’t have dreamed of.
Grounding herself, she focused on the heart shaped box instead and opened it to find an array of chocolates.
“What is it?”
Y/N coughed, hurriedly thrusting the note inside and shutting the box. “Nothing!” She called, hurrying over to the exit. “See you in a half hour!”
In the past few days, the idea of who her secret admirer could be had become a wonderful torture. The more Draco droned on and on about testing her previous letter for magical traces-the more she had been tempted to just let him find out. However, just as she would be about to ask-Harry would walk in and she would lose her nerve.
She found Draco and Harry seated on one of the tables outside. “How the hell did you manage to secure one of these?” She exclaimed as she grew closer to them. It was almost impossible to grab a table on the porch now that it was nicer outside.
Harry smiled at her in greeting while her cousin just gave her a deadpan expression. “I think you forget, dear sister, the Malfoy name still has some meaning around here.”
“Does it?” she questioned, swinging a leg over the bench, “I would have never known with the way you remind me every five seconds.”
Draco ignored her and simply took a dignified bite out of his sushi.
“The jazz club is opening on Friday. I’m still mad we couldn’t get in.” Y/N said, getting her lunch out.
Harry nodded, “Ron somehow managed to score two. He’s going to take ‘Mione but could try to buy it off him.”
“Oh, I’m so jealous!” Y/N gasped, “They need to go! I’ll just have to badger them for details after.” She paused, caught off guard by Draco narrowing his eyes. “Draco, what-”
“Don’t tell me.” he hissed, his eyes trained on the box peeking out of her work bag.
Fuck. She had hoped he wouldn’t see it.
“What?” she snapped. “You know, I can’t eat all of it.”
Draco scoffed and ripped the box from her hands, opening it. He grabbed a piece of chocolate and brought it closer-studying it.
“What exactly are you searching for? Poison?"
“As a matter of fact-I am.”
“Is that another letter?” Harry interrupted from next to her, leaning closer. Y/N shot him a death glare. He was definitely not helping things. Draco snatched it before she could hide it.
She chewed her lip trying not to stare him down. If he ruined this for her-she swore to Merlin.
A light but deliberate kick to the shin startled her. She turned to find Harry a lot closer to her than he had been before.
“Malfoy asked about tracing magic on letters today.”
Y/N looked to the sky and let out a sharp breath through her nose. “You’re joking.” Harry shook his head and gave her a mischievous smile.
“Don’t worry, somehow the team got the impression Draco has a secret admirer. Theroux is convinced it's a goblin.”
“I wonder how they would ever get that impression.”
As much as Y/N loved libraries, Grimmauld Place was one she tried to avoid when she could. Despite how grand the room was, there was something so eerie about it. Most likely, it was Dorthea Black’s portrait's judgemental gaze.
Yet she always seemed to return there when in need of a book. Unfortunately, she had just finished hers and was in dire need of a new one to read before bed.
Peeking her head through the door, she couldn’t help but feel a chill.
She shivered. Someone must have died or been cursed here-something. The bad energy in the room was giving her goosebumps.
Godric, she was starting to sound like Professor Tweanley.
Shutting the door behind her with a final thud, she quickly lit up the room with a simple wave of her wand. Scanning the rows upon rows of bookshelves, she finally landed on the one that she wanted. She had just finished the second novel in a trilogy and was looking forward to finishing the series.
Edging the book out, the hair on the edge of her neck stood up as she felt the weight of the stare from that damned portrait.
Suddenly, a voice rang out. “What are you doing here?”
She just about jumped out of her skin. The book fell to the ground with a soft thump as she spun around to face her cousin. “Draco! You scared me.”
He rolled his eyes and yawned. “You scared me. I wasn’t expecting anyone to be here.”
“I need a book.” she crossed her arms, feeling an odd urge to explain herself, “What are you doing here?”
He sighed deeply, looking a bit sheepish. “I like to walk through the house before I close it up. I’ve done it since the war.”
Familiar guilt crept up her spine. Even though there was nothing Y/N could have done she always felt responsible. She could have done something-made it a little easier for him.
If only she had paid more attention to him her sixth year.
“You don’t have to explain anything. We all appreciate it.” said Y/N, squeezing his arm in reassurance.
He nodded and stepped closer to her, murmuring, “This place creeps me out.”
“Me too. Let’s get out of here.”
Draco nodded vigorously and picked up her book. As he flipped it around to look at the back, she scanned over her cousin. He was looking better-especially now that he had moved out of Malfoy Manor. The eyebags were still present but nothing compared to before which is all that mattered.
“There’s something in here.”
“What?”
Draco was right, there was something tucked into the book. Recognizing the style of the envelope her heart rate started to pick up.
Could it be?
She snatched it up before Draco could.
It read:
Dear Y/N,
I will admit I have never understood how you enjoy reading-especially to the extent you do but it is one of my favorite traits of yours. I hope you enjoy the ending. In fact, it gave me the idea for your next present.
Look in the envelope again and you will find three tickets. One for you and a choice of two friends.
Hope to see you there,
Your Secret Admirer
Immediately looking into the envelope again she did find three tickets. They were for the grand opening of the new jazz club in Hogsmeade.
She squealed and hugged them close to her chest.
Y/N had tried to get them earlier but they had been completely sold out. She had even brought Harry along to try to convince them but it had been to no avail.
How had they managed to get them?
They had to know some high up people. She heard Lavender Brown hadn’t even been able to get ahold of them and she knew everyone.
“They have to be familiar with Grimmuald.” Draco growled. “It’s one thing to use Evanesco but it's a whole another ordeal to place an object in a specific place-especially a specific book.”
Her cousin was right. They had to be close if they knew which book to place it in, especially since she had been almost finished with the previous book in the series.
Draco had gone suddenly still. “Are those tickets?” Y/N nodded. “You aren’t going.”
“What?” Y/N scoffed. “You absolutely cannot tell me what to do.”
“Fine, go and get yourself killed then. See if I care.” Draco whispered harshly, then a beat. “You don’t even know them! What if they are death eaters?”
Y/N rolled her eyes, “Draco, it’s tickets to the new jazz club! If they were a former death eater, there’s no way they would have been able to get their hands on this. Only the elite of the elite would have been able to get it. I couldn’t even get it as a Black.”
He opened his mouth then closed it.
“The one in Hogsmeade?"
She nodded, “The one that's booked out for months.”
He pursed his lips and looked away. “How many tickets are there?”
“Why do you want to know?” She crossed her arms.
“It’s a security measure.”
“There’s three tickets.”
Draco sniffed and lifted his nose up, “I’m going to take one. I need to be there to make sure you’re safe.”
“Mhm, I’m sure it's just to make sure I’m safe.”
The space was stunning with a lovely pomegranate theme which was most peculiar but fun all the same. It was so darkly lit it took a second for her eyes to adjust but was eventually able to make out small tables surrounding a stage at the center of the room. The place was lively with witches and wizards alike mingling with their neighboring tables. Baubles filled to the brim with champagne were floating around the room charmed to automatically fill.
Y/N had arrived alone with Draco promising to arrive once his therapist appointment was finished and Harry wrapping up an impromptu meeting with the new minister of magic.
Glancing around the room, she spotted some familiar faces but none she really had any motivation to go up to. Hermione and Ron must not be here yet. Besides, she was rather anxious to spot her mysterious secret admirer.
A scantily dressed house elf brought her to the table before she could ask for more time.
Just before she could reach to pull her chair out, she was surprised to see a hand already there. Her heart hammered-could it be?
She froze and instead moved to sit in her chair without looking at who it was. She didn’t think she would be this nervous to find out. Maybe she should have listened to her paranoid cousin.
The chair slid in and with it the mystery person moved in closer to her.
“You look beautiful tonight.” Her shoulders relaxed but her stomach clenched uncomfortably. She knew that voice.
“Just tonight?”
Harry didn’t bother with an answer and took the chair next to her.
And yet there was just something about seeing a man who she had been in love with for most of her adult life in dress robes. Beautiful was the only way she could describe him. The simple black robes did wonders for his eyes, contrasting with his tan skin leaving them brighter than ever.
Harry leaned in, “You’re staring.”
Her cheeks burned. “I’m not!” She huffed and looked away to hide. “Oh good, there’s Draco.”
Draco looked nice too but she had seen her cousin in formal attire her entire life. Actually, scratch that, the snob insisted on wearing dress robes more often than not.
The music started soon after that. It took her breath away, there was just something about witnessing a pleasure like this right in front of her. Even Draco looked impressed.
“Miss?” a voice questioned, causing her to have to drag her eyes away from the scene. “A gift from a guest here.”
A bottle of champagne appeared from mid-air. Upon closer inspection, she realized that it was a rather expensive bottle. She bit her lip, trying to calm down. She had never felt so special in her life.
Draco scoffed from across the table, “They do realize they are supposed to pop it for us and give us a taste right? So much for a gentlemanly gesture.”
Much to her displeasure, Draco was right. She had been to enough nice dinners to know that was how it worked. Harry frowned from next to her, looking a bit confused.
“I’m sure they won’t mind if we do it then.”
“I will not look like a bombarian, Potter. Just because you have no class, does not mean I don’t.”
“Draco!”
He sighed, having the manners to look a bit ashamed but just waved a house elf over to pop the bottle.
“This was also left for you, miss.”
Y/N perked up, her hands grabbing the letter greedily.
It read:
Dear Y/N,
Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day and I am in agony wondering if I will have a Valentine. I hope this gesture will convince you.
Enjoy!
Love,
Your Secret Admirer
Y/N giggled. He was so sweet and thoughtful! To know how much she wanted to go to this jazz club and now this! It was too much. He was too much.
“Potter! No!” Draco hissed. Y/N groaned internally, she wanted to read it again and again but instead looked up to see Harry about to take a sip of champagne and Draco almost jumping out of his seat to stop him. “It could be poisoned, you daft man!”
“Daft man? That's it? You really are losing your touch, Malfoy.”
“Draco,” she interjected before they could get out of hand with their bickering, “Please leave it. They wouldn’t serve this to us if it was poisoned. Here take the letter. I know it will make you feel better.”
He took his time reading it, jaw clenching dangerously. Yet, even though she knew her cousin was about to throw a fit-Y/N couldn’t help but get distracted by Harry. His knee was so close to hers she could feel the heat coming from him. She risked a peek over at him from her lashes. To her surprise, she was met with bright green eyes looking straight at her. Her breath hitched.
Her instincts screamed at her to turn away, look back towards Draco but something held her there. She was going to get caught but she found she didn’t quite care. Instead, she selfishly allowed her eyes to roam his features.
Red slowly creeped up his neck to his ears, yet instead of cowering away he leaned in closer. His lips neared the shell of her ear, mouth opening slightly to let out a whisper. His warm breath tickled her neck.
She waited anxiously for what he was going to say but instead his hand reached for her champagne glass. He took a sip.
Then, a hum. “He has good taste.”
She took in a deep shuddering breath to gather herself and hopefully calm her racing heart. What was he playing at?
“He certainly does.”
Y/N was getting a bit anxious. She knew she shouldn’t be but she couldn’t help it. Valentine’s day had come and gone, in just a few hours it would be the fifteenth. She guessed she had just had too high expectations, but the way her secret admirer had been portraying himself she had expected something.
It was difficult not to be disappointed.
As Y/N unlocked the front door of Grimmauld place with a swift wave of her wand, she let out a deep suffering sigh. She shouldn’t have let herself get so wrapped up in it.
“Happy Valentine’s Day.” Y/N looked up to see Draco and Narcissa sipping tea in the foyer.
A bright smile edged its way onto her face. At least she got to see her favorite aunt. “Happy Valentine’s day, Aunt Cissy. What have you guys been up to today?”
“Draco was kind enough to take me out to lunch. Then, we went for a walk around the grounds and now we are having a nice cup of tea.”
“Sounds lovely,” Y/N said earnestly.
“It was. How was your holiday? Draco told me you have a secret admirer.”
Y/N’s eyes widened.
“Mum!”
“What? Draco, you never give me any details. I am simply showing interest in my niece’s life.”
Y/N laughed, “I’ll have to tell you all about it. Unfortunately, I haven’t gotten anything today but I will keep you updated. We are overdue for a long lunch.”
Strangely, Narcissa looked even more delighted, “I did see a grand arrangement in the dining room. It certainly was not for Draco despite my best attempts. I still don’t understand why you won’t visit the Greengrasses with me.”
Draco’s face turned an unflattering shade of pink, his face scrunching together. “Mum!”
Y/N couldn’t hold it in anymore, she started to laugh, “I miss you, Aunt Cissy. You need to come around more.”
“I agree, if only my son would too.”
Y/N left them to their bickering and instead made a beeline for the kitchen.
To her delight, her aunt was correct. Sitting on the tabletop was a single flower. A peal of giddiness ran through her as she rushed over to the table to pick it up.
The second her nose hit the petals, it started to sparkle. In a wonderful show of charmwork, Y/N watched as the single rose melted and grew into a startlingly stunning necklace.
She took in a short intake of breath. It was intricately made and quite delicate. Deep red rubies were strewn together on a delicate chain. Her eyes misted over. She knew who it belonged too. This piece was very old and had been handed down from generation to generation.
“Do you not like it?”
A sob escaped her mouth, “Oh, Harry. I love it but it's too much.”
“It was my Mother’s, you know.” He whispered softly. “My Dad gave it to her on their first date.”
Y/N sniffed, "That's very ambitious. Are you sure you are not Slytherins?”
Harry chuckled lowly, looking at her so softly it made her chest hurt. He looked like he was trying to gain trust in a wild animal, making himself smaller and taking small careful steps. “I need to tell you something.”
“I know.”
“I want to say it anyway.”
Y/N’s lips wobbled, her heart racing. “Okay.”
Before Harry could open his mouth, a clash sounded down the hall.
“Draco! Please!”
Malfoy burst into the room like a tornado. He froze for a second to survey the scene. She probably looked hysterical, Harry looked just as close to tears, a dainty necklace between them.
It seemed someone above was looking over them because Draco didn’t even pay Harry any mind and instead went straight over to her.
“Are you hurt?”
“No, Draco-”
“Who is it? I will hunt them down, curse them to the edge of their lives, and only when they are begging for mercy will I finish them.”
“Draco, please.” Narcissa said from behind them. Draco ignored his Mother and instead looked to the table to see a final letter sitting there. He ripped it open with such ferocity Y/N was nervous he was going to ruin it.
“You know, Malfoy had that exact face when he saw us become friends.”
Y/N let out a teary laugh, “Godric, I forgot about that. I’ve never seen him so mad.”
“Now look at him,” Harry smirked, “If I knew this is all it took, I would have done this a year ago.”
Y/N whipped around, her breath rushing out of her. “Harry,” she hissed, swatting his shoulder. “Draco could hear you.”
“He’s going to find out about us, love. That was kind of the whole point of this ordeal. If the daft bloke doesn’t figure out we’ve been dating for a year under his nose the whole time, I don’t know what will.”
Y/N sniffed again and took in a deep shuddering breath. Harry was right; they did need to tell her cousin about them. It wasn’t fair to him nor was it to them. Harry wrapped an arm around her shoulders as she buried her nose into his neck taking a deep inhale. There was something about Harry that was just so relaxing.
“POTTER! MY COUSIN! YOU BLOODY-”
“DRACE HYPERION MALFOY! Enough!” Narcissa snapped. “I have had it with you. Leave this instance!”
“You knew?”
Her aunt sighed so deeply, Y/N grew a bit concerned. “Of course, I knew. Now, come on. Let’s leave them to it.”
Draco opened his mouth then closed it again. He looked positively furious but listened to his Mother.
“This isn’t over, Potter.” He snapped as he got closer to them.
Then he turned towards her and brought her into an embrace, “You could do so much better,” he said, then sighed like it physically pained him. “But if you’re happy, I suppose I’ll allow it.”
Y/N sagged against him, relieved this was finally over. “Thank you.”
He squeezed her once more and kissed her forehead then left the room with a final death glare towards Harry.
He grinned at her, “Well, I think that went well.”